blue christmas

[mindgooshed]

Who: bunnabee (mindgooshed) and YOU.
What: SOME GOOD OL' CHRISTMAS ANGST.
When: p much allll day of the 25th, until early evening.
Where: the town/forest
Summary: christmas is kind of an awful time for this guy, and he's missing out on a macabre tradition that he'll be recreating here in luceti. also, uh, dealing with some issues.
Rating: idk pg13? THIS SHIT

Comments

Sorry. Have a gentleman in red. My apologies for possible shenanigans!

[redjacketthief]

[The cold air and a smoke worked wonders to settle his thoughts and still his breathing. It was the quiet nature of Luceti, the minor grade stagnation that caused his mind to whirl around in agitated circles. At least, that's what Lupin kept on assuring himself as his inherent restlessness drove him into the woods

lmao oh my god.

[mindgooshed]

[ normally, barnaby is pretty hyperaware of his surroundings, and very observant, but at the moment he's a little, um .. distracted. so lupin gets the drop on him rather easily, and barnaby doesn't even notice him until he speaks.

-- and unsurprisingly, he's startled. barnaby nearly jumps out of his skin, hops to his feet and whirls around, tense and clearly more than ruffled. he'd been having a moment and everything, and he'd never thought that anyone would happen upon him like this. let's pretend that he totally wasn't crying. ]

Who are you?

XD

[redjacketthief]

[The frantic action of the person he's addressed startles Lupin as well. He dances back a couple steps, withdrawing the cigarette from the offer. For a second he stares at the man, uncomprehending. Did he really try to flirt with a man?

Not that the casual smile that quickly replaces his confused expression reveals this. He's sorely tempted to lay down some snark, but the similarly confused look on the stranger's face stops him.]

I'm just a guy on a walk. Name's Arsene Lupin III, what's yours?

[mindgooshed]

[ oh. he should probably, um, calm down. barnaby clears his throat and straightens, averting his eyes, his hands tight fists. it's time to salvage what dignity he has left right now. ]

I'm sorry. Barnaby Brooks Jr. You just .. surprised me, that's all.

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin was being stealthy. No surprises on his end.]

My fault there, so I should be the one apologizing. [He offers the cigarette again, pulling it from what looked like thin air.] You want a smoke? It might warm you up a little until we get some coffee in you.

[mindgooshed]

[ barnaby shakes his head stiffly and lifts a hand, palm out. ]

No, thank you. I don't smoke.

[redjacketthief]

[A lot of people didn't anymore. It took some of the joy out of casual socializing. Offering or bumming a cigarette had always been a good icebreaker before laws started getting in the way. He withdraws the cigarette again, deftly returning it to the place he pulled it from. For a brief moment he holds both hands up, palms out, finger spread. 'No tricks here at all' was the implication of the gesture.

Don't mind the man. It's a poor attempt at injecting some cheer into their meeting.]

Anyway. You look pretty cold there. Let's go get you something to fix that--I could use a little lunch myself, actually. Food sound good too?

[Nope. Totally not asking Barnaby on a date. He's just trying to be a good Samaritan]

[mindgooshed]

[ is this guy asking him on a date.

sorry lupin, even on the best of days barnaby's not really a social guy, and today is not the best of days. all he really wants to do is escape as soon as possible. he actually feels a little guilty for giving this guy the cold shoulder but barnaby's well-maintained mask of politeness and social poise is flagging a bit today. so he shakes his head again and starts forward, plodding through the snow on ice-crusted boots. ]

It's kind of you to offer, but I'm not hungry.

[redjacketthief]

But you are cold.

[He knows better than to pry into the reasons behind a man's tears. Hell, Barnaby didn't even seem like the type who was caught doing this often.

Lupin follows, his leather shoes barely making a sound in the snow as he trots along.] Coffee, at least? I insist!

[mindgooshed]

[ normally he'd force a charming smile, but right now barnaby just breathes a heavy sigh. this guy doesn't let up, does he? he's starting to remind him of a certain someone. how can he wiggle out of this without seeming like a complete douche?

by compromising, of course. ]

All right. To go. I should get home soon.

[ important things to do this christmas night, you know. brooding, listening to dramatic opera music, sitting alone in the dark. ]

[redjacketthief]

[The cold, pointed words roll off of him. He's heard worse, and dealt worse, on a regular basis. But, he's feeling like a nice man, and a nice man doesn't leave distraught people alone in the cold, no matter how hard they try to push others away.]

We can do that. Coffee is always to go. [Though it was another part of modern society he lamented. People always wanted to rush!] But...it looked like you were trying not to go home. Just saying.

[mindgooshed]

[ yeah yeah, you 'nice men' often cause trouble in your efforts to prevent it; he knows how you work. but right now it's just easier to go with the flow. ]

No, I don't want to go home. I don't want to go anywhere. But I can't stay here.

[ he's a little more honest in his depression, apparently. ]

[redjacketthief]

Got that right. [He offers a small smile.] A skinny guy like you'd freeze to death out here! [Says the man who is equally skinny, and lanky to boot.]

Too bad we didn't meet last night. I'd have invited over to watch Casablanca with my girl, a few friends, and a few others who are lonely on Christmas.

[mindgooshed]

[ .. yeah and barnaby is just going to give him a look that says You Are A Hypocrite but WHATEVER, stick man.

but that next statement makes him tense, and his green eyes harden as he walks, shoulders hunched against the wind. ]

I'm not lonely. I'd rather be alone.

[ the sad thing is that it's true. barnaby has been alone so long that he's all but incapable of feeling loneliness, though kotetsu is slowly changing that. ]

[redjacketthief]

[The 'stick man' was at least smart enough to wear thermal underwear beneath his black slacks, and he found mini heating packs to slip into his shoes. He's skinny, but comfy!

But those words, that deep weariness in Barnaby's tone, make him bite back any snark and unwind his scarf. He speeds up so that they are side by side. It's a silly token, but the scarf is offered up now.]

A few of my friends are the same way, but even the worst of them knows when something is tough even for him. Admitting these things doesn't make him less strong, you know.

[mindgooshed]

[ man this guy is giving him deja vu. barnaby glances to the scarf but makes no move to take it. ]

It doesn't have anything to do with personal strength.

[ i just don't know how to function otherwise. ]