outofthepast: (Silhouette)
Nick Valentine ([personal profile] outofthepast) wrote in [community profile] apocalypsehowcomm2022-04-16 06:47 pm

Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease (OPEN)

Who: Nick Valentine and YOU!
When: Throughout April
Where: ADI HQ and apartments, Gloucester, various
Summary: Nick acclimates himself to a world before the apocalypse (for now, anyway.)
Warnings: General identity melancholy, other warnings to be added as needed



OOC: Brackets or prose, your preference goes. Nick appears human away from ADI facilities (first two prompts.)

1. Shopping Spree

The general store in Gloucester is a far cry from the Diamond City market, that's for sure. The shelves are clean, tidy, and well-stocked. They take paper currency. All the products are brand new and in their original packaging. Myrna's not screaming at him to stay ten feet away from her. There's no noodle-dealing robots speaking Japanese, and shoplifters probably won't get their legs broken by security.

Even with this human disguise on, Nick can't shake the feeling he's being scrutinized. Maybe it's the anachronistic fashion, a nice, clean, well-pressed suit and fedora like he just fell out of the classic movie channel. Or maybe the items in his basket might raise eyebrows: cigarettes, six boxes of miscellaneous hardware, four bottles of glue, a case of duct tape. The clerk definitely makes some sideways glances at him when he checks out.

"Got a big night planned later," he quips. The look on the clerk's face is worth it, but he'd rather get out of here sooner than later, afterwards.

The rush makes him uncharacteristically clumsy on his way out the door. He collides with an incoming customer, tearing his paper sack and spilling his items all over the doorway.

"'Scuse me. Beg your pardon." He tips his hat and crouches down to gather up the items before somebody asks him what any man needs with two gallons of motor lubricant.


2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

His discomfort at the human disguise that's been forced on him won't get any better if he spends all his time lurking around HQ and avoiding it. So Nick does his best to go out often, poke around Gloucester and try to get used to blending in with everyone else.

It's rainy tonight, misty and cold. The bar didn't end up being his kind of joint, so he stepped out a while ago to have a cigarette before heading back. Under the awning, in the dim glow of a streetlight, he watches night fall and gets lost in his thoughts. Lost in Boston, his home, there across the harbor, right down the road and an entire lifetime away from him.

At last, he throws in the towel. Shakes his head and opens his umbrella, propping it on his shoulder for the walk back to the apartment.

Under an awning up ahead, he spots a familiar face. Someone he's seen around ADI, at least in passing. Probably looking to get back there without getting too drenched.

"You headin' back to ADI?" Nick approaches, the very image of a midcentury gentleman. "We can share an umbrella, if you're keen." He can probably use the company, honestly.


3. A Helping Hand

People who frequent ADI HQ have to be at least a little desensitized to unusual sights. Or so Nick keeps telling himself. It doesn't make it any easier when he's gotten himself into the awkward position of needing to ask for help.

Off in the corner of the cafeteria, the old synth sits at a bench, a toolbox sitting beside him and a grim look on his face. His right hand taps nervously on the tabletop, and his left hangs at his side, unusually rigid.

Ugh. This is humiliating. But they look agreeable enough...

"Excuse me. Could I borrow you for a moment?" Nick swallows his pride and flags down the passerby. "I seem to be in a bit of a scrape and I need an extra set of hands to, uh... straighten something out."


4. All-Nighter

Nick finds himself drawn to the courtyards at the apartment building. It's sad that green plants and well-kept landscapes are such a novelty for him, but it does make a guy appreciate them more. Late at night, when he gets bored of sitting around the apartment, he's made a habit of heading outside for a smoke and a walk. It's nice to enjoy the fresh air and the views, and he doesn't have to worry about waking up George or anyone else.

Normally he's got the place to himself, but his movement sensors pick up someone else about midway through his first cigarette. Nick turns around, yellow eyes glowing bright in the dark, and spots them a short distance behind him.

"You're up late." It's said with a pleasant, friendly tone and a smile, but honestly, that's probably not going to help how alarming he looks, unexpected and in the dead of night.


5. Wildcard

(COME AT ME. Happy to plot, [plurk.com profile] theggnator or Discord!)


henchgal: (whatcha got there?)

4

[personal profile] henchgal 2022-04-17 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Just getting back from work. I've been up to my neck in it lately, heading up a project for Aelwyn." The woman walking across the courtyard is in a sensible blue blouse, a dark red necktie (loosened), and a grey pencil skirt. Her shoes are sensible flats, and she's walking with a cane.

She definitely notices Nick's appearance, but after...what, nearly 9 months here?...she's hardly about to be shocked away from housing by a fella with glowing eyes. If the big pink cow didn't scare her off, Nick's not going to, either. Still, he's unfamiliar, and she may as well make nice with the new faces.

"I'm Meredith. Apartment B2, from an Earth, 2021 before I got here."
failedpromise: (Oh?)

3

[personal profile] failedpromise 2022-04-17 01:53 pm (UTC)(link)
At least it's a familiar face this time?

"Hey Nick." She actually begins to head toward him of her own volition, curious as always about the only other artificial being she's seen here though she slows down, frowning, when she sees the toolbox and the odd way he's holding his hand.

"Sure." She says at his question, and gives a tiny smile. It's not like Cortana has anything better to do. Seriously, what use does she have for a lunch break?

She's pretty sure she already knows what he's about to ask. "How'd you damage it?" She's looking pointedly at the obviously injured limb.
abrightboy: (need to think)

1.

[personal profile] abrightboy 2022-04-17 02:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Malcolm gets knocked back out the door in the collision, his phone clattering to the ground as he sprawls on the sidewalk. Maybe he should have been watching where he was going.

"Sorry," he responds to the man whose motor oil and duct tape have tumbled all over the ground. He scrambles to his knees. "Let me help you," he adds, grabbing scattered items.
vrituom: (Default)

► a helping hand

[personal profile] vrituom 2022-04-17 07:05 pm (UTC)(link)
She was looking for coffee, just coffee, food was something she'd try and figure out later. She'd not yet had a lot of luck in the cafeteria over the past couple of days, though that was mostly because Quill was stubborn and she hadn't tried a lot of Earth foods previously. Cooking was... still new.

So coffee it was.

She'd done a quick scan of the room when she'd walked in but hadn't paid the man too much attention, starting to look for her coffee. She'd probably wish she had gotten a better look at him after he spoke, a frown on her as she turns from the cupboard she'd been rummaging in.

"A hand for what?"

She's curious and after another moment abandons her search for the minute to walk closer to him.
vrituom: (Default)

[personal profile] vrituom 2022-04-17 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Closer now, really seeing him, she's quiet as she looks at him, properly takes his appearance in, an assessment. Her expression's neutral throughout, taking note of the damage on his face, the metal underneath and the hand--

Not her first robot. This one at least talks.

"Pulling something sounds like a temporary fix. Is there something that can stop it happening again?"

She sits across from him, voice a little quieter, thinking on the job at hand and waiting for him to direct her to what he wants. Unsurprisingly, she feels more comfortable around something non-human.
worthallthis: (Default)

3.

[personal profile] worthallthis 2022-04-17 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Good choice on who to pick, though, Nick. Winter pauses on his way to sit down with his tray of simple fare. He's wearing his usual tac gear, like he always does on days he works, so his robotic left arm is on full display.

He's also usually game to help somebody out, though hopefully it won't involved too much touching.

So he stops and veers over to Nick's table. "Of course. What do you need."
henchgal: (profile)

[personal profile] henchgal 2022-04-17 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's a large project, and I'm supervising a team, so once everyone left for the night I was able to get some time to spot check work, organize assignments for tomorrow and tidy up some of the rough edges. It's fine, I'm used to working late where I come from--though this is the first time I've been so deeply engaged here."

Since he's smoking, she pulls out her own pack from her purse. Not a lot of people here smoke, she's noticed, and this saves her from bothering her roommates by doing it around the apartment. Maybe Malcolm won't judge her so much.

"What departments are you working with?"
henchgal: (vicious mockery)

[personal profile] henchgal 2022-04-18 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
"Awfully grey for a turnip, aren't you?" It's the gentlest of jokes, a check-in to see if he's got a sense of humor about his appearance or not. She'll stop if he's offended.

"I'm in Admin, but also Media Relations and that's what's been eating my time. Still, Technology, is that because you're...ah, a technology yourself? If you tell them to eat shit and reassign you somewhere you're comfortable, they will."
demonicmiracle: (158)

four

[personal profile] demonicmiracle 2022-04-18 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
The rain has never been his favorite thing; too much of the snake in him, too reminiscent of that first, drenching rain. Heading out was probably a mistake, in retrospect, but he'd needed the air and space, and now he's stuck under a bloody awning until the rain lightens up. Maybe he ought to just give up and call a taxi, but he's trying not to spend money on pointless things. He can either wait it out, or get drenched.

Being approached by someone asking about ADI isn't what he expected, and he squints at Nick, recognizing the voice, but not the face. Not when he'd associate that voice with a robot. "Sorry, who're you?"
Edited (forgets to note which prompt im picking even tho its probably obvious from context) 2022-04-18 03:27 (UTC)
worthallthis: (look aside)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2022-04-18 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
Winter hesitates. If something's wrong with the man's shoulder-- "Would you rather I walk you to. To medical?" he asks, haltingly, because medical is a part of the ADI complex he never goes near if he can help it. But if someone needs help, he can manage it.

No, he has not quite caught on that the man isn't some form of alien life or something, rather than artificial. You honestly never know, around here.
vrituom: (Default)

[personal profile] vrituom 2022-04-18 08:06 am (UTC)(link)
"Not whatever your Institute is but there might be something."

Though she'll leave it to him. She could come up with something but if he was fine with this she'd do this.

"What do you need me to do?"

Where are those hands going?
henchgal: (Default)

[personal profile] henchgal 2022-04-18 11:01 am (UTC)(link)
"We do send teams out on investigations, so perhaps you could hook up with those teams. I think my roomie Malcolm might be with them, if you want to get hooked up. Not that the tech crew isn't important and awesome, of course!"
vrituom: (Default)

[personal profile] vrituom 2022-04-18 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"Did you just want someone to hold your hand?"

It drops with sarcasm but the friendly sort, something close to a smile on her before it drops as quickly as it appeared.

"I could probably just--" She imitates giving it a push as if she might be able to easily realign it. Could she? Probably safer to let him wiggle. But she scoots a little closer, hand grasping firm at his wrist. Holding him wouldn't be an issue.

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