It's a testament to just how absorbed Neil is in his phone when the door cracks open--his head doesn't shoot up until Charlie speaks. Immediately, he melts into a smile and has to laugh a little as he nods in agreement. At the same time, he notes those touches just behind her in the room.
It's surprisingly normal. Doesn't make him hate the place any fucking less at all, but it's comforting that there's enough teenage girl left in her for that.
"Like I said: cough medicine." he agrees, stepping closer and hesitating for a second. He wants to hug her--is that too dad like? Not friendly enough?...
...fuck it. Charlie gets a hug as he leans down a little and wraps one arm around her in greeting.
She's not going to resist the hug. She's missed Neil significantly, so there are thin but strongish arms going around him, hugging him tight before she grins up at him.
"Good to see you, too."
If that wasn't a sign of how important he was to her, people weren't paying attention.
She steps back soon after, tucking her hair behind her ear before digging around in her pocket for her hair-tie, pulling the black elastic around her hair and leaving it in a wild and messy half-ponytail.
Those skinny arms around his midsection--they burned like dragon fire, warmed him to the core of his being where that endless heat lived in him, and it brought a smile to his face he wasn't aware of until the pull of it actually hurt his damn face.
Rubbing a hand along her back affectionately, he lets her draw back, but catches her hand before she can go too far.
"We'll figure out where in a sec, just--I wanna say something first, Charlie." Letting her hand go so she can pull her hair back, Neil stares at his feet for a long second, trying to sort out his thoughts, then go over all the valuable advice Regina gave him.
"I care about you a lot. In a stupid short time, I've kinda gone crazy about you. I mean--look at you. You're tough as nails, smart as hell...you're a fuckin' amazing kid. There's nothing in the world I want more than to see you safe and happy--and the idea of anyone possibly hurting you?"
He trailed off, forcing himself to take a breath, wipe a hand across his mouth...push the idea out of his head so he didn't break something before he planted his hands on his hips to give them something to do and kept going.
"If anyone ever did hurt you, they'd live to regret it." he replied honestly. "And I want you to know that...that's it. I wanna keep that from ever happening, I wanna...be there if you need me. And if it...feels like anything else, and you're not okay with it? Just tell me, 'cause--we got a lot in common with where we came from, but you had something I never did in your mom and dad. They were great people to put together a kid like you, so...I dunno. I'm just trying to say that...I'm just here. To be your friend, to look out for ya. So...maybe if you ever do hit on a guy, or one hits on you that you don't exactly hate, you could just lemme know you're into it so I don't worry? And, y'know, bonus if you maybe bring him by my place to say hi. Just so I know you're okay, so I could see that you're happy--and that he makes you happy. Shit like that...would that be okay?"
She listens, hands stilling in her hair before dropping to her sides, watching Neil's face carefully. She's watching for any sign he's full of shit, any sign that he's not telling the truth, but he is and that's just strange for her.
Someone looking out for her for the sake of keeping an eye on her is strange. And it's foreign. She doesn't want to let it go, but she isn't sure to handle it. All of this plays out on her face before a faint smile appears and she simply nods once. Thoughts turn to Eli just briefly, but she's not quite ready for that whole thing. Especially since she's sure Eli and her are just friends. Honestly, she wouldn't know quite how to handle anything beyond that much.
"I could use a good friend or two," she says finally, and a bit sheepishly. It's hard to admit, but for Neil she's going to try.
Neil wasn't sure that anything could wipe the grin off his face--not even Ahkaten of the Thunder, in full shift, taking flight. Not even those winds could sweep his smile away, and after worrying for about ten seconds he decided he didn't give a fuck. It wasn't weird or overstepping to be glad she was okay with that.
"Good." he replied simply, still grinning like an idiot. "That's--I'm glad. I'm glad, I know it's only been a day? But I missed you, kiddo."
"That's cheesy," Charlie retorts playfully and teasingly. How else is she going to respond to that kind of thing? With a response that shows the feelings mutual?
"I missed you, too."
Of course she god damn is.
"And I'm sorry for my part of things. I was a jackass."
"Tellin' you, kiddo: you're not a jackass." he assured her, absently sticking a hand in his pocket to grab his phone and check the time--and maybe to tap out a quick message to Regina, but he's quick about it and pockets his phone again before he refocuses on Charlie.
"Being a paranoid asshole's what I do for an actual living, I let it bleed out into my personal life." he went on, clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly. "So I make restitution in pizza and ice cream. Do you know any places around here? Oh, and just 'cause I'm that crazy about you...we can go deep dish if that's your thing. What's left of my inner New Yorker will bear up under the burden."
"I just like food," Charlie states for the second time in as many days. As a homeless kid, she really couldn't complain about what she ate, especially since a lot of it was either stolen or paid for with money she got from pawning stolen goods. Which technically, makes all her food stolen. Probably.
"Just...can we eat outside? I want to be outside. And I don't care what kind of pizza. Honest."
"Fuck yeah, we can eat outside--hang on, lemme check a source." Neil offered, pulling out his phone again--and promptly grinning like a flat out moron at the text that was waiting for him before he asked for Regina's advice on eateries. When he was done, he gestured sheepishly with the phone before putting it back in his pocket.
"Regina--she knows her shit, and she knows this place pretty well. I told you 'bout Regina, right? Honest to God queen, real classy, ballsy as hell..."
"Your overnight dinner date?" Don't even play, Neil. Charlie may not have that empathic bond with him yet? But she's not stupid. For a street kid who did her best to avoid friendships and interactions, she's good with reading people.
She heads out her door, taking Neil with her and locking it behind the two of them.
"You have only just now told me her name, so let's hear the rest of it."
Laughing as she hauled him out the door, Neil felt his cheeks warm a little at being called out--but happily started talking as she locked the door.
"Okay--like I said, she's a queen in her world. Name's Regina Mills, and she's beautiful. Real high class, smart as hell, tough as nails, and for some stupid reason she thinks I'm worth givin' the time of day."
He started to say more--to tell her how alike they were, Charlie and Regina both strong women with stronger personalities, how it was one of the reasons he'd grown so fond of both so fast--but his phone buzzed again. Stopping to read Regina's messages, his face again lit up like the sun as he responded, stopped to delete an unwise remark, then sent his response before pocketing the phone again.
"She's also resourceful--got a couple recommendations for good places to eat. Grab some pizza--maybe a salad, too, I'm into the easy access to produce here, forgot how good tomatoes are--then we'll forage for some ice cream. C'mon, we're headed to Attleton, boardwalk--yo, you got your amulet, right?"
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-05 10:50 pm (UTC)It's surprisingly normal. Doesn't make him hate the place any fucking less at all, but it's comforting that there's enough teenage girl left in her for that.
"Like I said: cough medicine." he agrees, stepping closer and hesitating for a second. He wants to hug her--is that too dad like? Not friendly enough?...
...fuck it. Charlie gets a hug as he leans down a little and wraps one arm around her in greeting.
"Good to see ya, kiddo."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-05 11:04 pm (UTC)"Good to see you, too."
If that wasn't a sign of how important he was to her, people weren't paying attention.
She steps back soon after, tucking her hair behind her ear before digging around in her pocket for her hair-tie, pulling the black elastic around her hair and leaving it in a wild and messy half-ponytail.
"So, where to?"
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-06 05:11 am (UTC)Rubbing a hand along her back affectionately, he lets her draw back, but catches her hand before she can go too far.
"We'll figure out where in a sec, just--I wanna say something first, Charlie." Letting her hand go so she can pull her hair back, Neil stares at his feet for a long second, trying to sort out his thoughts, then go over all the valuable advice Regina gave him.
"I care about you a lot. In a stupid short time, I've kinda gone crazy about you. I mean--look at you. You're tough as nails, smart as hell...you're a fuckin' amazing kid. There's nothing in the world I want more than to see you safe and happy--and the idea of anyone possibly hurting you?"
He trailed off, forcing himself to take a breath, wipe a hand across his mouth...push the idea out of his head so he didn't break something before he planted his hands on his hips to give them something to do and kept going.
"If anyone ever did hurt you, they'd live to regret it." he replied honestly. "And I want you to know that...that's it. I wanna keep that from ever happening, I wanna...be there if you need me. And if it...feels like anything else, and you're not okay with it? Just tell me, 'cause--we got a lot in common with where we came from, but you had something I never did in your mom and dad. They were great people to put together a kid like you, so...I dunno. I'm just trying to say that...I'm just here. To be your friend, to look out for ya. So...maybe if you ever do hit on a guy, or one hits on you that you don't exactly hate, you could just lemme know you're into it so I don't worry? And, y'know, bonus if you maybe bring him by my place to say hi. Just so I know you're okay, so I could see that you're happy--and that he makes you happy. Shit like that...would that be okay?"
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-06 11:49 pm (UTC)Someone looking out for her for the sake of keeping an eye on her is strange. And it's foreign. She doesn't want to let it go, but she isn't sure to handle it. All of this plays out on her face before a faint smile appears and she simply nods once. Thoughts turn to Eli just briefly, but she's not quite ready for that whole thing. Especially since she's sure Eli and her are just friends. Honestly, she wouldn't know quite how to handle anything beyond that much.
"I could use a good friend or two," she says finally, and a bit sheepishly. It's hard to admit, but for Neil she's going to try.
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 02:57 am (UTC)"Good." he replied simply, still grinning like an idiot. "That's--I'm glad. I'm glad, I know it's only been a day? But I missed you, kiddo."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 08:17 pm (UTC)"I missed you, too."
Of course she god damn is.
"And I'm sorry for my part of things. I was a jackass."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 08:31 pm (UTC)"Being a paranoid asshole's what I do for an actual living, I let it bleed out into my personal life." he went on, clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly. "So I make restitution in pizza and ice cream. Do you know any places around here? Oh, and just 'cause I'm that crazy about you...we can go deep dish if that's your thing. What's left of my inner New Yorker will bear up under the burden."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 09:15 pm (UTC)"Just...can we eat outside? I want to be outside. And I don't care what kind of pizza. Honest."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 09:27 pm (UTC)"Regina--she knows her shit, and she knows this place pretty well. I told you 'bout Regina, right? Honest to God queen, real classy, ballsy as hell..."
Not that he's into this woman or anything.
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 10:35 pm (UTC)She heads out her door, taking Neil with her and locking it behind the two of them.
"You have only just now told me her name, so let's hear the rest of it."
Re: Action Prose - Retconning to evening of 9/1 because I am a chowderhead
Date: 2018-09-07 11:09 pm (UTC)"Okay--like I said, she's a queen in her world. Name's Regina Mills, and she's beautiful. Real high class, smart as hell, tough as nails, and for some stupid reason she thinks I'm worth givin' the time of day."
He started to say more--to tell her how alike they were, Charlie and Regina both strong women with stronger personalities, how it was one of the reasons he'd grown so fond of both so fast--but his phone buzzed again. Stopping to read Regina's messages, his face again lit up like the sun as he responded, stopped to delete an unwise remark, then sent his response before pocketing the phone again.
"She's also resourceful--got a couple recommendations for good places to eat. Grab some pizza--maybe a salad, too, I'm into the easy access to produce here, forgot how good tomatoes are--then we'll forage for some ice cream. C'mon, we're headed to Attleton, boardwalk--yo, you got your amulet, right?"