driftfleet | 003. text + action.

Entry tags:

003. text + action.

[network.]

[Shinji isn't mincing words today:]

This is totally outrageous.

I got a ticket from the local police for going 'too fast,' even though it was only - only!!! - by an infinitesimal amount. Literally a couple zeroes after the decimal point right here. I'm not a great pilot, I'll just say that, but there's no way I should be getting ticketed for this freaking crap. [Freaking crap. That's how you know he's really annoyed.]

So the other pilots should be aware that these so-called police are more interested in filling quotas for speeding tickets instead of actually protecting people. Whatever.

[action, aboard various ships in the Fleet.]

[Shinji and his bad mood can be found on the Red Fish, standing outside Asuka's room; on the Vanquish, in search of Kaworu; and on the Heron, his home ship, where he's trying to nurse a bruised ego with the coffee maker in the kitchen.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Of course not! I did everything I'm supposed to do, but I still got a ticket.

You shouldn't be so reckless.

I'm never reckless. Was it expensive?

I haven't paid it yet... [Here, he sighs to himself.] It's going to hurt.

I could loan you some.

No, this is my screwup.

Don't worry. You'll pay me back.

[???]

But I haven't agreed to anything.

[Way to miss an innuendo, Shinji. Albeit one that was barely there in the first place.]

Forget it. I'll help you out.

[Flirtation is pretty much the last thing on Shinji's mind right now... Sorry, Asuka.]

I said this is my screwup.

[...]

Besides, you don't need to help out. You've done a lot already.

[Shinji, if you only knew how much.]

Fine.

Edited 2016-08-18 16:50 (UTC)

[...]

'Fine'? That's all? How about 'I'm sorry this horrible unfair thing happened to you'?

Geez, what else am I supposed to do?

Invite me to play darts with you and let me win for the sake of my pride (but don't make it seem like you're letting me win).

I'll kick your ass.

And then we can have some soup.

I'm starting to think you're in love with that soup.

What? It's really good! You're lucky I'll share it, idiot.

Yeah, I know. So I'll meet you on the Red Fish?

[... but when Asuka returns to her room, Shinji isn't anywhere to be found.]

Yeah. Give me a couple minutes.

[After a bath and a couple minutes fiddling hopelessly with her hair, she's back at her room, waiting. It's not like him to be late. Asuka gives him five minutes, then ten, then fifteen, and then--]

Hey, where are you?

[Asuka has to wait another five minutes for a reply:]

Sorry. Change of plans.

Have you been to Solrius yet?

What happened?

[Did he ditch her? Stand her up? He's stood her up, hasn't he? He and Kaworu have probably spent the last half-hour on some rendezvous--]

[She's being stupid. She swallows, staring at the communicator, and doesn't yet text anything else.]

Nothing happened. I think it was just a stupid misunderstanding. Anyway, we can go check out Solrius together - the cities remind me of Tokyo-3.

Edited 2016-08-20 03:23 (UTC)

What misunderstanding? I waited for you.

[It's like piling sandbags in front of a dam that's about to burst:]

I know that, I'm sorry. I was waiting for you too, but then there was a misunderstanding and I had to leave. Not a big deal. Let's go to Solrius instead?

You mean you were here? You had to leave? What the hell?

It's fine. I can handle being unwanted. Let's go to Solrius?