[And Jack, though abysmally slow as he is, eventually sleeps. He hasn't gotten shut-eye in God knows how long, and so he's out for awhile, leaving Atlas a day of peace to do whatever it is that he feels like doing now that Rapture is his for the taking. What those things might be, terrible and no better than his father's plans, should be what creeps into Jack's dreams and make him wake up with a start. But it isn't anything Atlas might do that does that—it's the thought of Atlas not being safe that jolts him awake.
He sits up with wide eyes, scarcely taking a minute to catch his breath before he's moving from the couch and reaching for his wrench. It was just a nightmare, but what if he actually heard the wail of a Big Daddy just outside the door, he has to check, he's starting for the door—] Atlas?
[Atlas has work to do. He said he'd stay until Jack falls asleep and he does, oddly enough, drinking and thinking of his next steps. People need to be moved, Ryan's offices need to be ransacked, someone has to go clear out whatever's left in Suchong's lab that's programmed to shoot Frank Fontaine on sight... There's just so much to do.
But he stays there for the time it takes Jack to fall asleep, all the same. But he doesn't loiter, taking his leave to start mobilizing as soon as his half-whisper of Jack's name doesn't make him stir and get up. Just checking - at least he's not hissing "boyo" at him in the dark.
Atlas is energized for the next day, while Jack it out cold. He doesn't check on him and doesn't let anyone else check on him, either; the boy can sleep, he's earned it. Sooner or later he'll have to stand in front of a crowd of Atlas' people and nod while Atlas speaks for him about heroism and taking back Rapture, but not yet. Things have to be more stable in this god-forsaken city, first. Someone has to find where Tenenbaum's holed herself up with the rest of those Little Sisters, actually— this is what he's focused on when Jack finally gets up. Atlas isn't in the apartment, but the door to the one next door is ajar and voices, Atlas' among them, are coming from inside.
He's got a kitchen table turned into a strategy table already, covered in papers and cigarette stubs and a plan of Rapture with a few places circled where that woman might be. The few other people in the room look up when they hear noise outside, and Atlas hastily tells them not to fucking move and moves to pop his head out into the hall, gun in hand.
[The fact Atlas is among his own people dispels the irrational fear that there is something obvious out to get them, but in the end, it does nothing for Jack's nerves. He didn't really spend a lot of time dwelling on the future, but he also didn't expect to be diving headfirst into his little gang... There's nothing to really go off of here, since his last experience with many Supposedly Normal People was Peach Wilkins trying to tear him apart for ADAM. Atlas has great friends.
So he starts for the room slowly, keeping the wrench close to his chest rather than lowered. His voice is low when he reaches Atlas, and as soon as he sees the people behind him, he instinctly steps closer.]
What— [what does that mean, nevermind he doesn't care,] What are you doing in here?
[Atlas has plenty of great friends, actually. The people he'll sit down and actually plan this shit with, the real core group—well, they're all scumbags, but almost none of them are as clinically insane as Peach Wilkins. For what it's worth. Atlas tries his best to keep them placated with booze and other drugs so they don't shoot up with ADAM and lose their minds, but thugs with burning fists are so useful.
It's these thugs who are sitting around the room behind Atlas, and who look up from their work when Jack comes into view. A few of them perk up in interest, but most of them only fix him with a critical stare and then go back to what they were doing. Atlas glances over his shoulder, considering whether or not it's the right time to throw Jack into the center of things, as it were...
The center of things with other sane people, really. The kid can swing a wrench, but can he talk to anyone who isn't Atlas? He isn't sure, so he takes half a step closer to Jack in turn, maybe blocking Jack's view of the room beyond a little more. Maybe he's blocking their view of Jack; maybe both! Very fun!]
Workin' hard to make Rapture the greatest city on earth, o'course. Feelin' better? Get all that stuff about seein' ghosts outta your system?
[It's not really working, this whole block with his body thing, but Jack appreciates the moment for a hot second. Then Atlas had to ask that last question, and his stomach turned over. Of course, he must sound crazy, but they're there and he wouldn't lie to him.
He could tell him that, and add on the fact he really trust any of these people. God knows he still feels like a Big Daddy is going to burst through a wall, and the "normal" crowd will turn out to have spliced, but. Jack simply stands there, clutching his wrench, staring at Atlas' face for a few more seconds.]
Yeah. [He sighs with apparently relief. If he's honest, Atlas will spend time with the crowd without him, and his paranoia will just get ten times worse. This is fine.] I'm not some kind of basket case, right? Got my head on straight now, since that Ryan business is done.
[That Ryan business makes a few of the people behind Atlas stir; they are really not subtle about eavesdropping, and Atlas really doesn't have time for this. A big dumb baby with a wrench against all of his people, heavily armed, if one of them sets off the other somehow with distrustful looks and sassy comments, Jack?? —Well, Jack could wipe the floor with everyone in this room, and Atlas needs people to work without interruptions. He turns halfway to gesture at one of them, who stands and moves to the table and seems to pick up where Atlas left off.
So that leaves Jack. Atlas turns back to him, lifting a hand to sort of tap under his chin so he'll quit sulking in the hallway.]
Buck up, boyo. I'm gonna get you back on land again, remember? Smile more.
[Jack watches every move Atlas makes, glancing between him and all the people he would indeed just like to wipe the floor and be done with. All the different scenarios where that goes down is running through his head right now. But the moment he's about to confess feelings that would probably dub him a paranoid, broken freak of nature is also when Atlas taps his chin, and his mind goes blank except for the thought that that's really nice.
Jack, for all of his faults, is at least a quick thinker, and knows how to read a situation. He stands there, mouth slightly open for a moment, before he manages a brief smile. He lowers the wrench.]
Actually, I... I've thought a lot about getting back to land before I came to find you, and I've just... [He immediately went to find Atlas after he did, but he doesn't have to know that.] It's just... I don't have anything, up there. My farm, and my family... it's not real. So it's not really my highest priority anymore, you are.
[That sounded weirder than he thought it would, but okay. He can still do this.] You've helped me through everything, Atlas, and if there's anything I can do to help you, and to see Rapture better than all this, I want to be here. I don't mind waiting.
[Atlas drops his hand and gives Jack a look like he's pleasantly surprised by this, but his mind is racing. For a few hours there he didn't think Jack would go for any more than humoring Atlas and then going back topside, so this—saying outright that Atlas is his highest priority—well, isn't that just darling.
He doesn't even have to work with this; he can just take it as it is! Jack, truly, is his favorite boy.
So he flashes him a grin and claps a hand on his shoulder, instead. Good boy.]
Well, don't look so glum about it! It's you and me, Jack, one last time for Rapture. You wanna come in?
[Come in... and get stared at by these other boys....]
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He sits up with wide eyes, scarcely taking a minute to catch his breath before he's moving from the couch and reaching for his wrench. It was just a nightmare, but what if he actually heard the wail of a Big Daddy just outside the door, he has to check, he's starting for the door—] Atlas?
no subject
But he stays there for the time it takes Jack to fall asleep, all the same. But he doesn't loiter, taking his leave to start mobilizing as soon as his half-whisper of Jack's name doesn't make him stir and get up. Just checking - at least he's not hissing "boyo" at him in the dark.
Atlas is energized for the next day, while Jack it out cold. He doesn't check on him and doesn't let anyone else check on him, either; the boy can sleep, he's earned it. Sooner or later he'll have to stand in front of a crowd of Atlas' people and nod while Atlas speaks for him about heroism and taking back Rapture, but not yet. Things have to be more stable in this god-forsaken city, first. Someone has to find where Tenenbaum's holed herself up with the rest of those Little Sisters, actually— this is what he's focused on when Jack finally gets up. Atlas isn't in the apartment, but the door to the one next door is ajar and voices, Atlas' among them, are coming from inside.
He's got a kitchen table turned into a strategy table already, covered in papers and cigarette stubs and a plan of Rapture with a few places circled where that woman might be. The few other people in the room look up when they hear noise outside, and Atlas hastily tells them not to fucking move and moves to pop his head out into the hall, gun in hand.
Oh, it's just the boy. He sighs.]
Top o' the mornin', boyo. Over here.
[real irish people don't even say this]
no subject
So he starts for the room slowly, keeping the wrench close to his chest rather than lowered. His voice is low when he reaches Atlas, and as soon as he sees the people behind him, he instinctly steps closer.]
What— [what does that mean, nevermind he doesn't care,] What are you doing in here?
it's him
It's these thugs who are sitting around the room behind Atlas, and who look up from their work when Jack comes into view. A few of them perk up in interest, but most of them only fix him with a critical stare and then go back to what they were doing. Atlas glances over his shoulder, considering whether or not it's the right time to throw Jack into the center of things, as it were...
The center of things with other sane people, really. The kid can swing a wrench, but can he talk to anyone who isn't Atlas? He isn't sure, so he takes half a step closer to Jack in turn, maybe blocking Jack's view of the room beyond a little more. Maybe he's blocking their view of Jack; maybe both! Very fun!]
Workin' hard to make Rapture the greatest city on earth, o'course. Feelin' better? Get all that stuff about seein' ghosts outta your system?
he's done it
He could tell him that, and add on the fact he really trust any of these people. God knows he still feels like a Big Daddy is going to burst through a wall, and the "normal" crowd will turn out to have spliced, but. Jack simply stands there, clutching his wrench, staring at Atlas' face for a few more seconds.]
Yeah. [He sighs with apparently relief. If he's honest, Atlas will spend time with the crowd without him, and his paranoia will just get ten times worse. This is fine.] I'm not some kind of basket case, right? Got my head on straight now, since that Ryan business is done.
he's the one from the dreams i have
So that leaves Jack. Atlas turns back to him, lifting a hand to sort of tap under his chin so he'll quit sulking in the hallway.]
Buck up, boyo. I'm gonna get you back on land again, remember? Smile more.
[Do not! Alienate! All the people!!!]
he's here and he's real
Jack, for all of his faults, is at least a quick thinker, and knows how to read a situation. He stands there, mouth slightly open for a moment, before he manages a brief smile. He lowers the wrench.]
Actually, I... I've thought a lot about getting back to land before I came to find you, and I've just... [He immediately went to find Atlas after he did, but he doesn't have to know that.] It's just... I don't have anything, up there. My farm, and my family... it's not real. So it's not really my highest priority anymore, you are.
[That sounded weirder than he thought it would, but okay. He can still do this.] You've helped me through everything, Atlas, and if there's anything I can do to help you, and to see Rapture better than all this, I want to be here. I don't mind waiting.
me again
He doesn't even have to work with this; he can just take it as it is! Jack, truly, is his favorite boy.
So he flashes him a grin and claps a hand on his shoulder, instead. Good boy.]
Well, don't look so glum about it! It's you and me, Jack, one last time for Rapture. You wanna come in?
[Come in... and get stared at by these other boys....]