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[howtheyshine]

STONE HIM-- Wait no.

Will this art change? Maybe. MAYBE.

Comments

[ss_buttcrack]

"Two is even better."

He can keep scowling all he wants, but Crichton is right and unfortunately he's very smug about it.

"The book is something I'm hoping you can translate for us. I have no idea what's going on with that thing in the water, but if you want me to go check it out with you, I will."

[howtheyshine]

He can hear the murmur of an elastically cheerful voice, a memory, maybe, but he can't hear what it's saying. Can't tell. Yellow shivers.

"I'll... I'll look at the book. I don't want to go in the water."

Whatever, whoever that was, it scared him.

[ss_buttcrack]

"Great. I'll give Neil a call on the sending stone and let him know you're volunteering to take a look at it. He's the one who has the pages." Though, he thinks he will go ahead and wait to have that call until he gets home so he doesn't accidentally say the wrong thing and risk Yellow backing out.

"I think staying away from that water is the smartest thing you can do. Whatever it is, it's bad news."

[howtheyshine]

That's a wise choice, its wisdom further illustrated by the way Yellow scowls and blushes at the same time.

"I meant that if I want to go looking in the water, I don't need anyone else."

[ss_buttcrack]

Apparently, the stubbornness was a shared trait.

"Sure. If that's what you want to do, knock yourself out. Not like dying will keep you down longer than a day. That said, has anyone ever explained the buddy system to you?"

[howtheyshine]

Curiosity wars with the desire to snap that he doesn't need a buddy so he doesn't need to know the buddy system.

Curiosity wins.

"No." A pause. "It sounds like some stupid human thing."

[ss_buttcrack]

Hm. They shared that too.

"It's a smart human thing," he corrects, holding up one finger. "When doing something risky, always take a 'buddy' with you as backup because you never know what could go wrong. If something happens and you're the only one there, you won't have any backup. You won't have anyone to corroborate your story, either."

[howtheyshine]

Yellow tilts his head and frowns.

"Isn't it good not to have someone else there, if they won't tell the story you want them to?"

[ss_buttcrack]

"..." How long did he say he was with Arthur?

"That's why they call it a buddy system. Make sure you trust your buddy to have your back." That sounds plausible, right?

[howtheyshine]

This face says: Doubt.

He doesn't trust anyone that much. Which is why rather than answering he's going to pick up his plate and eat more hotdog, doubtfully.

[ss_buttcrack]

Of course it couldn't be that easy.

"Yellow... okay if I call you that for now? I'm an enforcer here. It's my job to keep people out of trouble and safe. I use the buddy system every time I'm on duty. It's a real thing. I'm not bullshitting you." Not entirely.

[howtheyshine]

He growls quietly at the word enforcer, the implied threat of it. Crichton says keep people out of trouble and safe and Yellow hears control them. Which makes his stomach and chest feel fluttery with discomfort.

"So humans need it. What does that have to do with me."

[ss_buttcrack]

And Crichton has just moved him from 'baby' category in his mind to 'rebellious teenager.' They grow up so fast.

"Not just humans live here. Hell, the one in charge of the Enforcers isn't even human. It's not about that. The point is I'm going to feel bad if you get hurt when I could have prevented it."

[howtheyshine]

"...Why?" Said with the intonation of 'what the fuck.'

[ss_buttcrack]

"I just told you. It's my job. That, and I don't like people getting hurt. Do you like people getting hurt?"

[howtheyshine]

He shrugs slowly. "I don't know. If they don't matter to me, why would I care?"

[ss_buttcrack]

Crichton goes very still and quiet as he locks eyes on Yellow. His voice is low but somehow more serious because of it. "Let's get one thing straight right now. People's lives matter. Period. You don't have to like them, or personally care about them for that to be true. If you don't know how to care yet, then you better fake it until you do."

[howtheyshine]

Well, he thought it was a fair question. The way Crichton replies draws a long, low growl out him, defensive and aggressive at once. It pricks at the places Arthur tore open, the places that have been healing micron by micron with each answered question and kindness from people on the island.

"Fuck you," he snarls. "Did you care about me before you thought I could help you?"

[ss_buttcrack]

"You're damn right I did," Crichton spits back. "Caring about someone's safety and liking them are two different things. I didn't like you, but I didn't want to see anything bad happen to you, either. I still don't. That's the whole reason why I don't want you going off alone to the lake to get yourself killed or worse."

[howtheyshine]

He growls again. "I don't believe you."

Yellow gets up and lets his plate drop to the floor with its remains of mustardy hot dog.

"People-- Humans say a lot of things and then do the opposite. All the time. You can say you care all you want and make it a lie--why are you angry at me for being honest?"

[ss_buttcrack]

"You had it right the first time. People are complicated. Sometimes we don't even know how we really feel about something. Right now, I'm mad because you're calling me a liar. I'm not lying. I'm also a little pissed at you for getting mustard stains on the carpet. That's rude."

[howtheyshine]

The very mature entity before him meets Crichton's eyes, plants his heel on the remains of hot dog, and grinds down.

"You were angry when I asked why I should care."

[ss_buttcrack]

Crichton's face pinches in anger as the hot dog is ground into his (let's be real) already dirty carpet. A soft chirping sound heralds the entrance of Crichton's... strange Larva Son, Runt, who happens to really love hot dogs. But Crichton quickly tells him off with a, "Runt, no. Back to your room, please." And the beast does as its told with unhappy mutterings.

In the interim, Crichton has had time to calm down and take a step back from his frustration. He hates to admit it, but Yellow is right. Partially, anyway. The guy may look fully grown but he's younger than even Runt is. He needs to be handled as such.

"I'm sorry. I'm... frustrated with you. Which comes out looking the same. Caring about people is so natural to me I can't... I can't understand how you just wouldn't. That feels as foreign to me as humans must feel to you."

[howtheyshine]

Sorry he's distracted now, watching Runt leave. And Mr I-Don't-Care-Why-Should-I says, "Why didn't you make them a hot dog too?"

[ss_buttcrack]

Crichton is so thoroughly derailed by the question it takes several blinks and clearing his throat before he can say anything.

...

"Runt is on a feeding schedule already."