Logs:A Peaceful Snowday Aftermath

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Content Warning

talking about violence/murder, smoking, exposure to elements/hypothermia

Cast

Calamity
Guy Dagenham

Setting

Hunting Park/ A diner - takes place immediately after A Peaceful Snowday

Log

Calamity
Is it minutes? Hours? Later when they fish their phone from their pocket with shaking hands. Another long few seconds as they fight with the thing, their fingers too cold to register on the screen - a couple more seconds and a bit of flame to their fingers fixes that problem.

And Guy's phone rings. Who knows what he's doing, at the moment. Has Calamity ever called him? Does he even have their number in his phone?

Guy
Guy answers on the second ring, voice quiet. “Calamity?” There’s a muffled sound in the background before silence. “I wasn’t expecting your call,” he says by way of understatement.

Calamity
"It's...I...there -" their teeth are clacking together. Cold? Shock? Impossible to tell. "Can you come to Hunting Park? Now - right now?" There's a distinct note of desperation in their voice.

Guy
“Certainly. Which entrance are you nearest? Hold on.” There’s a soft thud in the background. “Sorry. Now, which entrance?”

Calamity
The fact that Calamity doesn't even comment on the noises in the background might say something about their state of mind, right now. They tell him which entrance, and take a deep, shuddering breath.

"...Can you bring a pack'a cigarettes, too? I'm all out."

Guy
“Yeah, I’ll bring a little care package. See you in a few…sit tight.” And he hangs up.

It’s perhaps fifteen minutes before a crow drops out of the sky, Guy slamming into the ground in an Underworld-style powersquat landing that belies superhuman strength. He starts walking towards Calamity, wrinkling his nose. “That’s not your blood, is it?”

Calamity
Has Guy every seen anyone frozen to death? Calamity looks damn close - their lips are blue, the tip of their nose is turning white, and a pale layer of frost covers their eyelashes as well as the edges of their clothing. There doesn't seem to be any blood on them, at least for the most part, though it may be difficult to see considering they're shaking, their teeth clacking together as they had been on the phone. They're hunched against the park wall, and yelp in surprise when he suddenly appears.

"Fuckkk -" they hiss, "don't scare me like that..." they struggle to get the words out between their chattering teeth. "Not my blood, 'm just fuckin' frozen - he's - he's dead. I -" their voice falls to a whisper, and they shake a little more, a quiet clinkclink coming from their pocket as they flick their lighter open and closed.

Guy
Guy pauses, and then moves to kneel by Calamity, removing his jacket to pull it over their shoulders. He’s wearing a black tank top like it’s a summer evening. From the pockets of his jacket he produces cigarettes, rather nice ones actually, and handwarmers, which he activates. “Stick these in the armpits of your shirt; let me know if you need a hand. Where is that blood, if you aren’t bleeding or covered in it? You got a knife or something?”

Calamity
"Aren't you fucking cold - fuckin' hell - uh. Oh fuck. Yeah." They lift their hand, which does have a few speckles of blood on it, and the knife in it is covered. Not enough to drip into the snow and leave a trail at least, and they drop it with a shudder and a whine. Their fingers are white - frostbitten - and stiff, and they wince as they stick their hand back in their sweatshirt pocket.

"Dunno how much these'll help," they gesture to the handwarmers, but put them under their arms with a hiss. "Fuckin' psychic damage or some shit. Like I can do with fire, but...with cold."

Guy
“Can’t hurt…keep you from freezing the normal way, at least.” He takes some towelettes out of another pocket, and goes to clean their hand, pausing just a moment to let them acquiesce.

“I’m not…warmed up at the moment. Don’t feel the cold, don’t have body heat to loose. Not nearly cold enough to freeze me solid, so.”

Calamity
They do flinch away from him when he gets close, between his general Guy-ness and their extra twitchiness right now, but they do extend a cold, cold hand. Colder than his, even, they can barely move it.

"Rena does that doesn't she? I mean she always looks like shit but...she doesn't warm up either."

Guy
He cleans up their hands, tidily, and gives them another warmer. “I do when I’m in close proximity to regular people. Didn’t think you’d mind; you and Rena both aren’t the hugging type.”

He’s quiet a moment. “He’s dead, huh?” He says, glancing at the knife.

Calamity
Calamity nods, and takes another shuddering breath. "I - I didn't have to. He - he'd'a prob'ly - but I did. I don't - I don't kill people, Guy, not on purpose -" they break off with a choked sob and turn away.

They sure aren't the hugging type.

Guy
“Hey, hey,” he says softly, reaching to just touch Calamity’s arm before letting his hand fall away. “I’m probably not the…best person to talk to about this. But you’ll never get judgement from me. Is this the…first time, or the first time not in battle?” He says it so unironically, and for a moment they can hear the weight he puts in that word, battle, and a hint of the meaning it has for him.

Calamity
They shrug, curled into themself. "It...'ve lost control, before. When I get real tired, or...or use my fire too much, sometimes it happens. Never like this, I...I've hurt people real bad with fire before. An' - an' I mean that time he died, too. An' this guy would'a been the same, I think it was worse but - but I didn't just let him go, I..." they gesture to the knife with a gulp.

Guy
Guy nods slowly, then rolls to take a seat next to Calamity, though not too close. “I threw up the first time. Stupid fight in an alley, bravado and knives too close at hand…surprised myself and threw up the first time I did it on purpose, too, felt like I just…shook for three whole days.” He lets out a little sigh. “I think the worst part is that the fact you feel terrible means you’re not a bad person; it’s when it doesn’t bother you that you should worry. But that doesn’t make you feel any better…worse somehow, it feels like.”

Calamity
"I...didn't really know the first guy was dead 'til after, I passed out pretty quick, too. This..." They're still shaking, and they slide down the wall until they can sit in the snow, pulling their knees up to hug them. "This was different. I - I didn't - I don't -"

They don't seem to be able to say that they don't kill people, anymore.

Guy
“You can still don’t…you can choose not to. I…could say that this doesn’t change you, or that it does, but that’s up to you. It’s a lot to…process.” Guy seems to shrink a little, staring forward at the ground, and for a moment he’s not big, bad Guy, he’s just a man, tired behind his eyes. “It can eat you up inside.”

Calamity
"I said I wasn't gonna last time," Calamity mutters darkly, still shuddering despite the hand warmers. "An' here I am, doin' worse'n last time."

Their hands are shaking far too much for them to light a cigarette. They drop both the lighter and the cigarette itself while they try, and mutter curses between chattering teeth. "Th' only reason I was out tonight is 'cause I ran out."

Guy
Guy picks up the cigarette and lights it before handing it to them. “We can always do worse…I’ve done worse…far worse. But you can do better too. It took me a century and a half in the dirt to remember that. So I’ve been focusing on that…trying to not dread the day when I have to do terrible things again. Because I know I’ll do them, for the right reasons.”

Calamity
They give him an appreciative half-smile and carefully bring the thing to their lips. Even the familiar act of smoking seems to calm them a little, though they're chilled enough that they do cough out a few breaths of smoke.

"'S gettin' t'the point where I'm just gonna tell you t'go fuck 'em all up. But I don't...that still feels like too much, for me. Like I'd be responsible too, y'know? An' I don't wanna do that to you either. Even if 's something you're...better at, than me. Wish they'd just leave me the fuck alone." Their voice breaks on the last word, coming out more pathetic than intimidating. They do look slightly more intimidating than a kicked puppy, which is more than usual.

Guy
Guy starts to say something, then stops. And then his Guyness returns, that intangible quality of violence. “It’s getting to the point where I’m going to take care of them anyway,” he says softly. “Not because you can’t take care of yourself, but because this,” he says meaningfully, “isn’t something you should have to deal with. You should be left alone.”

Calamity
"Yeah well. Don't gotta do that for me, or anythin'. I'll...be fine. 'M not bleeding out from a bullet this time, y'know?" Their laugh is bitter and humorless, and they take a long drag on their cigarette. "'S good shit, gonna have t' make 'em last."

Guy
“I think I do, though,” he says softly. “It’d suck if you got killed. And don’t like the funny business going on with this other gang… and if I’m being honest, I want a fight, and one that means something.”

Calamity
"'S ways to come back from the dead," they mutter with a gesture toward Guy. "An' I've survived so far, yeah? This isn't even 's bad as I was last time. I do...at some point wanna be warm again, but...'s better'n bleedin' out. Everyone 'spects you to be cold in winter, anyway."

Guy
He shrugs. “Better me having to deal with putting an end to things than you,” he says softly. “I have plenty of blood on my hands, you should be worrying about…comic books and Rena’s birthday,” he says with a little huff. “Cool music, or whatever. Not getting shot and bleeding out.”

Calamity
"Aw fuck, did I forgot her birthday...?" They frown and carefully pull their phone out, grumbling when their fingers are still too cold to actually make the screen light up. "Fuck. She. Fuck. She....I dunno 'f I can tell her about this." Their voice is a whisper. "You...won't tell, will you?"

Guy
“It’s not my place to tell. But you should, eventually. I know it won’t be easy, Rena is…a good person. A really good one, you know. But she’ll still love you. She’s pretty cool like that.”

Calamity
"Yeah I know. That's...what I'm afraid of. You don't just...love people who do that shit. Or...I don't. Not like this." They slide sideways just a little, until they're just barely brushing their very chilly shoulder against his. Not dead cold, but pretty close.

Guy
“The good people in our lives, who love us, remind us of what’s important, what to hold onto when we aren’t sure of ourselves. I shouldn’t expect Rena would like it if this became who you are, which is something I think won’t leave your mind for a while.”

He pauses a moment. “Damn, Calamity, you’re freezing.” He shudders, and suddenly he has body heat. “Eugh. Now it’s cold.” He says without a shiver.

Calamity
"She'd hate it," they say quietly. "Pretty sure she'd be pretty happy the guy's dead, though. I...I know there's a few of us in town, didn't think...one'a them'd have powers, though. An' yeah I'm..." they pause with a frown. "Barely even feel cold now, honestly..." Their shivering is making it hard for them to speak - and their heart rate has slowed a little, too.

Guy
Guy frowns. “You’re fucking hypothermic, Lam. Come on, we’re taking you somewhere warm. I don’t think…no, not there, I think that’d be some weird…” He shakes his head. “We’ll hit up a diner.” He picks up the knife, and before Calamity can say anything, licks it clean and spits the half-dried clot of blood on the ground before offering it to them. “Alternative is Petra and I’s place, and I’ll probably have to hug ya so you can get into a cab. And Petra will fuss on you. So. Diner, get you warmed up.”

Calamity
The sight of Guy licking the blood off their knife makes them turn and gag, and they motion for him to keep it for now, thanks, their face even paler than before, somehow. "'M not hungry," they mutter around their cigarette. "'Specially after that. Fuckin' - warn a guy, Guy." It's barely intelligible around their chattering teeth. "Petra'd be...mm. No thanks, yeah."

Guy
He pockets the knife with a nod, and stands. “Don’t have to eat, though a little something would be good for you. Bowl of soup or toast or something when you think you can stomach it.” He offers his hand. “Up, now, no freezing to death on me, gotta be the most boring way to get turned, leave me thinking if I should…it’d be a mess. So let’s avoid it.”

Calamity
They grumble, and stumble to their feet, gripping his hand in their ice cold one. "'M not gonna die on you, don' worry. I'd just go back an' find a fire t'curl up in. Keep me..." they trail off with a shuddery breath. "D'....d'you know shit about...visions?"

Guy
“Visions? Not…really. Why, something getting into your head?”

He walks with them, close without like, hovering over them, letting them keep wearing his jacket for now.

Calamity
"Just...just once, just now. Before I called you." They look very small, huddled into his jacket, and they stick close to him, leeching his body heat. "An' it...wasn't a vision, I guess, I couldn't see anything, but it...somethin', I dunno what, said I was gonna die. An' that it was gonna be fire that did it. I felt it, I've never - fire's never -" they break off, shaking their head.

Guy
“Hmm…sounds dire, yeah…you hear this thing before? Like, you recognize the voice from anywhere?”

The streets aren’t exactly busy, but as they draw closer to an area with an open diner/cafe there are some people about, and when they see Calamity and their escort they avoid the pair like Guy has devil horns or something.

Calamity
"Don' think so." Calamity shakes their head. "But I...don' fuckin' know, it was fast, and I was screaming, an' then it was over." They keep their head down as they approach people, and even lean into Guy's side. Making it clear that they're with him, and they want to be with him. Even if he's scary as fuck.

Guy
Guy lets his arm sort of float behind their back, not quite touching them but completing the illusion of togetherness, and hoped offering Calamity a little comfort.

“Well. Let me know if…you need me to watch your back or something. Just saying.”

When they get to the diner Guy gets the door, and gives them a moment to adjust before he looks for a table.

Calamity
Calamity blinks blearily in the buzzing fluorescent light of the diner, hugging themself tightly as they shudder where they stand. Their lips are still blue, but their heartbeat isn't quite so slow anymore, and they stalk toward a booth within clear view of the door. Easy to get to, should either of them need it.

"...Maybe I'll have some toast, 'r somethin'," they grumble after a few moments, like someone has forced them to.

Guy
Guy takes a seat, nodding. When the waitress comes by he orders. “Pot of coffee, flight of toast, and anything else they want to drink,” he says with a nod to Calamity.

Calamity
"Coffee's fine," they mutter to the table, trying and failing to keep their teeth from chattering. "You payin'?" They ask the Kindred across from them once the waitress has left.

Guy
“Yup.”

He looks at Calamity for a moment, then glances out the window. “You focus on warming up.”

Calamity
"Coffee'll help with that. I hope. I uh...thank you. For...showin' up, sounded like you were kinda busy on the phone..."

Guy
Guy shrugs. “Having a drink. Nothing major; helping you out on a rough night was more important, and I wasn’t feeling that thirsty anyway.”

Calamity
"...Oh. Still...thanks." They're silent for a few moments, fiddling with the lighter in their pocket. "Man...Fin's gonna freak out when I show up lookin' like this, I...I can't go back home, y'know? 'Sides, I want a bath, an' I dunno 'f there's enough hot water in the world t' warm me up..."

Guy
“I’ll explain things to Petra while you’re in the shower, so you don’t have to try to face her until you’ve warmed up, at least. She can give you a look over, make sure you’ll be alright with some rest. But I’ll let her know not to pry too much, if you don’t wanna talk. You can sleep on the couch, it’s pretty comfy.”

Calamity
"You don't...have'ta do that." Calamity speaks to the table. "I'd just go to Fin's, honestly, won't be a big deal..." and it wouldn't be, probably. "I just can't go back t'the house I share with the guys, an' all. But b'tween you an' Fin takin' care of me I'm gonna get spoiled." They wrinkle their nose like that's the worst possible thing to be.

Guy
Guy snorts. “That’s fuckin nonsense. Warm place to sleep, friends helping you keep on your feet? And I thought…my people had a bend for being independent,” he says with a little shake of his head. “You’re right I don’t have to. But I will, and after tonight you deserve to take it easy, and my place is open for you to crash.”

He looks at Calamity a moment. “Don’t think Petra can really loan you some clothes to sleep in, though.”

Calamity
They actually blink up at him, confused, at that last bit. "...'S fine, I don't need...I mean I can just sleep in this, 's what I usually do...?"

Guy
Guy just looks back at them deadpan. “You guest in my house you get laundry done. Call it old school rules or whatever. Plus your clothes reek of you, no offense.”

Calamity
"Yeah, I wear 'em, 'course they smell like me," they mutter back, snarky enough that they must be feeling a little better. "An' I do laundry, 's just a bitch to get shit to the laundromat when it's fuckin' cold like this."

Guy
“Sure, sure. But still. It’s the gesture of it. No skin off my back, and you get fresh clothes.” He shrugs.

Calamity
"I mean I'm not gonna tell you you can't clean my clothes," they shrug. "You just don't gotta." They're silent for a few moments.

"Petra like....eats real human food, right? You don't live in some place that doesn't have any food or anything, right?"

Guy
He laughs softly. “Yes, she does. Likes eggs, even, though she’s not always keen on sharing.”

Calamity
"Look, I gotta ask! I dunno what fuckin'...creepy cave yinz live in..." they wrinkle their nose, wincing as it shifts their frostbitten cheeks.

"...Thanks for lettin' me crash with you," they mutter after a few moments. "I...I mean I know I'd figure it out, but...'s nice not to have to."

Guy
Guy snorts. “It’s a tidy little apartment. Some clutter, but organized. Cozy, you could say. And clean.”

“You’re welcome. I know what a relief it is to know you have a comfortable place when you’re sorting through tough stuff.”

Calamity
"It's...mm. I been thinkin' about getting a place for myself. I could prob'ly make rent 'f I found the right landlord. I dunno." They fiddle with the damp, frayed cuff of their sweatshirt. "Be nice have my own place."

Guy
“That would be pretty cool, I’d say. Hope you can find something good. You want folks to keep an eye out for spots for ya? Just for leads?”

Calamity
"Eh. 'F you want. Don't wanna tell too many people, in case it doesn't happen. I gotta...figure out some work shit, too, might see if there's any leads there."

You know. In the business of Crime, and the Mob.

Guy
Guy looks at them for a moment, then nods. “Sure. You ever want to side hustle, let me know,” he says with what can only be called a sly grin. Looks like you could gut a fish with it.

Calamity
That gets an arched eyebrow, and they lean back against the booth.

"...'M listening."

Guy
“Well, I, you know. Find trouble, or go out for drinks, and pick up cash along the way.” He shrugs. “Wouldn’t be the worst, having someone to watch my back, or watch theirs.”

Calamity
"Fuckin'...really?" They huff out incredulously. "You, Guy, fuckin'...no you don't, you -" they blink, trying and failing to formulate a sentence for their disbelief.

Guy
“I don’t what? Lift wallets?” He replies quietly, raising an eyebrow. “I’d prefer mercenary or hunting work, but my kinda folks aren’t looking to buy it, apparently.”

Calamity
"'S the shit I do, an' even that I don't do so much of, anymore. 'S like...I dunno, feels fuckin' beneath you, 't lift wallets. Hell, I could find you better work." Their nose wrinkles. "Seriously. I know there's folx here lookin' for mercs, you just aren't lookin' in the right places."

Guy
“I can’t do mundane grunt work, so I don’t have a lot of options. And I’m not gonna exactly work customer service.”

Calamity
"I mean you'd have t'be willing t'work with some...mm. Not-so-great folx. Ignore a lotta shit, an' shit. But I know there's people'd pay for what you can prob'ly do."

Guy
He shrugs. “Ok but the problem, Lam, is I can’t…do shady work around regular folks, even shady ones. They’ll…notice.”

Calamity
"...Fair." Calamity sinks down into their seat a little. "I uh...'d be up for doin' that sorta shit with you, though," they say after a moment, very quietly. Like they're afraid he's suddenly going to change his mind.

Guy
He bobs his head. “Cool. I’d like that. You probably know better places for me to…look for work than I do. Hitting up dive bars for people who want trouble isn’t exactly…lucrative.”

Calamity
They snort quietly. "Yeah 's not, really. When I feel less like fuckin' garbage, we can go lookin' for some trouble." Their grin is sharp.

Guy
“Looking for trouble sounds like a perfect time,” he says with a smile. “Hopefully the garbage feeling clears up soon.”