trans_9 | But Sooner Or Later God'll Cut You Down [Open]

'Running away' is, in Howard's opinion, the most useful thing the human body can do. And unfortunately, he has plenty of reasons to think it will come in handy at some point, or at various points, in the future.

That's why he's set up a 400 yard circular track-slash-obstacle course in Hydroponics, as well as set up markers for hundred meter, two hundred meter, and mile routes. Every other morning, before Med Bay shifts, he's here, improving on speed and stamina. He knows full well that even if he gets into the best shape of his life, he can still be outrun (or outflown) by his super-powered, magical or metahuman peers, but it's better to have that added little bit of competence if and when he ends up sprinting away from danger.

He's feeling the results, too. There's no way to time if he's getting faster, but where he was once just skinny, he's becoming lean, and the mile run that used to exhaust him leaves him considerably less winded than it did a few months ago. And he's getting much more confident going through the tunnels and up the ladders of the obstacle course.

The only thing looking worse for the wear is his shoes. At some point he's going to have to relegate his velociraptor shoes to a beloved keepsake, because the seams are literally coming apart around his toes.

Howard double-knots his shoelaces and stretches a bit before running the obstacle course again.

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"And I told you not to be so uptight." She rolled her eyes. "I have serious doubts about you being able to use pickup lines or flirt in any form at all, Howie."

In fact, as the image of Howard trying to flirt came to her mind, she had to stifle a laugh.

She put on a look of false shock. "My god, you're right! Tell you what, I'll start looking for one right away, just for you, okay?" A smirk appeared back on her face.

He opens his mouth to shoot back a retort, but she has a point there. "Well, good thing I'm not interested in flirting anyway, then."

Whether or not Karis promised to protect him, he doesn't think whatever benefit he'd get from a relationship would be worth giving people yet another reason to push him around.

"Hey, I'm not saying anything. Just, when you get kidnapped or held hostage and no one really cares because you're useless anyway, don't cry to me about it."

Diana shrugged again, regardless of Howards comments, she had her own plans for surviving on the ship, which already included finding some sort of setting to make herself regarded and known enough to be protected.

"I promise I won't. Now can we get going?"

Howard starts walking. "So what have you been doing, anyway? Aside from at the movies I haven't seen you around none."

She falls into step beside him. "Just taking a look around. Seeing if there's anyone interesting I should get to know." By interesting she of course meant those who could be useful.

"And? You find anyone?" He picks up his pace a little. Her legs are longer than his.

"I told you. I got given a gift." She flashed her cunning smile at him. "I'll have you know I can actually still socialize, Howie."

"Yeah, but you didn't tell me if it was useful." And he does still plan on finding out what it is. "Yeah, congratulations, Diana. You didn't regress into a total barbarian. We're so proud of you."

Diana pretended to stifle a yawn. "Oh, I'm sorry, what? I heard your tone turn sarcastic again and I just totally tuned out."

"You do realize that if I did that whenever YOU got sarcastic, I wouldn't hear a thing you said?"

"Like I said before, Howie. Lighten up."

"Where is your place anyway?"

"How come I'm the one who has to lighten up? Just because you're a supposedly-hot girl I need to sit down and shut up when you're rude to me? Not happening." He takes a left. "This way. Or maybe I'm just walking you in circles for my own sick amusement."

"Well, damn. There goes plan A."

She shrugged to show how unbothered she was by this prospect. "You know your way around here much better than I do so it's totally possible for you to do that for awhile before I realize. Either way, it means spending time with me, Howie. Which, let's admit it, you're not too fond of."

"If I really couldn't stand you, Diana, you'd know." She's not someone he'll ever seek out for company, but he doesn't hate her, as much as she grinds his nerves. "You're okay. And don't take that as me hitting on you or anything."

"I'll take it as a compliment and nothing more. There, has that soothed your worries?"

"I got more worries than you could ever hope to soothe. Even if you wanted to. Which I bet you don't." And he's sure she does too. He saw the stack of food at the movie night.

The Warehouse is looking quite messy these days, with Howard's half-finished 'projects' littering the front lawn, mostly dismantled furniture and bicycles, reams of tape and screws everywhere. The house itself is a little cleaner. Emergency Rations darts out from under the porch and rubs up against Howard's legs.

"Oh, and this is Rat."

"Oh, so this is where you do your 'inventing'."

Her eyes look around the messy hang and she steps over some of the bits and bobs that've been left everywhere then looks down at the cat.

"It used to be where Albert organized everything into neat piles and yelled at me if I moved anything, but yeah, this is pretty much a workshop now." He pets the cat. "If shit hits the fan, the cat's mine, by the way."

"What's your newest project? Or is it 'confidential'?" She did her own sarcastic air quotes.

Diana rolled her eyes in an expired manner. "I get it. You've said as much before. Don't get so defensive."

"Laser gun. Pro tip: don't try to build a laser gun." He tilts his head at a scorched patch of grass on the lawn. "But some girl dared me to do it."

He gives her a little glare. "If I'm going to beat any horse to death it should be that one."

"Great. I'll keep that in mind at all times."

She glares back. "I understand what you mean when you stake a claim on it. I don't need reminding. Unless there's something else you're trying to say?" Because she's not the thief here, Howard.

"I don't know what you're getting at. Spit it out." It's not like he likes the cat or anything. Really.

Diana looks Howard over, face straight, as if checking for something.

"Forget it." She turns her head away and occupies herself by ringing the bell on a rusting bicycle frame.

But Sooner Or Later God'll Cut You Down [Open]

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