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 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 3:04 pm
It had been a long time since he hanged with Rep, and he had to wonder if now was the best time. He wasn't feeling in the best of moods, or any solid mood to be more precise. He wavered too much, found himself easy moved by the smallest things, and was often too lost in thought that he sometimes found himself walking into other techs and just generally getting underfoot of people who actually knew what they were doing with themselves.
In the end, he liked the isolation of just going out to the ocean to collect stones or staying in Rin's greenhouse. It was quiet there, and the world didn't demand anything of him while out there. He could feel separated.
Getting off the island was a tempting idea. He wanted to get some more whiskey as he already went through his small stash. He hadn't really expected himself to drink any time in the future that wasn't casual or planned ahead, and he knew he'd need for when he started packing away Rin's things, along with buying the storage items he needed to start that.
When Rep asked if he wanted to go off island with him, he guessed it was a good excuse. He was here to help a friend, and really, Melvin didn’t think he could be around many other people who weren't friends with Rin. If he hung around a stranger, they would ask why he was the way he was, and he didn't feel he could take on the challenge of explaining that he had to watch as the bodybag that held Rin's body get rolled to be cremated just a few days ago.
The errands were simple. Once out of the island, Melvin got the storage items he needed, buying out the store of vacuum sealing bags along with many other items, and then dropped them off at a cheap hotel that had decent locks just so he didn't have to go straight back to the island and not cart it all around hell's creation. He'd by liquor later.
Rep did have one stop to go, and Melvin had mixed feelings on it. He wasn't sure why Rep even wanted to have him come along, but he remained quiet, as he had been for most of the trip, and went with Rep to the store he had picked out.
The elegant script said what all jewelry stores said – expensive. He already felt a bit queasy. He glanced at the red-head beside him, feeling a twisting in his stomach, but walked in.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:55 am
Rep knew Melvin would be having a hard time of things, the man was still clinging to the loss of his family long after joining Deus so it only made sense that losing Rin would affect him just as deeply. All the redhead could think of was to shake him out of it, even for a little while by taking him away from the island and getting him back out into the world again. He had an ulterior motive of course, when didn't he? But this time said motive was merely checking something off his mental list while he was allowed off of the island. He couldn't go anywhere off island alone, and he couldn't take Harrison, for obvious reasons so he had requested a mysterious chunk of money from the other hunter and told him he'd be back soon.
The problem of rings had become immediately obvious to Rep as soon as Jordan left, the rings they'd given one another had been symbolic of the three of them, not the present number remaining, and though he fully intended to keep the ring he'd been given - and put it in a display case no less - he did not feel right using it to symbolize anything but the friendship it had originally detailed. So he'd decided that the only thing to do was to get his own set of rings with a completely other meaning and use them instead.
The shop itself had been researched extensively by Rep, in a small rather hipster quarter of London. It did not look like a typical place to find a jewelry shop by any means, far from the main shopping districts and their lanes of fancy and incredibly priced boutiques but everything inside the shop, hung with crystals, dream-catchers and other hippie paraphernalia looked expensive and custom made.
Rep always felt hugely out of place off island these days, his build got more than a few passing glances and his scars even more besides. But when he spoke to the old woman behind the counter it was as politely as he could manage, he explained he was looking for the set of eclipse rings she had for sale, she nodded and went to fetch them. Rep didn't much want to hang around when he was aware how uncomfortable the trip was likely to be for Melvin, so he was glad for the woman's haste. He paid with the same curt politeness and ushered the other man out, pocketing his prize.
"Right. That's done. Anywhere you fancy going goldilocks?" he said, determined to push onwards and make the day about making Melvin feel better. "Or just any old pub any old place?" he grinned toothily.
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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:30 am
The place was eccentric to say the least, and when ring shopping was mentioned, he expected polished display counters and employees with suits and stretched smiles. He guessed it suited Rep, who wasn't one for the traditional and had his own brand of smarts when it came with money (as was evident with his hoarding). It certainly left plenty for Melvin to be distracted with, and while he stayed close enough to the red-head to hear what he was after, Melvin was still a few feet away inspecting the rather intricate dream catchers hanging on the wall. It was a rather cute idea, a dream catcher, and with as little sleep he was getting, he wondered if they really did help with nightmares. It was a novel idea to maybe purchase one, but he let that idea drop along with his curiosity (which had been small and lifeless since the Horsemen mission).
Once done and Rep looking pleased with his purchase, Melvin glanced around him and looked down the street in the direction of the Roof Gardens. It was just last Valentines that he had brought Rin here for dinner and where they had snuck into that public pool. Just a short time ago that he took her on a more official date, to feel normal, and enjoy each other. She still admitted to having done so little in life and wanting to do much more, and they had made plans for the future. He made plans for future dates – and now he was back in London alone.
When Rep asked where he wanted to go, he was sorely tempted to say back to his hotel, but he felt a bar was the perfect place for his mood. "Any old place. Not fancy." He just wanted a good drink in low lighting. He looked to Rep who seemed rather familiar with London too. "If you know a place."
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 7:16 am
"Okie dokie." Rep said cheerfully. And it didn't matter what bar they went to he figured, no one was going to try and mug them, not when he looked as dangerous as he did, and even Melvin didn't look like someone to be messed with despite his more nerdy features. They were free to get completely smashed if they so desired.
"As long as we don't get arrested this time." he said. "I can't afford the bail money." He looked down the street. "I think we are near to a few places, but they might no even be open anymore. There was a place me and the mates went one time when we were down here going to the clubs and s**t. Fox and Anchor."
He made his way along the road to an old style bar which fortunately was very much still open, not only did it have a quiet bar this time of day but there were small snugs at the back where they could get some privacy to chat if they wanted to.
Rep sat down briefly at the bar and immediately ordered a few shots of various whiskies. "This place is nice." he said. "And no too fancy either." But certainly fancy enough.
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 9:14 am
He couldn't stir up a cheerful demeanor even for Rep, and he felt bad that the Sun was even dragging him around on his day off when he couldn’t so much as offer a small smile. Then again, he wasn't even sure how Rep could smile right now, but he guessed buying rings for people who were still around tended to lift the spirits. That point only twisted like a dull knife in Melvin's chest, and he found that, despite himself, he was bitter and jealous that Rep still had warm bodies in his bed at night.
Following along, he watched the few people moving down the streets, looking at stores, checking their phones, and getting into cars to head to work. He wondered if he could just keep walking and not go back to any portal – but then that would be abandoning Rin altogether. He had too many responsibilities and promises to keep for her back at the island.
Sighing, he nearly walked into Rep when he stopped, not even registering they were here, and looked up at an old sign that depicted a happy fox on an anchor holding a mug of beer and a fork. "It seems okay." He said, not knowing what else to say other than he hoped they served whiskey. Upon entering inside and seeing the décor, he was certain they did. He followed Rep to the counter and watched him order some various whiskies.
Easing slowly onto a stool, he looked around. The place was quiet, rather empty aside from a few people at the bar further down and several people eating small meals in various booths. It had just enough people to not be eerie when Rep and Melvin talked, but not too much that they would have to shout over each other just to have a conversation – not that he was succeeding much in holding one.
Inspecting the counter to see it well washed and polished, he looked over at Rep. "So…more rings? I guess you really are going to get married soon." He looked back down at the counter, not even able to look at Rep at the moment as he felt a wavering pool of emotions, a usually docile lake that had been tossing and turning in a storm of unprediciability that he couldn't control. Right now, even the idea of marriage was painful, and he wished everyone else could hold off and preserve their current state of relationships just to fancy his own desires to not be reminded about how his was stalled altogether. It was selfish, he knew, to keep anyone from happiness, but he didn't want anyone to smile so much around him when he himself couldn't.
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