Adrian Battye (adrianswall) wrote in carpediem_rp, @ 2015-07-28 14:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: adrian battye, character: jackson london, thread: complete |
Who: Adrian and Jackson
Where: Quinique Alley
When: 24 July (Friday) afternoon
Warning: None
Status: Closed, Complete
Adrian paused in front of the sweet shop, wondering if it was worth looking to see where their chocolate was from. There were perils to having expensive, exotic tastes in what was otherwise an entirely common sweet.
Jackson was, for once, entirely well fed and washed up. He was probably still a bit drunk, but that was a normal state of affairs in his life anymore. He was headed past the sweet shop and paused - his eyes flicking to the window display. He could get some, yes, but then his mind flicked to why he denied himself things like that and he shook his head, moving to continue on, hardly noting that anyone else was standing there.
"Good afternoon Jackson," Adrian said when he recognized his friend glancing into the same window he was considering. They both travelled in the Art circles - Jackson as an artist, and Adrian as the son of an art dealer.
Jackson's eyes flicked to the voice, pausing for a moment and offering a nod. It took a moment to register that yes, the person was talking to him, and yes it was someone he would willingly talk to. "Hello, Adrian. Doing well?"
Adrian spoke to most everyone; politeness so dictated. But Jackson was somewhat more than another classmate, so that it was more than mere politeness. "Well enough. Yourself?" Jackson looked reasonably well for him. It was reassuring.
Jackson offered a half smile, though it was clearly faked. He hadn't had many reasons to really smile lately, if he were honest. He liked Adrian too well to lie though and so he shrugged. "Well as I ever am anymore."
Adrian might not really understand but he understood. He could read the falseness of the smile, recalling what Jackson's real smiles looked like. Adrian was better at faking it, but he'd been doing it longer and hadn't suffered the same tragedy that Jackson had. "I imagine that is as much as any can hope for."
Jackson moved his head in a grateful nod. Adrian didn't push like most people and he didn't rebuke him for his behaviour like most people had taken to doing. It was a welcome respite and he was glad of it. "They've got some from France sometimes." Knowing the other young man looked for imported chocolate, he had that information. He had liked it in the past, but hadn't had any for a few months at least.
Adrian did not want people prying into his family life, and therefore respected other's desire for privacy. Besides, it would be impolite to point out when Jackson was drunk, or smelled like a brewery. As for the chocolate, that was a far safer topic. French was suitable, even if he prefered Belgian over all other types he'd had. French, Swiss, German and occasionally English depending on the circumstances. Still Adrian nodded acknowledgement of the information. "You've been in recently then?"
Jackson shook his head once. "At least six months." Because he didn't treat himself. He ate what kept him alive and he drank. That was sort of his way through life. He ran one hand through his hair and looked back to the window. "Jess loved this place. Brought her in once when mom and dad were looking around." He rarely talked about his sister but Adrian tended to be one of the few that seemed to get it.
Adrian accepted the reference to Jackson's sister as what it was - a rare thing. "It is still enough to check out, perhaps." He nodded gently, and looked over at Jackson. "Jess loved a lot." It was no great mystery why her loss so gutted Jackson - even without considering how close he was to what happened.
A flicker of pain crossed his face and he nodded again very slightly. It was true. The girl had been a little beacon of light and love. He still wondered why he'd been the one to survive, and she hadn't. She deserved it so much more than he did. She would have done amazing things. Instead it was just him.
Adrian saw the flicker of pain, and the subtle nod, and returned it. It was difficult, but Adrian knew nothing he could say would actually make Jackson feel any better. He'd lost his sister, that couldn't be talked away. Or drunk away, no matter that Jackson seemed to be trying that. Adrian had enough experience with his mother to know that, but just as Jackson didn't talk about his drinking, Adrian didn't talk about why he didn't. Talking about that would not change that circumstance either.
"Ready for school again yet?" Because it was a neutral topic. Much easier to dwell on neutral topics nowadays. Less painful and stressful, and being back at school would mean he would be steadily eating again. Maybe. He had been doing what he could but it seemed to him that money spent on food was money wasted.
"Not for another month." Adrian followed the redirection smoothly. "I would not rush summer break too much yet." He wasn't entirely sure what life after Hogwarts was going to be like, so was just as happy not to start his last year until it was appropriately time. He wasn't going to speak that insecurity though. "Are you playing while you have more time?"
"Guess so, yeah." A slight shrug and he ran one hand through his hair. "No piano where I am." Not that he didn't sneak into music shops after hours sometimes. Magic was good for things like that. Sneaking into a muggle shop, the alarms and all were easy to disable.
"I know Mom was talking about having you play one of the show openings this summer. If she hasn't contacted you already." Adrian mentioned. It piqued his curiosity that Jackson said he didn't have a piano where he was - it meant he wasn't at home anymore - but it would be intrusive to point that out.
"Nothing yet, no." He would do the opening if he were asked, but he assumed maybe the owl had crossed paths. Or maybe she just hadn't written yet. Either way he would get a day with a piano, and that would be nice.
"Knowing her she was thinking late summer so as not to interrupt your time off too much." Adrian shrugged. "Unless you are already booking up." It was possible, although he didn't entirely think so given Jackson's lack of focus.
"No, I've got nothing." His voice was soft and he moved his eyes back to the window, shaking his head. His words were true in a number of ways, though he wouldn't acknowledge that even to his friend. "Let her know that anytime she wants me, I'm in."