Chores

Posted on Thu Jun 25th, 2020 @ 10:20am by Ensign Duncan McManus & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine
Edited on on Thu Jun 25th, 2020 @ 7:29pm

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Deck E - Laundry
Timeline: Day 32, Month 2, Year 0 14:30
2511 words - 5 OF Standard Post Measure

The steady drone of one of the washing machines entering its spin cycle echoed around the laundry room. With over eighty crew on board the ship, the activity in the laundromat cycled up and down throughout the day. There were times when every machine was spoken for. At other points, the room was a veritable ghost town, making it a favorite escape for those who needed to get away for a few blessed moments of solitude. A lopsided metal chair that didn't sit evenly on the floor had been liberated from the mess hall and been placed in the corner. Various literature was scattered on the table nearby.

Mattias sat cross legged in the floor with his PADD, waiting patiently between two dryers that each showed four minutes left in their cycles. Constantine had recently found himself the loser of a friendly wager with his next door neighbor, Ensign Duncan McManus, incurring a debt that he was in the process of repaying by doing laundry for both of them. He realized that folding had not been part of the wager, but he was in an agreeable mood and had decided to do a favor for his friend.

Drumming his fingers against the side of the washing machine, Matt took a deep breath and basked in the room's climate controlled goodness, a stark contrast to his workspace which he had escaped earlier that day. With the computer core working overtime to produce a workable translation matrix for the Vrav language, plus the damage done to the environmental controls during the last attack, it had become insufferably hot in the communications center. On Commander Leroux's recommendation, he had placed a work order for someone in engineering to come repair the environmental systems. However, for a little extra aggravation, he had requested that Duncan be assigned the project.

Constantine grinned at the thought of his friend having to squeeze under the same sub-floor he had nearly gotten stuck in two days prior. Luckily, Lexi had bailed him out on that occasion. He owed her more favors than he owed Duncan, and that was saying something. Matt typed and deleted a message for what had to be the twelfth time that day, all owing to a certain communications officer that was now occupying a sizable section of his idle thoughts. Twisting his face into a scowl, he discarded the draft and shook his head at his own lack of wordcraft. His attention was broken by the opening of the laundry room doors as a familiar face walked through.

"Oh hey Dunc'," Matt waved idly as he moved to take a seat in the chair. "I'm making good on our bet, but the laundry's not ready yet. It's almost done drying. What's up man, how are things?"

Duncan was in his own world not having expected anyone to be in the laundry but grinned when he saw who was sat on the chair that he had come to finally fix. The man was surprised to see him of all people there but could not complain about being delayed seeing the man was doing his laundry after his wager blunder.

“Well I came to fix the chair you currently are resting your butt in but as you are repaying me, I will wait.” To signify his intent to stay he sat upon one of the machines. “I am good doing lots of odd random jobs this afternoon after fixing the comms centre.” He said narrowing his eyes just a little. He knew the man had sent it knowing it would be him to suffer the heat.

"You're my hero Mister McManus, thank you very much. You can appreciate how hot it was in there. I swear it's like the Vrav are just pinpointing systems in their attacks to annoy us to death," Matt chuckled at the thought. The constant shadow of the Vrav had haunted them for so long that the crew could almost set their watches to the timing of their attacks. "Dunc, it was so damn hot that I had basically stripped out of half my uniform. Then guess who shows up?"

Duncan knew this was going to be a good story as soon as the word stripped was used. Every story that used that word turned into something either embarrassing or funny for everyone involved. "Of you have annoyed far too many engineers." Duncan teased knowing that was not the case here but it was always fun to make them think for a moment. "I do not know cute brunette you work with? Chief Medical Officer? Oh gosh, the Commander?" He wondered feeling the bubbling laughter rising in him.

"Why's it always gotta be about women with you, Dunc?" Constantine laughed and shook his head. "But yes, dammit, in this case it was Commander Leroux. Believe me dude, you've never seen anybody my size move so quick to get that shit back on. But uh," he motioned with his eyes to where one of his uniforms was air drying overhead. "Notice anything different?"

"Because I am a hot-blooded man who really needs a cold shower about now thanks to you and your communication center," Duncan answered without a moments hesitation or embarrassment. They had known each other long enough to joke and tease and it was sad if you did not have a buddy in a time like they currently were experiencing to be able to do that to relieve some stress. "I am sure she did not bat an eyelid. She was your department head." Duncan commented looking above. "Nope over than they do not overly fit you anymore." He teased knowing full well what the man was hinting at.

Mattias simply rolled his eyes, ignoring what he knew what his friend's intentional ignorance. Before he could respond with a quip, each dryer's buzzer went off in quick succession, signaling that their contents were sufficiently evacuated of moisture. Mattias sprang to his feet and took a huge armful of clothes over to the folding table where he began methodically folding each garment. He was skilled at the chore from years of practice in the Constantine household, so he made quick progress as he continued to speak to Duncan.

"I'll be sure and schedule an eye appointment for you, Mister McManus," Constantine shook his head. "Do you think Ms. Blair is an optometrist, or maybe that's hearsay," he turned to see if his good natured jab had found its target. "C'mon Dunc, when were you going to tell me about her?"

Duncan leant over and took some of the clothes to fold them. He might have won the wager but the folding was not really involved. Plus he did not want to be a jerk to his friend whilst he was sat there being busy and he just sat there mocking him like normal. He looked up at the mention of Darcy.

“Gees gossip travels fast on this ship. And nothing is going on between me and Darcy. It really is not the time or the place for something like that.” They were just trying to survive, it seemed desperate to sleep with someone when the vrav could be attacking them any second. “But what about you? I heard a unique female voice from your quarters a couple of nights back.” If he was being gossiped about he was at least going to tease the other man.

"C'mon man, I knew something was up when I didn't hear you screeching out the Beatles in the wee, small hours of the morning," Constantine goaded his next door neighbor again. "Me? Well, you know my department is mostly women other than me. So Lexi and I were working on the Vrav translator together. You fixed the reason we weren't working in the comms center, ya dingus, but you're not totally off the mark." Mattias folded another three shirts in silence. "I dunno Duncan, am I being stupid? Letting somebody in, especially now?"

Duncan made a face, he had been a terrible neighbour some nights when he got to into the remaining booze. Mattias had never mentioned any of it until now. "Yeah, I have not been the best neighbour last few weeks." He admitted rubbing the back on his neck awkwardly. "You are a lucky sod with all the women around you. I just have Katherine and she is not likely to enjoy my charms any time soon. I know I am not off the mark there. You two have been stepping around each other for months. I think if you had started this attraction after then yeah not best time but you guys are not exactly fresh starting here now are you?" It had been painfully obvious sometimes that there was something between the pair but either they were oblivious to the others feelings or were too embarrassed to do or say more.

"It's that obvious, huh?" Mattias wrinkled his nose as he formed another pile of clothes, this time with folded running shorts. "I guess I've been scared of what might happen if things go wrong. It's a small ship, Duncan, and an even smaller department. Like you said, news travels fast," Constantine appeared pensive for a moment - he kept folding clothes to fill the silence. "I think I know what I have to do. We're grown adults, we should be able to handle having our emotions out in public, even if it means risking getting them stepped on a little."

"Completely obvious and to be fair I already assumed you were a thing on the down-low." The Engineer admitted with a shrug. It was obvious but he bet others who did not know the communication officer as well did not see it at all. "Things could go horribly wrong but they could go extremely well. If we were sat here and I had not seen you at the movie night before we got lost in space I would have said no brother back off and go fish another time but it's not a new thing. How you have controlled yourself I do not know." Duncan said still teasing trying to keep the man's spirits up best he could.

"You've certainly shed some light on the subject for me. You're a good friend Dunc, thank you," Constantine replied with the short, honest truth. He might've considered hugging the man if he didn't already know that he viewed it as a breach of his personal space. Instead, Matt finished folding his own laundry and began helping McManus with his. "You know, I have this little travel guitar that I brought with me. We really oughta play some music together sometime. I've got a pretty good ear; we can work on that singing voice of yours and turn you into a proper Irish songbird."

“I try.” The Engineer replied feeling not at all comfortable with the expression of thanks. He was pretty sure the man wanted to hug him but realised just in time that Duncan did not hug many people. It was a nice silence that passed between them and the laundry pile which was broken by Mattias talking again. He was starting to think the man did not stop talking. Duncan paused for a long moment as he looked at the shorts in front of him before he looked at the man. That had to be the second-best suggestion he had heard this week. It would have been first but Darcy had suggested booze at hers and they had sat there with the booze and popcorn putting the universe to rights. How had he not know the man had a guitar before now? "I am Scottish." He mumbled as if that matter there and then.

"Lo siento, amigo. I took a shot at the coinflip. I seriously do lose every bet against you!" Matt retorted with a chuckle. He finished helping him with folding before neatly placing his laundry back into his hamper. It was fortunate timing - three other crewmembers walked through the door, dragging their dirty clothes behind them. "Want me to drop yours off as I go by? I'm heading back to my quarters now."

“Luck of the Irish I guess,” Duncan muttered with a huge grin just to confuse the matter even more. He grinned at the crewmen that came in and shook his head at the offer. “I will walk back with you Matt. I want to hear more about what has been going on with you showing your boxers off to the Commander to be fair.” He said just loud enough that only Mattias could hear over the sounds of the laundry room.

"Oh, you're totally going to start a rumor now aren't you. Dammit," Constantine facepalmed with his free hand, stifling an eye roll as well as he could. He nudged the door control panel with his elbow, holding it open so Duncan could make it through. "You know, we really should figure out a way to make these doors automatic. I'd like to think one day in the future we'll figure out a way to make that happen."

"Yes. It will deflect from you and the blonde." Duncan grinned as his friend turned Engineer on him in front of his eyes. He could not have been prouder of him if he tried. "You my friend should have been an Engineer." He surmised as they hit the cooler corridor. "If only right. I do not think any of the doors have enough space for the mechanisms." He admitted. He had thought it many times since he was a very young child. "At least these doors at least have panels the ship I grew up on you have to physically open doors."

"Living in the stone age, man," he chuckled. Together, the two men approached their end of the corridor where their adjacent quarters were located. Before he disappeared inside, Matt stuck his head back out into the corridor and spoke through his friend's open door. "Knock and come on over next time you get in a singing mood, Dunc. We'll annoy everyone, but we'll do it together."

"That is the sweetest anyone has ever said to me," Duncan said putting his hand on his heart in a mock display of being overcome with emotions. Maybe they could get together with Davis and create some type of activity. They could turn the singing into a weekly thing or something. People could use that type of activity onboard.

"Oh please," the response came with a dismissive wave of a hand. "Take care of yourself, Duncan. Be seeing you. And I'm taking a nap, so keep it down, eh?"

Duncan nodded. He would be quiet for now, no one needed to hear his voice and his neighbour was a decent bloke so he would be nice for now. He had enough to worry about and no sleep would not be helpful to anyone.

OFF::

Ensign Duncan McManus
Engineer
NX Atlantis
(PNPC Leroux)

Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine
Chief Communications Officer
NX Atlantis