Chuck || Motorcity

[dieharder]

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[dieharder]

[It's when Mike stills like this that, to Chuck, it seems that time slows down, a second stretches into eternity, and then compresses itself into a heartbeat when he opens his mouth to speak. And Chuck can't really offer much more than a bashful sort of smile, and a nod as he slowly looks away, moving to grab their plates so he can focus on something other than the thrum against his ribs, or the heat like fire underneath his skin.]

[livefaster]

[Mike smiles, and leaves Chuck to go and warm the pancakes back. As much as he liked to have him this close, he knows that in a matter of no time, he'll have him back there again. So he watches him quietly, resting his chin on the arms folded on the table, a little smile tugging at his lips. He feels a little silly, that he's itching at the next time his fingers reach to him, but he figures, in a sense, that it's a natural way to be - or so he hopes. It's so new and exciting and like everything that shows itself that way in Mike's eyes he can't have it quick enough.

Yet, with Chuck, he's willing to wait. Because there was no rush. They were always together, after all, and there were absolutely no plans to - and absolutely no plans that could - stray apart. Even if his foot keeps swinging under the table.]

[dieharder]

[Chuck scoots both their half-eaten pancakes onto the same plate and shoves it into the microwave. He takes a glance back at Mike while he waits, obviously not expecting him to be looking back, and he ends up giggling and shuffling awkwardly like an idiot. Good thing the pancakes don't take too long to heat up, and soon he goes back to the table, setting the plate down between them.

(It's cute, he thinks, and maybe there's something else to it too, the way their two halves of a pancake sit together in the plate, one covered in honey and the other in chocolate syrup, almost fitting together.)] Ta-dah!

[livefaster]

[His chin digs deeper into the fold of his forearm and arm when Chuck glances back, and his hint of a smile slid uncontrollably towards a wide one, hidden from view with the shield of his arm. It's... so weird, to be acting like this towards his best friend, but he can't help but find it the most natural thing of all, could really not pinpoint any fault from acting that way.

He raises his head when Chuck sets the plate on the table again, back straight, like an eager dog waiting for a meal. Because he was waiting for it - he was still hungry - and Chuck was back into his close vicinity again.] Thanks, Chuckles.

[dieharder]

No problem. [Chuck beams at Mike and picks up his fork, cutting a piece before the pancakes get cold again. In his experience, heating stuff up twice doesn't really do wonders as far as taste goes. (Not that his stomach makes any distinction anyway.)]

[livefaster]

[Mike does the same, wrinkling his nose as he chews thoughtfully, evaluating the pancake's taste after the second time it's heated. The honey syrup had melted into honey goo, stickier than before, and Mike takes a while taking it off his teeth with his tongue with his mouth closed, making a face.

Still, it's good - not the best, as before, but still pretty decent.] 'ood?

[dieharder]

Mmhm-- [Through a mouthful of pancake, Chuck can only nod at the question, though it kind of breaks into a giggle when he looks at Mike. He coughs a little, but manages to swallow down the piece in his mouth before he points at Mike's face, still grinning.] Your face...!

[livefaster]

PFfff-[Mike does a struggle to swallow before he starts laughing. He shows his hands, turned upwards with a shrug, as if it excused him.] Hey! The honey is sticky!

[dieharder]

[He's still laughing while cutting up the rest of his own pancake, his teeth coated in chocolate again.] Still funny!

[And of course, he's not forgetting the whipped cream. Which he shows no intentions of sharing, by the way he's covering his pancake with an alarming amount of it.]

[livefaster]

[That's alright, because Mike steals a bit with his finger with a grin and that's all he's asking for for the moment.]

Man, where does all that [a vague motion towards the table, as if to refer every food imaginable that Chuck manages to gobble up] ever go?

[dieharder]

[Chuck scoops up a couple pieces and shoves them in his mouth, patting his own stomach in answer to Mike's question.] 'ere!

[As for what happens to it next, Chuck couldn't care any less. As long as he gets to eat it all, suppose the fact he doesn't get any fatter is just a welcome bonus.]

[livefaster]

[And Mike can't help it, nudges Chuck's arm with his shoulder and laughs and shakes his head, looking like a kid or... really his true age. He wolfs down the rest of the pancake, because the stomach usually wins over the presence that surrounds someone, no matter how enticing that one is.]

[dieharder]

[Chuck scratches the bridge of his nose awkwardly, then makes quick work of finishing his breakfast, which really doesn't take that long for Chuck, licking the cream off the corners of his mouth once he's done.]

[livefaster]

[Mike is quick to follow, wiping the honey from his fork with his thumb and sucking on the pad as he reaches for the milk to make the pancake settle nicely in his stomach - Mike you need to learn how to chew properly.

He smiles absently at the idea that when the rest of the burners arrive to the kitchen and smell the pancakes they're going to ask for some more. That will probably set them onto another scavenge and trade kind of mission, but that kind of thing seemed plenty alright to Mike.]

[dieharder]

[After drinking his juice too, Chuck rests his elbow on the table, leaning his head against his hand with a sigh.]

We should probably get to work now. I mean, I don't know if you got stuff to do, but I do. [But he doesn't even show intentions to move, just stares at Mike, which comes to show just how motivated he is right now.]

[livefaster]

[He leans back on his chair, running his fingers through his still damp hair with a sigh, then rubbing his face into waking up. As languid as this morning turned out to be, it wouldn't be good to fall into this rhythm forever.

Except it would. It definitely would. But he'd better just fall into repetition rather than a constant stream of inaction towards the world out there, even if it meant neglecting this new stage with Chuck.

He still smiles at him with the hint of morning and connection in his eyes and he nods.] I told Jacob I'd help out with a few things. Then I gotta go with Dutch to help him out with some infrastructures--oh. I wanted to ask if you're free to come with me later. I have to meet Rayon.

[dieharder]

[Chuck isn't a big fan of shaking this stillness so soon either, but he knows that the sooner he took care of everything he had to, the less he'd have to listen to Texas innovative ideas he has for all their cars. And even if his mind won't be completely in the game, he'll still do a great job, even if a little rushed and messier than usual.

It's alright, though; they will always have later tonight, or tomorrow morning, dozens or hundreds or thousands of other moments in-between, and Chuck finds that having something like that to look forward to is really... perfect.]

Sure! [He gets up again, so he can take the dishes to the sink. He really shouldn't look so happy at the prospect of riding shotgun with Mike, but he imagines they can always take a detour on their way there or back, and that thought will have to be enough to get him through that ride. Somehow.] What does he want?

[livefaster]

Something we need to transport. [He shrugs. Following to get a clean cloth so he can wet it and wipe the table clean, he stands right next to Chuck by the sink to wring it.]

Not really sure what, but he needs it taken to the other side of the city. [A shrug. Hey, a small roadtrip was a roadtrip, right? With his best bro, even better.]

[dieharder]

[He normally wouldn't wash the dishes right away, but he knows that if he doesn't do it, then Mike will. Hanging around him made him a little bit tidier when it came to common areas, so Chuck grabs the sponge and soaps and rinses the few dishes they used.]

To the other side? Mike, you do realize that means crossing like, half the gang territories in Motorcity, right? [He frowns a little, nose wrinkling as he starts thinking about this.] We gotta be sure of what we're carrying, so we can avoid any conflicts. Or, you know, make sure it's not something dangerous.

[Rayon was always a careful guy, and out of all the gang leaders he was certainly one of the nicest, but... they can never be too sure. He had sold them out to the Duke before, after all.]

[livefaster]

Easy there, buddy, I'm pretty sure it's safe this time. [He hopes. Or at least, he'll talk this with Rayon out to make sure he isn't waging some gang war - or whatever skirmish the gangs in Motorcity were into these days - secretly. He adds with a shrug, placing a hand on Chuck's shoulder and squeezing.] It's nothing we haven't done before!

[dieharder]

Yeah, we did. Do you remember how some of those times went for us? [Chuck shoots Mike a pointed stare, still effective even when covered by his own hair, as he closes the tap now that he's done with the dishes.] I'm just saying we should make sure we got all the info, and not just rely on your luck to bail us out. Again.

[livefaster]

[And it's received with a nod.] Alright, I promise we'll discuss the terms. [A pat on that same shoulder and he turns to wipe the table clean]

When we get there.

[dieharder]

Good. That's all I'm asking for.

[He looks around for a dry cloth, and not finding one, he steps closer and pats his hands dry on the back of Mike's shirt. Hehehehehehe.]

[livefaster]

[He sighs and smiles at the table, wiping it over again just to hear it squeak - he finds it funny and stereotypically perfect. It's a good thing that Chuck trusts him so much, because any other person would've just refused to go or made up an excuse. He could count on him to help him out. It really wasn't the same to ride Mutt wit--

--WETWETWETWET.

Here's him arching and hunching his shoulders and looking back.]--wha--hey?!

[dieharder]

[Chuck's already rounding the table and nearing the kitchen door, just in case Mike thinks up some sort of revenge. He shrugs at Mike, an amused grin on his face as he snorts at Mike's reaction.] You used the last dry cloth!