[Rory] (123 not me!)
[Edwin Morr] ((Bah! *types*))
[Edwin Morr] The night was cold, bitter cold, as a slim crescent moon stared through the few minuscule holes in the thick cloud cover overhead. Without, the wind gusted inconsistently, rattling the windows of the apartment building in which the Bogeymen lived.
The fluorescent red and blue sign on the building beside read Open as pictures on the windows beckoned with enticing plates of Chinese food. Yellow lights were on inside; the place appeared to run twenty four hours for all the activity this late at night.
That said, all was not well. This area of Bronzeville was on the merest edge of Chinatown, a fact that made it both ideal for garou wishing to hide their whereabouts and difficult in that the local crime rate was high. There were homeless and downtrodden people sleeping in alleyways, huddling over trashcan fires in nearby alleyways, and it was not a place to be seen without some measure of protection from the roving bands of criminals who were known to frequent the area.
Still, it was home, for now… A fact made clear as Edwin’s sly liar’s grin widens upon his shaded lips, nodding to the building in question as his voice carries to Delmar.
“Dere she is… Che` Bogeyman.”
[Delmar Meister] “Uhhhh….Cozy.”
Cozy as a crack in a brick wall. Which, for all intents and purposes is exactly what it was. A little nothing hardly woth noticing. In fact, most people probably wouldn’t even look here. Most people would probably just keep their heads down and keep walking until the were in one neighborhood or another. Or neither.
“How’s the uhhh…room service?” The rotagar quipped, blowing out a breath of steam as he did. He made it a point to only steal occasional glances at the building itself, and to take in as many details about the rest of the area as he could.
[Rory] It was cold, bitter cold, and Rory had sneaked in early in the morning, after spending the majority of the night with Gina. Her head swims with all the things Gina told her about, the questions asked and answered, and Rory is feeling.. well.. a bit overwhelmed by it all. Thus, other than patrols and skipping out to scrounge for something to eat, she’s stuck close to home.
That she has a home is still something she’s getting used too.
She till doesn’t close the door when she showers, either.
But she’s not in the shower, currently – though her skin is still flushed with the warmth of one recently enjoyed. Dressed in jeans and a tank top, she’s curled up on the couch, her kitten in her lap, eating pears straight out of the can with a fork as she watches the TV.
[Edwin Morr] At this, Edwin chuckles…
“Depends on whutcha want, e’sactly. Muggin’s is right quick, hookers uh might less so… Other’n dat, sucks ’til we gits some new recruits fer Fox. Dat said…
If’n ya indulge in th’hookers, take ’em somewhere other’n th’packhouse? I’d jes’ as soon keep’t kin’r garou only…”
Edwin’s lopsided grin widens as he starts toward the building. Idly, hands in his pockets, as though he hadn’t a care in th’world. The front door of the building opens easy as you please, with iron bars separated at 4 inch intervals on the outside of the door. It swings closed behind them, little solace to the cold flowing into the stairwell beyond from the spaces around the door.
Edwin’s steps carry him up to the second floor, and he stops before a simple white door with faded and cracked paint. There was bronze lettering on the door that said 2A… The A hung askew, angled slightly.
Stepping to the door, no one would ever know this apartment was anywhere someone with sense would want to be. No one would ever care to look what happened beyond the door… Not even the landlord, an aging Asian lady who ran the Chinese restaurant next door. As long as the rent arrived, it was no problem.
Standing before the door, Edwin’s hair turns a brilliant shade of copper… His hand drifting just over the door handle.
((Open Seal))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 (Failure at target 7) [WP]
[Delmar Meister] There’s a snort from just over Edwin’s shoulder, about the vicinity where Delmar stands. He doesn’t move in to help or take over. Not without being asked, at least. But he doesn’t let Edwin overlook this minor shortcoming either.
“T’sokay, Boss. Uhhh…it happens to a lot of guys.”
[Rory] There’s voices outside, and the kitten, Bruno, takes one look at the door, hisses, and beats feet for Rory’s room, hiding under her bed. He’s still not to sure about this whole pack business. Rory takes another bite of pear, catching the juice that drips down her chin with her finger and suckling it off as she watches the door.
She recognizes Edwin, of course. It’s the other voice she’s trying to place… recognized, but the name…
[Edwin Morr] ((Open Seal))
Dice Rolled:[ 5 d10 ] 2, 6, 7, 7, 10 (Success x 4 at target 7) [WP]
[Edwin Morr] “Yeah… Dat’s ‘nuther thang. Whutever y’ain’t good at, I wantcha ta be practicin’ ta git better. Dat’ll go fer ever’body, more’r less.
If’n we git in uh spot an’ I cain’t pop th’lock… It’ll be on you ta git th’job done.
Dat said… I hear drinkin’ don’t help th’condition none, if’n ya catch m’drift.”
Edwin chuckles again, and without removing his hand from the area over the doorknob, stares murder at the lock in the knob as he again pulls upon his garou skills. This time, the result is different; the lock snaps open with a metallic click. Wordlessly then, Edwin opens the door and starts inside.
“C’mon in…”
He continues inside, letting the door swing open for Delmar to catch and close after Delmar’s inside, stopping just beyond the door to wipe the snow from his hiking boots as best he can. Shaded eyes move to Rory…
“Evenin’ doll… Time ta meetcher brudder.”
[Delmar Meister] “Yeah, I get it. Uhhhh…Fox’s Kung Fu must be strong!” He grins at his own questionable cleverness, and languidly follows Edwin in. He catches the door and swings it shut behind him. He does not wipe his feet. Just as usual, his eyes scan everywhere, almost as if he were casing the joint for weak spots and valuables.
And then they stop on Rory.
“Ffffffuck…me….”
[Rory] She offers Edwin a shy little smile, and then tips her head to see who’s with him…
…and stops. She doesn’t move, she doesn’t say anything, she just looks at him for a long moment – as if to see what he’s going to say first. She recognizes him now, of course. A beat, two, and then she leans to put her can of pears on the nearby table, and put her feet on the floor. Ready, just in case…
And then he speaks, and he couldn’t have picked a better thing to say. She ducks her head, hiding her little grin that’s turned smirk, as she peeks up from behind those curls. “Delmar.”
Single words are easier. Though the last time they met, no words at all were necessary by the time she was done with him.
[Edwin Morr] “Y’all met?”
Edwin’s shaded gaze turns to where Delmar and Rory sit staring at each other… Before he takes a spot against the opposite wall, just watching the two stare each other down, plenty close enough to act if it gets ugly.
“Easy now… Y’all git us kicked outta dis a’here hidey hole I got us an’ I’m uh be right pissed. ‘Tleast until y’all find us uh better hidey hole wit’ more amenities, room, ‘n’ cheaper rent.”
As for weak spots, there are a few… A window near the outer wall, some few more near the bedrooms down the hallway.
[Delmar Meister] “Uhhh….” Delmar says a little timerously. He holds his hands out at his sides as if to show that he meant no harm, and that he wasn’t carrying any weapons.
It was only a half truth, but that’s hardly the point.
“Yeah, we uhhh…we met. How ya doin, Tongue Twister?”
[Rory] Have they met… she nods, curls bouncing about her shoulders. She remains seated though, she won’t do anything unless Delmar decides too. “Remember the Fwo Tenrir I beat up when they called we meak? He’s one.”
She doesn’t hold grudges, Rory, and relaxes easily enough when he simply says hi. She even reaches for her can o’pears stabs a piece with her fork and then offers the can to Delmar in return peace offering. “Rory. I’m good.”
She even curls back up on the couch, pulling her feet under her, taking a bite of the half pear, catching the juice with her hand if he takes the can, with the can if he doesn’t.
[Edwin Morr] Edwin nods, a piece falling into place in the puzzle in his mind. Then, withdrawing a flask from the interior pocket of his coat, he unscrews the lid and takes a swig. The corn whiskey burned pleasantly, chilling cold bones, putting some fire back in his belly… Grinning that lopsided liar’s grin, he then hands the flask to Delmar, the intention clear.
Then, Edwin turns to Rory.
“Well… Whutever’s happened a’fore’s over’n done wit’. Ain’t nuthin’ ta now.
Old news, dead bones… Nuthin’ ta us whut’s still livin’.
Dat said, if’n ’tain’t ol’ news… Y’all bes’ settle it. In th’middle of uh wyrm fight ain’t no time ta go wond’rin’ if’n yer siblin’ll guard yer back.”
Then, Edwin’s gaze swings to Delmar as he continues in words meant for both of them.
“An’ we all needs ta ‘mem’er dat Fox took in me, took in Delmar, an’ took in Rory. Fox found sum’in’ in each uh us worth keepin’ fer ‘erself. So… might be worth uh look ta see whut dat sum’in’ is a’fore writin’ each udder off.”
[Delmar Meister] Delmar takes the whiskey bottle to his lips, quickly tossing back a gulp and fighting back a grimace while he screws on the cap.
“Uhhh…fine by me. I got no problem with the uhhh….”
The mule?
“The Fianna.”
Oh.
“In fact, I uhhh…kinda respect the fact that she can put the hurt down when uhhhh…when it comes to it. No problem at all.”
And with that he tosses the bottle, letting it soar with an arc through the air, and land down on the couch next to her.
[Rory] She shakes her head. “I’m good. Wone dith.” that shy little grin returns. As far as she’s concerned, she settled it in the alley that day.
He calls her The Fianna again though, and she carefully articulates. “Rory.”
She finishes off the last of the pears since neither of them seem to want any, and truth be told without the extra layers, she’s painfully thin and could likely use it more than they could. She sets the empty can on the table, and reaches for the flask. She opens it, takes a sniff, and jerks her head back with a furrowed brow. Then she takes a drink, makes a face, and caps the flask and offers it back to Edwin.
Add hard alcohol to the long list of things she’s never tried.
[Edwin Morr] Edwin nods, unscrewing the lid on the flask and taking another swig. Only then does he set about taking off his coat and getting more comfortable.
“Glad ta hear’t. I’m gonna need y’all ta work tagether, whut we got comin’. Ain’t uh gonna be easy, but I reckon ’twill make th’Wyrm’s slack-jawed inbreds uh might worried. We’s got some skills now whut we could start rovin’ out, instead uh jes’ holdin’ groun’…
Holdin’ groun’s not whut we’re all ’bout anywho. Dere’s hon’rable folk by th’score plen’y happy doin’ dat.”
And with that, Edwin begins whistling a tune idly and starts into the kitchen area off of the main living room… Leaving Delmar and Rory to their own devices, careful to keep an ear out for trouble.
“Gitcha drink, Delmar?”
[Delmar Meister] “Sure. Uhhh…anything you got!”
Delmar doesn’t take his coat off. He remains bundled and wrapped in it, looking larger than he actually was. He stomps his feet twice, then heads over to Rory’s couch, stuffing himself in the opposite corner from her.
“So you’re ahhhhhh Bogeyman now? Wouldn’ta figured it. What uhhh…what made you come over to the dark side?”
[Rory] She’s looks so much smaller dressed in a single layer, curled up on the couch as she is. She wipes her chin to get the last of the pear juice from her skin and wipes her hands on her jeans.
“Was a Forgotten. Elliot died. Chloe meft le.” And she looks toward the kitchen and smiles a little, before turning back to Delmar. “Edwin mound fe. Fox accepted me as is, so stayed.”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin makes no answer from the kitchen, but the sound of glasses and ice and something being poured can be clearly heard. When he returns, it’s with three taller glasses of ice… With more corn whiskey in them.
“Now, seein’s how dis a’here’s our first official pack meetin’, ain’t no better idea’n uh party whut I c’n think uh fer’t. So… If’n we’re gonna party… Le’s party.”
Edwin grins and sets a glass on the coffee table for Ezra and another for Rory, before beginning to look around for the cheap radio he’d found or ripped off somewhere.
The sounds of rock and roll from the local station begin to filter through the air steadily.
[Edwin Morr] ((D’oh! Ezra should be Delmar. *chuckle* My bad))
[Delmar Meister] “Uhhhh…party?”
He glances at Edwin, then at Rory, and back at Edwin again.
“I’m uhhh…havin’ trouble imaginin’ this.”
[Rory] She smiles shyly at Edwin, and shifts in her seat a little, before taking the glass and sniffing at it again. “You trying to make de mrunk.” she pauses. “Never been brunk defore.”
Weird. What kind of Fianna has never drank before? She then remembers… “Oh! Fixed Wina’s gasher. She says hi.”
[Edwin Morr] “Wayell… Drink up. Git through dat glass, den we’ll talk it o’er.
So far’s I sees it, we got booze’n music’n pack… Dat’s uh party b’my book.”
He grins that liar’s grin, taking a swig of the corn whiskey. Then, nodding to Rory, he grabs a seat on a wooden packing crate nearby that had also been liberated from somewhere. The furniture was sparse; there wasn’t much in the way of high value items.
Still, given the turnover rate for Bogeymen lately, maybe that wasn’t surprising.
“Oh, I ain’t so much tryin’s helpin’ th’process ‘long. Facilitatin’r some such…”
He grins and takes another swig of the whiskey, watching as the rock and roll music plays on.
[Delmar Meister] “HEH!” He exclaims. The others he could have let pass, but this one…
Delmar squints at Edwin for a second, then points at Rory sidelong. “Uhhh…she said weiner.”
[Rory] She blinks. And looks at Delmar. “…I nid dot! I said…”
….she pauses, and tips her head slightly, and looks at Edwin. “…did I?” It’s got to be hard not to hear her own mistakes, to be able to figure out where she might have mixed things up and replace them so that they make sense to everyone else. She knows what she intended to say, even if it’s not what actually comes out of her mouth.
But she tries again. “I gixed Fina’s washer?”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin just grins and shakes his head…
“Rory, you talk jes’ fine. Fox di’n’t mind nuthin’, don’t reckon we will neither. So don’t never change.
Now, mighta sounded kinda like weiner, but dat’s okay too… And so whut if’n ya did?
Dere’s worse thangs ta say then weiner…”
He then grins wider.
“Whoops… Guess I jes’ said it too.”
Another swig of the whiskey disappeared down his gullet, as Edwin sighs deeply. A pack… A real pack… It had been quite awhile since it wasn’t just he and Blast. And then it was Edwin alone…
Whatever their hangups, it was nice to have a pack again.
[Delmar Meister] “Ey, I’m uhhhhh…just givin’ you a hard time. What, you thought I’d be all uhhh…flowers and hugs? Oh. Oh shit, you uhhh…talkin’ bout Gina?”
[Rory] She blushes as Edwin says there are worse things to say than wiener, especially in light of her recent conversations with the kinfolk in question. If he says lollipop, she might absolutely collapse into giggles.
She rubs a finger along side her nose, takes another small sip of the whiskey and then grins a little at Delmar. “I know. I can’t mear histakes, so it’s confusing mor fe.”
Then he figures out who she was talking about and she nods. “Yes! She made dhicken cumplings. Amazing!”
[Edwin Morr] And now Edwin does a spit take, putting his glass to his face to catch the whiskey before it escaped and was lost forever. He starts to chuckle, shaking his head…
“Oh Lord Almighty. Rory… Never change. Not ever. I don’ care whut folks say, don’t never change.
Yer perfect.”
He just chuckles and shakes his head, the sound of the dhicken cumplings having launched him into a fit of laughter. It wasn’t a harsh or cruel sound…
Just simple amused laughter.
And nothing through the totem bond would feel at all like he was making fun.
[Delmar Meister] Delmar, on the other hand, did sound cruel and harsh. But, from either of their experiences, it was the only laugh he had.
“Uhhhh…” he forces between laughter. “So it was good? You uhh…liked it in your mouth, huh?”
[Rory] Edwin spits his drink, laughing, and she tips her head and looks at him. Here’s where the trust comes in – he’s laughing at what she said, but he also thinks she’s perfect the way she is. Something in that resonates with the redhead mule, and she smiles a little at him again, shy and a little confused.
She doens’t know that what she’s said is funny, or why, but since there’s no real feeling that he’s making fun at her, she just nods. “Ok.”
An Delmar is just cracking up. Whatever it was must have been quite funny… She looks between them, and is confused at the question. “…yeah? It gasted tood….”
[Edwin Morr] Edwin just laughs… Setting his drink down, hands pressed to his ribs in an in vain bid to stop them from hurting from laughing so hard. It takes some time of him just sitting to get himself calmed down.
After a few moments, he’s shaking his head and sighing deeply.
“Why Hell’s bells… Dat’s good stuff.”
Then, he turns to Delmar and grins.
“She di’n’t by chance give ya lollipop ‘r uh snickers an’ uh can uh pop fer dessert, did she?”
Then, Edwin sighs and finishes his drink.
“How’s dat liquor comin’ Rory? Delmar?
Y’all need refills?”
[Rory] She blinks again, at a loss as to what she said to keep them laughing so hard. Which, of course, makes it even funnier. And when Edwin asks Delmar if Gina gave him a lollipop, though, she blushes BRIGHT…
And forgets that her glass contains alcohol and takes a quick swig that sets her coughing against the burn… She shakes her head to a refill… she’s gonna have to take this slower.
“Gina said I shouldn’t melieve Bickey about that stuff.” Lollipops and Metis, she means.
[Edwin Morr] “I’m uh like min’; ain’t never met Mickey, but I git dis feelin’e ain’t gotcher best int’rests’t heart b’sayin’ so.
Look… I’m uh say ya git uh question ’bout whut’s okay’re not, come ask me. ‘R if’n dat ain’t kosher wit’cha, go ask Gina. She c’n tell ya whut is an’ ain’t foreplay.”
He sighs and stands, grinning that liar’s grin, lopsided and sly… As he makes his way to the kitchen to get a refill.
[Rory] She nods, slightly. Asking him or Gina she can do. She doesn’t exactly trust Delmar to give her the right of it – that is if he could quite chuckling at her mess ups enough to say anything at all. She grins shyly, and takes a more cautious sip of her drink.
“Ok. Gina explained a tot lo me.” Sex ed from the pikey – thats dangerous territory. “But I thon’t dink I’ll ever need it.” Simple truth. She’s Metis, with blood that signals wasted potential. She has never been allowed to think love or lust is possible – and the chances of being taught that now are slim indeed.
[Edwin Morr] Edwin returns with another glass of corn whiskey with ice. Retaking his seat on the crate, he grins that sly grin and shrugs.
“Never cain tell… Yer bonded ta Fox now; she gits dis way about ‘er, seems ta twist th’odds ever’ now’n ‘gain. ‘Sides… Life’s awful short’n tragic if’n ya don’ never stop ta smell th’roses.”
Edwin takes a deep swig of the whiskey.
“An’ all work’n’ no play makes Jack uh mighty dull boy.”
[Rory] She shrugs a skinny shoulder and smiles that shy little smile of hers. “Gabe thought I pas wretty. But he’s gone. It’s ok though, tinkering is play enough mor fe.”
It’s not at all the same thing, of course, and that hint of loneliness in her eyes speaks briefly of it. Gabe opened her eyes to some of the possibilities… too bad he couldn’t stick around to help her learn more about it herself. Sometimes not knowing the possibilities is a far kinder fate than learning of them only to have them ripped away.
[Edwin Morr] “Well… Dere’s always more fish’n th’sea, doll. An’ ‘roun’ dese parts, ain’t too many folk much big on claimin’. Ya fin’ yerself some feller ya like, keep yerself’n open mind… Mebbe thangs works out better’n ya ever fig’red.
I mean… Way back when… ‘Dya ever fig’re you’d be livin’ free’n’ clear, packed ta Fox, here in th’Windy City like dis? Strange thangs happens… All th’time. An’ all ya gotta do’s keep yer eyes peeled fer th’right opp’rtun’ty”
Edwin nods, and takes another swig of the whiskey… THen, sighing deeply, as a flush begins to show across his sharply forgettable features.
“I jes’ gotta think dat if’n bad stuff ya never dreamt c’n happen, well, good stuff oughta be ’bout th’same way.”
[Rory] Way back when… way back when she was locked in a basement, with nothing but the old tool box and mounds of broken and forgotten items – much as she was broken and forgotten, too. She never believed she’d be let out for anything other than war, let alone finally set loose and free in a world that at once ridicules and hates her – and expects her to be so many things she is not, while being shocked at what she is.
They ridicule her for having little in the way of expectations, yet expect her to conform to their own. At times it’s exhausting. Most times she simply doesn’t understand.
“I like it when you talk thike lat.” She flushes, color painting across her cheeks as she says it, though he can feel through the bond they share just how much his acceptance means to her. Chloe accepted her, but still tried to change her. Edwin simply wants her to be who she is, how she is right now. It’s odd, different, unsettling.
And good. Very, very good.
[Edwin Morr] “Well, m’dear siblin’ uh Fox… Jes’s you cain’t be but whutcha’re, don’ reckon I’m much differ’nt in dat ruspect. If’n th’way I sees thangs makes ya happy, dat jes’ tells me Fox knew whut she’s doin’, tellin’ me ta gitcha.
Tells me ya belongs wit’ us.”
Edwin continues to drink the whiskey, until he’s settled into a nice boneless ooze of garou, like his skeleton had been ripped asunder and he but the mush left over afterward. Time passes, the night fades…
By morn, man becomes wolf and man again, with no lingering effects of the hangover to speak of… Free to wreak what havoc he may.
((Fade here. Thanks for the rp :) ))
[Rory] (danke! :) )