####

The sting of coffee burning the roof of his mouth barely registered in the roadie's mind as he tucked his duffle bag close to his body. Several curses rattling through his mind as he ran, pushing his way through the crowd of people. He was going to miss his train if he didn't get going.

"Shit, shit-" He breathed as he found himself coming to a stop. The mass of people were a bit too thick to pass through now, apparently he wasn't the only one late for his train. He sighed a little as a mother and her child pushed past him, the woman shoving and pushing at anyone in her way as she attempted to get by. Clearly no one was going to budge where they stood, not for her or anyone else. Much less for Eddie, he didn't quiet illicit sympathy or concern like other passengers did.

Eddie just quietly wrinkled his nose, unhappiness clear to read on his features as he just hung back. Scanning the crowd for some kind of opening, instead finding a familiar face amongst them. The black haired man perking up some as gently pushed by a few people to head a little further back. Easily able to ignore any disgruntled sounds from people within the crowd. His mind was focused on the man he remembered from the night before.

"Hey! Sasha!"

The german man's gaze snapped up when his name was called, surprise clear before a flicker of a smile appeared on his lips. Neither man had expected to see one another again.

"Mr. Riggs," He greeted as the roadie came to a stop in front of him. Sasha subtly as he could manage taking in the sight of Eddie in full lighting. It strange to suddenly see the helpful mystery man in full lighting from the night before. Sasha wasn't sure what he had been really expecting. Not a knight in shining amor obviously, but Eddie's appearance was not- what Sasha really put together in his mind.

Eddie was, very much a stereotypical metal head if Sasha ever saw one. He was clad in a band t-shirt, ratty jeans and a vest with colorful buttons. The metal head facade included long hair that stopped at the man's mid neck and odd facial hair. Sasha hadn't honestly expected metal head when he interacted with the other man. Eddie was at least as tall as Sasha remembered, somewhere in the 6'7 range. He was broad shouldered as well, alongside being muscled in a way that made the German man once again wonder if steroids were somehow involved. He would have placed money on it if not for Eddie's strange sense of general happiness. That very much apparent in the friendly smile he wore now.

"I'd say it's a surprise to see you, but you mentioned you had a train to catch last night, didn't you?" Was chuckled by the black haired man as he adjusted the strap to his duffle bag resting against his back. He easily able to heft it comfortable against his back, not seeming to notice the weight of it pressing into him. The fact he barely seemed to notice the weight only added to Sasha's steroid theory.

"That I did, not that we talked much about my plans while waiting for the pick up truck,"

"Did you actually understand some of the stuff we talked about? You looked kinda lost when I started talkin' bout changin' oils and general care,"

Sasha peered over his sunglasses at that, dryly answering back. "Mr. Riggs, you sounded like a car manual."

"Ey, I did not!"

"I would say so, minus those few times you said 'a cubic buttload' to describe sizes,"

"That is totally a technical term you know,"

"Mhmm,"

"And I said five cubic buttload's," He made a wide hand gesture to go with his words, nearly knocking into a passerby. His enthusiasms over cubic boatloads caught Sasha off guard, he wasn't quiet sure how to really make of it. The most he could muster was bemusement mixed with amusement.

"Why would I need that much of anything?"

"For emergencies, such as your engine kickin' the bucket at 1 am on the highway." He said with a faint smirk as Sasha shook his head back, he doing his best to contain some amusement. The man was strange so far. "Point made, Mr. Riggs,"

"Hell, yeah, point made!"

"Which train are you trying to catch?"

"The Red Arrow, headin' towards Seattle for a show, and you?"

"The Red Arrow as well, actually,"

The much larger man laughed at that. Amusement clear on his features at the strangeness of them meeting again like this. "Seriously- shit, man. That's cool and fuckin' weird,"

Sasha shrugged a little back as he spoke, "It certainly is an interesting happenstance,"

Eddie had to shake his head at the word Sasha used. His black hair mid-neck length whipping around with the movement. "Happen-whatsit or not, we probably ain't gettin' on the train with how many people are here today, christ,"

"People always plan things so last minute, I'm certainly not surprised."

Eddie's brow quirked up somewhat at that. "You aren't surprised by a lot of things, are you?"

"Not particularly,"

"Shit, man. I should talk calm lessons from you or somethin'," He waved a hand at that, "I can't always keep my cool,"

"Oh?"

"Eh, just usual stuff. I know I'm gonna get real cheesed off at the band I'm gonna be workin' for this month, I'm only really consultin', but that ain't gonna help,"

He quirked his brow back at that, clearly curious as he spoke. "Working for a band-? What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a roadie, well, a consultant roadie for this one time from the looks of it. They're apparently with some new folks who don't know what they're doin' or somethin',"

"You don't have a clear picture of why they called?"

"Not fully, I know why the manager would, but it sounded like they're overstaffed, so hell if I know why I'm goin' there," He was distracted from what he was saying as someone pushed past him, it quickly followed by another person pushing by. A man dragging teenaged daughters along with her towards the main platform, oblivious to the fact he was bumping into anyone. "We should probably step back or somethin',"

"It would be wise," The German man agreed warily as he was jostled as well. The two easily stepped further back, finding a comfortable space by a store front.

After they settled down, Eddie spoke again. "What do you do for a livin', anyway? If You don't mind me askin' you,"

"I'm a government agent actually, though I primarily deal in paperwork,"

His brow went up curiously in turn as he questioned the German man. "Someone fuck up some serious paperwork in Seattle or somethin'?"

"Something like that," He answered somewhat evasively. Sasha opting to go the vague route as of now. Eddie noticed the sudden evasiveness, but opted to not commentate on it as he nodded back. "Hopefully that doesn't take too long, man."

"I hope so as well, it is quite a mess,"

"Ha, I know that feelin', s'gonna be my entire time at that damn tour,"

"Which band are you touring with anyway? You don't seem very fond of them,"

"Kabbageboy," Eddie had tried to sound neutral about the band but failed specactularly as venom seeped into his tone. His brown eyes narrowing into annoyed slits as he started to frown.

"…You have my sympathies," Sasha could only grimace openly back, feeling a headache rise at the mention of the band. Milla unironically enjoyed their music. There could never be a car trip where she didn't pop in one of their CD's.

His frown eased somewhat at that, he scratching lightly at his soul patch on his chin as he spoke. "Thanks, m'gonna need that with how shitty those guys are, music wise and personality wise?"

Sasha wasn't sure why he found amusement in seeing the large usually cheerful man puff up this, something about it was just hard to not chuckle at. "Dare I ask what they've done to upset you?"

Eddie didn't hesitate to answer, already having a list in mind of what Kabbageboy as a whole had done. "Purposefully break instruments, get drunk before performances, break stage equipment for shits a giggles, sneak underaged folks back stage for shit that could get them arrested and a shit ton more, trust me, they aren't exactly my favorite people in the world,"

"Odd to hear considering you seem relatively forgiving,"

The irritation drained a little at the compliment, Eddie's lips quirking upwards again into a faint smile. "Eh, forgiving isn't a word I'd use for me, but thanks,"

"Says the man who gave me a car maintenance lesson at 2 AM this morning,"

"You needed help, figured while we waited I'd give you some tips,"

All Sasha could do was squint back at Eddie incredulously for a moment before speaking. "It was a bit more than a tip Mr. Riggs,"

"Yeah, yeah-" He waved away the compliment, though his smile warmed up a little more. The two were content to hang back and wait together as the crowd milled around, bustling their way onto the train. It was fairly obvious the crowd wasn't thinning anytime soon, the train station had over booked if anything.

"So, how about you and I grab some coffee or somethin'? It'll kill time while we wait for the train," Eddie gestured towards the colorful coffee kiosk nearby. It certainly wasn't MoonBucks, but it was at least coffee.

The sunglasses clad man paused at that, clearly mulling it over before he gave a slow nod in turn. "Certainly,"

"Fuck yeah, the coffee is pretty decent here, at least from the few times I used a train station to get places,"

"Not one for travel by train I take it?" Sasha questioned back with an arch of his brow.

"Not usually, I tend to prefer travelin' by car most of the time, at least then I'm controllin' my mode of transportation you know," Was Eddie's answer as he automatically led the way towards the coffee kiosk tucked away in the corner of the train station. The slim man easily trailing after the roadie. "Not fond of being trapped in small spaces?"

"Considerin' how pissy airports are about metal shit and how I'm kinda tall- yeah." He waved his hand easily back, "You're lucky since I don't think anyone is gonna ask you to buy two seats,"

"You never know Mr. Riggs, my wit and charm certainly could take up two seats,"

"Your ego gets a third seat," He casually tossed back with an easy laugh, he grinning in turn.

Eddie didn't seem so bad, not for a giant metalhead possibly on steroids anyway, not as far as Sasha could tell. It's why he walked with Eddie towards the coffee kiosk, the two buying drinks and grabbing a table as a young couple fled the scene. Apparently they were on that same train as well or worried about being late for the next one. "It's barely even November a people are like- fleein' the city to get some place else, s'crazy,"

"Could be last minute business trips?" Sasha offered idly back as he settled more comfortably into his seat.

"True that- we're kinda doin' that right now, in our own ways anyway," He sipped at his own drink clearly happy to have a little more coffee in his system as he tracked the milling people, "Doesn't make it any less crazy,"

"True enough," He was only distracted when his phone chimed, a surprisingly jazzy ringtone causing Sasha to check. He chuckling softly under his breath as he read over the message before tucking it away. "Apologies, I forgot to turn that off,"

The roadie waved a hand dismissively back, "No biggie, I do about the same thing, think I got it turned off and then it starts ringin' or some shit durin' somethin' important."

"It certainly is the way things are when you have a cellphone with you,"

"M'curious though, are you a jazz fan with that ringtone? It sounded kinda Sinatra-y, I sorta recognize that song,"

"It is actually," He had to think about it for a moment before answering, "I Get a Kick Out Of You, if I'm remembering the title correctly,"

"Shit- okay, that makes the song more concrete for me," Eddie tapped his index finger against his lips thoughtfully. "S'about love, yeah?"

"Yes, unrequited love,"

"I'll have to dig it up later and re-listen. I only really listened to jazz when I dated one chick who was in a Jazz-metal band,"

That warranted a long stare from the green skinned man. "Jazz-metal band?"

"Ey, stop givin' me that look, s'a real band you know," Sasha still felt a little doubtful of that as he and Eddie made their way to the coffee kiosk.

Unsurprisingly, neither had gotten to their train on time, not with the sudden influx of people scrambling to get onto it. Eddie didn't feel too bad about it, he was heading out early for the tour anyway, he wasn't about to miss anything. He only felt sorry for Sasha, who seemed to legitimately be late for some kind of work related thing, not that the smaller man really elaborated on it. Eddie wasn't about to push either, not when he just barely met the man the night before. They parted ways two hours later, the roadie ending up taking another train altogether to get to Seattle. Sasha felt slightly disappointed by that turn of events.

####

The German man found himself calmly toying with his cellphone, chewing at his bottom lip as he let his gaze drift across the screen. Milla's smiley face text blinking back up at him. He rolled his eyes at the fact she used smilies still.

'darling :) how are you?'

It took the man a moment of rereading the text before he replied.

'Well so far. Almost at next stop.'

'I'm glad to hear that, I was worried you might miss that train'

'I'm fine. The crowds thinned back out after awhile'

'i'm not surprised, holiday rush is always terrible at this time of year'

He found himself briefly glancing around him at the tacky holiday decor hung up on the station. Chintzy christmas lights, ratty garlands and tinsel hanging across banisters and stapled to walls. He wrinkled his nose disapprovingly at a giant shiny plastic ornament hung up over one entry way. 'I would have forgotten it was near holiday time if not for the people and these terrible decorations.'

'i doubt they're all terrible.'

Sasha stared at the text, resisting his urge to comment on Milla's strange sickening affinity for a certain kind of lamp as he tapped out a reply.

'they're terrible, trust me' He knew better to try and prove it with a picture considering Milla would counter all of his arguments with pure positivity. It was just who she was, it was one of the reasons he was so drawn to her.

'has anything else happened so far, darling? you mentioned a man earlier'

He hesitated at that, unsure of how to really feel about the other man. Eddie was certainly an oddity that had come from nowhere and been helpful both times they met. If not for his honesty and seeming obliviousness to who Sasha was, the German man would have been more suspicious.

'his name is eddie. he was the man who helped me with my car this morning. i ran into him here, it was rather strange. I wonder if he is on steroids, the man is huge.'

'it sounds like fate to me' Sasha had to blanch at her words, surprised she even came up with that as he easily conveyed his skepticism to the Brazilian woman in two words.

'fate really?'

'things happen for a reason darling. you and i did meet after all ;)'

'That is completely different and you know it.'

':P'

'Stop that'

'No :PPPP'

'do you have four tongues now? what does that even mean?'

';)!'

The German could only shake his head back at that, wondering why she insisted on using those faces in her texts. He didn't get very long to think on it as he heard the speaker over head drone a warning to those waiting for the next train. He quickly texted a goodbye to the Brazilian woman before tucking the phone back into the inner pocket of his jacket. He picking up his bag from where it rested by his feet and heading towards the main platform.

He could hope it wouldn't be a long mission. He wanted to spend Christmas with Milla.

####

And chapter 2! Enjoy this brief blip of quick updates folks.