By the time the guy returns, preceded by a ping and the swish of the hatch opening, Ed has gotten himself situated into a much more authoritative position, upright at the desk, looking not at all like some injured toddler snuggling his pet goat.
He’s maybe sweating more than usual, kinda flushed with pain and exertion. And his jumpsuit is definitely rumpled and covered in animal fur. And his hair is an unspeakable tangle in desperate need of a deep condition.
But whatever. He’s the captain. And this guy is a grubby little stowaway. So it’s fine. He expects to be received with the gravity of what he is: a fucking badass smuggler with like super-intense vibes.
He does not expect, however, the radiant figure who struts confidently through the door.
“Wow! That really did wonders!” says the walking sunbeam wearing the hell out of one of Ed’s own jumpsuits. “What a difference a hot shower and a little me time makes. I feel completely refreshed! What would you like me to do next?”
Me time?
“Me time? The fuck is that?”
“Oh, you know. Care for the body and mind. Time for self-reflection. A little pampering.”
“Pampering?” They’re on a bare-bones second-gen transport. Where the hell did he wrangle any kind of pampering?
“Yes! A bit moisturizer on parched skin. The lovely hair mask I found in the facilities. Really brought my locks back to life!”
He pats a golden-blond halo, curls so bouncy they look manufactured.
“There’s no hair mask in the guest quarters. What are you talking about?”
“Yes there is! A full array of lovely hair products. Antique razor set. A beautifully carved tortoiseshell comb.”
To a one, items Ed knows live in his private quarters and nowhere else.
“You used my fucking shower?”
“Wh-what?”
The guy stumbles over his words for the first time since his little spa day excursion in Ed’s quarters.
“You cleaned your goat-pen-soiled, sweaty-soup body. In my. Fucking. Shower?”
“No, certainly not. I just went to the end of the hall like you said,” he peeps. “I thought that’s where you wanted me.”
“THE OTHER END OF THE HALL!”
#WIPWednsday #ofmd From my not-yet published sci-fi smuggler/stowaway slow burn. I wrote this bit at 5am instead of sleeping 🙃