Chapter Text
Eighteen years in prison in any other timeframe didn't seem too bad, but going in during the 70s and coming out during the 90s? That was a big jump, there were whole new worlds out there, new technology, new... Everything!
Elwood Blues was not a fan of certain new technologies.
"Why does it do that?" Right now he was hunched over the DVD player, watching the time flash on the little screen next to the DVD slot.
"When it's not playing anything and it's turned on, it just kinda flashes." Mack was behind him, a little nervous. Elwood and Buster had been living with him for three weeks now and every single day there was something new. It felt like living with a time traveler and its probably evil companion.
"You can put a movie in if you want? Like when we watched E.T. the other night?" The other night, before Elwood's interest moved to the DVD player. Previously, it was mobile phones; he'd tried to take apart Mack's phone the other day.
Elwood didn't say anything, only continued to stare at the machine sat under the TV.
"I don't like it." He hopped up with a grunt and looked toward Mack. Mack didn't exactly know what to say, eyes wide. He'd never had someone tell him he didn't like his DVD player before, what do you say to that?
"Um," He was lost for words.
"They had a DVD player in the hospital." And here came Buster. "The Penguin only let the nuns use it though."
"Penguin?" Mack looked down at him.
"Penguin." Elwood and Buster nodded.
That conversation had been short-lived and Elwood left the DVD player alone, just watched it from a distance. Late last night watching the reruns, Elwood wasn't even watching Dragnet- Elwood usually loved Dragnet! It was a cop show, it had crime, it had Joe Friday! But of course when Mack looked next to him, he saw Elwood staring down the DVD player. He didn't even say goodnight to Buster, and on any other day he was usually to say goodnight the most with all of the 'goodnight, sleep tight, you want the light on? yeah, yeah, nine thirty is late. go to bed'. That night it was nothing and Mack ended up having to say double goodnights. Elwood didn't even go to bed when Mack was awake! His whole schedule was off because of the DVD player flashing its little screen.
--
Mack woke to clanking and things snapping that next morning, walked out and saw Elwood sat on the floor pulling apart the DVD player. Buster sat next to him watching closely, a sandwich in his hands.
At first, Mack was too tired to realise that was the DVD player, so he headed to the bathroom and continued his regular morning activities. He had a hunch something was strange, but couldn't exactly see the state of the DVD player in the moment until he put his glasses on- and boy was he surprised.
"Elwood," Mack wasn't the type to lose his temper, but right now he felt pretty close to it.
"Elwood, is that my DVD player?"
"Yap." Elwood was screwing something together, right hand inside the little machine while his left hand turned the screwdriver.
"Where's the manual?" Buster set his sandwich down on the floor and picked up the manual, flipping to where it was bookmarked and holding it open. Elwood glanced up at it a moment, frowning and then grabbing a piece of circuit board. He looked back and forth between the player and the manual while he placed the piece in.
"I don't like saying this, but I'm really not happy with this." Mack looked down at the sandwich on the floor. "I know this is your place too, you guys live here as well and have as much right as I do, but,"
"Hold that screw there." Elwood pointed to the side and Buster stuck a screw in.
"Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to pull it apart!" Mack huffed. "And just because you look up to Elwood and everything, doesn't mean you have to copy every little thing he does, Buster."
It didn't seem like the two were listening properly.
"Yah, but I'm fixing it." Okay maybe Elwood was listening a little.
"It's not broken!" Mack cried. Elwood didn't reply, only finished putting little final bits together before closing the bottom of the DVD player. Buster held it in place while Elwood screwed it together and then flipped it over. He plugged it in and smacked the side of the box a moment, cocking his head to the side and watching the time flicker and stay, not flashing anymore.
"It flashed too much." Buster said.
"Oh." Every day was a new thing with these two.
"I guess I shouldn't have gotten angry." Mack said. Elwood shook his head.
"Naw, it's fine. You gotta get angry sometimes." The Blues Brother said, giving him that little wonky smile of his. Mack sighed, crossing his arms and looking over the scene on his floor. There was the DVD manual, the sandwich and the actual DVD player itself all together. He certainly didn't feel as tense now that he knew what was happening, but y'know... It couldn't hurt to know beforehand!
"Can you at least tell me next time?" Mack asked.
"Yap." "Yeah."
"Thank you." He turned toward the kitchen, starting to think about breakfast.
"I love you guys, you know that! Everything's just so different with you!" Mack called behind him, starting to smile a little. On the floor, Elwood and Buster were grinning.
"Wait until he finds out I took his phone battery." Elwood flipped the screwdriver over in his hands.
"What for?" Buster had his sandwich back, about to take a bite.
"I don't like it." Elwood shrugged. "Unholy beast."
"Unholy talking brick."
"Yah, you get it."