@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]

[ self-conscious? david? ridiculous. he scoffs, strongly disagreeing with jeff's assessment here, but he'll do another one of his shaky little petals. ]

[outerfringe]

See? Not terrible.

[He slides the paper back to himself, and will gently take over. He's not trying for a masterpiece; he's just doodling.]

[hardlydead]

[ well david doesn't agree but at least he doesn't scoff this time. he puts the brush down and scoots a little closer to jeff so he can rest his head on his shoulder and watch him doodle. ]

I'm serious, you should take 'em. I'm not gonna paint except when you bully me into it.

[outerfringe]

Nah. Need to keep something here. In case I come back, you know.

[hardlydead]

They're yours when you visit then.

[ he turns his head to kiss jeff's shoulder ]

[outerfringe]

You should get me a coloring book.

[He's not painting anything specific anymore - just blending colors on the paper.]

[hardlydead]

Like you're a kid?

[ no he's never heard of adult colouring books ]

[outerfringe]

Nah. They make 'em for old dudes like us, too.

[hardlydead]

Huh. [ wild ] Yeah, I'll get some in.

[ his phone buzzes in his pocket and david takes it out for a quick look. food's on its way! ]

[outerfringe]

Oh-

[Jeff seems to think of something just then, casting an uncertain look at David. Oh, fuck. He hadn't reminded him that he's vegetarian.]

What did you order?

[hardlydead]

Couple of curries. [ he puts his phone down on the table. ] A, uh. Korma and a Jalfrezi. Both veggie.

[outerfringe]

Oh-

[His shoulders relax subtly.]

Wasn't sure you remembered.

[hardlydead]

[ aw. he lifts his head to kiss jeff on the cheek. ]

Course I did.

[outerfringe]

[it strikes him, then, how much he wants to reunite with his band buddies, if only because he wants to bring david to meet them. to do a group dinner and show him off. it's a weird little pang.]

Well. Thanks. I don't care if you do eat meat, y'know.

[hardlydead]

I know. [ he puts his head back down on jeff's shoulder. ] Didn't know which one you'd want though.

[outerfringe]

Mmh. [Jeff hums gratefully, reaching over to stroke the top of David's head once.] I'm not a picky eater.

[hardlydead]

[ his eyes fall closed with that brief touch and he sighs, shrugging a shoulder. ]

Might have a preference though. Or maybe you want some of both, I dunno.

[outerfringe]

I'll let you know if I end up preferring one. [He slips his hand down David's face, pad of his thumb lightly ghosting over his closed eyelids.] You know you're a handsome guy?

[hardlydead]

[ he laughs softly, expression settling into a smile at jeff's touch. ]

I did, yeah.

[ no shortage of confidence, this one. ]

Could ask you the same thing.

[outerfringe]

Sure. I'm not bad.

[Jeff has never really felt the need to change the way he looks, at least. He's comfortable in his own skin; how attractive other people find him has rarely mattered. If anything, he's just relieved that David is into what he has to offer.]

Line me up next to your ex-girlfriends, I'd blend right in.

[he's teasing!!]

[hardlydead]

[ he turns his head to kiss jeff's shoulder again, pausing with his face against it to snort and laugh quietly. ]

Guess beards are a common factor.

[ he's so funny. ]

[outerfringe]

Oh, alright. We're breaking up.

[Not that they're dating, but it doesn't matter for the purpose of this joke.]

[hardlydead]

[ david shakes his head and shifts his chair so he can squish himself obnoxiously against jeff. ]

No we're not.

[outerfringe]

Already said it. Sorry, too late. [Shifting as if he's trying to nudge David off of his shoulder.]

[hardlydead]

Yeah, I don't agree though.

[ good luck getting him to move jeff ]