OOM - Edgar

[andinfluencepeople]

There's a lot of stuff to get done with the Jaegers, and usually that means Chuck up manually working on them.

But you can't work all the time.

Chuck's sitting in a folding lawn chair by Tacit Ronin's feet, shaded from the overhead lights by her bulk. He's reading a Hardy Boys' mystery, having carefully cleaned his hands of grease, and finishing up a bologna sandwich.

Comments

[hate_gettin_older]

Well, it's not Shephard. And judging by the way he's walking, slow and visibly uncertain of his direction, more wandering than walking ... it's not someone hugely familiar with the place.

He hasn't spotted Chuck yet.

[andinfluencepeople]

Nice thing about growing up in Shatterdomes: you get used to spotting people from a really long way away.

Chuck hasn't yet, when he's decided the guy probably needs a hand more than Chuck needs his privacy, but he's only just jogged between two mechs to the next row, and started towards the main aisle when he does.

"Oi! Edgar!" He calls, not entirely sure it'll carry.

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar starts wildly at the sound of his name, and whips around to stare at the approaching figure.

The tension ebbs only slightly when he recognizes Chuck.

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck slows once he's close enough to see Edgar's expression better, and tucks his hands into his pockets, uncertain. "... You all right?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"... Hey. Yeah. Sorry, I ... you startled me."

His breath's slowing, his shoulders gradually coming down.

[andinfluencepeople]

"Yeah," Chuck says. "That was kind of obvious."

He glances at the stuff Edgar's carrying. "Is that a sword?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Wh- yeah. It's ... it was a present. Long story."

A beat.

"'S there anyone else down here?"

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck shrugs. "Not that I've seen, but I've only been out of the Jaeger for -- I dunno, thirty minutes. You looking for someone?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"No." That's a bit -- not sharp exactly, but heavy, falling with a dull thud.

And then, half apologetically: "Trying to stay out of someone's way, is what."

[andinfluencepeople]

"Okay," Chuck says, after a long pause to assess him, brow furrowing. "For how long?"

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar looks away. "Dunno."

[andinfluencepeople]

"Well," Chuck says, and itches at his ear. "I've got a Jaeger? Only people who really come out here to bug me are Ysalwen and Shep."

[hate_gettin_older]

He fidgets a little, one foot jittering up and down.

"I don't know either of em."

[andinfluencepeople]

"--Nah, I mean, if you wanna stick around they're just about the only people you've got to worry about. Ysalwen's a wizard general lady with a dog, and Shep's an American who fights aliens. I could get another mattress or something from Bar."

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar gives him a briefly blank look, before oh surfaces in his eyes.



"Maybe for a couple days?" he says, again a little abrupt. "Don't need a mattress, I've got a hammock."

[andinfluencepeople]

"Yeah, sure," Chuck says, thoughtful. "I bet we can find someplace to string it up. You want a hand with anything?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"I'm good," he mumbles, and his shoulders tighten as though to suppress a shiver.

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck hesitates.

In the Shatterdome, he'd ask. This looks like a bad breakup - romantic, or with a Drift partner, and either can cause havoc that's really not acceptable during the apocalypse.

But it's not the Shatterdome, and privacy probably trumps his concern.

"All right," he says, somewhat doubtful. He waves a hand, and starts off walking.

[hate_gettin_older]

He sees the hesitation, and sees the moment where Chuck decides not to ask.

"Thanks," he says, low, as he starts after him. It's as much for not asking as for the offer.

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck pretends not to hear it, just keeps walking, doing his best to match his pace to Edgar's slowed one.

"So, I've got some microwaveable meals and cheese and sandwich meat, probably enough for a couple days. I get fruit and real food at the bar a couple times a week, usually take showers in the gym, but I've got water stores and wipes and stuff here."

His room is a little nerve-racking, with his Striker Eureka jacket in the closet unbidden. He mostly avoids it, though he hasn't gotten the nerve to toss his key.

"I only have an incinerating toilet rigged up, but --" he shrugs, "That's not that bad, yeah?"

[hate_gettin_older]

"Sure," says Edgar, a bit at a loss. "I guess? How do those work?"

[andinfluencepeople]

"Automatically stores waste in the back, then incinerates it -- turns it to ash -- when it's full. Doesn't use water, runs off gas so sometimes it smells like fuel when it's burning, but not too bad."

[hate_gettin_older]

"Huh. Okay."

A beat.

"I've got sandwiches and stuff from the bar," he adds after a moment. "Don't have to ... share food. If you'd rather not."

[andinfluencepeople]

"... The bar's always got more," Chuck says, looking over at him, confused. "But, yeah, if you just want to eat those, I can make space in the fridge."

[hate_gettin_older]

"All right."

A beat.

"In the what?"