Orion had to bite his tongue at the "Brains" but felt a bit ashamed of himself. These people had lost family. He knew what that was like. Orion slowed so that Arin wouldn't hear the next words he said. "And don't worry about Arin. We all deal with grief in our own time and ways. I'm not letting this get in the way of our working relationship." Working relationship. Sounded so sterile. But it would be unfeeling to suggest more at this time.
Arin hadn't been paying attention anyhow, lost in thought. Crap, they forgot which direction they were in. This happened often enough when they didn't have Mal with them. "Jac, which way am I standing again?" They hated to show such a weakness and if Orion didn't know they were blind, he sure as hell did now. "Also, do we still have the tea we got a while ago?" Good, they didn't really know the answer but maybe if they asked another question Orion wouldn't notice their strange request.
"You're facing the door," Jac said, shutting the front door and locking it. Even superheros needed to stay safe. "And yeah, we do. At least, we did last time I looked. Do you want me to take you there, or….?"
He turned back to Orion and gave him a smile. "Go ahead and make yourself at home, man. Your room is on the second floor, farthest down the hall on the right. Don't go into the left one. That was…..Wade's. Do you have any bags, or will you need some clothes?"
Orion lifted up a small bag he had been carrying. "I have some stuff with me," he said, "but I can send to my house for more. It's only three hours away. I know a friend that wouldn't mind grabbing stuff for me if the authorities don't provide."
"I'm alright, was just wondering." Arin closed his eyes for a moment, thinking.
"If he's here, does that mean we have another mission?" They finally asked, as much as they disliked the idea of working with anyone other than Wade, they needed something to do. Their hands itched to do something other than do their code. It was meaningless, just putting way too many firewalls on the internet and such.
Kuro was frowning–well she was always slightly frowning, but this seemed a it more intense–from her spot leaning against the far wall by the stairs. Jac, Arin and Orion–was it? Reading the blonde's lips as he said his name was fairly difficult. Kuro would need him to say it a few more times before she got it down. The trio was milling about the foyer, an air of awkwardness around them as Arin's blunt nature and Jac's casual joy seemed to be butting heads.
Orion still hadn't addressed her yet, which didn't bother her in the slightest, but Kuro was still wary of the newcomer. On top of that Command had chosen Wade's replacement for her, plopping Orion in her lap before she had even thought of discussing a new member with them. Command's excuse being that she was too close to the situation to make a wise decision. Kuro's form tensed slowly, until she was about as relaxed as a steel cable as she leaned against the wall.
To say that she wasn't a fan of the situation was an understatement.
Orion looked at Kuro. "To my knowledge there is no mission scheduled," he said, keeping his lips plainly in her line of vision. "But I could be wrong. I would assume that they would give us all a time to acclimate to each other. I also do not think I am prepared for any mission. I wasn't really put through any training. Just selected once they had seen all the range of power in the recruits." He raised a hand to the back of his hair and gently pulled his fingers through it. "I hope none of you mind having to teach me what I need to know, I'm normally a quick learner."
Jac glanced over at his commander for half a second and didn't like what he saw. His childhood friend was as rigid as a tree, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl tattooed onto her face. Jesus, was he the only person actually willing to give the guy a nice welcome. Sure, it seemed like he had a stick up his ass, but he wasn't being rude.
What gives? he signed to Kuro, his smile turning into a concerned frown. She just shook her head and turned away from him, making his frown deepen. He hated when she did that. It made it literally impossible to talk to her and she always did it whenever she was mad.
"Uh, go ahead and make yourself at home, like I said," Jac said, walking over to Kuro and grabbing one of her hands. He half-lead, half-dragged her up the stairs as he continued. "If you're hungry, there's food int he fridge. We got a shit load of DVR's and thousands of movies if you wanna watch something. There's a weight room in the garage……and, uh, that's everything I guess. Nice to have you around!" And with that, He dragged Kuro around the corner.
You need to stop, he signed much more aggressively than usual. He has done nothing to us, but you're acting like he's your worst enemy. Why?
Arin had vanished back to their room, coming back down with their laptop, brushed hair, and you know, a giant eye. Their eyes were still covered in that milky film, but they seemed to know where things were much better than before. They headed over to the two in the corner, waving a hello. "I don't like star boy." Arin said simply to Jac and Kuro, leaving Mal to look at Orion with their never-blinking gaze.
Kuro glanced between Jac and Arin, not that they could see it from behind her lenses, but she figured they could probably feel it by the way they both shifted slightly as if her cold gaze was an actual touch.
It's not him per se. She finally said, her signs a bit messy in frustration. Best to keep what she was actually feeling deep in her chest where it belonged. I don't like this situation. Nor the mission we have been given. Command dumps a new recruit in my lap and a dangerous task on top of that–
Kuro pushed a sigh out of her nose. No proper training….what are they thinking??? The last words were signed low across her body, almost if the Captain was grumbling.
Orion shrugged and left the room, thinking it was probably a good idea to let the Patriots figure out things without him there to distract from it. Obviously they needed some time without him. Which was completely fine with him. He followed Jac's directions up the stairs and down the hall. He paused at Wades room. He had liked Wade from afar. Respected him. He considered going into the room anyways but immediately turned to the right and shut the door behind him. No way he was going to disobey a direct request like that. That would be helpful to nobody. He looked around the room. It was obviously some sort of guest room, but nicer than any he had stayed in. In fact it was a little too nice for him. He preferred a regular sort of place, but the bed was almost twice as big as his own and there was a giant flatscreen perched on the opposite wall. He opened the drawers of the dresser (empty) and tried out the large chair in the corner. That was more his style. In the other corner was a small desk with a wood chair and one of those bendy lamps with the green covering and the twisting switch. He clicked it on and off once before getting up to put his few possessions away in the dresser and his coat in the closet. He lay on the bed and let out a long breath. This was to be his new home after all. Whatever that meant.
.