Tarzana, California - Thursday Night [1996]
Ellie was having second thoughts. She'd been feeling that way ever since she decided going to camp across country for the whole summer was a good idea. It shouldn't be a surprise that she was still feeling this way the night before she was leaving.
Mostly, she didn't want to leave her little brother.
Chuck
Said little brother was slouched on the bed behind his Gameboy. Busy kicking Wario's virtual ass. What else? He could spend time with his sister while she did some last minute packing and be a prime dork, both at the same time.
"You know, I can all but feel you looking at me," he said mildly, without even looking up.
He was almost at a checkpoint, it was amazing she had any of his attention.
Ellie
"No I'm not." Yes she was. "I've been packing. See?"
She tossed a random pair of socks into her suitcase. "I'm just...are you sure you're gonna be okay while I'm gone. I mean, I can stick around. It's no big deal."
What she really wanted to say was, she could stick around to make sure he was properly fed and not eating junk food all the time, make sure he didn't sit around all day playing video games and being anti-social, and make sure Morgan wasn't a bad influence. But she figured that might not go over well.
Chuck
"Ellie, I will be fine," Chuck maintained, pausing his game momentarily. "You know I will. You'll be back in a few weeks, just make sure you call once in a while."
"Besides, Morgan can keep me company while you're not here."
Because that was a comforting thought for her!
Ellie
That was slightly (very very slightly) more comforting to her than one would think. "Good. As long as you have some place to stay...you know, if Dad flakes out again."
It's been known to happen.
Chuck
"How about he stays here?" Chuck asked, he couldn't argue that, it might well happen. "His mom has this new boyfriend and--" he pulled out an overdramatic shudder that might explain. "It's not pretty."
Ellie
"Oh ew," Ellie said, shuddering as well. She sighed. "Yeah, I guess Morgan staying here works sometimes. Just keep him out of my room."
Chuck
"I will," Chuck agreed, nodding. "I did not think he'd try and steal your clothes the last time, I swear."
Ellie
Ellie groaned, remembering the last time. "Just make sure he doesn't this time."
Then her tone softened. "It'll be weird being away from home."
She and Chuck pretty much always relied on each other and now she was leaving.
Chuck
"It'll be weird you being away from home," he admitted, quirking a little smile at her. "Who's going to bug me to eat right?"
Ellie
"Or to get out and be more social," Ellie added, though she was smiling as well.
Chuck
"I am perfectly social!" he tried to claim, knowing full well it was futile. "... With Morgan." Right.
"We're even going to a D&D meet next week. Could've come along. You're missing out going away," he added, grinning a little. So not her thing, and he knew it.
Ellie
"I guess I should be glad you at least will get out of the house," Ellie told him. She smiled, but it was a sad one. "I'm gonna miss you, little brother."
Chuck
Chuck returned her smile, and nodded slightly. "Going to miss you too. You better call like you promised."
Ellie
"Definitely, and I promise not call too much," Ellie told him. "I don't want to be too much of a nag."
Chuck
"You won't be, sis," Chuck assured her, small smile spreading on his face. "It'll just be more like you never left. I think I'll be okay with that."
"More than okay."
Ellie
Ellie suddenly felt emotional just then. But she somehow knew it was okay to leave now.
"Aces, Charles," she said in her most proud big sister tone. "You're aces."
Chuck
Chuck grinned over at her at that. "A dad quote," he said. "I'm impressed." A bit flaky he may be, but certain little phrases stuck around, even if he didn't always.
Ellie
"Someone had to say it." Ellie walked over and gave her little brother a hug. "You better take care of yourself."
Chuck
"I will, Ellie," he said, smiling over her shoulder as he hugged her back.
"You know I will. I just need to think of the trouble I'll be in with you if I don't," he joked, trying to keep things light for her.
Ellie
Ellie appreciated that. Though she was going to miss him, she knew, at least, he would be okay. She'd be checking up on him often to make sure that continued.
[Preplayed with flashesforinfo, who is made of awesome for helping me out with this! NFB due to not being on the island, yet. OOC welcome!]
Mostly, she didn't want to leave her little brother.
Chuck
Said little brother was slouched on the bed behind his Gameboy. Busy kicking Wario's virtual ass. What else? He could spend time with his sister while she did some last minute packing and be a prime dork, both at the same time.
"You know, I can all but feel you looking at me," he said mildly, without even looking up.
He was almost at a checkpoint, it was amazing she had any of his attention.
Ellie
"No I'm not." Yes she was. "I've been packing. See?"
She tossed a random pair of socks into her suitcase. "I'm just...are you sure you're gonna be okay while I'm gone. I mean, I can stick around. It's no big deal."
What she really wanted to say was, she could stick around to make sure he was properly fed and not eating junk food all the time, make sure he didn't sit around all day playing video games and being anti-social, and make sure Morgan wasn't a bad influence. But she figured that might not go over well.
Chuck
"Ellie, I will be fine," Chuck maintained, pausing his game momentarily. "You know I will. You'll be back in a few weeks, just make sure you call once in a while."
"Besides, Morgan can keep me company while you're not here."
Because that was a comforting thought for her!
Ellie
That was slightly (very very slightly) more comforting to her than one would think. "Good. As long as you have some place to stay...you know, if Dad flakes out again."
It's been known to happen.
Chuck
"How about he stays here?" Chuck asked, he couldn't argue that, it might well happen. "His mom has this new boyfriend and--" he pulled out an overdramatic shudder that might explain. "It's not pretty."
Ellie
"Oh ew," Ellie said, shuddering as well. She sighed. "Yeah, I guess Morgan staying here works sometimes. Just keep him out of my room."
Chuck
"I will," Chuck agreed, nodding. "I did not think he'd try and steal your clothes the last time, I swear."
Ellie
Ellie groaned, remembering the last time. "Just make sure he doesn't this time."
Then her tone softened. "It'll be weird being away from home."
She and Chuck pretty much always relied on each other and now she was leaving.
Chuck
"It'll be weird you being away from home," he admitted, quirking a little smile at her. "Who's going to bug me to eat right?"
Ellie
"Or to get out and be more social," Ellie added, though she was smiling as well.
Chuck
"I am perfectly social!" he tried to claim, knowing full well it was futile. "... With Morgan." Right.
"We're even going to a D&D meet next week. Could've come along. You're missing out going away," he added, grinning a little. So not her thing, and he knew it.
Ellie
"I guess I should be glad you at least will get out of the house," Ellie told him. She smiled, but it was a sad one. "I'm gonna miss you, little brother."
Chuck
Chuck returned her smile, and nodded slightly. "Going to miss you too. You better call like you promised."
Ellie
"Definitely, and I promise not call too much," Ellie told him. "I don't want to be too much of a nag."
Chuck
"You won't be, sis," Chuck assured her, small smile spreading on his face. "It'll just be more like you never left. I think I'll be okay with that."
"More than okay."
Ellie
Ellie suddenly felt emotional just then. But she somehow knew it was okay to leave now.
"Aces, Charles," she said in her most proud big sister tone. "You're aces."
Chuck
Chuck grinned over at her at that. "A dad quote," he said. "I'm impressed." A bit flaky he may be, but certain little phrases stuck around, even if he didn't always.
Ellie
"Someone had to say it." Ellie walked over and gave her little brother a hug. "You better take care of yourself."
Chuck
"I will, Ellie," he said, smiling over her shoulder as he hugged her back.
"You know I will. I just need to think of the trouble I'll be in with you if I don't," he joked, trying to keep things light for her.
Ellie
Ellie appreciated that. Though she was going to miss him, she knew, at least, he would be okay. She'd be checking up on him often to make sure that continued.
[Preplayed with flashesforinfo, who is made of awesome for helping me out with this! NFB due to not being on the island, yet. OOC welcome!]