Who: James and Connor When: Friday, Nov 10, evening Where: James’s office, then Dragonfly Status: complete
Connor’s place at Seaview wasn’t ... nice. Not nice like he was used to. But it was cheap and the rent was month to month, so he could leave at any time. He didn’t know how long he would be staying in Point Pleasant, but he had a feeling it was going to be longer than he wanted to. He’d spent all of the day before cleaning and moving his stuff into the mobile home, arranging and rearranging and not really being happy with anything about it. But it was difficult to be happy when he didn’t even want to live in this stupid town and didn’t want to have to be dealing with his parents and didn’t want to be cleaning up their fucking mess ... but here he was. Life wasn’t always about being happy.
He at least knew someone else who lived here, that was a bonus. Someone who understood at least some of his penchants for certain things -- James McCarthy. Their paths had crossed multiple times at BDSM events, and Connor had taken his card just in case his parents needed a lawyer for anything while they lived up in the middle of nowhere. Now it was him living there and him needing a lawyer, so he’d given James a call.
Connor showered thoroughly before their appointment, feeling gross, and put on some actual decent clothes before he headed over to James’s office. The weather sucked, it was supposed to rain later, and Connor counted it a small blessing that he’d gotten all his shit moved in. He arrived on time and plunked down in the small waiting room once he’d given his name to the girl behind the desk to wait for James. Connor slouched and gnawed at the corner of one thumbnail, trying not to look as sullen as he felt.
James was not having a fantastic day - or week for that matter - the whole of November had honestly been a bastard to him and his office had never felt this much like a safe haven before. He had received Connor's phonecall with some mixed feelings because he both delighted in potentially having someone to talk to about things he only pursued online when he was at home but then it also brought his own dark secrets a little too close to home. None of that showed as he stepped out of his office and gave Connor a little wave to come in. He hadn't left him waiting too long, he didn't think, though the call he had been on had dragged a little.
He gave Connor a firm handshake when he could, a little smile tugging on the corners of his lips. "Good to see you again, come right on in," he murmured, not about to pick the man's brains out where his receptionist could hear them.
Connor stood up when James’s office door opened, and the smile he offered back as they shook hands was tried around the edges, but genuine. He’d liked James every time they chatted, which wasn’t too incredibly often, but enough for some passing familiarity. “Likewise, thanks,” he said quietly. He walked into the man’s office and went to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He hadn’t brought any paperwork with him or anything yet, he’d intended for this just to be a preliminary sort of thing, so James could tell him what-all he needed to do to get power of attorney for both of his parents. He was worried sick about them, they weren’t making good decisions for themselves anymore -- had they ever, though? -- and their health was at stake. The sexy things he and James had in common were far from his mind at the moment.
There were hardly any personal touches to James's office, this was where he worked and he never felt right plastering pictures of his family around for anyone to see. Especially as his office so often was a sanctuary to get away from said family, though never quite so much as lately. He sat down too, observing Connor with a hint of curiosity. It was hard not to think of sexier things when that was their common background but he also knew their tastes ran in completely different directions. "Point Pleasant, huh?" he said with an almost sympathetic look. "The obligatory question here is what brought you to this godforsaken place." They had never spoken of personal things. Connor knew James was a lawyer, James knew Connor was a doctor, they had joked about both professions possibly coming in handy with their lifestyles but it had never come to that. James had a feeling Connor's being there had nothing to do with the lifestyle at all.
Connor had spotted James’s wedding ring, so he knew the man was married -- and also straight, but Connor had learned that a long time ago -- but he didn’t see any family pictures on the desk or walls. Interesting, but not his business, obviously. “Point Pleasant,” he echoed with a chuckle, bringing one ankle up to rest on his knee while he got comfortable in the chair. “Family matters. That I’m hoping you can help me with.” Connor launched right into it, aware that lawyers’ time was always expensive. He briefly laid out some background about his parents and their shared mental conditions, how they’d been in trouble with the city back in Portland and had moved to a more rural, isolated life up here. Then about how his mother’s health was starting to fail, and how Connor needed to step in to ensure they were taken care of, since they couldn’t manage it themselves. He tried to keep it as dry and clinical as possible, but ended with a sigh and a pinch to the bridge of his nose against the tension headache that he’d been carrying around. “So I need to know ... what I can do. Legally speaking. How do I get power of attorney, get them declared incompetent? I don’t know. It’s going to be a fight, they’re both stubborn, but much longer in that place and they’ll both end up dead.”
A colder side of James wanted to tell him to just let them die, cut all ties and move on with his own life. It didn't sound like they had anything he could possibly want and as far as James was concerned some people deserved to be let go. Connor was there for a lawyer though so he went into professional mode and told him his options as well as asking him a series of questions to clarify what he'd already done and what needed to happen next. He made sure to tell him that declaring someone incompetent was going to be a hell of a headache too, not just the procedure itself but then taking care of everything from here on out. Connor already knew this, of course, he was a smart guy, he'd looked into things already and James didn't waste too much time on the things he was already well aware of. "Start with filing the paperwork," he said. "We'll need a psychologist to testify to their mental health which from what you've told me about their home should be easy to deduce. Then we take this to probate court." He furrowed his brows, resting his arms on his desk while he waited for the printer to get done with the forms they needed to fill out. "This is going to take time but we'll try to make it as expeditious as possible."
Connor listened attentively, and though he felt a little out of his depth with a lot of the legal jargon, James made it all understandable. It was a good trait, and one Connor tried to foster himself when it came to medical terminology. He’d had to explain some pretty complex things to patients himself. He felt like he should’ve brought something to take notes with, but James seemed to have it all in hand, getting forms ready and everything. “Yeah, I figured as much,” he answered ruefully. “I rented a place in town and got a job lined up at Mercy Hospital. I’m here for the long haul if that’s how it’s gotta be. I really appreciate all your help with this though. It was kinda ... serendipitous they moved up here, I guess. Glad I already knew someone.” Connor gave a soft huff and half-smiled at James.
James hoped for his sake that he could plant his parents in a home and sell their house, that really was the best thing for everyone. They'd get cared for and Connor could return to Portland and not wither away in Point Pleasant. It was different for James. He had his whole family there and roots that went even deeper with his magic but Connor didn't seem like he'd be happy in Point Pleasant for long. "We should meet for drinks sometime," he said. "I'm sorry to say there are no interesting events or clubs here to go to but the country club is nice and there's a bar I quite like." Nate Kelly had done well for himself and James liked the soothing hum of magic in Dragonfly though he wasn't a big fan of going there on weekends. "Where did you get a place?" He turned in his chair and grabbed the papers, still warm from the machine.
It wasn’t really surprising that there weren’t BDSM dungeons hosting parties anywhere in Point Pleasant, and Connor chuckled. “I need to stay focused anyway,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair and rubbing at the back of his neck for a second. “But yeah, drinks. Just let me know when and where and I’m there. I’m going to need a drink or fifteen a night while I’m here.” He knew it was going to be a hard struggle, and Connor was already glad he’d lined up a job instead of just trying to live off of his savings. He was going to need the distraction. “I got a rental place in Seaview,” he answered James’s question. “It’ll do for the time being. At least ‘til I’ve got a better idea of how all this is gonna play out.”
James winced a bit at that piece of information. Sure, it was probably alright for a temporary stay but it was still so beneath Connor and James was sure he knew that. "You'll need a break somewhere nice if you're living in Seaview," he muttered. "You'll love the Overlook, we'll get you a membership." He set the papers down in front of Connor. "Of course if you'd rather have your solitude you just say so, we're both men who prefer getting what we want." They had a very private thing in common and James liked Connor, he was one of those people who were worth his while and that meant he would get special favors.
Connor sat forward to briefly thumb through the stack of forms that James put down. Paperwork just plagued him in almost every avenue of his life, didn’t it? It was almost funny. “Dealing with all this? Yeah, I think I’m gonna need some sane company as well as drinks,” he said, giving a soft huff. “So hell yeah, put in a good word for me, tell me when to show up.” He made a pretty damn good living, but Connor had never fancied himself a country club kind of guy. He’d been to a few, he knew how to golf, it was almost a requirement amongst doctors, but he never quite felt comfortable there. Imposter syndrome. And being gay probably had something to do with it too. Connor could fake being one of The Boys, but he wasn’t really.
"I can help you with that," James said with a little nod toward the papers. "Off the clock even. I'm finding myself needing a little more time away from the family lately. Do you play tennis? I could use a new partner. It's a great release. Just whacking away at a ball." He huffed softly and smiled back at Connor because they both knew he'd much rather take a whack at a person but it wasn't exactly on offer in his hometown.
The little inside joke wasn’t lost on Connor and he grinned briefly. “I’m pretty good at tennis, yeah,” he said, amused. “Strong wrists and forearms, you know.” He didn’t know all the details about James’s specific proclivities, but it had already been obvious that he didn’t get fulfillment for them at home. He was already imagining some picture-perfect family with an uptight wife who would never deign to be bent over and paddled. Or maybe they had some arrangement, who knew. Connor didn’t honestly care, people could do what they wanted. They always did anyway. “And this uh, probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway ... I’ll absolutely respect your privacy. I’m good at discretion, HIPAA laws and all.”
"It went without saying," James replied with a knowing smile. Discretion was everything and If people refused to shut up he tended to make them. "That said, you and I also have a lawyer client confidentiality so you can talk to me about anything. Whether it’s court related or not." On the court, in court or outside of it, James was both glad and apprehensive of having a potential friend in town. Connor was respectable too so it made sense for them to be acquainted, unlike if Connor was one of those rough around the edges doms. James did enjoy their company at parties but that was as far as it went. "I’ll be demanding a match soon," he added. “Let’s get the paperwork out of the way, shall we?"
Connor wasn’t sure how much he would be confiding in James McCarthy, but who knew. Maybe they would end up besties; he seemed like a solid guy. Every community had their bad apples, of course, but Connor had found more genuine and honest and open-minded people in the lifestyle than out of it, so he had a good feeling. He relaxed a bit more and got to work with James. The paperwork was tedious, of course, and Connor didn’t have all the information about his parents that James needed, but he made notes on what he needed to get, and they finished as much as they could. While James shuffled it all together again, Connor sat back and ran a hand through his hair. “I really appreciate all this,” he told him, tapping his hands on the arms of the chair. “Especially any ... y’know, off the record time. I’m still technically unemployed.” He offered a little grin.
"You get a lifestyle discount," James said easily. His rates weren't extreme seeing as how he was a small town lawyer but it really depended on the job and the client. Anthony D'Onofrio and a couple of other power-players in Point Pleasant had him on a retainer and that alone was good money, enough so that he even rubbed his own ego on occasion by doing things pro bono. He packed up and then gave Connor a curious look. "Do you have plans? I'd love to grab a drink before I head home if you're free."
He’d started to stand up, expecting this whole interaction to be over, so the offer of a drink surprised him. Connor’s brows lifted and he thought for a second as his introverted inclination flared up. But he’d been pretty much alone through the whole move, so maybe some real socializing with a peer would be good for him. “No real plans, no. A drink would be great, honestly. It’s been a long fucking few days.” Connor huffed an unamused laugh and grinned ruefully. “Were you headed out now, or ...?” He would learn it fast, but he still didn’t know the town too well yet, and James had mentioned he had a favorite place.
"Yeah, you're my last client today," James said and he thought Connor could do with a little Dragonfly magic; the man looked like he needed something good in his life and the charms Nate Kelly had set up in there mellowed everyone out nicely. It felt different to a witch since he knew where the effects were coming from and could - if he wanted - shield himself from them, but why would he want to? "It's within a walking distance," he said as he got up and grabbed his jacket and an umbrella. "A drink or two at Dragonfly will do you good, it's a nice place, you'll like it."
“Okay,” Connor said with a little smile as he headed for the door. Portland was the kind of city that you had to drive pretty much everywhere you went. He thought he was going to enjoy having to do a lot of walking here. At least it was quaint and small. He slipped back into his own jacket and walked with James out of the building. The air felt good and even though it was sign of a storm coming, Connor enjoyed the wind that was picking up. It was refreshing after hunching over form after stupid form for so long. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he let James lead the way to Dragonfly -- it was a good name for a bar, Connor thought.
Aside from the magic and the good drinks, Dragonfly was a classy bar. Very clean and stylish. James wouldn't go so far as to say he wouldn't be seen at a place like the Back Porch Pub as he had gone there a few times to meet clients but that was usually with those sorts of clients. For drinks he chose the Overlook Country Club or Dragonfly if he wasn't in the mood for a restaurant. "You're lucky you're coming in here with connections," he told Connor as they approached the bar. "The dynamics of Point Pleasant can be a bit mind boggling, it's always good to have the option to dial a friend."
“That kinda place, huh?” Connor asked with a chuckle. “But what place isn’t, I guess. Politics are everywhere.” Once they reached it, he held the door for James without thinking about it, then walked in behind him. Dragonfly looked better on the inside than he’d anticipated, and Connor gave an approving nod as he glanced around. It seemed chill but not dive-y, hip without instantly making him feel old. He already liked the vibe as they headed toward the bar. “I’ll try not to start any shit while I’m here. But how’s the, uh ... tolerance level? Pretty conservative around here?” It was a small town, and if Connor was going to get lynched or something for being openly gay, he wanted some advance warning.
James greeted Nate Kelly at the bar and opted not to answer Connor's question until they had their drinks and some privacy. "It's a pretty colorful town," he said as they found a table. "For a town this size it is pretty liberal. That said we do have trouble makers and people who don't understand or appreciate a lifestyle that's unlike their own. You should be fine, you're a doctor and you're-" he paused and waved his hand at Connor's appearance. "Not a flaming twink." He huffed humorlessly and shook his coat off, hanging it up at a nearby hook. "You're certainly not the only gay guy in town but I wouldn't go advertising just what sort of things you're into."
Connor had expected a vague ‘in public’ answer, but he was content to wait for a more detailed one too. He sat hung his own coat up and sat down on his side of the booth. It was a decent quality seat too -- that was important in a bar. He got comfortable with his gin and tonic, smirking faintly at James’s words and nodding a bit. It could've been worse, he supposed. He hoped James’s assessment was accurate and not indicative of his straight privilege; Connor did not want to be harrassed in this town, he was already stressed enough. “I never advertise,” he said, shaking his head a bit. “Even in liberal towns, nobody wants their doctor to be a pervert.” He flashed James a grin and took a sip of his drink. “Being gay’s bad enough, I keep that pretty quiet too. Not that I expect any relationships while I’m here.” Connor waved his fingers dismissively.
Already James could feel Dragonfly working its magic on them and the stress of everything was slowly slipping away to be ignored until later. He hummed at Connor's words and shrugged one shoulder. "We have some openly gay people in town who seem to be doing just fine. Two of our cops came out as a couple and sure, yes, there was gossip and wringing of hands. It probably helps that they carry weapons and badges." He huffed with mild amusement. "I can see how you might want to put relationships on hold for now. I don't really dabble when I'm at home, don't shit where you eat and all that." Of course Brianna had her own affairs in town but her taste was far more acceptable than his to polite society. Everyone fucked around, if you asked James. It was human nature. "You might have to fend off some single ladies, fair warning."
Gay cops in love, huh? Connor made a mildly impressed face and nodded. Good for them. He wondered vaguely if they were hot and liked to be tied up and spanked, but that was just an idle libido talking. He couldn’t help but note James’s choice of words and gave a faint chuckle. It was much more than ‘dabbling’ and ‘shitting’ to Connor, but he wasn’t a supposedly straight-laced married man, either. “Oh I’m used to that, I’m prepared,” Connor said with some amusement before taking another sip of his drink. “Most of my patients in Portland had given up on me, but I can’t tell you how many mothers and grandmothers wanted me to meet their young single female relatives. Landing a doctor is like ... bonus points in life or some shit.” He offered James a lopsided grin. “Lawyers too, as I’m sure you know.” Connor didn’t want to make any jokes about James’s wife, since he knew nothing about the woman, but there were a few on the tip of his tongue.
James nodded, his smile bemused. He couldn't complain though, being an affluent and good looking man had gotten him more action than most, the trick was just to shake off the leeches before they got too attached. He considered warning Connor of the bad things that happened in town but it was hard to do so without sounding insane. That didn't mean they were all off the table so he idly swirled his drink in his glass as he considered his options. "You're not living in the city anymore and that means more than just... discretion. We've had some animal attacks out here. Some wild creature is getting really familiar with human territory, aggressive and deadly. Are you a gun owner, Connor?"
Connor’s thick brows lifted in surprise. Maine was a gun-liberal state, but he didn’t have any personal love for them. They were dangerous weapons, and he was in the business of people’s health and wellbeing. “No, can’t say I am,” he answered, studying James’s face more closely now. “It’s some kind of ... rogue wolf or something?” In spite of his reservations, he’d handled a rifle and a handgun before, just doing some target shooting with friends, but Connor was no hunter. He thought about his aging parents out there in their house that was so removed from the rest of the town, and Connor felt more worry chew at his gut. It was a low-key sort of gnaw, since he was feeling pretty chill, but it was still there.
"Who knows," James said with a little sigh. "It only attacks at night so far and it's never been spotted in or near a crowd. The last attack was one of our high school teachers, they say she died right in her backyard." He wasn't looking to spook Connor but it was hard not to scare people if you wanted to warn them about the madness of his hometown. James had wards up, little magic glyphs here and there to protect himself and his own. He knew some of the other witches sold hex bags to those who knew what they were up against but securing the whole town would take more magic and power than all of them had combined. "Let's just hope they kill this thing soon and your stay here will be worry free," he added with a little wink and knocked back his drink.
Connor’s brows inched higher. “No shit,” he murmured, sounding kind of awed. He knew Point Pleasant was rural, but that sounded positively medieval. For some reason it didn’t sound like that big of a deal at the moment though, like the horror of it was far away. “That’s fucked up man. She didn’t live in Seaview, did she?” A faint chuckle bubbled up out of Connor with the question, and he shook his head a bit as he sipped on his drink again. He hoped there really were people out there trying to hunt down whatever it was, because he wasn’t keen on living in a town where something was running around hunting people in their damn backyards.
"She did not," James replied with a little laugh of his own. "I'm sure Seaview is perfectly safe." There was a hint of sarcasm there, of course, he had no high regard for the area but in this case it didn't mean much. Even Overlook wasn't safe although any beast coming through there was more likely to be caught on camera. Dark magic went where dark magic wanted to go. "Have you made plans for what you want to do once you have guardianship?" he asked since he could well imagine that Connor would want to get the hell out of town as soon as he was able.
Though he was exhausted with the subject of his parents already, Connor knew that would be a permanent state for as long as he stayed in town. He sipped on his drink and gave a nod and a sigh once he’d swallowed. “I want to get them out of there, first,” he said. “I’ve scouted out a couple of assisted living places in Portland, where they can be looked after better, medical care, meals, that kinda shit. Like little apartments? Then I’ve gotta either ... clean up the house and get it ready to sell, or have it demolished. I dunno what kinda shape it’s in yet, it’s impossible to tell with all the shit everywhere.” He rubbed at one eye. “My sister thinks I’m crazy and it’ll never work, but ... I have to do something.”
"Your sister sounds like she's given up," James said. "You have a good plan, a home would be the right thing for them, leave it to professionals to keep their place clean." He could absolutely relate to Connor's sister as he'd likely wash his hands of his parents if he was in Connor's place but if he wanted to help, that sounded like the way to go about it. "Just be prepared for them to hate you for it." People with problems that big didn't usually appreciate the help, at least not at first. It could take years for it to sink in and with elderly parents it might be too late. He knew he'd be tempted to demolish the place and sell the lot but then he wasn't a very sentimental man.
Connor gave a little huff and shook his head with some mild regret. “It’ll just add to the list of shit they hold against me,” he said ruefully, lifting his drink again. “Still gotta do it.” His parents had never been very loving. They were grudgingly proud of him for his career achievements, but they’d quit praising him for it a long time ago. Connor was out to them in an abstract sense -- he’d told them he was gay but they’d never seen him with another man, and he got the impression sometimes that his mother still held out hope that he would find a nice woman and settle down to have kids. But mostly he thought they were more interested in themselves and their collections than anything else. Still ... Connor felt obligated to make sure they didn’t die in a rat-infested hell hole. “I’d ask about your family, for y’know ... conversation’s sake, but I respect it if you don’t wanna talk about them.”
"If we didn't know each other you'd probably ask," James pointed out. "So it's better that you know the basics." He wasn't going to talk about them in depth, aside from not wanting to he doubted Connor wanted to hear it. "Got a wife up here and three kids, one of them away at college the others just finishing up high school. You might run into my wife, Brianna McCarthy, you can drop my name but obviously..." He quirked a brow, certain that he didn't need to spell it out to Connor that their little parties were not a conversation topic to be had with his wife. "We have very different hobbies, she and I."
Connor nodded his understanding. “Yeah, I was getting that impression,” he said with a faint chuckle. “But no worries there, like I said, I’m pretty experienced with discretion.” He made note of the wife’s name though, just in case they ran into each other socially somehow. It was a small-ass town, after all. “You don’t look old enough to have a kid in college, I must say.” Connor gave James a little grin. It wasn’t quite a flirt, it was true, and Connor knew better. But it was still kind of nice to be out having drinks with a handsome guy, in spite of the reason behind it. “Are the other two going off to school too?”
James nodded because there wasn't a chance in hell his kids weren't getting an education. They were smart and if they wanted to they could really go places in life. "Don't remind me," he muttered. "I'm looking at my oldest son and if he follows my lead? I'll be a granddad soon." He winced and then laughed. "I gotta admit I kinda hope he'll take his time." It had come off a little flirty but he didn't mind, if anything it was flattering, despite his lack of interest. He might never want to fuck another guy but he had done sexual things in the proximity of one or two during his parties. It was all so focused on the ladies that it didn't count as gay but it made him more at ease with other men in the scene. He could easily imagine teaming up with Connor - if their tastes didn't run in such different directions.
Straight guys could get so uptight about being flirted with even in the slightest. Connor had always gotten a pretty good vibe from James, and he was glad to see that carried over out into the vanilla world too. One would think that living an alternative lifestyle would make all BDSM practitioners accepting of differences in sexuality, but Connor had run into his share of homophobic assholes to appreciate James’s acceptance. At least he knew there was one guy in town who he could let his guard down around. The rest would remain to be seen. “Yeah I bet,” he said with a little huff. “You definitely don’t look like a granddad. They keep sayin’ that Millennials are having kids later and later, so maybe you don’t have anything to worry about.”
James shrugged. "It makes sense with the economy but my kids don't have to worry about debts if they just work hard and keep up their ends of the bargain so they might not wait as long as some... Trip though, he's way too young to be a dad. I was already in law school when he was born so that's the minimum age here." He laughed again at the thought of being a grandfather because god, was he not prepared for that title. Brianna would probably hate it too, now she was not the grandmother type at all. "I'm picturing my wife's face," he chuckled. "Let's hope the kid knows better."
Ah, the privileges of coming from a wealthy family. Connor didn’t come from that world, but he knew plenty of people who did -- men and women who had been put through medical school by their parents and their trust funds while he’d had to work his ass off and was still paying for his student loans. That was just how the cards were played though, and as he’d gotten older he’d let go of more and more resentment over it. He’d made something of himself from his own tenacity and hard work, and not everybody could say that. “I’m sure he’s got a good head on his shoulders,” Connor replied with a little chuckle. He didn’t know that at all, but there wasn’t much else he could say, not knowing the kid. “Does your wife work?”
"She's a real estate agent," James replied, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that she was a witch too. "So if you end up wanting to get a place here, she's the one you want to talk to." He huffed humorlessly. "I'm sure she could get you a good discount on the latest murder house." Poor Connor really had no idea what he was walking into, moving here.
Connor gave a little scoff and shook his head emphatically. “No thank you,” he said, trying to sound good-humored about it. This was James’s home town, after all. But Connor sure as shit wasn’t staying longer than he had to. “Maybe once I’m ready to sell my parents’ place, if it can be salvaged, I’ll get in touch with her. But I’m a temporary resident.” He sipped from his drink and then squinted at James in a pained sort of way. “Latest murder house? You got a lot of those around here?”
"More than our fair share," James replied. "This one was right across the street from us, our neighbor lost his mind on Halloween. In fact, a lot of people lost their minds on Halloween. Apparently someone passed out drugged candy." He had to laugh, though it was about as pained as Connor's expression. "You can't make this shit up. You'll probably hear a lot of stories while you're here, Point Pleasant has had a long run of bad luck."
By the time James was done explaining, Connor had an expression on his face that was both pained and bemused. “That’s, uh ... that’s fucked up, man,” he said with a chuckle. It was really too fucked up to laugh about, but he was still feeling pretty chill about everything. “But yeah, I’m getting that impression.” It was just another reason to get the fuck out of dodge as soon as he could manage it. Connor didn’t want to end up some statistic in this weirdo town, and he didn’t want his parents to either. He knocked back the rest of his drink and sat back a bit. “Hell, at least the hospital’s probably haunted, right? That’ll be fun,” he said, his tone light. He grinned a bit.
"You know, I'd be surprised if it wasn't," James chuckled. "Keep me updated on that, will you? It was rebuilt after a fire with some casualties, some people say they smell smoke in there." Dragonfly had been a good idea, he was feeling mellow and Connor might have freaked out more about their gruesome topic without the magic in the air. He waved at the bartender to get his attention and ordered another drink, giving Connor a quizzical look on whether he wanted another too.
Connor had just been kidding -- he only very vaguely thought ghosts of some kind were possible, but he wasn’t a big believer in things science couldn’t explain. Hearing that there’d actually been some kind of tragedy made him look pained and definitely need another drink. He nodded to James’s look and let him re-order for them. “I’ll be sure to keep you posted,” he muttered, shaking his head a bit. Connor honestly hoped to be too busy to think about goddamn ghosts. He really needed the distraction of work if he was going to get through this. “I hope you don’t go along with your wife when she’s trying to sell houses to people,” he added with a little smirk. “You’re bad for business, James.”
James let out a hearty laugh at that, nodding in agreement. He probably could be terrible for business if Point Pleasant didn't have a way of sinking its claws into people and making them want to stay despite everything bad that happened to them there. "I could tell you stories upon stories of the place and you might still end up wanting to stay here," he said knowingly. "People tend to stick around and when they leave, they tend to come back." Their drinks arrived and James sipped his contently, wondering if Connor read anything sinister into what he'd just told him.
Connor was giving him a bemused, skeptical look again. He’d heard stuff like that about small towns in general, he didn’t think there was anything special about Point Pleasant. Mostly, he didn’t want to think about having to fight even harder to get his parents out of there and into a place where they could be cared for. “Please spare me tonight, I’ve got enough to contend with already,” he chuckled, lifting his own fresh drink for a sip. Connor glanced around them, then cocked a brow at James. “So this is pretty much it for the nightlife?” he asked.
James shrugged in a way that said yes, sort of. "There's Dragonfly and The Back Porch Pub which is not as nice. Some restaurants and cafes, one karaoke bar." He huffed with some amusement and shook his head at that because he wouldn't be caught dead there. "A couple of strip clubs close by but if you want anything else you're in for a drive. So I know some of your preferred ways of entertainment, I wouldn't take you for much of a night club person though." He arched a brow, the statement a thinly veiled question.
A karaoke bar, of course. Connor smiled faintly and hoped he didn’t get that desperate for entertainment. He shook his head at strip clubs -- very few of them catered to his personal taste, and even then Connor wasn’t a big fan. “I’m not,” he answered James’s not-question with a little chuckle. “Just already anticipating how stir-crazy I’m going to be. Work will help, but ... a man’s got to get out of the house for something fun on occasion, you know.” Connor sipped his drink again. “Guess I’ll take a drive if I really need to.”
"I know what you mean," James said. There was a reason he so often stayed in Portland or Bangor for a couple of days. "It helps that I have a family I've got my hands full with but I drown myself in work and exercise for the most part. There is a movie theater that shows some old movies and a complex not too far out of town if you want to see something new. Get to know your co-workers, find some peace in a place like this and focus on your job, that's the only advice I can give you." At least regarding entertainment, James could give him a lot more advice on safety and survival but half of it wouldn't make much sense to Connor.
Connor hadn’t exactly been looking for broad advice, but he took it and nodded anyway. He would have plenty of shitty things to keep him busy, maybe he could scout out somewhere he enjoyed being once he really settled in. A sanctuary of some kind. “Thanks, James,” he offered before taking another drink. “For being my welcome wagon and all.” Connor offered him a lopsided grin. It was nice to know someone here, someone who he actually had things in common with. They might not end up best friends forever, but Connor had a feeling there would be more drinks at Dragonfly between them.
"My pleasure," James replied, raising his glass in a little toast. "You should join me at the club too. How does Sunday sound for a game of tennis?" Even if he ended up teaching his kids, a couple of hours doing something fun wouldn't hurt. He hadn't been joking when he said he could do with whacking something a few times, be it a person or a ball. "I can bring a guest and if you like it we can see about membership for you."
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, lifting his glass in a little toast. Maybe running around chasing after a ball and swinging at it would be some good stress relief. “I’ll need to borrow a racket, I didn’t pack one to bring. Didn’t expect a lot of tennis up here.” Connor chuckled. It wasn’t exactly the epitome of an upper class haven. At least the parts he’d seen so far, maybe James’s country club was in some rich pocket of town Connor hadn’t visited yet.
Overlook Estates came close to being an upper class haven, or as close as one could get in a town like Point Pleasant. James knew for sure a lot of the families that lived there were descendents of witches and that spoke volumes for how safe and privileged the area was. It was meant for people who were really too good for town but didn't want to leave. "That won't be a problem," he said dismissively. "We have everything we need at the club." He did tend to bring his own things, most of the guests did, but that was a personal preference and not a necessity. He realized he might be more welcoming to Connor than most but they had a lot in common and maybe he needed a pal he didn't feel like he was in competition with.
Connor knew he technically belonged to this upper class world now, that he’d worked his way up that particular ladder, but it was still jarring sometimes to hear things like that. He managed not to snicker, because he could never explain that amusement properly, and just nodded and finished off what was in his glass. “Good to know.” He was still feeling calm and chill, but a little buzzed now, so it was time to stop drinking. Until he got home, anyway. He would do his best to at least blend in while he was in Point Pleasant, and having someone around who knew the social ropes would definitely help. And Connor was going to need all the help he could get.