Comfrey Tea

JULY
Comfrey Tea
10 July 2017
-July 10, 2017-
Yancy's jaw clicks as he yawns while the techs put on the Drivesuit over the circuitry that fits like a glove. He glances over to check if Raleigh's crew is doing everything properly since the incident in March earlier that year. There's a limited amount of trust between Yancy and Raleigh's crew since he 'spoke' with some of the more vocal protesters of Technician Green's employment termination.
I'm fine, Yan. You worry too much. Raleigh casually nudges him over their link with warmth encasing them both. Uncle Charlie's gonna be here, y'know. We don't wanna make Gips squish him by accident.
We're not gonna get close enough to squish anybody but techs. Yancy reminds his brother with a huff.
At least we're not like Romeo Blue; they looked terrible on camera. Didn't Trevin puke? Raleigh points out with a mental smirk.
Don't be a shit, Rals, 'cause I'll kick your rear into next week. he reminds his little brother with a hard poke through
their link. Raleigh visibly deflates and sighs as they're released to walk towards the Conn-Pod. Hey.
Sorry. I'm just super psyched about all of this being official. Guess I overstepped the little voice I'm supposed to listen to again. Thanks for reminding me. Raleigh pressed affection down the link as well as apology.
Good thing we have this link. Bruce would lecture the crap out of you and then kick your ass in the Kwoon. I wouldn't stop him either. Yancy snorts as they synch up with each of Gipsy Danger's limbs.
Liar. You'd kick my ass, hand me over for the lecture and then send a letter to Mémé. Raleigh says as they nod to Tendo's various instructions. Plus you'd manage to do all of it before breakfast.
"Initiating neural handshake." They brace themselves for the onslaught of memories they've been dealing with since January but the link is stable and they only get a trickle of the usual fare. "Handshake complete. Can you hear me Beckets?"
"Yeah." Raleigh manages out loud with a laugh.
"Loud and clear, LOCCENT." Yancy rolls his eyes and follows proper protocol. "Rals, c'mon."
"Loud and clear, LOCCENT." comes the dutiful reply from his brother.
Nah. But I would let Uncle Charlie blister you with a lecture to end all lectures. Raleigh's end of the link does the mental equivalent of a 'meep' at the memories of a quiet masculine voice chiding them both for a transgression long forgotten on Yancy's part. Let's go kick some Kaiju tail in this beautiful lady.
They allow Gipsy Danger's natural sway lead things as they walk the Jaeger to the designated point. They've been working on this for months and it's over in a few short moments as Stacker
gives a speech, the citizens of Anchorage cheering them on along with the rest of the world. They grin at each other and press close enough that they'll be Ghosting for weeks afterwards. It's the best feeling in the world aside from piloting a Jaeger they can call their own.
They're not allowed to get out of their Drivesuits since it's also the newest design for the American Jaegers. Raleigh had hand-painted the design onto the back plate and the 34 on the shoulder in dual colors with acrylic. Yancy lets go of the gauntlet that controls Gipsy Danger the same time Raleigh does. Gipsy Danger stands firmly as they disengage from the Conn-Pod.
"Good job. Now the test is the publicity." Tendo claps them on the shoulder armor and Raleigh checks his paint jobs with a protesting noise. Thankfully Yancy had sprayed a clear lacquer (which had cost him quite a bit) over the painstaking work.
"Did you-" Raleigh's wide blue eyes look at him as a happy smile pulls up his lips.
"Lacquer. That's a lot of work, Rals, and I didn't want it to go to waste." He grins as he scrapes back his hair to the annoyance of the camera person waiting for them to step out.
"Wait a sec. You painted those on? I thought it came with the Drivesuit." Tendo muttered as he practically shoved them out of the Jaeger Bay doors and into the spotlight.
Raleigh put on a brave face but Yancy knew that his brother would be hiding for a few days after the event was done, hanging out with his friend or up on the ledge. His smile turned edgy at the thought of his baby brother having to perform for complete strangers; like the Program was a circus, a joke. The flashing cameras and loud questions were almost too much for him to handle. He couldn't even imagine the sensory input for Raleigh. A quickly raised hand stalled the questions as he leaned on the
podium. Yancy could do this if every other pilot before them had done the same.
"Alright, alright. You guys are excited. Okay, one at a time or we're out." he barks sharply into the microphones in front of him. Raleigh pressed close to him mentally even as he waves for the cameras in public.
Fuck. Info overload but I can't go anywhere.
That's fine. Yancy soothes the overly busy mind linked with his by drawing away the noise and sounds. Better?
Yeah. 'Msorry.
Rals, we talked about this. Don't apologize. The conversation lasts barely three seconds as the first reporter starts off the session.
"So, you're brothers? How does that work?"
"Same as any pair. We're pretty close." Raleigh answers as he nudges Yancy. He smiles in response as they roll on.
"Who came up with the name?"
"Rals did; it's after a World War II plane engine." Yancy admitted with a shrug.
"Interesting. Did you have a hand in the design at all?"
"Yeah. The shoulder." he hums as he takes in more sensory input to keep Raleigh from taking off at any second. For a split second, he wonders how Raleigh deals with it all the time.
"Any significance to the number?"
"Our Grandfather was a French sabotuer in World War II and he successfully completed 34 missions. He always said it was the 35th that took him down when he wasn't looking." The wry grin was entirely natural at the memory.
"Do you think your parents would be proud of you?"
"No comment." Raleigh says in a cool tone. "Next question."
The conference exhausts both of their considerable patience. By the time it ends, Raleigh's jittery from the overload. A
welcome sight is in their quarters; Jazmine and Uncle Charlie are bustling around the tiny rooms as they set up a familiar basket.
"Hey." Yancy draws Raleigh over to the couch to allow his brother a break. He understands when Raleigh buries his face against Yancy's shoulder, breathing steadily to soothe himself. "Rals is kinda, y'know. He'll appreciate that you're here in a few minutes."
"Take all the time you need." Charlie waves off his concern for wasting their time easily as he packs away sandwiches. "Raleigh must be exhausted." The faint mental protest only lends credence to the fact.
'Mfine.
Rals, you can't even communicate properly through our link and that's all mental. Relax. Yancy sorts through the pertinent information for his brother and banishes the way some of the reporters had shown signs of recent kissing or entanglements.
That's blackmail material. It comes across louder than the previous response so Yancy knows his brother's recovering.
Nice to hear an actual sentence. You feeling a bit better?
Uncle Charlie put on music. It makes me focus. It made Raleigh pay attention like nothing else so Yancy couldn't argue. He finishes his sorting and offers it back to Raleigh. His brother cuddles closer as he took in the information for introspection later, which is something Yancy can't do unless it's a dire situation. You did a good job of filtering out the dumb stuff.
You're welcome. He untucks Raleigh from his shoulder and soft blue eyes look at him thankfully. Are you good for a family picnic?
Can we bring Hermann? All his family is spread out and he's alone today. Yancy shakes his head fondly at his brother but can't fault the almost automatic inclusion of Raleigh's stray. The man does look better now that Rals has taken him in.
Sure. It's easy enough to ask. Raleigh digs in his pocket for his phone and sends a text off with rapid keystrokes. It buzzes a few seconds later with a reply.
If your family does not mind, I would accompany you.
It's not signed like Tendo's texts nor any of Raleigh's other friends so Yancy assumes it's the Doc.
"Uncle Charlie?" Raleigh asks as he looks up at their Uncle with wide eyes.
"You want mustard on-Aww crap. What is it ya want kiddo?" Charlie just sighs as the puppy look is deployed at full force. The man knows better than to protest by this point since Raleigh has him wrapped around his finger.
"He picked up another stray and he doesn't want the poor guy all by his lonesome." Yancy explains as Raleigh hugs Charlie as tightly as he can without making the taller man squeak. Familiar blue eyes take him in over his brother's mop as Raleigh soaks up the attention. They tend not to expand beyond a small circle of friends and even then they aren't as affectionate as they'd like. The hug ends as Raleigh spins Jazmine into a warm embrace. Yancy squaks in protest as Charlie scoops him up.
"Just give in Yan." Charlie murmurs as he holds Yancy close. "I don't see you kids enough as it is, okay?" The hum he gives at the calloused fingers carding through his hair is practically a purr with the amount of attention he's getting at the moment. "Oughta see you more often now that you're stationed here next to the base."
"Like they'd give you time off, Uncle Charlie." Yancy huffs as he pillows his head on his uncle's shoulder. "You're the backbone of the damned thing should the Jaegers fail."
"Airborne ain't squat compared to Jaeger pilot nowadays.
You know how many kids lie about that to my face? Every newcomer we got wants to be assigned to the Jaeger 'copter crews."
"Too many to count." he rolls his eyes at the amount of lies he'd heard in the bars of Anchorage. "I don't even flaunt it 'cause Jaeger Flies are terrifying and clingy."
"You'll be getting more attention now that your Jaeger's actually debuted." the response is vaguely amused.
"At that rate, poor Rals is gonna be a hermit unless we're in the Jaeger." he quips as he cuddles close to his uncle. They untangle from the embrace as Raleigh lets go of Jazmine.
I heard that.
You will end up hiding from at least half of the gossips in the 'dome. Don't even pretend you won't. he teases as he smiles. Raleigh mentally shoves him but allows his affection to come through as they change into civilian clothes with Jazzy and Uncle Charlie outside their quarters with the basket.
Okay, okay, so I might hide from the more notorious ones. Did you know that there's a ridiculous rumor going around that Hermann and I are dating not to mention fucking? I can't even flirt anymore without fueling that particular flame. Raleigh complains as they lead the way out of the Shatterdome, meeting Hermann at the gates as they continue their conversation silently.
That certainly puts a damper on your technique. Gonna have to flirt outside the 'dome if you want the practice, Rals.
Fuck. I hate rumors. the hissed answer makes him sympathize.
Yet they circulate faster that the speed of sound and the worse they are, the faster it seems to go. I know the feeling; they said I was dating some chick down in Brawler's techs but I wasn't even interested. I had a nice lady but she slapped me when she heard about it and I ended up dating someone from the outside but she broke it off before it got anywhere serious. he
pointed out with a shrug as Charlie halted before a mini-van. Yancy glances at the license plate and had to grin.
"You got a TMP for us?" He amazed the base even let it go when they usually need them for soldiers or airmen coming in on temporary duty.
"Hell, kid, this one's even been cleaned. So, Doctor... You wanna sit with the rowdy ones or up front with me?" Charlie asked as he leaned against the grey van.
"Shotgun!" Jazmine calls as she stands next to the front door.
"Jazzy, c'mon." Raleigh chides as Hermann looks bemused.
"I am willing to sit in the back with Raleigh and Yancy." Raleigh's entire face lights up with the smile usually reserved for family and even the Doc can't resist smiling back. "After all, she did call it."
"Kids are never good with introducin' people so I'm Charles Becket, their uncle. You can call me Charlie if you like." Their Uncle holds out his hand with a welcoming look.
"Doctor Gottlieb." Hermann shakes it with a solemn tone as he looks Charlie over, noticing what Yancy's sure is similarities to Raleigh and himself except for the dark chocolate hair. "You are a busy man, I take it?" The Doc pulls away after that but Raleigh lets the man hover next to his shoulder with an understanding hum.
"I'm at Elmendorf AFB. Now that Rals and Yan are here permanently, I can probably get more time off. I can't think of a better way to spend that time than with my nephews." Uncle Charlie answers warmly as he unlocks the van and sets the picnic basket in the trunk along with a bigger bag that Yancy hadn't noticed.
"What is that?" Raleigh asks the question that's on the tip of his own tongue. He brushes against the link with affection
and a feeling of thanks. Rals just floods the link with happiness.
"Nosy as ever, kiddo. You'll get it when we're done eating." Charlie murmurs with a shake of his head.
"But-"
"No butts in this conversation. Go on, get in you rascals." comes the answer as Charlie slides into the driver's seat. Yancy's a little nervous about leaving the 'dome before he remembers that Brawler Yukon and Romeo Blue are both on duty today. The radio is playing soft 40s music that Raleigh probably knows every lyric of without missing a beat. Sure enough and barely thirty seconds in, Raleigh's tapping out the song on his thigh with his fingertips.
"Rals, do you know this one already?" Jazmine sounds put out about that fact but Yancy just rolls his eyes. Raleigh had at least sixty records at Mémé's and more in their rooms back at the Shatterdome.
"Jazzy, every song from '39 to '55 is in his brain. He could probably sing them in chronological order." Yancy reminded her as he playfully tugged on her fancy ponytail.
"Could but I won't 'cause I like the way they sound without my caterwauling." Raleigh remarks quietly as he leans back with a faint smile.
"Yan, quit it!"
"I will turn this van around, Mister!" All four of them burst out laughing at the reference and Hermann chuckles quietly. "Brats."
"We're your brats." Jazmine coos as she leans on Charlie's arm while blinking rapidly.
"Course you're mine." The unspoken sentence afterward is one their uncle has muttered often; Richard was missing out on a beautiful family. "Anyway, Doctor, what is it you do?"
"I create and manage the Jaeger operating systems as well as monitor Breach activity." the way he says it means that the man's not willing to talk about it much.
"Work's stuffy, Charlie... Still carving the totem pole?" Raleigh leans over the console in the middle to poke at Charlie's arm and center the attention on himself. Yancy gives his brother a fond look that Hermann reciprocates behind Raleigh's back. They catch the other looking and give faint nods of recognition. Yeah, Rals is definitely smarter than he looks.
It's a fair distance away from the Shatterdome they've been living in so the nature is wonderful. Yancy scrambles out of the van the same time Raleigh does and they sigh in sync as they lay on the ground.
"You guys looked like a pair of over-excited puppies tumbling out of the van." Jazmine laughs as she gets out properly and offers Hermann her arm. He politely shakes his head and steps onto the ground as Raleigh rolls over to sit upright, bits of grass sticking up in his mop of hair. Yancy just tilts his head to the side as Hermann slowly sits next to Raleigh and they go off into an aerodynamics debate he's not quite able to follow. Charlie just takes out the basket and the large bag, just watching them as Jazmine plops down next to Yancy with a grunt.
"What?" he cracks open an eye to see her braiding bits of grass together as the Doc and Raleigh's debate gets enthusiastic.
"You look better." Jazmine chirrups as she sprinkles her grass bits on his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he huffs as he brushes all of it off.
"You're a lot less stressed." she hums as she cards her fingers through his much shorter hair. "Grow this out. You look
weird with a high and tight."
"Well, lookin' after Rals is a full-time job all by itself and add on Jaeger stuff... I get to sleep way earlier than I thought I would." Yancy replies as Jazzy pokes his cheek. "Stop that. You're eighteen.
"Age doesn't mark maturity Yan. Besides, what's up with you and Rals with the meaningful looks?" she sniffs imperiously. The only thought he has is that he truly loves his sister or he wouldn't let her do the stupid shit she does to both of them.
"It's... hard to explain. I woke up one day and Rals was in my head an' I was in his. Fuck if it isn't busy in there. He's incredibly strong to be managing at all." Yancy sighs as he pillows his head on Jazmine's thigh. "I couldn't put up with half the thoughts running through his brain if I tried."
"Mom did say Rals was special."
"Ha. She told me that the day he was born. Said he was somethin' special; something that would change things for the better. Guess we have, huh?" he states as he watches Raleigh help Hermann up to help him chase butterflies.
"Is he seriously five years old again?" she gaped at the sight of their 6'1" brother tearing after tiny, living jewels of color.
"Shut up, Jazzy. You're just jealous you didn't think of it first." he fondly ruffles her styled hair as he gets up to chase the butterflies with Raleigh. "How's it going?" Yancy remembers to keep it out loud since Charlie nor Hermann are in the know.
"Haven't got one yet!" Raleigh yells back with a grin as he lunges for one. It flutters away as his little brother falls flat on his face into the tundra ground. Yancy rolls his eyes, plucks up a short-lived flower and waits. It takes exactly five seconds for both the butterfly to land and for Raleigh to get up next to him. "How'd you do that?" Rals breathes as it flutters
gently around the flower's edge.
"I waited properly an' now I'm gonna let it go when it feels like leavin'. Slow and steady, Rals, but you chase as many as you like." he offers lightly as it flies away with the whimsical pattern of it's flight enthralling them both as they lean on one another. Yancy tugs gently on the Doc's sleeve so that the thinner man is under his arm, careful to keep his touch as light as it had been for the butterfly. Hermann stiffens but slowly relaxes as they watch the wildlife. "You alright, Doc? Hungry?"
"I could certainly go for food."
"Guess that's a yes in Doc speech." he teases as he grips the shoulder he's holding as lightly as possible. Bird bones was polite when describing the Doc; the man was dangerously thin, sharp-tongued and an adopted Becket whether he knew it or not the second Raleigh wanted to be friends. "Tuna alright with you?"
"Tuna? Is that-"
"Nah. It's being farmed by the base so it's cheap for Uncle Charlie to come by. They're trying to migitate the costs of importing anything up here by ship." Yancy waves off the concerns easily since he actually knows this answer. "Rals isn't the only smart one; Beckets come with brains and handsome faces." Raleigh starts laughing on the Doc's other side and breaks down into more giggles when they look at him.
"Remember that thing earlier, Yan?" he manages to get out before Yancy's laughing too. The implication that the Doc had more than one Becket chasing his tail was funny as hell. If Yancy ever swung that way fully, sure the Doc wasn't terrible, but he didn't so he could laugh.
"May I inquire as to what's so amusing?"
"That rumor goin' around with Rals chasing your tail or
whatever... Hehe... an'-" Hermann turns a shade of pink Yancy didn't think exists and splutters magnificently as he catches the joke.
"I will have you know that your brother's virtue is perfectly safe with me." the stiffness wasn't what they wanted and way too many steps back when they'd been making progress.
"I know that. You an' Rals are best friends. We're family. Everyone else can go to hell in a handbasket, Doc." Yancy remarks casually but grins when Hermann's smile cracks through the serious veneer. "Promise."
"You said something about tuna, then?"
"Tuna salad sandwiches and Uncle Charlie's are killer." Jazmine waves from the checkered blanket Charlie had laid out for them all to sit on, the grass swaying in the breeze as they all settle in for a great day.
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