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Daycycle 101 [ July 31 - August 6 ]

daycycle 101

[July 31 - Aug 6]

Early Morning [0800 - 0900] — All Troubleshooters Report for Duty
Adam Parrish and Matt Murdock, have been selected for today’s mission. Details are below:

"We’ve repainted this antique autocar for its VIOLET owner, and we need someone to drive it back to its owner’s compound. Take one of these single-use brevet badges to demonstrate you’re authorized to use such high-clearance equipment. Whatever you do, don’t lose your badge! And whatever happens, don’t get into an accident! If you so much as scratch the paint job....

Maybe don't let the blind guy drive."

Please debrief the computer on the status of your mission by the end of the Daycycle here.

Morning & Afternoon [0900 - 1600] — Service Firm Positions
All Troubleshooters not assigned a mission should report to their Service Firm for their daily duties, unless specifically assigned a different shift.

Evening [1600 - 2200] — Citizen Improvement
All Alpha citizens are encouraged to better themselves through Alpha’s wide variety of educational, entertainment and cultural opportunities offered each evening. Attending these sanctioned events are not mandatory, but is highly encouraged by The Computer. Citizens choosing not to take advantage of these opportunities, have a growing number of other options available to them in how to spend their hard earned credits and free time.

Tonight’s event will be at 1800 in Field A, Armed Forces Sector and will be hosted by the Extra Calisthenics Volunteer Group. Join ECV for a four hour boot camp designed to get you in peak physical shape or kill you trying!

Alpha Curfew Restrictions
All Alpha citizens should be in their quarters within the Wagon Wheel by 2200, unless they’ve been given permission from a GREEN or higher clearance level citizen. Sleeping Aid gas is dispelled each night in the Wagon Wheel at 2200 to assist citizens in getting a productive sleeping period.

Confession Booths
There are hundreds of confession booths available around Alpha Complex if a citizen would like to communicate directly with the computer. Please use these confession booths to report mission statuses, report treason or terrorist acts, unregistered mutants, confess your trespasses against Alpha Complex, request propaganda or speak with Your Friend, The Computer, at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Matt nods a little. "Okay." He actually agrees with that. Besides, she'll be less likely to hurt her hand with the punching bags if she knows how to throw a proper punch. He can't teach her to throw a punch the way most people would so this will have to suffice. The fact that they're both enjoying it is just icing on the cake.

"Let's try one more time with the same punch, then you can show me what Barry taught you. Eventually we'll discuss which one is better for what situation," he tells her. "You're learning. That's good. Although, in a fight, the most effective thing to do for you is to go for the eyes and the genitals. People tend to want to protect both of those."

Nodding her understanding, Lydia settles herself back into fighting stance and pauses as Matt continues. "Sounds like a plan. I need to learn. Everybody saw why I need to learn..." she mutters, frowning slightly. She can't remember if Matt was around back when she was attacked, but everyone else had seen it. At the time, it had been cripplingly devastating to her; now, in retrospect, it's just embarrassing. She was completely helpless. Now, she's not going to be.

She smirks a little to herself and looks over her shoulder at him. "Eyes is a new one. Genitals I knew." Just ask Jackson sometime. Once in a while, he earned a knee to the balls being a giant asshole, she thinks but chooses not to say. "Okay," she says, looking ahead again and closing her eyes.

Lydia throws another cross punch and she's cognizant of her follow through and stance. Her eyes open again as she drops her arm back down after completing it. "...that actually felt better," she comments, looking over her shoulder at him again. "Was that better?"

No, Matt wasn't here for that, but he's heard about it. It's a cautionary tale of sorts, one that's other specials need to hear, particularly if they're not accustomed to defending themselves. She shouldn't be embarrassed, but she should be prepared next time. He's pleased she's taking those steps to prepare herself.

"Nose is one to a slight lesser degree. Anyone who's had their nose broken won't let that stop them, but if they haven't had it broken before..." It's painful and disorienting, all of that blood. It's pretty obvious Matt has had his nose broken before and most women do know genitals, but it bears repeating anyway.

That punch actually gets a good smile out of him. He could feel how much better that one was as his arm tracked after hers. "That's because it was much better. Let's see one of the other punches you know. Follow the same procedure."

"When you're going for the nose, it's better to have the force moving upward rather than straight on, right? Or no?" Lydia asks to clarify, because she knows either Barry or Tony mentioned that at some point, but she'd been more focused on the rest of the things that she needed more work on, thinking that she'd remember the simple things — like this — just fine. Unfortunately, she'd been wrong.

At his praise, Lydia smiles brightly. "Okay, just whenever?" she asks and settles herself back into fight stance. She assumes — and hopes — that Matt is being honest and not just coddling her, and the idea that she's making improvements, even little ones, in such a short amount of time with him makes her feel a surge of confidence. It shows in her following punches, first the jab, and then the upper cut, both using the same techniques Matt has shown her.

Lydia lowers her voice and leans back into him a little afterward. "...what do you say we get out of here soon and do some of that holding you were talking about?" she asks softly, looking over her shoulder at him with a little smirk.

He nods a little. "That's right. You'll do more damage that way." Tony and Barry are doing a good job of helping her out. That's good to know. It's hard to remember everything until some practical practice had been put in.

"Just whenever," he assures her, his hands still light on her wrists so that he can feel the punches. He murmurs encouragements and little tips as she goes through the rounds of the punches. She's doing a good job and that confidence definitely shows in those punches. "Good. We'll keep working on them, but this is a good start."

His hands go to her biceps when she leans backs against him. He wants to wrap his arms around her, but he doesn't want to draw more attention to himself. He dips his head ever so slightly, bringing his lips closer to her cheek. "I think that sounds like a good idea. You want to leave first and I'll follow, or the other way around?"

Relieved that she remembered correctly, Lydia nods. "Okay, got it, good. I did remember that right, then. That's something," she says, feeling a lot better about her lack of attention paid to something that is actually really important, in retrospect.

With the clarification, Lydia goes ahead and starts throwing a series of punches, a break between each to reset her stance and give Matt a second to readjust if he needs to in the wake of the movement. It makes her smile a little, hearing the reassurances, not just because it means that she's doing something right, but because they're coming from Matt. Matt's compliments are her favorite ones, even when they're just telling her that she's doing a good job punching nothing at all.

Another smile tugs at the corners of her mouth, pitting dimples in her cheeks as he moves closer. They're careful when they're in public for a lot of reasons, but she likes to think that none of those reasons are because either of them are embarrassed of being seen with the other. For her, at least, it's because everyone is supposed to be happy, but being too happy could very well be treasonous and if they have to be separated, one or both of them being arrested is not the ideal way to facilitate it.

Her head turns ever so slightly toward him and her voice is low. "That depends on where we're going. Your room, you go first. HQ and I'll go first."

"You're doing well, Lydia. Don't underestimate yourself," he assures her. He's pretty sure confidence is half of everything: fighting, arguing, dating, life, but observing and paying attention can teach a person a lot. It's 90% of how he functions, especially here in the complex without his senses.

He guides her gently as she goes through the punches, choosing to make corrections by touching her wrist or moving her arm, tapping her feet to correct stances and that sort of thing mostly because it gives him an excuse to touch her. He definitely has a favorite 'student'.

He's felt those dimples and he's fairly certain that's one of his favorite things about her smile. For Matt, none of those reasons are because he's embarrassed to be seen with her. They have to be careful for a lot of reasons, but mostly because the computer has no concept of human emotions that Matt can tell.

"You go on then. I'll follow in a few minutes." It's not that he doesn't want to be alone with her in his room, but he doesn't want her to be arrested for treason either. It feels more dangerous to go to his room together when everyone is awake.

If confidence is half of what she needs, then Lydia's nearly there. She is, after all, by nature a confident person, she's just been knocked down by the A.S.S. and she's working her way back up. She'll get there. Having little lessons with Barry and now Matt are helpful toward rebuilding that confidence, because once she's comfortable with the technicalities, she won't feel so fragile and that is the thing that's got her so unsure of herself for the first time in a while.

A part of her wishes that he'd said he would go first, because she prefers the idea of being alone with him, but another part of her is grateful that he's suggesting the HQ because it's a lot less risky for them to be together there. They don't get the same level of privacy, but they're forever choosing between privacy and peace of mind, because here, their privacy and the lingering sense of anxiety go hand in hand.

"I'll see you soon," she tells him before turning to face him and touching his face in a quick, affectionate gesture to let him know that she's leaving. It's a safer one than the kiss she wishes she could be giving him before she heads down to HQ instead.

She'll definitely get there. Lydia isn't the type of person to stay down and Matt really likes that about her. It's an appealing quality in a person, as far as he's concerned. No one can blame her for getting knocked down, for feeling a little less than self confident. She deserves a little time to get on her feet again and Matt is happy to help her.

He prefers being alone with her as well, but the risk is so high. He doesn't want to push the luck that they've had so far. Sometimes, he wonders if that's part of the appeal, that shot of adrenaline that being together brings. He's certainly used to a certain amount of risk, danger and adrenaline in his own life back home. It's something he's contemplated in any case.

He doesn't miss that gesture and he's so grateful for it. Little things like that mean a lot as well because of the risk that goes with it. It is safer than the kiss and he'd like to be able to share one of those as well.

A few minutes after Lydia leaves, Matt wraps things up, says goodbye to a few people and makes his way down to HQ, making sure to take it slowly, opting to fold up his cane and use his fingertips as a guide so that no one will hear the tapping of his cane. He steps inside HQ, stopping and listening not only for Lydia but for anyone else that might be in the room.

Lydia's waiting in Specials HQ with Gucci, who's been there all day probably hanging out with Dick. When she sees Matt enter, she smiles. "Hey you," she greets. There doesn't happen to be anyone else in HQ at the moment, but that doesn't mean it won't change any minute now. One never really knows and, unless they're a threat — or Dick, because he's the Petbot's favorite — Gucci wouldn't alert her of their impending arrival.

She crosses the room to meet him halfway and circles her arms around his neck. "You're a good teacher," she says in a low, velvety sort of voice, nuzzling her nose against his lightly. "You'd tell me if I wasn't doing well, right? You wouldn't just spare my feelings, I hope?" Since she really does genuinely want to learn, after all.

They'd arranged to meet there, but Matt is still pleased to hear her voice. Semi private is better than public so Matt will take it (and private is a relative term here). A lopsided grin slides over his lips as he greets her in return. "Hey," he responds, listening for the presence of any others and not hearing it.

"And you're a good greeter," he tells her, hands going to her waist as he dips in ever so slightly to brush his lips against the corner of her mouth. "Yes, I would tell you if you weren't doing it right. This isn't about how you look in your jumpsuit--amazing--it's important." He's teasing, since he doesn't know how she looks. He can only imagine it. "You did well. You're a good student and you're determined.Plus, you've already laid a good deal of the foundation."

"Mmm, thank you," she hums softly against his lips.

Lydia laughs a little at his comment. He teases, because he can't actually see how God awful she looks in this stupid jumpsuit. What she wouldn't give for one of her short skirts and a cute top again…she misses looking pretty probably significantly more than she ought to, all things considered, and she too often tells herself that it's reflex to miss the things that made life feel normal and it isn't just that she's as shallow as a shower.

"I'm glad, because I can't do it without help and if I was a terrible student, I can't see you wanting to keep helping me." Lydia pauses, her eyes shifting to the beat up sofa across the room. "I believe I was promised holding…?" she asks suddenly in a feigned tone of confusion, as if she's just remembered why she came down here at all, and then she grins. "I think I'd like to collect on that promise."

"You're welcome," he murmurs in response, perfectly happy to have a conversation this way.

The laugh is good. He likes being able to make her laugh. He seriously doubts that she looks as bad as she thinks she does. He understands though. He misses his suits. They'd always felt a little like armor. They helped him hide his other life. It's not shallow. Outside appearances are part of how people with with day to day problems, emotions and issues. It is normal, at least Matt thinks that it is. Besides, Lydia has never struck him as shallow.

"Weeeell, it might make it more difficult, but I've discovered that teaching you has some benefits," he jokes with her, except that he's also a little serious. They'd had an excuse to be closer in public for once and he'd enjoyed that. He chuckles a little at that, raising an eyebrow as he pretends to ponder her words. "You know, I do think I remember some sort of promise like that. I'd hate to be thought of as someone who defaults on their promises." He slides a hand down her arm to take her hand in his. By now, he's got a good idea of where the sofa is in here. He starts to lead her over that way. He's counted the steps often enough that he knows how many there are and when he gets to that number, he slides his foot out to find the sofa exactly where he thought it would be. Really, he's trying to look smooth for Lydia's sake and he's not entirely sure he's managing it. This would be so much easier with all of his senses. he reaches out with a hand to find the arm of the sofa then turns to sit, tugging Lydia to sit down with him.

"Mmm, does it?" she asks, feigning surprise. She agrees, though. They nearly never get to be close enough to touch one another in public for fear of one or both of them being in trouble considering their difference in clearance ranks. It was more than a little nice to be able to be that close to him without either of them having to worry, because it was both legitimately and under the guise of teaching her something beneficial.

She smiles a little, humming a soft laugh at his response and when he takes her hand, she gives it a little squeeze. Moments like this are few and far between. Normally, there are other people down here and it's kind of nice that, for at least the moment, they'll be able to have some alone time together. Well overdue, too, if you ask Lydia.

It isn't lost on her what Matt's doing and she's grinning to herself, cheeks warming and going pink. He could've used the cane or he could've asked her to lead them, but he's trying to impress her and he doesn't actually need to. She's already plenty impressed, therefore it falls under endearing as all hell and she lowers herself onto the sofa beside him, curling against his side like she's meant to be there. Lydia takes a deep breath and lets it out in a contented sigh. "See, now this, I could get used to. I feel like this should be a reward for a good session every time you're teaching me new things," she suggests playfully, but she isn't entirely joking, either.

"Well, you're absolutely my favorite student," he responds. In all honesty, he doesn't teach her much differently than he would anyone else because he can't. He's used to being able to use his other senses to 'see' what someone is doing. Now he has to rely almost entirely on touch. However, it's much more fun to teach Lydia than it is anyone else.

Definitely well overdue. Matt loves the few times they have together relatively alone like this.

He's glad that she doesn't say anything to him about it because he would feel like an idiot. He knows he's awkward right now without his senses and his cane. When Lydia curls up against him, all awkwardness disappears and he actually feels accomplished (and chagrined because he feels accomplished for doing something that shouldn't have taken any thought at all). He presses a kiss to the top of her head and grins. "I think I could take this as payment for teaching you new things. Especially if you add in a kiss." He's definitely not joking.

"I better be," she teases, nudging her shoulder gently against him in jest to let him know she's joking, on the off chance he hadn't picked up on it by himself. She's sure he did, but it never hurts to go that extra step, especially in a new relationship where they're still largely getting to know one another.

At his comment, Lydia grins a little and tilts her head back to look up at him. "Oooh, did I forget that? That's, like, the most important part!" she says playfully, craning her neck a little and she cups his jaw with one hand to guide him into her reach so that she can kiss him.

She could stay like this forever, she finds herself thinking. And, quite frankly, she might just. Or...at least until they have run out of time before they need to get to their rooms for the sleep aid gas, anyway.

(( ooc: call it done with a fade out or keep going? ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Daycycle 101 [ July 31 - August 6 ]

daycycle 101

[July 31 - Aug 6]

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Re: Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Re: Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Re: Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Re: Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening

Matt & Lydia - Evening