WHERE: Russell's office WHEN: Last Weekish WHAT: Someone is terrible at self care and time management, thankfully, Ellie is on hand. STATUS: Complete VIEW WARNINGS: None really
Eleanor Eckles had been keeping busy since sheâd arrived; lessons with agents who didnât want to train with their handler, running extra hours for people who really should just bring a damn tent because they just about loved there anyway. Lucas had come by once, checked in and talked about things being tough for him. He wasnât as cut out for this lifestyle as he liked to pretend; he was a soft heart in a world that needed him to be steel. Even if the last time sheâd ever spent any quality time with him heâd been a surly teenager.
As it was, some of the connections sheâd made in Maine were just as active - if not more so. She needed to work out where she fitted into Lukeâs life. She didnât have that problem with some of the people sheâd been working with for a few years. Rusty was one of them. She had a great deal of respect for him, not just as a Handler but as a person. Sheâd learned a lot about herself through working with him and knew that the fact that he trusted her was a big deal as his abrasive exterior was just that. An exterior.
Ellie was lucky enough to get to take a peek at the man behind the curtain sometimes.
Honestly, she was aware that it was irresponsible of her to give him something to drink. She thought he drank too much as it was but it wasnât her place to say anything and if it was really that bad maybe she would. But it didnât seem to be, so she wouldnât. That being said, he was fifteen minutes late for their rendezvous so sheâd put the bottle in her bag and walked up to his office, wondering just how much paperwork heâd managed to snow himself under from the handler that heâd taken over from.
She rapped her knuckles on the door and pushed it open a little, tilting her head as she saw him hunched at the desk, the lamp shining down on the papers that were seemingly everywhere.
âYouâll need glasses if you keep staring at the papers in the darkness,â she pointed out, flicking the overhead light on. âYou get caught up again, Russ?â
Russell was used to the paperwork aspect of being a Handler. By now, more than a decade in, he knew it came hand in hand with the job. He honestly hadnât been expecting to have so much backdated work to do. He still had to handle Juniperâs admission paperwork along with her transfer paperwork. Hopefully, it was the right move, organising for Juniper to spend time in a facility with more people who have physical mutations, older supers whoâd lived with them longer, in the open, would help her build upon some basis of her self-esteem.
If it didnât work, there was always requesting the transfer back to Limbo and working on it the old fashioned way; and Russell would just tell R&D to get one up themselves if they kept on about testing tech. Of course, it all meant heâd lost track of time, again.
âEllie, shit,â a glance at his watch told him that sheâd only waited fifteen minutes, which was good because he couldâve ended up working through the night and not even noticed. âSorry, I got caught up in this idiotâs mess.â Usually, Russell tried not to be too critical of other handlers; the opted for a different approach, and that was fine, they all had their strengths and skills. But he was seriously questioning the previous handler had a brain never mind skills.
Clearing up a little, Russell shook his head, âWhy on earth do you put up with me?â He paired it with a boyish smirk, something he could still pull off while approaching fifty through the pure grace of good genetics.
âGod knows,â Ellie responded, knocking the door shut with her boot as she walked in properly and put her bag down on the table so that he had to stop looking at the paperwork and pay attention to her. Sheâd waited for long enough thank you very much; paperwork time was over and now it was pay-attention-to-Ellie time. âBut luckily for you, I do.â
She perched on the edge of the table, head tilted to the side as she withdrew glasses and the goodies sheâd brought with her. Something to drink, something to eat, making sure that she was at least pretending to help take care of someone who seemed - after all this time - to forget the basics of self-care when he got caught up in paperwork.
âItâs a good thing we didnât have reservations,â she teased, but underneath that was a look of concern. âIs everything okay?â
It was in no way a trial to call it quits; everything would be waiting for him in the morning after all, and patient gun range managers would only be patient for so long. âVery luckily.â Everything was haphazardly piled onto the tray at the side of the desk, what shouldâve been an in and out box, but seemed to just be a âget to this laterâ box. For a high tech agency, there was an annoying amount of actual paperwork involved in things.
âYou should know by now that reservations donât apply to me.â He was certain, even in Washington, he could walk into a crowded restaurant and still get a table. The perks of being part owner of several large ventures in Nevada. But it wasnât exactly his style anymore, and Russell felt it was probably a little tacky to do after the age of twenty. âBut I should know better than to keep a lady waiting.â Especially one that brought drink and food, mostly the drink, but he was keeping an eye on that.
âItâs fine, mostly. Just some transfer stuff and the incompetence that I seem to replace.â Probably just as well this guy was gone as Russell came in -he didnât need to punch someone else in the face. âNothing to worry about.â
âFor all your talk of reservations not applying to you,â Ellie teased as she settled on the edge of his desk and pointedly ignored just how messy all that paperwork was because it would make her eye start that twitching thing in the corner again and honestly that wasnât a good look on anyone. âIâve never actually seen evidence of it. We had reservations last time we went out to dinner.â
She blew out a breath, âYou should know better,â she told him, âbut you never seem to learn.â She had cake in styrofoam packets that sheâd swiped from the cafeteria- some kind of fruity thing- and knowing that there were microwaves nearby sheâd also grabbed some leftovers from the kitchenette on her floor. Gabi had been cooking again, some sort of noodle and chicken based concoction that had been enough to feed half the base, so even after Noah had decimated significantly more than his fair share (which honestly no one minded) there were still huge piles of leftovers.
âDid you eat today?â she asked, two Tupperware containers being taken out and then finally the drinks that the glasses were meant for was placed on the table. âAnd nothing to worry about my ass. Rusty, youâve practically lived in this office and that vein on your templeâs doing the pulsing thing again.â She reached out, thumb brushing across his temple briefly as if to prove a point.
âYes, we had them, and I was on time.â Because he wasnât that bad that heâd leave Ellie hanging, itâd been important to go out, get some time away from the base, out into the world like they were functioning people again. Most of the time, Russell didnât stand her up for their agreed meet-ups. Most of the time he wasnât trying to put a team back together following poor handling before he got there.
âBut youâre so patient with me,â he had no problem clearing his desk so that it was mostly tidy. Heâd work out the paperwork later, powering down the computer so that his entire attention was Ellieâs. âI had lunch, yes.â Of course, that was a while ago, but meals were usually odd times, and it looked like Ellie had anticipated that from the stuff sheâd brought along.
He tried to duck his head when she went for âthe veinâ, the one she said always gave away when he was trying to keep a tension headache at bay, âThereâs some issues with lack of training, some off kilter treatment,â he wasnât sure why Cal was put into solitary for a weekend, with a handler taking that whole time to sit there with him over an incident with someone else, or why JPâs training schedule was so out of sync with the power set he lived with. There was a definite bias of treatment going on, and cleaning up that mess and trying to work out what was best for Juniper had been a nightmare. âBut itâs starting to straighten out.â And then, of course, there was the issue of Dr Day being dropped squarely in Russellâs lap.
âBut you, with this, youâre a goddess.â Because heâd probably have worked through the night if she hadnât shown up. âYouâll have to let me take you to Nevada at some point, really thank you for this. For all of it really.â
Ellie waved a hand when he told her that she was patient with him. She didnât have an issue with waiting for Russell, genuinely he was worth waiting for and her family werenât always the most punctual so she was used to hanging around a little bit. Honestly, Russell wasnât often late no matter how much she teased him about it, and she enjoyed his time so she would wait for an hour or longer if she needed to. Her eyebrow arched gracefully as he told her heâd had lunch. Knowing him, it had been at 11 am and he hadnât had anything but coffee since then. It was a wonder he didnât have an ulcer.
âWell, itâll be sorted now,â she told him confidently, Tupperware resting on the table. âYouâre good at your job and youâll be good for these agents. Itâll be something to support them and youâll make it right. You always do.â Heâd ducked his head, so her touch slid along his hairline so she poked the side of his head gently and shook her head. âTheir previous handlerâll just be a bad memory going forward.â
Rolling her eyes as he complimented her - purely to distract from the fact that her cheeks flushed a little bit - she waved a hand dismissively. âIâm just making sure that someone remembers to take care of you- God knows youâre not so great at remembering to do it yourself.â
She shrugged, ducking her own head and pushing some hair behind her ear. âMaybe one day,â she said, âwhen we can get holiday at the same time. But you donât need to thank me for anything,â she added softly, looking at Russell through her lashes. âHonestly.â
There was a lot of ease to his interactions with Ellie, since theyâd forged a friendship and she hadnât really been put off by the steady hardening of his demeanour. If he were honest, it was possibly all that stopped it taking a hold entirely. People like Ellie were few and far between, patient and modest, how she came from a political family, Russ had no idea. âWell, Iâll try.â God knew if there was any âfixingâ some of these people. And not just from the poor experiences with their previous handler, but from the crap theyâd dealt with before that.
âI eat,â probably not enough, âand I sleep,â again, not enough or usually not where he really should. âIâm only relying on coffee 60% of the time now, thatâs quite the accomplishment.â And less so on the alcohol lately too, the odd indulgence wasnât too dangerous, and he appreciated that Ellie was doing what she was with that, he wasnât unaware of his own follies, or how much Ellie worried about them.
âThe way things are going, Iâm going to abscond from duty for a week citing mental health.â Heâd never been in a place with so much going on. With so many loose ends and improper procedures. How the other handlers dealt with it was a mystery to him so far, but he wouldnât be surprised if there were universal coping methods either. âWhat you think needs thanking, and what I think needs thanking are different things.â
Ellie quite obviously didn't believe Russell's arguments that he ate and slept and had only replaced 60% of his blood stream with coffee. Her eyebrow remained arched, challenging him without words, letting him know in no uncertain terms that she didn't believe what he was saying. Or that if she did, she didn't think that it was sufficient, or even a part-way good excuse.
She patted his shoulder and poured them both a drink before she got up from where she was sitting on the desk and perching on a proper chair instead.
"Honestly, I think you guys need more care," she told him, wide eyed and honest, "your mental health is affected too, this job is stressful," she thought of her conversation with Lucas, how much this weighed on his shoulders. "And it's really bad that no one looks out for you guys."
She paused, an impish smile flickering across her face, "Apart from me, and my caretaking plate is fully with you and my brother." She added after a second, "And you're my favourite."
Her eyes rolled again- honestly, sometimes she thought that she'd find one day that they just rolled out of her head. "I don't think they are," she teased, "you wanna stick these in the microwave right now or do you wanna wait for a bit?"
Choosing not to continue arguing his nutrition with Ellie, because he would lose that battle, no matter how many different tactics he tried, and Russell understood a futile battle when it rolled into his office with a bright smile and offerings.
Slipping around the desk, Russell planted himself in the seat next to Ellie, rather than leaving the desk between them. It was far too impersonal for his tastes. âWell, I canât speak for the rest of the facility, but you do a marvelous job making sure Iâm taken care of.â Even if it was just reminding him that he needed to take a day or two off here and there. He couldnât fix everything in one go. âAlthough Iâll try not rub it in Frostâs face that Iâm your favourite.â
He managed to hide the smirk behind his glass, he didnât think Ellie gave herself enough credit, given that she took on more than just managing the gun range. She really was a sounding board where Russell needed for inter-personal things. There were few people he trusted like he did her. âIâm honestly not in a huge rush to eat, I have snacked today. So unless you really need food, it can probably wait a little?â
Ellie laughed, âYeah, you might want to not rub it in his face. Heâd get frown lines and that would be utterly tragic.â She didnât imagine Lucas had face creams yet, but he probably wasnât all that far off from making sure that he didnât lose his youthful looks. His beard was always rather beautifully cultivated, after all, and he seemed to care a whole lot more about his appearance now than he used to. Whatever that girlfriend had convinced him to do⊠Ellie wasnât sure.
She leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her drink. She wasnât a huge drinker- she tended to only enjoy a glass or two socially as she much preferred the âharderâ liquor. No wine or beer for her. She blamed her father for that; he had expensive tastes, as did her mother, so it was bound to have rubbed off on her eventually.
âWell, I ate lunch at a normal time,â she teased, âso I can wait some.â She stretched her legs out, knocking his boot with the toes of her shoe, that look of concern crossing over her face again. âAre you sure youâre doing okay?â
âWe canât have that, can we. Ruin the family reputation.â Not that Rusty had time to meet Lucas just yet, the pair of them were obviously caught up in other things, same as heâd been unable to really spend too much time with Ellie so far. Picking up the pieces from the previous handler was proving a little more complex than heâd usually have expected.
âIâm fine, Ellie, I promise. Just a little tired and possibly stressed, but itâs to be expected.â Between the treatment of JP and Calvin, Juniperâs struggles with her physical mutations and how itâd been allowed to go on, how itâd almost been validated, he was juggling maybe a little more than usual. âBut, it will settle, now that there can be a proper set up in place.â
One that might help to settle these rebellious little shits a little too. Not that Russell could blame them for being a little restless if he were honest.
âHow about you? Settling in? Howâs the range going?â It felt prudent to get work talk of the way before moving on with some food and letting their conversations shift.
âGenuinely donât have anything to complain about,â Ellie said seriously, âother than one guy who has pretty much set up shop in the range and consistently tries to stay past closing hours. A little bit of me thinks that if he could camp in the range he would?â She squinted a little, âHe seemsâŠâ she was going to say âa nice enough guyâ but that wasnât at all accurate. âTerrifying.â
She lifted a shoulder and leaned back in her chair, rolling the glass between her hands and then smiling at Russell. âIâm fine,â she told him. Lucas had asked her the same question, she wondered if she shouldnât be. âDo I not look okay?â
Nothing to complain about was the dream at work; it did seem like Ellie ran a tight enough ship to manage that well enough. âWell, you do remember that you have a gun too? And you donât need to load it with training ammo.â There were enough intense people around that terrifying was a legitimate outlook on someone. âYou know to give me a shout if you need help?â But if someone was that off-putting, Russ wasnât going to wave it off.
âYou just adapt far better than we seem to.â Or maybe they were both just big brotherâs to the core and would consistently check in on people. âAnd I can honestly say you look better than okay, you always do.â
âPretty sure if I even thought about holding a loaded gun heâd have it out of my hands before I could blink.â And he did freak her out, that one agent. He was intense, even when he was talking about something else she was pretty sure he was planning on how to murder her. She wasnât completely confident that she was just being paranoid, either. âI will,â she promised. âShout for you, I mean.â
She nudged his foot with hers again and ducked her head to hide the slightly bashful smile that crept onto her face with his compliment. âIâve already brought you dinner and drinks, Rusty,â she said, glancing at him, âyou donât need to flatter me.â
Russell figured he might need to look into just who was hanging around the gun range, especially with the potential that Ellie was correct about her feelings. It was a good idea to check up at least. âYou know you could mention something to his handler?â Just in case there was an issue there.
âI just tell you the truth Ellie, I canât help it if you feel lattered.â It was commented with a flat tone, but the smirk tugging at Russâ face gave away that he knew well what he was doing. But then, Ellie seemed prone to blushing at compliments. âHow about we take dinner to the suite, rather than the offices. Iâm absolutely positive it would be more comfortable.â And because then he knew he wouldnât just start working again.
âYeah,â Ellie said with a shrug of her shoulder. âMaybe. I mean, I could just be imagining things.â It was possible, but not likely. She had a keen eye. âIâll monitor it. See how things go. Promise, if I start to worry more than Iâm just feeling creeped out, Iâll speak to his handler.â
She rolled her eyes a little and cleared her throat, not for the first time cursing her pale complexion for giving her away every single time. She tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. âAnd you wonât be tempted to pick up where you left off after I leave,â she added with a wink, pushing herself up off the chair to start packing the bag again. âGood thinking, Batman.â
If Ellie said she had it handled, Russell would trust her on that. But he'd keep his eye on things at least. From a distance, but enough to step in should it be needed before Ellie reported any issue.
"You know me so well." Because it was likely that, if Ellie left and he was still pottering around, he'd just turn back towards work and that would be him until 5am. Taking the bag, when it was packed up, and clicking off his desk light, getting the overhead one as they exited, Russell held the door for Ellie. "I do not deserve you." But somehow she seemed determined to make him not work himself dead, so that was a plus.