19 December 2014

Shaw fell into step beside John; despite their difference in stature, Shaw could keep gait.

"I'm supposed to be doing Root's patching," Shaw groused.

"Well, this is a two-man job. I'll help you afterward. How did she dislocate her shoulder anyway?"

"She didn't say," Shaw said. "You go in front, I'll take the side. Count to 17?"

"Should do the trick."

Shaw dispassionately shot one man through the shoulder and threw herself atop the only one still upright. She put him in an armbar and squeezed until she felt him go limp.

"Ahh, I needed that," Shaw said, twisting her neck until she heard a pop. She and John continued on to the subway, data chip in John's breast pocket.

"So, Root's been staying with you," Reese asked casually.

"Just one night. Think she stayed in the subway last night," Shaw shrugged, like it didn't concern her where Root stayed. In truth, while it had been nice to have her own bed back, it was lonely on her own.

"Listen, Shaw…" Reese started, but Shaw cut him off.

"I know. It'd never work out. Damaged goods," Shaw growled. Reese was silent a moment, considering.

"At least you've stopped shooting each other," Reese conceded. Shaw snorted.

"Yeah, for now," Shaw opened the pi-vending machine and Reese closed it behind them.

19 December 2017

"We need watermelon, pomegranates, nuts… all the summer fruits we can find," Shaw said, pushing the trolley through the supermarket. "I have everything for Christmas already and the others are all bringing a dish, but the fruit needs to be fresh. And you, my young friend, are going to bed early tomorrow since you'll be up so late the next night."

"Midnight isn't that late," Gen pouted.

"The tradition is to stay up through the longest night to prevent harm from coming to the people gathered, but I think midnight is late enough." Shaw stopped by the watermelons.

"They sell them whole here," Gen exclaimed in wonder.

"Sure. Whole-ass watermelons," Shaw muttered darkly under her breath.

"Can we get one?"

"If you think you can eat half, sure."

19 December, 2014

Shaw and John swapped out more machines, occasionally setting an untagged one up with a monitor so Root could work on the operating system. When Shaw swapped out the third console, Root grabbed her arm.

"Can you click through the install? My arm isn't holding up as well as I'd like," Root asked. The next moment Shaw's fingers were digging into Root's shoulder socket.

"I meant it hurts, Shaw. From repetitive movements, like mouse clicks," Root relaxed when the probing fingers retreated from her tender shoulder socket.

Shaw leaned over Root to look at the screen, letting go of Root's shoulder.

"What options do I need to choose?"

"Just click through," Root said, reaching for the mouse but wincing.

"I still have replacements to make, can you try your other hand?"

"Too slow. Wait..." Root typed in a few commands, then started using the WASD to control the mouse. "Much better, thanks for the idea," Root looked up at Shaw, and Shaw turned her head at the same time. Faces very close, Root's eyes dropped down to Shaw's mouth. Reese lumbered by with another console and Shaw moved away quickly.

"I didn't do anything," Shaw mumbled.

"This is nice, having the team together," Root said out loud a few minutes later. "We should do something for Christmas." Shaw snorted audibly.

"We're reformed killers and nerds - no offense, Finch - we aren't going to play happy families," Shaw said, dumping another PS3 in the dead pile.

"Most workplaces have a Christmas function," Root insisted. "For morale."

"Morale has been low," Finch agreed. "But where?"

Shaw let herself into her apartment, exhausted.

And there on the table was a whole-ass watermelon.

"Whole-ass watermelon, goddammit Root," Shaw said, but she smiled as she said it. She looked at the clock; it was just past midnight but she decided against slicing it open now. How did Root even carry this monstrosity up to the walk-up apartment? Shaw shook her head, looked at it again and smiled.

Notes:

I hate watermelon.

I saw whole-ass watermelons today and they made me so angry. I whole-ass hate whole-ass watermelon. Fight me.

In case it isn't obvious, I've done some modding in the past; Nintendo mostly, and Android. I'm no stranger to homebrew and CFW but this is out of my wheelhouse. I've been meaning to hack my PS3 so the research is based on my best research currently.

With the Ps5 out I should be able to snag a job lot, and carry out work similar to Team Machine.

Thanks for reading, please review if you're enjoying this or think it should continue.