Ghosting

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 4 January 2019
Setting: Pietr's quarters, The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
Pietr steers a rather noodly Chuck back to his suite, fumbles his way through the lock, aims him for the couch.
After a nudge, Chuck peels himself from Pietr's side, flops onto the cushions. ::Thank you,:: he signs.
Pietr props himself against the worktable. ::For what?::
::/Striker.::
::She was yours already.::
::Not without a copilot.::
::Was still yours::
::Well, she's /ours now.::
::Not officially yet.::
Chuck shrugs. "Close enough."
Pietr grins. ::Coffee?::
"Din't get that. Ghost Drift's wearing off." Chuck yawns. "Sorry. Isn't supposed to last this long first go."
::Maybe we're special.:: Pietr picks up an empty mug, waves it in Chuck's direction.
"Sure." He yawns again, wider.
Pietr gives thumbs up, crosses the suite, starts the coffee.
Chuck slumps over, asleep.
Pietr smiles, slouches into a chair to await his caffeine fix. When it's finished brewing, he pours two cups, black, and shuffles back into the living area.
Chuck snorts awake when Pietr nudges his arm with a warm mug. He blinks sleepily, mumbles what's probably 'Thanks'.
They toast.
Chuck chokes and splutters. "What /is this stuff?"
Pietr rolls his eyes and gulps another mouthful.
"Oil, maybe." He peers into the cup. "Not coffee."
::Still drinking.::
"Need the caffeine." Another huge yawn, then he grumbles, "Why'd they test us so late?"
Pietr snorts over the rim of his mug.
Chuck sips.
The black stuff cooperates this time.
That's all they do for a few minutes.
"Who's she?" Chuck asks, bobbing his chin at one of the pictures taped to the wall. "She's all over your head."
Pietr smiles warmly, taps his ring finger against his mug.
"Your wife?"
Pietr beams and nods.
"You're /married?!"
Pietr sets aside his coffee, digs his mobile from a pocket, types,
- 4 yrs xmas eve -
"But you're /young!"
- Yr dad ~same age when u born -
Chuck pouts, "That's different."
Pietr rolls his eyes.
Chuck studies the wall.
Pietr refills his coffee.
"Who're the tykes?"
- Our bbys - Pietr glows.
Chuck's eyes get huge. "/Your /KIDS?!" Blinks rapidly. "You have /kids?!"
Pietr hops up, points.
- Elize -
Another picture.
- Izzy -
"Kids," mumbles Chuck. "Jesus."
- Problem? -
Chuck rubs his neck. "Why'd you leave 'em?"
Pietr curls his lip.
- DID NOT -
He waggles the mobile a centimeter from Chuck's nose.
- No work there not safe here -
"Yea. 'Not safe here', alright."
- Hurts still -
"No shit." Chucks sighs. "You've got no idea."
- I felt know -
Chuck scoffs. "You still have a family. I only got my old man. And uncle."
- & max -
Chuck loses to a faint smile. "And Max."
Pietr lights up with an idea.
- & me!!! -
"Wha?"
- My family = yrs -
"What're—"
Pietr tosses his mobile on the couch. He darts into the bedroom, digs in one of the drawers under the bed, returns with a triumphant look and a small mountain of photographs which he pushes into Chuck's hands. Pietr reclaims the mobile and joins him on the couch, gesturing, 'look'.
Chuck studies the top image: Griet, pale violet ribbons in her blond braids, smiling at the camera with love.
Pietr flips the photo over, points out the caption to Chuck.
The next picture: Pietr between Niko and Maarten at a family party, his arms draped around Maarten's neck while Niko pretends he doesn't know either of them.
Chuck's brow furrows.
Pietr grabs a pencil from the coffee table, adds
- Brothers -
to the caption.
Chuck grunts understanding.
Next: Pietr and Pappa outside Mamma and Pappa's house.
Next: Mamma and Pappa in their kitchen, laughing.
Next: Pietr, covered in grime, up to his elbows in the engine compartment of Maarten's bakkie.
Next: Pietr and Griet, Elize not showing yet, painting the front room of their house bright blue.
Next: Pietr and Griet, fresh back from their honeymoon, about to unlock the door of their house for the first time.
Next: Pietr napping in bed, Elize and Izzy each tucked under an arm.
Next: Pietr, much younger, his arms around an especially shaggy Geel.
Chuck swipes at his eyes. "Still have the dog?"
Pietr shakes his head.
"His name mean something?"
- Yellow -
"Silly name."
Pietr shrugs and holds his hand a couple of feet above the floor.
"Yea ... kids are stupid."
Pietr rolls his eyes and ruffles Chuck's hair.
Chuck swats lazily at his hand. "That's not how ye treat a copilot!"
::Perfect for a little brother, though.::
"Need to teach you to talk," huffs Chuck.
::Need to teach you—:: Pietr pokes Chuck's forehead. ::—to sign.::
"I don't know what you said."
- Yet -
Chuck snorts. "Listen—"
Pietr crosses his arms and telegraphs 'really?'.
"Oh. Right." Rubs his neck. "I don't wanna go back yet, so can I hang out here?"
Pietr nods, then points 'aha!'. He dives back to the drawer, paws through, and comes back with a small box. He passes it to Chuck.
"Pokémon?" He raises an eyebrow. "/Seriously?"
- Good strategy training -
"You're a Fightm—Ranger and you play /kids' game?"
Pietr huffs.
- Still a fight -
"Yer the nuttiest Ranger I've met."
- Afraid I'll kick yr ass? -
"Bring it on, Curly."
Pietr smirks, starts dealing out the cards on the coffee table.
Chuck's out cold before they reach the halfway point.
Pietr chuckles, packs up the cards, and rinses the mugs in the sink. He retrieves the spare blanket from the closet, drapes it over Chuck, kisses his temple.
Chuck nestles deeper into the couch and sighs.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Sydney Shatterdome (setting)
Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet)
Category:Chuck
Category:Chuck (ficlet)
Category:Ghost Drift
Category:Pietr and coffee have a relationship
Category:Pietr is a dad
Category:Griet (mention)
Category:Griet's ribbons
Category:Vaudeville are married
Category:Elize (mention)
Category:Izzy (mention)
Category:Scott (mention)
Category:Nikolaas (mention)
Category:Maarten (mention)
Category:Rianne (mention)
Category:Val (mention)
Category:Geel (mention)
Category:Herc (mention)
Category:Max (mention)
Category:Ficlets with tweaks
Category:Ficlets with comments
Category:Ficlets with images