[log] Fighting Temptation [closed]

[thewarningafter]

Characters: Stephen, Alfie, Royce, and Sylar
Location: Building 31
Date: Day 249 (early afternoon)
Summary: Alfie hands off some supplies, and also something Stephen dropped a day or two ago.
Warnings: Embarrassed space wizard

31: This house is perhaps most easily recognized by the picket fence, paint worn off and wood exposed, that pushes up out of the snow and encircles the backyard. There's a half-buried doghouse near the main house, large enough for a human to crawl into--which is good, because the front and back doors are locked tight no matter the time of day. If you crawl through the doghouse, a large dog flap is attached to the house at the back, and you can get inside there; of course it's locked at night just like any other entryway. Inside is a standard single-story house consisting of a living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom (though the shower doesn't work), and bedroom. All drawers and cupboards have been haphazardly opened and most of the furniture has been upended. Two black amorphous blobs have been spraypainted on the fence.. Written on the wall is "EMERGENCY RATIONS IN CUPBOARD. MEETING DAY 67, HOUSE TO WEST. CONTACT @CMDRSHEPARD" The following is written on the wall in blue ink: "This is Building 45 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath this is a fairly accurate map showing house 31 in relation to houses 25, 28, 31, 34, and 35, the funeral home, and the school and athletic shed. The funeral home is labeled "UNSAFE, DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT". House 34 is labeled "Medical assistance; hot, clean water. Contact Dr. Epps @claytonator". The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The shed is labeled "Shed". "ALPHONSE ELRIC AND EDWARD ELRIC, DAY NINETY-SIX, TRAVELLING SOUTH. IF ANY ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED CONTACT @LELRIC ANY TIME." has been carved onto the wall. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE, FOR ANY ASSISTANCE PLEASE CONTACT @LELRIC." has been written on the wall.

Comments

[termineur]

[ He was going to mention the mania- he really was- but Alfie and Royce are up to something. It makes him glance back at Royce for a moment and- did he move even farther away? Sylar raises an eyebrow and keeps a lid on his chatting, for the moment. ]

[thewarningafter]

Fifty-two...?

[And Stephen would normally be very interested to hear that he's gone manic since the treatment, but at the moment he's busy with the sinking feeling in his gut as he pretends not to have any idea what the guy's talking about. Fifty-two wasn't -- okay, he's pretty sure it was that house.

Shit.]

[devoutish]

Fifty-two, yeah. Awful house, but it's got hot water.

[He locks eyes with Stephen.]

Have you ever been there?

[bywolves]

[ If anybody is looking, Royce looks very faintly amused under his hood. Times like these are always so dramatic - not that he doesn't appreciate it. ]

[termineur]

[ Sylar's looking, because he was mildly concerned Royce hated him now that he'd learned about the NIMA thing. 'Faintly amused' isn't something he expects to see. He looks over to Stephen and just shrugs at the guy. He's curious about whatever this is, too. ]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen swallows; his own gaze tearing away to glance around at the others yet again like he somehow expects help from either of them -- he never had a face for poker. For just a second he considers denying it. Admitting he hid the Vicodin is admitting that he was afraid, that he got himself in over his head by meeting them at all. Denying it, though -- that just gives the guy an opening to pocket the pills for good, because if they're not Stephen's that makes them fair salvage.

Stephen huffs out a hollow laugh, mouth twisting into something that isn't really a grin.]

Alright. Alright, you caught me. What do you want for it?

[devoutish]

[Afie raises an eyebrow, looking at Royce.]

I don't know what he's talking about. Do you know what he's talking about?

[He gives another little nod - time to toss Strange the pills.]

We found these. Quite a lot of them, actually. It was a very odd thing, because pills like this don't show up anywhere but the pharmacy. Someone must have left them there on purpose, but that's not a very smart thing to have done, is it? If you ever run into them, mate, you really should warn them to be more careful.

[bywolves]

No idea. [ Royce answers Alfie mildly. He pulls the pills from his pocket, bringing them out from under his cloak. He tosses the bottle up and down idly in his gloved hand, watching Stephen closely. ]

Now hold on a minute, Solomons. [ Royce says, with a measure of thoughtful surprise in his voice. ] Do you think it might have been Dr. Strange who left them there on purpose?

[ He underhand-tosses the pill bottle to Stephen. They're good samaritans, really. ]

[termineur]

[ The sheer melodramatic way they're both going about this is delicious, and Sylar bursts out laughing. ]

You have to admit, you both have something of a reputation. I'm not sure if I should even be seen with you.

[ He grins wide, clearly joking, and puts the rubbing alcohol and cane down in front of Stephen. ]

If pills were what this is about, though? I don't think it's going to be a problem. I've got some too, that I'm not using. Thought I'd shove them towards the people out east that don't want to 'waste' prescriptions, but if you could use 'em?

[ He shrugs. He'd tease Stephen more, but he doesn't want to run up against the whole 'death loss' thing right now. ]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen feels himself coloring, and he's unprepared enough -- and, frankly, his hands stiff enough -- that he fumbles the bottle of pills that comes flying his way, snatching at it only for it to clatter to the floor. He stoops quickly to retrieve it, his mouth drawn out into a wide, flat line as he endures the goading. He still doesn't quite believe it; he's still waiting for some kind of demand, or the revelation that the bottle's only half full or something.]

That's -- okay, that just happened. That's...that's great. Super. Real glad you found those; I'll just...with the other stuff. Yeah.

[Help him out here, serial killer friend, don't just stand there and laugh and shove more pills at him.]

[devoutish]

[When Stephen drops the bottle, Alfie sneaks a glance at Royce, grinning.]

Yeah, that's a good idea. Let's give him more, eh? Give him everything we're not using. But keep a better eye on them this time, eh? Don't let them go wandering away.

[He moves forward, and if he can manage it without Stephen dodging or knocking him away, he'll clap the other man on the back.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce isn't going to push on making Stephen feel like an idiot, so he doesn't say anything about Stephen dropping them. He does give Sylar a little smirk, though, at the reputation comment. ]

No strings. [ Royce says idly. He's still relaxed, but Alfie moving up to Strange catches his attention. He's watching. Just in case. ] We did say we were going to deliver supplies, Strange.

[ And that's what they're doing! ]

[termineur]

[ Sylar's amused grin softens into something more of a smile when he sees Stephen looking at him like that. If he needed to help, he'd be helping....probably. ]

Yep. Think everything's just fine, right here. You really didn't need to worry.

[ He tugs an entirely full bottle of Vicodin out of his coat pocket and shakes it a little in an offer towards Stephen. If he wants it, he's welcome to it. ]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen instinctively moves to block that clap to the back, his forearm lifting to knock against the other man's as he takes a deceptively casual step away from him, his martial arts training kicking in about half a minute too late to salvage his pride.

He looks for a moment like he's going to protest, but with a resigned sigh he reaches out to take Sylar's pill bottle, too, clutching one in each hand now.]

Yeah. Thanks. I'm kind of getting that.

[He delivers the words with all the sincerity and gratitude of a wet cat.]

[devoutish]

[Alfie holds up his hands and steps back himself.]

We're just having a bit of fun, that's all.

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't feel all that bad. He tossed that bottle as easy as he possibly could, it's not his fault Stephen has a dexterity of seven. Royce settles against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. ]

Gabriel's right. Didn't need to worry. Men of our word. Isn't that right, Solomons?

[termineur]

[ And that settles that, as far as Sylar's concerned. He's fine handing over that bottle, which has his name on it and House's ridiculous dosage in it. Sylar has an almost-full bottle left, if he needs it for anything. It didn't turn out to be quite the standard of currency he had expected it to be. ]

Are you gonna be staying in this area, you think? Al and I are going to head back to the Industrial part of town, probably meet up with Steph.

[thewarningafter]

[To say this didn't go how Stephen expected would be a massive understatement. He'd shown his hand as far as his supplies went and figured that was that when it came to his chances of getting robbed. This, though...this is just embarrassing.

He clings to the change in topic.]

I'm not sure yet. I'm probably going to make my way east but I'm trying to put together enough supplies to make it worthwhile for everyone over there first.

[devoutish]

[Alfie goes to stand with Royce, leaning against the wall next to him.]

That's our plan, too.

[bywolves]

[ Royce eases just a little when Alfie settles next to him. ]

Mm. Checking a few houses up north that nobody looks through and then heading east.

[termineur]

[ Everyone seems to be settling down. This is good. ]

It's a good plan, I think. Al and I'll try to collect what we can, too. So far, I seem pretty set on tools and otherwise useless crap. But maybe they'll be needed someday.

At the very least, I want to make it back to the power plant. Didn't get to properly enjoy it last time.

[ You know, because of the death to the giant brain monster. ]

[thewarningafter]

[No idea who Al or Steph are, but the gist of it is clear. Stephen pockets the pills before starting the process of packing up all the other things he's been giving, beginning with slipping the rubbing alcohol into the spot recently vacated by the vodka.]

The real problem is getting real food over there with how long it takes to get through the ruins.

[Another problem: he's not keen to traverse those ruins again. He hated it the first two times, and the third trip killed him.]

[devoutish]

Store it up in the bus stations.

[Alfie's still watching Stephen, with little glances to Royce occasionally.]

I've spoken about it with Enoch a bit. He thinks they'll be good places for it.

[bywolves]

[ Royce is still, mostly. He's got his hood up and his arms folded, uncomfortable as usual in houses full of people. Four is a lot. ]

Eventually everybody is going to need to make it through. [ He offers idly. ] Can't stay back forever.

[termineur]

Really, the bus stations? Well, I guess some of them have lockers. I would've gone for the offices, personally.

[ But its not really his call- not until he has a bunch of food to leave somewhere, which may never happen. ]

But yeah. Everyone's probably going to have to make the trip sometime or another. At least if what we've heard about all that is true.