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[preseance]

@eugene.hicks | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[preseance]

Music to my ears, brother.

But why don't we do deer instead?

[bloodbathing]

Sure. Never had deer.

[preseance]

Well, you're in for a real treat.

I'm getting back into New Amsterdam tonight proper, we could do something then?

（ he's been back and forth now a few times, but given that new tokyo seems to be more-or-less doin' all right now with most of its folk back, he doesn't feel badly about leavin' them in any sort of lurch. ）

[bloodbathing]

Tonight's good. [ Then, ] What drink tastes good with deer?

[ If they're going to treat themselves, might as well do it right. ]

[preseance]

Reckon a decent top-shelf whiskey would do the trick.

（ they can celebrate bein' outta the aerie. bein' alive. any number of other things. ）

[bloodbathing]

I'll get it.

[ Fuck knows they both need a good drink. Besides, it's not like Maine spends much money on anything that isn't gym-related.

He could leave it there. Instead, ]

Seen Larry?

[ This counts as Extremely Subtle in his book. ]

[preseance]

（ that saves him havin' to be gentle with that particular topic — he wasn't rightly certain if they even knew each other outta the aerie, so maine bringin' him up eases his tension some. ）

Briefly. He came to New Tokyo with me, though we were so damn busy there I reckon we didn't get much chance to talk one-on-one.

If it ain't a trouble to you, I'd be glad to invite him. Got plenty to go around.</font.

[bloodbathing]

Sure. Always like seeing him.

[ Even if it has the potential to be awkward this time. As far as Maine is concerned, it can't be more awkward than his reunion with his teammates. ]

[preseance]

（ he cares for larry — and it ain't just the aerie. he's a sweet man, an' he deserves better than the hand he's been dealt. if he can steal a little happiness between the two of 'em, he oughta. ）

All right, I'll ask him just the same.

I may have to raincheck tonight — looks like I'll be at the hospital a spell. Let's try for Saturday? I imagine the whiskey'll keep.

[bloodbathing]

Saturday's good. Working, right? Not patient?

[ At the hospital, he means. The answer might be an obvious one. But given the shitstorm going on, he figures it's worth making sure. ]

[preseance]

（ lord, that's so sweet he swears his heart skips a beat. gene ain't used to havin' folks get concerned on his behalf, seein' as how that's generally his job in just about every role he's ever played the whole'a his life. he ducks his head some, an' then: ）

Working. Ain't no harm to speak of come to me.

（ well, not outside the aerie, anyhow. bein' trapped by debris after a bomb went off an' succumbin' to a crush injury after watchin' ellie die is still somethin' he's workin' to unpack, but he can set that aside. compartmentalization is a necessary skill for a soldier if they wanna come out sane on the other side of war. ）

[bloodbathing]

[ That's more of a relief than Maine expects. Maybe it's because of everything that happened in the Aerie. Maybe it's because he knows what happened to everyone who returned earlier than he did; maybe that knowledge makes the thought of Gene stuck in a hospital far worse. Or maybe he just has trouble picturing Gene as a patient rather than tending to one. Whatever the case, it's not something Maine can easily put into words. ]

Good. :)

[ He tried. ]

Need something, contact me.

[ Seems like the least he can do. ]

[preseance]

（ fuckin' precious. ）

I will, rest assured.

Don't think it'd be remiss of you if you felt like checking up on Larry in the interim, neither.

（ nudge, nudge. ）

[bloodbathing]

Will do.

[ And so he does. ]

[preseance]

Let me know how it goes, yeah?

[bloodbathing]

Roger.

[ A few minutes later: ]

Seems better after dinner invite. Said yes.

[ It's only then that he belatedly remembers Gene said he'd do the inviting. ]

Jumped on that. Sorry.