or one of them, anyway. / Any pronouns. / Current dimensional link status: ACTIVE. / Current operators (available for contact): THE CAPTAIN, HEAD ENGINEER IPLIER. / (Interacting with anyone, Iron Lung, MarkCU/Ego and oc blogs welcome!)
To anyone who can see this: Hello. In my time as the Captain of the Invincible II, I've seen and experienced things far beyond what I thought was possible, one of those things notably being the existence of other universes. Our warp core may be out of commission, leaving us to travel the last few years of our journey through conventional means, but through the incredible skill and talent of my Head Engineer Mark Iplier (hi!!!) we have managed to repurpose what remained to establish a digital link across the width of the multiverse, using this website that seems to be a universal constant, Tumblr. The purpose of this link is not only for research and discovery, but to find out if there are others like us who have experienced similar reality-breaking events. If you have any to report, or would simply like to ask questions or provide much-needed human contact for my Head Engineer and I as we bear the burden of our knowledge alone, please, speak to us through the ask box.
#storytime with the captain - Explanations or information about this universe that we perceive as important contextual info.
#lantern slides - Visual snapshots
>[Captain face reveal pt.1|pt.2]
>Current Anon tags:
🌀,🗝️,🦁,🧊,🩸,📼,🐶,☀️,💊,🌡️,🔦,🍂,🚛,🌱,✨,🪨,🧸,👤
(Mod talk below the cut)
PSA: Mod does NOT have a good memory, so if there's ever a reblog chain that im part of or an ask youve sent in that I havent replied to for more than a day, please dont be afraid to @ me or shoot me another ask, because theres a high likelihood its gotten lost in my notifs and ive forgotten, OR theres a reason behind it and you deserve to know the reason! In fact, please dont be afraid to send me ooc asks in general if youd like any clarification on anything, in happy to do so!!
hiiii so im the mod, yall can just call me mod for now, he/they!! im super heavily hyperfixated on the markiplier connected universe atm (thanks, iron lung) and all the other rp blogs that have been active have inspired me to finally make a captain blog!! this will heavily be inspired by my own captainsona/oc and feature elements of that, so if thats not your thing id like to remind you that we are all The Captain in one universe or another, and all our interpretations are valid :] and on that note, this blog will feature captaineer and capvictneer as a developing relationship!! so if thats also not your thing, all posts containing romantic connotations will be tagged with #captaineerrp and/or #capvictneerrp (because i dont want to clog up the main tags) or you can just go <3
just so theres no confusion, my version of the captain was also once the DA, Mark's heist partner, and has been on A Date with him... to a certain extent.
MOD BOUNDARIES: In regards to Mark and Captain, suggestive asks are okay, mod is an adult! but suggestive asks involving other blogs Mark and Cap interact with I would prefer to be kept to a minimum unless youve checked with them, or it's already been happening! I might also make suggestive references and sexy flirting with Cap and Mark (and Simon), but there will probably be no explicit content - other than innuendo and/or kissing, but all of it will be appropriately tagged with something like #tw suggestive! stuff including/describing violence is also okay (e.g. an anon has previously stabbed the captain- that's all good and was very funny!) but depending on the content of the ask it may not get answered if the violence is too inconvenient 😅 the same with "magic anon" asks - theyre definitely okay and encouraged! but they may be delayed or not answered if its not the right time, lol
"I see. Sounds like youve got a lot of energy bouncing around your ship. My- ahem. The mark here, our head engineer, is calling them bugs, not too far off from yours" they hummed. "Youve connected to other invincibles as well then?, before now?"
👤
There's a lot of residuals, yes. The most we've been able to do at the moment is simply track and log the spikes... but yes, we've made contact with quite a few other universes. I've personally spoken to at least five other Captains, not including yourself. Have, ah...
[The Captain pauses, like they're carefully planning their next words.]
Have you only connected to Invincibles previously, or... have you contacted others, as well?
"Another hm?" They hummed. "Grertings!, Im reaching out about anomalies resulting from a mishap aboard our ship, considering how..unbothered, you seem to be my reaching out.. i presume you have been effected for a while now, is that correct?"
👤
Indeed... ever since the wormhole closed. You've been experiencing that, too? Mark's taken to calling them glitches. Most of them have been relatively harmless, but... we've received a few visitors from related anomalies, as well.
"They do! Mom and dad are so sweet and uncle dark shows me cool things and aunt ava shows me around her lab, i have to be careful and not touch things, but im AMAZING at that, unless its irradiated, then i get to help, and touch it. And mom helps sometimes too with that stuff." They ramble off, like its totally normal for kids to mess with irradiated things.
[Mark perks up, curious, before he processes the radiation thing, and pales slightly.]
Uh. You- with the proper protection, r-right?
[The Captain's brow furrows a little along with Mark's worried tone, and their hand twitches in Simon's grip. They're clearly thinking about the same thing as Mark, about tubes of goo and experimental gene therapies and days of watching a heart monitor with tired eyes.]
"Why would- thats so dangerous that stuff could kill you" simon was immeadintly worried. Also remembering horrible goo and enclosed spaces and ao much oanick hes suprised his heart disnt shut down.
"Nope!" They beam. "Mom and i are immune to radiation. We eat it actually. Its one of the only things in thr blood sea besides..well blood. So mom evolved to eat it. And that passed along to me! They saved dad from it! Just slurped ir right off him. It and all its effects on him gone in seconds" they smiled. "Its why i get fo help with irradiated things because mom and i can make sure no one gets sick!"
[The tension releases from both Cap and Mark all at once, and the Captain squeezes Simon's hand gently, their eyes closing for a brief second as they let out a slow breath.]
That sure woulda been helpful a while back!
[Mark quips, or tries to - it's in the cadence of a joke, but his voice is a little strained, and his grin looks more like a grimace, clearly still unable to get that image out of his head.]
Captain, you are his Protection, his Scary Dog Privileges.
Hes Likes That.
Anyway,
Go on marki! You can have that talk now!
Go off on the people that tried to KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND WITH BAD ENGINEERING!
I... hmph. If you say so.
[The Captain shifts slightly, rolling their shoulders a little, and uncharacteristically, their cheeks go slightly pink. It's clear they've heard the term before. They let Mark cradle their cheek for a moment before they gently take his hand in their own and lowering it, huffing quietly as their voice softens.]
Go on then, love. I'm right behind you.
[Mark grins, relaxing slightly as the Captain does, squeezing their hand once before he steps in front of them and glares down Ava, Jack and David.]
Well, if you insist... I suppose, it- well, let me start with, it's not just bad engineering, it's downright blasphemous. Seriously, the whole "oh wah wah we're low on resources" schtick gets a little hard to believe when you're actively throwing away materials cause you can't be bothered to build things to last! Really, it's pathetic, and insulting to real engineers to boot.
[Made a side blog for anonymous rping- hehe! For ease of mark Going Off!
Ava
David
Jack]
"And how do you expect us to make things to last when we dont have matierials that can. Its not like the rapture gave us a fucking heads up."
Ava growls. "We couldnt plan for an extended space stay. All we have is what was on the ships when everything vanished. Which was never meant for this long of use."
"My wires hold as best as they can with matierals and time given. Im an electrician. Not a miracle worker." David rolls his eyes. "And its not easy when youre rushed."
You're here cause you suck and you tried to kill my boyfriend, and the Anons are weird and magic, so deal with it, I'm not done!
[Mark snaps, pointing an accusatory finger at Jack before it swings round to David.]
So you're the one that wired up the camera to the emergency power, huh? How's it feel having the blood of three people on your hands? Cause it sure as hell wasn't his fault! And you!
[Mark's finger swings to Ava now, and the Captain gives her a warning glare over his shoulder, one that's cold and dark and almost sparking with danger.]
You're the one who didn't even tell him anything, so it's on you too - not that I expect you to care, considering you tried to kill him and didn't give a damn! How's he supposed to know it was an x-ray! He barely got taught anything! That's the kind of thing you tell people before you give them access to it, that's basic safety training! And it's your fault your electrician didn't have time to wire it up properly too, I'm sure! And it wouldn't have even done anything if you'd put some goddamn shielding on it in the first place, like any sane person with an inkling of care for the people they lead would have done!
[He pauses there, panting slightly, and the Captain's mouth twitches, a proud smile wanting to pull at their lips. It's not often Mark gets angry, but damn, does he wear it well, they think.]
"I didnt make him press that button in the hanger and neither did david. That psycho eden fuck did that all himself. Of fucking course its an xray cam. How else would it see through blood. We added what sheilding we could but we dont have much to give. I dont expdct someone whos willingly in cahoots with the butcher to understand."
Ava snaps back. But doesn't physically lash out. Trying pointedly to not look at the caps stare.
David grimiced. "I know i wired it backwards. It was a rush job and i had ava and all of conteol breathing down my neck. If it were up to me hed of been told. But ava asured me the manuels were in the sub."
But he didn't know that! 'Cause you refused to tell him jack shit!! Not even a 'hey, so, careful with the button, it's radioactive!'
[He waves his hands demonstratively, putting on a mocking voice to imitate Ava before he looks back at David.]
And that- is... somewhat understandable. You're all assholes but! You specifically-
[He swings back to Ava yet again.]
You're an negligent asshole with power and that's worse! You sent him down there, you rushed the construction, and you didn't listen when he told you there was something down there! And what did it get you, huh? Another body to add to your count? You call him a psycho, but at least he feels bad, and he didn't even have a choice!
"None of us get a choice. What part of that dont you understand? And if he couldnt figure out you cant see through blood with a normal camera thats on him. He should know all about blood. And the manuels where in the sub."
Ava spat angery and cold. Shes doing rhe best she can. Shes lost too many to be warm.
Jack looks off to the side.
"David and i did out best with the time constraints given. Welds held as best as metal that worn can. After a point its more sodder than steel...well, or iron i should say."
[The Captain growls quietly from behind Mark, but it's a well-worn argument on their part, and they won't start it up again - this is his moment, not theirs.]
Don't you dare say it's his fault, that's rule number one of teamwork is don't assume people have a clue what they're doing! For all you knew, he's a convict with no education! He could have been a- a- I dunno, a weaver, why would one of them know jack shit - pun intended, fuck you - about x-rays! Have none of you considered that if there's not enough material to make something safe, then maybe you shouldn't be wasting it on a hunk of junk you'll have to leave at the bottom of the ocean 'cause it exploded?! Even I'm not that stupid! You make it good, or you might as well not make it at all, 'cause it'll blow the hell up and whoop-dee-doo, now you have even less materials for other stuff!
[He's panting again, body one taut line of anger, until all of a sudden it seems to drain out of him at once, his shoulders slumping.]
Why do I bother, you're all too caught up in your own nonsense on your stupid high horses for me to change your minds anyway.
"Do you even know who youre defending?, youre defending a killer. A killer wifh the highest body count of anyone left in our entier universe. Hes killed more people than we have left alive. Hes snapped the necks of people begging him for even a modicum of mercy. And he didnt stop. Not untill he was apprehended."
Ava states.
David thought about chimjng in to say that simon had surrendered. But he didnt interupt his captain.
"Do you think i like doing that? Sending people down there?, there arent enough of us left to be throwing luves away. But we gave him all we had. And its a hell of a lot more than he deserved. So maybe it was a rush job. But its not my fault if the butcher cant read a fucking manual. Why are you even defending a fucking murderer?"
Jack looked at mark. Eyeing him up and down. He wanted to ask him something but it didnt feel right to do so after avas... speech.
[The Captain's eyes narrow slightly at Jack's once-over of Mark, and they slowly cross their arms, watching him carefully as Mark scoffs.]
Oh yeah, a big scary murderer, sure. Like you've never killed anyone! I wasn't kidding about the high horses thing, you've got your head shoved so far up your ass, it's no wonder all that comes out of your mouth is bullshit!
[Mark rolls his eyes, clearly displaying what he thinks of the whole 'Butcher' thing. He's being dramatic, mostly - he'd never usually treat the topic this flippantly, fully aware of the weight of the blood on Simon's hands, but hearing someone who actively, willingly sends people down in a blood ocean to be tortured and die talk about how bad murder is - it's almost laughable from where he sits, the blood of endless multiverses staining his own palms.]
The only thing I've ever seen Si butcher is the pronunciation of kimchi, and I'm pretty sure he does it on purpose to spite me! So maybe it's the situation, not the person, huh? But to accept that, you'd have to see past the big fat log in your own eye, and I doubt that's gonna happen any time soon.
Willingly letting a man at the bottom of an ocean suffocate slowly under your orders, that doesn't count? Hands around his neck or not, if we hadn't taken him, he'd be dead, and it'd be your fault, simple as. A real captain takes that responsibility for their actions.
[The Captain interjects - they can't help it, their fists clenched so hard they shake. Mark gives them a concerned look out of the corner of his eye - he knows how they get, with this topic, and while he doesn't exactly mind their outburst, it does worry him a little. After a moment, though, they take a small step back, and gesture for Mark to answer Jack's question, their burning eyes firmly set on Ava once again.]
O-Okay, well- listen, I've seen that sub, I saw what you had to work with - you can't tell me you had the materials to build an x-ray camera and proximity sensors and an unmoored radio system, but you couldn't possibly send down an unmanned camera rover. Less space needed for a human operator, no worries about radiation poisoning - but no, instead, you build a huge, metal coffin. And for what? A couple pictures? A messy execution? Sure, maybe you could synthesise food out of the blood - not that you should, but I dunno, I'm an engineer, not a biologist - but you could skim some off the surface for that, you- ugh. It's just- it's a waste of materials!
"No. That doesnt. It doesnt mean i liked doing it. But i had no other option. And several times while he was down there we lost connection. We couldnt of triggered the camera remotely. There had do be an operator. And he fit that position. We were looking for signs it even could support life. If had to be a rover because we didnt have materials for free float." Ava states.
And you didn't think the giant eel he told you about wasn't signs of life enough??
[He snaps, throwing his hands up in exasperation. The Captain's glare ramps up a notch, but they keep their mouth firmly shut, and after a moment, Mark sighs.]
I just don't understand why you're so determined to kill off the rest of humanity, if there's so little people left...
I've seen it, fuck, the Anons love their clips, I've seen him tell you and you just sent him back down! But you're so lost in what you think is best that you won't listen to a word I say, will you?! You're just like C-
[He almost chokes on his own words, forcibly cutting himself off, his eyes going wide as he realises what he was about to say. He turns away from Ava only to come face-to-face with the Captain, but their expression just softens, their crossed arms slowly dropping and turning outwards slightly in a silent invitation that he doesn't take.]
"He was a coward who would say anything to get out of doing even a monicum of good for the rest of humanity. We couldnt trust his word which is why we sent him for hard evidence. Pictures. Samples. Anything useful."
Jack sighed annoyed with ava but not saying anything...she..is still his boss.
[Mark whirls, his guilt shoved abruptly back to the don't-touch box as he stalks back up to Ava, bristling like an angry dog. It's not overly intimidating, not in the way an angry Simon or Cap is, but there's still a dark glint in his eyes that says he would willingly fasten his hands around her neck himself if provoked enough.]
He went down into that hell not once but twice for "the good of humanity", he fought, he screamed, he suffered down there, and not once did he give up! That's not being a coward! The real coward is the one who sat all pretty up on her stupid ship and didn't do shit to help him!
"We gave him all the gear we could. He ran from his mission. Didnt even complete it. Came here apperently were people would baby him and left the rest of us to die in an empty void. How is that not cowardice?" She snaps.
He ran from the giant fucking eel-infested hellhole, not your stupid mission!
[Mark yells, frustrated, and man, Ava is really good at pushing buttons because he's really getting angry now. The kind of angry that makes his fingers twitch for a fire extinguisher.]
And maybe you fucking deserved it! Have you thought about that, huh? Maybe you brought it on yourself. Just maybe, you should stop whining about the fact that your choices have had deserved fucking consequences!
[He stops himself again, trying to just breathe, to rein himself in. Ava, he's talking to Ava. He's not back there, there's no blank visor staring at him, no white walls closing in. He needs to stop letting it get to him.]
"I do what i must for the sake of my crew. And if it comes down to Him or all of humanity?, then im choosing humanity. And if he were to die..maybe hes the one that fucking deserves it. Hes got thr highest body countnin thenpost rapture world. Hes the butcher for a reason. Do you think he even gave a single thought to people whos necks he snapped, who he strangled or stabbed? Did he give them even a modicum of mercy?"
I don't care! I don't give a rat's flying fucking ass how many people he killed, no-one deserves that! He didn't- he-
[Mark's voice cracks wetly, and his hands curl into fists, itching to either hit something or grab onto someone. His voice dips, like he's on the edge of tears, and the Captain shifts behind him, their arms crossing once more to hide the way their own hands twitch.]
I don't care what he did. I care about what he's doing. If he was such a monster, he would have hurt me by now. Fuck knows it'd be easy.
[He can practically envision those arms that can lift him like it's nothing wrapped around his neck, his shoulders, pinning him down for the edge of a knife or simply watching him suffocate - or even just letting bruises bloom under the skin before they let go. It wouldn't be difficult. He knows himself well enough to know that he probably wouldn't have even said anything about it, if he'd been threatened. But when he tries to attach Simon's face to that, even his vivid imagination can't do it, not without imaginary-Simon's face softening with worry, like it's something they agreed on instead of a murder attempt.]
But he hasn't. He- you- you just don't understand. And you won't, because you don't wanna try. B-Because- because if you see him as anything more than some, some murdering beast, then you have to accept that you sent a real, redeemable human being down into that hell, instead of j-just some violent convict.
"They do! Mom and dad are so sweet and uncle dark shows me cool things and aunt ava shows me around her lab, i have to be careful and not touch things, but im AMAZING at that, unless its irradiated, then i get to help, and touch it. And mom helps sometimes too with that stuff." They ramble off, like its totally normal for kids to mess with irradiated things.
[Mark perks up, curious, before he processes the radiation thing, and pales slightly.]
Uh. You- with the proper protection, r-right?
[The Captain's brow furrows a little along with Mark's worried tone, and their hand twitches in Simon's grip. They're clearly thinking about the same thing as Mark, about tubes of goo and experimental gene therapies and days of watching a heart monitor with tired eyes.]
"Oooh- i should.. pribably explain, so uhm, its a thing i inherited from my mom, see we can slid along radio waves and move through radiation, part of the whole..blood ocean creature thing, it works across universes too, since the most prominent thing in the sea besides blood was radiation it has some..intresting effects on the creatures from there, well, mom was from there..but i inherited a good bit of it!" Aspen beams.
[The Captain keeps their voice deliberately light, tilting their head towards the transmitter again. There's something pointed in their eyes as they look at Simon, though.]
Thankfully, it seems like an ability unique to the two of you, otherwise it might be something to be concerned about.
"Yeah, thats just a me and mom thing!, oh! Where is mark?, maybe i can suprise him!" They beam bouncing in place, liking the idea od suprising the one who looks like their dad.
[The Captain says gently, picturing Mark's mortified face if jumpscared by a fish-child. They imagine it would probably look similar to the expression Simon has right now, if a little more exaggerated.]
I can call him, if you'd like, but I'm not sure a surprise is necessarily a good idea.
Simon thinks mark may a bit concerned about the mental imagery of his lifes work oozing blood and a child drippinh into existance from it on the bridge.. and is in agreement with cap that jumpscaring starshine isnt a good idea. "Y-yeah lets not scare him.." he agrees quietly still reeling, ..its.. a lot to take in..
"Okay! No spooks! I promise! Please call him though? I wanna meet him!" Aspen is a very excited grin. Bouncing in place reminiscent of mark. As is their grin. Simon may be their father but simon is a mark varient.. so there is some overlap.
[The Captain's mouth twitches with the temptation of another smile as they tilt their head up, away from Aspen, although they keep track of the child out of the corner of their eye.]
Computer, ping Mark, non-urgent.
[They say for what feels like the millionth time - really, how many times has this happened by now? - and Computer chimes an agreement. They glance back at Aspen, then Simon, and their gaze catches there, resisting the urge to bring a hand up and trace the curve of his cheek, the same curve they can see in Aspen's face.]
Simon was watching the excited kid and noticed caps stare. Turning to look at them with a soft warm gaze and offers his hand out gently. His perefferial vision still watching aspen.
Aspen was bouncing carefully but excitedly in place, a bright grin on their face and their curls flying everywhere, eyes litterially glowing with excitement.
[The Captain quickly looks away at being caught by Simon, their cheeks gaining that faint pink flush, but after only a moment's hesitation they still take his hand, despite how their expression deliberately evens out and doesn't change. That's the scene Mark enters to, hurrying in despite the non-urgent marker, and his gaze zeroes in on Cap first before he notices the kid and stops dead. He's about as good with children as the Captain is.]
Hey Si, Ca- uh. ...Another one?
So it seems. Mark, this is Aspen. Don't worry, they have a way back, they're just... visiting.
[He takes a moment to process this, then shoots the Captain and Simon his trademark blinding grin, before turning it on the kid, his posture loose and easy.]
Oh, okay, good, I'm glad you're not stuck, uh, Aspen.
Simon watched with a tender smile. His thumb rubbing along the back of caps hand as he held it. "Yeah, theyre uh.. a bit exciteable" he said akward, but tender still.
"Hiii!" They wave with both hands, a matching blinding grin on their face, which has obvious similarities to simon and mark. But their eyes are litterially glowing radiation green. "Yeah dont worry, i can come and go when and where ever i please im not stuck!" They promised. "Wow! You do look just pike dad! But with short hair!" They beam so bright bouncing in place incabale of sitting still. How much if this is the overlap with simon being a mark varient and how much is their mom is unclear.
[Mark blinks, processing the kid's excited chatter and trying not to stare at their nonhuman features. The Captain's hand twitches, squeezing Simon's just a little, and their mouth twitches in that familiar way that means they're holding back an amused smile at Mark's confusion.]
"Yeah! See when my kom and dad met and after yeeaaaarrrsss together i came along! Their best happily ever after ever! Anyway i wanted to come here because theres another version of my dad her and uncle dark mentioned some vauge stuff and i got curious. Plus i over heard aunt ava! Anyway this place is really cool!" They talk at the same pace as mark when he gets excited.
They looked around still bouncing in place their eyes glowing brighter with more excitement.
[Mark gives his Captain a look that can only be described as 'huh??' and they take pity on him, leaning briefly into Simon and brushing their shoulders together as they give him a soft look of agreement before shifting away to their barely-not-touching position again.]
Aspen is the child of an alternate Simon, is what they mean.
[They clarify for their slightly dense Head Engineer, and they can see the moment it clicks, his eyes going wide for a second as all the similarities coalesce. The thought that in another universe, Simon isn't with the two of them, visibly flicks across his face, like he's not sure whether to be jealous over it, before his expression settles on curiosity.]
Ohhhhhh. R-Right, right, cool. So, you- I mean, he- I mean, uh, having Dark as an uncle must be wild, but Ava as an aunt, too? I bet they uh, spoil you to heck, right?
[He grins, keeping his voice light and deliberately teasing even as he quickly changes the subject from the whole Simon thing. In truth, he can't really reconcile the idea of either of them as family people, but he needs to stop thinking about Simon with a little kid on his hip and that soft expression he sometimes gets, or he'll tear up.]
You have any plans to talk to that archivist again?
Ah... I intend to, yes. But... I'm leaving it a while, until Simon is a little more... settled. He's worried - understandably so, and I... I don't want to stress him unnecessarily.
....marrrk, what was your favorite nightcore song?
And cap, what was yours?
Oh, man... I couldn't- I mean, I don't- uh. I-I don't know if I could pick a favourite...
[Mark presses his lips together, looking a bit embarrassed, and side-eyes the Captain, waiting for their answer - but they simply shrug, shaking their head.]
In all honesty, I don't remember if I ever had a favourite. I... a lot of my younger years are, ah... foggy, by now.
[Their left fist clenches and unclenches slightly, in that way that means they're thinking about the wormhole again.]
[Mark's eyes flick around a little frantically, his face going red, and the way his voice kicks up an octave makes the Captain step up behind him, reading over his shoulder and pressing their lips together to hold back a smirk.]
America is light-years away, love, that's not going to save you.
Wh- c-come on, Cap...
I can tell you for a fact that the answer is yes, Anon, but you're not getting any more than that. We have to at least pretend to be civilised.
Simon steps up behind marks other shoulder, a hand trailing down marks spine. "Oh, we're very civilized. We can professional when needed. What happens between the three of us is truely our business and if they ask then theyre thenones initiating the... less than professional.. conversation." He hums as he pressed a particular spot mark may or may not have well.. a mark.
[The Captain rolls their eyes fondly at Simon's words, demonstratively not professional, but Mark squeaks, not expecting the spark of pain that shoots up his back - the good kind, not that he'd admit it out loud.]
"Oooh- i should.. pribably explain, so uhm, its a thing i inherited from my mom, see we can slid along radio waves and move through radiation, part of the whole..blood ocean creature thing, it works across universes too, since the most prominent thing in the sea besides blood was radiation it has some..intresting effects on the creatures from there, well, mom was from there..but i inherited a good bit of it!" Aspen beams.
[The Captain keeps their voice deliberately light, tilting their head towards the transmitter again. There's something pointed in their eyes as they look at Simon, though.]
Thankfully, it seems like an ability unique to the two of you, otherwise it might be something to be concerned about.
"Yeah, thats just a me and mom thing!, oh! Where is mark?, maybe i can suprise him!" They beam bouncing in place, liking the idea od suprising the one who looks like their dad.
[The Captain says gently, picturing Mark's mortified face if jumpscared by a fish-child. They imagine it would probably look similar to the expression Simon has right now, if a little more exaggerated.]
I can call him, if you'd like, but I'm not sure a surprise is necessarily a good idea.
Simon thinks mark may a bit concerned about the mental imagery of his lifes work oozing blood and a child drippinh into existance from it on the bridge.. and is in agreement with cap that jumpscaring starshine isnt a good idea. "Y-yeah lets not scare him.." he agrees quietly still reeling, ..its.. a lot to take in..
"Okay! No spooks! I promise! Please call him though? I wanna meet him!" Aspen is a very excited grin. Bouncing in place reminiscent of mark. As is their grin. Simon may be their father but simon is a mark varient.. so there is some overlap.
[The Captain's mouth twitches with the temptation of another smile as they tilt their head up, away from Aspen, although they keep track of the child out of the corner of their eye.]
Computer, ping Mark, non-urgent.
[They say for what feels like the millionth time - really, how many times has this happened by now? - and Computer chimes an agreement. They glance back at Aspen, then Simon, and their gaze catches there, resisting the urge to bring a hand up and trace the curve of his cheek, the same curve they can see in Aspen's face.]
Simon was watching the excited kid and noticed caps stare. Turning to look at them with a soft warm gaze and offers his hand out gently. His perefferial vision still watching aspen.
Aspen was bouncing carefully but excitedly in place, a bright grin on their face and their curls flying everywhere, eyes litterially glowing with excitement.
[The Captain quickly looks away at being caught by Simon, their cheeks gaining that faint pink flush, but after only a moment's hesitation they still take his hand, despite how their expression deliberately evens out and doesn't change. That's the scene Mark enters to, hurrying in despite the non-urgent marker, and his gaze zeroes in on Cap first before he notices the kid and stops dead. He's about as good with children as the Captain is.]
Hey Si, Ca- uh. ...Another one?
So it seems. Mark, this is Aspen. Don't worry, they have a way back, they're just... visiting.
[He takes a moment to process this, then shoots the Captain and Simon his trademark blinding grin, before turning it on the kid, his posture loose and easy.]
Oh, okay, good, I'm glad you're not stuck, uh, Aspen.
Simon watched with a tender smile. His thumb rubbing along the back of caps hand as he held it. "Yeah, theyre uh.. a bit exciteable" he said akward, but tender still.
"Hiii!" They wave with both hands, a matching blinding grin on their face, which has obvious similarities to simon and mark. But their eyes are litterially glowing radiation green. "Yeah dont worry, i can come and go when and where ever i please im not stuck!" They promised. "Wow! You do look just pike dad! But with short hair!" They beam so bright bouncing in place incabale of sitting still. How much if this is the overlap with simon being a mark varient and how much is their mom is unclear.
[Mark blinks, processing the kid's excited chatter and trying not to stare at their nonhuman features. The Captain's hand twitches, squeezing Simon's just a little, and their mouth twitches in that familiar way that means they're holding back an amused smile at Mark's confusion.]
[Mark startles, tensing for a second before he relaxes into Simon's arms, his cheeks going pink as he gestures at the screen.]
It, uh- it's you, as like- I-I don't know if I can explain the whole... really, I-I don't know why you're surprised, Cap, c'mon, are you using your eyes?
[He pouts, although his eyes glint like he's barely holding back a grin. The Captain just sighs in response and pinches the bridge of their nose like they're staving off a headache, tilting their head down to hide the fond look in their eyes.]
[Mark's eyes flick around a little frantically, his face going red, and the way his voice kicks up an octave makes the Captain step up behind him, reading over his shoulder and pressing their lips together to hold back a smirk.]
America is light-years away, love, that's not going to save you.
Wh- c-come on, Cap...
I can tell you for a fact that the answer is yes, Anon, but you're not getting any more than that. We have to at least pretend to be civilised.
Mark would you like to weigh in on the heater comment?
Huh? What, that Si's a walking talking space heater? What do you want me to say? Cap's right on that one, I'm pretty sure we could just stick him in Life Support instead of the heaters!
Sooo who makes the best heater out of the three of you?
And who is Usually in the middle of the cuddle pile?
Really? You're asking these kinds of questions now? Wh- Why even- ugh.
[The Captain sighs, but relents, only having to think on it for a small moment before they answer.]
Simon puts out heat like a reactor in human form, so. Mark's warm, but sometimes I'm concerned Simon has a fever with how hot he runs.
[The Captain's voice goes dry, although they can't quite hide the fondness underneath.]
And typically, it's me on one side of him and Mark on the other, mostly because he kicks in his sleep. Hard.
