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[video]

[Cain is set up, as always, somewhere fairly dark but bustling. In this case, he's wandering ~~patrolling one might say~~ the halls, checking in on the various public areas.]

How many of you have ever seen the Admiral, face to face? Hell, does he even have a body? Or is he just the essence of sass trying to crash a ship every couple'a weeks?

[Spam for Iris]

[After he turns off his feed, he turns on his heel and strides to Iris's room to wait for her.]

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[She might have known he was there: the two timeships, her dogs, they all light up with pleasure in Cain's presence as much as Iris herself does. Or she might not: the timeships don't really differentiate between one location on the barge and another, and the dogs are so used to him that they feel no need to remark on it.

Either way, she enters her own room and all her tight-wound armour of cheer cracks and slides off her. She doesn't speak; she only approaches him and falls. It could have been a trip, but it's not: it's a conscious, deliberate release of everything she holds up around herself, a silent demand. Catch me.]

[And he does, not just out of reflex but because everything in her demeanor says she needs to just give up for a while. He sweeps her onto the bed and holds her at his side, and for a little while everything is just very quiet.

He has questions, of course. He always does. But they'll wait.]

[This is a thing Iris can't recall anyone else ever being, for her, not until the barge: someone she can be quiet with. It's rare enough that she feels a need to be; but here he is, solid and strong and understanding.

It's a long time before she speaks instead of simply letting her emotions soak into him like surf on sand, and when she does it's in answer to a question no one asked aloud.]

I don't know, love. It's not like I 'aven't been trying. I don't want to leave; not yet, not for good. But it keeps feeling like dancing in tight shoes and I can't work out 'ow to break it back in.

Not a soul on board who'd say you aren't trying.

[He's heard her when she's exhausted with all of this, but it hasn't ever quite been like it is right now. And yes it's been a gradual thing, but there's nearly always a specific moment that crystalizes things.]

When'd you notice everything start tipping on its side?

When we came back. I'd been 'aving fun till then.

[It was a good month; it had been like living in a war zone, dodging werewolves and baiting radioactive maniacs. Iris spent an inordinate amount of time distracting the Joker from hurting people and smuggling weapons.

Best vacation ever.]

And then everyone was gone and the lights were out and we were meant to 'ave won. The prize is you get to keep on keeping on but without 'alf your friends, what the bloody 'ell's that, then?

I just 'aven't stopped being pissed off since.

Same as life.

[He says this quietly, because he's positive she knows that's how life goes for a vast number of people out there. But he's also seen how sometimes you can cope, and sometimes it crushes you like an anvil toppled out of the sky.]

It'll come back around to us galloping around the ship, all smiles. [He tips her face up, just a bit, as if to be sure what he says will really sink in.] I promise.

[This is a thing Iris always loves, that he takes hold of her, moves her around; she would punch nearly anyone else that tried it, but from Cain it makes her feel cherished. Cared for. The smile she offers him is real, if only because he's her sanctuary from everything about Barge life that's been wearing her down.]

I believe you. I do. You know me, I'm impatient. Instant gratification girl. Too used to legging it the minute I 'it a rough patch, me; but I don't want to go out on this note. I've loved this boat too much for that.

Good. This place isn't all sour notes, and no one who's been here more than a couple months should go home feeling like it is.

What d'you need right now?

If I knew, my love, I'd ask. I mean, other than me friends back. Other than not 'aving half the boat eaten by its own dark side. Other than not 'aving any bugger else just disappear without saying goodbye.

[There are the tears again, and Iris feels bad; not ashamed, but awkward. It feels wrong and out of place to miss Harvey like a hot knife under her ribs when she has someone she loves ...not necessarily more, because Iris can't consider love a measurable thing. She undoubtedly loves Cain better; it's a real thing, a living synergy she could never have achieved with Harvey even if the wrong times and wrong places between them had all come up right.

But maybe that just makes losing him harder.]

Just keep being you. Just keep being 'ere.

[I love you.]

I think I can manage both.

[He rests his chin on her head, keeps her tucked up like that against his chest.]

Y'know, this place can be hell, but it's pulled off some damn near miracles.

Better question: since no one is going to say they've actually seen him, why make deals with him?

[He grunts] I guess if you've got nothin' else to lose, there's no harm in trying. He does have a ship full of desperate people for a reason--even if I've got no idea what the reason really is half the time.

Something tells me no one's meant to.

[And that something is several decades worth of hard won experience, but to be quite honest he's sick of arguing about it.]

So why do you care all of a sudden?

I have to figure that there's no one in the known universe who always has my best interests at heart except me. Why should I trust someone I never met? Someone who pulls a lot of stunts on people who've already been kicked around?

And what, you just now figured that shit out?

I never had much I wanted to wish for, before, so it didn't matter if he was a lying sack of shit. Actually, I still don't, but now I'm curious what he really is.

I feel like maybe you should've asked yourself that before you signed on to work for him.

To be honest? I never signed on to work with him.

And yet here you are.

Yeah, well there's not a lot back home but more of the same. Sometimes a man needs a break. Pretty sure you get that.

I did once, just before I came here. Just don't ask me to describe him -- I have no idea what he looks like. Can't remember a thing.

Spooky thought, innit? If he can blur himself out of a memory, makes me wonder what else he's doing in our heads.

Aren't you a warden? I thought that's what you all did.

[He grunts; there's been at least one person so far who cops to having spoken to the Admiral one on one.] Maybe the ones who got picked from home.

I haven't ever talked to him, not even a 'congratulations' on my graduation. [Said with biting sarcasm, of course.]

How did you arrange your deal?

We talked, it was just over a device... [at least he thinks it was. Looking back he can't remember clearly.]

He's a slippery bastard, isn't he?

Yes.

Do you think he's going to give you what he promised?

[He draws a slow breath, because this is at odds with what he feels he should be thinking, as a warden.]

He'd damn well better. Because if he doesn't, I'm going to do every goddamn thing I can think of to make his life hell.

Hah. Get in line.

Oh yeah? [He's glad to hear it.] You ever get close to doing it?

Making his life hell? It's impossible to tell. I don't think he's sober enough to be miserable.

He hardly seems like he can be sober, you know what I mean? Like he's--programmed, almost.

I think he simply does the minimal that is required of him and complains when he gets caught doing less.

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