2019-07: The lay of the land

[Duncan Ackerley]

It was early in the evening, the sun just having sunk beneath the lowest buildings of the city, colouring the sky in a beautiful hue of red and orange and purple towards the clear night's sky. Duncan found himself in the neighborhood that he was about to make his new turf, strictly on a professional basis this time and had been walking around the block a few times while waiting for Vid to get there. They'd decided to meet somewhere at a small bar that probably only the locals really knew, but he didn't like standing around and waiting.

So when he eventually crossed through the same street again he thought he saw a familiar face somewhere down the street. He approached carefully but casually, with a bit of tough swagger to his walk, something he always unconciously did to look more impressive when he didn't trust his environment, before he knew for sure that he'd seen the right person. "Oi, Vid," he said with his strong Cockney accent, greeting the man.

[Vid]

He'd gotten there early, reconnecting with familiar rooftops, remembering the times he used them to evade innocent passer-bys. How much had changed since then.. since being worryless and not having killed and liked it. They'd been a family then. And still, nowadays he's happier than he can easily remember being.

He drops down to floor level more by sense of the darkening skies than by any clock, and smiles in the shadow when a faraway church bell chimes the time. Not long now. And then Duncan rounds the bend.

Vid raises a hand, waving, not even trying to seem tough. He has the air of a teenager, grown too fast and still skinny from that process of elongation called adolescence. His shirt is bright red linen, with a patterned shawl around the shoulders, jeans dark grey, shoes made for playing basketball. It's only the black forms against the night sky that suggest he might be more than a boy out alone too late.

"Hey," he responds, h more a 'g' in this one syllable sentence. His hands flutter aside, welcoming the other in a brotherly hug.

[Duncan Ackerley]

It always amuses him how different in age Vid can look and with the slightest change of clothes it can make years of difference. He reckons it wouldn't be so different for himself, he just simply never had the urge to wear a suit or something fancy like that. Never had the use or reason for it, so he never put the effort into it.

Even if he answers the hug, it remains short and strong as he pats Vid on the back once with a firm gesture. "How're you doin' mate?" he asks casually as he puts a little distance between them again. Duncan's mind is a whirlwind of confused thoughts, his expression betraying only that little bit of silent discomfort if Vid would pay attention to it. After all, the Londoner doesn't have the best pokerface even if he tries.

[Vid]

Vid's not a poker player, but he smiles as if he has an ace up his sleeve. The brujah usually seems tragic, but there's something hilarious about the lack of that emotion in his pale face. Leaning in a little as the other steps back, imbalanced and with his hands on his back, the traveller asks most innocently, "Inside or outside?"

[Duncan Ackerley]

Duncan notices that Vid notices something- or at least he thinks so, with that smile he has on his face- and it makes him look all that more nervous. His nose crinkles up shortly as if it itches and he clears his throat uncomfortably when the other man asks whether he wants to go inside or remain outside. He would know that the safe answer would be inside, but the better and more logical one would be the latter.

"Guess we should stakeout the neighborhood, 'right? So let's 'ave a walk," he finally says after an uncomfortable silence in which his shoulders grow even more tense and his body language even more tough, mostly out of instinctive defense.

[Vid]

Vid backs up, darting aside to take up walking on the curbside of the road. He senses the nerves more than sees them, and he'd not intended to set the other on edge. Yet. So they walk, under the stars, through familiar streets with harsh lighting and angular buildings. He shows the buildings with the grass rooftops, that one can laze about on in the summer; the shopping mall, such an American ceilinged amalgam amid the tower flats; the hospital, where one can leave people who accidentally got hurt; and the street corners where less desirable elements hang, visibly hoping for trouble.

They can stop anytime. They can talk anytime. But the first move is up to Duncan.

[Duncan Ackerley]

He clears his throat after about ten minutes of walking as they make their way towards the shopping mall. At some moment he needs to break the silence. It's like Vid is testing him, challenging him to be the first one to break it. Of course he would. Vid is Fleur's Sire and he would do right to remember that, not only now but as long as they're involved. And he do wants to get to know the other man better, especially since they're going to work this turf together.

"So has Fleur told you about our date?" he finally blurts out, his eyes not quite meeting Vid's when he continues to walk and wait for an answer.

[Vid]

And there it is. There's so many things he could respond with.. 'Yes.' 'No.' 'Of course she has!' 'What is there to know?' 'Should I be jealous?' But Duncan doesn't look up, so Vid looks aside similarly. Evasive, yes. Not showing much emotion, yet.

A simple question as they continue to walk, "Why?"

[Duncan Ackerley]

Duncan can't help but to look to the side when Vid stays quiet for a little too long. He shouldn't have done so maybe, but is struck by the question asked and the tone it is spoken in. He can't really put his finger on how Vid feels about the whole thing and it creeps him out a little bit.

"Because we're dating," he tries to explain, matter-of-factly. "You're- you're her Sire, righ'? Your opinion matters to her? So- it's sor' of this weird thing that you also do when talkin' to your girlfriend's dad, or somethin', I guess. Although that doesn' quite feel right... in this context."

He frowns as he looks to the road in front of him again. "So what do you think abou' it?"

[Vid]

He'd had a plan, but the other is being so talky about it. So thinky. What's the word? So rational!

Vid turns towards Duncan without stopping his motions, basically walking into the other's personal space. "What do you want me to say? Should I be angry? Do you want to fight?" The tone is raw, speaking to all kinds of instincts.