driftfleet | video/action. one hobo and a baby

Entry tags:

video/action. one hobo and a baby

Who: Max Rockatansky and a small kid.
Broadcast: Fleetwide.
Action: Corona, Starstruck.
When: From now to a few days, until the panicked fam is found.

[VIDEO.]

[Max starts the feed looking entirely uncomfortable, and it's abundantly clear in no time at all why that is. He's standing in one of the halls of the Corona, and there's a brunette toddler a little over two clasped to his neck like a legitimate barnacle; she's not exactly afraid, and she seems to have sandwiched a teddy bear between her cheek and Max's chin, and furthermore, she's not remotely concerned about her current predicament. Balanced on one of Max's forearms, she's smiling a thin-lipped and impish sort of smile. One single messy braid hangs down her back.

Did no one teach this kid about stranger danger? Nope.

She's wordless, though — dark-eyed and wordless and not at all ready to unleash her claw-grip on the poor man. He'd been walking her around the area already trying to figure out where she'd come from, but it's really to no avail. She can't do anything but signal her age with two fingers, as if perhaps she's incapable of conversation — and he's found her sign language is mildly understandable in the way sign language is, though nothing at all from any place from Earth. Also, she says a lot in the fact that he can't set her down without her demanding him mule her around; he'd tried to leave her with other people, and even considered, for a moment of blind panic, to just leave her somewhere and figure someone else will do something about it.

... He's a pushover, really. And his paranoia over the safety of a kid in any world trumps his desire to never hold another sprog ever again. If he left and something happened, he would never forgive himself, and that's just the nature of his life. Leaving behind the small and needy is a constant battle, with this one. And he's totally failed the leaving part. Again.]

Erm.

I found a kid.

... S'not my fault; she knocked on my door.

Need some help finding where she came from. Dunno, must've wandered off. She doesn't talk.

[He looks pretty nervous about the whole thing, thinned lips and worried grimace telling.

For good reason. It makes him think about the past. Makes him wanna bolt.

He considers dumping her off on someone for the hundreth time.

She just taps her stuffed bear's nose against his cheek, a bear kiss. He looks mildly offended.

(distracted from his own misery)

............................. Please don't do that, thanks.]

[ACTION.]

[He can be found boarding the Starstruck with said Kiddo later on (it's all he's taken to calling her, and it's not a Name, but it's something), primarily to make a beeline for the medical bay (yes it's kidnapping, sort of, leave him alone). Nothing serious, the kid just has a runny nose and Max sort of remembers how to treat toddlers with mild illness. A little congestion is normal when you're surrounded by so many germs in one place. She sits precariously on his shoulders watching him shift through the bottles, babyish eyes round and interested. She signs at him something he can't decipher, but he's trying to figure it out.]

Gonna drop your doll. Not gonna pick it up again.

[It's a sulky mutter. He's gonna pick it up again.

He can also be found on the Corona itself, looking for the mother or father or family member who must surely be seeking the kid out. Asking people when you hate talking to strangers is really not his thing, he's totally dying here. Please help him. Pls.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[cahoots are always had, children are her ultimate weakness.

The grin softens a little, though, because as much as she teases, this is a serious concern. Even if the girl is taken care of, she must be frightened, being separated from her family]

It is likely, yes. I can come over and help you find her family, if you'd like. Or watch her, if it is too much for you.

......

[The ellipses of a man who isn't fond of asking for help.

But he knows he's SOL and the kid is gonna start really getting upset. Kids this age aren't good when they're without their snacks and naps for long. Normal kids, anyway. Wasteland's different, they learn to make due. But this is just a normal ankle-biter, no dust or rusty or withering parents.]

Help'd be — good.

[Urgh, he hates that word, gross.]

Goodness, don't hurt yourself saying that.

[she's the same way, when it comes to asking for help. But damned if she isn't going to tease everyone else for doing it]

I am on my way. I will bring snacks for her as well.

[He nods, looking contented by the answer.]

... Dunno what she likes.

If she does not like any of what I bring, then we can go hunting for something else.

[He huffs.]

She should make due with whatever you bring. Important to eat what you're offered, if it's limited.

[Wastelander logic, here it is.

But he's holding her properly and with care anyway. He'll send her the coordinates to the little recreational-slash-eating area the large hotel station has to offer, at least.]

[that's also village logic, and she hums quietly in agreement]

We shall see what happens. I will be over soon.

[and with that she ends the call, then goes about gathering some snacks to bring over to the hotel, and to the place he gave her directions to]

[Max is sitting at a round little luncheon table they have set up out there - and it's rather nice, because out of the desert he is cleaner and looks more like a scraggly dad taking their kid out for parent-child bonding than... you know. Looking like he totally stole the kid to sale to cannibals, or something devious and wastelander-y. Kiddo, as he continues to call her gruffly, is sitting in one of the chairs. In a booster. She was short, okay.

She is currently giving her bear a drink from a styrofoam cup of water, which is spilling on the table. Max doesn't seem to mind that even remotely; whatever keeps her little brain occupied.]

[if she were any more of a shit, she'd take a picture and use it for future teasing and blackmailing purposes. But as she's still navigating limits with Max, she passes on the opportunity and merely raises a hand in greeting instead.

Even if she's grinning like the shit she is. What an adorable sight.

She slides into a seat across from both Max and the little girl and offers the child a friendly smile, before she turns her attentions to her keeper. A bag is dropped on the table in front of him]

Snacks, as promised. A couple of different things I could find on my ship.

[Don't you dare come over here grinning. Not that Max has noticed; he's actually too busy being in intense thought as he looks over the communications. When she arrives he looks up, but Kiddo's already way ahead of him; she claps her small hands together in excitment and nearly puts her whole head in the bag to find the goodies inside.

Max helpfully plucks her back with a huff. It doesn't do much, because she's already fished out a bag and is trying to tear it open herself (save us).]

Erm... Thanks. [He has a terrible time with saying that, savor the moment.] Been looking still. She's... not worried. Not old enough to be.

[she can't help but laugh, already completely charmed by the little girl. She reaches over to help her open the bag, full of the sweeter things Tempest was able to find. She shouldn't be surprised; children were magnets for those foods, weren't they?

Her grin does soften into a smile at the thanks, though, and rests her chin on her hands, watching him]

You're welcome. [no lilt; she's being genuine] She found someone who will help her; I wouldn't be very worried if I was here either.

[He's not gonna even address that last bit, okay. He's already self-conscience about the fact that he's nicer than he pretends to be anymore. Instead he just eyes the kid as she eats; being two, there's no such thing as manners. Funnily, Max's aren't much better. He plucks a sweet from the pile she poured out and eats it.

Around said treat:]

Wish she found someone better.

Ankle biter's not good at picking new 'friends'.

I beg to differ, dear.

[which probably doesn't surprise him, but Tempest isn't known for her choice in friends, either. Still, he isn't as bad as he wants to seem - he's doing something to help her find her parents, and that means something. It isn't about entertaining the child so much]

[He rolls his eyes.]

There's better.

[Trust him.]

... But... hm... I guess there's worse.

[At least he wants her fed and changed, that's a plus. Kiddo hops up and extends her arms out, needily, making a strange squeaking noise in her mute demand for 'up'. Max exasperatingly obliges and she clings like a barnacle again.]

... Needy sprog.

Perhaps. But you are not a bad choice, either.

[and she gestures, as though its obvious. As the little girl clings to him Tempest can't help but smile, one that's a little less teasing and more genuine. For as grumpy or scary as she tries to come off as sometimes, she has a terrible soft spot for children]

Children usually are.

[He huffs - but he seems like he handles her with surprising ease, patting her arm in careful circles while she flops over tiredly. He hasn't done this in a long time -- but he's finding that it... doesn't really matter. Once you know, you know. It's the worst thing.]

... She's been going for a while.... Might need a nap.

[it's one of those things she files away for later, not to question him but simply to observe if it comes up again. It isn't that strange to her that Max knows what he's doing; he is older, and it wouldn't be too far a guess to say that maybe he's had children. Or a lot of exposure to children, who knows.

She tilts her head, then lowers her voice a bit]

It's likely. Would you like me to take her somewhere she can rest and you can get a break?

[... Hmm. He glances to the top of the kid's head, then to Tempest.]

... You sure?

[It's not her problem. It's not anyone's problem. She's done a decent thing just bringing food.]

I would not offer were I not sure, Max. I did come over to help, yes?

[teasing aside, she doesn't forget her original reason for answering his call]

[He huffs out his nose, but seems mildly pleased.]

Guess so.

[It's appreciated, and he doesn't say it, but the thought's there to linger.

Where to?]

[she gathers up all the snacks and whatnot back into the bag and pushes to her feet, inclining her head towards the exit to the hotel rooms, wordlessly asking him to follow]

[Whelp, time to follow the leader.

Which he does without any outward complaint. Small victories, Tempest.

... Are you leading him to your hotel room? Because that's only mildly awkward.

For people who aren't Max and care about that, anyway. He bounces Kiddo as she drifts into sleep on his shoulder anyway. Shush.]

[how is it awkward, it isn't awkward at all.

The room isn't too far down the way, and she stops and opens the door, then steps to the side so he can carry the little girl inside]

[It's a little awkward.

Or maybe it just calls too closely to memories from a long time ago.

By the time he steps into the room, he looks genuinely lost, little babe asleep against the underside of his jaw.]

[were she not a taken woman she would be making this awkward, to be fair.

She waits for a moment, then tilts her head and gestures to the bed] Go on and lay her down, dear.

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