D12, EM - Getting Ready For The Day (open)

[Yoko Lee]

"I'll be humble if it suits my needs. Then again, you can't hide anything from me, you know?"

She grinned after another drag from the death stick, "After all, Mei-Ling gives me all the inside information on you. She's quite chatty, especially where you're involved."

[John Slaktare]

"Yeah. That actually happens whether I'm the one she's talkin about or to," John says between sips.

"I hope us not knowing what secrets we learn about each other ain't too awkward for you," he jokes.

[Yoko Lee]

"You want to keep them secret, hm? Well, I imagine you wouldn't be too terribly bothered about yours. Not like I could think of any of them that one would have need to be ashamed of, regardless of whether one has regrets or not about things."

[John Slaktare]

"I don't particularly have secrets. Mostly just stuff nobody has asked about. But it's interesting to think about the fact that folks know stuff about you that you didn't tell em about."

[Yoko Lee]

"What, like how you are in bed? I suppose so..."

A chuckle, "Even if you say she's like that with a lot of people, I don't imagine Mei-Ling has exactly been broadcasting that to too many people though, you know?"

[John Slaktare]

"Nah, I don't think she's like that with a lot of people. Was just saying that I imagine that she don't mind sharing stuff about me or with me. She knows I don't care about who knows stuff about me and knows that I'm not going to be sharing stuff about other people. I don't suspect she's talking to everyone about everything though. But I wouldn't be surprised if she was telling a lot of folks about stuff we do together, cause we're both open about that stuff. Well, I should say I don't care who knows rather than I'm open. If you asked me anything I'd tell you. Folks just usually don't ask," Butcher explains.

[Yoko Lee]

"Still... suspect if you told her not to talk about something she'd honor that too."

Her expression grew more somber and she found herself hopping off the crate, grinding the cig into the metal floor to put it out.

"Unlike you, I have plenty of secrets I'd rather not get out, for instance. Some of which I shared with your girlfriend."

[John Slaktare]

"Yeah. She's not gonna share anything that ain't supposed to be shared. Trouble with being serious all the time is playfulness and jokes don't come across too well from me. I ain't trying to dig into anything folks aren't trying to share. And if someone shared something with me, accidental or otherwise, that information ain't goin anywhere from me. Truth is, if I did know something about you that you didn't want me to know, you'd never find out from me and nobody would ever hear it from me. I'm not big on sharing, and I never share anything that ain't mine to share," he replies sipping the coffee.

"Got plenty of secrets that'll be following me in to my grave, even if they don't need to."

[Yoko Lee]

Yoko poured herself some coffee; Normally she preferred tea, but she wanted something stronger for the long day ahead.

"Well that's the trick though, isn't it? We don't always get the chance to ask people if they want a particular thing spread around or not. Suppose you could always be on the quiet side and don't talk about things unless asked. Kind of like you were saying. But if you're extroverted and social like me, it can be tough being sociable and not stepping on any landmines. Not that I'm a gossip in the sense of spreading rumors about people, but I'd be more than tempted to talk about Richard dating Yori without asking either of them first, for instance; I can't just talk about myself, and I can't ask everyone about how much they want people to know about every single detail."

She stirred some sugar into the black liquid, "I've always thought it came down to common sense then, but I know that's hardly a universally agreed upon standard."

[John Slaktare]

He nods. "Probably why I don't talk about other people's business where it don't directly apply to stuff I've done to or with them. Or stuff that's obvious. Like, rumors spread pretty quick about Mei-Ling and me, and they were true, so I ain't afraid to admit that the sounds comin from our room ain't us playin cops and robbers. And I don't mind if people know I call her my queen. Neighbors've heard it anyway. But some stuff I ain't gonna advertise or even suggest is possibly true. That's her choice to make," he replies.

[Yoko Lee]

Yoko gives a smirk before it melts with a sip of the coffee, still not one hundred percent to her tastes, "You know though, before I asked Mei-Ling about it, I had no idea what was going on myself. It just goes to show that rumors and information don't spread evenly everywhere anyways. As for me... I suppose I could be more careful. I'd rather be more reckless, but that's just me; I like pushing the line with things. I've been a bit more tame about it here with the Angels though, seeing as it's a job and a group of people keeping me safe, as it were. I'd rather not get chewed out too much by the CO or such."

[John Slaktare]

"I mean, most folks around here just do whatever they want anyway. Outside of the job at least. If you ain't actually hurting anyone, cross whatever lines and push whatever limits you want. Mercs do what they do to live how they want."

[Yoko Lee]

"You say that, but I've already had to have been talked to by the higher ups for disciplinary reasons. Twice."

Another sip of coffee.

"I am quite skilled at pushing buttons, Butcher."

[John Slaktare]

"My natural state is getting yelled at. I been working on it, but I mostly think folks have realized that pushing my buttons isn't worth the hassle. Of me losing my temper. So really it's more that other people have been working on me being better," he replies with a shrug.

"Getting talked to ain't the end of things round here."

[Yoko Lee]

"No, it isn't. Though I've learned some valuable lessons in the process..."

Sip.

"Like you having a temper? With all the pushing of your buttons I've tried and your responses, I'd never have imagined."

[John Slaktare]

"Just haven't hit the wrong buttons. But I'd say my temper isn't too bad. I only ever lost my temper bad enough to kill someone once. Mind you, I don't remember what set me off because I can't recall that night very well. Got a head injury. But what are the odds you'd happen on to that trigger?" he asks in a light and joking tone, taking a sip of coffee.

[Yoko Lee]

Yoko thought for a moment, leaning up against the crate Butcher was sitting on.

"...judging by the sounds coming out of Mei-Ling's room that you mentioned earlier, I'd say if the trigger is a head injury that you'd be more likely to get one in her room. 'Sparring' and whatnot."

A sip of the foul black brew hid her slight smile.

[John Slaktare]

"You might be right about that. But I guess that means blows to the head aren't the trigger. Guess you're safe if you wanna beat me up."

[Yoko Lee]

Yoko gave a slight scowl, taking another sip, "I think I might be turned off trying to rip people apart for a while. At least until the Docs are finished with their follow ups and I go into town to get Richard a card, or something like that. I can talk all I want about sleep deprivation and such, but I clearly wasn't ready regardless. Which I thought was weird because I've shot people before, but there was... well is, just something so much different about feeling things happening through your body, so close like that."

[John Slaktare]

"I imagine it was shocking. But thinking back to it, the arm was also malfunctioning. I think it prolly would have been fine otherwise. After all, it ain't like you were trying to use enough force to hurt him. I don't know how it felt to you, but there were abnormal circumstances. The electric storm was going on and he'd just had it out for some maintenance. I can tell you that what you felt is nothing like breaking an arm though. I've broken arms and removed prosthetics forcefully. They feel completely different. So if you ever feel that again, it's just a prosthetic disconnecting."