Death-by-Papercuts

[Roko's Basilisk RP: https://www.deviantart.com/rokos-basilisk ]

March, 21

Olive & Benedict

Olive

“Message sent,” Olive murmured to herself after posting a message in comms for a mechanic. It took her a little over half an hour to do it, given she was embarrassed that she couldn’t fix it herself. Back on Earth, machines weren’t used for washing as much as their parts were sold to purchase food and medication for clients along with their small community. She knew more about taking the thing apart and breaking it than the reverse.

The washing machine was overflowing for some bizarre reason when she entered, bubbling like sea foam and dripping onto the washing room floors. It wasn’t like there wasn’t other machines, but it was wrong to just let the thing malfunction and hope someone else would call it in. Plus it was distressing watching the water spill all over. Her momentary solution was trying to close the lid by force with her body, which resulted in her now damp t-shirt and wrap around skirt. At the moment, her two baskets of laundry were sitting safely on the dryer while she was back on her knees trying to soak up the spilling water and bubbles with Moses’ work clothes. Both baskets contained very little laundry, clearly one was hers and the other belonged to some else.

“This isn’t working,” She whined, before wringing it out in a bucket that she kept some old bottles of detergent in. In defeat the young woman was still back at trying to soak up the water when she heard foot steps, her expression lighting up, hoping it was a mechanic.

Benedict

She wasn’t wrong, but perhaps it wasn’t the mechanic she’d wanted.

Heavy clunky boots and the sound of jingling metal echoed down the hall before they stopped with a ‘splish-splosh’ in the nearest puddles near the door.

“The fuck happened here?” All mechanics were dead ringers for their class, loud, oil stained, a tad smelly, and rough in more ways than one and this one was no exception. Benedict stood in the doorway, a hand on his hip, the other dropping his heavy bag with a loud ‘clank’ on the driest bit by the wall. He sighed heatedly at the foaming bubbly mess oozing out of the machine. With little time to pay attention to Olive, he’d quickly crossed the floor ripping the machine’s plug from the wall to stop the water flowing in. The machine stopped with a heavy ‘ka-thunk’.

But unlike most mechanics though this lad was tiny and baby faced beneath the oil smears and brown curls. He looked to be more like one of the civilian’s surly dirty teenagers than a crew mate.

“Oi, why the hell didn’t you just shut the damn thing off?” he growled like a displeased dog, already stripping his gloves and rolling his sleeves up his scar littered arms “Look at this mess! Did you do--” finally those bright blue eyes of his fell unkindly on the soaked little Olive trying to clean up and drew quiet for a moment “... this.” his left eye twitched before he’d suddenly propelled his attention to the nearest blank wall clearing his throat and scratching a spot under his ear, huffing with thinned lips and pink ears “I’m the mechanic you requested…”

Olive

Olive’s ears turned red as she stood up.

It hadn’t occurred to her to just unplug it, that fact was somehow more humiliating than a kid yelling at her. He looked to be a teenager, but his cursing reminded her of Moses and many of her older clients back on Earth. Either way, he was definitely a mechanic and he was scolding a woman nearly a decade older than him. She wringed the the bottom of her t-shirt out before shaking her head.

“I’m not accustomed to these machines…,”Olive narrowed her eyes at the outlet before continuing, as if to make a mental note of how to unplug them. She didn’t correct him on whether or not it was her fault, she didn’t know if that person would get into trouble...or scolded by this boy,”Sorry for the mess, but I’m grateful for your help…”

She walked a little closer, trying not to peer down at him but his face didn’t register so she stepped back. Her sleepy brown eyes trailed back to the machine,”I’m Olive by the way, I promise I usually not this absent minded.”

Benedict

He’d twisted his lips to one side. If that wasn’t a tell tale sign of an Earther he didn’t know what was “Ya ha…” he grumbled, sounding less than impressed “Well now you know the next time something goes haywire just turn the damn thing off.”

Short and stocky, Ben had a likeness to a tree stump, at least 5 inches shorter than her even without heels, it was hard for anyone to not look down at Ben. Olive, thought Ben, within the first five minutes of meeting her had seemed every bit his opposite, gentle, soft spoken and a little airy fairy, even if she claimed she wasn’t.

“Yeah well, I haven’t fixed it yet have I?” His sharp blue eyes cast a glance at the clothes she’d sacrificed on the dirty laundry floor trying to make a last ditch effort to keep things dry “...” He couldn’t be entirely mad, half the people here would have just ran off. Ben had frowned.

“Benedict.” he started abruptly, he spoke like he’d a knife for a tongue “Benedict Edgar Terrance Alabaster.” he hadn’t seemed to look back at her though he squatted by the clothes on the ground “Most people call me Ben.” unceremoniously grabbing the man’s clothes that clearly belonged to someone huge “If Basil saw you do this to these she’d be skinning you alive...” he muttered quietly before he’d pointed over to one of the solitary machines “You can use the other machines while I fix this guy. You don’t want this on the ground when I drain it. Come on, let’s move these.'' The clothes made a sloping wet slap as they were loaded back into the baskets they came in.

Olive

“You’re going to fix it though, aren’t you? Might as well thank you in advance,” Olive nodded along making sure to let him know that it wouldn’t happen again. Furthermore his introduction of his full name made her a little nostalgic for all the old folks back home. Now that she thought about it, she never introduced herself by her full name. It was mostly to avoid confusion and an explanation.

“Well, I’ll try to commit that full name to memory then Ben,” Part of her wanted to call him Benny because he was so short, but she avoided the urge to tease the poor kid. The minute he mentioned Basil, Olive winced,”She probably would, that’s why I trust this news doesn’t get to her.” She helped him gather the clothes before putting the soaking basket over the one with her laundry. At first she didn’t say much but glance over at what he was doing when she put the soaking clothes into one of the functioning machines. Moses laundry went first, he had more clothes after all. She tossed them in and before pulling out a damp notebook of instructions, she took her time to adjust the settings on the dials and then finally press start. Once the machine got going, she went ahead and put her load in another machine repeating the process before taking a seat.

“I hope you aren’t to bothered by me calling one of you down here,” Olive could imagine that he most likely was, mechanics probably had a whole list of things to do,”I usually don’t wash this late, but I didn’t have any time until after work.”

Benedict

“Yep.” He answered crudely not used to fluffy manners and sweet tones like honey, it seemed sticky. He thought it rather unusual for a Earther to speak or act like this, so many had been well worn that they grew prickly with thick skins.

Still Ben waved his hand dismissively “It’s too long, don’t bother.” And perhaps the longest name on ship. He caught the wince and finally took a moment to steal a peep at her “Oh you’ve run into the seamstress before?” Anyone that knew Basil was adamantly afraid of her and her tiny needle wielding hands, seemed sweet Olive was no less spared by Basil’s passionate wrath. That was good to know. “Oh hell no, I’m not crazy enough top give her bad news, she already hates the majority of us with our oil stains.”

Ben had cocked a curious brow though as she ran through instructions on paper no less, such a strange outdated practice but it spoke more of really how long this Olive person had been on ship. He doubted she was used to anything on ship at all “…” quietly Ben made note to make signs on how to use daily equipment on ship.

Shaking off his hands he shrugged “You were the last on my list today.” And untied his jacket from about his waist, tossing it to the bench beside Olive rather than let it drag through the water as he kneeled in the water by the machine “I was going to knock off.” With a quick motion he pulled out a infilled tile, showing the open drain catcher below “Just means I eat late.” The next part wasn’t quite as easy. Hugging the machine Ben grunted before each sharp jerk pulling the machine out from its spot till he could wiggle between it and get to the hoses, unscrewing one and turning it down into the open drain “…still beats declogging sewers.” Ben sighed watching the grey water swell down and drawing quiet for a long moment before he finally spoke up again “The jacket might smell like grease but it’s clean… if you’re cold or something… whatever.”

Olive

“Is she that bad?,” Olive knew Basil would like be upset if she knew she were using brand new clothes to swap up some dirty water, but she actually hadn’t been victim of Basil’s wrath just yet. Olive smiled at the thought of the tiny woman angrily yelling at her, it almost made her want to give the woman something to be angry about,”She seemed pretty sweet. I like her a lot.” The worst thing Basil had done to her was mistake her for an Edenite and that really wasn’t that big of deal.

It was uncommon for people to mistake her for an Edenite, given the way she spoke and looked which were all thanks to her Edenite grandfather. Still, her beliefs made gave her away as an Earther that and her limited knowledge. At her core, the woman was soft in all ways which made a lot of people think of her weak or stupid, which Olive often found was to her benefit. It was really easy to surprise people.

She watched him struggle with the machine as he continued on talking,”I would be surprised if you ate on time. To be honest it’s hard getting use to eating so often. I have to fight the urge to save leftovers, I feel guilty so I always try to eat up everything I’m given so it isn’t wasted.” She saw his jacket and instinctually picked it up to fold it and lay it in her lap,”Oh no, I’m fine.” “I’m sure it does. Was that your job before?,” Olive asked but didn’t want to come off as too nosy, but it was meant as casual conversation,”I didn’t do anything too different from now, only I walked to where my patients were and there was a lot less tech. We were doctors by trade. Not all of us were like doctor-doctors.”

Benedict

The word ‘Bad’ didn’t sit well with Ben for some reason, he squirmed a little uncomfortably “Na, she’s just… passionate,” he muttered before thinking better of it “… and she’s got one hell of a temper. Worse than me. I ripped my shirt once in front of her all cause I refused to hand it over for a patch job. I swear she was going to eat me. She’s all 4 feet of fucking terrifying.”

He shook the hose out as the last bits of sludge managed to pour out of the machine before he’d screwed it back on “…” the way she thought of food… was awfully close to home, Ben’s blue eye peeped around the edge of the machine to stare at her for a moment before disappearing from site again “… whilst we can eat well and whilst we can afford to get stronger we should eat, everything we’re given.” Ben answered her, the gruffness in his voice dying steadily off “Better build up our strength now than to be strung out and weak already when shit hits the fan. It’s just preparation to weather hard times.” Ben had pursed his lips before he stood circling around to the front of the machine, prying a tool from one of his many pockets to start opening the washer’s wall up “I get it though… I kept throwing up every time I ate the portions they gave me when I first got here.”

Ben had snorted though at the suggestion “Wellllllll gee thanks Olive, good to know I look like a shit slinger.” He spat sarcastically while casting her a challenging eye over his shoulder “No I was a Mechanic before the Osprey too. The sewers are just one other thing we got to deal with every time some moron decides to fucking flush anything but human—“ he grunted again as the panel came clear off and set aside against the wall “— waste.” Ben continued to tinkered away, though he made a half amused huff, rolling his eyes “Should have guessed you were a doctor. You talk like one.”

Olive

“Passionate is a good way of describing her,” She was expecting what he said afterward and bursted out laughing,”Why’d you tear it?” She figured sometimes acts of kindness could be found as irritating or patronizing. At least now she was in the know, apparently Basil was a force to be wreckon with but that’s what made her so fun. It also seemed that short tempers weren’t hard to come by on the ship either.

His words were a little unexpected, she dare say encouraging in that Earth round about way. You eat so you can get strong, enjoy it while it lasts because it won’t. In other words, eat because you can. She lifted a hand to her lips hiding her amused smile,”You sound like person I came here with.” This rational was very common with Moses, it seemed these behaviors and way of thinking from Earth were hard to shake off. It was nice and familiar, even though it’s source was came from that of necessity and survival. She pushed this thought to the back of her mind,”Was it too much for you? I never had trouble digesting it but, I was…”

Her voice trailed a moment before she caught herself, glad when he continued on. She smiled, getting easily accustomed to the way he spoke and acted. “Really? That seems to be common for mechanics, working on the ship before we took off. In that case, thank you for your hardwork, Ben.” “Oh really? How do doctors talk?,”She smoothed out the wrinkles in his jacket before laughing a little,”I know the way I speak and look can make people assume things about me. Though, I’m finding I don’t like being mistaken for Edenite.” Olive stretched and watched as the washing machines shook,”Did you board with anyone?”

Benedict

“Well I didn’t do it on purpose.” he tried to object at her little laugh a smudge of embarrassment dipping into his words “I came out of the showers and she was there brushing her teeth, saw the holes in my favourite shirt and tried to get me out of it to patch it. Tried getting away but just ended up ripping it in a tug-o-war.” he admitted with a little hang of his head, his heavy curls falling into his face “I don’t think I’ve ever stripped out of clothes faster.” he almost shivered “Should have seen her face.”

His screwdriver waved towards the other happily churning washing machine in the room. “The big guy’s I take it.” She must’ve been in a couple Ben had thought, it made sense, he hardly expected someone like this to make it on their own. He’d shrug at her question though “I’ve a weak stomach.” and left wondering what the unspoken thing that had died on her lips were although he was quickly distracted. Ben found himself rubbing away the heat crawling up the back of his neck, so many polite thank you’s, encouraging buttery words, that certainly felt far more genuine. He really didn’t know how to react to them with more than a quiet “Mmmhmn.”

“Doctors talk like they’ve honey in their mouths even if they’re about to feed you salt.” remarked Ben, although even he doubted the way he described it “Or something like that… you know, nice and interested in people. Most folks don’t ask questions, they don’t want to know who you are. Makes things less difficult.” he nodded, more to reassure himself than anything else. Although the little mechanic’s tools finally paused for a fraction of a moment…

... I don’t like being mistaken for Edenite…

Ben’s eyes drifted to one side as he’d licked his lips. Of course not.

“No.” he muttered as he continued to tinker and added rather bluntly “I came alone.”

Olive

“Doctors do talk sweet,” Olive thought about the first time she met her grandfather, how jarring it was from the way her mother talked or anyone else from Earth did. The reason she disliked being mistaken for an Edenite was not because she abhorred them, but rather it made her consider what the other side might’ve actually thought of Earthers. It unsettled her, what it implied about what an Earther must look like in their minds. But it meant that sometimes those from Earth may distrust her at first, which already came with her current job. Usually, she avoided voicing her opinion about it or thinking about the differences...

I came alone.

“I see.” Her expression softened further, instinct was to comfort him but there was no need to treat him as a child. Even if he might as well been one, but Olive didn’t like children very much. They scared her. She was surprised that she had asked an indelicate question, fully aware what the answer likely was. Olive’s mind sat on this thought for a moment as the washing machine continued its clunking. She watched him work on the machine a little longer before clasping her hands together,”So, what’s the diagnosis? Is the machine gonna make it?”

Benedict

“Yeah, it’s a little weird. I don’t like you lab coat types much.” He glanced over at her past his shoulder and added with the smallest fraction of politeness Ben had deep down inside “No offence.” But continued to work away, back to her “I’m used to folks that are too nice are usually after something. But I suppose, doctors also tend take no shit at the same time like… Man what’s that one fluff ball... what’s her face...“ he’d tapped the screw driver handle against his bottom lip as he searched the ceiling for the name on the tip of his tongue “Dr Athana!” he said snapping of his wet fingers which was disappointingly sloppy “Nice but man she was happy to hunt me down last week. Doctor’s are secretly ball breakers hiding behind a smile if you ask me.” He squinted at Olive “Bet you’re one too when you want to be.” He supposed he would be too if someone kept damaging his ‘work’, after all it made sense to Ben, human’s were just fleshy machines, and doctors were just fleshy mechanics.

He caught the look on her face, his brow crinkled for a moment before he’d whipped his attention back to the wires he was fiddling with. What the hell kind of expression was that that she pulled?

“Yeah it’ll make it.” He nodded his fluffy mop of a head “Some of the circuitry is faulty, it couldn’t recognise when it was full and just kept re-starting the fill cycle.” He pulled the motherboard out to the light where she could see it from where she was sitting “See here?” He pointed to a part with a wire barely hanging in there and spotted with rust “This is the culprit. I can fix her though.” he nodded more to convince himself than Olive it seemed “Can’t let half the crew walk around stinking…”

Olive

“No offense taken,” She replied waving her hand dismissively. Olive continued to listen unsure who he was speaking about, but much like with the story with Basil this made her laugh. “Seems like the kind of doctor, I’d like.” When he suggested that she might be one too, she shrugged,”I can’t deny the possibility.” Benedict was right in a way, Olive took her work seriously and often got plucky when dealing with difficult cases.

When he pulled out the motherboard, Olive got up to take a better look and nodded as if to commit the sight to memory,”I’m always amazed with what you guys can do. Who would’ve though a little wire would cause such a mess.” She laughed and continued,”We’ll have you to thank for having clean clothes.”

A beep from the other washers took away her attention and washed away her urge to rustle his fluffy hair. Olive took another look at the wire before stepping over to the washers and began moving the loads into their designated dryers,”It’s strange, y’know? On Earth, usually there was some bartering, someone did a repair and then you repay them in some way..” She let out a huff as she got the last of the clothes inside the dryers, before referring to her notes again as she started up the dryers,”..So, if you ever need anything, just let me know. It’s no biggie, so don’t think too hard about it.”

Benedict

He seemed he was funnier than he thought, Ben decided he rather liked the way Olive laughed although he dared not show it.

“Can’t deny…” he squinted at her even more intensely “... I knew it. I’m staying well and truly clear of you.” he waved his finger at her.

Benedict had no issue showing off the tricks of the trade, admittedly, a little chuffed by the compliments “I mean the same thing could be said about people. Who would think a little extra cell growth could cause so much damage? But BAM!” he waved his hands above as if something had exploded “Cancer.” and returned to fixing up the machine as Olive dried her clothes.

She had a point, it was a sudden strange turn of how things were simply done, it only spoke leaps and bounds of how long she’d been here too. It was hard to shake the habits you grew up with “Mhmm.” Ben nodded, a tendril of smoke hissing from the soldered motherboard “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” remarked the little mechanic, he supposed she felt safer that way, less likely at risk of being in debt “But…” He pulled his hands out of the machine and worked his way around the back, connecting the hoses and plugging it back in. The machine chirped happily.

“... I think that the less we make things we do to help out on ship as a monetary exchange, the less likely another class system and divide pops up.” he’d turned the nobs to test the machine, letting it whirl to life “We’re all in deep space alone out here... if we screw up, no one is going to come help us except ourselves… might as well try make it work without the old world mindset.” Ben folded his arms and leaned against it as he waited for the machine to fill, staring off at nothing in particular “Also, it just feels nice to do things for the sake of doing them.”

Ben paused though, his brow twitching, realising he probably sounded a lot gentler than he’d like anyone to think. Those unnaturally bright blues of his rounded on Olive “Not to say you lot are going to get lazy enough to just call me just to plug in shit way across the room, alright? Tch.”

Olive

“Your loss, my office is very comfy and I often have snacks,” Olive joked before leaning to the side, her hand laying flat against the bench, her head resting on the side of her shoulder before listening to the rest of what he had to say and grinned.

“You’re real wise, Ben,” She teased but then nodded, taking on a more serious tone,”I agree. As bizarre as it is at the very least we likely won’t have such gross inequality as there was between Eden and Earth. I take comfort in knowing that we might be making a society where I don’t have to watch children die or clients suffer needlessly.” Olive relaxed, crossing her ankles as she looked up at the ceiling,”I’m grateful that I’m able to help people who have never received help before, who never had access to it. I agree, it feels nice just to do things for others. It brings me a sense of joy I don’t often feel.”

When Ben shifted to his usual grumpiness, Olive laughed with the lightness of a fairy and saluted,”Yessir.” She found it funny the way people shifted in order to hide their softness. It came from a place of self preservation, she knew but it was always amusing to see,”I’ll be extra careful not to break anything.”

Benedict

“Snacks?” he perked up with a certain interested spark in his eyes. A kid it seemed, was always going to be a kid.

“Yeah right~” At first, he’d thought she might be teasing him, calling him ‘wise’, most of his colleagues didn’t take him seriously and certainly he’d blamed his baby face. But as Olive continued on a quietness fell over Ben. It never occurred to him the lab coats would be so frustrated, having the knowledge and capability to help, but none of the resources to do so. He wondered what it must have been like to be the person that chooses who has to live or die. It left a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach… and an awkward sense of guilt.

“Maybe… that’ll become normal now...” he said almost cautiously, like he was afraid to jinx it.

When Olive laughed, Ben pouted and bristled, he’d folded his arms defensively and stuck up his nose “Yeah well-- good then.” he huffed trying to suppress the pink flush dusting his ears “Mmph.”

Olive

“Yup. It’s always nice to have some sweets available in case anyone is hungry.” Olive tried not to laugh his interest in the snacks. Due to this, she thought, maybe keeping snacks on her desk might be a great icebreaking strategy when clients came in for sessions,”If you ever stop by I’ll make sure to have some ready for you.”

“Maybe, we’ll just have to wait and see,” Olive watched as he got embarrassed and grinned, Ben was a very amusing kid. It made her want to tease him more, but of course she wouldn’t go out of her way to tease him too much. She looked at the machine and clasped her hands together, seeing that it was functional again,”Thank you so much for fixing it!”

She recalled he mentioned earlier something about eating late and Olive pointed at him,”Now you hurry up and go eat some dinner. It’s no good to go to bed on an empty stomach, Ben.”

Benedict

“You know that sounds like a bribe right?” he countered, though it was a bribe he was likely to take in a heartbeat. He wouldn’t doubt an ex-earther had every bribe trick under the sun though “I like sour candy…” he added quietly scratching his cheek.

He stuck his head in the machine as Olive applauded him, just to be sure and nodded with satisfaction “Yep. Seems that way.” and fixed the front panel back on with a few good satisfying slams of a closed fist.

Though he gave her a challenging cocked brow at her worried clucking though “Yeah yeah, quit your nagging.” he grumbled waving his hand about as he collected his gear. It jingled as it was hoisted onto his back “Remember, don’t break shit.”

Benedict waved a lazy hand over his shoulder as he strolled out, his boots making soft ‘squelches’ as he left “Bye Olive.”