mbv, NEST HQ, Settling Domestic Affairs
Denver: *returning from another check-up, this time with Dr. Anderson. Is still limping slightly, though only after being on her feet for most of today, discussing things with Colonel Franklin, and making phonecalls*
Raoul: *looks up from where he's sitting at the table with a big plate of cafeteria food. Gives her a Look*
Denver: *gives Raoul a Look of her own which softens after a few moments*
Raoul: *finishes his mouthful of mashed potato* You're gonna mess up your feet, lady.
Denver: Dr. Anderson 'n Dr. Ruteger don' think so... jes' 's long 's Ah keep 'em clean 'n bandaged properly... *moving to go change clothes, and yes, put on the husky slippers*
Raoul: *scowly scowl, gives his Salisbury steak a stab*
Tracks: *is in the other room with his back to the door as he examines his spark compartment to see how it's healing*
Denver: *ducks into the bathroom with her nightclothes, a pair of thick socks, and the husky slippers* *emerges a few minutes later, carefully tucking her dogtags and cross into one of the pockets of her overshirt*
Tracks: *has gone back into the other room and is eating what looks like a chunk of softly glowing plaster*
Raoul: *telling him that's sick man!*
Denver: *blink blink* Wh't's th't, Tracks?
Tracks: Melissa says it's energon loaf. *looks like he's enjoying it much*
Denver: *raised brow as she moves to sit on the end of the bed*
Raoul: It's some kinda alien dirt mixed with energon 'n dried out. *making cooked mixed veggies vanish*
Denver: ... *makes a face, works on unwrapping one of the sandwiches she nabbed from the cafeteria*
Tracks: Don't be crude, Raoul. I'm afraid your fuel sources will never appeal to me the way that things like this do.
Raoul: *whatever, man. EAT*
Denver: *Nomma sandwich*
Tracks: Raoul, I see your fingers creeping toward your dessert.
Raoul: >_> *hand away from the Laura Secord packaged chocolate cake*
Denver: *Soft snerk, will finish her tuna sandwich now*
Tracks: *finishes his supper and sighs with satisfaction over it* I never thought I'd find myself liking calcien. Melissa has quite a touch with fuel.
Denver: *has opened her little package of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, is working on making one vanish now* *Chuckles around her cookie*
Raoul: *finished his supper, and has noticed the cookies* Hey, what's that, Major Mac?
Denver: *offers Raoul one of the little squares of shortbread cookie* Lorna Doones... Mah favorite kahnda cookie... Ain't nothin' fancy 'bout 'em... *grin*
Raoul: *cautious taste, though the boy will eat anything*
cookie: *is buttery tasting, but not overpoweringly so, is also crumbly the way a good shortbread should be*
Raoul: *blinking* I never had nothin' like this before. *blink more as he ponders the flavor*
Denver: Ain't quahte 's good 's th' stuff Ah make 'round Christmas... *small shrug, grin*
Tracks: Raoul's idea of 'cookie' is those black things with the white centers.
Denver: *laughs* Oreos... Ah 'aven't 'ad those f'r awhahl...
Raoul: Nah, not Oreos. We just get the cheap ones.
Denver: Ah... Gotcha... *chuckles, stretching out a bit*
Tracks: *looks at the clock* I suppose we should start thinking of getting ready for bed. *totally waited to give Raoul his supper till he knew Denver was coming back, because families eat together*
Denver: *Small nod, moves to get up off of the bed. She sees what you did there, Tracks.*
Raoul: Wait, no. Guys, I got another movie I wanna see. It's that "The Fast and The Furious" thing. Lt. Wesson's loanin' me the disk.
Denver: *Raised brow, small chuckle* Alrahght... *Yes, she knows what Raoul's trying to do... And hey, the movie's actually one she likes*
Tracks: Are you actually going to watch this one? Maybe we should wait till tomorrow, and you can see it instead of going and destroying the gym with Greg.
Raoul: *eyes wide* What? You don't watch movies during the day.
Denver: *SNERK*
Tracks: Says who?
Raoul: *rolls eyes eyes* Ever'body knows that, man. *gathering up the dishes after making his cake vanish*
Denver: *amused, moving to sit in her usual 'Watch movies' spot*
Tracks: Well I obviously didn't.
Raoul: *takes the plates out. They can hear him jogging toward the cafeteria*
Tracks: He's doing it again, and the movie hasn't even started this time.
Denver: Y'u noticed it too? *still amused*
Tracks: I've read too many movie scripts not to recognize the scene he's trying to set up.
Denver: *Snerk*
Tracks: Though how he could possibly imagine that we'd wind up making out in the manner described in those scripts is beyond me. *shakes head*
Denver: *also shakes her head* Th't ain't wh't happens 'n real lahf...
Tracks: I should think not. *settles onto the couch and examines the laptop and the pile of disks beside it*
Denver: 'Fast and the Furious'... th't's a good serehs... *nods*
Tracks: Is it? What's the basic premise?
Denver: *gets comfortable and begins telling Tracks about the trilogy, and about some of the cars that were used for the films, including the Fairlady Z*
Tracks: *sniffs a bit* I suppose some of those are handsome enough vehicles.
Denver: *chuckles* Th' way th'y were driven was insane... 'n Ah pray th't the mechanics were good...
Tracks: The ones I've known on set were some of the best. Not that Raoul would ever let any of them touch me.
Denver: *chuckles and tries to get comfortable* Sh'ld we start th' movie 'r wait f'r Raoul t' get back?
Tracks: Oh let's start it. He has no intention of watching it anyway.
Denver: *laughs and gets the DVD going*
Raoul: *comes in and sees them, then putters around a bit before seeming to get distracted by the game on his hand-held system. Wanders into the other room and shuts the door*
Tracks: *meaningful look to Denver*
Denver: *Shaking with silent laughter. Yes, she knows exactly what Raoul's up to... She finds it endearing*
Tracks: I've tried my best to install some culture into the boy, but.... *sad headshake, though the affection is as clear in his optics as the exasperation*
Denver: Well, 'f y'u two evah get t' meet Beau... Th't mahght 'elp some... *chuckles* Le's jes' watch th' movie...
Tracks: Alright. *attracted to the theme song* Wait... I recognize this music.
Denver: *blink* Realleh? *curious*
Tracks: Yes... I stood in for a Dodge Charger R/T that died during the course of the story.
Denver: *sympathy wince* Th't was a gorgeous car...
Tracks: If you like that muscle car look. *sniff* It's still alive, anyway.
Denver: 'N so're you...
Tracks: CGI, darling.
Denver: *chuckles, nodding. A few minutes later, she's wincing slightly and trying to ignore the fact that her feet are aching*
Tracks: Though I did take some rather frightful tumbles in the course of shooting that movie. *looks at her inquisitively as he catches a wince from the corner of his optic*
Denver: *knows now that it's no use trying to hide her discomfort from Tracks* Jes' mah feet botherin' me a bit...
Tracks: *concerned* You really should have rested them more.
Denver: Ah checked 'em earlier... They ain't bleedin'... They jes' hurt lahk th' dickens...
Tracks: *frowns, looking down at her feet instead of watching the movie* Well, you're taking it easy tomorrow. I absolutely forbid you to run around like you did today.
Denver: *looks like she's about to challenge that, decides against it* Gotta let th' Colonel know th'n...
Tracks: Didn't he tell you to babysit us anyway? *straightens up and frowns at her*
Denver: 'E w's gonna look int' somethin' f'r me...
Tracks: Well I'm sure you can use the phone.
Denver: *a bit sheepish all of a sudden* Er... Y'u see...
Tracks: *lifts one browplate quizzically as he continues to frown at her*
Denver: *doing something she hasn't done in years: is trying to shrink down on herself* *Quietly* Ah asked th' Colonel f'r 'is 'elp regardin' adoption laws 'n th' adoption process...
Tracks: *blinks and feels a bit of a sinking feeling* You're adopting a child?
Denver: Ah'm... Hopin' th't Ah c'n give Raoul a permanent home...
Tracks: *stares at her with surprise* You don't need to adopt him to do that.
Denver: *still feeling a bit nervous* Ah... Jes' wanna make sure th't th' courts don' get th'r knickers inna twist...
Tracks: In a twist about what? *has forgotten about the movie*
Denver: ... Ah dunno, t' be perfectly honest... Ah jes' lahk knowin' all th' bases're covered... 's bettah t' 'ave somethin' 'n not need 't th'n t' need somethin' 'n not 'ave it...
Tracks: *does his slight frown as he thinks, then quietly* Would you be offended if I called you my girlfriend?
Denver: *now it's her turn to be surprised. After a few moments of silence, she shakes her head, smiling a bit*
Tracks: *also smiles just slightly, but then he's serious again* Because if I tell Mr. Rogers that you are, and that you'd like to share custody of Raoul.... And Colonel Franklin could let him know that you're in one of the less dangerous postings....
Denver: 'N wit' mah service record... *yes, the one that means that technically, she should be much higher up the promotion ladder than she is*
Tracks: Plus, you own your own home.
Denver: *nods* 'N 's even inna safe neighborhood...
Tracks: *nods* And your income is much more steady than mine. I don't see why this wouldn't work.
Denver: *nods, shifts postions slightly so she's not sitting on her feet*
Tracks: Now I just have to remember where I left my disguise.
Denver: Disguise?
Tracks: Well, of course, darling. Mr. Rogers is going to insist on meeting us in person and talking this over. I can't possibly go to his office like this, even with the lovely legal citizenship papers that Colonel Franklin's gotten me.
Denver: *small nod, doesn't miss the subtle stress of the word "legal", will discuss that matter another time*
Tracks: *gets to his feet and goes to the connecting door* Raoul, do you know where we left my human clothes?
Raoul: *long silence, and then hysterical laughter*
Tracks: Yes, I know how amusing you find them. But I'm going to need them shortly.
Denver: *Raised brow* D' Ah wanna know?
Tracks: *looks over his shoulder* Hmmm?
Denver: 'Ow bad're th' clothes t' get th't kinna reaction outta Raoul?
Raoul: *laughter redoubles*
Tracks: *looks back into the room and sees how the boy's waving, then goes and looks under one of the beds in the room where Denver is. Pulls out a suitcase, opens it, and pulls out a large, worn olive drab sweater* Well, they're certainly not the latest style. But they do the job.
Denver: ... *snerrrrk* Oh, honneh... *getting up, will go and retrieve something from her own belongings shortly*
Tracks: *gives her a quizzical look, then lays the sweater on the bed and pulls out a faded red watch cap*
Denver: *doing her best not to limp as she retrieves a dark grey sweater that's in noticeably better condition* 'Un'a th' guys got me th's 's a joke years 'go... Ah ain't 'ad th' 'eart t' git ridd'a it... Was gonna give it t' Beau... *hobbling back over to the bed, sweater in hand... Yes, it's made for a male figure*
Tracks: *absently settles the cap on his head and reaches for Denver's sweater* I suppose this is nicer. And a man with a girlfriend would probably wear newer clothes.
Denver: ... *eyeing the tweed pants that are in the suitcase still*
Tracks: *doesn't notice, is busy taking the grey sweater and trying it on. He's rather awkward at the latter, even with his wings folded down.*
Denver: ... Tracks? Y'u ain't sereousleh considerin' wearin' those pants, 're ya?
Tracks: *pauses halfway into the sweater* ...I have before.
Devner: ... *pictures how the pants and sweater will look* .... *Aaand now there's a Marine laughing her butt off*
Tracks: *finishes slipping his arms into the sweater and pulls it over his head* *looks at Denver* .... :\
Denver: *In between gigglefits* Ah've GOT t' take y'all shoppin' sometime...
Raoul: *peeks in. Sees Tracks in the grey sweater. Collapses*
Denver: *Cracking up begins anew*
Tracks: *more :\*
Patrick: *cautiously peeks in with a very fussy Soli hollering in his arms* ...
Tracks: *turns toward the sound of the furious squeaking* Hello, Optimus. *NOT happy with all this laughter*
Soli: *REALLY NOT HAPPY WITH ALL THIS LAUGHTER! HOW DARE THEY HAVE FUN AND TRY TO INTERRUPT HER IRE???*
Patrick: ... I'm not even going to ask... *yes, he's trying not to laugh as well, Tracks... and considering how quickly he returns his attention to Soli and trying to soothe her ire, that's probably a good thing*
Tracks: I really don't understand what's so funny.
Raoul: *sits up and stops laughing, waving his hand in an apologetic manner, though he can't talk yet*
Denver: *not gonna be any help for a little bit, trying to catch her breath*
Patrick: *kinda busy focusing on soothing angry baby's ire, will get back to you shortly*
Soli: *it's HER mad, and she's GONNA ENJOY IT*
Tracks: *sighs and starts to remove the sweater* Are you going to be able to keep a straight face at the meeting, Denver?
Denver: *manages a nod*
Raoul: Didn' you hear her just say she was takin' you shoppin'? Man, you are doomed. *chortles and goes back to his game*
Tracks: ....
Patrick: *blink, momentarily distracted* If you're in need of clothing... I have several changes available...
Tracks: *looks at him, wincing at the volume that tiny Soli is managing* I have clothing. But my friends seem to find it highly entertaining for some reason.
Patrick: *Gently rubbing Soli's back in the hopes that this will help* Just don't let Bluestreak see you in that outfit...
Tracks: ...Do I want to know why?
Patrick: She can be... Overenthusiastic.... when she helps... >.>;;
Denver: *Snicker, has caught her breath finally* Shopaholic?
Tracks: I'm sure she'd stand down when she understood that I already have a femme to shop for me.
Patrick: Perhaps... wait... What? *see his brain-broken expression?*
Tracks: *carefully folding the grey sweater* What part of what I said don't you understand, Optimus?
Patrick: ...You have a femme?
Tracks: *glances at Denver*
Raoul: *silent victory war dance in the other room*
Denver: *small nod, and attempting to get to her feet again*
Patrick: ... I see...
Tracks: *lifts his head and squares his jaw as he looks evenly at the Prime* Is there a problem with that?
Patrick: ...Er... No... no problem... *politely excuses himself, wondering when the world went insane, and why he never got the memo*
Tracks: *scowls after him*
Denver: 'E still suspects me... *hobbling back to the bed, will check her feet now*
Tracks: No, I think he has trouble with the idea of a Cybertronian caring for an Earthling and vice versa.
Denver: Well, 'e c'n jes' deal wit' it. *winces as she finds a tender spot*
Tracks: *lays down the grey sweater and turns his head to give her a look which is slightly plaintive* Do I really need to go shopping that badly?
Denver: 'T th' verah least, y'u need s'me bettah pants.
Tracks: What's the matter with these? *lifting them from the suitcase*
Denver: Mah Pa 'ad a pair lahk 'em... Back 'n th' late '70s.
Tracks: *slight frown* I'd supposed they were rather classic.
Denver: *small nod* Grey 'r black dress slacks, 'n a nahce pair'a black shoes'll look bettah.
Tracks: *pleased inwardly, but huffing outwardly* Oh very well. But do I have to go along on the trip to get them?
Denver: *considering, headshake* Ah suppose not....
Tracks: Good. Because I've found it's deucedly hard to keep people from bumping into me. *tosses the old pants back into the suitcase*
Denver: Wh't saze're th' pants, 'n what saze shoes sh'ld Ah get?
Tracks: *picks the garment up again and offers it to her, then stoops and lifts up a shoe bag*
Denver: *looking at the size tag, and committing the size to memory*
Tracks: *out of the shoe bag come a pair of battered but well polished old ankle high brown leather boots*
Denver: *takes a mental note of the size, small nod* Ah'll see wh't Ah c'n do.
Tracks: *puts the boots away, then looks around before remembering that he's wearing the watch cap and taking it off*
Denver: *stretches, giving Tracks another studious look* 'F puttin' on clothes 's so much'v'a hassle... Whah don'cha jes' do lahk th' otha Autobots?
Tracks: *wrinkles his nose* You mean take a human alternate mode?
Denver: *nod, small shrug*
Tracks: No slight intended to your species, Denver, but surely you of all people can see how a human just wouldn't measure up in the beauty compartment to a gorgeously polished Shelby Cobra.
Denver: *another shrug, acks when she realizes just how much of the movie they missed*
Tracks: *startles at her ack* What's the matter?
Denver: *points to the laptop screen* We missed part'a th' movie!
Tracks: *shoulders droop with relief* We can replay it.
Raoul: *cheering softly about something on his game controller*
Tracks: *mouth twitches into a smile at that as he walks over to the couch and stoops to press buttons on the laptop*
Denver: *gonna hobble over and join you on the couch now, Tracks* 'T mahght be easiah t' take care'a Raoul 'f y'u look 'uman...
Tracks: *freezes with his finger on the touch pad, his optics widening slightly* *then finishes adjusting things and resumes his seat, his expression now thoughtful and absent*
Denver: *sitting down, feet tucked under her like usual*
Tracks: *expression going troubled, but then becoming resolute. It seems like he's forcing himself to say good bye to something he loves*
Denver: *slight headtilt*
Tracks: *blinks at her, and then excuses himself and gets to his feet* Go on watching the movie, darling, I'll be back in a jiffy.
Denver: *puzzled, small nod* Alrahght....
Tracks: *snags her grey sweater on the way out*
Denver: *focused on the cars and the racing when he gets back, though now she's spread out so her feet aren't being squished*
Tracks: *pauses to look down at her, an amused smile on his handsome, chiseled... human face, though his icy blue eyes still hold sadness* Comfortable, darling?
Denver: *startles badly, landing on her butt when she scrambles off the couch. Then she's reaching for her gun, which is currently in its box in her footlocker* ^#$&*$^#!!!
Tracks: *stepping back and hurriedly shifting back to his root mode, his hands coming up defensively and reassuringly* Denver, wait! It's me!
Denver: *taking a few deep breaths, before she's facepalming* Y'u c'ld'a told me y'u were gonna do th't!!!
Tracks: .... *sulk* I thought it was rather obvious. *actually, he hadn't thought she'd react like this!*
Denver: *quiet sigh* Th' next tahm... lemme know... Ah realleh don' wanna accidentally shoot y'u on account'a bein' startled...
Tracks: *lowers his head and clenches his jaw, but then blinks and hurries to check on Raoul*
Raoul: *passed out on Denver's bed*
Tracks: .... *chuckle*
Denver: *Getting to her feet, though not without a wince*
Tracks: *turns slightly as she comes up beside him, and puts a hand on her shoulder* He seems to like your bed. This is the second night in a row he's decided to sleep on it.
Denver: *soft chuckle, might lean on Tracks just a little, only because she needs to get some of the pressure off of her foot for a little bit...*
Tracks: *quietly* He looks so innocent when he's sleeping. You'd never dream he'd be capable of some of the things he tries to do when he's awake.
Denver: *Quietly* Must be a gah thing... Beau w's th' same way wh'n 'e w's younger...
Tracks: I've noticed the same trait in some of my friends. *amused mech is amused as he gently pats Denver's shoulder and then goes to lift up his ward and transfer the boy to the right bed*
Denver: *soft chuckle, hobbles back over to the couch, sighs and tries to find where the movie was at when she fell off the couch*
Tracks: *tucking Raoul into bed with soft murmurs as the fifteen year old startles, then finds his game unit and gets everything saved and shut down before putting the toy where Raoul will be able to find it. Also adds the stuffed shark. This done, he walks around the bed to come back to the couch*
Denver: *makes room for Tracks* Ah think Ah got it t' th' rahght point now....
Tracks: *settles beside her and leans back comfortably* Oh, the big race?
Denver: *nods, before she carefully puts her bandaged, sock-clad feet on Tracks' lap*
Tracks: *gives a little start, but then gently lays a hand over them*
Denver: *gets comfortable and focuses on watching the cars race, and yes, she does wince whenever one of the cars gets trashed*
Tracks: *quietly* Raoul spent days getting those cars back on their wheels.
Denver: *just as quietly* 'E does good work...
Tracks: The best. *smiling*
Denver: *nods, cringes at one of the more massive wrecks...and maybe because of her feet, but it's hard to tell*
Tracks: *sighs* That one, we couldn't save. *gently rubbing his hand over the tops of her feet in a comforting manner without realizing it*
Denver: Seems lahk such'a waste... *attention on the screen, though she does seem to be close to nodding off*
Tracks: I'll never understand how some beings can find senseless death entertaining.
Denver: *mumbles* 'T ain't rahght....
Tracks: *rubs feet soothingly* No. It isn't.
black kitty: *ran out of people to love on in the cafeteria, is peeking through the open door here* Memu?
Denver: *okay, she WAS starting to nod off*... 'S th't someone's cat?
Tracks: *glances over and then returns his attention to the movie* It's a little stray that someone found outside tonight.
Denver: 'N th's weatha? *raised brow*
Tracks: *bit stiffly, because the little cat's plight reminds him too much of Raoul's* It seems so.
black kitty: *stepping in, her tail lifting hesitantly as her green eyes focus quizzically on the metal man on the couch*
Denver: *moves to get up so she can pick up the kitty*
black kitty: *oh! A lady! Over she comes, tail up in earnest now as she makes soft little chirrups that can barely be heard*
Denver: *gently scoops the kitty up and makes her way back to the couch. Will have a nice, warm lap for the kitty to sit on once she sits down herself*
black kitty: *purring a soft little purr as she rubs against the nice lady with all the strength in her tiny body*
Tracks: *paused the movie when Denver got up*
Denver: *Will put her feet back on your lap, Tracks, and smooth the kitty's fur gently*
Tracks: *smiles at her* *softly, as he leans forward without squishing the feet and reaches toward the laptop* Ready?
black kitty: *loves!*
Denver: *nods*
Tracks: *starts the movie again, then sits back and once more puts a hand on Denver's feet*
black kitty: *love love love sing*
Denver: *attention on the movie until she falls asleep near the end*
Tracks: *lets the laptop shut itself down as he sits and watches the sleeping woman and the contented little bundle of black fur on her chest. He'll watch over all three of the organic beings in the room tonight, since he doesn't dare get up to shut the door*
((co-written with random_xtras))