Ya'll questioning Reyes' decisions to let certain people on the rig yet?

[wrenches]

[There's a few new faces since the last ground mission came back. An impossing silent giant has been wandering through the rig the past few days. Standing at 6'3" and wearing a tasseled coat that makes it even harder to miss him, Wrench has mostly been minding his own business, getting the layout of the rig down pact. The maps on each floor help, but he's feet on the ground, hands on sort of fella.

Rather look on his own. He's had a thrilling time down in the darker parts of engineering, a place it seems not too many on the rig go to. If he ever needed privacy beyond the room he'd picked, it'd be a good place to go.

But for now he's planted himself in the canteen, with a strong cup of coffee and multiple guns pulled apart on a table as he cleans them. Is he trying to make a show that he's dangerous? Yes. Is it a threat to people here? Also yes. He could do all this in his room, but it's about making a statement. He's not here to hurt anyone, but he will if they give him a reason. When anyone comes into the canteen and he notices them he'll look up, eyes hard, staring, at least for a moment until he's looking back down at what he's doing.]

Comments

[monstermanual]

[ Gerard tends to be too quiet, enough that it unnerves people. It's refreshing to not have to worry about that, and there's something soothing about Watchung someone do their job well. Especially when that job is not 'treat Gerard like a lab rat'. So yeah, he's perfectly content to sit and watch Wrench clean his guns. The question has gerard smiling and shaking his head, replying-

I've never used a gun.

He comes from the land of Proper Gun Control Laws, thank you. And since the world has gone to shit there have been other things more important to focus on. He can check if one is loaded and put the safety on for a lot of them, that's the extent of his firearms knowledge and so far that's worked out. The smile fades at the next answer, though.

Someone died because of me, does that count as killing? ]

[wrenches]

[Welcome to the quiet table. Granted Wrench can be loud if he so pleases, but unless he's got the need he doesn't see the point. Usually just being big is imposing enough. Most of the time if he was making any noise it was in arguments where he was being ignored by a certain someone.

But they weren't around anymore.

His new acquaintance's smile is gone when he tells him someone died because of him, which would lead him to think it was some kind of accident but-

Accidentally stab someone? Put out a hit? Pushed someone and they fell and cracked their skull open?

He seems interested in a way that is a little unsettling. Look he's nosy.]

[monstermanual]

[ Unsettling obsession with creepy subjects (such as death), another club they can both be in. It still gets a quiet laugh and a shake of his head, the questions seeming absurd even if Gerard had intentionally stabbed someone before. As far as he knew it didn't kill them, though.

I was a dumbass kid running into someplace dangerous, he signs, An adult near by went after me to try and keep me safe. I knew the danger better than he did. I got out, he didn't.

Poor guy. It would have been one thing if he'd died very literally protecting Gerard, but he'd never caught up with him. Gerard only found out later that he'd not made it out. But that was Medivance for you - they were making monsters long before everyone knew about it. ]

[wrenches]

[Death was and is his bread and butter, it's what he's known for too long.

Gerard may feel bad for the guy who died, but Wrench thinks he's an idiot. Sounds like he got himself killed, not the kid. He rolls his eyes, making a face as he signs back.

Should have minded his business.

And Wrench adds a beat later to clarify:

Doesn't count. You didn't kill him. Gotta do the deed.]

[monstermanual]

[ It doesn't quite take the guilt away - but it does make him feel a little better knowing at least one person thinks that doesn't count as his own responsibility. Sure the man made his own choice, and if Gerard had been in his shoes that's what he would argue. But he also wouldn't have even been there if he hadn't been following Gerard.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Have you killed someone?

It's an obvious question, but maybe all the guns are because he's some blue ribbon trick shot at county fairs. It's not impossible. They do that kind of crap in this country. ]

[wrenches]

[It's a very obvious question, one that has Gerard leveled with a hard look that says "what do you think?". Wrench doesn't bother signing, his hands are busy again with the gun in front of him.]

[monstermanual]

[ Gerard gives that look right on back.

People did contest shooting in this country, I heard. Or just collected guns for fun because it made them feel like big men. ]

[wrenches]

[Wrench sits upright, shoulders drawn back, making a point of the fact he's already a very big man. 6′ 3″ with broad shoulders, he doesn't need to feel like a big man.

... but the way the other man words that has his brows knitting. Look he knows not everyone is from the same place here, but he figured he was American because of you know. He's using ASL.

Don't need a gun to be a big man. Knife works just fine.

Does he have a knife? Yes. Can Gerard see it? No. Maybe. Not right now.

Guns were for work. Now they're for putting down rabid dogs.

Zombies or anyone who tries to pull one over on him. Things are bad, when things get bad, even good people will do anything. He's seen it all, that was before the zombies happened too.]

[monstermanual]

[ A big man indeed. Though the flash of emotion on Gerard's face as he regards that is not fear, but interest. He quickly shoves that down, though.

You aren't a cop.

It's not exactly asking if he was a professional killer, but... ]

[wrenches]

[Wrench's mouth quirks into a smirk.

Could have been private security.

And he's not asking if he was a professional killer, but...]

[monstermanual]

[ Gerard raises an eyebrow.

Were you? ]

[wrenches]

[Something like that.

If someone's private security was sent around to take care of business and a lot of the time that business was killing people. Sure.

What's your name? Nosy?

Wrench is teasing, his movements always very expressive when he signs. Helped by the tassels of his jacket of course.]

[monstermanual]

[ Maybe it is.

Gerard signs with a small grin.

Gerard. You?

He spells out the name a moment after. ]

[wrenches]

[He'd think Gerard is weird for chatting up a man with multiple guns who has all but admitted being a killer for hire, but considering his life it's not that odd. Though it's not what he expected of the people on here, guess he was wrong.

Wrench.

He finger spells it first, then does the sign for the actual tool.

No it's not my real name. No I'm not telling you it.

Signed with a deadpan look. Though maybe there's something that Gerard may pick up, something the Knowing might pluck from Wrench as while he doesn't give his name, he does think it. Wes. He used to be called that many years ago. The only person who did for a long time was gone. Wrench is just who he is now. He's been a tool, a weapon, for most of his life at this point.]

[monstermanual]

[ It probably wouldn't have normally been caught - but Gerard needs to focus pretty intently on Wrench to understand him, so even as he signs out 'Wrench' Gerard gets the ring of ... not a lie, but not the truth. It's what people call him, it's what he goes by in a professional setting, but there's still the echo of a man with dark hair and deep-set eyes, signing out 'Wes'.

Gerard is nosy - he has a need to know that feels like a compulsion sometimes. Like it's the only thing keeping him alive, the drive to find out the truth of something. And yet there's some secrets he feels guilty about discovering. What matters that Wrench hides his 'real' name? What difference does it make to anyone except him? He should be allowed to keep that secret -- but Gerard knows. He'll do his best to forget. So he gives a shrug instead.

You don't know that I was telling the truth about my name either. ]

[wrenches]

[Just don't ever slip up and call him that and he won't have to snap your neck. It's fine.

Wrench shakes his head with a little quirk to his lips.

You look like a Gerard.

What does a Gerard look like? Shrug.]

[monstermanual]

[ Signing a name takes longer than speaking it - hopefully that will keep it safe.

Or they'll burn that bridge when they get to it. Either way, Wrench's comment gets a sudden, surprised laugh. Laughs always sound a litte odd, a little awkward. Like Gerard's smiles, it's like he hasn't had enough time to practice them to feel quite natural.

My mother would be thrilled.]

[wrenches]

[Honestly the biggest deal will be how Gerard found out what his real name was. He probably wouldn't actually kill him over it, but it would sure be something to explain how he did it and if Wrench believed him. That's for another time though.

And lucky for Gerard he can't hear the laugh, but he can see it. Maybe it looks a bit odd on Gerard, some would say the same of Wrench. Full on laughing isn't something he's probably done in a looooooong time. Believe it or not he's always been the weird quiet kid, wonder why that could be. And he's got a resting bitch face. Great for work.

Bad or good thing?

Wrench's face scrunches up as he thinks, then his brows lift as he signs again.

Could be Gerry. Or Gerd.

A pause.

Ger.

And he's clearly teasing again.

G Man.]

[monstermanual]

[ He already feels guilty hiding what he can do as long as he has. Now that he's proven Useful, he intends to tell their de facto leader. He just ... Hasn't gotten around to it yet. Given how deep he has to focus on Wrench, he should probably tell him, too.

Rather than answer with signing, he makes a clear grimace at 'good thing or bad thing' as a question, the expression deep enough to make obvious that the answer to that is a firm 'no'.

The litany of nicknames - it gets another awkward somewhat bashful smile, makes Gerard's heart ache a little bit. Friends gave nicknames. He never had friends.

Always wanted to have friends that called me 'Gerry'.

It's easy enough to confess. The knowledge he never had any is an old wound that's mostly faded into the background pain of his life. ]

[wrenches]

[Honestly smart on Gerard's part to keep stuff like that to himself. It could be used against him. The wrong person would try to use him for their own agenda. Especially in this new world order or whatever.

Oh god this is getting too mushy, Wrench makes a face, shrugs.

Bullies give nicknames too.

Thanks, Wrench. No doubt he knows this.]

[monstermanual]

[ Gerard gives a little shrug. He knows this academically, but he never had bullies, really. No peers his own age at all, for better or for worse.

Probably better I was alone, I'd have just been happy to be included.

You know, easy target. But he was also kind of a spooky kid, which is it's own defense in some ways. ]

[wrenches]

[Even being tall for his age, when he was a kid it didn't stop bullies from zeroing in on him. Of course not, it was the 60s-70s when he was a kid and anyone different was a target.

He went to public school and they had a helper there, but that just made the target on his back bigger. He'd only had one friend, someone who learned to talk to him. That same friend had been his only friend his whole life... until he wasn't anymore. Then by fate he made another and they were taken too.

She had learned to talk to him as well. Wrench thinks if he would have been happier if he'd had more friends as a child, honestly he doesn't know.

Any attention isn't good attention. Not like PR.

Wrench takes the gun he'd been cleaning, practiced fingers putting it all back together with ease. He'll check it to make sure it's good, looking down the sight of the handgun.]

[monstermanual]

[ Gerard tries so hard to not look, not at the faces, the thoughts that cross as clear as the path of Wrench's hands. He should see if there's any books about ASL on the rig, make a pointed effort to find some next time they go on land.

He watches them. Watches the smooth movements of Wrench putting the gun back together, just as easy as a first language. It's mesmerizing.

Do you have any hobbies that don't involve weapons?

Gerard waits until Wrench has checked the sights are up to his standards before he asks, to not interrupt. ]

[wrenches]

[He's been handling guns for a long time, most of his life at this point. The movements just come natural, just like signing is for him.

Are you always this nosy, Gerry?

Hobbies... eh, hobbies was a strong word. He liked things of course, but it's been a while since he's been able to not be concerned with getting caught or killed. Not that he plans on letting his guard down here either.]

[monstermanual]

[ Yes.

Gerard's answer is easy. Even so,

I can fuck off if you want.

He was almost done with his coffee. Might be time for the one cigarette a day he allowed himself. ]