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day 1 (morning)
[ So. That sure was a night, but much to Jack's surprise, he had actually slept surprisingly well. He'd expected to be up all night with a combination of all the questions running through his mind and a still quite tender injury, but that hadn't been the case. Since he'd gone to bed (or at least started to drift off) rather well before the effects of the curfew started, Jack was oblivious to what had actually occurred the previous night.
He hadn't actually specified a time to talk to that crazy asshole, and in truth, Jack hadn't quite meant "first thing in the morning" when he'd said so. But of course, Jack isn't that lucky. Considering curfew had passed quietly and not everyone was up yet, he's kind of hoping he can quickly make something and then finally go shower, because he's still looking more or less like he just woke up. And, you know, got punched in the face. He's not quite dressed for the day yet, still wearing sweats and a Hyperion Yellow t-shirt, but probably more notably than that would be the black rim glasses that are sitting on his bruised nose.
Jack is busy in the kitchen, having ordered some instant coffee from the commissary, and he's in the process of preparing that. Still, while the water boils, he's digging around in the cabinets again, since he's looking for something he can turn into a slightly less sad breakfast. Whether Rhys comes to the kitchen to try and do the same or just hears Jack, either way, he's still a talker. ]
Ahhhhh godddd this is so friggin' sad. I feel poor again. There's- C'mooon Judy just give me some eggs or something, I can just eat scrambled eggs...
[ He's definitely just quietly bitching to himself as he's digging around in the cabinets, don't mind him. ]
He hadn't actually specified a time to talk to that crazy asshole, and in truth, Jack hadn't quite meant "first thing in the morning" when he'd said so. But of course, Jack isn't that lucky. Considering curfew had passed quietly and not everyone was up yet, he's kind of hoping he can quickly make something and then finally go shower, because he's still looking more or less like he just woke up. And, you know, got punched in the face. He's not quite dressed for the day yet, still wearing sweats and a Hyperion Yellow t-shirt, but probably more notably than that would be the black rim glasses that are sitting on his bruised nose.
Jack is busy in the kitchen, having ordered some instant coffee from the commissary, and he's in the process of preparing that. Still, while the water boils, he's digging around in the cabinets again, since he's looking for something he can turn into a slightly less sad breakfast. Whether Rhys comes to the kitchen to try and do the same or just hears Jack, either way, he's still a talker. ]
Ahhhhh godddd this is so friggin' sad. I feel poor again. There's- C'mooon Judy just give me some eggs or something, I can just eat scrambled eggs...
[ He's definitely just quietly bitching to himself as he's digging around in the cabinets, don't mind him. ]
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He'd probably been half hoping for Rhys to take back what he'd said at least somewhat and offer... Something. Forgiveness doesn't seem to be the right word, because there's nothing really to forgive here, or not in any way that makes sense in this odd situation. Jack had been wanting some reassurance that no, he could be different, that things would be different for him, but Rhys doesn't offer it. In fact, he just asserts it.
Rhys is so certain of the man Jack will become, and Jack doesn't even have that certainty for himself just yet.
It's chilling in a way that's difficult to hide. He's listening as Rhys takes that coffee from his hands, and Jack gets started with making his own, but he's only half-listening to the last portion. "I think you're capable of it" says enough. Jack looks at his coffee once he's poured it, and though it's still pretty hot and also not how Jack tends to take his coffee (he drowns it in sugar and cream, of course), he still takes a large drink of it before heading back to the stove where he's cooking. He's trying to play off how much this bothers him, but he's not very successful in it. ]
Christ, next time I just want to feel like shit, remind me to schedule breakfasts with you, buddy.
[ He's dismissive and self-deprecating, since of course he doesn't trust Rhys with anything more than that. He makes a dismissive noise and crosses his arms with a cold look on his face, but it's fairly short-lived. But he looks to Rhys before too long before speaking again. It's not what he's thinking in full-- It's in fact only the very highest portion of all of what he's feeling swirling around him, but of course there's one thing that Jack feels certain of. ]
You sound pretty certain that I'm gonna kill you, so. Just gonna have to prove you wrong. I realize that's kinda an oxymoron, since, yeah, proving someone wrong about not killing them just means not being a crazy dickbag, but. I think you get the sentiment I'm trying to get across here.
[ He takes another drink of his coffee, though this time, he frowns more at the bitterness. Cheap black coffee is the worst, why did he do this to himself. ]
...Hope so, at least.
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and yet as he sits here and takes a sip of his coffee (a brief moment of surprise when he realizes jack made it just how he takes it) and watches the tense lines of jack's back, he really does feel pretty bad. at the comment admitting it, rhys drops his head a little and sighs. ]
Didn't mean to make you feel bad, Jack. I-- Well, I usually don't care about how anyone feels, they're assholes, but you're... different aaaand that just continues to make me sound like a creepy stalker, doesn't it?
[ he's aware of it, at least. he was about to press again, to tell jack just how much he cared and hope it meant something -- but it's gone on long enough and every time he insists, jack just closes up more on him. if they're going to be friends, at all? rhys has to stop doing that. he sighs and slips off the counter, wiggling his toes on tile as he takes another sip of coffee and steps hesitantly closer in jack's direction.
he listens to jack's sureness and feels the well of worship reopen inside him, rusty and dry from such a long period of disuse. in rhys' eyes, jack shines brighter than anyone else and all rhys wants to do is preserve it, this jack. the one that isn't dead or turned into something worse.
he wonders then, if he might be a bad influence on jack? the thought makes him kind of dizzy with the need to show his worth to jack. he doesn't know how good a plan that would be though, not right now. ]
Okay, then... don't kill me. I'd appreciate it.
[ he sounds doubtful, wary, and he takes another sip of his coffee, tapping his foot on the ground a few times. ]
I'm, er, I'm gonna go, alright? I don't want to make you feel any worse, dude. It's just making me feel like shit too.
[ a frustrated huff, fingers carding through his hair and jack can probably hear him start heading for the door. if he's not stopped, well, then he'll see you later, jack. ]
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Yikes.
He's probably mid-thought about thinking about just why people are so obsessed with him, since those are far more pleasant thoughts than the alternative when Rhys gets up to leave. ]
What, and leave me to stew in my- [ Just from the idiom, it's clear the next word is probably "misery," but Jack abruptly switches tracks on that sentence. He reaches out to grab Rhys's arm before he passes, but he lets go again almost immediately. It's just to stop him from leaving, since it seems like Jack has something else in mind here. ] Uh-uh, nope, you-- You are eating some of this crap with me.
[ It's not really a question so much as a demand, but Jack won't actually push any more than this. For once, he's still hesitant with Rhys and unsure of how to handle nearly everything about him as some kind of Ghost of Shitmas Future or whatever, but. There are a few facts that still remain here.
One, Rhys knows about the future. He keeps focusing on the really... awful parts, but Hyperion through and through, Jack absolutely isn't going to pass up that opportunity. He had been willing to put up with a crazy person to get a glimpse into the future for an edge, and that desire hasn't changed.
Two, there is a lot of corned beef hash here, and the only thing worse than canned corned beef hash is leftover hash. Especially when there's nothing to store it in. So, they either eat it together, or Jack just waits around for someone to wander by and shoves it in their face instead.
And three— In truth, Jack doesn't want to be alone, not at the moment. Even if the reason for that was the very person he was "inviting" to breakfast, it was still better than having to think more on what he's learned here on his own. Before he starts tackling those issues, he'd much rather spend time with someone. Really, it's more like anyone in this case, since he's rather desperately avoiding those thoughts for the time being.
But, if nothing else, these three factors work somewhat in Rhys's favor. ]
So, y'know, stick around. It's almost done. Probably. God, I don't know. You know the last time I cooked anything like this? I don't want to relive those days, and yet, here we friggin' are.
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okay, okay. he can stay with jack, eat some breakfast, not make it so weird. he told judy he'd be his friend and he still wants that but his plan was to let jack come to him, give him a few days to settle and then come back to rhys. apparently, jack's not going to let that happen and rhys feels a little blindsided.
so, right. the first thing he tells himself is to stop freaking out jack with the future stuff and also... taking out... his anger at future jack on this jack. don't do that. he keeps doing that, jack's gonna leave him again and that would be, uh, worse. rhys isn't quite sure if he could deal with jack's abandonment again, especially when not given a catalyst for it like "jack's trying to fucking kill you".
he drags a hand over his face and nods jerkily before stepping closer to look in the pan. without really thinking about it, he probably gets a bit closer than he should -- flesh hand moving to rest on the small of jack's back, robot hand bracing against the counter, while he looks over jack's shoulder into the pan. he makes a bit of a face. ]
What is that? It looks like ground up skag sausage, dude.
[ rhys has a sophisticated palate, okay. ]
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Liiiike the touching. Jack tenses up when Rhys touches his back, since if you're going to touch another dude, that's not the most casual part of their back to touch. It's only a minor flinch, and it would be easy enough to miss if Rhys's hand weren't there to feel it, but Jack plays off the awkwardness of that moment with a smile. ]
Look, I know I'm pretty much the most handsome guy ever— [ As if Rhys needed more proof that this was indeed the guy that would become Handsome Jack, there's another facet of it. The embarrassing facet. Even so, he does seem more jovial about it. ] —Buuuut, hands off the merchandise.
[ Without missing a beat at all from telling Rhys to back up, he motions to the pan. ]
That? That is corned beef hash. It totally looks like dog food, right? 'Cause, yeah, skag sausage might be generous. ...Do they actually make sausage out of— No, wait, don't answer that, I don't care. [ He shrugs ] Used to make it for myself a lot when I was, uh, a kid. Tastes better than it looks. Not great. Nnnnot anything I really ever wanted to eat again. But, yeah. Defintiely better than it looks.
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A-ahaha... ha... right, right. Totally handsome, sure. Whatever you say, Jack.
[ this is one of his more embarrassing interactions, he realizes, which is why he latches on pretty desperately to the talk of corned beef hash. something that rhys still doesn't really understand. he never had to eat canned food before?? this realization actually makes him pale and he's pushing off the counter to go dig around in the cabinets again. ]
Wait, wait, wait. Hold up a sec. I -- well, first of all, yes they make skag sausage but I've never had it because I don't eat that kind of thing. [ poor people pandoran food ] And, you're saying you made this when you were a kid? That -- Why? Why would you do that to yourself?
[ a pause and rhys is crouched down, digging through cabinets and tossing cans here and there as he realizes exactly what's happening here. ]
... Oh my god, this is all bandit food.
[ aka poor people but he wouldn't say it that literally. ]
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There's little to do but let it cook, so Jack instead turns to watch Rhys dig around at a feverish pitch, since he can guess what realization he's just had. Jack at least thinks that Rhys just hadn't been in the kitchen so far to see their food options here rather than the reality of him just not eating before now... ]
Because I was a kid? So I ate whatever grandma bought? Duh?
[ Jack is at least open about that, though it's also very brief because it's a topic he doesn't like talking about for personal reasons. It's not quite the secrecy he would later hold over his personal life, though. Still, when Rhys has his Terrible Realization, Jack shakes his head and is happier to move onto that topic. ]
But, uh, no, this isn't bandit food. That would include way more-- They eat people, right? I've totally seen this thing on the ECHONet about, uh... Face pizza or something? And skag sausage. Because, y'know, same. Not real interested in expanding my palate to Pandoran cuisine.
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still, the explanation isn't enough for rhys and he just waves a hand dismissively at jack as he continues to dig. ]
You could've said no. Or, I dunno, make her buy something else. That's what I made my mom do.
[ rhys has been a brat forever, honestly. but there's something about saying that that makes a twinge of guilt show up in his stupid, greedy white boy soul and jack can probably catch him muttering to himself -- ]
... Should I apologize for that? Was that mean? Ehhh.
[ and he just continues digging. whatever, let's get on the fact that it's bandit food. he holds up a can of beans and a can of sausage and looks at them despairingly before back up at jack. ]
Face pizza... [ said kind of distractedly before oh, oh yeah. ] Yeah, I've seen face pizza. Was disgusting to peel off. Anyway, this super duper is bandit food. Look at this? Beans? Canned beans? Why would anyone eat this? And -- and canned sausages? What the hell is a vienna? Oh my god, why would you put this in your body?
[ he truly looks like he hit rock bottom here, dropping the cans to the floor and dragging his hands over his face, as he tilts his head back up to the ceiling. why is he eating this terrible food? he's going to complain to judy. ]
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[ Jack's response is immediate, and he still sounds amused over anything else. This of course is mostly just because of watch Rhys's rich white boy despair, because though Jack did a lot to distance himself from his less than glamorous upbringing, it's still pretty hilarious to him to hear someone casually suggest getting grandma to buy something else. The amusement overrides the offense, at least, because Jack has certainly done everything he could to pretend that was never, ever something he would be offended over. He's embracing the rich boy lifestyle in full.
Of course, all of that amusement pretty much falls away at one comment, and Jack's expression twists up into a nice combination of disbelief and disgust. ]
Waitwaitwait, peel off? Whyyyy were you just- Just generally around a face pi— [ oh right rhys is crazy ] Wait, did you peel off someone's face?
[ what the fuck ]
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he looks up at jack incredulously before shaking his head, continuing to toss. ]
No! What the fuck? The Psycho did, but I had to get it back. The face was like, from my boss and I had to use his body to get back on Helios. It was a whole thing and soooo gro--
[ and he's about to finish that sentence when his metal arm sort of gives a weird jerk, mid-can toss and he sort of throws it hard against the cabinet. in response, it pings right back off and beans rhys right in the black eye he was already sporting. he lets out a yell of pain before pressing his flesh hand to his face while the robot one jerks wildly off to the side.
this all takes about the length of a few seconds. ]
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So, what, you really piss off Tas-- [ Jack's response is so immediate that he forgets what Rhys has told him, because of course Jack just assumes that Tassiter would be Rhys's boss. The guy is kind of everyone's boss, so obviously? Though even so, it's probably a good thing that Jack jumps to his own conclusion here, since otherwise, he would have assumed that Rhys meant his face, and that wasn't going to be helpful in the "totally not creepy" department.
So honestly, Rhys's arm is the real hero here.
Jack stops mid-sentence abruptly as Rhys just... punches himself in the face, making a sort of woah of surprise and taking a half step back. The surprise stays on his face, but it's at least not judgement. Or at least not for the confusing garbage spilling out of Rhys's mouth. There's a brief moment of silence, and then Jack offers quite hesitantly: ]
Yyyyyou doin' okay there, sir?
[ Rhys really only gets the stir as a stand-in for Jack mentally going "crazy person." ]