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 Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 2:13 pm
He hesitated for only a split second before reaching out to slide a cigarette from the offered pack, Tolliver giving a little nod. "Thanks," he said, tucking the cigarette between his teeth. It had been a few days since he'd smoked - Tolliver was usually a stress smoker - but considering he felt anxious and jittery about this particular meeting, he thought it best to try anything to calm his nerves.
And it did, the smoke furling through him pleasantly. Fritz hated the habit, and Tolliver couldn't really blame him, but it made him feel more at ease himself.
His lips quirked in a faint smile at the catch; clearly Hitch was trying not to swear, though Tolliver wouldn't have minded too much. "If you give me your number, I'll text it to you," he said, picking up the menu and wondering if he wanted anything other than a beer while his mind frantically tried to think of conversational topics that were not lame or stupid or just downright pathetic.
"A burger sounds good," Tolliver said thoughtfully. "Maybe with a shot of bourbon on the side, that would go well with one of the barbecue burgers..."
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 2:58 pm
Hitch flashed him a smile, easing back into his seat with his cigarette dangling comfortably between his lips. He knew he reeked of them most of the time. The pack would be drained before long, and he had another waiting at home. Really though, tobacco smell was the least of his problems lately.
Number, "Yeah, I can do it, " he said, hastily fishing a pen out of somewhere - for work, he almost always had one on him - and hastily scribbling some digits and his name out on a napkin. "Text me anytime, it's cool." Not like he really talked to anyone anyway.
Confession time: Hitch wasn't much of a drinker. It wasn't that he didn't like alcohol or anything, but it was more a matter of accessibility. So he was more than willing to follow Tolliver's lead with a grin. "Yeah, that sounds good - you been here before, right?" he thought to ask. Clearly Tolliver would know what was good here anyway.
So then, conversation - this he sort of had covered. "So what else are you into? - free time type stuff, not career stuff."
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 3:28 pm
Tolliver didn't mind the scent of tobacco; he'd grown up on it, after all, in England with his parents who smoked, and although Fritz had abhorred the habit, Tolliver had inherited his mother's tendency towards them. There was something oddly familiar and comforting about the smell.
He reached out and slid the napkin towards him, face a little flushed in embarrassment and hating the fact that his face was so damned expressive all the time. Tolliver folded it neatly and stuck it into his pocket, wondering if he'd even have the strength of mind to use it.
Maybe. Hopefully.
"I have, a few times," he answered, with a little nod. "I like to come here in the afternoons, it's a nice place to just sit and relax a bit."
The waitress came flitting back to their table, and Tolliver placed his order, gesturing to Hitch to do the same. When she had gone again, he said, "I, ah....I like to do a lot of mixing. You know," he added awkwardly. "Er, music-wise. I used to do a bit of DJ work when I was at school."
He toyed with one of his bracelets. "What about yourself?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:04 pm
Even as Hitch smiled and handed over his number and hoped for the best, the realistic part of him chimed in that there was a fifty perfect chance he'd never get so much as a text. He'd do something and Tolliver would be turned off - or maybe he just wouldn't be interesting enough. Any number of reasons, the end result would be the same.
"I usually just barrel off to the other job or home when I'm done, " he remarked, leaning back in his seat with a slow drag of his cigarette. ******** he loved it. "Never even thought to check it out." Lies came easier with smooth nerves. Half-lie, anyway. Time, yes, and just as much lack of funds. Even if he liked to treat himself now and then, couldn't go everywhere on a budget.
"I'll have what he's having, " and it was a good thing she wasn't checking ID. It'd been a low key worry in the back of his head. Really though, 20, 21, wasn't it all close enough anyway?
So Tolliver was into music, huh? Fancy that. "That's awesome; what kinda stuff do you do, if you don't mind me askin'? I always thought the DJ side was pretty cool, even if I'd suck a** at it, " and he laughed, brushing his hair out of his face again. "I drum, sorta - I mean, I do drum. Just, y'know. I'm not great or anythin', just play covers an' s**t for fun. Mostly rock an' grunge, that kinda stuff. Haven't had much time for it since I moved though."
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:02 pm
He inhaled some smoke and let it fill his lungs before he turned his face to the side and exhaled, grey curling out in front of him. Tolliver held the cigarette between two fingers and gave Hitch a slight nod of understanding; while he had an abundance of time, he usually just went back home after he finished any outing at all.
Tolliver was old enough not to need ID, but apparently the waitress was either not paying attention or thought they looked old enough, because she just smiled and trotted off. He leaned back in his seat and crossed his bad leg over his good, taking another drag.
One shoulder rose and fell in a slight shrug. "Mostly just trance music, etcetera. I deejayed a bit back in England, though, just not here as much."
Hearing that Hitch played drums, however, drew curiosity from Tolliver, and he sat up a little straighter, one arm folded across his stomach, the other hand still holding his cigarette. "You drum?" he repeated interestedly, tilting his head slightly. "That's...I always wanted to learn how to drum, that's really cool."
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:18 am
Trance wasn't his area of expertise or anything, but it was still cool. "Writin' an' music though, color me impressed, " Hitch remarked, toying with the edges of his hair now. If he wasn't pounding on his legs, his hands were basically always busy with something. "Long as you're showin' me the comic, mind throwin' in your mixes? I'd love to hear 'em." He wasn't saying it just to say it; he sounded genuinely interested because he was. "Ever think about DJing again? I bet if the regular radio station wasn't lookin', you could probably poke around at the university or somethin'."
Hitch's freckled cheeks flushed red again, and he laughed shortly, embarrassed. "Yeah, well... it's not that cool, I mean... I got a set at home, but like I said, I'm kinda balls with it." He shrugged his shoulders, tapping on his leg without even thinking now. "But if you want, I could try an' show you some stuff? It'd be real basic, but..." The drum set was gathering dust anyway. Might as well get some use out of it.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:41 am
He flushed, a little taken aback by the praise, but appreciating it nonetheless. Tolliver took another inhale from his cigarette and let the feel of it fill him, reassure him that making friends was not and did not have to be a huge process or fulfill some quota. He was doing his best to relax, not check marks on a list of Things To Do To Make a Good First Impression.
"I...wouldn't mind that," Tolliver said, finding it true, as the waitress came and dropped off two bourbons and two waters before fluttering off again. He reached for his drink, taking a small sip, the alcohol burning down his throat. "I haven't...really shared much of my music with anyone else, mostly because I haven't found anyone interested."
He idly stirred the ice around his glass with the straw. "Perhaps if I could find a good place to work, I wouldn't mind starting up again," said Tolliver, mulling this over. "I suppose it would get me out of the house and doing things."
Hitch was almost an open book, his face registering much of what he was feeling. Tolliver caught the flush and felt a little better about his own red face, his eyebrows raising. "Really?" he said, slightly embarrassed over the peculiar eagerness in his voice. "I think - I mean, if you wouldn't mind showing me, I'd like to learn."
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 12:54 pm
If Hitch had been more experienced with drinking as a whole, he probably would have realized how much of a terrible idea it was to drink bourbon on an empty stomach. He probably would have waited for his burger to arrive, or at the very least taken a few sips of his water first.
Sadly, he was not, he did not, and the burn as the liquid traveled down his throat was much more pleasant than he'd expected. "Well, their loss, " he declared once he'd set his glass down again, feeling the warmth spread down to his belly. "But yeah, definitely - consider me interested."
His cigarette was done - Hitch didn't bat an eye, putting the finished butt out and fetching a new one from the pack with hardly a glance spared. By this point, it was basically second nature. "If it'd make it easier, " he began, tilting his head to a side, "I could go with you? - to look for places, y'know. Sometimes people try an' d**k you over if you're by yourself." And sometimes it was just easier to break out of the tedium of day to day life with someone there to help. Not that he'd force the issue or anything, but hey - maybe he was more thinking of himself than Tolliver when he said that. "Or you could always just use my place - just gotta make sure the downstairs folks aren't home, they get super pissy about noise."
The sound of eagerness in Tolliver's voice actually got his blood pumping a little. He stole another sip of the bourbon, then flashed him a genuine smile. "It's really no problem. I'm no pro or anything, but if you're cool with that, I'm cool showing you what I've got. - I usually don't work on Wednesday or Fridays in the mornin', either of those work for you?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:04 pm
Tolliver was not much of a beer drinker and very definitely a proper liquor (in his opinion) drinker, which meant he was used to the bourbon and the vodka, less so the whiskey, but he did enjoy it from time to time. His fingers curled around the glass, absently tapping.
He took another sip, startled at the unexpected offer, and almost choked into his drink. Tolliver hastily set it down again and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, staring at Hitch with a somewhat bemused expression. "I," he started, and then stopped, because hardly anyone other than his own brother seemed interested in his life these days. "That would be...very nice, I think. I would appreciate the assistance."
He sounded too robotic, too stiff, too socially awkward. Tolliver took a small breath and tried to relax, offering Hitch a faint smile. "Thank you."
His schedule was briefly contemplated. "Friday works for me," said Tolliver, almost hesitantly, like he couldn't quite figure out why someone seemingly as nice as Hitch would want to spend time with someone as terribly unsocial as Tolliver.
The food came a few seconds later, the waitress dropping off their plates and departing before she made sure they had everything they needed.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:22 pm
Hitch tried to keep polite when Tolliver choked on his drink, hiding his chuckle behind his hand, although amusement still trickled up into his eyes. "You okay?" he asked, but wouldn't press the issue. He didn't want to embarrass Tolliver. "Then you got it. Call me anytime - might not pick up right away 'cause of work an' all, but I'll always call back, " and he'd had no one to call for months, so he wasn't just saying it to say it.
Speaking of those drinks. Another swig of his drink, longer than the other two, left his glass about half empty. Tolliver's tone would have originally made his stomach go into knots, wondering if his new friend was hesitating because he didn't really want a damn thing to do with him after all. - but no, he was feeling pretty great right now. Better than he had in awhile. "I'll pencil you in then, " he teased, "I can give you my address when you text me your number or whatever - fair warning, my place is a s**t hole, but it's a charming s**t hole, " more like it was the s**t hole in his price range. But really, if Tolliver was coming over he'd see it sooner or later anyway.
Then the food came - oh the food. "Holy s**t this looks fantastic, " he just about purred out, happily plucking the burger up off his plate.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:32 pm
"Yes," said Tolliver, a bit hoarsely, because choking on alcohol was not a pleasant experience for his throat. He caught the look of amusement, and it made him feel slightly better, strangely, instead of worse. "Thank you, I...appreciate the offer. Perhaps it's having someone else to help would help get me off of my feet."
He switched to water momentarily, just to soothe his throat a little. Hitch's description of his apartment made his lips twitch a little, up into a smile. "I don't mind the state of your apartment," said Tolliver truthfully. "Maybe we can...set something up for next week, or something," he added quickly, in case he sounded too forward.
The burgers were cooked perfectly, barbecue sauce and onion rings stacked on top of the patty. Tolliver reached and lifted his, taking a large bite and probably making a complete mess. "It tastes fantastic too," he said, surprising himself with how light his tone sounded.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:54 pm
"It's a date." It really wasn't, and any other time he wouldn't have even said that in the first place. Hitch laughed a little and went for another sip of his drink between bites. Talk about a mess; if Tolliver was a mess, then well, they'd just be a big mess together.
His cheeks were getting a little pink by the time he polished off the drink, and not from any kind of embarrassment. "You're right, " he mumbled as he swallowed another bite. "The bourbon really went well with this burger - oh my god this burger." He glanced back at Tolliver, cracking a smile. "Thanks for takin' me here... I'm glad I ran into you."
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:38 pm
He opened his mouth and then promptly shut it again, Tolliver wondering whether it was possible for his face to become even redder. He stubbed out the last remnants of his cigarette on the table's ash tray and reached for his glass, needing a drink.
"You're...welcome," Tolliver murmured, wiping off his fingers with a napkin, which was pointless, because a second later he'd picked up his burger again to take another large, messy bite. After he'd swallowed, he said, "I'm, er..."
He trailed off, took a breath, and then said, "I'm terribly sorry if I'm not the most exciting company, my...my leg, it ah, well I don't...tend to be particularly social most of the time."
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:52 pm
Hitch stopped mid-bite, licking some of the sauce off his lips before he frowned at Tolliver, tilting his head to a side. "The ******** are you on about?" he grunted, then half-smiled. "This's the most fun I've had since - " He almost said it, almost let it slip. Since my mom - No, that was practically begging for it, that look he hated more than anything else. He'd felt warm and light because of the bourbon, but the thought made his stomach churn ice. His smile wavered, visibly, but it was fleeting. " - for a long time."
He hoped the waitress would drop back in soon; he could really go for another drink, ******** the budget. "Sides, you ever listened to yourself talk?" he teased, nudging Tolliver's good foot under the table. "That accent man, you could be talking about paint chips and I'd be ********' riveted. No, no, but really - "
He laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "You're not even half as borin' as you think you are. I know borin'. Borin's the b***h who get a pound of shredded bologna every Thursday. Could you imagine that bein' your life?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 5:05 pm
He almost thought Hitch was angry at him, until he caught the rest of what he was saying. Tolliver gave a slow nod of comprehension, though a part of him was still not entirely certain as to the reason why Hitch hadn't gotten bored of him yet.
The waver in his smile made the faint smile on Tolliver's own face slip, bemusement in his eyes, but then the happiness was back and perhaps he'd just imagined it after all. The foot nudge was equally as reassuring, even if what Hitch was saying was making him self-conscious and pleased simultaneously, and he had no idea how to deal with that.
Tolliver took another sip of his drink, trying to hide his flushed cheeks with his glass. "Well...I'm glad," he mumbled, breath catching in his throat, but he hastily gulped down the last dregs of his bourbon, ignoring the way it burned down his throat.
A laugh escaped him, surprising him. Tolliver licked barbecue sauce from his fingers as the waitress sashayed by their table, hips swaying, a bright smile on her face.
"That sounds like an immensely dull life," he said in agreement, looking questioningly at Hitch to see if he needed anything after he ordered another drink for himself.
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