|
Guy
Guy makes his way into Maddy’s, scoping it out before making his way to a table and taking a seat. He orders a coffee and smells it, before sitting back in his chair to wait for someone.
Jack
Jack's late. By a good 15 minutes, though he does text to let Guy know, at least.
He shows up freshly showered, in tight black shorts and a tight black-on-gray floral tee. His Mantle drifts through the air ahead of him, mixing blood and the promise of a spring rainstorm, and he offers Guy an apologetic smile as he approaches.
"You really didn't want me to show up straight from work, I promise," he says as he slides into the seat across from Guy. "How're things?"
Guy
Guy looks up when Jack enters, nodding to him, and shrugs at the Changeling’s explanation. “I don’t think I would have minded either way, but whatever’s more comfortable for you. I’m doing well, thanks. How about yourself?” He stretches his shoulders, letting out a few pops that sound like gravel crunching.
Jack
"You've got heightened senses, right? Like smell? Yeah," Jack continues with a laugh, "you really didn't wanna deal with that. But good, yeah, I'm alright. Getting...a little less paranoid, since it's been so quiet. But I haven't been spending a lotta time alone, so maybe it's just that. Waiting on anything y'all or the Mages dig up, gearing up for a busy summer..." He shrugs, and flags the server down for a cup of coffee.
Guy
“Bah. People smell, you have to get used to it. I clean the apartment, since I’m more particular about it than Petra, but out and about I just ignore all the...signs of human inhabitance.” He shrugs again. “But yeah, things being quiet has been good, and frustrating. Looking around for places can lay low if need be. Training.”
Jack
"Training?" Jack raises an eyebrow. "What sort? I know Rena said you're part of some..motorcycle club-type thing...?"
Guy
He picks up his cup of coffee to take a deep whiff. “Ah...it’s...” He blinks and sets down his cup, frowning a moment. “It’s more like...anime? Getting supernaturally stronger, kind of thing. Researching how to evolve my state of being.”
Jack
"...huh. That...you know that's not a comparison I'd have expected you to make." Jack takes a sip of coffee, his eyes glittering with amusement. "I guess we've got some of that too, but I'm definitely more on the mundane side of things, overall."
Guy
“I watched Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust last weekend. Pretty good,” he says by way of explanation, apparently. “I mean, being in touch with mundane stuff is important, I’m just...focused on other threats, yah know?” He smiles slightly. “The good folks should have someone big and bad on their team too.”
Jack
"You know I'm not that big into anime," Jack admits with a small smile. "And yeah, I know you and all the other folks who do that shit have my back, and I can get you through diplomatic nightmares and make sure we have a foothold in the real world. It only works if we've all got both, you know? Balance is important."
Guy
He bobs his head in agreement. “Yeah. Exactly. I’m not the diplomatic type, beyond being polite. But if you and Petra need me to lean on someone, I’m there,” he says with a little grin. “She helps keep me grounded, remember the important things.”
Jack
"Seems like she's good for that - she doesn't do bullshit," Jack says with a grin and a nod. "That's what being in my union does for me. Keeps reality steadier, for the most part. Not that mundane life doesn't have it's own issues..."
Guy
“Yeah. I don’t...really have the choice to stay close to it, not the way you do. But I can only imagine how difficult it is, even then. What kind of issues are you having? If you want to talk about them.”
Jack
Jack grimaces. "Rena and I met at a support group meeting." As if he's hoping that answers most of the question.
"It gets harder, the more I'm stressed. Just...something I gotta deal with."
Guy
“Ah, yeah. That’s...a tough thing to deal with. Especially when you’re doing better, and you feel when it starts getting worse. Makes you feel like it’ll all come crashing down on you.”
Jack
"Yep." The Changeling pops the 'p' and takes a sip of coffee.
"Easier to deal with other people's problems, honestly."
Guy
“I guess that’s what makes you the diplomatic type. My problems are familiar, cozy. Other people’s are tough.”
Jack
Jack chuckles quietly. "Something like that. Some folks'd just call me nosy, though, or a busybody. But I try not to be like that. I don't...or I try not to try to solve other people's problems unless they ask me to. Try being the key word, sometimes it makes for a really good distraction..."
Guy
He snorts softly. “I suppose if it’s easier for you than your own, that makes sense. And some people have difficulty facing their own.”
Jack
"That they do. Gotta be really hit in the face with 'em, or have it royally fuck up their life in a irreversible way, sometimes." Maybe Jack's talking about himself, maybe not.
"But it's nice to be able to help before that kinda stuff happens, you know?"
Guy
“Some of us get lucky and just get lost to time for a while, come back with a second chance to be a better person,” he says with a little grin. Maybe he’s talking about himself.
“Yeah, I get that. Being able to be there for someone is...it feels good. It can help when you’re wrestling with your own demons, too, being there for someone you care about.”
Jack
"I had six whole weeks of getting lost in time," Jack says with a grimace. "Don't recommend the way I did it. But yeah, exactly. It's maybe a little selfish, but...I dunno, in the end the person was helped, I'm not gonna look to hard into the reasoning behind the helper. Whether it's me or not."
Guy
“I don’t really recommend my either, I lost a hundred and fifty years. But it was different, obviously,” he says with a little gesture of concession. “Sometimes it’s enough to keep someone from getting hurt, no matter what else, it’s true.” He pauses, looking down at the table. “There was...something else I wanted to talk to you about. About Petra. It’s not bad, just...I don’t want to overstep, you know? So don’t feel bad if you can’t answer, or can’t answer in full.”
Jack
Jack winces in sympathy at Guy's time loss, and sits back as the Kindred continues, before gesturing. "Yeah, totally. I'll say what I can - there a reason you can't ask her about it, or is that part of what you're trying to figure out...?"
Guy
He pauses a moment. “I’ve tried subtly asking, but I’m not good at that, and...I don’t want to upset her, because of what it is...so...she’s a bird person, in her...true form if you will, I know that. Is it normal for someone like her to become...obsessed with eggs?”
Jack
"...Ah. Hm. Obsessed...how?" Jack raises his eyebrows slightly, looking thoughtful.
Guy
“Well. Buy them, steal them, collect them. Real ones, but fake ones too. She’ll go to a grocery store and want to buy or smuggle all of them out, if she can.”
Jack
"Every one she sees Or just...sometimes? And...mm. How much do you know about...well I guess - how many of the stories about the things that vampires can and can't do are true? I promise it's a relevant question, and I guess another one is, how well do you know about like...myths and stories and histories about fairies and other sorts of magical creatures...?" Because of course Jack doesn't just answer the question.
Guy
“She doesn’t...covet them unless she can see them...no, more that there’s no compulsion unless eggs are actually in front of her. Vampires stories...hmm. Half and half, maybe. Wait, is it like the ‘vampires have to count small objects kind of thing?’”
Jack
"It's kinda like that, yeah. But it's...much more personal. There may be someone else who's got that particular compulsion about eggs, but it's definitely an individual sort of thing. There's ways to make it...less of a need, but it takes a lotta energy, and it only lasts for so long. But yeah, especially the bigger ones can be disruptive, though I know that there are people who've found ways around them. That one...mm. Sounds rough for everyone involved."
Guy
He nods at the explanation, apparently that’s enough to sooth his worry a bit. “It’s not too bad. She ends up having to eat a lot of eggs. I pick up groceries more often so she doesn’t have to...deal with it. I’ve had to buy someone here eggs before, because to took theirs.” He sighs softly. “It’s kind of adorable, in a way. But if it’s not...a bigger problem, I’m glad. I can handle it just being something she has to deal with.”
Jack
"It means she's getting more in touch with her Changeling side, probably, if it's something that happened recently, but not necessarily in a dangerous way. The same way you train to get more vampire-y, we can do that, too. It just...has some drawbacks, sometimes. The same way I assume y'all have, too."
Guy
“Ah, yes, she had mentioned that she’d been doing that. Our drawbacks are...more specific. I’m cheating, through...well, the group I’m apart of, it’s what we do. Cheat at being vampires.”
Jack
"Oh yeah?" Jack chuckles and takes a drink of coffee. "Cheat how? I know there's ways for you to not be hurt by the sun, is that part of it for you too?"
Guy
“I’m not following that path, but yeah. We’re pretty secretive about how it works, but the layman’s version is we change how we “work”, so we can break the rules. Become something slightly different.”
|