The Ranch

Carrier Pigeon (3)

Major Jax brings Tih to the fifth floor of the cafeteria, boasting," One of the only perks of my position.

Major Jax, unaware Tih eats here every meal, thinks Tih will appreciate being able to eat food that only a few powerful people get to eat.

The two enter the fifth floor. Major Jax drags Tih into the line for the buffet. Major Jax is also unaware that as a special privilege, the head chef, Instructor Raphael, acts as Tih's personal waiter and brings Tih's food to his seat.

The silent Tih looks at the scenery without much interest, as he's already very used to it. He watches as Major Jax pays for two meals and brings him to a velvet-colored leather booth.

Placing the plates of food on the table, they take their seats and start eating. Major Jax tries to joke around but his conversation partner isn't cooperative. He eventually gives up and they eat in silence until someone else walks through the doors.

Private Scott goes up to a worker and orders a black coffee. Now, if anyone else tried to order something from any level of the cafeteria, they'd be laughed at before being booted out, but Private Scott seems to have some connections with someone on this level.

The worker nods and shouts for someone in the kitchen. A face Tih has often seen in the kitchen comes out, spots Private Scott, and makes an 'ok' sign before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.

Waiting for his energizer, Private Scott glances around the room in boredom only to spot Major Jax. He can feel a vein pop as he walks over to the table," You...are you going to tell be you already finished all your work?"

Major Jax noticed Scott walking over and mumbled," shit." He finishes chewing before quipping back," What, now I can't even eat? Do you expect me to starve to death? Oh, maybe you'd finally get the position." He gives Private Scott a smug smirk.

The sound of grinding teeth can be heard. "Stop making excuses, you halfwit. I wouldn't have to even talk to you if you actually did your job instead of sleep all day!"

"Says the workaholic who has no awareness of his surrounding. You push people to their braking points before you even realize what your doing! Why do you think no one is willing to work under you and you weren't promoted!"

Major Jax hit a sore spot. "Better than a lazy bum that gives up at the first sign of a struggle! Letting yourself go like that, how pitiful." Private Scott sneers.

Major Jax slams his hand on the table, causing a commotion. He's also been hit in a sore spot. " You little shi- !"

Before Major Jax can finish his curse, Instructor Raphael bursts through the kitchen doors," You think you can cause a ruckus in my kitchen and get away with it! I don't care whatever insignificant lovers quarrel you're having, but it will not take place on MY floor. Get your sorry asses OUT OF HERE!!" He forcefully points at the two before pointing at the exit.

Instructor Raphael's fury is truest frightening. The bickering men fall silent and obediently walk out of the fifth floor and out of the cafeteria.

Tih stays back. The furious head chef calms down at the sight of him and starts making small talk. Tih patiently listens to Instructor Raphael as he finishes his meal and waits.

"Great, now I can't even have coffee to tide me over." Private Scott complains out loud.

"Oh so now we're blaming that on me too? If you're that fed up with me, just quit." Angered, Major Jax momentarily forgets about the child he left behind on the top floor.

"Ha! Quit! Quit he says! Are you actually stupid? Do you really think I wouldn't have quit already if I could? Stay by your side for so many years? Stay with all the stress and work you give me!" His voice raises by an octave after each sentence.

"It's not like you're a good subordinate either, always complaining about my personal life like it has something to do with you." Major Jax finally starts to calm down. This sentence was said in a calm, lowered voice. His choice of words, selected by his angry emotions.

Private Scott's voice also calms down, a cold glare appears on his face," Isn't every day your personal life when you don't work."

"Well of course the things I do would look insignificant in a workaholic's eyes. Even when I do the work, all you do is complain. Complain complain complain, that's all you can do."

"Ha! The lazy quitter talking about doing his work!? That's the funniest this I've ever heard." Scott finishes off his cynical statement with a straight face.

Major Jax was never an articulate person. Losing the verbal fight, Major Jax's movements get bigger. He waves his arms around to compensate the losing battle, almost hitting the coffee cup in Tih's hands.

At the last minute, Tih lowered the cup of hot liquid without letting any of it spill. Major Jax's arm moves past the lowered cup and smacks Tih in the face. Surprised, Major Jax quickly recoils his arm.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you hurt?"

The two men look worriedly toward the child-sized Tih that got hit with a muscular arm. The unfazed boy holds the cup in front of Private Scott.

Scott softly takes the cup," Ah, thank you Tih. You really didn't have to..."

A vertical stripe of red surfaces across the majority of Tih's face.

The emotionless child doesn't not react in anyway. In fact, Private Scott's reaction is severely worse. He starts scolding Jax for hurting the child. Major Jax doesn't refute at first, feeling guilty, but his anger soon returns after continuously listening to spiteful comments.

They continue to bicker for a long while and eventually split up. For the next week, Tih acts as a messenger bird for the two.

Tih: Mom and Dad are fighting again.
Kai:...who taught you this stuff.