for striker_eureka

[gipsy_danger]

((starting here))

True to her word, Gipsy waits.

Of course, she can't do much other than that -- she's fairly constrained by previous injuries, and though her arm has been reattached and repaired she still can't quite walk on her own. This, Gipsy makes abundantly clear in beeps and grumbles, but it's mostly ignored because there's nothing they can do about it quite yet. Progress is being made, but it's not nearly fast enough for her satisfaction.

It's why she's grumpy as hell when he comes the next day; beeps decidedly irritated and far too loud for someone that had been drifting solo with a jaeger the previous day.

(( other conclusions Here. ))

Comments

[striker_eureka]

For some reason, Herc gets onto the subject of what his life was like before the Jaeger program, when he was still married, when Chuck was just a little thing. They had been happy, back before his wife got breast cancer and wasted away before his eyes, leaving him alone with a hyperactive little kid who grew up to be a stranger.

He doesn't really get into that part, though, focusing more on the happier moments of his life, which segues into concerts he went to with his wife, which segues into the music he listens to. That's a fairly safe topic of conversation.

[gipsy_danger]

Gipsy just keeps listening, retaining the information and filing it away for further perusal. Some of this she has seen flashes of, but not enough pieces to put together a full picture. So all of this that he tells her, all of this personal information that seems to make him happy, Gipsy is pleased to be privy to.

She even ignores the select few crumbs he ends up getting on her in favor of listening in silence, wanting more.

[striker_eureka]

Herc likes music. It's something he can focus on that distracts him from the reality of his life, the reality of the world at large. It brings him back to a better time.

He's trying his best not to drop pieces of food on her, and when he notices that he's made a mess, he carefully picks up each little piece he can.

"Sorry, love," he says, pinching little crumbs between his fingers. "I'm kind of a slob, it seems."

[gipsy_danger]

She's very interested in this 'music' thing, and makes a point to look into it later. Maybe pester Tendo by sending communications blipping across his screen while he's trying to work. He'll love that.

He can't hear it, but Gipsy's laughing at him -- slob indeed. She's not mad though, and she beeps once, just to tell him that.

[striker_eureka]

"Thanks, girlie."

It seems Hercules is learning how to speak Jaeger, because he pats the huge steel plate of her shoulder that he's perching on, seemingly able to understand what that beep meant.

"Have your engineers been behaving themselves with you? I don't need to go give anyone a right dressing-down, do I?"

[gipsy_danger]

...Gipsy is impressed that he seems to understand. Maybe it's because he's a pilot, maybe it's because he's been spending copious amounts of time with Gipsy herself. She's pretty sure that the other Jaegers aren't nearly as sociable as she is.

She might pride herself a little on that, to be honest. She's not soft like some might think -- she's strong and good 'hearted', and doesn't back down from a fight. That does not mean that she has to present herself in any kind of negative way -- or at least, any kind of particularly nasty way. Hercules might contest the negativity -- he'd been on the receiving end of it originally.

The noise she makes is a no -- her engineers have been much better once he gave them a talking to. They were far more careful now, thanks to him. She appreciates that.

[striker_eureka]

Well, he figured if she was mad, she'd beep at him a few more times, strident and obnoxious. She's never been afraid to make her displeasure known when it comes down to it.

No, in no way is Gipsy 'soft.' She's a big girl who has thoughts and feelings just like anyone else, and Herc can respect that. He likes that about her, that she's not an unfeeling automaton, or cocky and obnoxious, or snobby and aloof.

He hums happily, leaning back against her helmet again and holding his water loosely against his chest. "Good. I'm glad they're treating you right."

[gipsy_danger]

...Gipsy does enjoy expressing herself with her beeps when unable to communicate directly.

There's the slightest pressure against his back; Gipsy 'leans' into him, though it's more like a shifting of a panel or two in order to press metal to human, and it's gone in moments and sliding back into place with a click.

[striker_eureka]

He smiles when he feels her shift against his back, and he cranes his neck around so he can see her optical sensors a little better.

"Was that you being friendly, or am I bothering you? I can move if you'd like."

[gipsy_danger]

Ugh.

Gipsy makes a frustrated noise. Questions like that are hard to answer when not connected -- it's not a simple yes or no answer. She doesn't want him to move or leave or anything like that. It was a play at mild affection, but she doesn't know how to properly convey it.

She'd kill for a vocal processor right about now.

[striker_eureka]

Herc seems to realize his mistake and he laughs a little.

"Alright, let's try this. One beep for 'yes, I'm bothering you,' and two beeps for 'no, I was just being friendly.' Sound doable?"

[gipsy_danger]

Better. She can handle that.

She beeps twice, one right after the other.

[striker_eureka]

He grins to himself, leaning back against her helmet a little.

"Well thank you, darling, I'm glad to know you like me around."

[gipsy_danger]

She's beginning to like that term of endearment he's taken to calling her, and she makes a pleased little noise when he says it, then settles in to let him rest against her massive helm for the time being. She doesn't know how long he has or what other duties he needs to attend to -- she just knows that she's enjoying his presence, even without the drift.

[striker_eureka]

Hercules gets comfortable, stuffing the wrappers from his lunch into his pocket and stretching out his legs, crossing his ankles as he settles down. Gipsy is surprisingly comfortable, actually, and if they weren't in the middle of a crowded docking bay, he might even manage to doze off against her.

Herc has developed the admirable skill of falling asleep at the drop of a hat that all soldiers seem to have. It makes the short nights easier, because whenever he has a moment of downtime, out he goes, like a light.

But it would be rude to sleep on Gipsy when he's here to visit her, so he just lets himself fall back into easy conversation, this time about movies he vaguely remembers watching Before.

[gipsy_danger]

She wouldn't mind if he did, really. She doesn't think he gets enough rest as it is -- she would encourage a nap, if he thought he'd be able to sleep there without falling off.

She's equally pleased to be privy about movie conversation though, and whirrs quietly as a response -- more.

[striker_eureka]

His hand idly skims over the metal plating he's sitting on, stroking her shoulder in a wide arc. He doubt she can really feel it but it's soothing for him too, so he continues as he discusses the adaptations of comics he used to read, and how excited he was when they started coming out right after he graduated from college.

Does she even understand the concept of college? Of school in general? He has no idea. Next time they Drift, he'll ask her.

[gipsy_danger]

She can only feel the pressure; light touches are harder for her sensors to register. She's vaguely aware he's doing something, but it's hard to tell what.

There's a lot of things he talks about that Gipsy doesn't really 'get'. She won't stop listening, though. She purrs at him softly, his words lulling her into pleased contentment.

[striker_eureka]

It's basically just what he does when he pats the control panel inside her helm; a fond little touch to remind her he likes her.

Herc's not really sure how long he's been sitting here with Gipsy, but it's been long enough that the maintenance shift way down on the ground has had time to switch from morning to afternoon, and he really should be going.

"Well, Gipsy my dear, I think I need to be going now." He levers himself reluctantly to his feet, still leaning against her helm.

[gipsy_danger]

Gipsy's concept of time is different than his -- she hadn't noticed the shift change until he stands up.

She whines a little -- must you?

[striker_eureka]

"I know, love, I know. I like spending time with you too."

He leans his hand against her helm a little more firmly, just so she can feel him there.

"I'll come see you tomorrow, though. Would you like that?"

[gipsy_danger]

That she can feel. Sensors pick up pressure and heat, and she registers the print of his hand on her helm.

She beeps at him, a lilting sound that indicates a yes.

[striker_eureka]

"Alright, tomorrow it is."

He gives her another little lean against her helm and then carefully makes his way over to the gangplank so he can clamber off her.

[gipsy_danger]

She sighs a whistle in farewell, then settles in to await his return the next day.

She's starting to regret not letting him drift with her -- but really, it's for the best.

[striker_eureka]

All is still quiet on the Western Front (though technically Hong Kong is Eastern...) the next day, so Herc swings by Gipsy's hangar nice and early, clambering up onto her shoulder with his suit already on. He's fully expecting to Drift again with her.

"Good morning, young lady. How are we feeling today?"