Trooper Station, Friday

[firstofitskind]

A watermelon plant had replaced the water cooler, today.

When Liam questioned it, all he got was a shrug from Ralph and an explanation that he couldn’t make it work in his apartment.

“Where do you even live, anyway?” Liam asked. “Any of you? I don’t see your information in the directory.”

Ralph and Calvin just shrugged, and Hugo sidled out of the room, muttering something about going to catalog evidence.

[ooc I have very little work to do today. so open!]

Comments

[bookbeltof_love]

Around lunch, there was a daughter poking her head around the door into his office.

"Got time for company, Dad?????????????"

[firstofitskind]

“I always have time for your company,” Liam told her. “Now, if you were the Bee Lady, that might be a different story...”

The Bee Lady honestly wasn’t that bad, but she did like to go on.

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina giggled as she slipped through the door to take a seat.

"I mean, like, I know you want me to feel free to........," Nina hesitated, "visit," impose, she meant impose, "but if you really were ever busy with a case, like, that's more important?????????"

[firstofitskind]

“As unlikely as that might be,” Liam pointed out drily. “But even then, I’ve got three other guys here who’d love a case to work on. So if you ever needed me for something, I’d find a way.”

[bookbeltof_love]

Hey, at least they had more work than the fire station guy?

"Yes, Dad," she said primly. It was hard to say if she actually believed him or not--she wanted to but, like... well.

Baby steps.

"You should, like, do a teambuilding retreat with the guys!!!!!!!!!" she suggested. "Or, like, monthly training sessions????????"

[firstofitskind]

“That’s-“ Liam blinked. “A really good idea, actually. Can’t believe I didn’t think of it.”

Mostly because he was so used to being the outsider that considering himself part of ‘the team’ didn’t really come naturally.

[bookbeltof_love]

She beamed at having helped.

Sorry, Liam, but some part of her would always desperately love being useful.

"I think it would be good for all of you," she said, nodding. "And, like, it would give you all something to look forward to," or hate, "and to plan!!!!!!!!"

[firstofitskind]

Hey, hard same, Nina. Remember that freak out you’d basically had at the idea, not that long ago?

“Steve and Danny pretty much have the ‘team’ thing down amongst themselves,” Liam acknowledged. “And I know they have a team back home as well. So I’m sure they’ve done this sort of thing before. Diego... I have no idea,” he admitted.

[bookbeltof_love]

Of course she remembered but getting a gift to make herself be useful and being useful out of the blue were two separate things entirely!

"All the better to shake it up!!!!!!!!!" she said brightly. "Or, like, ooooh, you guys could patrol the island in pairs???????? Only alternate the pairs on, like, a monthly basis or something so no one gets too used to only working with one partner????????"

[grenadesandohana]

Steve came in and stared at the watermelon plant. "It is worth asking?" he asked Liam, pointing to it.

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina looked up from the book she was reading.

"Hi, Dad's coworker!!!!!!!!!!" she chirped.

She was totally just hanging around because she could just hang around.

[grenadesandohana]

"Aloha," Steve replied with a laconic wave. "You interning?"

[bookbeltof_love]

"I'd be the best intern," she mused. "But I don't know that Dad would hire me.........."

[grenadesandohana]

"Nepotism in the police station is probably not great," Steve said, smiling.

[bookbeltof_love]

“It’s definitely not a good look,” she agreed, nodding. “Though, like, it’d be okay if I volunteered to help if you guys ever did any fundraising events or anything!!!!!!! That’s totally different!!!!!!”

[grenadesandohana]

"Do we need to do fundraising events?" Steve wondered.

[bookbeltof_love]

"Well, like, the station probably doesn't," she admitted. "But they're good for community feeling and there's always donating the proceeds to charity?????????"

[grenadesandohana]

"Like a car wash?" Steve said. "I think Danny's daughter does that to raise money for cheer stuff."

[firstofitskind]

“Are you a fan of cagey non-answers?” Liam asked in return, fully aware that was a cagey non-answer in and of itself.

[grenadesandohana]

"Is anyone?" Steve replied, arching his eyebrows.

[firstofitskind]

“Giving or receiving?”

[grenadesandohana]

Steve laughed. "You know I was in intelligence, right?"

[firstofitskind]

“Why do you think I asked?” Liam replied.

[grenadesandohana]

"Perhaps you just enjoy questions?" Steve asked, grinning.

[firstofitskind]

"Do you think that's likely?" It might not have started out this way but they were absolutely doing this on purpose now. Nerds.