phaselocknroll | Shenanigans!

[ The last time Gaige was on a spaceship, she was stowed away in a cramped cargo bay with naught but the clothes on her back. She was on her way to Pandora, fresh on the heels of Marcie's messy demise at Deathtrap's hands and being broken out of jail by her father. She put on a brave face her her ECHOcast, but in reality, she'd been scared out of her mind.

That all felt like a lifetime ago. Sometimes the old aches came back, but for the most part, she'd come to enjoy her new life on Pandora.

And now here she was on a spaceship again. Maya's message had been a little strange (Hey, if I send you the dimensions of this room, would you be able to turn it into an inertia-proof library?) but there was nothing the Mechromancer loved more than a challenge. Which is why she's currently in Maya's former quarters on the Milano, welding a metal bookshelf into place. She's been at it for a while, welder's mask pulled down over her face. ]

[ Before the events on Xandar, space on the Milano had been limited at best. There was one room that acted as personal quarters, outfitted with four bunks, two stacked in either side. And while the ship could fit four, in theory, it was really only comfortable enough for maybe two -- if the second person was small and didn't own a lot, seeing as how Peter lived like a slob.

But after it had been totaled in the battle against Ronan and subsequently rebuilt by the Nova Corps as a thank you gift, the ship had been expanded, and rooms were split up to accommodate each of the five Guardians (though Groot roomed with Rocket). Space was still limited, and Peter still lived like a slob, but at least they each had a space to call their own.

But now-- the fifth bunk is being converted. Into, of all things, a library. On the Milano.

Still kind of weird, at least to Peter, but the others seemed on board -- well, everyone but Rocket, who had campaigned long and hard to turn the room into a personal workshop -- but, frankly, everyone was terrified by the idea, so it was quickly shot down. And Gaige was already hard at work by the time it really sank in for Peter, so by then it was too late to change his mind.

It's been a few hours, at least, and Peter has spent most of it exercising in the cargo area (because a physique like his requires work). He's surprised he hasn't seen more of Gaige. He figured with her being in such close proximity to Rocket, the two of them would've fucked off somewhere to start building atomic bombs capable of taking out entire sectors, and picking apart the toaster or the oven to do so, no less. But it seems Maya was right -- give Gaige a task, and she focuses on it.

... Unless she's building explosives up there, when she's supposed to be putting in shelves. It's when that thought occurs to him that he decides to check up on her under the guise of bringing her a bottle of water. ]

Hey--oly shit, this used to be a bedroom?

[ At first she doesn't notice him, intent on her welding. Well, that and her welder's mask did fuck all for her peripheral vision.

She stands from where she was kneeling, giving the shelving unit a few good whacks with her metal arm. Satisfied, she lifts her mask away from her face, revealing a wide grin. ]

Oh, heya Petes. Didn't hear you come in. [ she motions at the water bottle ] That for me?

[ He makes a face. ]

It was, up until you called me "Petes." Now I'm not so sure.

Really? You're gonna be like that? Here I am, bustin' my butt to build to a super kickass spaceship library, and you won't even give me water.

[ He heaves a sigh before finally moving farther into the room, holding the bottle out to her. ]

I guess I'm obligated to make sure you don't die of dehydration while you're on my ship. We'd get a lot of unwanted attention that way.

Not to mention the smell.

[ She takes it, and shakes it at him in a scolding manner as she speaks ]

Not to mention I'd come back as a ghost and haunt your sorry ass.

I'd-- hate to burst your bubble? But you'd be the least intimidating ghost in the world.

I mean, like, Casper the Friendly Ghost levels of scary.

You say that, but I'm gonna hang out in your bedroom and make commentary to your shipmates whenever you and Maya do the do.

[ He can't help it-- he laughs. But then he stifles it as best he can. ]

You think that, but I'm pretty sure you'd mostly be watching in silent wonder.

Silent wonder at what? How much she tops the hell out of you?

[ SAY NOTHING, PETER. DON'T GIVE IT AWAY. ]

Mostly you'd be busy taking notes, like, "I never thought to put my tongue there, or, "That's a clever way to use cables," but how a ghost could utilize the many things you'd learn from the two of us, I'll never know.

You're way too full of yourself, Petes.

And yes, I'm going to call you that for the rest of forever.

[ That grimace returns in full force. ]

I want the record to show that I will object to it every day until my dying breath.

[ He sighs again, looking around the room, and he lets his annoyance slip away. ]

I didn't think you'd get so much done this soon.

Hey, come on. I'm the greatest engineer alive, remember? Welding bookshelves is kid stuff.

[ He runs a hand along the edge of one of the shelves, giving it an appraising look. ]

If it's just kid stuff, that means we don't gotta pay you, right?

All right then, hot shot. You do it.

[ she holds her welding tool out to him, eyebrows arched and expression expectant ]

[ Aaaand his hands go up. ]

Nope, alright, you're the expert.

Yeah, I thought so.

[ She sets the welder down and finally opts to take a swig of her water, inspecting her handiwork. ]

After I get these puppies all welded into place, I'm gonna put some plexiglass doors on 'em so books don't go flying everywhere in whatever epic space battles you all get yourselves into.

Thank God for that. I seriously wasn't looking forward to playing fifty-two card pickup with Maya's books every time we hit an ion storm.

Well, it'd probably be more like a bajillion card pickup. Have you seen her collection?

Not since she started rolling with you. I dunno if you remember, but we didn't exactly have our own rooms back in the HQ.

Why, has it, like, freakin' exploded?

Yes. [ Well, by Peter's standards, anyway. ]

I mean, I still don't get the appeal, but it's like, I know she's not gonna give 'em up, so better to get them shelved than have them flying around the place and beaming Drax in the head, you know?

[ She's got a hand on her mask, almost ready to pull it back down over her face, but his remark makes her pause. ]

Man oh man, have you got it bad.

[ He's eyeing another shelf when she speaks, and he blinks at her words. ]

Huh? Got what bad?

You ever think in a million years that you'd be putting a library in your ship?

C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER

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