Remembering the Dead

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley Quinn is seated on a large rock in the Nexus today. She seems to already to be in the Halloween spirit, as the colorful young woman is dressed as a circus ringmaster. But despite her colorful costume, her usual energetic spirit seems to be missing today.

She has a bouquet of flowers in her hand. And takes one of the flowers, then slowly removes the petals of the flower one-by-one, scattering them underneath her.

"This year is going to be the first time that I am not in Arkham, during a death-a-versary. And I am not really sure what I should do?" She bites her bottom lip for a moment. "How do you remember those who are gone, without letting the memories overwhelm you?"

Comments

[lastravagerstanding]

He blinks. "Question? I ain't got a specific question right now. Actually, might, what're y' drinkin'?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Usually the Nexus brings you here, when you have a question for the masses." Harley explains.

"This is a strawberry milkshake. Would you like to try it?" She offers him her straw.

[lastravagerstanding]

"Oh." He thinks about that. "No. Jus' needed space. Petey keeps fussin' and the twig wants to climb me 'n' I can't take Rocket lookin' at me like I made Yondu make the choice he did. There ain't much space on a ship to hide."

That is a filthy lie. With so few of them on the Quadrant, there's space, but it feels too empty and claustrophobic at once.

"Yeah, sure." He leans in, take a quick draw and sits back, trying to decide what he thinks. "Tastes... expensive."

[sweetcandygirl]

"Is that right?" Harley laughs softly. She thinks he is adorable, in his own little way. "It is mostly milk and strawberry ice cream."

[lastravagerstanding]

He reaches for the whiskey next, inhales and recognises the smell, taking a deep gulp and sighing. "Ship really only has long life supplies. This tastes like... planetside, like Xandar. Not like Hrax. Hrax is a shit hole."

Fresh fruit, ice cream milk, it's all stuff that they only get in places where the food can be trusted.

[sweetcandygirl]

"I should take you for a picnic. Feed you a lot of fresh fruit."

[lastravagerstanding]

"... why?"

Kraglin's suspicious nature doesn't accept 'just because' where giving things is involved. Especially not giving things to him.

[sweetcandygirl]

"'Cause I like you. Dummy." Harley grins at him. Is that an acceptable answer?

[lastravagerstanding]

He gives her another somewhat suspicious look. People don't like Kraglin. He looks funny, smells funny and steals and kills for profit. "... really?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Do I have to prove it, honey? 'Cause I will..." She bats her eyes at him. Those big, blue, almost-innocent eyes.

[lastravagerstanding]

"... Nah. Think I might get weirded out by that." Because fuck only knew what 'proving' it would entail. "Mos' people don't like Ravagers. Lotta Ravagers don't much like me."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I am not like most people." Harley points out the obvious.

Their food arrives. She claps her hands happily, at the sight of the steaks and the onion rings.

[lastravagerstanding]

Kraglin's expression immediately turned avaricious, taking the food in with a greedy gaze. "Real meat? Like, actually cut off an animal, not reconstituted? Wow."

[sweetcandygirl]

"UhHuh! It is cow, in this instance."

[lastravagerstanding]

Cow is probably not sentient, so he doesn't really care much more about it. He pulls a knife out of somewhere, a short, stubby bladed thing that he stabs into the meat and uses to lift it without burning his fingers.

He gives it a sniff, a quick lick and then sinks his teeth in, shearing through the steak like hot metal through butter. "Mm." He chews slowly, experiencing the flavour, rolling it about.

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley has to hold back a laugh. He reminds her of Killer Croc with his eating habits. But hey... he is enjoying the food. That is good enough for her.

And she doesn't disturb him either, using a cutlery set that was brought with their order to cut into her meat.

[lastravagerstanding]

Using a knife for hot food is about as civilised as Kraglin gets, but he's very unselfconscious about it. Nature gave him a jaw designed to break bones; he's not going to bother with cutting things into small pieces.

"'S good," he mumbles after a moment. But not with a mouth full of food.

[sweetcandygirl]

"You know, we could likely order a few extras, if you wanted to take them home with you."

[lastravagerstanding]

He shakes his head rapidly. "They'll get nicked. Rocket's nose is sharper 'n mine, Drax is bigger and stronger and Petey'll gimme some shit about 'sharin' with the team'." He'll gorge himself now and just savour the full belly.

[sweetcandygirl]

"I meant to share with the team."

"But I can see why you would want to keep this whole place a secret."

[lastravagerstanding]

"Not my team." Not really. Petey was his idiot... little brother? Child? Pet? Mascot? Mascot.

"Yeah. Nice t' have a place without 'em." He took another bite of the steak and let out a small sound of contentment.

[sweetcandygirl]

"Are you planning to head back. At all?"

[lastravagerstanding]

"Yeah, 'ventually." He has to go back for the fin and arrow, if nothing else. Get the last of the cybernetics implanted, though he thinks he could do it himself if he needed to.

"... do you go back?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Nope. Still here. Not sure if I will go back."

[lastravagerstanding]

"So y' can live here." It's a thought. Going back to live somewhere with no Yondu and just reminders everywhere of the things they used to do together seems impossible.

But... he should look after Peter. For Yondu.

"Got anythin' back there?"