(Open Log) You gotta know when to hold 'em

[bindlestifflost]

Who: George Milton, Nick Valentine, and anybody who shows up
When: April 22, starting around 6 PM until
Where: Apartment A-3
Summary: A night for playing cards, drinking beer or b.y.o.b. if harder, snacks and unwinding. Feel free to thread jack and jump all around, at least in my threads. This is just for some relaxed down time and catching up or introductions in a smaller, casual space.
Warnings: None expected. If your characters get to discussing anything triggery or get up to anything spicy, please CW in your individual threads.



Over the past week or so, hand printed signs drawn in sharpie on plain paper have shown up taped to walls around the apartment complex and on any easily accessible bulletin boards at ADI. A couple of them were also delivered to the flophouse with the request they be displayed somewhere the residents might see them.

They read:
Cards and Beer
Friday April 22 6 PM
Apartment A 3
George and Nick's place
You want more than beer
or chips and popcorn
bring your own.
Extra decks appreciated.

The night of, the door to A 3 is propped open. In addition to the dining table, a couple of card tables and cheap folding chairs are set up for games. Two bowls on the coffee table contain chips and popcorn respectively. There's a cooler on the floor in the kitchen filled with ice and cheap beer.

George or Nick will greet people as they come in and tell them to make themselves at home.

((OOC: Feel free to top level with your own character and make whatever prompts you like. George is generally easy-going, but if he catches anyone stealing, getting too hot and heavy in a bedroom, or otherwise being a general jerk about the apartment or the other guests, he will try to throw the offender out. If you want that kind of thread or want to succeed at something nefarious, let me know so we can work it out.))

Comments

[outofthepast]

"Neighbor, eh? Good to meet ya. I promise we're not the sort to throw parties every night." Nick takes the tray, mildly relieved that it spares him the eternal awkwardness of figuring out a handshake. He'll go put it with the rest of the food in a moment.

"Investigations, is it? Remind me to chat with you later about joining that department. I'm in Technology for now, but I'm still tryin' to decide if someone thought they were being funny." He chuckles. "But I don't wanna talk work while you're meant to be taking a load off."

[bloodalwaystells]

Jaeger smiles a bit at that. He's perfectly okay with skipping the handshake, and his big, scarred hands go back to his sides casually, comfortably. He's a watchful man, but he's had a bit of time to settle here.

"I'm used to a bit of noise, it's actually kind of reassuring." He glances around the room at the gathering crowd. "Something that feels normal. It's a bit of a rarity these days."

Most days, if he's honest. Gloucester might be different from where he was, but it's got its own...peculiarities.

"I'd be happy to talk with you about it sometime. Investigations come up pretty frequently, so it's good for everyone to know the basics." His smile is faint, a bit crooked. "It was my line of work before I came here, so it's familiar ground for me."

[outofthepast]

"Same here. Back home, I'm a private eye." This may or may not be the least surprising thing ever to hear about him, what with the getup and the old-timey hardboiled drawl. "Not that I'm not fluent in machinery too, but I can't help feeling a little wasted fixing hardware and straightening out crooked circuits." He does enough of that on his own time, thanks.

But he promised not to spend all evening grilling folks about ADI and the work they do. He'll have plenty of time to deal with that later. "Anyway, make yourself at home. Can I grab you a drink? We've got beer and do-it-yourself cocktail fixins."

[bloodalwaystells]

"Oh really?" That definitely gets Jaeger's interest, and he brightens just a bit from his normal solemn demeanor. Common ground is reassuring, and even if Nick is something that he hasn't experienced before, that particular thread is one that he's all too familiar with.

"That's definitely a useful skillset to have here. A lot of gathering and processing information, observation, patience. Sometimes things get messier than expected, but, I expect that's just a function of this place." The entire world they've found themselves in, not just ADI.

But that's work chatter, and he gives a bit of sheepish smile and nods. They can talk about that later, though it's certainly no hardship to talk about now. Jaeger...might be a bit married to his work, for lack of other things to keep him occupied.

"A beer would be great, thank you."

[outofthepast]

"Wonder if they'll take me on faith, or if they'll make me apply for it." God, he can't remember anything but dread on the subject of job interviews. Oh well. If it means following his passion, he can find a nice suit and polish up a resume. (Hope they don't mind really vague dates!)

He sets down the fruit tray and heads to the fridge, pulling out one of the beers. The top is removed with a grip and twist of his metal hand, easier than a bottle opener, and he hands the bottle over with a nod.

"So, ah... how long you been here? And whereabouts you from?"

[bloodalwaystells]

"Well, you're already here and with 'the company', so I think it's just a matter of letting them know that you're up for the job." The corner of his mouth quirks slightly, not quite a smile. "And they seem to have no hesitation in sending us all out into the field, when it's called for. So they might actually pick you if you don't volunteer."

It's where the money is, too. Jaeger has made more than a bit of extra pay by venturing into the field, and while it's been a lot of trouble for comparatively small compensation, every dollar counts when you aren't even making rent.

Jaeger accepts the beer gratefully and raises the bottle in a little half-toast before taking a sip off the top.

"I've been here about eight months now. Before this, I was from...no place in particular, honestly. I moved around a lot." 'Home' was a lost concept to him, something buried with his old name. The further he could get from Brighter Dawn these days, the better, and that had meant a constant, restless existence.

But it was what it was, and he's had six years to accept it.

"I'm still getting used to the idea of staying in one place for a while. It's been...strange."