You seem more coherent now, maybe you're coming down a little? That's good. Trying to haul you around if you're loopy and off on bird crap tangents and wanting to scale car walls would be harder.
( it could be worse he could have said "the one with the corpse in it"! )
All right, hold your tits. I'll be there soon.
( and soon is relative but there's a fuck ton of cars at Wreckers, okay? he has to search through a few of them, and he's gotta be quiet about it. still, eventually he finds the car. truthfully, because there's a corpse in the front seat. that's a real tell.
Steve braces a hand above the passenger door and unabashedly blinds David a moment with his flashlight, feigning a stern expression. ) You been drinking tonight, sir? ( he lands serious for about 3 seconds before he huffs a laugh (actual laughs, belly ache fuck man that was funny laughs, are stupid when you're out in the foggy timey wimey wasteland full of murders) and flicks off the flashlight. ) I'm fucking with you. But really, as comfy as the corpse seat must be, we should split.
joke's on you this is what i wanted the whole time
Christ-- [ david shoves the flashlight away with both the grumpiness and the weakness of a man feeling a fresh hangover, truly suffering here, and starts climbing out of the car. ]
[ he looks absolutely horrible. he's sweaty, there's blood on his face from, you know, having a glass bottle thrown at him, his face is red. it's an all-around bad time. ]
Yeah-- yeah. [ uggghhhhhghghgh ] Where's the gate? I'm more than fuckin' ready to be outta here.
[ in his time in the fog, david has learned to tone down his accent so people (americans) can understand him better. that's all out the window right now, he is 500% more manc than he has ever been before. ]
( yeah, on second thought shining a light in the eyes of a guy tripping out on clown juice wasn't his best idea? Steve feels a little bad, but mostly because the guy's bloody and his nose could be busted. why didn't he guess that the tangle with the clown wouldn't leave the guy messed up? he would have apologized, probably, but he gets immediately distracted by David hauling out of the car and wobbling unreliably to his feet. )
Jesus. You should have told me to bring a medkit or something. ( all he's got is this toxic beamer and patting the guy's back probably isn't gonna do it here. Steve does back out of the way, at an awkward hover. is he gonna have to try and help David walk? will the guy even let him help him walk? also, what the hell did he just say? )
Huh? ( even besides that, ) Are you sure you're good to walk? I came to help you, man, that's the whole point.
[ he's limped and stumbled and crawled his way out of enough of these places that david doesn't register his current state as anything noteworthy. sober enough now to be confused about steve's insistence on helping him, but they're cut from the same boneheaded, altruistic cloth. shouldn't be much of a surprise. it's nice of him, not unappreciated, but it frustrates david a little because now he has to worry about the kid too. about slowing him down and putting him in harm's way because he couldn't handle some fucking fumes. ]
[ he waves off steve's questions with a hand and starts ambling in the direction he thought he saw steve come from. ]
It's no mither, let's just get the fuck out of here.
[ 🥳 that's the name of the thing🎉🎉 that would probably be more believable if he wasn't squinting in some attempt to keep his headache from getting worse, and clearly unsteady on his feet, but he'd be fine. he always was. ]
Edited (honestly only making one typo on my phone is a personal best (if you see any others no you didn't)) 2022-06-13 05:26 (UTC)
( at least let's get the fuck out of here transcends cultures. even in a mildly impaired, heavy accented mumble. ) Hey, man, what's that mean anyhow? ( he's too American to have ever heard the phrase.
and maybe asking questions about hyper-specific british slang means David won't clock him for ducking under one of those gigantic gorilla guns. Steve is not particularly built, but he's steady enough to be decent support. David is a lot stockier than the children he used to haul bodily out of danger, but he's been lifting a lot of people off of meat hooks lately. there's gotta be some net gains from that!
and in a 1-2 drunk distraction punch, Steve doesn't comment on the fact he's dragged David's arm over his shoulders and just starts to drag the guy in the right direction. ) C'mon, this way.
i thought i replied but i was just lying to myself
[ david protests the help with a tired shove, but he's exhausted and in pain and smart enough to know he's not getting far under his own steam right now. and as many times as he's died, it never stops being a harrowing experience, thinks he remembers élodie saying it's like that on purpose, but david never really cared all that much about the 'why's of the fog, when they figured out something actionable, that's when he'd be helpful ]
[ not that any of that matters right now, as david staggers along with steve's help, mindful as he can be of any sign the killer's approaching so he can shove steve away because like hell is he letting the kid take the fall for him. ]
You don't know what 'let's get the fuck out of here' means?
( Steve is hauling a brick wall of a man through a spooky foggy wrecking lot and he still spares the oxygen and energy for a sarcastic laugh. ) You're hilarious, ( he says, in the you aren't at all hilarious sort of way. ) No, man, no mither. What's that mean?
( keep the guy distracted, and less likely to shove him off! though, David seems to have accepted the help, which is for the best. he's not nearly steady enough to get anywhere fast on his own. and fast is always sort of the best choice if you want to stay alive around here.
Steve is not the most aware, compared to the other survivors often running point with him. he's not a noticer, wasn't even back home in Indiana. more the type to get dragged into things by his impeccable hair. still, even if he's not great at spotting trouble before it finds him, Steve is unbearably determined when it comes to getting others out. they're either both getting out of here or he'll die trying. at least if it's the killer clown, that guy announces himself with his smokers rasp before you even see him. maybe they'd have time to run.
[ probably doesn't help that david's never been the quietest. jake tried giving him pointers on it but it's just not him. he's big and he's loud and before this fucking place that was fine because he could take most of what anyone had to dish out. ]
[ he casts a glance over his shoulder and makes a noise of complaint when it makes his head throb insistently, having to wait for that to recede back to a manageable level of agony before he answers steve's question. ]
Mither's like... Bother. If someone's getting on your tits you might say they're mitherin' you, right?
[ he's slowing down his speech a little. hearing himself in contrast to steve makes him aware how pronounced his accent is getting, and he's too worn out to do anything about that, but if he slows down like 10% that might compensate, right? either that or he sounds concussed, but to be fair he might be. ]
( well, Steve isn't quiet when he's hurt, either. or when he's hooked. dear god is he the opposite of quiet when he's hooked. luckily one of them isn't openly bleeding everywhere, so only one of them is heavily grunting audibly in pain. then again the conversation is probably not the most inconspicuous it could possibly be. they could be in trouble if the Clown (or any of the other multitudes of murderers) are skulking around.
Steve is really hoping they're not because a flashlight and a bleeding out brit is not gonna help him much against a giant lady with an axe or a crazy chainsaw murderer. )
No mither, ( Steve mutters, a little breathless. ) That's cool. No mither. Okay. ( Nancy is going to roll her eyes if he tries new cool british lingo out on her, but, it's kinda cool to know. the different walks of life in the fog is about the only thing about it that isn't entirely terrible. ) We said "that's chill". No mither sounds cooler.
[ oh christ he's gonna have this american kid trying out his regional slang. the groan from david isn't phsyical pain this time, but it is a complaint, even if a weak one. ]
Yeah, we say that too. Mither's a, uh-- [ he stops suddenly when he thinks he hears the rising thump of a heartbeat, but it fades just as quick. killer must've gone the other way. ] It's a Manc thing. They don't say it in the rest of the country.
( rest assured, David, Steve probably won't be trying no mither on for size. he's intensely concerned about appearances, even if sometimes he has to go into battle in a Donald Duck costume. it would be too weird to drop British slang into his 80s lingo. that said he may try and impress Nancy with how he learned no mither means no bother during a talk with the angry meat slab of a man David King, because he's scary and kind of cool. in a Sylvester Stallone Rocky sort of way. but Nancy has enough brain cells to rub together that she could already guess what no mither means in the first place. )
A what thing? ( Steve says in a heavy huff of air. poor David, every other thing he says makes no sense to an Indiana boy. said Indiana Boy might not be the most aware in a trial but his shoulders still uncomfortably knot under David's arm at the ominous thrum of something dangerous close. ) N-nevermind. We gotta haul ass, buddy. No talking, just walking.
( and hauling solid block of beefcake, in Steve's instance. when they get to the campfire he's going to lay down and not move for about 3 hours. unless he gets zorped into a trial, and RIP if that happens. but it means that they move a little faster (and a little quieter) toward the exit gate. ) H-here, ( Steve mutters, lungs protesting, as he offers David his toxic flashlight so he can work the door. it's not like they can do much if something shows up. but David can give the approaching murder better lighting, maybe! )
[ he opens his mouth to explain, but picking up the pace is a plan david can get behind. a little, anyway. it jostles him a lot more and every now and then steve's shoulder digs into him painfully but he'd rather that than the alternative so he doesn't complain any more than the grunts and groans of pain he can't help. ]
[ when they get to the door david props himself up, back pressed to the wall, and looks at the flashlight that steve's passed off to him. he hates these fucking things. could swear he's seen nea blind a killer from 10 feet away but when he tries to use them he might as well be shining it in his own face for all the good it does. ]
Manc, 's short for Manchester. [ he wipes a layer of sweat and blood off his forehead with the back of his hand, trying not to think about how heavy he's breathing right now ] It's where I'm from.
(David is gonna regret telling him he's from Manchester. to use the hulking block of brooding boxer as proof the tiny teenage girl is avoiding murdering you is probably against the spirit of this tenuous partnership. oh well. too late!! David can regret it all he wants. if Steve goes momma bear on something once, that's it, too late. he's invested now. can you mom friend a fully grown man? well they're gonna find out.
he hauls the heavy switch down, the first light glowing like a tired, mocking red eye. Steve ignores it. he both does and doesn't remember that he's done this dozen, hundreds of times before. he can tell how many seconds the gate is from open just by the jarring klaxon it makes as the electronics slowly whirr to life. ) I'm from Indiana. ( a huff of a tired laugh. ) It's cool if you don't know where that is, I don't have a clue where Manchester is, either. ( across the pond is about all he can guess. is that a part of London? a completely different city? he's got no clue. and there's probably not gonna be a geography test on where all the lost souls the Entity dragged into endless murder trials from, so Steve isn't too worried he doesn't know where Manchester is. )
[ people loved to run to america to avoid their debts. america, mexico, spain. like trying to escape a shark meant it was time for a fucking holiday. meant david got plenty of holidays, beat the shit out of folks all over the planet. ]
Never been, heard it's a shithole.
[ funny that, it would've been a good place to get lost now he thinks about it. wasn't the midwest about 80% corn or something? he doesn't care. david starts the mental countdown when steve pulls the switch, wishing, like always, that it would hurry the hell up. the killers usually beeline for the doors when someone's-- ]
[ hm. ]
[ he flips the switch on the flashlight a couple times — on, off. on, off. just making sure it works — and then pushes himself off the wall with a grunt. ]
Back in a sec. Keep on it.
[ he's already going, steve. just try and stop him. ]
Right, right. ( even though the midwest is such a huge chunk of the states it hardly defines much of anything, besides Indiana not being California, Texas, or New York. whatever, it is true, he's from the Midwest. more crops than people. ) It is a shithole. Small and scared and stupid, and determined to stay that way.
( damn, a pretty cold thing to say about your hometown, Steven. it's the truth, though, even though there are good things about small town Indiana. Steve knows that, too. he's just a little disillusioned by the place, that's all. he still misses it, even if it was a dead end town full of sheltered assholes.
Steve has mostly caught his breath, regained his bearings, leaning on this goddamn switch. he's not paying David as much mind as he should, though, because the guy announces he's got better shit to do and starts to wander away. ) What the hell, man! ( Steve hisses, craning his neck to try and spot where he's going, before he battles with the eternal struggle. 99% the gate or just open the damn thing, and hope for the best??? leave it where he is and struggle with the russian bear of a man who decided to take a detour when they're literally standing at salvation's door?
lots to decide, and quickly. Steve decides on a 99, and then releases, turning to try and spot where David lumbered off to with his beamer. goddamnit, Dave, that was a purple one! ) Hey, asshole! Let's fucking hit the bricks, huh? ( it is hard to yell and urgently whisper at the same time, but Steve almost manages. )
[ david pokes his head through one of those windows in this little maze of walls to give steve a look like he can't understand why he sounds so annoyed, as if he wouldn't throw the damn kid over his shoulder if their positions were reversed and steve wandered off like this. ]
You got the door?
[ huh. his count was only up to fifteen seconds, but maybe he's a little slow on account of the concussion and the powerful cocktail of drugs. he glances back at a locker — he was planning to make a ruckus a ways away from the door just in case any killer was on their way to investigate — but if the door's ready to go then fuck it. ]
What're you huffing and puffing about then? Let's go.
( the man looks like one of those cranky muppets that heckle from a little balcony. the practically bald head and extra ears is not helping on that front. luckily Steve is too annoyed with him to be amused by it. he'll be amused by it later. for the record, he looks like this one, specifically. maybe when David isn't wigged out on clown juice, Steve will even tell him so. )
What the hell, man, ( Steve admonishes, because it is not like they had anyone on their heels, so it was safe enough to stay by the switch. let's go then, David says, and Steve anxiously switches his grip on the handle, before deciding, fuck it. he'll throw it down and then shoo the Manc through the door. it's still heavily falling open behind him as Steve heads in David's direction.
and of course, like the fat bastard has a psychic link to flashing red lights (or maybe it's the loud siren as it slowly opens, who can say?) the telltale wheezing, chuckling shuffle of a certain jolly old clown echoes from not-that-far away. the heartbeat is pulsing in his ears (his own? the clowns? Steve has never understood that part) and while yes, Steve could just turn around and high tail it out the gate and hope the best for David, why the hell did he come this far to just let David get his fingers sucked on, after all?
Steve might get stabbed for it, but he still bum rushes through the window David is clowning around behind, doesn't bother being quiet, they've already been made. fast vault that shit and bodily shove David in the right direction. ) Go go gogogo, please. ( there's only so many hits he can take for you before he can't follow behind, tough guy!! )
[ david opens his mouth to protest steve's tone, explain that actually he's very smart and it was a great idea, but he sees the gate past him and, well. it's less of a decision so much as he's only capable of holding one thought in his head at a time right now-- ]
[ and then he hears his heart (his? sources seem to disagree) pounding in his ears followed by approaching wheezes and warped carnival music, and steve doesn't have to push him for him to get moving. checks over his shoulder to make sure steve's behind him as he sprints for the gate. ]
[ thank fuck it's a straight shot, because he can barely see a thing with the way that pink fog warps his vision and makes him scream. god he hates this fucking guy. ]
I CERTAINLY CAN. IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO STUDY YOUR BRAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT OCCURS, GIVEN HOW QUICKLY YOU CAN RECOVER FROM OTHER INSTANCES OF BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA.
[ the lack of a heartbeat with those footsteps on the landing is probably a good indicator it's not trapper coming through, but david makes himself known anyway. steps through from the balcony to those little rooms at the back that are a fucking death sentence if a killer follows you in and tilts his head this way and that as he looks around. ]
[ No Trapper in sight, just an inappropriately dressed Quentin. He’s knelt down next to a vending machine, leaning a shoulder on it for balance while wrapping a bloody ankle with gauze from a popped open medkit. Mouth biting on his goggles to not make noise.
Rude Trapper… so rude.
He’ll spit them out and flash David a sardonic smile once there’s eye contact. All blue lips and pale skin. Lots of skin. ]
[ the little smirk he gives is a bit forced, but quentin's known him long enough by now that the flash of concern shouldn't be a surprise. is david a grumpy gus who doesn't seem to actually like most of the other survivors? kinda, yeah. but they're his lot, and in a lot of ways with david that counts for more. ]
Here. [ he slips out of his jacket — it's just the black donkey jacket, not the thickest, but compared to nothing it's probably a godsent — and offers it out to quentin. ] Lemme finish bandaging that up, you put this on.
You ever hear Trapper laugh before? It sounds like a car that won’t start up.
[ David can be a crude sometimes but he isn’t cruel. He’s one of the people that can get someone back on their feet the fastest. The concern isn’t surprising and just puts him at a slight sense of ease which is good because he’s having a rough go of it today. He’s actually relieved it was Trapper and the guy decided to mess with him but knowing it won’t always be and this outfit entered the rotation… ]
Thank you thank you thank you- [ It’s the greatest thing in the world and he probably grabs it a little too fast. He shifts his weight to pull it on - leaning everything on one foot and almost falls over in the process. It’s big on him, which is great because the more fabric the merrier and any warmth left from David having it on is being soaked up like a leech. He mostly finished with the ankle even if it’s not his best work. David can tie it off because Quentin can’t really do it properly right now anyway. ]
Okay.
[ He’s carefully buttoning it up with numb shaking hands, which is a whole process in his state. The sleeves get pulled over his hands after. Then stuffed in the pockets. ]
[ if they weren't in a trial and quentin didn't look like he was on the verge of hypothermia, david would be tempted to mess with him before handing over the jacket, but he's just relieved when he snatches it and immediately throws it on. Kind of funny that bullying quentin is where he'd see trapper's side of things, but at the moment he doesn't see the humour in it. ]
Explains why we've been having it so easy.
[ trapper's not exactly a tough killer to go against, not anymore, but they really haven't had to worry much. david couldn't work out why he barely saw the guy until now. ]
[ david takes a knee and ties off the bandage, and looking up at quentin in that too big jacket the whole thing strikes him as a macabre rendition of a kid's first day at school. almost makes a joke about him growing into the jacket, but quentin speaks first and david snorts. ]
Still have a jacket I could've given you in that one.
[ messing with him a little might provide some levity to the situation but not playing keepsies with the warm clothing item. he pulls his shoulders up, trying to bury his face in his jacket as well and looking a bit like a turtle. ]
You're welcome, everybody.
[ hey, if it helped, it helped. he's less than pleased but pointing out that the entire trial is going pretty smoothly because someone couldn't stop finding amusement as his expense is silver lining to a bad situation. maybe he can get a couple of trials just playing into it before everyone's used to this being in his rotation now. it's less than pleasant and he certainly is pissed about it but theoretically he could spare dwight some hooks if he can get ghostface to mockingly pull his camera out long enough or something.
david on a knee looking up at him feels embarrassing in ways he can't really describe and put a finger on. this must look so pathetic and he feels incredibly small. he has to look elsewhere until he's done. then he's putting weight on that foot to straighten out with a small wince. it'll heal, it always does here- faster than it should, and there's no concern from him placed on damaging anything by walking around on an ankle that's punctured to shit. ]
You have shoes with that too. Rub it in, why don't you?
[ he doesn't get up from the floor just yet, mostly because part of him's distracted trying to think of anything else he can do to help quentin through the final stretch of this trial. maybe if they rifle around they could find some boots or something, but that feels like a dangerous thing to be doing during a trial, especially one where the killer has a special interest in one of them. ]
Guess the Entity has favourites. How're your hands?
[ best thing to do, he figures, is try and keep quentin out of sight. trapper's gonna get mad if he sees they messed with his entertainment. maybe david can put the kid on a gen and take the chase if trapper shows, but he's got no idea if quentin can even manage working on one right now. ]
[ gloves might be easier to find, less worry about sizes. might just make mental notes of where stuff is around ormond in case quentin, or any of the others, end up sent here in similar situations. seen a few of them sent out in pyjamas before. ]
[ since David hasn’t picked himself up just yet, quentin uses him as balance once he moved off the wall. a hand leaning on his shoulder until he got properly adjusted enough for decent balance. he’s careful not to linger and moves away to the door to lean on the frame and peek around it. he’s walked on trapper injuries before but the added fact that his feet are blue, red, and numb from being bare in the snow are a new test of tolerance. He thinks he can run. Probably. Not well but whatever.
He’s already pulling the nearest furniture drawer open as quietly as he can to rummage in there, hoping for something like a sock or a hell he’ll even take someone’s old moth eaten underpants and wrap it around his foot. All he finds, like all he ever finds, is more damn medical supplies. He shakes a bottle of pills next to his ear and sticks them in the pocket of David’s jacket. ]
I’m sure as shit not one of them. Uh…
[ His hands are held in front of his face, red with tinted purple nails. He flex’s his fingers carefully. Numb to the point of not feeling the tips. Icy. He knows what David is really asking though and it’s “are you still useful?” ]
Good. I was worried I was gonna have to hold your hands to warm 'em up.
[ they don't... look great, but getting him on a generator is probably a better use of time. then they can get out of here and deposit quentin by the campfire. ]
[ no heartbeat, so david's gonna guess trapper's busy resetting all the traps meg broke, so they should be good. he pulls himself to his feet and looks at quentin, a slight frown of concern at the way he's moving. ]
You good to move or you wanna see if there's something we can put on your feet round here?
[ it's a lodge after all, there's gotta be at least some socks somewhere. ]
[ It's stated with this half-grin and his hands are held out as a mock offer before he shrugs and puts them back in the jackets pockets to keep them as warm as possible without David even answering.
He's still looking around himself, not a full search just peeking in without expecting to find anything. Quentin nods at the question. The last thing he wants to be is a useless liability here. It's important the others get out. ]
I actually think anything that would go on my feet would be downstairs. You know where those shelves and cubby lockers are downstairs on the side? But that's going to eat at our time and it's pretty exposed.
[ He starts moving to the door again. ] I can move. It's fine. My foot probably won't fall off if we're going fast or I can just look by myself to not weigh you down here.
[ david pats quentin on the arm, following behind him. he doesn't want to stop and search through the place, but there's nothing wrong with slowing down a little to glance over the shelves and the lockers. ]
[ though... maybe he should take point on that. knowing quentin he'll probably end up with a million medical supplies and no footwear. somehow not even a bandage to use for makeshift socks. ]
[ There’s a breath of relief in the middle of his words, even if there’s some guilt there David’s going to slow down. He wasn’t looking forward to snow feet round 2.
Taking point would have been a good idea considering they’re upstairs and that’s downstairs. Quentin’s slow but he’s moving just fine. Just fine. Down the stairs and… then down the stairs a lot faster with nothing to break the fall after losing balance after the landing and unintentionally fast-vaulting the rest of the way down in a rolling mess of limbs.
To his credit, he gets back up himself. Quentin keeps moving towards the lockers in a zig-zag, breathing heavily and holding his head. His other hand held out towards David. ]
[ david pushes forward past quentin to start scanning over the main room, stifling a laugh by pressing his lips together with raised eyebrows, suddenly very interested in pushing this snowglobe aside as if there would be anything behind it that he didn't see. ]
Mmhm.
[ quick glance quentinward, clearly trying not to laugh still. ]
[ Quentin is pulling the hand back from his head and looking at it, checking for blood before moving towards the back where he thinks he saw shoes at some point. He's going to be so bruised. When David looks at him, his lips are pressed together in a way that makes him look reminiscent of Kermit the Frog. He rolls his eyes. ]
Nothing at all.
[ As predicted by David, he's not finding anything outside of his niche of medical supplies. He doesn't know why he expects anything else. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and-
He moves about and checks a locker at random. He tucks a package of colorful band-aids under his arm and then lets out a soft "AH-HA!" and holds up an ice-pack up for David to see, flashing him a large grin dripping with sarcasm. This is funny and he can't feel his toes. He's being openly mocked at by the Entity. ]
[ if quentin thinks that's never getting brought up again, he's got another thing coming. gotta take your laughs where you can get them in the fog. ]
[ he lets another small huff of a laugh at quentin's discovery and david offers him a thumbs up and a grin in return. ]
Ah-- Sorted then.
[ there's a luggage rack near that hole in the wall. clothes in one, just clothes in the next too. david presses his lips together, and then he crouches to look at the bottom shelf. maybe-- that one feels more solid than just clothes would be. ]
Found a pair of boots. [ david holds them up, a pair of white and blue snow boots. they're definitely too big for quentin, but hey. it's better than too small. ] Lace 'em up tight, they shouldn't slow you down too much.
[ “That time Quentin fell down the stairs at Ormond.” ]
Right? I’m saved. [ He puts the ice pack back where e found it, thinking it useless. If there were a fridge at camp maybe but there isn’t and David’s pockets aren’t big enough to carry that anyway.
Quentin thinks what David is finding is far more interesting. Mainly the fact that he found clothes. Quentin’s shifting through it as fast as possible and grabbing the first pair of pants he finds and throwing those right on, awkwardly hopping on his good foot to do it. ]
Bless you gray sweatpants. I love you so much.
[ He goes right back to look, pulling a random jersey over his head then going back for another shirt or another jacket or-
He jumps back from the clothes, flinching like something in the luggage bit him.
He inhales a deep breath then runs a hand through his hair. The next second he’s violently yanking a stripped sweater out of the luggage and throwing it across the hallway away from them. Could’ve worn it for warmth but instead he’s opting to curse it out. ]
Mother fucking ugly piece of shit- … What did you say?
[ Boots. He stares at him blankly then seems to reboot and takes them. He sits down, following David’s instructions and lacing them as tight as circulation will allow. ]
I owe you like… I don’t know. Something. We’ll figure it out later.
[ geez, he always forgets what a temper quentin's got on him. the sleep deprivation can't help either, but watching that sweater fall sadly on the floor only to get insulted is new. ]
Nah. [ watching the outside while quentin does up the boots, a small shrug and a shake of his head. dismissive. ] Don't worry about it.
[ quentin's pretty solidly one of the only ones david knows would do the same if their situations were reversed. or he'd try to help at least, but he's not so sure the kid would be all that successful in any way that was actually helpful. ]
[ still, the hypothetical altruism isn't hypothetically unappreciated. ]
[ plus it really only benefits everyone if quentin's functional. unless someone gets chased off, those doors should be powered soon and somehow quentin gets them open faster than most. ]
Long as you get out of this one it means this little diversion was worth it.
[ Everyone often forgets about his temper until he’s throwing a fit. He ties the boot while actively glaring at it just because. Sleep deprivation does not, in fact, help you not be cranky. Once it seems like it’s not going anywhere he gets back up, tapping his toes against the wall to make sure. ]
You’re kind of the best, man.
[ David with his tough exterior that pulls absolutely insane moves like jumping out windows and going into trials already injured. He’ll call you stupid right to your face but keeps pulling through and asks for nothing back with a surprising gentleness. What a guy.
He moves next to him with easier but awkward steps, feeling sort of lopsided with oversized boots. It’s a bit like wading through water though and he’s got it. He’s hunched next to David, blowing on his hands ]
You build up a tolerance to this, right? I didn’t want to do the polar plunge into Erie but I should’ve. [ A hopeful question. Ormond exists in the cycle and now so does this. He’s not looking forward to it in the slightest.
Okay technically he’s not building up a tolerance to being impaled in the shoulder and everyone screams still so probably not but give him some good news.
He puts his arm out front of David and points at the ground, barely visible metal sticking out from the snow, ready to snatch them the second they leave. ]
Never really feel like my nips are gonna freeze off anymore if that's what you're asking.
[ he's hilarious. ]
[ david has thoughts on the clothes, the way the entity dresses them up for trials, but it's one of few things they actually seem able to adjust to. because david never gets any less afraid to die when he's on that hook, never gets used to the killers' attacks, but even wearing sunglasses on midwich doesn't really hamper him like it did the first time. ]
[ he shakes off those thoughts when quentin stops him stepping in a trap, and he nods his thanks. briefly considers disarming it but then decides it's better not to alert trapper to anything going on over here. ]
Nah. Not yet. [ on second thought this is a good spot for running the killer, the whole lodge is, so disarming the trap only benefits everyone and david kneels to do exactly that. ]
There's a gen between the information board and one of the exits, was most of the way when I left.
[ the obvious implication being that quentin better start moving that way the second that trap snaps shut. ]
Cool. That's a relief. I wasn't looking forward to having them be able to cut diamonds every fucking time.
[ Quentin says it, crossing his arms over his chest to, well, keep those warm. David's providing an interesting bit of new knowledge to him, since he's one of the only people here that wasn't privy to what it's like to have the Entity play dress up with them.
He nods, relieved the coast is clear and stares at David as he kneels down. ]
I- Okay. Okay. [ He shifts his feet in place, testing his ankle and taking a couple of whatever pills he stuffed in his pocket earlier, eyes scanning around them and settles on looking at the tall imposing muscular figure standing there outside, right to the side watching them. Hi Trapper. Insidious, huh? ]
UH- David. David, he's right there. [ There's an urgency to his tone. The killer holds up a hand and waves as the trap snaps shut. That's when it starts moving towards them. Again, louder- ] David! [ He's grabbing a handful of the back of the other's shirt as if he could pull him back to his feet that way. ]
[ standing and running would be the smart thing to do, that's for certain, but he's made a point mentally that he is going to get quentin out of this trial alive. so it's time to get a little reckless. ]
You go on. [ david stands, eyes on trapper, backs up a few steps so he's close to that pallet inside as that big bastard approaches. more importantly, making sure he's solidly between quentin and the killer. ] I'll catch you up at the gate, yeah?
[ Standing and running is the smart move. Standing and running is what he's trying to get David to do by tugging on him to move. ]
What? [ It's incredulous. He shouldn't be stupid. Quentin backs up too, since he was practically glued behind him, with quick uneven shuffling steps. He looks up at the pallet then at David and releases his grip on his shirt, backing up more so he wouldn't dare be in the way if that gets thrown down. ]
Are you fucking serious? [ This guy. David's squaring up to this seven-foot tall monstrosity of a man apparently. David King is insane. And he massively respects that. ] If you don't, I'm coming back for you. [ Less of a warning and more of a factual statement. ]
[ trapper hesitates, that moment most killers have where they're trying to judge if they can get to the survivor before they throw down the pallet. a mistake, really, because the hesitation makes it all the easier for david to judge the timing and slam it down on his head when he lunges. ]
[ man those stun noises are always so satisfying. ]
Good. Go!
[ he hisses at quentin, this close to shoving him if he doesn't move. david can probably keep trapper occupied a while, figures if most of his traps got used to bully quentin, there can't be many in chase routes. david's not some god-tier looper, but without his kit trapper's not that hot in a chase either. ]
[ Quentin's backing up further, quicker, while there's that moment of hesitation. He didn't turn around yet, watching watching-- when the pallet comes down Quentin let's out a loud: ]
HA!
[ Then turns to actually listen to David and make a run for it. Lingering and antagonizing Trapper while David is trying to take the attention off of him is not a good idea. Not one bit. He does an entirely awkward hop-step around the lodge as he goes through it, narrowly avoiding the trap right in front of the fireplace he noted had been there earlier. He exits through the opposite side. ]
[ from the second floor, on the catwalk above the bar, jeff leans his hands on the handrail and peers over and down to find david... exactly where he said he'd be: handcuffed to the bar. not that jeff was expecting anything different, but who knows - he wouldn't exactly put it past david to try and rip himself out off the cuffs or off the bar once he'd decided he'd really had enough.
jeff raises his eyebrows, fingers flexing against the handrail. he's not sure if david knows he's here, so he shifts his boot against the splintering wood to make a little bit of noise first so he doesn't startle him. ]
What do they need to learn, exactly?
[ the birds, he means. jeff pushes away from the handrail and moves to start down the steps, his footsteps quick but heavy as he descends. already, one of his hands moves for something red, tucked away in his jacket pocket. ]
[ the fact he couldn't just pull his way out is the reason he even texted to begin with. when jeff gets down there he'll see the bruises and blood from david trying to pull his hand through, scrapes and slight warping of the bar from pulling against it. both to no avail. ]
[ he looks up at the sound of jeff's boot and lets out a little huff of a laugh at the question. ]
[ jeff lifts his chin slightly, then his eyebrows, like david's just made a point he hadn't thought of yet even though he very obviously and clearly hasn't. when he reaches the bottom of the stairs and then the car, he casts david's wrists a quick look, mouth twisting subtly at his assessment. he sets what looks to be a red handkerchief on the bar (typically worn wrapped below one of his knees on occasion), then fishes something thin and narrow, metal and no bigger than the length of his palm out of his other jacket pocket.
stepping closer, jeff carefully moves one of david's elbows with rough fingers, shifting his arm slightly out of his way an inch or two. ]
Pertinent information. For the crows.
[ jeff casts a quick look at david's face, noting the blood from his nose, then shifts his attention down to the cuffs clasped around his wrists, the piece of scrap metal scavenged from a toolbox in his own hand. quietly, he starts to try and pick the lock, wedging the metal in and shifting it minutely while he listens for the telltale click. ]
[ it's hard to tell how jokes go over with jeff sometimes — david's elected to err on "good unless he's actively frowning in response" — and there's other things to focus on here anyway. david tilts his head up to watch jeff move around from his place on the floor, lets him do what he will with his arm to do what he has to. ]
They're always watching. Must be curious.
[ yeah okay he knows they're the entity's eyes in here, but thinking about birds studying human anatomy is just a vastly preferable use of his time to contemplating how best to remove his hand if jeff can't get that lock open. ]
[ he says it quietly, dropping down into a squat after a moment, weight balanced on his haunches as he works on the lock. probably not the most reassuring thing to say in the face of what is very clearly a joke, but he's never been very socially graceful, and it's the first thing that comes to mind.
anyway, it seems to dawn on him belatedly that that's kind of a daunting thing to say in a place like this, even though crows with good memory are hardly their biggest issue. jeff clears his throat, glancing away from his work for a second to look at david before focusing on his hands again. ]
In... the real world. Don't know about here. Probably not.
[ with a shrug and a slow twist of his wrist, he gets one of the cuffs popped open, freeing one of david's wrists, and david from the bar by extension. jeff makes a quiet sound in the back of his throat, a mix of satisfaction and relief, and reaches up blindly for the red bandana he left on the bar top, dragging it down to offer to david.
he'll help him up in a second, but jeff figures he needs a minute to just - decompress. who knows how long david's been confined to a single square foot of space for. ]
... For your nose.
[ blood's probably dry by now, but even jeff knows that dried blood can get really uncomfortable really fast. ]
[ david lets out a soft, quiet laugh under his breath and nods, though he's not sure how much these crows are really like actual crows in any way except that they... fly. jake would know more about that than him. ]
Pretty sure these ones already know our faces well enou--
[ you know when your arm's been up at an angle for a long time and you've kind of grown numb to the pain, but you move your arm in any way afterward and it's agony? yeah. david's arm falls kind of limply once it's released and he groans loudly in pain. that sucks. that really sucks. ]
Thanks. [ he takes the bandana but doesn't use it straight off. holds it in a fist as he rolls his shoulder. ] Christ.
[ jeff grimaces slightly to himself as david groans. he probably could have guessed that freedom was gonna hurt like a bitch. nothing here is ever really that easy or comfortable, in jeff's experience, so this is no surprise. jeff watches david roll his shoulder for a moment, then takes another few seconds to just kind of look him over to make sure a bloody nose and a bruised ego is really all david's sporting. ]
Easy. Take your time. [ he says, a low and somewhat gravelly murmur. he stands up then, grabbing onto the edge of the bar with one hand to help hoist himself up. he sets thee little piece of scrap metal he used to pick t the cuffs down on the bar top, and then grabs the front of his jacket with both hands and starts to shrug the whole thing off. once he's freed of it, he keeps hold of it in one hand, and offers his other one down to david, eyebrows lifting subtly. ] You think you can stand?
[ jeff doesn't really have too many doubts about david and what he's capable of - he's seen him pull off some seriously insane shit in far more serious circumstances - but he also doesn't really know how david's been here, or what led to this situation in the first place. so. ]
[ as far as aches and pains he's felt over the course of his life, this is barely anything to think about. it hurts, sure, but in a way that's annoying more than anything, the slight twinge when he moves his arm a nuisance that he can't wait to be rid of. he's just never been particularly quiet about it when things hurt either. ]
Yeah. [ he takes the offered hand to pull himself to his feet with a grunt of effort. he's stiff from spending — he assumes — all night sat against the bar, but he'll manage. ] Thanks.
[ jeff only lets go of david's hand once he's sure he's steady on his feet, palm hovering close for a moment or two after just to be sure. he shakes his head slightly at david's 'thanks', like it's no skin off his teeth to have come out here to get him. it's the truth though - he doesn't mind, though a part of him does feel very slightly guilty that he hadn't realized david had been missing. then again, people come and go from camp all the time, between trials and exploring and scavenging for supplies, so it's not uncommon for anyone to be unaccounted for at any given time.
wordlessly, he holds his jacket out for david, giving him that same look - eyebrows slightly raised, questioning. after a beat though, he says ] ... Unless you're adamant about - teaching the crows.
[ the edge of his mouth curls slightly with the hint of a smile. ]
[ david twists his upper body side to side to loosen up his back a little while they stand there, and the thought does occur to him to do a full set of stretches to make sure he's good, but honestly he just wants to be out of glenvale before the deathslinger gets back. ]
[ he takes the jacket with a smile and a nod of gratitude though, an amused rush of breath through his nose at the comment as he slips into it. ]
Nah. Too worried about giving the vultures a looksee.
[ while david twists and gets a quick stretch in, jeff takes the handful of empty seconds to give david one more quick look-over, just to be sure he's not bleeding from anywhere else or sporting an open wound he hasn't registered yet (jeff used to think that sort of thing never really happened in real life, that it was a trope mostly for movies to heighten the drama, but he knows better now. he's been stabbed and slashed and hooked so many times by this point that sometimes it's easy to forget that he hasn't bandaged himself up. sometimes it's easy to prioritize other things over a giant, gaping wound somewhere on his body), and if his eyes linger for a second or two longer than necessary around david's collar as he twists, it's... just because david's got a tattoo tucked away on the side of his neck that catches his attention, and not for any other reason. not that he's never seen it before now, but.
shifting his eyes from david, jeff clears his throat and takes a brief look around the saloon while david pulls on his jacket, idly passing a hand over the bottom half of his face. it seems quiet, which is probably a good thing for them, though it's probably best not to linger long enough for that to change. when david cracks a joke, jeff chuckles a little under his breath, just a quick exhale through his nose and a brief flash of his teeth to show for it. ]
Mm. Lucky they didn't find you. [ the saloon is... wide open. jeff shrugs, and makes a motion to put his hands into his jacket pockets, but remembers too late that he's not wearing it anymore. awkward. ] Too good for them, probably.
[ because they're known for eating dead things. roadkill. anyway. he grabs the little bit of scrap metal from the bar top, pockets it so as to leave as little evidence behind as possible (the cuffs are just going to have to stay clipped around the bar for the sake of time - if one of racoon city's finest wants them back, they'll just have to come and reclaim them), and then tilts his head in the direction of the back door, hidden behind the bar's back. ]
[ if jeff's gaze lingers, david doesn't notice. too busy doing a mental check to make sure he's okay, but if he's hurt any more than he's realized it can probably wait until they're back at the campfire. if he had to guess, he'd suspect he just got popped in the face and cuffed to the bar because he was getting a bit rowdy, but it doesn't seem like any of those lot to just leave him there. ]
[ whatever, he'll figure it out later. ]
Yeah. [ there's a slight limp when david starts walking in the direction gestured, he figures it's just stiffness that'll work itself out as he moves, and he glances at jeff with a small, tired smile. ] Better get going.
[ at the same time, he wipes under his nose with that bandana and hisses when the dried flakes of blood pull at the shaved hairs there. maybe that can wait until he can wash it with water. ]
[ small talk's not jeff's thing - at least when he's the one leading it - so he just nods in response to david's tired smile, his own smile making a quick, fleeting appearance at the edges of his mouth. he follows after david, noting the subtle limp but not commenting on it yet. jeff casts one last look over his shoulder, takes a quick glance around the saloon just to make sure they haven't been being watched this entire time, unnoticed, and once he's satisfied that they're in the clear at least for now, he turns his attention back to david.
once they're out of the saloon and wandering through the small ghost town, jeff shifts to walk beside david instead of behind him. after a beat, he glances his way, his expression slightly apologetic. ]
Shoulda brought water or something. [ for david, he means. ] Figured you'd want to get out of here as soon as possible, didn't really - cross my mind until now.
[ jeff scratches at his beard, following the edge of his jaw for a moment before he drops his hand. a crow startles near him, and he murmurs a quiet jesus under his breath before offering an apology. ]
[ that's sweet. david huffs a small laugh, fond and appreciative, and reaches out with his (good) arm to pat jeff on the shoulder. ]
Done plenty already, man, you're good.
[ he shoves his hands in the jacket pockets as they walk, uncaring if they're being watched or not. david's only real concern is whether or not he's about to get murdered, and it seems like the answer is very much no — at least for now — and if someone wants to just stare at him rather than stab him in the gut then fair enough. ]
[ (honestly part of him just assumes ghost face is watching most of the time anyway.) ]
[ if jeff seems at all paranoid (and maybe he is, but only the slightest bit), it's because there are people like ghost face out there who will just sit and stalk in silence until they get bored enough to come and plunge a knife into your guts, and while that's... nothing new for either of them, the thought is still unpleasant. even more so outside of trials.
but jeff keeps walking, keeping relatively close to david's side, but leaving enough space to not come off as invasive or weird, and only glances over his shoulder once more, his attention pulled back by david's hand patting his shoulder. he offers a brief smile back.
for a minute or two, jeff's content to let the silence sit between them, no uncomfortable desire to fill it with anything small or useless. eventually, though, he asks: ]
So, uh. You remember who you pissed off?
[ his eyebrows lift almost teasingly, the corner of his mouth pulling slightly up and to one side in the faintest of smirks. ]
Enough to leave me handcuffed in Glenvale? Probably Leon.
[ he says it with a bit of a laugh, like it's just a funny thing between friends. truthfully he can't imagine leon leaving someone on a killer's turf, but if they were drunk, maybe he forgot. ]
Nah, I like kids well enough. Imagine having them toddling around this place though? Wandering off into the fog? Playing with shit they shouldn't be touching? Dealing with you lot's bad enough already.
[ you know he wants to protest and then he realises he literally hasn't had sex the whole time he's been here. which, like. fair. there's a lot of reasons it just hasn't even been on his mind, but shit it's been years. before this he'd never gone longer than maybe a month? at a push? ]
yeah yeah ok so sitting around like a depressed fuck's been going pretty good for you? you could have game if you gave it a shot. who are you sweet on? come on.
wait do you like them older? in your bracket? who does that put in play? haddie or jane? what about that old plague broad, how many thousands of years old is she?
To be fair they're usually in their own stores, but honestly you could point to just about any other modern shop and ask why and all I could tell you is capitalism lead us to a weird place.
it's what all the hot medieval guys are calling it
Never was much of an idealist, but I'm stupid and I'm loyal so I work with what I've got.
[ tarhos will have seen it by now. somebody could literally sandbag him and david will still go above and beyond to get them out of that trial. "stupid and loyal" is a pretty good description for it. ]
[ david doesn't reply, but he does show up about 20 minutes later. once you're used to the fog and know where you're trying to go, he's found it doesn't take very long to get between realms. though the ones that are in use are... easier. ]
[ he steps into the main foyer, walks through into the wide open space with the cold lights and the emptiness that seems so vast with no people and no signs of life, and drops his backpack on a bench. ]
[ The echo of David's voice is met with the echoing clank of Tarhos standing from where he'd been waiting, seated on the fountain. No full armor for this, but he is wearing full greaves. ]
[ david shrugs a shoulder as he walks over to where tarhos is stood. a little selfishly he's sure he's about to get his shit wrecked and he'd rather not have an audience for it, but moreover the idea of bringing anybody along just doesn't feel right. this is about him and his needs, nobody else needs to get involved in that. they'd probably just worry anyway. ]
[ he looks up at the other man — it's admittedly a little strange to put a face to the suit of armour that's been menacing them lately — and then past him, up to the balconies above them. ]
[ there's a brief flash of confusion across david's face, just because he has no idea what would be amusing about that question. it's not like they have to get involved... unless they only get to come out if there's people to stab? but that seems odd. ]
[ whatever. he shrugs. ]
Fair enough. [ he gestures broadly ] Anythin' you wanna say first. I know some people have rules and shit.
I am quite capable of "helping it," as you say. It would be a poor warrior who could not hold back his strength when the situation requires it.
[ Yeah, he could definitely choose to be less deadly in trials. He doesn't have to run people through entirely. But no, that'd be going easy on his adversaries, a thing Tarhos doesn't know how to do. This is an honorable fight, though. A duel between men. ]
Though you are correct. [ Faintly amused. ] Your actions within the divine trials do make it hard to believe those words.
[ At the edge of camp, not much later, Quentin looks...not bad, if you don't count that it looks like he's wearing someone else's nose. The bridge is crushed in and a little to the side, scrunched nostrils messing pulling or pushing at his lip line in places. He raises his eyebrows instead of smiling when David comes into sight, flicking one hand out to wave. ] Yo.
[ jesus christ. david's not sure anything short of surgery could fix that mess, but he'll break it and see. since apparently that's what they do now. ]
Yeah. [ he raises an eyebrow ] Fell in the woods, huh?
Those trees are just...really aggressive. [ His short laugh would probably sound less scornful if he could close his mouth and still breath. His gentle rocks up onto his toes betray his nerves as David comes closer. Quentin's hands shove deep in his pockets, shoulders up around his ears. He has his bag, supplied for the adventure. ] Heads up, I will probably cry about this.
I'm not gonna judge you, it's gonna hurt like a bitch.
[ he makes a note to ask what actually happened to quentin's face, but in the meantime david closes the space between them and tilts his head to look at that nose with a frown. ]
Don't suppose you've got anythin' to shove up your nostrils do you?
[ He softens noticeably in the joints as David eases closer, willfully to keep from flinching away. The "tree" has left him a little gun shy about people reaching for his face. David won't miss the effort Quentin expends to stay relaxed. ]
Mmhmm. Gauze. Popsicle sticks. Syringe tubes, depending on, uh--on how crazy we wanna get. That much of a mess, you think?
[ it's something david's particularly sensitive to, the way people are about being touched, people who flinch or shy away or whose eyes glaze over just to fight the panic. david's careful not to do anything sudden because of it, taking quentin's chin so he can tilt his head up and see that mess from a different angle. fucking hell. ]
Mostly thinking about making sure they stay open. [ he gives quentin a slight shrug, mostly with his face ] Ain't gonna look great, but should be able to force it to stay functional.
[ One corner of his mouth jitters up. That's funny. ] Ah. Probably shoulda done that the first time. I love functioning.
You can do it, right? I mean, if you can't or if it makes you nervous or something, I'll just wait. I know it won't be perfect, I just wanna--ha. Just wanna be able to breathe before I get called into my next trial.
Yeah, it's no problem. [ he's still looking at quentin's nose with a frown, but it's not exactly gonna be hard to break. ] Just gimme the stuff and I'll do it.
Here's fine. [ what are they worried about, hygiene? privacy? here? david glances around and shrugs a shoulder. ] Unless you wanna sit down or something?
[ Here, David says, and Quentin sticks on hand in his bag, feeling for the ripped up fabric that counts for gauze in there. Here, apparently. Nodding, sucking in a breath, grinning clumsily: ] Nah. I can stand. I mean, you're a big guy, you'll catch me if I wobble, right? Haha.
Yeah, I've got you. [ he takes one of quentin's hands to direct it to his arm as he speaks, basically telling him to hold on for a little extra stability. he takes a grip of his chin again, firmer this time to hold quentin in place, and lifts his other to grip his nose tight. adjusting a couple of times to make sure he's got it and his hand won't slip, and then nods at quentin. ]
On three, yeah?
[ david... does not count to three. he opens his mouth to say one, eyes on quentin's to make sure he's with him, and before the word even makes it out of his mouth david abruptly cracks quentin's nose to the side like a faulty glow stick. ]
[ His hand on David's arm is barely in place, but pain wires it there violently--even while the other slams against David's chest involuntarily. He barely bites down on a scream, but his lips stitched crookedly together at the very last minute to keep it down to an agonized whimper. He'll care about looking like a badass when he can see something other than white again. ]
Fuck--ha--oh fuck I'm gonna-- [ His fingers pulse around David's wrist. ] --pass--
[ It's just a little swoon. Even if he actually passed out, David would catch him. Probably? Right? Whatever, point is that Quentin only wobbles a little before straightening up. ]
[ honestly? a better reaction than he was expecting. ]
[ his hand drops quick from quentin's face to slip under his arm and hold him up, strong and steady and unmoving. his nose is bleeding but they can wait until quentin's something approaching functional again to pack it. ]
You're alright lad. [ david knows how much having your nose broken hurts, so he's patient for those few moments, waiting for him to straighten up. ] Let me know when you can see straight again, yeah?
[ David holds onto him, and Quentin takes the support happily. The ache remains, but the fists in David's shirt at either of his shoulders are only holding, not shoving or punching or leaking strength by the second. It takes him a long few seconds of breathing through pursed lips to open his eyes again, another few seconds of blinking the teary bleariness away before he can gasp: ]
Fuck. Okay. Okay. Um--gauze?
[ Right hand unclenches, fumbling for the flap on his bag. It's wild how easy the blood rushes over his mouth. ]
[ carefully, gently, with his free hand he coaxes quentin's head forward, just a little so the blood doesn't run down his throat, and then he reaches for the bag too. clearly done this enough times by the way he takes a couple of those little gauze patches and rolls them up into a little cylinder, presses it and twists it between his fingers to make sure the tip is tapered, and murmurs a soft apology. this part's gonna hurt too. ]
[ both hands on quentin's face now, david pinches the bridge of his nose between a thumb and a forefinger — not hard, but firm enough to keep it in place — and he ducks his head so he can watch what he's doing as he slowly pushes that little gauze bullet up into quentin's nostril. winces a little when he hits some resistance in the form of whatever the fuck happened to his nose before, and twists it slowly to help push it through. just keep going until it's seated good and snug up there. ]
[ Soft apology from David, soft cursing from Quentin--just a flick of his lip against his teeth, breath held like it'll stop the pain. It doesn't. ] S-smooth. You're a real--a real professional. What, uh--what next
[ He can talk through it, but he can't think past it. ]
[ genuine enquiry, head tilted to the side a little to keep an eye on how quentin's holding up. it's been some time for david, but he remembers packing a broken nose is fucking painful, uncomfortable as hell, and you can't even breathe right. if he wanted to leave it with the one nostril, david wouldn't blame him. ]
[ david breathes out a soft laugh, sticking close as they walk, part of him itching to reach out that extra bit and-- who fucking knows. put a hand on jeff's back? take his hand? something stupid like that. he can touch jeff plenty once they get to where they're going though, he reminds himself. ]
Eighty-five to ninety, eh? [ david appears to give that some serious thought, quiet for a long few moments ] Yeah, I can work with that.
[ he says this partially under his breath, but loud enough that he knows david will hear him, and he says it with a completely straight face, tone serious... for about three seconds before he casts david a sideways glance and a quick, subtle wink.
as they approach haddonfield and the trees begin to feel like they're creeping closer together and the fog begins to thicken, heavy and dark, jeff plucks his flashlight out of his pocket. he doesn't click it on right away, but he keeps close to david and keeps moving, knowing that shortly, everything will thin out once they're officially within the bounds of lampkin lane.
passing through the open gate is easy, and jeff only hesitates for a moment to take a quick look around for michael in their immediate area before continuing on ahead, keeping close to one side of the street. once he's mostly satisfied that they're not in immediate danger of being gutted by some weirdo in a mask (there... are a lot of those, now that he thinks about it), he puts his flashlight away. ]
[ david shakes his head in response to the wink, a little smirk gracing his lips in response to jeff's wink along with a light nudge with his elbow. ]
[ he sticks close to jeff, makes sure he's on his left side as the trees clear and they pass through the gate onto the streets of lampkin lane. flashlight in hand, though he holds his own more like a weapon than a tool and doesn't put it away once it doesn't seem like they're about to get stabbed. not that he expects he can do much if they get jumped by a killer, but nobody likes being smacked in the side of the head with a flashlight. ]
[ he's always a little hesitant to make noise when they're in haddonfield, no matter how safe it seems, so instead he nudges jeff and points out the white two storey house at the end of the street. great place for, uh. supplies. right? ]
[ truthfully, if they do happen to run into michael, jeff's plan is to just... run. grab david so he can be sure he's not gonna try anything stupid or self-sacrificing, and haul both their asses out of there. the flashlight method can't really be faulted though, so jeff doesn't say anything about it, even though he can pretty much read david like a book.
when david nudges him, jeff follows his gesture toward the house at the end of the street, picking up what he's getting at without david having to say anything about it. jeff's response is just as silent, just a slight nod of his head as the faintest, fleeting smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. a two storey house means two searchable floors for... supplies. definitely the main reason they're here.
as they make their way up the street, jeff keeps an eye out for any tall, lurking figures, and when they reach the steps leading up to the house, he only lingers for a second so david can go ahead of him, following up behind him. inside, he waits for a moment, just listening to make sure they're alone. michael might be comparatively quiet, but it's fairly easy to hear him breathing if you really listen for it.
but it's quiet, save for the sounds of an old house settling, and jeff glances at david and lifts his brows slightly before starting up the stairs. might as well start at the top and... work their way back down. for supplies. ]
[ david stops at the foot of the stairs and tilts his head to listen. no heavy breaths, no rustling fabric, just the creaking and groaning of an old house that always sounds a lot more unsettling here than any house he's ever been in in his life. ]
[ light on his feet like he would be in a trial, he follows jeff up the stairs. steps up close behind him once they're on the landing and rests a hand lightly on his back, voice low and soft when he finally speaks. ]
So-- any other no-gos or is it just the Fifth Element?
[ jeff turns slowly once he reaches the top of the stairs, like he doesn't want to shake david's hand off of him by turning around too quickly. there's a closed door off to his right, and an open one a little bit to his left, a few behind david on the opposite side of the landing, but jeff doesn't make a move in any particular direction right away.
instead, he lifts a hand and lets his fingers ghost up david's arm, skimming from his elbow, to his shoulder, to the side of neck where it settles, light and warm. jeff looks thoughtful for a moment, his gaze cast upward as he makes a show of contemplating david's question. after a moment, he shrugs, and when he speaks, his voice is just as low and quiet as david's. ]
American Werewolf? [ in london, but that should be obvious enough that no one should have to say the full title. also, it's unclear if he's being serious or not. jeff tilts his head, idly brings his other hand up, does the same thing - ghosts his knuckles up david's other arm, rests his palm against the other side of his neck. he looks at david now, and his eyes dip briefly to the shape of his mouth before flitting back up to his eyes. his eyebrows inch up a little. ] Beetlejuice?
[ as jeff turns to face him, david lets his hand move with him until it's resting lightly on his him, a warm and amused smile on his face as he steps back in close. jeff's touch is light enough that it leaves goosebumps in its wake, and something about that registers as a pleasure that tingles in the back of his head. makes something in his stomach flutteras he watches jeff talk, barely even paying attention to what movies he's mentioning. ]
[ his focus is largely on jeff's lips, or the way he moves his head when he speaks or thinks. the brief pull of his brows or tilt of his head, it's all extremely charming to david right now. he puts his other hand on jeff's other hip and leans in close with a soft, low hum as he tilts his head up to kiss just under his jaw. ]
[ something about the way david touches jeff feels easy, but maybe that's just what happens when you learn to trust someone before you learn how to do anything else. maybe it's just because he's had david's hands on him dozens of times before now, pressing bandages over open wounds or shouldering most of his weight to get him through and out the gate when the stakes were high - maybe it makes everything else that much easier, when it comes to being close. jeff tries not to think about it too much.
when david leans up and brushes his lips just beneath the edge of his jaw, jeff's thumbs shift, smoothing short, gentle lines against david's throat, his hands still comfortably cupping the sides of his neck. he exhales quietly through his nose, a low chuckle catching onto the end of it for a moment when david questions his taste in movies. ]
Careful, [ he murmurs, his voice low and mildly teasing. he leans his head back just a little so he can look david in the face, the tiniest hint of a smirk hiding near the corner of his mouth, peeking out. ] That's twice.
[ beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice. jeff slides his hands back a little, lets his fingers link together at the back of his neck, and then gently pulls david in so he can kiss him properly. when their mouths meet, jeff closes his eyes, and when he sighs quietly through his nose it sounds like relief. ]
[ david's laugh comes out silently, felt in the tremble of his shoulders and the rush of breath he lets out through his nose against jeff's neck. something about the idea of accidentally summoning betelgeuse like this seems especially ridiculous, even considering the way their lives are. ]
[ he smiles as he leans up into the kiss, slides his hands around jeff's hips until they're resting on his back and leans closer, mirroring that sigh with a quiet hum of his own. ]
[ it occurs to jeff after a few seconds that for the second time, they're kissing at the top of some stairs. he smiles slightly against david's mouth in his amusement, fingers pressing gently at the nape of his neck.
they should probably move, if only so they don't accidentally shift and tumble down the steps, so jeff moves his hands slowly, letting them drift from the back of david's neck, down over his shoulder blades so he can settle them against the sides of david's rib cage. gently, he puts some pressure behind one of his palms, urging david to turn so he can walk him backwards toward the open door off to his left, all without ever breaking their kiss. ]
[ it isn't hard to make david move in the direction jeff wants, turning carefully so he doesn't trip over a loose floorboard or his own feet or something and starts to move toward the open doorway. he balls a hand into a fist in the back of jeff's shirt to make sure he's got a proper hold on him, lifts his other arm to hook it around jeff's neck for the same. he can't see where they're going, but he trusts jeff not to direct him into a hole in the floor. ]
[ as he guides david backwards, jeff takes slightly wider steps just so he doesn't accidentally step on david's toes or trip the both of them up, broad hands spread around david's rib cage and urging him slowly backwards. though jeff's been scavenging in this house enough times to know where he shouldn't step and where the floors have caved in, he doesn't know it well enough to navigate it blind, so he reluctantly pulls away from david - but he doesn't go far. he kisses the edge of his mouth, his left cheek, his jaw, opening his eyes half way so he can watch where they're going over david's shoulder.
once they're past the threshold, jeff feels a little more confident about their footing and kisses his way back to david's mouth, carefully maneuvering him backwards toward the bed pushed into the corner of the room. ]
[ david matches him, tilting his head to leave quick kisses on jeff's lips, his cheek-- wherever he can without obstructing his view. feeling for the moment kind of giddy in a way he hasn't in a long time with the kisses and jeff's hands on him and the way he directs him back toward the bed. ]
[ his hesitation is brief when his legs hit the bed — though david finds it in himself to be annoyed that jeff both is observant enough and knows him well enough to notice it — but it's hard to shake that little thread of uncertainty that winds its way through his gut. he doesn't know why it's there exactly, but he knows he can't really get rid of it. just does his best to push through, doing his best to keep his hold on jeff as he sits and tries to move up the bed so there's room for both of them. ]
[ as fleeting as that beat of hesitation is, jeff picks up on it pretty immediately, and though he doesn't back off of david entirely, he does make a point to kind of slow things down.
with david's hands still on him, jeff has no choice but to follow him down, putting a knee up beside him to brace his weight on as david shifts backwards toward the opposite end of the bed, lightly brushing a kiss against his cheek again. when he settles though, he carefully eases himself out of david's grip and tilts his weight, shifting so he winds up sitting beside him instead, shoulder to shoulder, arms pressed close. whatever the reason is for that brief moment of hesitation, jeff doesn't want to do anything worsen whatever it is david's thinking or feeling.
he puts a hand on david's leg, squeezes lightly. leans a little bit of his weight against david's arm, looks at his hand a little above david's knee. quietly, his voice a little bit gravelly around the edges, he asks ]
[ stupid, considerate jeff. david simultaneous appreciates and resents the way jeff slips out of his grip to sit next to him, though he doesn't fight him about it, loosens his hold so jeff can move freely. and when he's next to him david leans his weight against him with a deep breath and a sigh. ]
Yeah. [ he breathes out a soft, self-conscious laugh, puts his hand over jeff's, little things to make it clear he's not suddenly pulling away. he wants to be here, with jeff, where it's not necessarily safe, but it's quiet and it's just them, for the moment at least. ] I'm not - sure what that was about.
[ if he cared to dig into his feelings, he could probably figure it out, but he's not about to do that. ]
[ thumbing lightly over david's knuckles, jeff tugs his hand free from david's after a moment, but only so he can lift his arm to make room for david to come in closer. he settles his arm back down around his shoulders, slowly stretches his legs out so he's more comfortable. when's the last time he sat down on something that wasn't a fallen log or the hard earth? it feels like it's been an eternity. jeff tries not to think about home to often, but man does he miss his bed.
with his arm draped around david, jeff's fingers brush gently against david's bicep, fingertips dragging lazily back and forth. he makes a soft sound in the back of his throat, something that conveys that he's listening, and that david's moment of hesitation isn't a big deal. he's just as content sitting here in the quiet where they can be alone as he is kissing david. just to be clear, though, he offers some quiet reassurance. ]
It's all right.
[ because it is. jeff's not here to pressure david into anything, whether that's - making out, or talking about whatever's on his mind; he trusts that david will come to him when he's ready, but until then, david's company is more than enough for him.
fingers tapping out a soft, staggered rhythm, jeff wets his lips and tries to find something to talk about, which comes easier with david somehow. ]
You know, [ it's a murmur, because they're close enough that jeff doesn't really need to speak any louder than that. ] There's gotta be a football buried somewhere around here. Basement, maybe. Garage.
[ david only mentioned wanting one once, when jeff asked him what he'd want if he could have anything here, but he was paying attention. ]
[ this is... unusual. aside from maybe some drunk and rowdy affection between friends what feels like several lifetimes ago, david isn't sure he's ever just had someone's arm around him like this. it makes him a little unsure of himself as he leans into it, against jeff's side, like trying to adjust to a new mattress. not necessarily uncomfortable, just different in ways he can't put his finger on. part of him would certainly prefer to be making out right now, hell part of him thinks it's a waste of a bed to just sit there, but there's always going to be beds they can sneak off to. there's not always going to be this moment. ]
[ it's hard not to be embarrassed, but once again jeff proves himself to be safe, and david finds himself relaxing bit by bit, soothed by the fingertips on his arm. ]
Yeah? [ he has to take a moment to figure out why that's something jeff would even think of and then he chuckles, low and quiet. ] Could have a look. [ ... ] Later.
[ for jeff, intimacy like this isn't exactly new to him, but it's certainly been a while since he's just - sat with someone, at least like this. even before he got dragged into the fog, he hadn't really been seeing anyone, content with being on his own and never eager to really rush into anything, but just kind of existing with david feels easy. or, easier than he would have expected, anyway. he's still kind of unsure of what they're doing, what this new thing is, but he's also in no rush to define it, either. he likes kissing david, and he likes david's company (maybe more than he enjoys the company of most others), and they understand each other on certain levels. and that's all that really matters, at the moment.
david's quiet laugh makes jeff smile a little. he gently squeezes david's arm for a moment, then returns to ghosting random, aimless patterns against his sleeve. after a few moments of mostly comfortable silence, he checks in again, just to be sure, idly rubbing his fingers against his left eye. ]
[ jeff has always been easy for david to relax around — maybe because he's never found the man's height or (awkwardness masquerading as) aloof nature intimidating, if anything he was the first person to show up in their age bracket who felt relatable in any way — and as weird, for lack of a better word, as he feels in this moment that fact still applies. ]
Yeah. [ he lifts a hand to jeff's cheek, a light attempt to coax him down into a kiss. ] I'm sure.
[ fortunately, it doesn't take much to convince jeff. if david says he's okay, then jeff trusts that he's telling the truth, or at least as much of the truth as he can manage at the moment. if david wants a kiss, then jeff isn't going to deprive him of one, especially not when they're free to do so without having to worry too much about being found.
what's michael gonna do if he creeps upstairs and finds two grown men making out on a shabby bed? kill them? he's certainly not going to tell anyone, which is really kind of the bigger concern.
so jeff is easily coaxed, and he leans down even though the angle is slightly awkward with the both of them sitting side by side, and he catches david's mouth with his own, soft and gentle, his other hand drifting to touch the back of david's hand at his cheek. ]
[ david does what he can to make the angle a little more agreeable, sits up straighter, turns his body a little more toward jeff's. lets out a sigh that's both relieved and happy with this, feeling a little like he could just sit here and kiss jeff for hours. which is unusual for him (and probably not true in practice,) but it's been a long time since anybody caught his attention this way. ]
[ jeff does his part in shifting around too to make things easier for the both of them, tilting slightly in between each slow and lazy kiss until the strain is pretty minimal. his hand drifts from the back of david's, skimming down over the back of his wrist to his elbow, and then up to his shoulder. from there, he lightly brushes his knuckles against the side of david's neck, grazing the bottom of his ear just briefly in the process of guiding his palm to the back of his neck.
david's earlier blip of hesitation is still at the back of jeff's mind, so he's cautious of coming on too quickly or too aggressively, but eventually he breaks away for a moment, keeping close enough so that when he murmurs, his lips brush david's. ]
Come here?
[ the hand at the back of david's neck slides a bit, passing in between david's shoulder before drifting back up, and only if david allows him and is willing, he attempts to help him over and into his lap. ]
[ god, he's never going to get sick of jeff's hands on him, the way the warmth of them seeps into his skin with those gentle touches. every time his fingers skim over skin rather than clothing david feels his skin heat up and the tingle of goosebumps left in their wake. ]
[ --and then jeff asks him to move and his brain stalls the moment he realises what's being asked exactly, hesitating again because he's never... done... that. before. he's not giving jeff an opportunity to stop hom this time though. once the moment passes, david swings a leg over jeff's lap and smiles down at him once he's settled. it's deeply strange for him right now, but david can't say he has any complaints either. ]
[ like the first time, jeff catches that brief little pause as david hesitates. he almost says something, opens his mouth to tell david he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to and that he's perfectly content to stay exactly as they are if david's more comfortable that way - but david moves before he can get a word out, and jeff's attention shifts toward helping him up and over, helping him settle.
for jeff, this is also - a little more intimate than he's used to, if he's honest with himself, or at least more intimate than he's been with anyone in quite a long time, so it's strange to him too, even though he's the one who initiated it. but like most instances in which he feels a little awkward, he powers through it.
instead of diving right back into kissing david, jeff decides to give them both a little bit of time to adjust. he smiles faintly back at him, and shifts minimally to get more comfortable with david's weight in his lap. idly, he puts his hands at the outside of david's knees, thumbs smoothing over his kneecaps for a moment, but they only linger there for a moment before they're moving again. carefully, almost like he's wary of spooking david, he catches his right wrist and gently turns his arm outward so he can see the tattoo on his forearm.
until now, he's never really been afforded the opportunity to look at david's tattoos up close. jeff knows what they are, but like this, without the threat of death or someone to catch his gaze lingering for perhaps a little too long, he can really take in the detail. lightly, he traces his thumb over the lion's crown. ]
[ david makes a small, almost silent noise of surprise when jeff takes his wrist, holds his breath for a second like that'll stop jeff from feeling the way his pulse is racing. he shifts his weight a little, trying to get comfortable — it's harder than he would've expected not to feel self-conscious like this, up here. especially when jeff doesn't dive right back into kissing like he expected. ]
[ he watches jeff inspect his tattoo. gently, after some moments, lifts a hand to push some hair out of his face and tuck it behind his ear. he's wanted to do that a lot, now david thinks about it, when he's seen jeff working on something and some of his hair falls in his face. he grazes his knuckles down the side of jeff's face while he's focused, traces his thumb lightly over the curve of his bottom lip. his own expression thoughtful like he's never fully considered jeff's face before. ]
[ jeff's focused, but he's not so far engaged in tracing the shape of david's tattoo that he misses david's hands on him. when david brushes jeff's hair out of his face, tucks it behind his ear, jeff pauses for a beat, his hand stilling and his eyes flicking up. he says nothing, but he looks at david with this quiet, vague sort of wonder for a moment, like he's surprised by the gesture, but not displeased. it's just - new. no one's ever done that to him before.
jeff drops his gaze again, shifting his attention back to the ink on david's forearm, his thumb tracing some of the softer line work, the shading that someone obviously took their time with. it's a beautiful piece of work, and jeff absently wonders what the significance is behind it, if there's any significance at all. god knows he's got tattoos that mean shit all - but he's also got some that are important to him, too.
when david ghosts his knuckles against jeff's cheek, jeff doesn't pull away. instead, he almost leans into the touch without even really thinking about it, gently nudging his jaw against david's fingers. when that thumb passes over his lower lip, jeff doesn't exactly kiss the pad of it, but he leans his mouth into it subtly, all while keeping his eyes on david's arm, on his own hands as he maps out all the lines of ink and the strong muscle underneath.
when he does finally say something, his voice is low, a little gravelly and stuck between a whisper and a murmur. ]
Was this one first? [ jeff taps two of his fingers against the back of david's right arm, glancing up to look him in the eye. after a second, he moves one of his hands, and very softly catches a knuckle under the edge of david's jaw, gently trying to coax him into turning his head a bit to expose the rose hidden behind his ear. ] Or this one?
[ the way jeff looks at him makes david's breath catch in his throat for a brief moment, only finding it again when his gaze falls back to his tattoo. his own expression is quiet, thoughtful, fond at the way he nudges into david's touch. he is becoming extremely endeared to this man very fast, he realises, but the curl of his knuckle under david's jaw chases that worry away as he turns his head for jeff. ]
Rose were first. [ he tilts his head a little, eyes hooded as he looks at jeff out the corner of them. ] When I got serious about rugby. Thought I was gonna go pro.
[ that last bit he says with a smirk pulling at his lips, amused, but a little sad the way you only can be thinking about the things in life you've fucked up. ]
[ as david replies, jeff flicks his gaze away from the side of his neck to look him in the eye for a moment, a silent gesture to let him know that he's listening, and also that he's genuinely interested. when he glances back to the tattoo tucked away behind david's ear, he shifts his hand from the line of his jaw so he can trace the stem of the rose with the pad of his thumb.
he's not unfamiliar with the emblem, but he'd never really been able to place it properly until now. jeff feels a little bit stupid about it, honestly, because it's not the first time david's mentioned that he used to play rugby and it probably won't be the last, but jeff never made the connection between the two. he passes his thumb over a petal, then lets his hand fall away.
curiously, he tilts his head a little, leaning to look at david again. ]
What stopped you?
[ david's built for rugby. with the way he moves in trials, there's no doubt that he would have gone pro. that he should have gone pro, and jeff can't imagine that david would have given that up unless he was forced to stop playing. david just doesn't seem like the type to give up if there's chance he can make something work.
but, you know. maybe it was out of david's hands. jeff's eyebrows pinch slightly, and he makes a small, vague gesture at their surroundings with one hand. ]
This?
[ getting dragged to hell to be a never-ending dinner show for some eldritch horror? jeff doubts it, but you never know. he drops his hand again, his palm settling over one of david's knees. ]
[ he never expects anyone here to really catch that it's england rugby's emblem on his neck, even if the entity is extremely intent on making sure david never forgets that he fucked up his shot at a career he would've loved — christmas sweater, halloween tank, training jacket. he also doesn't expect the question, most people who don't know just assume some kind of injury or something. the sort of think that's ended innumerable athlete's careers before they started. ]
[ it shoots him back to the night he arrived in the fog, the man in the pub who wouldn't let it lie no matter how many times david asked him to leave it alone — what did that referee call you that upset you so much? — again and again. david shakes his head and shrugs, dismissive. it's no big deal. ] Just didn't work out.
[ he dips his head, noses lightly at jeff and presses a couple of kisses to his face; his cheek, the corner of his mouth, far more interested in that than in talking about himself. about his incredible ability to ruin his own life despite being born in a world with no shortage of opportunity. those are miserable thoughts and he'd rather not focus on them, not right now, with jeff right here under him. smooths his hands down the sides of his neck, past his collar to rest on his chest as if to confirm that fact for himself. ]
[ probably not for the first time with david, jeff gets the sense he's approaching a subject he shouldn't really push on. in hindsight, he maybe shouldn't have asked - if someone was about to make it big at something they obviously really enjoy, and it all fell through, well. jeff imagines it's probably not something david wants to think about.
jeff feels bad for prodding at all, but before he can get too awkward or anxious over it, david leans in peppers a couple kisses across his face. jeff exhales quietly through his nose, easily distracted at the moment by david's closeness and the warmth of his hands as they slide against his neck, settle on his chest. he makes a small sound in the back of his throat without even really noticing it, just a quick, low, contented note. his hands at david's knees drift a little, skimming up along the outside of david's legs, stopping about midway up. he likes feeling david's weight against him, whether he's just leaning, or seated in his lap, he's decided.
jeff takes one of his hands off of david's thigh and reaches up to squeeze one of his wrists where his hands are resting against his chest. from there, he moves again. hooks two fingers in the collar of david's shirt, lazily smooths his knuckles across the subtle rise of his clavicle underneath, and then gives his shirt collar a gentle tug as if wordlessly asking him to come closer so he can kiss him properly, even though david's already close enough. ]
Edited (maybe let's not start every sentence with jeff.) 2023-01-12 01:58 (UTC)
[ it doesn't help that david feels especially exposed up here, placed up on high and seen. he's not especially forthcoming about the details of his life at the best of times, but right now, like this, it's too much. ]
[ he practically chases after that noise jeff makes though, already searching out his lips for a kiss before that tug on his collar makes him shift closer, draping an arm over jeff's shoulder as he (a little awkwardly, there's no need to talk about it) shifts himself on jeff's lap to pull himself forward, body as flush to jeff's as he can make it. his other hand moving back up to his neck, bracing under his chin to tilt his head up so david can kiss him properly. ]
[ if jeff notices any awkwardness in the way david shifts, he doesn't say anything about it - it'd be hypocritical of him anyway, considering he's at least somewhat awkward pretty much all of the time.
he keeps his hands light on david as he moves, just so he doesn't get in the way of anything, and when david finally settles again, so close that they're touching in more places than they're not, jeff lets his hands drift a little again, broad palms sliding up along the outside of david's legs up to his hips. they stop at david's waist, fingers flexing a little when he tilts jeff's chin up, and when david leans down to kiss him, jeff leans up just a little to meet him. jeff's used to being at least a little bit taller than the majority of people he knows, but in his lap, david's slightly taller. having to look up to kiss someone is different, but right now he can't say that he minds it.
jeff kisses david slowly, not quite lazy but definitely not in any kind of rush, and when he moves his hands from david's waist to his lower back, his fingers unintentionally slide under the hem against warm skin. ]
[ david makes a quiet, pleased noise at the touch of jeff's fingers on his skin, like he hasn't had those hands on him a million times before. but those were different — bloodied fingers patching up wounds, hauling him off the ground and taking his weight, check ins to make sure he's good to keep going, shoving him out the exit gate — and it almost strikes him how little he's touched or been touched by anybody these past years for reasons that weren't either trial related or some desperate seeking of a distraction. ]
[ he drapes an arm over jeff's shoulder, brings his hand to the back of jeff's neck where he can lightly skim his fingers up and down the skin, his other hand moving from where it is at jeff's jaw to cradle the side of his face. touch gentle, but firm and deliberate at the same time. ]
[ emboldened by the positive note david hums against his mouth, jeff exhales through his nose and deliberately puts his hands the rest of the way underneath david's shirt, fingers splaying wide against his back. there's something about david that makes jeff want to memorize him - the shape of him, the warmth of his skin, the subtle shift of muscle and bone, the way he moves. david makes jeff want to know him so well that he could recreate him in any medium from memory alone.
slow, like he's painting out a mental map, jeff glides his hands up the length of david's back, shirt gathering up around his wrists as he kisses him. he catches his bottom lip between his own, swipes his tongue almost tentatively against it, and when he drags his hands back down, he pulls them forward a bit, following the shape of david's rib cage around to the front until he's holding his sides, thumbs stroking short, soft lines alone the ridges of his bottom ribs.
something about sneaking away to go and make out makes jeff feel— not young, but younger. takes him back to when life felt a little easier. never easy, but anything before the fog seems like a walk in the park in comparison. getting distracted like this is dangerous and maybe a little reckless, especially considering where they've sneaked off to, but jeff hasn't forgotten the risk. he's just - weighed it against the reward, and found that the reward is worth whatever might happen to him if they get caught. maybe not so much if david gets caught up in michael's bullshit too, but jeff doesn't intend to let him.
that's nothing he wants to think about though, when there are much nicer things to occupy his mind with. like the way david's chest expands under his hands with every breath, and how the weight of him in his lap isn't heavy, but solid and real. grounding, in a way jeff can't really properly describe. like the way his fingers ghost against the nape of jeff's neck, sending a small shiver racing down the length of his spine. the way their mouths fit together. a million things he wants to immortalize in rough lines and bold, thick stripes of color.
jeff pulls away somewhat suddenly, just a fraction. just enough so he can tilt his chin down and take a deep breath, just a bit overwhelmed for a moment by how much he likes david. he wets his lips, forehead lightly bumping against david's brow just briefly, but he only needs a second. he exhales slow and easy, turns his head slightly so he can kiss the high point of david's cheek, then the soft bit of skin by his ear. the edge of his jaw, then just beneath at the slope of his throat. ]
[ david's own thoughts aren't nearly so poetic, even if they lean in the same direction, all he knows is an overwhelming feeling that he needs to touch this man. that he needs to be as close to him as possible to soak up every moment they have here. the threat of michael might be a distant thought in the back of his mind at this point — not forgotten, merely unimportant in comparison — but the awareness that their time is limited is loud and clear. ]
[ muffled though, by the sensation of jeff's hands travelling up his back, around his sides. david's no stranger to having his body appreciated, to hands on him that border on worship in their touch, but this feels different. or maybe he's just biased. maybe it's just that something about the slow, thoughtful way jeff touches him makes him want to feel less like an object-- a prize for somebody else's consumption. not... that he necessarily objects to that, but he feels those hands broad and warm on his sides, thumbs along his ribs, and his breathing stops completely for a moment because the word that flits through his mind is adored and that might be more terrifying than anything he's encountered in the fog. ]
[ the thought of chasing that feeling scares him shitless for a million different reasons, and he feels a little like he's going insane. fuck that, a lot like he's going insane. who gets like this after kissing someone a few times? ]
[ when jeff pulls away, david's breath comes out shakily, simultaneously relieved and already missing the slot of their mouths together. he closes his eyes and takes a breath like that'll help, but before he's even finished he feels lips on his cheek, his jaw. already tiling his head to encourage jeff when he's at his throat and pushing his hand up into his hair, holding the back of his head, a quiet gasp slipping out of him that he can't even find it in himself to be embarrassed by. ]
[ it's probably not very much of a secret by now that jeff... likes it when david puts his hands in his hair. he hasn't made much of an effort to hide it, and he doesn't bother now either, his hands flexing against david's sides when he slides his fingers into his hair, his breath hot against david's pulse. that soft little gasp, though - that hits him kind of unexpectedly, in a good way. jeff files that away with all the other little sounds david's made, however few, over the course of - well, whatever this is.
there's a tiny voice in the back of jeff's head telling him that he's already in too deep with this man, that he shouldn't be thinking about david in terms of art or committing the shape of him underneath his hands to memory. the way he smirks when he's teasing, the tension in his jaw when he's determined or angry or both, the way his voice gets a little rougher at the edges when he's had enough for one day. they've only kissed a handful of times, but it already feels like there aren't enough canvases in the world to capture all of the things jeff likes about him. all of the things he'd want to remember, if the entity chose to show them a little mercy when they finally found a way out of this place.
but maybe it's not too much - maybe it just feels that way because he doesn't have to hide his adoration away in the pages of an old sketchbook, or in the gentle application of bandages and medical tape, wishing he could do more, or in subtle, silent glances when david's pushing his limits and they both know it, but they also know he's the only thing holding everyone together when the odds seem slim to none. maybe it just feels like a lot because it's all at the forefront instead of pushed away and buried somewhere in the back of his mind.
he can't let himself get too far into his own head. if he does, he's bound to fuck this up. make it weird or awkward or uncomfortable, and while that's kind of par for the course for him on a good day, he's not interested in ruining things so quickly.
swallowing quietly, jeff wets his lips and noses at david's throat where his pulse is, fingers flexing again against his sides. he exhales slowly through his mouth, brushes a kiss against the same spot he nosed at. presses another one an inch below that, beard bristling against thin skin. his hands cradling david's rib cage move idly, almost of their own accord, drifting lower to his waist again before they push back and meet in the middle at the bottom of david's spine, fingers linking together and holding him close.
when the lazy peppering of kisses dips low enough to david's shirt collar, jeff doesn't go any further than that - but he does shift, ghosting another kiss over the hollow of his throat before starting another path up the other side of david's neck. ]
[ david arches just a little against jeff, fingertips scraping lightly over his scalp as he tilts his head however he needs to to keep jeff on his neck. when he focuses on that sensation, on jeff's lips and the tickle of his beard and the exploration of his hands, he can dull the roar of panic in his mind to a dull whisper. focus instead on the way he adores the way his hair feels between his fingers or how feels like he's steadily getting warmer and warmer-- ]
Hold-- [ he clears his throat ] hold on.
[ he pulls back enough to pull off his shirt and drop it next to them on the bed. now they may resume. ]
[ david's voice doesn't necessarily startle jeff, but it does make his heart skip a beat for a moment. immediately, he assumes something's wrong, his fingers at david's back unlinking slightly so there's room for david to get away, get some space if that's what he needs. when david sits back, jeff pointedly ignores the dull, guilty twist in his stomach, focused entirely on david instead.
for whatever reason, david's next move is not one jeff expects - but not one he can he's not very into, either. his eyebrows lift slightly when david starts pulling off his shirt, hands moving off of him to get out of the way and make it that much easier. it's not the first time jeff's seen him without a shirt, and even if they weren't tangled up in whatever this new thing is, it probably wouldn't be the last, either, with how often he turns up in trial without one.
but it feels different. it feels deliberate, significant. jeff wouldn't go so far as to say it's for him, but there's a difference between turning up in a trial without a shirt in front of four other people, and taking it off on purpose in front of just one. there's a difference between wandering off into the woods to go blow off some steam by working out, keeping cool without a shirt - and this.
jeff smiles faintly at david, and the first thing he looks at is not david's newly bared torso, but his eyes. partly checking in to make sure he's all right, and partly just because jeff likes them. when his hands settle back on david again, he puts one of them back over the dip of david's spine and brings the other one up to gently cup the side of his neck, thumb tucked beside the hinge of his jaw. jeff leans in to kiss him softly, light and brief, and when he pulls away again, he skims his hand down from david's neck. ghosts his fingertips along a collar bone, thumbs at the hollow of his throat. spreads his fingers and pulls his palm down to the center of david's chest where he just... stops.
it's too much to say that he's fascinated with the proof of life under his palm - the rise and fall of david's chest as he breathes, the dull but present heartbeat, maybe a little quicker than david expects - but it's easy for him to get distracted by it. comforted by it, even.
jeff looks up again, takes a breath of his own, because he hadn't realized he'd stopped for a moment. he offers another one of those ghosts of a smile and tilts his chin up for a kiss. ]
[ it would be impossible for him to stop the little smirk that slides onto his face when he sees how jeff pauses when he takes off his shirt, but he looks — just for a blink and you'll miss it moment — surprised when jeff's instinct is to look up instead of down. david smiles back, rests his hands either side of jeff's neck as he leans down for that brief kiss. ]
[ he smooths his hands out over jeff's collarbones, lets out another of those shaky breaths at the those touches and the hand on his chest, and he presses their foreheads together just for a moment. thoughtful almost when he puts his hand over jeff's to press it firmer against his chest as he tilts his head into that kiss. ]
[ it's hard not to lean into it, difficult not to chase after the taste of david's mouth, and by now, jeff doesn't really feel like he has much incentive not to - so he doesn't. when he kisses david again, it's not aggressive, but there's intent, a quiet sort of hunger in the way he pushes forward, the hand not caught by david's still splayed over his lower back, acting as a support.
the way david closes his hand over jeff's makes something soft in his stomach flutter for a moment, and jeff doesn't really think about it when he turns his hand over underneath david's, slotting their fingers together but keeping their hands right where they are, pinned against his chest. if he focused hard enough, jeff could probably feel the beat of david's heart against his knuckles, but he's too caught up in catching david's lower lip with his teeth, a subtle low note pushing against his mouth.
like david, jeff's also starting to get a little warm, the both of them close enough to each other that their shared body heat doesn't really have anywhere to go. unlike david though, jeff's first instinct isn't to peel himself out of his own shirt; he's not self conscious, not really, but he's also aware that he's... a bit softer than david is, and while he's fairly sure david wouldn't have anything to say about it, it's easier to just - not even consider it at all. ]
[ for the record, if jeff took his shirt off, david would be thrilled. it's not something he'll push for though, he doesn't want to make jeff uncomfortable. maybe when they're more familiar, he'll be a little more pushy, more insistent. right now it's hard to think about much other than the way jeff taking his hand makes his breathing stop and his stomach flutter like he's some teenager having their first kiss. ]
[ the thought makes an amused rush of breath come out of his nose, his hand moving to the back of jeff's neck to hold him firm so he can lean properly into the kiss with more of his weight, a quiet groan slipping out of him at the same time. ]
[ it might not be a full on laugh, but jeff can sense the amusement in david's quick exhale, can feel the subtle shift of his mouth against his lips betraying him. he gets a little sidetracked though when david leans again him, hums a low note into his mouth. jeff exhales through his nose, his fingers curling a little reflexively against david's back, blunt nails scraping lightly. he sits back a little leans some of his own weight a bit more against the headboard behind him, keeps david close with him.
it takes him a second, but he eventually circles back to that little ghost of a laugh, and he breaks away from david. he presses a kiss to his chin, dips his head down a little so he can brush another one against the back of david's hand where his own is still tangled with it against his chest. lifts his head back up again, asks about midway back to david's mouth. ]
What's so funny? Mm?
[ it's just a low murmur, but there's some mild amusement in his tone too. ]
[ he chases jeff's lips when he breaks away, immediately dismayed that he's no longer being kissed. though the sweetness of his little kisses, the way jeff kisses the back of his hand, it makes something in his stomach flutter again and he shakes his head. at once both amused and just slightly embarrassed. ]
Just suddenly struck me, s'all. Sneaking off to go do this in some dingy bedroom. [ david looks down, watching jeff, a quiet smile on his face. combs his fingers through the front of jeff's hair and lets his hand rest at the back of his head. he'd been to preoccupied with the actual doing of getting here and now this to actually think about it at any point. ] Like a pair of kids.
[ before david can push his fingers through his hair, jeff steals another quick kiss from him, mirroring david's small, amused exhale from just a moment ago. david doesn't even have to finish that sentence, and jeff already knows where he's going with it, but he lets him finish anyway, his eyes sliding closed for a moment as david sifts his hand through his hair. he really, really likes when david does that.
humming a thoughtful note in acknowledgement, jeff opens his eyes and looks up at david with a soft, lopsided smile, chuckling quietly under his breath. idly, he relaxes his hand against david's back again, rubs his thumb over david's where their hands are linked together between them. ]
Mm. I was never this lucky.
[ jeff says this mostly as a joke, but it's not untrue. to be fair, though, jeff had very little interest in romantic relationships when he was a teenager, the notion of dating or being romantically involved with someone heavily soured by his parents' constant fighting and eventual divorce. even if it hadn't been, though, jeff doesn't think his younger self would be as confident or as comfortable as he is now.
plus, david was probably just as attractive when he was younger as he is now. teenage jeff probably wouldn't have even known how to speak to him without making an absolute fool of himself.
jeff slides his hand up the column of david's spine, ghosts it back down. he shrugs one of his shoulders kind of lazily. ]
[ the smile on his face is slight, but regardless it's warm and bright, a slight wrinkling by his eyes giving away his amusement too. he tries to imagine what they would've even been like at that age, but most of his thoughts about being a teenager and any kind of relationship inevitably drift toward tristan and that's not what he wants to be thinking about right now. ]
[ in a fucked up kind of way, this is better. and that's something he's not going to lend to much mental real estate to either. ]
[ his teenage self certainly wouldn't have been comfortable sitting in somebody's lap like this, even someone who feels as warm and safe as jeff, much too occupied with macho asshole bullshit. subconsciously he wriggles his hips a little at the thought like he's just remembered that's where he is and has to get comfortable again. ]
[ jeff's response is immediate, and clearly a joke judging by the way the corner of his mouth quirks a little in his attempt to suppress a smile. ]
For once.
[ david doesn't complain at lot in jeff's honest opinion. he's loud sometimes, opinionated and stubborn and unafraid to call someone out for fucking up, but he's not one to whine without reason. it's fun to tease him a little bit though.
when david wiggles in his lap to get settled again, jeff makes a very quiet sound, like he held his breath for just a second and then released it. he curls his hand into a loose fist at david's back and lazily drugs his knuckles up and down the first couple notches in his spine. he looks up at david, squeezes his hand lightly. ]
How long's too long do you think?
[ to be out here fucking around before someone thinks something happened to them and maybe comes looking. not that he's in any rush to go back to camp when he's so content here like this. ]
[ david laughs, rolling his eyes with an immediate 'alright' because he could hear it coming the second he saw that little quirk of jeff's lip. ]
[ he's also much too keyed in to jeff right now not to notice that little sound he makes, and it takes david a second to even realise why, but then he can't stop himself giving jeff a sly little smirk, but he doesn't say anything or pursue it. he glances back over his shoulder instead at the little alarm clock on the nightstand. but it doesn't work so. what's the point even. ]
[ if jeff could easily reach his flashlight, he'd click it in david's face again just for that look he gives him, that stupid little knowing smirk. because it's conveniently out of reach, tucked away in his back pocket (and actually starting to get uncomfortable at this point), he settles for lightly thumping the back of his hand against david's chest as if telling him to cut it out, all without letting go of david's hand.
when david asks how long it's been, jeff takes his other hand off of david's back and leans back a little so he can look down at his own wrist - where there is, unsurprisingly, not a watch. just a bunch of black ink. jeff narrows his eyes anyway for a moment, then looks up at david with a casual shrug. ]
No idea. [ :). ] Hour, maybe?
[ which isn't a terribly long time for anyone to be gone looking for supplies or checking out whatever new bullshit's happened to crop up, but still. ]
[ what a goddamn comedian. david lips pull in an attempt not to laugh, but he can't help that he finds jeff's stupid jokes ridiculously charming. so his thoughts on the time are a small shake of his head as he brings his hand to jeff's cheek and uses it to guide him back in for another kiss. ]
[ so it hasn't been too long then, is the message jeff's getting when david pulls him back in for a kiss. jeff smiles against his mouth, a low chuckle vibrating in his chest as he winds his arm back around him, perfectly content to stay here for however long. whether that's until they're found, by michael or otherwise, or until they get tired of fooling around, who can say.
but that's a concern for later. for now, jeff sighs through his nose, using his arm around david to pull him close, their clasped hands between them keeping them from being completely flush, but it doesn't even cross jeff's mind to let go of his hand just so they can be that much closer.
gently, jeff catches david's lower lip with his teeth, licks tentatively at the seam of his mouth. ]
[ he's definitely been gone for hours and come back with shit all before, so david's not too worried. some survivors take off for suspiciously longer too (zarina), so david's more worried about getting caught, either by michael or someone who got it in their head to come snooping around haddonfield too. ]
[ though worried is a strong word for how little david is thinking about any of that, not with the way he presses himself up close all over again when jeff pulls his arm around him, not even giving a passing thought to their hands clasped between them. far more interested in reminding himself how jeff tastes like it's been longer than a couple of minutes. ]
[ eventually it's gotta stop though. david can feel them both slowing down, no idea how long they've been here but he doesn't care about it too much. slowly, like he's reticent (because he is,) david pulls away. but he sticks close enough to leave a kiss at the corner of jeff's mouth, another on the apple of his cheek, leaves his forehead pressed to jeff's temple when he speaks; low and rough. ]
We should probably head back.
[ he is in no way making even the slightest move to make that happen. ]
[ jeff can sense it too, that it's getting to be time for them to head back before their luck runs out. it feels like a goddamn miracle that they've gone this long uninterrupted, so while jeff also isn't all that thrilled to get out of here, he knows david's right.
but he also doesn't move right away, quietly pleased by david's gentle affections. he exhales, closes his eyes for a second and lingers in the moment. it's been... a really fucking long time since jeff's had a couple of enjoyable hours, and he's reluctant let it come to an end. when david suggests they should start making their way back to camp, jeff answers with a low note. he turns his head slightly so he can kiss david one more time, and murmurs, ]
[ david hums, a low, thoughtful noise. they really should go, he knows it, he knows they're pushing their luck the longer they stay here, but this is also just... nice. in a way that he hadn't even realised he's been missing since long before the fog. ]
You think they'd notice if we just didn't come back for a while? [ his eyes are closed, voice low, arm draped lazily over jeff's shoulder. ] Be nice to sleep in a real bed.
[ it probably says something about jeff that he actually pauses to consider the question. what is says about him is anyone's guess, but it's probably nothing good. absently, he runs his hand up david's back, loosely cups the back of his neck and then squeezes gently as he thinks about it.
it would be really nice to sleep in a real bed. really fucking nice. between the both of them, david's more likely to be noted as missing before jeff is, but the people who're close enough to david to notice his absence are also probably the people who know not to worry about him too quickly. jeff can't say if anyone would notice, isn't sure if anyone even saw them leave.
and what's the worst that could happen, honestly? they get some actually decent sleep for once for a couple hours before michael finds them? they die in their sleep? admittedly, jeff can't say being murdered in his sleep sounds... terrible. he likely wouldn't even know. and who knows, maybe they'll keep riding this wave of luck and nothing will happen to them at all. either way, the odds seem... not not in their favor.
how fucked up is it that he's willing to risk a knife in the gut to sleep in an actual bed? probably less fucked up than being trapped in an endless cycle of being hunted and slaughtered. jeff absently kneads the back of david's neck, wets his lips. he offers a half shrug. ]
People are gone from camp all the time. [ granted, it's usually because they've been summoned to a trial, but still. the pros of staying here are really starting to outweigh the cons the longer jeff thinks about it. ] Christ knows my back could use a break...
[ david lets out a soft little sigh at the hand up his back, the way jeff squeezes his neck that he's quickly becoming addicted to, tilts his head a little more towards jeff's while he waits for the result of whatever deliberation is going on in his head. ]
[ for his part, once the thought occurred david knew he'd be down if jeff was. any kind of comfort is fleeting here, it feels more than worth it to him to grab hold of this once the opportunity presents. lord knows he's done riskier shit for less, even when the threat of death was far more than a terrifying inconvenience. like if stubbing your toe came with a wash of existential dread. ]
[ when jeff finally speaks, david gives it a couple of moment's thought and then carefully slips off his lap onto the bed next to him, still holding his hand, which makes finding a way to lay down a little awkward but he'll manage. ]
C'mere then. [ he grins up at jeff. ] Been told I make a good pillow.
[ when david moves to slide out of his lap, jeff lets his hand skim from his neck to about halfway down his spine before david's out of his reach. he watches him curiously for a beat, still unsure about whether or not they've decided to stay. ultimately, it's up to david, in jeff's opinion - whatever he decides he wants to do, jeff's in, so long as it means he gets to commandeer a little more of his time.
david summons him, though. looks up at him and smiles and tells him to come here and something in jeff's chest vibrates a little. he can't help the quiet huff of a laugh that escapes him, nor can help the lopsided smile that tugs at one side of his mouth or the sad attempt to hide it. jeff shakes his head, lightly squeezing david's hand that's still tangled with his.
this is a stupid idea. jeff can admit that much, but it's probably not the stupidest idea either one of them has had by far. as far as jeff is concerned, the risk is worth the reward no matter how you spin it, at least this once. he raises his eyebrows slightly at david. ]
Mm? [ he's not questioning david's claim of being a good pillow, but merely acknowledging it. jeff starts to shift, working on getting more comfortable, all without letting go of david's hand. it's hard to tell if he even realizes he's still holding it. ] Not as impressive as a great pillow.
[ jeff says this nonchalantly, settles, glances at david again. ]
[ there's a beat before david actually reacts, a moment of internal panic that that's some kind of hint for him to get or something, but when it passes it's washed away with a scoff and a roll of his eyes that do nothing to hide the slight smile creeping in at the edges that give away how charming he finds jeff, dumb jokes or not. ]
[ he evidently hasn't forgotten they're holding hands either, not with the way david tugs on jeff's a little pointedly and raises his eyebrows. ]
Can't sleep on yourself though, can you?
[ he would like to have this man in his arms asap, and if anything he thinks he deserves it. ]
[ jeff tilts his head slightly, his mouth pulling downward at the corners a bit like he's really, genuinely considering the logistics of being able to sleep on himself, though its really just for david's entertainment. in the end, he sighs like he's conceding to the point, absently squeezing david's hand when he tugs on jeff's.
and then he loosens his grip, carefully eases his his hand out of david's, and only pauses for a moment before sitting up a bit. then, with only a little bit of uncertainty, he reaches back over his shoulders and grabs two handfuls of his shirt, pulling it off over his head and reaching slightly to drop it with david's.
if they're going to hang out here and try to get some - normal sleep in a normal(ish) bed, he might as well make the most of it, right? it only makes sense try and be as comfortable as possible, and if he were back home, for real, in his own bed, he wouldn't be sleeping (or attempting to sleep) in a shirt.
jeff clears his throat quietly, then attempts to settle again. ]
[ david pulls a bit of a face when jeff slips his hand out of his grip, but he's instantly mollified when he realises why jeff had to let go of his hand, because that's something david is keenly interested in. though he does jeff the kindness of not staring, buthis gaze does immediately drop to take in jeff's body when he drops the shirt — nothing necessarily surprising about it except maybe the number of tattoos he's managed to fit in there, but that doesn't mean david's any less interested — he knows jeff's baseline is already pretty high when it comes to his anxiety, and david's suddenly aware that this is stuff he doesn't know about jeff. he has no idea how he feels about his own body, in isolation or comparatively, but regardless of the answer he feels like having someone shamelessly check him out might be a lot right now. or maybe that's david's own baggage creeping up around the corners. ]
[ not that david can completely hide that that's what he's doing, but jeff isn't exactly sat up for long and david reaches out with an arm to welcome jeff back to the bed. he's laying on his back for now, but he'll move however to accommodate jeff, mostly fighting the urge to put his hands all over him until they have this arrangement sorted. ]
[ the thing about jeff is that he doesn't really care too much about what people think about him, both in general and in a more... intimate sense, but it didn't always used to be that way. when he was younger, a teenager and even a bit into his very early twenties, he gave a damn. people perceived him as intimidating when he was just - quiet, they saw him as stoic when he was just introverted. unattractive, because of the gnarly scar bisecting his left eye, his scattering of tattoos. it used to bother him, a little bit, being judged, but he learned to pour his attention in his time into other, less anxiety-triggering things.
but he's also changed a lot, from then to now. taller by far, and nowhere near as lean or as gangling as he used to be. softer. and he's fine with that, comfortable for the most part, even, but it's hard not to feel at least a little bit vulnerable in the moment. jeff likes david, a lot. it's hard not to think about whether david will still be as into him as he seems, now that he's seen more of him.
but jeff tries. he comes back to david and he focuses instead on the fact that for the first time in what feels like eternity at this point, he might get to sleep for a couple of hours in an actual bed. uninterrupted, if they're lucky. it takes jeff a few beats to figure out how exactly he wants to settle, but eventually he ends up on his side, nudged up close to david, and he puts an arm over him and his cheek on his shoulder. ]
[ david smiles, warm and happy when jeff finally settles. lightly trails his fingertips in lines up and down jeff's back and puts his other hand lightly on jeff's forearm, turns his head to kiss the top of jeff's. this is as close to a perfect moment as it could possibly get, and david shifts a little to be able to encourage jeff to curl up to him a little closer if that's even possible. ]
[ easily encouraged and steadily easing into being comfortable, jeff breathes in, then lets it all go in a long, heavy exhale, thumb smoothing an aimless line over one of david's ribs. he inches closer, moves in until he's... practically half on david, draped over him with his face half tucked into his neck, arm flung across his middle.
part of him is mildly anxious just because it's been a while since he's slept in the same bed as someone else, but also because he's a little worried about crossing boundaries. still thinking about the way david had tensed up a little, the first time they had kissed, the mildly panicked look in his eyes before he took off to find a gate. jeff has more context now for that moment, but it doesn't mean it's not still in the back of his mind.
but part of him is... unexpectedly content, too. unwilling to let his anxiety ruin something good. jeff tilts his head up just an inch, just enough so he can kiss the side of david's throat. ]
[ this isn't getting caught up in a moment and letting himself get carried away with something he's tried desperately to keep under wraps, every moment of this has been a choice that he's thought through and made. as much as some part of his mind is loud about its worry over being seen — especially over the idea that ghost face is out there deciding to take photos — he is as calm and content in this moment as he can possibly be. ]
[ david makes a soft, happy noise at jeff's lips on his throat, wraps his arm around him to hold him close and tight — testing the waters a little, maybe, to see what jeff's comfortable with. he closes his eyes on a sigh and brings his other hand up to card his fingers into the front of jeff's hair, to comb his fingers through it as they settle in. ]
[ when david pushes his fingers through his hair, any tension jeff might have still been carrying feels like it melts off and away from him, his body going loose and lax, full weight blanketed over david. jeff's eyes slide closed and he sighs, a quiet, content note skating on the ends of his exhale, and he absently rubs his hand up and down the far side of david's rib cage.
it's probably obvious by now that jeff likes having his hair touched - or maybe he just likes it when david does it, who knows - but it's different like this. it puts him at ease far quicker than it should, helps him relax probably more than he's allowed himself to relax in a long time. jeff opens his eyes half way, traces a lazy pattern with his fingertips against david's ribs, and he murmurs. ]
Gonna put me to sleep real fast if you keep doing that.
[ that's not a complaint by any means, just a fair warning. ]
[ david's laugh is silent save for the low rumble in his chest and he turns his head toward jeff's with a gentle sigh, still running his fingers through jeff's hair in slow, repetitive motions. ]
[ jeff laughs too, though it's lazy and more of a quick exhale of breath out through his nose and a half smile against david's throat. he flattens his hand out against david's side and makes a soft sound of protest, idling for a moment in the rise and fall of david's chest under his palm. ]
Mm. Kinda'd like to enjoy this for more than twenty seconds though.
[ that's a little bit of an exaggeration - jeff wouldn't drift out that quickly, but there's no denying how comfortable he is already, how easily he could nod off if he didn't fight it. that being said though, he adds: ]
[ it's an amused mumble, and david scratches his fingers lightly against a spot on the back of jeff's head affectionately (you know, like one might with a cat or a dog) and continues playing with jeff's hair. something about it is a little calming for him too, a comfortable repetition to let his mind idle and focus in on the warm body halfway on him and his even breaths. ]
[ he almost says something about finding a way to do this again soon, but david worries about both being too presumptuous and about jinxing it, so he keeps that thought to himself. ]
[ it's truly unfair that david managed to find one of jeff's biggest weaknesses this quickly, but... honestly, jeff can't really complain. the gentle scratching at his scalp pulls another low, contented hum from him, deep enough that it could almost, comically, be considered a purr. jeff flexes his fingers against david's side, lets his eyes close again.
and for a minute or two, he's content to just lay there in the silence, warm and comfortable and surprisingly relaxed considering the extremely high risk that comes with what they're doing. by all accounts, his anxiety should be through the roof - and that's not to say he's not anxious at all, but all things considered, it's pretty baseline.
eventually though, jeff's idle petting of david's ribs pauses, and he tenses the slightest bit for the briefest moment. he shifts his head an inch, tilts his chin up a bit like he's trying to look up at david, but all he can really see is the edge of his jaw and the side of his face. ]
Is this— [ he cuts himself off, clears his throat. jeff's voice is low, barely a murmur. ] ... You comfortable? I can - move. If.
[ david is, once those few minutes pass, starting to drift off himself. his breathing evening out, surprisingly calm and content all things considered. even in less intimate moments, jeff's presence is usually a calming influence though, david couldn't really say why, but it makes this far easier than it should be. ]
[ when jeff speaks it startles him a little, something that tapers into a soft and quiet laugh as david makes an attempt to turn his head enough to press a kiss to whatever part of jeff is most accessible. his forehead, probably. ]
[ when david startles, jeff gives his side a gentle, apologetic squeeze, immediately placated by the kiss pressed to his forehead. david wasn't that far off with his comment about feeling like a couple of kids, because that's really how jeff's feeling, but in the best way.
satisfied that he's not imposing or being... unbearable by being too tactile, jeff relaxes again. settles into david, breathes in, and then out nice and slow, hand at david's side curling into a loose fist so he can lazily drag his knuckles back and forth along his rib cage. the steady rise and fall of david's chest, the soft sound of his breathing, the fingers tangled in his hair, the comfort and security of being alone but with someone he trusts explicitly - all of it is enough lull jeff closer toward sleep pretty easily, and though he does try to fight it for a good minute or two, just to linger in the moment for that much longer, sleep does eventually pull him under. ]
[ david probably wasn't once ever this relaxed as a teenager, which is probably kind of sad, but what can you do. he probably wouldn't have appreciated it back then anyway, not like this. the way the sensation of jeff's knuckles moving against his side pulls him back to where he was before jeff spoke, quietly drifting off as easy as if he was in his own bed. easier, probably. ]
[ when he does wake up some hours later, it's with a gentle, cresting surprise as awareness of where he is forms slowly. not the dark of the woods, but the dingy lights of a house in haddonfield. the weight of a body on his that makes him smile when he remembers who it is, and david turns his head to nose lightly at jeff's hair. ]
[ in his time in the fog, jeff's become somewhat of a light sleeper, but something about being in a real bed, warm and comfortable and cuddled up close with someone makes him nearly dead (ha) the world. the couple of hours he manages to sleep for are probably some of the best he's had in a long-ass time, and he doesn't wake once. not until david noses at his hair anyway, as gentle as it is.
jeff breathes in deep though his nose, a little sharper than usual, gently startled awake. he tenses briefly; it takes him a couple of seconds of bleary blinking into the side of david's neck to piece together where he is and who he's with, and when it all clicks into place, he relaxes again with a soft exhale. he slides his hand up david's side, drags it back down. ]
Mn. Okay?
[ his voice is low and rough with sleep, but there's tiny thread of concern laced into his tone, like he's worried david might have been woken by something, and they need to get up and go, instead of waking naturally. he has no idea how long its been, but honestly, he's just surprised they're not waking up in a pool of blood or worse. ]
[ he winces a little at the way jeff wakes up, feeling guilty for it, and he makes a gentle shushing sound like that's gonna do anything. he rubs jeff's back in apology, wanting to just tell him to go back to sleep but fairly certain that it's pointless to bother. ]
Sorry-- weren't tryin' to wake you.
[ his accent is a little more pronounced this fresh from sleep, his own voice rough with it too, and he nuzzles lightly into the top of jeff's head. he knows they shouldn't push their luck too much further, but after all this, a slow and lazy waking seems right. a last bit of peace before they have to return to reality. ]
[ the quiet hushing and the hand on his back eases that brief spike of anxiety pretty quickly, soothing jeff back into somewhere between awake and asleep. he sighs again and nuzzles kind of mindlessly against david's throat for a moment. ]
S'all right. Probably should.
[ wake up, he means, but he makes no immediate effort to do that. like david, he knows they've been extremely lucky so far, and to push their luck beyond its limits would likely end very badly, but. what's five more minutes? when's the last time he was able to take his time waking up instead of snapping awake in the middle of the woods? when's the last time he woke up and some part of him wasn't sore or cramped? if five more minutes is too much to ask, well. so be it. ]
[ what's a few more minutes? it's a dangerous line of thought and even half asleep, david's aware of that much, but he can feel jeff's breath on his throat and his hand on his side and he can't bear to give that up a second sooner than he has to. if they end up slaughtered for it like teens in some schlocky horror movie, he thinks that might be worth it. ]
[ jeff offers a quiet note of agreement, but otherwise, he keeps pretty quiet for the next few minutes or so, slowly easing more and more into the waking world. admittedly, it's a little bit of a struggle to not go straight back to sleep, but he manages by keeping his mind occupied with little things. the warmth of david's skin, the steady pattern of his breathing, the muscle and bone underneath his hand. the sound of his voice, rough around the edges, the slightly thicker accent.
eventually, though, jeff concedes: they have to get moving at some point, either before someone comes looking or their luck runs out. with a sigh, jeff brushes a fleeting kiss against david's neck and then starts to shift, peeling himself away from him and turning onto his back. he stretches his back out, uses one hand to rub his fingers against his eyes, and then paws around by his side for wherever their shirts wound up. not far, apparently, and he drags both over and drops them on david's stomach. he's awake, but maybe not enough to sort out whose is whose. ]
[ david makes a noise of complaint when jeff pulls away, but he's right, they should get moving. he rubs at his eyes with the heels of his hands and sighs, forcing himself to sit up. okay. fine. he's awake. raises his arms out over his head in a stretch and then picks up their shirts from where they ended up in his lap. it takes him maybe a few moments longer than it should to tell whose is whose, but eventually david manages to figure out which one is his and pulls it on. ]
Here. [ and then he dumps jeff's shirt on his face. romance. ] Make yourself decent.
[ jeff laughs more at david's comment than he does at his shirt being piled onto his face, quiet and deep and still a little bit raspy. he drags his shirt off his his head, heaves a heavy sigh, and then sits up so he can "make himself decent". funny, coming from the guy who's ripped and definitely took his shirt off first.
but jeff pulls his shirt on, untucks his hair from underneath his collar, and then rakes his fingers through his hair so he can tie it back. the less it looks like he has bedhead, the better, probably. at least if they're going to attempt to get away with this, anyway. he pulls his hands down over his face when he's done, chasing away any lingering sleepiness, then looks at david. ]
Think we should find something to take back?
[ or just call it an unsuccessful supply run? that took... several hours. ]
[ ugh but jeff looks so good with his hair tied back? how rude. david just watches him for those moments while he's dealing with his hair, and when jeff speaks it makes him jump just the tiniest amount. he shakes his head, shaking that off. supplies, right. ]
Don't think we wanna stick around here much longer.
[ with a slight lift of his brows and a quick, downward turn of his mouth, jeff nods just once. he can't really argue with that. no point in ruining a good thing by overstaying their welcome ("welcome") just for some batteries or bandages to use as a cover story. the likelihood of someone asking where the two of them have been is pretty slim anyway, and it's not like it'd be that hard to paint up a quick excuse.
if jeff doesn't get up now though, he's likely to just stay here forever, so with some reluctance, he kicks his legs over the side of the bed and stands, taking another second to properly stretch his back and his shoulder - which, by some miracle, don't actually ache at all for once - and then he turns and offers a hand out toward david. as if he really needs help getting out of bed. ]
[ well jeff's certainly not going to complain about being kissed, and if he did have a complaint it would just be that it's too brief. he kisses david back, and pointedly doesn't chase after him once he pulls away even though he wants to. if he lets himself get carried away again, they'll never get out of here.
with a gentle pat to david's side, jeff tilts his head toward the door and then steps away from him to start to head out. ]
C'mon. [ and then, quieter, he adds: ] Careful.
[ you know. just in case michael's lurking around somewhere waiting to gut a couple of trespassers. ]
[ david makes a soft noise, agreeing, and starts to follow jeff out. he pauses by one of the windows just to take a quick look out on the street but if michael's there he's pretty well hidden, which. well that's fine by him. as long as he can't hear him, they're probably good. ]
[ there's always the temptation to just jump one of the windows and bolt out of this fucking place, but david stops himself. quick and careful as he takes the stairs and peeks outside again for any signs of life other than the two of them before he steps out onto the porch, casting a look jeff's way to see if he's noticed anything. they're probably fine. ]
[ unwilling to let david wander too far from him when they don't know for sure if they're in the clear, jeff keeps close and keeps an eye and ear out for anything concerning. it's quiet though, just as it was when they wandered in (which, honestly, is maybe a little more unsettling than it would be if michael was just standing somewhere out in the open, lurking as he's wont to do), and when he steps out onto the porch beside david, he offers a subtle shake of his head, almost as if he read david's mind. as far as he can tell, they're the only two around.
jeff tilts his head in the direction of the gate they came in through, then starts down the small handful of steps off the porch. it almost seems too easy to be getting away with this, almost enough that the idea of doing something like this again sounds very tempting. maybe they choose a different house next time, a different bed. keep from forming too much of a predictable pattern.
it'd be a stupid move to try and press their luck again - but worth it, maybe. ]
[ david falls into step at jeff's side, his own thoughts drifting in the same direction. part of him thinking that doing this in the first place was almost unfathomably stupid, doing it again would be even dumber, but on the other hand... on the other hand, why shouldn't they? so much of their time here is spent being terrified and miserable, what's so wrong with taking the risk to carve out a few hours here and there just to be at peace for a little? ]
[ he looks down at his hand, traces his thumb against the edge of a finger as he thinks about jeff's hand in his and halfway wonders if maybe this was a mistake, but if it was or wasn't it doesn't really matter now either way. honestly the difficult part for david is going to be keeping his hands to himself in just about all other situations. ]
[ like now, as they pass through the gate and his urge is to reach for jeff just out of sheer relief. he sighs instead, shoulders visibly relaxing. sure they're not necessarily safe yet, but things just shifted dramatically in their favour. ]
[ david might be able to resist reaching out for jeff once they reach the gate, but as they pass through, jeff's hit with this weird spike of— it's not anxiety, but it's vaguely similar. it's this sense that he's about to lose something or leave something behind, and that feeling rattles around in his chest like an irritated moth the closer and closer they come to passing through the gate and leaving haddonfield. ]
Hey.
[ jeff catches david by the elbow, reaches out and grabs him without more than a single word as a warning, but there's nothing urgent in his touch. he's gentle as he pulls david aside, and even gentler when he leans down to kiss him.
you know. just one more before they have to go back and they can't do this anymore. ]
[ the touch catches him by surprise, and he's expecting jeff to point something out after the pull on his arm, so when he turns toward jeff and into a kiss it stuns david still. only for a moment though, and he quickly catches himself and raises his free hand to the side of jeff's face, smiling against his lips. ]
[ that smile against his lips and david's hand cupping his face soothes some of that staticky feeling in jeff's chest pretty quickly. he releases david's elbow so he can wind both of his arms around him, hands stacked one above the other against his lower back, and can't help his own ghost of a smile.
but as much as he'd like to spend another hour or three kissing david, he knows they shouldn't linger, so jeff keeps it brief. pulls away after a few seconds, bumps his nose against david's, leaves one last kiss on his cheek. ]
Sorry. [ he says, close to his ear before fully detaching himself from david. he clears his throat quietly, tries to hide the tiniest of playful smirks. ] Couldn't help it.
[ david snorts, not entirely believing that but not complaining either. if anything he kind of wishes the thought had occurred to him first, but if they were both always thinking about kissing at the same time they'd probably never do anything else, and that would become a problem sooner or later. ]
I think-- [ he bumps his shoulder against jeff's and starts walking again, teasing a little but otherwise honest. ] That's not something you've ever gotta apologise to me for.
[ jeff's fairly unmovable, so he doesn't budge too much when david bumps him with his shoulder. he watches him start to walk away for a moment with a little bit of fondness in his eye and laughs though its more to himself. the last couple hours or so, or however the hell long it's been since they wandered away from camp, feel very... surreal. dangerous, too, in a way jeff doesn't really want to think about until he's forced to, so he doesn't.
he only lets david get a handful of steps away from him before he moves to catch up to him with a few easy strides, and though he feels that same urge to reach out and touch him again somehow, this time he resists. doesn't mean he lets too much space come between them though. ]
[ david sticks close the whole time back, close enough his arm occasionally brushes against jeff's, which isn't on purpose but it's also not not on purpose. it feels weird in a way he can't articulate even to himself to just walk back into camp after spending this time with jeff, but in a way he's glad for it. that it's something that has been totally separate from the endless death and blood and dirt that their lives are now. not that he expects to keep things entirely separate, nor does he want to, but isolated little moments here and there? ]
[ ... unless jeff doesn't want that? david frowns, suddenly worried about getting back to camp and that just it. which would, admittedly, be kind of weird considering it's not like they even fucked, but it also wouldn't be the weirdest thing to ever happen to him. ]
[ what he thinks is he should just shake it off when they get back to camp, that he's just a bit out of sorts considering it's the first time he's been close like this with another man since tristan and he's winding himself up over nothing. what david does, on the other hand, is take a couple long strides so he can round in front of jeff and put his hands out apologetically to stop him. ]
[ david darting up ahead and rounding on him happens a little quickly and it catches jeff by surprise. he comes to an abrupt stop, and immediately furrows his brow at david, his expression flickering between confusion and concern. at first, he thinks maybe david spotted something or someone up ahead that they should do their best to avoid, but david isn't the type to turn his back to a potential threat, so that seems... unlikely.
even so, he pauses for a second, glances past david to see if anything's lurking around behind him, slowly reaching for his flashlight in his back pocket, then shifts his gaze back to david. he keeps his voice low, just in case. ]
I, uh. Just wanted to talking about somethin' real quick before we get back.
[ he holds up his hands again as he says it, asking for jeff to give him a moment here. struggling with his words isn't common for david, but sometimes he needs a second to get started, like finding the right foothold on a wall. once he has it, he's golden, but sometimes it takes a little time to get it. ]
[ once he has it, david lowers his hands, clasps them together in front of himself as he speaks. casual, easy. surprisingly relaxed considering he just suddenly stopped jeff in the middle of the woods to ask him this, but it's not serious. he just doesn't want anyone overhearing them is all. ]
Feels like we skipped a couple steps here and just kinda dove right in to something here. [ there's a brief quirk of his lips as he says it, the slightest hint of amusement before he looks up at jeff with narrowed eyes to see if he's following. ] I'm just trying to catch my bearings, is all. So if that's what you want, then great, but if it's not? If you're just after somethin' casual or whatever...
[ david clears his throat, looks down at his hands for a brief moment of uncertainty before he catches himself and looks back up at jeff. maintaining that lightness in his tone because this isn't a big deal or anything, he's just trying to make sure they're on the same page. it's totally chill. ]
I just need to know so I'm not, y'know. [ he raises his eyebrows and tilts his head this way and that, a bit like this is amusing. just a funny little query. ] I'm not tryin' to smother you or anything here.
[ jeff probably couldn't guess at what david wants to talk about even if he tried, but that doesn't mean he doesn't wonder what's on david's mind. it doesn't mean there isn't a small but immediate spike of anxiety that plucks at the inside of his rib cage. nothing he isn't used to, and nowhere close to overwhelming, but it does put him the slightest bit on edge.
but jeff doesn't rush david, doesn't prompt him or push him to continue. jeff's more than familiar with the struggle to put his thoughts into words, and he recognizes this brief pause as just that fairly easily. he stays quiet, his eyebrows still gently pinched and shaped with concern as he waits david out, and when david finally continues, jeff pays attention.
maybe a little too much, because david's loose, amused attitude feels - off in a way that jeff can't really explain. like it doesn't quite match, even though there's nothing particularly serious about the conversation. or maybe jeff's reading something wrong, maybe it's more serious than it seems and he's just thrown off. his eyebrows never unknit, not until david's nearly finished, and even after david does his best impression of a bobble head, it still takes jeff more than a few seconds to catch his own bearings, so to speak.
his brows relax, then lift slightly. jeff clears his throat quietly, opens his mouth to respond, but it turns out he needs another second. eventually, though, he starts to piece his thoughts together and lay them out. ]
Uh. [ great start, jeffrey. he closes his mouth, and absently lets his hand fall away from his flashlight. tries again, fails again. he exhales. ] Look, I'm not — great. At this part. [ you know. verbalizing his thoughts. talking in general. ] So I'll just—
[ jeff shrugs, makes some kind of aborted gesture with one hand. when in doubt, just - open your mouth and hope what comes out makes a modicum of sense. ]
I... am attracted to you. [ obviously. ] Have been, since before the, uh. The station. If we're being honest. [ he clears his throat, maybe very slightly embarrassed by this admission, but he forces himself to keep going. ] I know we— this, [ he makes another half gesture between the two of them and then abandons it ] Has been a little... quick, I guess. But all I want is what you want.
[ jeff should probably put his hands away so he stops doing weird shit with them, so that's exactly what he does. he shoves his hands into his front pockets, elbows straight for a moment before he forces himself to relax, aware that he's awkward. he teeters back on his heels briefly, then settles. ]
If casual's what works for you, that's fine. If that... doesn't work for you, [ in other words, if you want more than casual. jeff shrugs a little, finding himself trying to match that weird energy david was giving off earlier by offering a faint, lopsided smile. it probably doesn't work as well. ] Then... I'm all right with that too. Whatever you're comfortable with. [ he wets his lips, clears his throat again, quiet, then adds almost as an afterthought: ] Either way... I don't feel smothered.
[ he pauses again, blinks. his eyebrows lift a fraction in concern. ]
[ ah, maybe he should've given this a little bit of a lead-in instead of blindsiding jeff with it. but in his defence, david didn't really know he wanted to ask this until about two seconds before he opened his mouth. but it's happened now, and david's patient while jeff works through what he wants to say as he says it — though when jeff admits to having been attracted to david since before the mistletoe incident, that visibly surprises him, eyebrows raised and lips parted in a silent 'oh' for a long moment before he catches himself and remembers he stopped jeff to talk about something else here. that's not important right now. ]
[ he mirrors jeff, hands shoved in his front pockets as he tries to figure out how to respond to all that. he doesn't think he wants just casual, not if he has a choice, but his track record isn't great. maybe he's just not built for anything other than casual relationships.
Don't think I really know what I want.
[ he frowns a bit when he says it, puffs out a light breath with a shake of his head. he just doesn't want to be putting his feelings somewhere they're not going to be reciprocated, and sure he can't control that, but he can minimize the risk for both of them. ]
[ there's also a couple other concerns, but they're ancillary, barely even on his mind. ]
[ immediately, jeff feels kind of... stupid. half the reason he's such a quiet person is because he knows he's not the most... eloquent, and more often than not when he gets to talking too much, he makes things weird, or makes an ass of himself. part of him feels like he's done that right here, like maybe he misinterpreted what david was trying to say - like instead of trying to feel something out, david was really just trying to be subtle in setting a boundary. jeff would like to think he's good at reading people, and that us true most of the time, but it's not impossible for him to be completely wrong.
no point in stressing too much about it though, at least not right here right now. later? probably.
jeff takes one of his hands out of his pockets and uses his knuckles to rub along the edge of his jaw on one side, beard bristling quietly. it's one of many anxious ticks, and when he catches himself doing it, he drops his hand again. ]
Okay. Well. [ he offers a half shrug, shakes his head a little. super casual. ] No pressure.
[ jeff was being honest when he said he only wants what david wants. if david's only interested in something casual, then jeff's not going to ask him or pressure him for anything more than that. if he wants something a little more serious, jeff's available for that too. and if it turns out that david wants nothing at all from him, well - that'll kind of suck more than it would have before he'd kissed david at the top of the stairs outside the police station, but that's just something he'll have to live with, because david isn't obligated to do or be anything for him.
jeff pushes his hand back into his pocket, tries not to look as awkward as he feels. ]
[ he was really kind of hoping for a firmer answer from jeff here, but in hindsight he should've known better. the chances of getting something definite either way without pushing are pretty slim, and david doesn't want to push. he just wants to know what he's doing. is there something here or not? is he imagining the vibe here? ]
[ his frown is brief, mostly just one of thought while he thinks about what jeff said and decides that's just going to have to do. reaches out to put a hand on jeff's arm and give it a squeeze. ]
[ brief or not, jeff catches that frown, and though it might not necessarily be directed at him, all it does is fuel the feeling that there's some kind of miscommunication here. whether it's on his end or david's is hard to tell, and jeff doesn't want to make things weird or uncomfortable by prying too much. but it sits like an itch under the skin.
when david squeezes his arm, jeff responds with a small, tight-lipped smile, just as brief as david's frown. he shakes his head again, taking his hands out of his pockets because he feels like his body language might contradict with his reply. ]
Don't be. I'm not - freaked out. [ that's the truth, even if it doesn't seem like it. he's not freaked out, he's just... incredibly unsure about a lot of things. not about david, not really, just about whether he navigated this whole thing wrong, unsure if he's maybe been being a little too... assertive? which is kind of a wild thing to think about, because he's not really the assertive type.
all of that being said though, jeff pauses for a few long seconds, looks like he's thinking a little too serious about something, and then he just— ] Sorry, can we - start this conversation over?
[ and if he winces a little, it's just because he's self-aware of how ungraceful and abrupt that probably was. ]
Edited (it's me i'm the idiot) 2023-01-28 04:55 (UTC)
[ david lets his grip lax, but he keeps his hand on jeff's arm. he doesn't often see him off-kilter like this any more, and it makes him worry a little that he's mistepped a little, asked something he shouldn't have or backed him into a corner somehow. ]
[ or maybe it's just that jeff isn't exactly the talkative type, and david's asking him for a lot of that right now. not just to talk, but it's not exactly a simple and easy topic, no matter how much david might act like it is. ]
[ either way, he looks up to meet jeff's eyes, patient and listening, mostly to see if he's going to speak first or if david should go. ]
[ honestly, jeff doesn't want to have to be the one to have to speak first, but he's the one who asked if they could start this conversation over, so he recognizes that the ball is more or less in his court. it takes him a few long seconds to try and pull his thoughts into something a little more coherent, something that's hopefully a little more clear, though, if not direct. either way, david's hand lingering on his arm makes him feel at least a little bit grounded.
he plays the start of the conversation back in his head, when david had put himself in jeff's way so they could talk, brows pinched together a little as he tries to work out what he wants to say. ]
Shit. All right, uh. What... [ he wets his lips. ] What exactly were you asking me? You said you need to know so you're not 'you know', but. I don't... know.
[ really, that's maybe the part that's confusing him the most right now, though he's plenty confused about the rest of everything else too, really. despite posing david with a question, jeff presses forward and doesn't leave much space for him to answer right away. he drags his hand down over his beard and a little bit down his neck, another one of his subtler anxious ticks. it's not david that makes him anxious, but the possibility of saying the wrong thing. he already feels like he's fumbled once, he doesn't want to screw up twice. ]
To be, uh. Clear. I guess. I've never really done the casual thing. [ which isn't to say that he hasn't tried, it's just that it's not really him. jeff's too soft and sentimental when it comes to the people he allows himself to get close to, both romantically and platonically. and he would say he and david are decently close. he'd have said the same if asked before he got trapped under some mistletoe, too. he clears his throat quietly. ] I like - this.
[ he makes a small gesture back and forth between himself and david. ]
I, uh. Like where we are. So far. [ even if they've definitely skipped over some things and landed maybe a little ahead of themselves, like david said. he lowers his voice slightly, vaguely conscious of the possibility of being eavesdropped on. ] I like you. But if this is all a little too much, or uh. Too fast? I don't have a problem with slowing down or backing off, if that's... what you were wanting to know.
[ why does it feel like he's said absolutely nothing and gotten absolutely nowhere? christ. ]
[ that's more helpful than jeff thinks, gives david a clearer idea of where jeff's head is at. he nods as he listens to him, watches him with some sympathy in his expression for jeff's little anxious tics, for the way he clearly isn't comfortable having to articulate himself — david might be better at it, but he gets it too. ]
I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. [ a little absently, he reaches up with his free hand and tucks some of jeff's hair back while he's looking at him, smile a bit more genuine than before, small as it is. ] I wasn't asking for casual or wanting to slow down, I just--
[ he frowns suddenly, purses his lips for a moment trying to find the right way to describe it. he's a little slower when he continues, more deliberate as if he's not fully sure of what he's about to say until the words are out of his mouth, which is less like him than people might think. ]
I don't wanna get invested in something and have it be one-sided because you're not interested in that and I didn't know. That's all it was.
[ for the second time in less than five minutes, jeff feels like a little bit of an idiot - but in a way that's funny in hindsight, rather than stressful. he's not typically the kind of person to let himself spiral over minor things - and he wouldn't say he'd started to spiral here, either, not really - but when it comes to important things, he likes to get them right. he wants whatever he's doing with david to be... right. and for a moment, he'd gotten ahead of himself, thought too hard about what david was asking and maybe went a little too worst-case-scenario for a minute. assumed he was doing something wrong, or was maybe asking for too much or assuming there was something more here than there actually was.
the clarification here is a welcome relief, eases whatever anxiety was clinging to him. it's almost kind of funny, when david lays it all out. that he thinks at all that jeff might not be interested or - or invested is almost laughable, maybe only to jeff. he was telling the truth earlier, when he admitted to being attracted to david, but in david's defense, up until... the mistletoe incident, jeff had made a point of keeping any feelings he may have been developing toward david to himself. burying them in quick sketches and folded pages, in small, easily dismissed gestures - like lending him his jacket after springing him free from the saloon, or setting aside a scavenged beer for him while he was sleeping, so he wouldn't miss out. so it's not david's fault if there are some doubts, and jeff doesn't blame him.
as amusing as it is, though, jeff doesn't laugh. instead, he smiles faintly, feeling a little more reassured, and reaches out only somewhat hesitantly to touch his fingers to david's side. lets them drift a little so he can hook his index in one of his belt loops and give it a gentle little tug, not with any intention to pull david closer, but just out of a desire to be physically connected to him in some way. jeff shakes his head slightly, that ghost of a smile still lingering. ]
It's not one-sided. [ he thought that much was obvious. ] I am interested. [ he gives david's belt loop another light little tug. ] Invested.
Okay. [ he smiles, at first it's just in his eyes, bright and warm when he looks at jeff, and then he nods and it widens into a grin. ] Okay, yeah. Good.
[ for a moment he just feels overwhelmed (in a good way) by the verbal confirmation, he lets his hand trail down the outside of jeff's arm to find his hand and take it to give it a quick squeeze. so they're on the same page, they're just also idiots. that's fine by david, he can handle being a dumbass. it's another moment that has him feeling a bit like some dumb teenager, but david can live with that too. ]
[ there's a thread of anxiety there too, but that's for later, when he's on his own. he doesn't want to sour the moment by freaking out over whether or not he's gonna ruin this somehow. instead he glances back over his shoulder and moves to step away so they can get moving again. ]
[ there's something about david's eyes that jeff has always liked, but he likes them best when david is smiling, how they seem to shine a little more, crinkle just a little bit near the corners. it makes jeff smile too as he looks at him, not quite as wide but just as genuine.
when david squeezes his hand, jeff adjusts his own slightly so he can squeeze back, thumb doing a quick pass over his knuckles. it would appear that they're on the same page more than they know, because jeff knows he'll overthink this at some point when he's got time to himself. he knows he'll get in his head, wonder what he's doing to do to fuck up. it's not that his track record when it comes to relationships is bad, and he can't even really say for sure that whatever he's got with david is considered a relationship yet, if at all, but it's - important to him. david is important to him, regardless of their involvement with each other. it would be just his luck to see it all come crashing down.
but that's later's to-do list. for now, jeff watches david as he looks over his shoulder, watches him as he starts to step away. follows after him so he doesn't get too far without him, shoulder bumping his. ]
[ it's been a little bit of a rough go so far, but most trials against the oni are typically an uphill battle, at least in jeff's experience. unlike some of the other survivors, jeff's not necessarily built for running or taking chase - his skillset leans more towards offering support. staying out of the killer's sights, and making sure the rest of his team knows where to find him when they need help getting patched up.
trying to outrun a killer is a task and a half on a good day. jeff's learned how to mind game, pulls a fast one just as often as he gets outplayed. but the oni is fast, and less predictable than some other killers who also have speed on their side. for the most part, jeff can dodge an incoming hillbilly, but the oni? the oni's fury is something else.
jeff's been hooked twice already, but there are positives. they've almost completed enough generators to get the gates up and open, and nobody's died yet. jeff's not the only one that's one bad move away from being sacrificed, but he tries not to think about it too much. the less anxious he is about making sure everyone makes it out, the less likely he is to fumble a wire or blow something up just to set back their progress.
and david's here, somewhere. things always go a little bit better when david's around.
creeping up to the coal tower, jeff pauses only long enough to listen for the gen upstairs. to his relief, he can hear some of the pistons moving. closer to getting out of here than he thought, though he can't quite tell if someone's on it, or if they were chased off a while ago. regardless, jeff climbs over the window sill and immediately heads up the stairs, doing his best to keep his footsteps quiet. when he reaches the top and sees david there with his arms wrist deep in the guts of a generator, jeff can't help but smile a little to himself.
he doesn't rush forward, but he makes quick work of taking up the open side of the generator, peeking in to see what's been done already and what needs doing. there's blood all down the front of his shirt and a pretty gnarly hole in his shoulder, but otherwise he seems pretty content, even casts david a sideways glance as he nudges a bundle of wires aside with his fingers to get at something deeper in the generator. ]
[ david has something of a love/hate relationship with going against the oni. there's the part of him that lives for the thrill of competition, for the rush of blood pounding in his ears, and oni's one of the best killers for that. fierce and unpredictable and unrelenting. in another life david probably would've relished seeing him in the ring or on the field. problem is he also feels like he does his best work in trials when he's already taken a bit of a beating. something about the blood and the adrenaline that really gets him moving, helps him see clearer, makes his mind and body both work faster. with most killers the risk/reward is worth it, but oni eats that shit up. best to stay as uninjured as you can with him. ]
[ freshly patched up after his second stint on the hook, david's working on that gen, pauses when he thinks he hears the grunt of somebody climbing in through a window, but over the sound of the generator it could be anything — which he fucking hates — so he keeps an eye on the stairs out of the corner of his eye, a small smile blooming when jeff's head pops up coming up the stairs. ]
No, actually. [ he tilts his head to look at something, a little amusement showing around his eyes. ] Crazy coincidence bumping into you here.
[ jeff lifts his eyebrows, twists his mouth downward like he's surprised by this admission, playing into this stupid bit he's started. he nods his head slightly, like he agrees with this being some kind of wild coincidence that, of all places, they'd run into each other here. jeff tucks a small bundle of wires out of the way, lifts a metal panel up, the hinge squeaking slightly in a way that makes him squint a little. ]
Mm, [ he hums in agreement, shooting david another sideways glance. this one lingers though, his gaze dropping to the blood all down the front of him, silently searching for anything urgent that david might be ignoring for the sake of getting through a generator faster. relatively speaking, david seems alright - none of that tense posture that comes with trying to push through an injury that, frankly, no one should be able to walk off. it's a relief, though only a mild one.
this isn't the first time he's seen david drenched in blood, and it certainly won't be the last, but it hits him a little differently this time, for some reason. jeff shifts his attention back to the generator, mindful of his grip as he twists some wires together. he laughs quietly, a little half-hearted and mostly under his breath. ] Might be fate.
[ jeff doesn't really believe in things like fate or destiny, but it's kinda funny to joke about sometimes.
when the fourth piston on the generator begins to... piston. as pistons do. jeff pauses for a second and reaches back to tug something free of his back pocket. ]
Got you something.
[ it's just a flashlight, but it's got fresh batteries and a pretty shiny bulb by the looks of it. jeff gives it a little wobble in his hand, then sets it down on the ground by david's foot so he doesn't have to stop working to accept it. jeff's decent with flashlights, but they both know that david's the one with a habit of running into any situation no matter how dire to try and get a save. ]
[ like always, david has made a point of being a nuisance and a pest, and the evidence is all over him — clothes torn from sword slashes and being thrown roughly onto a hook, covered in more blood than he should reasonably be able to lose and still function, including charming smears of it on his forehead where he occasionally wipes away the blood and sweat with the back of his hand and achieves nothing — he's battered, bruised, and bloody, but there's no open wounds, nothing needing attention. and jeff's presence puts him in good spirits, even if david doesn't look away from what he's doing to look at him. just hearing his voice and knowing he's right there does plenty. ]
[ david pulls... something. it vents something else or whatever. he doesn't understand this shit and he's at least 60% sure they don't work like any kind of machines in the real world anyway, so he's elected to just never give it more thought than touching the right wires and pulling the right levers to make it go. he chuckles at jeff's joke and glances out of the corner of his eye at the gift, just long enough to see what it is without making a mistake. ]
You shouldn't have. [ flashlight could come in clutch though. everyone's on their last legs, but fingers crossed he can keep oni from carrying anyone off to get sacrificed this way. ] I didn't get you anything.
[ fixing a generator is more muscle memory for jeff now than it is skill. this wire goes here, lift this panel, vent whatever, repeat. sure, he still has to pay at least a little attention, because some things do take a bit more precision - one wrong wire touches another and you'll blow the whole thing up - but it's pretty mechanical as far as he's concerned. he tucks another wire away, reaches deeper into the guts of the generator and nudges a switch over with his thumb.
when david says he didn't get jeff anything, jeff glances away from the inside of the gen toward david, his eyebrows lifting slightly. the corner of his mouth tugs a little, and he looks back to the task at hand. the generator is almost finished, probably not a good idea to get too distracted and blow it to hell.
jeff shrugs a shoulder, ducks his head a little to get a better look at what he's doing. ]
[ there's a joke right there on the tip of his tongue, and it's obvious by the look in his eye when he glances at jeff, but he decides against it. knowing his luck one of them would blow something on the generator if he did and get them both killed. ]
Yeah? [ he ducks his head to get a better look at what he's doing. ] Easier ways to ask me to take my shirt off, y'know.
[ okay so he can't restrain himself entirely, but it's not the joke he wanted to make initially, so his self-restraint should still be applauded. ]
[ though he honestly shouldn't be surprised considering he's the one who started teasing, jeff still a little caught off guard by david's flirting, enough that it plucks a quiet laugh out of him. he shoots david a quick, mock-disapproving look, like he can't believe david would have the audacity to flirt in such a serious situation, but the way he presses his lips together and looks away gives away his amusement.
jeff shakes his head, lowers a panel inside. ]
You think I wouldn't just ask?
[ would he? that'll just have to remain a mystery. jeff pushes something into place inside the belly of the generator and it whirs to life, the lights up top burning solid. he pulls his hands out of the gen, wipes any lingering grease or oil on his hands on his jeans, then quickly pushes himself up from his one knee.
there are a couple exits from here - the two windows, and the stairs that lead back down to the first floor, but whatever way either of them take, jeff would bet that the oni's headed right for the coal tower in search of a victim. jeff considers their options - it's probably best if they split up and go separate ways from this point. with only one generator left, the more spread out the four of them are, the better their chances of most of, if not everyone, getting out.
jeff starts to move for the stairs. ]
Last one should be done any second now. Meg and Vittorio were just getting started on one before I met up with you. [ so as long as the oni hasn't chased both of them off of it, escape is right within their grasps. as jeff starts to descend the stairs, assuming david'll just hop down from one of the windows (god, jeff's knees barely make it every time he's forced to), he says maybe a little too casually: ] I'll see where they're at. Gate's right out here - [ there's a pause in his words, but not in his step, ] I go down, just leave me. I'll get back up. Worry about the gates.
[ david just raises his eyebrows in a little shrug as if to say well you haven't so far as he tucks away a few wires, closes a panel, and the generator fires up. david stands, wiping his hands off on his jeans and reaching down to pick up that flashlight. ]
[ he does indeed just hop out the window — or the open hole in the wall that acts like one — but he's pretty sure he heard jeff say 'just leave me' and he immediately climbs back in through the ground floor window to meet him on the stairs with a frown. pretty sure he could count the number of times he's left someone behind without being forced into it on his hands, he's sure as fuck not about to add jeff to that tally. ]
Lemme go check on 'em then. [ jeff's right, they should split up and they should focus on getting at least one of the gates open as soon as possible, but the suggested plan doesn't sit right with david. ] I can keep him busy long enough for you to get them gates open if he comes that way.
[ you know, "that way". the way that david definitely knows where it is. ]
[ dropping down from the second storey and then immediately climbing through the window on the first floor before jeff can even make it to the bottom of the stairs is a little bit unexpected, so if jeff startles slightly, he really can't be blamed for it. he doesn't really stop on the stairs though, because every second counts, so he gently pushes past david and keeps going with the expectation that david'll follow.
truthfully, it probably does make a little more sense for them to swap places in this plan - david's better at distractions, jeff's better at keeping hidden when it really counts, and meg and vittorio will be able to find the gates a little bit faster if he's the one powering them up versus david. regardless of the logic, jeff still doesn't like it, but each second spent caught up in a pointless argument is another second not spent on a generator or a gate and jeff knows when it's best not to bother.
jeff navigates around the cluster of old, wooden crates pushed into the center of the bottom floor and leans out of an open doorway, peering out of the coal tower for anything big and angry headed their way, but the coast seems relatively clear. in the far distance, if he squints, he can see two figures on either side of a generator. it's too far for him to make out how many pistons are moving, too far for him to get an estimate on how much more's left, but it seems promising. jeff turns to look back at david, nods, finally, in reluctant agreement of this new plan, and then juts his chin out toward that final gen. ]
They're that way. [ a pause. ] Don't do anything stupid. [ in other words, be careful. but jeff doesn't want to just leave it at that for whatever reason, so he reaches out and hooks two fingers through the bottle opener at david's hip and gives it two light tugs before letting go. ] See you in a minute.
[ and then he's off, headed toward the nearest gate so he'll be ready to get it going the second the last generator's complete. ]
[ at the same time jeff's reaching for the bottle opener on his belt, david tilts his head up to give jeff a quick peck on the cheek since nobody can see them over here anyway and pats him lightly on the arm before backing up a couple steps to go and see how meg and vittorio are doing. ] Be careful, yeah? [ sure jeff's more careful than him, but that's a low fucking bar. and he has his moments too. ]
[ he's careful about making his way over to the generator, doesn't sprint as much as he wants to just in case that ends up leading the oni that way, and gets to work to help them finish up that last bit of work as soon as he's over there. asks them if they've seen the big bastard and they tell him they managed to hide when he came around and kicked the gen, but nothing significant, which makes david wonder if he shouldn't split off and find another one, but they're so close on this one he might as well stay put. ]
[ between the three of them it really doesn't take long before they're done and he hears the pips of the doors powering up. still hasn't seen oni, which doesn't make david feel great, but he starts leading the way back to the gate he left jeff at anyway. he should have it almost open by the time they get there so long as they're fast about it. ]
[ there's a small hill a little off to the left of the nearest gate, and when they part ways, jeff circles around the far side of it slow, keeping an ear and an eye out for oni, or any of the other three on his side, but it's relatively quiet. almost uncomfortably so, but jeff chalks the unsettling feeling up to his own general anxiety and the approaching adrenaline of finally getting the hell out of here. hopefully, with just as many people as they started with.
in his brief but thorough scan, jeff spots a totem tucked up against a couple rocks near the bottom of the hill. unlit, but there's not really much for him to do until that last generator is finished, so he crouches and makes easy work of dismantling it until it's nothing but a pile of bone and twine and melted wax. no telling if there are any other totems left unchecked, but. fingers crossed.
when the last generator pops and that telltale note sounds chimes throughout the estate, jeff's quick to get on the nearest gate. he yanks the lever down, checks over one shoulder, then the other. they're lucky that the gates aren't as close together as they sometimes are - unlucky that they're stuck in here with the oni, who can cut across long distances pretty quickly if he's pissed enough.
by now, jeff's memorized just how long it takes to get the gates open, provided there's nothing in play to slow them down, so as he waits, he counts down the seconds in his head, eyes constantly scanning for the oni - but also the rest of his team mates. if david's found them, then he'll be able to lead them to the right gate, hopefully keep them safe along the way if worse comes to worst and they get cut off along the way.
as it turns out, though, the others are fine... and jeff quickly realizes this when he hears the not so distant and very quickly approaching growls of a furious oni, his footsteps heavy and quick. he whips his head around - and there he is, coming right for him, weapon raised as he charges ahead.
jeff swears under his breath. there is no denying that he's been seen, and the smartest, safest thing to do right now would be to abandon the gate and run - but there are people counting on him. there's a plan, and though this part definitely wasn't part of it, he has to follow through. there are seconds left on the gate. all he has to do is stick it out long enough, and he can get it open.
if he has to go down for it in the process, well. so be it. at least the oni will be occupied with carrying him away, and the others can get through and out without a problem. ]
[ most of the time, things in trials feel like they happen so fast that sometimes david would struggle to even remember any details, the whole thing a blur in his memory. this is very much the opposite of that. it feels like slow motion, when he hears the doors open followed almost instantaneously by the too-familiar sound of jeff's shout as he's cut down right in the fucking doorway. the three of them get around the oni easily, but none of them leave, all of them clearly thinking the same thing: when he picks jeff up, david can go for that flashlight save and the three of them can cover for him on the way out. ]
[ it would be a great plan if not for a few things. meg's too eager, gets too close and goes down in one hit — and david's seen this guy use the hexes so fucking rarely that that's a shock — but she's close enough to the exit that she manages to crawl out, david and vittorio slipping around opposite pillars while oni's attention is split. and when he comes back, hovers over jeff, david's ready. springs out with his flashlight ready to blind the fucker, except... except what happens is a ragged scream is ripped out of jeff as a sword pierces his shoulder and pins him to the ground. david stands there helplessly, certain he can hear every tear of flesh, every wet spatter of blood as the oni rips jeff's tongue out with his bare hands. and then reduces him to little more than paste. ]
[ david watches it all in horror, and when the oni turns to face the stragglers, it settles into a silent rage. shoulders set and feet planted as he stares back, squaring up like he stands any kind of a chance against that monster of a man. as if he wouldn't be meeting the exact same fate as jeff if not for the way vittorio grabs his arm and pulls david through the gate with all his strength before they lose a second person. ]
[ jeff doesn't try to fool himself into believing he can get the gate open and dodge the oni's fury - it's one or the other, and while dodging might buy him some more time, it also leaves a window of opportunity for the oni to find someone else. for someone to get trapped, expecting the gate to be open only to have to waste time doing it themselves and risking getting caught. it's a no brainer for jeff - he's here to look after everyone else in whatever way he can.
but he still gives it a solid attempt. the second the doors begin to slide open, jeff gives it his best shot to get out of the way of the oni's kanabo, but he's just not quick enough, and when he hits the ground, his vision swims and his ears ring and the shout that leaves him feels like it's knocked out of him involuntarily, coasting on whatever air's left in his lungs.
opposite of david, things seem to move a little to quickly fort jeff after that. he feels the vibration of footsteps sprinting past him through the gates more than he sees the people they belong to, and he thinks - good. so long as everyone else makes it out, he's done his job, followed the plan as closely as he could.
and then meg screams, and that's - that's not right. why is she still here? jeff struggles a little, tries to push himself up onto his hands even though his head is spinning and he's pretty sure he can feel blood starting to pool in his mouth, and it's a fight to lift his head up. when he does though, he sees the blurry figure of meg just barely crawling out to safety, and two more slinking near the edges of the exit.
go, jeff thinks. opens his mouth to try and say it out loud, but all he can manage to do is cough. get the fuck out.
it's quick after that. a sword through the chest, fingers in his mouth. he feels like he chokes on his own blood, and by the time the oni raises his kanabo, jeff's already close enough to blacking out that he can barely manage to put up any kind of fight.
it takes about a day for the entity to spit him back out into the woods. alive, but maybe not well. coming back from death is never easy, but some times are rougher than others and when jeff comes to, slumped against the base of a tree, he doesn't move for a while. doesn't feel like he can, honestly, his entire body aching, head fucking splitting. it feels like if he tries to move too much too quickly, he might be sick, so he doesn't really try. he drags his knees up a little so he can limply rest his arms on top of them, and lets his head hang forward, his hair falling in his face.
he'll get up eventually. head back to camp and try his best to carry on like he doesn't feel like freshly cooked roadkill, like this shit is just. normal. like he didn't get his face beaten in in front of meg and vittorio and- ]
Fuck. [ he opens his eyes, stares down at his lap. his voice is barely more than a rough rasp. jeff swallows and inhales around the static crackle of anxiety that flares up in his chest. ] David.
[ fuck fuck fuck. did david make it out? jeff's pretty sure he'd be stubborn enough to try and fight the fucking oni with his bare hands if given the chance, so jeff can only hope that vittorio had the sense (and the strength) to push him out before he could do anything stupid. ]
[ david's in his usual spot, stewing over the whole thing. trying not to think too hard on how different it feels now. sure, he'd noticed, impossible not to notice the way it felt like his heart leaping into a throat when he heard jeff get injured. how he has to fight his instinct to basically shadow the man through trials like they haven't been through countless already now. that fear of losing someone, that if they die they might not come back is so much more acute now, and david doesn't know what to do with it. ]
[ especially after seeing oni obliterate him like that, right in the exit. like something so goddamn easy. after david's the one who suggested jeff stick by the gate instead of him. ]
[ it's been a rough 24 hours for david, is the short version, but meg will be the first to reach out to jeff when he gets back and ask if he got brought back okay. reassure him they all made it out thanks to him (and probably babble a little about wanting to save him but it not working out,) and let him know they haven't really seen david since they all got back. "you know how he gets after trials sometimes." ]
[ meg's a good kid. sometimes a little reckless, but she's harmless and some of the shit she gets up to is admittedly kind of funny. jeff likes her, and though he doesn't really feel up for making small talk or carrying on a conversation by the time he shuffles back to camp, he also doesn't have the heart to brush her off the way he'd like to, if only so he doesn't have to spend the energy he doesn't really have trying to keep up.
he's glad she got out, if only narrowly. jeff's glad to hear vittorio made it through, too, but what he's most interested in is david's fate, and it's a relief to hear that someone had the sense to push him through and out before he could do something stupid. and jeff knows he would have, if it weren't for vittorio. he'll have to find him later and thank him, when he's not so focused on finding someone else.
it doesn't surprise jeff to hear that david's been missing from camp for a while. a day, at least, if meg wasn't exaggerating, but something still twists in his stomach when he learns of it. concern, maybe. worry. guilt. jeff parts ways with meg as casually as he can, still feeling like a walking train wreck, but his discomfort has dropped on his list of priorities.
if jeff knows david at all, and he'd like to think he does, after all this time, then finding him won't be hard. ]
[ some people make fun of david for being broody, and he certainly was when he arrived, but that hasn't been him for a long time now. mostly it's that he feels like he's become so fucking hypervigilant in this place that he needs to decompress a lot, because getting back to baseline isn't even calm for him anymore. just back to a level of stress that he can filter out into background noise. the only time he can remember feeling calm or relaxed in fucking forever is - waking up in that shitty bed in that broken down house in haddonfield with jeff still asleep on his shoulder. ]
[ he is, however, definitely brooding at the moment. and when he hears footsteps coming close, he instinctively opens his mouth to tell whoever it is he just wants to be on his own for a bit, but that dies on his lips when he looks up and sees jeff. not looking great — but who ever does when they come back after a death — but whole. uninjured. alive. ]
[ david feels like he can't get up fast enough, and before he's even fully aware of it, david's moving towards him. the second he's close enough, david's hands are outstretched, one arm to wrap around him and the other to the back of his head to pull him close and hold him tightly. a hushed murmur of an apology slipping out as he tries to fully absorb jeff's presence. ]
[ jeff's not really sure what to expect when he finds david. when he watches him scramble to get up and rush towards him. anger, maybe, because even jeff knows the decision he made was a reckless one, though it would be a little hypocritical of david to tear him a new one for pulling the same kind of risky shit david seems to pull nearly all the time. if jeff expects anything, it's to be chewed out, even though he's pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to outrun the oni even if he'd tried.
so when david puts his hands on him, urgent but gentle, and pulls him close, it takes jeff a second to respond. takes a second for his tired, muddled brain to process that he's being held and that for the most part, david's okay. just like meg had told him. jeff closes his eyes and breathes a heavy sigh of relief, leaning a little more of his weight against david than he intends to. he winds his arms around him, rests his nose and his mouth and his chin against david's shoulder.
the murmured apology doesn't go unnoticed, but it's slow to register, and when it does, jeff turns his face into the side of david's neck and wraps his arms a little tighter around him. david's sorry? what the hell for? jeff could probably guess, and it doesn't sit right with him. ]
Mm-mm. [ if david think's he's to blame for anything, he's wrong. david did exactly what he was supposed to do. he did everything right. sometimes things just don't work out the way you planned for them to, and that's it.
but jeff doesn't really have the energy to argue, so he hopes that's enough to get the message across: no apologizing. jeff's not sorry for the choices he made - it was worth it, to get three people out safely - so david doesn't get to be sorry either. ] We got 'em out.
[ jeff opened the gate, and david made sure meg and vittorio made it back. they did what they set out to do. ]
[ david opens his mouth to argue, but he relents. that guilt isn't going anywhere, that feeling that he condemned jeff by swapping places. part of him wants to point out jeff would feel the same if it was the other way around but something about that just feels as though it'd be mean given the state jeff's in, so david doesn't say a thing. he wraps his arm tightly around jeff to keep him close and combs his fingers though his hair with a soft sigh. ]
Yeah-- we did. [ feelings aside, it's a good result — more than, in fact. getting more than one or two people out isn't exactly a common occurrence, especially against the oni, but-- ]
[ he thinks about standing there, helpless, watching as jeff's tongue was ripped out. remembers the slick, wet crunch of his body being crushed under that kanabo, and his fingers twitch where they're splayed out on jeff's back. ]
[ david turns his head, presses his lips and nose to the top of jeff's with another quiet sigh. just focusing on this, on how relieved he is to have jeff back instead of the disappointed voice in the back of his head saying it should've been him. ]
[ some of the tension jeff's been carrying since he jerked awake in the woods some hours ago eases with the slide of david's fingers in his hair. it doesn't get rid of the full-body ache, but he feels less like a rubber band pulled to its limit. some of the anxiety balled up in his chest melts away with it too, and jeff breathes another heavy sigh of relief into david's shoulder.
it isn't the first time jeff's died - every single person here has been sacrificed probably more times than anyone would like to count - and it's certainly not the first time he's been confronted with the oni's wrath, but. it is the first time he's come back and had someone to lean on like this, both physically and otherwise. something about david's presence is just - soothing in a way that's not all that surprising, all things considered, but definitely more comforting than he would have guessed. he feels safe, and letting his guard down feels easy.
jeff slides his hands down david's back, buries them up under his shirt so he can press his palms flat, seeking out the warmth of his skin. reassurance that he's alive and okay even though he knows as much already.
for a while, he says nothing. just stands with david, holds him close and tight and finds comfort in the closeness, and tries not to think about anything else but the warmth and the weight of him and the way his chest pushes against his every time he inhales. it's hard though, to keep his foggy mind from wandering. sure, his memory is hazy, but there are little snippets that slip through - most prominently, vittorio's voice trying to convince david that they needed to keep going, right around the time the oni plunged a sword into jeff's chest.
he knows david stayed. he knows david had to be dragged out, because meg told him as much. which means - ]
Wish you hadn't seen. [ jeff mumbles it quietly against david's shoulder, barely above a whisper. he knows david'll hear him. ] M'sorry.
Not your fault. [ david sighs into jeff's hair, it's not like he had any control over it. going down at the gate is a more common occurrence than people would like, sure, but getting murdered right there in the exit? in front of everyone? that's the killer's decision. ]
[ he's not used to having jeff lean on him like this, but david's just glad he's here to do it. probably has died more than most people here, but you get so set in the routine of just dealing with it, it's easy to forget that it's not something you ever really get used to. not in a way that particularly helps. just... get practiced at swallowing it all and getting on with the next day's shitshow. ]
[ david strokes his fingers up and down jeff's back, quiet and happy to stay here for a while. ]
[ the short, quiet note jeff hums in the back of his throat seems... skeptical, like he doesn't quite agree that it wasn't his fault that he went down where he did, but also maybe can't argue it well enough otherwise. it is his fault that he didn't try to run, that he made no attempt to try and engage the oni in a chase, maybe take him away from the gates so someone else could power it up that last bit without having to witness the brutality of the oni's wrath. then again, if he'd taken the chase elsewhere, the likelihood that david would have come back in after him would be fairly high, jeff would guess, and he doesn't really want to think about what might have happened if everyone hadn't been exactly where they were. vittorio was there to haul david out before he could do anything stupid, and he could only do as much because they were right at the exit.
maybe there was no winning that one.
jeff sighs. flexes his fingers gently against david's back, turns his head a little so he can press his nose against the side of his head for a beat, right above the shell of his ear. it's been who knows how many hours, and he still feels pretty drained. a little nauseated, too, but that's normal and slowly wearing off. he's never really been a man of many words, but he feels like he should say something. ]
Think Meg's a little worried about you.
[ she didn't say that, not in so many words at least, but the fact that she mentioned david to jeff at all probably means something. and, you know, maybe jeff's just checking in, too. if david's been out here for as long as meg implied. ]
[ david combs his fingers through jeff's hair, smooths some of it back and tucks it behind his ear, gently nudges him with his other arm in a silent gesture to say maybe they should sit down or something. ]
She knows she doesn't need to worry about me.
[ the implied you don't need to worry about me goes without saying, obviously, as david tilts his own head a little toward jeff's with a soft sigh. ]
[ if jeff had the energy, he'd argue that someone needs to worry about david, considering how often he runs straight into harm's way. sure, it's for the sake of someone else, but that doesn't make finding him somewhere covered in blood, or having to hear him scream from across the realm any easier. david sure isn't going to worry about himself.
but jeff's tired, and it's a pointless argument anyway, if it could even be considered an argument at all. the gentle nudge is enough of a suggestion to jeff him moving, and though he's loath to pull away from david, he does so anyway and moves to sit down with his back against a fallen tree only a handful of steps away, heaving a heavy sigh when he settles. ]
Doesn't stop her though, does it?
[ obviously he's not really talking about meg, but it makes the conversation feel slightly less serious. ]
[ david wonders, as he sits next to jeff, if he should push against that so they're talking about jeff instead of "meg". but if it makes talking easier than maybe he should leave it alone. it's hard to know the best choice to make. ]
[ jeff isn't fragile — never has been in the time they've known eachother — but sometimes david has this urge to protect him like he is. not just from killers, but from himself. from david too. there's something precious in jeff's gentleness, in the care and patience he extends to other people and the way those qualities haven't been ground down by his time in the fog, but david's not going to stop throwing himself headlong into danger and they both know that. ]
[ david doesn't want worrying about him to be the thing that finally wears jeff down. ]
Some people are worriers, I guess. Even when it's them we should be worrying about.
[ he reclines against that log, doing his best to make himself an inviting pillow or something. reaches for jeff with a soft c'mon, here once he thinks he's got it. ]
[ there's not much jeff can think of to say to that, no argument to make because david's not wrong, though his brow does furrow slightly. he wonders, quietly, if david knows meg is somewhat of a cover. does he worry about jeff? is that what he's saying? jeff's too tired to try and read between the lines or peel away the facade.
when david gestures for him to come closer, jeff only hesitates for maybe half a second. he plants his hands in the dirt on either side of himself, lifts and shifts his weight with more effort than usual, until eventually he's - laying down. sprawled out on the forest floor with his hands folded over each other on his stomach, and the back of his head rested on david's thigh, eyes closed. how's that for a pillow? ]
[ it's not exactly what he expected jeff to do, and david takes it to mean he still feels like shit. lets him settle and then quietly starts to comb his fingers through jeff's hair, brings his other hand to his chest, touch light as it moves up to his neck where his thumb can brush lightly along his jaw. ]
[ neither of them like to bother people with their feelings, and david respects that, he doesn't pry because he knows he'd get frustrated if the shoe was on the other foot. he'd like it if jeff would though, he thinks. if jeff would tell him when he's frustrated or hurt or whatever, but david would have to do the same in return and that's not easy. for a lot of reasons. ]
[ david sits on that thought for a little, looking down at jeff as he strokes his hair in the quiet. almost a little apologetic when he does speak. ]
It's... It's harder now. When you get hurt. [ he clears his throat ] That's what it is.
[ the urge to drop everything when he knows jeff's in trouble is so strong, so difficult to fight to keep his head on straight. sometimes it's the worst possible thing he could do in the moment, but david thinks he wouldn't care at all if it meant keeping jeff alive and getting him through those doors. but jeff would hate that, if saving him meant putting someone else in danger, and david would hate himself for it too. worse than he does when he feels as though he's failed. ]
[ he doesn't regret this — whatever this is between them — but sometimes david wonders if it wasn't on purpose somehow. some dumb little scheme of the entity's, to reach out a hand with something good, knowing the ways it would inevitably hurt too. but more likely it's just the reality of how things are here. ]
[ david's not wrong - jeff does still feel like hot wet garbage set on fire. coming back from being sacrificed is never particularly easy, especially when the cause is death is more than a few meat hooks shoved through the chest in just the right place, but something about this last go has left him feeling more wrung out than usual, though not enough for jeff to feel terribly concerned about it. maybe he's just getting too old for this.
the thought is enough to make him laugh a little, though it's hardly more than a tired puff of air through his nose. can't use that as an excuse when time is a questionable concept here.
he's feeling better than he did an hour ago though. functional, present. david is often good at grounding him, aware of it or not. jeff relaxes into the subtle touches, the hand in his hair, the thumb following the line of his jaw. if it weren't for the violent trauma leading up to this moment, he thinks he could get used to this, just existing in the quiet with someone he cares about. jeff watches david quietly, can tell there's something on his mind, but like more often than not, he doesn't pry. he's learned that waiting typically yields the same results. and he's not wrong this time, either.
david's admission isn't... surprising, if only because it's something jeff understands completely himself. for as long as jeff has known him, david's always been the type to run head first into danger with, presumably, no sense of self preservation. he's seen david stumble out of trials covered in more blood and bruises than one man should be able to walk off, he's heard his pained shouts echo across every realm at least once, and it's never been easy to witness, not with david or with anyone - but it is harder, now that they're... involved. it takes more effort to bite his tongue when david insists on putting himself into situations he more than likely will not survive just to make sure someone else does. it takes more effort not to snap at him for being so fucking reckless sometimes, and jeff never snaps. has never and if he can help it, will never, but the new urge to grab david by the front of his jacket and shove him in a safer direction and tell him to fucking go has been noted. several times.
so he gets it. why it's difficult, why david needs space and time away from everyone like this, why he's been out in the woods for who knows how long since their last trial with the oni. if their places were swapped, jeff knows he'd be out here too. beating himself up, going over every misstep, wondering if there was something else he could have done to keep david safe.
jeff exhales quietly through his nose, his brows pinching together gently for a moment before relaxing again. he turns his head just slightly, just enough to push his nose and his mouth against david's palm, not quite a kiss but a suggestion of one. he reaches up with one of his hands, runs it along david's forearm, squeezes his wrist. hums a short, low note in acknowledgement. ]
... I know. [ jeff's voice is still a little rough, and his lack of projection doesn't help. he clears his throat, wets his lips, lets his hand drift from david's wrist, to his elbow, and back again, fingers ghosting over old ink. ] For me too. Watching you... do what you do.
[ putting himself in harm's way, or worse. not saying anything about it because it won't change anything and jeff cannot and does not fault david for trying to save people. jeff does the same shit to a lesser extent, so it'd be hypocritical of him, but. it's still hard, and he imagines it'll only get harder.
but it's worth it, at least to him.
jeff offers a faint, fleeting little smile and makes a tired attempt to lighten the mood a little. ]
Saw you about to try and fist fight the Oni. [ that was about the last thing he saw, blurry as fuck, before he fully kicked the bucket. ] Never pegged you for an idiot, but...
[ despite the weight of everything, david can't help the ghost of a smile that pulls on his lips at the way jeff turns his head toward his palm, and david brings his hand up to cup jeff's face in response, thumb rubbing slow and light over his cheek. soothed himself by the hand on his arm, the light squeeze to his wrist, even through the apologetic frown that graces his expression because he knows he's not an easy person to care about and be in a trial with. ]
[ there's a part of him that always wishes he could make people not care, so they wouldn't be urged to try and get him to stop, wouldn't be sad when the odds aren't in his favour and he eats shit. how many times has he let himself die on the hook just to deter last-minute saves once the gates are open? and he has no intention to stop, even knowing as he does. ]
[ and then jeff brings up how ready david was to fight the oni, which pulls him out of his thoughts with a soft laugh. ]
[ david's laugh, however quiet and distracted, is somewhat comforting and jeff finds himself trying to hide a tired little smile of his own. his eyes roll like he's thinking, like he's trying to pull a thought or a memory out of the empty space between himself and david, mouth turning downward slightly as if it's actually fairly difficult to think of any other time that david's been a bit of an idiot.
it's not that hard. fortunately, a number of those moments have been relatively harmless.
jeff's eyebrows lift slightly, his fingers flexing loosely at david's wrist. ]
Well. [ he shrugs one of his shoulders lazily, bumping slightly against david's thigh. ] There was that one time I had to come uncuff your ass from the bar.
[ at the saloon. which probably was only half david's fault, but jeff would bet the events leading up to him being chained to the bar were less than... genius. and jeff's only teasing, anyway. ]
And then there was...
[ he tapers off, chuckles quietly. truthfully, he can't think of anything else unrelated to the stunts david pulls in trials, and that shit is more or less off limits as far as discussion goes - but it's fun to pull david's leg a little. ]
[ david still has no idea how he ended up cuffed to the bar (or why he wasn't killed by slinger or some other killer on his turf) but mention of it still makes him laugh. he still remembers the warmth of jeff's jacket fresh off him, warm and comfortable like something he could sink into, and the way it smelled like him. he hadn't entirely wanted to give it back at the time and he didn't know why, but he gets it now. ]
Well try not to get gangrene, because I found him some ink. Think it's the same stuff Vittorio's tats are done with. Be a shame if you got horribly infected and lost it.
He already tested it out without telling anyone, so we know it stays if you die though.
I know how to savour a drink. Just that most of what you can find round here isn't worth more than getting pissed on. I mean, you don't have to share. It's yours.
[ david is not a particularly vengeful man, there's really only one person who he could say he wanted revenge on at a push, but even then he didn't really consider it that. ]
[ petty on the other hand? he sure can be. certainly petty enough to do something ridiculous like go to ormond, make a snowball, and carry it all the way back to the campfire. he might not have leon's fancy special forces training or whatever the fuck, but david has impeccable aim and a strong arm. and that's why, as soon as he sees leon, he launches that snowball across the place, directly at leon's face. ]
[ He's not expecting retaliation for his stunt. Leon wouldn't be surprised if he got one and he'd be completely okay with it. David's a good sport. He's a good sport. It's stupid and this place needs to lighten the fuck up.
He's not expecting a snowball. He was in no way ready for that and it's very clear. All his training be damned. He's nailed in the face and doesn't have a second to figure out where it came from because on impact, he dropped the flash he was using to teach the person sitting across the way from him to make. (They fled. A wise choice.)
[ in his defence, david had no idea leon was handling explosives. not that it would have stopped him, but maybe he would've waited. maybe. ]
[ regardless, he laughs-- more of a cackle, really, when it results in leon dropping it. a grin on his face when the light clears, hand tucked into his armpit to warm it up. though the smile falls a little at leon's little quip and david rolls his eyes. it's good-natured, of course. ]
Lucky it weren't an avalanche.
[ yes, he does look like saying that caused him physical pain. ]
[ but even he has to admit to himself, if no one else, that this isn't totally true. he doesn't care about survivors, but occasionally, they worm their way into his brain in ways he doesn't like.
looking to fuck can start it. so does killing him. earning a grudge. it's not a good habit on his part. ]
if you got off on killing me, then that's bad for you but at least it meant i didn't die to some fucking coward. if you didn't, that saves you but it means i'm that much worse than i should be. that's all.
[ david doesn't buy it, not fully. he doesn't think evan secretly wants to be his friend or some shit, but he's shown enough curiosity when they interact that david thinks it's fair to assume there's something that's caught his interest. he's not gonna push it right now though. ]
Well I gave you an answer. If you don't wanna believe it that's down to you.
[ wait ]
Saves me from what?
[ don't say switching sides don't say it don't-- ]
[ he doesn't believe. he's seen survivors at their absolute worst when they first arrive, blind with the terror of the trials and the horror of their own death, and what he remembers of david doesn't line up with what he's trying to tell evan.
of course, he doesn't actually know. dying and killing are two very different things. but he figures he can make a solid enough guess.
totally ignorant to david's sudden panic, he responds without much thought. ]
from being as bad as me. or the rest of them. didn't think you wanted that.
[ not switching sides - not exactly. but whatever the survivors think they have over killers in terms of general morality, maybe. ]
[ the thing is, david's never really felt like he fits with the other survivors. far as he can tell they're all good people in ways he's not — wouldn't beat a man nearly blind because he owes money, for example. he's not particularly worried about keeping some moral high ground. ]
You think I give a shit about that? You clearly don't know me as well as you think.
[ this is a lie. unfortunately, he can't elaborate on the truth, because even he's not sure what it is. whether he wants to make sure he and david are completely different and not similar at all whatsoever, or because he's trying to find common ground with a survivor of all people, or because something in him can't deal with the idea of condemning survivors to fates worse than just getting slaughtered on a regular basis ... he doesn't want to actually address those conclusions. ]
But why? I get people telling me I'm a good guy for taking hits like giving a shit about some people is all it takes. Would've figured somebody on your side of things would get it, but it's like you wanna fight me about it too.
Course most of the time it feels like you wanna fight me for everything so I guess that shouldn't be a surprise.
[ like he's not the one always picking fights here ]
Edited (thought of a bit more don't look at me) 2023-10-01 12:53 (UTC)
[ did he write and delete a whole text arguing he's NOT a coward and actually the workshop is FINE? just ignore those typing dots, don't worry about it. ]
Couldn't even do us an upgrade to 'probably'? I thought we had something here, Chuck.
[ he doesn't respond to that one, because either david's coming, or he isn't.
he heads for the ironworks himself, not setting any new traps but not shutting any of the ones already set, either. he won't show david that kind of courtesy - not after he got hacked to death. but david's proven almost as good as jake at maneuvering the damn things anyway.
the upstairs office is cold and silent. it used to be a furnace when the ironworks was running. one man watching everything from above, making sure everything went smoothly, dishing out the punishments if it wasn't. sometimes him. sometimes his father. sometimes somebody else who could, at least for a little while, be trusted.
he leans against the console and waits. there's no way to sneak in here while he's watching, but he keeps an eye on both doors and the busted window carefully anyway. ]
[ eventually, david shows up. he does his best to get around closing as few traps as possible — no idea what evan classes as messing with his shit — and that slows him down, and he tries not to think about the fact that he's been through here so much lately that he's starting to recognise some of the signs of a trap at just a glance. not the most hidden ones, and he doesn't catch them quickly enough to make him feel confident not really taking his time to move through the estate, but enough to add weight to the box of things involving trapper that he opts not to think about. ]
[ david jogs up the outside staircase, hands shoved in his jacket pockets as he walks the landing and comes through the door. ]
Thought about how to boost my odds.
[ since evan's leaning against the console, david opts to take the chair and throw himself down in it (with little care for the way it creaks in protest when he does,) bag rattling as he swings it off his shoulder into his lap. ]
[ he also considers putting his feet up on the console but decides that'd probably be pushing it. ]
[ he can sense the closed traps, and can sort of track david's progress by that. but there's not many, so he just waits, and listens. the metal of every stair and walkway around here means that nobody approaches silently.
and because there's no stealth in david, at least not normally, he doesn't bother hiding his approach. evan listens to the creaking under every footstep, knowing exactly where he is.
he did remove the one trap from a few inches off the doorway, because funny as it might be to see david step in that after everything, and much as he wants the bastard to suffer, this might be the one moment to at least try to be cordial. and there's plenty more around if he changes his mind.
that trap is leaning in the corner as david saunters in and lands in the chair without asking permission, closer than evan expected but maybe not so much for someone who just recently killed him. evan himself doesn't move, although his eyes do lock on the bag david brought with him. ]
Yeah? How's that?
[ there's a cleaver hanging off evan's belt. not the same one david used, but no less dangerous it. ]
[ is he acting a little too comfortable? maybe, but that's how david does most things. he leans forward in the chair as he unzips the backpack and starts pulling things out, sets down a battered but intact coffee mug and a glass jar. follows up by setting down a half-full bottle of what purports to be scotch, but is really just bottom shelf whiskey. ]
Ain't much and it's not great, but hey.
[ it's not enough to get either of them drunk — maybe get a light buzz going at best if either of them wants — but truth be told david brought it for himself more than anything, to put him somewhere close to in the mind of sharing a drink with friends, having a talk about anything and (almost) everything. a bit of social lubricant, just not the way people tend to think of. ]
[ evan was expecting something actually dangerous in that bag. some of those explosives they've developed. a weapon. a bunch of rocks so he can try to beat evan with it if things go bad.
glass isn't exactly something unusable as a weapon, but he sure as hell wasn't expecting alcohol. especially not enough to share. he stares at it as david sets it down, and then up at david, and wonders what in the fuck this is going to lead to.
but it's not a direct, immediate threat. which is a surprise. ]
Won't ask where you got it.
[ there's four places to get alcohol that he knows of, and it's always stolen. never a good idea to learn who got fucked over by losing their stash. but hell, if he was on their side, he'd do the same thing.
he waits until david's poured a measure for each of them to take whatever's offered, and lets the smell reach him through the mask. it's old and familiar and reminds him of things he'd rather not think of. ]
[ david lets out a quiet, amused breath at that. he can't decide if he'd want to know or not if he was in evan's position, but plausible deniability and having somebody bring it to you is probably the best option. ]
[ he pours them both a measure and nudges the mug toward evan, taking the jar for himself, no idea what goes through evan's head but at this point the smell of cheap liquor is, for david, the smell of some of the only good times he ever has anymore. some of the most miserable too, but somehow it's easier to let those go. already, just having a drink in his hand has improved his mood. ]
[ maybe he's also considered how easy it would be to smash this bottle to use it as a weapon, but one shouldn't sour the mood by letting that kind of thing linger at the front of their mind. ]
So.
[ david tilts his head up to look at evan, raises his eyebrows. ]
You invited me out here, so I think that means you go first.
[ he doesn't drink right away. he was never a heavy drinker - didn't need to be, not when the rage was always right there - but that doesn't mean he doesn't appreciate it. still, unlike david, it's not something that'll help him loosen up and talk more easily. he needs a clear mind for that. one unclouded by being drunk - or being furious.
evan watches david instead, seeing no rage, no demands, no uncertainty. not yet, anyway. one wrong word and it all goes to hell, he knows. but he doesn't want to talk about any of this. address even a single idea fermenting in the rot of his skull. ]
You keep gettin' in my way. Fucking around. Never learning. Keep gettin' better at it.
[ it's hard to put it into words, especially for him. but, for the moment, he'll try. ]
You, coupla the others. You do stupid shit and it sticks. Start wanting to see what else you do next.
[ he pushes the mask up partway - just enough to drink. the whiskey burns like fire, but that's fine. that's what it should do. ]
[ honestly after this long, david doesn't hate many of the killers in any real way, most of them are just playing their parts same as him. sure he'd jump on the chance to kick the shit out of most of them, but he saves his ire for the likes of the ones like ghost face, freddy. the ones who get off on tormenting people outside trials. ]
[ it makes shit like this easier, he's learning. makes it easy to just listen while evan talks, tries to sort out his thoughts-- well. david does open his mouth when evan says they never learn, but he stops himself with a sip of whiskey. sucks in a breath through his teeth at the familiar burn of it. makes a quiet noise when evan drinks to indicate he's listening. thinking. ]
[ it isn't a good idea to talk with survivors like they're actual people, might even be equals, but the entity doesn't pay attention to much outside trials. as long as he performs in a trial, it won't care. the problem comes with starting to see them as people instead of prey.
if they're looking to fuck, it's different. just a release, a temporary truce to pretend they aren't in a nightmare. but this is getting dangerously close to finding truths about similarities. ]
You know how this ends, right?
[ the rumors fly, the old secrets never stay that way. survivors dig where they shouldn't. ]
Why bother knowin' you're worse'n dead?
[ he knows at least one answer: because it keeps them human. gives them hope. because it's all they can do. but maybe that's not the real answer. ]
[ it comes out a little snappier that david would've liked and he frowns, takes a breath and another sip. isn't that what he'd said last time, evan bringing it up being the thing that got him all wound up in the first place? well, the thing that tipped it over anyway. ]
[ he's never given it any deep thought though. people ask him why, give him grief about it, and david says that's what he's here for. it's his job. if him getting battered, broken. killed. if that gets the others out the gate, that's a win. ]
Fuck else am I gonna do? Hide out, hope for the best? That ain't me.
[ there's a lot to it maybe, if he really digs. ego, competitiveness, compassion for the others. david shrugs a shoulder, he doesn't know about all that. ]
Shit, maybe I'm just too stupid to change and that's all it is.
[ it's about as much of an answer as he can expect. it's a human thing, surviving like that. and maybe some part of david knows just how long this might take, how much suffering the entity wants, and wants it over as quick as possible. instead of desperately looking for a way out and letting the hope burn too brightly, he's just trying to get it all over with. and doesn't even realize it.
or maybe not. evan snorts at the final possible explanation. ]
Sure. Maybe.
[ he's rarely questioned survivors directly about this before. it isn't a great frame of mind of focus on. but it's part of what gets him interested despite himself. that, and the refusal to get off his fucking property. ]
[ to be fair, he never intended to kill anyone until things took a turn last time, forced him into realising what he already knew really. these are killers, not some dickhead coming at him in an alley he can punch out and leave. and who fucking knows how fast one of them would get back up if he didn't finish the job. stupid, short-sighted. ]
[ he nudges at something on the ground with the toe of his boot and a frown on his face, eyes cast downward. ]
I was a fighter, right. Never lost neither. Then I get sucked up into this shithole, getting fuckin' slaughtered every day and you can't even fight back? Not for real.
[ it starts tired, a little dispassionate. just recounting facts he's told a million times before around the campfire. what did you do back home? oh, i used to fight. explains everything about the way he is in just a few words. by the end though, the exaustion isn't gone, but the rage is there, just under the surface, barely restrained like always. obvious in the way he starts to emphasise his words, the flare of his nostrils and the way he clenches his jaw. ]
[ he shakes his head, takes another sip of whiskey. ]
Pretty sure you can imagine how that winds a guy up.
[ funny enough, he can imagine. he'd be furious without being able to fight back - hell, he's furious even though he can. if he could turn around and gut everyone who ever hurt him, he'd do it. and he did, back before. does here, now, sometimes.
but understanding it doesn't mean he appreciates it, or has any intention of giving david a pass for it. it just means he gets where he's coming from. it's still unforgiveable. especially given the circumstances. ]
Sure.
[ he eyes the whiskey again, debating whether drinking now, even just to a buzz, is a good idea. but even if someone does creep up, it's not like he won't hear them. he tips the mask up again, downs half of what's left in one go. ]
So'd it feel like revenge? Leave you happy? Or did you really go throw up somewhere and cry in a corner?
[ there's less venom to the words than he'd like, or than david might expect. it's more like a real question. killing takes people differently. especially the first one, which is a turning point. evidently despite everything, david hadn't killed before getting here.
not really a surprise, given his status as survivor. ]
Shoulda felt good, right? Like getting one up on one of you fuckers finally.
[ obviously that's not the case, and it frustrates the hell out of david. it should feel great, should feel worth gloating about. as it is, he hasn't told anyone, not even to explain why he was all battered and bruised and halfway dead himself when he finally made it back to the campfire. ]
Lot to process-- dunno if you remember what that's like or if it were ever like that for you, seein' a dead body and knowing you done it, but...
[ but what. david tilts his head, eyes looking past evan at the wall behind him while he tries to find the words. there's a lot to it, the whole thing was messy, feels messy in his head. it's not easy to say it felt bad or good, because it's both and neither at the same time. because yeah, there's a part of him that feels a strong sense of satisfaction over hacking trapper with his own weapon, but it's overshadowed by so many other things. ]
Mostly just felt tired. Killed a guy and for what? He's just gonna be back after a while, pissed off as all hell about it.
[ because that's the thing about the fog, right? nothing's final. everything's just an endless cycle of shit until the entity gets all it can out of you. ]
[ he remembers. he knows it now. he sees a corpse, one he made, and most of the time what he feels is satisfaction. killing david is satisfying. the trespassers, survivor or killer. and back before it was the same, too, after a certain point. that was right, after all. it was the way of the world. he was on top. he was entitled to their deaths. so of course he enjoyed them, and still does.
but he also understands the frustration of killing someone who won't stay dead. that's this whole fucking place. it's why he's learned to take the satisfaction of the short term kill and let it ease the rage. otherwise, he'd probably be dead already. ]
So you didn't even like it. Gettin' back at me after all that.
[ his smile, just visible now, is thin and unamused. ]
You ain't such a piece of shit, or else you'd be gloating.
[ he down the rest of the whiskey in the mug and lets the burn mingle with the rest of the burn that runs through him every day. it's not nearly enough to get drunk on, or even really buzzed, but it's enough to keep the cleaver hanging off his belt instead of in his hand. ]
Dead's dead. Take what you can get around here. Cave in the ghost's skull, it's not like he's gonna get any less mad if you grovel about it.
[ that he didn't like it, he means. says it with a quirk of an eyebrow. because he did, and he worries about leaning into that part of himself. about getting carried away. ]
[ he thinks about the way ghetto masher screamed when he popped his eyeballs out with his thumbs, about the noises evan made the times he pulled that metal out of him. that was satisfying. that's what felt good. and it shouldn't be a surprise really, he's always struggled to hold back that viciousness. not always successfully. ]
Think I would've preferred doin' it with my hands.
[ is he joking? is he serious? he's tipping back the rest of what's in his glass either way. ]
[ evan looks at him in silence, and then actually laughs - nothing loud, or outright, but more than the dismissive snort he usually gives. okay, he misjudged. maybe there's worse in david than he thought.
though the part where he keeps ripping the shrapnel out and using it as a weapon while grinning probably should have been a tell. ]
Yeah? There's somethin' to that, you know. [ spoken as a man who primarily beat people to death before he opted for a massive weapon, who learned who to kill that way. ] You feel 'em going instead of just watchin' it.
[ he sets the mug down on the edge of the console, and reaches up to take his mask off fully so he can look at the carved, broken face of it. there's still that same distant little smirk on his face. ]
[ david says it with an amused little uptick to his voice as he leans forward to put the empty jar down on the console, thinks about it for a second and then tops them both up. just a funny little thought experiment, right. not as if even if he backed off picking fights, he would still end up coming to blows with this guy sooner or later. ]
[ still, he can't help the part of himself that thinks, when evan says you feel them going, that that's how it should be. david's just... not going to focus on that. ]
Havin' a bunch of firsts with you apparently, why not that one too?
[ which is grimly amusing to him, one of those things that reminds him the fog is as ridiculous as it is hellish. ]
[ a learning curve is one way to put it, evan thinks, because very few people ever beat him in a fistfight. it's hard to beat someone who isn't just fighting to win but is desperate for it, dead certain they'll get it, and willing to kill to make sure that happens. here, he's almost unstoppable. almost.
he reaches for the drink, is about to make some idle if edged comment about david having to learn for the rest of his life, when the comment about firsts slides past his thoughts. it barely registers initially, and then he gives david a questioning look, the smirk fading a little. ]
You sayin' you never fucked anyone before? Or just not guys?
[ it barely occurred to him before, because he didn't care. and doesn't, really. but it's ... a little interesting to think about, if he dwells on it, and the alcohol lets him do that. he wouldn't have guessed, given the determination to walk right onto his property and just go for it that david had before. ]
[ it was just an offhand joke about the nature of whatever this situation between them is, but what evan asks in response is actually funny to david, the thought of himself as actually virginal enough to make him laugh. just a small, quiet chuckle. ]
Shit, could you imagine?
[ he shakes his head, meets evan's questioning look with a lightly amused one of his own. ]
Not the first guy. First cock up my arse though, so congrats.
[ granted the first, last, and only guy was a long time ago, even before the fog, but david's not thinking about that. if anything he's been pretty thoroughly derailed from his idle consideration of how he'd take trapper in a fistfight without also dying, to this. ]
[ he raises his glass in a little sardonic cheers with his congrats and knocks back a mouthful. ]
[ it didn't seem even remotely likely, so he snorts when david affirms that, no, there wasn't a first in that regard, at least not what he was suspecting.
the sarcastic tip of a glass almost makes him smirk again, but for the moment, he doesn't touch his own refilled cup. ]
That a big thing for you?
[ it's a joke, mostly. as he told david before, when they didn't kill each other, david wasn't even remotely the first survivor he's had - although even he has enough discretion to not drop names. it's not usually something anyone talks about, and for him it's not a huge deal.
maybe it should be, since it means they don't see him as just the dangerous, terrifying monster they used to see him as. but david apparently never thought that way in the first place. ]
Was curious if that was actually the whole reason you came out there, or if you just changed your mind after I smacked you around.
[ david, the very paragon of maturity and grace that he is, clearly has a joke spring to mind at the words 'big thing' judging by the brief glint in his eye and amused pull to his lips, but evan keeps talking and saves everyone from his dumb jokes. ]
[ he lets out an amused snort at the question, at the idea that getting roughed up was enough to make him consider it, and shakes his head. ]
Stubbornness more than anything, I think.
[ trying to discern the motivations of drunk david is both easy and like trying to pick out details through frosted glass, which is probably fitting because that's what his early memories of that are like too. ]
Felt like I were bein' challenged so of course I came out. And then it was put up or fuck off, and I weren't gonna fuck off, so...
[ and even drunk at the time, he could fight most people but he knew he'd just get obliterated by trapper. ]
[ put up or fuck off, and instead of losing a fight he opted for another possibility. well, evan's not going to tell him he picked wrong. he would have lost, drunk like that. evan would think he'd lose any other time, but their last encounter says that's not the case.
he can't even explain why he lost so badly. better not to dwell on it. he picks up the cup again, eyes the whiskey and then david. ]
Sounds about right.
[ he'd probably do the same thing, likely without the same results. if he was a survivor ... well, he can't say he'd win every fight. he doesn't know for sure. he doesn't want to think about being on their side of things. ]
Any regrets?
[ it's asked casually. he's not about to take it personally if david says yes. some people, drunk or high or in the heat of the moment, do things that make them wonder at their own sanity later, and he's been that thing multiple times. it's more curiosity that he's asking than anything else - not the first time tonight, he considers darkly as he takes another slow sip of the whiskey. ]
[ he should. he should regret it. he would think anyone with even an ounce of sanity left in them would feel like they made a bad choice there, hooking up with someone on their side of the fence, but once he'd sat down and tried to get his head straight about it, that really wasn't the part of it that bothered him. and the other shit was, well. it's hard to face someone when you're hopped up on your own internalised bullshit combined with a need to fight just about everyone and everything that can't ever really be sated, and then you turn around and let them fuck you without even a little pushback. ]
[ but — and he'd never admit it out loud, and definitely not to evan — it was kind of nice to just let go of all that for a little bit. helps that evan doesn't give a shit about him in a really weird, fucked up kind of way. that's why people go to him, he guesses. ]
Nah.
[ he says it after a long, thoughtful pause, lifts his drink to his lips and then pauses with a breath of a laugh when something else occurs to him. ]
Well-- could've done with more than just a little spit.
[ who knew someone could be thankful to get called to trial just because it meant their ass wouldn't be sore anymore and the bruises would be gone. ]
[ he accepts that without a question - no regrets means it's a non-zero chance of happening again, and he'll take a distraction without thinking if the opportunity's there - and lets the whiskey burn its way through him. less, now, since he's already had enough to set the burn to numbness, to make the anger settle down into a seethe instead of an almost-boil.
the following comment, though, makes him almost laugh. he smirks against the cup, watching david a little more intently than before. ]
We'd gone into the workshop, you woulda had more.
[ not necessarily something any sane person would consider using, but consequences are light, here. ]
But you didn't wanna wait. Figure I coulda bent you over something out in the open and you wouldn't be complainin' 'til now.
[ he's not complaining, either. he doesn't care who knows what he does with survivors - well, mostly he doesn't care. ]
[ there isn't much that can fluster david, but that sure does it. it's not much, a cough when his surprise makes a little whiskey go down wrong, a momentary freeze with a brief wide-eyed look. the sort of thing it'd be easy to brush over and recover from if this were a group conversation and not one-on-one. ]
[ he coughs again, thumps his chest with a fist, and gives evan a withering look like he did that on purpose. ]
That-- [ voice a little raw, he points with one of the fingers curled around his whiskey jar for emphasis. ] you would've heard a lot from me about.
[ it's an... interesting mental image, and if it pops into david's head later nobody needs to know about it, but there's just no way he wouldn't raise hell about it. there's a lot to be said for the illusion of privacy afforded by just a few rickety walls. ]
Just didn't wanna bottle it. I mean no offence but I wasn't entirely convinced I weren't gonna come away bleedin' out my backside.
[ evan's clearly amused by the reaction - his smirk is a little wider, the look in his eyes less murderous than usual. david's never been the sort to back off or fluster, so watching him almost choke over one sentence is worth keeping in mind.
he throws back half the whiskey instead of replying immediately, and shrugs at the followup. it's possible, but ... ]
Live and learn. I try not to break you anyone the first time around.
So you're saying I should be worried about next time.
[ david snorts and shakes his head, follows suit and tips back the rest of his drink. one would hope he's not quite that bad on a second go around, but honestly evan's hard to read even without the mask. ]
[ david leans back in the chair and props a foot up on the edge of the console without thinking, looking up at evan and giving him a considering look. that sounds like him, which is why he usually leaves his phone in someone else's care when he drinks. ]
[ evan meets the look, smirk faded to something less gloating. he sets down the mug on the other side of david's leg, not making a comment about that particular invasion of his space, and considers the options they have.
neither one of them is drunk enough to do anything really stupid, he figures, although that's never stopped david before (or him). on the other hand, evan's never been the sort to beat around the bush, unless it comes to attempting to grasp his own emotional state or getting someone to admit they liked killing him. ]
How drunk are you?
[ barely, would be his guess. he can barely even feel what he drank, but there's more of him to slow down. ]
[ he might not be as big as evan, but david has a pretty robust alcohol tolerance. it's not as strong as it was before this place, but you don't just lose fifteen odd years of heavy drinking under your belt. ]
[ it means he has enough clarity here that he's pretty sure he's reading the change in the vibe here correctly, which makes david pause for just a moment, tongue darting out to wet his lips while he thinks about how to proceed. and then he smirks, almost in response to evan's fading, and raises an eyebrow at him. ]
Course, you know me well enough to know I don't have to be drunk to make a stupid decision.
[ he's pretty sure one might argue that's about 90% of what david does, in fact. ]
[ the response he get is enough that he reaches for his mask, but rests his hand on it instead of picking it up. ]
No. Figure that's where you start.
[ he could keep going - suggest that it takes more effort for david not to make the most dangerous choice possible than for anyone else - but he's not looking for a fight, at least not at this second. the smirk, the lack of withdrawing or anxiety, the fact that david hasn't moved his legs ... those suggest to evan that the proposition he hasn't actually made yet isn't going to get shot down. ]
Got somethin' that'd help if you can actually make it to the workshop.
[ david finds that extremely funny, giving it a couple seconds' thought before he figures why the fuck not? grabs the bottle and the cups to put them back in the bag and pushes away from the console with his leg. ]
[ david gathers his things, and pushes away from the console, and that's all evan needs for assent, really. he's not going to demand an actual spoken agreement. it kind of ruins the spontaneity for him.
he pulls his mask back on and heads downstairs. better to go from inside, just in case someone's watching, and ideally they'll be waiting at the back as they go out the front.
he leads david back to the workshop the long way. no shortcuts, no untrapped paths; he steps over and around traps on the way, revealing where they are - but that might not be quite as bad a move as it seems. he doesn't try to trick david into stepping into one, funny as that would be, because it'd kill the mood faster than david killed him.
it's just another normal path, not one he would ever take himself normally when there's so many better ways to go that he does not want people knowing about. it leads to the mine, and down toward the workshop, where he steps over the traps on the way.
no point in picking them up. david's not the only trespasser, much to evan's perpetual rage. ]
[ david follows, watching where evan steps and then following suit. unfussed about the longer route, if it means they're less likely to be seen, he's more than fine with it, not nearly impatient enough to complain about it. having a guide means it's probably faster than he'd be on his own anyway. ]
[ it's also a relief that evan doesn't trick him into stepping in any, because as closely as he's watching he'd probably still fall for it right now. ]
[ once they reach the workshop, david sets his bag down by the door, just kind of... stands there for a minute. it's weird to be here with (kind of) permission. weird to be here with evan, who he hasn't really figured out how to approach. it was easier last time, when things were sudden and unexpected. ]
[ and that contemplation is why david catches up that small bit of distance between them, so he can put a hand on his side to nudge evan to turn around and then push him back toward the nearest surface. ]
[ it's frustrating how easy it is to get used to someone trespassing on his property, especially private property like the inside of his workshop, but for all the rage he's resigned himself to it, mostly. nothing stops survivors, even death. maybe inviting them in will make it lose the appeal of breaking in. it depends on what they want - if it's to piss him off it might work, and if it's to steal it won't.
but david's not here for either, although pissing him off is pretty much the standard. evan unhooks his cleaver from his belt and sets it against a stack of crates, pauses to look around for what he was planning to get when a hand lands on him, tugs him around, and suddenly it's david pushing him back toward a workbench.
he could ignore it, but ... he lets himself be nudged until his lower back hits the table, watching david carefully through the mask. he rests his hands on the workbench's edge, a little curious but, as always, ready to fight if things turn.
not that he expects them to just now. not when there's something almost as interesting to think about. ]
[ oh, he forgot about the mask. that's fine though. david pushes forward, crowding evan's body with his own, one hand down on the table behind them as david leans up into him, bodies flush at least for a moment. ]
[ his other hand, david lifts like he intends to try and push the mask off, but he thinks better of it at the last moment and puts his hand on evan's neck instead, thumb braced against the line of his jaw. tilts his head up to graze his teeth along his skin, bites at the flesh at the corner of his jaw, sucks a mark that won't last (if he can even make one to begin with) onto his skin. ]
[ evan watches david and wonders what, exactly, he's up to. if this is a prelude to a knife in the throat, or if he's just being paranoid. if this is really just a stupid decision with a short physical benefit - but one he's gotten used to having, from time to time.
there's a moment of tension as david's hand goes for his mask, but it moves, touches his neck - not a whole lot better, really - and tilts his head up. his fingers tighten around the edge of the workbench until he feels david's teeth instead of the metal he was almost expecting. a bite. a mark. the thing he does to them, done - for the first time in a long, long time, possibly forever - to him.
it's not bad, he thinks idly, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but he doesn't try to put distance between them. ]
That's almost romantic.
[ said sardonically, knowing that neither one of them is aiming for that - and in evan's case probably isn't capable of it. ]
[ it's kind of interesting, to be this close he can feel the ebb and flow of tension and paranoia in evan. david would think he's been consistently straightforward enough in just about all respects that the expectation of an attack is almost a little insulting, he's never exactly been one to bullshit his intentions. not outside a trial anyway. but then again, if their positions were reversed, david wouldn't exactly let his guard down easy either. a survivor would have to be more cunning than a killer on their own turf. ]
[ why he'd bother with all this is another question, but david also finds himself wondering how often it's happened to him. how many people have come out here ostensibly to fuck and attacked the bastard when his pants were down instead. ]
[ he's busy thinking on that when evan speaks, and the laughter that pulls out of david comes as a rush of breath through his nose. ]
Yeah?
[ he lifts his head just a little, nose pressed against his neck still, lips still close enough that the movement when he speaks can probably be felt. ]
It romantic when you bit the shit outta my neck?
[ punctuated with a sharper bite, just below the first. david's not mad about it (anymore,) but it strikes him as a particularly funny thing for a guy with an apparent fondness for biting people to say. ]
[ there's no romance in evan; maybe there was, fifteen or twenty years ago, but it's long since gone, shriveled into nothing even before the fog. but the idea isn't lost on him, nor is the way survivors manage to keep their heads above water by getting involved, and not just the way they get involved with him.
it's why he makes the joke. why he snorts with laughter when david makes it right back. ]
Nah. Different when I do it.
[ he won't elaborate, partly because he might not be able to. at least not in a way that won't get him punched. it's possessive, proprietary - a reminder of the fact that even if they're not fighting for survival, he's still the most dangerous thing around them.
reasonably certain david's not about to go for the throat more than he already is, evan relaxes minutely. lets one hand pull away from the table to get a hold on david's hip. not a grab, or anything that might bruise, but it's firm enough. keeping him in place. letting him bite, the pain that comes with sharpness less than it should be thanks to the burns and scars. it still sends something spiking through him, but it's probably not as definite as it when their positions are reversed. ]
Guess I ... shouldn't be surprised you're into it.
[ more similarities. that should probably concern him, except he's not paying attention to that. ]
[ david huffs against evan's neck, a quick laugh and a murmur of 'of course' when he says it's different, and nips again at that patch of skin. he doesn't think about it too much, how... dangerously close they are right now to something crazy like getting along and having a good time here. ]
[ similar at his second comment, david just makes an affirmative noise against his skin, uses the hand on his hip as encouragement to put more weight down on the table and lean harder against evan. no need to make shit messy thinking about what's similar between them. at least if they're similar enough here then it means this will probably not be awful. not that it was last time, but he's had a lot of disappointing second goes. ]
[ the hand david had at evan's neck he moves down, employing the definitely tactical decision to use his right hand to fumble open the buckle on his waders — whatever the situation with the way the other side is all tangled up in his... pieces. his shrapnel. david isn't gonna deal with that — so he has a little more space to drag his hand down to his chest, wondering how long it takes before evan's impatience gets the better of him here. ]
[ he bears the pressure, the intent, the recognition that david's trying to get one up on him in a way. it's not out of the ordinary. survivors who realize that no, he's not going to kill them when they're done, sometimes go for it. generally he doesn't mind. they never get very far before his patience runs thin.
the one buckle opens easily; it's to both of their benefit that david doesn't even attempt the other, because that'd probably ruin the mood. half the time even evan can't manage to pull it off without pissing himself off. the hand on his chest avoids the scars, the worst of the embedded metal and shrapnel, and so what he can feel is pleasant more than it isn't.
he lets that go on for a bit, letting david leave marks (which should infuriate him) and get his hands wherever they can find unbroken skin, before his grip around david's hip tightens and his other hand comes up to pull the mask off and set it aside - and then find its way into david's hair and, short as it is, get a grip to pull his head back.
it's not intended to be painful, or at least no more than normal. there's no malice in his expression. the patience, as david suspected, just isn't that strong outside a hunt. ]
[ david tips his head back with the pull, looks up at evan with an expression that's just a little smug and extremely amused with himself, and no intention to share why. it's nothing big, just a little confirmation of his ability to read evan even in such a wildly different situation to the usual between them. maybe he should be concerned that he's getting a good enough idea of what the guy's like when it's not just rage and violence to put that together, but, well. neither of them are gonna think over the finer details and what they mean if they don't have to. ]
Not this time.
[ david punctuates with a wink. it's not a 'no, never,' that would be silly when, he's generally far more willing to go down on people than he ever has been to have anything up his ass, but he's not gonna let evan have it that easy. on his terms, sometime in the future, when he can catch him off guard with it maybe. ]
[ he grins, moves his hand to nudge evan with a fist. he really couldn't explain why all this is funny to him, it just is. probably another of those times how fucking bizarre all this is starting to catch up with him. ]
[ it's not a no, but the followup makes evan let out an amused breath - almost a laugh, again. basically a no. that's fine. it's rare he ever expects that, and he's not as violently allergic to give and take as a lot of other killers, at least in regards to this. ]
So when this place collapses into dust.
[ he lets go of david's hair only to step forward, using their closeness and the hold on his hip to make david take a few steps back. toward a different workbench, because he's got way more than necessary. this one's mostly unoccupied except for a few broken pieces of old traps, a bottle of blackening tar, and partly-used tubes of grease used to keep the traps from rusting and make sure the joints snap shut as smoothly as possible.
once they're there, he traps david in as much as david tried to do to him, but he's big enough that it probably feels more effective. it's the same sort of looming he does in trials ... or at least, very close to it, except the murder's muted now.
one hand on the flat table behind david, the other still on david's hip, the light at his back and the whole place still mostly shadows, evan knows he probably looks more threatening than intended. but that's fine. the weapons are just out of reach, even now. and david's never been afraid of him - at least, not for a hell of a while. ]
Turn around or get on the table. [ yes, he'll go for it that abruptly. ] Your choice.
[ david raises his eyebrows as he's pushed backwards as if to say 'i don't know about that', but that's for later. right now he shrugs out of his jacket and tosses it onto the workbench evan was just leaning against as he's backed up against the one opposite, feels the full weight of what it's like to be boxed in like this, though not for the first time. ]
[ there is something menacing about the way the shadows obscure most of his face, but it's not unattractive either. he wonders, in the few moments of quiet, if the other people evan's been with get off on that. on being able to take someone-- something just this side of monstrous and walk away from it. he's had his fair share of partners who definitely took something similar from him, and, if he thinks about it, he's probably not immune to that either. ]
[ those brief thoughts are cut off when he speaks though, and the snort and laugh that comes out of david is more surprise at the abruptness of it than anything. ]
Jesus, alright. [ thinks about it for a second, and then plants his hands on the bench behind himself to hop up on to it. seats himself at the edge like he thinks is probably right and reaches out to grip evan's waders and tug him closer. ]
[ much as evan can understand the uncertainty, the need to pretend this is something other than exactly what it is, even the borderline requirement some survivors have that they "lose", in a sense, in order to justify why this is something they're okay with, if he's got a handle on the situation he's not going to waste time. as david already knows in a number of ways, his patience is short and easy to snap.
he gives david just enough space to get on the table, and then david closes it again, pulling him in. he moves the hand that had a grip on his waist up to david's jaw, tilts his head back the same way david did to him, and then leans in to return the favor he was just getting. a few bites, a few marks, almost mirroring - if unintentionally - the ones david left on him.
the other hand stays between them, finding david's belt and fly and undoing them a little inexpertly. no point in waiting, although he's not going to go right for the end game yet. ]
[ he's gonna be annoyed again about all those marks, but how much can david really complain when he lets his head be tilted so easily, when the way he grunts is just as much pleasure as it is pain and he instinctively brings a hand up to the back of evan's head to encourage him. ]
[ probably not, but that's not going to stop him griping about it later. ]
[ his other hand moves from where he was gripping evan's waders to his side, around to his back, takes a moment and then decides why the fuck not shortly before david pushes his hand down to grab his ass with a particularly satisfied sounding noise. he's never really looked at it before, but it's a good handful. which... makes sense considering the size of the man it belongs to. ]
[ there's no argument against the bites. only a head tilted back, more skin to mark, around one side of the neck, down to as close as he can get to the shoulder before the shirt stops him. evan doesn't argue or resist when david keeps him close with a hand on him, and then around to the back to grab -
which also isn't exactly a new move, but he wasn't expecting it, which will be obvious when he pauses in what he's doing to give david an unseen look with a raised eyebrow.
but no point in interrupting. he fits himself closer between david's legs and finishes working at the belt and fly. tugs at the edge to make sure it's open and then lets that hand settle back on david's hip. the other, more slowly, makes its way down from his jaw, across the chest and stomach to the other hip.
he curls his fingers around the waist of david's pants, pulls back from another bite, and then, in one sharp jerk, yanks both pants and underwear down just below david's ass. not even to his knees - only far enough down that the worktable will be cool underneath, and so that he can keep his legs just about hooked around evan, if he wants. ]
[ david jerks at the suddenness of having his pants ripped down, that brief bit of smugness he felt at making evan pause like that gone in favour of utter confusion at the sudden cool sensation under his ass. his hands slip from where they were — one to the side of evan's neck, the other to his hip — as he leans back just enough to look down like he doesn't already know what's going on and needs a visual confirmation. ]
[ it doesn't leave him feeling super enthused about how he thinks evan plans to proceed from here, and he huffs, immediately drops his hands next to evans' on his waistband with a frown. ]
Let me get 'em all the way off then, shit.
[ yes, he also kicks evan for emphasis. lightly, more like a tap against the back of his thigh with the heel of his shoe, but still. ]
[ david's irritated reaction isn't new either, but the look he gets is a little surprising. still, it's not out of the ordinary for people dealing with him.
he leans back to raise an eyebrow, not looking particularly smug but there's a hint of it showing at the very slight grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. ]
Don't need to.
[ there's more than enough room for him to get where he needs to. but he doesn't refuse to move; the little tap gets him to let go and step back only far enough for david to work off whatever he thinks he needs, and then he's back between david's legs immediately, one hand running up along his thigh, the other set on the worktable again. ]
[ he likes his freedom of movement, okay. david rolls his eyes with a light shake of his head, pushing his pants down past his knees, wriggles one shoe through and leg free before he decides that's enough. no doubt he looks stupid as hell, jeans dangling from his left leg, t-shirt and shoes still on, but whatever. so long as he doesn't feel any more restrained than he does by the heft of the man standing between his legs, david can handle looking a little stupid. ]
[ hands free, david reaches for evan again, reaches for his neck with both hands to pull him down like he can kiss that stupid, smug look off his face. rough, all teeth and barely restrained aggression, the kind he's been holding back this whole time because it's never not there, thrumming just under his skin, as good as david can sometimes be at pretending otherwise. ]
[ there's barely enough room to judge the look - and besides, evan's more focused on the body, particularly now that he's got access to a lot more of it. the hand on david roams as he's dragged back in for a rough kiss that he returns in kind. wanders, finds the scars, the lines of muscles, the places where he can feel the bones through the skin. it's something he won't admit to indulging in, when he's got someone like this - someone willing, letting him touch them, not fighting or struggling or trying to kill him.
it almost never happened before this place; it rarely happens now. a touch he doesn't get to take often.
the anger and violence and hunger are clear enough, and he bites that back against david, the same feeling that burns in him all the time. his other hand moves off the table to where the half-used tubes of grease are. it's not ideal, but it's worked in the past, it'll work now, and anyway, as soon as there's a trial it won't matter. he uncaps it one-handed as the half-bite half-kiss continues, the hand on david pushing up under his shirt, finding a nipple and dragging short, ragged nails over it. ]
[ it helps that david loves just being touched, craves it at times. not just in the way that everyone here is a little touch starved, but in a way that feeds a warmth david doesn't really understand, nor does he intend to figure it out any time soon, just knows that it sets some part of him at ease. which is useful now, when he has no fucking idea what he's doing, kind of just riffing on what people have done with him with a side of barrelling through any uncertainty he feels with a battering ram of bravado. ]
[ he moves a hand down from evan's neck down over his chest, around to his side, to his back. harder to be mindful of the wounds there as his hand travels, but he does his best not to linger as it moves up his back, mapping out the muscles of his upper back, his shoulders. a short gasp slipping out of him at the drag of evan's nails, though it's far from a complaint, fingers flexing and digging in for a second where they are on evan in response. ]
[ it's easy to keep a hand on someone who clearly does want it, and leans into it, reacts to it. easy to let his nails, short as they are, drag across david's chest, down to his stomach. easy to let his hand flatten out and graze his cock for just a second before the hand on his back finds a place that spikes with pain, grit his teeth, and then keep it moving when the hand in question moves on.
it's also easy - although only because of practice - to uncap the tube and smear more than a little of it on his fingers. he didn't forget david's little comment and that's the whole reason he brought him down here, instead of just going at it up in the ironworks office - that, and the privacy. once he has enough he slides that hand over david's thigh, under him, bring his other hand down to the closest knee and more gently than not tilt david back a little.
making it actually feasible to get his hand underneath him and start to slip into him, with no real warning other than the shift in movement. why say something? they're here for a reason, and evan's not interested in wasting too much time. ]
[ god but he hates the way it's like it's impossible for him to hide the way this makes him nervous, the way his breath catches when he feels the hand under his knee, swallows as he leans back with the movement. it feels like something that should be easy, it's not like he doesn't know he can take it. ]
[ he grunts in discomfort at the initial press of evan's fingers, has to back out of the kiss to take a breath, head ducked, fingers clenched. david's eager to get through this bit too, that grease definitely helps more than just a coating of spit did, he's just a little anxious. just a little though. like, a totally negligible amount. don't even worry about it. ]
[ the tension is obvious. for the most part, evan ignores it. david's not saying anything, he's not backing off, so it's his problem. evan lets him brace himself, working his fingers deeper, trying despite his own impatience to be a little more thorough this time than he was before. it should be easier, but - ]
Relax.
[ there's an edge of something to the word. impatience, or annoyance. he can grasp the idea of not being fully prepared for this after only one run-in, but ... although didn't david say it? that was the first time anybody's fucked him. a second time might still have some uncertainty to it, especially now that he's barely buzzed instead of drunk enough to charge out looking for this.
it doesn't change anything, really, but it does stick to the front of his mind. he works his fingers deeper, works until he's sure he's got enough, and then withdraws his hand to get a little more of the stuff for himself.
his other hand lets david's knee go to come up and work the other buckle free with a grimace. it never doesn't hurt, but it's a quick movement before the waders drop completely. ]
[ he hisses it with a tone that is obviously annoyed, though if he's more annoyed at himself for being tense or at evan for noticing it, it'd be hard to say. luckily at least he's not so tense that it's anything more than a bit uncomfortable, for his part at least. he imagines evan could quite easily push ahead without really paying it any mind if he wanted to. ]
[ still kind of weird to acknowledge that he has that level of consideration in him, even if it probably ultimately makes it better for himself too. ]
[ without really thinking about it, david looks down when evan's waders drop and even obscured by shadow as everything is, he still gets a pretty good idea of what he's working with there. it hadn't occurred to him at all that he hadn't seen evan's dick last time, and david almost laughs because, yeah. no wonder he was so sore last time. david's not exactly unimpressive himself in that regard, and there's a reason he's learned to be patient with it, but he expects asking for more than he's already getting from evan would be bordering on impossible regardless of whether he wanted to be or not. ]
[ but this is fine. he's done this under less ideal conditions and it was fine, right? good, in fact. david takes a moment to think about it, lifts a leg to brace his thigh at evan's hip and hook it around him to pull him right back to the edge of the table. why spend all this time thinking when they could just get on with it? ]
[ evan snorts at the rebuttal - yeah, right - but doesn't say anything, because that's a direct line to getting a fist to the jaw. as he works at himself he notices david's downward look, the look that suggests he's either about to laugh or he's in disbelief. evan opts for the latter since it'd hotwire him directly into fury if he assumed the former for a second. but that's probably not david's intent even if he does laugh.
probably.
the grease isn't exactly cold but he grimaces a little anyway, and lets david pull him in with a leg. he takes that as the opportunity to pause, settle himself, settle david, get his other hand back under the other knee, although it's not as if it's really necessary now.
he angles himself and presses into david - more easily this time than last, obviously. the sensation's a little different but not nearly enough to consider bad. he never has before and he's not about to start. his grip on david is a little tighter than it probably should be as he keeps moving, slowly but without pausing, until his hips meet david again.
then there's brief pause out of a courtesy to see this happen again. if he wasn't worried about that, things might be different. and david might not have agreed a second time. evan lets out a steady breath, trying to keep a handle on his self-control. ]
[ it's still a deeply strange feeling to him, moreso than just evan's fingers, the pressure as he presses into him and the burn at the edge of it. less than last time, thank goodness for that fucking grease he guesses, but still there. or maybe he's just overthinking it. focusing in on the wrong part. ]
[ david takes a breath, bites down hard on a quiet little noise that wants to slip out because he'd never live that one down, reaches for evan just for something to hold on to. one hand on a bicep, the other on his waist, grip tight. it doesn't take long, but in the moment it feels like fucking forever. ]
[ he takes another breath when he feels evan's hips against him, exhales slow, internally a little annoyed that he needs that courtesy, that he needs this moment to acclimate himself, but at least he's got it. ]
[ the most minute of nods, just for himself, and then he nudges evan with the thigh at his side. ]
Best get to it before you lose your composure, ey?
[ evan stays silent until david gives him a sign, knowing how fast survivors are to cut and run when they're pissed off or insulted. not that he won't bring it up later. for the moment he keeps a grip on himself, keeps a grip on david, balancing the impatience out with a reminder of what he'll get in minutes or maybe seconds.
the pause after david speaks, though, isn't to let him acclimate. ]
Keep talkin' like that and I'm gonna get you facedown over this and fuck you 'til you can't walk.
[ it's not said particularly dangerously. it sounds more like a half-amused threat - which it is. but it's still a threat. though it doesn't occur to him that he basically just agreed with david.
one hand stays where it is, gripping under david's knee, while the other moves to splay fingers across his stomach, up to his chest as evan starts to fuck him - and somewhat less slowly than last time, compared to the way that started. if david's got enough energy to talk shit, then he's got enough energy to cope with a little bit of a harder kickoff. ]
[ david has something to say to that, but he gets about as far as a hint of a smirk and 'y'know' before it's cut off suddenly with a gasped curse, grip tightening where he's holding on. ]
[ he hasn't actually looked evan in the face in a little bit, certainly not since there was anything inside him — something about being face-to-face like this leaves a churning discomfort in his gut, something he doesn't think he's ever felt before and can't place — but he certainly finds it in himself to tilt his head up and give him a look for that. and this man has the gall to tell david he's annoying. ]
[ the hand he had on evan's arm moves, up to his shoulder, to his neck where he can pull him down enough to kiss with a murmur telling him to shut the fuck up. ]
[ david's look gets a briefly raised eyebrow in return - a what were you expecting look - before evan's focus fixes back on what they're doing. he lets david pull him down, hears the murmur, scoffs at it and lets the kiss turn right into the rough, biting mess that's become normal between them.
he lets hunger and response determine the pace. his hunger, david's responsiveness - whether that's a noise barely strangled against him or a shudder under his hand. from this side, it's easier to adjust, to find a good angle and drive down on it. to make what seemed like a quick rough fuck into something maybe more than either of them was ready for.
and evan's got experience with that, these days. he pushes david's knee further back, lets his roaming hand move around david's back and urge him closer, or maybe just keep him from slipping back as he fucks him. not that he expects david to try and get anywhere right now. ]
[ aside from the odd noise he swallows, (definitely not out of embarrassment,) david has no problem being plenty expressive. lifts his other leg around evan with a shallow groan, bites at his lip, holds it between his teeth, drags his nails over the skin on his side, his chest as his hand moves. ]
[ and then he shifts, and david was already letting out some decent groans, low and steady, but that gets him more than he was prepared for. he swears harshly against evan's lips, moans into his mouth, a more desperate noise than he's entirely comfortable with evan hearing from him. ]
[ as much as there's a surprisingly (to him) large part of david that's concerned with anything he might do that's not manly enough, it's easy to get swept up in this. which maybe is something he needs. easy to let evan make sure he doesn't move away when he fucks into him just right and it sends sparks up his spine, makes stars dance behind his eyelids, and david urges him on with enthusiastic murmurs against his lips. almost makes him mad with the knowledge in the back of his head that he's going to come back for this again, but that's a fleeting thought, impossible to hold on to right now. ]
[ a clear response like that makes him double down, or at least keep going. doesn't say anything, doesn't mock, doesn't gloat - just finds that angle again and doesn't stop. the entity's gifts mean he's a borderline unstoppable killer, but they have other benefits, too.
the hand on david's chest moves up to his jaw and makes an effort to break the biting kiss by tilting his head back to bare his throat. evan doesn't pull away, but he moves his mouth down to bite at his throat again instead, leaving bruises in new places, sometimes over the other ones, like the spark of pain might only help make this better.
there's only so quick even he's interested in going, but harder has less of an issue, and so as the noises he can hear get more breathless and desperate he leans into that. shifts their angle minutely if it gets a better reaction, holds steady when it doesn't. his hold on david's knee loosens a little, but he keeps it pushed where it is as he finds a fresh grip with a fresh spot to bruise in turn. not that bruises last, but the idea of them is there, and sometimes the phantom memory, long after everything else has faded. ]
[ he tilts his head with really only the barest pressure from evan's hand, welcoming the mouth at his throat eagerly. a hiss at the first bite, a sharp shit-- along with his nails scrabbling at the back of evan's neck, the base of his skull, when one of them really sends some sparks flying. in the moment he finds himself wishing evan had hair, something he could bury his fingers in, something he could grip in a fist and pull, but he settles for bringing his hand up to the back of his head. encouraging, like earlier, to keep doing what he's doing. ]
[ with nowhere to muffle his noises anymore, david is, of course, louder too. especially when evan starts fucking him harder. practically cries out at first like it's a surprise, settles into shaky moans that feel like they rattle around in his chest before they make it out of his mouth, breathless and gasping. ]
[ david lowers his free hand into his lap, wraps it around his cock, but he thinks-- he thinks he could come like this, if he lets it happen. the realisation makes a familiar swell of annoyance bloom, but more importantly it stokes something hot in his gut that makes him change tack, takes his hand of himself to instead wrap that arm around evan, hand splayed between his shoulder blades, practically clawing at him the way he holds on. ]
[ it's always gratifying to hear that - especially from the ones who don't like letting what they're feeling go heard. david's not completely in that group, but the way he was trying to muffle himself before contributes to that idea at least a little. so evan keeps up the biting, finding the previous bruises and doubling down on them. no point in ignoring a sign when it's right fucking there.
when david opts to put both hands on evan - and almost violently, too, nails dragging against burned skin, digging in at the back of his skull, making sure evan doesn't back off or change his mind or go slower, as much as the last one might be worth the effort eventually - he realizes the decision, what that might actually mean, and it makes him growl deep in his chest. david'll feel it, both against his throat and in every part of him trying to keep evan close. it does something to him, realizing what david intends here.
he sucks a new bruise in place over david's collarbone, something easier to hide but easier to feel, too, and moves his grip from david's jaw up into his hair. keeps his head back, gives a new prickle of pain with every tug. not hard. but probably more than enough.
no words. no point in words, not anymore. not when it might interrupt what he's hearing coming from david as he buries himself deep into him, just enough pride coasting at the edges of his hunger to want to outlast him. it doesn't stop or slow him - just preoccupies him a little bit. for the moment. ]
[ obviously this isn't something david's used to, entirely overwhelmed by even the bites on his neck, his collarbone, the way evan growls that vibrates against his skin. he shudders, gasps open-mouthed when his head's tipped back, at the pinpricks of pain across his scalp. ]
Oh-- oh fuck. [ sudden, even to himself, voice rough and still carrying that desperate edge as he feverishly informs evan how close he is, even if he can probably tell from the way david grabs at him, the way he clenches around him and arches his back. ]
[ it starts the same as last time, but it's different. longer, at least it feels like it anyway. has david a moaning, trembling wreck as he comes, thighs clamped tight at evan's sides like he's trying to win a grapple. deep, panting breaths as he starts to come down the other side of it. ]
[ it's sharp and sudden, david gripping him tight, just about breaking, or at least close enough to count given the noises he's making. they don't last long but they're enough, and that, combined with the tightness and sheer intensity, send evan over the edge not long after.
he doesn't bite, instead pressing his mouth hard against david's shoulder, but the shudder that runs through him, and the newly-tightened grips, tell the story enough - and so does the shudder, felt as much as the growl was. sometimes even he can't maintain a totally stoic demeanor in the middle of a rough fuck.
he's a little slower to get back to himself, but his fingers move from david's hair to the back of his neck, and the other hand finally lowers his leg back down toward the tabletop. but he doesn't pull away, or out, opting to keep them both where they are for now. no reason to rush. the discomfort will set in eventually. for now, he stays close enough to let the heat not burn, for once.
but eventually he does mutter, against david's skin: ]
[ david slips into quiet, hand resting lax at the back of evan's neck, breathing heavy and just sitting with the aftershocks of such an intense orgasm. it's been a long fucking time since he's been this wiped out after sex, probably near enough a decade before the fog at least, doesn't even have it in him right now to be annoyed at evan for it. ]
[ his free hand he puts down on the bench to lean on, settling back into himself, and when evan speaks it makes him burst into slightly wheezy laughter. ]
[ it was easy enough to tell. not that david had been particularly quiet or inexpressive last time, but there's a pretty big difference between the two. and there's more than a little edge of pride to this - to making one of the most difficult, pain-in-the-ass survivors he has to deal with moan like that - and come untouched.
not that he's about to bring it up. arguably, it's not something to really be proud of, but what the fuck else does he have here? everybody kills them.
evan slowly loosens his grip just enough to pull back - and out. same as last time, the sensation makes him grimace, but he doesn't back off completely just yet. not when he's still got hands on david, tracing the bruises he himself left. they won't last beyond the next trial, but that's not always a problem. ]
[ sensitive as he still is, evan pulling out gets a distinct noise of displeasure out of david. he shudders and swears under his breath, but settles again fairly quickly. ]
[ this is... nice? it's a bit of a fight for david not to just fall asleep like this honestly, the fingers on his skin registering as something soothing even when they pass over a bruise that's a little more sensitive, where his touch makes something sharp hit his senses. ]
[ for his part, david just stays put. brushes his fingers idly up the back of evan's neck while he catches his breath. ]
[ evan takes a little while to follow the bites and bruises before the chill starts to set in even for him. it's just a moment of post-fuck exhaustion where he's not completely furious with everything all the time, so when the world starts to creep back in he backs off, giving david space again.
he reaches down to tug the waders back up and clasp them in place, the one side with a noise of irritation. cleaning off is an option, and he might if he's not pulled to a trial soon enough, but for now he'll wait. david, on the other hand - well, he staggered off into the woods without much of an issue last time.
still, there's a bucket of old water and a stack of rags not too far away. it's meant for cleaning wounds that don't heal fast enough for his liking, mostly. the option's there. ]
[ he just doesn't think he's ever going to be comfortable enough to clean his ass around evan, okay. ]
[ cleaning up at all isn't on his mind just yet anyway. when evan moves away, david leans back on an elbow, drags a hand over his face, through his hair. almost laughs when he looks down at himself — shirt bunched up under his armpits, the weight of his jeans hanging off one leg, the mess on his stomach, or rather most of it unhelpfully pooled at his crotch. he looks a state. ]
Haven't got a towel or anythin', have you?
[ he hasn't noticed the bucket and therefore isn't expecting anything at all, but he'd love to feel at least 10% less gross and sticky before he leaves. ]
[ evan glances at david, but the only change in his expression is a raised eyebrow. usually people are a mess after him. he's a mess, slightly less for the most part.
still. instead of leaving david to his own devices, or maybe just kicking him out - funny as that might be - he heads over to the bucket and pulls out the rag. it's damp, and cold, but it'll do the job. he tosses it over and goes to find his mask, giving david the illusion of a few seconds of privacy while he's in the heart of a serial killer's domain.
some of the territories have running water. it's a luxury evan's not granted. almost unfair, when he thinks about it, but then again, he gets other kinds of leeway. he finds the mask, fits it back on, rolls his shoulders to get a little tension out of them and then picks up the bucket to move it closer to david, so he can drop the rag in it when he's done. ]
[ if david's good at anything, it's compartmentalising. does it mean he has tons of unresolved shit because he just boxed it up and put it away? maybe. but it also means he gets back to baseline pretty fast once a situation's done with. some people might call that "unhealthy" and "slightly concerning", david prefers to think of it as being adaptable. always ready for whatever bullshit gets tossed his way next. ]
[ he takes the rag, it's not far off what he's used to these days anyway (though he is in no way adverse to sneaking into a realm to shower,) and wipes up as best he can. just so he feels a little less gross at least, fuck knows if he'll get a chance to clean up properly before he's sucked into a trial, and then it won't matter anyway. ]
[ once that's sorted he tosses the rag in the bucket, fixes his shirt, and carefully slips off the table to pull up his pants. (ignoring the ache and the way his legs feel just a bit uncertain still.) or rather, he pulls off his boot with an annoyed huff and drops it next to him on the workbench when he can't just shove it through the leg of his pants, then he pulls them up. ]
[ for evan, getting back to baseline is easy enough - he's got a voice in the back of his head all the time, making demands he can't ignore, and there's the entity in there, too. he knows there's only so much time to ... wind down, he supposes might be the right way to phrase it, before he's expected to kill again. which is fine. he's used to it by now.
he half-watches david pull himself back together and smirks, just a little, under the mask. ]
[ he could swear he can hear the smirk and looks up at evan, unamused. gives him the same tired look one might at a friend making an entirely expected and obnoxious joke at their expense. he contemplates telling evan he's a pain in the ass, but the look probably conveys that well enough. plus he's not about to give him that one for free. ]
[ david grabs his boot and pulls it on, gets down on a knee to fix the laces, ignoring the fatigue starting to creep up on him. it can wait until he gets back. ]
... Do you sleep? Like, at all?
[ the question probably seems a little sudden, out of nowhere, but it's just a funny thought that occurs to him, thinking about how nice a nap sounds right about now. do any of the killers sleep? sure nobody really needs to as far as he knows, but it's a luxury the entity hasn't taken yet. and the mental image is kind of funny, killers cosied up in bed under a duvet. ]
[ no response - probably for the best, he figures - but before he can get back to whatever the next problem is to clean up, david asks him a question.
maybe not that strange, considering, but it's a little surprising coming from someone who's been here this long. sleep isn't really a requirement here, and all the survivors know that. but the urge to do so still lingers. exhaustion still exists. sometimes it gets too strong to resist, although sleep is still probably the wrong word. passing out is more the norm. ]
Not really.
[ it's the basic truth, and not much of an answer. for once, he elaborates. ]
No point. Got a lot to do, all the time. But when shit goes to hell, sometimes it helps out.
[ no explanation on what shit going to tell might entail, but it's from his perspective. generally, the entity's involved. ]
[ that makes sense. probably. he thinks evan's way too high strung about defending his territory, but it's not like he doesn't get it. even without the fucking ego, it's his right. all he's got and all he's ever gonna fucking get. doesn't mean david's going to stop thinking he should ease up a bit though, or stop stealing from him. ]
[ david stands once he's done his boot up, gives evan a curious look. ]
[ evan picks up his cleaver, and then david asks a followup question; he pauses and looks at him, back to being the monster that haunts the collapsing mine and abandoned macmillan estate. he considers whether that's a question he wants to answer.
it isn't, really, but survivors have imaginations. the simplest explanation is probably enough to stop this line of questioning in its tracks. ]
When you get everyone out and follow 'em before I find you.
[ david can follow that one to its logical conclusion. entity's gotta get its pound of flesh from somewhere, killers have gotta feed it somehow. it's the kind of thing that everyone knows once they've been here a while, (some killers are pretty forthcoming about it,) but it never occurred to david that it'd take its toll. ]
[ he's curious, it's obvious in the look he gives, it's not like he knows what it's like — he's fucking dead when it takes what it wants from him — but he doesn't think he wants to stoke evan's temper like that right now. ]
Can't picture it. [ he shakes his head, turns to pick up his jacket off the bench he threw it on. ] You sleeping. D'you get all cosied up? Fluffy blanket and a pair of PJs?
[ maybe he's fine with stoking evan's temper a little. ]
[ the followup isn't mockery and therefore not exactly what he expected, but it still makes him grimace. if it wasn't for the residual satisfaction clinging to him, he might have run david out for that. ]
Come around often enough and you might find out.
[ there's a few other rooms off the workshop, ones that really shouldn't be there but the entity saw fit to drop in for him ages ago, that survivors generally don't know about. there's nothing in them to steal, so no reason to try and break in, but if he needs to sleep, that's where he goes.
evan hangs up the cleaver in its place by the door and opens the front of the furnace to stoke the coals. the rush of heat and light casts a fresh illumination in the room, and sends a little cloud of smoke and coal sparks up. most of them die in the air; a few land on him, and make no difference to the burns on him whatsoever. ]
[ david snorts, still picturing evan in a set of comfy pyjamas — little sleep mask and all — and slips into his jacket. ]
Maybe I will.
[ this is so stupid. he zips up his jacket, all the way so it covers his neck, and tucks his chin under the collar for good measure like he would somewhere cold. watches evan at the furnace, the way the sparks die on his skin and he doesn't even flinch. ]
[ it being a mystery seems ridiculous, but some survivors are fascinated by the idea of the killers doing 'normal' things. anything to rationalize that this isn't just another form of hell, maybe.
he can just about see david pulling the jacket on and zipping it up high enough to hide the bites, and smirks a little again. it's not an insult to him. he knows most of them don't want the others knowing exactly what they get up to out here. them having to hide it is another little point of pride he probably shouldn't be taking, but he does. even the complaints are something to get smug about, although as yet david hasn't complained.
considering how much he seems to like getting bitten, he's probably never going to, evan considers. ]
You're gonna be disappointed.
[ he shuts the grate on the furnace and pulls a twisted, broken trap out of a crate nearby. when they get mangled like this, he just melts them down and remakes them. he's not in the mood to go hunt down trespassers right now. a little too satisfied to bother with it. ]
[ david shrugs a shoulder. it's not a big deal, not really — so some guy sleeps, big whoop — but there's just something fascinating about it. like the time someone told him moose get hunted by killer whales and david couldn't shake the idea it was wrong somehow until he saw a picture of them swimming. ]
[ someone explaining how fucking massive moose are helped too. normal animals aren't gonna deal with that, are they? ]
[ plus there's the gentle implication of getting to sleep in a bed, and christ david can't even remember what that's like. sleeping bag if he's lucky. usually just finds a soft patch of dirt under a tree like a fucking animal. though when ripley's in a trial, sometimes her cat'll sleep on him and that's nice actually. ]
Be seein' you.
[ he picks up his bag and slings it over his shoulder. time to start the fucking arduous task of getting out of this fucking place. ]
[ evan grunts, an acknowledgement that david's be seeing you could mean almost anything: in the next trial, in the next fistfight that leads to a brutal death, or in the next moment they decide they need a distraction. maybe all three.
he works at the forge until he hears david's footsteps disappear into the mine, and until the sixth sense that tells him when his traps are being tampered with stops its rigid focus on every movement out in the darkness. he waits, in fact, until he's dead certain he's alone, and only then does he roll his shoulders in exhaustion, lean back against one of the center workbenches and wonder, not for the first time, if fucking survivors is going to backfire on him.
well. doesn't matter right now. david's already put an end to him once. might be enough to satisfy the bloodlust. if anything, it's the ones who keep the rage pent up that are going to end up being the problem, he's pretty sure.
[ whatever's going on in david's head, evan's let him be. no point in getting on his case about it when he's made it very clear he doesn't want to talk about it. even if he wants to try and figure out why he got so bent out of shape, why something that small would make him so damn angry, he knows he's not going to get an answer that easily. besides, it's not in his nature to poke and prod at people's thoughts, at least not often.
but other people are always about that shit, and one certain other person has been a thorn in his side lately. ghost face is always a problem, but in the span of time between the last time he and david spoke, it seems like he's seen a shadow in the corner of his eye more often than usual. someone's been going through his workshop. someone's been rifling through his designs. someone moved the rope he left coiled by the barely-used bedroom doorway.
maybe he's just noticing it more than usual with his own frustration building to a point. regardless, he's pissed off, and when he's out patrolling he sees ghost face watching someone in the near distance. not him. it's enough to make the fury boil over, and he makes his way toward the shadow, not bothering to see what unfortunate bastard has the fucker's attention this time.
of course, he's not quiet, and ghost face hears him before he's anywhere near close enough to attack. but he doesn't bolt, either, instead opting to try and find other shadows to disappear into, even if it makes his presence to his previous target immediate and obvious.
the entity must be watching, though. even if evan doesn't realize it just yet. ]
[ while david can be a sneakier person than anybody his size has any right to be, that doesn't really apply when he thinks he's about to make a short trip to crotus prenn and ends up just barely spotting a slight disturbance on the forest floor. he crouches to confirm a hunch, and if he wasn't being watched before, the way he curses and hisses an annoyed "of course" would certainly catch the attention of any nearby nosey bitches. ]
[ he's done his level best to avoid evan since, well since before their last conversation. the whole... rope thing was just. the final straw for him. he feels like he's been navigating around evan's bullshit mostly successfully this whole time, and in some small ways that have been adding up, has been giving up pieces of his own comfort and boundaries just for what? the luxury of fucking a man? he can almost hear his mother's voice in the back of his head whenever he thinks about it. ]
[ whatever. david would much rather continue not to deal with evan, but he'd also like to get something useful done while he's out here, so he makes the decision to see if skull merchant has anything worth taking. carefully makes his way through the treeline to the estate to her hunting cabin. he might get the sensation of being watched, the hair raising on the back of his neck, but whenever he glances around he sees nothing. hard to tell if it's paranoia or an actual person, so david just forges ahead. ]
[ until ghost face starts to change positions and david immediately whips around on the spot to try and track where he's moving to. no idea what made the fucker move, he can't see or hear evan from where he is, but once he thinks he's got a good idea where he's moving, david starts to carefully walk in the same direction. ]
Dyin' for another go around, are you?
[ voice raised, just to make sure that asshole knows he's been seen. ish. it's gotta be that prick, nobody else sneaks around this place that much as far as he knows. ]
[ evan hears david's voice and stops for a second, debating this - but ghost face is too much of a problem to leave alone, even if david could kill him almost as easily as evan. ditching them both now won't end well for him no matter who walks away. better to smash his skull in and let the pair of them pretend none of this ever happened.
so he keeps closing in, not speaking a word but being very much a presence.
ghost face, on the other hand, knows he's stuck between a rock and a hard place - which is which? - and knows his best bet is to run. he can outpace evan easily, but not necessarily david, and while he's certain he's fast enough to get the best of david, that'll give evan time to close in and get a hand on him.
there's not many good options here. he jams his camera back in his belt and tries to keep equal distance between both men while not moving so fast he hits a trap. ]
I thought that's why you were here?
[ it's lightly spoken, almost like a friendly question, except there's an edge to it aimed directly at david's ego - or maybe his dick. snide and knowing. another round. there's more than just rounds to a fight.
evan only half-listens, cleaver in hand, but he goes a little slower when he figures out where david is. tries to start circling, to enclose him, trap him, get ghost face in a place where no matter what direction he runs, the traps will catch him. ]
[ david laughs, but both evan and ghost face have heard that sharp huff of a laugh to know it's not at all amused. it hits enough to make a spark of panic run sharp up his spine, but he's always known in the back of his head that ghost face would know what he's been up to out here. ]
[ seeing evan's bulk moving closer hits with another spike of panic, makes him pause mid-step at seeing potentially the one person in the fog he wants to see the least right now. or ever. but david swallows that, stays focused on what's important right now. ]
Hopin' for a show then, eh?
[ he mimics that light tone right back, but he's more interested in keeping the fucker talking so he can get a better idea where exactly ghost face is. doesn't bother looking at evan, just circles slow and careful in the same direction from the opposite way to keep ghost face boxed in. ]
Almost hate to disappoint, but I'm sure you'll live.
[ that's a joke. because david's going to fucking kill him. ]
[ evan's not sure if david's seen him or not. it's not important right now. what matters is keeping ghost face in his sight, because if he looks away for even a second the fucker will disappear for good.
he circles, and david, he notes, circles the other direction. keeping him from running. or maybe trying to lure him around to evan so he can scrape the two of them off on each other and run. but - that's not really david, is it? he won't run from a fight. not even a bare-fisted fight against a blade.
ghost face realizes very quickly what's happening. being caged in by a man who does that for a living and a man who doesn't but has probably picked up the basics. it won't be much of a fight if he lets them drive him, and he won't be driven. he needs to get someone to charge first. needs to make the first move, because it won't be long before he can't keep them both in his sight. ]
Oh, no, I've already seen the show. [ truth or lies? with him, it's hard to tell. ] I was just curious how quickly you'd come back. Again.
[ the again is derisive enough to make even evan angry. as if the fuck who can't stay off someone else's property gets to mock someone else for that - but he doesn't attack yet, because the insult isn't leveled at him directly. not yet, anyway.
and the traps are still lying in wait. even if ghost face is avoiding every one so far. ]
[ again pings off the inside of david's skull like a bullet ricocheting, but he can hold his temper. this isn't a fight, not yet, but similar rules apply. he can hold it long enough to wait for an opening, let it pool and sit ready to be unleashed. ]
Less time than it took you to come slinking around again, I'd bet.
[ david keeps moving in ghost face's direction, slower than he'd like, but for once thankful for the traps because it means once he starts closing in that asshole can't just bolt. ]
[ he glances evan's way, just to make sure he's still moving, probably closing distance faster than david is by a significant margin, but that's fine. if he can keep ghost face's attention on him, make it so he can't keep both of them in sight at the same time, that's plenty. gives evan the chance to get the drop on him. ]
[ ghost face considers the answer, and knows he's being circled. he doesn't turn back to look at evan but he knows he's there, can practically feel him prowling through the fog like some kind of rabid bear. his options are dwindling and he knows it. well, it's not as if he's never been backed into a corner before.
david will be a lot easier to kill.
evan keeps closing the distance, adjusting where he's going and the speed as ghost face swerves to avoid traps or to try and be unpredictable. unfortunately for him, predictable is all he's become these days. ]
Isn't that a little harsh toward yourself? Or are you starting to regret letting someone twice your size get a hand on your ass?
[ evan grimaces, and slows, readying for a lunge. ghost face does not, tilting his head as he watches david, a hand wrapped around the handle of his knife. ]
Are you faking all that moaning just to get him off?
[ of course that's the part that david takes immediate issue with. ]
[ the rest of it isn't easy, the idea of being heard like that is mortifying, makes something in david sieze in a cold panic. has anyone else heard him? he has a pretty unique voice, anybody who heard would know immediately that it's him and what's happening. why he's here. would they know, just from listening, the way evan manages to turn him into a fucking wreck sometimes? ]
[ it's difficult to shake that train of thought, david works his jaw in anger, but he takes satisfaction in realising how close evan is. doesn't even bother firing off a retort, easy as it would be, several come to mind quickly enough. it's not like ghost face is going to have a chance to reply anyway. thoughts of violence flit through david's mind as he readies himself to follow up after evan does whatever he's about to do. the idea of taking that asshole's head and slamming his face into the ground is a particularly appealing thought. ]
[ evan's certain ghost face is fixed on david now, even if he's still aware of evan's presence. the way the insults are directed at david, trying to get him to attack, seem telling. but they're pissing off evan, too. he doesn't care if he gets overheard or seen. doesn't care if ghost face knows, because that takes the power out of knowing.
but that doesn't mean he likes the fact.
so he swings the cleaver, intending to either take off ghost face's head or at least split his skull, but the assumption that ghost face was fixated was wrong because the cleaver just cuts through air as black leather drops down faster than the eye can follow.
there's a moment where evan realizes what happened, but then ghost face is lunging forward, toward david. knife out and up, ready to slice and slash and stab before bolting away and figuring out his next move. split seconds. that's all he has. split seconds and careful footsteps. ]
[ part of him was really hoping evan had it, but, well. david takes a joy in this that he knows evan doesn't, obvious in the short exhale through his nose and the tug of a smile at the corner of his mouth when he catches the rush of black coming toward him. ]
[ david dips back, lifts his arms to block the knife, but he's not letting that fucker get away if he can help it. he snaps out with a hand to grab at one of the loudest strips of fabric in the world that hang from ghost face's arms, tries to grab it and wrap it around his hand so he can yank him back the second he tries to get away. ]
[ he doesn't hit, but that's fine; it was a clear attack, david ready for it. the grab he expects, too, but not toward the strap. he can't control that. at least, not whenever he really needs to.
david gets it and when ghost face tries to jerk back he doesn't go very far. his sixth (or seventh, or eighth) sense lights up and he lunges forward instead of dropping down or fighting stupidly to try and free himself, because evan's right behind him, snatching at his hood, trying to cave his skull in. no, ghost face goes straight for david again, dropping the knife into his other hand to go up and under into somewhere soft.
but the hand wrapped around the strap is keeping him in place. keeping him from making distance that he needs. the leather snaps tight around david's hand without anyone's intervention. evan rips his cleaver out of the ground and lunges in again to try and grab, at least, and yank him back before that knife finds its mark. or any mark, really. ]
[ ghost face is at a clear and severe disadvantage, it'd be easy to call this a win the second evan got involved, but david knows from experience he's not the kind of person you can count out until they're out. it's not a mistake he'll make again, even if evan would complete the job if he didn't. ]
[ he feels the sting of the knife against his stomach, but it doesn't go in far enough for david to worry. if anything, it's a benefit. means he's close enough for david to try and grab that wrist, lifting a foot at the same time to kick one of his legs, aiming to try and take his knee out. ]
[ evan yanks ghost face back, which is bad for him even though the knife finds its mark. then david snatches at his wrist and kicks. ghost face manages to keep his knife arm free, but the kick lands, almost dislocating the knee and sending him to the ground - or at least it would, if there wasn't a hand gripping the back of his coat like grim death.
it leaves him hanging, but he's dealt with worse. he slashes at david's offending arm while trying to grab some part of evan that's close enough to hurt, but it's too difficult. still, he writhes and kicks with his good leg, making life difficult for everyone, and eventually evan decides against trying this standing up.
he doesn't drop ghost face - he throws him down. the knife flashes in the partial moonlight as he goes, but before he can jump up or stab at anyone's legs evan's got a boot against his head. it should be enough, except that ghost face doesn't stun easily and this gives him the opportunity to run the knife straight through the top of the boot into evan's foot.
that drives him off a few inches. it's enough. ghost face swings the knife back at david, but with his knee out of commission, he's not going far. ]
[ the knife slashes his arm, but with the adrenaline surging through him david barely notices it. he lets go of the strip of fabric as evan throws ghost face to the ground, moves around to his side, but that's as much time as he gets before evan's having to back off thanks to a knife in his foot. david doesn't waste time giving ghost face the chance to get up and get away. he stamps down on that injured knee to hopefully break it and descends immediately, trying to pin that arm with the knife with his leg as he moves to straddle his chest. no fucking way is he letting this shit scramble away again. david snarls, grabs at his hood to pull his head up with a sneer. ]
Nothin' to say now?
[ probably shouldn't goad him like that, but all things considered it's a very small show of spite from david. other things will occur to him later, ways he could really embarrass this fucker, make a mockery of him, but that kind of vindictiveness rarely if ever strikes in the moment for david. ]
[ in the moment it's usually all rage and violence, and that is very clearly the case for him right now. he twists his hand in the fabric of the hood to both get a firmer grip and tighten it around ghost face's head and slam his head into the ground. as many times as he can get away with. it'd be easier to just stomp him out, but david's not making the same mistake evan did. ]
[ there's a noise that escapes the mask at that stomp - along with the cracking of the knee itself, because while it might not be totally shattered it's really fucked up now, and despite everything he might say, ghost face isn't immune to pain.
nor is he immune to getting pinned. as evan staggers back, favoring the foot that didn't just take a knife through the top of it, ghost face finds himself caught, unable to rip his arm free from david's knee crushing it just below the elbow. he tries like hell, but it doesn't work very well, especially when his head's getting jerked around, smashed into the ground over and over. enough to disorient, almost enough to stun.
but not completely.
he writhes under david, rips at him with his free arm, and in the few momentary breaks in the violence his voice comes out from under the mask again, this time riddled with pain and spite and all the darkness that grew in him over the years: ]
Do you scream like that for everybody - or just him - you fucking whore?
[ it's not a particularly clever insult, but stripped down the core of him he isn't thinking much beyond getting the hooks in as deep as he can. even if he dies here, david's not going to forget what he said. and he's not going to forget the hand that snaps up, fingers aiming for his eyes -
or he wouldn't, except evan gets involved again, cleaver lashing out to catch that arm before it finds its mark. it doesn't cut the whole thing off, but it buries deep enough to cut bone. ]
[ something about the dig actually startles david, not enough to make him pause or let up in any real way, but enough that it shows on his face — a moment of surprise followed by raised eyebrows as he processes the words. and would argue he's never screamed for evan, unless screaming after having a metal hook violently shoved through his body counts. ]
Jealous?
[ it's not a clever retort either, but it's david's mouth running on autopilot while he shifts tack. ghost face's mask isn't like evan's, it's plastic, not likely to offer much protection. he barely even notices evan swing the cleaver for ghost face's arm as he starts driving his fists into ghost face's... face. not really caring that his hands are likely gonna come away cut up and bloody, focus singular on beating this man to death like it's the most important thing he'll ever do. ]
[ the response might surprise ghost face later on, but the resultant violence won't. with his arm still stuck on evan's blade and his knife hand pinned under david's knee and his own knee just about broken, he's essentially helpless to defend himself from the attack.
evan watches in silence as david beats his face in. the mask cracks under the blows, which would be a bigger problem for ghost face if he hadn't already been bruised and bloodied to hell and if the continued punches raining down on him didn't make him even more unrecognizable than before. the shards of plastic cut into them both, and the fabric tears, and eventually he can't even struggle to try and free himself just from the force of the hits alone.
when the arm caught in his cleaver goes limp, evan jerks it free, but he still doesn't get involved. the insult even got to him, and it wasn't even directed at him. david has a handle on this. he doesn't need someone else coming between him and a target. evan knows he personally never appreciated it, and he's not going to step in to stop violence against this particular trespasser for any reason.
it's not long before there's no more movement under david at all. no more strength to try, the world subsumed by pain. but ghost face isn't dead yet, given the noises coming from underneath the shattered mask; every breath drawn through broken teeth and a swollen throat is a struggle, but he's still breathing. ]
[ there's a moment of hesitation from david when he realises the body under him has gone still, where he sits there and looks down, paused with heavy, panting breaths. this is usually where he'd leave things. before now, maybe. even through the rage brought to a boil, the roar of blood in his ears, david sits there panting as part of his mind yells at him to stop. that he's going to kill this guy. ]
[ but... isn't that the point? isn't that what he has to do? besides the million reasons it's the best thing to do here, last thing david needs is getting shit from evan and ghost face for not having the bottle to see it through. shit, if this was the real world he'd be doing everyone a favour by killing this guy. ]
[ david swallows and tucks his hands into ghost face's hood to grip the sides of his head. the more efficient option of breaking his neck doesn't quite occur to david, instead he pounds the back of ghost face's head against the ground with full force and a roar of effort each time until his skull caves and there's no life left in there. ]
[ it's not now he would do it. but that's fine. everybody kills differently. and david means it. that's what counts.
when he sees the skull cave in evan doesn't flinch; he can see the way the hood suddenly crumples, the way there's one final violent shudder in the body before it goes still again. dead again, and at the hands of a survivor, helped by a killer. that'll sting.
evan waits a few seconds, then wipes the blood off his cleaver against the leg of his waders and offers down a hand to help him up. ]
C'mon. Your hands are fucked up.
[ no comment on the dead man. no judgment this time. why would there be? david didn't back down. there's a dead ghost on the forest floor, just like there should be. just like there would be if david hadn't showed. ]
[ he's in a bit of a daze, first just staring down at the cracked and broken and bloody mask, then at the backs of his hands in response to what evan says. as if the cuts and blood are on somebody else's body, not his. too dazed by all this to even question the offered hand, just takes it to pull himself up silently. ]
[ this is the second time now that he's leaving a dead body on this estate, and while this time he may not have done it alone, he's still the one that finished it. barely a second of hesitation to it either. david looks down at the body again once he's on his feet, stares silently. something about it being here again feels significant, but he doesn't know why. ]
[ is this what he is now? or maybe it's what he always was. something muzzled and restrained, but always waiting for an excuse. after all, it's not the act itself that's making him feel nauseous. it's the grim sense of satisfaction with it that churns and makes him feel sick with himself. ]
[ for evan, this is nothing new. other people kill each other on his property - not all the time, but more often than he'd probably like. as long as they don't bother him he leaves them be. sometimes he watches the fights and kills the loser if they don't die on the way out.
this is a little different. for one, david's still alive, and likely to remain so for a while. the fact that he lets evan pull him up is telling. no words, no arguments. nothing like their last conversation. or their last meeting.
he gives ghost face's body one last long look to make sure it's not about to jump back up again, and then he motions to david to follow. back toward the mine, to fix up the cuts. his own injuries will heal - the stab to the foot's still making him limp with every step, though - so those aren't as important.
and if david's too stunned to follow, he'll get him by the upper arm to pull him along. normally he'd leave him be. funny how things change. ]
[ david startles a little as the pull on his arm jolts him out of his thoughts, but he follows evan quietly, almost without thought, as if he's simply moving because somebody told him to. because his mind is still replaying the sensation of feeling a skull cave under his hands and it's a little hard to think about anything else right now. ]
More time. [ difficult, but not impossible. david says it with the tone of someone who just remembered something, thinking out loud more than anything. ] S'what I meant to say. More time than him.
[ not that david really expects evan to remember a stupid exchange david and ghost face were having, nor does he expect him to care. it's just weirdly annoying now that he thinks about it, and it's an easy thing to focus on instead of the uncomfortable, conflicting feelings. or other things he's still too shell-shocked to take notice of just yet. ]
[ evan glances at david when he speaks, having no idea what he means - he was only half paying attention to the words, at least up until they grew an edge and it was impossible to ignore.
he wonders if he should do something about ghost face, for a few seconds. if maybe there's some worth in putting the fear of him into the sneaky bastard. but it probably won't work. besides, he knows what that last insult was - the desperate rage of someone about to die. even ghost face will be irritated with it later, he's pretty certain.
and he wonders, briefly, about the way david responded before the violence. focused on the wrong things. accusing him of jealousy. probably for the best than silence, than just rage. god knows evan would have just broken him in half, and given him exactly what he wanted by doing so.
back down into the mine, avoiding traps and making sure david does the same because he knows he's not paying attention right now. after that, he probably won't go anywhere while evan gets what he needs. patching him up again. last time it was worse than this, but there was something different in the air. ghost face crawled away, david said last time. this time he didn't have the chance.
evan gets the old, not-exactly-clean bandages and snags the water bucket from the forge with the slightly-cleaner rag on it. blood in that doesn't make a difference to him. he waits until david's settled, either on a workbench or against one, before starting to pull the plastic shards out a piece at a time. ]
[ if evan wasn't making sure david didn't step in a trap he would almost certainly have lost a foot. last time, when it was evan, david was significantly more injured, but he'd at least had the luxury of sitting for a while to gather himself before heading out. he'll be embarrassed about it once the haze clears, on having to rely on evan to get him down here safely because he can't be trusted to do it himself, but at least right now he doesn't have the wherewithal to wonder why evan's helping him like this instead of seeing a job done and leaving david on his own. or killing him. ]
[ he leans against a workbench, becoming more aware of where his body hurts now the adrenaline's fading. he can feel the sting of slashes on his arm, blood cooling on the skin. when he looks down he can see where blood has seeped into his shirt, pulls it up under his chest to have a look, but there's really not much to glean from that. just a bleeding wound. luckily ("luckily") david at least has enough experience being stabbed by now to know it's not deep or serious on account of the fact he can still move without issue. ]
[ almost wishes there was an injury to be really concerned about though, something to focus on other than the fact he's stood here covered in his and another man's blood, wondering what that means. probably nothing, really. but when he glances over in the direction evan went, it does ring with some concern. that evan's probably one of the people he's most similar to here, and, well. look how being a murderer worked out for that miserable bastard. ]
[ it occurs to evan, briefly, that he shouldn't be doing this. beyond just the fact that david will heal on his own if left alone long enough, he shouldn't be doing it. he's helping a survivor of his own volition. again. why?
maybe it's the violence. maybe it's some sort of backwards belated apology for their last encounter, as if he could ever consider the concept of apologizing. maybe it's because he's not interested in seeing someone else wander by and take pre-revenge for ghost face, or to let ghost face come back himself and finish the job. in which case killing david would have been easier.
he doesn't think about it more than that, figuring that either the question will answer itself, or he'll forget about it. the lack of time here means every hour is the same. eventually, it'll be forgotten. has to be.
so for now he focuses on david. once one hand is free from plastic he wipes off the blood, eyes the wounds, wraps them up with a rough but experienced hand. god knows how many times he's fucked up his own fists enough beating someone to death; he could do this blindfolded by now.
as he reaches for the other hand, knowing the gut wound isn't that severe if david's still standing: ]
Made me look bad out there.
[ it's not angry, or a threat. he was expecting to use david as a distraction to run ghost face through; instead, david just about wholly took him down. it's almost impressive. would be, if it wasn't ghost face who died. ]
[ david stands there quiet save for the occasional hiss or wince as evan pulls plastic from his hand, keeps his hand relaxed and pliant so he can wrap it up easily. his other hand he leaves resting over his gut wound, watches evan clean up his hand with a vacant gaze. ]
[ at his comment, he looks up at evan and frowns. it takes a second for him to get what he's talking about, and then huffs out a small, quiet laugh. ]
Nah. It's Ghost Face.
[ he's a slippery bastard, but not exactly tough. ]
[ as he starts the process again on david's other hand, evan snorts. ]
Means I shoulda got him at the neck first try.
[ of course, he was aware he was being followed the whole time. despite it all, ghost face is good at getting away. getting out of situations he has no right to get out of. not when there's two people coming at him, apparently, but ... still. he should have done more than hit him, disorient him, and almost take off his arm. ]
Means he shoulda died way before all this.
[ the plastic pieces are small enough that he's not sure he can get them all. he's not a doctor; he doesn't have the tools. but he does what he can. ]
Still. Impressive what you did.
[ and then a probably very unwise comment, coming straight from the part of him that did things like that on the regular, way back when, and a callback to a conversation they had once before even he can barely remember now: ]
Different with your hands, ain't it? Feelin' him go.
[ david shrugs a shoulder. he knows evan has a lot of experience there, but from david's point of view it wasn't a bad showing from either of them. keeping ghost face from slinking off into the shadows to escape or strike again is half the battle. no point arguing that though — evan clearly feels he should've taken the asshole's head at the first swing. maybe he's right. ]
[ then he brings up that and david feels his stomach twist in discomfort at having to acknowledge it, eyes widening briefly in a silent panic. it was satisfying and made him hate himself all in one and he tries to reason it out, justify it in knowing ghost face would've killed him and felt no particular way about it. trying to use logic to push past the worry that maybe he's a bit more like these fuckers on the other side of the fence. a bit more like evan then he'd care to admit. ]
Yeah.
[ he clears his throat, gaze falling to evan's chest, to his hand as it's cleaned and wrapped. anywhere else. ]
[ evan doesn't even notice david's abrupt discomfort. the way he focuses on anything else, the way his words are even more clipped than they were before. it's been so long since he killed for the first time and felt that empty pit in his gut, that moment of standing on the edge and wondering what happens next, that he's long since forgotten how it must be for other people.
and even if he did notice, he'd think: he killed me before, this can't be anywhere near as big a deal. ]
Not everyone deserves that. [ he wraps the bandage firmly around david's knuckles, then lets his hand go and looks at the stomach wound. he pushes away to get more bandages. ] Around here, nobody learns unless you make 'em hurt.
[ especially on his side, he means. evan pulls out a dusty roll of old bandages still brownish from old bloodstains. not ideal, but they'll do. ]
[ it's not as big a deal, for multiple reasons, but it is different. he hadn't really wanted to kill evan, just recognised it as a necessity, it's the main reason he's been hesitant to come to blows with evan over anything. but he wanted ghost face dead. wanted to hurt him more than he did honestly. ]
[ david tilts his head, considering that. ]
Don't get the feeling he's the type to learn from pain.
[ sometimes. that's the key word. rarely, but sometimes, even that miserable little fuck can learn.
the gut wound isn't that bad, at least. the blade is always so damn sharp. easy in, but easy fix. no ragged edges to patch. evan gets the wound cleaned up as best he can and wraps the probably slightly unsanitary bandages around david, keeping the blood in, for the most part. ]
[ he doesn't really want to think about it too much honestly. just focuses on keeping his arms out of the way while evan wraps the bandage around him. the next time he sees ghost face in a trial is going to be a rough one, no way is he not gonna take the opportunity to fuck with david where he can't fight back fully. ]
[ there are other things to think about anyway. david reaches out with a hand to tuck his fingers in the side of evan's waders when it seems like he's almost done with the bandage and tries to tug him a little closer. they could probably both use the distraction, right? it's not just david. ]
[ evan might not be aware of the chaos in david's brain, but as he finishes wrapping the bandages and david suddenly tries to pull him closer, he is aware of the fact that there's something amiss. he wasn't there after david killed him (obviously) but he remembers how david reacted in the aftermath. how cagey he was about it.
this is ghost face, so it should be satisfying. but he did have to almost drag him back. and david's injured, even if it's not that serious. and he's got just enough self-awareness to remember just how pissed off david was the last time he left this place.
he lets david pull him closer, but doesn't reach out to respond. ]
[ self-awareness is unfortunately something david is lacking right now, or he'd see this weird combination of being keyed up after a fight and desperately wanting to think about literally anything else and back off instead. or not come on to evan in the first place. ]
[ right now, in this moment? yeah, he's still pissed at evan, would probably just thank him and be on his way if he was firing on all cylinders, but he's not. he's far more focused on the warmth that radiates off evan's skin when he's this close, on tilting his head up so he can drag his teeth up the column of his neck. ]
[ it just seems like a better use of his time to him. ]
[ it's tempting. the way david, buzzed by the blood loss, gets in close, gets his teeth against his neck. it'd be easy to get the rest of his clothes off, get him over the workbench, find a way to make this even more satisfying than just turning ghost face into a smear in the grass again.
but.
even as his hands automatically find their way onto david, evan reconsiders. if it wasn't for the fury and the adrenaline and the blood loss, would he be doing this? or would he be pushing away with a grumbled comment about not needing help? in the past evan wouldn't even have hesitated. now, though -
it's not a good sign, this thinking and considering. unfortunately, the habit's getting in a little deep. ]
Not while you're this bad off.
[ he's turned him down for similar reasons before, although this isn't as bad, physically. in his head is where the problem lies. ]
[ david pulls back after a second, a confused frown on his face as he looks up at evan. last time evan turned him down like this it was, in hindsight, understandable. he had a pretty serious wound, probably wouldn't have even survived it. this time though? ]
[ he takes his hands off evan, a little annoyed, but at the insinuation that this is enough to put him out of commission rather than evan's refusal. ]
What? I'm fine.
[ there is a certain irony to both times being after evan bandaged up a gut wound from ghost face though. ghost face might actually be ruining his sex life. ]
[ stopping isn't evan's best skill, but it's a hell of a lot easier to do when things haven't really started. ]
You weren't ten minutes ago.
[ and he won't be in an hour, once he gets a grip on himself and realizes what he's done. not just the killing, but everything else, and how evan just let him without arguing, because that's what he wants to do.
it's not often that evan thinks ahead about things outside a hunt or a trial, but he remembers how short david was with him the last few times. how damn serious he was about something evan didn't even consider was such a big deal. better not to take advantage of a bad moment, he thinks, which is probably the first time he's ever done that. ]
[ it's difficult to catch evan's meaning — at first david assumes he means because of his injuries, but even before they were cleaned and bandaged it's not like any of it was worth being seriously concerned about. ]
[ then he remembers the daze he was in as they came down here, how vacant he was until he latched onto something else to think about. is that why evan's saying he was "bad off"? maybe he's fully aware david's just looking to fuck as a distraction from how difficult it is to process what he's done and what that means. ]
[ really, it probably shouldn't piss him off, but it does. ]
So lemme get this straight. Normally you just go ahead and do whatever you want and assume I'll get into it, but when I'm asking you, suddenly you give a shit about what's going on in my head?
[ unreasonable? yeah, probably, but david doesn't need evan acting like he's doing him a favour by not fucking him. it is beyond confusing to him, these moments where evan decides to act like he cares some small amount, with a more calculating person david would think it was some kind of game, but he doesn't think the guy has it in him. not the patience to mess somebody around like that at the very least. ]
[ this he was half expecting, in all honesty. david's irritation is clear, and evan has a feeling he knows why. he'd be furious in the same situation, but he's furious all the time anyway, and it doesn't matter, really. he's never asked david for this outright. and it wouldn't surprise him all that much if he was turned down.
he doesn't move away. at least, not yet. ]
You want that? Me fuckin' you while you're at your worst? After you got so pissed off last time?
[ it's not that he doesn't grasp that david might need a distraction - that's more than half the reason anybody comes down here these days. it's that for once he's thinking a little past that. to what'll happen after. why?
[ david opens his mouth to argue back, but stops for a second when something finally clicks. evan really doesn't understand what the problem is, doesn't get why david's been so pissed or why he gets so pissed whenever evan tries to restrain him or tries to get him to beg or whatever other shit. ]
[ of course, david could concede that he's not exactly helping by never telling evan outright to stop, but he always thought the problem was obvious. apparently not. ]
Because that wasn't what I wanted.
[ david gestures in the direction of the bedroom, a frown on his face as he tries to gather his thoughts enough to explain himself or make some kind of point. considering thinking deeply about his own mental state is about the last thing david wants to do right now it's not easy, but he's trying. ]
It's like you don't understand I'm not after some big, strapping man-- [ distinctly mocking tone as he gestures to evan, though hopefully he gets that it's at the concept and not him. ] to hold me down and fuckin' show me what for, and I don't need to act like this is something it ain't just to feel okay with it.
[ he especially emphasises that second point, because occasionally david gets the feeling he's... unique. among the other survivors evan fucks. that they all seem to need him to shove them around, take control, let them feel like they had no choice but to fuck the big monster. ]
[ david doesn't need that, and there's a million ways he could try and pick the psychology of that apart — because he's never really thought of himself as morally superior. because he's lied to just about every partner he's ever had, even here, so being honest in secret is ironically kind of fitting. because sometimes he feels like the entity must've got it wrong and he should be on their side of things. — but he's not going to do that kind of introspection now or anytime soon. ]
[ evan watches david through the anger, through the diatribe that isn't that violent but is absolutely accusing. david lays out the problem plainly enough that even evan can grasp it.
david hits the nail on the head. he doesn't understand that, because as far as he can tell, david would be the first one to be down here for a reason that isn't fairly close to what he stated. nobody's ever admitted to it, obviously. nobody's going to. he doesn't expect it. he doesn't think he's being used, because he benefits from it as much as they do. maybe more.
he also doesn't understand why david didn't just tell him to stop, before. a part of him recognizes that he was literally reading the problem as it happened, nearly stopped of his own volition recognizing the signs he knows very well by now, but it's a small part. just enough to stop him from asking outright about it, but not enough to sink in.
there's more important things to ask about. for him, at least. ]
Then what is it to you?
[ it's not accusatory. part of him wants to know. maybe it's just a break. relief from the nightmares. that isn't new, but it doesn't feel the same. it can't possibly be that david actually wants to spend time with him, given the way they beat the shit out of each other on a regular basis. his ego's a monstrous thing but it's not that out of touch with everything. ]
[ which is the truth. david shrugs both shoulders, sighs through his nose. he's better at understanding his own thoughts and feelings than evan (not that that's a high bar) but this is still very much something david is figuring out bit by bit. feeling things out, figuring out what works for him and what doesn't — he's already been surprised there a couple of times, on both sides of it. ]
[ yeah, it's a distraction that evan is uniquely able to provide, but that doesn't account for the times david's come down here and they haven't fucked, when he's come here without expecting to at all. ]
[ are they friends or some shit now?
no, that's way too far. ]
I mean obviously the sex is good in spite of all that, else I wouldn't have that dead cunt askin' if I was faking, would I?
[ it's halfway a joke, enough that he lets out a little amused breath. ]
Don't actually hate bein' around you that much neither, so I guess that helps.
[ they've had enough neutral or broadly positive interactions at this point that it feels safe to admit evan's company isn't the worst. it's not the best either, but david's happier just to spend time down here in almost companionable silence than he really should be. that says something, surely. ]
[ i don't know isn't the answer he wants, but david follows it up this time, at least. evan stares at him through the mask with more than an edge of confusion at the idea's he's suggesting. coming back because of the sex - sure, he gets that, but he's still a little unsure as to why david would decide it's a good idea now, after he was so pissed off last time.
the other idea follows right on the heels of that. evan has to guess that the rage over being tied up dissolved in the wake of another kill. it's all he can get his head around. ]
That's a first.
[ or at least it's a first for anybody to admit it. ]
Killin' makes you honest?
[ because he can't imagine any other reason david would abruptly admit all this unless he was shaken so badly he can't focus on finding ways to hide it, given that he's never broached any of this before, or even turned evan down. ]
[ does he trust evan to give two shits about what he wants and not try to pull some weird, aggressive dom shit? not really. after all david's pretty sure he said it wouldn't happen again before, and look how long that lasted. but it's hard to be actively pissed off with someone who just helped you kill someone, made sure you got back in one piece, and then cleaned and dressed your wounds. ]
[ but to acknowledge that in so much detail would require acknowledging how strange ths is — evan's helped him out before, but this feels more significant — and david's not going to do that. ]
Might come as a shock, but I've been being honest with you this whole time.
[ not necessarily forthcoming, but he can't think of a single time since this whole thing started that he's lied to evan. crazily enough, he's never seen the point. probably because he knows evan's not exactly about to run off and tell anybody. ]
[ that is, there's things david hasn't been honest about just by not saying anything. which is about how evan goes through his entire life, so he shouldn't really throw stones, but that's not about to stop him. ]
Tell me how it felt. Killing him.
[ last time david might have been honest, but he didn't like what he heard. maybe this is different. maybe ghost face brings out the worst in him, like the rat bastard does to everyone. maybe it's better. not that he'll appreciate being more of a problem to kill than ghost face, at least from some perspectives. ]
And I'll give you what you want. That or let you walk out. Up to you.
[ because a part of him figures that at this point, david's probably frustrated enough to want to leave him to his own devices. but who can say? ]
[ something about the phrasing gets his hackles up immediately. not enough that david pushes past him to leave, not just yet, but he does look down to fix his shirt, suddenly remembering it's still bunched up at his chest so evan could bandage him up. ]
[ at the time, nothing ghost face said particularly bothered him, but the combination now just. it doesn't really feel great, makes something twist in david's gut and his lip curl in distaste. it's just a really unfortunate combination of things for two assholes to have said to him in close succession. they fuse together in his head, make him angrier than he probably should be. ]
Know I'm just this fucking whore, but I'm not about to barter for your cock.
[ he doesn't want to talk about it anyway, but having it tied to sex like this, after all that is just-- it doesn't sit right. ]
[ he doesn't push the issue. evan's not against bartering for information, but it's clearly got david's hackles up, and it gets on his nerves knowing now he's got an association to the dead fuck just by right of what he said.
evan backs off, taking the remainder of the bloody bandages and blood-soaked rag with him, but doesn't go too far. ]
He ain't worth listenin' to. He deserved it. Deserves worse.
[ not that he thinks david's going to listen to advice from him about ghost face, unless it involves a better way to cave his skull in, but he knows when something's stuck a little deeper than it should. ]
[ evan's not wrong, but it doesn't do a lot to settle david, not until evan backs off that little bit to clear up. then david sinks against the workbench a little, folds his arms over his chest while he watches evan move around. ]
You wanna know, just ask. Don't do that shit.
[ he has no idea why evan's so interested to know how he feels about killing someone, but david figures he probably owes him that much for the help anyway. not that the idea is one he's particularly happy with, nor does david know where to start with it. ]
[ evan gives him a look - careful, blank even under the mask - and tosses the rag into the bucket again. ]
You like killin' him?
[ flat, outright, to the point. like david said. he knows most people would enjoy it, even on david's side. he knows it's happened a few times, too, although people mostly only enjoyed the part where he was dead, not where his blood was on their hands. even on his side some people find it disgusting to have had to kill him, because of who he is. what he is.
for evan there's no real distinction. ghost face is a problem, so he kills him. problem solved, and in a way he likes. the complexity of these sorts of things is long since faded for him. mostly.
[ he figured that would probably be the question, so david's ready for it. sort of. it's still a terse reply, giving away how little he wants to talk about it, but he swallows that. looks down at his bandaged hands, at the dried blood under his nails. ]
Thought about beating that prick to death more times than I can count, course it felt good.
[ despite saying it felt good, there's a flatness to the way david says it. like he's distancing himself from it. he doesn't like that it felt good, doesn't want to think about what that says about him, what it means going forward. ]
[ evan can hear the flatness, but he doesn't question it. he asked a question, he got an answer. it's the one he wanted to hear, because if someone regrets killing that asshole, then they aren't worth his time.
he puts away the bandages and looks down at his own foot, where the knife went straight through his boot. the foot'll heal, and the boot too, probably, but for the time being he's got that to put up with. ]
Good. Next time he sees you, maybe he'll know to shut his mouth.
[ the insults were aimed and sharp, even if they were a little off at the end. but pain'll do that to a man. ]
Or at least he'll know better than to let you get hold of him.
Yeah? [ he raises an eyebrow. ] That'll be the fucking day.
[ david doubts that very much on both counts. extra frustrating, because he'd always thought he was of little interest to ghost face, and now he's beat the shit out of him twice, killed him once. if that's not a way to make himself interesting, david doesn't know what else would do it. ]
[ that's a later problem though, nothing david can do about it right now. ]
[ he looks up from his hands, back at evan. a little hesitant to ask what he's about to because david doesn't really want to open himself up to any deeper discussions, but. ]
[ david's probably right. the idea of ghost face learning is laughable, after all.
the careful question that follows makes evan look at him again, away from the cuts - attempted cuts, really - on his arms. ]
Yeah.
[ part curiosity, part real interest, part wondering - just a little - where survivors stand on outright murder when it's them doing it. circumstances can change the answer, but at the end of the day, he's always waiting for them to be hypocrites, and he's usually right.
but where he might have ground this in before, there's been enough time for him and david to deal with each other that he doesn't see the point. they've discussed this, angrily. and david was honest enough earlier - don't actually hate being around you that much - that he can take the answer on its own. ]
Would have to kill you if you regretted killin' something like that.
[ for some reason that catches him off, even though it's a sentiment evan's expressed more than once, and david lets out a small, quiet laugh. ]
If I didn't regret killin' you, there's no way I'd feel bad over the likes of him. Give me a little credit.
[ would anyone feel bad over killing ghost face? outside the instinct not to take a life, the way that fucks with your head, would anyone regret it? if you're going to kill someone, it might as well be that guy. ]
[ didn't regret killing him? good. even if it made him huddle up in a corner somewhere, regret shouldn't be a part of killing him, unless it's the regret of knowing what's coming next as a result.
but it's been a while since that was really an issue. ]
Do it again and he might even forget about you for a while.
[ unlikely, but he does tend to back off after at least a few brutal kills when evan does it. ]
Next time I see him in a trial's gonna be a fuckin' shitter.
[ david knows it, and he's ready for it, but he has no idea in what way it's going to suck. he sighs through his nose and pushes a hand through his hair, mentally preparing himself for a long slew of shit. ]
[ he thinks the entity should make an exception for this one guy. just let him stay dead, do everybody a favour. ]
[ anything can make a trial bad. evan knows. he's done it more times than he can remember. anybody who breaks in, who breaks the traps, who mocks him, who gets away - he makes sure they pay for it. they all do. and ghost faces like to hold a grudge.
with their wounds mostly cleaned up, or at least david's, and him having effectively cut off any other possibilities, evan turns back to the forge and opens the back grate to dump another shovelful of coal into it. the dim light of the room flickers. ]
Go back the other way. Otherwise he might be wakin' up.
[ don't give him an early chance for revenge, he means. ]
[ david hesitates, watching evan. feeling kind of hamstrung suddenly, but it's his own fault. well-- he'd argue it's evan's fault, but that's not going to do anything. he just really would've liked to fuck before he left but it's fine, he'll live. ]
[ after those moments, he clears his throat and nods, pushing away from the table to go. ]
Yeah-- Thanks.
[ thanks??? maybe he should've let ghost face kill him, jesus. ]
[ the thanks gets him another look, but evan opts not to dig into that, either. it's not the first time he's caught david off-guard somehow, and they've got enough vitriol between them that he's not all that interested in picking at the little things. they just killed the guy who does that. no need to pick up his habits. ]
He comes back, I'll save a piece for you.
[ because he will come back. whether he goes after evan or david first is up for debate. ]
[ that gets another laugh from david at least, a nod of acknowledgement as he heads out. normally ghost face isn't someone david really worries about, but he goes out away from the campfire a lot. more than most, he'd bet. and david's not terrible at spotting him in trials — not the best, but not bad either, at least by his own reckoning — but that's a semi-fixed environment. ]
[ seems like he's gonna be getting some practice in learning to spot that motherfucker out in the wild so he doesn't get a knife in the ribs. ]
[ anyway-- david sighs and heads out to go try and get the fuck out of here before ghost face wakes up from his forced naptime. what a fucking day. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hardlydead) wrote2021-11-01 05:44 am
@babysitters
I don't think you wanna get that fucked up.
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( that's... creepy....... he wishes he hasn't thought about that. )
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( it is a little embarrassing when grade schoolers seem to have a better tack on what the fuck is going on than you do. )
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[ he doesn't care ]
Where are you?
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Got any details about the junker you're hiding in? Or should I just check all 200 and hope for the best?
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[ he's helping ]
Back side of the wall.
gently actions u ?? ignore if u want!
All right, hold your tits. I'll be there soon.
( and soon is relative but there's a fuck ton of cars at Wreckers, okay? he has to search through a few of them, and he's gotta be quiet about it. still, eventually he finds the car. truthfully, because there's a corpse in the front seat. that's a real tell.
Steve braces a hand above the passenger door and unabashedly blinds David a moment with his flashlight, feigning a stern expression. ) You been drinking tonight, sir? ( he lands serious for about 3 seconds before he huffs a laugh (actual laughs, belly ache fuck man that was funny laughs, are stupid when you're out in the foggy timey wimey wasteland full of murders) and flicks off the flashlight. ) I'm fucking with you. But really, as comfy as the corpse seat must be, we should split.
joke's on you this is what i wanted the whole time
[ he looks absolutely horrible. he's sweaty, there's blood on his face from, you know, having a glass bottle thrown at him, his face is red. it's an all-around bad time. ]
Yeah-- yeah. [ uggghhhhhghghgh ] Where's the gate? I'm more than fuckin' ready to be outta here.
[ in his time in the fog, david has learned to tone down his accent so people (americans) can understand him better. that's all out the window right now, he is 500% more manc than he has ever been before. ]
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Jesus. You should have told me to bring a medkit or something. ( all he's got is this toxic beamer and patting the guy's back probably isn't gonna do it here. Steve does back out of the way, at an awkward hover. is he gonna have to try and help David walk? will the guy even let him help him walk? also, what the hell did he just say? )
Huh? ( even besides that, ) Are you sure you're good to walk? I came to help you, man, that's the whole point.
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[ he waves off steve's questions with a hand and starts ambling in the direction he thought he saw steve come from. ]
It's no mither, let's just get the fuck out of here.
[
🥳 that's the name of the thing🎉🎉that would probably be more believable if he wasn't squinting in some attempt to keep his headache from getting worse, and clearly unsteady on his feet, but he'd be fine. he always was. ]no subject
and maybe asking questions about hyper-specific british slang means David won't clock him for ducking under one of those gigantic gorilla guns. Steve is not particularly built, but he's steady enough to be decent support. David is a lot stockier than the children he used to haul bodily out of danger, but he's been lifting a lot of people off of meat hooks lately. there's gotta be some net gains from that!
and in a 1-2 drunk distraction punch, Steve doesn't comment on the fact he's dragged David's arm over his shoulders and just starts to drag the guy in the right direction. ) C'mon, this way.
i thought i replied but i was just lying to myself
[ not that any of that matters right now, as david staggers along with steve's help, mindful as he can be of any sign the killer's approaching so he can shove steve away because like hell is he letting the kid take the fall for him. ]
You don't know what 'let's get the fuck out of here' means?
[ top tier jokes with david king ]
lmfao it happens to the best of us........
( keep the guy distracted, and less likely to shove him off! though, David seems to have accepted the help, which is for the best. he's not nearly steady enough to get anywhere fast on his own. and fast is always sort of the best choice if you want to stay alive around here.
Steve is not the most aware, compared to the other survivors often running point with him. he's not a noticer, wasn't even back home in Indiana. more the type to get dragged into things by his impeccable hair. still, even if he's not great at spotting trouble before it finds him, Steve is unbearably determined when it comes to getting others out. they're either both getting out of here or he'll die trying. at least if it's the killer clown, that guy announces himself with his smokers rasp before you even see him. maybe they'd have time to run.
hopefully they won't have to find out. )
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[ he casts a glance over his shoulder and makes a noise of complaint when it makes his head throb insistently, having to wait for that to recede back to a manageable level of agony before he answers steve's question. ]
Mither's like... Bother. If someone's getting on your tits you might say they're mitherin' you, right?
[ he's slowing down his speech a little. hearing himself in contrast to steve makes him aware how pronounced his accent is getting, and he's too worn out to do anything about that, but if he slows down like 10% that might compensate, right? either that or he sounds concussed, but to be fair he might be. ]
No mither just means it's no bother.
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Steve is really hoping they're not because a flashlight and a bleeding out brit is not gonna help him much against a giant lady with an axe or a crazy chainsaw murderer. )
No mither, ( Steve mutters, a little breathless. ) That's cool. No mither. Okay. ( Nancy is going to roll her eyes if he tries new cool british lingo out on her, but, it's kinda cool to know. the different walks of life in the fog is about the only thing about it that isn't entirely terrible. ) We said "that's chill". No mither sounds cooler.
i wasn't at all prepared for that video omfg
Yeah, we say that too. Mither's a, uh-- [ he stops suddenly when he thinks he hears the rising thump of a heartbeat, but it fades just as quick. killer must've gone the other way. ] It's a Manc thing. They don't say it in the rest of the country.
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A what thing? ( Steve says in a heavy huff of air. poor David, every other thing he says makes no sense to an Indiana boy. said Indiana Boy might not be the most aware in a trial but his shoulders still uncomfortably knot under David's arm at the ominous thrum of something dangerous close. ) N-nevermind. We gotta haul ass, buddy. No talking, just walking.
( and hauling solid block of beefcake, in Steve's instance. when they get to the campfire he's going to lay down and not move for about 3 hours. unless he gets zorped into a trial, and RIP if that happens. but it means that they move a little faster (and a little quieter) toward the exit gate. ) H-here, ( Steve mutters, lungs protesting, as he offers David his toxic flashlight so he can work the door. it's not like they can do much if something shows up. but David can give the approaching murder better lighting, maybe! )
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[ when they get to the door david props himself up, back pressed to the wall, and looks at the flashlight that steve's passed off to him. he hates these fucking things. could swear he's seen nea blind a killer from 10 feet away but when he tries to use them he might as well be shining it in his own face for all the good it does. ]
Manc, 's short for Manchester. [ he wipes a layer of sweat and blood off his forehead with the back of his hand, trying not to think about how heavy he's breathing right now ] It's where I'm from.
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he hauls the heavy switch down, the first light glowing like a tired, mocking red eye. Steve ignores it. he both does and doesn't remember that he's done this dozen, hundreds of times before. he can tell how many seconds the gate is from open just by the jarring klaxon it makes as the electronics slowly whirr to life. ) I'm from Indiana. ( a huff of a tired laugh. ) It's cool if you don't know where that is, I don't have a clue where Manchester is, either. ( across the pond is about all he can guess. is that a part of London? a completely different city? he's got no clue. and there's probably not gonna be a geography test on where all the lost souls the Entity dragged into endless murder trials from, so Steve isn't too worried he doesn't know where Manchester is. )
plot twist i'm still alive bitch
[ people loved to run to america to avoid their debts. america, mexico, spain. like trying to escape a shark meant it was time for a fucking holiday. meant david got plenty of holidays, beat the shit out of folks all over the planet. ]
Never been, heard it's a shithole.
[ funny that, it would've been a good place to get lost now he thinks about it. wasn't the midwest about 80% corn or something? he doesn't care. david starts the mental countdown when steve pulls the switch, wishing, like always, that it would hurry the hell up. the killers usually beeline for the doors when someone's-- ]
[ hm. ]
[ he flips the switch on the flashlight a couple times — on, off. on, off. just making sure it works — and then pushes himself off the wall with a grunt. ]
Back in a sec. Keep on it.
[ he's already going, steve. just try and stop him. ]
running hope and comin' in clutch in endgame
( damn, a pretty cold thing to say about your hometown, Steven. it's the truth, though, even though there are good things about small town Indiana. Steve knows that, too. he's just a little disillusioned by the place, that's all. he still misses it, even if it was a dead end town full of sheltered assholes.
Steve has mostly caught his breath, regained his bearings, leaning on this goddamn switch. he's not paying David as much mind as he should, though, because the guy announces he's got better shit to do and starts to wander away. ) What the hell, man! ( Steve hisses, craning his neck to try and spot where he's going, before he battles with the eternal struggle. 99% the gate or just open the damn thing, and hope for the best??? leave it where he is and struggle with the russian bear of a man who decided to take a detour when they're literally standing at salvation's door?
lots to decide, and quickly. Steve decides on a 99, and then releases, turning to try and spot where David lumbered off to with his beamer. goddamnit, Dave, that was a purple one! ) Hey, asshole! Let's fucking hit the bricks, huh? ( it is hard to yell and urgently whisper at the same time, but Steve almost manages. )
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You got the door?
[ huh. his count was only up to fifteen seconds, but maybe he's a little slow on account of the concussion and the powerful cocktail of drugs. he glances back at a locker — he was planning to make a ruckus a ways away from the door just in case any killer was on their way to investigate — but if the door's ready to go then fuck it. ]
What're you huffing and puffing about then? Let's go.
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What the hell, man, ( Steve admonishes, because it is not like they had anyone on their heels, so it was safe enough to stay by the switch. let's go then, David says, and Steve anxiously switches his grip on the handle, before deciding, fuck it. he'll throw it down and then shoo the Manc through the door. it's still heavily falling open behind him as Steve heads in David's direction.
and of course, like the fat bastard has a psychic link to flashing red lights (or maybe it's the loud siren as it slowly opens, who can say?) the telltale wheezing, chuckling shuffle of a certain jolly old clown echoes from not-that-far away. the heartbeat is pulsing in his ears (his own? the clowns? Steve has never understood that part) and while yes, Steve could just turn around and high tail it out the gate and hope the best for David, why the hell did he come this far to just let David get his fingers sucked on, after all?
Steve might get stabbed for it, but he still bum rushes through the window David is clowning around behind, doesn't bother being quiet, they've already been made. fast vault that shit and bodily shove David in the right direction. ) Go go gogogo, please. ( there's only so many hits he can take for you before he can't follow behind, tough guy!! )
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[ and then he hears his heart (his? sources seem to disagree) pounding in his ears followed by approaching wheezes and warped carnival music, and steve doesn't have to push him for him to get moving. checks over his shoulder to make sure steve's behind him as he sprints for the gate. ]
[ thank fuck it's a straight shot, because he can barely see a thing with the way that pink fog warps his vision and makes him scream. god he hates this fucking guy. ]
@electroconvulsive
[ him? dead hard into a wall? never. not even once. ]
Literally beat my head against a wall? Why? You gonna come treat my concussion?
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@outerfringe
Yeah.
Yeah, me too.
@micronap
Okay, find a fire and hold tight. You'll freeze your knackers off up there.
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The problem with the fire is Trapper thinks this is really funny and put every bear trap he has ONLY near the fire.
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Hole up in the upstairs if you can, I'll try and be quick. Can't really do much to help but you can have my jacket.
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I'm there. Thank goodness you came in a jacket this time.
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Alright I'm coming up. Don't drop a pallet on my head.
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I'll try not to.
[ He's keeping the bare feet firmly planted in this room. Not worth it today to go back on the balcony to push that thing over for a good gag. ]
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You in here?
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Rude Trapper… so rude.
He’ll spit them out and flash David a sardonic smile once there’s eye contact. All blue lips and pale skin. Lots of skin. ]
Over here. How’s it going? Don’t laugh.
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[ the little smirk he gives is a bit forced, but quentin's known him long enough by now that the flash of concern shouldn't be a surprise. is david a grumpy gus who doesn't seem to actually like most of the other survivors? kinda, yeah. but they're his lot, and in a lot of ways with david that counts for more. ]
Here. [ he slips out of his jacket — it's just the black donkey jacket, not the thickest, but compared to nothing it's probably a godsent — and offers it out to quentin. ] Lemme finish bandaging that up, you put this on.
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[ David can be a crude sometimes but he isn’t cruel. He’s one of the people that can get someone back on their feet the fastest. The concern isn’t surprising and just puts him at a slight sense of ease which is good because he’s having a rough go of it today. He’s actually relieved it was Trapper and the guy decided to mess with him but knowing it won’t always be and this outfit entered the rotation… ]
Thank you thank you thank you- [ It’s the greatest thing in the world and he probably grabs it a little too fast. He shifts his weight to pull it on - leaning everything on one foot and almost falls over in the process. It’s big on him, which is great because the more fabric the merrier and any warmth left from David having it on is being soaked up like a leech. He mostly finished with the ankle even if it’s not his best work. David can tie it off because Quentin can’t really do it properly right now anyway. ]
Okay.
[ He’s carefully buttoning it up with numb shaking hands, which is a whole process in his state. The sleeves get pulled over his hands after. Then stuffed in the pockets. ]
Really glad you weren’t dressed like a lifeguard.
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Explains why we've been having it so easy.
[ trapper's not exactly a tough killer to go against, not anymore, but they really haven't had to worry much. david couldn't work out why he barely saw the guy until now. ]
[ david takes a knee and ties off the bandage, and looking up at quentin in that too big jacket the whole thing strikes him as a macabre rendition of a kid's first day at school. almost makes a joke about him growing into the jacket, but quentin speaks first and david snorts. ]
Still have a jacket I could've given you in that one.
[ very technically speaking. what a comedian. ]
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You're welcome, everybody.
[ hey, if it helped, it helped. he's less than pleased but pointing out that the entire trial is going pretty smoothly because someone couldn't stop finding amusement as his expense is silver lining to a bad situation. maybe he can get a couple of trials just playing into it before everyone's used to this being in his rotation now. it's less than pleasant and he certainly is pissed about it but theoretically he could spare dwight some hooks if he can get ghostface to mockingly pull his camera out long enough or something.
david on a knee looking up at him feels embarrassing in ways he can't really describe and put a finger on. this must look so pathetic and he feels incredibly small. he has to look elsewhere until he's done. then he's putting weight on that foot to straighten out with a small wince. it'll heal, it always does here- faster than it should, and there's no concern from him placed on damaging anything by walking around on an ankle that's punctured to shit. ]
You have shoes with that too. Rub it in, why don't you?
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Guess the Entity has favourites. How're your hands?
[ best thing to do, he figures, is try and keep quentin out of sight. trapper's gonna get mad if he sees they messed with his entertainment. maybe david can put the kid on a gen and take the chase if trapper shows, but he's got no idea if quentin can even manage working on one right now. ]
[ gloves might be easier to find, less worry about sizes. might just make mental notes of where stuff is around ormond in case quentin, or any of the others, end up sent here in similar situations. seen a few of them sent out in pyjamas before. ]
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He’s already pulling the nearest furniture drawer open as quietly as he can to rummage in there, hoping for something like a sock or a hell he’ll even take someone’s old moth eaten underpants and wrap it around his foot. All he finds, like all he ever finds, is more damn medical supplies. He shakes a bottle of pills next to his ear and sticks them in the pocket of David’s jacket. ]
I’m sure as shit not one of them. Uh…
[ His hands are held in front of his face, red with tinted purple nails. He flex’s his fingers carefully. Numb to the point of not feeling the tips. Icy. He knows what David is really asking though and it’s “are you still useful?” ]
Fine. Workable.
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[ they don't... look great, but getting him on a generator is probably a better use of time. then they can get out of here and deposit quentin by the campfire. ]
[ no heartbeat, so david's gonna guess trapper's busy resetting all the traps meg broke, so they should be good. he pulls himself to his feet and looks at quentin, a slight frown of concern at the way he's moving. ]
You good to move or you wanna see if there's something we can put on your feet round here?
[ it's a lodge after all, there's gotta be at least some socks somewhere. ]
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[ It's stated with this half-grin and his hands are held out as a mock offer before he shrugs and puts them back in the jackets pockets to keep them as warm as possible without David even answering.
He's still looking around himself, not a full search just peeking in without expecting to find anything. Quentin nods at the question. The last thing he wants to be is a useless liability here. It's important the others get out. ]
I actually think anything that would go on my feet would be downstairs. You know where those shelves and cubby lockers are downstairs on the side? But that's going to eat at our time and it's pretty exposed.
[ He starts moving to the door again. ] I can move. It's fine. My foot probably won't fall off if we're going fast or I can just look by myself to not weigh you down here.
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[ david pats quentin on the arm, following behind him. he doesn't want to stop and search through the place, but there's nothing wrong with slowing down a little to glance over the shelves and the lockers. ]
[ though... maybe he should take point on that. knowing quentin he'll probably end up with a million medical supplies and no footwear. somehow not even a bandage to use for makeshift socks. ]
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[ There’s a breath of relief in the middle of his words, even if there’s some guilt there David’s going to slow down. He wasn’t looking forward to snow feet round 2.
Taking point would have been a good idea considering they’re upstairs and that’s downstairs. Quentin’s slow but he’s moving just fine. Just fine. Down the stairs and… then down the stairs a lot faster with nothing to break the fall after losing balance after the landing and unintentionally fast-vaulting the rest of the way down in a rolling mess of limbs.
To his credit, he gets back up himself. Quentin keeps moving towards the lockers in a zig-zag, breathing heavily and holding his head. His other hand held out towards David. ]
Ow… Fuck. You never saw that, okay?
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Mmhm.
[ quick glance quentinward, clearly trying not to laugh still. ]
Saw what?
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Nothing at all.
[ As predicted by David, he's not finding anything outside of his niche of medical supplies. He doesn't know why he expects anything else. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and-
He moves about and checks a locker at random. He tucks a package of colorful band-aids under his arm and then lets out a soft "AH-HA!" and holds up an ice-pack up for David to see, flashing him a large grin dripping with sarcasm. This is funny and he can't feel his toes. He's being openly mocked at by the Entity. ]
Do you see anything?
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[ he lets another small huff of a laugh at quentin's discovery and david offers him a thumbs up and a grin in return. ]
Ah-- Sorted then.
[ there's a luggage rack near that hole in the wall. clothes in one, just clothes in the next too. david presses his lips together, and then he crouches to look at the bottom shelf. maybe-- that one feels more solid than just clothes would be. ]
Found a pair of boots. [ david holds them up, a pair of white and blue snow boots. they're definitely too big for quentin, but hey. it's better than too small. ] Lace 'em up tight, they shouldn't slow you down too much.
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Right? I’m saved. [ He puts the ice pack back where e found it, thinking it useless. If there were a fridge at camp maybe but there isn’t and David’s pockets aren’t big enough to carry that anyway.
Quentin thinks what David is finding is far more interesting. Mainly the fact that he found clothes. Quentin’s shifting through it as fast as possible and grabbing the first pair of pants he finds and throwing those right on, awkwardly hopping on his good foot to do it. ]
Bless you gray sweatpants. I love you so much.
[ He goes right back to look, pulling a random jersey over his head then going back for another shirt or another jacket or-
He jumps back from the clothes, flinching like something in the luggage bit him.
He inhales a deep breath then runs a hand through his hair. The next second he’s violently yanking a stripped sweater out of the luggage and throwing it across the hallway away from them. Could’ve worn it for warmth but instead he’s opting to curse it out. ]
Mother fucking ugly piece of shit- … What did you say?
[ Boots. He stares at him blankly then seems to reboot and takes them. He sits down, following David’s instructions and lacing them as tight as circulation will allow. ]
I owe you like… I don’t know. Something. We’ll figure it out later.
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Nah. [ watching the outside while quentin does up the boots, a small shrug and a shake of his head. dismissive. ] Don't worry about it.
[ quentin's pretty solidly one of the only ones david knows would do the same if their situations were reversed. or he'd try to help at least, but he's not so sure the kid would be all that successful in any way that was actually helpful. ]
[ still, the hypothetical altruism isn't hypothetically unappreciated. ]
[ plus it really only benefits everyone if quentin's functional. unless someone gets chased off, those doors should be powered soon and somehow quentin gets them open faster than most. ]
Long as you get out of this one it means this little diversion was worth it.
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You’re kind of the best, man.
[ David with his tough exterior that pulls absolutely insane moves like jumping out windows and going into trials already injured. He’ll call you stupid right to your face but keeps pulling through and asks for nothing back with a surprising gentleness. What a guy.
He moves next to him with easier but awkward steps, feeling sort of lopsided with oversized boots. It’s a bit like wading through water though and he’s got it. He’s hunched next to David, blowing on his hands ]
You build up a tolerance to this, right? I didn’t want to do the polar plunge into Erie but I should’ve. [ A hopeful question. Ormond exists in the cycle and now so does this. He’s not looking forward to it in the slightest.
Okay technically he’s not building up a tolerance to being impaled in the shoulder and everyone screams still so probably not but give him some good news.
He puts his arm out front of David and points at the ground, barely visible metal sticking out from the snow, ready to snatch them the second they leave. ]
Do you see him?
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[ he's hilarious. ]
[ david has thoughts on the clothes, the way the entity dresses them up for trials, but it's one of few things they actually seem able to adjust to. because david never gets any less afraid to die when he's on that hook, never gets used to the killers' attacks, but even wearing sunglasses on midwich doesn't really hamper him like it did the first time. ]
[ he shakes off those thoughts when quentin stops him stepping in a trap, and he nods his thanks. briefly considers disarming it but then decides it's better not to alert trapper to anything going on over here. ]
Nah. Not yet. [ on second thought this is a good spot for running the killer, the whole lodge is, so disarming the trap only benefits everyone and david kneels to do exactly that. ]
There's a gen between the information board and one of the exits, was most of the way when I left.
[ the obvious implication being that quentin better start moving that way the second that trap snaps shut. ]
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[ Quentin says it, crossing his arms over his chest to, well, keep those warm. David's providing an interesting bit of new knowledge to him, since he's one of the only people here that wasn't privy to what it's like to have the Entity play dress up with them.
He nods, relieved the coast is clear and stares at David as he kneels down. ]
I- Okay. Okay. [ He shifts his feet in place, testing his ankle and taking a couple of whatever pills he stuffed in his pocket earlier, eyes scanning around them and settles on looking at the tall imposing muscular figure standing there outside, right to the side watching them. Hi Trapper. Insidious, huh? ]
UH- David. David, he's right there. [ There's an urgency to his tone. The killer holds up a hand and waves as the trap snaps shut. That's when it starts moving towards them. Again, louder- ] David! [ He's grabbing a handful of the back of the other's shirt as if he could pull him back to his feet that way. ]
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You go on. [ david stands, eyes on trapper, backs up a few steps so he's close to that pallet inside as that big bastard approaches. more importantly, making sure he's solidly between quentin and the killer. ] I'll catch you up at the gate, yeah?
[ fucking insidious he hates this fucker. ]
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What? [ It's incredulous. He shouldn't be stupid. Quentin backs up too, since he was practically glued behind him, with quick uneven shuffling steps. He looks up at the pallet then at David and releases his grip on his shirt, backing up more so he wouldn't dare be in the way if that gets thrown down. ]
Are you fucking serious? [ This guy. David's squaring up to this seven-foot tall monstrosity of a man apparently. David King is insane. And he massively respects that. ] If you don't, I'm coming back for you. [ Less of a warning and more of a factual statement. ]
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[ man those stun noises are always so satisfying. ]
Good. Go!
[ he hisses at quentin, this close to shoving him if he doesn't move. david can probably keep trapper occupied a while, figures if most of his traps got used to bully quentin, there can't be many in chase routes. david's not some god-tier looper, but without his kit trapper's not that hot in a chase either. ]
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HA!
[ Then turns to actually listen to David and make a run for it. Lingering and antagonizing Trapper while David is trying to take the attention off of him is not a good idea. Not one bit. He does an entirely awkward hop-step around the lodge as he goes through it, narrowly avoiding the trap right in front of the fireplace he noted had been there earlier. He exits through the opposite side. ]
@microbreweries
Who am I gonna offend? The birds? They need to learn eventually.
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jeff raises his eyebrows, fingers flexing against the handrail. he's not sure if david knows he's here, so he shifts his boot against the splintering wood to make a little bit of noise first so he doesn't startle him. ]
What do they need to learn, exactly?
[ the birds, he means. jeff pushes away from the handrail and moves to start down the steps, his footsteps quick but heavy as he descends. already, one of his hands moves for something red, tucked away in his jacket pocket. ]
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[ he looks up at the sound of jeff's boot and lets out a little huff of a laugh at the question. ]
About the human body, obviously.
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[ jeff lifts his chin slightly, then his eyebrows, like david's just made a point he hadn't thought of yet even though he very obviously and clearly hasn't. when he reaches the bottom of the stairs and then the car, he casts david's wrists a quick look, mouth twisting subtly at his assessment. he sets what looks to be a red handkerchief on the bar (typically worn wrapped below one of his knees on occasion), then fishes something thin and narrow, metal and no bigger than the length of his palm out of his other jacket pocket.
stepping closer, jeff carefully moves one of david's elbows with rough fingers, shifting his arm slightly out of his way an inch or two. ]
Pertinent information. For the crows.
[ jeff casts a quick look at david's face, noting the blood from his nose, then shifts his attention down to the cuffs clasped around his wrists, the piece of scrap metal scavenged from a toolbox in his own hand. quietly, he starts to try and pick the lock, wedging the metal in and shifting it minutely while he listens for the telltale click. ]
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They're always watching. Must be curious.
[ yeah okay he knows they're the entity's eyes in here, but thinking about birds studying human anatomy is just a vastly preferable use of his time to contemplating how best to remove his hand if jeff can't get that lock open. ]
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[ he says it quietly, dropping down into a squat after a moment, weight balanced on his haunches as he works on the lock. probably not the most reassuring thing to say in the face of what is very clearly a joke, but he's never been very socially graceful, and it's the first thing that comes to mind.
anyway, it seems to dawn on him belatedly that that's kind of a daunting thing to say in a place like this, even though crows with good memory are hardly their biggest issue. jeff clears his throat, glancing away from his work for a second to look at david before focusing on his hands again. ]
In... the real world. Don't know about here. Probably not.
[ with a shrug and a slow twist of his wrist, he gets one of the cuffs popped open, freeing one of david's wrists, and david from the bar by extension. jeff makes a quiet sound in the back of his throat, a mix of satisfaction and relief, and reaches up blindly for the red bandana he left on the bar top, dragging it down to offer to david.
he'll help him up in a second, but jeff figures he needs a minute to just - decompress. who knows how long david's been confined to a single square foot of space for. ]
... For your nose.
[ blood's probably dry by now, but even jeff knows that dried blood can get really uncomfortable really fast. ]
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Pretty sure these ones already know our faces well enou--
[ you know when your arm's been up at an angle for a long time and you've kind of grown numb to the pain, but you move your arm in any way afterward and it's agony? yeah. david's arm falls kind of limply once it's released and he groans loudly in pain. that sucks. that really sucks. ]
Thanks. [ he takes the bandana but doesn't use it straight off. holds it in a fist as he rolls his shoulder. ] Christ.
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Easy. Take your time. [ he says, a low and somewhat gravelly murmur. he stands up then, grabbing onto the edge of the bar with one hand to help hoist himself up. he sets thee little piece of scrap metal he used to pick t the cuffs down on the bar top, and then grabs the front of his jacket with both hands and starts to shrug the whole thing off. once he's freed of it, he keeps hold of it in one hand, and offers his other one down to david, eyebrows lifting subtly. ] You think you can stand?
[ jeff doesn't really have too many doubts about david and what he's capable of - he's seen him pull off some seriously insane shit in far more serious circumstances - but he also doesn't really know how david's been here, or what led to this situation in the first place. so. ]
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Yeah. [ he takes the offered hand to pull himself to his feet with a grunt of effort. he's stiff from spending — he assumes — all night sat against the bar, but he'll manage. ] Thanks.
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wordlessly, he holds his jacket out for david, giving him that same look - eyebrows slightly raised, questioning. after a beat though, he says ] ... Unless you're adamant about - teaching the crows.
[ the edge of his mouth curls slightly with the hint of a smile. ]
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[ he takes the jacket with a smile and a nod of gratitude though, an amused rush of breath through his nose at the comment as he slips into it. ]
Nah. Too worried about giving the vultures a looksee.
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shifting his eyes from david, jeff clears his throat and takes a brief look around the saloon while david pulls on his jacket, idly passing a hand over the bottom half of his face. it seems quiet, which is probably a good thing for them, though it's probably best not to linger long enough for that to change. when david cracks a joke, jeff chuckles a little under his breath, just a quick exhale through his nose and a brief flash of his teeth to show for it. ]
Mm. Lucky they didn't find you. [ the saloon is... wide open. jeff shrugs, and makes a motion to put his hands into his jacket pockets, but remembers too late that he's not wearing it anymore. awkward. ] Too good for them, probably.
[ because they're known for eating dead things. roadkill. anyway. he grabs the little bit of scrap metal from the bar top, pockets it so as to leave as little evidence behind as possible (the cuffs are just going to have to stay clipped around the bar for the sake of time - if one of racoon city's finest wants them back, they'll just have to come and reclaim them), and then tilts his head in the direction of the back door, hidden behind the bar's back. ]
Good?
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[ if jeff's gaze lingers, david doesn't notice. too busy doing a mental check to make sure he's okay, but if he's hurt any more than he's realized it can probably wait until they're back at the campfire. if he had to guess, he'd suspect he just got popped in the face and cuffed to the bar because he was getting a bit rowdy, but it doesn't seem like any of those lot to just leave him there. ]
[ whatever, he'll figure it out later. ]
Yeah. [ there's a slight limp when david starts walking in the direction gestured, he figures it's just stiffness that'll work itself out as he moves, and he glances at jeff with a small, tired smile. ] Better get going.
[ at the same time, he wipes under his nose with that bandana and hisses when the dried flakes of blood pull at the shaved hairs there. maybe that can wait until he can wash it with water. ]
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once they're out of the saloon and wandering through the small ghost town, jeff shifts to walk beside david instead of behind him. after a beat, he glances his way, his expression slightly apologetic. ]
Shoulda brought water or something. [ for david, he means. ] Figured you'd want to get out of here as soon as possible, didn't really - cross my mind until now.
[ jeff scratches at his beard, following the edge of his jaw for a moment before he drops his hand. a crow startles near him, and he murmurs a quiet jesus under his breath before offering an apology. ]
Sorry.
[ how canadian of him. ]
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Done plenty already, man, you're good.
[ he shoves his hands in the jacket pockets as they walk, uncaring if they're being watched or not. david's only real concern is whether or not he's about to get murdered, and it seems like the answer is very much no — at least for now — and if someone wants to just stare at him rather than stab him in the gut then fair enough. ]
[ (honestly part of him just assumes ghost face is watching most of the time anyway.) ]
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but jeff keeps walking, keeping relatively close to david's side, but leaving enough space to not come off as invasive or weird, and only glances over his shoulder once more, his attention pulled back by david's hand patting his shoulder. he offers a brief smile back.
for a minute or two, jeff's content to let the silence sit between them, no uncomfortable desire to fill it with anything small or useless. eventually, though, he asks: ]
So, uh. You remember who you pissed off?
[ his eyebrows lift almost teasingly, the corner of his mouth pulling slightly up and to one side in the faintest of smirks. ]
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[ he says it with a bit of a laugh, like it's just a funny thing between friends. truthfully he can't imagine leon leaving someone on a killer's turf, but if they were drunk, maybe he forgot. ]
@otherbitches
And a half, yeah.
Nah, I like kids well enough. Imagine having them toddling around this place though? Wandering off into the fog? Playing with shit they shouldn't be touching?
Dealing with you lot's bad enough already.
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i dont know. it would blow, but i guess it would come
back
[ If, you know. ]
would it grow up?
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Doesn't seem to bring kids though, probably prefers its meals a bit aged.
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[ Anyway. ]
so, if you dont want to make a handful of 'cherubs' what do YOU do for fun around here?
holy shit i thought i replied to this
What makes you think I've ever had fun here?
[ it's (mostly) a joke-- ]
dw hates us peons
you know what
im real sorry for assuming
so did you just forget how to have game or what?
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sitting around like a depressed fuck's been going pretty good for you?
you could have game if you gave it a shot.
who are you sweet on? come on.
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[ he's just not about to try and make such thrilling activities as "conversation" sound appealing. ]
Who am I "sweet on"? Am I 15 now?
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lets start there. its been a while hasn't it? baby steps, king.
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whats your type?
how about nurses?
how about lisa or the
other one?
skin or no skin?
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Billy.
Stop.
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wait
do you like them older? in your bracket?
who does that put in play? haddie or jane?
what about that old plague broad, how many thousands of years old is she?
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so
how about hag?
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Almost wanna say yes just to see you try and set that one up.
sorry
so do you think shes
wet
all over?
you should be
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would fucking the dredge be like
a threesome?
or more i guess?
orgy?
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Christ. I think I just threw up in my mouth.
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but, new question
how many mouths do you think it has? actually?
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try checking next time it fucking
swallows you
huntress is a ten though, right?
@babysitters
What about the whopping great big hole the balls come out of?
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It could also be not pukey. Especially if we steal it sooner and not later.
@unbreakabill
Cheers.
They'll learn though, ain't got much choice here. Even Claudette and Dwight have it in them these days.
@beknighting
To be fair they're usually in their own stores, but honestly you could point to just about any other modern shop and ask why and all I could tell you is capitalism lead us to a weird place.
it's what all the hot medieval guys are calling it
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[ tarhos will have seen it by now. somebody could literally sandbag him and david will still go above and beyond to get them out of that trial. "stupid and loyal" is a pretty good description for it. ]
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Not sure how long it'll take me to get there, but it shouldn't take too much time.
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[ he steps into the main foyer, walks through into the wide open space with the cold lights and the emptiness that seems so vast with no people and no signs of life, and drops his backpack on a bench. ]
You here?
[ wow that's an echo. ]
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Indeed I am. You came alone.
[ He gives David an approving nod. ]
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[ david shrugs a shoulder as he walks over to where tarhos is stood. a little selfishly he's sure he's about to get his shit wrecked and he'd rather not have an audience for it, but moreover the idea of bringing anybody along just doesn't feel right. this is about him and his needs, nobody else needs to get involved in that. they'd probably just worry anyway. ]
[ he looks up at the other man — it's admittedly a little strange to put a face to the suit of armour that's been menacing them lately — and then past him, up to the balconies above them. ]
Your friends about?
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[ Is that... a hint of amusement in Tarhos' voice? Perish the thought. ]
This is no battle, merely a bit of sport.
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[ whatever. he shrugs. ]
Fair enough. [ he gestures broadly ] Anythin' you wanna say first. I know some people have rules and shit.
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I suppose we should set boundaries. [ A beat. ] I presume you would prefer not to lose limbs?
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If you can help it, yeah. Prefer to keep my limbs attached.
[ what else? he's used to either "no rules" or "the rules of this establishment," so it's not something david's ever had to think about. ]
Nothin' I can't heal from without dying, I guess. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I try and keep that to a minimum.
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[ Yeah, he could definitely choose to be less deadly in trials. He doesn't have to run people through entirely. But no, that'd be going easy on his adversaries, a thing Tarhos doesn't know how to do. This is an honorable fight, though. A duel between men. ]
Though you are correct. [ Faintly amused. ] Your actions within the divine trials do make it hard to believe those words.
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What?
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So whats your going rate for a break and a fix?
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I'll do it for free, just tell me what the fuck happened.
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Where are you at?
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[ At the edge of camp, not much later, Quentin looks...not bad, if you don't count that it looks like he's wearing someone else's nose. The bridge is crushed in and a little to the side, scrunched nostrils messing pulling or pushing at his lip line in places. He raises his eyebrows instead of smiling when David comes into sight, flicking one hand out to wave. ] Yo.
Hanging out with Haddie, huh?
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Yeah. [ he raises an eyebrow ] Fell in the woods, huh?
[ he can make insinuations too, quentin!! ]
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[ he makes a note to ask what actually happened to quentin's face, but in the meantime david closes the space between them and tilts his head to look at that nose with a frown. ]
Don't suppose you've got anythin' to shove up your nostrils do you?
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Mmhmm. Gauze. Popsicle sticks. Syringe tubes, depending on, uh--on how crazy we wanna get. That much of a mess, you think?
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Mostly thinking about making sure they stay open. [ he gives quentin a slight shrug, mostly with his face ] Ain't gonna look great, but should be able to force it to stay functional.
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You can do it, right? I mean, if you can't or if it makes you nervous or something, I'll just wait. I know it won't be perfect, I just wanna--ha. Just wanna be able to breathe before I get called into my next trial.
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Let's go. Gimme a countdown or something.
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On three, yeah?
[ david... does not count to three. he opens his mouth to say one, eyes on quentin's to make sure he's with him, and before the word even makes it out of his mouth david abruptly cracks quentin's nose to the side like a faulty glow stick. ]
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Fuck--ha--oh fuck I'm gonna-- [ His fingers pulse around David's wrist. ] --pass--
[ It's just a little swoon. Even if he actually passed out, David would catch him. Probably? Right? Whatever, point is that Quentin only wobbles a little before straightening up. ]
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[ his hand drops quick from quentin's face to slip under his arm and hold him up, strong and steady and unmoving. his nose is bleeding but they can wait until quentin's something approaching functional again to pack it. ]
You're alright lad. [ david knows how much having your nose broken hurts, so he's patient for those few moments, waiting for him to straighten up. ] Let me know when you can see straight again, yeah?
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Fuck. Okay. Okay. Um--gauze?
[ Right hand unclenches, fumbling for the flap on his bag. It's wild how easy the blood rushes over his mouth. ]
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[ carefully, gently, with his free hand he coaxes quentin's head forward, just a little so the blood doesn't run down his throat, and then he reaches for the bag too. clearly done this enough times by the way he takes a couple of those little gauze patches and rolls them up into a little cylinder, presses it and twists it between his fingers to make sure the tip is tapered, and murmurs a soft apology. this part's gonna hurt too. ]
[ both hands on quentin's face now, david pinches the bridge of his nose between a thumb and a forefinger — not hard, but firm enough to keep it in place — and he ducks his head so he can watch what he's doing as he slowly pushes that little gauze bullet up into quentin's nostril. winces a little when he hits some resistance in the form of whatever the fuck happened to his nose before, and twists it slowly to help push it through. just keep going until it's seated good and snug up there. ]
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[ He can talk through it, but he can't think past it. ]
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[ genuine enquiry, head tilted to the side a little to keep an eye on how quentin's holding up. it's been some time for david, but he remembers packing a broken nose is fucking painful, uncomfortable as hell, and you can't even breathe right. if he wanted to leave it with the one nostril, david wouldn't blame him. ]
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Yeah. Yeah, okay.
[ It's a learning experience, he assures himself as he fiddles for another wad of gauze. ] Thanks. For. Yeah. Thanks.
@microbreweries
[ david breathes out a soft laugh, sticking close as they walk, part of him itching to reach out that extra bit and-- who fucking knows. put a hand on jeff's back? take his hand? something stupid like that. he can touch jeff plenty once they get to where they're going though, he reminds himself. ]
Eighty-five to ninety, eh? [ david appears to give that some serious thought, quiet for a long few moments ] Yeah, I can work with that.
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[ he says this partially under his breath, but loud enough that he knows david will hear him, and he says it with a completely straight face, tone serious... for about three seconds before he casts david a sideways glance and a quick, subtle wink.
as they approach haddonfield and the trees begin to feel like they're creeping closer together and the fog begins to thicken, heavy and dark, jeff plucks his flashlight out of his pocket. he doesn't click it on right away, but he keeps close to david and keeps moving, knowing that shortly, everything will thin out once they're officially within the bounds of lampkin lane.
passing through the open gate is easy, and jeff only hesitates for a moment to take a quick look around for michael in their immediate area before continuing on ahead, keeping close to one side of the street. once he's mostly satisfied that they're not in immediate danger of being gutted by some weirdo in a mask (there... are a lot of those, now that he thinks about it), he puts his flashlight away. ]
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[ he sticks close to jeff, makes sure he's on his left side as the trees clear and they pass through the gate onto the streets of lampkin lane. flashlight in hand, though he holds his own more like a weapon than a tool and doesn't put it away once it doesn't seem like they're about to get stabbed. not that he expects he can do much if they get jumped by a killer, but nobody likes being smacked in the side of the head with a flashlight. ]
[ he's always a little hesitant to make noise when they're in haddonfield, no matter how safe it seems, so instead he nudges jeff and points out the white two storey house at the end of the street. great place for, uh. supplies. right? ]
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when david nudges him, jeff follows his gesture toward the house at the end of the street, picking up what he's getting at without david having to say anything about it. jeff's response is just as silent, just a slight nod of his head as the faintest, fleeting smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. a two storey house means two searchable floors for... supplies. definitely the main reason they're here.
as they make their way up the street, jeff keeps an eye out for any tall, lurking figures, and when they reach the steps leading up to the house, he only lingers for a second so david can go ahead of him, following up behind him. inside, he waits for a moment, just listening to make sure they're alone. michael might be comparatively quiet, but it's fairly easy to hear him breathing if you really listen for it.
but it's quiet, save for the sounds of an old house settling, and jeff glances at david and lifts his brows slightly before starting up the stairs. might as well start at the top and... work their way back down. for supplies. ]
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[ light on his feet like he would be in a trial, he follows jeff up the stairs. steps up close behind him once they're on the landing and rests a hand lightly on his back, voice low and soft when he finally speaks. ]
So-- any other no-gos or is it just the Fifth Element?
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instead, he lifts a hand and lets his fingers ghost up david's arm, skimming from his elbow, to his shoulder, to the side of neck where it settles, light and warm. jeff looks thoughtful for a moment, his gaze cast upward as he makes a show of contemplating david's question. after a moment, he shrugs, and when he speaks, his voice is just as low and quiet as david's. ]
American Werewolf? [ in london, but that should be obvious enough that no one should have to say the full title. also, it's unclear if he's being serious or not. jeff tilts his head, idly brings his other hand up, does the same thing - ghosts his knuckles up david's other arm, rests his palm against the other side of his neck. he looks at david now, and his eyes dip briefly to the shape of his mouth before flitting back up to his eyes. his eyebrows inch up a little. ] Beetlejuice?
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[ his focus is largely on jeff's lips, or the way he moves his head when he speaks or thinks. the brief pull of his brows or tilt of his head, it's all extremely charming to david right now. he puts his other hand on jeff's other hip and leans in close with a soft, low hum as he tilts his head up to kiss just under his jaw. ]
Beetlejuice, huh?
[ he sounds amused by that one. ]
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when david leans up and brushes his lips just beneath the edge of his jaw, jeff's thumbs shift, smoothing short, gentle lines against david's throat, his hands still comfortably cupping the sides of his neck. he exhales quietly through his nose, a low chuckle catching onto the end of it for a moment when david questions his taste in movies. ]
Careful, [ he murmurs, his voice low and mildly teasing. he leans his head back just a little so he can look david in the face, the tiniest hint of a smirk hiding near the corner of his mouth, peeking out. ] That's twice.
[ beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice. jeff slides his hands back a little, lets his fingers link together at the back of his neck, and then gently pulls david in so he can kiss him properly. when their mouths meet, jeff closes his eyes, and when he sighs quietly through his nose it sounds like relief. ]
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[ he smiles as he leans up into the kiss, slides his hands around jeff's hips until they're resting on his back and leans closer, mirroring that sigh with a quiet hum of his own. ]
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they should probably move, if only so they don't accidentally shift and tumble down the steps, so jeff moves his hands slowly, letting them drift from the back of david's neck, down over his shoulder blades so he can settle them against the sides of david's rib cage. gently, he puts some pressure behind one of his palms, urging david to turn so he can walk him backwards toward the open door off to his left, all without ever breaking their kiss. ]
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once they're past the threshold, jeff feels a little more confident about their footing and kisses his way back to david's mouth, carefully maneuvering him backwards toward the bed pushed into the corner of the room. ]
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[ his hesitation is brief when his legs hit the bed — though david finds it in himself to be annoyed that jeff both is observant enough and knows him well enough to notice it — but it's hard to shake that little thread of uncertainty that winds its way through his gut. he doesn't know why it's there exactly, but he knows he can't really get rid of it. just does his best to push through, doing his best to keep his hold on jeff as he sits and tries to move up the bed so there's room for both of them. ]
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with david's hands still on him, jeff has no choice but to follow him down, putting a knee up beside him to brace his weight on as david shifts backwards toward the opposite end of the bed, lightly brushing a kiss against his cheek again. when he settles though, he carefully eases himself out of david's grip and tilts his weight, shifting so he winds up sitting beside him instead, shoulder to shoulder, arms pressed close. whatever the reason is for that brief moment of hesitation, jeff doesn't want to do anything worsen whatever it is david's thinking or feeling.
he puts a hand on david's leg, squeezes lightly. leans a little bit of his weight against david's arm, looks at his hand a little above david's knee. quietly, his voice a little bit gravelly around the edges, he asks ]
Okay?
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Yeah. [ he breathes out a soft, self-conscious laugh, puts his hand over jeff's, little things to make it clear he's not suddenly pulling away. he wants to be here, with jeff, where it's not necessarily safe, but it's quiet and it's just them, for the moment at least. ] I'm not - sure what that was about.
[ if he cared to dig into his feelings, he could probably figure it out, but he's not about to do that. ]
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with his arm draped around david, jeff's fingers brush gently against david's bicep, fingertips dragging lazily back and forth. he makes a soft sound in the back of his throat, something that conveys that he's listening, and that david's moment of hesitation isn't a big deal. he's just as content sitting here in the quiet where they can be alone as he is kissing david. just to be clear, though, he offers some quiet reassurance. ]
It's all right.
[ because it is. jeff's not here to pressure david into anything, whether that's - making out, or talking about whatever's on his mind; he trusts that david will come to him when he's ready, but until then, david's company is more than enough for him.
fingers tapping out a soft, staggered rhythm, jeff wets his lips and tries to find something to talk about, which comes easier with david somehow. ]
You know, [ it's a murmur, because they're close enough that jeff doesn't really need to speak any louder than that. ] There's gotta be a football buried somewhere around here. Basement, maybe. Garage.
[ david only mentioned wanting one once, when jeff asked him what he'd want if he could have anything here, but he was paying attention. ]
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[ it's hard not to be embarrassed, but once again jeff proves himself to be safe, and david finds himself relaxing bit by bit, soothed by the fingertips on his arm. ]
Yeah? [ he has to take a moment to figure out why that's something jeff would even think of and then he chuckles, low and quiet. ] Could have a look. [ ... ] Later.
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david's quiet laugh makes jeff smile a little. he gently squeezes david's arm for a moment, then returns to ghosting random, aimless patterns against his sleeve. after a few moments of mostly comfortable silence, he checks in again, just to be sure, idly rubbing his fingers against his left eye. ]
You sure you're all right?
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Yeah. [ he lifts a hand to jeff's cheek, a light attempt to coax him down into a kiss. ] I'm sure.
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what's michael gonna do if he creeps upstairs and finds two grown men making out on a shabby bed? kill them? he's certainly not going to tell anyone, which is really kind of the bigger concern.
so jeff is easily coaxed, and he leans down even though the angle is slightly awkward with the both of them sitting side by side, and he catches david's mouth with his own, soft and gentle, his other hand drifting to touch the back of david's hand at his cheek. ]
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david's earlier blip of hesitation is still at the back of jeff's mind, so he's cautious of coming on too quickly or too aggressively, but eventually he breaks away for a moment, keeping close enough so that when he murmurs, his lips brush david's. ]
Come here?
[ the hand at the back of david's neck slides a bit, passing in between david's shoulder before drifting back up, and only if david allows him and is willing, he attempts to help him over and into his lap. ]
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[ --and then jeff asks him to move and his brain stalls the moment he realises what's being asked exactly, hesitating again because he's never... done... that. before. he's not giving jeff an opportunity to stop hom this time though. once the moment passes, david swings a leg over jeff's lap and smiles down at him once he's settled. it's deeply strange for him right now, but david can't say he has any complaints either. ]
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for jeff, this is also - a little more intimate than he's used to, if he's honest with himself, or at least more intimate than he's been with anyone in quite a long time, so it's strange to him too, even though he's the one who initiated it. but like most instances in which he feels a little awkward, he powers through it.
instead of diving right back into kissing david, jeff decides to give them both a little bit of time to adjust. he smiles faintly back at him, and shifts minimally to get more comfortable with david's weight in his lap. idly, he puts his hands at the outside of david's knees, thumbs smoothing over his kneecaps for a moment, but they only linger there for a moment before they're moving again. carefully, almost like he's wary of spooking david, he catches his right wrist and gently turns his arm outward so he can see the tattoo on his forearm.
until now, he's never really been afforded the opportunity to look at david's tattoos up close. jeff knows what they are, but like this, without the threat of death or someone to catch his gaze lingering for perhaps a little too long, he can really take in the detail. lightly, he traces his thumb over the lion's crown. ]
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[ he watches jeff inspect his tattoo. gently, after some moments, lifts a hand to push some hair out of his face and tuck it behind his ear. he's wanted to do that a lot, now david thinks about it, when he's seen jeff working on something and some of his hair falls in his face. he grazes his knuckles down the side of jeff's face while he's focused, traces his thumb lightly over the curve of his bottom lip. his own expression thoughtful like he's never fully considered jeff's face before. ]
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jeff drops his gaze again, shifting his attention back to the ink on david's forearm, his thumb tracing some of the softer line work, the shading that someone obviously took their time with. it's a beautiful piece of work, and jeff absently wonders what the significance is behind it, if there's any significance at all. god knows he's got tattoos that mean shit all - but he's also got some that are important to him, too.
when david ghosts his knuckles against jeff's cheek, jeff doesn't pull away. instead, he almost leans into the touch without even really thinking about it, gently nudging his jaw against david's fingers. when that thumb passes over his lower lip, jeff doesn't exactly kiss the pad of it, but he leans his mouth into it subtly, all while keeping his eyes on david's arm, on his own hands as he maps out all the lines of ink and the strong muscle underneath.
when he does finally say something, his voice is low, a little gravelly and stuck between a whisper and a murmur. ]
Was this one first? [ jeff taps two of his fingers against the back of david's right arm, glancing up to look him in the eye. after a second, he moves one of his hands, and very softly catches a knuckle under the edge of david's jaw, gently trying to coax him into turning his head a bit to expose the rose hidden behind his ear. ] Or this one?
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Rose were first. [ he tilts his head a little, eyes hooded as he looks at jeff out the corner of them. ] When I got serious about rugby. Thought I was gonna go pro.
[ that last bit he says with a smirk pulling at his lips, amused, but a little sad the way you only can be thinking about the things in life you've fucked up. ]
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he's not unfamiliar with the emblem, but he'd never really been able to place it properly until now. jeff feels a little bit stupid about it, honestly, because it's not the first time david's mentioned that he used to play rugby and it probably won't be the last, but jeff never made the connection between the two. he passes his thumb over a petal, then lets his hand fall away.
curiously, he tilts his head a little, leaning to look at david again. ]
What stopped you?
[ david's built for rugby. with the way he moves in trials, there's no doubt that he would have gone pro. that he should have gone pro, and jeff can't imagine that david would have given that up unless he was forced to stop playing. david just doesn't seem like the type to give up if there's chance he can make something work.
but, you know. maybe it was out of david's hands. jeff's eyebrows pinch slightly, and he makes a small, vague gesture at their surroundings with one hand. ]
This?
[ getting dragged to hell to be a never-ending dinner show for some eldritch horror? jeff doubts it, but you never know. he drops his hand again, his palm settling over one of david's knees. ]
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[ it shoots him back to the night he arrived in the fog, the man in the pub who wouldn't let it lie no matter how many times david asked him to leave it alone — what did that referee call you that upset you so much? — again and again. david shakes his head and shrugs, dismissive. it's no big deal. ] Just didn't work out.
[ he dips his head, noses lightly at jeff and presses a couple of kisses to his face; his cheek, the corner of his mouth, far more interested in that than in talking about himself. about his incredible ability to ruin his own life despite being born in a world with no shortage of opportunity. those are miserable thoughts and he'd rather not focus on them, not right now, with jeff right here under him. smooths his hands down the sides of his neck, past his collar to rest on his chest as if to confirm that fact for himself. ]
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jeff feels bad for prodding at all, but before he can get too awkward or anxious over it, david leans in peppers a couple kisses across his face. jeff exhales quietly through his nose, easily distracted at the moment by david's closeness and the warmth of his hands as they slide against his neck, settle on his chest. he makes a small sound in the back of his throat without even really noticing it, just a quick, low, contented note. his hands at david's knees drift a little, skimming up along the outside of david's legs, stopping about midway up. he likes feeling david's weight against him, whether he's just leaning, or seated in his lap, he's decided.
jeff takes one of his hands off of david's thigh and reaches up to squeeze one of his wrists where his hands are resting against his chest. from there, he moves again. hooks two fingers in the collar of david's shirt, lazily smooths his knuckles across the subtle rise of his clavicle underneath, and then gives his shirt collar a gentle tug as if wordlessly asking him to come closer so he can kiss him properly, even though david's already close enough. ]
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[ he practically chases after that noise jeff makes though, already searching out his lips for a kiss before that tug on his collar makes him shift closer, draping an arm over jeff's shoulder as he (a little awkwardly, there's no need to talk about it) shifts himself on jeff's lap to pull himself forward, body as flush to jeff's as he can make it. his other hand moving back up to his neck, bracing under his chin to tilt his head up so david can kiss him properly. ]
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he keeps his hands light on david as he moves, just so he doesn't get in the way of anything, and when david finally settles again, so close that they're touching in more places than they're not, jeff lets his hands drift a little again, broad palms sliding up along the outside of david's legs up to his hips. they stop at david's waist, fingers flexing a little when he tilts jeff's chin up, and when david leans down to kiss him, jeff leans up just a little to meet him. jeff's used to being at least a little bit taller than the majority of people he knows, but in his lap, david's slightly taller. having to look up to kiss someone is different, but right now he can't say that he minds it.
jeff kisses david slowly, not quite lazy but definitely not in any kind of rush, and when he moves his hands from david's waist to his lower back, his fingers unintentionally slide under the hem against warm skin. ]
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[ he drapes an arm over jeff's shoulder, brings his hand to the back of jeff's neck where he can lightly skim his fingers up and down the skin, his other hand moving from where it is at jeff's jaw to cradle the side of his face. touch gentle, but firm and deliberate at the same time. ]
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slow, like he's painting out a mental map, jeff glides his hands up the length of david's back, shirt gathering up around his wrists as he kisses him. he catches his bottom lip between his own, swipes his tongue almost tentatively against it, and when he drags his hands back down, he pulls them forward a bit, following the shape of david's rib cage around to the front until he's holding his sides, thumbs stroking short, soft lines alone the ridges of his bottom ribs.
something about sneaking away to go and make out makes jeff feel— not young, but younger. takes him back to when life felt a little easier. never easy, but anything before the fog seems like a walk in the park in comparison. getting distracted like this is dangerous and maybe a little reckless, especially considering where they've sneaked off to, but jeff hasn't forgotten the risk. he's just - weighed it against the reward, and found that the reward is worth whatever might happen to him if they get caught. maybe not so much if david gets caught up in michael's bullshit too, but jeff doesn't intend to let him.
that's nothing he wants to think about though, when there are much nicer things to occupy his mind with. like the way david's chest expands under his hands with every breath, and how the weight of him in his lap isn't heavy, but solid and real. grounding, in a way jeff can't really properly describe. like the way his fingers ghost against the nape of jeff's neck, sending a small shiver racing down the length of his spine. the way their mouths fit together. a million things he wants to immortalize in rough lines and bold, thick stripes of color.
jeff pulls away somewhat suddenly, just a fraction. just enough so he can tilt his chin down and take a deep breath, just a bit overwhelmed for a moment by how much he likes david. he wets his lips, forehead lightly bumping against david's brow just briefly, but he only needs a second. he exhales slow and easy, turns his head slightly so he can kiss the high point of david's cheek, then the soft bit of skin by his ear. the edge of his jaw, then just beneath at the slope of his throat. ]
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[ muffled though, by the sensation of jeff's hands travelling up his back, around his sides. david's no stranger to having his body appreciated, to hands on him that border on worship in their touch, but this feels different. or maybe he's just biased. maybe it's just that something about the slow, thoughtful way jeff touches him makes him want to feel less like an object-- a prize for somebody else's consumption. not... that he necessarily objects to that, but he feels those hands broad and warm on his sides, thumbs along his ribs, and his breathing stops completely for a moment because the word that flits through his mind is adored and that might be more terrifying than anything he's encountered in the fog. ]
[ the thought of chasing that feeling scares him shitless for a million different reasons, and he feels a little like he's going insane. fuck that, a lot like he's going insane. who gets like this after kissing someone a few times? ]
[ when jeff pulls away, david's breath comes out shakily, simultaneously relieved and already missing the slot of their mouths together. he closes his eyes and takes a breath like that'll help, but before he's even finished he feels lips on his cheek, his jaw. already tiling his head to encourage jeff when he's at his throat and pushing his hand up into his hair, holding the back of his head, a quiet gasp slipping out of him that he can't even find it in himself to be embarrassed by. ]
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there's a tiny voice in the back of jeff's head telling him that he's already in too deep with this man, that he shouldn't be thinking about david in terms of art or committing the shape of him underneath his hands to memory. the way he smirks when he's teasing, the tension in his jaw when he's determined or angry or both, the way his voice gets a little rougher at the edges when he's had enough for one day. they've only kissed a handful of times, but it already feels like there aren't enough canvases in the world to capture all of the things jeff likes about him. all of the things he'd want to remember, if the entity chose to show them a little mercy when they finally found a way out of this place.
but maybe it's not too much - maybe it just feels that way because he doesn't have to hide his adoration away in the pages of an old sketchbook, or in the gentle application of bandages and medical tape, wishing he could do more, or in subtle, silent glances when david's pushing his limits and they both know it, but they also know he's the only thing holding everyone together when the odds seem slim to none. maybe it just feels like a lot because it's all at the forefront instead of pushed away and buried somewhere in the back of his mind.
he can't let himself get too far into his own head. if he does, he's bound to fuck this up. make it weird or awkward or uncomfortable, and while that's kind of par for the course for him on a good day, he's not interested in ruining things so quickly.
swallowing quietly, jeff wets his lips and noses at david's throat where his pulse is, fingers flexing again against his sides. he exhales slowly through his mouth, brushes a kiss against the same spot he nosed at. presses another one an inch below that, beard bristling against thin skin. his hands cradling david's rib cage move idly, almost of their own accord, drifting lower to his waist again before they push back and meet in the middle at the bottom of david's spine, fingers linking together and holding him close.
when the lazy peppering of kisses dips low enough to david's shirt collar, jeff doesn't go any further than that - but he does shift, ghosting another kiss over the hollow of his throat before starting another path up the other side of david's neck. ]
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Hold-- [ he clears his throat ] hold on.
[ he pulls back enough to pull off his shirt and drop it next to them on the bed. now they may resume. ]
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for whatever reason, david's next move is not one jeff expects - but not one he can he's not very into, either. his eyebrows lift slightly when david starts pulling off his shirt, hands moving off of him to get out of the way and make it that much easier. it's not the first time jeff's seen him without a shirt, and even if they weren't tangled up in whatever this new thing is, it probably wouldn't be the last, either, with how often he turns up in trial without one.
but it feels different. it feels deliberate, significant. jeff wouldn't go so far as to say it's for him, but there's a difference between turning up in a trial without a shirt in front of four other people, and taking it off on purpose in front of just one. there's a difference between wandering off into the woods to go blow off some steam by working out, keeping cool without a shirt - and this.
jeff smiles faintly at david, and the first thing he looks at is not david's newly bared torso, but his eyes. partly checking in to make sure he's all right, and partly just because jeff likes them. when his hands settle back on david again, he puts one of them back over the dip of david's spine and brings the other one up to gently cup the side of his neck, thumb tucked beside the hinge of his jaw. jeff leans in to kiss him softly, light and brief, and when he pulls away again, he skims his hand down from david's neck. ghosts his fingertips along a collar bone, thumbs at the hollow of his throat. spreads his fingers and pulls his palm down to the center of david's chest where he just... stops.
it's too much to say that he's fascinated with the proof of life under his palm - the rise and fall of david's chest as he breathes, the dull but present heartbeat, maybe a little quicker than david expects - but it's easy for him to get distracted by it. comforted by it, even.
jeff looks up again, takes a breath of his own, because he hadn't realized he'd stopped for a moment. he offers another one of those ghosts of a smile and tilts his chin up for a kiss. ]
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[ he smooths his hands out over jeff's collarbones, lets out another of those shaky breaths at the those touches and the hand on his chest, and he presses their foreheads together just for a moment. thoughtful almost when he puts his hand over jeff's to press it firmer against his chest as he tilts his head into that kiss. ]
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the way david closes his hand over jeff's makes something soft in his stomach flutter for a moment, and jeff doesn't really think about it when he turns his hand over underneath david's, slotting their fingers together but keeping their hands right where they are, pinned against his chest. if he focused hard enough, jeff could probably feel the beat of david's heart against his knuckles, but he's too caught up in catching david's lower lip with his teeth, a subtle low note pushing against his mouth.
like david, jeff's also starting to get a little warm, the both of them close enough to each other that their shared body heat doesn't really have anywhere to go. unlike david though, jeff's first instinct isn't to peel himself out of his own shirt; he's not self conscious, not really, but he's also aware that he's... a bit softer than david is, and while he's fairly sure david wouldn't have anything to say about it, it's easier to just - not even consider it at all. ]
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[ the thought makes an amused rush of breath come out of his nose, his hand moving to the back of jeff's neck to hold him firm so he can lean properly into the kiss with more of his weight, a quiet groan slipping out of him at the same time. ]
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it takes him a second, but he eventually circles back to that little ghost of a laugh, and he breaks away from david. he presses a kiss to his chin, dips his head down a little so he can brush another one against the back of david's hand where his own is still tangled with it against his chest. lifts his head back up again, asks about midway back to david's mouth. ]
What's so funny? Mm?
[ it's just a low murmur, but there's some mild amusement in his tone too. ]
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Just suddenly struck me, s'all. Sneaking off to go do this in some dingy bedroom. [ david looks down, watching jeff, a quiet smile on his face. combs his fingers through the front of jeff's hair and lets his hand rest at the back of his head. he'd been to preoccupied with the actual doing of getting here and now this to actually think about it at any point. ] Like a pair of kids.
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humming a thoughtful note in acknowledgement, jeff opens his eyes and looks up at david with a soft, lopsided smile, chuckling quietly under his breath. idly, he relaxes his hand against david's back again, rubs his thumb over david's where their hands are linked together between them. ]
Mm. I was never this lucky.
[ jeff says this mostly as a joke, but it's not untrue. to be fair, though, jeff had very little interest in romantic relationships when he was a teenager, the notion of dating or being romantically involved with someone heavily soured by his parents' constant fighting and eventual divorce. even if it hadn't been, though, jeff doesn't think his younger self would be as confident or as comfortable as he is now.
plus, david was probably just as attractive when he was younger as he is now. teenage jeff probably wouldn't have even known how to speak to him without making an absolute fool of himself.
jeff slides his hand up the column of david's spine, ghosts it back down. he shrugs one of his shoulders kind of lazily. ]
Kinda nice, though.
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[ the smile on his face is slight, but regardless it's warm and bright, a slight wrinkling by his eyes giving away his amusement too. he tries to imagine what they would've even been like at that age, but most of his thoughts about being a teenager and any kind of relationship inevitably drift toward tristan and that's not what he wants to be thinking about right now. ]
[ in a fucked up kind of way, this is better. and that's something he's not going to lend to much mental real estate to either. ]
[ his teenage self certainly wouldn't have been comfortable sitting in somebody's lap like this, even someone who feels as warm and safe as jeff, much too occupied with macho asshole bullshit. subconsciously he wriggles his hips a little at the thought like he's just remembered that's where he is and has to get comfortable again. ]
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For once.
[ david doesn't complain at lot in jeff's honest opinion. he's loud sometimes, opinionated and stubborn and unafraid to call someone out for fucking up, but he's not one to whine without reason. it's fun to tease him a little bit though.
when david wiggles in his lap to get settled again, jeff makes a very quiet sound, like he held his breath for just a second and then released it. he curls his hand into a loose fist at david's back and lazily drugs his knuckles up and down the first couple notches in his spine. he looks up at david, squeezes his hand lightly. ]
How long's too long do you think?
[ to be out here fucking around before someone thinks something happened to them and maybe comes looking. not that he's in any rush to go back to camp when he's so content here like this. ]
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[ he's also much too keyed in to jeff right now not to notice that little sound he makes, and it takes david a second to even realise why, but then he can't stop himself giving jeff a sly little smirk, but he doesn't say anything or pursue it. he glances back over his shoulder instead at the little alarm clock on the nightstand. but it doesn't work so. what's the point even. ]
How long have we even been here?
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when david asks how long it's been, jeff takes his other hand off of david's back and leans back a little so he can look down at his own wrist - where there is, unsurprisingly, not a watch. just a bunch of black ink. jeff narrows his eyes anyway for a moment, then looks up at david with a casual shrug. ]
No idea. [ :). ] Hour, maybe?
[ which isn't a terribly long time for anyone to be gone looking for supplies or checking out whatever new bullshit's happened to crop up, but still. ]
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but that's a concern for later. for now, jeff sighs through his nose, using his arm around david to pull him close, their clasped hands between them keeping them from being completely flush, but it doesn't even cross jeff's mind to let go of his hand just so they can be that much closer.
gently, jeff catches david's lower lip with his teeth, licks tentatively at the seam of his mouth. ]
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[ though worried is a strong word for how little david is thinking about any of that, not with the way he presses himself up close all over again when jeff pulls his arm around him, not even giving a passing thought to their hands clasped between them. far more interested in reminding himself how jeff tastes like it's been longer than a couple of minutes. ]
[ eventually it's gotta stop though. david can feel them both slowing down, no idea how long they've been here but he doesn't care about it too much. slowly, like he's reticent (because he is,) david pulls away. but he sticks close enough to leave a kiss at the corner of jeff's mouth, another on the apple of his cheek, leaves his forehead pressed to jeff's temple when he speaks; low and rough. ]
We should probably head back.
[ he is in no way making even the slightest move to make that happen. ]
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but he also doesn't move right away, quietly pleased by david's gentle affections. he exhales, closes his eyes for a second and lingers in the moment. it's been... a really fucking long time since jeff's had a couple of enjoyable hours, and he's reluctant let it come to an end. when david suggests they should start making their way back to camp, jeff answers with a low note. he turns his head slightly so he can kiss david one more time, and murmurs, ]
Can't go anywhere until you do.
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You think they'd notice if we just didn't come back for a while? [ his eyes are closed, voice low, arm draped lazily over jeff's shoulder. ] Be nice to sleep in a real bed.
[ hahaha j/k... unless..... ]
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it would be really nice to sleep in a real bed. really fucking nice. between the both of them, david's more likely to be noted as missing before jeff is, but the people who're close enough to david to notice his absence are also probably the people who know not to worry about him too quickly. jeff can't say if anyone would notice, isn't sure if anyone even saw them leave.
and what's the worst that could happen, honestly? they get some actually decent sleep for once for a couple hours before michael finds them? they die in their sleep? admittedly, jeff can't say being murdered in his sleep sounds... terrible. he likely wouldn't even know. and who knows, maybe they'll keep riding this wave of luck and nothing will happen to them at all. either way, the odds seem... not not in their favor.
how fucked up is it that he's willing to risk a knife in the gut to sleep in an actual bed? probably less fucked up than being trapped in an endless cycle of being hunted and slaughtered. jeff absently kneads the back of david's neck, wets his lips. he offers a half shrug. ]
People are gone from camp all the time. [ granted, it's usually because they've been summoned to a trial, but still. the pros of staying here are really starting to outweigh the cons the longer jeff thinks about it. ] Christ knows my back could use a break...
[ ha ha. jk. un. less. ]
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[ for his part, once the thought occurred david knew he'd be down if jeff was. any kind of comfort is fleeting here, it feels more than worth it to him to grab hold of this once the opportunity presents. lord knows he's done riskier shit for less, even when the threat of death was far more than a terrifying inconvenience. like if stubbing your toe came with a wash of existential dread. ]
[ when jeff finally speaks, david gives it a couple of moment's thought and then carefully slips off his lap onto the bed next to him, still holding his hand, which makes finding a way to lay down a little awkward but he'll manage. ]
C'mere then. [ he grins up at jeff. ] Been told I make a good pillow.
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david summons him, though. looks up at him and smiles and tells him to come here and something in jeff's chest vibrates a little. he can't help the quiet huff of a laugh that escapes him, nor can help the lopsided smile that tugs at one side of his mouth or the sad attempt to hide it. jeff shakes his head, lightly squeezing david's hand that's still tangled with his.
this is a stupid idea. jeff can admit that much, but it's probably not the stupidest idea either one of them has had by far. as far as jeff is concerned, the risk is worth the reward no matter how you spin it, at least this once. he raises his eyebrows slightly at david. ]
Mm? [ he's not questioning david's claim of being a good pillow, but merely acknowledging it. jeff starts to shift, working on getting more comfortable, all without letting go of david's hand. it's hard to tell if he even realizes he's still holding it. ] Not as impressive as a great pillow.
[ jeff says this nonchalantly, settles, glances at david again. ]
That's me. By the way.
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[ he evidently hasn't forgotten they're holding hands either, not with the way david tugs on jeff's a little pointedly and raises his eyebrows. ]
Can't sleep on yourself though, can you?
[ he would like to have this man in his arms asap, and if anything he thinks he deserves it. ]
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and then he loosens his grip, carefully eases his his hand out of david's, and only pauses for a moment before sitting up a bit. then, with only a little bit of uncertainty, he reaches back over his shoulders and grabs two handfuls of his shirt, pulling it off over his head and reaching slightly to drop it with david's.
if they're going to hang out here and try to get some - normal sleep in a normal(ish) bed, he might as well make the most of it, right? it only makes sense try and be as comfortable as possible, and if he were back home, for real, in his own bed, he wouldn't be sleeping (or attempting to sleep) in a shirt.
jeff clears his throat quietly, then attempts to settle again. ]
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[ not that david can completely hide that that's what he's doing, but jeff isn't exactly sat up for long and david reaches out with an arm to welcome jeff back to the bed. he's laying on his back for now, but he'll move however to accommodate jeff, mostly fighting the urge to put his hands all over him until they have this arrangement sorted. ]
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but he's also changed a lot, from then to now. taller by far, and nowhere near as lean or as gangling as he used to be. softer. and he's fine with that, comfortable for the most part, even, but it's hard not to feel at least a little bit vulnerable in the moment. jeff likes david, a lot. it's hard not to think about whether david will still be as into him as he seems, now that he's seen more of him.
but jeff tries. he comes back to david and he focuses instead on the fact that for the first time in what feels like eternity at this point, he might get to sleep for a couple of hours in an actual bed. uninterrupted, if they're lucky. it takes jeff a few beats to figure out how exactly he wants to settle, but eventually he ends up on his side, nudged up close to david, and he puts an arm over him and his cheek on his shoulder. ]
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part of him is mildly anxious just because it's been a while since he's slept in the same bed as someone else, but also because he's a little worried about crossing boundaries. still thinking about the way david had tensed up a little, the first time they had kissed, the mildly panicked look in his eyes before he took off to find a gate. jeff has more context now for that moment, but it doesn't mean it's not still in the back of his mind.
but part of him is... unexpectedly content, too. unwilling to let his anxiety ruin something good. jeff tilts his head up just an inch, just enough so he can kiss the side of david's throat. ]
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[ david makes a soft, happy noise at jeff's lips on his throat, wraps his arm around him to hold him close and tight — testing the waters a little, maybe, to see what jeff's comfortable with. he closes his eyes on a sigh and brings his other hand up to card his fingers into the front of jeff's hair, to comb his fingers through it as they settle in. ]
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it's probably obvious by now that jeff likes having his hair touched - or maybe he just likes it when david does it, who knows - but it's different like this. it puts him at ease far quicker than it should, helps him relax probably more than he's allowed himself to relax in a long time. jeff opens his eyes half way, traces a lazy pattern with his fingertips against david's ribs, and he murmurs. ]
Gonna put me to sleep real fast if you keep doing that.
[ that's not a complaint by any means, just a fair warning. ]
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That's kinda the point.
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Mm. Kinda'd like to enjoy this for more than twenty seconds though.
[ that's a little bit of an exaggeration - jeff wouldn't drift out that quickly, but there's no denying how comfortable he is already, how easily he could nod off if he didn't fight it. that being said though, he adds: ]
But don't stop.
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[ it's an amused mumble, and david scratches his fingers lightly against a spot on the back of jeff's head affectionately (you know, like one might with a cat or a dog) and continues playing with jeff's hair. something about it is a little calming for him too, a comfortable repetition to let his mind idle and focus in on the warm body halfway on him and his even breaths. ]
[ he almost says something about finding a way to do this again soon, but david worries about both being too presumptuous and about jinxing it, so he keeps that thought to himself. ]
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and for a minute or two, he's content to just lay there in the silence, warm and comfortable and surprisingly relaxed considering the extremely high risk that comes with what they're doing. by all accounts, his anxiety should be through the roof - and that's not to say he's not anxious at all, but all things considered, it's pretty baseline.
eventually though, jeff's idle petting of david's ribs pauses, and he tenses the slightest bit for the briefest moment. he shifts his head an inch, tilts his chin up a bit like he's trying to look up at david, but all he can really see is the edge of his jaw and the side of his face. ]
Is this— [ he cuts himself off, clears his throat. jeff's voice is low, barely a murmur. ] ... You comfortable? I can - move. If.
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[ when jeff speaks it startles him a little, something that tapers into a soft and quiet laugh as david makes an attempt to turn his head enough to press a kiss to whatever part of jeff is most accessible. his forehead, probably. ]
Yeah, I'm comfortable.
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satisfied that he's not imposing or being... unbearable by being too tactile, jeff relaxes again. settles into david, breathes in, and then out nice and slow, hand at david's side curling into a loose fist so he can lazily drag his knuckles back and forth along his rib cage. the steady rise and fall of david's chest, the soft sound of his breathing, the fingers tangled in his hair, the comfort and security of being alone but with someone he trusts explicitly - all of it is enough lull jeff closer toward sleep pretty easily, and though he does try to fight it for a good minute or two, just to linger in the moment for that much longer, sleep does eventually pull him under. ]
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[ when he does wake up some hours later, it's with a gentle, cresting surprise as awareness of where he is forms slowly. not the dark of the woods, but the dingy lights of a house in haddonfield. the weight of a body on his that makes him smile when he remembers who it is, and david turns his head to nose lightly at jeff's hair. ]
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jeff breathes in deep though his nose, a little sharper than usual, gently startled awake. he tenses briefly; it takes him a couple of seconds of bleary blinking into the side of david's neck to piece together where he is and who he's with, and when it all clicks into place, he relaxes again with a soft exhale. he slides his hand up david's side, drags it back down. ]
Mn. Okay?
[ his voice is low and rough with sleep, but there's tiny thread of concern laced into his tone, like he's worried david might have been woken by something, and they need to get up and go, instead of waking naturally. he has no idea how long its been, but honestly, he's just surprised they're not waking up in a pool of blood or worse. ]
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Sorry-- weren't tryin' to wake you.
[ his accent is a little more pronounced this fresh from sleep, his own voice rough with it too, and he nuzzles lightly into the top of jeff's head. he knows they shouldn't push their luck too much further, but after all this, a slow and lazy waking seems right. a last bit of peace before they have to return to reality. ]
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S'all right. Probably should.
[ wake up, he means, but he makes no immediate effort to do that. like david, he knows they've been extremely lucky so far, and to push their luck beyond its limits would likely end very badly, but. what's five more minutes? when's the last time he was able to take his time waking up instead of snapping awake in the middle of the woods? when's the last time he woke up and some part of him wasn't sore or cramped? if five more minutes is too much to ask, well. so be it. ]
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[ what's a few more minutes? it's a dangerous line of thought and even half asleep, david's aware of that much, but he can feel jeff's breath on his throat and his hand on his side and he can't bear to give that up a second sooner than he has to. if they end up slaughtered for it like teens in some schlocky horror movie, he thinks that might be worth it. ]
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eventually, though, jeff concedes: they have to get moving at some point, either before someone comes looking or their luck runs out. with a sigh, jeff brushes a fleeting kiss against david's neck and then starts to shift, peeling himself away from him and turning onto his back. he stretches his back out, uses one hand to rub his fingers against his eyes, and then paws around by his side for wherever their shirts wound up. not far, apparently, and he drags both over and drops them on david's stomach. he's awake, but maybe not enough to sort out whose is whose. ]
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Here. [ and then he dumps jeff's shirt on his face. romance. ] Make yourself decent.
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but jeff pulls his shirt on, untucks his hair from underneath his collar, and then rakes his fingers through his hair so he can tie it back. the less it looks like he has bedhead, the better, probably. at least if they're going to attempt to get away with this, anyway. he pulls his hands down over his face when he's done, chasing away any lingering sleepiness, then looks at david. ]
Think we should find something to take back?
[ or just call it an unsuccessful supply run? that took... several hours. ]
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Don't think we wanna stick around here much longer.
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if jeff doesn't get up now though, he's likely to just stay here forever, so with some reluctance, he kicks his legs over the side of the bed and stands, taking another second to properly stretch his back and his shoulder - which, by some miracle, don't actually ache at all for once - and then he turns and offers a hand out toward david. as if he really needs help getting out of bed. ]
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Let's head back.
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with a gentle pat to david's side, jeff tilts his head toward the door and then steps away from him to start to head out. ]
C'mon. [ and then, quieter, he adds: ] Careful.
[ you know. just in case michael's lurking around somewhere waiting to gut a couple of trespassers. ]
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[ there's always the temptation to just jump one of the windows and bolt out of this fucking place, but david stops himself. quick and careful as he takes the stairs and peeks outside again for any signs of life other than the two of them before he steps out onto the porch, casting a look jeff's way to see if he's noticed anything. they're probably fine. ]
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jeff tilts his head in the direction of the gate they came in through, then starts down the small handful of steps off the porch. it almost seems too easy to be getting away with this, almost enough that the idea of doing something like this again sounds very tempting. maybe they choose a different house next time, a different bed. keep from forming too much of a predictable pattern.
it'd be a stupid move to try and press their luck again - but worth it, maybe. ]
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[ he looks down at his hand, traces his thumb against the edge of a finger as he thinks about jeff's hand in his and halfway wonders if maybe this was a mistake, but if it was or wasn't it doesn't really matter now either way. honestly the difficult part for david is going to be keeping his hands to himself in just about all other situations. ]
[ like now, as they pass through the gate and his urge is to reach for jeff just out of sheer relief. he sighs instead, shoulders visibly relaxing. sure they're not necessarily safe yet, but things just shifted dramatically in their favour. ]
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Hey.
[ jeff catches david by the elbow, reaches out and grabs him without more than a single word as a warning, but there's nothing urgent in his touch. he's gentle as he pulls david aside, and even gentler when he leans down to kiss him.
you know. just one more before they have to go back and they can't do this anymore. ]
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but as much as he'd like to spend another hour or three kissing david, he knows they shouldn't linger, so jeff keeps it brief. pulls away after a few seconds, bumps his nose against david's, leaves one last kiss on his cheek. ]
Sorry. [ he says, close to his ear before fully detaching himself from david. he clears his throat quietly, tries to hide the tiniest of playful smirks. ] Couldn't help it.
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I think-- [ he bumps his shoulder against jeff's and starts walking again, teasing a little but otherwise honest. ] That's not something you've ever gotta apologise to me for.
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he only lets david get a handful of steps away from him before he moves to catch up to him with a few easy strides, and though he feels that same urge to reach out and touch him again somehow, this time he resists. doesn't mean he lets too much space come between them though. ]
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[ ... unless jeff doesn't want that? david frowns, suddenly worried about getting back to camp and that just it. which would, admittedly, be kind of weird considering it's not like they even fucked, but it also wouldn't be the weirdest thing to ever happen to him. ]
[ what he thinks is he should just shake it off when they get back to camp, that he's just a bit out of sorts considering it's the first time he's been close like this with another man since tristan and he's winding himself up over nothing. what david does, on the other hand, is take a couple long strides so he can round in front of jeff and put his hands out apologetically to stop him. ]
Hey-- hold on a sec.
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even so, he pauses for a second, glances past david to see if anything's lurking around behind him, slowly reaching for his flashlight in his back pocket, then shifts his gaze back to david. he keeps his voice low, just in case. ]
What's wrong?
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[ he holds up his hands again as he says it, asking for jeff to give him a moment here. struggling with his words isn't common for david, but sometimes he needs a second to get started, like finding the right foothold on a wall. once he has it, he's golden, but sometimes it takes a little time to get it. ]
[ once he has it, david lowers his hands, clasps them together in front of himself as he speaks. casual, easy. surprisingly relaxed considering he just suddenly stopped jeff in the middle of the woods to ask him this, but it's not serious. he just doesn't want anyone overhearing them is all. ]
Feels like we skipped a couple steps here and just kinda dove right in to something here. [ there's a brief quirk of his lips as he says it, the slightest hint of amusement before he looks up at jeff with narrowed eyes to see if he's following. ] I'm just trying to catch my bearings, is all. So if that's what you want, then great, but if it's not? If you're just after somethin' casual or whatever...
[ david clears his throat, looks down at his hands for a brief moment of uncertainty before he catches himself and looks back up at jeff. maintaining that lightness in his tone because this isn't a big deal or anything, he's just trying to make sure they're on the same page. it's totally chill. ]
I just need to know so I'm not, y'know. [ he raises his eyebrows and tilts his head this way and that, a bit like this is amusing. just a funny little query. ] I'm not tryin' to smother you or anything here.
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but jeff doesn't rush david, doesn't prompt him or push him to continue. jeff's more than familiar with the struggle to put his thoughts into words, and he recognizes this brief pause as just that fairly easily. he stays quiet, his eyebrows still gently pinched and shaped with concern as he waits david out, and when david finally continues, jeff pays attention.
maybe a little too much, because david's loose, amused attitude feels - off in a way that jeff can't really explain. like it doesn't quite match, even though there's nothing particularly serious about the conversation. or maybe jeff's reading something wrong, maybe it's more serious than it seems and he's just thrown off. his eyebrows never unknit, not until david's nearly finished, and even after david does his best impression of a bobble head, it still takes jeff more than a few seconds to catch his own bearings, so to speak.
his brows relax, then lift slightly. jeff clears his throat quietly, opens his mouth to respond, but it turns out he needs another second. eventually, though, he starts to piece his thoughts together and lay them out. ]
Uh. [ great start, jeffrey. he closes his mouth, and absently lets his hand fall away from his flashlight. tries again, fails again. he exhales. ] Look, I'm not — great. At this part. [ you know. verbalizing his thoughts. talking in general. ] So I'll just—
[ jeff shrugs, makes some kind of aborted gesture with one hand. when in doubt, just - open your mouth and hope what comes out makes a modicum of sense. ]
I... am attracted to you. [ obviously. ] Have been, since before the, uh. The station. If we're being honest. [ he clears his throat, maybe very slightly embarrassed by this admission, but he forces himself to keep going. ] I know we— this, [ he makes another half gesture between the two of them and then abandons it ] Has been a little... quick, I guess. But all I want is what you want.
[ jeff should probably put his hands away so he stops doing weird shit with them, so that's exactly what he does. he shoves his hands into his front pockets, elbows straight for a moment before he forces himself to relax, aware that he's awkward. he teeters back on his heels briefly, then settles. ]
If casual's what works for you, that's fine. If that... doesn't work for you, [ in other words, if you want more than casual. jeff shrugs a little, finding himself trying to match that weird energy david was giving off earlier by offering a faint, lopsided smile. it probably doesn't work as well. ] Then... I'm all right with that too. Whatever you're comfortable with. [ he wets his lips, clears his throat again, quiet, then adds almost as an afterthought: ] Either way... I don't feel smothered.
[ he pauses again, blinks. his eyebrows lift a fraction in concern. ]
... Do you?
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[ he mirrors jeff, hands shoved in his front pockets as he tries to figure out how to respond to all that. he doesn't think he wants just casual, not if he has a choice, but his track record isn't great. maybe he's just not built for anything other than casual relationships.
Don't think I really know what I want.
[ he frowns a bit when he says it, puffs out a light breath with a shake of his head. he just doesn't want to be putting his feelings somewhere they're not going to be reciprocated, and sure he can't control that, but he can minimize the risk for both of them. ]
[ there's also a couple other concerns, but they're ancillary, barely even on his mind. ]
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no point in stressing too much about it though, at least not right here right now. later? probably.
jeff takes one of his hands out of his pockets and uses his knuckles to rub along the edge of his jaw on one side, beard bristling quietly. it's one of many anxious ticks, and when he catches himself doing it, he drops his hand again. ]
Okay. Well. [ he offers a half shrug, shakes his head a little. super casual. ] No pressure.
[ jeff was being honest when he said he only wants what david wants. if david's only interested in something casual, then jeff's not going to ask him or pressure him for anything more than that. if he wants something a little more serious, jeff's available for that too. and if it turns out that david wants nothing at all from him, well - that'll kind of suck more than it would have before he'd kissed david at the top of the stairs outside the police station, but that's just something he'll have to live with, because david isn't obligated to do or be anything for him.
jeff pushes his hand back into his pocket, tries not to look as awkward as he feels. ]
Just - let me know, I guess. Either way.
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[ his frown is brief, mostly just one of thought while he thinks about what jeff said and decides that's just going to have to do. reaches out to put a hand on jeff's arm and give it a squeeze. ]
Sorry-- Didn't mean to freak you out or anything.
i hate these idiots
when david squeezes his arm, jeff responds with a small, tight-lipped smile, just as brief as david's frown. he shakes his head again, taking his hands out of his pockets because he feels like his body language might contradict with his reply. ]
Don't be. I'm not - freaked out. [ that's the truth, even if it doesn't seem like it. he's not freaked out, he's just... incredibly unsure about a lot of things. not about david, not really, just about whether he navigated this whole thing wrong, unsure if he's maybe been being a little too... assertive? which is kind of a wild thing to think about, because he's not really the assertive type.
all of that being said though, jeff pauses for a few long seconds, looks like he's thinking a little too serious about something, and then he just— ] Sorry, can we - start this conversation over?
[ and if he winces a little, it's just because he's self-aware of how ungraceful and abrupt that probably was. ]
leave them alone they're doing their best
[ david lets his grip lax, but he keeps his hand on jeff's arm. he doesn't often see him off-kilter like this any more, and it makes him worry a little that he's mistepped a little, asked something he shouldn't have or backed him into a corner somehow. ]
[ or maybe it's just that jeff isn't exactly the talkative type, and david's asking him for a lot of that right now. not just to talk, but it's not exactly a simple and easy topic, no matter how much david might act like it is. ]
[ either way, he looks up to meet jeff's eyes, patient and listening, mostly to see if he's going to speak first or if david should go. ]
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he plays the start of the conversation back in his head, when david had put himself in jeff's way so they could talk, brows pinched together a little as he tries to work out what he wants to say. ]
Shit. All right, uh. What... [ he wets his lips. ] What exactly were you asking me? You said you need to know so you're not 'you know', but. I don't... know.
[ really, that's maybe the part that's confusing him the most right now, though he's plenty confused about the rest of everything else too, really. despite posing david with a question, jeff presses forward and doesn't leave much space for him to answer right away. he drags his hand down over his beard and a little bit down his neck, another one of his subtler anxious ticks. it's not david that makes him anxious, but the possibility of saying the wrong thing. he already feels like he's fumbled once, he doesn't want to screw up twice. ]
To be, uh. Clear. I guess. I've never really done the casual thing. [ which isn't to say that he hasn't tried, it's just that it's not really him. jeff's too soft and sentimental when it comes to the people he allows himself to get close to, both romantically and platonically. and he would say he and david are decently close. he'd have said the same if asked before he got trapped under some mistletoe, too. he clears his throat quietly. ] I like - this.
[ he makes a small gesture back and forth between himself and david. ]
I, uh. Like where we are. So far. [ even if they've definitely skipped over some things and landed maybe a little ahead of themselves, like david said. he lowers his voice slightly, vaguely conscious of the possibility of being eavesdropped on. ] I like you. But if this is all a little too much, or uh. Too fast? I don't have a problem with slowing down or backing off, if that's... what you were wanting to know.
[ why does it feel like he's said absolutely nothing and gotten absolutely nowhere? christ. ]
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I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. [ a little absently, he reaches up with his free hand and tucks some of jeff's hair back while he's looking at him, smile a bit more genuine than before, small as it is. ] I wasn't asking for casual or wanting to slow down, I just--
[ he frowns suddenly, purses his lips for a moment trying to find the right way to describe it. he's a little slower when he continues, more deliberate as if he's not fully sure of what he's about to say until the words are out of his mouth, which is less like him than people might think. ]
I don't wanna get invested in something and have it be one-sided because you're not interested in that and I didn't know. That's all it was.
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[ for the second time in less than five minutes, jeff feels like a little bit of an idiot - but in a way that's funny in hindsight, rather than stressful. he's not typically the kind of person to let himself spiral over minor things - and he wouldn't say he'd started to spiral here, either, not really - but when it comes to important things, he likes to get them right. he wants whatever he's doing with david to be... right. and for a moment, he'd gotten ahead of himself, thought too hard about what david was asking and maybe went a little too worst-case-scenario for a minute. assumed he was doing something wrong, or was maybe asking for too much or assuming there was something more here than there actually was.
the clarification here is a welcome relief, eases whatever anxiety was clinging to him. it's almost kind of funny, when david lays it all out. that he thinks at all that jeff might not be interested or - or invested is almost laughable, maybe only to jeff. he was telling the truth earlier, when he admitted to being attracted to david, but in david's defense, up until... the mistletoe incident, jeff had made a point of keeping any feelings he may have been developing toward david to himself. burying them in quick sketches and folded pages, in small, easily dismissed gestures - like lending him his jacket after springing him free from the saloon, or setting aside a scavenged beer for him while he was sleeping, so he wouldn't miss out. so it's not david's fault if there are some doubts, and jeff doesn't blame him.
as amusing as it is, though, jeff doesn't laugh. instead, he smiles faintly, feeling a little more reassured, and reaches out only somewhat hesitantly to touch his fingers to david's side. lets them drift a little so he can hook his index in one of his belt loops and give it a gentle little tug, not with any intention to pull david closer, but just out of a desire to be physically connected to him in some way. jeff shakes his head slightly, that ghost of a smile still lingering. ]
It's not one-sided. [ he thought that much was obvious. ] I am interested. [ he gives david's belt loop another light little tug. ] Invested.
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[ for a moment he just feels overwhelmed (in a good way) by the verbal confirmation, he lets his hand trail down the outside of jeff's arm to find his hand and take it to give it a quick squeeze. so they're on the same page, they're just also idiots. that's fine by david, he can handle being a dumbass. it's another moment that has him feeling a bit like some dumb teenager, but david can live with that too. ]
[ there's a thread of anxiety there too, but that's for later, when he's on his own. he doesn't want to sour the moment by freaking out over whether or not he's gonna ruin this somehow. instead he glances back over his shoulder and moves to step away so they can get moving again. ]
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when david squeezes his hand, jeff adjusts his own slightly so he can squeeze back, thumb doing a quick pass over his knuckles. it would appear that they're on the same page more than they know, because jeff knows he'll overthink this at some point when he's got time to himself. he knows he'll get in his head, wonder what he's doing to do to fuck up. it's not that his track record when it comes to relationships is bad, and he can't even really say for sure that whatever he's got with david is considered a relationship yet, if at all, but it's - important to him. david is important to him, regardless of their involvement with each other. it would be just his luck to see it all come crashing down.
but that's later's to-do list. for now, jeff watches david as he looks over his shoulder, watches him as he starts to step away. follows after him so he doesn't get too far without him, shoulder bumping his. ]
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trying to outrun a killer is a task and a half on a good day. jeff's learned how to mind game, pulls a fast one just as often as he gets outplayed. but the oni is fast, and less predictable than some other killers who also have speed on their side. for the most part, jeff can dodge an incoming hillbilly, but the oni? the oni's fury is something else.
jeff's been hooked twice already, but there are positives. they've almost completed enough generators to get the gates up and open, and nobody's died yet. jeff's not the only one that's one bad move away from being sacrificed, but he tries not to think about it too much. the less anxious he is about making sure everyone makes it out, the less likely he is to fumble a wire or blow something up just to set back their progress.
and david's here, somewhere. things always go a little bit better when david's around.
creeping up to the coal tower, jeff pauses only long enough to listen for the gen upstairs. to his relief, he can hear some of the pistons moving. closer to getting out of here than he thought, though he can't quite tell if someone's on it, or if they were chased off a while ago. regardless, jeff climbs over the window sill and immediately heads up the stairs, doing his best to keep his footsteps quiet. when he reaches the top and sees david there with his arms wrist deep in the guts of a generator, jeff can't help but smile a little to himself.
he doesn't rush forward, but he makes quick work of taking up the open side of the generator, peeking in to see what's been done already and what needs doing. there's blood all down the front of his shirt and a pretty gnarly hole in his shoulder, but otherwise he seems pretty content, even casts david a sideways glance as he nudges a bundle of wires aside with his fingers to get at something deeper in the generator. ]
You come here often?
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[ freshly patched up after his second stint on the hook, david's working on that gen, pauses when he thinks he hears the grunt of somebody climbing in through a window, but over the sound of the generator it could be anything — which he fucking hates — so he keeps an eye on the stairs out of the corner of his eye, a small smile blooming when jeff's head pops up coming up the stairs. ]
No, actually. [ he tilts his head to look at something, a little amusement showing around his eyes. ] Crazy coincidence bumping into you here.
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Mm, [ he hums in agreement, shooting david another sideways glance. this one lingers though, his gaze dropping to the blood all down the front of him, silently searching for anything urgent that david might be ignoring for the sake of getting through a generator faster. relatively speaking, david seems alright - none of that tense posture that comes with trying to push through an injury that, frankly, no one should be able to walk off. it's a relief, though only a mild one.
this isn't the first time he's seen david drenched in blood, and it certainly won't be the last, but it hits him a little differently this time, for some reason. jeff shifts his attention back to the generator, mindful of his grip as he twists some wires together. he laughs quietly, a little half-hearted and mostly under his breath. ] Might be fate.
[ jeff doesn't really believe in things like fate or destiny, but it's kinda funny to joke about sometimes.
when the fourth piston on the generator begins to... piston. as pistons do. jeff pauses for a second and reaches back to tug something free of his back pocket. ]
Got you something.
[ it's just a flashlight, but it's got fresh batteries and a pretty shiny bulb by the looks of it. jeff gives it a little wobble in his hand, then sets it down on the ground by david's foot so he doesn't have to stop working to accept it. jeff's decent with flashlights, but they both know that david's the one with a habit of running into any situation no matter how dire to try and get a save. ]
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[ david pulls... something. it vents something else or whatever. he doesn't understand this shit and he's at least 60% sure they don't work like any kind of machines in the real world anyway, so he's elected to just never give it more thought than touching the right wires and pulling the right levers to make it go. he chuckles at jeff's joke and glances out of the corner of his eye at the gift, just long enough to see what it is without making a mistake. ]
You shouldn't have. [ flashlight could come in clutch though. everyone's on their last legs, but fingers crossed he can keep oni from carrying anyone off to get sacrificed this way. ] I didn't get you anything.
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when david says he didn't get jeff anything, jeff glances away from the inside of the gen toward david, his eyebrows lifting slightly. the corner of his mouth tugs a little, and he looks back to the task at hand. the generator is almost finished, probably not a good idea to get too distracted and blow it to hell.
jeff shrugs a shoulder, ducks his head a little to get a better look at what he's doing. ]
Could make it up to me.
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Yeah? [ he ducks his head to get a better look at what he's doing. ] Easier ways to ask me to take my shirt off, y'know.
[ okay so he can't restrain himself entirely, but it's not the joke he wanted to make initially, so his self-restraint should still be applauded. ]
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jeff shakes his head, lowers a panel inside. ]
You think I wouldn't just ask?
[ would he? that'll just have to remain a mystery. jeff pushes something into place inside the belly of the generator and it whirs to life, the lights up top burning solid. he pulls his hands out of the gen, wipes any lingering grease or oil on his hands on his jeans, then quickly pushes himself up from his one knee.
there are a couple exits from here - the two windows, and the stairs that lead back down to the first floor, but whatever way either of them take, jeff would bet that the oni's headed right for the coal tower in search of a victim. jeff considers their options - it's probably best if they split up and go separate ways from this point. with only one generator left, the more spread out the four of them are, the better their chances of most of, if not everyone, getting out.
jeff starts to move for the stairs. ]
Last one should be done any second now. Meg and Vittorio were just getting started on one before I met up with you. [ so as long as the oni hasn't chased both of them off of it, escape is right within their grasps. as jeff starts to descend the stairs, assuming david'll just hop down from one of the windows (god, jeff's knees barely make it every time he's forced to), he says maybe a little too casually: ] I'll see where they're at. Gate's right out here - [ there's a pause in his words, but not in his step, ] I go down, just leave me. I'll get back up. Worry about the gates.
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[ he does indeed just hop out the window — or the open hole in the wall that acts like one — but he's pretty sure he heard jeff say 'just leave me' and he immediately climbs back in through the ground floor window to meet him on the stairs with a frown. pretty sure he could count the number of times he's left someone behind without being forced into it on his hands, he's sure as fuck not about to add jeff to that tally. ]
Lemme go check on 'em then. [ jeff's right, they should split up and they should focus on getting at least one of the gates open as soon as possible, but the suggested plan doesn't sit right with david. ] I can keep him busy long enough for you to get them gates open if he comes that way.
[ you know, "that way". the way that david definitely knows where it is. ]
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truthfully, it probably does make a little more sense for them to swap places in this plan - david's better at distractions, jeff's better at keeping hidden when it really counts, and meg and vittorio will be able to find the gates a little bit faster if he's the one powering them up versus david. regardless of the logic, jeff still doesn't like it, but each second spent caught up in a pointless argument is another second not spent on a generator or a gate and jeff knows when it's best not to bother.
jeff navigates around the cluster of old, wooden crates pushed into the center of the bottom floor and leans out of an open doorway, peering out of the coal tower for anything big and angry headed their way, but the coast seems relatively clear. in the far distance, if he squints, he can see two figures on either side of a generator. it's too far for him to make out how many pistons are moving, too far for him to get an estimate on how much more's left, but it seems promising. jeff turns to look back at david, nods, finally, in reluctant agreement of this new plan, and then juts his chin out toward that final gen. ]
They're that way. [ a pause. ] Don't do anything stupid. [ in other words, be careful. but jeff doesn't want to just leave it at that for whatever reason, so he reaches out and hooks two fingers through the bottle opener at david's hip and gives it two light tugs before letting go. ] See you in a minute.
[ and then he's off, headed toward the nearest gate so he'll be ready to get it going the second the last generator's complete. ]
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[ he's careful about making his way over to the generator, doesn't sprint as much as he wants to just in case that ends up leading the oni that way, and gets to work to help them finish up that last bit of work as soon as he's over there. asks them if they've seen the big bastard and they tell him they managed to hide when he came around and kicked the gen, but nothing significant, which makes david wonder if he shouldn't split off and find another one, but they're so close on this one he might as well stay put. ]
[ between the three of them it really doesn't take long before they're done and he hears the pips of the doors powering up. still hasn't seen oni, which doesn't make david feel great, but he starts leading the way back to the gate he left jeff at anyway. he should have it almost open by the time they get there so long as they're fast about it. ]
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in his brief but thorough scan, jeff spots a totem tucked up against a couple rocks near the bottom of the hill. unlit, but there's not really much for him to do until that last generator is finished, so he crouches and makes easy work of dismantling it until it's nothing but a pile of bone and twine and melted wax. no telling if there are any other totems left unchecked, but. fingers crossed.
when the last generator pops and that telltale note sounds chimes throughout the estate, jeff's quick to get on the nearest gate. he yanks the lever down, checks over one shoulder, then the other. they're lucky that the gates aren't as close together as they sometimes are - unlucky that they're stuck in here with the oni, who can cut across long distances pretty quickly if he's pissed enough.
by now, jeff's memorized just how long it takes to get the gates open, provided there's nothing in play to slow them down, so as he waits, he counts down the seconds in his head, eyes constantly scanning for the oni - but also the rest of his team mates. if david's found them, then he'll be able to lead them to the right gate, hopefully keep them safe along the way if worse comes to worst and they get cut off along the way.
as it turns out, though, the others are fine... and jeff quickly realizes this when he hears the not so distant and very quickly approaching growls of a furious oni, his footsteps heavy and quick. he whips his head around - and there he is, coming right for him, weapon raised as he charges ahead.
jeff swears under his breath. there is no denying that he's been seen, and the smartest, safest thing to do right now would be to abandon the gate and run - but there are people counting on him. there's a plan, and though this part definitely wasn't part of it, he has to follow through. there are seconds left on the gate. all he has to do is stick it out long enough, and he can get it open.
if he has to go down for it in the process, well. so be it. at least the oni will be occupied with carrying him away, and the others can get through and out without a problem. ]
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[ it would be a great plan if not for a few things. meg's too eager, gets too close and goes down in one hit — and david's seen this guy use the hexes so fucking rarely that that's a shock — but she's close enough to the exit that she manages to crawl out, david and vittorio slipping around opposite pillars while oni's attention is split. and when he comes back, hovers over jeff, david's ready. springs out with his flashlight ready to blind the fucker, except... except what happens is a ragged scream is ripped out of jeff as a sword pierces his shoulder and pins him to the ground. david stands there helplessly, certain he can hear every tear of flesh, every wet spatter of blood as the oni rips jeff's tongue out with his bare hands. and then reduces him to little more than paste. ]
[ david watches it all in horror, and when the oni turns to face the stragglers, it settles into a silent rage. shoulders set and feet planted as he stares back, squaring up like he stands any kind of a chance against that monster of a man. as if he wouldn't be meeting the exact same fate as jeff if not for the way vittorio grabs his arm and pulls david through the gate with all his strength before they lose a second person. ]
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but he still gives it a solid attempt. the second the doors begin to slide open, jeff gives it his best shot to get out of the way of the oni's kanabo, but he's just not quick enough, and when he hits the ground, his vision swims and his ears ring and the shout that leaves him feels like it's knocked out of him involuntarily, coasting on whatever air's left in his lungs.
opposite of david, things seem to move a little to quickly fort jeff after that. he feels the vibration of footsteps sprinting past him through the gates more than he sees the people they belong to, and he thinks - good. so long as everyone else makes it out, he's done his job, followed the plan as closely as he could.
and then meg screams, and that's - that's not right. why is she still here? jeff struggles a little, tries to push himself up onto his hands even though his head is spinning and he's pretty sure he can feel blood starting to pool in his mouth, and it's a fight to lift his head up. when he does though, he sees the blurry figure of meg just barely crawling out to safety, and two more slinking near the edges of the exit.
go, jeff thinks. opens his mouth to try and say it out loud, but all he can manage to do is cough. get the fuck out.
it's quick after that. a sword through the chest, fingers in his mouth. he feels like he chokes on his own blood, and by the time the oni raises his kanabo, jeff's already close enough to blacking out that he can barely manage to put up any kind of fight.
it takes about a day for the entity to spit him back out into the woods. alive, but maybe not well. coming back from death is never easy, but some times are rougher than others and when jeff comes to, slumped against the base of a tree, he doesn't move for a while. doesn't feel like he can, honestly, his entire body aching, head fucking splitting. it feels like if he tries to move too much too quickly, he might be sick, so he doesn't really try. he drags his knees up a little so he can limply rest his arms on top of them, and lets his head hang forward, his hair falling in his face.
he'll get up eventually. head back to camp and try his best to carry on like he doesn't feel like freshly cooked roadkill, like this shit is just. normal. like he didn't get his face beaten in in front of meg and vittorio and- ]
Fuck. [ he opens his eyes, stares down at his lap. his voice is barely more than a rough rasp. jeff swallows and inhales around the static crackle of anxiety that flares up in his chest. ] David.
[ fuck fuck fuck. did david make it out? jeff's pretty sure he'd be stubborn enough to try and fight the fucking oni with his bare hands if given the chance, so jeff can only hope that vittorio had the sense (and the strength) to push him out before he could do anything stupid. ]
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[ especially after seeing oni obliterate him like that, right in the exit. like something so goddamn easy. after david's the one who suggested jeff stick by the gate instead of him. ]
[ it's been a rough 24 hours for david, is the short version, but meg will be the first to reach out to jeff when he gets back and ask if he got brought back okay. reassure him they all made it out thanks to him (and probably babble a little about wanting to save him but it not working out,) and let him know they haven't really seen david since they all got back. "you know how he gets after trials sometimes." ]
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he's glad she got out, if only narrowly. jeff's glad to hear vittorio made it through, too, but what he's most interested in is david's fate, and it's a relief to hear that someone had the sense to push him through and out before he could do something stupid. and jeff knows he would have, if it weren't for vittorio. he'll have to find him later and thank him, when he's not so focused on finding someone else.
it doesn't surprise jeff to hear that david's been missing from camp for a while. a day, at least, if meg wasn't exaggerating, but something still twists in his stomach when he learns of it. concern, maybe. worry. guilt. jeff parts ways with meg as casually as he can, still feeling like a walking train wreck, but his discomfort has dropped on his list of priorities.
if jeff knows david at all, and he'd like to think he does, after all this time, then finding him won't be hard. ]
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[ he is, however, definitely brooding at the moment. and when he hears footsteps coming close, he instinctively opens his mouth to tell whoever it is he just wants to be on his own for a bit, but that dies on his lips when he looks up and sees jeff. not looking great — but who ever does when they come back after a death — but whole. uninjured. alive. ]
[ david feels like he can't get up fast enough, and before he's even fully aware of it, david's moving towards him. the second he's close enough, david's hands are outstretched, one arm to wrap around him and the other to the back of his head to pull him close and hold him tightly. a hushed murmur of an apology slipping out as he tries to fully absorb jeff's presence. ]
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so when david puts his hands on him, urgent but gentle, and pulls him close, it takes jeff a second to respond. takes a second for his tired, muddled brain to process that he's being held and that for the most part, david's okay. just like meg had told him. jeff closes his eyes and breathes a heavy sigh of relief, leaning a little more of his weight against david than he intends to. he winds his arms around him, rests his nose and his mouth and his chin against david's shoulder.
the murmured apology doesn't go unnoticed, but it's slow to register, and when it does, jeff turns his face into the side of david's neck and wraps his arms a little tighter around him. david's sorry? what the hell for? jeff could probably guess, and it doesn't sit right with him. ]
Mm-mm. [ if david think's he's to blame for anything, he's wrong. david did exactly what he was supposed to do. he did everything right. sometimes things just don't work out the way you planned for them to, and that's it.
but jeff doesn't really have the energy to argue, so he hopes that's enough to get the message across: no apologizing. jeff's not sorry for the choices he made - it was worth it, to get three people out safely - so david doesn't get to be sorry either. ] We got 'em out.
[ jeff opened the gate, and david made sure meg and vittorio made it back. they did what they set out to do. ]
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Yeah-- we did. [ feelings aside, it's a good result — more than, in fact. getting more than one or two people out isn't exactly a common occurrence, especially against the oni, but-- ]
[ he thinks about standing there, helpless, watching as jeff's tongue was ripped out. remembers the slick, wet crunch of his body being crushed under that kanabo, and his fingers twitch where they're splayed out on jeff's back. ]
[ david turns his head, presses his lips and nose to the top of jeff's with another quiet sigh. just focusing on this, on how relieved he is to have jeff back instead of the disappointed voice in the back of his head saying it should've been him. ]
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it isn't the first time jeff's died - every single person here has been sacrificed probably more times than anyone would like to count - and it's certainly not the first time he's been confronted with the oni's wrath, but. it is the first time he's come back and had someone to lean on like this, both physically and otherwise. something about david's presence is just - soothing in a way that's not all that surprising, all things considered, but definitely more comforting than he would have guessed. he feels safe, and letting his guard down feels easy.
jeff slides his hands down david's back, buries them up under his shirt so he can press his palms flat, seeking out the warmth of his skin. reassurance that he's alive and okay even though he knows as much already.
for a while, he says nothing. just stands with david, holds him close and tight and finds comfort in the closeness, and tries not to think about anything else but the warmth and the weight of him and the way his chest pushes against his every time he inhales. it's hard though, to keep his foggy mind from wandering. sure, his memory is hazy, but there are little snippets that slip through - most prominently, vittorio's voice trying to convince david that they needed to keep going, right around the time the oni plunged a sword into jeff's chest.
he knows david stayed. he knows david had to be dragged out, because meg told him as much. which means - ]
Wish you hadn't seen. [ jeff mumbles it quietly against david's shoulder, barely above a whisper. he knows david'll hear him. ] M'sorry.
[ okay. no apologies... except this one. ]
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[ he's not used to having jeff lean on him like this, but david's just glad he's here to do it. probably has died more than most people here, but you get so set in the routine of just dealing with it, it's easy to forget that it's not something you ever really get used to. not in a way that particularly helps. just... get practiced at swallowing it all and getting on with the next day's shitshow. ]
[ david strokes his fingers up and down jeff's back, quiet and happy to stay here for a while. ]
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maybe there was no winning that one.
jeff sighs. flexes his fingers gently against david's back, turns his head a little so he can press his nose against the side of his head for a beat, right above the shell of his ear. it's been who knows how many hours, and he still feels pretty drained. a little nauseated, too, but that's normal and slowly wearing off. he's never really been a man of many words, but he feels like he should say something. ]
Think Meg's a little worried about you.
[ she didn't say that, not in so many words at least, but the fact that she mentioned david to jeff at all probably means something. and, you know, maybe jeff's just checking in, too. if david's been out here for as long as meg implied. ]
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She knows she doesn't need to worry about me.
[ the implied you don't need to worry about me goes without saying, obviously, as david tilts his own head a little toward jeff's with a soft sigh. ]
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but jeff's tired, and it's a pointless argument anyway, if it could even be considered an argument at all. the gentle nudge is enough of a suggestion to jeff him moving, and though he's loath to pull away from david, he does so anyway and moves to sit down with his back against a fallen tree only a handful of steps away, heaving a heavy sigh when he settles. ]
Doesn't stop her though, does it?
[ obviously he's not really talking about meg, but it makes the conversation feel slightly less serious. ]
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[ jeff isn't fragile — never has been in the time they've known eachother — but sometimes david has this urge to protect him like he is. not just from killers, but from himself. from david too. there's something precious in jeff's gentleness, in the care and patience he extends to other people and the way those qualities haven't been ground down by his time in the fog, but david's not going to stop throwing himself headlong into danger and they both know that. ]
[ david doesn't want worrying about him to be the thing that finally wears jeff down. ]
Some people are worriers, I guess. Even when it's them we should be worrying about.
[ he reclines against that log, doing his best to make himself an inviting pillow or something. reaches for jeff with a soft c'mon, here once he thinks he's got it. ]
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[ there's not much jeff can think of to say to that, no argument to make because david's not wrong, though his brow does furrow slightly. he wonders, quietly, if david knows meg is somewhat of a cover. does he worry about jeff? is that what he's saying? jeff's too tired to try and read between the lines or peel away the facade.
when david gestures for him to come closer, jeff only hesitates for maybe half a second. he plants his hands in the dirt on either side of himself, lifts and shifts his weight with more effort than usual, until eventually he's - laying down. sprawled out on the forest floor with his hands folded over each other on his stomach, and the back of his head rested on david's thigh, eyes closed. how's that for a pillow? ]
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[ neither of them like to bother people with their feelings, and david respects that, he doesn't pry because he knows he'd get frustrated if the shoe was on the other foot. he'd like it if jeff would though, he thinks. if jeff would tell him when he's frustrated or hurt or whatever, but david would have to do the same in return and that's not easy. for a lot of reasons. ]
[ david sits on that thought for a little, looking down at jeff as he strokes his hair in the quiet. almost a little apologetic when he does speak. ]
It's... It's harder now. When you get hurt. [ he clears his throat ] That's what it is.
[ the urge to drop everything when he knows jeff's in trouble is so strong, so difficult to fight to keep his head on straight. sometimes it's the worst possible thing he could do in the moment, but david thinks he wouldn't care at all if it meant keeping jeff alive and getting him through those doors. but jeff would hate that, if saving him meant putting someone else in danger, and david would hate himself for it too. worse than he does when he feels as though he's failed. ]
[ he doesn't regret this — whatever this is between them — but sometimes david wonders if it wasn't on purpose somehow. some dumb little scheme of the entity's, to reach out a hand with something good, knowing the ways it would inevitably hurt too. but more likely it's just the reality of how things are here. ]
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the thought is enough to make him laugh a little, though it's hardly more than a tired puff of air through his nose. can't use that as an excuse when time is a questionable concept here.
he's feeling better than he did an hour ago though. functional, present. david is often good at grounding him, aware of it or not. jeff relaxes into the subtle touches, the hand in his hair, the thumb following the line of his jaw. if it weren't for the violent trauma leading up to this moment, he thinks he could get used to this, just existing in the quiet with someone he cares about. jeff watches david quietly, can tell there's something on his mind, but like more often than not, he doesn't pry. he's learned that waiting typically yields the same results. and he's not wrong this time, either.
david's admission isn't... surprising, if only because it's something jeff understands completely himself. for as long as jeff has known him, david's always been the type to run head first into danger with, presumably, no sense of self preservation. he's seen david stumble out of trials covered in more blood and bruises than one man should be able to walk off, he's heard his pained shouts echo across every realm at least once, and it's never been easy to witness, not with david or with anyone - but it is harder, now that they're... involved. it takes more effort to bite his tongue when david insists on putting himself into situations he more than likely will not survive just to make sure someone else does. it takes more effort not to snap at him for being so fucking reckless sometimes, and jeff never snaps. has never and if he can help it, will never, but the new urge to grab david by the front of his jacket and shove him in a safer direction and tell him to fucking go has been noted. several times.
so he gets it. why it's difficult, why david needs space and time away from everyone like this, why he's been out in the woods for who knows how long since their last trial with the oni. if their places were swapped, jeff knows he'd be out here too. beating himself up, going over every misstep, wondering if there was something else he could have done to keep david safe.
jeff exhales quietly through his nose, his brows pinching together gently for a moment before relaxing again. he turns his head just slightly, just enough to push his nose and his mouth against david's palm, not quite a kiss but a suggestion of one. he reaches up with one of his hands, runs it along david's forearm, squeezes his wrist. hums a short, low note in acknowledgement. ]
... I know. [ jeff's voice is still a little rough, and his lack of projection doesn't help. he clears his throat, wets his lips, lets his hand drift from david's wrist, to his elbow, and back again, fingers ghosting over old ink. ] For me too. Watching you... do what you do.
[ putting himself in harm's way, or worse. not saying anything about it because it won't change anything and jeff cannot and does not fault david for trying to save people. jeff does the same shit to a lesser extent, so it'd be hypocritical of him, but. it's still hard, and he imagines it'll only get harder.
but it's worth it, at least to him.
jeff offers a faint, fleeting little smile and makes a tired attempt to lighten the mood a little. ]
Saw you about to try and fist fight the Oni. [ that was about the last thing he saw, blurry as fuck, before he fully kicked the bucket. ] Never pegged you for an idiot, but...
[ that's idiot (affectionate). ]
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[ there's a part of him that always wishes he could make people not care, so they wouldn't be urged to try and get him to stop, wouldn't be sad when the odds aren't in his favour and he eats shit. how many times has he let himself die on the hook just to deter last-minute saves once the gates are open? and he has no intention to stop, even knowing as he does. ]
[ and then jeff brings up how ready david was to fight the oni, which pulls him out of his thoughts with a soft laugh. ]
Never? Really?
[ come on now ]
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it's not that hard. fortunately, a number of those moments have been relatively harmless.
jeff's eyebrows lift slightly, his fingers flexing loosely at david's wrist. ]
Well. [ he shrugs one of his shoulders lazily, bumping slightly against david's thigh. ] There was that one time I had to come uncuff your ass from the bar.
[ at the saloon. which probably was only half david's fault, but jeff would bet the events leading up to him being chained to the bar were less than... genius. and jeff's only teasing, anyway. ]
And then there was...
[ he tapers off, chuckles quietly. truthfully, he can't think of anything else unrelated to the stunts david pulls in trials, and that shit is more or less off limits as far as discussion goes - but it's fun to pull david's leg a little. ]
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There was...?
[ he raises an eyebrow, curious. ]
@dyinglights
You telling me you never gotta scratch your nethers?
what did you say about time??
god made me perfect
i also got a good look at your tattoo
got any others that i should know about
we do not perceive it
You still thinking of getting them matching ones with Jeff?
[ and him. jeff told him so david invited himself to tattoo club. ]
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gonna maim each other and get gangrene and die
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Be a shame if you got horribly infected and lost it.
He already tested it out without telling anyone, so we know it stays if you die though.
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im gonna karate chop him in the head
but also thats fucking rad
I WANNA GO FIRST
@pigsfeet
I mean, you don't have to share. It's yours.
https://tinyurl.com/nhhssat3
im a shitty drunk
dont wanna drink alone
@gotgum
[ petty on the other hand? he sure can be. certainly petty enough to do something ridiculous like go to ormond, make a snowball, and carry it all the way back to the campfire. he might not have leon's fancy special forces training or whatever the fuck, but david has impeccable aim and a strong arm. and that's why, as soon as he sees leon, he launches that snowball across the place, directly at leon's face. ]
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He's not expecting a snowball. He was in no way ready for that and it's very clear. All his training be damned. He's nailed in the face and doesn't have a second to figure out where it came from because on impact, he dropped the flash he was using to teach the person sitting across the way from him to make. (They fled. A wise choice.)
BOOM!
????????????????
Leon rubs his face. ]
Well that snowballed out of control.
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[ regardless, he laughs-- more of a cackle, really, when it results in leon dropping it. a grin on his face when the light clears, hand tucked into his armpit to warm it up. though the smile falls a little at leon's little quip and david rolls his eyes. it's good-natured, of course. ]
Lucky it weren't an avalanche.
[ yes, he does look like saying that caused him physical pain. ]
@bloodandbrass
You ask a lot of questions for someone who's always saying he doesn't give a shit.
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You ask a bunch of questions about shit and when I ask why you care you're all "I don't" about it.
I mean if you wanna get to know me so bad, Chuck, just be honest with me about it. Maybe wine and dine me a little or something.
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[ but even he has to admit to himself, if no one else, that this isn't totally true. he doesn't care about survivors, but occasionally, they worm their way into his brain in ways he doesn't like.
looking to fuck can start it. so does killing him. earning a grudge. it's not a good habit on his part. ]
if you got off on killing me, then that's bad for you but at least it meant i didn't die to some fucking coward. if you didn't, that saves you but it means i'm that much worse than i should be. that's all.
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Well I gave you an answer. If you don't wanna believe it that's down to you.
[ wait ]
Saves me from what?
[ don't say switching sides don't say it don't-- ]
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of course, he doesn't actually know. dying and killing are two very different things. but he figures he can make a solid enough guess.
totally ignorant to david's sudden panic, he responds without much thought. ]
from being as bad as me. or the rest of them. didn't think you wanted that.
[ not switching sides - not exactly. but whatever the survivors think they have over killers in terms of general morality, maybe. ]
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You think I give a shit about that? You clearly don't know me as well as you think.
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[ not that evan, or anyone else in existence, cares how ghost face feels. and that's a legitimate truth. ]
i've seen some of you ditch the others and run to save their own skins. if you were a real shithead, you'd do that.
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Tell you what.
I'll tell you how it felt if you tell me what your obsession with this shit is.
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well ]
just curious. shouldn't be, but i am.
[ this is a lie. unfortunately, he can't elaborate on the truth, because even he's not sure what it is. whether he wants to make sure he and david are completely different and not similar at all whatsoever, or because he's trying to find common ground with a survivor of all people, or because something in him can't deal with the idea of condemning survivors to fates worse than just getting slaughtered on a regular basis ... he doesn't want to actually address those conclusions. ]
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I get people telling me I'm a good guy for taking hits like giving a shit about some people is all it takes.
Would've figured somebody on your side of things would get it, but it's like you wanna fight me about it too.
Course most of the time it feels like you wanna fight me for everything so I guess that shouldn't be a surprise.
[ like he's not the one always picking fights here ]
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why are you trying to act like you're the worst fucker here? the fuck are you compensating for?
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And you're dodging the question.
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so are you.
you want to talk, you come out here. don't fuck with my shit on the way and maybe neither one of us gets killed.
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Where am I going?
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workshop. don't need eavesdroppers.
[ not that being in his workshop guarantees anything, but it's a lot less likely that anyone can sneak up on him in there. ]
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[ mr "i'm gonna cut your limbs off and put you in the furnace" ]
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[ that way he can throw david off the walkways if necessary. ]
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Couldn't even do us an upgrade to 'probably'? I thought we had something here, Chuck.
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depends on what you say and how pissed off i get. you can come out here on a maybe or you can hide and not get your answers.
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he heads for the ironworks himself, not setting any new traps but not shutting any of the ones already set, either. he won't show david that kind of courtesy - not after he got hacked to death. but david's proven almost as good as jake at maneuvering the damn things anyway.
the upstairs office is cold and silent. it used to be a furnace when the ironworks was running. one man watching everything from above, making sure everything went smoothly, dishing out the punishments if it wasn't. sometimes him. sometimes his father. sometimes somebody else who could, at least for a little while, be trusted.
he leans against the console and waits. there's no way to sneak in here while he's watching, but he keeps an eye on both doors and the busted window carefully anyway. ]
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[ david jogs up the outside staircase, hands shoved in his jacket pockets as he walks the landing and comes through the door. ]
Thought about how to boost my odds.
[ since evan's leaning against the console, david opts to take the chair and throw himself down in it (with little care for the way it creaks in protest when he does,) bag rattling as he swings it off his shoulder into his lap. ]
[ he also considers putting his feet up on the console but decides that'd probably be pushing it. ]
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and because there's no stealth in david, at least not normally, he doesn't bother hiding his approach. evan listens to the creaking under every footstep, knowing exactly where he is.
he did remove the one trap from a few inches off the doorway, because funny as it might be to see david step in that after everything, and much as he wants the bastard to suffer, this might be the one moment to at least try to be cordial. and there's plenty more around if he changes his mind.
that trap is leaning in the corner as david saunters in and lands in the chair without asking permission, closer than evan expected but maybe not so much for someone who just recently killed him. evan himself doesn't move, although his eyes do lock on the bag david brought with him. ]
Yeah? How's that?
[ there's a cleaver hanging off evan's belt. not the same one david used, but no less dangerous it. ]
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Ain't much and it's not great, but hey.
[ it's not enough to get either of them drunk — maybe get a light buzz going at best if either of them wants — but truth be told david brought it for himself more than anything, to put him somewhere close to in the mind of sharing a drink with friends, having a talk about anything and (almost) everything. a bit of social lubricant, just not the way people tend to think of. ]
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glass isn't exactly something unusable as a weapon, but he sure as hell wasn't expecting alcohol. especially not enough to share. he stares at it as david sets it down, and then up at david, and wonders what in the fuck this is going to lead to.
but it's not a direct, immediate threat. which is a surprise. ]
Won't ask where you got it.
[ there's four places to get alcohol that he knows of, and it's always stolen. never a good idea to learn who got fucked over by losing their stash. but hell, if he was on their side, he'd do the same thing.
he waits until david's poured a measure for each of them to take whatever's offered, and lets the smell reach him through the mask. it's old and familiar and reminds him of things he'd rather not think of. ]
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[ he pours them both a measure and nudges the mug toward evan, taking the jar for himself, no idea what goes through evan's head but at this point the smell of cheap liquor is, for david, the smell of some of the only good times he ever has anymore. some of the most miserable too, but somehow it's easier to let those go. already, just having a drink in his hand has improved his mood. ]
[ maybe he's also considered how easy it would be to smash this bottle to use it as a weapon, but one shouldn't sour the mood by letting that kind of thing linger at the front of their mind. ]
So.
[ david tilts his head up to look at evan, raises his eyebrows. ]
You invited me out here, so I think that means you go first.
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evan watches david instead, seeing no rage, no demands, no uncertainty. not yet, anyway. one wrong word and it all goes to hell, he knows. but he doesn't want to talk about any of this. address even a single idea fermenting in the rot of his skull. ]
You keep gettin' in my way. Fucking around. Never learning. Keep gettin' better at it.
[ it's hard to put it into words, especially for him. but, for the moment, he'll try. ]
You, coupla the others. You do stupid shit and it sticks. Start wanting to see what else you do next.
[ he pushes the mask up partway - just enough to drink. the whiskey burns like fire, but that's fine. that's what it should do. ]
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[ it makes shit like this easier, he's learning. makes it easy to just listen while evan talks, tries to sort out his thoughts-- well. david does open his mouth when evan says they never learn, but he stops himself with a sip of whiskey. sucks in a breath through his teeth at the familiar burn of it.
makes a quiet noise when evan drinks to indicate he's listening. thinking. ]
... That why you keep asking why I do what I do?
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if they're looking to fuck, it's different. just a release, a temporary truce to pretend they aren't in a nightmare. but this is getting dangerously close to finding truths about similarities. ]
You know how this ends, right?
[ the rumors fly, the old secrets never stay that way. survivors dig where they shouldn't. ]
Why bother knowin' you're worse'n dead?
[ he knows at least one answer: because it keeps them human. gives them hope. because it's all they can do. but maybe that's not the real answer. ]
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[ it comes out a little snappier that david would've liked and he frowns, takes a breath and another sip. isn't that what he'd said last time, evan bringing it up being the thing that got him all wound up in the first place? well, the thing that tipped it over anyway. ]
[ he's never given it any deep thought though. people ask him why, give him grief about it, and david says that's what he's here for. it's his job. if him getting battered, broken. killed. if that gets the others out the gate, that's a win. ]
Fuck else am I gonna do? Hide out, hope for the best? That ain't me.
[ there's a lot to it maybe, if he really digs. ego, competitiveness, compassion for the others. david shrugs a shoulder, he doesn't know about all that. ]
Shit, maybe I'm just too stupid to change and that's all it is.
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or maybe not. evan snorts at the final possible explanation. ]
Sure. Maybe.
[ he's rarely questioned survivors directly about this before. it isn't a great frame of mind of focus on. but it's part of what gets him interested despite himself. that, and the refusal to get off his fucking property. ]
That what makes you try to kill us?
[ and succeed. ]
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[ to be fair, he never intended to kill anyone until things took a turn last time, forced him into realising what he already knew really. these are killers, not some dickhead coming at him in an alley he can punch out and leave. and who fucking knows how fast one of them would get back up if he didn't finish the job. stupid, short-sighted. ]
[ he nudges at something on the ground with the toe of his boot and a frown on his face, eyes cast downward. ]
I was a fighter, right. Never lost neither. Then I get sucked up into this shithole, getting fuckin' slaughtered every day and you can't even fight back? Not for real.
[ it starts tired, a little dispassionate. just recounting facts he's told a million times before around the campfire. what did you do back home? oh, i used to fight. explains everything about the way he is in just a few words. by the end though, the exaustion isn't gone, but the rage is there, just under the surface, barely restrained like always. obvious in the way he starts to emphasise his words, the flare of his nostrils and the way he clenches his jaw. ]
[ he shakes his head, takes another sip of whiskey. ]
Pretty sure you can imagine how that winds a guy up.
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but understanding it doesn't mean he appreciates it, or has any intention of giving david a pass for it. it just means he gets where he's coming from. it's still unforgiveable. especially given the circumstances. ]
Sure.
[ he eyes the whiskey again, debating whether drinking now, even just to a buzz, is a good idea. but even if someone does creep up, it's not like he won't hear them. he tips the mask up again, downs half of what's left in one go. ]
So'd it feel like revenge? Leave you happy? Or did you really go throw up somewhere and cry in a corner?
[ there's less venom to the words than he'd like, or than david might expect. it's more like a real question. killing takes people differently. especially the first one, which is a turning point. evidently despite everything, david hadn't killed before getting here.
not really a surprise, given his status as survivor. ]
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[ obviously that's not the case, and it frustrates the hell out of david. it should feel great, should feel worth gloating about. as it is, he hasn't told anyone, not even to explain why he was all battered and bruised and halfway dead himself when he finally made it back to the campfire. ]
Lot to process-- dunno if you remember what that's like or if it were ever like that for you, seein' a dead body and knowing you done it, but...
[ but what. david tilts his head, eyes looking past evan at the wall behind him while he tries to find the words. there's a lot to it, the whole thing was messy, feels messy in his head. it's not easy to say it felt bad or good, because it's both and neither at the same time. because yeah, there's a part of him that feels a strong sense of satisfaction over hacking trapper with his own weapon, but it's overshadowed by so many other things. ]
Mostly just felt tired. Killed a guy and for what? He's just gonna be back after a while, pissed off as all hell about it.
[ because that's the thing about the fog, right? nothing's final. everything's just an endless cycle of shit until the entity gets all it can out of you. ]
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but he also understands the frustration of killing someone who won't stay dead. that's this whole fucking place. it's why he's learned to take the satisfaction of the short term kill and let it ease the rage. otherwise, he'd probably be dead already. ]
So you didn't even like it. Gettin' back at me after all that.
[ his smile, just visible now, is thin and unamused. ]
You ain't such a piece of shit, or else you'd be gloating.
[ he down the rest of the whiskey in the mug and lets the burn mingle with the rest of the burn that runs through him every day. it's not nearly enough to get drunk on, or even really buzzed, but it's enough to keep the cleaver hanging off his belt instead of in his hand. ]
Dead's dead. Take what you can get around here. Cave in the ghost's skull, it's not like he's gonna get any less mad if you grovel about it.
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[ that he didn't like it, he means. says it with a quirk of an eyebrow. because he did, and he worries about leaning into that part of himself. about getting carried away. ]
[ he thinks about the way ghetto masher screamed when he popped his eyeballs out with his thumbs, about the noises evan made the times he pulled that metal out of him. that was satisfying. that's what felt good. and it shouldn't be a surprise really, he's always struggled to hold back that viciousness. not always successfully. ]
Think I would've preferred doin' it with my hands.
[ is he joking? is he serious? he's tipping back the rest of what's in his glass either way. ]
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though the part where he keeps ripping the shrapnel out and using it as a weapon while grinning probably should have been a tell. ]
Yeah? There's somethin' to that, you know. [ spoken as a man who primarily beat people to death before he opted for a massive weapon, who learned who to kill that way. ] You feel 'em going instead of just watchin' it.
[ he sets the mug down on the edge of the console, and reaches up to take his mask off fully so he can look at the carved, broken face of it. there's still that same distant little smirk on his face. ]
'Course I doubt you could get me that way.
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[ david says it with an amused little uptick to his voice as he leans forward to put the empty jar down on the console, thinks about it for a second and then tops them both up. just a funny little thought experiment, right. not as if even if he backed off picking fights, he would still end up coming to blows with this guy sooner or later. ]
[ still, he can't help the part of himself that thinks, when evan says you feel them going, that that's how it should be. david's just... not going to focus on that. ]
Havin' a bunch of firsts with you apparently, why not that one too?
[ which is grimly amusing to him, one of those things that reminds him the fog is as ridiculous as it is hellish. ]
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he reaches for the drink, is about to make some idle if edged comment about david having to learn for the rest of his life, when the comment about firsts slides past his thoughts. it barely registers initially, and then he gives david a questioning look, the smirk fading a little. ]
You sayin' you never fucked anyone before? Or just not guys?
[ it barely occurred to him before, because he didn't care. and doesn't, really. but it's ... a little interesting to think about, if he dwells on it, and the alcohol lets him do that. he wouldn't have guessed, given the determination to walk right onto his property and just go for it that david had before. ]
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Shit, could you imagine?
[ he shakes his head, meets evan's questioning look with a lightly amused one of his own. ]
Not the first guy. First cock up my arse though, so congrats.
[ granted the first, last, and only guy was a long time ago, even before the fog, but david's not thinking about that. if anything he's been pretty thoroughly derailed from his idle consideration of how he'd take trapper in a fistfight without also dying, to this. ]
[ he raises his glass in a little sardonic cheers with his congrats and knocks back a mouthful. ]
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the sarcastic tip of a glass almost makes him smirk again, but for the moment, he doesn't touch his own refilled cup. ]
That a big thing for you?
[ it's a joke, mostly. as he told david before, when they didn't kill each other, david wasn't even remotely the first survivor he's had - although even he has enough discretion to not drop names. it's not usually something anyone talks about, and for him it's not a huge deal.
maybe it should be, since it means they don't see him as just the dangerous, terrifying monster they used to see him as. but david apparently never thought that way in the first place. ]
Was curious if that was actually the whole reason you came out there, or if you just changed your mind after I smacked you around.
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[ he lets out an amused snort at the question, at the idea that getting roughed up was enough to make him consider it, and shakes his head. ]
Stubbornness more than anything, I think.
[ trying to discern the motivations of drunk david is both easy and like trying to pick out details through frosted glass, which is probably fitting because that's what his early memories of that are like too. ]
Felt like I were bein' challenged so of course I came out. And then it was put up or fuck off, and I weren't gonna fuck off, so...
[ and even drunk at the time, he could fight most people but he knew he'd just get obliterated by trapper. ]
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he can't even explain why he lost so badly. better not to dwell on it. he picks up the cup again, eyes the whiskey and then david. ]
Sounds about right.
[ he'd probably do the same thing, likely without the same results. if he was a survivor ... well, he can't say he'd win every fight. he doesn't know for sure. he doesn't want to think about being on their side of things. ]
Any regrets?
[ it's asked casually. he's not about to take it personally if david says yes. some people, drunk or high or in the heat of the moment, do things that make them wonder at their own sanity later, and he's been that thing multiple times. it's more curiosity that he's asking than anything else - not the first time tonight, he considers darkly as he takes another slow sip of the whiskey. ]
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[ but — and he'd never admit it out loud, and definitely not to evan — it was kind of nice to just let go of all that for a little bit. helps that evan doesn't give a shit about him in a really weird, fucked up kind of way. that's why people go to him, he guesses. ]
Nah.
[ he says it after a long, thoughtful pause, lifts his drink to his lips and then pauses with a breath of a laugh when something else occurs to him. ]
Well-- could've done with more than just a little spit.
[ who knew someone could be thankful to get called to trial just because it meant their ass wouldn't be sore anymore and the bruises would be gone. ]
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the following comment, though, makes him almost laugh. he smirks against the cup, watching david a little more intently than before. ]
We'd gone into the workshop, you woulda had more.
[ not necessarily something any sane person would consider using, but consequences are light, here. ]
But you didn't wanna wait. Figure I coulda bent you over something out in the open and you wouldn't be complainin' 'til now.
[ he's not complaining, either. he doesn't care who knows what he does with survivors - well, mostly he doesn't care. ]
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[ he coughs again, thumps his chest with a fist, and gives evan a withering look like he did that on purpose. ]
That-- [ voice a little raw, he points with one of the fingers curled around his whiskey jar for emphasis. ] you would've heard a lot from me about.
[ it's an... interesting mental image, and if it pops into david's head later nobody needs to know about it, but there's just no way he wouldn't raise hell about it. there's a lot to be said for the illusion of privacy afforded by just a few rickety walls. ]
Just didn't wanna bottle it. I mean no offence but I wasn't entirely convinced I weren't gonna come away bleedin' out my backside.
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he throws back half the whiskey instead of replying immediately, and shrugs at the followup. it's possible, but ... ]
Live and learn. I try not to break you anyone the first time around.
[ not to say the same of the second time. ]
Otherwise none of you'd come back.
[ no regrets, right? ]
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[ david snorts and shakes his head, follows suit and tips back the rest of his drink. one would hope he's not quite that bad on a second go around, but honestly evan's hard to read even without the mask. ]
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Maybe. If there's a next time.
[ he finishes off his drink and, for once not completely inclined to cave david's skull in despite not being injured, shifts against the console. ]
Figure it'll be the next time you get real drunk and make another stupid dare.
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[ david leans back in the chair and props a foot up on the edge of the console without thinking, looking up at evan and giving him a considering look. that sounds like him, which is why he usually leaves his phone in someone else's care when he drinks. ]
Sounds like me.
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neither one of them is drunk enough to do anything really stupid, he figures, although that's never stopped david before (or him). on the other hand, evan's never been the sort to beat around the bush, unless it comes to attempting to grasp his own emotional state or getting someone to admit they liked killing him. ]
How drunk are you?
[ barely, would be his guess. he can barely even feel what he drank, but there's more of him to slow down. ]
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[ he might not be as big as evan, but david has a pretty robust alcohol tolerance. it's not as strong as it was before this place, but you don't just lose fifteen odd years of heavy drinking under your belt. ]
[ it means he has enough clarity here that he's pretty sure he's reading the change in the vibe here correctly, which makes david pause for just a moment, tongue darting out to wet his lips while he thinks about how to proceed. and then he smirks, almost in response to evan's fading, and raises an eyebrow at him. ]
Course, you know me well enough to know I don't have to be drunk to make a stupid decision.
[ he's pretty sure one might argue that's about 90% of what david does, in fact. ]
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No. Figure that's where you start.
[ he could keep going - suggest that it takes more effort for david not to make the most dangerous choice possible than for anyone else - but he's not looking for a fight, at least not at this second. the smirk, the lack of withdrawing or anxiety, the fact that david hasn't moved his legs ... those suggest to evan that the proposition he hasn't actually made yet isn't going to get shot down. ]
Got somethin' that'd help if you can actually make it to the workshop.
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[ david finds that extremely funny, giving it a couple seconds' thought before he figures why the fuck not? grabs the bottle and the cups to put them back in the bag and pushes away from the console with his leg. ]
Lead the way.
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he pulls his mask back on and heads downstairs. better to go from inside, just in case someone's watching, and ideally they'll be waiting at the back as they go out the front.
he leads david back to the workshop the long way. no shortcuts, no untrapped paths; he steps over and around traps on the way, revealing where they are - but that might not be quite as bad a move as it seems. he doesn't try to trick david into stepping into one, funny as that would be, because it'd kill the mood faster than david killed him.
it's just another normal path, not one he would ever take himself normally when there's so many better ways to go that he does not want people knowing about. it leads to the mine, and down toward the workshop, where he steps over the traps on the way.
no point in picking them up. david's not the only trespasser, much to evan's perpetual rage. ]
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[ it's also a relief that evan doesn't trick him into stepping in any, because as closely as he's watching he'd probably still fall for it right now. ]
[ once they reach the workshop, david sets his bag down by the door, just kind of... stands there for a minute. it's weird to be here with (kind of) permission. weird to be here with evan, who he hasn't really figured out how to approach. it was easier last time, when things were sudden and unexpected. ]
[ and that contemplation is why david catches up that small bit of distance between them, so he can put a hand on his side to nudge evan to turn around and then push him back toward the nearest surface. ]
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but david's not here for either, although pissing him off is pretty much the standard. evan unhooks his cleaver from his belt and sets it against a stack of crates, pauses to look around for what he was planning to get when a hand lands on him, tugs him around, and suddenly it's david pushing him back toward a workbench.
he could ignore it, but ... he lets himself be nudged until his lower back hits the table, watching david carefully through the mask. he rests his hands on the workbench's edge, a little curious but, as always, ready to fight if things turn.
not that he expects them to just now. not when there's something almost as interesting to think about. ]
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[ his other hand, david lifts like he intends to try and push the mask off, but he thinks better of it at the last moment and puts his hand on evan's neck instead, thumb braced against the line of his jaw. tilts his head up to graze his teeth along his skin, bites at the flesh at the corner of his jaw, sucks a mark that won't last (if he can even make one to begin with) onto his skin. ]
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there's a moment of tension as david's hand goes for his mask, but it moves, touches his neck - not a whole lot better, really - and tilts his head up. his fingers tighten around the edge of the workbench until he feels david's teeth instead of the metal he was almost expecting. a bite. a mark. the thing he does to them, done - for the first time in a long, long time, possibly forever - to him.
it's not bad, he thinks idly, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but he doesn't try to put distance between them. ]
That's almost romantic.
[ said sardonically, knowing that neither one of them is aiming for that - and in evan's case probably isn't capable of it. ]
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[ why he'd bother with all this is another question, but david also finds himself wondering how often it's happened to him. how many people have come out here ostensibly to fuck and attacked the bastard when his pants were down instead. ]
[ he's busy thinking on that when evan speaks, and the laughter that pulls out of david comes as a rush of breath through his nose. ]
Yeah?
[ he lifts his head just a little, nose pressed against his neck still, lips still close enough that the movement when he speaks can probably be felt. ]
It romantic when you bit the shit outta my neck?
[ punctuated with a sharper bite, just below the first. david's not mad about it (anymore,) but it strikes him as a particularly funny thing for a guy with an apparent fondness for biting people to say. ]
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it's why he makes the joke. why he snorts with laughter when david makes it right back. ]
Nah. Different when I do it.
[ he won't elaborate, partly because he might not be able to. at least not in a way that won't get him punched. it's possessive, proprietary - a reminder of the fact that even if they're not fighting for survival, he's still the most dangerous thing around them.
reasonably certain david's not about to go for the throat more than he already is, evan relaxes minutely. lets one hand pull away from the table to get a hold on david's hip. not a grab, or anything that might bruise, but it's firm enough. keeping him in place. letting him bite, the pain that comes with sharpness less than it should be thanks to the burns and scars. it still sends something spiking through him, but it's probably not as definite as it when their positions are reversed. ]
Guess I ... shouldn't be surprised you're into it.
[ more similarities. that should probably concern him, except he's not paying attention to that. ]
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[ similar at his second comment, david just makes an affirmative noise against his skin, uses the hand on his hip as encouragement to put more weight down on the table and lean harder against evan. no need to make shit messy thinking about what's similar between them. at least if they're similar enough here then it means this will probably not be awful. not that it was last time, but he's had a lot of disappointing second goes. ]
[ the hand david had at evan's neck he moves down, employing the definitely tactical decision to use his right hand to fumble open the buckle on his waders — whatever the situation with the way the other side is all tangled up in his... pieces. his shrapnel. david isn't gonna deal with that — so he has a little more space to drag his hand down to his chest, wondering how long it takes before evan's impatience gets the better of him here. ]
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the one buckle opens easily; it's to both of their benefit that david doesn't even attempt the other, because that'd probably ruin the mood. half the time even evan can't manage to pull it off without pissing himself off. the hand on his chest avoids the scars, the worst of the embedded metal and shrapnel, and so what he can feel is pleasant more than it isn't.
he lets that go on for a bit, letting david leave marks (which should infuriate him) and get his hands wherever they can find unbroken skin, before his grip around david's hip tightens and his other hand comes up to pull the mask off and set it aside - and then find its way into david's hair and, short as it is, get a grip to pull his head back.
it's not intended to be painful, or at least no more than normal. there's no malice in his expression. the patience, as david suspected, just isn't that strong outside a hunt. ]
You plannin' on getting on your knees here?
[ it's a joke. mostly a joke. ]
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Not this time.
[ david punctuates with a wink. it's not a 'no, never,' that would be silly when, he's generally far more willing to go down on people than he ever has been to have anything up his ass, but he's not gonna let evan have it that easy. on his terms, sometime in the future, when he can catch him off guard with it maybe. ]
[ he grins, moves his hand to nudge evan with a fist. he really couldn't explain why all this is funny to him, it just is. probably another of those times how fucking bizarre all this is starting to catch up with him. ]
Maybe the same day you let me fuck you, ey?
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So when this place collapses into dust.
[ he lets go of david's hair only to step forward, using their closeness and the hold on his hip to make david take a few steps back. toward a different workbench, because he's got way more than necessary. this one's mostly unoccupied except for a few broken pieces of old traps, a bottle of blackening tar, and partly-used tubes of grease used to keep the traps from rusting and make sure the joints snap shut as smoothly as possible.
once they're there, he traps david in as much as david tried to do to him, but he's big enough that it probably feels more effective. it's the same sort of looming he does in trials ... or at least, very close to it, except the murder's muted now.
one hand on the flat table behind david, the other still on david's hip, the light at his back and the whole place still mostly shadows, evan knows he probably looks more threatening than intended. but that's fine. the weapons are just out of reach, even now. and david's never been afraid of him - at least, not for a hell of a while. ]
Turn around or get on the table. [ yes, he'll go for it that abruptly. ] Your choice.
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[ there is something menacing about the way the shadows obscure most of his face, but it's not unattractive either. he wonders, in the few moments of quiet, if the other people evan's been with get off on that. on being able to take someone-- something just this side of monstrous and walk away from it. he's had his fair share of partners who definitely took something similar from him, and, if he thinks about it, he's probably not immune to that either. ]
[ those brief thoughts are cut off when he speaks though, and the snort and laugh that comes out of david is more surprise at the abruptness of it than anything. ]
Jesus, alright. [ thinks about it for a second, and then plants his hands on the bench behind himself to hop up on to it. seats himself at the edge like he thinks is probably right and reaches out to grip evan's waders and tug him closer. ]
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he gives david just enough space to get on the table, and then david closes it again, pulling him in. he moves the hand that had a grip on his waist up to david's jaw, tilts his head back the same way david did to him, and then leans in to return the favor he was just getting. a few bites, a few marks, almost mirroring - if unintentionally - the ones david left on him.
the other hand stays between them, finding david's belt and fly and undoing them a little inexpertly. no point in waiting, although he's not going to go right for the end game yet. ]
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[ probably not, but that's not going to stop him griping about it later. ]
[ his other hand moves from where he was gripping evan's waders to his side, around to his back, takes a moment and then decides why the fuck not shortly before david pushes his hand down to grab his ass with a particularly satisfied sounding noise. he's never really looked at it before, but it's a good handful. which... makes sense considering the size of the man it belongs to. ]
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which also isn't exactly a new move, but he wasn't expecting it, which will be obvious when he pauses in what he's doing to give david an unseen look with a raised eyebrow.
but no point in interrupting. he fits himself closer between david's legs and finishes working at the belt and fly. tugs at the edge to make sure it's open and then lets that hand settle back on david's hip. the other, more slowly, makes its way down from his jaw, across the chest and stomach to the other hip.
he curls his fingers around the waist of david's pants, pulls back from another bite, and then, in one sharp jerk, yanks both pants and underwear down just below david's ass. not even to his knees - only far enough down that the worktable will be cool underneath, and so that he can keep his legs just about hooked around evan, if he wants. ]
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[ it doesn't leave him feeling super enthused about how he thinks evan plans to proceed from here, and he huffs, immediately drops his hands next to evans' on his waistband with a frown. ]
Let me get 'em all the way off then, shit.
[ yes, he also kicks evan for emphasis. lightly, more like a tap against the back of his thigh with the heel of his shoe, but still. ]
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he leans back to raise an eyebrow, not looking particularly smug but there's a hint of it showing at the very slight grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. ]
Don't need to.
[ there's more than enough room for him to get where he needs to. but he doesn't refuse to move; the little tap gets him to let go and step back only far enough for david to work off whatever he thinks he needs, and then he's back between david's legs immediately, one hand running up along his thigh, the other set on the worktable again. ]
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[ hands free, david reaches for evan again, reaches for his neck with both hands to pull him down like he can kiss that stupid, smug look off his face. rough, all teeth and barely restrained aggression, the kind he's been holding back this whole time because it's never not there, thrumming just under his skin, as good as david can sometimes be at pretending otherwise. ]
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it almost never happened before this place; it rarely happens now. a touch he doesn't get to take often.
the anger and violence and hunger are clear enough, and he bites that back against david, the same feeling that burns in him all the time. his other hand moves off the table to where the half-used tubes of grease are. it's not ideal, but it's worked in the past, it'll work now, and anyway, as soon as there's a trial it won't matter. he uncaps it one-handed as the half-bite half-kiss continues, the hand on david pushing up under his shirt, finding a nipple and dragging short, ragged nails over it. ]
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[ he moves a hand down from evan's neck down over his chest, around to his side, to his back. harder to be mindful of the wounds there as his hand travels, but he does his best not to linger as it moves up his back, mapping out the muscles of his upper back, his shoulders. a short gasp slipping out of him at the drag of evan's nails, though it's far from a complaint, fingers flexing and digging in for a second where they are on evan in response. ]
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it's also easy - although only because of practice - to uncap the tube and smear more than a little of it on his fingers. he didn't forget david's little comment and that's the whole reason he brought him down here, instead of just going at it up in the ironworks office - that, and the privacy. once he has enough he slides that hand over david's thigh, under him, bring his other hand down to the closest knee and more gently than not tilt david back a little.
making it actually feasible to get his hand underneath him and start to slip into him, with no real warning other than the shift in movement. why say something? they're here for a reason, and evan's not interested in wasting too much time. ]
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[ he grunts in discomfort at the initial press of evan's fingers, has to back out of the kiss to take a breath, head ducked, fingers clenched. david's eager to get through this bit too, that grease definitely helps more than just a coating of spit did, he's just a little anxious. just a little though. like, a totally negligible amount. don't even worry about it. ]
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Relax.
[ there's an edge of something to the word. impatience, or annoyance. he can grasp the idea of not being fully prepared for this after only one run-in, but ... although didn't david say it? that was the first time anybody's fucked him. a second time might still have some uncertainty to it, especially now that he's barely buzzed instead of drunk enough to charge out looking for this.
it doesn't change anything, really, but it does stick to the front of his mind. he works his fingers deeper, works until he's sure he's got enough, and then withdraws his hand to get a little more of the stuff for himself.
his other hand lets david's knee go to come up and work the other buckle free with a grimace. it never doesn't hurt, but it's a quick movement before the waders drop completely. ]
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[ he hisses it with a tone that is obviously annoyed, though if he's more annoyed at himself for being tense or at evan for noticing it, it'd be hard to say. luckily at least he's not so tense that it's anything more than a bit uncomfortable, for his part at least. he imagines evan could quite easily push ahead without really paying it any mind if he wanted to. ]
[ still kind of weird to acknowledge that he has that level of consideration in him, even if it probably ultimately makes it better for himself too. ]
[ without really thinking about it, david looks down when evan's waders drop and even obscured by shadow as everything is, he still gets a pretty good idea of what he's working with there. it hadn't occurred to him at all that he hadn't seen evan's dick last time, and david almost laughs because, yeah. no wonder he was so sore last time. david's not exactly unimpressive himself in that regard, and there's a reason he's learned to be patient with it, but he expects asking for more than he's already getting from evan would be bordering on impossible regardless of whether he wanted to be or not. ]
[ but this is fine. he's done this under less ideal conditions and it was fine, right? good, in fact. david takes a moment to think about it, lifts a leg to brace his thigh at evan's hip and hook it around him to pull him right back to the edge of the table. why spend all this time thinking when they could just get on with it? ]
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probably.
the grease isn't exactly cold but he grimaces a little anyway, and lets david pull him in with a leg. he takes that as the opportunity to pause, settle himself, settle david, get his other hand back under the other knee, although it's not as if it's really necessary now.
he angles himself and presses into david - more easily this time than last, obviously. the sensation's a little different but not nearly enough to consider bad. he never has before and he's not about to start. his grip on david is a little tighter than it probably should be as he keeps moving, slowly but without pausing, until his hips meet david again.
then there's brief pause out of a courtesy to see this happen again. if he wasn't worried about that, things might be different. and david might not have agreed a second time. evan lets out a steady breath, trying to keep a handle on his self-control. ]
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[ david takes a breath, bites down hard on a quiet little noise that wants to slip out because he'd never live that one down, reaches for evan just for something to hold on to. one hand on a bicep, the other on his waist, grip tight. it doesn't take long, but in the moment it feels like fucking forever. ]
[ he takes another breath when he feels evan's hips against him, exhales slow, internally a little annoyed that he needs that courtesy, that he needs this moment to acclimate himself, but at least he's got it. ]
[ the most minute of nods, just for himself, and then he nudges evan with the thigh at his side. ]
Best get to it before you lose your composure, ey?
[ he's so funny. ]
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the pause after david speaks, though, isn't to let him acclimate. ]
Keep talkin' like that and I'm gonna get you facedown over this and fuck you 'til you can't walk.
[ it's not said particularly dangerously. it sounds more like a half-amused threat - which it is. but it's still a threat. though it doesn't occur to him that he basically just agreed with david.
one hand stays where it is, gripping under david's knee, while the other moves to splay fingers across his stomach, up to his chest as evan starts to fuck him - and somewhat less slowly than last time, compared to the way that started. if david's got enough energy to talk shit, then he's got enough energy to cope with a little bit of a harder kickoff. ]
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[ he hasn't actually looked evan in the face in a little bit, certainly not since there was anything inside him — something about being face-to-face like this leaves a churning discomfort in his gut, something he doesn't think he's ever felt before and can't place — but he certainly finds it in himself to tilt his head up and give him a look for that. and this man has the gall to tell david he's annoying. ]
[ the hand he had on evan's arm moves, up to his shoulder, to his neck where he can pull him down enough to kiss with a murmur telling him to shut the fuck up. ]
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he lets hunger and response determine the pace. his hunger, david's responsiveness - whether that's a noise barely strangled against him or a shudder under his hand. from this side, it's easier to adjust, to find a good angle and drive down on it. to make what seemed like a quick rough fuck into something maybe more than either of them was ready for.
and evan's got experience with that, these days. he pushes david's knee further back, lets his roaming hand move around david's back and urge him closer, or maybe just keep him from slipping back as he fucks him. not that he expects david to try and get anywhere right now. ]
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[ and then he shifts, and david was already letting out some decent groans, low and steady, but that gets him more than he was prepared for. he swears harshly against evan's lips, moans into his mouth, a more desperate noise than he's entirely comfortable with evan hearing from him. ]
[ as much as there's a surprisingly (to him) large part of david that's concerned with anything he might do that's not manly enough, it's easy to get swept up in this. which maybe is something he needs. easy to let evan make sure he doesn't move away when he fucks into him just right and it sends sparks up his spine, makes stars dance behind his eyelids, and david urges him on with enthusiastic murmurs against his lips. almost makes him mad with the knowledge in the back of his head that he's going to come back for this again, but that's a fleeting thought, impossible to hold on to right now. ]
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the hand on david's chest moves up to his jaw and makes an effort to break the biting kiss by tilting his head back to bare his throat. evan doesn't pull away, but he moves his mouth down to bite at his throat again instead, leaving bruises in new places, sometimes over the other ones, like the spark of pain might only help make this better.
there's only so quick even he's interested in going, but harder has less of an issue, and so as the noises he can hear get more breathless and desperate he leans into that. shifts their angle minutely if it gets a better reaction, holds steady when it doesn't. his hold on david's knee loosens a little, but he keeps it pushed where it is as he finds a fresh grip with a fresh spot to bruise in turn. not that bruises last, but the idea of them is there, and sometimes the phantom memory, long after everything else has faded. ]
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[ with nowhere to muffle his noises anymore, david is, of course, louder too. especially when evan starts fucking him harder. practically cries out at first like it's a surprise, settles into shaky moans that feel like they rattle around in his chest before they make it out of his mouth, breathless and gasping. ]
[ david lowers his free hand into his lap, wraps it around his cock, but he thinks-- he thinks he could come like this, if he lets it happen. the realisation makes a familiar swell of annoyance bloom, but more importantly it stokes something hot in his gut that makes him change tack, takes his hand of himself to instead wrap that arm around evan, hand splayed between his shoulder blades, practically clawing at him the way he holds on. ]
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when david opts to put both hands on evan - and almost violently, too, nails dragging against burned skin, digging in at the back of his skull, making sure evan doesn't back off or change his mind or go slower, as much as the last one might be worth the effort eventually - he realizes the decision, what that might actually mean, and it makes him growl deep in his chest. david'll feel it, both against his throat and in every part of him trying to keep evan close. it does something to him, realizing what david intends here.
he sucks a new bruise in place over david's collarbone, something easier to hide but easier to feel, too, and moves his grip from david's jaw up into his hair. keeps his head back, gives a new prickle of pain with every tug. not hard. but probably more than enough.
no words. no point in words, not anymore. not when it might interrupt what he's hearing coming from david as he buries himself deep into him, just enough pride coasting at the edges of his hunger to want to outlast him. it doesn't stop or slow him - just preoccupies him a little bit. for the moment. ]
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Oh-- oh fuck. [ sudden, even to himself, voice rough and still carrying that desperate edge as he feverishly informs evan how close he is, even if he can probably tell from the way david grabs at him, the way he clenches around him and arches his back. ]
[ it starts the same as last time, but it's different. longer, at least it feels like it anyway. has david a moaning, trembling wreck as he comes, thighs clamped tight at evan's sides like he's trying to win a grapple. deep, panting breaths as he starts to come down the other side of it. ]
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he doesn't bite, instead pressing his mouth hard against david's shoulder, but the shudder that runs through him, and the newly-tightened grips, tell the story enough - and so does the shudder, felt as much as the growl was. sometimes even he can't maintain a totally stoic demeanor in the middle of a rough fuck.
he's a little slower to get back to himself, but his fingers move from david's hair to the back of his neck, and the other hand finally lowers his leg back down toward the tabletop. but he doesn't pull away, or out, opting to keep them both where they are for now. no reason to rush. the discomfort will set in eventually. for now, he stays close enough to let the heat not burn, for once.
but eventually he does mutter, against david's skin: ]
Better'n spit?
[ as if he'd ever let something go. ]
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[ his free hand he puts down on the bench to lean on, settling back into himself, and when evan speaks it makes him burst into slightly wheezy laughter. ]
You couldn't tell?
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[ it was easy enough to tell. not that david had been particularly quiet or inexpressive last time, but there's a pretty big difference between the two. and there's more than a little edge of pride to this - to making one of the most difficult, pain-in-the-ass survivors he has to deal with moan like that - and come untouched.
not that he's about to bring it up. arguably, it's not something to really be proud of, but what the fuck else does he have here? everybody kills them.
evan slowly loosens his grip just enough to pull back - and out. same as last time, the sensation makes him grimace, but he doesn't back off completely just yet. not when he's still got hands on david, tracing the bruises he himself left. they won't last beyond the next trial, but that's not always a problem. ]
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[ this is... nice? it's a bit of a fight for david not to just fall asleep like this honestly, the fingers on his skin registering as something soothing even when they pass over a bruise that's a little more sensitive, where his touch makes something sharp hit his senses. ]
[ for his part, david just stays put. brushes his fingers idly up the back of evan's neck while he catches his breath. ]
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he reaches down to tug the waders back up and clasp them in place, the one side with a noise of irritation. cleaning off is an option, and he might if he's not pulled to a trial soon enough, but for now he'll wait. david, on the other hand - well, he staggered off into the woods without much of an issue last time.
still, there's a bucket of old water and a stack of rags not too far away. it's meant for cleaning wounds that don't heal fast enough for his liking, mostly. the option's there. ]
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[ cleaning up at all isn't on his mind just yet anyway. when evan moves away, david leans back on an elbow, drags a hand over his face, through his hair. almost laughs when he looks down at himself — shirt bunched up under his armpits, the weight of his jeans hanging off one leg, the mess on his stomach, or rather most of it unhelpfully pooled at his crotch. he looks a state. ]
Haven't got a towel or anythin', have you?
[ he hasn't noticed the bucket and therefore isn't expecting anything at all, but he'd love to feel at least 10% less gross and sticky before he leaves. ]
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still. instead of leaving david to his own devices, or maybe just kicking him out - funny as that might be - he heads over to the bucket and pulls out the rag. it's damp, and cold, but it'll do the job. he tosses it over and goes to find his mask, giving david the illusion of a few seconds of privacy while he's in the heart of a serial killer's domain.
some of the territories have running water. it's a luxury evan's not granted. almost unfair, when he thinks about it, but then again, he gets other kinds of leeway. he finds the mask, fits it back on, rolls his shoulders to get a little tension out of them and then picks up the bucket to move it closer to david, so he can drop the rag in it when he's done. ]
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[ he takes the rag, it's not far off what he's used to these days anyway (though he is in no way adverse to sneaking into a realm to shower,) and wipes up as best he can. just so he feels a little less gross at least, fuck knows if he'll get a chance to clean up properly before he's sucked into a trial, and then it won't matter anyway. ]
[ once that's sorted he tosses the rag in the bucket, fixes his shirt, and carefully slips off the table to pull up his pants. (ignoring the ache and the way his legs feel just a bit uncertain still.) or rather, he pulls off his boot with an annoyed huff and drops it next to him on the workbench when he can't just shove it through the leg of his pants, then he pulls them up. ]
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he half-watches david pull himself back together and smirks, just a little, under the mask. ]
Woulda been easier my way.
[ logistics during aside. ]
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[ david grabs his boot and pulls it on, gets down on a knee to fix the laces, ignoring the fatigue starting to creep up on him. it can wait until he gets back. ]
... Do you sleep? Like, at all?
[ the question probably seems a little sudden, out of nowhere, but it's just a funny thought that occurs to him, thinking about how nice a nap sounds right about now. do any of the killers sleep? sure nobody really needs to as far as he knows, but it's a luxury the entity hasn't taken yet. and the mental image is kind of funny, killers cosied up in bed under a duvet. ]
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maybe not that strange, considering, but it's a little surprising coming from someone who's been here this long. sleep isn't really a requirement here, and all the survivors know that. but the urge to do so still lingers. exhaustion still exists. sometimes it gets too strong to resist, although sleep is still probably the wrong word. passing out is more the norm. ]
Not really.
[ it's the basic truth, and not much of an answer. for once, he elaborates. ]
No point. Got a lot to do, all the time. But when shit goes to hell, sometimes it helps out.
[ no explanation on what shit going to tell might entail, but it's from his perspective. generally, the entity's involved. ]
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[ david stands once he's done his boot up, gives evan a curious look. ]
When shit goes to hell?
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it isn't, really, but survivors have imaginations. the simplest explanation is probably enough to stop this line of questioning in its tracks. ]
When you get everyone out and follow 'em before I find you.
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[ he's curious, it's obvious in the look he gives, it's not like he knows what it's like — he's fucking dead when it takes what it wants from him — but he doesn't think he wants to stoke evan's temper like that right now. ]
Can't picture it. [ he shakes his head, turns to pick up his jacket off the bench he threw it on. ] You sleeping. D'you get all cosied up? Fluffy blanket and a pair of PJs?
[ maybe he's fine with stoking evan's temper a little. ]
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Come around often enough and you might find out.
[ there's a few other rooms off the workshop, ones that really shouldn't be there but the entity saw fit to drop in for him ages ago, that survivors generally don't know about. there's nothing in them to steal, so no reason to try and break in, but if he needs to sleep, that's where he goes.
evan hangs up the cleaver in its place by the door and opens the front of the furnace to stoke the coals. the rush of heat and light casts a fresh illumination in the room, and sends a little cloud of smoke and coal sparks up. most of them die in the air; a few land on him, and make no difference to the burns on him whatsoever. ]
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Maybe I will.
[ this is so stupid. he zips up his jacket, all the way so it covers his neck, and tucks his chin under the collar for good measure like he would somewhere cold. watches evan at the furnace, the way the sparks die on his skin and he doesn't even flinch. ]
Solve the mystery and all.
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he can just about see david pulling the jacket on and zipping it up high enough to hide the bites, and smirks a little again. it's not an insult to him. he knows most of them don't want the others knowing exactly what they get up to out here. them having to hide it is another little point of pride he probably shouldn't be taking, but he does. even the complaints are something to get smug about, although as yet david hasn't complained.
considering how much he seems to like getting bitten, he's probably never going to, evan considers. ]
You're gonna be disappointed.
[ he shuts the grate on the furnace and pulls a twisted, broken trap out of a crate nearby. when they get mangled like this, he just melts them down and remakes them. he's not in the mood to go hunt down trespassers right now. a little too satisfied to bother with it. ]
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[ david shrugs a shoulder. it's not a big deal, not really — so some guy sleeps, big whoop — but there's just something fascinating about it. like the time someone told him moose get hunted by killer whales and david couldn't shake the idea it was wrong somehow until he saw a picture of them swimming. ]
[ someone explaining how fucking massive moose are helped too. normal animals aren't gonna deal with that, are they? ]
[ plus there's the gentle implication of getting to sleep in a bed, and christ david can't even remember what that's like. sleeping bag if he's lucky. usually just finds a soft patch of dirt under a tree like a fucking animal. though when ripley's in a trial, sometimes her cat'll sleep on him and that's nice actually. ]
Be seein' you.
[ he picks up his bag and slings it over his shoulder. time to start the fucking arduous task of getting out of this fucking place. ]
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he works at the forge until he hears david's footsteps disappear into the mine, and until the sixth sense that tells him when his traps are being tampered with stops its rigid focus on every movement out in the darkness. he waits, in fact, until he's dead certain he's alone, and only then does he roll his shoulders in exhaustion, lean back against one of the center workbenches and wonder, not for the first time, if fucking survivors is going to backfire on him.
well. doesn't matter right now. david's already put an end to him once. might be enough to satisfy the bloodlust. if anything, it's the ones who keep the rage pent up that are going to end up being the problem, he's pretty sure.
after a while, he gets back to his work. ]
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but other people are always about that shit, and one certain other person has been a thorn in his side lately. ghost face is always a problem, but in the span of time between the last time he and david spoke, it seems like he's seen a shadow in the corner of his eye more often than usual. someone's been going through his workshop. someone's been rifling through his designs. someone moved the rope he left coiled by the barely-used bedroom doorway.
maybe he's just noticing it more than usual with his own frustration building to a point. regardless, he's pissed off, and when he's out patrolling he sees ghost face watching someone in the near distance. not him. it's enough to make the fury boil over, and he makes his way toward the shadow, not bothering to see what unfortunate bastard has the fucker's attention this time.
of course, he's not quiet, and ghost face hears him before he's anywhere near close enough to attack. but he doesn't bolt, either, instead opting to try and find other shadows to disappear into, even if it makes his presence to his previous target immediate and obvious.
the entity must be watching, though. even if evan doesn't realize it just yet. ]
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[ he's done his level best to avoid evan since, well since before their last conversation. the whole... rope thing was just. the final straw for him. he feels like he's been navigating around evan's bullshit mostly successfully this whole time, and in some small ways that have been adding up, has been giving up pieces of his own comfort and boundaries just for what? the luxury of fucking a man? he can almost hear his mother's voice in the back of his head whenever he thinks about it. ]
[ whatever. david would much rather continue not to deal with evan, but he'd also like to get something useful done while he's out here, so he makes the decision to see if skull merchant has anything worth taking. carefully makes his way through the treeline to the estate to her hunting cabin. he might get the sensation of being watched, the hair raising on the back of his neck, but whenever he glances around he sees nothing. hard to tell if it's paranoia or an actual person, so david just forges ahead. ]
[ until ghost face starts to change positions and david immediately whips around on the spot to try and track where he's moving to. no idea what made the fucker move, he can't see or hear evan from where he is, but once he thinks he's got a good idea where he's moving, david starts to carefully walk in the same direction. ]
Dyin' for another go around, are you?
[ voice raised, just to make sure that asshole knows he's been seen. ish. it's gotta be that prick, nobody else sneaks around this place that much as far as he knows. ]
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so he keeps closing in, not speaking a word but being very much a presence.
ghost face, on the other hand, knows he's stuck between a rock and a hard place - which is which? - and knows his best bet is to run. he can outpace evan easily, but not necessarily david, and while he's certain he's fast enough to get the best of david, that'll give evan time to close in and get a hand on him.
there's not many good options here. he jams his camera back in his belt and tries to keep equal distance between both men while not moving so fast he hits a trap. ]
I thought that's why you were here?
[ it's lightly spoken, almost like a friendly question, except there's an edge to it aimed directly at david's ego - or maybe his dick. snide and knowing. another round. there's more than just rounds to a fight.
evan only half-listens, cleaver in hand, but he goes a little slower when he figures out where david is. tries to start circling, to enclose him, trap him, get ghost face in a place where no matter what direction he runs, the traps will catch him. ]
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[ seeing evan's bulk moving closer hits with another spike of panic, makes him pause mid-step at seeing potentially the one person in the fog he wants to see the least right now. or ever. but david swallows that, stays focused on what's important right now. ]
Hopin' for a show then, eh?
[ he mimics that light tone right back, but he's more interested in keeping the fucker talking so he can get a better idea where exactly ghost face is. doesn't bother looking at evan, just circles slow and careful in the same direction from the opposite way to keep ghost face boxed in. ]
Almost hate to disappoint, but I'm sure you'll live.
[ that's a joke. because david's going to fucking kill him. ]
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he circles, and david, he notes, circles the other direction. keeping him from running. or maybe trying to lure him around to evan so he can scrape the two of them off on each other and run. but - that's not really david, is it? he won't run from a fight. not even a bare-fisted fight against a blade.
ghost face realizes very quickly what's happening. being caged in by a man who does that for a living and a man who doesn't but has probably picked up the basics. it won't be much of a fight if he lets them drive him, and he won't be driven. he needs to get someone to charge first. needs to make the first move, because it won't be long before he can't keep them both in his sight. ]
Oh, no, I've already seen the show. [ truth or lies? with him, it's hard to tell. ] I was just curious how quickly you'd come back. Again.
[ the again is derisive enough to make even evan angry. as if the fuck who can't stay off someone else's property gets to mock someone else for that - but he doesn't attack yet, because the insult isn't leveled at him directly. not yet, anyway.
and the traps are still lying in wait. even if ghost face is avoiding every one so far. ]
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Less time than it took you to come slinking around again, I'd bet.
[ david keeps moving in ghost face's direction, slower than he'd like, but for once thankful for the traps because it means once he starts closing in that asshole can't just bolt. ]
[ he glances evan's way, just to make sure he's still moving, probably closing distance faster than david is by a significant margin, but that's fine. if he can keep ghost face's attention on him, make it so he can't keep both of them in sight at the same time, that's plenty. gives evan the chance to get the drop on him. ]
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david will be a lot easier to kill.
evan keeps closing the distance, adjusting where he's going and the speed as ghost face swerves to avoid traps or to try and be unpredictable. unfortunately for him, predictable is all he's become these days. ]
Isn't that a little harsh toward yourself? Or are you starting to regret letting someone twice your size get a hand on your ass?
[ evan grimaces, and slows, readying for a lunge. ghost face does not, tilting his head as he watches david, a hand wrapped around the handle of his knife. ]
Are you faking all that moaning just to get him off?
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[ of course that's the part that david takes immediate issue with. ]
[ the rest of it isn't easy, the idea of being heard like that is mortifying, makes something in david sieze in a cold panic. has anyone else heard him? he has a pretty unique voice, anybody who heard would know immediately that it's him and what's happening. why he's here. would they know, just from listening, the way evan manages to turn him into a fucking wreck sometimes? ]
[ it's difficult to shake that train of thought, david works his jaw in anger, but he takes satisfaction in realising how close evan is. doesn't even bother firing off a retort, easy as it would be, several come to mind quickly enough. it's not like ghost face is going to have a chance to reply anyway. thoughts of violence flit through david's mind as he readies himself to follow up after evan does whatever he's about to do. the idea of taking that asshole's head and slamming his face into the ground is a particularly appealing thought. ]
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but that doesn't mean he likes the fact.
so he swings the cleaver, intending to either take off ghost face's head or at least split his skull, but the assumption that ghost face was fixated was wrong because the cleaver just cuts through air as black leather drops down faster than the eye can follow.
there's a moment where evan realizes what happened, but then ghost face is lunging forward, toward david. knife out and up, ready to slice and slash and stab before bolting away and figuring out his next move. split seconds. that's all he has. split seconds and careful footsteps. ]
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[ david dips back, lifts his arms to block the knife, but he's not letting that fucker get away if he can help it. he snaps out with a hand to grab at one of the loudest strips of fabric in the world that hang from ghost face's arms, tries to grab it and wrap it around his hand so he can yank him back the second he tries to get away. ]
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david gets it and when ghost face tries to jerk back he doesn't go very far. his sixth (or seventh, or eighth) sense lights up and he lunges forward instead of dropping down or fighting stupidly to try and free himself, because evan's right behind him, snatching at his hood, trying to cave his skull in. no, ghost face goes straight for david again, dropping the knife into his other hand to go up and under into somewhere soft.
but the hand wrapped around the strap is keeping him in place. keeping him from making distance that he needs. the leather snaps tight around david's hand without anyone's intervention. evan rips his cleaver out of the ground and lunges in again to try and grab, at least, and yank him back before that knife finds its mark. or any mark, really. ]
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[ he feels the sting of the knife against his stomach, but it doesn't go in far enough for david to worry. if anything, it's a benefit. means he's close enough for david to try and grab that wrist, lifting a foot at the same time to kick one of his legs, aiming to try and take his knee out. ]
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it leaves him hanging, but he's dealt with worse. he slashes at david's offending arm while trying to grab some part of evan that's close enough to hurt, but it's too difficult. still, he writhes and kicks with his good leg, making life difficult for everyone, and eventually evan decides against trying this standing up.
he doesn't drop ghost face - he throws him down. the knife flashes in the partial moonlight as he goes, but before he can jump up or stab at anyone's legs evan's got a boot against his head. it should be enough, except that ghost face doesn't stun easily and this gives him the opportunity to run the knife straight through the top of the boot into evan's foot.
that drives him off a few inches. it's enough. ghost face swings the knife back at david, but with his knee out of commission, he's not going far. ]
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Nothin' to say now?
[ probably shouldn't goad him like that, but all things considered it's a very small show of spite from david. other things will occur to him later, ways he could really embarrass this fucker, make a mockery of him, but that kind of vindictiveness rarely if ever strikes in the moment for david. ]
[ in the moment it's usually all rage and violence, and that is very clearly the case for him right now. he twists his hand in the fabric of the hood to both get a firmer grip and tighten it around ghost face's head and slam his head into the ground. as many times as he can get away with. it'd be easier to just stomp him out, but david's not making the same mistake evan did. ]
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nor is he immune to getting pinned. as evan staggers back, favoring the foot that didn't just take a knife through the top of it, ghost face finds himself caught, unable to rip his arm free from david's knee crushing it just below the elbow. he tries like hell, but it doesn't work very well, especially when his head's getting jerked around, smashed into the ground over and over. enough to disorient, almost enough to stun.
but not completely.
he writhes under david, rips at him with his free arm, and in the few momentary breaks in the violence his voice comes out from under the mask again, this time riddled with pain and spite and all the darkness that grew in him over the years: ]
Do you scream like that for everybody - or just him - you fucking whore?
[ it's not a particularly clever insult, but stripped down the core of him he isn't thinking much beyond getting the hooks in as deep as he can. even if he dies here, david's not going to forget what he said. and he's not going to forget the hand that snaps up, fingers aiming for his eyes -
or he wouldn't, except evan gets involved again, cleaver lashing out to catch that arm before it finds its mark. it doesn't cut the whole thing off, but it buries deep enough to cut bone. ]
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Jealous?
[ it's not a clever retort either, but it's david's mouth running on autopilot while he shifts tack. ghost face's mask isn't like evan's, it's plastic, not likely to offer much protection. he barely even notices evan swing the cleaver for ghost face's arm as he starts driving his fists into ghost face's... face. not really caring that his hands are likely gonna come away cut up and bloody, focus singular on beating this man to death like it's the most important thing he'll ever do. ]
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evan watches in silence as david beats his face in. the mask cracks under the blows, which would be a bigger problem for ghost face if he hadn't already been bruised and bloodied to hell and if the continued punches raining down on him didn't make him even more unrecognizable than before. the shards of plastic cut into them both, and the fabric tears, and eventually he can't even struggle to try and free himself just from the force of the hits alone.
when the arm caught in his cleaver goes limp, evan jerks it free, but he still doesn't get involved. the insult even got to him, and it wasn't even directed at him. david has a handle on this. he doesn't need someone else coming between him and a target. evan knows he personally never appreciated it, and he's not going to step in to stop violence against this particular trespasser for any reason.
it's not long before there's no more movement under david at all. no more strength to try, the world subsumed by pain. but ghost face isn't dead yet, given the noises coming from underneath the shattered mask; every breath drawn through broken teeth and a swollen throat is a struggle, but he's still breathing. ]
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[ but... isn't that the point? isn't that what he has to do? besides the million reasons it's the best thing to do here, last thing david needs is getting shit from evan and ghost face for not having the bottle to see it through. shit, if this was the real world he'd be doing everyone a favour by killing this guy. ]
[ david swallows and tucks his hands into ghost face's hood to grip the sides of his head. the more efficient option of breaking his neck doesn't quite occur to david, instead he pounds the back of ghost face's head against the ground with full force and a roar of effort each time until his skull caves and there's no life left in there. ]
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when he sees the skull cave in evan doesn't flinch; he can see the way the hood suddenly crumples, the way there's one final violent shudder in the body before it goes still again. dead again, and at the hands of a survivor, helped by a killer. that'll sting.
evan waits a few seconds, then wipes the blood off his cleaver against the leg of his waders and offers down a hand to help him up. ]
C'mon. Your hands are fucked up.
[ no comment on the dead man. no judgment this time. why would there be? david didn't back down. there's a dead ghost on the forest floor, just like there should be. just like there would be if david hadn't showed. ]
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[ this is the second time now that he's leaving a dead body on this estate, and while this time he may not have done it alone, he's still the one that finished it. barely a second of hesitation to it either. david looks down at the body again once he's on his feet, stares silently. something about it being here again feels significant, but he doesn't know why. ]
[ is this what he is now? or maybe it's what he always was. something muzzled and restrained, but always waiting for an excuse. after all, it's not the act itself that's making him feel nauseous.
it's the grim sense of satisfaction with it that churns and makes him feel sick with himself. ]
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this is a little different. for one, david's still alive, and likely to remain so for a while. the fact that he lets evan pull him up is telling. no words, no arguments. nothing like their last conversation. or their last meeting.
he gives ghost face's body one last long look to make sure it's not about to jump back up again, and then he motions to david to follow. back toward the mine, to fix up the cuts. his own injuries will heal - the stab to the foot's still making him limp with every step, though - so those aren't as important.
and if david's too stunned to follow, he'll get him by the upper arm to pull him along. normally he'd leave him be. funny how things change. ]
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More time. [ difficult, but not impossible. david says it with the tone of someone who just remembered something, thinking out loud more than anything. ] S'what I meant to say. More time than him.
[ not that david really expects evan to remember a stupid exchange david and ghost face were having, nor does he expect him to care. it's just weirdly annoying now that he thinks about it, and it's an easy thing to focus on instead of the uncomfortable,
conflicting feelings. or other things he's still too shell-shocked to take notice of just yet. ]
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he wonders if he should do something about ghost face, for a few seconds. if maybe there's some worth in putting the fear of him into the sneaky bastard. but it probably won't work. besides, he knows what that last insult was - the desperate rage of someone about to die. even ghost face will be irritated with it later, he's pretty certain.
and he wonders, briefly, about the way david responded before the violence. focused on the wrong things. accusing him of jealousy. probably for the best than silence, than just rage. god knows evan would have just broken him in half, and given him exactly what he wanted by doing so.
back down into the mine, avoiding traps and making sure david does the same because he knows he's not paying attention right now. after that, he probably won't go anywhere while evan gets what he needs. patching him up again. last time it was worse than this, but there was something different in the air. ghost face crawled away, david said last time. this time he didn't have the chance.
evan gets the old, not-exactly-clean bandages and snags the water bucket from the forge with the slightly-cleaner rag on it. blood in that doesn't make a difference to him. he waits until david's settled, either on a workbench or against one, before starting to pull the plastic shards out a piece at a time. ]
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[ he leans against a workbench, becoming more aware of where his body hurts now the adrenaline's fading. he can feel the sting of slashes on his arm, blood cooling on the skin. when he looks down he can see where blood has seeped into his shirt, pulls it up under his chest to have a look, but there's really not much to glean from that. just a bleeding wound. luckily ("luckily") david at least has enough experience being stabbed by now to know it's not deep or serious on account of the fact he can still move without issue. ]
[ almost wishes there was an injury to be really concerned about though, something to focus on other than the fact he's stood here covered in his and another man's blood, wondering what that means. probably nothing, really. but when he glances over in the direction evan went, it does ring with some concern. that evan's probably one of the people he's most similar to here, and, well. look how being a murderer worked out for that miserable bastard. ]
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maybe it's the violence. maybe it's some sort of backwards belated apology for their last encounter, as if he could ever consider the concept of apologizing. maybe it's because he's not interested in seeing someone else wander by and take pre-revenge for ghost face, or to let ghost face come back himself and finish the job. in which case killing david would have been easier.
he doesn't think about it more than that, figuring that either the question will answer itself, or he'll forget about it. the lack of time here means every hour is the same. eventually, it'll be forgotten. has to be.
so for now he focuses on david. once one hand is free from plastic he wipes off the blood, eyes the wounds, wraps them up with a rough but experienced hand. god knows how many times he's fucked up his own fists enough beating someone to death; he could do this blindfolded by now.
as he reaches for the other hand, knowing the gut wound isn't that severe if david's still standing: ]
Made me look bad out there.
[ it's not angry, or a threat. he was expecting to use david as a distraction to run ghost face through; instead, david just about wholly took him down. it's almost impressive. would be, if it wasn't ghost face who died. ]
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[ at his comment, he looks up at evan and frowns. it takes a second for him to get what he's talking about, and then huffs out a small, quiet laugh. ]
Nah. It's Ghost Face.
[ he's a slippery bastard, but not exactly tough. ]
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Means I shoulda got him at the neck first try.
[ of course, he was aware he was being followed the whole time. despite it all, ghost face is good at getting away. getting out of situations he has no right to get out of. not when there's two people coming at him, apparently, but ... still. he should have done more than hit him, disorient him, and almost take off his arm. ]
Means he shoulda died way before all this.
[ the plastic pieces are small enough that he's not sure he can get them all. he's not a doctor; he doesn't have the tools. but he does what he can. ]
Still. Impressive what you did.
[ and then a probably very unwise comment, coming straight from the part of him that did things like that on the regular, way back when, and a callback to a conversation they had once before even he can barely remember now: ]
Different with your hands, ain't it? Feelin' him go.
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[ then he brings up that and david feels his stomach twist in discomfort at having to acknowledge it, eyes widening briefly in a silent panic. it was satisfying and made him hate himself all in one and he tries to reason it out, justify it in knowing ghost face would've killed him and felt no particular way about it. trying to use logic to push past the worry that maybe he's a bit more like these fuckers on the other side of the fence. a bit more like evan then he'd care to admit. ]
Yeah.
[ he clears his throat, gaze falling to evan's chest, to his hand as it's cleaned and wrapped. anywhere else. ]
Probably could've done it faster.
[ never mind that he didn't want to. ]
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and even if he did notice, he'd think: he killed me before, this can't be anywhere near as big a deal. ]
Not everyone deserves that. [ he wraps the bandage firmly around david's knuckles, then lets his hand go and looks at the stomach wound. he pushes away to get more bandages. ] Around here, nobody learns unless you make 'em hurt.
[ especially on his side, he means. evan pulls out a dusty roll of old bandages still brownish from old bloodstains. not ideal, but they'll do. ]
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[ david tilts his head, considering that. ]
Don't get the feeling he's the type to learn from pain.
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[ sometimes. that's the key word. rarely, but sometimes, even that miserable little fuck can learn.
the gut wound isn't that bad, at least. the blade is always so damn sharp. easy in, but easy fix. no ragged edges to patch. evan gets the wound cleaned up as best he can and wraps the probably slightly unsanitary bandages around david, keeping the blood in, for the most part. ]
Might learn somethin' today.
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[ he doesn't really want to think about it too much honestly. just focuses on keeping his arms out of the way while evan wraps the bandage around him. the next time he sees ghost face in a trial is going to be a rough one, no way is he not gonna take the opportunity to fuck with david where he can't fight back fully. ]
[ there are other things to think about anyway. david reaches out with a hand to tuck his fingers in the side of evan's waders when it seems like he's almost done with the bandage and tries to tug him a little closer. they could probably both use the distraction, right? it's not just david. ]
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this is ghost face, so it should be satisfying. but he did have to almost drag him back. and david's injured, even if it's not that serious. and he's got just enough self-awareness to remember just how pissed off david was the last time he left this place.
he lets david pull him closer, but doesn't reach out to respond. ]
Thought you were still pissed.
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[ self-awareness is unfortunately something david is lacking right now, or he'd see this weird combination of being keyed up after a fight and desperately wanting to think about literally anything else and back off instead. or not come on to evan in the first place. ]
[ right now, in this moment? yeah, he's still pissed at evan, would probably just thank him and be on his way if he was firing on all cylinders, but he's not. he's far more focused on the warmth that radiates off evan's skin when he's this close, on tilting his head up so he can drag his teeth up the column of his neck. ]
[ it just seems like a better use of his time to him. ]
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but.
even as his hands automatically find their way onto david, evan reconsiders. if it wasn't for the fury and the adrenaline and the blood loss, would he be doing this? or would he be pushing away with a grumbled comment about not needing help? in the past evan wouldn't even have hesitated. now, though -
it's not a good sign, this thinking and considering. unfortunately, the habit's getting in a little deep. ]
Not while you're this bad off.
[ he's turned him down for similar reasons before, although this isn't as bad, physically. in his head is where the problem lies. ]
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[ he takes his hands off evan, a little annoyed, but at the insinuation that this is enough to put him out of commission rather than evan's refusal. ]
What? I'm fine.
[ there is a certain irony to both times being after evan bandaged up a gut wound from ghost face though. ghost face might actually be ruining his sex life. ]
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You weren't ten minutes ago.
[ and he won't be in an hour, once he gets a grip on himself and realizes what he's done. not just the killing, but everything else, and how evan just let him without arguing, because that's what he wants to do.
it's not often that evan thinks ahead about things outside a hunt or a trial, but he remembers how short david was with him the last few times. how damn serious he was about something evan didn't even consider was such a big deal. better not to take advantage of a bad moment, he thinks, which is probably the first time he's ever done that. ]
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[ then he remembers the daze he was in as they came down here, how vacant he was until he latched onto something else to think about. is that why evan's saying he was "bad off"? maybe he's fully aware david's just looking to fuck as a distraction from how difficult it is to process what he's done and what that means. ]
[ really, it probably shouldn't piss him off, but it does. ]
So lemme get this straight. Normally you just go ahead and do whatever you want and assume I'll get into it, but when I'm asking you, suddenly you give a shit about what's going on in my head?
[ unreasonable? yeah, probably, but david doesn't need evan acting like he's doing him a favour by not fucking him. it is beyond confusing to him, these moments where evan decides to act like he cares some small amount, with a more calculating person david would think it was some kind of game, but he doesn't think the guy has it in him. not the patience to mess somebody around like that at the very least. ]
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he doesn't move away. at least, not yet. ]
You want that? Me fuckin' you while you're at your worst? After you got so pissed off last time?
[ it's not that he doesn't grasp that david might need a distraction - that's more than half the reason anybody comes down here these days. it's that for once he's thinking a little past that. to what'll happen after. why?
good question. ]
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[ of course, david could concede that he's not exactly helping by never telling evan outright to stop, but he always thought the problem was obvious. apparently not. ]
Because that wasn't what I wanted.
[ david gestures in the direction of the bedroom, a frown on his face as he tries to gather his thoughts enough to explain himself or make some kind of point. considering thinking deeply about his own mental state is about the last thing david wants to do right now it's not easy, but he's trying. ]
It's like you don't understand I'm not after some big, strapping man-- [ distinctly mocking tone as he gestures to evan, though hopefully he gets that it's at the concept and not him. ] to hold me down and fuckin' show me what for, and I don't need to act like this is something it ain't just to feel okay with it.
[ he especially emphasises that second point, because occasionally david gets the feeling he's... unique. among the other survivors evan fucks. that they all seem to need him to shove them around, take control, let them feel like they had no choice but to fuck the big monster. ]
[ david doesn't need that, and there's a million ways he could try and pick the psychology of that apart — because he's never really thought of himself as morally superior. because he's lied to just about every partner he's ever had, even here, so being honest in secret is ironically kind of fitting. because sometimes he feels like the entity must've got it wrong and he should be on their side of things. — but he's not going to do that kind of introspection now or anytime soon. ]
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david hits the nail on the head. he doesn't understand that, because as far as he can tell, david would be the first one to be down here for a reason that isn't fairly close to what he stated. nobody's ever admitted to it, obviously. nobody's going to. he doesn't expect it. he doesn't think he's being used, because he benefits from it as much as they do. maybe more.
he also doesn't understand why david didn't just tell him to stop, before. a part of him recognizes that he was literally reading the problem as it happened, nearly stopped of his own volition recognizing the signs he knows very well by now, but it's a small part. just enough to stop him from asking outright about it, but not enough to sink in.
there's more important things to ask about. for him, at least. ]
Then what is it to you?
[ it's not accusatory. part of him wants to know. maybe it's just a break. relief from the nightmares. that isn't new, but it doesn't feel the same. it can't possibly be that david actually wants to spend time with him, given the way they beat the shit out of each other on a regular basis. his ego's a monstrous thing but it's not that out of touch with everything. ]
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[ which is the truth. david shrugs both shoulders, sighs through his nose. he's better at understanding his own thoughts and feelings than evan (not that that's a high bar) but this is still very much something david is figuring out bit by bit. feeling things out, figuring out what works for him and what doesn't — he's already been surprised there a couple of times, on both sides of it. ]
[ yeah, it's a distraction that evan is uniquely able to provide, but that doesn't account for the times david's come down here and they haven't fucked, when he's come here without expecting to at all. ]
[ are they friends or some shit now?
no, that's way too far. ]
I mean obviously the sex is good in spite of all that, else I wouldn't have that dead cunt askin' if I was faking, would I?
[ it's halfway a joke, enough that he lets out a little amused breath. ]
Don't actually hate bein' around you that much neither, so I guess that helps.
[ they've had enough neutral or broadly positive interactions at this point that it feels safe to admit evan's company isn't the worst. it's not the best either, but david's happier just to spend time down here in almost companionable silence than he really should be. that says something, surely. ]
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the other idea follows right on the heels of that. evan has to guess that the rage over being tied up dissolved in the wake of another kill. it's all he can get his head around. ]
That's a first.
[ or at least it's a first for anybody to admit it. ]
Killin' makes you honest?
[ because he can't imagine any other reason david would abruptly admit all this unless he was shaken so badly he can't focus on finding ways to hide it, given that he's never broached any of this before, or even turned evan down. ]
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[ but to acknowledge that in so much detail would require acknowledging how strange ths is — evan's helped him out before, but this feels more significant — and david's not going to do that. ]
Might come as a shock, but I've been being honest with you this whole time.
[ not necessarily forthcoming, but he can't think of a single time since this whole thing started that he's lied to evan. crazily enough, he's never seen the point. probably because he knows evan's not exactly about to run off and tell anybody. ]
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[ that is, there's things david hasn't been honest about just by not saying anything. which is about how evan goes through his entire life, so he shouldn't really throw stones, but that's not about to stop him. ]
Tell me how it felt. Killing him.
[ last time david might have been honest, but he didn't like what he heard. maybe this is different. maybe ghost face brings out the worst in him, like the rat bastard does to everyone. maybe it's better. not that he'll appreciate being more of a problem to kill than ghost face, at least from some perspectives. ]
And I'll give you what you want. That or let you walk out. Up to you.
[ because a part of him figures that at this point, david's probably frustrated enough to want to leave him to his own devices. but who can say? ]
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[ something about the phrasing gets his hackles up immediately. not enough that david pushes past him to leave, not just yet, but he does look down to fix his shirt, suddenly remembering it's still bunched up at his chest so evan could bandage him up. ]
[ at the time, nothing ghost face said particularly bothered him, but the combination now just. it doesn't really feel great, makes something twist in david's gut and his lip curl in distaste. it's just a really unfortunate combination of things for two assholes to have said to him in close succession. they fuse together in his head, make him angrier than he probably should be. ]
Know I'm just this fucking whore, but I'm not about to barter for your cock.
[ he doesn't want to talk about it anyway, but having it tied to sex like this, after all that is just-- it doesn't sit right. ]
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Like I said. Up to you.
[ he doesn't push the issue. evan's not against bartering for information, but it's clearly got david's hackles up, and it gets on his nerves knowing now he's got an association to the dead fuck just by right of what he said.
evan backs off, taking the remainder of the bloody bandages and blood-soaked rag with him, but doesn't go too far. ]
He ain't worth listenin' to. He deserved it. Deserves worse.
[ not that he thinks david's going to listen to advice from him about ghost face, unless it involves a better way to cave his skull in, but he knows when something's stuck a little deeper than it should. ]
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You wanna know, just ask. Don't do that shit.
[ he has no idea why evan's so interested to know how he feels about killing someone, but david figures he probably owes him that much for the help anyway. not that the idea is one he's particularly happy with, nor does david know where to start with it. ]
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You like killin' him?
[ flat, outright, to the point. like david said. he knows most people would enjoy it, even on david's side. he knows it's happened a few times, too, although people mostly only enjoyed the part where he was dead, not where his blood was on their hands. even on his side some people find it disgusting to have had to kill him, because of who he is. what he is.
for evan there's no real distinction. ghost face is a problem, so he kills him. problem solved, and in a way he likes. the complexity of these sorts of things is long since faded for him. mostly.
but he knows that's not the case for everybody. ]
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[ he figured that would probably be the question, so david's ready for it. sort of. it's still a terse reply, giving away how little he wants to talk about it, but he swallows that. looks down at his bandaged hands, at the dried blood under his nails. ]
Thought about beating that prick to death more times than I can count, course it felt good.
[ despite saying it felt good, there's a flatness to the way david says it. like he's distancing himself from it. he doesn't like that it felt good, doesn't want to think about what that says about him, what it means going forward. ]
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he puts away the bandages and looks down at his own foot, where the knife went straight through his boot. the foot'll heal, and the boot too, probably, but for the time being he's got that to put up with. ]
Good. Next time he sees you, maybe he'll know to shut his mouth.
[ the insults were aimed and sharp, even if they were a little off at the end. but pain'll do that to a man. ]
Or at least he'll know better than to let you get hold of him.
[ probably not. ]
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[ david doubts that very much on both counts. extra frustrating, because he'd always thought he was of little interest to ghost face, and now he's beat the shit out of him twice, killed him once. if that's not a way to make himself interesting, david doesn't know what else would do it. ]
[ that's a later problem though, nothing david can do about it right now. ]
[ he looks up from his hands, back at evan. a little hesitant to ask what he's about to because david doesn't really want to open himself up to any deeper discussions, but. ]
That's all you wanted to know?
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the careful question that follows makes evan look at him again, away from the cuts - attempted cuts, really - on his arms. ]
Yeah.
[ part curiosity, part real interest, part wondering - just a little - where survivors stand on outright murder when it's them doing it. circumstances can change the answer, but at the end of the day, he's always waiting for them to be hypocrites, and he's usually right.
but where he might have ground this in before, there's been enough time for him and david to deal with each other that he doesn't see the point. they've discussed this, angrily. and david was honest enough earlier - don't actually hate being around you that much - that he can take the answer on its own. ]
Would have to kill you if you regretted killin' something like that.
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If I didn't regret killin' you, there's no way I'd feel bad over the likes of him. Give me a little credit.
[ would anyone feel bad over killing ghost face? outside the instinct not to take a life, the way that fucks with your head, would anyone regret it? if you're going to kill someone, it might as well be that guy. ]
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[ didn't regret killing him? good. even if it made him huddle up in a corner somewhere, regret shouldn't be a part of killing him, unless it's the regret of knowing what's coming next as a result.
but it's been a while since that was really an issue. ]
Do it again and he might even forget about you for a while.
[ unlikely, but he does tend to back off after at least a few brutal kills when evan does it. ]
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[ david knows it, and he's ready for it, but he has no idea in what way it's going to suck. he sighs through his nose and pushes a hand through his hair, mentally preparing himself for a long slew of shit. ]
[ he thinks the entity should make an exception for this one guy. just let him stay dead, do everybody a favour. ]
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[ anything can make a trial bad. evan knows. he's done it more times than he can remember. anybody who breaks in, who breaks the traps, who mocks him, who gets away - he makes sure they pay for it. they all do. and ghost faces like to hold a grudge.
with their wounds mostly cleaned up, or at least david's, and him having effectively cut off any other possibilities, evan turns back to the forge and opens the back grate to dump another shovelful of coal into it. the dim light of the room flickers. ]
Go back the other way. Otherwise he might be wakin' up.
[ don't give him an early chance for revenge, he means. ]
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[ david hesitates, watching evan. feeling kind of hamstrung suddenly, but it's his own fault. well-- he'd argue it's evan's fault, but that's not going to do anything. he just really would've liked to fuck before he left but it's fine, he'll live. ]
[ after those moments, he clears his throat and nods, pushing away from the table to go. ]
Yeah-- Thanks.
[ thanks??? maybe he should've let ghost face kill him, jesus. ]
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He comes back, I'll save a piece for you.
[ because he will come back. whether he goes after evan or david first is up for debate. ]
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[ seems like he's gonna be getting some practice in learning to spot that motherfucker out in the wild so he doesn't get a knife in the ribs. ]
[ anyway-- david sighs and heads out to go try and get the fuck out of here before ghost face wakes up from his forced naptime. what a fucking day. ]