Trooper Station | Saturday

[knife_bender]

Diego was, like, the opposite of a religious person but he really only had good things to say about Easter when bags of the Reese's eggs found their way to his desk. Something about the egg shape made them taste better in his opinion. There must have been some sort of science behind it.

He was definitely going to the gym later to make up for it, because there was seriously like twenty bags on his desk and he wasn't about to restrain himself or anything.

[Open]

Comments

[defenderofdesmoines]

When Annie wandered in -- well, first of all, 'wandered' was not really accurate.

When Annie staggered in, freshly showered after her workout with Steve, she was bearing a cup of coffee for Diego, and a...green juice for herself.

It had wheatgrass. It had been Steve's suggestion.

Annie had regrets, today.

"That's a lot of candy," she observed, stiffly -- so, so stiffly -- offering Diego the coffee and eyeing the Reese's eggs like they were some kind of personal attack.

[knife_bender]

It probably didn't help that Diego had two of those peanut butter eggs in his mouth when she came in. The "thanks" he let out when he took the coffee was barely English.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie frowned at him, slowly -- so, so slowly -- sinking into a seat. "Those peanut butter eggs are somehow better than the cups. I don't know why."

She was trying not to sound jealous.

[knife_bender]

"They are," Diego said. He opened up his desk drawer and used his arm to slide the bags of candy into it so the temptation wasn't there. "You okay?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

"You're cute," Annie told him with a little smile as she watched that arm sweep. "Yeah, I'm fine. It just turns out that like, Navy SEALs work out pretty hard. I'll feel worse later."

Something to look forward to!

"We did the stairs," she added, making a sad face that turned into a wince when she took a sip of her wheatgrass concoction.

[knife_bender]

Diego gave a sympathetic wince. "I'm not sure you need to go that hard to nail this job interview."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"It's the best reason to go this hard," Annie said, shaking her head. "I have to be the best, Diego. Like, the best to people who don't know me already. First-impression best."

She sighed, stretching her legs out in front of her and crossing them at the ankles. "It's just for a couple more days." And then all of the pizza and beer and sleep.

[knife_bender]

"You already are the best. First-impression best," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "You should take a hot bath later."

He wasn't being a pervert, he was thinking about her sore muscles.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"With Epsom salt," Annie agreed, sighing. "I hope you're not saying that for ulterior motives, 'cause, like, I'm probably barely going to be able to move."

Which wouldn't necessarily rule out ulterior motive stuff. And besides, when she was done being in terrible pain, she'd be soooo ripped probably.

[knife_bender]

He smiled. "Any other time that would be a yes, but I am actually thinking about your muscles right now."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'll make it up to you," Annie assured him with a small smile. Tough promise to make, you know. Twist her arm more. "If you're not sick of my craziness by Tuesday, anyway."

She seriously would not blame him. Annie had been A Lot for the last week or so.

[knife_bender]

"It's been a little scary," he joked. "But nothing I can't handle."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"You think I'm bad, you should talk to my mom," Annie said lightly. Just kidding, please keep never talking to her mom. She pulled her phone out of a pocket and held it up so he could see the many texts and missed calls from her mother. "Like, I'm freaking out, but I think she's freaking out harder."

It was really helping Annie's nerves a lot, you know?

[apocalypsehow]

Oh, you better believe Five had stolen a handful of them to eat at some other desk. It was Danny's.

And he was leaving a mess.

[knife_bender]

"Don't you have friends your own age?" Diego asked.

So either teenagers or the elderly, take your pick.

[apocalypsehow]

Five made a face at that. "Am I not allowed to check on my beloved brother?"

Wow. Just wow with that statement being so very much bullshit.

[knife_bender]

"No, you're not," Diego said, unwrapping another Reese's egg. "If anything I should be checking on you."

Because Five was the irresponsible one here who would get himself killed doing something stupid, sure.

[apocalypsehow]

Five just raised any eyebrow at that, not pausing in his leaving a mess of wrappers on the desk in front of him.

[knife_bender]

"I'm the adult here." Physically, anyway.

[apocalypsehow]

That look just turned to utter disbelief. "I'm older than you by a few decades."

[knife_bender]

"Yeah, but you look like you should still be drinking juice boxes." Could you even grow facial hair, Five?

[apocalypsehow]

UM. RUDE MUCH?

"Better than low rent Ratman."

[knife_bender]

"Ratman is cool." And he could be a high rent Ratman if he wanted to, but he wasn't going to beg Dad for money for cool gadgets.

[apocalypsehow]

"Ratman is an emotionally broken man with too much money," Five replied. "Kind of like dad if you think about it."

Five, now you were just being mean.

[knife_bender]

Not only was that mean to Diego, it was mean to Ratman.

"Dad's not emotionally broken. He enjoys breaking other people's emotions," Diego said. "There's a difference."