[BATT] Old Fashioned Fun (Aandes x Sascha)

[Sypon]

Aandes laughed. “s**t. I forgot about your stitches. I mean, I didn’t, but… Here. I got some stuff in my bag.”

He went to get up, and found his body utterly useless. Clenching his abdominal muscles meant shooting rockets of pain up and down his body, and he ended up just flopping folded halfway over in the pen. “Damnit.”

As much as it hurt to do so, he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Aandes army crawled over to where the fence was and dug around in the pocket of his bag with a weary arm. He produced a couple of simple, wiggler-grade medikits and hobbled himself up to a sitting position. “Should I just toss this to you? Consider it your post-game juice box.” He smirked.  

[seekingCylem]

Sascha coughed and wheezed before the wheezing gave way to relaxed laughter. God, that was more cathartic than it had any right to be. "Only if that thing's got painkillers in it, in which case, load me the ******** up." Sascha's grinning teeth were a violent slash of white against the muck-brown rest of him. "Actually, nah, lemme come to you. Powers don't work so good when my bod's ******** up like this. An' don't get me started on my arms."

Sascha briefly went still and quiet. Then with a snarl, he thrust his legs back, pushing his spine against the fence and lurching upwards. Almost as quickly, Sascha toppled back over, but not before stumbling the couple of steps it took to reach Aandes' side. He hit the ground sideways, for once grateful for the cushioning provided by the mud. He awkwardly coiled himself into a sitting position beside Aandes.

"Think we can convince the old lady in hitching us a ride back to town?" Sascha inclined his head towards the snoutbeast that had not since budged since settling down itself.  

[Sypon]

“You bet they do.” Aandes handed Sascha one of the packs and gave him a solid pat on one of his thighs. “Gog, we smell so bad.” He wrinkled his nose as the adrenaline wore off and revealed to him what could be considered the worst stench he’d had to face in recent history.

“And for sure. If nothing else I’m sure with a good enough bribe she’ll hose us down, too.” He let a ragged sigh out and scratched at one of his eyes, taking care to pick out some of the dirt under his nails first. He let his head roll against the fence, finally closing his eyes and letting himself become recentered. He didn’t need to prep himself or put on a façade for Sascha. Maybe he got a little more aggro, but Aandes could chalk that up to his natural trollish tendencies and Sascha’s infectious machismo.

“So hey. I don’t know if you remember, but I’m – and I’m not, like, being funny or an a** or anything – I’m a little bit of a big deal now in the city. I’m working with a Queen on a big musical production and all that, and have my talent agency still going on the side. Plus my major client is an ex-rebel, so… I’m in the spotlight. And sometimes that’s a little bit… Exposed.” Aandes cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you were looking for a job. I need security and, hell, I know I can trust you to have my back. On a lot of stuff. Plus, I can pay you. Really well. Thoughts?”  

[seekingCylem]

Sascha grimaced. "You'd better believe I'm wrecking the shower at your place before making the trek all the way back to Chittentown. They'll kick me off the train like this."

Sascha listened partially as he pawed at the lusus-proof lock on the bottle of painkillers. He eventually became distracted from gnawing on the cap when he realized Aandes was getting uncharacteristically rambling. He dropped the bottling in lap and cast Aandes a scrutinizing gaze.

"What like your bodyguard? Is that what this was all about?" He gestured loosely to the pig lusus before them, whose ear twitched, but otherwise made no further movement. Sascha was quiet a while longer, clearly processing. Eventually a brow rose. Sascha tilted his head.

"Guess I must've passed then. Or you realized just how bad you need someone to keep your a** from getting beat. Either way, I don't see how I can refuse! Knowing you and your royal showbiz beetles, I'll be getting a cool suit out of the deal, yeah?"

Sascha grinned, leaning over on one knee. The act reminded him of his injuries and with a red spark and a crack, Sascha picked shards of plastic off the lip of the pill bottle. He shook out a couple of painkillers, downed them dry, then offered the bottle to Aandes with a shake.  

[Sypon]

Aandes covered another laugh with his hand. “Fine, you a**.” He hadn’t had company in his hive in a while. Being acquainted with so many people professionally but lacking deep friendships was starting to get to him in some ways. Primarily in missing out on regular movie nights and gossip sessions. He scratched at the back of his head (GROSS) and waited with less-than-bated-breath for Sascha to respond. If anything Sascha wasn’t totally oblivious to their pig wrestling date.

“A little bit,” Aandes winked. “I’d say you passed, especially with those fancy sparks of yours. You bet your a** you’re getting a suit. I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ve gotta look good if you’re gonna be protecting me on the job.”

He plucked some of the painkillers from Sascha’s bottle and nearly gagged on the stuff, pushing the big dry pills down a sandpaper throat. “Speaking of, I’m glad you’re at least unwrapped neck up. That’s not exactly subtle. And, contrary to how I might act around you, I rather prefer subtlety in my work.” His tone was coy – casually appreciating Sascha, as grimy as both of them were, and letting the contents of the medikit take effect.  

[seekingCylem]

Sascha cackled. The pills were either already beginning to take effect, or Sascha had just become too exhausted to feel pain. It was nice.

"I earned those fancy sparks, just like I earned this fancy job," Sascha smirked, inclining his head (sans bandages) towards Aandes. "If it helps put your aesthetic sensibilities at ease, I'm growing my hair out. Gonna look like right royalty soon enough--you'll see." He leaned back against the fence. "Might interfere with your subtlety if I get too hot though. (sigh) C'est la vie."

Sascha's breathing had finally evened out in the wake of what was perhaps his most grueling workout since the Chittentown Space Tower. That was the extent of the comparisons Sascha could make, as he couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun getting his a** kicked. If this was what working for Aandes was like, it was the kind of career path he could get behind.