Tal (patchofblue) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2021-10-27 22:00:00 |
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Entry tags: | lane mcdonald, tal rainey |
The Rough And Dirty
Who: Lane McDonald and Tal Rainey
What: Two Guys Talking
Where: Las Vegas alley and street
When: Monday, October 25, 2021 [backdated]
Content Warnings: Mild sadness
Wrinkling the end of his nose in disgust, Lane wiped down latex covered fingers and palms. Instantly the blue washcloth became soaked from the coagulating residue. “Man,” he sighed softly. “Gross.” The air pod dangling from one ear was blasting Wannabe by Spice Girls.
The engine of the once silent van roared to life.
”If you wanna get with me, you better make it fast..” Lane sang to himself.
The plush vinyl and cushion of the passenger seat headrest crunched beneath large fingers, and over a shoulder one of the other removal helpers smirked. “Spice Girls blow.”
Lane’s eyes rolled up from where he stood in the open panel door of the van. “Aw man, don’t do that shit now. Save it for later, Debbie Downer.” A hand would be dismissively waved at the driver. With a pop the latex of the black gloves would go flying into the plastic floor liner. He lifted up a hand, flashed the driver the bird, and then slammed the panel door shut.
Before he could open the passenger side door to the cab, Lane heard another engine sound close by. He snapped around to make sure they hadn’t been seen, tapping the side of the van with a bare hand. The vehicle sprang forward, leaving him standing in the shadows of the alley in a plume of exhaust.
Coughing at the sputtering, Lane waved a hand to clear away the smog. The song ended and he shut off the playlist.
When needed and Tal wanted, he worked some nights as an on-call tow. There was more jobs to be made in Vegas and he listened in for a call. Tonight was no different and he was on his second call. Someone’s Mercedes had broken down and he was moving it from a club near the strip to a garage.
Tal took a moment to sip some water as he rolled his truck forward after dropping off the car. Looking to his right and down the alley, he saw a man that looked like the guy from laundromat/dry cleaners. Blinking, he turned off the truck and the lights before climbing out. A thought flickered in his mind - Don’t be too trusting. Be ready in case this isn’t who you think it is, in case it’s someone who wants to hurt you. Tal breathed deeply as he approached the other man and as he got closer, he recognized Lane as who he thought it was.
“Hey.”
Drawing his head up, Lane noticed it was one of his customers from the laundromat. The one with the interesting name. “Hey,” he reciprocated, offering a nod of greeting. “You a vampire or something?” His lips pulled up into a grin, playful. “Just kidding you, man. What’s up?”
Hands would dive into the pockets of his black jacket and he leaned against the brick wall of the alley.
All around them the noise seemed to be outside their bubble, as if they had moved into a whole other world that existed on the edges of the real one. That wasn’t the case but it always felt surreal to him.
The brick of the wall behind him felt cool in spite of the layers of clothes, the lines dug into his back and left the essence of reality there.
Seeing the smile, Tal smiled back. But was Lane a vampire? The only kind the larger man had immediate experience with were the ones out for blood. “Working a job - towing a car for a client. You?”
He didn’t see the van that had left, his attention once focused on his job. Tal walked up to Lane and nodded. The city often was too noisy, too bright. But sometimes there were the spots where it seemed like the over stimulation was miles away.
Tal’s hands were slightly calloused as he ran one through his shaggy dirty blond hair. He had done away with trimming or cutting it since June. Other things had his attention most days. Tucking some strands behind his left ear, he sighed.
Towing a client. Lane took a second to get a better look at the rugged man then decided he could believe that he towed cars. He could’ve been a mechanic, too, but the probability could be lower. His mind began to trail down the beginnings of a rabbit hole and Lane decided that getting distracted wasn’t a good idea.
“Just hanging out in this alley, you know. Typical Vegas stuff. Need a hand? You good?”
Lane stood up a bit straighter. There was no way he’d ever be as tall as Tal, but he wasn’t looking to grow. Staying young and vibrant was more important.
Tal liked towing most times. It was a for-hire sort of thing and definitely not repossession. He wasn’t that. It was too dangerous from the horror stories he’d heard about. His mind was still cautious, defensive. The conversation with Noah had led him to be even more untrusting despite his nature. That nature often seeped out in a desperate need for connection.
“Yes, I’m good. Hanging out in an alley. You sure?”
Tal stopped about five feet away from Lane, his calloused hands smoothing his dark blue jeans and resting on his hips.
“Positive,” Lane murmured.
From the depths of a pocket he withdrew two pieces of candy. The lollipops were red and green, flat circles of twisting colors wrapped in cellophane squares. He got them from the teller at the bank. One of them would be opened. Lane popped it into his mouth, and he offered the other one out to Tal.
He always wondered about his clients; more than once he had been caught daydreaming scenarios and fantasies as to what certain customers were like during their time outside of the laundromat. He’d been disappointed by the towing gig for Tal but otherwise unsurprised.
Tal’s keys let out a muffled jingle in his pocket as he stood there. He was unsure why Lane was hanging around in an alley, but that was none of his business. That habit to look out for people, wanting to trust was a hard thing to rein in even after keeping it so for years.
He waved Lane off. “No, thanks.” Tal smiled softly at the other man and then turned his head to look up the alley at his truck and then down the alley the other way. He didn’t want either of them caught off guard by anyone or anything. As he turned his head, the one security light that shone a soft amount had caught the detail of a scar on Tal’s shoulder peeking from under the the V cut to the neckline of his t-shirt
Lane shrugged. He didn’t care whether or not the offering was taken. More for him, later. The candy went back into his pocket and he sucked gently at the one in his mouth. Twirling the thing around, Lane watched Tal observe the alley. Guy seemed nervous. “Cool.”
“See anything good?” The scar was noted, filed away for later, and set aside. Was Tal afraid of the dark?
This time he took the opportunity to also take a better look at the scene around them. It didn’t look any different than any other place he knew. “Uh, we can step out into the neon if you want? Yeah?” The other man seemed jumpy. That could be bad for business. “Get some air or something.”
Tal was afraid of many things, but the dark not as much as confined spaces. He didn’t want to be attacked again.
His attention went back to Lane as the other man spoke. “Okay,” Tal spoke softly and stepped over in the direction of the light. “Sorry I don’t mean to be weird?” He breathed and shook his head. “Had a bad experience last year.”
A finger would point at Tal and Lane nodded. “Cool, yeah. Let’s go.” The smaller man moved easily enough and broke through the mouth of the alley. Neon greeted him. The hum of the Vegas streets. The lollipop twirled in his mouth. “Hey, it’s cool to be scared of stuff, man. Don’t worry about it.” Lane only shrugged.
Plucking the candy from his mouth he let out a small whistle at the tow truck, “Nice wheels. What’re you pulling in there?” He knocked gently on the hood. “What kind of torque does this thing get?” Rainey Automotive from Searchlight. Another nugget filed away for later.
Tal quietly followed, keeping an eye out for anyone or anything. He nodded as he move to walk alongside Lane. Being scared was embarrassing to him.
“Thanks. Four hundred and forty-five horsepower, maximum available payload is 7,040 pounds.” The larger man answered, a grin cracking his lips. “Nine hundred and ten pounds per feet of torque.” Tal stepped over to the hood and gave it a gentle pet.
Another low whistle. Lane nodded. “Impressive, man. Really impressive.” He supposed a truck like that had to be big to haul around cars all day. I’m all of the years he’d been considered legal to drive, he never once pictured himself in a truck. The van, sure, maybe an SUV, but not really a truck.
“So,” Lane said, taking another minute to find the flavor of the rapidly disintegrating candy, “What’s Rainey Automotive? Your place?” He remembered from the computer entry that Tal’s surname was Rainey. But that didn’t mean he owned the place. In this day and age he could be married in, who knew?
This truck was a big brother compared to his personal one. “Thanks. It gets the job done.” Tal liked how efficient it was and how big the cab was as well. His personal truck had a dual cab and a large bed. His need for breathing room was obvious in his choices. “Yes, that’s my place.” Tal nodded as he looked over at Lane. “Auto repair and towing service.”
Connections were good. He was a fan of knowing someone who knew someone. “You ever work on panel vans?” Searchlight wasn’t as far as it seemed in conversation - he’d been a time or two on a collection run. It was an honest question, anyway. Biting through the last part of the sucker, Lane chewed thoughtfully. He stuck the sticky end of the candy into his pocket. Littering was for losers.
And just like that a discarded cup rolled toward his shoe. The guy walking away from it hadn’t given it a second look. Lane blinked, looked at Tal, and then in the direction of the walker. “You gonna come get this cup, pal?”
The only response Lane got was a decisive finger choice which made him smirk. “Right. Real cool.” He stooped to pick up the cup and tossed it into an actual trash can along with the sucker stick. “Fucking pigs, man. Humans suuuuck.” He drew the letter out for emphasis.
“Maybe one or two over the last five years.” Tal replied as he watched Lane closely. He seemed like a clean cut, respectable guy. “Do you have one that needs to be looked at?”
There was a stiffening of Tal’s back as Lane called out to the litterbug and the said litterbug only gestured to them. Observant to the point of being shy, he saw how Lane was focused on picking up the cup and disposing of it. Then that last sentence. “Know of any other kind of person?” Tal asked gently.
Lane laughed a little bit, shaking his head. “No. Do you?” He figured that was an expression people used all the time - people suck, people were awful - and it struck him a bit odd and funny that Tal wasn’t as up with it. “I hate people who litter. There isn’t any point in mucking up the place you live, you feel?”
He circled back to the comment about the van - he almost had forgotten he mentioned it - and then shrugged. “Sure. I have a couple for the laundromat that could use a tune up. The shops here in Vegas kill me on repairs.”
“No, not really. Only a few people. Trying to avoid the users,” Tal shrugged. It was an expression, but he tried to be careful around anyone these days. “I understand,” he nodded and smiled softly.
“I know - that’s why I'm usually in Searchlight. If you’d like, bring one to the shop and I can take a look.” Tal offered. It was easier to talk shop than other things these days.
Lane could understand that. “Using people is how some others get through. I don’t think you can avoid people like that, but you can learn to find them before they find you.” It had been easy enough for him, but then he had to learn to play the game to survive. In context he was considered a user but on a different level.
He made a note of the offer. “Sure, I’ll bring it by. If it’s cool with you, I think your number is in our system…?” Permission seemed like the best course of action with this one. “You know, if that’s okay with you.”
“I agree. But,” Tal shrugged. “I think I may be a slow learner.” He still hoped to find someone he could let in just as much as he let his ex-boyfriend. Maybe someday. He was still learning.
“It’s cool with me,” he smiled and nodded. “Sometimes I can go a week without any clients.” Permission was good, better even. “That’s okay.” The larger man heard footfalls and turned to see someone walking down the sidewalk toward them. The person passed and Tal shook his head, not realizing he had reached an arm between Lane and the pedestrian despite the wide distance.
“At least you’re learning,” Lane replied. He shrugged casually. “Some people just turn on the blinders and never get the chance to get up off of the ground.” Some of them weren’t fighters, some of them were sidewalks. Sidewalks with cups rolling down them.
When the permission was granted to go find the phone number, Lane grinned. “Cool, thanks. I’ll let you know when I’m heading out. You don’t seem like the kind who likes surprises.” Tal seemed jumpy.
“Maybe,” Tal sighed and then noticed how protective of a man he’d only now talked to twice. Being confined, then free but untrusting to overly trusting - he yearned for connection. But there was still a distance to go.
“You’re welcome. I’m okay. I was attacked trying to help what I thought was a motorist experiencing engine trouble.” Tal confessed and shrugged.
The jutting out of Tal’s arm hadn’t been missed but Lane didn’t comment on it. It had been reflexive. Tal certainly was jumpy. He didn’t comment, only observed.
And then the strings began to come together. “Ah, one of those.” It was an old trick. Useful if you were desperate. He hoped to never get to that point. “Sorry to hear that. Vegas is one hell of a place. It’s rough and dirty. Beneath all of that bright neon and the promise of a good time is darkness.” Death, destruction. He had a few favorite food trucks to look forward to, though. “You’re learning though. You’ve got that instinct in you to survive.” Lane grinned. “Whatever happened left its mark in a good way.” And probably a bad way of that scar was any indication. Or maybe that was a separate incident.
Pulling his arm away, the larger man breathed. If he had realized just how jumpy he was being perceived, Tal would have course corrected. Maybe next time.
“Perhaps so. I’ve worked to stay safe.” Tal didn’t want to completely shut down, but the times he did, the times he was much more jumpy, quiet, even nowhere to be seen. Those times he kept himself away from his friends. Often he just kept his head in his work. Unconsciously, Tal reached up to smooth his hair and nodded. “I’ve probably kept you from something important.”
Lane shook his head. “Nah, I’d be washing clothes right now if I wasn’t talking to you. So you’re saving me from a night of scrubbing stains out of wool.” It was more distracting than anything but he didn’t mind. Tal wasn’t terrible in any context - and the neon somehow made him better looking with each second that passed. “Bad times are just times that are bad. You learn from that shit and do better. Like a phoenix, yeah? Rising up from the ashes a better, safer person.”
Tal blinked a little, the smile trying to return as he listened to Lane. He turned to rest his back against the hood of the truck. The smaller man seemed quite likable, but maybe it was the humor and rational words. “Yeah,” he breathed and nodded as the neon flickered in his eyes. “Still shaking off the ashes. Thanks.”
“Sure man.” Lane nodded and offered Tal a cheeky grin. “But I should quit talking your ear off and let you get back to your towing stuff.” Cars needed to get where they were supposed to go and Lane could’ve talked Tal’s ear off all night. “I’ll bring the van by, yeah? I’ll text you or something first.” He didn’t like to give out his number, not to just anyone, but something told him Tal wouldn’t pass it around.
“It’s okay,” Tal smiled back. Towing could be just driving around, sitting, and waiting for another hire. “Yeah. Okay.” He nodded and pushed off the truck, then paused. “Are you going to be okay out here…?”
“Me?” Lane grinned. He waved a hand dismissively and blew a raspberry, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m good, I swear.” Lane offered Tal a small salute. “I’m Lane, by the way. In case you need to know what creep is texting you later.” With that, he nodded. “Later.” Then he turned and began to wander off in the direction of the Suds.