Brand New (OTA) [video]

[runes_brand]

[Brand has been kidnapped, disarmed, and tortured with bad slide shows, electric shocks, and small talk. Today can officially get fucked. At least fallout from the fucking "Go-Away bombs" hasn't suppressed his bond to Rune -- he can feel him just fine, even if he's not entirely sure what to make about the emotions he's getting. But that can be resolved and soon as he fucking finds Rune, which would be easier if he had any fucking idea of where to start.

The sensor in front of the Mess only gets a scowl, and Brand stalks off to find another place to hole up and try and get in touch with Rune. It doesn't take him long to find something that looks like a corporate break room threw up on itself.

When an unfamiliar face appears on the network, it's wearing a near-homicidal expression, because that's just how Brand looks when he doesn't fucking know where Rune is.]

Where the [BEEP] is Rune Saint John?

[Do you answer this angry stranger about one of your fellow New Hires? Or do you try to find out more?]

Comments

Video

[prairietroubador]

Around here somewhere, although I can't say I know exactly where at the moment. Who wants to know?

[Greg doesn't sound confrontational at the moment, at least. Just genuinely curious.]

Re: Video

[runes_brand]

[One of Brand's many skills is rolling his eyes, allow him to demonstrate.]

I already [BEEP]ing know he's here, but thanks for the help.

[Yes, that's sarcasm. Also one of his many skills.]

Is my name going to help you find him faster?

Re: Video

[prairietroubador]

Might not help me find him faster, but if I find him first it'd probably be a good idea to tell him who's lookin' for him.

Re: Video

[runes_brand]

He [BEEP]ing knows who's looking for him.

[Rune is looking for Brand, too, and since Rune isn't looking on the network, he's looking for Brand in person. So Brand is staying put.

Which doesn't make his statement any less cryptic without the context of their Companion bond, but eh.]

Just tell him I'm in the ugly sitting room near the Mess.

Re: Video

[prairietroubador]

He's got one up on me, then.

So fair warnin', if I have to tell him Yellin' Guy is looking for him, that's gonna be your name for the rest of this whole trip.

I'm Greg, by the way. Or Vigilante, dependin' on if I got my mask on or not.

video

[valkywhee]

Okay, before I answer this, I need to know if you wanna kill him metaphorically or literally, 'cause if it's literally I'm not telling you.

Re: video

[runes_brand]

[That's an acceptable question. How the fuck does she know Rune already though? Brand had gone through processing by himself.]

I don't want to kill him either metaphorically or literally. I just want to [BEEP]ing find him.

[valkywhee]

Are you sure? Not even the whole "if you pull that again I'm gonna kill you!" thing people do because they don't like being afraid so they channel it into anger?

[jfc Nora]

[runes_brand]

[That's a less acceptable (if accurate) question.]

This [BEEP] isn't his fault. So no, not that either. Where is he?

video

[trialbyliar]

Woah, language!!!

[Look at this child. How could you poison his sweet innocent ears with that filth??]

Re: video

[runes_brand]

If you've got a problem, these [BEEP]ing things have an off switch.

[Brand has been menaced by an angry twelve-year-old in her own home with a swear jar. This kid's going to have to try harder than that.]

[trialbyliar]

[Ah, is that how it's gonna be? Okay then. He stops playing the shocked innocent kid and shrugs.]

Well, if you really wanna know, I just saw him heading towards the garbage room.

[runes_brand]

Where's that?

[Look kid, just for you, for being helpful: a sentence without a swear.]

[walkingballpit]

Well hello to you too. I can confirm he’s not in my bunk.

[ This is very necessary and helpful. ]

[runes_brand]

Obviously.

[Yep, that's a honest to gods growl.]

[walkingballpit]

Right? The bunks are too small, and I’m a blanket hog.

[ As if to demonstrate this, Robbie grabs the blanket and drapes the thin scratchy material over himself. ]

You know people might give you less of a hard time if you said a bit more. Just demanding someone’s whereabouts is setting off alarm bells.

[runes_brand]

I say [BEEP]ing plenty to people who have useful things to say.

[He's having a perfectly nice conversation with that redhead who verified that he wasn't planning on killing Rune.]

[fromfryingpantofire]

[This guy MIGHT actually curse more than his brother does. At least, that's the feeling Sam's been getting from paying attention to the other conversations.]

I'd say that staying in one place would help, but this place is built like an ant hill. And sized appropriately. If you can give me a description of where you're at, then I should be able to direct you somewhere a bit easier for Rune to find.

[Sam's not talked to Rune much, but they've had a couple of conversations. He knows he'd want somebody to do something like this for Dean or anybody else from home that arrived.]

[runes_brand]

[Reasonably helpful. Brand turns his device around to show the guy the room he's in.]

I'm close to the Mess and that stupid [BEEP]ing camera they've got out front. Seemed like a good bet.

[Rune is a snacky, snacky man.]

[fromfryingpantofire]

[That's Sam. Reasonably helpful Winchester.]

Yeah, that's a good place to hang out. You need to smile to go in, though I'm sure you've probably figured that out by now. At least you can get some coffee. Or something that resembles coffee enough to make me able to deal with the rest of this.

[runes_brand]

[Brand snorts when Sam says he'll have to smile to get into the Mess.]

Yeah, that ain't [BEEP]ing happening. Rune's not holed up in there anyway.

[Brand is looking for Rune, Rune is looking for Brand. Rune's running around right now or else he'd be on the network, so Brand is staying put.]

Any idea of I can change these [BEEP]ing beeps to another noise?

[hot_dad]

[Somewhere on the Rig, even before the post goes up, Rune perks up in the middle of whatever his current chore is. And then he suddenly just sprints off without a word. Sorry to whoever is stuck picking up his slack.

The annoying thing is that while he can feel Brand's presence, like a second heartbeat that's been missing for the last few months, it's not like a compass or anything. It doesn't tell him where Brand is. That wasn't much of an issue back home because honestly, when were they ever not aware of where the other was? But here?? Ugh.

It's a blind frantic search until he finally slows down for a bit to catch his breath and glances at the comm. And that's a whole new surge of relief, one Brand can probably feel. But the good news is it gives him something to work with – he recognizes the background of Brand's video.

So off he goes.

Soon enough, Brand should hear the pounding of approaching footsteps on metal floors. It's not like Rune had any chance of surprising him anyway. Hyper-vigilant asshole.]

[runes_brand]

[Brand absolutely feels Rune's relief, and grits his teeth to keep from yelling into his comm for Rune to fucking answer his. He's pacing the room like an animal in a too-small cage by the time he hears the sound of approaching footsteps. At which point, he throws his comm in the direction of a piece of furniture and dashes out the door, using the frame as an anchor point so he doesn't have to slow down to turn into the hallway.

There he is. There he is. There he is.

Brand only stops so that he can brace himself for the collision, because otherwise they're just going to end up in a pile on the floor, like assholes.]

[hot_dad]

[Listen. Maybe Brand's only been here a few hours, but Rune is fully willing to be assholes at this point.

Something about the intensity of that relief might even tip Brand off. It's not like they've never been separated for a while before, even if weird dangerous situations, so it just seems like a bit much. Maybe enough to break through Brand's you fucking asshole where have you been instinct.

But yeah. The collision happens, like Rune hasn't seen Brand in months – because he hasn't. He throws his arms around Brand's shoulders, heedless of whether it'll knock his Companion off his feet, and immediately plants his face in that space between shoulder and neck. It feels like home, and not much has since he's been here.]

[runes_brand]

[The emotions that Brand's been getting through their bond have been fucking intense, one of the reasons he's been so agitated. Not that the whole situation isn't plenty fucking agitating on it's own, but something is going on and Brand doesn't know what yet. And if something is going on that Brand doesn't know about, then it's a major fucking problem and they need to deal with it.

So he's not going to bitch about Rune taking forever to check the communications network and find him, he's going to hold him tight and let Rune bury his face in his neck, and also turn them so that Rune's between him and the wall and he's between Rune and everything else.]

Hey. Got you. I'm here.

[The words come out more as a rumble than anything else, and he rubs his jaw across the side of Rune's head in place of pressing their foreheads together.]

I got you.