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[wipedclean]

[The soldier is usually pretty stern, intimidating, all that jazz, but right now he's downright grumpy. And... snarly. Clearly he's not in a good mood.]

Why. The fuck. Are these fucking fireflies everywhere?

[Speaking of, here's one fluttering against his shoulder right now. His hand slams down on top of it, squashing it. He growls.]

They are getting in the way and they are making Steve forget he has to eat. Is there a way to stop them other than crushing them one by one?

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[wormintheglass]

[Bianca, on the other hand, is in a fabulous mood.]

You could always just take food to him, dearheart.

[wipedclean]

I did. But he tried to feed the bugs first.

[He's definitely snarling.]

[wormintheglass]

And of course they didn't leave him a bite. So greedy.

[She's not openly giggling at him. But only just not.]

[wipedclean]

[She might not openly be laughing but he can tell she's amused and he doesn't like it.]

This isn't funny.

[wormintheglass]

Of course not. Food-stealing firelies of happiness are clearly a serious threat.

[She is so amused.]

[wipedclean]

He's not himself.

[A note of desperation creeps into his voice.]

All he does is sit and stare at the bugs and talk to them and he doesn't care about anything.

[wormintheglass]

They are rather potent. I suspect it will wear off, as time passes - or they'll be taken away. Somehow I have little faith in the permanence of joy here.

[Okay, that caught her on her soft side.]

Taking them away seems a little harsh. Perhaps you should just stay with him?

[wipedclean]

I have been.

[His concern has calmed him down some, or at least transferred his anger into a quieter worry.]

I don't... like seeing him like this. It's not right.

[notjustinthemirror]

They burn pretty good.

[wipedclean]

[He considers that, his mind working through possible methods.]

The easiest way to do that would be with a flamethrower. Which I don't have. So I'd have to catch them and then kill them.

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[notjustinthemirror]

I covered them with alcohol and then threw a match. Got a bunch at once.

Who's Steve and why are you trying to make him eat fireflies?

[wipedclean]

[Oh, that's a good idea. The soldier considers that thoughtfully. He may have to try that.]

Steve's... he's... my friend.

And I don't want him to eat fireflies, I want him to eat regular food. But he doesn't care.

[notjustinthemirror]

There's something wrong with these things.

[He has one in a jar that he caught just to see if it looked any different than a normal firefly. It certainly doesn't seem to.]

Everyone running around like idiots trying to catch them seems like a great time for something to attack. That would be my plan anyway.

[wipedclean]

[He nods.]

I agree. It's suspicious. But so far... nothing.

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[barbarus]

[ Hmm. So this will be Bucky, then. ]

That's impressive. I don't think I could be that angry with them all around me.

Where is Steve now?

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[cowardley]

[ despite the dreaminess brought on by the abundance of fireflies, worry seems to pull her from it. ]

Don't smash the fireflies, please. [ She requests, first off, because they're small and cute and it's rude to smash something that makes them feel nice. ] But, uh, does he have a jar of them? If he does, I'd take it from him for an hour, or two, honestly.

[wipedclean]

They've done something to him. [That's why he's angry.]

He's with me. Talking to bugs in a jar.

[He looks off to the side, probably looking at Steve.]

He named them.

[barbarus]

[ ...in fairness, naming them might be excessive. ]

They're fireflies. How does he tell them apart?

[wipedclean]

[He glares. He will smash as many as he damn well pleases, thank you very much.]

He has a jar. But he... [He scowls.] He pouts when I take it away.

[He doesn't like making Steve pout.]

[wipedclean]

I don't know. [He doesn't particularly care.] I have to take the jar away to get him to eat. Otherwise he tries to feed the bugs first.

[He scoffs a little.]

They're his friends, apparently.

[cowardley]

[ Oh my god. That's so sweet. Ashley smiles, can't help but smile, at the camera. ]

Why don't you just promise him you'll give his jar back as long as he eats? I'm sure that'll get him to gobble up whatever you put in front of him!

[barbarus]

If that's what works, then why give it back?

[ Interesting fact, though. Concentrating the flies makes their influence worse. That explains why all those jars had so suddenly appeared. ]

He can't get drunk on their joy if it's kept from him.

[wipedclean]

He gets... sad. Without them.

[And goddammit he can't stand seeing Steve sad.]

[wipedclean]

[He shrugs a little.]

I've done that. That's how I found out he doesn't like it when I take them away. But it's the only way he eats.

[cowardley]

How many fireflies does he have? Do you know? [ The feeling increases the more she puts in the jar, that much she's noted so far. It's possible that too many and you start to lose interest in everything else. Or maybe they work like addiction.

Oh. That's not a thought train she wants to work down. An addiction to happy fireflies probably would not be a good thing for any of them, especially if it makes them forget to eat; they'd all die. ]