Volver a Comenzar [open]

[notlewis]

When Luis was 9, he'd collected a small terrarium of insects in a jam jar and successfully kept his miniature ecosystem alive for several months. One day, he found the bugs lying dead at the bottom of the jar and it was nearly impossible to console him.

"Lucho, no puedes controlar la vida," his grandfather had told him. "Sólo Dios puede hacer eso." Humans could never hope to overpower God, and those who tried it usually got what they deserved in the end.

Those words were an uncomfortable cadence in his head as he headed out of contagion for the first time in what felt like a month. Luis had been exhausted before, but rarely did he get like this, feeling more like the walking dead than even he usually did. Having the lives of other people in your hands grew very tiring very quickly, and he longed for the days when all he had to worry about at work were the petri dishes full of paramecium. If they died, things went on as normal. They didn't cause guilt.

But how dare he think like that? He didn't deserve to be spared the guilt of his actions. The past was in the past, but no matter how many times he told himself that, memories were not so easy to lose. Since he'd woken up on this ship, it was all he could do to throw himself at project after project in the hopes he'd eventually find atonement, but now that this particular project was coming down to the wire, he feared the weight of more lives on his shoulders.

Everything was quiet, the kid was peacefully sleeping for the first time in weeks, the computer was chugging along in its simulation to calculate dosage and voltage, and Luis figured it'd be best for everyone (and his own sanity) if he got out of there and tried to get his mind off things.

So he sat on the obs deck, doing shots of Jack Daniels and staring into the Bleed. Luis was determined to continue this activity until he realized the existential absurdity of angsting over his insignificant life, or until he was too plastered to do so at all.

Comments

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"You know, drinking alone is rarely healthy," she says, a little bit coyly because after having stormed away from her conversation, she wouldn't especially mind a drink too, but there's no way in hell she'd outright ask for one. She sits down and crosses her hands, noting that this man doesn't especially look like he's drinking for fun, either. More of the drinking to blot out other things. "I'm Eva, by the way."

[notlewis]

Luis was only three shots in, but beautiful women were already starting to appear next to him. God bless American liquor. "Sí, that's true... but it is cheap and efficient."

He shot her a wide smile. "And if it brings beautiful women to check up on me, all the better. Luis Sera. Are you new around here?"

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"You speak Spanish?" Her eyes light up and she responds in her mother tongue. She hasn't been able to really speak Spanish to anyone for years. "I should warn you right now that I'm happily married, but you're charming. I arrived a few days ago. It's been a hectic week, since then. Obviously.*"


(( *If I actually try to write in Spanish I'll end up butchering the conjugations, so pretend? ))

[notlewis]

((Nooo problem, I'm working off two semesters myself.))

"I was born and raised in Spain," he said proudly. Even if the translation engine would have worked it out for them anyway, it was nice to hear in his native language every so often.

Ah, well, at least she warned him outright. He liked it better that way, rather than wasting a lot of energy on embarrassing himself. "I believe beautiful woman should be informed so, but fair enough. You are not alone as far as the hectic week goes, amiga..."

He gestured to the bottle he was holding. "As you can see."

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"Chile by way of Mexico," she says, equally proud. She may have abandoned most of her cultural identity when she immigrated to the United States, but that doesn't mean she doesn't still treasure her heritage. She gives a smile and nod to let him know she appreciates that he won't push the flirting too far. "Care to share? Your thoughts, that is."

[ms_pepperpotts]

Pepper was just leaving Leon's office, on her way to her quarters, when she spotted the man staring into the Bleed.

Concerned, and noting the bottle of whiskey nearby, she made her way over, taking a seat near him, legs crossed at the knees.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked after a minute of silence.

[notlewis]

For the sake of not being smacked in the face, Luis invoked what was left of his whiskey-soaked internal filter on his response.

"It's nothing serious, amiga," he assured her. "Nothing that a little conversation with a lovely lady won't cure."

Yeah, that was the filtered response.

[ms_pepperpotts]

"Mmm. But surely it is serious if you require the assistance of Jack Daniels?" Pepper smiled, not having an idea of his true thoughts.

"But conversation does sound nice. I don't think I've met you yet? I am Pepper Potts."

[notlewis]

"Well, this place could do that to anyone," he confessed. "Let's just say I need a little break from work."

He sat up straight and smiled at her again. "Luis Sera, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Potts. You're are Leon's new secretary, sí?"

[ms_pepperpotts]

"A pleasure to meet you, Luis. I would be his new secretary, yes. Word travels fast on this ship, does it not?" She nodded. "May I ask what sort of work you do?"

[governorkang]

"...I must be seeing things. You're not holed up in your lab for once," Kang said, shock evident in his voice. "Usually, someone has to drag you out of there to make sure you don't kill yourself."

[notlewis]

"Oh, the killing myself was starting to sound like a good plan, so I figured it was time to get out," Luis chuckled. "Come on over, amigo. I am spending an evening with Señor Daniels."

[governorkang]

Grinning, Kang sat down next to Luis, "Smart man. Don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting this Daniels fellow."

[notlewis]

"I had the foresight to grab two shot glasses, so maybe it's time for you to get acquainted." He poured Kang a shot and handed it over.

[governorkang]

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I like the way you think," Kang spared barely a glance at the shot glass before downing it, shaking his head at the burn. "You should have introduced us sooner."

[ghost-bait.livejournal.com]

Then maybe he wouldn't have noticed the little quiet, quiet shadow that sat down beside him with hardly a sound. Miku's stomach had twisted itself into knots with worry and made it impossible to sleep. Steve would be okay. She just needed to keep telling herself that so it would be true.

So, she'd ended up walking the ship and thought it must've been some sort of coincidence that she found Dr. Sera moodily drinking and staring forlornly off into the Bleed like that.

After several long minutes, she spoke. "Doctor, you shouldn't pour for yourself."

[notlewis]

"I don't want to bother anybody else to pour for me," he replied, glancing over at her. Ah, he hadn't talked to Miku yet, had he... Claire had been ordered to pass the news on to her, but Luis hadn't looked into it any further than that.

"You look tired yourself, Ms. Hinasaki. Would you like a drink?"

[ghost-bait.livejournal.com]

Miku smiled and looked down, "I probably shouldn't; I get intoxicated very easily." And what would falling asleep next to Steve accomplish this time? Probably nothing. "But I'll pour for you," she offered. "It's the least I could do."

[notlewis]

He sighed and passed her the bottle and his shotglass. "You're sweet, amiga. Thank you. I probably shouldn't have much more... a hangover won't do me any good later on."

[ghost-bait.livejournal.com]

Miku very carefully poured the shot and handed the glass back to him, "You're welcome. Thank you for your very hard work. I realize that... certain things haven't made it easy on you."

[medicalmind.livejournal.com]

Scarlet had her own reasons not to be in the lab, at the moment. Partially a sudden lack of things to do, but mostly because you could only go over the same chemical compound checks so many times before the numbers and letters started blending together.

She had to pass through the obs deck to get to crew quarters, and it was kind of easy to spot the Spaniard sitting and looking mopey. She slowed for a moment, before moving towards him instead, taking up the seat next to him once she reached him. She didn't say anything for a moment, taking in the sight of the bleed herself, before breaking the silence.

"I'm pretty sure that stuff'll kill you."

[notlewis]

"I'm not too concerned about it. Being dead sort of removes the fear from you, you know?" he replied, giving her one of those dashing smiles she was probably sick of.

"It's rare to see us both out of the lab. What are you up to, bonita?"

[medicalmind.livejournal.com]

"Funny, being dead made me appreciate being alive all the more," she smiled slightly, tilting her head down.

She considered his question for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders, looking back out at the bleed, again.

"Same as you, I'm guessing. Needed a break."

[notlewis]

"Tired of things that could explode or kill people for one day," he confirmed, reaching for his second shot glass. "Trying to preserve that elusive workaholic sanity. The usual."

He held up the glass. "Want a drink?"

[medicalmind.livejournal.com]

She looked over at him, then at the glass, before smiling slightly and reaching out to take it from him.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?" It had been a while since she'd done anything by way of drinking, but now seemed like as good a time as any to break the dry spell.