In the ConnPod, Evening [Edgar]

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck's thumbing through The Disappearing Floor, waiting for a set of diagnostics to finish running, when he hears it.

He straightens, taking the headphones out of his ears, and listens harder.

Skitter.

"Oi, Edgar."

Comments

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck hums softly in agreement, holding his position to wait for Edgar to move into a better one.

The squirrel chitters, and drops to four feet, watching them, claws curling around the buttons of the screen display.

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar shifts to flank the little creature, shrugging out of his flannel shirt and (after a quick glance at how Chuck's holding his own shirt) spreading it between his hands.

"Right, you little monster," he says to the squirrel, keeping his voice low, "don't you give us any trouble now."

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck shoots Edgar a sharply amused look, but doesn't say what, or we'll break its kneecaps?

Instead he sliiides forward on his socks, leaning back slightly so's to not startle the squirrel with the length of shirt. If he just keeps it below the edge of the control panel, then he can --

The squirrel tenses, and Chuck tenses, and it jumps.

[hate_gettin_older]

This time Edgar does not yelp; he makes a dive for the streak of gray fur with his arms outstretched, and spectacularly misses his catch.

The squirrel bolts past him, zigzagging behind Chuck and going for the mess of gears under Edgar's hammock -- and diving under the dropped and forgotten comic book.

"Hey," Edgar protests sharply, "get out of it, you little --"

[andinfluencepeople]

"Oh no you don't," Chuck says, voice rising as he chases after it, slipping down to his belly to flick his hands at it, shirt flapping across the span of the gears."That's not a safe place for squirrels."

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar snatches up the comic protectively as Chuck swats at the creature with his shirt, just in time to save it from being sent flying.

The squirrel appears to agree that this does not, in fact, seem to be a safe place for squirrels, and makes a dash for the stairwell.

[andinfluencepeople]

Chuck shares a glance with Edgar, briefly, before scrambling to his feet and running after it.

[hate_gettin_older]

Edgar tosses the comic onto the hammock, and charges after.

If the door at the bottom of the stairs is closed -- and it should be -- they'll have it cornered!