-- LIKE PENNIES IN A JAR [Nell]

Asher did not mind the silence, at least when it was not uncomfortable. With Greg it was quite common and so he learned not to take anything from it other than the fact that the man had nothing important to say. He sat back in the chair, legs sprawled out in a rather boy-ish fashion and stared up at the ceiling. A few cars passed by, and in one instance a customer came and picked up their vehicle after repairs. Greg had taken care of it though and sent the man on his way. Asher had been doing a lot of the manual labor recently, what with Greg being sick and all, so the older gentleman took to the cash register like a pro. Since Morgan left it was all they could do to try and balance the work without one person taking on too much. It actually angered Asher that Greg was left having to do much of anything considering his health. The man was too stubborn to hire just anyone. He wondered if there was a bit of bitterness for hiring the girl and then having her disappear. Maybe that was where the nitpicking was coming from. As he stood to get up and grab a drink from the small fridge at the back of the garage a car pulled in. He recognized the driver and a broad smile formed on his lips. Really, seeing any of his friends made him happy. They were certainly few and far between. Instead of going to get the drink he stood with his hands in his pockets and waited for the girl to approach them. She was carrying a familiar looking box. Even Greg was eyeing it hungrily. "Hey hey," Asher greeted cheerfully.

"This woman is a food goddess," Greg grunted, reaching to take the box. Asher laughed a little at how gruff the owner was, even when he was complementing or thanking someone. "Thanks, Nell. That was what he meant to say. Right Greg?" The man mumbled in response and pulled out one of the donuts. He began chewing away as though he had not eaten all day. Come to think of it, Asher hadn't either. His stomach growled. He sneaked a hand into the box in Greg's lap and stole one of the donuts. Greg was now silent with his food. "An oil change, coming right up my friend!" The boy chirped cheerfully. "Just...let me finish stuffing my face here for a moment and I'll get right on it." He took large, undignified bites into the pastry and relished it as he chewed. Whoever invented donuts was a fucking genius. Nell was a genius for bringing them in the first place. Mid-bite he stopped. "I just finished replacing the brakes on the Civic outside. Had a few other oil changes earlier. An emission test. I think that's about it though. Right Greg?" The man nodded and was already starting on his second donut. Really? Should he even be eating those? Oh well...the man had lived a long enough life and deserved to do as he pleased. "It's been slower today than normal, though. I think it's because it's early in the week." Shops had fewer repairs come in at the beginning of the week because people had work. They could not get to work if they did not have a car, so many people waited until Thursday or Friday to visit the shop for any work needed to be done. Once done eating he wiped off his hands and wandered over to the switch to start up the hydraulic lift. "So just the oil change? And how are ya by the way?"

Food really was the quickest way to a man's heart. All you have to do is tell them you're bringing them sweets (or whatever they like) or that you are making a home cooked meal and suddenly they melt at your feet. Asher was not the type to eat constantly but who didn't like food? If you gave him the right stuff he could probably eat until he burst. "It seems that everywhere is a little slow today," Asher pointed out with a shrug. The beginning of the week really was vastly different from Friday in terms of business. He at least noticed it for the shop. Grocery stores and gas stations seemed to be some of the only places that had a consistent stream of business. "They do have some of the best donuts. I think my favorite is the jelly filled ones. Strawberry." He nodded, all child-like with donut crumbs on his face. Asher did not do well with caffeine and hardly ever relished in eating massive amounts of sugar but there were just some treats too delicious to pass up. Like donuts. Clearly Greg agreed, for he was silent in his manner of eating and appeared very satisfied with their meal. I need to find out when his next doctor appointment is. He had taken to ensuring the man went to the doctor for his check-ups, because Greg was stubborn as a mule and refused to have constant help. Asher laughed and finished chewing. "Nah, I think most men have obtained some sort of non-choking superpower," He joked. The kid was so incredibly corny. "We can practically inhale our food! Although...I think it's because I haven't eaten all day." His one-track mind really could be a nuisance. Once his mind was set on something he pretty much forgot everything else.

"No hassle at all Nell!" Asher put his hands up, palms out as he waggled them back and forth. No friend was ever a hassle, even if they had a line of cars going out of the garage and down the street. Greg grunted--the first noise he'd made since he started digging into the donuts--and replied, "Not at all little lady. Asher was just going back on the clock." The man's voice, though harsh from age and illness, was considerably gentle as he spoke to the Earth graduate. Greg had a bit of a soft spot for the ladies. Endearing, really. Asher slid on the latex gloves needed for changing the oil (that shit was hard to get off) and looked up under the carriage of the car. He looked over and smiled. "Hood ornaments I can do! What else are you interested in? We should get some sort of list going." Then he could decide if they needed to go to the junk yard or if he could find her some 'like new' parts at a good price. "Free time is good time," He replied. "How's work going for ya?" Asher was always genuinely interested in hearing about how his friends were doing, what they were up to. It was always good to know the people you cared about were doing well. He did not know Nell extremely well but enough to consider her a friend. Asher did not have many (mostly through his own fault). "It's always worth the wait. And rebuilding your own car is so incredibly rewarding!" Anyone who knew the Wind elemental knew about his 1969 Camaro that took up residence on the other side of the garage. It was nearing completion and he was stoked to have his own transportation. "D'you know I haven't even named my baby yet? Kinda sad. I haven't figured out anything suitable." He nodded to the Camaro, then back at Nell. Everyone named their cars. He wanted to jump in on that.

Asher nodded eagerly in agreement, smiling. "They definitely are. Though I like to keep my hands busy so I can appreciate a hectic day every now and again." Although he partially made the comment to make sure Greg did not think he was not appreciative of his job and the work he did, he actually meant it too. Asher was not a stagnant person; he liked to move and keep up his energy and find things to do constantly. He supposed it could be a negative thing when the time came for him to actually sit still, but he managed well enough. School was really the only time it was asked of him so he could spend time after school and on weekends being active. It did hurt his homework on most occasions but Molly attempted to keep him in line. "I like the Boston Creme ones too, but not as much. Hell...I guess I could stuff my face with just about any of them and be happy." He did not eat them often but when handed a box of the baked goods there was really no turning them down. It reminded him of a time back in Colorado when his mom attempted to make homemade donuts in one of those little donut makers. He did not know what it was actually called but it made donuts and that was all that mattered. He grinned at her, almost sheepishly when she made note of men's eating habits. It was true. "I do tend to forget to eat when I'm working or busy with something but when I'm done I pig out. No holding back!" He patted his flat stomach as though he had already been eating most of the day.

If anyone was in need of car parts then a mechanic was the right person to go to (obviously). He did not mind that Nell was asking for his help--in fact, he quite enjoyed it! She was a nice person and on top of that it dealt with cars so it was a win-win situation. "Oh, tch. Nothing is impossible for a Rizzo." He added its Italian flair with a smile. "I'll find you that ornament. Greg used to collect them so maybe he can help out with that one." It was such an odd thing to collect...unless you were a mechanic who loved cars as much as Greg did. But it would actually come in handy now! Asher could help Nell find the piece she was looking for with a little more direction. He listened as she rattled off her mini part list, settling the pan below oil canister and releasing the plug to drain it of the old oil. Such a messy part of car care, if you didn't know what you were doing. "The hoses and fan shouldn't be too hard to find. They are pretty generic and we might be able to get you some new ones for a good price." With hoses and belts and fans it was probably best to find the best ones you could. With age, hoses and belts became stiff and they would start to crack. He wanted Nell to have a safe car to drive in while at the same time prevent her from forking out tons of cash. "Once we get those I suppose we can move on to something else, then. You'll just need to keep me posted on when you wanna do that." He figured when they put in the parts she requested Nell would speak up about finding the next set of parts that she needed. Asher was more than willing to help every step of the way. It was fun!

It was good to know that his friend's job was going well. He was glad that she was doing well in general. Things like that always cheered him up considerably. "Good!" He took the pan after it was done draining and disposed of the oil properly before reaching back under the car and sealing the tank back up. "I've never heard of them. But I hope you have fun! I'm guessing there's gonna be massive amounts of little kids running around." Kid band = kids. Asher liked kids well enough, though he did not have a lot of experience with them. The only one that he dealt with regularly was Adam, and he was enough of a handful to make up for ten kids. He would be starting up at the Academy next month and Asher was almost afraid to see how that was going to go. Maybe being with his own element would help balance him out some. Either that, or make the world implode. Asher pouted and shook his head; every time he thought to name his car he would forget because he was distracted by one thing or another. "Nope, sad day huh?" Even as he said this the pout vanished and was replaced with a smile. Too cheerful for his own good sometimes. He scratched the side of his head in thought. "Hmm. I don't watch a whole bunch of movies really. But I am quite a fan of Westerns. Like 3:10 to Yuma, Young Guns, Lonesome Dove. And of course anything with cars. Like Fast and Furious." Being as busy as he was he did not sit down and watch a lot of movies but there were some genres he enjoyed. It was an odd combo, Westerns and street racing, but hey he liked what he liked.

"Exactly," Asher replied, pointing a finger and narrowing one eye shut in her direction with a smile. He liked work. Thrived off of it. He liked to stay busy and do things that made him feel productive. Sitting still was more bothersome than just about anything else; Molly always said that if he could move around in his sleep, he would. And he had to admit with a laugh that it was true. Asher made a face of disgust, lips tugged down slightly. "Gross! Stale donuts. You gotta do them fresh. I mean...unless you're starving to death or something. Then I guess a five-day old donut would taste pretty amazing." For a while, before Greg started helping out his family and Molly found a more stable income, the family did struggle with putting meals on the table at times. Asher was not malcontent, more worried that there would come a time when food would not happen at all. Things sure had picked up and changed since that point. Now his mother was forever cooking and fattening up her boys. Neither of them--not even grumpy Adam--could complain about that. "Definitely." Asher nodded, his curly hair bouncing slightly. "I normally remember to eat the minute I step foot into my house because my mom always has something cooking." The woman was amazing at cooking, at least in Asher's opinion, and always looked forward to whatever it was she had whipped up for dinner. Breakfast was an eat-and-go sort of deal and normally lunch was had at the Academy.

Asher lifted his chin at her and smiled brightly at the comment. He liked to be complemented and relied on, even if he did not always rely on others. If he were not so fickle then it might make the latter more simple. Not many people stuck around for very long, or something happened that brought Asher to sever the bond. Many people looked down on this trait but it was a form of self-preservation. It's worked out best so far. "And random," He pointed out, glancing over at Greg, who was still munching happily on a donut. "But hey, I never question him. Better to just...let him be." The man was getting on in years and it made no sense for an eighteen year old boy to be lecturing him on what he could and could not do. Like whether he should be eating those donuts or not. Asher tilted his head at her and smiled. "Yo, mechanic right here. I can help you out with that if you want. You supply some food and drinks, and I'll help you put all of the new shit in. Sound good?" It sounded like a pretty sweet deal to him. Hang out with a friend, eat food, talk about random things, and put a car together. Best. Combination. Ever. "Well, we'll jump that hurdle when we get to it. Maybe when the other parts start going in we can see what you'll need next. Might be easiest that way." Then they could just take notes while their heads were already under the hood instead of making random guesses as to what was required after the hoses and fan. "If you don't have the necessary belts we should probably toss those into the mix too." Without a timing belt, then their work would be for nothing.

He was not quite sure if Nell was being sarcastic or not, but shrugged it off all the same. He had to admit that he himself would not be a fan of children running him over and gnawing on the chairs and turning them into a means of playing leap frog. Adam gave him enough grief to last him a lifetime. Fortunately he was old enough to go and do his own thing now so they did not have nearly as many problems as they used to. He nodded but grinned at her as though her observations about Westerns were no no surprise. Actually, he did not even realize how few women were in those movies until just then. "I guess that would make this naming ordeal difficult? Damn." Asher snapped his fingers and swiped his arm across his body. "Mattie? Hmm..." He glanced over at the black Camaro and assessed the vehicle for a moment, as though deciding whether or not that name would be suitable for the way she looked and the make and model. "I dunno. Does she look like a Mattie? It looks to me like she needs a sexier name than that." He was a bit biased of course; the Camaro was one fine piece of machinery in his opinion, and would not have any other car to drive. Once he was finished changing the oil in Nell's cruiser, he motioned for her to follow him over to his car. He ran a hand over the hood and patted it affectionately. "I just wanna make sure that the name is something I'll stick with. Every time I think of one I get tired of it after like, a few days." And if this were an actual child that would not do well. Poor kid, all fucked up because his name constantly changed like Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen.

Asher was not exactly what you would call naive or ignorant, but even so Nell's statement did leave him wondering if she was joking or not. "Really? You can die from eating amazingly good food? That would really suck." He played it off in such a way that did not make him seem stupid, but if it were a joke he at least would not look like he took everything seriously. Asher was not an all too serious person. He knew when to be serious but he did not leave himself in that constant state of mind. It was not healthy and on top of that it was boring as hell. What was life without laughter? The Wind leader made a bit of a hum in his throat as if to agree with Nell's choice of food. "That sounds delicious right about now. I'm gonna have to see if mom can make that one night. You should join us some time! Mom loves cooking for other people." Molly enjoyed making meals in general so any excuse to display her love of cooking was fine by her. At least her food was edible and tasted good. "Ah, she's doing fine! Bright and cheerful as ever, that woman. I don't even know how my brother came into existence with how different their personalities are." Oh, but Asher knew where Adam obtained his temper, his attitude, all of the things Molly was not. The man was behind bars now but a lot of who he was lived on in Adam. He hated being affiliated with Collin but there was nothing Asher or Molly could do to change that.

He also looked over at Greg once again, a surge of concern welling up in his chest. He was not sure how severe his illness was or if there would be a way to help, but he sure as hell would try. Greg had done so much for their family that it was the least he could do. He saved them from practically living on the streets. Asher also realized that it was probably this man's presence that helped Adam keep a straighter line than he normally would have without him. A fatherly could make all the difference sometimes. Asher chuckled. "I like that saying, especially when people like us collect all sorts of old and used car parts for just about all of our projects." Whether it be rebuilding a car, replacing a single part, or hanging up an antique piece somewhere in the garage, they were sure to make use of things other people couldn't. They were resourceful. Recycling was important! "Very true! I can definitely understand the whole 'do it yourself' mentality. Makes it more rewarding." He smiled and nodded to confirm his words; the Camaro had been rebuilt by his doing, with brief times of aid from Greg when they obtained new parts and the older man wanted to try and be a part of the process. Asher did not mind in the least and was more than willing to share the engine with him. Especially recently when he was not feeling at his best. He wanted Greg to have something to do that he enjoyed. "I'll accept donuts any day," He nodded. "And you can come by and ask for help any time. I'm usually here most of the time." Asher practically lived at the garage.

Although Nell's car project was her own, Asher still looked forward to seeing it be rebuilt and helping out with the parts and whatever else she needed to get the job done. He did not mind doing things like that for his friends. Now, for his car, it was a matter of giving the damn thing a name. Why was it so difficult? He did not understand. Why couldn't he just stick with one name? "I guess we'll have to since there aren't very many females in them. So long as the name is catchy I'm not all too picky where the name comes from though." If the name could stick and he did not feel the urge to change it after five minutes then that was all that mattered. "Ah, you're welcome! Glad I could be of service." The boy made a mock bow and smiled, focusing on his car and trying to see if a random name would just pop into his head. Many of them did, but none stood out. Asher ducked his head and passed her a sheepish grin. "Yeah, that's me. Mr. Fickle." And it was oh so true. There was really no denying it. He never outwardly told anyone of his fickleness with people but he would not deny the accusation. He patted the hood of the car again and mulled over that name in his head for a long moment. Electra did not seem suiting in the least, but Carmen...yes. Yes that sounded like a really fitting title for his baby. Slowly Asher nodded as he pulled away from his train of thought. "I think...I think Carmen is actually a good name for her. It's probably not as sexy as her last name but it seems fitting."

Just the image made Asher's stomach ache. How on earth would he ever feel comfortable eating amazing food after not eating it for a long period of time? He would worry too much about imploding. Even so he was still kinda hungry and looked forward to stuffing his face at home. His metabolism was always at its peak. Always. As Molly dubbed it, 'forever hungry'. Adam was pretty much the same way, and it was worse because of his age and the fact that he was still growing quite a bit. There was no doubt he would hit a second growth spurt and shoot up to Asher's height, perhaps taller. "I don't think you have, either. I really can't express how much she loves company and stuff. It's ridiculous. I'm sure if she could be a housewife, she would be without hesitation." That would have been a reality if not for the fact that Collin wound up being a murderer, drug dealer, and wife abuser. The man fucked all sorts of shit up for Asher and his family. No one knew about what happened in the past except for Morgan, and even with her he regretted saying anything on the matter now. Second disappearance in less than six months? Asher was not sturdy enough with friendships to handle that. Nell was not aware of Asher's family life to any extent, and for a brief moment he felt a twinge of guilt that she was so clueless. "I only said that he didn't get much from my mom," The boy hinted with a finger raised in the air, avoiding saying much else outright. Maybe Nell could draw her own conclusions and save him the trouble of saying much else. If not from his mom, then from his dad.

"Exactly. Some people hate cliche's but they are like, ninety percent true." He never did understand why people rolled their eyes and scoffed when someone said something that had been used time and time again, especially if it suited the situation they were in. The only cliche's that could get really old, really fast were those corny as shit pick-up lines guys used to try and pick up girls. Probably because they were usually used to try and get the girl in bed more than anything else. Or maybe movies liked to exaggerate. Either way. "Ah, now I'm gonna have to open a jar for you. Just to mess with your mind." He twirled his finger as he pointed at his temple, smiling all the while. Asher was a prideful person and liked to do things for himself. He was nowhere near as bad as Adam was in the sense of independence but he would much rather shoulder his own struggles and problems without tossing them on someone else. "Ohh...and see, that's a really effective threat because I don't like the doctor." He made shifty eyes, as though fearing someone else would overhear his confession. "So I will forever accept your gifts of round baked goodness so I can avoid them shoving a thermometer up my ass or something." From the corner of the room, Greg huffed a laugh and then began to cough. He lifted his finger to Nell to say 'hold on' as he went over and consoled the older man. The cough died away, but not without Greg's body quivering from the force. There was no blood this time, thankfully, but it really worried the Wind. He was not sure what was going to happen to him if this continued. He was to stubborn for his own good.

They both fell into a bit of silence as they thought, not much coming to mind on his end. It was difficult when he did not take to watching a lot of movies or TV shows, and the music he listened to was more towards the classical rock end of the spectrum. While it was his favorite genre that left out a lot of female artists. That was rather disappointing but he was not about to change his musical preferences simply based on that fact. Asher laughed and did not take offense to her nick name at all. If it weren't true he might have but unfortunately that was not the case. "Mr. Fickle. Sounds kinda like pickle. Mr. Pickle. I'd...actually prefer Mr. Fickle over that. It would make me too hungry." His mind was hardly on food when focused on car repairs or doing some outdoor activity, but when they were discussing it the edible awesomeness was almost impossible to ignore. Fortunately the donuts Nell so graciously brought them was enough to tide him over until he went home. Tonight Greg was actually joining them, so he would have to wait until he was ready to leave before they made way back to the house. "Yep, Carmen." The name rolled off his tongue easily enough, and he liked the way it sounded. Now as long as he avoided getting a girlfriend with the name Carmen in the future, he would be set. How awkward would that be to have both your car and your girl have the same name? "Bizet's opera?" Asher asked, confused. "I know that it must be an opera but...not much else other than that." Without his musical tastes branching out like they probably should, he did not know much of the more classical genres of music. Asher blinked and then realized that Nell was kidding; for a split second he assumed she was serious. He then laughed. "It feels amazing. Thanks Nell! You're the best." The boy placed a hand on her shoulder as thanks.