May 28, 2004
.05.28.04. - always [rumor] *fng

[downtown = cont'd from last scene]

(james)
dark eyes still on the floor, he can only hear her move
slow footsteps on the boards, comforter's dragging sweep, drawer's dry slide, fabric unfolding
right along with the borrowed clothes hanging loosely on her frame - she puts on that mask
walking up to him with a forced, plastic smile and humor's distracting salve

more silence passes slow-motion between them
(Thanks James.... I mean it.)
it only seems that with great effort can the Garou lift his gaze once more
if he's able to penetrate that mask - she doesn't have to in return
deep umber pools raw and open like some proverbial book

the Fostern is nothing more than an animal at heart
soul of a primal beast draped in the clothing of human flesh
so striking, these differences: witness to man's tainted ability to lie
confession writ in the beast's (agonized) glance

he tries so hard to hold the smile her jest inspires

"Welc'me." her feelings were true, it was not pity, charity or even abstract obligation which backed his offers, his concern genuine as the wrath fueling deep-seated hunger for revenge on those who tresspassed in his den and assaulted his kin - the Elder truly does care about this girl he's only known but a few days "C'mon... I gotta ma'e s'me calls a get help a fig're out what happ'n 'n who's respons'ble."

hesitation - questions lurking in those earthen eyes
Do you believe I can protect you? Do you trust I will do whatever it takes to make this right? Do you even feel safe around me anymore?
he won't force her confinement under his watch
he won't blame any doubts of him that now fill her mind
he won't question her choice of finding another place she feels safe to stay
the decision is hers to follow him out of the room

"I'll get us 'nother room f'r th' nigh'... " oh, and how much this pains - shames - him to admit "....ain't safe here 'nymore......"


(rumor)
more silence passes slow-motion between them
(Welc'me.)

She notices his reaction...she can tell. As the feelings of confusion and fear are being shoved into the pit of dispair (im a poet and didnt know it) she realizes she has let him down. He was the elder, had wasted his time. his vacation of sorts to take her to his safe place.
-this was why she hadnt had pack before.- If you dont have people who give a shit, you dont have to worry about fucking something up and letting them down...Here he had taken her to his safe place..where did she go wrong
Now look at the mess. Kemps ripple effect. drop a rock in the water...and the ripples all move outward Like the cherry bombs on their meeting.
She wouldnt even think frther then this being something that happened, and never had to be thought about again..'Specially what could possibly have happened.
Joke sent out, but not necesarilly all that funny.

her feelings were true, it was not pity, charity or even abstract obligation which backed his offers, his concern genuine And this she knew. Could she sent the guilt he was feeling.
[False guilt] No...instead she was feeling responsible for becoming the burden.
Way to go Rumor..someone wants to help, you find a way to end up naked and drooling with no recolections.
Now he has to move.
Now his 'safe house' wasnt safe
Now he looked at her like...well like he had been given babysitting job. And she was not pack, she was however family...of sorts.
"Ya dont haveta find out whos responsible..really...it looks like all is in tact, and well, maybe it was someone with an overall fetish, cause they just took my clothes." and mypride
Cobalt blue eyes that still hold the fear and pain, but wont let it out, no not at all...look at him, AT him, for maybe the first time since they had met. Prior, she couldnt lok at him for she would blush...now...she does look at him.
As his eyes are supposed to be saying....
Do you believe I can protect you? Do you trust I will do whatever it takes to make this right? Do you even feel safe around me anymore?
She reads it different....and offers her own look back...
im a pain in the ass, i know, thanks for not just leaving me here, thanks for at least putting up with this shit...never had many who gave a crap..who i can trust...sorry i let you down, i should have realized it first..mayeb i shouldnt drink tap water...or at least watch my drink...im sorry i fucked up your safe place....
She cannot read his eyes at all...in fact her eyes speak back.
"I'll get us 'nother room f'r th' nigh'... " oh, and how much this pains him to admit "....ain't safe here 'nymore......"
A nod and Her hand moves out and takes his arm...stopping him from exiting yet,. Not forcefully, just a light grab....
"Im sorry it isnt safe here anymore...i didnt mean to fuck shit up for you....thanks for giving me another chance...i just...i just didnt know...still dont know.." The next part comes out of her lips, but she really thought she was just thinking it...hearing her own words, and surprised they were audible. "Im freaked a bit, if ya dont mind...i will go with ya..i mean, i dont know if they were after me, or anyone, but if they did come back...id feel better knowing you were there..." yes folks that was SAID...and she feels silly
(what could i have done differently???) releasing his arm..again the grasp just to get him not to walk out, it wasnt restraining. Fingers on fleash. Hands cold....15 and she doesnt even know...if the worst thing could have happened...She wont think about it...not now.
She offers onemore shot at making him at least smirk. "Sorry you had to be flipped off by Sid Viscious"

(james)
he listens.... then takes the step her hand stopped
once the door shuts behind them - the sound of the thrown bolt echoes down the hallway
then there's the button's ding and elevator's whoosh of approach
and then.... there's nothing but the city's white noise silence
floors accounted for by the autonomous bell heralding their passage
inside the car, it's just the sound of their breathing
(calm down, James, calm. down.)
he's not answering her just yet

First Floor: dining room, ballroom, reception....

muscular shoulders pull from faded wallpaper and the Ahroun makes a beeline for the caged desk
body stops before the wooden counter, but fist makes its way directly to Maruicio's lapel
not a god. damn. iota of effort half-dragging the man back over the desk and out of the cage
it's a smooth shape going from James' scowl through popped bicep into clenched fist to pale, sweaty expression topped by receeding hairline
.... and by the look on the Italian man's face, whatever James is growling under his breath isn't. pretty.

(..... s'm'ne broke inna my room...... 'm takin' care'v'it..... speak a Muph 'n th' morn'.... no 'ne. No. One. goes a six' floor..... gimme a key, 'm g'nna lock th' 'vater..... yeh..... they g'nna ans'r a me......new pad.... now.... thank'.)

it's a nod up that calls Rumor back to his side, and back into the elevator
gate rattles its way up but the Gnawer doesn't enter this time
instead he only leans to slip a key into it's hole beneath the number pad
simple twist effectively locking all access to the penthouse floor
after that - he leads the way to the stairwell
(one way to work off the steam, Jamey-boy)
climbing it's spiral to the second floor, down the hall to unlock number 207

only after the door's locked behind Rumor does James turn deep umber eyes on the teenager

"Sorry 'bou'..." negligent wave back towards from whence they came, indicating his silence and agitation "Hadda get my head straigh'." words falling in time with his bootsteps, making rounds of the extensively lower-class accomodation to assure it's current state of uninhabitance, but at least it has a bed, couch, and reasonable excuse for a kitchen.... if not the luxury of a television.... and before he goes on, he stops just before her, waiting until she looks up "It ain't y'r faul'."

silence - the Full Moon warrior's eyes holding hers until he's sure that sinks in

"Don' ev'n think tha', ah-igh'? None'v't was. 'M not mad a'cha..... jus'...... frus'rat'd I wasn' roun' a stop't.... 'n scared 's hell y got hurt in a place I tol' ya w's safe. Y'un'rstan'?"


(rumor)
White noise silence which is unbearably quiet. That type of quiet that almost creeps her out. She remains at his side as he does his thing through it all, she remains quiet and alert.

Even when she watches James interrogate Mauricio in a less than plesant way.

Fucked up. This whole night has been fucked up. Man, and to think she could have just grabbede her shit and headed back to the factory. She could have never even been in this situation. Course she wouldn’t be here then. Troble followed her, even in a situation like this.
When she didn’t look for it.
When she didn’t ask for it.
When she didn’t do anything to provoke it.

First Floor: dining room, ballroom, reception.... whatever James is growling under his breath isn't. pretty.

Now she recognizes the nod up and is instantly moving towards him. Nod up was for her, and she knew it. Words don’t escape her lips. She wasn’t scared anymore, still slightly groggy, partially embarrassed, and feeling violated. (even if physically she wasn’t at all.)

And now its time for stairs. Please don’t let him be taking her to one of the top floors, she didn’t have the energy to be climbing up the stairs.
Second floor. Perfect.

Door closes. And he looks at her. Right at her.
aint yer fault
A nod. She nods…

Somehow she could hear Kemp arguing that point. Since everything she did ended up getting her in trouble. Could have been her fault…Kemp saying nowhere was safe, Roxy inviting her back to the factory for pizza..Kemp offering her a place to stay….

She didn’t want to impose and truthfully had thought it was wiser to talk to James first, since he had helped her with a place to crash. But looking back, maybe she shouldn’t have even come back here.
but she didn’t know

A long sigh escaping her lips…a tired sigh. Searching for her voice, it hadn’t been used in a while..
“you didn’t know….shit I didn’t know…I mean it doesn’t make any sense to me…but I coulda just listened to Kemp n Roxy n stuck around the factory….but I figured I should come back here…I mean, Kemp said no place is safe around here..i just –“
words trail off…she really had no explanation. This was the perfect example of

Being in the wrong place – at the wrong time.

Simply that.

She moves to the bed and sits on the edge. Now memories from earlier tonight coming back as the lingering effects of the drugs wearing off….

Fingers move through her mess of hair and she glances up at him. “Somehow I ended up makin shit difficult…and this time I really didn’t try to….thanks for helping me out, I mean, you didn’t haveta”

(james)
"S'righ'." prompted, gently even "Neith'r've us knew. Shit happ'n, righ'?"

that could be said on the vestiges of a smile - could. it isn't.
hakuna matata and all that other jivey shit
but instead of breaking into musical interlude
the Ahroun flops onto the couch, ignoring the frame's whimpers of protest
keeping a distance, giving her space and all that esoteric bullshit
even if he's not really more than four feet away

no way far enough for her to escape the intensity of those earthen eyes
half-lit by the dimming bulb of table-propped lamp clicked on in lanky stretch

"Learn a y'r mistak', move on, yadda yadda. Life diff'cul'.... 'memb'r? We 'greed a tha'. Vacash'n's dunn las' long 'nuff.... all tha' shi'. I'm jus' sorry it dunn las' long'r.... y'know?" while his gaze had wandered in the midst of that little philosophical aside, it's right back on her as he approaches this segment's closure "I'd done it an'way." scarred shoulders lift and roll in shrug "Y'r muh kin, simple aztha'."

another shrug
then the inferno ignites behind those eyes once again
breif show of some under-skin volcano's fury
writ in the lines of tension growing through rugged jaw

"'n nobody hurt muh kin."

(rumor)
“Yeah…”shit happens…shit ALWAYS happens surroundin me….Im like a shit fuckin magnet…surprised I don’t get flies buzzin round my head 24/7”

Watchin as he claims the couch dispite its whines. A different quiet.
Not the white silence with tension behind it.
No, a different silence. This one more calm.

She finds a chuckle…even if it was short lived, it was a chuckle nonetheless…”yeah guess you said it when ya said the vacations never long….”
Fingers play with the burn hole at the bottom of the comforter. Absently making it only slightly bigger.

Its his next comment that sends an uneasy feeling through her.
my kin
Truth be told she hadn’t ever been anyones anything
That…not meaning she didn’t want to be ‘owned’ or any of that women’s lib craposhit.
Sure she was independent. But that not by choice.
just the feeling of belonging, or being given a shit about…. it felt weird. And he didn’t really have to be doin all this for her…right?
And it seems to click…something snapping together like puzzle pieces in her mind.

Pack…. family….Like what he was trying to explain her her earlier. (That night? Felt like it had been ages ago)
It was what it was. Some things just happened cause they did. Everyone needed someone to watch their back….Something she never had even though was feasible before tonight.

“well…thanks.” She pauses…
And she changes the subject
That quickly.

“Found a job, Kemps been bitchin that I shouldn’t be out swiping wallets..said it was dangerous cause I could piss off the wrong person…blah blah blah, but I kinda got his point. (after knockin heads as they always did) “Then when I found the job…old dude wanted me to look all normal”
Fingers through her hair with a look of disgust on her face.
“S’why I had to dye my hair all normalish. (auburn now) But then Roxy offered me a job at her garage, which is like my dream fucking job” she chuckles….now relaxing….as she just rambles for a moment.
(nervous ramble…tonight had not been a good night…)
“Wanted me to go stay there…” and she looks back up at James…as she realizes she is talking and talking…..and probably looks like a stupid kid

“anyways…..thanks..n all”


(james)
probably looks like a stupid kid?
then why would the Veteran Fostern be paying complete attention
listening to each and every rambly word as if - get this - it meant something
and he was taking a serious part in the conversation
some portion or glimmer of that easy smile returning to the corner of his mouth
seemingly.... pleased.... that she's carrying on like what she feels is a blithering idiot

he's happy she's talking to him.... even sharing
and not simply breaking down, internalizing everything
withdrawing from the Ahroun because he couldn't protect her
(sure sign of a Gnawer, plow on... never let things get you down)

"Nuh.... Ancien' Gnaw'r Secret - keep movin' fas' nuff where th' flies dunn catch up a yeh...." there's a knowing look in those eyes.... they're Gnawer's for Gaia's sake, of course they're shit magnets "'n y'r welc'm."

for now, half the verbal avalanche pushed aside
she can tell he heard her thoughts on the dream job with Roxy
but there's something more important for discussive hand

"Y'r Fam'ly, Rum'r. Tribe. Ask' Tris'n s'mday how far I'll go a protec' fam'ly tha' been hurt. 'n wi' this? 'M goin' far a you lemme. I wan' retribut'n f'r th' fuck'rs a broke inna muh den, 'n hurt muh girl." the words are easy, flowing evenly across the space between them, but something about the Full Moon says he's deadly serious "I c'n bring you their head, if yeh wan'..... take th' pack onna hun', make th' fuck'rs suff'r, make'm feel 'z bad a you do..... 'r I c'n keep it 'tween us, 'n not let an'body else know...... 'r not ev'n tell you wh'n I fine'm 'r wh't I do then."

moments pass in silence, letting the extent of those words sink in
he takes the opportunity to dig out his pack and Zippo
lungful of smoke filling the air before he's looking up again

"S'y'r call, Rum'r."

(rumor)
(sure sign of a Gnawer, plow on... never let things get you down)

That makes her laugh…True, if you were always movin you would always be one step ahead of the flies….True that. they WERE Gnawer forchristssake

And she listens to him as he has found his way back to the other conversation she had tried so hard to jump from. Eyes drop to the floor as she listens, not as much pitiful as just to collect her thoughts.

“Look…I don’t care who ya tell, or what…I mean you said it wasn’t my fault…Kemp’ll tell me how I was probably doin something stupid to cause it, but that’s just Kemp, he is convinced that everything is a risk and is all infatuated with this ripple effect theory he has….”
A pause…collecting thought again.

“ewww gross..naw I don’t wanna see their heads, I mean that’s cool n all, but hangin with decapitated heads is something I gave up for the month of May… she smirks. “im ‘preciative you guys are all helping me, matter of fact…it’s a weird..feelin..i never really..” those words cut off, she didn’t like even bring in that shit up, her past, old family, blah blah blah…

(sure sign of a Gnawer, plow on... never let things get you down)

and alas the subject jumps again. Perhaps it wasn’t a conscious decision for her to topic surf when she felt that strange feeling of nerves.

Eyes watch him as he pulls out a smoke, and for once she actually probably would have had one. Intense situations did that to people. Whether good sex, or a near death experience…nicotine was usually a good follow up.

But she just leans back on her elbows, no longer tormenting the burn hole on the comforter. “How'd ya get tossed in with a bunch of Get?” she chuckles…
And that…kinda a question bout how he come to be with the Eagles. Only not put as blunt.

(james)
"Kemp gotta thing f'r avengin' kin. 'spec'lly blood. Fam'ly." mused through several blown rings of smoke, reiterating that foreign policy of pack and alliances to the weary teen "He'll be ready a jump in.... though...." a brow lifts, watching her through the dissipating cloud ".... wasn' sure if you'd wannim a know, consid'rin'...."

yeh, he lets that drift off
pretending concentration necessarily narrows to toss his pack and Zippo onto the bed by her thigh
(no coffee table, don'tcha know...)
she isn't the only pro at letting subjects flop around like beached fish
(or needing a goddamned smoke after a seriously sketchy situation)
dark eyes pointedly studying a spot on the ceiling to avoid any resultant glare from the auburn-haired teen
(.... he's not blind, either)

then her last bit gets a sound they haven't heard since their last decent conversation
a low chuckle rolling it's growly way out of his chest
purring over tongue to curve partial smile on those lips

"Goooooo' ques'n." damn amused, he is "Dunn' start out tha' way. Three Get, two Walk'r', n me join' up Septemb'r a two thous'n' two back'n Jersey. Deck'r 'n Rune th' firs' Garou I met'n call frien' af'r leavin' New Yor'. 'n Deck'r, me'n Er'k 'r th' las' ones left a th' pack's 'rig'nal memb'rs. Guess th' line up' change 'nuff ov'r th' years a leave it all Germ'n save me, nah. S'a war pack, so't work' out. Fig're they mus' think me worth keepin' roun' f'r s'methin' since I ain't vikin' blood."

insult to his at times less-than-tolerant Fenrir brethren as that may be
(Do you really think anyone else could live with them and keep their sanity???)
Rumor can see the fondness in James' recollection
truly, deeply, the Warrior cares for his pack as something more than Family
especially the ones he's been bonded to the longest

(rumor)
“Considering what?” she looks at him. Second comment tonight she did not understand….
Roxy mentionin shold she get condoms if Rumor came there….and now consoiderin….considering WHAT?

“Kemp thinks im a dumb kid, not to mention, he has something against girls in general I think, unless they are jus boobs pasted on a page…” she chuckles…”but I mean, I don’t care if he knows, he’s gonna end up jus telling me I was bein stupid n it was my fault…..whatever” eyes roll and she shrugs. Kemp. Now that was one kid she just didn’t understand. Every time she thought she did, something came out of his mouth to prove her wrong. liks askin her to come to the factory…after comparing that to having a boxed turtle the night before

his dark eyes pointedly studying a spot on the ceiling
(.... he's not blind, either)

No he may not be blind. But as much as she had that comfortable hang out Frick and Frack like thing with Kemp….(and she did like Kemp)
She had something different here...which was why her eyes kept darting other places then the
Attentive
Uber-hot
Elder BG who seemed actually interested in her well being.

In comparison, it would be like a hormonal pre-teen sitting in a room with Justin Timberlake (BARF) as he nicely, and caringly probed her for information about her life, showed an interest in her well being and tossed away a busy schedule to help her out
Yeah that happens a lot.
not
And she didn’t want to look like a dumbass. Not to mention she had to save some face here, she had already had to pick up her own jaw on a couple occasions and she was finally not blushing each and every time he said something.

“Decker doesn’t like me much…” she replies…”although I don’t see him liking anyone really, expect Imogen, well sometimes, I mean, he comes and goes with her sometimes, but she is like the same way…shes been niceta me when shes bumped into me alone…but in a group….i don’t think ive seen her say a word, just communicatin with the way she looks at people…which believe me…works just fuhhineee” she chuckles a bit.

“but s’all good…I didn’t think Roxy liked me much either till she gave me a job…n Kemp..well who the fuck knows what is goin on in his head…and sometimes im glad I don’t”

Her eyes move to the smokes and the zippo.
blah blah blah you'll get cancer....
Yeah well she was luckyshe wasnt dead already after tonight.
Pulling one out, lighting it, taking a drag, and then coughing....
"smooth" she shakes her head...and controls the coughing fit before hitting it once more. Feeling the calmin effects of nicotine and then tossin back the smokes and lighter to land near his
thigh.
"hate smokin..." she smirks..."but tonights gonna be an exception im thinkin"


(james)
smoke blows out in snorted huff
plume coiling in the meager atmosphere which creates a "living area" between bed and couch
he lets is drift all the way to the ceiling before shrugging again
ridged skin creating ashen scars scuffing on the couch's time-roughened covering
enhanced by the steady sweep of hand which darts out to catch the Zippo
pack bouncing and skidding to settle firmly against the back pillows
dreads act as a pillow for his ceiling- focused muse

"Dunn smoke 'fore a pack'd. Got bored 'roun' Rune one day 'n stole one'a hers a gimme s'm'thin' a do wi' muh han's." pause. quirked grin. not quite at the point of sharing mental image of BG Elder smoking a strippa pink designer cig - aaand switch "You'n Kemp'r pals. S'm'time ya letcher pals in a things... s'm'etime yeh don'. Figger this a matt'r a pri'e 'n dig'n'y wheth'r you tellim what happ'n to yeh."

the power's in her hands, again
funny that, this big ol' Garou allowing her to make decisions twice, now, in one night

"Deck'r dunn like mos' people, save Im'gen.... f'r some reas'n he tol'rate' me. Same wi' th' good doc. Kemp..... he's been through s'me ser'ous shit, still growin' up a figger's own head ou' an'way." Just like you. "Give'm time. Dunno Roxy tha' well....." words drift in acknowledgement of realization, he's never hung out with the chick a lot, only once... really.... "but she c'n fix th' hell out've a cah."

"You g'nna take 'er off'r?"

brow lifts
that's a mightily loaded and layered question
he'll see where she takes it

(rumor)
Mighty loaded and layered question. Layered like an onion.(stunk too)
Another hit on the smoke, only one cough this time…and she more holds the cigarette and watches the smoke slowly swirl in little trails up into the air.

Second mention of someone named Rune, pack, obviously since she wasn’t mentioned in the current roster, she must be dead. Assumin that cause it seemed the way he talked bout pack…they al stuck together, till death.

the power's in her hands, again
funny that, this big ol' Garou allowing her to make decisions twice, now, in one night

Now a pause and she chews absently on the inside of her cheek for the moment….before speakin…”doesn’t matter to me if ya tell him, I mean in termsa pride” she shrugs.. “I got my pride n stuff, but tonight, this wasssnt a matter of pride, just some bad luck….wipin out on my board n spilling slurpee all over….that was a matter of pride. That was busted up my pride pretty good. Fallin in front of everyone…” she chuckles….

Watching the smoke as it rises up to the ceiling and diappears…

She lets out another sigh…her head hurt a bit…from everything…the night, the talk, perhaps even the cigarette….
gonna take her offer?
oh yeah. The layered question…

“hell yeah.” No layers here. “Always tinkered with cars, n cant even legally drive em yet…but shit its better then cleanin up peoples half eaten food at some diner, where I haveta have normal hair and watch a dirty ol man ogle me as if I was on the menu” she chuckles….”That what you meant?....bout the job?” she grins.


(james)
there's another bout of softly rolling thunder from the Garou
residual purr tumbling out of his chest in amusement

"Sorta like outin' s'm'ne, I guess." rough skin drags again when shoulders heave in shrug "Dunn' wanna share s'm'thin' so pers'nal a tha'..... diff'r'n' sorta fall, 'guess..... but also dunn wanna keep th' reas'n we're huntin' 'r gettin' hurt fromma packma'e. 'spesh'lly when it happ'n a one've 'is pal'." then a nod "In par'."

abs flex and contract beneath slim covering of faded cotton
hauling his weight up from leisurely (deceeeptive) sprawl on the couch
dreads flipflopping across his shoulders with gaze darting about
finally accepting he'll have to get UP to find an ashtray
empty coffee can plucked from questionable cabinet sufficing
legs cross and BDU pockets hit the floorboards before the bed
shoulders pinning threadbare comforter against battered mattress
curve of steely bicep little more than inches from her own leg
he's looking back at the couch, at the pillows just now recovering from his reclination
empty can clatters on the notched boards where her feet would be if she let them dangle a little further
all of that must've been simply to put the 'can within her flicking reach

"Where ya thinkin' a crashin'?"

(rumor)
“Ya dont gotta hunt em....i mean--"

(he already told her his view on that...his den, violated as well..he said he was huntin them...)she could drop the --you dont haveta help me damsal in distress thing-- and just accept he was there for her, he said so, no more questioning it.....

"If yer huntin them, I mean you can tell yer pack whatever ya want…but I mean, I didn’t get…you know....” she sighs..”I mean they fucked with my brain, n my head, they didn’t fuck with…...me” Defending herself a bit. Pride, yeah. Maybe she didn’t see it as pride, but it was certainly there. Pride. Stupid fuckers drugged her (wrong place at the wrong time) and just humiliated her in the process of getting the fuck outa there…

abs flex and contract beneath slim covering of faded cotton
She notices it…as a matter of fact she watches intently. (eye candy never hurt anyone)
He gets up….her heart
Stops.
And the can, placed for an ashtray…..phew got it…ok now, breathe.

She nods and tosses the rest of the smoke in it, she was through with it after the 3 hits anyways…now it had been a longer ash then it was a cigarette…and any moment it would have toppled to the ground anyways.

"Where ya thinkin' a crashin'?"

She shrugs…finding her voice once more…”dunno…they were gonna ask ya bout the factory, but I don’t wanna piss anyone off, or intrude n stuff…I mean…I dunno…Kemps mattress was a nice offer…but I would settle for the couch even…or shit, the floor, I mean a roof is a roof….”

And she shrugs once more….”Jus don’t wanna be in the way is all”

(james)
post flick-of-smoke-into-can, James lets his left arm stretch a bit
rough knuckles sliding against her knee as smoke snakes wayward
using contact as a last resort to get her to stop for a moment
even if the touch doesn't even last that long
lazy trails of nicoteine fog follow the absent gestures of his hand

"See wh't I mean?" brow gently rises towards frame of dreads, facilitating the question, drawing enough attention to it so that she at least relates to why he's tenderfooting around the whole sharing of information subject.... he understands she's been humiliated in a number of ways, and the Elder BG's version of protection goes far beyond simple physical brute force. "Ain' easy a deal wi'h. Kemp'd be hur' if I lef' 'im outta this bit, 'r foun' out I was dishones' with'm 'bout s'm'ne he care' for, but I won' risk you 'nymore, eith'r. Make sense?"

James knows all it would take to recruit the Modi is a reason
he probably wouldn't have time to divulge the facts, anyway
but the young Rotagar is an entirely different story
.... especially considering how chummy he and the kin are
(James was 15 once, too, y'know)

"Fact'ry'll work f'r a bit.... but nah long term 'less Er'k approve' it. Ain' pers'n'l... " glance of deep umber timed with borderline cavalier and lopsided grin ".... us dawgs jus' need'r space, too."

the chide was true enough, but also worked as a covering move
the more people that know about and hang around the factory...
... the sooner Erik's gonna have him househunting again
special case or no, James isn't going to risk repeating past mistakes which may endanger the pack
(gotta keep moving fast enough so the flies don't catch up to ya...)

(rumor)
And she goes to answer him. In her mind the words that would have come out, should have been.
’nothin personal taken…don’t worry about riskin me in terms of telling anyone what happened..i got thick skin yannow…I mean its ok…and really I don’t need to stay at the factory….its what I told Kemp, actually Maybe Roxy will let me crash at the garage…I could easily watch her garage at night n stuff”

However as he asks if she can relate to what he means…as he (with concern) explains…knuckles brush against her knee.

Knuckles…brush her knee.
time stands still Even if the touch was only for a second. Yup. She could hang with Kemp. She kinda even liked Kemp…which everyone else seemed to think was obvious…except her, who didn’t hadn’t even truly admitted that to herself yet.

But James, James was different. Not only Older, Wiser, same family, but he was…he was…eh was right-there—brushing against her leg…the contact was innocent. Obviously…nothing but a friendly gesture. However she couldn’t help but swoon inside as If she was at some concert and the singer touched her hand from the stage….

With all her jumbled thoughts and then the unexpected contact…..her words come out slightly different then she had planned them in her mind.

“Personal? Don’t worry thick skin roxy the garage I can stay there save Kemps sanity”

Oh yeah, there ya go, that sounded intelligent. Nothing like words that don’t even go together to make a sentence….

(james)
"Commooooon...." there's that sound again, the deep, wholly natural laughter that stems from somewhere deep in the Ahroun's muscular torso and draws with it the very clarity protected by his soul on it's journey from inhale to rolling sound "... Tris'd be delight'd a have s'm'ne else 'round a nag a Kem'."

now either the Fostern filled in the blanks to make jumbled words intelligent phrase
or he's been hanging around the Eagles long enough that short-hand simply made sense as is
or, for the better part, he completely ignored the tumbling avalanche and plucked out what words he wished to respond to
either way, he's looking at where calloused (....dirty, too, it seems.... what happened to that shower, Jamey-boy?) fingers are crushing Camel in the bottom of the can
lopsided grin lurking in shadowed features testament to his amusement at someone else mothering the Rotagar
pointedly missing any evidence of her reactionary swoon

"Sides...." brow lifts over a glance "Af'r a bit work'n' f'r Roxy, I c'n prolly help y'fine a pad a y'r own."


(rumor)
Find a pad of her own at 15...damn talk about cool ass livin situation...a 15 year old girl with a place of her own...a place of her own...hella yes!
That seemingly taking her from jumbled words to forgetting he was right there and she is alas on to another subject now..

"Bitchin...that would fuckin rock...can play the stereo all loud...well assumin i work hard make money and get me a stereo..." rambling on and on now..."then again, wouldnt haveta be a big place, i dont got much shit...oh wait, but if im workin for Roxy and makin money...i coudl get shit...lots of cool shit...even another board"

She smiles and nods..."i'll stay outta the way anyways...im good for that..yannow out of sight, outta mind n shit"

(james)
this time, when knuckles hit the padding of his sweats on her skin, they're a skimming blow
more of a friendly type of jab than a motion to still her track-skipping attention

"Hey.... jus' cause you get'cher own place dunn mean you c'n 'mmedia'ely work a gettin' kick' out."

then, once more, the Gnawer Elder softly laughs
skimming knuckles unfolding to grandly waving hand
street showman is he, after all

"Y'r a Gnaw'r..... course you c'n stay outta sigh' 'n outta mine. We're bred f'r it!" as easily as the jest appears, it fades away "You thinkin' a hittin' th' clinic now'r lat'r?" ... if at all "Sorta dicta'e what I do nex'...."

hands are held out in display
arms smeared with dust and moisture glued grime
stains marring the inky pattern iridescently covering right inner forarm
dirt's worked into the thick callouses of his hands, clinging to the hair on his arms
there's evidence of accidental lacertaion's bloody tears, but those meager wounds are long healed
even she, with the olfaction of a mere kin, can smell the residuals of this week's job on him

(sweat, smoke, grain, dirt, grime, exhaust, metal, wood... interlaced with strangely sharp scents of farmed produce and animal musk)

James. Seriously. Needs a shower.

but he's willing to forsake hygeine if she wants to seek help
they both know the sooner the better, before any bathroom stops of any kind of her own
if she chooses sleep he has a little more time to work with
once more - so oddly - the ball's in her court


(rumor)
"woulnt know that we were bread for it...remember, i dont know much bout the whole thing...butmore n more i hear, more n more i know that it wasnt only a Rumor bout my dad bein gnawer.." she chucklles...."yeah....im thinkin a shower is a good idea for you" she chuckles and jabs back. Seems as quickly as she had become smitten, she was back to being normal. movin on with the excitement of the new place....whenever it happened...it was something to look forward to...
"Yeah..forgot boutthe gettin kicked out part.." she snaps her fingers and smirks...
"Howbout I go up to that clinic up the road a bit.." Eyes slowly move and linger a bit...now her voice lowerin..."i mean they take street kids fer free...n you know...im ok...i jus gotta find out...."
voice trails...
"well...youknow, what i already know anyways....just making sure"
Perhaps the gnawer kin was a little too embarrased to take James with her to the clinic to see if she had been fucked any which way and how.
Sure he was helpin, sure he was really bein cool...but this, this she would rather do alone..."Wont take long, and i can come right back here anyways after" saying with the sound of hope in each word. and she had a feeling he'd catch on quickly One thing he was...alert. He seemed to catch on to things without people needing to speak what they were trying to say....
She gets up, still in his clothes, which are very baggy on her (which actually was the style in some places.) Hands go into sweatpant pockets... "Thanks n all...but ill go do this,just for my own frame of mind n shit....n ill come back here"

(james)
"Ya think?"

showman that he may be - James does not perform one exaggerrated sniff of any part of his anatomy
he's surprised that the floorboards haven't started steaming, or the wallpaper peeling
when you're the embodiment of Nature's ultimate warrior nightmare
sometimes the easiest jobs to get are the ones that involve physical labor
no worries about your Rage blowing some office politic
much easier to sling bags of feed around a warehouse for a few bucks an hour

instead, he's watching her very carefully through the proposal

it's obvious he doesn't want to let her out of his sight
but, it's also obvious on some deeper level he understands the intricacies of her feelings
(think he'd be any more comfortable under constant obvservation and accusation out in the waiting room?)
he truly wants her to go and get checked out for every feasable reason
and if she's willing, he'll agree to her terms even if there's still an edge of reluctanct in his slooow nod

"Ah-igh'." the lanky Ahroun draws up to stand "Make a deal wi'ya."

out of his pockets come several things:

1 crumbled handful of bills totalling somewhere around $70, most likely his entire freshly cashed paycheck
1 pair of brass knuckles, sized for his fist but good enough in a crunch and better than a roll of quarters
1 fully charged cell phone, into which he's programming the room's phone number after a call to Mauricio

"Dona'e if they dunn make ya pay, 'r keep it f'r later a buy a new board'r whatev'r yeh wan'.... jus' save 'nuff f'r dinn'r." then no explanation on the brass knuckles, figuring she knows well enough how to use them and to run like hell after, phone's held out with his thumb over the first button in sample "Hol' down th' one a spee'dial here... f'r any reas'n, 'n I'll come runnin'."

if you get lost
if you get into trouble
if John's Burgers is closed and you have to improvise
if you find something out and can't make the walk home
old rotary in the room jangles rudely before he's clicking the button for silence

"Wanna bring s'me John's Burg'r's back 'r mee' me there af'r y'r done?"

her call, yet again, answer awaited with arched brow
(I trust you enough to let you do this on your own.)

(rumor)
Ya think? She nods....and grins...."definately"

She could sense he didnt want her roaming the streets tonight...hell she didnt really wanna be, but sometimes there was shit ya had to do...and this was one of these times...
Making deals? Sicne when do the elder make deals with the kin? Was like he was treatin her like an equal. There would be no complaints, but her brow quirks up slightly with his words.. make a deal..
She nods...."allright...i pick whats behind door number 2?" she chuckles

out of his pockets come several things:
.....the money. Reluctantly she glances at it and pauses before taking it. (there was a line between stupid stubornness/pride, and acceptance of help)
....brass knuckles. She knew what they were for. bitchin' lips turns up a bit into a smirk.. yeah...come fuckin with me again...you can meet mr brass....heh. Back to his pocket emptying...
.....phone. phone? shed never had a cell phone. She looks it over for a second...after he programs the number in...Cell phone. Ok...

f'r any reas'n, 'n I'll come runnin'
For the first time since shes been round them all she actually feels that tightness in her chest. That intese rush of emotion she wasnt used to, eyes burning, but she quickly checks her self and its gone. almost lost it there n cried pussy
Still something feels like its lodged in her throat and she has to clear her throat and glance around the room for a minute beofre returning her gaze to his...

She nods..."sure thing, after bein probed and pryed and gettin the third degree about how fucked up a story this all is, im sure burgers will be a perfect plan" she smirks..."funny thing is, fer once i get to go into a clinic, tell the complete truth, and have it be stranger then fiction...." head shaking as she shoves the stuff into her pockets. Damn fuckin Freaks stole her fannypack. a packrats dream
"I'll be back in a flash....or well..as fast as i can..."
another pause before she looks up at him. This time finally dead square in the eyes. (pause)
"Thanks"

(james)
the Elder is treating a teenaged kin as an equal
giving her what supplies he can before going out into the streets by herself
(war boils down to definition and cause...)
though he can't help but laugh seeing her open surprise at the phone
dreads swing as James' head ducks, shoulders rolling in a shrug

"Rune fel' I needed ih." that smile may even be positively sheepish, as beyond send, receive, and program.... the Gnawer's more confused by the little phone than anything "Piss'r off she nev'r cou' figger out th' Barkin' Chain. Force me a carry thi' stupi' thing....."

well of course not
Rune was a Glass Walker and only Gnawers understand the Chain
but Rumor doesn't know that yet
only that the twenty-three year old Ahroun seems almost shyly, playfully childish at the admission
he can obliterate the Wyrm, but a little Nokia can bitchslap him right back into his guttermutt place

"I'll be ready 'fore you ev'n ge' ther'.... but take y'r time."

then she finally looks him dead square in the eyes
deep umber, the color of Gaia's blessedly moist soil
evenly holding her gaze of crystaline, sky-kissed blue
chin lifts up, just a bit, in a nod which imparts the beginnings of a smile
(....that's respect, there, not calling her over or just saying hello....)
and there's a moment of silence

"Alway'."

not you're welcome
not it's no problem
not even it's cool, hurry back and be freakin' careful!

just... Always.


Posted by james at May 28, 2004 12:00 AM