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 Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 5:54 pm
He stood just outside the dormitory building, leaning back against the wall. Dressed in a pair of artfully torn jeans, a loose button up shirt over a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt that looped around his thumbs, and a pair of clean Converse All-Stars, Chance looked less like an actual hunter and more like a college student who just happened to be on an island full of miscellaneous people. A styrofoam cup of coffee was held in one hand, and the other was in his pocket, one foot raised behind him to brace himself against the side of the building.
Chance wasn't really certain how he'd managed to get roped into something so soon after waking up; but when he'd gotten the note slipped under his door to meet at 9:30am on Thursday from an anonymous someone, he had decided that what the hell. If anything, he'd get to meet someone else on the island, expand his knowledge of who was around.
So he stood waiting, wondering vaguely if it was some sort of prank and if he should have been feeling stupid by now, but instead he was contemplating how long it would take him to adjust to using a bow and arrow in a place where most people seemed to use close combat weapons.medigel this is a terrible start I am sorry
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 8:36 pm
Jack didn't even bother putting up a fight this time. He knew it was Ian's handwriting on the note slipped under his door that morning; he had to after all those damn dates. And no amount of I have a girlfriend already you twit seemed to phase him, as apparently "socializing" was just as good an excuse for these excursions as actually trying to get him laid. So he got himself dressed, drank a fresh cup of coffee from the coffee maker Chel had given him (ever grateful in this instance that he didn't have to call on anyone to give him anything before these stupid things), and gave himself a pep talk.
Once they see how pointless it is, they'll give up on you.
He showed up with his hood already up, the usual brooding look already at full power despite how early it was. At least he'd managed to shave the stupid fuzz on his face before it grew into something nasty.
In his pessimistic mindset post-drunken bad life decisions, Jack figured he was yet again going to get set up with a guy. He was unhappily correct. But it wasn't until he was mere feet away that he bothered to actually look at his apparent date.
"Bones," Jack greeted in a gravelly voice.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:03 pm
Somewhere in the distance a certain black haired hunter and a certain pink haired hunter were probably sitting together giggling like two little girls.
Chance, unfortunately, did not have the luxury of having his own coffee maker, and had had to settle for the only semi-but-not-really-decent coffee from the cafeteria, heavily doused in sugar and cream to try and overtake the stale sort of taste. Still, it was better than nothing, and he took another small sip, debating whether or not he would be standing there for much longer and if he would have time to pull out the book currently stashed in the bag slung across his shoulder.
But it seemed like he wouldn't have to. The sound of footsteps somewhere to his left made him look up, and Chance's eyes fell on the tall figure of Jack Hawthorn as he loped towards him, a hood draped over his head of blonde hair. He didn't look exactly pleased to see him, but he hadn't turned and immediately walked away, which Chance supposed was a good sign.
"Hey," he said, sliding his foot down from the wall and straightening, lifting his free hand to give a brief wave before sliding it back into his pocket. His eyebrows rose a little as Chance raised his coffee cup to his lips again (the taste still hadn't improved in the past thirty seconds).
"I'm guessing you're the person I'm supposed to meet?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:59 pm
"So it seems." He pocketed his hands and glanced around, wondering if he'd be lucky enough that Ian and/or Shiloh--because those two were hellbent on getting him someone and would no doubt conspire--were stupid enough to be visible from the meeting place. "Were you given instructions on where we were going or what we were scheduled to do?" Jack asked.
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:20 pm
Chance was as unfazed by things as ever, or maybe just apathetic in general, and he gave a small nod, tapping a finger against the side of his coffee cup. "There wasn't much on the note," he replied, a low, thoughtful hum escaping his throat. "I don't even know who sent it, but I thought I'd give it a chance anyway."
He gave Jack a mild smile, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the piece of paper, scanning it briefly. "There's a day pass here for the portal use; and a note that says to go to the Gaslamp District in San Diego and walk around..." Chance squinted a little to read the messy handwriting. "...and also that apparently the Searsucker restaurant has the best coffee."
He glanced back over at Jack, giving a small shrug. "I know it's probably strange, but I'm game if you're game."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:51 pm
Jack groaned and let his head loll back like a child for a moment. "You can't bribe me with coffee all the time!" he said loudly, hoping they heard. This was not a running trend he wanted established, regardless of his addiction to the stuff. Then he straightened and fixed his hood back up.
"I know them, unfortunately. Let's just go."
The bright sky in San Diego made him squint harshly and curse. Thankfully he kept Chel's sunglasses in his pockets when on the go and quickly stuck them on. A large sign before him welcomed him to the Gaslamp District, which for now was a long street full of cars, streetlamps, and people.
Jack squinted hard and judged harder. "Goddamn, it's humid..."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:03 pm
Chance tilted his head to the side, giving Jack a look that was half curious and partially bemused, though he wasn't about to ask. He tossed his half empty cup of coffee into the trashcan outside of the dormitory building and slid his hands into his pockets as he followed along amiably beside the other.
San Diego was indeed hot, and definitely humid, though not quite as Detroit and most of the east coast of the United States had been when Chance had bounced between houses. He eyed Jack's sunglasses, slightly regretful about not having brought a pair of his own, but offered the other man a faint smile.
"Food, then?" Chance asked, nodding in what he thought might be the right direction to go. He started walking, his dark eyes moving from building to building.
"So, what's the deal with this whole...meeting thing anyway?" He glanced sideways at Jack. "Your friends trying to set you up or something?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:29 pm
"I don't even know at this point," Jack grumbled as he walked alongside, hands in his pockets. "When they mentioned doing these, I thought they were joking. You must be, what..." He did the mental math and laughed humorlessly. "The fifth one. Christ." Was he getting towards the end of their list or not?
(( Sixth, )) Owain corrected gently. (( Chelsea was by and large the fifth. ))
He was ignored. "I will put up the disclaimer now that I am not pursuing anyone else romantically," he told Chance. "I already have a girlfriend, but these idiots insist I socialize."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:43 pm
It was probably fortunate for Chance that he was as tall as he was; but even being six foot, Jack still towered over him by a good several inches (just what did this man even eat, anyway?). He ambled along beside Jack with a mild expression on his face.
"That's a lot of meetings. Dates. Whatever they are," Chance said, with a small laugh. "Sounds complicated."
He shook his head a little, the faint smile still tugging at the corners of his lips, though it had grown somewhat, an amused expression passing across his face. "Good to know," Chance said lightly, "Though to be fair, I'm not pursuing anyone romantically either, seeing as how I've only been on the island for about a week and I'd rather spend my time doing more worthwhile things."
A slight pause and a shrug, and then, "Still, it's not too bad having someone to hang out with, I suppose, even if I am a useless lout. At least we get food out of it, don't we?" he added, flashing a grin in Jack's direction. "You can give your friends the bill."
He walked on in silence for another minute or so, and then said, "Did you finish the book you were reading?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:59 pm
Complicated. He almost could have laughed.
"Work ethic is a good thing to have here," Jack said approvingly. "Makes you less of a useless lout. But if they don't pay the bill, I'll have them knocked out and used for some upcoming Life projects," he said a little louder, not caring that they were in public for just a moment. Just two tall Asians out for a walk.
The silence was welcomed. Jack breathed and relaxed a little more as they walked, slowly accepting his fate. He stubbornly kept some of his surly attitude up just for appearances. "No. Haven't really gone past that chapter since then. Never a dull day in the infirmary, and never a shortage of idiots either."
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:10 pm
An amused look flickered across Chance's face. "I'm going to assume that whatever those Life experiments are, aren't pleasant," he said lightly. "Just means I'll have to get out of the lout phase so that I don't have to become one of those experiments."
The tenseness was still obvious in Jack's shoulders, but as they walked, Chance could see him relax, just a little more. He glanced sideways at the blonde haired man, Chance ever scrutinizing everyone else with a vaguely curious expression, that may or may not have indicated interest.
"Isn't that how life always is?" he asked with a small laugh, as he slowed his steps, a crosswalk in front of them. "That was sort of like the home I was in before I got my own place. A bunch of teenage boys who didn't know jack s**t about anything except getting laid or dealing on the streets, most of the time not even smart enough for that."
Chance shook his head, still smiling. "No matter where you go, there always seem to be people who ******** things up for you."
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:05 pm
"One of the first things you will ever learn about Deus, Bones, is that you do not accept what a Lifer has made without bracing yourself for unexpected side-effects. Sometimes you might not even get a chance to say no"
Like the cat incident. Or the revenge incident. Ech.
Ahead he saw a pale building with large windows and what looked like a large open space filled with couches and chairs within. New Age-ish, was that the term? The sign said Searsucker at any rate.
"You mentioned some of that last time," Jack noted as he turned them towards their destination and crossed the street. "Orphanage?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:37 pm
A quick smile was flashed in Jack's direction, sharp and angular on Chance's face. "Good to know," he said, his dark eyes glinting with faint amusement. "Since I can't afford a taste tester, I'll just have to accept anything given to me with a grain of salt."
The Searsucker, barring it's weird name, looked open and pleasant enough, and Chance gave it a look of vague interest as the two of them drew nearer, his feet thumping on the pavement, making his way alongside Jack over the white stripes of a crosswalk. He lifted a hand and absently brushed aside a few stray curls so that they weren't falling into his eyes anymore.
"Sort of," Chance answered mildly. "More like a homeless shelter. Sadly, my mother was still alive when I left, at least I think she was. I got out of there as soon as I could, got emancipated, and was promptly stuck in a shelter until I could make my own way."
His eyes flickered sideways at his companion and Chance smiled. "Not really a pity, my mother wasn't exactly the best company, even when she was sober."
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:43 pm
Good luck with that, he thought. Not every circumstance was choice-based.
"Deus really likes the strays," Jack commented with a wry smile, his gaze fixed forward. "Guess they didn't mind taking the chance on you that your parents didn't."
He neither invited nor rebuffed the option for the new guy to continue, so it was up to him. Bad jokes were just Jack's way of really breaking the ice.
When they reached the front of the store, he made a vague gesture for Chance to move in. "Ladies first."
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Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:40 pm
He smiled, and it was strangely sharp at the edges, Chance's expression vaguely calculating as he cast a glance in Jack's direction. He certainly was a strange man to figure out - or not figure out, as the case may be.
"I suppose you're right," Chance said lightly. "Maybe Deus will give me the chance to be more than a stray - and more than a useless lout, though from what I've seen on Twitter, there are plenty of those going around already."
The smile remained on his face as he stepped forward past Jack, seemingly unconcerned about the ladies comment and held the door out for him.
"You always this charming?"
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