[Nova Storm's next words clog in her throat and she presses back into the hull at her back, optics going wide] I didn't- Not for you- [But, yes, that does serve to slice into the knot built up around her spark enough for Nova to heave in, and heave out a vicious swear, although this time she doesn't even know what about. Everything, maybe]
[Another kick, another wobble, and target acquired]
[Nova jerks and looks up for the first time, lowering one arm where it had crept up to grab her helm. She thinks about running again, then just vents out a resigned sigh that doesn't sting this time and shifts to hold out her arms, instead of curling in on herself]
Fine. Fine, you found me, like always. Get in here before I change my mind, already.
[Nova just looks back at Skywarp for a few seconds, then slowly draws her arms back and over her head, curling up tight except to snap out another vicious kick at the curve of the ship, then another and another and another and-]
I- It-
[Nova heaves in a vent and expels heat in a shudder that wants to be a sob but comes out as a snarl]
It's my own stupid head going around in circles about things I don't know how to fix and can't talk about cause I'm a stupid bird and-
[another and another and another and-]
When I figure it out I'll make those things burn for making me feel this way, helpless and pathetic and-
[she stays lazing around, only pulling nova back from kicking the ship by her shoulder, then whaps her upside the head. not gently, either, but not hard enough to dent.]
Get it together. [she doesn't say this angrily, though, as she's genuinely trying to pull nova out of a spiral.] Tell me what you can talk about.
[Nova grunts at the smack, but not out of pain or even as a protest, but simple acknowledgement. She huffs and lowers her arms, but keeps her optics aimed at the ship instead of her sister so she won't be tempted to say things that'll just end up getting trapped between her teeth and tongue, anyway. She's tried before]
Isn't great, [she mutters, plating rustling silent in the vacuum out of discomfort. Then she pauses, optics narrowing. Maybe she could dance around it...?]
...Y'know how with Mandroid, we used to- [They'd had a system with each other for if that idiot tried anything with the other, different movements and blinking patterns in their biolights from their twin language, but even saying this much twists tight in her chest. Nova averts her face with a frustrated snarl, so Skywarp doesn't see her wince. Stupid Antlers and his stupid, stupid compulsions]
[She kicks the ship again, hard, and gets a certain vicious satisfaction that she dents whatever is holding up that antennae]
[not fully understanding why nova has stopped suddenly, skywarp responds in positive in their language, then tilts her head with an inqusitive chirp. is this something that will work? she won't know until nova responds.]
[Nova sags back and lets her helm thunk silently against the hull behind her, easing out a vent before responding back in their twin language of biolights and chirps]
[her expression twists suddenly, as she knows who it is. who else could it be, but the mech she saw stab nova and who whatever it is he did to her spark-- and all the incompetents on the ship let him get away with it. growling, skywarp buries her fist in the ship wall next to nova.]
I know who it is. I don't care if you have to tell him I know. His sloppy work is going to undo him again.
[turning back to nova, her optics narrow.]
You stop blaming yourself for this right now. This is his fault, not yours. If you blame yourself and run away like this then he wins.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-16 05:49 pm (UTC)[Another kick, another wobble, and target acquired]
[Nova jerks and looks up for the first time, lowering one arm where it had crept up to grab her helm. She thinks about running again, then just vents out a resigned sigh that doesn't sting this time and shifts to hold out her arms, instead of curling in on herself]
Fine. Fine, you found me, like always. Get in here before I change my mind, already.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-20 06:15 pm (UTC)Are you going to tell me why you're doing this?
[she could guess. but she wants words.]
no subject
Date: 2025-04-11 06:53 pm (UTC)I- It-
[Nova heaves in a vent and expels heat in a shudder that wants to be a sob but comes out as a snarl]
It's my own stupid head going around in circles about things I don't know how to fix and can't talk about cause I'm a stupid bird and-
[another and another and another and-]
When I figure it out I'll make those things burn for making me feel this way, helpless and pathetic and-
[another and another and]
no subject
Date: 2025-04-12 12:09 am (UTC)Get it together. [she doesn't say this angrily, though, as she's genuinely trying to pull nova out of a spiral.] Tell me what you can talk about.
no subject
Date: 2025-05-05 11:38 am (UTC)Isn't great, [she mutters, plating rustling silent in the vacuum out of discomfort. Then she pauses, optics narrowing. Maybe she could dance around it...?]
...Y'know how with Mandroid, we used to- [They'd had a system with each other for if that idiot tried anything with the other, different movements and blinking patterns in their biolights from their twin language, but even saying this much twists tight in her chest. Nova averts her face with a frustrated snarl, so Skywarp doesn't see her wince. Stupid Antlers and his stupid, stupid compulsions]
[She kicks the ship again, hard, and gets a certain vicious satisfaction that she dents whatever is holding up that antennae]
no subject
Date: 2025-05-10 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-10 09:36 pm (UTC)Compromised. Can't say it.
no subject
Date: 2025-07-11 03:28 pm (UTC)I know who it is. I don't care if you have to tell him I know. His sloppy work is going to undo him again.
[turning back to nova, her optics narrow.]
You stop blaming yourself for this right now. This is his fault, not yours. If you blame yourself and run away like this then he wins.