Trooper Station | Saturday

[knife_bender]

Diego hadn't been in the best mood all week, and finding out that Annie had been in town yesterday and hadn't bothered to see him did not help things. He figured that she had been busy, that she had just stopped by for her last class and then had to go straight back to New York but still...it hurt.

Now was he going to be an adult and talk to anybody about that? Absolutely not. He was going to sulk at work and treat Ralph and Calvin worse than usual.

[Open! Some SP in the AM while I go make questionable hair decisions]

Comments

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had not really considered the fact that word might get around that she was on the island yesterday.

But, it was Saturday, and she knew Diego would be at the station. And all Annie could think about was how she wished she was there, bringing him coffee and fucking with Danny's desk in some capacity, instead of spending her Saturday reviewing another patrol itinerary before she went out with A-Train later. (Annie wasn't sure whether it was good luck or The Deep actually avoiding her, but she hadn't seen him since their patrol, and she'd take it no matter the reasoning.)

how's work? I miss you. ♥️♥️♥️

[knife_bender]

Diego hated that the first thought that popped in his head after reading that text was "Did you?". That wasn't fair. She had been busy. No need to think worse of it.

Still, he didn't get the warm feeling he usually did when Annie texted him today. He was actually grateful for the technology since it was easier to hide his mood behind a text message.

The usual. I miss you too. There. Totally normal text to send.

[defenderofdesmoines]

It was a totally normal text to send, and Annie sat there looking at it for a few minutes before she checked her watch.

She really didn't have enough time to make it there and back and be camera-ready by the time she'd need to (ugh, and there it was -- the little bolt of, like, irritated shame that she needed to look good on camera for it), but she considered it for a moment, anyway. As worried as she was about blurting out everything that had happened once she saw Diego, she also missed him so much it actually sort of physically hurt.

I haven't missed everyone turning purple for a weekend or anything?

Followed by: (promise to take pictures for me if I just jinxed you all.)

[knife_bender]

Nope. Nothing going on at all. At least not for him, since Diego had made good on his threat of turning into some cave dweller since she left. At least the plant was being watered.

Have you gotten to save a bus full of children or something yet?

[defenderofdesmoines]

nope. stopped some guys smuggling drugs the other night, though.

She hesitated, considering whether she wanted to add that the guys weren't real smugglers, and that they'd been paid to be there by Vought -- but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Maybe that was a one-time thing? Queen Maeve and Homelander had stopped what had seemed to be a very real armored car robbery the other day, after all -- maybe there just wasn't enough crime to go around for all seven of them?

(Not enough crime...here in New York City. Sure.)

they want me to say 'this is lit' when I catch guys, now. 🙄

She could admit that part of things, at least. Diego had seen enough Seven movies to understand the cheesy, catchphrase-laden side of things.

[knife_bender]

Diego laughed to himself. If it makes you feel any better I used to say ‘real men throw knives’ as a kid.

But he had been an actual child then.

[defenderofdesmoines]

that sounds adorable. ♥️

At least, if you ignored the fact that he'd been a child in a super-dangerous situation, anyway, and Annie was feeling wistful and lonely enough to do exactly that.

I miss you and your knives a whole lot. they're sending me out to patrol with A-Train tonight.

She had no idea how that was going to even go. Would he be forced to, like, carry her piggyback-style if they had to chase a guy? (Honestly, based on the little she'd interacted with him, Annie was pretty sure A-Train might just leave her behind, actually.)

[knife_bender]

That’ll be fun? He honestly had no idea. When he Annie patrolled it was more “hot” than “fun”.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Yeah, Annie really didn't want it to be like when they patrolled. Especially considering she'd already had to threaten one teammate if he ever tried to lay a hand on her again, the last time.

maybe.

There was a pause as Annie flipped through her phone's calendar, seeking out a block of time when she wasn't on a staged patrol or doing something marketing or press-related.

are you doing anything monday? I have the afternoon off.

See, and Monday would give her enough time to maybe...figure out what to say to him. Because Annie was starting to realize that her options were to either break up with Diego (absolutely not happening if she could help it), or figure out how to talk to him about her new life.

Though it might just turn out that she just -- maybe she could just not talk about the Deep thing? Because it was handled, and she was fine now, so...maybe they could just move on, anyway? That would honestly be a relief, if she could.

[apocalypsehow]

Was Five going to just straight up ignore how he and Diego had sniped at each other the last time they talked? Yes. Because that was how you functioned in this family, damn it.

"Why are these snacks terrible?" Because Steve replaced them with healthy ones.

[knife_bender]

“Are they?” That’s right, Diego had been so upset he hadn’t bothered to rifle through Danny’s desk.

“What’s in there, Almond Joys?”

[apocalypsehow]

Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Diego.

"Dried beet chews."

[knife_bender]

“What the fuck?” he said. “Can I complain to HR about something like that?”

[apocalypsehow]

Five looked around the office, only finding armor-clad troopers who might take the complaint. "Is there an HR here?"

[knife_bender]

“There could be.” He honestly had no idea what half these people did. “Guess Danny got tired of feeding my entire family.”

At least the ones that showed up on the island.

[apocalypsehow]

Well, Ralph knew how to work the coffee maker. So, there was that.

Five made a disgusted noise, dropping the beet monstrosity on the desk. "Tell him to fix it next time."

[knife_bender]

“And here I thought you stopped by for the pleasure of my company, not the free food,” Diego joked.

[grenadesandohana]

Let's be clear: Danny was the fussing type of the pair of them. Steve was just...you know, going to work. Not fussing.

And the Perk had given him an extra coffee for no reason, okay? He wasn't being weird!

"Morning," he said, putting it on Diego's desk.

[knife_bender]

Diego eyed the free coffee warily. "Is this making it up to me for Danny's desk?"

He knew one of you switched out the snacks, but he wasn't sure which one it was.

[grenadesandohana]

"What happened to Danny's desk?" Steve asked.

So yes.

[knife_bender]

"There's gross stuff in it." And by that he meant vegetables. Diego ate healthy only in protein bar form.

[grenadesandohana]

"Like cockroaches?" Steve asked, making a face.

[knife_bender]

"Like beets." Which was even worse.

[grenadesandohana]

"Beets are very good for you!" Steve said.

Which was exactly the opposite of why people reached for snacks, but details!

[knife_bender]

"It was you?" Steve, how dare you betray him?