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 Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:38 pm
KX idly lit his cigarette as he leaned against the bar rail, his eyes fixed on the trail of smoke that escaped from his fingertips towards the ceiling in little spirals of billowing freedom. The bartender made a cough with his throat as he motioned towards the ashtray at the end of the bar, and KX sighed as he reached over and pulled it right in front of his person.
Sometimes he hated the fact that he smoked and was more or less addicted to it, but other times he loved the fact that he actually was addicted to something. He was pretty sure his coworkers felt the same way about his habit, the relief that he was addicted, as they always seemed to want to harp on him about something. That's why he started smoking in the first place, and drinking for that matter.
"Hey, what's the house special?"
His voice was a little hoarse as he opened his mouth to speak, but he cleared his throat with a simple grunt and reasked his question. When a small glass of scotch on the rocks was set in front of him he sort of regretted asking. Perhaps he shoulda jsut said he wanted a beer and been over with it, but since he was in a bar and not sitting around in his office or at his house he felt it best to follow the trend.
"Thanks."
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:51 pm
He swore he wouldn't be back in a bar, and yet somehow, this is where his feet carried him. It was like an old habit come back to haunt him - no, it wasn't like an old habit, it was, and it could very possibly be the death of him. Brad sighed inwardly, running a hand through his shaggy black hair, ending the motion with a tug at his black turtleneck sweater. Shoving one hand into his blue jeans, he took a seat at the bar next to someone who he wasn't looking at directly. He was looking at the other's drink, however, and that seemed appetizing.
"I'll have what he's having," he drawled to the bartender, his own voice somewhat hoarse. It was the type of sound from someone who had been yelling, or hadn't used their voice in sometime.
He finally cast a glance to the person next to him, giving a curt nod. Seemed standard to greet those drowning their misery, or joy, or whatever convulted reason brought them to the smoke-filled, rank smelling bar.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:27 pm
"Instead of giving him one he can just have mine."
KX handed his drink over towards Brad, his fingers lightly touching the corners of the glass as he offered it over in the other mans direction. The ring he wore on his middle finger clinked slightly against the container, making a soft sound that was rather loud despite itself.
"It'll save you the money and will save me from having to drink this crap. Instead, I'll take a cold beer - whatever tap you have that's not light or ale."
He motioned with his other hand in the barkeeper's direction, his cigarette pressed between his teeth as he spoke. His words, of course, were still audible enough that the man nodded and went to grab a different glass and fill it from the tap a little further down.
Turning his head so he fully could look at the gent who'd sat next him let Brad see the eye bandage that covered his left eye and trailed over his face, and he nodded his head upwards to return the greeting that he hadn't acknowledged before speaking.
"Sorry about that, but I'd hate to waste alcohol. Doesn't seem human to do so."
KX sheepishly smiled as he turned back and away from Brad, his gaze once more following the curls of smoke that he took a little bit of measure to exhale away from the man sitting next to him. Of course this was not really needed, as who would come into a bar full of smoke...and be offended if someone smoked next to them? It didn't make sense, but he wasn't asking questions.
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:40 pm
A whuffled bit of laughter was Brad's response. His calloused fingers accepted the offered glass, lifting it in a one sided 'cheers' motion before knocking the hard liquor back in one go. A grimace crossed his features before he put the very empty glass back down, shaking his head as the bartender arched a brow at him.
"No more, not yet. But I'll pay for the good man's booze tonight." He glanced back to the gent he'd managed to sit next to, giving a half-smile. "Maybe it's not human," he agreed, implying the previous comment, "but it's probably smarter." For him, it likely was, but he did have a hard time turning down the raunchy liquid when he needed it.
That always came with the arguement of if he really needed it. In this case, he simply needed to take the edge off...and hopefully he'd not let it get further like last time. That earned another tight smile from the man; that'd be just what he needed, to run into Fiach again. Brad shook his head to himself, extending a hand to the other. "Brad. I figure you should at least have the name of the man you're saving." A lopsided grin accompanied his words, good natured.
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:31 pm
So KX was a savior now? Nothing really new, he was being called that all the time at his job, but from a guy in a bar over drinks...? Interesting.
"Brad eh? Name's KX-113, pleased to meet you."
He extended his own hand out and shook Brad's, quickly releasing it in time to receive the beer that the barkeeper shot his way. The liquid spilled over the edges as it connected with his hand and he quickly pulled the glass up to his mouth, downing the drink within moments. It felt great rushing down the back of his throat, chasing the burn of cigarette smoke, and he let out a loud sigh of contentment as he slammed the glass back down.
"Now that's what I'm talking about right there. I don't need anything fancy to keep me going, just something golden and frothy. You know what I mean?"
KX really had nothing to talk about with the gent next to him, though every now and then he felt his gaze sweep over and take another pass at Brad's figure. It wasn't a look of lust or interest, more of one from a person who was used to seeing people and depended on first sight to figure them out.
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:47 pm
"Name's..." Brad echoed, staring at the man as if waiting for a punchline of some sort. When none came, he simply shook his head, baffled, affording the man a faint nod and tight smile at his inquiry. Brad knew, all too well, but that wasn't something he was willing to talk about to someone with...a name like that.
Curiosity got the better of him, propping his elbow onto the bar so that he could face the man next to him. "KX-113, huh?" Brad lofted one brow while the other dipped over his eye, only adding to the perplexed expression. "How'd you end up with a name like that, if y'don't mind me asking?"
No more booze for sure. Knowing how he got last time with Fiach, and now this guy...that name, it just wouldn't end well. He waited with a calm demeanor, despite his silly expression, wondering just what type of story would allow for a man to call himself something straight out of Star Wars.
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Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:17 pm
"What, my name? Sounds like something sci-fi or inhuman right?"
KX chuckled and snapped his fingers at the bartender who gave a curt nod and went to pour the man another drink. The beer was dropped off in front of him once more and it followed suite to its successor by being drained without a moments hesitation, the glass banging down on the bar as he sighed. KX really didn't worry about how much he'd be drinking tonight, as no matter the amount he never seemed to great drunk.
"Truth be told, I don't care for a normal name. It's a bit troublesome to be called something day after day by friends, relatives, strangers, co-workers. Sometimes something as simple as a name can become your label and define who you are before they actually know you."
He turned and looked at Brad, his eyebrow raised over his right eye and an expression on his face that bordered a question of 'so you, as well?'. KX was more than tempted to tell his new bar companion a bit about himself, but perhaps that should wait until more had been consumed and he was feeling a bit warmer.
"I'm pretty sure my name of KX-113 has got you interested in who I am, but only because you want a real reason. Am I correct, or am I just rambling drunk?"
He didn't mean to sound like he was preaching, and his tone of voice hopefulyl let Brad know it. Not a single word in his sentences gave force or volly that he was annoyed or upset, in fact it sounded more like he was questioning himself.
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:25 pm
Brad opened and closed his mouth a few times. How did one reply to such things without sounding like a raving lunatic? "I find it...vaguely...yes, SciFi. Like an android. But I suppose that wouldn't make you stand out much if you were just a serial number, huh?" Ah, eloquent as ever. He waved his hand in a circle, as if that would help the words leave his mouth. "I'm more interested because you aren't a depressed drunk and you know how to treat a stranger. But, sure, the name doesn't hurt either."
A half-grin formed, hoping he wasn't being insulting. He'd already found out that he was quite good at being a b*****d without trying or meaning to. Brad definitely didn't want to make that a habit.
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Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:01 pm
"Thanks for that then. How I got my name comes from a lack of imagination and probably my line of work, so there's nothing really else to it I'm afraid."
KX smiled from behind his hand, as he had propped his elbow up against the bar and was resting his curled fingers against his lips as he held his cigarette.
"I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I was a depressed drunk, seeing as I've never gotten myself to that point when I drink. I wonder if it's my blood or the alcohol, though I'm surmising it's a bit of both."
He motioned for the bar keep to bring yet another beer to be placed in front of him, and the man obliged but not before he tapped the clock behind him. It was their sign of saying that KX could drink all he wanted, for certain, but had to be clear out before last call came rolling around.
"Another round for you, partner?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:36 am
The man shook his head in response. "I shouldn't, but I appreciate it all the same." To KX's previous comment, he rolled his broad shoulders and smiled a bit, "Most people don't know what to do with themselves when they're depressed drunks. I figure that's how they get that way, y'know?" Brad chuckled quietly, leaning on the bar to regard the other. He looked normal enough, save for the eyepatch, but everyone had their skeletons. The only thing that seperated each individual was just how many closets people owned to have to stuff said skeletons.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your line of work?" Really, what job would warrant such an annonymous and outlandish name? Brad really couldn't comment on the 'lack of imagination' part, as his job partially relied on his miniscule one with a great heaping dose of logic. While the man himself wasn't always terribly logical (as his sister could likely rave and rant about), he did like to find an order and sequence to things to make life just a little bit more understandable.
Of course, the man named KX was a wee bit out of those boundaries, and for better or worse, had Brad's full attention.
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:57 pm
"I build androids, as well as repair robots and cyborgs."
KX took a drag from his cigarette after he finished speaking, and he exhaled rather slowly and watched with a lazy eye the little ringlets of smoke that curled upwards in their usual fashion.
"That of course, is my side job. As for my real profession, I'll leave it up to your imagination."
He turned and looked at Brad as he spoke, as his eyes before had still been set upwards with the smoke, and a thin smile of 'you'll never guess, I'll never tell' seemed to cross his face as his ultimate expression.
It could and should be said that KX's eye was his most expressive feature of his face, showing all of his emotions in a far better range than his mouth or the color of his cheeks could tell. While he spoke and smiled at Brad with his mouth, it was with his eye that he really gave off his teasing expression.
"I've actually got a pot going on that one, and it's upwards of five hundred by now."
KX didn't bother to really ask Brad his profession or background, nothing of that sort just yet. He didn't feel it was time to try and get into this other man's head, and he wanted to wait until Brad himself brought something up...or admitted defeat towards guessing who and what he was.
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:11 pm
Dark brows cocked over curious eyes as KX continued to speak in riddles, earning a faint but genuine smile from Brad. Who needed booze with company like this? Turning on his stool a little to better face the man, Brad scratched his jaw thoughtfully, giving a curt shake of his head. "I couldn't rightly enter that pot until I knew a little more. I hardly think I'm in a position to judge you on anything. Besides," he shrugged, "giving in now ruins the intrigue. I'll let the mystery build for a little bit longer.
Do you work for a company on your 'side job' or is that freelance?" An innocent and earnest enough question, watching the man named KX with both curiosity and a slight sense of apprehension. Brad had to be a little weary with such vague answers and lilting questions; it was as though KX was speaking in game-terms, and the indigo-eyed man found himself a player, willing or not.
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Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:10 pm
"Heh, I think I rather like you. You sure you don't want another round?"
KX was amused, greatly, by Brad's response to not join in that pot right away. Usually people jumped in as soon as they could, seeing as the money was pretty decent, and here was someone who actually was willing to let it go...for now, perhaps.
"As for how I work, it's all freelance. I mostly do work for undergrounds and other places I can't really give out by name, but recently this little shop nearby has been hiring me to create bodies for some kind of computer creatures. What where they called again...?"
He trailed off for a moment in thought as he reached for the beer that had just been placed in front of him, and as he downed it a look of remembrance came across his face and he nearly choked as his mouth tried to speak before he was done.
"Hackers! That's what they called those little things, Hackers. Ever heard of such a thing?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:25 pm
Brad tipped an imaginary hat at KX in appreciation before giving a slight shake of his head. "Not yet. The longer I hold off, the better the odds I leave here on my own two feet." He smiled a little, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he watched the pseudo-man. He wasn't even entirely sure that KX was a man, but he certainly wouldn't hold it against him either.
A dark brow lofted at the mention of creating bodies. That was bizarre enough, but for...?
The man nearly kicked his own stool out from underneath him as he jerked visibly. A twitch above his left eye and a pursing of his lips was KX's first reply. "I have," he intoned grimly, his former good humor a mere shadow. He wouldn't be so grumpy about it after mostly making peace with Nigh, but now that there was a second one...no matter how sweet she was, she was still a Hacker.
Of course, Brad blamed Nigh for it.
"They're having you build bodies for the thi--" The words seemed to lodge in his throat. He blinked, asking in mingled awe and horror, "You're building physical bodies for them?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:30 pm
"Not exactly the reaction I expected, but I'm amused none the less."
KX raised his eyebrow, not actually in amusement but more out of curiosity now, as Brad's reaction at the word 'Hacker' had managed to grab hold of his interest and shake it pretty hard. Someone who got so ripped up over computer creatures didn't come along every day like this, and KX wondered if meeting Brad was a stroke of good luck or perhaps some sort of odd accident.
"So by that reaction I take it you've not only heard of them but have probably encountered one or two. I'd wager that on how your face looks more than your body language."
He put the stub of his cigarette out in the ashtray that had been placed in front and to the slight left of him when he first entered the bar, and not soon after he found his hand reaching for his pocket to pull out another stick from the carton. Smoking beat drinking at the moment, because he couldn't rightly do both without getting hurt somehow.
"But yes, I am. The money's pretty damn good and I've actually only built three of them so far. Wasn't planning on doing any more for the time being as I sort of ran into a snag with my supplier getting caught."
If he meant the supplier line as a joke, it wasn't funny, and as he lit up his second cigarette of the night...he wasn't laughing either.
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