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The Freehold maintains a Stable Trod which runs from Bethlehem in the Lehigh Valley down through Philadelphia to Cape May on the Jersey Shore. Each Court maintains a Hollow as well as a single old Hollow right off Independence Mall. There's a door that looks like it leads to the electric for a parking garage, and does, but if the correct knock is given - changed weekly by Winter - it opens to a homey little village in the Hedge. Small cottages, a small garden of extremely generic and tasteless Goblin Fruit which only restore glamour in their native state, and in the past few days, the presence of a certain sketchy animation of a Changeling. It's not that Jack doesn't spend time in the Freehold Hollow, he just doesn't tend to spend very much time there. So the fact that he's been spending evenings here regularly might be a little unusual, to other regular occupants.
Today, he's lounging in a chair just outside one of the cottages, reading. His leather jacket hangs off the side of the chair, and he's given up sitting in it like a normal human being, instead electing to drape his legs over one of the arms. He's in jeans and a black t-shirt with a yellow IATSE symbol on the left breast pocket, and he bounces his leg occasionally as he reads.
The thing about Teagan is that they don't actually just walk up like normal people, unless they're accompanying one of their motley. Someday this will get Teagan stabbed, but hopefully not today. They just exist next to Jack, where a moment ago there was no one, hands in the pockets of a tough leather trenchcoat with a hood. (That's new. Their old one was not leather.)
"Y'aright?" Well hello to you too.
Jack's not the type to stab anyone, even Tegans who appear out of nowhere. Instead, he jumps with a swear and drops his book, his mien going all scattered and twitchy. And he nearly falls off the chair before scrambling to maintain some sense of pride and dignity. Not that Jack had either of those things to begin with, really.
"Ah - Tegan. Hi." He gives them a once-over after he's settled back into his chair a little, lines around his face and arms still twitching and jumping. "I'm...mm. For a given definition of 'alright'." There's a small laugh.
They do their best to look vaguely apologetic. They're not that good at it. Teagan rolls their shoulders lazily and deadpans, "Oops." But at least they lean down to pick up his book and hand it to him. "Sorry." Probably not really sorry, probably will do again. But at least they say it.
"You don't normally spend this much time here, that's all. Not that that's a bad thing, but." But sometimes hiding out in the Hedge is a thing. "Just checking in, I guess."
The book's got a glossy cover, red and yellow Action Lines gracing the cover the way they might a textbook, (what is it with textbook cover designs, anyway?) and he flips through to find his place again before dog-earing it and closing it.
"Yeah I...walked into some trouble, the other night 'cause a fucking vampire? Decided she wanted me in her pocket." The whole concept of saying the word 'vampire' for serious seems to make him incredulous. "She's been giving a few people a hard time, I guess. So it's being Handled, but...she'n her people can't get in here, so..." he shrugs. "Here I am."
The Mirrorskin seems exactly 0% interested in the book itself, and only returns it to Jack out of a sense of politeness, apparently. They lean their weight on one leg, the other foot cocked out a bit, and they tuck their hands into the pockets of that leather trenchcoat. Teagan's face ripples with visible annoyance, like the effect achieved by dropping a pebble into quicksilver. "Fucking hate vampires," they mutter. "They think they can own people."
A grunt. "Who's handling it?"
Jack shifts in his chair to get a better look at them, pulling one leg up to tuck under himself. "Knights of Utmost Silence know what's going on - I had a meeting with them the other night. The vampires in this town, I guess...as a group don't tend to think they can own people, I guess, they and us have an truce. And my eh...d'you know Mearcstapa? Autumn court, neon freckles...?"
"Oh, word, word." Whether that's 'I guess, but it's Winter' or 'Oh, word, that's all handled then' is kind of hard to tell; Teagan isn't the easiest person on the planet to read. The corners of their eyes crinkle up slightly, thoughtfully. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure they don't, and I'm sure we do." A little grunt. "Your eh?" A pause. "I know Mearc, in passing, yeah, I think."
"He's my metamour." The word sounds fresh in Jack's mouth, like he hasn't gotten the chance to use it very often, and a little scribbly blush starts to build on his cheeks. "He's got...contacts with some of the other local vampires. Ones who apparently think as little of this particular one as I do. If they're willing to handle her 'in house', as it were, the whole thing's less likely to cause a bigger problem. I think. So he's been running point, in that direction. And I trust him to. The Knights're okay to be backup, but they don't wanna be involved if they don't have to."
"Oh, right on." That doesn't cause a bit of a blink on Teagan's end, possibly because when you don't have eyes but instead mosaics of mirrors in your eyepits you can't really blink, but also possibly because the concept of having a metamour is old hat to the old Mirrorskin. "The Knights don't get involved until they have to," the Mirrorskin points out, settling down on the grass lazily. Their trenchcoat falls open, revealing the machete belted at their left hip. "When they do, it's ... bad news for anyone who's on the other end. But."
"Mearcstapa. Winter, right? And they're letting him run point?" One black eyebrow arches up. "Mmm."
"He's Autumn." Jack eyes the machete, and he sits back in the chair just a little more. "But the Knights know about him and his contacts, and suggests I use him, rather than them, to...talk to one of the higher-ups." His voice goes a little quiet there, it's clear he's not overtly thrilled at the prospect of talking to vampires again. Even ones that have been vetted by multiple changelings.
"'S In the process. Hopefully nothing'll happen before then."
They glance down at the machete when he eyes it. "You'd have to really fuck up to have to worry about Baby," Teagan informs him, and their boneless sprawl back onto their elbows stays just the same. They pat the machete's handle lazily. "Ah, well. I was gonna say, probably they're sniffing his ass to see if he's promotion material. But." A roll of their shoulders as boneless as their sprawl.
"Hopefully. But if it does." Their smile goes sharp. "Anyway. Whatcha reading?"
"Weapons make me nervous." He shrugs. "An' if all this shit goes well I hope someone's watching, 'cause he's the reason I even knew she wasn't just some creepy-ass mortal who knew too much. Or something worse." He shudders and shakes his head, and picks his book up again. "'S a book on electrical engineering. Got a training coming up, figured I'd catch up." (that's fine!)
A shrug. "That's your gig. But she won't bother you unless the Crowns say she should." Teagan raises their hand, scratches at their cheek absently. There's a thick, old scar horizontal across the palm of their hand -- both of them, actually -- as if at some point they grabbed hold of something very sharp and it cut their hands down to the bone. "Right on."
"Fair enough - I don't even wanna think about how much I'd have to fuck up for something like that." He flashes a smile, keeping the tone light. "Yeah, the writing's only okay, and I learn shit more hands-on anyway, so anything that's new I'm just kinda shrugging my shoulders and hoping for the best. At least I'll know what I don't know."
A vague, distant sort of laugh. The answer to that is 'a lot' and the answer to that is also 'and at some point in the past, it has mattered for someone who doesn't exist anymore.' Teagan looks off into the near distance, scratches their cheek again, and turns their attention to less murdery things. "Yeah, I can't learn by reading," they agree, which is, technically, true, without being a lie! "Being taught, sure. Figuring it out on my own, sure."
"It's useful, for reference and shit." He gestures to the book. "But I can also just look the shit up on my phone that much faster, and probably with more accuracy. But...you know. Not in here. So it doubles as a way to pass the time, so I'm not out there, or sitting in a tiny Hollow all by myself for hours on end." You know, by sitting in a not-so-tiny Hollow, mostly by himself. For hours on end.
"As opposed to sitting in a much larger hollow for hours on end," The Mirrorskin replies, curling up one corner of their mouth. "You should chat up Glitch. He's always like... making the house smell horrible with welding and shit. Messing around with old game consoles." A pause, and they add, "So you said metamour. Who's the connector, if I can ask?"
"Oh yeah? I've been meaning to catch him anyway - don't know him that well, he seems pretty cool." And then Tegan asks, and Jack's cheeks bloom with that same scribble, only about three times as intensely. He smiles, too, warm and fond. "...Lux."
"Well, I think he is, but like... I'm clearly biased, because we've been together for going on three years." The Mirrorskin stretches their neck, and a pop-crack-pop of their cervical spine sounds a little like glass breaking. Weird. A sigh of relief, and then they laugh. "Oh yeah? They're hot, I can't blame you your blushes. Good on y'both. Three? Whatever. Good deal."
"...Four now? I think? We're suddenly a polycule, it's..." he huffs in amusement. "It's unexpected. I don't - didn't - do relationships. But it's working out, so far?"
Sudden, perhaps unexpected laughter rolls out of Teagan then, as brilliant and fractal as the edges of smashed glass throwing rainbows across the room. "'We're suddenly a polycule' is how motleys happen. At least, it's how mine did. And believe me, no one did relationships less than me, three years ago." A roll of their shoulders. "Then June basically said 'stand still, you grumpy fuck, and let me love you.' It was all downhill from there." Teagan does not sound like they believe it was all downhill from there. "That's how relationships always work out, though. 'So far.'"
"I don't think we're the types to do the motley thing. Not...yet, at least." He chuckles, the scribbly blush still high on his cheeks. "I know I'm sure as hell not ready for an Oath like that. But then I said I wasn't the relationship type, either, and...here I am with Lux. Dunno if I'd be able to find another though. Or even expect to date everyone in a polycule. Mearcstapa's fascinating, and I really look forward to getting to know him more, but romantic shit's not really there, and...I'm okay with that."
They nod along with the 'we're not the types' bit, as if this, too, is an accepted and understood part of the whole process. Yes, they, too, were not the type to do the motley thing. It's taken as read. "You don't have to date everyone in your polycule, or have everyone in your motleycule be dating, as long as you're talking. When we started, that was -- not really the case. Over time, it has become that way, mostly, and if Laura joins, she won't be necessarily involved with everyone. But like, Glitch and Johnnie weren't always a thing." A small, lopsided smile. "It's good to know where your boundaries lie, though. And if it is, great, and if it isn't, great."
"Heh. 'F I knew where my boundaries were I'd have a lot less trouble with shit. But that's a me thing, and also shit that the two of them know, which...helps. You know? Not that it was easy to get any of my shit out in the open. But." He shrugs. "It's...new, and I dunno how long it's all gonna work, but...it's working for now. Which is definitley more'n I thought I'd ever have."
"It is my general experience that no one knows where their boundaries are until they come smashing up against them one way or the other. Sometimes you'll find one, like, years after you though you knew where they all were, and sometimes your partners will kinda forget because a given boundary hasn't happened in so long." They stretch their legs absently. "Like the 'we don't date mortals' rule." A soft snort, and they shrug. "And then you gotta just sort it out then. I dunno. As long as it's working out now, then you work it out tomorrow when you need to. You know?"
"..." Jack blinks a few times, and finally slowly nods. "I...I kinda just thought it was just me being bad at knowing what I want. Huh. It is working out now, mostly. Today. They're all being. Really really wonderful, with all this..." He gestures vaguely at his situation in general, charcoal lines flying away from his hand to dissolve into nothingness. "Kinda makes me feel like I owe'em something."
They tip their head to the side, then. "Nah, it's not just you. It's just how it works, with boundaries." A vague shrug, and then they listen. The Mirrorskin frowns mildly, adding, "In my experience, what you owe them is the same thing they give you, whatever that is. Supporting them when they need it, listening, all that good stuff."
"You're making it sound easy." Jack actually smiles there, 'cause it is a little bit of a joke. "Not to say that I'm not down to do that shit, I just...it always feels like I could be doing more. To help them when they need it. The boundaries thing, though...'s good to know. Gives me a lotta shit to think about."
"I mean... it gets easier with practice, but it's never easy. People grow apart, grow back together. Treating it like it has to be static will really fuck you up." A little wave of their hand. "Not that you said anything about that, just... it kinda came into my head. Been thinking about that. Johnnie was sort of -- apart from us for a while, and amazingly, you know, when people are apart, they're not the same afterwards, because that's how life happens." Teagan rolls their head around on their neck absently. "Well. I'm not saying you're doing enough right now or not doing enough right now because I'm not in your polycule and I don't have the inside scoop but... if you weren't worrying about that, you would definitely not be doing enough."
Jack nods. "That all makes sense. 'M glad you and Johnnie were able to reconnect, sometimes it's...I mean even outside polycule shit, reconnecting with anyone after a while can be not so easy." He shifts in the chair, stretching out the leg he'd had tucked underneath him and pulling the other one up.
"How've you been? Feel like we've spent all this time talking about me..." His smile is a little self-conscious.
A vague little smile slides across their face, there and then gone again, like a cloud scudding across the face of the moon. "Yeah. But it's even more difficult with someone you're bound to, or someone who you expect ... things to be easy." Another vague wave of their hand. "Oh, I'm fine. The usual. Apparently there's vampire trouble, but vampires are The Worst. People don't take my advice and they should. Laura's finally part of the motley." You know, the normal stuff.
"Apparently my one interaction with a vampire isn't the norm, here at least, but..." Jack shudders. "She's certainly the fucking worst. Congratulations to Laura, I don't think I've met her yet...? Another Summer?"
The Mirrorskin can't roll their eyes, but the feeling that they're rolling their eyes is there. "Vampires are the fucking worst, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." There's a sharp edge on that sentence, but it's not aimed at Jack. "No? I thought she'd met everyone." A click of their tongue against the roof of their mouth. "Nah, she's Autumn, like Johnnie. We met her in Miami, but... Johnnie hadn't, and June didn't know her well. She's -- kind of hard to miss. Taller than me, hyena, stacked as hell." The smile that slides across Teagan's face then lingers briefly before slipping away again.
Jack frowns a little as he thinks, charcoal creases etching across his forehead for a moment. "Definitely haven't met her. Which, to be fair, I don't spend a lotta time in Changeling circles, so I'm not all that surprised. So much shit going on in my mortal life that it's taking up all my fucking time. Which...speaking of...d'you have any idea what time it is?"
An absent scratch at their cheek. "I dunno. You should probably run out of the hedge and check if you're worried. I don't worry about time." Teagan rolls up to a sitting position and stretches their back. "I exist on the 'is it light out, am I hungry, where is my motley' clock." Must be nice.
"Fuck that sounds...like it would drive me up the wall, eventuallly. Honestly." Jack huffs in amusement and stands, grimacing as he tries and fails to put weight on the leg he's been sitting on. "Nice for a while, but I gotta have a schedule. Shit to do. You know? So I should probably make sure I'm not late for that shit." The offending leg gets stretched for a bit, and finally he grabs his jacket from the back of the chair. "'S nice to see you, Teagan. Tell Johnnie I said hi - and Sigrun and Glitch, too." 'Cause they're the members of the motley he actually knows. "See you 'round?"
They continue to lounge on the ground. "I didn't grow up with clocks being a thing," Teagan answers, shrugging their shoulders. "It's really all in what you're used to, I guess." That's Teagan Philosophy. Very important. "Don't be late for your shit. There's a joke in there somewhere but I'm far too fucking classy to tell it." They flash a grin at him, a lazy thing. "Will do. See you 'round, Jack."
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