the picture prompt meme

[socketeer]

the picture prompt meme

I — Comment with your character.
II — Others will leave a picture (or two, or three...)
III — Reply to them with a setting based on the picture.
IV — Link to any pictures that are NSFW, please.
V — Be aware that this meme will likely be image-heavy. That's kind of the point.

Link to an image: <a href=IMAGEURL>TEXT</a>

Embed an image in your reply: <img src=IMAGEURL>

You can control width and height of your pictures: <img src=IMAGEURL width=500> OR <img src=IMAGEURL height=INSERT>

Comments

[animated]

They can read your mind, first of all. You intentions, your next move.

Also they can... make you see things that aren't there.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ A beat. ]

Okay. No touching. Easy enough.

[animated]

I can give you the full rundown, but I think he's the only one we need to watch out for, powers wise.

[nostalgiabomb]

Yeah. The more information I've got, the better.

It can wait, though, if you-- need to take some time, or something. Get rested up or whatever.

[animated]

[ He almost wants to keep pushing forward. They don’t exactly have a whole lot of time, but he’s still reeling, and his head is aching. He can’t do this right now.

So he lists to the side, leaning against Peter, head on his shoulder. ] Tomorrow.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter nods, though with how he’s sitting, Charlie will likely feel it more than see it. ]

You need help getting to bed?

[animated]

Might need help sleeping, more than anything. [ He seeks out one of Peter’s hands with his own. ] Stay with me?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He gives Charlie a bit of a nudge, twining their fingers together before standing. ]

C’mon, then. I’m not carrying you.

[animated]

[ He’s glad for this- the little quiet moments that they share. Those moments when they twine their fingers together, or share brief glances and barely-there smiles. Their relationship isn’t conventional or healthy by any means, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Charlie gets to his feet, a small smile on his face. ]

Wow. You really are romantic, you know that?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Dryly, ] Pretty sure you and I both know you aren’t here for the romance.

[ Peter leads them to his room rather than Charlie’s, shucking his own jacket before helping Charlie out of his. ]

Go on. Get some sleep.

[animated]

Hey. [ He reaches up to cup the side of Peter’s face, getting up on his toes to kiss him. ] Thank you. Whatever you want to do after this mess is over, just say the word, okay?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The truth is, all Peter wants after this is for things to go back to normal – but considering their brand of normal involves killing people for money, he decides not to voice that right now. Instead, he leans forward, resting his forehead against Charlie’s for a brief second before letting out a breath. ]

We’ve gotta clean up this mess first before we start planning anything. We’ll figure out our next move once this is taken care of.

[animated]

Right. One step at a time.

[ Charlie crawls onto the bunk, tugging Peter after him.

Sleep, when it does come, is fitful. Charlie dreams about Robert, about his parents, about the tall man in the suit. He anchors himself to Peter, and doesn’t dare let him go.

The ensuing days are a flurry of activity, but it’s familiar activity. Sharing information, digging for more, coming up with a plan of action. It’s been a long time since Charlie was anywhere close to the McLaughlin manor, but he and Robert got very good at sneaking around the place. That’s got to count for something. It also helps that the place has a good few acres of property to buffer between them and the nearest neighbor.

To dig really deep, though, they need to get within spitting distance of Charlie’s home planet. He’ll let Peter take care of the driving, in case he loses his nerve. Instead, Charlie’s seated in the common area, an aerial photo of the estate up on the screen there, and he studies it. His eyes land on the wing that used to belong to Robert, and he can’t help but wonder what’s become of it in his absence. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter doesn’t pretend to know how difficult this is for Charlie. He provides support when he can, lends a shoulder to lean on when he can’t, and in general, he treats this as any other job, biting back his instinct to dither and hesitate and constantly ask, "But are you sure about this?" One of them needs to stay on target, and since Peter has more distance on the whole mess, it makes him the better candidate.

So he pulls up blue prints available in public record, worms his way into blue prints available in not so public record, and gets himself familiar with the estate; Charlie’s input is invaluable in that regard, explaining how he and his old boyfriend would slip away together.

(Despite himself, Peter occasionally feels a quiet pang of jealousy at whatever it was that Charlie and Robert had together; other times, he finds himself wondering what might have happened, if the two of them managed to keep up their tryst.

Maybe they would’ve ran away together, hidden away on the island Charlie had secretly bought for himself all those years ago and lived a quiet life. Instead, he’s here with Peter, dodging attempts on his life; coaching Peter through nightmares and panic attacks; hanging on desperately to the shitty sort of life he’d carved out for himself, despite life trying to tear it away from him.

He would’ve been happier with Robert. It’s an easy conclusion to draw, and that pang of jealousy is followed soon after by that sinking sensation of guilt.)

Tracking the McLaughlin’s movements is harder to do, but not impossible; hacking his way into security feeds certainly helps to give him an idea, but it’s no substitute for shadowing them in person – which he can’t do until they have their feet on the ground. Autopilot makes the trip relatively painless, allows Peter time to check in with Charlie and keep him focused.

He climbs down from the cockpit to find Charlie sitting in front of the screen, slowing the last few steps when he recognizes the McLaughlin estate. Hesitating, Peter clears his throat. ]

We’re landing tomorrow. [ Neutral. It’s as much to deliver the information as it is to announce his presence. Hesitating again, he cautiously takes a seat beside Charlie, nodding to the image. ] Anything new?

[animated]

[ He glances up, and even does a decent job at tamping down the anxiousness that worms its way into his chest at Peter's announcement. ]

Not really. Just wondering what became of Robert's wing after he disappeared.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He hums a response, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. He’s quiet for a second before he nods to the image on the screen. ]

Which part was his?

[animated]

This one.

[ He motions to the eastern wing of the manor. ] Parents lived on the west side.

[nostalgiabomb]

Guessing it'd be wishful thinking to assume they've left it alone all this time, huh?

[animated]

Probably. [ He shrugs ] It was just idle curiosity, anyway. It's not really any of my business what they do with their house.

[nostalgiabomb]

Yeah, but it might be an easy way in. I'll try keep an eye on it when I take a look tomorrow.

[animated]

Probably a good bet. It'll be tough, though.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ A pause as he watches Charlie. Then, ]

You okay?

[animated]

Not really. [ He leans back in his chair, massaging at his temples. ] Sometimes things happen, and I can just… shove everything aside. I shut it all off and don’t feel a thing.

I can’t seem to do that with this.

[nostalgiabomb]

Is that really a surprise? Considering this is, you know. [ he gestures vaguely. ] Pretty personal.

[animated]

I suppose it isn’t, but that just makes me wish I could disconnect even more.