Damian Makes a Real Friend

Summer 2021, Week 4, Monday evening

Dockside Brewery, Port Victoria

Ezekiel Marlowe

Waiting on the outside of the red brick building, Zeke takes long drag from the remainder of his cigarette before snuffing it out and putting it in the terminal. Looks like the boys are a no-show tonight. Shame. Guess it's a solitaire night. Sticking his hands into his baggy jean's pockets, he trudges to the door leading to the bar portion of the brewery. Inside the dimly lit area furnished with dark stained wood was the usual din of people, though quieter now due to the events of last weekend. Many people recognized Zeke as he sauntered over to the bar, taking a stool and pulling out a worn out pack of bicycle cards, setting them on the table. This would normally be a night of gaming with the few people that didn't mind his presence, but only Zeke would show tonight. The Bartender asks if he'd like his usual, a rum and coke, easy on the rum, and he nods in confirmation.
"Zeke, ya gotta spend a lot less time gambling and actually go talk to people" The words of his dad echo in his mind as he takes the cards out of the pack. "Find more friends or a girlfriend or somethin', I don't know." Yeah.. like that worked out well for you, pops.. he muses as he sets up a game of klondike.

Damian Eli

Damian looked like hell he had bruises on both sides of his face and a small cut under his left eye from Dallas god damned expensive shoes. When he showed up to the office that morning he just said he was mugged walking home from the concert last week.
He pushed into the bar and walked up to the counter sitting down with a wince of pain from his left side. "Ill take two shots of 1800 silver.. make them doubles please no salt no lime. I'll take a coors light with that as well" He just stared at the countertop terrified he'd turn around to see Dallas the thought haunted him. Part of him wished he'd died on the roof instead of looking over his shoulder every god damned second.

Ezekiel Marlowe

Huh.. that's a new face 'round here. And a fucked up fugly mug, at that. He didn't even need to peek into this dude's mind with his ability to see this guy wanted to forget something; the drink choice this early on alluded that much, unless this guy could really hold his liquor. He frowns and sees that he made a mistake that cost him his game, and picks up the cards to put them away. Well, pops.. looks like I'll give making friends a shot. He looks over to Damian with almost forced half-smile and asks, "Hey, man. Rough day?" Wow, Zeke. Reeeal cliche.

Damian Eli

Damian looked over at the man and nodded before downing both shots quickly im rapid succession he didn't even flinch or scrunch up his face as the harsh liquor entered his system. "I. Yeah. It was a rough day.... How was your day?" "Jesus Christ Damain why did you ask him how his day was. This is why your only friend is a cop you met once you're so fucking awkward". As these thoughts flooded hus life mind he hunched over a little bit and sighed god he would have given anything right about now just to have somewhere he belonged again.

Ezekiel Marlowe

Raising an eyebrow with surprise and his expression was one that showed, even if for a moment, that he was impressed. Hearing a murmur from the man's head, his curiosity gets the best of him and lines his mind with the man's, mingling his thoughts with Zeke's own.

[Pather, Basic x1, -0EP (15/15)]

He gives a wry smile as he replies, "Couple friends stood me up tonight, but I don't mind. Ya good if I get you another shot?" He tried to make sure the connection he just established remains subtle and undetectable, though if Damian were paying attention he would feel a hint of curiosity growing in his head.

Damian Eli

Damian shrugged ignoring the feeling in his head. "I'll drink with you" he said his words were barely even slurred but it was clear he was buzzed. "So. What's your name? I'm Damain" He took a swig from his beer bottle and started to scratch at the lable absent mindedly as his thoughts drifted.
The first time he was jumped into the gang. He was fourteen years old. It started slow one on one then it all went to shit. But he kept fighting when his hands tore open he took off his belt and tried to use ot as a whip. For twenty minutes Damain fought. They said he didn't fight like an animal he fought like humanity trying to survive. In the end he wwnt down after they broke four of his ribs.. the wound stilk ached in the winter or when it rained he could feel the parts of the bone that would never fully heal. Where was thay fight on Sunday? Where was that? It was gone and he was a coward he never even swung. He lived because of a bluff and he eas terrified of the man who did this to him. He wasn't the Crow of the Rooks.. hr was just a kid from Detroit with a chip on his shoulder and that was all he had.

Ezekiel Marlowe

A brave and crafty fighter that thinks himself a coward. Huh. He felt a very slight pang of sadness for Damian. "Ezekiel Marlowe, though most jus' call me an ass once I open my mouth, usually. People don' seem to like a guy that cuts the bullshit, y'know?" He waved with two fingers to grab the bartender's attention and got them each a shot of the same 1800 Silver, and raising his glass, he says with a slight smile, his cajun accent very apparent when he cheers in almost a monotone, "Laissez les bon temps rouler."
After they down their respective shots of burning liquor, he asks "So, are you new to these parts? I ain't seen you 'round here before, and there've been many new folks comin' here, be they lookin' for opportunity or runnin' from people." He maintains the the mind link between the two, ready for any incongruity between spoken word and the truth. Former or current member of a gang'll likely keep quiet about that shit.

Damian Eli

"I'm new. Been here a month or so. New job and an excuse to leave home" he smiled at the mans words he seemed genuine enough and a drinking buddy couldn't hurt. "People probably don't like you because you're blunt. They don't like people who don't buy into their shit..." He took another drink from his beer and he actually looked up at the man this time taking in his features. "What about you? Seems like you know this place pretty well"

Ezekiel Marlowe

Damian would see a lithe man, built like a runner, wearing a plain white button-down shirt and baggy jeans, the shirt pocket bulging with what looked like a pack of cigarettes. His skin was lightly tanned and his head bore a mop of messy brown hair with blond highlights. He gives an apathetic smile as he flatly proclaims with his arms outstretched in a mocking flourish, "Then, welcome to the fair city of New Victoria, Damian." His smile grows a little more mirthful thinking about the comment on him being blunt. "Yeah, you prob'ly right. 'Specially if they're called out on it." Taking another sip of his first drink, his expression becomes it's normal, neutral self. "As for myself, I've been here 'bout a year and a half now. Nothin' too fancy or grand, and most people would recognize me either here or downtown at the casino." Well, if they're on okay terms after I rob 'em blind in poker.

Damian Eli

He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his split lips. Damian himself was fairly well built not bulky but it eas clear under his white button up shirt there was muscle. Despiste his bruises he was still an attractive man. "I uh. I'm not much of a gambler myself. But blackjack is a vice" He ordered another beer after draining his and signaled to the bartender to refill whatever Zeke was having as well. "I learned to play in one of the foster homes that gave us kids an allowance"

Ezekiel Marlowe

"Must've been hard growin' up like that." A rare hint of sympathy creeps into his mind, he couldn't begin to imagine life without his dad there to support him. He knew what it was like to find out that someone never really cared about him, but he always at least had his dad. "If you're interested, I'll show ya a few games if you ever stop by again. But tonight-" He raises his glass. "We drink."

Damian Eli

The man nodded. "Sure wasn't easy. But then again everybody's idea of a rough life is different as for learning new games. I'm always down for a new drinking buddy and card games" Damian raised his glass in turn and drained the rest of his beer the alcohol starting to hit suddenly as the buzz became drunk and his body was tingly and warm. "You wanna know something funny? " He slurred. " My only friend in this city so far is a cop. Who doesn't seem to like me that much"

Ezekiel Marlowe

"Never woulda guessed it." He feels a bit buzzed now, but he thinks he can still walk without stumbling too much.. Probably. "You seem pretty chill, at least in the short time I got to know you. Kinda hard to imagine you aren't makin' friends throughout the city. Then again..." He smiles wryly once more, adding dryly "I haven't seen you when you got those bruises, either. Not gonna judge if you've earned them or not, fact of the matter is only one person didn't like you. They don't speak for everyone else that comes your way. Best we can hope for is that we never see them again and move on, yeah?"

Damian Eli

Damian visibly tensed at the last words his jaw clenched and the muscles in his back tightened as flahses of Dallas coursed through his mind. Sure the knight had almost killed him but Damian had at least fought back.. he could fight back. But not with Dallas. "I'm.. extremely awkward. And don't know how to interact with people outside of a certain group" he said softly after quite some time. He didn't respond to the bruises he just tried to push forward. "How about you? Uh. Do you have a lot of friends?"

Ezekiel Marlowe

Oooo, touchy subject. He wanted to ask about fifty questions about the circumstances of the bruises, but deemed it better if he left it alone, even if the overwhelming sense of fear and hopelessness begged him to pursue this mysterious event further. "I dunno. Some people like awkward. And this is a big city; you'll likely find a few people here that you can find that will match your style. As for my friends.. Well, I don't have many. More just a coupla sons of bitches that like to play cards with me every now and then." He shrugs. "Most people either get pissed of at me for being so blunt, or they piss me off by being fake people pretending to be friends." His brow furrows. "Though one of my best friends hasn't gotten back to me in the last few days. I'm worried that he got mixed up in some shit that happened last weekend.." He swirls the watered down glass of Coke, looking into it as if searching the dark liquid for answers. Lost in the collective fear, hopelessness, loneliness and worry, some from Damian and some from himself, he feels like he wants to just disappear and hide, subconsciously using his ability to start making himself fade from view, starting with his hands and feet.

[Individual, Basic x1, -0EP (15/15)]

Damian Eli

Damian was looking at the wall opposite of them and sighed. "I'm usually a more upbeat guy.. more. Positive. It's just hard to keeo that up when you're alone.. " He stopped at the mention of Zekes friend. "Do you need help looking for h-" He saw Zekes hands disappearing and cleared his throat "Um. Buddy. You're uh you're hand is.. not there"

Ezekiel Marlowe

Snapping out of the gloom invading his mind, his face grows pale as his hand fades back into view, starting from the visible portion of his wrist and spreading to his fingertips in an instant. "Shit..." He didn't want to edit Damian's memory. He didn't want to have someone he just met today know he was an evo, either. "Um... So I have this neat trick I can do..." Shitshitshitfuckfuckfuck

Damian Eli

Damian just nodded. "That's a pretty cool trick. Don't ask how I get brusies and I won't ask about your powers" His voice was low enough that nobody besides the two of them could hear. ".. If anybody here saw what happened and they say anything. Call me" Damian wrote his number down on a napkin not a burner cell but his actual number. "Or if you ever jusy wanna drink. Or hit up the casino"

Ezekiel Marlowe

A look of relief washed over his face. "Can do." He replied in a low, hushed tone. "And.. thanks. Normally I have to take it upon myself to make sure they forget they didn't see anything." He takes the number and pockets it for now. "I'll hit you up probably sometime later this week. Hopefully if we visit the casino I can introduce you to my friend Sorin." The smile that he wears now seems more genuine, and less forced.

Damian Eli

Damian gave the man his first actual smile of the night. "Sounds good to me!" "Sorin? Isn't that the southern charm probably knows all eleven secret herbs and spices dude thay helped with Aloy? "The casino sounds great man. It'd have to be after work or on a weekend"

Ezekiel Marlowe

He chuckles lightly. "We're definitely going to need a cab to get home, huh?" He pulls out his phone and looks up the local taxi services with the intent on getting Damian home safely.

Damian Eli

Damian nodded "yeah . I need to uh. Work tomorrow" he leaned in close to Zeke "And work on my armor so I can punch bad guys" he took out gis phone and ordered an uber

Ezekiel Marlowe

He smiles, somehow not minding how close Damian is getting. "Sounds good, Billy Badass."

Storyteller

They wait for their respective rides, both relishing that they both have made a friend this evening, and a person that will keep the other's secret.

Damian Eli's Apartment, Downtown

Damian Eli

After his uber drive and managing to stumble his way upstairs and into his hime Damian took a look around his home. Tools prototypes ammo boxes and clothes. No pictures of him and "friends" no family the only picture in the house was him in his cap and gown after graduating UofM and of course he was by himself in the picture.
"I'm tired of being so alone" He said to himself softly. "I didn't ask to be an orphan or not have a family... Am I really that bad?"
His voice was small slurred and broken. Sure he'd just made a friend but how long until they left? Or forgot he existed. He crawled into bed not even bothering to change or shower and for the first time in a long time he cried himself to sleep and wished he had a family.

Type

Record, Historical

Medium

Digital Recording, Text