sound the bugle now

[chromosomes]

CHARACTERS: John "Reaper" Grimm and anyone who shows up!
LOCATION: gym
WARNINGS: Possible language, references to people dying in horrible ways and PTSD, possible violence, a punching bag being beaten to death.
SUMMARY: Reaper is working off some steam on a punching bag.


[ He hasn't been sleeping well.

He hasn't slept well since he arrived, since he got off Olduvai -- since before that, since the mission in the jungle and Jumper's death. He knows what they call it medically, just like he knows the memory therapy didn't work and probably just made things worse. It sure as hell didn't help his temper. On the ship there's no memory therapy but there aren't any doctors who know the best way to treat someone like him either -- someone superhuman, whose body heals but whose mind doesn't, whose body metabolizes medicines faster than it should and doesn't let them help his mind. The nightmares haven't stopped, have slowly gotten worse instead, and now...

Well, now people are in stasis comas. People who rely on him and the rest of the SEC team to take care of them, to keep them safe. People he has seen in the halls even if he's never spoken to them, and people he has spoken to. People he likes. There's nothing he can do this time and so John escapes from the nightmares when he isn't on duty and hides out in the gym. It's only when he doesn't think anyone else is around or paying attention that he lets himself go all out, though.

That would explain the way the punching bag is knocked off its hook, slamming down a few feet away while Reaper stands there, sweating and breathing heavily but not nearly as winded enough as he should be for a punch like that. He picks up the punching bag and drags it back. Time to go again.

(And again, and again, and again...) ]

Comments

[passe]

[ Hal should just leave. Starting an argument with a stranger is the opposite of what he came here for, but he's not finished exercising - and this is hardly a point of major contention. The other man's clearly been here long enough, judging by the scent of blood and the battered state of the bag.

He's staring critically at John, meanwhile, and when he cracks his knuckles, Hal notices the lack of harm. It's enough to catch his interest, provide another reason not to just leave. ]

Then perhaps you might find it easier to turn down the enthusiasm. You're likely to hurt yourself if you continue like this.

[ It's a pointed remark, either fishing for information or suggesting that he's noticed something not quite matching up. Maybe a bit of both. ]

[chromosomes]

I'll be fine.

[ Leaving now when the other man may have noticed something is too suspicious, and besides, he's not done yet. He's not exhausted yet, which is half the reason he came here in the first place.

But he can compromise. ]

Maybe I'll run for a while.

[ Which... would also put him closer to Hal. Oops. ]

[passe]

[ Which is even more exactly the opposite of what Hal was going for. He gives John an aggrieved look, but manages to avoid further commentary for another few seconds, at least. He's about to resume jogging when he abruptly stops, and now his tone is unquestionably short. ]

Is there literally nothing else you can do? The other machines. Ones that are quiet and not - here. [ In his space. An exercise partner is not part of the routine, especially when they've got a heartbeat to distract him. ]

[chromosomes]

No.

[ He doesn't need to lift weights past keeping his muscles toned, since he sure as hell doesn't need to strengthen them, and he's definitely not going to do that while someone's watching. That leaves running or the punching bag. ]

[passe]

[ Well fine, then. If he wants to be blunt, Hal can return the favor. He's irritated, but he doesn't feel the need for violence, so - things are still under control.

There's no reason to leave just yet, particularly not when this man is clearly not everything he seems. ]

Your hands. Why haven't you wrapped them?

[chromosomes]

Didn't feel like it.

[ It's not much of a reason, but it's the only reason he really has. It's not a good one, either, but... well, that's life. ]

Sometimes you just want to feel the punches.

[passe]

[ The remark is mostly deflection, but there's an honesty to it that Hal can appreciate. Unfortunately, a speck of empathy doesn't negate his general irritation, and the quiet aggression remains. ]

The intent seems somewhat futile when you bear no scars for it.

[ Only in the most literal sense. He knows well enough that a body capable of healing does nothing to guard the soul, but he's more concerned with the lack of wounds where all evidence says they should be. ]

[chromosomes]

So I keep punching.

[ Or he would, if Hal hadn't complained -- not that it would change anything. He'd still heal almost instantly.

Either way, John picks up his speed on the treadmill a little bit. ]