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 Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:11 pm
Fourth & a Half Drink
Jack made a face back. "Fine by me." One less face to worry about convincing.
"I," Jack replied with sudden but bitter swagger, "punish m'self--kick m'self, whatever-- over s**t at every. damn. opportunity. thankyou." He instinctively reached for the mug, forgetting his earlier decision to not drink anymore (******** that noise, what had he been thinking), only to find that Abbi had mysteriously drained almost all of it. He grumbled and pushed the mug away again.
Obnoxiously loud groaning left him at the mention of the l-word, though thankfully the bar was packed enough by now that it went unnoticed. He rolled his eyes so hard his stomach turned from mild dizziness. "You seriously still believe in that s**t?" he asked her incredulously. "Wake up, Abbi--Abigail." That sounded more stern. "We slept t'gether n' that's ********' it. That's true but it's not love. I don't ********' know why you think 'tis, but it's not. S'a mistake. S'real life. You believe in ********' True Love, fine, whatever. I say: only True thing we get s'the True Fact that we're dyin' on the job n' hopin' someone misses us afterwards."
He slumped in his seat with a broody look again, trying not to think about the Sahara. Probably running his mouth too much now.
"C'mon," he said, pinching his nose and forcing himself above the mental haze as he carefully got to his feet. He extended a hand to take Abbi's arm. "You're smashed. Let's get you home."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 6:33 pm
"S'probably why you're so grumpy all the time." Here the girl put her mug down to straighten her shoulders, found she was not tall enough and instead struggled to sit on her knees in her chair. One hand twirled out into the air while the other pressed against her chest in a most dramatic fashion. If there was a spotlight, now would be the time for it to come on.
"Hello everyone I am the infamous Jack Somethingoranother Hawthorn." Her voice had taken on a comically deep tone and she shot Jack a sharp gaze before she pantomimed drinking from a cup. "I like coffee, intimidating people shorter than me which is everyone in the entirety of forever, and being a big emo buttchin. I am tortured and dark even though I'm amazing at everything and my life is the worst except I have two ladies who want to soothe my darkness except except I am too brooding to entertain them." All through out this her hands moved, clenching in despair or falling against her forehead and where was her damn spotlight!?
After her show she decided she should get down off her chair and instead slid from it and clutched at the table too late. Thankfully it only resulted in her clicking against the floor on her heels in time to hear Jack use her legal name.
A frown is turned to him that turns a bit sad the more he talks.
"I didn't... I did'n... Say it was true love..." Something in her moves, cannot find the latch and swings waywardly.
"I never said I believed in True Love. I just asked about it. You're... You're the one with people who'll miss you after you're gone... You got two! I got a big fat ZERO. I've always had zero and I'll... Always will have zero..." Since she's on her feet she can step back, gesture at him in a sign she's not sure what she means.
"I'm jus'... Tryin' ta keep you from like... I-D-K turnin' this into some boo-hoo I always screw up sob fest. Ya slept with a girl you like! Why's that a mistake? You got a girlfriend, cool. Haven't slept with her... Maybe ye should... Sleep with the one you like more often."
Honestly there was some sort of good advice in there somewhere, or at least Abbi thought she had said something smart. She was having trouble differentiating what she actually said and what she was planning to say.
She did know that she wasn't ready to go home yet.
"I'm not smashed, you're smashed. I wanna shot." And without waiting for Jack she turned and made her way to the bar and claimed a stool for herself with a bright grin at the bartender.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:37 pm
Fourth & a Half Drink
He rubbed his head in exasperation and pretended nothing Abbi said would sink in now or later, which was easy to do since a lot of it irritated him as well as made him uncomfortable. He was honestly a little flabbergasted that she had managed to stay coherent enough throughout that little rant and was glad he had enough of a buzz to let it wash over him without any real sting.
"Look who's tryin' to make it a boo-hoo fest," he observed, following her with an eye roll. Thankfully the bartender hesitated just long enough for him to take her arm and tug Abbi to make her face him again. "Look, if you agree to leave now, I'll let you get a piggyback ride. I'll even let you see the Astronomical Clock before we go. Photos and everything so you'll remember it."
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:42 am
Fourth & a Half DrinkThe struggle to get up onto the bar stool had been so real that Abbi had totally forgotten she'd given Jack a spiel on something relatively important. Not when she was just an order away from being A Real Adult and having shots. In a real bar. So that was at least +20 Adult Points. She could probably upgrade to a specialization now and-- Oh Jack was here. "Woooaaahhhhhh--" She spun around on the stool to face him, blinking at his neck and realizing this was the tallest she'd ever been around him. "Wait they have an Astronomical Cloak holy rice baskets that's amazing we have to go." But those 20 Adult Points... A low hum left the girl, she hadn't realized she was not being as sneaky as she thought, before she poked Jack in the shoulder. Because she was tall enough to do it casually. "Comrpo... Compro... Compromise! I'll buy us a shot, you give me a piggback ride to the Ashtronomical Tower... I won't sing Tangled songs about towers and you dun have to be in any of the photos with me." That was totally fair.
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:57 am
What songs? Wait...He vaguely remembered the title. Lina had ranted about it back in the day because it was Disney's fiftieth movie or something...Owain was helpful enough to bring up a few snippets of songs from his memories, and Jack almost groaned again. Were those things still taking up space in his head? "If you keep drinkin', you won't remember the moment. Counter offer: I'll buy your first shot next time, you can sing one song, and you'll get one photo with me. I'd like something to remember you by if you get offed," he said as dryly as possible. "Better than friggin' bunny ear shoes."
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:12 pm
A long pause ensued while Abbi thought this over, weighing the options as well as a very drunk teenage girl could. She did sing pretty well, but she wasn't sold on which song to sing as 'I See The Light' was not only severely off the table if Jack was involved, but also because she really did want that shot. And he had made fun of her bunny shoes again, which now she was positive meant he was just jealous of them. But eventually she leaned back on the stool and pointed at him. "Fine! I accept. But only if that piggyback ride is still on the table."She would say nothing about getting offed, mostly because she didn't want to tell him how she was pretty sure no one would remember her when she was gone. What she did instead was to smile sweetly up and him and twirl back around to the bartender. "Two shots. Vodka. End the tab or whateves after that pleaaaaase!" Sorry Jack, Abbi was the kind of girl to want it all regardless of how bad the consequences would be.
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:35 pm
"AK, god damn it--" But the shots were brought out. Growling a sigh, Jack reached for his wallet and passed the bartender his card, running his hand through his hair in exasperation. "Whatever, I hope you enjoy your hangover," he groused, letting Abbi finish whatever she wanted off. "Or puking your brains out."
...Damn it, he'd have to be sure that didn't happen. It wouldn't look good if she choked on his watch.
After getting his card back, Jack sighed, crouched by the barstool, and gestured for her to hop on. "Let's go before you pass out on me."
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:52 pm
The teen cackled in glee, though it wasn't so much cackling since she wasn't very good at being menacing even when sober, but she was pleased nonetheless and took the shot like a champ.
If a champ coughed after the swallow and flapped their hands by their face a lot. But she had done it and that was good for something!
"Before we go back can we stop at like... Taco Bell or McDonalds for a burger? That'll help.. I read it... Online somewhere." Sure she had...
Another sound of joy left her, this one a content squeal as Jack lowered himself in preparation for being her literal ride. A salute was passed to the bartender, Abbi mildly regretful she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him more because he had been pretty cute, before she shoved herself onto Jack's back.
"Ain't gonna pass out! Gotta... Gotta sing and see the ash-tro-nomeek-cal tower!" One arm wrapped around his neck while the other pulled out her phone for an appropriately timed selfie. Yes, she was going to get her way all night and Jack would just have to deal.
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:04 pm
The Tower"I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere! And then I'll brush, and brush my haaaair~ Stuck in the same place I've always been. And I'll keep wonderin', and wonderin', and wonderin' .... I think I missed a wonderin' uhhhh... When will my life beeegiiiin?" Her singing was only half on key because she was A) Drunk and B) spinning around in the empty courtyard under the Astronomical Tower in a really poor attempt at everything. Abbi had decided, once put down from Jack's back, that dancing while she sang her song was the absolute best idea. It was not. Not even bothering to finish the girl toddled over to a bench and leaned against it. "Wowee McGee... Never been this drunk before... Kinda... Kinda cool?" Abbi laughed at herself, leaning back to look at the darkened sky. "Sho when's the tower gonna... Do it's thang?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 11:06 pm
Jack stood with his hands in his coat pockets, amused but trying to look irritated to hide it. It was cool outside with a little breeze, and there was a lot of light around. Several lampposts had enough spider's webs to look like a cotton weed. Bugs chittered in the night air. They were in the main square of the Jewish District, a large, flat stretch of cobblestones, sidewalks, and buildings quashed together. A lone musician was still plying his trade on a cello near the fountain, yards and yards away from them.
"Its thang only happens in the day, I'm afraid," he replied, tilting his head up to look at the lit face of the Astronomical Clock. "But it's nothing you're really missing out on. When it strikes the hour, that little slot up there opens up and reveals a few saints' faces while the figures on the sides move in place. I figured you'd be more interested in the clock itself."
Without bothering to ask permission, he hoisted Abbi up into his arms so she could get a closer look. It was 9:37pm at the time, with a gold ball on one symbol and a black one on another.
"Right now, it says the sun is in Leo and the moon is in Virgo," Jack continued, trying to foist her back onto his shoulders if she didn't fuss.
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 11:46 pm
It felt so nice outside and so different than Deus that Abbi just couldn't keep still. The wafting sound of the cello pulled her from the bench and she attempted another dance, this one more floaty and closer to something she considered fairy-like and sweet. She twirled to turn her skirt out, put a toe down with her arms outstretched, hands turned up, fingers curled gently. Twice more she turned and then whirled back to look at the clock. "S'pretty damn cool." It was a mild expletive, but she still giggled at herself for 'being bad'. The laugh faded quickly as she stumbled to keep herself upright, swaying in place a little. All of the shiny gold mixed with the blues and oranges were so pretty, she wished she could have a little clock like that for her room. Surprised to find herself up in the air, Abbi accepted it pretty quickly when she realized it was just Jack. An arm looped around his neck and, since he had picked her up, she felt it fully justified to lean against his head and tuck her chin against his hair. "Imma moon... Imma virgo..." She mumbled happily, smiling idly at the clock. "Think I'll find my sun?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:06 am
"Damn right it's cool." Jack considered the clock for a while, lightly grasping Abbi's legs to help keep her steady even though there was no need to with her arms around his neck. Normally he was against so much touching; maybe it was the alcohol. But for once, he felt relaxed and separate from the issues back home, apart from his stress and the burdens therein. Almost like he could be someone else entirely than the man who obsessed with knowing and control. In spite of himself, or whoever he was tonight, Jack smiled. "I think anything is possible, AK," he replied with a pat on her leg, "so long as you work for it. If you really want one, I bet you'd get a sun bright enough to make your hair look dull in comparison, because you can't accept anything less than amazing."
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:55 pm
In all likelihood it is the mixture of alcohol and waning stress and the fact she's being held like a child that brings it on, but Abbi still finds herself bubbling over all maudlin at Jack's words. Little drops spring in her eyes and for a second she turns her temple against the top of his hair to look down at the ground far below.
Fleeting, too quick for her to recall it later, she remembers a time when she was held like this and the world felt so much larger because she was so much smaller. Years ago when things were simple as they often are in youth, and what Abbi remembers vividly is holding hands with another girl just a smidget bigger than herself, their joined fingers draped on their father's spine carelessly.
A giggle leaves the teen as she sits up straighter, a fist driving the surprise tears away. She doesn't cry often and she refuses to now, especially when Jack is being so kind.
"Well, he can't shine brighter than me, I'm a big ball of genki all da time." But then again, maybe it would be nice to hand the cheer off to someone else for a while.
"Yer gonna find your sun too, yanno... Someone bright too... Bright and loud so they can--" She giggles against his hair, ruffling it with a free hand. "So they can out yell you when ya get all over grumpy!"
But she goes soft a second later, drowsy and dizzy.
"I really want it... I'll work, I dun mind... I know you like workin' too... S'all that's left for you is the wantin' part."
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:38 pm
He chuckled at the reply at first, but his smile dimmed the more Abbi spoke. At least she was at a vantage point where it wasn't so easily seen, just as he didn't catch the Moon's tears. Normally Jack would have said something along the lines of, I've had bad experiences with the sun lately, or, I don't want someone brighter than me because I'm already damn smart thanks, or even (and he knew he had to be recovering from the alcohol to have it occur even as a concrete thought), I'm afraid of being in that position again.
But instead, he said, "Maybe," with casual agreement, because for once he didn't want to be the one to sour the mood. He wanted Abbi to have that hope for her future, because he knew first hand how quickly things could go to s**t without it.
The comments about not being missed were already enough to send alarm bells through him. It was a slippery slope he had treated far too many times for people's sake, a lonely and icy bridge he had to yank people off of without falling himself. He swore he'd stop her from ever thinking about it, even if that had never been the case to begin with.
"All that alcohol's got you philosophizing, huh?" Jack observed with amusement. "Got any more wise words for me, Moon Princess?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:27 am
For the first time in a long time Abbi does feel a measure of hope, but she is too drunk to think much of it other than a warmth that inhabits her mind or her soul or her heart, she can't be sure. She only knows it sits alongside her ghost who is cold but even in this fuzzy juncture does try to push it a little bigger. Small moments like that make the teen feel less alone, but in the morning she will know its all in her head and that doesn't quite count. What she does know is that she is massively drunk and Jack is holding her and she is not going to let the evening end without getting in one last little bit of sass. Even if its slurred. "Yesh. Yush. Yes, actually." She sways a little, gazing off at the clock for a little longer. The moon is in virgo, Jack told her, that's a good sign. Those are her things, those are Abbi. "A wise, if sometimes buttheaded man once told me, he thought anything was possible." And that was it, that was all she was going to say on the matter mostly because she was starting to lose consciousness. Not in the black out sense, but more because she was very sleepy and very drunk and very much ready to enjoy the piggyback ride back to Deus.
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