[ota] you're gonna go far, kid

[bluntforces]

There are very few people, particularly in the Deck, who wouldn't describe Evan McCartney as 'an annoyingly happy camper.'

And he is happy. He's happy to be getting his degree sorted out. He's happy to be looking at jobs which will allow him to be productive--to actually use what bit of a brain he has properly, the way it's meant to be used. He's happy to be in love and waking up every morning next to the woman he's in love with. He's happy to run with the dogs and spend afternoons with his parents and run errands for his sister. He's even happy to get into fights with cousins who look down their noses and young idiots who need to get their heads out of a generation far too outdated to still be crafting culture.

He's happy. He's Evan McCartney.

But he's quiet these days. He's not entirely certain why. He's been singing less. Shouting less. Simply moderating his voice far better than he ever has, as if the concept of 'an indoor voice' has sunk in more than twenty years after being introduced. It sits funny in his shoulders.

So he does what he can. He gets up early to study; makes Riley breakfast and takes the dogs on a run. He goes to throw punches at bags until it's time to ice his shoulder and suck on his lip so the bleeding will stop. And he goes, ultimately, to lie on his back in the snowed-upon Green, because he's not entirely certain where to go when a body feels pensive.

Someone should teach him how to do 'pensive.'

Comments

[alwaysmessedup]

Justin's really too much skinny to want to spend much time outdoors. But he's also about gone stir-crazy from spending too much time indoors, so a walk seems in order.

A walk and smoking and maybe a drink somewhere on the way back but first Evan what are you even doing.

So he pauses and looks down at the older man with a rather skeptical expression, "....not dying of hypothermia, are you?"

[hey_sexy_latte]

Teresa is, admittedly, not very good at 'pensive.' She's gotten a lot better at it following the attack on her family's coffee shop, but she's still no expert.

She is, however, what she likes to think is a good friend. So when she stumbles upon Evan McCartney lying in the snow, she's going to stop to look at him with a touch of concern in her expression.

"You all right, Ev?"

[bluntforces]

More people should stop and ask themselves what they're even doing. It's actually a question Evan is asking himself right now.

It's probably best to have his absent, completely unstructured pondering interrupted now and then, though. He pops up onto his elbows.

"No more'n the next guy. You?"

[bluntforces]

"...y'know?"

And it takes a second to look from the sky to his friend. To actually refocus on the real world rather than the half-formed thoughts he's chewing at.

"'m not really 100% on that."

[hey_sexy_latte]

She studies him a moment longer, before plopping down next to him in the snow.

"Anything in particular making you less'n 100%?"

[bluntforces]

--what. No. Ridiculous friend. Give him a second to tug his scarf off and throw it at her.

Because it will clearly help so much now she's getting soaked with snow too. Clearly.

"Lotsa things. And-- nothing. It's a weird feeling, T."

[alwaysmessedup]

He exhales a stream of smoke that looks rather more impressive than it really is due to the chill in the air and thus his also foggy breath.

"I'm not the one laying down in the snow, man."

[hey_sexy_latte]

It won't help, really. But at least it'll give her the opportunity to flop in close when his arm lifts to give her the scarf.

Surely this is something snuggles can fix, after all.

"A bad kind of weird?"

Probably, if it's got him acting like this.

[heartshy]

Why is there someone lying in the snow? That doesn't seem right. That seems cold. What are you doing? Don't do that. Come here! Or... no, wait. Stay there.

After a dizzying time trying to decide how to deal with a person immersed in snow, Jinx crunches her way over to him. Bundled from toe to tip top of her head she looks like a little mountain of clothing with a thermos clamped between her mitten-clad hands.

Hello person sitting in the snow.

[bluntforces]

"Nah, but it's wicked cold out."

Admittedly, Evan's determination of temperature is probably impaired by the snow he's flopped in. Don't attempt to logic at him, though, Justin. Clearly he's not quite in a space to be logic'ed at.

[alwaysmessedup]

He's just going to crouch and not get his ass wet, thank you.

"Yeah, it is. Which is why I was headed toward the inside again when I found you lying here like a blizzard victim."

Maybe not quite that dire, but still.

Justin just shrugs and fishes out another cigarette, holding it out and down toward Evan. "Look like you could use one."

[bluntforces]

Sneaky friend. Sneaky ridiculous friend.

Sneaky ridiculous friend getting an arm wrapped properly around her shoulder as he sighs.

"Not a good kinda weird. Dunno if it's really-- bad. Just feel real... floaty. Y'know?"

[bluntforces]

Hello apparently nervous little Heart. Have, after a moment, a patently bright McCartney smile.

"Hey, kiddo."

[heartshy]

She beams down at time, eyes crinkling to slits about the scarf swaddling her neck and face. She tries to nod, but her clothing gets in the way, so she settles for sitting herself down next to him, knees drawn up against her chest.

Opening her thermos she poured him the hot, lightly spicy chocolate she'd made in the Heart kitchens.

Hello person sitting in the snow for no reason discernible to her - albeit uncertain - eyes.

[hey_sexy_latte]

She does out of love. Love and, at the moment, a need for warmth.

"Floaty doesn't seem very good." Particularly for him. "D'you know why you're floaty?"

[bluntforces]

Ridiculous thinking-ahead sort of human being. Who even does that.

Evan does wave off the cigarette, unbruised shoulder lifting slightly. "More of a 'too many beers' guy than a cigarette guy. Thanks, though."

[bluntforces]

Probably one of them should recommend having this heart to heart inside. Or at least upright and with some cocoa.

"I guess I-- ain't been this steady this long since before I was..." Give him a second. "...like fifteen. 's-- unnatural-feelin' now."

[bluntforces]

Ah. Kiddo sitting down in the snow with him. He'll take a moment as she settles to push up from lying down to sitting properly, swatting absently at his own back to get at excess powder.

"Whazzat, then, huh?"

And is it actually for him? Because it smells delicious.

[heartshy]

She puts the thermos top in his hands, making sure it's steady before digging around for a make-shift cup of her own.

Yes, silly. Of course it's for you. Warm and sweet are exactly what powdery snow need, right? She's thinking it was an even better choice now that she's had time to consider the look that had been on his face.

She stares at him intently after pouring her own, waiting for him to sip.

[hey_sexy_latte]

They'll get there. For now, they need a few minutes to just sit and snug.

"Isn't it-- good, though? To be steady?"

[bluntforces]

"Ain' you the sweetest thing."

So imaginary ching-ching to you, sweetheart, before he absolutely takes a happy slurp. There's a pleased puff of dragon-breath air as the taste hits him.

"You make this?"

[heartshy]

Her eyes crinkle down at she smiles again, and her whole body wiggles with the force of her nod. Yup, just milk, hot chocolate mix, and spices. Perfect for a cold day.

Her cup has to be set aside to pry her scarf down far enough to free her mouth, though, and she's kind of annoyed with herself for not thinking of that before she went around pouring her chocolate.

But enough about her. How are you? A mittened hand pats his shoulder while her head tilts in inquiry.

[bluntforces]

And it's an incredibly appreciated thing, having a friend willing to stop her day, drop down into the snow and just poke at the bothersome bothers. He'll give her a proper hug about it later.

Now? Now he'll just huff out a freezing cold breath and shrug with the shoulder that doesn't hurt. "It's supposed t' be, right?"

[bluntforces]

It's sweet, really. It puts him a bit in the mind of Elani, when they were a bit younger (or much younger, really, at this point). It's absolutely got a much calmer smile on his lips as he sips at the cocoa and she offers a curious pat on the shoulder.

"--ah. 'm fine." Mostly. As far as she was concerned, anyway. "Just havin' a bit of a day, y' know? When you just get real tired and need t' have a good sit."

[heartshy]

Her lips twist while she thinks about that, tries to put it into her sense world view.

A slow nod. Yeah, okay, she sees that. But out here? In the cold? With the snow? She casts a dubious glance at their surroundings and wrinkles her nose at him.