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Noah Pierce (quarterback) wrote in halcyon_halls,
@ 2008-11-18 00:30:00

Entry tags:

james, noah

Week Twenty-Two: Monday
Who: Noah and James
Where: Bar down in the city
When: Monday night

Alcohol... well it didn't seem to solve any problems. However it did a damn good job of blurring the fact that problems did in fact exist. That was really all that Noah was aiming for at the moment. A deep seeded desire to... well fuck what did he exactly wish? That he'd never said anything to Natalia? That he'd done something a hell of a long time ago... Honestly Noah wasn't sure. Was there a better option? Well logically speaking growing a pair of balls and getting over his own set of issues a hell of a lot earlier was the better decision but logic rarely seemed to play a role in Noah's thinking.

Instead, he was torn between just wishing he'd managed to keep his stupid mouth shut and between wishing he'd never been so damn pig headed to begin with. Problem was it didn't seem to matter what he wished because none of that changed his current predicament. You know that situation where his best friend and the woman he knew he loved really didn't want to go that particular route with him. Instead she was shacking up with some guy just down the hall.

It really didn't work so well for Noah with the full moon the next day. It was kind of like ripping open some wound and dumping a bottle of salt in it and giving it a good rub. Well maybe not quite like that but his temper was already on edge and the last thing he needed was the accidental run in in the hallway. He'd pass thanks.

So like every day that weekend and the vast majority of the week before Noah had his ass parked on a bar stool. Big ass bowl of peanuts in front of him as requested and begrudgingly provided by the bartender, a beer and Noah was as... well he was just staying there regardless of how he felt. It included ignoring that itch that went through his every muscle with the pull of the moon.

"'Nother one..." Noah said pushing his empty bottle toward the bartender who gave that look that said he didn't really want to get Noah another but seeing as how he didn't appear overly intoxicated there wasn't much he could do. Probably had more to do with the fact that Noah was running low on funds and therefore a shitty tipper. Yeah life was a bitch whatever.

Something pricked at the back of his senses. A familiar... scent or annoyance or something. Noah rolled his shoulders trying to shake it off. Had to be the moon.

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jamesownsit
2008-11-18 09:09 pm UTC (link)

Oddly enough, if there was one man in the entire world, or at least in Halcyon, that could relate to what Noah was going through, what he felt, right now, it was James. Funny that considering that they hated one another. But he too knew what it was like to love a girl, one in particular, and to not have that particular brand of affection returned. And it was that that had kept him in pretty much the same state as Noah. Of course there was a little more to his own issues than simply just that.

Normally speaking, James preferred to keep his drinking confined. He had been trying his best to resist the urge to drink, for one, and for two, it was best done alone to avoid any violent outbursts. But tonight, he wasn't in the mood to be alone. But he wasn't exactly in the mood to be in the same bar as one of the few people in the world that he detested either. Apparently that was how it was going to work out.

He had barely entered into the place, had just started to remove his coat and scarf, when he saw the familiar form parked on a stool at the bar. Noah. A look of near disgust curled the features of his face and there was that split second where he thought better than to stay there, where he considered just turning around and walking right back out the door, but that part of him lost, whether that be his better judgment or not. Was this or was this not the perfect opportunity to rub salt into a wound that he knew to be open? Or maybe it was less that and more just the appeal of how ironic it was that they both, for once, had something in common.

Jacket off and scarf laid over the wool, James made his way over to the bar, tossing the two of them onto an empty stool before seating himself on one directly beside it. "Let me get a double of Jack on the rocks. Coke chaser." He said nothing to Noah even though he was itching to say it, instead focusing himself upon the retrieval of his cigarettes and lighter followed quickly by the first inhalation and a slow exhale.

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quarterback
2008-11-19 02:32 am UTC (link)

Odd was one way to put it. Obnoxiously ironic was another. And just plain shitty was the way that Noah would prefer to put it. You know, if he was actually thinking along those terms. But truth be told, he was doing everything he could to avoid that line of thought. It wasn't as though Noah already didn't think he had shit in common with the ass that was working his way into the bar... wearing some stupid scarf as always. Well they had stuff in common minus fashion sense. But if push came to shove and Noah had to choose... he'd sport a stupid scarf if it meant he could not share the whole jealous bastard tendencies that James had as well.

Noah's hand clenched a little tighter around his bottle of beer as he heard James' footsteps continue through the bar and come to a stop next to him. Fantastic... just fantastic. Yep, Noah had seriously pissed off some gods or screwed up his karma at some point. Granted if he wanted to throw a bit of logic in with his brooding... if there was one person in the world who would understand how he felt... NOPE. Sure as hell not looking at it like that. Fuck that noise.

"What skipping the cosmo tonight?" Noah grumbled out as he listened to James order his drink. Right. next. to. him. How much self control was one were supposed to have the day before the full moon. It was a good damn question and it was going to be put to the test here and now. Good times. Noah turned his direction right back to his bottle of beer and took back a swig. The silence hung there for a moment. Hung there and annoyed the hell out of Noah.

"Say whatever bullshit it is you're going to say." Noah finally blurted out testily.

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jamesownsit
2008-11-19 09:18 pm UTC (link)

Fashion sense certainly wasn't something that James and Noah had in common seeing as how James had some and Noah had, well, none. But that was neither here nor there at the moment. What they did have in common, however, was that they were both here for the same reason, because of the same girl. Natalia just had a way of driving men to drinking. Granted, he had not encountered the situation quite as directly as Noah had, but that didn't mean he had any less of an idea about what was going on. People talked. Halcyon was not so very big that things didn't get around.

"No, no Cosmo for me tonight though it looks like you're having a double shot of self pity over there." Trading insults was not the way to really start a conversation, but neither of them would claim to be or ever could claim to be masters of the art form.

"I have absolutely nothing to say whatsoever." James stated as he graciously accepted his drink from the bartender who seemed slightly anxious about the conversation the two of them were having. "She's good at it though, isn't she?" He asked, a slight smirk gracing his lips. "The stringing one along bit." He felt quite the same.

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quarterback
2008-11-28 01:55 am UTC (link)

Noah was proud of his lack of fashion sense thank you. Not to mention he tended to be a bit colorblind or at least that was his excuse when he pulled shit out of the hamper, threw it on and found out it really didn't go. And well there was the whole fact that Noah would do his damn best to deny having anything in common with James. Nevermind all that stuff that they did have in common.

Nat didn't drive Noah to do anything. That he'd say until the end of time. Noah had put himself in this boat, no arguing that point at all and James would probably end up with a fist in his face if he kept it up. But then again he might end up with that regardless considering who was sitting next to him.

"Yeah. That's me. Self-pity on the rocks. Thanks for noticing." Noah bit out as he swung his gaze over to James. He wished he hadn't though. Just made him think of each and every reason that he hadn't broached the subject of doom with Natalia. So his gaze was turned directly back to his bottle and a nice long sip was taken. Much better.

"Right." Noah said tersely. Not believing for an instant that James didn't have anything to say. And lookie there he'd been right. "What." Noah said giving up his study of his bottle and turning to glare at James. "What the fuck are you talking about? I'm going to assume you're talking about the only reason we'd ever have contact and if you are... that's fucking-" Noah's lips pressed together tightly. "If you think she ever strung you along you're fucking insane." yeah that about summed it up.

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jamesownsit
2008-11-29 09:49 pm UTC (link)

James laughed. He laughed directly at Noah, shaking his head softly as he did so. "I'm insane, am I?" He shook his head again as he settled into his drink, sipping the dark liquid gingerly.

"So I suppose her going on a date with me, dancing all up against me, telling me that maybe, in time, we could work things out, when all along she was obviously seeing someone else, doesn't qualify as stringing along then, huh?" He asked, looking over at him with his brow thinly arched. "Going to tell me she hasn't been stringing you along too then, huh?" He smirked. "I think you're the insane one."

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quarterback
2008-11-30 12:56 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, glad you were able to pick up on that." Noah said dryly. He knew that he wasn't going to like wherever this conversation was going already. Not that he ever particularly liked where conversation with James went. Noah's hands closed around his beer, tightening as he focused on the drink and not on how much he just wanted to sock the skinny prick next to him.

James was making it... difficult to keep that desire at bay. With each word that came out of his mouth, Noah's knuckles whitened with tension. "Shut your fucking delusional mouth." Noah snapped before distracting himself with one long pull of his beer. He was going to need another soon, or maybe he should just stop. Stop and leave.

Noah pushed the beer forward, out of his hands. "Nat never..." he paused, his lips pressing together tightly. "She didn't lead you on and she sure as fuck didn't lead me on. If you hate her because you were an asshole and she left you then that's fine. You deserved it. But say anymore shit about her and..." It was on.

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jamesownsit
2008-11-30 09:35 am UTC (link)

"Well first of all, Noah, you're the delusional one. And second.." James smirked a little as he gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "How about no?" Maybe he was trying to pick a fight. It wouldn't be the first time. He was certainly in a mood today, this week. He could use a little blood and violence. He had to think that they would be pretty evenly matched.

James turned around on his stool to face Noah, a brow quirking slightly. "And what?" He waited for a moment before he added, "She's still got you wrapped around her little finger, doesn't she? Tell me you aren't here because of her and I'll drop it. But I'm fairly certain we're both here because of her."

"For the record," He began as he turned back towards the bar upon his stool. "I'm not pissed at her for leaving. I understand that. I am pissed, however, that she gave me the impression that there was some hope, something worth working toward, when obviously she had no intentions of seeing any of that through."

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quarterback
2008-12-01 02:37 am UTC (link)

They certainly were well on their way to a healthy dose of violence and Noah wasn't certain he wanted to avoid that anymore. Typically he did. He felt like giving in at all was just opening the door for him to become the exact man his father was and that was the last thing he wanted but then again there were people that deserved it and if he'd been gifted with the ability to beat a fucker down... then why should he deny it. What Noah couldn't deny was that he was in fact delusional. Probably not in the way that James had meant it but he still kept his mouth shut. Better to say nothing there than dig himself a hole.

"I'm here because I'm the fuck up." Noah admitted hoping that counted as saying he wasn't there because of Nat. If it got James to leave before he decked him then he'd count it as a victory of sorts. "Now can you shut the fuck up?" Noah didn't think he'd be quite that lucky but it was worth a shot.

"Do you think I care why you're pissed? She didn't do any of that. I know exactly how fuckers like you work. You think it's all about her, leading you on.. nothing you could do to be blamed. Well fuck that." Okay so apparently controlling his anger was no longer in the realm of possibility. Noah stood up in a quick jerky movement. He could feel the beast in him enjoying the fact that he was so quick to anger, it liked the rage that was now boiling over. "After the way you treated her that you'd even think there was some hope... regardless." His voice was raised word by word and the bartender was looking at him, giving him the take it outside now look.

"I should have kicked your ass months ago. Should have stayed in New York after I found Nat and-" Take it outside look or not, Noah's arm swung forward and went for a bone crushing punch right to the jaw.

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jamesownsit
2008-12-02 09:48 pm UTC (link)

James was, perhaps not even subconsciously, attempting to start a fight. He was bored. He was angry. He hated the guy's face and wanted an excuse to do a little damage to it even if it might mean risking his own. He just needed something, an outlet, and this was better, perhaps, than some of the other things he could be doing to distract his mind. Truth of the matter was, only half of this really had anything at all to do with Natalia.

He scoffed a little at that. "Right." He smirked as he took a sip of his drink and then tilted his head to one side and then the other to crack his neck. "You trying to convince me of that or just yourself?" He wasn't anywhere near ready to shut the fuck up just yet.

"I didn't ask if you cared. And I know she did it. It's not about blaming her. Fuck, I don't even really care that much, but it was dirty." He clicked his tongue slightly. "If she wanted to get me back, she did a good job. Picked just the right time to pull the shit too." And that was probably what made him the most bitter, that she had led him on and then basically ditched him when he needed her the most.

James was in the process of rolling his eyes as Noah ran his mouth when the movement of his arm caught his eye and he managed to duck on his stool just in time. Missing him like that would have been enough to throw Noah off balance and give James a moment to compose himself and figure out his move.

Nat talked a lot about Noah when they were together. It had annoyed the shit out of him, but it did give him an advantage. He knew the man's weaknesses. And because of that, he went with a kick to the left knee. He couldn't remember if it was that knee or the right one that Noah had had trouble with in the past.

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