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[outerfringe]

open post for jeff

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[hardlydead]

If it helps, I am usually a lot smoother.

[outerfringe]

We'll have to have a do-over sometime, then. Maybe when we're both sober.

[hardlydead]

Funny story, I'm sober right now.

[outerfringe]

Not too absorbed in whatever's going on with Jake?

[hardlydead]

I think I've got the broad strokes.

[outerfringe]

Guess I'll head that way.

[hardlydead]

Just follow the sounds of the irate woodsman.

[ david is just standing there, arms folded over his chest, watching jake have a go at this bird with a look of sheer delight on his face. ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff falls into place next to him when he arrives, squinting at the sight with a quiet grunt of curiosity.]

You really weren't exaggerating.

[hardlydead]

He's so fuckin' mad. It's been ages and he hasn't let up.

[ david turns to look at jeff with a smile and nudges him lightly in a different direction ]

Let's, uh. Let's go somewhere a bit quieter huh?

[outerfringe]

[The smile is surprisingly disarming, and Jeff suddenly can't remember if that's always been the case or not. He takes the guidance, leading them both away from Jake's minor meltdown.]

He'll wear himself out eventually.

[hardlydead]

Either that or that bird's gonna peck his eyes out.

[ he looks back over his shoulder in jake's direction, laughing just a little, and falls into step beside jeff. hands shoved in his pockets, and he slows to a stop when he can't hear jake or anyone else anymore. as close to remote and intimate as it gets around here for anyone. ]

So... How's a do-over work?

[outerfringe]

[Jeff is so desperate to channel 'smooth' here and failing utterly. He mimics David unconsciously, tucking his own hands into his pockets as he turns to face him.]

Dunno. Thought maybe we'd - sit and chat again. See how it goes without an awful drink.

[hardlydead]

Huh.

[ he tilts his head, thinking about that. he kinda thought he was just gonna walk jeff into the woods and put the moves on him, which seems like an intensely creepy way to think about it once it goes through his head, but... talking. sober. he can do that. ]

Don't usually chat without a healthy dose of social lubricant.

[outerfringe]

You just wanna make out again, then?

[Jeff seems unbothered by the concept. (Any annoyance that flickers across his face is purely a byproduct of the fact that the phrase 'make out' feels like an extremely teen girl thing to say.) Sure, he'd like to talk to David more, just because he felt comfortable around the guy - but if that wasn't in the cards, he'd manage.]

[hardlydead]

Well, yeah.

[ said as though he might as well have just said "duh" instead, and he steps a little closer to jeff. mostly just because he doesn't like having too much space between them, he's decided. ]

But if you wanna chat, we can. Might as well see if you can stand a conversation with me sober, eh?

[ definitely 100% a joke ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff raises a hand when David closes that distance between them, touches it to the other man's arm. He's not exactly sure what the rules are here, but he's doing his best to read David's personal comfort levels.]

Tell me the truth - would you actually wear a feather earring?

[hardlydead]

[ the touch to his arm gets a little smile, and david responds by gesturing to a tree with a broad trunk and a brief touch to jeff's waist to nudge him in that direction. they can sit there, and maybe jeff won't notice how uncharacteristically sheepish david is if his attention is elsewhere. ]

If someone made it for me, yeah.

[outerfringe]

[There's something profound about the gentleness of David's little smile and the touch to his waist, and Jeff gives him an unreadable look at he leads them both to that tree. He sits down, tucking himself against some of the roots, and then raises an arm - as if indicating for David to sit against him here.]

Alright. You still like big dogs?

[hardlydead]

[ david plants himself down next to jeff with a soft grunt. ]

Yeah.

[ he turns a bit so he can face jeff and gives him a thoughtful look, trying to come up with a question or something of his own, but, uh. now he's a bit distracted picturing jeff and a big dog and it's adorable. puts a little smile on his face. ]

What's it I said? Big slobbery babies? Love 'em.

[outerfringe]

Yeah, I think that's the phrase you used. [It's a perfect descriptor of his own dog, at least. Jeff couldn't begin to argue if he'd wanted to.] Think you're on the hook for getting one, too.

[hardlydead]

That's right.

[ he laughs just a little at the memory of being bullied into getting a dog, not that it was much work on jeff's part. ]

[ idly, mostly for something to do with his hands, he takes jeff's wrist and traces the tattoos on the back of his hand with a thumb while he talks. ]

You'll have to come meet 'em, obviously.

[outerfringe]

Where do you live, anyway?

[It's an abruptly strange thought to have, the idea of actually visiting one of the other survivors out in the real world. He can't help but wonder a bit what it would be like. Would the shared memory of a place like this create an unbreakable bond, or would conversation just be too painfully awkward to bear?

He watches David's finger trace ink on his hand like he's minorly enthralled by it.]

[hardlydead]

[ there's something a little soothing about just feeling along jeff's tattoos, the way the skin is raised where there's ink is just enough tactile sensation for david to stay engaged instead of zoning out. ]

Manchester-- It's up north.

[ he doubts that means anything to jeff, but who knows. ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff leans in, just enough to follow what David is doing more closely. It's - soothing, in such a weird way.]

Can't say I've been. It nice?

[hardlydead]

Depends on who you ask.

[ he smirks to himself and shakes his head. ]

Dickheads from London and the like are always down on it, but fuck 'em. It's a good city.