Cornelius Hickey (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spotsalone) wrote2025-04-11 07:04 pm
spotsalone) wrote2025-04-11 07:04 pm
Entry tags:
angelo and the hickster's post-belle arctic adventures
angelo cr chart
mutineers cr chart...
timeline:
- arrival; late july, mutineers' hill
- tent chats; early august, temporary camp
- spotting the ships; late august, terror camp
- tuunbaq attack; sept 1, ice floe camp
- boarding terror; fellas it's gay; early sept, hms terror
- dog to dog communication; early sept, forecastle
- bark bark bark; early sept, on deck
- coat! and post-tozer debrief; early sept, angelo's cabin
- 🌶️; early sept, hickey's cabin
- the dogs are unionizing(?); mid sept, cargo hold
- tozer/captain stuff, look at them having an adult conversation; mid sept, greatroom
- little rescue mission; early oct, terror bay
- post-little debrief; early oct, hickey's cabin
no subject
And speaking of personal... Tozer appears to be willing to use blackmail to get where he wants to be. It's lowly, but it's a kind of low that Angelo is familiar with. It's only the mention of Manson that makes him tense up before he can think to stifle his reaction.
Here he'd begun to hope they'd have gotten away with... well, with which part? Hickey's injures are the likely conclusion and the biggest issue, but something about that phrasing is... suggestive. And Hickey had mentioned that that would be a problem in its own right.
Angelo leans in as well, his eyes a glare. ]
Is he now. And just where do you think that mind of his is going? Surely you're man enough to say it plainly.
no subject
Cornelius healed up quick, didn't he?
[ He's nervous, saying it outright, though his soldier's composure hides his nerves well. He may be overplaying his hand. If he's wrong, this will go poorly. Manson is too earnest to lie about something like this, but how much does Tozer trust Manson's judgment? Manson, who believes in ghosts and trembles at the thought of their crewmates down in the hold.
Tozer trusts his own eyes, though. He hopes that's enough. ]
no subject
Angelo is not known for his pokerface, and unfortunately his expression contorts instantly at this. The saving grace is that shock and anger are related emotions to him and his face reacts to them in similar ways - his brows furrow, his nose scrunches up, the line of his mouth tightens. ]
He's lucky to still be alive, yes. I'd know, I re-do his bandages twice a day.
[ In truth it had just been the two of them sitting in the room for a bit, much closer than before. Angelo updates Hickey about his efforts with the clean-up, Hickey runs his hands over Angelo's shoulder. A strange new dynamic that doesn't seem to fit right just yet, when they're no longer delirious with exhaustion. ]
no subject
But if there's nothing to hide, then why give a story at all? He ought to be confused by the assertion. ]
Understood, lieutenant. I'll be sure to relay that to the men.
[ His tone is lighter now. Conspiratorial. He's found a need to fill, a role to slot himself into that neither Hickey nor Angelo could manage themselves. Someone needs to keep the crew level. He'll keep their bloody secrets, even from himself, if that's what it takes. ]
no subject
It's hard to imagine that he'd actually do it - undermining Hickey's leadership would just weaken them all and risk the lives of the whole group. But it's a threat nevertheless, made with profit in mind. Tozer wants more from them than they are currently giving. Angelo needs to talk to Hickey about this, and quickly, but first he has something else he needs to ask. ]
Why come to me about all this? I'd think you'd trust Cornelius more than anything that comes out of my mouth, even when the subject is my person.
no subject
He doesn't trust Angelo, but the lack of trust is due to the lack of familiarity. In reality, he suspects he has more in common with Angelo than with Hickey. They are both soldiers, and they've both fallen off of that path with no way to return. That's a waywardness that Hickey is unlikely to understand. Tozer doubts he's ever felt that dedication for something larger than himself. Angelo may even understand the torment of having failed his men, watching them all die one by one, most right in front of him.
He and Angelo may never be friends, but they don't need to like each other to find trust in that commonality—or their shared goal.
Tozer does not trust Hickey. Or, rather, he knows he should not, and yet he finds himself unable to resist the spell. If Hickey decides Tozer is of better use to him dead than alive, he won't need to stab from behind like he did with Gibson. ]
Because this problem is between the two of us and we don't need him to solve it.
[ If Hickey had any serious interest in forcing them to get along, he would've moved on it by now.
There's a beat. He could leave it at that. He should leave it at that, but the sliver of sympathy he has for Angelo shakes loose and makes another decision. ]
Anyway, I take you for a man who'd appreciate the chance to tell his own story. If you're lying to me, he would too.
[ He has no hope of stopping Angelo from becoming trapped in the same whirlpool of Hickey's influence. Everything word out of Tozer's mouth will be relayed back to Hickey, especially any direct warnings against him.
But maybe Angelo can read between the lines here. If that backfires, Tozer can play it off as a testament to Hickey's unwillingness to share secrets that aren't his to give—and then he'll know Angelo's fate is sealed, too. ]
no subject
Of course he would.
[ Because if he didn't lie (or stayed silent altogether) this whole thing would come apart. Out of the three conditions Angelo gave before coming to the arctic, this is the most important one. If Hickey betrays him on that front, he'll die for it. It's not something even Hickey would risk so thoughtlessly.
Angelo presses his lips together into a thin line. Tozer is more dangerous than he'd given him credit for, but... With a small huff, Angelo picks his needle and thread back up. ]
We'll be stuck here for months. You'll learn more about me whether you want it or not.
[ He doesn't intend to be forthcoming, and some secrets will remain secrets forever, but proximity does breed familiarity. It's difficult to deny, even when you try to isolate yourself as much as possible. ]
no subject
He raps his knuckles against the tabletop and stands. ]
Good enough for me, lieutenant.
[ Angelo gets a tight nod, and then Tozer heads aft to leave him to his work. He will need to speak with Hickey about all this, but he'll do it tomorrow. No doubt Angelo will run to tattle at first opportunity. Let him.
Instead, he heads up the ladderway to find Manson. He ought to be relieved to hear that what he saw the other night was just a trick of the light. ]