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

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

[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.]

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[ Maybe it is.

Gerard signs with a small grin.

Gerard. You?

He spells out the name a moment after. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.]

Edited 2025-03-26 08:07 (UTC)

[ 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.]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[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.]

[ 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. ]

[Good thing you're not a cat.

Cause curiosity killed it and all that. At the offer to fuck off he should tell him too, part of him wants to... but maybe it wouldn't hurt to keep him around a little longer. Holding the handgun out to Gerard he'll finger spell with his other hand.

Take it.]

[ Gerard mouths out a 'meow' in any case, downing the last of his coffee and getting ready to go. So the holding the gun out takes him by surprise- he makes no move to touch it until Wrench tells him to take it, and even then it's with an abundance of caution.

He might not know how to use one, but he knows how to not be reckless with one. Finger nowhere near the trigger, looking at Wrench curiously for what he's expected to do next. ]

[Wrench snorts quiet at that 'meow'. Cheeky shit.

While Gerard holds the gun like it might bite him, he does have good trigger discipline. It's something.

Relax. Magazine is empty.

He nods at him.

Show me how you'd aim it at someone.]

[ He was pretty sure Wrench wasn't handing him a loaded gun, but even the Knowing could tell something that was a Truth that he interpreted wrong. Didn't want to take a chance on this. So he doesn't quite relax - doesn't keep as tense either - pointing the gun to a blank wall that borders the ocean, using one of the windows as his 'target' to aim at.

He resists the urge to just 'read' off of Wrench the right way to do it. He can't learn if that's how he does it.

And it's... not as bad as it could be. He's clearly seen other people do it and is trying to replicate that instead of an actor in a movie, but. It's also obvious he hasn't done it himself. ]

[If Gerry wanted he could check to see if he was lying, but that's neither here nor there. Wrench moves to come stand to the side of him, facing him, one hand on his arm to try and get him to ease his posture a bit. Again with his one hand he finger spells.

Too tense.

Both hands guide him into a more relaxed and natural posture, though it's not too fair off from what Gerard had started with.

If it was bigger gun, shotgun or assault rifle, the recoil would mess you up. Better to get used to proper posture before that.

Learn good habits first. He may only be holding a handgun, but it still mattered.]

Edited 2025-04-10 14:19 (UTC)

[ There's a brief moment where the tension doesn't really go away - Gerard isn't used to being touched. Not in a way that doesn't involve pain. He knows that's irrational but he can't stop it... but pain doesn't come, and instead it's ... kind of nice, being touched.

He feels his skin heating up, and Jesus that's one way to look like an absolute freak isn't it? He's suddenly relieved that Wrench is deaf because it means even if Gerard blurts out something dumb there's a decent chance Wrench won't understand. Lip reading is harder than movies make it look.

Natural posture, though. He can follow direction. A fast learner, something Gerard has always had working for him. A point of pride. He adjusts with Wrench's direction, shifting his weight, more relaxed, and looks up to him again for approval, expression earnest. ]

[You'd think at his age he'd have practiced lip reading more, but for much of his life he'd had someone there to be his go between. He can lip read, but he really has to focus, the person has to be looking at him, talk normal. It was a chore.

Lucky for Gerry, Wrench can't tell he's having this self discovery about touch going on, at least not at the moment. He nods as he takes his advice.

Good. Good trigger discipline too. Smart.

He's not above a compliment, especially since Gerry wasn't wasting his time fucking about. He seemed to be taking this seriously.

Does it feel good?

The gun. In his hand that is. The posture. All of it.]

[ Lip reading isn't the easy party trick that movies make it out to be, anyway. It's mentally exhausting. He wishes he had learned more sign now, but even what he does know without tapping in to the knowledge of what Wrench knows is BSL anyway.

He does have to focus on Wrench to understand him, though. Focus on him a lot. Well, he likes being told he's done good. Everyone does, don't they? He feels a little heat high on his cheeks.

Yes, he signs, one-handed, but it's more Wrench's help that makes the difference beyond just teaching Gerard to not be helpless. Still. Thank you. ]

[If they had some place they could target practice it'd be even better... hm. Maybe he'd have to set something up on the helipad. Later perhaps. Give the doctors a bit of a heart attack hearing all that racket. Could be fun.

Wrench notes that bit of color to Gerry's cheeks. Some people get a little excited holding something with power like a gun, maybe that's what it is. He'd rather teach someone to respect guns then to let them run around like an idiot. He'll snort softly at the thank you, signing.

Thank me when you can hit a target in center mass.

Then he'll motion at the other guns laid out.

Pick one.

No he's not giving you one of his guns, but he will let Gerry hold another one. Aka properly show him how to hold the damn thing so he doesn't become a danger to himself when trying to use it.]

[ Oh yeah, that's def it. Super the gun and not the big handsome man helping him out. Jesus. He looks dubious at the 'hit a target at center mass' thing. Do they have enough bullets to waste on that potential training? ~~He sincerely doesn't know, not a gun person.~~

He carefully sets down the gun he was holding first, looking at the others with careful consideration. He doesn't know anything about any of them so it isn't like he can make an informed decision -- not without cheating. Which he doesn't want to do, not if he can avoid it. So he picks the one that looks the most different from the one he was just holding. Something new to learn. Maybe. He still points to it first and looks to Wrench before picking it up, waiting for permission. ]

[Let's just say it's not the first thing that sprints to the front of his mind when he sees someone flushed like that. He'd figure embarrassment over anything.

As for if they had the ammo for a shooting range, ehh, not really. He had enough to be a problem if he wanted to be, that's what mattered. He'd have to figure out a set up at some point for reloading ammo and making their own. Of course he'd collected what he could find out there, but at some point there wouldn't be more to find and that wasn't reliable anyway. That's neither here nor there at the moment.

Gerry points at a gun and Wrench plucks the AR-15 up with an easy familiarity. He'll remove the magazine to show Gerry it's not loaded, even making sure to show there's no bullets chambered. The safety is still on regardless as Wrench hands it to him. The gun is much bigger than the handgun, more awkward for someone who has no idea how to handle guns.

Let's see it.

Wrench waves at him. Show him how you'd properly hold it.]

[ This was unfortunately the kind of gun Gerard had entirely only seen in movies. He still watches keenly as Wrench picks it up and demonstrates to Gerard that it is completely safe, fully unloaded. Which Gerard also memorizes as a way to check himself if he needs to, in the future. Hopefully not, but. Worse things have happened.

He takes it awkwardly, and yeah, that's def just copying what's in the action movies. He gives Wrench a wry look as if to say he knows it's not right even if he doesn't know what right would be.

Look like Rambo? he signs, awkwardly given he has to use one hand for it. ]

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wrenches - 2025-06-11 08:03 (UTC) - Expand

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