[open/closed] i want disaster, i don't want to sleep

[friendsfordinner]

Who: Hickey & OPEN
When: early September
Where: Gloucester, around the ADI complex
Summary: Hickey comes into his own as the Hunt's bitch a newly Entity aligned.
Warnings: Threats of violence, stalking, just general creepy behavior, will edit as needed

closed to Eda, the inciting incident
ADI has been asked to keep an eye on Dogtown, beefing up patrols and recording paranormal activity while not entering inside. One of those people who's been asked to patrol is Hickey—which is a shame as Hickey is fundamentally lazy. He's leaning against a tree, not doing much work, ignoring the world around him (and unfortunately ignoring the shifty-looking teenager who's been eyeing him for the past few minutes, fully intent on stealing his wallet).

He only perks up when he hears someone else enter his area. He looks around before a wide grin spreads across his face. Eda. He likes her, even if he wishes she could be a little more upfront about the whole owl monster thing.

"Here for a visit?" he asks, shitty grin on his face. "Or did ADI drop you off here to play security guard as well?"

later on, open
This? This is fucking phenomenal. It's exactly what he wanted when he first heard of these Entities, exactly what he wanted from tuunbaq all the way back on the ice. He's more than just Cornelius Hickey. He's something better. Something new. And as far as he's concerned? He's more than happy to help the Hunt out as long as he gets what he wants.

He tests out his new gifts in all sorts of different ways. He follows people as they walk through busy areas, seeing just how long he can tail someone before they realize he's there—and the adrenaline rush he gets when they pick up the pace or double-back to try and lose him feels better than any drink he's had. He actually does his job helping to patrol the borders of Dogtown, slipping into the park more often than not. And when he's back at his apartment, back at the ADI complex itself? He'll just sit somewhere and stare at someone or something, taking in all the new details, scents, noises that he never knew before.

It is all intensely creepy.

Comments

rat out his ass, beau

[friendsfordinner]

He's definitely being watched. After fifteen minutes of stalking some man in his twenties, Hickey feels someone's eyes on the back of his head. Five minutes later and that feeling is still there.

He spins around, spotting Beau's gaze. But that's just enough. He doesn't have a firm grasp on her scent, but he has a slight grasp.

"I've found you," he points out, in a sing-song voice, as he saunters over towards Beau's direction.

ALWAYS

[lesbeau]

In all fairness, Beau isn't trying to be stealthy or hide when he turns, because she's been watching long enough. She likes Hickey, don't get her wrong, but she has to be on the lookout for this shit. Especially after everything with Jeff. She isn't... responsible for him or anything, but still. It's dangerous.

"I'd say I found you first." She steps out from around the corner, crossing her arms and leaning against the Dogtown border. "But you weren't looking for me just to see me."

[friendsfordinner]

"Yep," he readily admits, shitty grin on his face. He likes Beau, he'll actually admit to this. Besides, she's spotted him. There's no way he can try to weasel out of this one.

"I wanted to see if I was able to track you. I've gotten better at these sorts of things recently. Might as well see how well I'm doing."

[lesbeau]

"Better, huh?" Now that's interesting. Beau's dealt with avatars before, even not-full ones, but not one of the Hunt before. It's new info, and count her curious. "What have you been trying? Not stealth, I imagine, or I wouldn't have been able to watch you for so long."

It's not... a flex, exactly, that she was able to do so. But it is a little bit.

[friendsfordinner]

And fortunately, Hickey's drunk enough on his new sliver of power that he'll let slip some information that he'll regret doing so later. "Stealth doesn't matter," he says, with a shake of his head. "Besides, I want them to know I'm coming. I want them to know that I've got their scent and there's no place for them to hide."

He's got their scent literally.

[lesbeau]

Mmmm, now that's good to know. She's not literally taking notes, but boy is she adding many things to her mental file on this guy. Beau quirks an eyebrow, a little grin pulling at her lips as she folds her arms and keeps herself leaned against the Dogtown wall.

"Sounds to me like you're tempting something. You ever been good at tracking before? Or is this a new, uh. New thing? Because right now you're not very subtle."

[friendsfordinner]

"Practice makes perfect."

That is not an answer to her question. Hickey isn't going to give Beau an answer to her question.

"I'll just get better."

[lesbeau]

Alright, well if she's not getting answers, she's gonna be more direct.

"Look, I don't think what you're doing is smart, but you're gonna get caught if you're this blatant. Also, these things aren't exactly forgiving. You sure you know what you're getting into?" She knows she can't stop people- and hey, it's deeply difficult to study them without getting pulled in- but diving in headfirst isn't the best thing for unknowable terror beings, in her experience.

[friendsfordinner]

"I know precisely what I'm getting into," he points out, frown on his face. There's a pause before he continues.

"You mentioned before that all your friends were magic. Turning into birds, moths, things like that. And then here you are. Just Beau." Granted, someone hasn't gotten the memo that D&D monks can punch ghosts and run up vertical surfaces, but the point stands.

"If you could get what they had, you'd be a fool to turn it down."

It's jealousy, Beau. Simple, petty jealousy and the desire to be on top of the food chain.

[lesbeau]

Well that just gets a sigh. She gets where he's coming from, truly, but it's also not that simple and he seems to think it is.

"No, it's-- look, I knew a guy who did this once, okay? No magic, no powers, no whatever, and he sold his soul to an eyeball snake. And surprise, it tried to kill him like a lot of times when he stopped doing what it wanted!" Hell, even when Fjord was doing something the thing wanted, it was still giving them all a hard time. Bleh. "You might want what they have but these things don't need you. So you piss 'em off, and that's it."

[friendsfordinner]

There's an easy answer to that: do what they want. But Hickey's smart enough to keep that little tidbit to himself. After all, they're supposed to be stopping these entities, not helping them along.

"I'll just have to not piss 'em off then," he says, giving Beau a cocky, cocksure, winning sort of smile.

[lesbeau]

She almost rolls her eyes at him, but manages not to for the sake of not completely discounting him. It's less because she really thinks he can handle it, and more that if she treats him like a complete moron he'll keep going to spite her. She should know. She's done exactly that before.

"That's the thing, dude. You never know when they just decide they're pissed off." To be completely fair, Fjord had thrown a whole fit, but still. You never know. "I'm telling ya, he was doing super fine and then woke up with a sword in his chest. They might want to kill you for fun."

[friendsfordinner]

"And I'm telling you, don't underestimate me." Hickey frowns, little scowl on his face before pointing out, "I'm adaptable. I already adapted to so much bullshit here, I'll adapt to whatever comes next."

[lesbeau]

She really wishes this was a situation where she could shrug and let him make his own mistakes, but unfortunately this does affect her- especially if he goes nuts and comes after her in the future. Of course she’s curious to see what he can do, but it’s just… a bad idea. Ugh, she hates having to be the responsible one.

“Okay, look, I’ll give you the one that you haven’t died yet, which is good. I’m just saying, don’t get cocky. Surviving and living aren’t the same. But it’s easy to think they are.” Beau tries to say that with the air of someone who’s been there, someone with experience enough to know things can actually get better than anyone would think they could.

[friendsfordinner]

Unfortunately for her, Hickey is someone who for surviving and living were the same thing. For the longest time, there wasn't a difference. And so, a small little part of him still operates on the belief that there isn't one. That it's the same no matter what.

Hickey lets out a small scoff before, "If you say so, Beau."

[lesbeau]

She knows how that feels, and that's what hurts. It's hard to be on the other side, someone who knows now but didn't then and how she has no experience in explaining that difference. Beau sighs, running her hand over her hair.

"Look, man. I'm serious on this one. I know-- I know life sucks and it's been sucking and you're looking for a way out. Just..." Augh, god, how does she do this. "Before you go like-- fully selling your soul to something, just. Talk to me, okay? Remember there's a lotta life you haven't lived yet."

[friendsfordinner]

There's a lotta life you haven't lived yet.

Yeah. There is. It's here, it's now, it's in the moment. As far as Hickey's concerned, this is a second chance. Of course he's going to take advantage of it.

"That lotta life I haven't lived yet? I wanna live it on my own terms. In my own way."

So that's a no, Beau. He's not going to talk to you.

[lesbeau]

That just grants him a not-so-subtle sigh, complete with a little roll of her eyes. "Yeah, okay, I get it, you're here for a good time not a long time. Just-- think about it, okay? Remember you don't have any more living to do if you're out of time."

Wow, that almost sounded wise and well-learned. Her friends would have a chuckle about that, she's sure. "I'm not doing this because I think it's like-- fun to fuck with you, or whatever. It would just suck to see you get eaten."

[friendsfordinner]

"Careful," he teases, rolling his eyes a little before pointing out, "it almost sounds like you give a shit about me."

Which...that can't be real, right? There's no way Beau gives a shit about him. Hickey's so used to nobody giving a shit about him that the idea someone actually likes him is completely foreign to the man.

[lesbeau]

The Beau of a few years ago would probably scoff and tell him no one's ever loved him for a reason just to be extra mean. The Beau of now knows that would make everything absolutely terrible, and also it's not her actual feelings, which she hates having to admit but is now too much habit not to. So she gives him a look like he's an idiot instead.

"Of course I do, you idiot. You think I'd be standing here talking to you if I didn't have skin in the game? Otherwise I'd just break your stupid nose." It's not... nice, exactly, but Beau's never been nice. This is probably less jarring to Hickey's sensibilities.