trenchknives | Open Post

It wasn't... droppin' out wasn't entirely my choice. Somethin' happened that...

[But no, he can't go there. He can't discuss that with her, because he's never discussed it with anyone, not even his former wife. No, he's learning how to open up and talk about feelings here in the City, but there are certain things he'll never divulge.]

Anyway, you're right. I treated the military like it was an escape from my worries, 'n it wasn't, of course, but... I learned some good things there, too. Discipline.

[Although he's still impulsive as hell, which she's probably noticed.]

[Angela might be the nosiest creature in the world, but even she knows when not to push. There's something he doesn't want to talk about and his body language tells her he's shutting down on in. Poking will get her nowhere and this night is about him, not satisfying her curiosity.]

There you go. There's always a bright side to things. Discipline. Something you probably needed and wasn't getting anywhere else.

[She has and to be honest, she loves the impulsive nature that bounces off of her own.]

Yeah, you're right about that. I mean, I think my father would've liked to give me some kinda discipline, but he was never around much, 'n then the other guy, well... he tried his best, but y'know, I think I've always been stubborn as hell.

[That's probably obvious, too.]

[Oh so obvious.]

Don't make being stubborn sound like a bad thing. It's good you know when to stand your ground and when to make your own choices regardless of what other people want for your life. Another person can't live your life for you.

[The warmth of the vodka is starting to settle in her belly and Angela stretches, toes pointed all catlike and kicks her shoes off, pulling her knees up to her chest. She's getting comfortable. If he wants her out sometime tonight, now is the best time to kick her out.]

About your son... [Pouring herself another drink, she tips the glass around in circles, spinning the fluid inside of it.] He's still young. You still have many more years to make up for the lost time. What is he, three, you said? He doesn't hold it against you.

Four now. Just turned four. But...

[There's no way he's going to be kicking her out. No, she's here, and she's listening, and that's better than most people do.]

... he ain't gonna have me around for much longer. Back home, I'm... I mean, I die. I think. I'm pretty sure.

Don't say that.

[She frowns at that bit of negativity. Maybe he's done some bad things, but as far as Angela knows, Jimmy ain't a fortune teller.]

You don't know that. Just because you died here doesn't mean you'll die there.

The man who raised me is gonna kill me. I was on my way to...

[He laughs, because what can you do but laugh, really, in a situation so ridiculous?]

I was on my way to meet with him right before I got pulled back here. He was gonna kill me.

[She keeps shaking her head as he talks because it's ridiculous. No, it's not ridiculous. It's real and if his gut instinct tells him so, then it just might be true. Still, she can't accept him going back to his death. Justin went back to be dead. She doesn't need another friend going back to nothing at all.]

You don't know that. That's the future and maybe he was just going to yell at you, tell you he was disappointed. I doubt he was going to kill you. A father figure doesn't do that.

[Or so she would like to think, but Angela knows people can be surprisingly evil.]

I want to believe that you're right, 'n I wanna believe that I'll be around, but it's hard to, when I've known the guy my whole life, 'n I know what he's capable of. But none of that matters here, y'know? For now, I'm here, 'n I'm alive. Alive again.

[Nothing at home matters here. After a while, no one remembers what you did there or better yet, there's nobody to know what you did to begin with. For all the City's faults, it is a fresh start for so many people.

Angela reaches out and wraps her fingers around his wrist, holding on firmly, not wanting to let go. Unlike all the other dead people she's ever touched, he still feels full of life, warmth, and potential.]

Yes, still alive. Still warm. Still having a pulse. Still able to show people you're not a fuck up like you think you are.

[He nods, liking the physical contact, not wanting her to let go of his wrist.]

Some people don't come back with a heartbeat, I guess. I got lucky. I've still got time to...

[He shrugs.]

Well, I can't right a lotta wrongs. But I can try to do better now.

[For the moment, he gets his wish.]

You still got time to get over yourself. [She chuckles, thumb idly rubbing at his pulse point.] What's done is done, so you'll do better. I've got faith in you.

It's nice that you have faith, y'know? You're one of the few people who does.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one here, Jimmy. I bet Penny has faith in you.

She does. Mr. White does. Doctor Wilson does.

Four is better than none. Quality over quantity here.

Well, 'n you're all quality people. The kinda people I wish I'd been raised around, y'know?

[Angela laughs at this bit of hilarity because she is the worst person to be a positive influence on a kid.]

No, you don't want to be raised around me. I probably would have gotten you in a lot more trouble than you did yourself.

Ange, there's absolutely no way that's true. I was a little terror. A little terror with a real shitty haircut, too.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I was three times worse than that. [Finally, she lets go of him, sitting back so she can slide down halfway in her chair, looking like she doesn't have a care in the world.] Minus the shitty hair, though.

Yeah, I can't imagine you with shitty hair. You've probably always been fuckin' gorgeous.

[That's not even said in a flirtatious way, just as a statement of fact. He's sad for her to let go of him, though -- he's always liked human contact.]

Yeah, I totally have been. It's the burden I bear.

[She nods without a bit of shame in her grin and pours him more whiskey before splashing a bit into her glass.]

Hey, I'm not complainin'. Besides, I like to think I look pretty good these days myself.

[He's not ashamed of bragging, either.]

[She points to him, finger moving up and down, from around her glass.]

In and out of a tux.

[Somebody stop them while they're still relatively sober and ahead.]

'n here I was thinkin' you'd be disappointed that I wasn't wearin' a tux today.

[Even without a tux, he's still dressed a lot more formally than many guys in the City do. That's something.]

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