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Nope, that wouldn't fly either. I'd get bored, and I'd be stuck with Tiffany.
That gets his hackles up, immediately. He clenches his teeth and lets out a low, annoyed sound before thrusting the egg out at her.
"I'll be by later," he just says. He's not going to let her 'handle it'. He just needs a little time to get used to the idea. who knows how long this will take?
"I'll be by later," he just says. He's not going to let her 'handle it'. He just needs a little time to get used to the idea. who knows how long this will take?
I was hoping the Admiral wasn't hiring actual children. [Hello! What a kind greeting. Her journal's on the bar next to him, where he's sitting, also very unironed.]
"Alright," she replies, unsurprised. She takes the egg, which does not like the attitude from either of them, and she runs a hand over its shell like it's a baby's skull. Arthur can let himself out.
He does. He goes back to his cabin, and back to a bad habit: he has a drink before breakfast, and he smokes a cigarette that aggravates his lungs. This is so stupid - he spent years not thinking about this. Who the hell did he tell? Hosea and Dutch, and then, years later, Rains Fall. Just a few months ago, Tess. Why can't he just do the thing for the stupid egg?
The worst part is that he can still feel it, calling for him, whining for his attention. He ignores it; it gets worse.
So, three hours later, he sets out to find Tess.
Edited 2020-09-23 18:12 (UTC)
[First thing's first: Ellie grabs her journal and tucks it into her backpack. She looks at Arthur, brow furrowed.]
Did you look at it?
[She would have.]
Did you look at it?
[She would have.]
Jesus. No, I didn't. [And if that's the attitude she's bringing, he's going to be leaving pretty quickly.]
Then you're better than Tess. Or me. I would have looked.
[Look, it's a compliment. Ellie isn't sitting, clearly unsure as to what to do now that she has her journal back. She still wants to retaliate--old habits--but knows it's better to just. Let it go.
Easier said than done, but she's trying. Ellie takes a deep breath.]
... thanks. She wouldn't have given it back to me without a fight.
[Look, it's a compliment. Ellie isn't sitting, clearly unsure as to what to do now that she has her journal back. She still wants to retaliate--old habits--but knows it's better to just. Let it go.
Easier said than done, but she's trying. Ellie takes a deep breath.]
... thanks. She wouldn't have given it back to me without a fight.
It's made immediately clear to Tess that the egg wants Arthur there whether he wants to be or not –– the little thing fusses most of the time, and the most she manages is an hour-long nap with the egg wrapped in a hoodie and tucked under one arm. When the whining kicks off again, she gives up and walks around the Barge with it. Back up to the deck, down to the lowest levels, back up top again. Shes almost there when she runs into Arthur, and she throws him a tight smile. She's a little annoyed at herself for letting him off easy. Annoyed at him, too. She hopes he's heard even half the fussing she has.
"Sleep okay?"
"Sleep okay?"
He grunts again, and holds out his hands for the egg.
"Didn't sleep. Got a headache to boot." And he's got an inkling it'll go away like magic once he's got the egg back in his hands. He also doesn't like that, doesn't like being manipulated, but she's made it clear they're not here to talk about it.
"Didn't sleep. Got a headache to boot." And he's got an inkling it'll go away like magic once he's got the egg back in his hands. He also doesn't like that, doesn't like being manipulated, but she's made it clear they're not here to talk about it.
I got my own journal I don't want people lookin' at without my permission.
[So. Do unto others, etc.]
I know she wouldn't have. She woulda antagonized you at the very least.
[So. Do unto others, etc.]
I know she wouldn't have. She woulda antagonized you at the very least.
She passes it over still wrapped in her hoodie. She can smell the tobacco on him this close and is sorely tempted to bug him for one for herself too, but it can wait.
“Mmhmm. I’m clearly not enough for an egg,” she replies, dryly.
“Mmhmm. I’m clearly not enough for an egg,” she replies, dryly.
He looks at the hoodie, and crouches down briefly to make it into a makeshift sling. He can cradle it, that way, and have his hands free.
"Don't get what it's making the fuss about. If it's got one of us, why's it matter?"
"Don't get what it's making the fuss about. If it's got one of us, why's it matter?"
She's fine, but the whole "I used to be a criminal, so I don't judge" thing drives me nuts.
"Not even human babies are that needy." Hands liberated, she rakes her fingers through her hair to pull it back into a ponytail. "Or the more you resist, the more it wants you."
[Huh. Cowboy does journaling.]
Yeah? She take yours yet?
[Maybe he's off limits. Tess clearly likes him, and more importantly, seems to respect him to some degree. It's why Ellie asked him to get her journal back.]
Yeah? She take yours yet?
[Maybe he's off limits. Tess clearly likes him, and more importantly, seems to respect him to some degree. It's why Ellie asked him to get her journal back.]
Don't I do that, too?
[Except he still is, but.]
[Except he still is, but.]
He's tied the sling around his neck, the hoodie's arms tied together with a professional knot. No chance of it coming loose.
"Maybe that's it. None too subtle."
"Maybe that's it. None too subtle."
Yeah. I let her look, after we got paired. I had her file, seemed fair enough to let her have a look at my own past.
That makes you about two hundred percent nicer than the people she was used to at home, I bet.
[Joel would never if he bothered to keep such a thing. And never would Ellie, so Tess fucking stole it.]
[Joel would never if he bothered to keep such a thing. And never would Ellie, so Tess fucking stole it.]
I bet it did. I didn't want folk back home lookin', either, but she's different, ain't she?
[He takes a drink and shakes his head.] Gotta be honest with her. If I want her to be honest with me, I got to.
She wasn't a criminal the way we are. There's a pecking order to this. People below us should judge us.
I used to be comfortable with them fearin' us, actually.
Me too. Feels wrong when you smuggle children or kill people just for disagreeing with you and they say "that's okay, we all have struggles" or some shit.
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