bootyshortsforoldmen | Etraya: Inbox

[ Please get glasses, Hank. There's literally only one tall green guy in Etraya. At least one of them can recognise a guy when they see him, which--to Gorgug, there's only one white-bearded old guy that he knows about in Etraya with a rather rounding figure, and that's drunk guy. Or Hank--he remembers his name because of that message he got, and the flask he spent some time making.

But as for Gorgug, he's got a smile on his face! A very happy, enjoyable smile, which is before he sees Hank, though that only makes it dip a little, and not for any other reason than 'oh, the dog has an owner'. But he still looks positive enough, looks between the pair, and... ]

--Is that your dog? He looks like you.

[ Nevermind that Sumo has far more colour to his fur than Hank does to his hair... and that Sumo is also a dog. ]

What?

[Hank is still squinting, albeit more in confusion now rather than his need for corrective eyewear.]

You think this slobbering oaf looks like me?

[He looks down at Sumo. Back to Gorgug. Hank rubs his chin with his free hand — which isn’t a good idea, in case Sumo decides to take off. He really has been good so far, though: a mix of laziness and wariness, wanting to stick close to what he knows. Which for Sumo, unfortunately, is Hank.]

You know what? That’s fair.

[Even though Sumo is cute where Hank is very much not. Sumo does have a dopey, tired look to his face though — much like Hank.

Sumo can be stubborn, too, which leads him to flopping down over the ball while Gorgug is talking. Making himself comfortable — or not so comfortable — as he lays on the ball.]

[ Gorgug looks at said slobbering oaf when Hank does, tilting his head. It's more the rotound, soft yet grumpy face that does it for Gorgug, but he can't say if the slobbering part is also a factor he should be including.

But Hank seems to come around, and Gorgug nods, earnestly, like see? He was right! And Gorgug looks at the dog again, thinking--and then realising a less happy thought when the dog flops itself on his ball. Which Gorgug doesn't mind, but his cheery expression starts softening as he becomes thoughtful. ]

Did he come from an egg?

[ Hank.

Did your dog come from an egg? ]

No, he... what?

[Hank remembers the whole egg thing. Boy, does he.]

You think he came out of those eggs? [Looking down at Sumo now, who looks quite content atop Gorgug’s ball for the time being.] The hell you think I feed him to get him this big?

[It occurs to Hank to lie, just for the heck of it. But he’d rather not have that bite him in the ass later.]

No, Sumo did not come from an egg. I got him from... y’know. [Eyes furtive. Mumbling:] Aurora.

[He thought about thanking her, but then she was all “it wasn’t me who took Connor!” So while Hank is grateful for his dog, he is still bitter about his friend being gone.]

[ Gorgug shrugs, not embarrassed by his guess--if anything, he relaxes around the shoulders again, the tension that had been threatening to stick between his brows.

But he notices the way Hank's voice quietens, and he nods at him--for once, maybe understanding. ]

My friend had to get his bike from Aurora, too. He's not a fan, either. [ And he glances over at Sumo; or, specifically: ] --that's who the ball's for. His bike's a dog.

[ A beat. Hm. ] ...is that weird?

[ To just say? Or is it totally normal? ]

Yes, that’s weird. What does that even mean? Bike in the shape of a dog?

[Is it a bicycle? A motorcycle? And why does it need a ball??

Sumo kicks out his back feet, in the meantime. Tongue lolling.

Lazy dog.]

Good to know some people aren’t fans. Weird that Aurora has fans.

[Except this isn’t true, and Hank knows it. Assuming Aurora is her own person — is she?

Hank just needs someone to blame. For everything.]

She's good for getting dogs.

[ That's one thing, right? Gorgug's looking at Sumo, half-tempted to make the ball roll...

...but he won't. For now. ]

Do you feel better? [ Oh. ] I got your beer. Finally.

[ Get it. "Finally"! ]

Guess that’s one thing she’s good for.

[Hank says this with a little more tenderness than he means to. Because while he’s been directing his overall ire at Aurora, she did get him his dog.

A very cute, large dog who currently prefers laying on Gorgug’s ball-doohickey rather than actually playing with it.

And what would Hank be doing without his silly dog?]

I’m okay. [Which is a loaded response — who here is okay? — but hopefully Hank’s clarification helps somewhat:] Haven’t got wasted since Christmas, if you can believe it.

[Not that he’s abstaining from alcohol entirely, nor does he have any real desire to. It’s just something that’s happened, and maybe part of him thinks that doing the stupid missions and not being drunk will somehow give him what he wants, even if the thought is absurd.

It’s enough to get Hank to be good — for now — so he’ll cling to that.

And Hank does get Gorgug’s little joke: it even makes the corner of his lips twist in a smile. He wasn’t drunk enough at Heather’s party to forget everything.]

[ Haven't got wasted since Christmas. Gorgug's eyes do that thing, like a visual oh--surprise, but a good sort, like he might've suspected otherwise. And considering how wasted--and how quickly--Hank got at the party, he is surprised. Wondered if he had a drinking problem, but also not caring enough for it to be his problem what the ails of an old guy are. But still, not exactly judging him much for it, either. ]

That's good. It'd be bad to get drunk too often if you wanna stick around, and do something. Probably. You wanted to stick around to save your world, right? Even if this place sucks.

[ Gorgug's remembering back on their conversation--that it wasn't the robot babys' fault if they were being used in weird missions, but also, that for as much everything sucked, he didn't want to get kicked out. Also, he knew a Connor? And Gorgug thinks the name is vaguely familiar, but he also can't say where.

Maybe it's from Hank himself. ]

No, I... [Hank furrows his brow.] Wasn’t saving my world I cared about.

I was whining — [even he can admit that’s what it was] — about not wanting to do whatever weird missions. And you said somethin’ about Aurora maybe sending me home if I kept up my bullshit.

[That, Hank remembers, is when his head really started swimming.]

You were right, I think. I kept up my bullshit — [nevermind the fact that Hank still hasn’t been on a mission, so it wasn’t a punishment for that] — and whoever-the-fuck took Connor. Zapped him away.

[Hank isn’t sure what he figures now, exactly. Be good and get Connor back? Sure, that’s the dream. But while part of Hank will always hope... he isn’t that stupid.

Connor isn’t coming back.]

Can’t say I wanna stick around, or do much of anything. But Connor isn’t here, so until he is, I guess I have a world to fight for now, y’know?

[Since Hank has Sumo here, too. Shifting around on Gorgug’s ball — perhaps finally realizing it isn’t as comfortable as he thought.]

[ Gorgug's listening, and it's simple enough until-- Connor. Connor going, Hank says, and Gorgug realises the blame there, but also-- the main detail is big enough, isn't it. His face falls sympathetically, glancing away to Sumo when he shifts on the ball--sturdy, at the very least, but also very much metallic. ]

I'm sorry Connor's gone. [ But that's what he says when he looks back at Hank, looking down at the device in his hand, but doing nothing with it. ] I don't think-- whatever you did, it didn't take him away. I lost a friend from home too, but-- I've seen a lot of people go without a reason. And it's not great. When you don't know why they went.

[ Even if it might be better. Maybe? But there's people Gorgug still thinks about, even if it's Adaine he worries about the most. If she even is back in Elmville, or-- who knows where? ]

It really sucks, the answers we don't have.

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