Touch Football mega thread

[nola_eleanor]

There was a field not too far from Phoenix Effect that was too small for all the various sports leagues in the city to have snapped up for weekend practices or games, but big enough for the fairly flexible game of touch football, so that's where they played. People came and went for most of the afternoon, though the game itself only lasted an hour and change. Almost everyone played, but there were several people watching, choosing to cheer or heckle or talk amongst themselves as it suited them.

When everyone got together enough to actually start the game, they divided into two teams, with Matteo as the referee. Zach's team was made up of Hazel, Max, Hanne, Nori, Nick, Alex, and Oliver; Kyle had Elspeth, Joel, Carrie, Caleb, Irene, Sam, and Elena on his team. It wasn't a blowout, but Zach's team won by a few touchdowns and were crowned the victors. Despite a couple minor accidents, everyone came out of it in one piece. More or less.

Comments

[nola_beast]

"Are we sure they're not here already? Does that Pekinese across the street look familiar to you?" He half-smiled, because that was easier than freaking out.

[nola_cyclops]

Sam laughed a little. "You're looking in all the right places. We need you, Hank. Zach." Scott would find that harder to say than Sam; for Sam, it came reasonably easily.

[nola_beast]

Zach looked confused. "What would I be doing if not helping?" There was no question that he'd try to figure out what was happening here and if there was a threat at hand.

[nola_cyclops]

It wasn't very Sam, and it wasn't at all like Scott, but that response crashed over him like homesickness and grief for what had happened to all of them in their impossible lives; it felt like home and family and a hundred things Sam would never, ever have the words for, and before he could change his mind, Sam leaned over and hugged Zach.

[nola_beast]

Spontaneous hugs happened to Zach on the regular. Third graders were still very young, after all, and their emotions could come in big, overwhelming bursts, both positive and negative. They usually weren't a cause for major alarm, though—Zach knew how to comfort quickly, and he understood his training about not letting touch linger, and all that. But he could count the number of times he and Scott had hugged on one hand, and he and Sam had never done such a thing. "How long have you been dealing with this?" he asked, scared of the answer.

[nola_cyclops]

Sam laughed and stepped back, hands raised in surrender. "I wasn't trying to scare you! It's only been a few days. But it has been overwhelming," he added, "And it's great to see a friendly face."

[nola_beast]

"It's pretty friendly," Zach agreed. "And I didn't say you had to stop hugging me." Because Sam had seemed like he really needed it.

[nola_cyclops]

"I still have my limits," Sam replied with a smile, but it was such a nice thing to say. "But thank you. What do you think we should do now?" Because Scott listened to everyone's ideas, but he (generally) always heard Hank's.

[nola_beast]

Zach sighed and looked up at the sky, mouth pursed thoughtfully. After a few moments, he said, "Have you all compared experiences together? Maybe there are trends that can lead to clues."

[nola_cyclops]

Sam nodded. It was a good idea -- their best information resources, right now, were themselves. "We have, but not in any way I'd consider particularly meaningful or measurable; most conversations have gone through the shock of this understanding. But that's a good idea. We should take down notes. Alex doesn't want to be involved, but he would probably give you information."

[nola_beast]

"Why would he give me the information when he won't even share it with you?"

[nola_cyclops]

"Because he's not an idiot." Sam refused to believe that his brother would walk away from this entirely.

[nola_beast]

Zach grimaced. He'd never loved interpersonal conflict, then or now. "Wouldn't Pietro be a better fit? They worked together more."

[nola_cyclops]

"Maybe." Sam couldn't help it; his eyes flickered across the field, looking for Oliver, just because he had been mentioned, and Sam wanted to be able to place him. "But we can work with those who want to work with us first."

[nola_beast]

"And maybe he'll come around," Zach suggested. "Alex, I mean. He just needs time to process, sometimes."

[nola_cyclops]

"I have to believe that he will," Sam said, nodding. Everyone knew Alex was a reluctant, but good-hearted, hero.

[nola_beast]

"I'm sure he will," Zach replied, convincing himself and hopefully Sam as well. "He loves you."

[nola_cyclops]

Sam rolled his eyes, because this was too much time spent on Alex’s tantrum. “Whatever happens, our team is only getting stronger.”

[nola_beast]

"Pardon me for having feelings, Sam." Zach crossed his arms and looked at him levelly. "And is a growing team something we should be happy about?"

[nola_cyclops]

“Why wouldn’t it be?” If they were stuck here, they needed to be able to work it out.

[nola_beast]

"Because it means more and more of our friends and loved ones are stuck in this strange, somewhat horrifying situation?" Zach raised an eyebrow.

[nola_cyclops]

“Well… yes. But I’m talking about problem solving.”

[nola_beast]

"I'm talking about feelings again, pardon."

[nola_cyclops]

Sam took a second, took a breath, and nodded. “I know. I appreciate that you are.”

[nola_beast]

Zach shrugged. "It's fine. I know they're hard for you. And I appreciate that you're here to keep me from drifting and getting distracted, as usual."