madimpossibledreamer

        When Xander thinks about it, really thinks about it, he’s partial to Silver Paladin.
        It’s not any more or less derivative than anything else anyone has proposed, and it can evoke ‘White Knight’ without actually being White Knight, especially, well. Not that he has any guarantees that it’ll go the way it does in any of the futures he remembers, but in a lot of universes those end up having connotations he’d really like to not associate himself with. Silver Paladin can have some of the positive connotations with the added benefit of him distancing himself from the negative ones. Plus, then there’s the parallel to Star. Most people won’t know that, he’s keeping the AI stuff closer to his chest because he’s seen how that goes wrong, too, but he’ll know, and she’ll know.

        Staring at this is just kind of pain. There are so many viruses that they’re going to start gobbling each other up and evolving into some sort of ubervirus. This might not even be worth the gratitude or the money he’s being paid to fix the laptop. It’s not like he needs it, with the company, and this is just going to be one big headache that’s going to tempt him into unwise things like inventing Technovore to eat the ubervirus and it’s going to be this whole vicious cycle. Even ‘friend of Larry’s’ doesn’t quite cut it. “I mean, I understand the temptation, but dude, you gotta use protection.”

        One of the nice things about having her own Family is that for all the shiny new responsibilities, she also gets lieutenants and nobody’s gonna ask questions (well, outsiders, maybe, but most of ‘em learned not to screw with the Miyamoto-gumi or even look at ‘em too much if they value shit like unbroken noses). If she needs a break, she can actually get one. The powers of delegation, baby.

        It’s easy to miss a lot of things, when you’re a kid.
        It’s easy to see the guy getting so many kisses. It’s hard to notice it’s done under mind control, or as a distraction, or persuasion. To protect the self, to protect the ship, to protect the crew.
        Even when you’re a skeptic with a nose for the worst life has to offer, it’s easy to think he’s got it all. The ship, friends, the smiles and the action and the winning. Maybe because it’s on screen. It’s easy to gloss over the pain and tears when they’re more implied.
        It’s easy until you’ve got it in your head and know exactly how hard, how painful, how it all being effortless is just an act. Sure, James T. Kirk is incredible and forged that reputation with difficulty, but a lot of it is acting.

        Without thinking, Saejima reaches out and touches one especially twisted scar. Goro hisses, and he pulls his hand back almost immediately, feeling like an unwanted intruder.
        “Nah, anyone’s got a right ta touch, it’s ya.” Majima leans back in reach, deliberately ignoring any sensible self-preservation.

        “Seriously, I had a couple nightmares after It’s a Wonderful Life.”
        “Aww, poor widdle baby.”

        “I was...assigned female at birth, Klavier, so, um, if you have a problem with that, I guess we’re breaking up?” He wants to sound more sure of himself, but it comes out as more of a question than anything.
        His boyfriend appears frozen for a moment longer before letting out a short laugh. “If I needed any more proof you have seen none of my photoshoots, it was this,” he replies, nonsensical, and then begins taking off his shirt.
        “Klavier?” He’s probably turning as red as his vest.
        “Just proving to you, Apollo, you have nothing to worry about.” And then—
        Oh. Those are some pretty familiar surgery scars, yeah.

        “You’re hurt!”
        “Yes, well. Therein lie the dangers of playing hero.”

        “Throwing yourself in harm’s way is something for the Slayers, mister.”
        “Aww, come on, aren’t you at least going to tell me you’re proud of me?”
        “...Okay, I am happy you saved that civilian, but I don’t want there to be one less Xander in the world!”
        “We don’t know that I saved his life yet. He’s in worse shape than I am. At least he’s here so I can listen to what they’re doing. To know for sure we’d have to be in something like a video game and have restarted the level because he died the first time.”

        “I didn’t think it’d trigger fight-or-flight but it did, and my reaction was to babble like an stream and run like one too.”
        “Xander, your sarcasm is showing.”
        “Oh, my, thanks for that. I would never have noticed on my own without your help.”
        “Xander!”