[OPEN] How much of it's genetics? How much of it is fate?

[chronomancer]

Characters: jade!Eridan & YOU! 
Setting: Workshop
Format: Starting with action, but I'll match you.
Summary: Eridan emerges from his self-imposed exile for a while to clean his rifles.
Warnings: Eridan's deadpan. Potential violence if he gets pissed; lots and lots of rifles. Gamzee. Gory, ironic death via Gamzee. Goddammit, Gamzee.

[He started off with one. And then he doomed himself a few times. And well. It wasn't like he could just let them go to waste, when they started piling up.

Laser rifles need a different type of maintenance than the usual kind, but it's still maintenance in the end.

So there's a sullen troll, half hidden behind a pile of guns, carefully cleaning one by one. It's a methodical and repetitive process, but it's not like Eridan seems to mind too terribly. He's just minding his business, but hey. Maybe if you ask very nicely, he'll give you one.

Maybe.]

Comments

[chronomancer]

[...ha. Haha. Funny. Only not.

When the grip goes slack, Eridan bends down, trying to untangle Karkat's claws off his pants, one finger at the time.]

[papshooshing]

[ now the tired, growly voice comes out. you're

touching

his

hand. ]

The fuck're you doing...

[chronomancer]

[And Eridan actually startles and nearly falls onto Karkat.]

Fuck.

[Once he's fully vertical again, he just sort of looks down at Karkat with an awkward expression on his face.]

Er. Reclaimin' my leg?

[papshooshing]

[ and at the time, Karkat just curls into himself, hands over his head in preparation for the fall that never fully comes.

when Eridan is back up again, Karkat sits up. hands carding through his hair and looking around.

giving Eridan an eye roll. ]

This is not where I passed out.

[chronomancer]

No.

[A snort.]

You passed out there.

[He points to the still half-tumbled pile of guns.]

And then I figured neither of us would enjoy dying via accidentally shot rifle, so I moved you here.

[He crosses his arms over his chest, defensive. His entire posture screaming DEAL WITH IT.]

[papshooshing]

[ that just gets a glare. ]

Why didn't you just turn off the fucking safety?

[chronomancer]

[There's a small pause.]

...you know jackshit about guns, do you.

[Eridan shakes his head.]

Just because the safety is on doesn't mean it's okay to roll around the fucking things. They could still go off somehow. Especially those, since it's not like I take the ammunition out.

[Did you order a lecture, because you just got a lecture.]

[papshooshing]

Of course I know fuck all. I use a real weapon, dumbass.

[ now his arms are the ones crossing over his chest. HUFFING. ]

A pile is a goddamned pile.

[chronomancer]

[Eridan snorts and rolls his eyes.]

Whatever.

[He's not in the mood to pick a fight, and Gamzee will still be pissed at him if he antagonizes his moirail. So yeah, as usual, his efforts go unappreciated. LE SIGH. He's just gonna go back to where he was working.]

[papshooshing]

[ did he say something?

because now Karkat just kind of looks bewildered. someone's walking away? what?

but he's not screaming about being moved! ]

[chronomancer]

[To be fair, it's just as far as where the table is, with all the rifles there. Eridan is just going back to work. He figures Karkat will just go back to sleep.

Right?

It's not like he's acting weird or anything...]

[papshooshing]

[ yeah, not so much. because now Karkat is just thinking. so many thoughts. mostly wondering what the hell just happened.

Eridan's not even trying to quip back? where'd he get all those guns anyway?

so yeap. staring. ]

[chronomancer]

[He goes back to work, fingers working diligently. He cleans a rifle or two before the weight of that stare becomes really unbearable, so he turns to give Karkat a look over his shoulder, putting down the rag and the rifle he's working on.]

...do you need anything else?

[papshooshing]

What are you so fucking wound up about?

[ there. he said it. because he can't keep it in his little body any longer. ]

[chronomancer]

...'m fine.

[A bit testy, but he goes back to work.]

Didn't know it was a crime to not be fuckin' cheery all the time.

[Not that. You know. He does cheery all that often. Or at all.]

[papshooshing]

Yeah, because that fucking clipped answer is totally an indicator of "fine." YOu know as well as I do that "fine" and "cheery" aren't synonymous anyway, Ampora.

So what the hell is going on?

[chronomancer]

Nothing's going on, just felt like fuckin' cleaning up my shit.

[Which involves clearing out a lot of jade blood off his own damn guns and wow, that turned morbid real fast. He's just not in a good mood.]

Just go back to sleep, Kar, you could probably use a few hours more.

[papshooshing]

You might as well tell me because sleep is no longer a thing that's going to happen. All of these questions and hypothetical concerns about your well being are kind of buzzing in my skull like flies swarming over freshly dropped shit.

[ nope. not going anywhere. not sleeping either. ]

[chronomancer]

[...yeah, okay, you managed to make him snort loudly at that. Then, a little more quietly.]

There really isn't any reason for you to concern yourself with my wellbeing, though.

[A small pause.]

It's not like I'm goin' to hurt anyone or anything.

[Because the only reason you'd worry about him is because he could hurt someone else. Right?]

[papshooshing]

That's not why I'm fucking asking. If I was asking out of fear you potentially seeking to hurt someone, then I'd be cheating on Gamzee. We both know I couldn't do that.

[ so stop beating around the bush and just talk. ]

[chronomancer]

...you know, I forget you're the smart one sometimes.

[Take that as you will. He sighs again.]

'm fine though. Just. ...restless.

[He shrugs again.]

It's not a good thing for me to indulge in, that's all. So I'm keeping busy instead.

[papshooshing]

[ and he'll take that as a complement and bite his tongue. this time. he actually has Eridan talking to him. best just not aggravate too much. ]

Restless why?

[chronomancer]

[He's quiet for a moment, as if trying to figure out the best way to put it into words.]

...haven't died in a while.

[papshooshing]

Wait. Let me get this fucking straight.

You're restless because you haven't died in a while. How is this a bad thing?

[chronomancer]

[Another shrug.]

Just got used to it, I guess.