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]

The fallout is pretty bad, yeah.

But when Herc comes to visit Gipsy, it's not to yell at her. It's, first, to just sit down in her cockpit and relax a little, take a bit of a rest. Only after a few moments of silence does he strap in and link up.

Gipsy? Are you alright, love?

[gipsy_danger]

Gipsy is to the point where she can feel his presence in the cockpit, and while she's anxious to see him, she waits until he's ready. Once she is aware that he is alone, the avatar appears behind him in the Drift, hands resting on his shoulders.

Yes. Are you?

[striker_eureka]

Hercules has, for whatever reason, decided to be sitting on the 'ground' today, so when she steps up behind him, he lets himself lean against her and sigh, his hands lifting to rest against hers.

I'm alright, yeah. Bit tired, though.

[gipsy_danger]

She gives a gentle squeeze, fingers kneading lightly.

It was a rough first Drift. It happens.

Just usually not with a fully loaded Jaeger, but, you know. Times of war and all.

You can rest here, as much as you are able.

[striker_eureka]

I know. I just hoped that Mako would be able to resist.

He had such high hopes for her. He's not going to berate Gipsy for snapping at the girl, because he knows it's going to be pointless. Plus, Mako needs to learn sometime that in the Drift, nothing is private. Even fleeing thoughts can be sensed.

I'd love to, but I can't. Not properly, anyway.

[gipsy_danger]

She's young. Gipsy can sense that much. Give her another chance. And Gipsy, too. It wasn't all Mako's fault.

I'm sorry I cannot do more for you. All she can do is provide her avatar and pull him into her embrace, arms dropping from his shoulders to circle around his middle, gently pulling him closer until his back rests against her chest.

[striker_eureka]

It's not about whether or not I will, it's up to Stacker.

Oh, she must have gotten down on the 'ground' too. He's happy to lean back against her, though, tipping his head back to rest on her shoulder as he huffs out another quiet little sigh through his nose.

Not your fault.

[gipsy_danger]

He should give her another chance. She rests her cheek against his head, and smiles. And tell her that jaegers speak Japanese.

Gipsy's movements in the Drift are fluid and instant; she's standing one moment and down the next, simply one then the other. There's no standing or getting seated involved, not for her.

One of the more frustrating parts of being a jaeger is not being able to do everything for your pilots that you would like.

[striker_eureka]

I think she got the message, love.

If only movements in real life were like that too. It would make his life a lot easier.

Mm? And what would you like to do for me? He's back to teasing her, so clearly he's not feeling too bad.

[gipsy_danger]

Gipsy is a little sheepish.

Tell her I'm sorry.

She does feel bad, you know/

Lots of things.

[striker_eureka]

I will. I think she's the one who feels bad, though. But it was her first Drift, I told her not to worry about it.

He lets his hands settle over hers where she's wrapped them about his waist.

Anything in particular?

[gipsy_danger]

You are a good man.

She gives him an affectionate little squeeze.

Yes.

She's being purposefully obtuse.

[striker_eureka]

I try.

He smiles a little, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest.

You're not going to make me guess, are you?

[gipsy_danger]

You can try to guess.

She's amused herself, though she's very pointedly shielding pieces of her mind from him at the moment.

[striker_eureka]

Hmmm. He pretends to think about this for a moment, though really, he has no idea. She's much better at shielding than he is.

It's not a back massage, is it?

[gipsy_danger]

That's a very good guess. It's one of the many.

She'll give him that one. It is something that she'd like to do.

[striker_eureka]

That's one I'd like. These old bones aren't as nimble as they used to be.

He really has no idea. He was never good at this game.

[gipsy_danger]

Thank heaven for small favors. Gipsy would be humiliated if he guessed correctly.

You are always very tense. She'd like to relieve him of those stresses. She can mimic it here, but it isn't the same.

[striker_eureka]

Gipsy Danger, you big hypocrite.

I got a rough job, you know. And nobody is really concerned with massage therapy here in what's left of the Jaeger program.

[gipsy_danger]

Her hands unlock from around him, but she doesn't pull back. Instead, her palms rest flat against him, smoothing over the planes of his chest.

I know you do. I see everything, remember? In his mind, his emotions...everything. He has open doors, while Gipsy has several under lock and key at the moment.

She's absolutely being a hypocrite.

[striker_eureka]

If he's aware of those locked doors, he doesn't comment or really seem to mind. Which is nice.

Instead he just leans against her, trusting him to hold him upright, and hums.

I remember.

[gipsy_danger]

Not commenting is making her feel guilty. Dammit, Hercules.

Does it bother you?

She hold shim steady and against her with little effort. She's very interested in the way that he feels beneath her hands, though it's hard to really tell because this is just an avatar. Frustrating.

[striker_eureka]

That you can see into my head?

To his credit, he pauses to actually think of his response to that question. It doesn't change his answer, though.

No. I have nothing to hide from you anyway. Sometimes it can get a little embarrassing, but I don't mind.

[gipsy_danger]

There's no way he isn't doing this on purpose. Her own embarrassment floods her, and that's easy enough to pick up on.

It should...really be mutual.

She's reluctant, though.

[striker_eureka]

For the record, he's not.

He sits up a little and turns his head around so he can see her face.

Gipsy, honey, if you're uncomfortable with me seeing something in your head then you don't have to show me. It's okay. You have every right to privacy.

Just because I don't much care about my own privacy doesn't mean you can't care about yours.