@hardlydead

[outerfringe]

[One day David simply stops appearing by the fire with the rest of them, and Jeff does his very best to be relieved for him. There are only two real possible reasons for that, right? Either he'd actually died for real, or he'd managed to find a way back home- and either way, it meant that he was out of this place. Jeff tries to be happy for him, and for the most part, he is.

He doesn't think about David at all the first day after he wakes up on the cold floor of the Ormond resort, back stiff and jacket crusted with frost. Instead he's too busy finding his way back to town, organizing arrangements to make it home. His apartment key no longer works, he recognizes none of his neighbors, but his bank account was still somehow in alright standing.

Jeff finds a new place. He does not find a new dog.

He feels weird about creating a Facebook account just to check for David, but he does it anyway. When that comes up fruitless, he thinks a lot about the conversations the two of them had while tucked close together in the dark. Wonders if David would even want to be found by someone like him, to be faced with a reminder of the time they'd spent doing everything they could to simply survive.

Jeff tries to paint but can't seem to pull himself out of severe blacks and reds. Tries to catch up on the music he'd missed from the bands he'd loved but it fails to soothe him the way it had before. He considers a therapist, and then decides that he'd be locked away the second he was candid enough for someone to actually help him.

So he packs some things, books a flight. Finds himself at his fifth seedy pub in three days without much hope - except this time when he says he's looking for David King, the big guy by the bar makes a point of sizing him up. Jeff sets his shoulders, frowns and promises that he's an old friend, but it doesn't seem to affect much the scowl on the guy's face. He says something (that Jeff completely misses, he can barely understand a goddamn thing when people here are drunk and loud), but seems to indicate for him to wait.

Which he does. He parks on a stool with a drink, assumes his most unapproachable aura, and waits. He doesn't know who he's expecting to appear, but it's not David.

There's not a chance it would actually be that simple.]

Comments

[hardlydead]

Nah. [ he shakes his head. ] Think about you all the time.

[ his laugh comes out a little sad and he glances down for a moment. ]

Fuckin' tried not to, but...

[outerfringe]

Can't believe I made that much of an impression.

[Jeff is trying to laugh, too, but it only sort of works. He backs away, heading to his suitcase. The room is still mostly tidy, but there's a sketchbook and some clothes on the bed, a laptop with a tablet hooked to a charger on the desk.]

[hardlydead]

[ david's hand lingers on jeff's back until he's too far to touch and then he wanders into the room a little more after him, glancing at the sketchbook on the bed and then to the desk. ]

Almost straight away.

[ that was a very important bottle of moonshine. ]

[outerfringe]

For being too loud? Or too quiet?

[He's misinterpreting that remark, but not unpleasantly. Focused mostly on his things, before he pulls out a board game still in shrink wrap.]

[hardlydead]

No, I mean...

[ he sighs and leans against the wall. it's tough to put into words, for a bunch of reasons. david frowns in thought. ]

I mean it was nice having someone quiet around for a change, I won't lie, always appreciated that about you. But sharing that bottle was like actually meeting you. I dunno.

[ he laughs a little awkwardly with a shake of his head and shoves his hands back in his pockets. ]

It's stupid, I know.

[outerfringe]

It's not stupid. I get it. Wasn't really a normal place. Still doesn't feel real most of the time. Fucks with your head.

[He takes a seat on the edge of the bed, the game in his lap. Listless.]

You ever-

[A pause to consider how to phrase it.]

I nearly got hit by a car like, two weeks after I was back. My own fault, I was distracted, it's whatever. I don't have a death wish, man, I'm super glad to be back, but I just kept thinking 'whatever, I've had worse,' you know?

[He pauses, then adds with a crooked smile-]

So much for quiet.

[hardlydead]

[ david huffs a laugh, it's not really amused so much as understanding. it's definitely manifested as a bit of a death wish on his part, more and more so over time, but he's always lived close to that line. no surprise to anybody. ]

I... Had a job not long after I got back, down in Nottingham. Fella tried to pull a weapon on me and I laughed. Nothin' compared to having a fucking bog witch eat my guts, y'know?

[ he shrugs ]

So I get it, yeah.

[outerfringe]

[Okay well that's enough to snap Jeff out of his own head, especially when he's a little drunk.

He Frowns at David.]

Only tried?

[did you get stabbed pal]

[hardlydead]

Broken wrist makes it hard to hold a knife.

[ he's pretty matter of fact about it. ]

[outerfringe]

Jesus, man.

[Jeff squints at David's feet for a moment, then cuts his eyes up to his face.]

I'm going back to that pub and telling everyone I kicked your ass.

[hardlydead]

[ he barks a laugh at that, grinning after. ]

Yeah? You'd have a bunch of wankers lining up to fight you.

[outerfringe]

[He shakes his head, waving his hand dismissively.]

It's whatever. They don't know where I live.

[God being drunk and not miserable is very weird.]

[hardlydead]

[ david snorts and comes over to sit next to jeff on the bed, immediately planting a kiss on his cheek. what a ridiculous, handsome man. ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff touches his cheek, tries his best to pretend like he isn't weirdly flustered by the sweetness of that gesture.]

You eaten?

[hardlydead]

[ god that's so cute. ugh!!! ]

Nah, not yet.

[outerfringe]

[Shut up dude he's too hardcore looking to be cute!!!!!

but he's going to dig through his jacket pocket for his phone.]

You okay with like- I don't know. Pizza?

[Jeff doesn't really know how to say 'Going back out means I have to stop touching you and I don't want to do that yet.']

[hardlydead]

[ david makes a noise to the affirmative and turns properly so he's facing jeff side-on. makes it easier to touch him, one hand on his leg and the other resting at his elbow. ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff glances at him, a little surprised, before he reaches up to briefly cover the hand on his leg with his own. He just watches him for a moment, silent, before-]

Hey. Things are okay.

[hardlydead]

I know.

[ but he needs to be close and connected, there's a whole year and change to make up for. ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff hesitates, then puts his phone down. Scoots back on the bed, indicates for David to follow him.]

What kind of pizza you eat?

[There are so many little things he wants to know.]

[hardlydead]

Oh I'll eat just about anything, me.

[ he follows jeff up the bed and after a few moments consideration, moves a little more so he can plant himself behind jeff with a soft, questioning noise to ask if that's okay. ]

[outerfringe]

Yeah, same. But you can still have preferences.

[Jeff nods, but he's definitely drunk, still thawing out, and he seems to be trying to figure out exactly how David wants to sit.]

[hardlydead]

[ it takes a little more work to co-ordinate his limbs than he's used to, but david eventually does manage to get his legs either side of jeff so he can press himself against his back and slip his arms around him. ]

Long as it got some kick to it, I guess. Jalapenos or chillies or whatever.

[outerfringe]

[It's- not a way of sitting that he's used to, but he certainly doesn't mind it. Jeff grabs his phone, reclining against David, and he's a little surprised at how easily he relaxes.]

Okay. Yeah, alright, that sounds good.

[hardlydead]

[ david smiles to himself as he gets more comfortable, jeff's weight against his chest is extremely welcome, and he settles his chin on his shoulder. ]

What're your preferences then?

[ he's curious. ]