pluggedintheoverlord

"Hey, this is Joker. Leave a message and I might get back to you. Unless you're trying to sell me something or I really just don't feel like talking to you-- in that case, take a hint and quit calling me."

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From:

calibrating

[Because there can never only be one unhappy time]

[Garrus is just looking for a nightcap really before he heads back to his apartment, and instead of splurging at one of the bars along the way, he decides to peruse the overabundance (which probably says something about the crew) of liquor in the Normandy crew lounge]

[When he saunters in, he doesn't really think much about seeing Joker there, too. And it actually provides a good opening for him to bring up that apology he owes the pilot.]

[So he makes a beeline for behind the bar and unscrews the top of his brandy]

Long day?

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

[Everything is always horrible on the Normandy.]

[Joker was sitting at the bar in the lounge when Garrus walked in, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him with a thousand-yard stare that would've impressed a Vietnam vet. There was a tumbler full of some kind of amber-colored liquor in front of him; possibly whiskey, but whatever it was, it smelled like kerosene.]

[He didn't seem to notice when Garrus walked into his field of view to get the brandy until he spoke.]

[Joker knocked back a long swig of liquor; it was time to man up and push his problems aside, because Garrus seemed to be in the mood for talking, and he didn't want to hear about the pilot's bullshit.]

[Time to be the same old Joker, all sass and smartass.]

Would've been shorter if I didn't have some jackass messing up my numbers, but hey, I can't complain.

From:

calibrating

Yeah, about that.

[Garrus slides into a seat next to Joker, cradling his own drink, and blissfully unaware of whatever could actually be bringing his friend down]

I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other day. I was an ass, and you didn't deserve that.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

[Hey, nothing big, he just found out that he was responsible for killing his whole family.]

Don't worry about it, I get it. It wasn't a good time. [He propped his elbow on the bar top and his chin on his hand, looking sidelong at the turian.] So. How you holding up?

From:

calibrating

Pretty well, all things considered.

You? Everything going on can't be easy on you, either.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

I'll manage. Sometimes I have a little help.

[He shook the tumbler slightly, making the ice clack against the glass.]

You gonna keep that apartment you had with Shepard, or should I break out the popcorn and nail polish for a sleepover?

From:

calibrating

Sorry to disappoint, but I'll be keeping the apartment.

[Oh hey. Idea. Garrus took a thoughtful sip of his drink before continuing.]

Actually, if you wanna use it as a place to keep your sister, I don't mind giving it to you guys. Living in the crew quarters can't be ideal for a civilian.

Edited Date: 2013-01-27 09:08 am (UTC)

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

[Joker's jaw went tense for a few moments and his hand tightened around the glass enough that his knuckles were white; he'd been kind of trying to steer the conversation away from himself and his sister, because that was really not the best thing to talk about now.]

Yeah, that'd be great.

From:

calibrating

[The offer was sincere, but he honestly expected a little more from Joker. Not a fight, per se, but maybe some hesitance in living apart from his sibling.]

[Which, of course, made Garrus slip into his detective guise from back in his days at C-Sec]

Did you want to set up two beds in there, then? I know the Normandy's home for you, and all, but it may do the two of you good to have your own place.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

I'll take care of it.

[He needed to get the hell off of this topic. Didn't matter what to, it just needed to not be about him and Gunny.]

Should I be worried that you're trying to get rid of this apartment so quick? What, is it haunted or something? Shitty neighbors?

From:

calibrating

[Yup. Something is definitely wrong, here. Time to figure out which topic is bringing up those negative vibes]

Neighbors are pretty quiet, actually. Not sure about the haunting, though, and if Fox doesn't take the cat, the two of you will have to deal with a shitty roommate.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

He'd better damn well take it. I'd stick that little bastard out the airlock before I put up with its bullshit.

[It had sat on his face when he was hungover. He was going to hold a grudge against that thing until the heat-death of the universe.]

From:

calibrating

Hey, I'm not about to stop you.

The only thing that's letting that thing keep her life is that she's Shepard's.

[Okay let's see if it's the commander's disappearance that's bothering him]

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

She couldn't just stick to space hamsters and mega-krogan, could she?

[Still not the best topic, but better than the alternative. Talking about her didn't make him tense up like he was waiting for a punch; it sucked that she was gone, and he was a little worried for her, but he knew that this wasn't his fault.]

From:

calibrating

[Joker stop being such a tough nut to crack]

Well, she collected us, didn't she?

That's something constant across all these damn universes.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

[Yeah, sure, he'll just totally put aside thirty years of defense mechanisms to make things easier on you, Garrus. He'll get right on that.]

Speak for yourself, craterface. She didn't collect me, I came with the ship.

From:

calibrating

Uh-huh.

And to think, the Shepards still kept you even after dealing with your award-winning personality.

...Speaking of, is Jim still talking to you after that stunt you pulled? I didn't hear the details, but it must've been good to get him that pissed.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

When you're as good as me, you don't need a winning personality.

[He gave a sort of awkward little half-shrug.] I've been kinda lying low on that front. Getting a gun pulled on me once was enough, y'know?

From:

calibrating

[Maybe THAT'S what's bothering him...]

Getting a gun pulled on you?

That couldn't have been pleasant.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

I kinda had it coming.

My only regret is that I never got him to break that damn poker face. Seriously, I bet he cleans house at cards.

From:

calibrating

Well, you sure as hell got his temper up higher than I've ever seen it go, so you did something right. How'd you set that up?

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

I had some help.

[Gonna divert that topic again.]

Maybe I should put this on my resume. 'Pissed off Commander Shepard and didn't get shot for it'. Sounds like a marketable skill to me.

From:

calibrating

'Didn't get shot' does sound a little better than 'only almost got shot'.

[He knows who helped Joker out (thanks to Jim's angry mutterings), but here's where the probing comes in.]

So, who was it? Kasumi? Tali? She has been getting sneakier lately.

From:

pluggedintheoverlord

Please, Tali's only been gunning for you lately, and, let's be honest, she doesn't need a partner in crime. She does well enough all by herself.

[Wow, he sure is dodging that subject.]

From:

calibrating

So, it wasn't Tali, it wasn't Kasumi, it wasn't Wrex, because, face it, subtlety just isn't his specialty. It wasn't Bakara, since she's definitely way too mature for that kind of thing. Mordin would've just snubbed you. It definitely wasn't me, though I am kind of hurt you didn't ask.

[He just gives Joker a knowing Look]