Damaged Goods Chapter 2: Daily Grind

Damaged Goods - Chapter 2: Daily Grind

>At some point during your sleep deprived stupor, you must have dozed long enough for Sophie to return to her handgun form

>Turning to the clock, you brace for the worst

6:32 AM

>You need to be in at 7:00
>20 minute drive
>FUCK

>You take Sophie, place her on the workbench and head for the door, trying to be as quiet as possible
>As you hear the latch click into place, you turn and almost trip over Anna, who has apparently slept in the hall outside the shop all night

>”Oh, sorry Anon… I promise I wasn’t eavesdropping... “ words falling out of her sleepy mouth “I packed your lunch earlier, you need to get dressed and get going.”

“Thanks… Hey, I need to ask you for another favor, could you please check in on Sophie until I get home? I feel horrible leaving her this way, I just can’t be a no-show…”

>Eyes half closed, Anna cracks the tiniest smile and nods

“You are seriously the best, I owe you.”

>You bend over and give the top of her head a quick peck

>"Mhmmmmm"

"Seriously"

>"I like M2 AP if you need ideas!" she says, drawing out her last word

>Practically sprinting at this point, you run through the kitchen, grab your lunch, and head out the door, praying the adrenaline will keep you awake through the drive

>Practically slamming the door behind you, you see Katya smoking on the edge of the porch, an ear twitch and tail swish greeting you

>”...you look terrible dude.”

“ThanksyoutooseeyouafterworkBYE!”

>You leave screeching tires and a plume of exhaust in your wake

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>You made it on time, but by the skin of your teeth, having all green lights helped
>Well, maybe running the two reds helped too.
>Plopping down at your desk, work seems to be the last thing on your mind.
>Today is not going to be productive at all…

>You knew police trade-ins could be troublesome, but never have you heard of anything like this
>Hell, you have met some local cops at the range, and they all seemed like cool dudes, no abused guns there.
>Sure, they are usually extra stubborn, or maybe a little needy, but whatever this is...it goes much deeper
>This is different

>The morning seems to all be a blur, the only thing keeping you awake is your racing mind and the fear of your boss catching you asleep at the keyboard.
>Having missed breakfast, as well as dinner the night before, lunch is a welcome break from it all.
>Retrieving your lunch from the office fridge, you go back to your desk to eat.

>Ravenous you dump the contents out
>Honeycrisp Apple
>Bag of chips
>Homemade turkey sandwich (with smoked gouda)
>And a pack of Peanut M&M, fuck yeah.
>Wait, M&M’s? Where the Hell did those come from?
>Taking a last peek into the bag, you see a sticky note stuck to the inside.
>You pluck it out

”Anon, I keep a stash of these hidden away for rainy days. I know they’re your favorite!”
-Anna <3

>My.Fucking.Heart.
>I owe her a one on one range day for sure now…

>After scarfing down lunch, you can’t help but think back to Sophia and the demons that seem to have her in their grip

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>Pulling out your phone, you shoot off a text to your home cell phone left for the girls
>Usually Anna has it on hand, but that isn’t always a guarantee…

*How is Sophie doing? Has she moved from the bench?*
A few minutes go by before the phone vibrates across the desk

>*Hasn't moved since you left. All is quite. -A3 *

>Not what you wanted to hear

*K… thanks for checking. And thanks for lunch, it was great.*

>No more than a few seconds passed by before the reply

>* :) *

>Yup, getting her M2 AP for sure
>Maybe the gun store will have some
>Who am I kidding, they never have surplus ammo anymore

>The gun store…
>Thats where I’ll start, maybe I can get a little more info on these trade-ins…
>I’ve given them enough of my money that they shouldn’t have any problem a few questions

>”ANON!”

>If it wasn’t for your desk, you probably would have jumped straight out of your chair

“Sorry sir, did you say something?”

>”Yes, like five times! Are you feeling alright Anon?

“I’m fine, just a little sleep deprived is all.”

>Well, just try to suck it up for the rest of the day, and catch up on sleep this weekend. We have that audit next week and I can’t have people sleep at their desks.”

“Will do, sorry sir.”

>This day cannot end soon enough.


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>The rest of the day was not the most productive, barely completing even half of your work
>Sleep deprivation chased by thoughts of Sophie’s meltdown proved to be far too distracting
>Yet somehow you managed to pull through until 5

>Normally, leaving work to go to the gun store would be something to be excited about, but this was not one of those times
>Your mind is filled with questions, but you know you can’t run in there and interrogate the guys; you’re going to have to select your questions carefully
>After a short drive you arrive

>Entering the store, you see Andy, the manager who sold you Sophie, busy with another customer, so you wander about for a bit
>Damn...of course there is no M2 AP…
>Browsing the displays a bit more, you come across the Wilson Combat springs
Beretta M9/92F/FS Duty Spring Kit
“These should help perk her up a bit…”

>Eventually Andy rings the man up and sends him on his merry way
>”Well you came back awful quick, hope everything is going well with your new Beretta, Anon”
“Ha, yeah things are going well, just thought I’d freshen up her springs a bit”
>Andy nods in agreement and starts to ring you up
“So, uh hey, you said those Beretta’s were all police trade-ins, right?”
>He gives you a mildly concerned glance
>”Er, yes...yes I did. We discussed it for a while, remember?”
“Ah, yeah…”
>This is not going at all like you saw it in your head
>momsspaghetti.png

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>Andy finishes ringing you up
>”Alrighty, anything else I can do for you bud?”
“Actually… Yeah. Those Beretta’s, what jurisdiction did you say they came from?”
>Another concerned, but now somewhat agitated glance is shot your way
>”I didn’t.”
“...Well do you know?”
>He make a quick visual sweep of the store, confirming it is only you two
>”I was only told they were police trade-ins, that's all I know.”
“Well if tha- Wait… what do you mean “That's what you were told”?”
“So some random guy came in and sold you a load of Beretta’s calling them police trade-ins and you take his word for it?”
>Now obviously upset, “Yes, that’s what the guy said, and I ain’t asking many questions when they were only $50 a pop. You want to know what I had for breakfast too Anon?”
“You weren’t afraid they were stolen?”
>”It was a LEGAL transaction. Don’t you think one of them would have said something if they were stolen? Who the Hell would even sell stolen guns to a shop anyway?”

>An awkward silence hangs in the air

>His expression now softened, “You feeling okay Anon…  you’re looking like crap to be honest.”
“Yeah Andy, I’m good… sorry about all of the questions. I’ll probably see you next week.”
>”Alright, uh and Anon… I would appreciate it if we kept this conversation between us.”

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>With more questions than before now swirling in your head, your drive home begins
>Who would sell a shop used guns as police trade-ins
>Why for so cheap?
>Better yet, where did he get them from?

>FInally home…
>Shuffling your way through the front door, you make straight for your bedroom
>Just 10 minutes… that's all I need…
>Eyes barely staying open, you manage you make it to your room, closing the door behind you, shoes quickly kicked off.

>Phone alarm set, 10 minutes
>Bed…

>Your back to your bed, you allow yourself to fall back first into its’ sweet, National Sleep Foundation certified comfort

*POMF*

>You love all of your guns, but even you need these times alone sometimes.
“...”
>Your right arm seems to be draped over something soft and...squishy?

>”Gee Anon, I never knew you felt that way”, Shelly said rolling over, straddling you.
>You’re far too tired to even fight it
>”Ya know if you ever wanted to cop a feel you only need to ask.”, Her voice rich with sarcasm


>You crack an eye open just enough to see her face inches from yours, a few strands of her short sandy blonde hair brushing your cheeks, blue yellow eyes locked in on their target

“Michelle… why are you in my bed…”
>”What, forget about your little scare last night? It isn’t exactly easy to materialize to you like that. I’ve been wiped out all day. Being so badass takes some work.”

>She’s not wrong, materializing even only a few feet takes a huge amount of effort for a geist, and is a testament to the mastery of one's spirit

“Right, sorry about that.”

>Seems she didn’t  expect an apology so quickly, you’re just not in any condition for playful banter

>”Soooo I can stay?”

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“This time yes.”

>Shelly is still hanging just over your face, no response

>”...”

“...yes Michelle?”

>”Erm...Anon? I know you don’t like to play favorites, or do anything that might make each other jealous...but could we just…”
>She lowers herself slowly, resting her body over yours.
>Her face nestled in the side of your neck
>”Just let me have this for once...it’s such a tease being your bedside gun every night…” she whispers in your ear

“...”

>”Please…”

“...”

“10 minutes, deal?”

>”Deal”

>Wrapping your arms around her lower back it’s only now that you realize she is wearing only a sports bra and…a pair of your athletic shorts

>Guilt begins to washes over you. You can’t remember the last time you took her out for a serious range day.
>Hell you can count how many times you have taken her out on one hand.
>No local ranges allow the use of anything but slugs for shotguns, and you’d go bankrupt trying to run that many through her, not to mention the consequences for your shoulder.
>This is what happens when you have more than a few guns. Some tend to get left behind sometimes.
>It’s a miracle that this is only starting to act out now.

“Michelle?”
>”Hmm?”
“I’d imagine leaning against the headboard all night must kept uncomfortable, right?”
>”Yes…?”
“...”
>”What?”
“If you ever want to sleep somewhere more comfortable at night… well my bed has plenty of room…”

>There is a momentary pause before you feel her squeeze a bit tighter against you.

>”Okay...”

“Just make sure to keep your hands to yourself”, you say, giving a playful nudge
>Ha, please, you couldn’t handle this anyway”

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*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*

>No way that it’s already been 10 minutes…

*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*

>Taking your right arm, you frantically sweep the bed back and forth searching for your phone

*BEEP BE-* WHACK

>Seems Shelly found it first
>”Ughhh… every morning… every fucking morning, I have to listen to that stupid thing... Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to do that?
“Did you just break my phone?”
>”...maybe?”

>Your hand finally makes contact with the screen, grasping and pulling it to you
>No cracks

“You’re so lucky this thing isn’t even cracked.”
>”Oh  please, luck has nothing to do with it Anon”
>Finally sitting up, she steps off the bed, striking what you could only guess to be some sort of model pose she saw on TV
>”This is all skill!”

>You only stare at her, not knowing how to react
>Think she would hit you if you yell “Laaaaame?”
>Maybe the better question is, HOW hard would she hit you?

>”Wow, not even a giggle? You’re no fun…”

>At that, you can’t help but roll your eyes and chuckle a bit
>Obviously flustered, she turns her back to you, pouting

“Well, we better get ourselves around, I’m guessing dinner will be ready soon.”

>”Yeah yeah, just give me another minu-…*yawn*
>Raising her arms over her head, she does a full body stretch, arching her defined back
>Her plump, toned ass almost pressing into you
>Damn it
>She knows exactly what she’s doing…
>stupidsexymossberg.bmp

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BANGBANGBANG

>You both practically jump out of your skin

>ANNNNOOOOOOONN! DINNER IS ALMOST READY!

>That can only be Ellie… your Ruger LCP
>She doesn’t have much concept of privacy, which makes the fact that she knocked all the more surprising.
>Progress is progress.

>”I swear, sometimes that girl just makes me want to-”
>Shelly claws at the air like she is shredding something.

“Don't be so dramatic she's gotten better I think.”
>”She about gave me a heart attack!”
“Can geists even have heart attacks?”
>”It's a figure of speech!”

>You can't help but laugh at her frustration

“Really though, you should probably change out of my shorts before dinner. You know how The Twins like to gossip about that kind of stuff.”

>*sigh* ”Yeah, got it...and Anon?”
>She turns and faces you once more
>”Thanks for this.” she says, slightly bashful

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>Entering the hall, you're greeted by a savory smell. Rosemary too; a roast maybe? Anna must be cooking tonight.
>As tempting as it is to go and check it out, you have another destination in mind.
>Sneaking down the hall, you make your way to the shop and slip in.

>Sophie is still on the workbench in her gun form
“Sophie?”
>With a slight flash, she is up on the edge of the bench
“Feeling okay? Heard you have been in here all day.”
>”...”
“About last night, was it something that I did…?”

>She shifts around nervously, eyes turned downward
>This may require a more gentle approach

“If it was, you can tell me. I promise I won’t get mad. I just don’t want to upset you again.”
>”Yeah.”
“Was it the safe?” you ask, walking over and place a hand on it
>”Yes...I thought you put me in there because you were angry with me.”
“Angry? Why would I possibly be angry with you?”
>Sophie points to a now neatly stacked pile of history books.
>”I thought I was Isolated because I had left them scattered about.”
“Isolated?” (that’s an odd choice of wording). “What do you mean?”
>Silence
“Did someone used to lock you up when they were angry with you?”
>”I...I’m not s-supposed to talk about it.”

>Hold the fucking phone. What?

“Not supposed to talk about what, your past owner?”
>”...”

>Maybe I shouldn’t press the issue right now

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m not going to let anyone hurt you; if you really don’t want to be put in the safe, then you don’t have to be, okay?”

>You’re answered by a slight smile and a nod

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“So, are you hungry? I’m guessing you haven’t eaten in quite awhile. Dinner is starting soon and it smells like Anna cooked up something great.”
>Sophie eyes you questioningly

>”You eat with your guns?”
“I mean, I know waffegeists don’t NEED to eat, but everyone tends to be much happier when they do. I thought you might like to eat with everyone, it would be a good chance to mingle maybe…?”

>She is looking at you like you just grew a third arm
>This might be a bit too much at once

>”Maybe another time… not really feeling like it right now…”
“Well, I’ll make sure to bring you a plate.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. I got you something on my way home.”
>Sophie perks up, staring straight at you.

>That got her attention

>Reaching into your back pocket, you grab the pack of Wilson Combat springs, keeping them hidden behind you

“Thought this might help put a little more “spring” in your step”
>You bring your hand around, offering the pack to her
“How about we get these installed tonight, hmm?”

>Hesitantly, she reaches out and grasps it
>”For...me?”
>She stares at the package in bewilderment
“Yup, I know your current set is starting to rust out, I couldn’t imagine that would feel very good.”
“...and maybe we could go out and get you some new clothes on Sunday?”

>For the first time, you see a real, genuine smile form on her face
>You can’t help but smile along with her.

“I’ll make sure to save you a spot at the table if you decide to come out, okay? If not, I’ll see you in a bit”
>Clutching her new springs close to her chest, she gives you a nod, still smiling.
>You return it, and head out for the kitchen.

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>Like every other night, the kitchen and dining room is swarming with activity.
>Sarah and Sally, your Ruger Security Six and S&W 629 Classic, respectively, are busy setting the table
>They appear to be close to, or slightly younger than Sophie.
>Everyone usually refers to them collectively as “The Twins”, which is funny, because they are different in so many ways.
>Sarah, with her Crimson red eyes, brunette hair, and slightly shorter stature (compared to Sally) is a sharp contrast to Sally’s deep blue eyes and bleach blonde hair.
>Yet they are never seen apart, always wearing matching outfits, hairstyles and occasionally finishing each other's sentences.
>You can only guess this is because they are the only two revolvers in the house, and both American made at that.

>”ANON!”
>You suddenly feel something latch onto your leg…
>Yup, it’s Ellie

>Bright pink eyes stare straight up at you
“Hey there kid” you reach down, messing up her hair
>”Stop! The Twins just finished putting it up!”

>Being an LCP, Ellie appears as a very young girl. How young though, you could not answer, never really being that experienced with children
>Maybe the age of a 1st or 2nd grader? It’s hard to tell.
>She sure acts her perceived age however (thanks a lot Ruger…)

“Ha, sorry, I see that they did a good job though.”

>”She’s been helping me with dinner” Anna says from the kitchen
“Oh, have you now? I bet The Twins could use help setting the table too.”

>Hearing this, Ellie lets go and scampers off to help. Sarah’s crimson eyes shooting daggers at you.
>You can’t help but smirk and give her an unapologetic shrug as you enter the kitchen.
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>In the kitchen you find Katya leaning on the counter, thumbing through an old cocktail book, while Anna is busy over the stove
>Figures

“Would it kill you to help Anna, Kat?”
>”Maybe. I’d rather not find out.” she says, barely lifting her bright yellow eyes from the book
“Or maybe-”
>Quickly placing your hands underneath each arm, you lift Katya up and away from the counter
>Her 5 foot-even frame flailing in protest
“-you could help.” you say placing her back down next to Anna, who is now giggling
>Already expecting it, you manage to dodge an attempted shin kick

>”Damn it anon! I told you not to do that again!” her feline ears downturned in anger over her bobbed platinum, almost white hair
>An angry swishing sound coming from below her short skirt
“And I told you not to smoke while wearing my hoodies, but that hasn’t stopped you yet now has it??”
>Arms crossed over her chest, clutching MY FAVORITE HOODIE, she stomps out of the kitchen

>Katya has always been a bit difficult since day 1, but you knew what you were getting into buying an AK pattern rifle
>Especially a Krinkov clone such as herself
>Regardless of her behavior, you still find yourself buying her the occasional pack of cigs or pint of vodka (which you have caught Anna and Michele indulging in at times).
>It’s that puppy dog face she makes that gets you…

>”What are you going to do about that Krink Anon?” Anna says, stirring away at a pot of gravy
“Probably what I usually , cave and keep feeding into her bad habits…”
>”Sounds about right”
“Cut her a little slack, she is the only non-American gun in the house after all. You can’t blame her for acting up a little bit”
>”You spoil her”
“I try and spoil ALL of you… speaking of which, what's for dinner tonight?”

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>”Well, since we have a new addition, I thought I’d make something special tonight. Let’s see…”
>She stops and thinks for a moment
>”We are having a pork roast, fresh biscuits, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes, aaaaand the gravy of course.”

>You can feel your wallet getting lighter as she lists everything off
>Most people who have more than just one or two guns don’t bother feeding them real food, but you feel like it helps to make up for the lack of range time they get
>Among other things you try and do for them
>You try and get everyone to the range at least once a month, usually split up over two range trips
>Even then, some don’t get to go out very often due to range rules, and can only be brought out during special events

>”Sound good Anon?” She says with a warm smile on her face, obviously proud of her own handywork
“You’ve really outdone yourself this time… I hope that Sophia will join us.”
>Now disheartened “You mean she may not come out?”
“I talked to her a few minutes ago, I told her I’d save a seat at the table if she changed her mind.”
>”Oh…”
“And if she doesn’t show, I’ll make sure to take her some, okay?”
>Turning back to the pot of gravy “Okay, if you say so.” A tinge of disappointment in her voice.

>Doing a quick scan of the kitchen, you make sure you two are alone
“Hey…I said I wasn’t going to give up on her, and I think we have made some real progress. She has just been through… well, something awful. Picking up the pieces is just taking a bit longer than expected.



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>She has stopped stirring at this point, still facing away

“And I know you have been doing a lot for me this week… so I was thinking, maybe once all of the dust settles from this, we could go out for a private range day?

>She immediately spins to face you, tossing her arms around you, squeezing tight

“I mean, only if you want to of course.” you say, slathering on the sarcasm
>”Yes yes yes yes yes!!” she says as quietly as possible
“It’s a date then… You know, I think this place might fall apart if you weren’t here to help hold it all together.”

>You both stand there in the comfortable silence for a minute

“Oh, and I’m sure I don’t need to remind you, but lets just keep this between us.”

>Still trying, and failing to containing her own excitement, she shakes her head up and down vigorously

“Good, now how about we get this food out there before Ellie starts tearing into Sarah or Sally?
>”Ah, yes, of course, let's get going!”

>Releasing you from her embrace, she starts skipping around the kitchen
>Her jade eyes practically glimmering, she grabs oven pads and the various dishes for the oncoming feast

>Sometimes you forget how happy-go-lucky she can be when she is genuinely excited. Playing mom most of the time hasn’t exactly been easy for her
>It’s such a contrast from when it was just you two…

>”Anon, think you could grab the roast?” she says, still wearing that beautiful warm smile

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>To say dinner was good would have been a massive understatement
>It was fucking phenomenal
>This seemed to be the consensus, as everyone was too busy gorging themselves to speak
>Anna has always been a great cook but she truly outdid herself this time
>The only thing that would have made this perfect would have been if the seat on your right had been occupied

>”New girl not coming out tonight?” Piped up Sarah
“Not looking like it, she’ll come aro-”
>”Has she even left the workshop since she came here?” interrupted Sally
“Well, no... but-”

>(Now alternating)

>”Why is she still in there?”
>”Is she broken?”
>”She sounds weirrrd.”
>”Maybe she hates Anon.”
>”Or maybe she loves him and his too embar-”

“Enough.” You say a bit harsher than intended

>Most of the table is now staring at you

“...sorry. I know I haven’t been forthcoming about Sophie, but she has been through a lot. It’s just going to take some extra time for her to get used to everything.”


>”What happened to her?” said Ellie through a mouth full of mashed potatoes

“I honestly don’t know… not all guns have had it as easy as you guys though.”

>Katya finally pulls her gaze away from her plate, glaring at you

“...As easy as most of you.”

>”Is she at least coming out tomorrow for range day?” said Julie

“Well, I haven’t mentioned it to her yet, but I’ve never met a gun that hasn’t wanted to go to the range.”

>”I’m sure she will be ecstatic Anon” says the ever so optimistic Anna

“Here's to hoping.” you say, tossing back the rest of your drink

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>Making sure to include a bit of everything, you load up a plate and head to the shop
>The sounds Shelly and The Twins arguing about who’s doing dishes in the trailing behind you

“Hey, hope you’re hungry, Anna has really outdone herself this time.”

>Entering the shop, you find Sophie inspecting your “family photo” of you and the other girls on the shelf
>Still clutching her new spring pack in her hands

>Setting the plate down, you meet her at the shelves

>”Are these the others…?” Sophie says softly.
“Ah, yes. This is the only picture I have of us all together. Here, let me show you.”

>Reaching up, you grab the frame and bring it down to eye level for her
>Pointing to each girl:
“There is Julie, Sarah and Sally. Michelle and Katya are the two sitting on the ground in front of everyone, Anna is the tall one right next to me, and Ellie is the one on my shoulders.”

>”...why is she wearing those?” she says confused
“Er, why is who wearing what?”
>”Her.” now pointing to the front row
“Katya? What’s wrong with what she is wearing?”
>Pointing to her feline ears ”Those, why is she wearing those?”
“...Those are her ears.”
>”Are they… real?”
“Of course. She is a Krinkov clone after all.”
>”Krink-ov?” Sophie says overannounciating
“Yeah, she’s an AK pattern rifle… have you never seen one before?”
>”...No...” she says sheepishly
“Oh. Well there is a first time for everything I suppose.”

>”Everyone looks so happy...”
“We were at the shooting range. It’s rare that I can get everyone out at the same time like that, so it was a bit of a special occasion.”
“Speaking of which, I have a range day scheduled tomorrow.”

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“I’m planning on taking Julie, Sarah, Sally and Ellie… and yourself, if you were feeling up to it.”

>Sophie locks in on you now, her jet black hair bouncing slightly

“I mean, we need to break in these new springs, right?” you say, putting on a wide grin
>”R-right!” a hint of uncertainty in her voice
“Alrighty then, lets get starte- Oh, how could I forget?”

>Walking back to the bench, you grab the plate and fork

“Here, it should still be warm.” you say holding it out in offering

>Sophies steely eyes practically grow as large as the plate

>“All of this is for me…?” she says in disbelief
“Sure is, you can have as much as you want.”

>Reaching out, she takes the plate from your hands and takes it back to the bench, clumsily holding the fork
>She stares at the food cautiously
“Hmm, don’t you like pork?”
>”I’ve never had this before...”
“Pork?”
>”Human food.”
“Oh…”

>Poking a bit at the succulent meat, she manages to stab a piece and bring it to her mouth
>After a few chews, there is a short pause before she practically attacks the rest of the plate
>Suddenly her statement about never having real food seems a lot more believable. She finished the whole plate in barely over a minute

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, were you?”
>There is a brief silence…
>”T-thank you, Anon…”
“Of course.... You’ll always have a place at my table, Sophia.”
>You think you can make out tears welling up in the corner of her eyes
“So, how about we get those new spring installed, hmm?”

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>Even though breaking down Sophie the second time was easier, you were still kicking yourself for not doing this the first time
>Replacing all of the springs requires almost a complete teardown, once again
>But if it has any chance of helping her…

>Start to finish, it only took about an hour
>The old springs were noticeably shorter than the new, and some had more rust than steel visible
>You didn’t realize how bad it was until you had a comparison.

“Done! How does that feel?” you say as you lock her slide back into place

>In a flash, she is upright on the bench, staring at you with wide eyes

“Let's see here, you should have a new recoil, hammer, trigger return, firing pin, and extractor spring, so it may take a little getting used to.”

>Letting herself down, she takes a few test steps
>Her movements are much more graceful now, almost floating across the room
>Long strides, then short. Faster, then slower
>Reaching her arms straight up, doing a huge stretch
>You swear that she is standing an inch or two taller

>She then does what you could only describe as a little bunny hop, giggling slightly
>That alone would have made it all worth it…

“So?”
>Turning, she covers the distance alarmingly fast, leaping on you, her arms and legs wrapping around you
>By some miracle you managed to catch the giggling mess
>But you weren’t able to keep your footing
>Jesus, she is heavier than you thought she might be

>Laying flat out, your face is completely covered by Sophie's hair
>”Thank you thank you thank you!” trying to stifle her laughter

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>For a moment, you are at a loss for words. This massive mood change wasn’t expected
>She is like a whole new person.

“...”


>”Anon?” now having brought her laughter under control
>Finally able to focus again, you see Sophie sitting over you, a closed mouth grin on her face
“Well… I’m glad that you like the new springs”
>”They feel incredible! We never had anything like these back in-”

>Just as quickly as it came, Sophie’s mood returns to the familiar, solemn girl who has been hiding out in the workshop
>Scrambling to stand, she gets off of you and backs up to the bench
>”...sorry… They’re really nice.” Her face now beet red, eyes down turned

>Standing up, you do your best to hide the slight limp from your now sore leg
“You're fine, I’m happy you like them.”

>A familiar awkward silence fills the air
>”...”
“You were just excited, don’t worry about it, okay?
>”Okay…”
“I’m just glad you are feeling better… think you’re ready to meet a few of the others tomorrow? It is range day after all.”
>”I’ll do my best for you, Anon…”
“I’m sure they’ll love you, get some rest tonight, tomorrow is going to be a big day.”
>”...”

>Grabbing the empty plate, you head for the door, hobbling ever so slightly.

>”Anon?“
“Hmm?”
>”Thanks again…”
“You’re welcome, Sophia.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Luckily, no one was in the hall at the time, allowing you to limp your way to the kitchen to drop off the dishes
>Guess everyone is watching TV…
>You probably should join them, seeing how you have been spending so much time with Sophie lately
>Or…

>Heading back down the hall, you make your way to the one part of the house the girls know not to bother you in
>Your Solo Solace
>Your man cave
>Your kingdom
>The garage

>Slipping in, you close the door as quietly as possible and flip on the lights
>It feels like weeks since you were in here last. Everything has been untouched
>The rug, love seat, shitty TV, mini fridge all as they were, gathering dust.
>And of course, your baby, the Yamaha R1
>Sometimes you feel that bike is the only thing that has kept you sane at times.
>Not to give the impression that you don’t love your guns, you do, but sometimes a man just needs alone time
>And sometimes that alone time involves going 170 mph down the freeway at 3am

>Grabbing a beer, you hobble over to the love seat and plop down a long, drawn out sigh escaping you…
>A good summary of the past couple days
>Yet even in here, your mind is still buzzing with the stresses of the week
>Work deadlines, bills, the obvious neglect Michelle is feeling, Sophie…
“Where the Hell did that girl come from…”

>You take a long swig from the bottle and sink even farther back into the chair, closing your eyes
>And how are you going to pull off this private range trip with Anna?
>Giving any of your guns preferential treatment has led to issues in the past, so a lot of “secrets” are kept between you and some of the girls
>You can only imagine the shitstorm that would ensue if the others knew you were letting Michelle sleep in your bed
>Especially with you in it

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>You would have beds for everyone if you had the space
>Luckily, guns seem to have a different idea of comfort than humans, so the girls can fall asleep pretty much anywhere, so fights are rare.
>Sometimes you miss the days where your one bed was enough…

>Taking a few more swigs, you set the beer down and enjoy the silence
>Near silence...Tinnitus makes sure to always keep you company

>The silence must have turned into slumber, as you find yourself jerking awake in your chair

1:35 AM

>Fuck it, you can shower in the morning
>Standing up, you give a quick stretch before quickly being reminded of your sore leg which has grown quite stiff
>At least now one should be awake to ask questions
>Limping down the hall, you decide to take a quick peek back into the shop
>You reach for the handle, only to find the door already cracked open
>Sophie is once again curled in the corner asleep, but someone else is inside…
“Katya?” you silently mouth to yourself
>Something bundled in her arms

>She approached Sophie without making a single sound, unrolling a fleece blanket
>Gently laying it over the sleeping Beretta.
>Apparently she wasn’t stealthy enough, as Sophie started to stir awake, jumping in surprise at the Krinkov standing over her, a panicked look in her eye

>You considered stepping in to calm her down, before you know if, Katya sits down on her knees, putting herself on the same level as Sophie
>Gently, Katya reached out, taking Sophie’s hands into her own
>You’re unable to make it out, but she is whispering something to her
>Whatever it was, it made the tension in Sophie’s face melt away

“I owe you one, Kat”, you think

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Not wanting to spoil the moment, you slink away from the shop, making your way to the bedroom, closing the door behind you

>Your bed seems to have grown a large tumor
>Gee, wonder who that could be…

>Too tired to care, you climb into bed fully clothed
>An audible groan coming from the lump next to you

*whispering* “First night in the bed and you’re already complaining?
>*unintelligible mumbling*
“What?”
>You are only answered by a snore
>You have to force your face into your pillow to stifle your laughter

>Sometimes you think you let life’s worries get to you too much, but you know what? As long as you have these girls, and they have you, life’s worries won’t seem so bad.


END CHAPTER 2