video ---> open

[givingback]

[ Brianna is sitting outside near the lake when she decides to play again, putting aside the book she was half-heartedly reading anyway. ]

We should play a game, maybe break up the day a little bit. It's called 'Would You Rather?' Basically, someone gives a scenario and you have to pick one or the other. No in between. You can explain your choice if you want, but we go back and forth until there's something so impossible to pick the other person gives up.

I'll even start.

[ She thinks for a moment, then looks back at the camera. ]

Would you rather know each time you're going to leave and come back when it comes to Wonderland, or would you rather it be a total surprise like it is now only you get to remember being here when you do leave?

I think I'd want to know when I was leaving. That way I could say goodbye, you know?

Anyway. Your turn.

Comments

[beatupgrass]

Probably not, but it's cool. I got enough stories for ten people.

[ah shit that's hard.]

Lose the ability to lie. People who believe everything they're told just get taken by every crook they run into where I come from. Bein' gullible will get you killed.

[givingback]

[ Bree looks mildly impressed, but it's not like he's wrong, even if she's never been in a position to be fooled by a thief.

Yet. ]

Naivety isn't really a trait to be envied in most cases, I guess. Same answer, because you're right. Although, I suppose if you were trying to keep a secret from someone--a good thing, like a surprise, that'd be impossible.

[beatupgrass]

Ahhh but there's a loophole. You could just not say anything. There's way more workarounds with that one.

Eat something that's still technically moving but was actually prepared in a proper restaurant or eat something out of the garbage. And yeah, I have done both.

[givingback]

[ He's smart; Bree likes him? She likes the practicality of his answers. ]

Eating garbage food led to the invention of penicillin so I guess I'd take my chances. Besides, so many people throw away perfectly good food too. Also, why have you done both? If you don't mind my asking.

[beatupgrass]

'Cause I've eaten in restaurants that serve that kind of thing, but I've also been so flat busted it was either eat what I found or starve. My life's a series of one extreme to another.

[givingback]

You definitely don't seem boring.

[ Which is supposed to be a compliment. ]

Something tells me you'll have a life example for this one too, but what the hell. Would you rather spend 20 years in prison and be exonerated as innocent or be put away for four years (despite your innocence) and be considered guilty forever?

[beatupgrass]

Thank you. I strive for that.

[That question, however, removes all the smugness from his face.]

Considerin' the longest I've ever been in any kind of prison was three years and I'm used to bein' guilty of some charge or another, I'd take that one. Twenty years is... I'd probably be dead by then.

[Or at least wish he was.]

[givingback]

So. Non-game question.

[ Brianna pauses. ]

What do you do? I mean, when you're not stuck here.

[beatupgrass]

Career criminal for most of my life, but once my record got expunged, I became a Guardian of the Galaxy. Saved the galaxy twice and utterly frickin' failed once. And trust me, lady, it only takes once to turn you from a hero to a fuck-up.

[givingback]

Career criminal. Sounds familiar.

[ Not to this extent, but still. She frowns though at his next words.

Is that how you think of yourself now? One failure's wiped out any good you did do?

[beatupgrass]

Half the population of the entire universe is dead. There ain't a whole lot left to remember all the times they didn't die 'cause of me.

[It's been well over a year. The wounds have healed enough that he doesn't feel the need to just keep it a big secret. Nat and Steve have probably talked about it.]

[givingback]

[ Oh. ]

Oh.

I'm--sorry, sometimes I don't know when to shut up and stop asking questions.

[beatupgrass]

It's fine. There's a few of us who had to or have to deal with that crap. You're bound to hear it from one of us.

[givingback]

So it wasn't just all on you. It's a terrible thing to feel regardless.

[ She'd never try to diminish that. ]

But there are people, more than one, here, who understand what you're feeling. Right?

[ She hopes. Because to be alone with something like that, there's no way it would be easy. ]

[beatupgrass]

Yeah. Wish I could say it made it easier, but it don't. Not really. [He huffs.] But, hell, what can you do about it? We've got Wonderland to deal with right now.

[givingback]

We can only focus on one crisis at a time, I guess, right?

[ Bree lets out a breath, then speaks in appreciation of Rocket. ]

Thanks. For playing my dumb game; I needed a good distraction and you definitely didn't disappoint.

[beatupgrass]

No problem. For once, it wasn't the kind of stupid distraction some of the rest of these losers throw out, so I appreciate it.