thedifferencebetween

[ Up to Jack's house he goes. Again. Unknown to Athena and company. Again.

Rhys hasn't avoided Jack, per se. He's been thinking about an offer that was made not too long ago, because considering recent events, he's not sure he's happy with where he's at. 'Where he's at' meaning with Athena and the crew of Vault Hunters, living in Ecruteak. After getting half strangled to death, things have been...complicated.

This isn't the first time Rhys has visited Jack without everyone knowing. As far as he can tell, nobody is aware that this is happening. If Athena knew, she would throw a fit. Especially with what's all been happening with Not-Jack, which Rhys still doesn't know how to comprehend. Yeah, the part where Jack told him it was "just business"? He's not buying that. That was a horrible, dick move.

Yet here Rhys is, knocking on his door.

Jack has tried to kill him as an AI, but none of that counts since it wasn't the actual Handsome Jack. There's too many different things, too many personality changes. Whoever made Holo-Jack messed up, bad. But the real Jack has hurt him here, hence the strangling thing. He did it to Rhys so hard he ended up passing out and woke with bruises around his neck for at least a solid week.

Rhys feels like Athena doesn't care about him, though. She's off with Not-Jack and Krieg, and Janey. Vaughn's gone. Fi's gone. There's literally nobody around that Rhys can call a friend aside from Walter and Korra. And Jack. ]

Jack? You home?

[Well, well, well.]

[What is this? Jack hasn't called Rhys. The kid's here all on his own. Now that's something. Jack's home, and he gets up to answer the door. He's looking a lot better than he has been, though still minus the mask. He's even dressing in actual clothes, not just sweats. He's got his classic Hyperion sweater on, and a pair of black jeans.]

[He opens the door and leans casually in the frame, a cup of coffee in his hand.]

Yeah, I'm home. Heya, cupcake, what brings you calling?

[Doom Boner is at Jack's feet, wiggling with excitement (to the extent a sphere on legs can wiggle) and howling at seeing a friend.]

[ He's...nervous when he sees Jack standing there. But he's had time to think. Has Athena been nice to him and everything...? Maybe? In her own, Athena-ey way. But she's always fawning over the other Vault Hunters and Not-Jack, so what good is it with him just staying there? Rhys can't take it. He feels like dead weight.

Rhys runs a hand through his hair. ] I, I was thinking about...moving in?

[ There's no way he can tell Athena. As far as he knows, his plan is just to just leave and not tell a soul. If she asks, he can say he left. No big deal! He would be "on his own" and blah blah, totally not hanging out with his old boss. Nah, nah. ]

If the offer's still up.

[Yes. Jack's been slowly working toward this. He stepped back, he let Rhys think everything over, and here Rhys is. Perfect.]

Yeah, offer's still up. Come on in.

[Jack moves out of the doorway and beckons for Rhys to come inside. The house looks a lot cleaner than might be expected, considering Jack's state for the last month or so. But Manaka's been taking good care of him, and the house.]

There's coffee, if ya want some. I was just going over some business, I could use the break.

[ The house looks better. Shit, Jack looks better. He's not sure if that's a good thing in this situation, or not. But he keeps quiet, nodding along when he's invited in and looking over to the kitchen. Coffee sounded pretty damn good, but uh. He had to take care of this first. ]

Hope you don't mind me just, pssh y'know. Not telling you I was coming. [ He pulls out his 'gear and waves it. ] I, I just, y'know. Figured I'd come over, so.

I...I'm not going to tell Athena. I'm just going to come over, and if she asks anything I'll just say I've opted to go out on my own. I don't think she would care at this rate.

Nah, it's fine. Manaka comes and goes all the time, without announcing it, I don't care. She's been looking after me, she's a good girl. Moving in, too.

[Because he wants his girl with him. He's gotta do something all these stirred up Dad-feelings. Manaka...well, she came along right at the perfect time. Orphan, special, dotes on him....]

[And the cards just keep coming up right.]

I think you're making a smart choice, kiddo. I really do. I know I can be a tough guy sometimes, kinda hard to deal with, but at least you know I give a crap about you, Rhys The Person. And Athena doesn't need to know your business, she's not your mother or your parole officer.

I, I know, but...I'm just nervous. [ Hearing that Jack is getting another housemate kind of eases things, though! Maybe he'll say there's too much room and Rhys came a little too late, and it's back off to Athena. He doesn't want to come off as being uncomfortable about moving in, but it's pretty obvious. And not because Jack's freaking him out, because he's not. Jack's hung out with him a lot lately. ]

...I want to at least tell her I'm leaving. Just leaving without telling her seems like an asshole thing to do. [ He shrugs. ] It won't take long. But I'll do it out of the house so she doesn't, uh. Suspect anything.

You do whatever you want, cupcake.

[Jack settles in on the couch with a yawn, and rubs the bridge of his nose.]

I don't care what you tell her, I'm also not your parent or your parole officer. I'm your friend. Spare room's furnished, but...you know. It's a spare room.

[Manaka gets the other room. The room that he'd already decided, some time ago, was his daughter's room.]

You can do what ya want with it, I really don't care. Upstairs has a half-bathroom, you can use that one. Master bedroom's got it's own, so you pretty much got it to yourself. Uh...don't touch my food, don't mess with my laundry, you can pay rent by cleaning up and keeping the fridge stocked. Me'n Manaka both cook, so that's all covered...uh...

[Shit, how long has it been since Jack was moving in an actual roommate? He can barely remember. That was...Christ, back before he was married the first time.]

I dunno, I haven't lived with anybody that I wasn't related to or banging in...probably since you were like an actual infant.

[ This all...sounds pretty damn great, actually! There's not much Rhys brought with him: spare clothes, a different pair of shoes, his pokes and a few little extra things he's gotten since coming here. So unpacking won't be too much of a problem!

It feels nice to actually have a home. Something Rhys couldn't say he had back in their world. Since, y'know. It was completely wrecked.

He's got a big smile on his face, until Jack talked about banging people. Uh, ew. ] Uhhh....that's great? I think?

[ Rhys shakes his head. ] I'm just gonna throw my stuff upstairs.

[ And that he does! Rhys looks in to see what his new room is like - everything looks great! - and flops his things down. Next he's off to the bathroom, because when was the last time he actually had a shower in a bathroom that was more or less his? He'll leave everything just lying out, pokegear and all. ]

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