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 Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:24 pm
Despite the start of spring, the afternoons still insisted to be chilly, the violinist starting to walk home after his lunch-time show and a few hours of playing on the streets. This wasn't really his usual territory to play in and change made him feel anxious -- which was the situation just then. He shook his head, trying to soothe but at the same time scolding himself for feeling this way, I mean, it was just a couple of blocks away from where he usually played.
He sighed, walking towards an alleyway, hands fumbling in his jacket pocket to search for his pack of cigarettes. He leaned against the brick wall, brushing his wavy bangs out of his face before he placed his violin case on the ground and lit his cigarette.
"Ahh.." Two-toned eyes fluttering to a close as he took in the smoke and breathed it out, head against the structure in a moment of fleeting calmness. One cigarette, just one, and he'd head back again.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:30 pm
A heavy door near by opened, the force behind it not yet visible. Loud sounds of machinery and buzzing poured from the open frame, and above it, a voice carried out. "Hey, come help me first!"
Louder - from the holder of the door - a response came. "To hell with that, I got better things to do than to make sure you don't lose a hand." The voice was low, gruff, and rolled with gravel from breathing in whatever the sounds inside were for so long, along with a smoking habit.
Some laughter chased his words from the people inside. "Like smoke?" came a different voice.
"That's right. Your fingers are not as important as my cigarette break." Uproarious laughter followed and was soon rendered inaudible as the door closed, leaving the gruff-speaker alone out in the factory area of the city, not even glancing to the small alley to his left where his unknown company was. Grey was far too tired and in need of a smoke to concern himself with anything else; his dark skin had a light sheen of sweat, his coveralls peeled off his upper body and tied around his waist, wearing only a dirty white tank top beneath, as was his standard attire. His nearly-white hair was tucked up in half ponytail behind his head, the rest of it trickling over his shoulders as he felt around the tied coveralls with large hands. Finding what he was looking for, he produced a crinkled, dirty box of red and white, retrieving a yet pristine cigarette from its contents and tucking it between his lips. Procuring a match from the back of the box, he struck it against the coarse black beard of his cheek, setting it aflame, and lit his poison of choice.
Taking a deep drag, he tilted his head back slowly and looked up at the sky to gauge the time, exhaling the smoke through his nose. A second drag took the cigarette to almost half life, and it was then that he drew it from his lips, exhaling this time from pursed lips, tapping the ash with a work-worn thumb over the asphalt.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:48 pm
The brunette jumped when he heard a sudden loud noise -- followed by even more unintelligible walking, the violinist only hearing a deep rumble of words coming from someone despite the other noises. He had to quietly pick his violin up from the floor, still with his cigarette in hand that was half gone, he was a little concerned that he shouldn't even be there, he didn't even know what was in this building. Then his eyes went on this stranger, and how he looked was a direct opposite from the man. While the older man was gruff, dirty, very -- /masculine/ -- all in a good way! Dee had on his dark brown (rather worn) dress jacket, hair tied neatly into a bun aside from some stray curls that trespassed his face, and an uncertain -- but interested look on his face.
He took another long inhale of smoke and finally went into view, not wanting to startle the other man but wanting to let him know he was there. One brown and one green eye looked at him subtly to the side, this was okay right? Just ... taking a smoke break with a handsome guy he probably wont see ever again.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:57 pm
Grey lifted the cigarette back to his lips, and that was when he saw someone materialize from the high-cast shadows of the alley.
He would have jumped if he hadn't been living in a state of perpetual anxiety waiting for his dream catcher to bear fruit. As it were, he slowly turned his head, off-colored eyes a touch severe, expecting...something supernatural, something that would end his wait. Instead, he met the mismatched eyes of a handsome young man who was also smoking. Striking, yes, but not supernatural. The way the other was looking at him made him think he had something to say, but nothing was aired, and the silence stretched.
Glancing to the case in the man's hand - he had no idea what instrument it would be, that was not his realm of knowledge - he again looked back to the other's face, dark brows slightly furrowed. Something about him was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it over the mingled relief and disappointment that it wasn't his Oneiroi making himself known.
Realizing his ash was gathering, Grey sucked in another sharp drag and removed it again from his lips, exhaling in a dark stream of smoke. "You lost?" he finally asked, at a loss for words otherwise.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:05 pm
Like the other, Dee was also in a state of perpetual anxiety -- but that way long before he had the dreamcatcher in his presence. So after the stretch o time, stealing glances, he was yet again caught off guard with the sudden voice of the other -- deep and strangely soothing even with those mere two words, somehow it reminded him of the sound of a bass instrument.
"Not really," he said after a sudden nervous inhale of the smoke he was supposed to breathe out, the younger man coughing slightly. "Um, just a smoke break." he didn't look at the other till after he said that, which was a mistake, cause his eyes wandered down to that tank top and arms that looked like it could choke a bear while functioning as a bridge.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:07 pm
"Yeah, kinda figured that part out on my own," he motioned with his cigarette towards the other man. "You uh...just look a bit uptown for down here, if you know what I mean." Grey took another drag, brows furrowing a bit more to the point he almost looked annoyed. Why was this guy familiar to him--?
It wasn't until the man's eyes lowered in an appraising manner that he could place where he'd seen him, his dark brows shooting upwards with the brief memory. "Hey," he drawled, "you -- I saw you at Granny's, couple days ago." Some of the edge seemed to have left Grey's voice, his aloofness not quite as stark. If he could find an ally or someone to commiserate with, it would certainly be to their benefit to be a bit friendlier. Of course, he didn't want to assume the man was the owner of a dream catcher or that Granny only did select business, but...it couldn't hurt to hope.
Well, that was the first step to opening that door. Sniffing once and taking another quick drag of his cigarette, he finished it in due haste and dropped it to a pile of discarded butts near the door, stepping on it with his scuffed boot. "Heck of a place Granny is running." God, why was he so bad at this? Small talk. Blegh. Nonchalance was not his forte. Plucking another cigarette from his crumpled box, he pressed it between his lips and lit it the same way he had the first. "She able to help you?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:03 pm
When Grey caught his eyes he had to look away sharply, taking in another puff of smoke to try and calm himself down. Damnit he was working himself up too much.
"Uaah..?" He turned back to face the taller man. This guy knew granny? Then perhaps he also knew of this whole dreamcatcher business? Though it was a long shot of course, he was pretty sure if he started blurting it out he would look crazy. And crazy wasn't something he wanted this guy to think about him.
"...Yeah, was having a hard time sleeping," he tried to hint, curious eyes looking up. "She knows a lot about ...things." God, he wished he couldn't hear himself, well aware he wasn't exactly smooth in conversing with people. "You?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:12 pm
One brow lofted over his off-colored eyes, amusement briefly easing the lines of his face. Was the guy shy or something? Judging by how fast the cigarette was burning at his last drag, there was definitely something on the musician's mind.
Taking out a quarter of his own cigarette in one drag, he exhaled off to the side, watching him carefully. "Same here." Scratching his beard with his free hand, Grey appraised the situation and the man's skittish behavior, deciding that if anything was going to happen before the other bolted, he'd just have to be his normal charming self and do away with pretense. Thank goodness. "She gave me a dream catcher to help with my sleep. It worked...too well, really." He tucked the cigarette against his lips and reached behind himself, procuring the sage green, beige, white and pale gold dream catcher from the folds of his overalls. Yes, he was carrying the thing on his person, he was that paranoid about it springing to life.
"Looks like this, right?" He tapped the arrow head that was in the woven links of his own. "Special little doo-dad?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:21 pm
That was when Dee's cigarette burnt out, falling on the floor while he stared at the man with wide eyes as if he just saw a ghost. "So... you have one too ---" he dared to inch a little closer, seeing the earthy dreamcatcher in the man's hands.
Saying nothing he bent down to open his violin case, and tucked in one of the pockets was his own dreamcatcher. The colours were more delicate on his, Dee handling it as if it would break if he handled it too roughly. "Same... kind of," he exhaled, turning his eyes up. "...are you as troubled about this as me?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:35 pm
He would have laughed at the reaction were he not so grave about the topic, instead watching the other with mingled amusement and concern. Maybe the guy was unlucky enough to have caught a nightmare...?
But no, that wasn't the case; Grey could see the delicate, ethereal colors and was pretty sure no nightmare would bear such soothing hues. Closing the distance between them, he leaned down (realizing the other was a bit shorter than himself) and peered at the softer colored dream catcher, noting its special adornment as well. "'s that a promise ring?" he asked in a vaguely incredulous tone. He didn't mean to sound so surprised, but...god, he didn't even want to ask what the dream was about if it involved that. As far as he knew, those were given for vows of loyalty and...chastity. Not that he actually knew a damn thing about them in earnest, but...
Righting himself, he nodded his head, freeing one hand to move the cigarette again. "I'm ******** 'terrified," he admitted with a small, gruff sound, as though still trying to cover the fact. "But it is what it is. The choice was taken out of our hands when we needed the help." Grey looked over his own dream catcher for a while, one calloused finger tracing the leather binding along the edge for a moment. Terrified, yes. But he couldn't help but feel a touch eager as time marched on.
"Nice to know I'm not alone in this, at least." He carefully replaced the dream catcher, situating it back into the safety of his coveralls before he procured his cigarette box again. Pausing for a moment, he flipped open the top and gently knocked the bottom until one of the sticks poked out. Holding it in place with his thumb, he offered it to the man who had lost his cigarette in his surprise. "I work here, so...you know where to find me if things get crazy, huh?" Grey was pretty sure he probably should have smiled to take the dour suggestion out of the words, but he did no such thing, simply looking at the musician in his stern way.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:04 pm
The larger man leaned towards him and that made his heart hammer rather quickly, taking a subtle step back as he watched the man -- a little too intently from this nearer perspective. He rested his eyes on this strangers dreamcatcher to distract himself, squinting at the item that was woven into it, definitely not as delicate and soft as his was but looking at it was .. strangely soothing.
That the man said he was terrified made Dee much more comfortable, just that he wasn't alone and that he wasn't the only one who was thinking about the consequences of this .. gift. Even though he was secretly excited to see this spirit. But definitely more scared than excited.
"Yeah, nice to know that I'm not alone too." he managed a small smile at that, "---Ah?" He took the cigarette that was offered slowly, discoloured eyes looking questioningly at the other as if asking permission, finally taking the cigarette in his lips.
"...Darien. Uh, or Dee."
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:20 pm
Damn, but the guy was pretty skittish! Grey remained immobile with the cigarette extended, being careful to not move too fast, treating the musician like a deer that was on high alert. When the token of peace was accepted, he put the box away and then grabbed a lighter from his pocket, choosing that route rather than trying to hand the terrified man a burning match. Once the cigarette was lit, the clicked the lighter off and tucked it away again.
"You named it already?" he asked, wondering if he should be impressed or alarmed. It actually took a few seconds of him staring at the musician to realize he was introducing himself. "--right. That's your name." Raising his brows in a 'yeah I just did that' manner, he exhaled sharply through his teeth. "Darien, or Dee. I'm Greyson, or Grey."
He drew in a deep drag of his cig, turning it to ash within seconds and disposing of it next to the first. "Pleasure to meet you, I suppose. Given the circumstance and all." He glanced back towards the door he'd come out of, knowing he'd have to return soon. He was more than ready to stop focusing on catchers again and lose himself in work before the anxiety devoured him faster than he could smoke.
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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:53 pm
Dee inhaled the smoke greedily in his lungs and puffed it out, staring slightly agape at Grey the whole time, murmuring an unintelligible thank you at the cigarette and feeling oddly comforted by the offer despite himself.
"---Yeah. Name," he shook his head, even chuckling softly and waving a hand. "Sorry, meant my name, yeah. I bet you're wondering how the hell I am this smooth huh." The younger man mentally slapped himself but at least having a little pity laugh at himself at this mistake, in better spirits knowing that he wasn't alone in this.
"Hello Greyson or Grey, thanks for the cig." He started, nodding his head. "Right back at you, I'm glad I passed by here cause I met you." God that sounded much better in his head. And he took another long nervous puff of smoke to calm his nerves,
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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:26 pm
Grey turned back and arched a brow at Dee. "You've said like, three words. You're not giving yourself enough time to be smooth." Not that the welder had any idea why a random stranger would want to be 'smooth' around him, but hey. Whatever floats his boat.
"It's good to know we're not suffering alone." His agreement was brief and to the point, co-miserating on the fear of their due responsibility and not personal in the least. "And with that brief reprieve, I need to get back to work." Grey hooked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the large door he'd come out of. "If something goes weird, just go through the front door," again he pointed, back down the alleyway towards the street, "and ask for the Captain. They'll come get me."
He gave pause then, offering Dee a moment to say anything in return if he wanted to. The man really needed to get back to work, and more importantly, take his mind off the fresh wave of thought in regards to the dream catcher he possessed.
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Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:35 pm
"Oh, you're going---- ah, I should too." The younger man said a little disappointed, carrying his violin case again and quickly finishing his cigarette.
His eyes were slightly wide, but showing a hint of relief at the words. "The Captain? You're a captain there?" he said in a last effort to converse a little, aware that he wasn't really great at this whole.. talking thing. "Thank you .. Grey. I appreciate the offer."
The conversation at least relieved a little of his fear, and even the assurance another random stranger was a huge thing for him. "I'll see you, I, I guess." He nodded at the taller man, showing him a small polite smile -- ugh god, he really was such a striking man. "Take care."
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