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[How much of an asshole does she think he is? Because he'd have to be a special brand of dick to let her scars kill the mood but his are okay and if you want to be honest about it, his are uglier than hers, they don't follow circuitry lines, it's just burns and burns, blossoming over his chest and shoulders like the ugliest flower.
Actually-- maybe he doesn't want to know how much of an asshole she thinks he is.
Chuck moved to give her the space to pull the shirt off, sitting back on his heels even as he's straddling one of her legs and he stays there for a moment, just looking down at her. He's not about to sprout some flowery shit at her, and call her scars beautiful and a part of her and whatever the fuck else but he's hardly turned off.
Fair's fair, he showed her his and now that she's shown him hers, he leans down to trace the lines along her shoulder and chest with his mouth.]
Actually-- maybe he doesn't want to know how much of an asshole she thinks he is.
Chuck moved to give her the space to pull the shirt off, sitting back on his heels even as he's straddling one of her legs and he stays there for a moment, just looking down at her. He's not about to sprout some flowery shit at her, and call her scars beautiful and a part of her and whatever the fuck else but he's hardly turned off.
Fair's fair, he showed her his and now that she's shown him hers, he leans down to trace the lines along her shoulder and chest with his mouth.]
[Like that's going to stop him. If anything, it eggs him on and makes him want to be even more of an asshole because he knows that he's bothering her and bothering people is just the same thing as attention to him. So he just keeps on talking, like she didn't say anything at all.]
I mean, I wouldn't stand for letting some has been washed up pilot coming back and taking my place in the Jaeger I just spent the last five years working on.
I mean, I wouldn't stand for letting some has been washed up pilot coming back and taking my place in the Jaeger I just spent the last five years working on.
[Saving the world doesn't mean that everything before is magically fixed. It doesn't erase the past and it doesn't make the Hansens relationship any more warm or fuzzy or enjoyable. If anything, it makes it worse. Father and son talk even less now than they did before and the only reason they talked before the breach was sealed was because they were Drift compatible and they had to. The Drift said everything for them and Chuck never saw the point in bringing it up outside of the Drift because there were no words that could say it any better than the peek inside his head did.
Chuck could never forgive him for letting his mother die, for choosing him instead of her. And he could never forgive that Herc pulled into himself in his grief after and left him on his own. While Herc threw himself into the Jaeger program and getting into the Mark Is with his brother, he left his son behind and that was something that Chuck was never going to get over.
And don't even get Chuck started on his Uncle Scott because that man is an embarrassment.
To be completely fair, Raleigh has no idea about any of it and Chuck knows that. He knows that his partner doesn't know what happened to his mother, only that she's out of the picture and that he and his dad don't... really talk. Herc might be the Marshal but that really just makes it easier for Chuck to avoid him because he's always busy and he's not in Alaska that often so when he is, Chuck can find something to keep him busy. So maybe it's not entirely Raleigh's fault but he should know better than to push the subject, to keep on bringing it up like an annoying harpy and did he ask you for family advice, Becket? Did he ask for your opinion? Does he look like he's upset that he and his dad are estranged?
No. No, no, no, so shut the fuck up about it.
Raleigh finally pushes him too far one day, it's not even that conspicuous of a comment, just something about how apparently the Marshal is coming to town next week and maybe they should all have dinner and enough is enough.]
Raleigh. Shut up. We're not having dinner with my dad.
Chuck could never forgive him for letting his mother die, for choosing him instead of her. And he could never forgive that Herc pulled into himself in his grief after and left him on his own. While Herc threw himself into the Jaeger program and getting into the Mark Is with his brother, he left his son behind and that was something that Chuck was never going to get over.
And don't even get Chuck started on his Uncle Scott because that man is an embarrassment.
To be completely fair, Raleigh has no idea about any of it and Chuck knows that. He knows that his partner doesn't know what happened to his mother, only that she's out of the picture and that he and his dad don't... really talk. Herc might be the Marshal but that really just makes it easier for Chuck to avoid him because he's always busy and he's not in Alaska that often so when he is, Chuck can find something to keep him busy. So maybe it's not entirely Raleigh's fault but he should know better than to push the subject, to keep on bringing it up like an annoying harpy and did he ask you for family advice, Becket? Did he ask for your opinion? Does he look like he's upset that he and his dad are estranged?
No. No, no, no, so shut the fuck up about it.
Raleigh finally pushes him too far one day, it's not even that conspicuous of a comment, just something about how apparently the Marshal is coming to town next week and maybe they should all have dinner and enough is enough.]
Raleigh. Shut up. We're not having dinner with my dad.
[That-- actually is a good question. Chuck's innate stubbornness rears up though and he wants to do the exact opposite of what Raleigh wants just because he asked for it and it's just a knee jerk reaction to be as contrary as possible because it means he's always winning. Or something.
But he is actually drawing a blank as to why he shouldn't take off his shirt and so he slaps Raleigh's hand away from his shirt and sits up. The t-shirt messes up his hair on it's way off, even though he has no idea about that.]
But he is actually drawing a blank as to why he shouldn't take off his shirt and so he slaps Raleigh's hand away from his shirt and sits up. The t-shirt messes up his hair on it's way off, even though he has no idea about that.]
[It's not the best kind of attention that he's getting, no. It's spite, and carefully controlled irritation at seeing his face again after five years, and more importantly, hearing this bullshit coming from his mouth.]
No. [She stops the line and turns to pin him down with a narrowed look.] You wouldn't stand for it, you'd leave and jump on the first Jaeger offered. [So she's not bitter about that, not at all. Doesn't think that her shot at ever piloting a Jaeger left with Chuck, doesn't think he's selfish because that'd be stupid and childish of her. So it's not that at all.
He just needs to be put in his place.
She grabs her tray and moves along the line.]
No. [She stops the line and turns to pin him down with a narrowed look.] You wouldn't stand for it, you'd leave and jump on the first Jaeger offered. [So she's not bitter about that, not at all. Doesn't think that her shot at ever piloting a Jaeger left with Chuck, doesn't think he's selfish because that'd be stupid and childish of her. So it's not that at all.
He just needs to be put in his place.
She grabs her tray and moves along the line.]
[ Raleigh... doesn't intend to tell him how to relate to his father -- her track record isn't so good, herself; because look what happened, her dad split, right? If she'd been any good at relating to fathers, well.
Anyway, Chuck doesn't tell her a lot of things, but she knows that she's way out of his element when it comes to him and his old man, but Raleigh likes Herc well enough in the short time she's met him (the man swung by the US once). He's a pretty good guy, and more decent than Chuck; which is not saying a lot when a sizeable amount of the population is more decent than Chuck.
Still, she's sort of quite in love with him (she doesn't know how that happened, it just did, even if they went about the dating thing all topsy turvy because sex came first, then dinner, then the getting to know each other), and she likes Herc (sometimes she thinks she's a glutton for punishment or some shit like that) and she's heard that Australia is the place where about 90% of its inhabitants are trying to kill you and there are koalas and wombats and she's damn well going to see a few (and possibly touch them) or else the trip really would be wasted, and Chuck is a grumpy sweetheart for coming along with her anyway.
It's ridiculously warm but he's tagging along with her anyway, and she kind of really loves Australia too, from the delightful accent to the warm friendliness of the people (Chuck's surliness, it looks like, is an uncommon exception among Australians), and so she's traipsing a wildlife trail in hiking shorts and a map and a mischievous grin. ]
I want to see one in its natural habitat. Did you know that some wombats let you touch them?
Anyway, Chuck doesn't tell her a lot of things, but she knows that she's way out of his element when it comes to him and his old man, but Raleigh likes Herc well enough in the short time she's met him (the man swung by the US once). He's a pretty good guy, and more decent than Chuck; which is not saying a lot when a sizeable amount of the population is more decent than Chuck.
Still, she's sort of quite in love with him (she doesn't know how that happened, it just did, even if they went about the dating thing all topsy turvy because sex came first, then dinner, then the getting to know each other), and she likes Herc (sometimes she thinks she's a glutton for punishment or some shit like that) and she's heard that Australia is the place where about 90% of its inhabitants are trying to kill you and there are koalas and wombats and she's damn well going to see a few (and possibly touch them) or else the trip really would be wasted, and Chuck is a grumpy sweetheart for coming along with her anyway.
It's ridiculously warm but he's tagging along with her anyway, and she kind of really loves Australia too, from the delightful accent to the warm friendliness of the people (Chuck's surliness, it looks like, is an uncommon exception among Australians), and so she's traipsing a wildlife trail in hiking shorts and a map and a mischievous grin. ]
I want to see one in its natural habitat. Did you know that some wombats let you touch them?
[ ...Yeah, he doesn't have to know how much of an asshole she thinks he is. Although to be fair it isn't so bad -- he might be mightily insufferable a good amount of the time, and Raleigh is more than aware of how unapologetically egoistic Chuck is, but he has his good moments, too, and maybe she likes that enough to want to stick around, to want him, for better or worse.
It's not beautiful, and the flowery shit probably would kill the mood because it's not Chuck's style and if she wanted that she'd sleep with someone else and she likes his brand of honesty even if she's surprised at that particular response. Raleigh is wrong about him in a few little ways, and when she watches him lean down over her, the touch of his lips over sensitive skin, she shudders under him, a part of her startled by his response and the other part ridiculously turned on.
Her hand comes to rest on his shoulder, over one of his scars, too, her thumb rubbing lightly over it; and she doesn't find it ugly, not really. ]
...It's weird, you know.
It's not beautiful, and the flowery shit probably would kill the mood because it's not Chuck's style and if she wanted that she'd sleep with someone else and she likes his brand of honesty even if she's surprised at that particular response. Raleigh is wrong about him in a few little ways, and when she watches him lean down over her, the touch of his lips over sensitive skin, she shudders under him, a part of her startled by his response and the other part ridiculously turned on.
Her hand comes to rest on his shoulder, over one of his scars, too, her thumb rubbing lightly over it; and she doesn't find it ugly, not really. ]
...It's weird, you know.
Yeah, well. I didn't know if your dad was home. Wasn't gonna risk waking him up at one in the morning either, remember last time? [ Because that had been an experience.
Raleigh takes Chuck's hand and, with a foot planted firmly on the branch he's been clinging to, climbs through Chuck's window. ]
Raleigh takes Chuck's hand and, with a foot planted firmly on the branch he's been clinging to, climbs through Chuck's window. ]
[ The amount of dramatic vitriol Chuck puts into one simple act of removing his shirt is amusing as hell, so Raleigh lets him slap him away and settles back to watch instead. Raleigh was gearing up to throw Chuck's torso an appreciative look, but now that he's seen Chuck hair do the thing where it sticks up in adorable tufts at all sorts of contrary angles, Raleigh laughs instead.
He's kind of tempted to run his fingers through it, mess it up a little more, so he sits up too, reaching for Chuck. ] There. 'm sure it was touch-and-go there for a second.
He's kind of tempted to run his fingers through it, mess it up a little more, so he sits up too, reaching for Chuck. ] There. 'm sure it was touch-and-go there for a second.
[They're not dating. Seriously, they're not. They're booty calls and that is a perfectly acceptable working relationship if you were to ask him because he isn't interested in a relationship, is too busy for that kind of shit but he doesn't really enjoy going to bars and picking up women there because they're either stupid or desperate or both and he's got like an allergic reaction to those kind of women.
Despite what he says, he knows that Raleigh isn't stupid and she's definitely not desperate and she's a challenge and it just works alright.
Until-- it doesn't.
Until one morning he wakes up and realizes that her shit is all over his apartment. That her shampoo and razor have a spot in the shower, that she more or less has a drawer in his dresser, that she has mother fucking tampons under his sink, that her OJ is in his fridge, her favorite brand of chips are always in his kitchen and he let it all happen. No, worse, he encouraged it because he bought that juice and those chips and oh holy hell.
Fucking fuck, does he love her? He better not fucking love her because that is a serious wrench in the plan. Chuck is realizing all of this while taking a piss by the way, while Raleigh is making breakfast in the kitchen and what a time to slam into this kind of realization. And he knows damn well that if they were at her apartment, his shit would be all over the place, he's been meaning to grab his jacket from her place for like a month now and she's got vegemite even though she hates it.
Raleigh Becket's his girlfriend and he hasn't the slightest clue when the fuck that happened.
Chuck's still kind of in a daze when he wanders into the kitchen, barely even registers that she's wearing his shirt while making pancakes. When did this happen? Does she know? Did she plan it? Oh, that's sneaky, Becket, that is a really conniving plan and you know what he's going to do about it?
Pretend like he has no idea about it. That's what.]
Despite what he says, he knows that Raleigh isn't stupid and she's definitely not desperate and she's a challenge and it just works alright.
Until-- it doesn't.
Until one morning he wakes up and realizes that her shit is all over his apartment. That her shampoo and razor have a spot in the shower, that she more or less has a drawer in his dresser, that she has mother fucking tampons under his sink, that her OJ is in his fridge, her favorite brand of chips are always in his kitchen and he let it all happen. No, worse, he encouraged it because he bought that juice and those chips and oh holy hell.
Fucking fuck, does he love her? He better not fucking love her because that is a serious wrench in the plan. Chuck is realizing all of this while taking a piss by the way, while Raleigh is making breakfast in the kitchen and what a time to slam into this kind of realization. And he knows damn well that if they were at her apartment, his shit would be all over the place, he's been meaning to grab his jacket from her place for like a month now and she's got vegemite even though she hates it.
Raleigh Becket's his girlfriend and he hasn't the slightest clue when the fuck that happened.
Chuck's still kind of in a daze when he wanders into the kitchen, barely even registers that she's wearing his shirt while making pancakes. When did this happen? Does she know? Did she plan it? Oh, that's sneaky, Becket, that is a really conniving plan and you know what he's going to do about it?
Pretend like he has no idea about it. That's what.]
[Wombats are probably more rare than koalas, Raleigh and you can still see both of them in the fucking zoo, by the way. Or he's pretty sure that you can, he hasn't been back there since before his mum died and that's been over a decade and a half since then. But so long as there's annoying tourists like Raleigh in the world, he can't imagine why that would change at all.
He loves this country, he really does. It's much better than Alaska because the temps are decent and people drive on the correct side of the road and the food is just so much better than any of the shit you find in America. But America doesn't have Herc and that's how Chuck settled there.]
You realize they're an endangered species and you shouldn't be mucking around with their home, right?
He loves this country, he really does. It's much better than Alaska because the temps are decent and people drive on the correct side of the road and the food is just so much better than any of the shit you find in America. But America doesn't have Herc and that's how Chuck settled there.]
You realize they're an endangered species and you shouldn't be mucking around with their home, right?
[Why don't you say what you really feel there, Mako. What does she want from him, an apology? Well tough shit. He's not going to apologize for getting into a Jaeger instead of letting her hold him back. She's got some shit going on with the Marshal, that much is obvious because someone with her scores doesn't get the chance to step into a Jaeger unless the Marshal says no.
Chuck thought they were friends once. But then he realized that friends don't matter if it means that he can't be a Ranger. The only thing that matters is being a Ranger, fuck everything and everyone else. He doesn't need them.
Chuck follows her, not quite letting this go and he can't say why except that he isn't.]
Sorry, did I hear wrong? You're going to test to be Becket's co-pilot?
[He knows she's not one of the candidates. She should be, but she's not and why is that Mako? Did sensei say it wasn't a good idea?]
Chuck thought they were friends once. But then he realized that friends don't matter if it means that he can't be a Ranger. The only thing that matters is being a Ranger, fuck everything and everyone else. He doesn't need them.
Chuck follows her, not quite letting this go and he can't say why except that he isn't.]
Sorry, did I hear wrong? You're going to test to be Becket's co-pilot?
[He knows she's not one of the candidates. She should be, but she's not and why is that Mako? Did sensei say it wasn't a good idea?]
[Once Raleigh's inside the room, Chuck lets go of him, because they're not going to do girly shit like hold hands just because they make out sometimes and now Raleigh's decided that he's coming over tonight.]
I dunno what you mean, I thought it was funny.
I dunno what you mean, I thought it was funny.
[Raleigh would just lie there and watch, the fucking pervert that he is. How Chuck is actually like seven years younger than him is something of a total mystery because he feels like he's the older one here.
He grabs Raleigh's hands, and pushes him back down instead of letting him latch on.]
You want to go sleep outside? Cause you're going to.
He grabs Raleigh's hands, and pushes him back down instead of letting him latch on.]
You want to go sleep outside? Cause you're going to.
[He makes a completely frustrated noise against her shoulder because why. Why do they have to talk about it, who said that they had to talk about anything and this is why he kissed her in the first place, to make her stop talking.
Is it weird? He has no idea. He can't see why it would be weird that he doesn't judge her scars because wouldn't that make him pretty hypocritical? They both have scars from being pilots and that's just how it fucking is, stop trying to make something out of nothing, Becket.]
No. It isn't.
Is it weird? He has no idea. He can't see why it would be weird that he doesn't judge her scars because wouldn't that make him pretty hypocritical? They both have scars from being pilots and that's just how it fucking is, stop trying to make something out of nothing, Becket.]
No. It isn't.
[ Because whenever Raleigh acts his age, Chuck accuses him of pulling the Mature Old Man act with him and pretends to give Raleigh aspirin until he "feels himself" again.
Chuck's feeling bossy tonight. Raleigh just grins up at him and indulgently lets him pin Raleigh down --
-- before flipping them both, pushing Chuck back into the blankets with a hand on his chest. ] But we're just getting comfortable.
Chuck's feeling bossy tonight. Raleigh just grins up at him and indulgently lets him pin Raleigh down --
-- before flipping them both, pushing Chuck back into the blankets with a hand on his chest. ] But we're just getting comfortable.
[ Chuck lets go of him like Raleigh's a hot stove, or something. Raleigh barely suppresses the urge to roll his eyes, unused to being the most mature one in the room. ]
Would've been a hell of a lot funnier if your dad had a longer bathrobe.
[ Stew on that, Hansen. Now that he's inside, Raleigh glances over the room, zeroing on a textbook propped open on the table. ] You done with that?
{ He has plans. ]
Would've been a hell of a lot funnier if your dad had a longer bathrobe.
[ Stew on that, Hansen. Now that he's inside, Raleigh glances over the room, zeroing on a textbook propped open on the table. ] You done with that?
{ He has plans. ]
[ The thing about school is that Raleigh— sees no use for it now, after Yancy having opted out of going down the college road himself. The most he can do after senior year is community college, and even that'll come with a cost Raleigh isn't sure they should pay when his little sister has a better chance at getting into a better, more expensive school after she graduates. Jaz is their responsibility now, him and Yancy's, and their duty to her includes helping her maximize the potential she has that would be wasted staying here.
So Raleigh has a plan, sort of, even if it isn't remotely up to the same standards as guys like Chuck's -- but he's content with what he has now, in the slightly sub-par lives Yancy had managed to carve out for them. He'll keep fixing cars for a living and Yancy'll work full shifts at the diner, maybe branch out for other opportunities after Raleigh secures a better job, and together they'll help Jaz pay off her tuition. Simple.
Chuck is sort of a complication.
Raleigh guesses Chuck's his best friend, but then again, Raleigh doesn't have a lot of people he considers friends, so — maybe he doesn't know what to call him. Boyfriend's off the table for obvious reasons, not least of all because Chuck's already taken and they’ve only made out once the time before this, and fuck buddies don’t make sense, seeing as how they’ve never touched each other below the waist, but nothing about this would’ve been a complication if Raleigh didn’t want to be more so badly.
It's kind of pathetic, if you ask him. So he’s committed to keeping it to stuff like this: drunken make-outs in the backyard of parties he only goes to for a chance at this, sprawled out on the grass, head spinning from the tequila and the kisses both. Their blood-alcohol level must be reaching dangerously exponential levels, and Raleigh tries hard not to think about how hard it’ll be to get them both home tonight.
Raleigh catches Chuck’s wrist, stopping him from pouring Raleigh another shot. ] I think I’ve had enough. [ He's only slurring a little, so Raleigh counts that as a win. ]
So Raleigh has a plan, sort of, even if it isn't remotely up to the same standards as guys like Chuck's -- but he's content with what he has now, in the slightly sub-par lives Yancy had managed to carve out for them. He'll keep fixing cars for a living and Yancy'll work full shifts at the diner, maybe branch out for other opportunities after Raleigh secures a better job, and together they'll help Jaz pay off her tuition. Simple.
Chuck is sort of a complication.
Raleigh guesses Chuck's his best friend, but then again, Raleigh doesn't have a lot of people he considers friends, so — maybe he doesn't know what to call him. Boyfriend's off the table for obvious reasons, not least of all because Chuck's already taken and they’ve only made out once the time before this, and fuck buddies don’t make sense, seeing as how they’ve never touched each other below the waist, but nothing about this would’ve been a complication if Raleigh didn’t want to be more so badly.
It's kind of pathetic, if you ask him. So he’s committed to keeping it to stuff like this: drunken make-outs in the backyard of parties he only goes to for a chance at this, sprawled out on the grass, head spinning from the tequila and the kisses both. Their blood-alcohol level must be reaching dangerously exponential levels, and Raleigh tries hard not to think about how hard it’ll be to get them both home tonight.
Raleigh catches Chuck’s wrist, stopping him from pouring Raleigh another shot. ] I think I’ve had enough. [ He's only slurring a little, so Raleigh counts that as a win. ]
[There's no way that Raleigh is that drunk. No way because Chuck has had at least three more than him and he doesn't feel that drunk, so Raleigh just needs to man up and take more. Or something.
It makes sense in his head but not in like, not dirty ways.
Chuck finishes pouring the shots, one for each of them and just gives him a look.]
Come on, Becket, or are you scared?
It makes sense in his head but not in like, not dirty ways.
Chuck finishes pouring the shots, one for each of them and just gives him a look.]
Come on, Becket, or are you scared?
[ Raleigh, because he's a magnanimous drunk and cruising the highs of a mild, fuzzy feeling buzz, only shakes his head and takes the shot Chuck's offering rather than knock his hand away like he would've if he were sober. ]
No, but I'm the one driving your wasted ass back home tonight. Or did you forget?
No, but I'm the one driving your wasted ass back home tonight. Or did you forget?
[What the hell-- no he did not sign up for this. Sometimes Chuck forgets that Raleigh could and totally did kick his ass, and is still completely capable of that, of throwing him around because he acts like such an idiot all the time but here they are.
And he does not care for this. He's only half kidding when he says:]
Get out.
And he does not care for this. He's only half kidding when he says:]
Get out.
Don't want to. [ Chuck's not moving to throw him off, so Raleigh will take it as acquiescence. He leans over Chuck, forearms braced on either side of his head, dipping in for a fleeting kiss.
Don't kick him and ruin the mood, now. Raleigh's relaxed like this, loose and happy. ] I'm okay here, thanks.
Don't kick him and ruin the mood, now. Raleigh's relaxed like this, loose and happy. ] I'm okay here, thanks.
[ It's one of those things where your day is fucked and you make that hairpin turn a touch too late -- or the road's not as cooperative as you like and one thing leads to another, and your car gets totalled, while you end up with a split lip, bruised ribs, and a possible concussion which necessitates a trip to the ER.
Damn it, she finds herself thinking, when the sirens wail and bloody hell, she's fine, really; she'd just taken a nasty bump to the head and had seen stars (quite literally, she didn't know that's a thing that actually happens) but otherwise can form complete sentences, like not that hospital, please, because Chuck's a surgeon in the place and at this point a good few of the nurses and patient service assistants already know who she is, and she'd like to be spared the humiliation -- and Chuck's bitching -- thank you very much.
But they route around to that hospital anyway, and it's a pain in the ass because there are clearly people who need to be seen to much more urgently than she does; just give her painkillers, a little bit of disinfectant for the bleeding lip and she'll be outta your hair, yeah? But then someone recognises her as Chuck's girl and she's sure someone had pretty much gone to fetch him (of all things).
...Yeah. She's getting out of here, and who's going to stop her? Certainly not this pounding headache. Or the copper taste of blood in her mouth. Ugh. ]
As you were, ladies. [ Raleigh mutters when she starts towards the exit, past the service assistants at the counter. ]
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