InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Zakk learned from the best."

John Constantine (dangeroushabits) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2011-04-08 21:40:00

Entry tags:

ashley magnus, john constantine

Who: John Constantine and Ashley Magnus.
What: Drinking and discussing things.
Where: Constantine's flat.
When: Evening.
Rating: TBD.
Status: In progress.

John had spent the last week, or thereabout, hanging out with the perky spitfire of a blonde he'd met his first day. Out of all the people in this piss poor example of a city, she was the only one he really got on with. Of course, it wasn't exactly any sort of shock that he hadn't made a lot of friends. He knew that he was a bastard on the best of days. Recent events in his life only cemented that.

Setting down yet another cigarette, he took a sip of his drink and glanced over at his companion. He'd been working with her, helping her control her little issues with...well control. Control and bloodlust. The worst sort of problems. And, as much as he wanted to hold on to his persona of apathetic dick, he actually liked Ashley. And he'd hate to have to kill her. Not that he was entirely sure he could, but he liked to be an optimist. "So," he said after a moment, setting his drink down on the table, "how'd you end up in a spot like this anyhow? It ain't the norm, I can tell that much. But then if your daddy's Jack the bleedin' Ripper and you're runnin' about with Nikola fucking Tesla, I guess the norm skipped right over you...ennit right?"

(Post a new comment)

choseherside
2011-04-09 04:16 am UTC (link)

Ashley liked John Constantine. Really liked him. She knew, if her mother were to show up, she would receive a Look for how she felt, and quite possibly an "Oh, Ashley" spoken in such a way that only her mom could manage. She knew, if her dad were to find out, he'd probably try to kill the guy. Or maybe just glare at him a lot, if his claims that he had turned over a new leaf were to be believed. Personally, Ashley felt the jury was still out on that one. And okay, maybe her mom and dad would both have valid points. It wasn't like the guy was overly nice to, well, much of anyone. He certainly didn't pull his punches - both physically or verbally - and he was pretty much the exact opposite of that whole Victorian mindset that her parents were still stuck in over a frigging century after it had gone complete out of style. But really, Ashley didn't care about any of that. She liked the guy and anyone who had a problem with it would just have to get over it.

Besides, aside from Tesla, he was the only one who had really done much of anything to help her in the past few weeks with her control. They'd made a bit of progress, too, although Ashley though that probably had more to do with the fact that he just did not smell at all appetising, but she certainly wasn't going to knock whatever was causing it. The point was, she didn't feel nearly as on edge as she had and that was more than enough reason to justify spending time with the guy. Aside from the fact that she honestly found him fun to be around, of course.

Snorting a bit at his question, she shot him a smirk. "Normal is overrated," she said with a shrug. "Though I didn't know who my dad was until Tesla kidnapped my mom. Before that he was just some crazy guy that tried to feed me to a giant lizard so my mom would help him, so your reasoning needs a little work. And as for how I wound up like this..." She shrugged again, her smirk fading into a more sombre expression.

"This group called the Cabal turned me into a sleeper agent to do their bidding. Whatever they did managed to bring out some things that were lying dormant... with a little extra to boot." Truth be told, the whole thing still left a very bad taste in her mouth but Ashley had decided not long after arriving in Colligo that growing angry every time she thought about it wasn't going to help her in any way, shape, or form. Plus Tesla and her dad had both confirmed that the Cabal was pretty much history now, so that definitely helped.

Reaching for her own drink, she took a long sip before eyeing him over the rim. "So what about you? You aren't exactly a walking definition of normal yourself, you know."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

dangeroushabits
2011-04-12 04:39 am UTC (link)

Ashley was young, too young for him. Her father was a fucking serial killer and she was friends with a man who had made a bleeding death ray. If John was smart, he'd have stayed the hell away from her. But then, he'd never been the smartest of men. Quick witted sure, and possessing the devil's own luck, but not smart. Besides, the girl had a sharp tongue and somehow she had charmed him. It was surprising, since he didn't like much of anyone, but he liked her. And, for some reason, that made him willing to risk her father's wrath. It was probably beyond idiotic, but he didn't much give a fuck. He had no doubt his luck would see him through.

Besides, the lass needed his help, before she went psycho and ate someone. He was safe at least, the demonic taint in his blood kept her from making him that someone in the question. Which was good, because he had no desire to be murdered by a vampire who hadn't yet learned to control her bloodlust. Much as he liked her, if it came down to her or himself, he had no qualms about chopping off her pretty head. Well, maybe one or two qualms, but not many. Still, it was more than most people got.

"Normal's for the sad sods who don't know any better," he said with a shrug and a drag of his cigarette. "But you take the other end of the spectrum to a whole new level, luv. I mean think about what you just said. You found out Jack the bleedin' Ripper, who tried to feed you to a giant fucking lizard, was your dad after Nikola Tesla, who is a vampire, kidnapped your mum. Fucking mental, it is." He was grinning though. And he'd worried this place might bore him. He listened to her explanation of how she'd ended up like this. If the group hadn't likely been wiped out already by the girl's father and Tesla, he might have liked to meet them, if only to show them just how much he liked people fucking with his friends. "Sounds like a bunch of puffed up bastards meddling where they ain't wanted," he said gruffly. "Just the sort of folks I'd probably cross back home." Of course, with him they would be the worse for it.

When she asked about him, he laughed. "Me?" he asked. "I'm nothing special. I'm just your average, every day magician. But I'm not talking about the stage stuff. Don't use it when I don't have to, but when it comes to the occult? I'm the best there is. As for the distinctly unappetising sense you get from my blood? Demon gave me a blood transfusion once, to prevent the second coming. Long, frankly ridiculous story. But that's me, demonically tainted magus extraordinaire. Some folks say my wit has magical properties all its own, but we won't get into that. Basically, I'm knee deep in the messes of magic, above and below." He grinned. "But that's half the reason I'm so fun."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

choseherside
2011-04-23 04:39 pm UTC (link)

And fun was definitely one way to describe John Constantine. At least, it was for Ashley. Most people wouldn't consider him fun. Most people would, in fact, probably consider him some jerk who was only rude to cover up some serious insecurities or some other psychobabble crap. Personally, she never put much stock in that stuff though and therefore saw absolutely nothing wrong with him just being rude because that's just how he was. Any other reasons for it were for him to deal with, not her.

Matching his grin, Ashley took a sip of her drink before responding. "You want to talk about me and the crazy that is my life?" she replied with a soft chuckle. "You just said you had a blood transfusion from a demon in order to stop the second coming. That is not exactly run of the mill itself, buddy." Which he knew, of course. They both knew the other wasn't cut from the same cloth as the general masses. If they were, they wouldn't be hanging out like this. In fact, if they were normal, they probably wouldn't get along at all.

"So how did you get caught up in all of that stuff?" she asked, studying him with a curious expression. "Most people do not wake up one day and decide to be an occult expert, just like that."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dangeroushabits
2011-05-01 04:44 am UTC (link)

The funny thing was that all the people who thought Constantine's rudeness was a cover for something else would have been utterly wrong. He genuinely was just a bastard. No reason for it. Nothing to cover up. He knew and embraced his faults, and he wasn't the type of person to dismiss or "justify" them. He had flaws, just like everyone else on the damn planet. He just chose not to hide them or pretend they were anything but what they were.

Constantine downed his drink with a derisive snort. "I guess you could say I was born into it," he said, "but that's not even true. I was screwed before I even came into this god-forsaken place. Not joking. I strangled my twin brother while we were still in the womb...not exactly the best start." He shrugged. "You do what you have to. Magic is something that just finds its way into my family. The Constantines are steeped in the shit and it fucks us over as it will."

"I think the first real bit of magic I did was...well..." He paused to think about it. "I took out all that innocence you have as a kid...all that vulnerability and shit...stuffed it in a box and got rid of it. Never would have done me much good, and tossing it out probably kept me alive. Life just got weirder from there. I know it sounds like bullshit, but it's true. Scout's honour." Instead of the traditional scout sign, he held up his middle finger in a salute. "Not that I was ever any kind of scout. So that's me for you. I'm a right mess, but I keep things interesting."

(Reply to this) (Parent)