|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 1:51 pm
When Jamie had asked his mother to trade with him—her crisp, bank-new fifty dollar bill for a twenty and other assorted odds and ends he had scrounged together—he'd gotten a funny look, but she'd agreed without argument. A twenty on its own just hadn't felt like enough of an issue to bring forward to the police and so his master plan had hinged on her support. Fifty in hand, Jamie walked into the police station and up to the front desk, trying his best to hide the awkwardness in his voice as he spoke.
"I, um, found this outside... Guess someone dropped it..."
Step one, complete. No, no one had actually lost the fifty. It was definitely Jamie's money, a good chunk of change he'd decided to sacrifice in the name of accomplishing his goals. Sure, he could've contacted Detective Mercer like a normal person would, but Jamie had gotten cold feet before making it that far.
How were you supposed to call someone up out of the blue to ask for information about the Otherworld? Jamie had so many goddamn questions and curiosities and fears, but it felt so out of place to straight up ask someone he barely knew beyond their mutual stint in Blackfriars. Well, when he thought about it a little more, Jamie supposed this was just as weird. Turning in 'lost' money for a chance to speak to the detective... Wait, wait, wait- How was that supposed to happen exactly?
Oh no, oh no. There was a huge hole in his plan, after all. What the heck was he thinking?! It was far too late to abort now, though
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 11:22 pm
Jeremiah had actually been on his way out, about to pick up some drinks and then head home to see about starting dinner, when he noticed someone familiar at the front desk. It was Jamie. Looking decidedly less like a hare and more like a teenager. He watched as Jamie nervously talked to the front desk receptionist, head shaking slightly. Anyone else probably would have kept the money that had been found but apparently not this one. "Don't worry, Smith, I've got this." With a polite nod to the person working the desk, Jeremiah gave Jamie a small smile (likely making the receptionist wonder if the world was ending in the process. "Hullo, Jamie. Would you like to talk with me?" About the money, about anything, really. Jamie just looked painfully nervous and shy. "I can help with that," a gesture towards the fifty dollar bill in hand, "and you can tell me how you've been." Since he had meant to check in on the teenager after Blackfriars.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2016 3:14 pm
The more Jamie thought about how dumb his plan had been, the more he grew anxious standing in front of the receptionist. This was bad, this was bad and stupid and bad. Awkwardness reaching critical levels, freak out imminent, starting in five, four, three, two-
Jeremiah's voice was seconds away from being too late, but it startled Jamie out of his thoughts and back into reality. Head snapping up, he stared at the detective with a blank expression that eventually, given a moment, shifted into some messy mix of relief and astonishment. This had to be some kind of miracle. The person he'd wanted to see just happened to notice him, just happened to remember him, and Jamie was nothing if not deeply grateful for the good karma.
"I, um..." He tried to smile back, but it looked a touch unnatural. "That... would be nice. S-Sorry to bother you, detective..." Turning to the receptionist, he muttered a quick "thank you" before taking a step closer to Jeremiah. Still at a respectable distance, of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 1:04 am
"It isn't a bother," a quick reply as Jeremiah tilted his head towards the door to head outside, "I was heading out for the afternoon and you ..." His eyes crinkled at the edges, giving away his amusement briefly. "Did you really find that fifty? Most would just keep it if they did." The door was held open for Jamie to step out first, the detective lieutenant following him out a moment later.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:29 am
Pausing at the door, Jamie considered his options. Sure, he could lie, keep up the ruse, save himself from the embarrassment of admitting his strange, faulty plan. Except Jeremiah was a seasoned detective and Jamie had a funny feeling that he'd already seen through him. Sighing, he finally realized the door had been held for him and scurried through, quickly apologizing before launching into an explanation.
"I, um... I wanted an excuse to visit the station..." was what he decided on, leaving out the part about using his own money, though it was probably pretty obvious. "T-There are... a lot of things I don't understand. I have... questions." Though he didn't elaborate on what he didn't understand, that was probably obvious, too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 11:15 pm
Jeremiah waved a hand to dismiss the apology for the door. It was unnecessary. "It's understandable that you do," he told Jamie. "Especially with everything that has happened but don't worry about coming to talk to me next time? Just ask for Detective Lieutenant Mercer or ..." There was a brief pause. "Well, I'll give you my number for the future, alright?" Jamie was given another reassuring smile. "There's a cart nearby that sells gelato that is passable, would you like some? That way we can talk and get a snack." saedusk istg i'll tag cid tomorrow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:01 pm
The realization that it was okay, that Detective Mercer understood what he meant and was open to the idea of helping... it was a relief that took a huge load off of Jamie's shoulders. Gathering his thoughts enough to ask questions might be tough, but any gaps his own mind left, maybe they'd be filled in, anyway. It seemed like Jeremiah had a much better understanding of what was going on compared to Jamie, at least.
"That... would be, um, nice," he said, looking down at the fifty still in his hands. "Do you... think they'll have peach?"
Other Ashdown could wait a short tick, because where there was peach, there was a perked up Jamie.azuredreams softly touches u take ur time
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:11 pm
"They serve a special summer flavor that's a mixture of peach and citrus and just regular peach." The walk to the cart was not that far, it was visible within a couple minutes, and there was not much of a line for it at all. Jeremiah stood in the line with Jamie, looking down at him a moment. "Honestly it's the first time I've been here since summer began. I usually am out here at least once a week during lunch but with everything that has been going on there's been no time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 7:31 pm
"That sounds great..." Jamie sighed, knowing it would be a tough choice between good ol' fashioned peach and peach with a summery twist. The decision thrust itself to the forefront of his thoughts the entire way there, only stepping back when he finally settled on plain peach and Jeremiah off-handedly mentioned 'everything that had been going on.' In line for gelato wasn't exactly the place to start talking about Other Ashdown, but Jamie couldn't help a generic question, at least.
"Do you... think it'll ever stop?" he asked, looking straight forward as they neared the front of the line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:16 pm
Jeremiah would end up with a strawberry flavor himself, once they were picking and paying as well. His eyes glanced down at Jamie and his lips thinned to a line when he asked the question. "I don't know. We can hope but with what I know ..." He gave the teenager a slight smile, just one side of his lips twitched up at the side. "That it will stop is what we're working for."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:28 pm
Taking his gelato, he whispered a weak thank you to the worker and another to Jeremiah for the generous treat. If nothing else, despite the heaviness of their soon-to-be conversation, he had something to focus on, something familiar and sweet and simple. Something normal. As he pulled back to exit the line, Jamie gave the detective one quick look before choosing to stare at his food.
"It doesn't make any sense." And it didn't, none of it really did, and Jamie wasn't sure it ever would. "How long... has all of this been going on? D-Do you know...?" Taking a bite, he closed his eyes to enjoy it, but only momentarily. "W-Who is 'we?' Who else has to deal with this... and why?" Jamie paused, realizing rapid-fire questions probably wasn't the best way to continue their conversation. He'd let his emotions run away for a second.
"S-Sorry..." Shaking his head, he sighed and took another bite of gelato to soothe himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:26 pm
Jeremiah took small bites of his gelato, savoring it while he listened to Jamie. There was something far too familiar about the teenager, something that made him think solidly of Algie. Something about the posture and the way he held himself. When he really thought about it, he saw himself in Shiloh. Jeremiah mentally snorted but pushed the thought away. The comparison was not that far off. "Don't apologize." Another reassuring smile was given. "I'm actually used to that many questions asked at once. This has apparently been going on longer than recorded history, if you're going to believe what we've heard." Which he did considering the sources. "We is a lot of people. You, Shiloh, Alg, myself- Others as well, not just those that were with us at Blackfriars." His head tilted towards a bench for the two of them to sit down at. It was just a little bit ahead and away from the more frequented paths. "As for why? That is a bit more complicated. The easy version is that there is something caged up inside of other ashdown."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 6:30 am
Jamie sat down and crossed his ankles together, lips pursing into a line as he listened. There were so many people working against something that had been going on longer than recorded history; yeah, he had heard that right. If that were the case, would he spend his entire lifetime fighting this threat? Would he always be half an animal, forced to retreat when the moon was full? If he ever decided to leave Ashdown, would these nightmares only follow him?
He sighed, opting not to share those fears. Not yet, anyway.
"What is it... the thing that's caged up?" Jamie questioned, feet scuffing the ground as they swayed. "Are we supposed to be helping it or-" he huffed "-keeping it there?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:53 pm
Jeremiah claimed his spot on the bench beside Jamie, taking a bite out of his own cold treat, and head tilting towards the young man. "Originally," he said, "we thought that we were meant to keep it closed. That it needed to stay in there and we were playing our parts in upholding the cage. Now ..." He let out a breath. "Now it seems as if we may have to see it freed just to be able to defeat it." Blue-green eyes looked towards Jamie, taking in his demeanor and the fact that it's easy to see his nerves. That he was, just by having this conversation, being brave. "I don't know exactly what it is, not currently. Just that it may have been a man at one point."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:26 pm
Heart on his sleeve, Jamie was an easy one to read. His worries, at least most of them, were simple and palpable and easily matched up with the situation at hand. There were always ones that nagged at the back of his mind, something that made him feel wrong in his own body, but those were feelings for another day entirely.
"So are you saying... humans can become m-monsters?" Would he end up that way if things went to far? From a rabbit to... what? He audibly groaned.
"Letting it out, though, isn't that... dangerous?" he asked, still nursing his gelato on occasion so it wouldn't melt. "What happens if we c-can't-" he swallowed hard "-stop it? How will we know when we're r-ready?" Something told him even Jeremiah might not have an answer, but it never hurt to ask, right? He couldn't stop the question regardless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
