JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Jul 18, 2022 19:57:50 GMT
It woulda been better if she had just kicked the shit out of him. He’d take a broken rib or having to sit on an ice pack for a week to take down the swelling over a broken woman any day of the week. Spoiler alert: juice and some phenomenal berry croissants hadn’t done a damn thing as an apology.
JJ slammed the car door shut after himself, thumbing the locks closed before he headed for the club with his head down and his heart the only part of him that felt like it’d gone ten rounds with Rocky. He wasn’t used to an ounce of guilt over what he wrote – they were exposés for a reason – this time it had been a sledge hammer wielded by one of those delicate little fists.
Maybe he should’ve believed a little more of what Lucky had told him at the benefit, instead of clinging on to the belief that Destiny and the baby she’d lost were the real victims in all of this. Might’ve made it easier, at least up until the moment her flat stomach had slipped into view next to his desk. All bets were off then, no matter what part Destiny’d had in it all, the baby had been innocent and it getting caught in the centre of all of this was a bloody tragedy.
The burning desire to seer the mental image of the look on Destiny’s face out of his head had his throat like the Sahara as he slid up the side of the queue outside the Ruby Slipper. It wasn’t the first time he’d been in there, although usually it was just in search of a little female company, tonight wasn’t about a quick tumble in the sheets, or a quicker fumble in the alley at the side of the building, it was about the booze. A whole shelf of it if he had his way, maybe enough to have the control he had over his mouth – and he did have a little self-control, contrary to popular opinion – slipping and some arseholes ugly mug appearing right at the end of his swinging fist.
Shooting the bouncer a sour smile, JJ slipped in ahead of some brunette whose acid green dress stopped high enough up her thighs that a sneeze would’ve had everyone seeing what she’d had for breakfast. She squawked, although that stopped when he cut a look in her direction. There was no interest there on his part, not unless the liquor did nothing for him, but there was on hers. He hissed out a sigh and shouldered his way through the crowds in the bar. ”Bad boys ain’t all they’re made out to be love. Go find yourself a vicar instead, at least they’d interested in a little redemption.” It was doubtful the crooned words would get back to her with the music pouring out.
The rumble of the speakers washed over his skin, a thudding bass beat that would rattle your bones if you stood too close. Now it was a blessing, he wouldn’t hear a word any limpet in the place tried to whimper in his ear. JJ ducked across a corner of the dance floor, eyes squarely on the glitter of bottles behind the bar. Top shelf, fucking bucket of slop under it, as long as it had some alcohol in it, he didn’t care. Not tonight.
Like he was Moses pulling off a sodding miracle, the crowd at the bar parted as he approached. A petit brunette held her hands above her head, what looked like at least four or five glasses clutched between them, and shimmied past him. JJ skirted her, diving straight into a pocket that contained an empty barstool. For a minute the hairy bugger who usually manned the bar up here was there on his right, serving another brunette, one with pale eyes – although they weren’t cold in the freeze your balls off sense, they glittered with something hot as she took one look and dismissed him – the next he’d vanished like he was David Fucking Copperfield pulling off the trick of the century.
JJ stood on the rail of the stool, elbows planted on the bar to lever himself up. The guy was down at the other end, already serving a bunch of trust fund fuckheads. ”Anybody ever tell you how shit a bartender you are mate? Oi. Ah, come on.” There was a faint whine to it, a desperation that might’ve pushed him to slide over the bar if he already had a couple percolating in his system, but in an attempt at professionality, he’d kept all of that out of his office at the Daily.
Flopping back down, JJ cursed. He could’ve thrown something, an empty glass off the bar would’ve done, btu that also would’ve been the quickest route out of here, at the end of one of those knuckle dragging overly long arms of the bouncer on the door. ”You think I’d get better service if I had her cleavage to shake at Cousin Itt down there?” JJ griped to an equally hairy lump sitting next to him. Maybe him and Itt were brothers, if they were that’d sealed the shitty deal on his night. He frowned at the bloke, studying that rough-hewn mug. ”What’s put that smile on your face?” Now that was the dumbest fucking move he could’ve made. Blokes like this one didn’t typically cry on your shoulder, but every now and then you got one ready to spill and with his luck, this’d be the time.
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REMZI DURMAZ
Vampire
Posts: 96
Age:
33
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Leah Sivan
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Jul 24, 2024 21:56:53 GMT
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Post by REMZI DURMAZ on Aug 8, 2022 20:18:51 GMT
━ like sisyphus pushing that rock uphill ━ ALL REMZI DID NOWADAYS WAS DRINK. IT WASN’T all that different to what he’d been like before, but still. Now he was without Raik.
And he felt fucking empty. Always.
And he had Leah with him. Always. But not the same as before, not like with the drinking, which was far sadder now than it’d ever been.
She was softer now. They still played at the same bullshit, but some nights he curled around her and soaked up the solace she brought. If nothing else, Leah was familiar. She’d been there through it all, and it seemed that, even if they were both fucking assholes, she’d still be there. He hadn’t expected that from her. If Remzi had put money down, he would’ve bet that Leah’d be the first to leave. Apparently, she’d keep surprising him.
He was here now, in the club, because he wanted time away. He didn’t want to be with Leah, or with Hannya, and especially not with both of them. It wasn’t as if he was tired of the sex━wait, shit, was he? No, there was no fucking way. He’d lose a piece of himself if he was.
But he already had when he’d lost Raik.
For fuck’s sake. He took another long drink from his glass, which was a Rum and Coke at some point (but he had no idea what it’d been refilled with since) and polished off the rest of it. Remzi immediately regretted doing such, though, because that meant he was stuck without another for a while━as the newcomer pointed out.
It was jarring to hear another British accent. He couldn’t pick out the differences, only that it made him think of Leah and, therefore, Grey. In the end, it all circled back to his dead brother and that baby. He desperately needed another drink━his body fucking begged for it. Anything that would start to ease this… feeling. Being held responsible for your actions or some shit.
They couldn’t be related, could they? As if any person from that side of the world would be connected to the only two British people he knew. Remzi began to spiral anyway, worried that this guy knew what was going on━that he’d come and sat down specifically for Remzi.
“Probably,” Remzi responded gruffly, but he watched the bartender turn and frown at them, saying, “I’ll be one fucking minute.” With every accentuated mouth movement, though Remzi had heard him over the club’s loud atmosphere anyway. Apparently, the bartender had pretty great fucking hearing, too.
He was about to make a comment about it and start chatting to this stranger as if he wanted a friend, but then the asshole just had to go and be a piece of shit. Remzi scowled at him, forgetting all his worries about whether or not this asshole was a spy or some shit. He reacted purely on impulse, lifting his foot and kicking the douche’s chair over sideways. “Some dumbass like you startin’ shit when he should’ve just kept his fucking mouth shut.” Remzi’s voice boomed through his chest as he slipped off his stool easily, soaking up the shift in the atmosphere all around them. People froze, gasped, and turned to watch whatever was about to unfold. Remzi just hoped the other guy could get a few licks in before the bouncers ended it. He was fucking itching for it.
JJ HART | two buddies sad about the same shit
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Aug 19, 2022 18:18:35 GMT
The first time he’d been dropped from a newspaper, he’d gone out and found the shittiest looking place possible in Ealing. A dozen drinks in and he was numb enough that he hadn’t felt it when he’d swung for some smug fucker’s teeth, not ‘til the next morning when he’d woken up on a bench in a park with some tramp rifling through his pockets, the remains of his liquid dinner on the gravel path beneath him and two of the bloke’s cracked teeth stuck in his knuckles. Luckily there hadn’t been a knock on his door later that day to do him for assault – he was pretty sure he’d just been a mouthy see you next Tuesday until the bloke had gotten tired of it and had swung – he hadn’t stuck around long enough. Keeping a solid head on his shoulders with each termination since had served him well, JJ guessed it was probably only a matter of time though.
By now Destiny had probably broken the story to her partner. A little warning of what was gonna end up on every breakfast table in Maddox’s glossy shithole. If he hadn’t gotten it wrong, and he was pretty fucking sure of that, then JJ Hart had probably gone on the top of his list, written in tiny psycho letters, waiting to be crossed out when he’d vanished like the rest of them. Punishment – which he’d take for the upset he’d caused Destiny, and whatever had happened to the baby (it wasn’t him and he’d keep telling himself that ‘til he fully believed – at Maddox’s hands.
There weren’t much point in getting his arse kicked twice, even if another scar or two – should he survive – would just add to his mystique. Might as well just drink, steeping his stinging pride and slightly deflated confidence in a barrel or something. Retreating home to lick his wounds after. Tomorrow he’d regroup, digging more into that shit bag while he toed the company line and sat around his apartment, twiddling his thumbs until Destiny could stomach him back in the office again. Alright, it’d be more like getting himself sozzled on a daily basis and desperately trying to find himself another tell-all that’d get this town all lit up.
At least the booze was free flowing at home, there were no arseholes looking for a little power trip withholding on him. No ugly mugs all pruned up with whatever internal turmoil had them puckering harder than he was. Maybe he shoulda gone to Campbell’s after all, at least it just took a smile to have the owner turning on the charm there. JJ smiled acerbically at the giant swinging one at the end of the bar, mouthing his own ’might fucking die of thirst before you’re done’. ”Just the fucking way,” he muttered before he took another look at tall, hairy and broody next to him. A flex from him might’ve have a decent pair springing into view. Woulda made a man feel inadequate if he was entirely lacking an ego – which was not his problem.
The sour had definitely sunk deeper than his voice. It creased his own brow, had him tensing in anticipation for the answer to his question to be a fist in his face. This bloke probably wouldn’t have any trouble picking shards of his teeth out of those ham fists come morning. The thin lips didn’t moved, but one foot did, kicking his stool over. JJ scrambled off of it, almost going down as it clattered down on the floor, his feet caught in the legs. Son of a bitch. He kicked it back, his chin coming up like he could make up for the handful of inches sourpuss had over him. JJ cackled, puffing out his chest. ”It’s called being friendly, mate. Although I’m guessing that’s something you ain’t ever had. I was gonna say if I had a pair like yours I could flashed ‘em. Muscles don’t make up for friends though, do they?” Nope, they just meant when that swing came it was gonna hit all the harder. Maybe Maddox wouldn’t have to paste him across the floor after all.
Not looking for a fight lately didn’t mean JJ didn’t know how to fight. Hit ‘em first and hit ‘em dirty and you ended it pretty quickly. Tilting his head like he was suddenly apologetic, he went to extend his hand to the bloke – his left. It hung in the air about level with those manly pecs, fingers spread. A lure that got snatched away as he swung. Not up at that Desperate Dan jaw, low, below the belt, literally, then up at that jaw, the sudden ripple of sound only adding power to the swing. ”Shoulda had brothers mate, they’d have taught you how to share, and knocked the knob out of you,” JJ sing-songed up close as he got a hand in that rat’s nest of hair and yanked down. His knee was coming up, aimed right at that blob of a nose, when the hands grabbed him from behind. Not ready to stop yet, JJ fought against them, a ferret’s agility wriggling him in their hold, giving him the momentum to kick up going for maximum destruction, not a little pain now.
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REMZI DURMAZ
Vampire
Posts: 96
Age:
33
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Leah Sivan
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Jul 24, 2024 21:56:53 GMT
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Post by REMZI DURMAZ on Sept 18, 2022 20:25:22 GMT
━ like sisyphus pushing that rock uphill ━ REMZI WASN’T EXACTLY LOOKING FOR A FIGHT. HE HADN’T expected some dumbass to pick one, but was he gonna back out when one was presented to him? ‘Course not. He was a grieving, self-destructive dumbass, remember?
Remzi couldn’t forget. He was the one fucking stuck with himself; meanwhile, everyone else in his life could walk away. This trip to the bar━to be alone━hadn’t worked out so well. Maybe he was finally experiencing what everyone else did when they were with him for too fucking long.
Thirty seconds with this guy and there was already a problem. But that was just Remzi, wasn’t it? This was what everyone expected. Had Raik been here, he’d either try to tear Remzi away, talk him down or defend his little brother if it went too far. Afterwards, there’d be a lecture. There was always a fucking lecture.
He didn’t think this guy would be giving him one. Neither would Leah. The bartender might have something to say, though Remzi figured he’d appreciate wanting to shut down a short, yappy little bitch.
“Nah, but bitches like them. Being mouthy doesn’t make up for never getting laid, though, does it?” Remzi smirked, reaching up to yank the guy in by the hand he extended, and then━aw, fuck this dude. Remzi let him get in a right hook, thinking he’d get clocked in the jaw, but instead took a jab to the balls. Doubling over made his face an easy target, finally getting one where he wanted, though it was far too late.
Shoulda had brothers.
His heart━what was left of it━squeezed in his chest, and Remzi barely felt the hand in his hair. It was gone within moments, bouncers beginning to drag the twerp out of there, but he wasn’t done. Neither was Remzi. A couple arms roped around Remzi’s, but he was quick to wiggle out of them and move forward.
Before that foot could collide with his jewels again, Remzi squeezed his legs together, trapping the guy’s own between them. Remzi thought about snapping it, but instead reached for the man’s hair, mimicking his dirty fucking move. He tugged the guy closer, simultaneously pushing the bouncers off, and slammed his face into the edge of the bar before finally releasing him. “I did.” He practically growled, reaching up to pop his jaw back into place, though it would’ve repaired itself anyway. “And I always won, man. Bet you wish you were a bit bigger now, huh?” Remzi shouted, moving like he was about to kick the stranger while he was down, but the bouncers descended with heavier force.
Finally, the bartender came striding over, snapping at the pair to get the fuck out. The fact that he’d come only when they were being thrown out had Remzi laughing as he went, dragged off by two burly guys he still could’ve taken on his own.
Practically tossed into the street, Remzi stumbled and didn’t bother to keep himself up, falling heavily, jeans sliding over the pavement. He raised his head, grinning, sticking up two middle fingers at the men. “Fuck you guys!” He shouted, “Hannya’s gonna get me back in tomorrow fucking night, so you ain’t done shit!”
Shifting upwards, with his ass on the asphalt now, Remzi’s eyes slid from the doors to the long line to get in, then finally to the asshole he’d gotten thrown out with. “Guess we can’t drink there,” He joked lamely, though it wouldn’t have been half as laughable if this was the only place open in Mystic Falls. “You wanna get a beer?” Remzi asked, raising his brows.
He wasn’t actually desperate for friends. He didn’t fucking care if this dumbass spit in his face and walked away, but perhaps they’d both been able to push through the tension sitting on their shoulders. Dude was obviously worked the fuck up about something, and maybe he was thinking just like Remzi was━a drink solved all your problems.
JJ HART | no notes.
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Oct 8, 2022 14:18:35 GMT
The General would’ve shit a brick over this. That red stain that would move with a tsunami’s speed crawling out of his starched collar and up his face, slowly turning the buttoned down arsehole apoplectic. He’d seen it happen a half dozen times when he’d been growing up, although, until he’d been old enough in his old man’s eyes, he hadn’t let all that anger and disappointment come rolling out at him. By the time he had been JJ had learned not to stand in the firing line for it. Across the other side of the world what was General Hart actually gonna do about his youngest – and only kid if you were to ask (although on occasion JJ imagined he’d deny having any at all) – getting in a scrap. He wasn’t gonna be thrown in the brig here, left to rot until he’d learned his lesson. Ha! More than thirty years and he hadn’t done that yet.
Abraded pride would be what he’d point the finger at later, tossing it out as an excuse for just being a masochistic little shit, although a closer study (one of The General’s favourite life lessons – take a good look at yourself) would reveal an unhealthy amount of guilt in the explosive mix too.
JJ felt the sting of it as he scrambled his way free of the stool (a shitty excuse for one, you wanted something heavier in a place like this, just perfect for swinging at empty heads). A secondary jab to that overinflated part of himself as the bloke tried to swing those equally overinflated, but ultimately empty, sacs at him. He cackled again, bouncing lightly on his toes just once like he was loosening himself up. ”Sounds like you’re talking from experience, bruv. I guess the hair don’t get you everywhere after all.” The mouth did though. JJ paused for a second, remembering the way his wife had been happy enough with his, once he’d sweet talked her into throwing Maddox under the bus, and promising to empty his wallet into one of them delicate little hands on the way out.
His weren’t huge, but they’d dwarfed hers still, now his was swallowed up by the paw of the Yeti here for just a moment before his other slugged him right between those ‘shouldn’t have skipped leg day’ twigs. Aaah, there was the pride again, his ego puffing up with the air this numpty expelled as he doubled over and left himself wide open for that follow up swing that JJ felt through the rough bite of that beard.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Even the late arrival of the bouncers wasn’t enough to stop the laugh of delight from rolling out of him as he lobbed one last blow at the jewels – let’s see him try and win over the ladies when he had an ice pack plastered to his balls for the next week. Had he celebrated too early? Maybe. ”Oi,” he barked as the bloke slipped free with a minnow’s ease, trapping his boot between those, alright maybe they weren’t as weak as they looked, thighs. He squirmed, hoping the bouncers would get him out of the human bear trap he’d left himself in.
Those thick, Hulk fingers fisted in his far shorter hair, his scalp stung for just a heartbeat before the edge of the bar came rushing up and caught him across his nose and cheekbone. The growled words barely registered after that. The world tipped sideways and JJ flailed, weakly kicking out at the bloke like he could deflect him while he crabbed and whined. ”Ask your balls how big I am…” he slurred. The laughter returning as the bouncers descended in force. There was no more room for swinging, even if could tell which of the two blokes he was seeing was the one whose teeth he wanted to knock out, they were held apart so the other hairy bastard could prance in and officially kicked them out. Now the shit bag wanted to work. Fucking ridiculous.
Bootheels skidded across the floor, although, honestly, JJ didn’t put much effort into slowing down the lumps who’d come to drag the trouble out of the place. He went boneless – with a drunk’s wisdom – as they tossed him out. While the Yeti hit the ground, he stumbled a good half dozen metres, before he recovered his balance. At least as far as being able to stay upright by bending over with one hand braced on a knee. The world still whirled a little at the edges – not in the fun way his planned night of drinking would’ve had it doing either. Looking up at the arsehole had him wincing. ”’cept put you on your arse,” he muttered, grumbling as he poked along his cheekbone and at the bridge of his nose. Nothing broken, although blood trickled from one nostril and that bone deep ache under his eye told him he’d be nursing a black eye next morning.
Experimentally, JJ straightened up and then sank down on the floor next to the knob who’d kicked it all off. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, was glad to not feel the sharp sting of hair ripped from the roots - bald spots were harder to hide when you didn’t have the caveman thatch going on. ”Not ‘til your bird gets you back in there tomorrow night…” And not til he’d mea culpa-ed enough to sweet talk the bouncers into forgiving him (the dick behind the bar would obviously take more work). JJ stared at Hairy McLairy, full lips, thankfully not split by the up close and personal moment with the bar, pursed before he snorted and lifted his chin. ”As long as you can walk there. Maybe we can sweet talk the next bartender into giving you a little ice.” Or a rubber ring, anything to take off the pressure the booze wouldn’t manage.
Thankfully the world didn’t pitch again as he got to his feet and offered the bloke his hand for a second time. He wasn’t gonna swing this time, weren’t worth it. ”How ‘bout Campbell’s? They’re a bit less lairy there at least and that owner might have a sweet spot for neanderthals. That bird you mentioned gonna kiss it all better tomorrow?” When he’d be icing his own boo boos, a loner’s self-care and a whole day spent on the couch since he didn’t have an office to go back into. Being persona non-grata was gonna fucking suck.
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REMZI DURMAZ
Vampire
Posts: 96
Age:
33
Status:
It's Complicated
Partner:
Leah Sivan
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Jul 24, 2024 21:56:53 GMT
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Post by REMZI DURMAZ on Nov 2, 2022 16:53:57 GMT
━ like sisyphus pushing that rock uphill ━ HONESTLY, REMZI JUST WANTED ANOTHER FUCKIN’ drink. It didn’t matter if it was with the dude who should’ve been his arch-enemy for the night, just so long as it… wasn’t one of the chicks. Which he didn’t ever think he’d say, but apparently it was possible to get tired of them. It was just… too much. They were usually negative as fuck, and he was tired of getting his buzz trampled by the evil fuckin’ twins. Hannya seemed to feed off his sadness, and when Leah wasn’t irritating him, she was a constant reminder of what his actions had caused.
Rolling his gaze up to the stranger’s, Remzi gave him a dopey grin. Arse. Bird. You ever thought about, y’know, speaking American, man? Trynna blend in? Or do you think bitches like that sorta shit?” He was just teasing━being an asshole, as per usual━which this dude was gonna have to learn to get used to if they were gonna go for another drink.
He stayed on his ‘arse’ ‘til the guy offered a hand and, though Remzi didn’t need it, he took the proverbial grapevine anyway. Err, not grapevine━grape branch? Olive branch. Yeah. He grabbed it and hauled himself up, grabbing the bottom of his shirt and tugging, letting any lingering asphalt roll off and onto the ground. “Gonna assume ‘lairy’ is another one of those weird-ass words.” He’d try to remember to ask Leah about it later━or just google it. “Anyway, yeah, Campbell’s.” Remzi mentally hesitated at the mention of Hannya━even if he was the one to bring her up in the first place━as they began walking.
“She’ll probably try to, man. You know how clingy bitches are.” Nudging the man playfully, Remzi chuckled and tipped his head back, blue eyes absently drifting over the night sky. Leah certainly wouldn’t give a fuck even if he had wounds to kiss better, but Hannya would give too much of a fuck. Maybe he’d like the idea of that tomorrow, but not right now. “Your bird gonna be all pissy about you being a dumbass and gettin’ your ass kicked in a bar?” He grinned again, then flashed that happy smile at the light growing brighter the closer it got: salvation. Campbell’s bar.
One step inside had Remzi getting deja-vu. They were throwing them out again━taking one look and saying no fucking way, all ‘cause the other dude wouldn’t stop bleeding. Remzi tried to look and focus elsewhere━mostly on his irritation. He wasn’t about to munch on the first dude to tolerate his shit since Lawrence.
“Well, fuck. This one’s on you, man.” Remzi scoffed, glad he didn’t end up on his ass again, just pushed out of the bar and back into the coolness of the night he couldn’t even feel on his skin. “Corner store six packs?” He suggested, blue eyes ticking sideways, a hint of mischievousness in them. “That looks like a dope fuckin’ curb right there.” Motioning to the small convenience store lit up across the street, he finished his suggestion by pointing to the curb outside of it, where they could laze around drinking for the rest of the night━both of them avoiding returning home.
JJ HART | wrap here or w yours?
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Nov 15, 2022 19:13:24 GMT
’Would it kill you to apologise?’
Absolutely. Of course, he hadn’t told the old man that. He already knew his second born was facetious as fuck and would defend his actions to the last word. He’d inherited that from the General. That need to stand by every single belief he’d ever had, arguing it til he was blue in the face. Was he ever proven wrong? Regu-fucking-larly. The point was though, he wasn’t about to start falling on a sword over it. General Hart wasn’t either, he was a man who rapidly shoved his mistakes behind him and then acted like they didn’t exist – just like his eldest. Out of sight, out of mind and don’t let the guilt bite you on the arse on the way out.
The ’I’m sorry’ had almost choked him as he’d sat in that chair this morning, watching a woman literally hollowed out try and avoid breaking down in front of him. Sorry for her loss, sorry for what that man had done to her – and no matter what Destiny said, he was sure that Grey Maddox had a hand in it – not sorry for trying to blow the lid off of what that red handed arsehole had done here and across two countries.
There’d be no apology from him now, for trying to lodge this blokes brass ones up around his tonsils – it’d been a mutual decision to blow it up. And he wasn’t about to crawl to some fucker picking over his accent. JJ cackled, his middle finger trying to get in on the game as he aimed it at that mug. ”Oh, I know they do mate. Over here at least. They want a bit of the exotic.” His wife had seemed far keener that he put his lips to some other use than flapping, but, eh, the point still stood. ”Who wants to disappear among crowds of idiots like them?” His chin rose, indicating the queue still shuffling around, hoping the bouncers would open up that velvet rope for them. One face in the masses, not making a single wave. Nah. Fuck it.
JJ got to his feet, bracing himself as the bloke took his hand and hauled himself up. Woulda been pathetic if he’d gone straight down like a sack of potatoes, adding more bruises to a face that was gonna look a state in the morning (as though anybody was gonna see it as he crawled under the rock of his apartment and stayed there). His teeth flashed as he knuckled under his nose and then used the shoulder of his t-shirt to staunch it for a moment. ”It’s called English, guessing they don’t speak it too well round here. I’m guessing Doctor Who didn’t get as far as you.” That seemed to be every American’s bench mark for Britishness. ”Lairy – mouthy, flashy, dickish.” Probably described himself as much as anything, but this wasn’t a moment for self-reflection.
It was about trying not to limp on the way to Campbell’s – those twinges in the top of his foot were working their way in, had to remember to lead with the leg next time, ‘specially when a bloke was practically carting cannonballs around with him. A few steps in and it was loosening up, his cackle echoing across the square as his new company nudged him. ”That’s why you don’t keep ‘em around. Have your fun and say see ya later. Keeping ‘em around’s too much trouble.” Wasn’t that the General’s attitude too. ”If I had one, I doubt it. They’d know it was a regular fucking occurrence, yeah?” A magnet for trouble and too dumb to walk away. Although he supposed this had to count as walking away, even if his arse kicker was right there with him.
Anticipating the dulling of the pain in his conscious and his fucking face, JJ bounced up the stairs and practically got tossed back. It ain’t that bad – just a fucking nosebleed bruv – might as well have been talking fucking Swahili for all the owner took notice of it. No sympathy and a couple of ice packs, just stop bleeding on my floor. Go home and sort yourself out. Now it was his balls aching as stomped back out the door. JJ sniffed hard, wishing for a second that he hadn’t before he hawked the clot of spit and blood into the curb.
Holding his hands up, JJ grumbled under his breath. ”Some of us take a bit to recover from a smack in the face,” he griped. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And some of them sashayed along the street like they hadn’t turned eunuch briefly. Sniffing again, JJ licked at his upper lip. Salty. In more ways than one. ”Yeah, fuck it. Let’s give the boys in blue around here something to start bitching about. On me.” Squaring his shoulders, JJ started across the street. Maybe they’d have a pack of tampax too, something enough to staunch the flow and who knew, making the bitch in him would shut up for five minutes with the application of them too.
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