Wirexbiter - Tumblr Posts

There's a blank expression on Mallory's face that seemed forced. Given the response that was given, Drew realized that this probably wasn't the easiest thing for the man to discuss. It was the exact same situation he'd found himself dealing with. Drew was still searching for his family but didn't have a chance to venture out of the building.

For a moment he struggled to find the right words to say. Mallory filled the silence with another comment. This one was almost rude, like the man was irritated with him. Before he made a snarky comment back, he stopped himself. Drew took a breath and kept himself focused on the current task. They needed power.

While he wasn't nearly as proficient with wiring as Mallory, there was more to do around the building. They wouldn't need to see each other if Malloy was uncomfortable. "I assumed that you needed to inspect the current wiring to see what issues there might be. Where should I start looking first?" He wouldn't draw attention to the comments made. Doing so seemed like the wrong choice at the moment.

The feeling in his stomach still wasn't gone, even as he realized that Mallory wasn't happy to see him. Part of him still cared for the man that brushed him off so long ago. They had a good thing going before having sex. Looking back now, Drew regretted how things happened. He never wanted to lose Mallory like that. Maybe things could've been different now if they never had that falling-out.

Drew's hands awkwardly hung at his sides before he moved them again. Each one was tucked into his jacket as he attempted to appear casual. Drew didn't want to reveal how much he'd been shaken by Mallory's sudden appearance. The confidence he'd brought with him to this specific task seemed to disappear in an instant. "I don't want to bother you, Mal." They just needed to get this finished soon.

Mallory had told these idiots repeatedly that a generator wasn't the way to go -- too loud, too in need of gas, not to mention the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning. That, and, even if he managed to get the thing hooked up to essential systems -- like heating and air conditioning -- having power would light the place up like a Christmas tree. And you know what that would make them all? Targets.

But here he was, fucking with this dumb shit anyway. It was a good distraction as far as anything went. After all, it would take a hell of a lot of rewiring to just to get the essentials sorted. It was easy busy work, so it would keep his mind occupied. That way, he didn't have to think about the things he'd rather avoid. Like worrying about Tommy and Scarlet and how everything was so God damn fucked up.

Mallory sighed, hand lifting to pinch the bridge of his nose. That's when he heard the footsteps -- he didn't bother to turn and see who it was, didn't really give a shit, either, but he should've, because the soft spoken voice the spoke up did, in fact, catch him off guard.

Mallory's hands stilled. He hadn't really expected to run into anyone he was familiar with from the real world. Least of all Andrew Royce.

Ah, fuck.

They had been friends. Good friends, too. Mallory enjoyed Andrew's company. But then he had to go and get drunk and fuck his friend and where had that got him? In a huge ol' pile of dog shit, that's what. Mallory wasn't good at dealing with feelings in any capacity. Especially not when he actually did care about the other person.

Any sympathy he might've had died, however, the moment the words Scarlet and Tommy left Andrew's lips. No one else here knew about his sister or his friend. Which was how Mallory preferred it. If they didn't know, they couldn't ask.

Mallory's mouth went dry, throat tightening, fingers curling tightly into fists. "They're not here," he answered neutrally, no levity to his tone. His fingers loosened then as he reached forward to fiddle with the loose wiring, the need to do something, anything with his hands paramount.

"And how, exactly, do you plan on helping me, Royce?" Mallory shifted then, casting an overly annoyed gaze Andrew's way. His tone was fare more curt than it had any right to be.