@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]

[ ooc; i love both of these??? can we do them both because they sound amazing ]

[outerfringe]

[OOC: ya of course c:]

[The next few days are honestly pretty boring, and Jeff couldn't be happier about that. It's a comfortable, comforting boring, the sort that brings the kind of peacefulness he's been chasing ever since he'd awoken in Ormond. It's alarming how easy it is to find a rhythm with David beside him.

The flight back is long (and only briefly panic inducing when the already dim cabin lights flicker twice, in rapid succession), and there's no one to wait on either of them at the airport. Jeff will take him to an apartment that's mostly bare. The furniture that is there is mostly second-hand; he'll upgrade later, probably, when he's more certain of his own path forward.

The first day back is spent losing the fight against jetlag; the second has him making a brunch of scrambled eggs and toast around noon.

He looks thoughtful as he tips some egg onto David's plate.]

You wanna catch a movie? Matinee?

[hardlydead]

[ david catches himself wondering if it's because of his age that jetlag hits him so hard now. his passport says he's nearing 40 now, even if he feels like a decent 5 years of that is missing, but still. he's yawning when jeff makes them brunch, aimlessly scrolling news articles on his phone to keep himself awake, but the question makes him reflect that thoughtful expression back at jeff as he considers it. ]

Could do. Anything good on, you think?

what did i do

[outerfringe]

[Jeff's furniture is mostly bed (a mattress on a metal frame, no box springs) and couch (secondhand but in solid shape, comfortable). There's a table in the dining area, but only a single seat, and is used more for work than eating.

So he drops next to David on the sofa, leg brushing leg as he balances his plate in his lap and pulls out his phone.

Uh. There's a new James Bond movie?

the elusive brackets/prose hybrid

[hardlydead]

[ david leans over a little closer to jeff, pausing between mouthfuls of food with a thoughtful look. ]

Sounds good. [ what's not to like about dumb spy nonsense ] Could go grab a bite after too.

[outerfringe]

Yeah?

[Jeff isn't trying to Push, he's just trying to make sure they're on the same page.]

Sounds like a nice date.

[hardlydead]

[ something about the word 'date' makes him come over a little bashful, smiling at jeff briefly before going back to his food. ]

It does.

[outerfringe]

[God, if he's not painfully fond of those flickers of bashfulness. Jeff has a bite of toast, reaching up with his free hand to affectionately squeeze the back of David's neck.]

Gonna let me pull your chair out for you?

[hardlydead]

[ the laugh that comes out of him at that even surprises himself. ]

You feeling like a gentleman today?

[outerfringe]

Could be.

[Jeff shrugs one shoulder, smiling down at his plate.]

That okay with you?

[hardlydead]

[ he tilts his head, giving that a moment of actual thought before he answers, light and playful. ]

Long as I get to be the gentleman some other time.

[ when will technology allow two men to pull out each other's chairs ]

[outerfringe]

[Jeff shrugs one shoulder easily.]

You can walk on the car side of the sidewalk. Even.

[hardlydead]

Proper chivalrous.

[ he says it with the subtle tremor of a laugh in his voice. this is so dumb. ]

[outerfringe]

I'm trying.

[Jeff finishes his brunch serving, before he kisses the side of David's head and moves to collect their disposable plates.]

C'mon. Let me take you out.

[hardlydead]

You sure you can afford it without my TV to pawn off?

[ he reaches for one of jeff's hands to give it a brief little squeeze before handing off the plate. it's a yes, but that's not gonna stop david being a little shit first. ]

[outerfringe]

What kind of place you thinking for dinner?

[It's not real concern; Jeff is just taking this excuse to peer critically at him.]

[hardlydead]

Dunno. [ he's sleepy amd recently fed, the reality of what going for a meal actually means hasn't quite registered. ] Don't even know what kinda places are around. [ ... ] Or what you like really.

[outerfringe]

Decent Thai place not far from the theater. You like spicy, right?

[jeff's phone lights up; he's been paying more attention to it in the past two hours than he has the total of the past three days.]

Could be nice.

[hardlydead]

Sounds good.

[ his lazy smile slips into a small frown and he glances at jeff's phone. ] Everythin' good?

[outerfringe]

Yeah.

[he grins slightly down at it.]

Finally got in touch with some old friends. It's - nice, I guess.

[hardlydead]

[ oh. david smiles again, good for jeff. ]

Yeah? That's good.

[outerfringe]

Yeah. It's surreal.

[he's reaching for his boots after he heads over to the door. there's a surprised lightness in the words.]

[hardlydead]

From when you were a roadie?

[ david gets up to get his shoes too, both curiosity and the fact he's happy for jeff evident in his voice. ]

[outerfringe]

Yeah. Didn't talk much after I stopped, but - I don't know.

[He glances up, weirdly embarrassed.]

They were my best friends, I guess.

[hardlydead]

Glad you found 'em again.

[ he puts a hand on jeff's bicep, gives it a light squeeze. ]