suitably_heroic | Around Atton's New York, All Day Tuesday

So, Cade was still here. And... damned lucky that Dane had the patience of a saint (or at least a guy with crappy coping methods and a history of poor boundary-setting), or he probably would've been out on his ass by now. Hell, Jack had thought about throwing him out on his ass a few times now. The crossing the streams was just kind of weird.

And Cade could be kind of a jackass.

(But he'd also missed the guy and having him here was a good reminder of their misspent youth and space he really was getting old, wasn't he?)

Anyway.

It was show day. And Jack-slash-Atton hadn't slept a wink last night, so he'd just be on the floor of the living room, where he'd been for the last couple of hours. Ugh.

[[ for that guy and some ocd ]]

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From:

suitably_heroic

Jack felt empty. Empty of energy, empty of feelings, empty of just about anything. It was nice. He was seated on the floor of the backstage area, his shirt lost... somewhere between the stage and here. He had a towel over his head, his head bent over his knees and a bottle of water dangling from his fingers.

Just breathing for a second. Or five hundred.

Edited Date: 2025-03-11 08:07 pm (UTC)

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"You're definitely going to catch something sitting on the floor here," Cade told him as he sauntered back, shirtless and smelling like beer.

From:

suitably_heroic

"I've been doing this for over two years," Jack muttered, somewhat muffled under his towel. "I've developed an immunity to backstage gunk."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"Ew," Cade said. "It's like being to Nal Hutta enough not to smell it any more."

From:

suitably_heroic

"I mean, I also lived on Nar Shaddaa for a while," Jack muttered ruefully.

He pulled the towel further over his head and then wiped at his forehead with it. "You smell like booze. Catch a spray, huh?"

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"The guy was--"

That was a very specific Huttese phrase, Cade.

From:

suitably_heroic

"He's a drunk at a rock show," Jack pointed out. He pulled the towel off his head. "I'd offer you a towel, but..."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"Someone probably sweat into it," Cade guessed. "Pass."

From:

suitably_heroic

Jack shot him a wry look. He dropped back against the wall. "At least you made it out alive."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"It wasn't that hard core," Cade said dryly. "No one even pulled a weapon."

It was possible Cade's idea of venue safety was slightly skewed.

From:

suitably_heroic

You know, it was easy to slide back into a measure of Atton Rand with Cade around. Most of the time, even. Not right now, though, with his heart thumping in his chest and his body empty.

Jack let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he looked up at Cade. He looked amused, possibly even the faintest edge of fond. "Yeah, no, it's just drunks and people getting a little nuts in the pit," he said. "You've got to wait a few nights until the nu-nu metal kids play, if you actually want a rush."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"Do they bring weapons?" Cade teased.

From:

suitably_heroic

"Well, they usually aim to actually hit people when they throw stuff."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

Cade waved his hand sardonically. "Not necessarily a problem," he said.

From:

suitably_heroic

"Great way to make friends," Jack said, lifting up his water bottle to toast Cade.

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"I'm not looking to make friends," Cade said with a smirk.

From:

suitably_heroic

"You're here to win, huh?"

Jack pushed himself slowly up to his feet.

"Hate to break it to you, but there's not much of a prize."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"Oh, I don't want to win anything here, either," Cade said with a laugh.

From:

suitably_heroic

"Spoken like a guy who hasn't watched bad Earth reality television in too long," Jack said, shaking his head.

He took a swig of water from the bottle. "Space, I'm tired."

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"You looked like you were working hard," Cade agreed.

From:

suitably_heroic

"The annoying thing is I'm so wired afterwards I can't actually sleep," Jack sighed. He rubbed at his forehead. "We've got most of the equipment loaded in anyway. You wanna go for a walk?"

From:

shutupandkillsomething

"Sure," Cade said. "Will we be walking towards tacos?"

Cade had developed an obsession.

From:

suitably_heroic

"How are you still hungry?" Jack asked, waving vaguely in Dane's general direction before turning around to go grab... sure, let's call that his shirt.

From:

shutupandkillsomething

Cade was just going to go shirtless. In March. Choices were being made.

"I'm always hungry for tacos," he told him.

From:

suitably_heroic

"The jokes I could make," Jack said, pulling the shirt over his head. Ah, Meshuggah. Good enough. "Sure, why not."

He nodded towards the exit. "After you, oh Mr. Eager To Freeze To Death."