Theirs was a pleasant chat as they waited for the sun to peak over the desert horizon. Eleanore tried to keep herself from being distracted by the landscape: the foreign stars, by the strange tinge to the air entranced her. If Rick added to the conversation between themselves and Gootary Larry, she would have been complacent in her musings. Eleanore caught glimpses of Rick's face. It shone warm in the firelight as he listened to the conversation, silent. He was deep in thought, though Eleanore couldn't pretend to know what he was thinking about. She saw his brow furrow, his nostrils flare. Every time he caught her eye, though, Rick would sneer or stick out his tongue, trying to push her attention from him.
"Where did you say you were from?" Gootary Larry looked expectantly at Eleanore, and she tore her gaze away from Rick. A twinge of guilt pulled at her; on an alien planet, she was more interested in what was circling through Rick Sanchez's mind than a living, breathing extra-terrestrial.
"Oh, uh, it's a place called Earth," she replied when it was obvious Rick wouldn't deign to answer so mundane a question. "Some places look like this. My home was the desert." Utah to Arizona to California...Eleanore felt safe in the American Southwest; it was kismet that Rick had managed to find a planet so familiar to her home.
"Earth," Gootary Larry echoed. "Like dirt. What a name." He didn't seem impressed with the name, but he continued to press Eleanore about it. Do all the beings look like you? Is there always such discrepancy in sizes? What is the Earth's defense protocol like?
Rick cleared his throat. "L-Look, man. We came here to learn about your planet, explore, maybe f-fuck shit up—typical American style—" he shot a brazen grin in Eleanore's direction "—not to answer bullshit questions about Earth. Wh-Wh-Why don't we move this party somewhere more exciting than a cannibalistic campfire?"
Gootary Larry looked from Eleanore to Rick, his expression blank. As Eleanore opened her mouth to say...something, the bug replied. "Do you wanna meet s'more Gromflomites?" He spoke slowly, deliberately, and Eleanore worried her lip before placing a tentative hand on Rick's knee. She didn't like the change in atmosphere brought on by Rick's outburst.
Eleanore leaned closer to Rick so she could whisper quietly and candidly. "Maybe we should call it a day? Head back—?" She was nearly knocked over as Rick suddenly stood, exclaiming.
"Yes! My man, let's do it. Let's meet more! C'mon, Eleanore, don't be a buzzkill." Pulling Rick's labcoat tighter around her shoulders, Eleanore merely frowned. She made a motion for them to go ahead with their antics: Be my guest.
"Excellent," trilled Gootary Larry, rubbing together what could be construed as his hands. His delicate insect wings began to flutter as he hovered a foot or so off the ground. "Right this way."
"No wings, dude," offered Rick, his voice flat with boredom.
"Oh. I wasn't sure…" Gootary Larry studied the humans beneath him. "Thought maybe you were hiding them somewhere." He landed back in the sand. "Alrighty, then, we'll walk."
Eleanore shook her head at the exchange, and as Gootary Larry and Rick began to walk, she took a moment to herself and stand. Regardless of her worry and no matter what she said, she knew Rick would be hard to convince to call the "adventure" quits. Stubborn ass. With a sigh, Eleanore wiped her pajamas clear of sand and began to traipse along just behind her two taller companions.
A/N: Sorry this was so short! I wanted to get it out there after the impromptu radio silence.