AU; ain't no rest for the wicked

[nooses]

i've got bills to pay, i've got mouths to feed
there ain't nothing in this world for free

STARRING:
THOSE BORN INTO FORTUNE - Shintaro Kisaragi. Shinji Ikari.
THOSE CAST OUT BY FORTUNE - Masumi Seki. Monica Campbell. Guy Cecil.

Comments

[substitutable]

[Oh! Homework? Shintaro peers at him.] How much do you have?

[imusntrunaway]

[He mumbles his answer a little.]

Well... not a lot. It's not so bad.

[substitutable]

Hmm...

[He keeps watching him even as he takes a sip of his coffee, then he's pulling out his phone to send someone a text. Probably Ene.]

Got it. We'll clean this up quickly so you get home on time to finish homework. Then we can hang out -- I'll help if you want. [Shintaro hasn't gone to school in years, for reasons he never talks about. The only people who know in this place are probably Gendo and whoever investigated Shintaro's background when hiring him. But as per usual, even in this universe Shintaro's intelligence is a known fact.]

[imusntrunaway]

[He's accustomed to being stared at. Shinji knows that he sticks out more than he should around the base. It doesn't mean that he can quite meet his gaze with a level of confidence, so he'll be glancing off to the side.]

I don't want to take away your free time.

[substitutable]

[That's all the better. Shintaro tends to stare to observe, but having that gaze returned only made him nervous. Eye contact is scary and uncomfortable.]

Free time's all I have outside of this job. I don't mind, I doubt you'll be as much trouble as my sister was.

[imusntrunaway]

[we've got a winning team of introverts here]

If you're not too tired after our mission... I guess it'll be okay.

[substitutable]

[This is why they have the job they have. They can't even do retail properly.]

I am always tired. I'll grab an energy drink on the way back.

[imusntrunaway]

[Half-mumbled!] You shouldn't drink so much of those, Kisaragi...

[substitutable]

It's hardly the worst thing to consume. Besides, with my stamina, if I don't drink something like this I can't keep up with the job. [It's really a mystery why he even works here like really.]

[imusntrunaway]

[To tell the truth, Shinji had been wondering what connections Shintaro had to pull to be assigned to this sector.]

Someone who says things like that is better suited for a desk job.

[substitutable]

You ever tried it before? It's boring as hell. To Ene, at least, so she'll never let me go there.

Besides, someone with a brain half as good as your old man wouldn't put Ene anywhere near a job like that. She'll hack everything.

[imusntrunaway]

You two really are joined at the hip...

[substitutable]

Well, we were hired together for a reason. We're not really useful by ourselves, you know? You ready to go for the briefing?

[imusntrunaway]

[He's got his own reasons brewing in his mind as to why Shintaro would've been hired with Ene, but he's too polite to mention them. Instead, he gives a nod and stands up.

It's time for their jobs. They both need to focus. Already he's moving towards the usual conference room out of habit.]

Yeah. [He stops, looks back to see if Shintaro will come.] I hope... it doesn't get too bad.

[substitutable]

[He drains the last of his coffee and throws it into the nearest recycling bin. Recycling. It's a messed up town, and this little bit of ecological awareness is almost a laughable attempt to pretend that things were better than they really were.]

Ene's watching our backs. Don't worry. We'll have your blind spots covered.

[imusntrunaway]

[Learning to trust and rely on others was a gradual process for Shinji. Growing up, he didn't have anyone. Schooling was limited to his tutors. He had no friends outside of his guardian. And his father certainly spared no time to so much as even look his way. There had been someone at first--two people--but they were gone when things in this town got bad.

Don't get close. You won't get hurt. He isn't sure why he's breaking this time-old lesson with Shintaro and Ene, of all people.

Maybe, though, it would be nice not to be lonely for once.]

I know. I'm counting on both of you.

[substitutable]

[He lets himself nod before he motions to Shinji to head toward the office now. Being friendly with Shinji didn't come that difficultly; for someone with so little friends, Shintaro thinks he adjusted to having the younger kid in his everyday life rather smoothly. Perhaps it was because Shinji Ikari himself had such an obvious air of mistrust.

It was easier to be with someone who didn't seek his attention was much easier to keep around. They only had to share the air.]

You too. [He doesn't say he's counting on Shinji. He trusts the kid would shoot down anything that's behind him anyway, but saying it out loud might put some weird pressure on him and they didn't need that. A thanks after the threat is already taken care of is probably the best tool.]