[Out the door now, into the night again. Keep on moving, Lawrence Dimick. If there are answers they'll come on to you. Until then, he repeats what he needs to himself. There's something solid and certain in that. Certainty isn't going to be stocked on a shelf for a bargain though.]
[ As promised, Eames is sitting at the nearly empty bar - there's one sleeping (passed out?) patron at the far corner while he himself is nursing his last drink of the night, something with a bit more carbonated drink than actual liquor to be honest, but he's not picky and it's late besides. He's got some left over chips in his pocket to take back home with him - a few of the casino's, a few of his own replicates - to work on more duplicates in his spare time. But that's not the point of meeting with White, anyway. ]
[As promised, White strolls onto the scene. There is plenty of time left. They like to get the folks off of work with their lucky streak. And there are a few cursed folks who always want to blow some money on the drinks or the games. Go figure. Eames and their door mouse like friend are welcome.]
Meeting somebody?
[Besides himself he means. There's an open stool that he'll take.]
[ Eames is too tired for fists, nor does he like fists on a regular basis. Still, he gives White a good once-over, taking the old boy in - how he might be feeling, any lingering obvious signs of displeasure. ]
[There's a tension in his spine. It's nothing new. Crude history of back issues to speak of, and he leans on the bar. Might look like he hasn't slept all that well. Besides that, he is still clean shaven and put together. His suits are always ironed with his shirts.]
They're okay. Work is work. Good not to be in a sand pit anymore.
[Until you fall on into another one. Since he's here he waves for the barkeep.]
[No use hoarding it any longer. The old man wants them to get along again. And if he doesn't fork it on over the kid is going to go and get his own. Then what.
Larry already opened the box. It's economy size or something. And he's counted them. In fact, he's figured out how many to ration. If Freddy will keep them together he'll be able to count and keep track of how many are there if he can be so sly.]
You got a minute?
[He calls out not sure of where the kid has gone. Box in hand he steps on out of his room.]
[Calling from the deck in his room. Fresh air. Good way to think. He's still at home of course, they didn't break anything off, they just...well, they did something. Freddy puffs on his cigarette then climbs back in.]
So since we're doing this, I got us some more of these.
[We. Us. The old bear leans in the doorway and holds up the box. To show the nature of the encounter. Business or at least carrying on with the elephant trapeze act.]
[Oh. To be quite honest the kid is surprised the old man went and got them. He's not too sure what else to say. Is it a bait and switch? Is it a genuine kindness?]
[He rubs the back of his neck, his portion stays sort of semi-spread on the table next to a half-constructed model kit he was working on. It's Spider-Man climbing up the side of a building.]
[Yeah. Yeah he did. How else would he know how many other assholes are getting the Freddy Newendyke treatment.]
I wanted to be sure that we're ready.
[More we. Larry sets the box down on Freddy's bed. He's not laying on it, or even sitting on it. Since it went down being in the same room seems like it's been enough.]
Freddy, I gotta ask. What are you trying to figure out?
[If only he was aware of Larry's other motive for procuring the rubbers. He's a cop sure but when it comes to Lawrence Dimick sometimes he overlooks certain gestures.]
[What did the limey say, Newendyke? Think hard. Think really hard. Freddy's brow furrows, he's got to avert his gaze a moment.]
I guess...I guess that's the thing, man. I don't know. [Swallow. Puff. He puts his cigarette out.]
When I was with girls I didn't do shit because that's not the thing to do, you know? I wanted to be the right kind of guy. Well I'm not into girls anymore, never was, I'm still getting my head around what I do now...
If you don't know what you're lookin' for how do you know you'll even find it?
[There are so many other things to discover. Good and bad. Freddy could find out that he enjoys sleeping around. That could be his lot in life. What then? The old man could get tired of sowing wild oats and it undoes the whole mutual exploration.
Marlboro is in the air mixing with the smell of plastic figures and a hint of what might be glue.]
[He very well could find out it's his lot in life to be a promiscuous man but better now than somewhere farther down the line, right...? Does Larry believe he can prevent that from coming out period? Does Freddy believe he's perfect as he is and won't change into someone not to Larry's liking? He withstood learning the man is a cop but not without consequences to the kid's face.]
What's too fast? [It's a hard question to voice because part of Orange thinks maybe.]
[Larry rubs his chin and mouth. Honesty where are you? He's been ready to take Freddy as he is first as a newbie criminal, then as a cop and now as his man.]
Being exclusive, living together...all that at once. Was that more than what you wanted?
[This could all be the old man's fault as much as the kids offering up too much of himself, too much stability and greedy to take all he can. Try to be a man Dimick.]
All this time you've seemed so sure.
[So...happy. Except for when its come down to having no toucan. Having no job. Now he's got a job. The gears are still turning.]
Page 132 of 201