raisetheearth | Oh, come on!

Entry tags:

Oh, come on!

Who: Jacob, Tony, and anyone who wants to help out.
Where: Just on the outskirts of Shepherd's Haven.
When: August 30, 2016 Tuesday
What: Coming home only to meet his fears.
Warnings: Language, maybe? And a scaredy cat.
Status: Open!

Jacob is a little ways outside of Shepherd's Haven. As night starts to fall and the stars become visible, he gives his mom and little sister hugs along with goodbyes. He smiles as he waves and starts his walk home, alone with his thoughts, just the way he likes it. He runs over the events of the day in his head. His family was doing well and weren't struggling to stay stable. He'd bring flowers on his visits and see his eldest sister's grave. And the day was easygoing, nothing too out of the ordinary.

Unfortunately, that ordinary is about to change to something absolutely not ordinary. As he reaches the skirts of Shepherd's Haven, he sees something none too pleasant to him, and wheels around to look at the wispy figure. All he can tell is that it's staring back at him before he lets out a yell and runs the other direction. But he sees a second, and a third, and... dear God, they're just everywhere, aren't they?

His face pales and his panic is causing him to feel nauseous. He trembles, not sure what to do. In his preincarnation, ghosts are a force to be dealt with. And he'll deal the only way he knows how - summoning fire. In the middle of a field, he's summoning magic, which will take him a moment to complete.

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Jacob almost drops the saucer upon hearing how friendly he was being. He tries to pass it off as nothing as he sets it properly on the counter, turning to the fridge. He might be blushing a little there. It's not often his hospitality is called out.

"Sorry, you're right. I'm Jacob. I run a flower shop a few blocks from here."

He turns back to the counter and sets the cake on it as he gets a knife from the drawer. He cuts two generous slices and sets them on each of the saucers, then retrieves two forks, setting them on the plates as well. He finds it funny that they take their coffee the same. The creamer into the coffee follows, then he grabs a saucer and cup, carrying them to Tony and holding them out to him. He returns to the kitchen to retrieve his own before setting himself on the sofa next to Tony.

He takes a long gulp of coffee, as if he'd been longing for it all day.

"So, what brought you out this time of night?"

Edited 2015-09-05 02:15 (UTC)

Tony has a bad habit of that, calling people out on their hospitality. Mostly because he lacks much of any and is spectacularly slow to trust more often than not. He's been burned too many times, it's made him a strange blend of emotionally cautious while outwardly reckless. Because at this point in his life very little can do any harm to him. Physically, anyway.

"Tony, I'm - was, a bouncer at the strip club. Nice to meet you." He should probably be slightly ashamed of admitting that but he really isn't. It was a decent enough job, paid well, and he actually enjoyed talking to the workers there. Besides what other jobs gave one an excuse to toss full grown men out the front door? Good times.

"Oh, thanks," He murmurs, a little surprised Jacob brought it out to him, even offered the faintest bit of a smile. Yes, cake and coffee, a much better alternative to his initial plans of be lost out in the brush until daybreak. "Me? I don't sleep well, so I was out for a walk." It was a half-truth, but half-truths count well enough.

Jacob raises his eyebrows. A bouncer at a strip club. And he said it so straightforward and casual. How do guys do that? Not that he was frowning on it, just the way Tony said it might have been enough to make Jacob snicker if he heard it during the day from a customer. Jacob nods his head and gives a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Tony."

Then comes the half-truth. Jacob is none the wiser toward it. He certainly doesn't make a habit of distinguishing lies in people's words.

"Insomnia, huh? That has to be a pain. Does walking usually work?"

He takes another look at Lady.

"You have a... rather interesting dog. What breed is she?"

By having a very different view of what things are actually shameful. But really it probably was fairly amusing how nonchalantly he said it, like it was just any old normal profession. Well, in a way it was, but not everyone saw it that way.

Tony's lies are difficult enough to pick up on anyway, being as he speaks with the same smooth drawl no matter what he's saying.

"No, but it's something to do," He grins, sipping his coffee.

"Wolpertinger." Pretty sure that isn't an official dog breed, Tony.

Okay, so Jacob snickers a slight when Tony grins at 'finding something to do.'

"As long as it's something, I suppose. You seem happy about it."

It was a what?

"Wolf... and tiger?" He tries to decipher the title. "It's... It looks nothing like any of those. Did you get it from your past life?"

Yes, Tony, with a dog that weird, Jacob inevitably knows you're a numbered. And he just outed himself.

"Do I?"

Oh good, he's faking better than he thought. Well that's a small bit of encouragement. Although he is enjoying himself having some company and coffee.

"No, no, not a wolf and tiger, wolpertinger. She's not a dog, actually, came from the Swan when it woke up back before the invasion." He smirks a little. "Ah, so you are numbered. Wondered if you were, what with the hair."

And the fireworks but he really has no reason to think that was anything more than a lighter. Too far away to have seen it and all.

Ah, the Swan. That was a whole bunch of weird, back then. Weird things come from weird places.

"Yea, I'm a Numbered. And if you tell anyone outside the Network, I'll kill you." His tone is just snarky enough to be taken jokingly, but he is serious about not telling anyone other than the Numbered exactly what he is. "And I used to be blond." He gives a chuckle. "Oddly, I seem to be able to be taken more seriously with silver hair. I guess I looked too young before. Thankfully, I haven't gotten too many questions about my appearance changes from my family."

He reclines after finishing his cake and takes another drink of his coffee.

"What about you? I mean, the white hair is obvious, but how much has your past changed you?"

A kind of pensive question, really. He sort of wonders how much of him could change, if there was more to be expected, and how others deal with those changes as they come.

"And don't be afraid to ask for seconds, if you want. I have plenty more." He says it genuinely, with a bit of a warm tone. Having company was nice for him, too. Not something he saw much of, since he didn't really take time to get to know the people around here, or on the Network.

Yeah, yeah there was. A lot of weird and turmoil and horror. That probably also gives a small clue as to just how long Tony's been numbered, if he was around for all of that.

"Pfeh, I'd like to see you try that," He smirks. Is the confidence more play, or genuine? Hard to say. "Don't worry, I don't exactly go around selling people out. Might be pretty safe here for the most part but you never know what kinda lunatic will come crawling out of the woodwork." Besides, he's been sold out, he knows exactly how terrible it can be. "You too? Well, light brown, kinda right in between. I miss it sometimes." Having hair that wasn't shockingly white, that is.

Good cake, by the way, considering he'd finished it off fairly quickly.

At that question however he grows a little distant, withdrawing a bit. "Eh, enough," Too much. Far too much. "More than I would've expected." A whole lot more. But coming out and telling someone you're turning into a demon isn't exactly something for polite conversation.

"I'm alright, don't encourage me I'll eat you out of house and home." Back to the joking grin, but he's really not kidding. He will absolutely do that and not even notice.

He gives a small laugh.

"Alright, you and me, then. We can spar outside." Of course, he's saying it in good humour. He's already settled down and had his coffee, and fights aren't really something he strives for. "And I appreciate that. I don't know if loonies are something I'm particularly worried about, but I just don't like the thought of being known. Hell, I haven't even told anyone on the Network I exist. I just look in every so often for information."

He listens to Tony's awkward answers and his face drops a little in apology.

"Sorry, I didn't realise it would be so uncomfortable. I hope I didn't prod any unexpected places."

And then Tony's back to grinning, which is good. Jacob gets up from the sofa and grabs Tony's plate, heading back to the kitchen. He refills his own coffee and puts another slice of cake on the plate before bringing them both back. He sets the cake back in front of Tony.

"Well, then. Consider this an official invitation. Eat up."

"Maybe later. I just got comfortable," Whining as an excuse to totally get out of a spar they're not going to have? Absolutely. They both knew they weren't going to fight, as much as Tony loves a good fight he knows he gets out of hand, and isn't about to go scaring the hell out of a new friend.

"I can't blame you there. Was about to say I didn't think I'd seen your face on the network yet. Got a few friends who are like that." He'll keep Jacob's secret, not to worry.

At the apology he just gives a vague shrug. "Don't worry about it. Can't be helped." That's the problem with the echoes and numbers, there's a lot that no one has any control over and sometimes it's terrifying. Jacob just caught him at a bad time is all.

Ooh more cake, yes please! That'll cheer him right up. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, dude." Tony warns with a good-natured grin. Well if he wants help polishing down some of that cake Tony's not going to complain.

Jacob scoots back on the sofa as he chuckles.

"You're interesting, Tony," he says before he sips his coffee. Admittedly, having a walk home and a snarky ghost conversation turn into sitting on the sofa with a new friend was not something he would have expected. And if anyone would have told him it would happen, he would have thought it to be even more improbable.

And even now, he's glad that maybe he did run into Tony, for more than just ghost protection. He could let down his walls and not have to keep a normal, awkward facade.

He smiles a little behind his coffee mug as he watches Tony eat the cake. Being able to do something to make someone else like him happy, or at least forget their troubles for a minute, that was a nice thing, too.

"Hey, do you want to see something interesting?" he says nonchalantly, setting his coffee cup down and leaning a little toward Tony.

"I am? Well that's news to me," Tony, try not to be so self disparaging all the time. He sure didn't expect the night to go how it had, then again he'd really had no expectations. Certainly not finding some dude petrified of ghosts that he'd have to walk home.

Cake is always a good way to spend an evening. Tony is a strong believer in a full stomach makes for a happy person. If only it worked as well as it used to on him. Still, it was doing its job in taking his mind off of more troubling matters and sulking.

"Like what?" He asks dubiously, raising an eyebrow. Suddenly slightly awkward. This isn't one of those trick questions that's an excuse to try to get in his pants is it because he totally doesn't know you that well, dude.

Jacob leans just close enough to not entirely invade Tony's bubble, but still so he has a good look at what he's about to see. He pulls off the eye patch and clearly the eye is different from many. The sclera is black, while the iris is a muddy brown, stony colour. He can blink with it, move it, virtually do everything with it a normal eye would. He waits for Tony's response.

After a moment he shakes his head. Another one.

"It's the source of my power, my fire magic. Supposedly, it's trying to unleash all of my power and it might take over my body."

He sits back on the sofa and grows quiet, waiting to see how Tony reacts to the secret he's never shown anyone before.

Oh hello minor space invasion. Tony tries valiantly to not look troubled but he does appear slightly anxious, strange people in his space is always a bit uncomfortable the first time sorry Jacob. While he's not sure what he's expecting, he's definitely not expecting Jacob to lift his eye patch.

His eyebrows furrow at the head shake, you alright buddy?

"Uh," Well, that wasn't what he was expecting at all. Although, the eye was pretty cool looking. If not the whole story underneath it. "Huh. You know all that already?" Damn, he wished he knew that much about his own state. Oh well.

On the bright side he doesn't seem alarmed? More mildly curious and slightly confused. "Looks cool though, sorry that probably doesn't help..." What do you say to that that isn't spectacularly awkward?

"Yes, well, apparently my past self wore the eye patch to not let it do just that. I just wore it for cosmetic reasons in this world. I guess it's for the better I donned it after all. And, I didn't know it before, except for it being the source of my power. I only now got that knowledge back. My past self showed it to someone, too."

He gives a faint smile.

"Nah, it's alright. I wasn't looking for help. You're just the first person I got to talk with about these things. I guess I got caught up in the moment, you could say." He even gives a humoured chuckle at the thought of gossiping like a school girl with her 'bff'. "Sorry if it was too much for the first meeting."

"Well that's convenient, got a head start." Phew, and here Tony was worried the eye patch came from some kind of trauma. Not just a nifty black eye. "Heh, well, glad I could help?" He's not sure if that counts as helping.

Oh well.

"Heh, don't worry about it. Weird stuff tends to happen around people like us anyway, I'm used to it." At least it offers a little distraction from himself for a while. He could really use a distraction or two. So it's a nice break.

Jacob nods, then, after a moment, he starts chuckling.

"You should have seen the look on your face as I got close to you. It was almost like you thought I might assault you."

Not that he's one to talk, with his own thoughts earlier in the field.

"I have a code, so you know. I don't have sex on the first date." He says it with that same level of humoured snark, not to be taken seriously, but enough to poke a few places on the bear.

Nevermind the fact that he's never actually been on a date or that he just popped that code right out of the air.

"Heh, yeah I'm not too used to people getting all up in my space. Usually I'm the one doing that." What with the arm fling and all, he's not used to having the tables turned on him!

At that comment Tony splutters a little, it's a good thing he didn't have coffee in his mouth. He knows it's a joke, but still! "Wow, a date already? You move fast, d'you always pick dudes up out in the middle of nowhere?" He quickly turns it back into teasing, because reasons.

Jacob almost drops his coffee cup at Tony's retort. Damn, he thought for sure he had the upper hand on that one. Quick, Jacob, think of something witty.

"Only when they're good-looking like you."

Crap, not the direction we want to go with that, Jacob.

Jacob would have smacked himself in the face for such a comment, but he was caught completely off guard by Tony's remark. He'll be kicking himself after Tony leaves. Coming off as a creeper is definitely not something Jacob meant to do. And, now he's hoping he doesn't scare his new friend away in what was a rather poor attempt at being a further prod at a joke.

Blink. Wow that was forward, where did this cassanova come from?

"Wait are you actually hitting on me or are we playing chicken, because I'm not really sure right now and I don't wanna give you the wrong idea."

As much fun as this little game is it's really hard to tell, especially when they're both awkward and bashful the further this goes. Fortunately Tony's hard to scare, but he doesn't want to go making Jacob expect things he can't really offer right now.

Jacob's face goes completely red. For a fleeting moment, he feels like jumping off the balcony. He just covers his face with his hand, instead, letting out a very faint, uncomfortable groan.

"...Chicken, I swear..."

It's the truth, too. He wouldn't know how to hit on somebody, even if he was interested. His embarrassment level must be completely evident by now. He's curled up to himself, his face is still red, and there's a look that could almost be described as ill on his face. Way to make things as awkward as possible, Jacob.

"...Sorry, I definitely didn't think that one through. I'm not used to being beaten at word play."

Terrible as it is, Jacob's horror gives way to Tony's relief, and he even lets out a quiet surprised chuff of a laugh.

"Sorry, man," The guy's cool and all but he's not really in any kind of place to go jumping into that sort of thing. His head's a messed up place, he really can't be taking on any more strain right now.

He leans over to clap Jacob gently on the shoulder, chuckling lightly. "We're gonna have to work on your timing. Relax, dude, happens to the best of us."

Well, at least Tony finds it humourous. Jacob might take a bit more to recover. He lets Tony pat his shoulder. Although still bitter from his mishap, the hand is in fact reassuring and he releases some of the tension he was holding.

"Timing? Ha, are you saying there would have been a time for that?" He gives a chuckle in return, but it's not a good humoured one. He gives his face another rub and tries to let his freak out fade off to nothing.

He briefly looks at Lady, then back to Tony before getting up and picking up dishes to put in the sink.

"If you need to crash here for the night, I don't mind. It's getting to be pretty late. I have extra blankets and pillows." His offer is genuine, the tone soft.

He puts some soap on a sponge and runs the water, scrubbing the dishes while thinking.

Come now, if you don't firmly chomp down on your foot at least once in your life you haven't lived! Tony won't hold it against him, not like he hasn't done the same thing more times than he'd like to admit. Maybe not precisely like this, but he's embarrassed himself.

"Sure there is, you've never played a good game of chicken before? 'Course don't ask me how that timing works I've got no idea." He shoots a goofy grin coupled with a nonchalant shrug. Totally talking out of his rear end here.

"Thanks for the offer," He says as he stretches his legs out then stands. "But I should be getting back. Can't be out playing all night you know."

Jacob gives a laugh, this time a real one.

"No, I can't say I often get to play chicken. I guess I'm usually busy or just with my family these days. And here, I thought you knew from experience, the way you were trying to sound all reassuring about 'timing'."

Can't be out playing all night, huh? Jacob finishes washing the dishes and dries his hands off with a towel. He holds out his hand to Tony, expecting him to give him something.

"Do you have a phone? I can give you my Number. I'd like to hang out again."

Tony was the first friend he's had in a long time. Even with the 'shoot me now' experience, he did enjoy the company and thought Tony was pretty cool.

Edited 2015-09-08 16:02 (UTC)

Oh, come on!

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