IC Inbox

[littletonoidea]

"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"

BZZZZZZZ

Action | Text | Voice | Video

Comments

[reformedsinner]

"If anyone wants to do brain surgery on you," Gonou says, false-stuffy until he has to cough and loses the haughty tone, "you should definitely say no.

"Do you have to go back...?"

From everything he's heard, he certainly doesn't think that Eiffel's space station had been taking very good care of him at all.

[littletonoidea]

He shifts so he can lift his hand and rub Gonou's back when his voice breaks. Yes he knows the ache is in his throat but that's not the point.

"I kinda do," he says quietly. "I wanted to, anyway. I dunno, maybe if I stick around here long enough to get another deal, I'll figure out how to change the game plan the world's got in store for me."

Though of course, that hinges on him sticking around long enough to even graduate one Inmate, so he's probably gonna be here for a while.

[reformedsinner]

He can't help but wonder if that was what Jacobi had refused to tell him, about their fight. His lips press thin for a moment, and he lets himself settle against Eiffel's shoulder again, doesn't object to the hand rubbing his back.

"Don't go back unless you do come up with a way to change it," he says, and then, trying to lighten the mood a little, "I understood everything that man said. He really wasn't you."

[littletonoidea]

That gets a short snicker.

"Well, good to know that folks not being able to grok my talk is a feature, not a bug."

And since he's a little bit shorter, and sitting in a slouch anyway because his tummy hurts, he's going to let himself slump down a little more. Just so he can rest his head on Gonou's shoulder.

[reformedsinner]

"Of course it's a feature," Gonou says firmly. "I like you the way you are. Anyway, I understand at least a few more references than I used to."

He glances down at Eiffel, and adds, a little dubious, "Is that comfortable?" He does, after all, have a fairly wiry build. His shoulder isn't soft.

[littletonoidea]

"You can't make me leave without a warrant," he retorts immediately, and yes Gonou might be a bit bony but Eiffel's also snuggling in tighter and wrapping the arm on his back fully around his chest.

[reformedsinner]

"Oh, well, in that case--" he squints at the screen-- "I won't make you move for eighty-one minutes."

He settles in. Apart from a few questions about military technology (often in the form, 'Is that real?') he'll watch in intrigued silence, and maybe even very slightly lean on Eiffel, too.

By the end of the movie, he's drooping, though, eyes half-closed.

[littletonoidea]

It's funny how good Eiffel is at staying still when he actually chooses to. Movie time is about the only time he makes the effort, because his considerably erratic focus finally has something to cling to. So he's quite cosy and solid against Gonou's skinny form.

He always gets a bit teary when the climax hits, though, so he not-very-discreetly gives his eyes a quick wipe as the credits roll - and only then realises that Gonou is practically falling asleep on him. And he's not sure whether to point it out in case Gonou starts waking up.

[reformedsinner]

It takes until the credits stop rolling before Gonou shakes himself back to wakefulness, and glances over at Eiffel, embarrassed.

"Did I--" fall asleep? He clears his throat, then actually coughs, and disentangles himself as he sits up a bit straighter. "Ah... thank you. For visiting."

[littletonoidea]

Eiffel's response is a soft smile. "Hey, it's not like you didn't warn me it was gonna turn into a slumber party if we weren't careful." He sticks a leg out rather than get up, and tugs the chair closer - the way he does so definitely suggesting he could have at any time and chose not to. "And I'm good to stick around if you just wanna get your beauty sleep on with some background noise."

[reformedsinner]

"I won't -- keep you," Gonou says, with another half-stifled cough, and flashes Eiffel a wry little grin.

"But. I do appreciate the company. I'll... see you later?"

[littletonoidea]

"No problemo." The cuts on his face sting a bit when he grins wider but damnit he's happy his friend is okay.

He nudges the chair out of his way as he stands up, and pauses. "Oh, right-" He angles it back towards Gonou. "I couldn't actually decide what I wanted to watch right away so there's like, twenty movies on this? You can just drop it off when you're feeling better, if you wanna."

[reformedsinner]

"Ah-- thank you," Gonou murmurs, and looks up at him, softening into a real smile. "I'll do that."