Hacker Man Jock

Hi there. My name is Jock and I'm an addict. Or at least I was. Or does it still count that I am one until the day I die? [Closed RP Account for Safe Haven Avengers RP Group]

[safehavenavengersrp-blog]

SHARP Relaunch!

Hello everyone,

As you may or may not know, SHARP is now under (not so) new management. Shiv, the creator of the game, has stepped down as the admin of the group and I, Koi, have taken over as the main admin.

I am in the process of setting up the new main blog for the game as well as updating the game’s current plot. 

All plot developments before today (31st December 2015) are still canon for this game. I may be making a few tweaks to the plot going forward from now but I will not changing anything that has already happened. This means that all players can continue with their current threads if they wish.

Once I have finished putting everything together, I will let you all know.

I’m really looking forward to what we are going to achieve together in the future. We have a fabulous group of writers who are wondrously creative and talented and I hope I can do you all justice as I lead the game going forward.

Happy New Year SHARPies!

- Koi

[hackermanjock-blog]

Announcement

Ok so things have gone under a massive change but that doesn't mean it's the end. I will be taking over as the sole admin for the group and I will be setting up a new group/main blog later on today (Wed). I will let everyone know the new URL to follow as soon as I've got everything ready. Shiv has been an amazing admin and I hope I can do all of her hard work justice when I take over. I will need your help and support as we transition into the newest phase of our group. I'm sure you will all join me in cheering Shiv on as she focuses on her various projects and wish her every success in all of her endeavours. My characters will still be on hiatus until next week but I will be here and focuses on my admin duties if anyone wants to talk about anything. Love you all crazy amounts, Koi xxx

[hackermanjock-blog]

Hiatus Notice

Hi guys, I know this is unfortunate timing but I need to take an official break from things here for a while. Lots of family stuff is still going on (my Grandma condition hasn't gotten any better, my Grandpa is still going through chemo and my uncle had to restart radiotherapy again when his test results spiked indicating a possible return for his cancer). Right now I'm physically and mentally exhausted. Like I said I know this is unfortunate timing but I have to put my health first for the moment. I'm planning on coming back properly in one week's time (Tues 5th Jan 16). Sorry everyone. Lots of love, Koi x

[hackermanjock-blog]

Not So Anonymous || Jock & Aeron

[morphinemechanic-blog]

Closing up for the night, Aeron closed the hood of the truck she was working on with a heavy sigh. She wanted to get back to her quarters and unwind, take a pill and forget about the day she had. Horace approached as she dropped the last bit of tools into the box.

“Aeron, Hun” She spun around, the paunch man handing over a filer to her. “I know things are crazy but I need you to go to this tonight.” Aeron immediately protested but was cut off by Horace. “Look, just because we’re out here working doesn’t mean we lose sight of the bigger picture, your health. You’ve been strong these last few months, I know losing Josh has been hard.” Aeron looked to the floor, fighting back the tears, fight the thoughts. “As your sponsor, I need you to go to this.” Not having the heart to tell Horace that she was using again, she nodded in agreement.

The NA meeting was another stale reminder. A dim lit room with those ugly chairs circled in the middle. When she arrived everyone began taking his or her seats, Aeron slipped in quietly, taking a seat towards the back. Scanning the room out of habit, she looked on at the muted faces all paying attention to the speaker who had began the meeting. Her attention instead locked on a rather familiar face. Jock was a computer consultant from what she could recall, she was never really good at remembering people, just their faces. Aeron turned away to get caught gawking, listening to the lulls of lost soles as people began to share their own drug stories. Aeron just shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

As the meeting concluded, Aeron stuck around a bit to look for Jock. When she found him at the coffee table he gave her a smile. She approached reaching for a cup, pouring herself a cup of brew. “I don’t have to explain to you that you never saw me here, right?” Aeron placed her cup down, filled it with cream and sugar, and then stirred it slowly. She didn’t want to come off brash, she wanted to keep her personal life out of her contract with SWORD. She didn’t need to absolutely needed to be sure that anonymous stayed that way.

“What are you doing here anyways? You don’t strike as the NA type.” Aeron sipped at her coffee her lips curled in surprise at  the taste. That’s some good coffee.

@hackermanjock

[hackermanjock-blog]

Jock nodded in agreement to her request that he never speaks of seeing her here at the meeting to anyone else. After all this was supposed to be Narcotics Anonymous where the addicts and former addicts could come to talk and share their stories without fear or judgement. Breaking that could be harmful for someone’s recovery and Jock did not want that to happen to Aeron.

“I’m here because I’m an addict,” he told her after taking another sip of the coffee. “I’ve been clean for four years, five months and a handful of days.” There was a lot of pride in Jock’s voice as he told her how long he had been clean for. His recovery had not been easy for him but he was proud of his progress nonetheless. “I had to go to rehab because of a court order,” he added, “but I don’t regret it.”

He didn’t need to hear Aeron’s story, especially if she didn’t want to share it. Hell, he could talk for her if that’s what she wanted. He was in a good mood (thanks to the good coffee in part) and that meant it was likely that he wasn’t going to stop talking until Aeron or anyone else told him to shut up.

“I’d normally go to my usual meeting back in New York but since I’ve been working here with SWORD, my sponsor suggested I come to a local one.” Sure he was rambling now but that’s what he did best, besides hacking into systems he probably shouldn’t be. “I gotta find a new group to start going to when I move to D.C. for my new job. Hopefully they have coffee this good at the ones in D.C. The New York ones never had good coffee; it tasted of dirty dishwater, or what I imagined dishwater to taste like because I’ve never drank the stuff.” Finally he paused for air. “Not knowingly anyway.”

@morphinemechanic

[hackermanjock-blog]

Updated Bios

Half of my muses are done.

Abigail Brand

Alexis Michaels

Bucky Barnes

Jerrica Alvar

Jock Brannigan

I’ll be doing the other half later today.

[hackermanjock-blog]

Hackers Reunited || Jock & Skye

[skye-isthelimit]

Skye gave a sideways smile and shook her head when she saw the man eyeing her. It was obvious he was checking her out. She took a deep breath and relaxed, moving to face him. “That’s me. Just Skye.” she said as she looked at Jock. He seemed to be misunderstood. People probably judged him quick and didn’t leave room for their opinions to change. Skye wasn’t like that, though. Everyone deserved a fair trial in her book.

“I am kind of desperate. I have to find my friends.” she told him. She took another breath and looked at him, “After I left the Rising Tide, I joined SHIELD.” Skye started, “Crazy jump, I know but these people were like my family. They were the closest thing I ever had to a family, actually.” she said, shrugging off the  subject. “We were taken over by HYDRA and now all of my friends have basically disappeared and I just want to try and find them.” she explained. 

Looking at him, Skye gave a smile. “I was hoping with your help, maybe I could locate them. Maybe use facial recognition and see if they’re gone out anywhere. Maybe track purchases. Something.” she suggested, shrugging once more. “I could do this by myself but it would be a lot easier and we could cover more ground if we work together, I think.” she reasoned, “Thank you, by the way. For responding to my message.”

[hackermanjock-blog]

“No surname? Like Madonna or Cher? Cool,” Jock cringed almost instantly as soon as he spoke. This was not the best way to make friends and influence people but the filter between his brain and mouth had never been up to much, even before the drugs and addiction.

Fortunately for Jock, Skye got straight into business and explained why she was looking for help. He smirked when she told him about joining SHIELD; they had more in common than he had originally assumed. She had joined them whereas Jock managed to stay on the edges of the organisation. He had acted as a consultant for them, insisting that he worked better on the outside than in. He had made contacts with the right people and now he was working for the President himself. Not bad going really.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Jock said with a small smile, “I haven’t help you yet. But I will though.” Something in the back of his mind twitched and suspicions he rather not have made themselves known in his thoughts. “Wait, if you guys were taken over by Hydra, how do I know that you’re safe from them and you’re using my help for good instead of bad? No offense but those Hydra bastards can go fuck themselves and if you’re one of them and I hope you’re not, you- well- yeah. How can I trust you is what I’m trying to ask here.”

@skye-isthelimit

[hackermanjock-blog]

Goodbye Past, Hello Future || OPEN

[codenamemalachite-blog]

“Good, because I would have just walked out and then back in to start over” Not really, but just something to laugh about right now. In the past, he would have been angry at someone like Jock. Jealous even, but it would never show. It would just be hidden inside, locked away for none to see. He had always been jealous of others that were able to lead semi normal lives. As not all were full of sunshine and sparkles. 

The man listened to Jock, occasionally taking a sip of his coffee and a bite of his muffin. Nodding when he was supposed to. This time, he was actually listening. While he had a feeling that Jock was not telling him everything, that was ok. Not like it was it was important for him to know. He’s lied enough about what he actually did, that not know what Jock does now is good enough for Junho. Kind of like payback. Especially if he did lie to the man before him. Shame. 

Always meeting the good guys and either doing what he does best to get information or just straight out lying to them. Now he was more self conscious about it. Damn…everything that has happened to him can really change a man. 

“That’s awesome though. You really hit it big time and here I thought it was mostly because you managed to get the girl without my help. New boss? If I may ask, what kind of job are you doing now?” He shouldn’t ask too much anyway. It might ring some bells if Jock worked for the government. “I’m thinking of quitting mine…It’s been a little too stressful since we last met and I actually just came back into town from my time off” 

No, it was more like he just up and left to clear his mind. Time off was never approved. No rest for the wicked as they say. Who did he truly work for? The bad guys or the good guys. That was the one question he needed to answer. What did he really want to do with his life. 

@hackermanjock

[hackermanjock-blog]

“Nah, man,” Jock said with a lighthearted laugh. “I might be killin’ it career wise but my love life is as shameful as ever. I really do need your help in that department, that’s why you’re my wingman ain’t it?” Jock shook his head as he laughed again. At this point, he might as well write off his love life and concentrate on the areas where he was able to succeed without screwing up so much. 

“My boss is pretty high up, not sure if you can get any higher,” Jock revealed with a smug kind of grin. He knew Hydra and HOPE were everywhere and revealing too much to the wrong person was something he definitely shouldn’t do but Jock didn’t like holding back seemingly innocent pieces of information from people he considered to be his friends. Was Junho truly his friend though? This was only the second time they had met and although they got on very well, that didn’t mean Jock could trust the other man. 

“I got a job in the White House so technically my boss is the President,” Jock said once he decided to go with his instinct to trust Junho with a limited amount of information. He wasn’t going to mention the work he did for SWORD or the work he had done for the X-Men and the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. He could keep things generic enough talking about his new role in Washington.

“Man, life is too short to do things you don’t enjoy. If your job ain’t for you, quit and find something that you’re passionate about instead. Take it from me, a former junkie who managed to find his feet about half way through his life, life shouldn’t be wasted on things that ain’t good for your soul.” A great deal of concern became clear in Jock’s tone as he spoke to Junho. It troubled him that Junho seemed to be so unhappy. “Hey, if you find yourself unemployed, maybe I’ll put in a good word with the White House people!”

@codenamemalachite

[hackermanjock-blog]

Not So Anonymous || Jock & Aeron

starter for @morphinemechanic

Jock hadn’t been to a NA meeting in a while and he felt bad about that. He had promised his sponsor, Gerry, that he would keep attending the meetings regardless of which city or town he found himself in. Jock could have tried to explain away his guilt by saying how busy he had been but that was just an excuse. He had to keep his addiction in check, especially now he had so much to lose.

Jock was at the SWORD complex on business but he had resolved that while he was there, he would find a NA meeting and go. He didn’t know what to expect to find at the meeting he did manage to track down since the area that was Detroit was so sparsely populated at the moment but it was better than nothing.

The meeting was being held outside of the SWORD base in a small town hall from a few miles away. Jock walked into the hall and found a haunting familiarity about the place. The same type of uncomfortable plastic chairs were set up in a circle in the middle of the room. To one side was a table with coffee and biscuits available. The people in attendance already were either standing in pairs and talking in hushed voices or stood alone and staring blankly into space. Apparently NA meetings were the same wherever they were held.

Jock took a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs and waited for the meeting to begin. He recognised a couple of the other attendees from SWORD, including one of the mechanics, Aeron, but he made no effort to say so. This meeting was supposed to be anonymous after all. Eventually the others all sat down and the meeting began.

Like usual, Jock listened to the stories the others were willing to share, each one different from his own but there were similarities in all of them too. It was kind of comforting in that way, a reminder that no one had to be alone in their struggle if they didn’t want to be.

The meeting reached its conclusion and some of the meeting’s members quickly took leave of the hall. Jock stayed behind and helped himself to a coffee (which was unbelievably better than any of the coffee served at the NA meetings he had attended in New York). He made eye contact with Aeron and offered her a small, friendly smile. She could talk to him if she wanted but he wasn’t going to impose himself on her. Not a lot of NA attendees came to these things looking to make friends after all.

[hackermanjock-blog]

Hackers Reunited || Jock & Skye

[skye-isthelimit]

It had been nothing but dead ends for Skye in her search for SHIELD. She was alone. She had no idea what happened to everyone. She needed answers. The last time Skye had anything to do with Rising Tide was when she was almost kicked out of SHIELD for helping Miles, a fellow member of the Rising Tide and Skye’s ex-boyfriend. Still, she couldn’t give up and she needed a team – or even a partner. 

A few days ago, Skye had reached out to the Rising Tide and sent out a message, in case anyone was still checking. She was more than pleased when she received a reply. It was from a man named Jock and he had agreed to meet with her. She was quite nervous because she could very well be walking into a trap but she was prepared. Skye still had one of Fitz’s icer guns tucked in the inside pocket of her jacket so that if this Jock guy tried to pull anything funny, she could knock him out with just one shot – that was all that was left anyway.

She crossed Central Park and eyed each person. She didn’t really get much of a physical description of this guy but she would know when she found him. She rounded a bend in the pathway and there she saw him. Dragging on a cigarette and attempting not to fidget. Skye approached with caution, taking a seat beside the man on the bench. “Are you Jock?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

[hackermanjock-blog]

Jock knew she was the person he was waiting for the moment they made eye contact. She was already cautious and suspicious of him and that was what alerted him to her identity. She wasn’t here to strike up a casual conversation about the weather or the local sports team winning or losing whatever it was they were supposed to win or lose at.

“Yeah, I am,” he said with a nod as she sat on the bench beside him. He side-eyed her while trying not to be too obvious (which he probably failed at because he had never been able to master subty). Damn, she was hot, but also on edge and kinda scared, if Jock was reading her right. His need to help people overtook his temptation to try and flirt with her. As if a woman like her would look twice at him anyway.

“I’m guessing you’re Skye,” he added before taking another drag on his cigarette. He slowly blew out the smoke, aiming it away from her. “You sounded kinda desperate in your messages. I’m not entirely sure how I can help you but I’ll try everything I can think of.” He looked at her fully this time and offered her a small smile. “And if I can’t help, I know people who might.” He wasn’t planning on bringing the President or any of the Avengers or X-Men into this but hell, if needs must, right? Plus what’s the use of knowing those hard-hitters if you didn’t keep them in mind for helping out others?

@skye-isthelimit

[hackermanjock-blog]

Hackers Reunited || Jock & Skye

starter for @skye-isthelimit

Jock couldn’t explain why he kept checking in with the Rising Tide these days. It was a lot more quieter than it used to be, to the point where it was hardly doing anything at all. Most of the people involved had moved on and found other causes to fight for. Maybe this last time checking in really should be the last time Jock even bothered with them any more. There were more pressing issues for him to pursue these days anyway.

When he saw that nothing had changed since the last time he checked in, he was about to log out for the last time. But a new message icon blipped up on his screen and paused. Considering it looked like no one else had signed into the network for weeks, it was strange that he would get a message now. Curiosity piqued, Jock opened the message. “Huh,” he muttered to himself as he read the message. “Well how about that.”

Fast forward to a couple days later and Jock was back in New York, sitting on a bench in Central Park and sipping on a coffee from one of his favourite coffee places in the whole city. Following a long exchange of messages and emails, Jock had arranged to meet the person who had reached out to him from the Rising Tide network. Her name was Skye and she needed his help. How could he turn away from that? Sure he had plenty of work to do already for both the President and SWORD but hackers should stick together.

He watched each person who walked past him, wondering if they were who he was meeting. He had made it to the park early and he was already getting fidgety and impatient while waiting. He lit a cigarette and blew the smoke out slowly, the nicotine taking the edge off of his nerves and his impatience. “Any time now, Skye,” he murmured to himself as a lone figure began to approach his bench. Was this her?

[hackermanjock-blog]

Goodbye Past, Hello Future || OPEN

[codenamemalachite-blog]

Wingman. Hearing that very word it clicked. Mostly because the surprised look from the other threw him off and made him wonder that they have met. But with that single word, he remembered. That night at the bar. Discussion about Godzilla (was it Godzilla? It was something about Detroit in the beginning) and then it moved on to how bad the other was bad with woman. 

Junho couldn’t help but grin. This was unexpected, but very welcome. Especially with all the shit he had just been through. From a mission that nearly took his life to that final battle to save the Earth. He was all kinds of fucked up right now, but still managed to keep his sanity. There were important matters at hand and the world will keep on going no matter what. Crap…He now remembered that they were supposed to keep in touch. Junho was such a dick for not doing that, but it was mostly because there was a lot on his plate and he didn’t really care much for small fries. At that time. This time around, he was going to try and make things better. 

For his sanity. 

“Jock right? I really hope that’s your name or I’m going to feel like an asshole right now” Picking up his coffee and muffin, the agent decided to move over to Jock’s table so that they can comfortably converse. Play catch up. He couldn’t help but smile even more at the questions along with what may have happened to Jock. In which, Junho didn’t even know what the other did? Did he? He couldn’t remember all the details right now as he was trying to recollect if any lies were told. That’s all he did. Spin a web of lies. “I’m pretty sure I can handle what has happened to you, after all, a lot has happened since we last saw each other” 

Which was just their first meeting. “I’ve been….” He purposefully took a drink from his coffee to figure out how to answer another question. What can he say? He’s fine, gone through hell and back….”Surviving. How about yourself, Mr. Excited? Life been good to you?” It sure as hell wasn’t to him. 

@hackermanjock

[hackermanjock-blog]

Jock made room for Junho to come over and join him at his table. Jock grinned back at his coffee companion and even barked out a laugh as Junho tried to recall his name. “Yeah, man, you got it right so no need to feel like an asshole.”

He nodded at Junho’s response to his question. Surviving sounded about right for so many people these days. Surviving meant living day to day and every day being a struggled to get through. Jock had been there and done that too many times to count. Just because life happened to be treating Jock pretty darn well for the moment didn’t mean Jock had forgotten what it was like to be ‘surviving’. 

“Life has been great actually,” Jock said, unable to hide how pleased he was to be able to say that. He was about to burst into giving Junho all the details of what had happened to Jock since they last saw each other but he managed to stop himself just in time. He had been told to be weary about who he told what to; not only from the political side of his life now he was working for the President but from a intelligence side as well thanks to SWORD. “Life’s been keeping me real busy. Most of it I don’t know how to believe, y’know? But yeah, it’s all good and I’m too busy to get into mischief which my new boss says is a good thing.” Jock chuckled.

He wanted to tell Junho about going up into space to fight the Foesitians and how he nearly didn’t make it back. He wanted to talk about Rory who didn’t make it home and how Jock still mourned for them. He wanted to tell him about how the President had requested Jock to work with him and how Abigail Brand had negotiated to get some of Jock’s time too. But with the threat of Hydra and HOPE being ever present, Jock knew that revealing too much was a bad thing and if he talked to the wrong people, everything that was good about his life would be taken away. It wasn’t worth the risk.

@codenamemalachite

[saddfuture]

[hackermanjock-blog]

Goodbye Past, Hello Future || OPEN

[codenamemalachite-blog]

One day wouldn’t hurt. Yeah, one more day wouldn’t hurt before he went home. He was in the the neighborhood, just three blocks away from the apartment complex he lived at. But Junho Lee figured one more day of making sure it was what he wanted to do would suffice. With Larry safely cooped up in the motel that allowed pets, the man was able to walk around more freely. See what has changed…What had the world got in store for every single being on the planet. 

A nice little coffee shop that he had seen in the past caught his eye. Everyday, he would pass by it, not giving it a second look. But with a new take in life (if one would call it that), he might as well. They seemed to be doing well. 

Stepping inside, the man was rather taken by surprise by the smell of coffee and freshly baked goods. Whoa….He was definitely going to make this place his new haunt. Well, not a new haunt but a stop to make along the way when possible. Plus, with him coming back to a known location, he was going to have a lot of visitors. Good and bad…Maybe just one or the other. Depended on who wanted to see him and how they approached. Worst case scenario, he will never see the light of day. Ah well. Might as well enjoy a steaming cup of joe and a muffin. 

Finding a quiet corner, the man sat down and observed the coming and going of customers. How each of them came in and were greeted by the baristas. Soon, his attention was brought over another. Was he talking to him? Curious, Junho shifted slightly to get a better look at the man that randomly started up a conversation…or was he just talking to himself? Could be either or. “Nope, but only if you can look past a lot of the dirt and grime that tends to stain the streets” Hold up…was that? No…It couldn’t be. Was it? He was normally good with faces and names, but this time around, that skill was failing him. Could be that he had not seen the other in a long time or it was just a vaguely familiar face that matched another. 

@hackermanjock

[hackermanjock-blog]

Jock blinked as he caught the other male’s voice, apparently answering Jock’s earlier statement. He wasn’t expecting an answer but he had gotten one anyway. He looked to his side and nearly gasped in surprise when he saw the familiar face. 

“Wing man?” 

Jock’s memory wasn’t the best, thanks to the years of narcotics abuse, but this face and the phrase ‘wing man’ definitely belonged together. They had met a long time ago (or at least it felt like a long time ago) in a bar, and they had discussed something about Jock being really bad with women. Maybe they had promised to keep in touch but that never happened. And now, out of the blue, they happened to be in the same coffee shop at the same time.

“Dude,” Jock said as he turned in his seat to face the other man more fully. He grinned at him, sure that his memory wasn’t playing tricks on him and he had met this man before. “You remember me, right? Man, of all the times for you to show up again. How’s it going? You been OK? You’ll never believe what happened to me since I last saw you. Actually you might considering everything that’s happened recently but I still don’t quite believe it myself considering my past and all that.” Jock stopped rambling and laughed at himself. His excitement about his new life was obviously overflowing and he needed to rein it back in.

“So yeah, how are you?”

@codenamemalachite

[hackermanjock-blog]

Goodbye Past, Hello Future || OPEN

These were exciting times for Jock Brannigan. So exciting that he could barely believe it was all happening. Not only had he survived fighting aliens in space, he was now working for President Kelley in the White House while consulting with SWORD about their all new communications and security networks. If it wasn’t true, Jock could’ve sworn that someone was playing a trick on him.

But it was happening. His apartment had been all packed up and shipped to his new place in D.C. He had been given his own office in the White House, alongside Jerrica Alvar’s. The next chapter of his life was waiting for him in D.C. 

He attended one last NA meeting with his regular group and made sure his friends had his details should they need them. He had an emotional moment with his sponsor Gerry when the usually gruff older man admitting how proud he was of Jock. Jock couldn’t stop the tears from falling and the two of them hugged each other for a long time. There were promises of keeping in touch and promises of staying clean; all of which Jock completely intended on keeping.

All Jock had to do now was say goodbye (for now) to New York. He went to his favourite coffee shop and after stocking up on as much ground coffee as he could carry, he treated himself to a cinnamon roll and a double espresso to drink in. He sat by the window and watched the world go by for a while. He was going to miss this city but at the same time, he couldn’t wait to get away from it. 

“Ain’t no place like the Big Apple,” he said to himself, not realising that the person on the table next to him might think he was talking to them.

[hackermanjock-blog]

You Can Fly?! || Jock & Carol

[hackermanjock-blog]

@a-legacy-of-light:

Carol came in and closed the window when Jock walked off. The apartment seemed very still compared to the constant buffeting of wind outside, but it was warm. She looked around for a moment, listening as he spoke and moved around, then picked up his doughnut box and set it carefully aside, not letting any of the precious cargo sustain damage along the way.

“Coffee, doughnuts, and what almost sounded like a Casablanca reference,” she returned, when he was done. Carol took the mug and smiled. “Thank you.” She wasn’t much of a coffee drinker anymore, but it was familiar and grounding. “And I don’t… really need someone large and in charge. I joined the Coast Guard. Trust me, there are plenty of top-dog, alpha-leader types there…” She didn’t drink any of the coffee yet, since it was still so hot, but she scent wafting up out of the mug was nice. Carol looked down at it for a moment, then looked up and met Jock’s eyes, her gaze direct, almost piercing, even when she didn’t mean for it to be. 

“I died before Jack and Thanos did, but I was still – around. With Mar. When we lost Rory…” Carol shook her head. “Your reaction, your grief, I could feel it pushing through the… barrier, whatever you want to call it. How much you love, how deeply you feel – you’re not just anything, not if that’s meant to be taken in a derogatory way. 

“You’re good. A good person, a good teammate. And maybe a good friend, to the people you let in? Which, considering you already let me in the window, I’m hoping to be one of.” It was blunt, no game-playing or hints or shy suggestions, but it was also honest.

Jock stood at the small breakfast bar that separated the kitchenette area from the rest of the room, holding his coffee mug with both hands. He listened to her talk and struggled to stop his mouth from dropping open. Of course he had seen things that led him to believe extraordinary things can and do happen but it was still difficult wrapping his head around the woman who was now in his apartment had died but stuck around and felt what he went through with Rory and now she was here and talking to him about it.

“Welcome back, I guess,” he said finally. He stared down into his coffee, a frown on his face. He hadn’t been all that close to Rory but it still hurt that they were gone. He had even held his own version of a memorial service for them in attempt to give them a proper send off. 

What he was having real trouble with was being told that he was a good person. He didn’t think he was. He was weak, at least he was according to him. He was weak because he had let his addiction rule his life and while he had been clean for over four years now, his addiction still dictated everything he did. If he had been stronger, better, if he had been good, he wouldn’t be an ex-junkie.

“Just use the front door next time,” he joked. He wasn’t ignoring everything she said about him, but he couldn’t address it now. If he had the choice, they wouldn’t ever mention it again. “So what should I call you now you’re all resurrected?”

[falcon-captain-blog]

Interview with a Firecracker (AU) || Jock & Jubilee

[falcon-captain-blog]

“Rawr-” Jubilee smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. Besides, it’s really not like I’ve never heard that before. Sure, we can meet up again. Discuss about our feelings, paint nails, and talk about boys…” She scooted away from him, farther up the roof and behind a chimney, to guard herself from the sun that was just starting to peak above the skyline, throwing everything around it into orange-red light.

Jubilee nodded, “I can get behind that. Although, if I told you all of my secrets, we’d be here for months.” She smiled. “But I can’t guarantee no hunters will be harmed in the making of this plan. I can’t say for the others what kind of grudges they’ll hold against individual hunters. Some of you murdered our families, you know.” She didn’t tell him more than that, although she thought he could probably guess where she was going with this. He wasn’t as stupid as most mortals.

The sun had just broken the horizon and Jubilee hissed quietly, recoiling further into the shadows of the chimney. “Looks like our time is up,” she frowned, “Time for me to go back to my coffin or whatever vampires are supposed to do.” She gave Jock a knowing smile. Jubilee stamped out the cigarette with the heel of her boot, and popped the collar of her coat up. “I’ll see you around, then, hunter?”

[hackermanjock-blog]

“You can talk about boys. Boys are alright but I prefer girls. They smell better.” Jock rambled as Jubilee scouted away from the early sun rays of dawn as they began to chase any the remains of the night. Their conversation was over for now but Jock was pleased with the progress they had managed to make already.

Jock moved forward towards the light, an extra security measure to make sure he was going to survive this encounter. He was almost completely certain that if Jubilee was going to kill him, she would have done it already but the old adage of better safe than sorry had saved his ass more times than he could remember.

He nodded as Jubilee gave him a disclaimer over the other vampires’ reactions to his fellow hunters. He was going to mention that vampires had killed plenty of human families too but they were out of time. “See you around, sucker,” he retorted as she disappeared. It occurred to him that they didn’t agree on a way of contacting each other in the meantime and he realised he was going to have to drag his ass up to this roof top again. He groaned to himself and made a mental note that he was promptly going to forget about to give Jubilee his number next time. 

For now, he was going to sit on this roof and watch the sun come up and hope that the uneasy alliance he was trying to create was actually going to work.

[hackermanjock-blog]

You Can Fly?! || Jock & Carol

[hackermanjock-blog]

@a-legacy-of-light:

“I–” this seemed like such a bad idea, suddenly. Ever since coming back from the other side, it felt like she’d been a different person, like she’d lived completely separate lives. Now, even though it had been a few months, she still wasn’t sure of a lot of things – which wasn’t normal for her. Carol had come back the confident, bold woman she’d always wanted to be, the one who’d always lived in her heart, but right now, she was having some serious doubt. The chilly wind whipped some of her hair into her face and she reached up to smooth it back, then folded her arms.

“I can fly. And I just… I guess I just wanted to see if you’re – how you’re – I just needed a friend,” she concluded, truthful and blunt. She looked at him and, as she did, felt the rush of painful memories from the last few weeks of her life, before the Blood Star, all flicker through her mind. Carol frowned and shrugged. She looked normal enough, dressed in jeans and a black hoodie, arms folded, frowning at a guy with a donut – sure, the altitude was a little off for a fully normal encounter, but that was okay, right? She met his eyes, the same sweet, interesting, very human eyes she remembered. “I’m not dead. Obviously. Hi. I guess I maybe should have led with that. And I’m – things are weird? And complicated, and I – can I come in?”

Wow. Well, Carol Danvers, one of the Coast Guard’s newest and most talented Rescue helicopter pilots, bold and fierce and ferocious had apparently been reduced to a normal, every day human by a normal, every day human. So much for being the Might McMightersen she knew she could be.

In the grand scheme of things, Jock supposed that a woman who was supposed to be dead flying outside of his window wasn’t so strange. Gods and monsters existed so why not this too?

“Come on in,” Jock stood back from the open window to give her space to float in when she was ready. He had been there, in that place when everything felt like it was fucked up beyond recognition and you needed a friend to help you figure out which way was up again. He had Gerry, his NA sponsor, during his own version of that time. Maybe this was his chance to pay that back into the universe?

“I’ll get more coffee going,” he said as he shuffled off to the kitchenette area of his apartment. He stuffed the rest of the donut he was holding into his mouth and got the kettle on again. He found a clean cup for Carol and got out the very best coffee he had from the cupboard. He usually saved this coffee for special occasions but she looked as if she needed the best of something right now, why not Jock’s best coffee.

“Of all the apartments in all of New York, why mine?” He asked as he poured the hot water into the mug, his speech a little muffled from the remains of the half-chewed still in his mouth. “I’m hardly the most qualified dude to handle flying chicks, y’know? You tried Nick Fury or Abigail Brand? They’re large and in charge. Me? I’m just a hacker. You sure you want a bum like me as your friend?” He finished making the coffee and slid the mug towards her. “All I have is coffee and donuts.”