Beachhead wondered how he'd ended up in the motorpool, lifting half the weight of a munitions cart frame.
"Beachhead! LIFT the wheel up, don't just hold it!" Covergirl thumped the hub solidly a few times. "Okay, hold it still while I get the springs in there." She shoved and thumped some more parts while the Ranger grunted.
Yes, one shapely mechanic had come and asked him so sweetly and he'd somehow lost his mind and agreed to come help her... again. "Ain't like there's no hurry or nothing, but this thing is heavy, Barbie." He shifted as he tightened his grip.
Covergirl snorted loudly. "Oh stop it. You're always bragging about how strong you are. Just this morning you were berating all of us about how we need to show more DEDICATION to working out in our free time. So put your umm... muscles where your mouth is, big guy." She continued to bang on things with a small hammer and wedged stubborn parts into place.
There was a slightly disgruntled noise but Beachhead continued to hold the wheel up on the frame. "Yeah yeah, next thing you'll have me trying to hold up the side of a Mauler." She poked him in the leg and he frowned at her. "I ought to let this thing FALL on you, you keep jabbing at me."
She snorted at him again. "You wouldn't do that. Despite all your bitching, griping, complaining, shouting, and horrible smell, you are GOOD PEOPLE. You would never let down a teammate that trusted you. Dependable, that's you." She deftly twisted a nut into place. "Okay... let it down, but easy.. don't drop it."
He set it down and backed up a step while she examined it. "It done?"
She shoved it backwards slowly. The wheel turned and squealed loudly. "Well, it seems like it's holding fine. Let me hit the grease fittings and stuff some axle grease in here really quick." She brought over a gallon canister of thick grey grease and scooped out a handful. For just an instant she eyed him.
He raised an eyebrow. "Don't even think about it."
She blinked and put on an innocent look. "What?" When he started to look grumpy she rolled her eyes. "Oh please. I DIDN'T DO IT, I wouldn't get grease all in your sweater. It would take the laundry guys forever to get it out, and that wouldn't be fair to them."
"Yeah, cause it would be fine to do it ME, just not fair to the laundry greenies? Thanks a lot." He did watch with appreciation as she crawled under to get the grease stuck into place. It wasn't that he was oogling her rear end... even if her britches did practically mold to her butt with her down on the floor.. and now she was glaring at him. "Whut? I... I... uhh..."
"Wayne, you're the only guy that can get away with staring at my ass, but that doesn't mean I want to catch you staring at my ass." She crossed her arms and stared at him.
"Well, that don't make a whole lot of sense..." He thought it over and then his face cleared. "Oh wait... I can look, as long as I don't get caught!"
She facepalmed herself. "No, Wayne... that's not..." She gave up and sighed. "Let's just go get lunch."
He brightened. He liked when he wasn't in trouble AND got to go eat with her too. "Sure. I heard Roadblock made sauerbraten!" He glanced over when she made a gagging noise. "What? You don't like German food? It's good stuff."
She made another face. "I like German chocolate cake. I do not like sauerbraten." They had a mild argument over German foods, German beers and whether all hotdogs counted as German food since sausages were part of German food on the way to the messhall. Once there, she looked at the trays of food and sighed. "No, I don't want sauerbraten... just give me the FISH sticks."
Beachhead was happily getting some of everything and smiled at her. "Fish sticks is gonna make you look like a stick. Get more food than that." He pointed at the vegetables. "Get mashed potatoes. You like them."
She held her tray out. "Give me potatoes. Apparently Mama Beachhead here thinks I need to eat more." The greenshirt serving did his best to not laugh but the two further down were snorting loudly as they hid their faces. "Carrots too, before Mama Beachhead points out they're 'full of good vitamins'." Her voice pitched upwards in a parody of Julia Child.
Beachhead grunted. "See if I try to get you to eat healthy again."
She tilted her head to look over one shoulder and batted her eyes at him. "Oh poor baby. Would you like to put money that you won't bug me about my diet ever again? Cause I got $50 that says you can't keep your mouth shut for one week."
He grumbled quietly. "No. Cause you'll do something dumbass like eat nothing but lettuce until I gotta say something."
She pouted. "You're no fun. I have to stop being predictable."
"Yup."
* * * *
Okay, that's it!