Log: All The Small Things

[notyourrookie]

Who: Wash (OU) and you!
What: Wash has completed his first job as a mercenary and is out to celebrate it
Where: Out and about in town, picking up some better equipment, and then to the Eagle and Asp for a drink
When: Afternoon to night 29/11
Warnings: None so far



It hadn't been the most glamorous of jobs, but any notion of glamour had been beaten out of him practically the day he'd enlisted. The important thing was that his first job as a registered mercenary had gone well and that was the first step to being able to take care of himself without having to rely on other people. Sure, it would take a few more jobs before he felt comfortable, but it was a start.

That was cause enough for celebration, right?

His first step is to head out to a supplier to stock up on equipment. Nothing fancy for now, but enough to get him started. A good gun or two, and a solid combat knife.

There's other things that he needs, an almost overwhelming amount, he realises now that he has the money to start thinking about it. Clothes that aren't fatigues or armour, and there's so many different kinds that it takes him far longer than it should to pick out what he needs.

And once that's done, he heads to the Eagle and Asp for a drink. It feels appropriate somehow.

Comments

[alphawho]

"Pff, who says you have to make friends with the other mercs? Mercs here got friends and boyfriends and shit who aren't other mercs." And it's causing some problems but hey!

[notyourrookie]

Wash shakes his head. "How would I know who was a merc or not?" he asked. Wasn't the whole point of being a mercenary that you didn't go and announce it. "Besides, my choices are 'mercenaries who I can't trust' or 'civilians who won't get it'."

[alphawho]

"So, what, you're literally just gonna be alone except for York who set you up and coming here to see my asshole face?" Figuratively speaking, given his habit of keeping the helmet on at work.

[notyourrookie]

"That's the plan," Wash replies with a curt nod. He's too far in with York, and he's told the other man to tell his friends, just to avoid any problems, but other than that? "I can hit up other bars too if that's a problem."

[alphawho]

"Dude, at what point did I indicate that there was a problem?" He's rolling his eyes under his helm. "More business is more business!"

[notyourrookie]

"You seem like you object to me keeping to myself is all," Wash shrugs. "And I'll keep coming. The drinks are pretty good."

[alphawho]

"Hell, I'll be your company so long as I'm not in the weeds. You're new to this place. And people are still gonna thing two of you is weird. Cuz it is."

[notyourrookie]

"Another good reason to avoid people. Besides, the other one is an idiot."

[alphawho]

"Whaaaat? Ricky Racoon isn't an idiot, the fuck makes you say that?"

[notyourrookie]

"He's a naive, trusting idiot who is going to get himself or someone else killed," Wash replies coolly.

[alphawho]

"He's a fucking mercenary who knows what he's doing in the heat of things. Least so far as the others tell me." He bites back, barely, something about how many people the Wash in front of him has gotten killed. No fights at the bar.

[notyourrookie]

"Yeah, I thought I could too, back when I was like him. Which is why I know." He's a child and that's going to get ripped away from him eventually.

[alphawho]

"You don't think highly of any of the For Hires, huh."

[notyourrookie]

"York's fine," Wash says with a shrug. "Florida is... Florida. Haven't met the others. Don't care to."

[alphawho]

"I know you've got some trauma or whatever that makes you think the lone wolf schtick is gonna work out, but maybe therapy is a thing you might want to look into." Not that he's calling a kettle black or anything.

[notyourrookie]

He gives Church a look that borders on vicious. "I'm not letting anyone in my head ever again."

[alphawho]

"Sooo let the loneliness eat at you until it gets you killed? That's totally better than what your other self is doing, right?"

[notyourrookie]

"I'm not lonely," Wash replies sharply. "It's what's kept me alive this long, because having 'friends' sure as hell did fuck-all on that front."

[alphawho]

"It's going to get you killed if you don't have anyone to watch your back, if you don't have anyone you can call for backup when things go south. And things will go south. Look, maybe try to make non fighting friends? Just. social. Social friends. Who have nothing to do with guns and knives and assassinations and shit."

[notyourrookie]

"Then I'll die," he says bluntly. "Better than being stabbed in the back again by someone I trusted." He gulps the last of his drink and puts the glass back down a little harder than necessary.

He lets out a sharp bark of laughter. "And what the hell do I have that would be of any use to them?" He's a ragged, bitter mess of a human being.

[alphawho]

Church is still at work and takes the glass to make another drink, but otherwise he's just staring at Wash like he's crazy. (Mostly because he is, but he knows better than to say it out loud and mean it.)

"You do have an understanding that friendship isn't a business deal, right? You don't have to be useful. Just...a friend."

[notyourrookie]

"Yeah, people say that. That you're friends. But in the end, it's always about what you can provide. You have to be useful or..." Or they'd leave you to die on a crashing spaceship, mind shattered, because there was always someone more valuable. "Have to be useful."

[alphawho]

"...Okay, Wash? Buddy? Really hoping that you understand how that sounds coming out of your mouth. Do you want me to get York again or...refill your drink with something stronger or like...ask around for some medication or something?"

[notyourrookie]

"I'm fine," Wash says, a harsh note to his voice. "I'm not crazy. I don't need to be drugged up, and I definitely don't need York or anyone to come after me."

[alphawho]

"Okay, jesus, fine," he says, lifting his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I'm just saying that maybe there's a reason people react around you the way they do."