A Few Small Repairs

[Risk]

"No, no, I'm just confused, that's all," he muttered, shaking his head at him. "It's not very normal for someone to offer their help without asking for anythin' in return. Y'know how it is." He shrugged, sending him a small smile. "I wouldn't mind learning. Better than drinking, anyway. Well, sometimes. Drinking's fun too."

[Nate]

A knowing smile came over Nate's face, "Whiskey or vodka?"

Nate watched him for a moment, setting the hammer back down. "Tell you what, you think about it. Let me know in a few weeks or something. In the meantime, we can discuss different things... Like where the best place to drink in this neighborhood is."

[Risk]

"That'd be Irving Hall," said Risk proudly, glad that he could answer his question confidently. If he knew anything, it would definitely be about alcohol. "I don't mind either but I prefer whiskey. Beer if I want to remember that night."

[Nate]

"Some mighty fine choices you've made there," Nate replied, an approving smile on his face. "I'm a whiskey kinda guy myself. Straight, mixed, shots... Sometimes, I'll get a beer, but it's generally all whiskey all the time for me."

[Risk]

"All the time?" repeated Risk, quirking an eyebrow at him. "You don't play around, huh? We can head over to Irving Hall when you'd like... most of kids that live here usually spend their time there... y'know, havin' fun or tryin' to."

[Nate]

"All the time if I'm out for a drink, yeah," he answered. "Not when I'm actually doin' work. Need a clear head for that. Free time, however, that's a different story."

Nate returned his attention to the window. He closed the window tightly, checking it for any sign of a draft. "I might hafta take you up on that Irving Hall offer sometime. I've heard a lot about it, but I can't say I ever really found the time to get myself familiar with the place."

[Risk]

"Really? What'd you hear?" he asked curiously, wondering whether any of the stories he heard included him. He hoped not.

[Nate]

"Oh, nothing really," Nate said with a smirk. "Just that it's quite the place. See a show, look at pretty girls, lots of drinks. That sorta thing." He paused, his smirk slowly growing. "Why, you got a couple stories about the place?"

[Risk]

"Uh, yeah, y'know... the usual," he muttered, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "I don't remember half of it... and I don't like most of what I know. But hey, I'm still fun! You can ask Race and Ershey!"

[Nate]

Nate's face lit up just a bit as he recognized one of the names Risk had mentioned. "Ershey? You're... you're her brother, right? I apologize if I'm wrong, but I remember her telling me she had a brother. Just trying to connect names with faces. Stuff like that."

[Risk]

"Yeah!" chuckled Risk. "She actually mentioned me? Yeah, I'm her brother... older by a couple years. I came here lookin' for her and... found her. Have you met anyone else around here?"

[Nate]

"Not that I can say, no," Nate answered casually. "Just your sister. She was the one that told me this window needed some fixing. Nice girl, she is."

[Risk]

"You'll meet more people," smiled Risk. "It gets crazy around here sometimes. It's good to know that you're sane, at least. Well, uh, so far. I'm not judging."

[Nate]

"Well, it's good to know that at least one person thinks I'm sane," he joked, his laughter growing. "I'm not too worried about meeting the others. If they like me, great. If they don't, that's fine. I'm just here for a place to stay and to maybe make a living." He dropped the hammer back down into the toolbox before picking the whole thing up. "I should put this away before someone decides to poke some holes into the wall of the girls' bunkroom."

[Risk]

"Ooh, good idea," smirked Risk before catching himself. "I mean, uh, yeah. Of course. You said it was in the basement?"