Toby Mitchell (likeacannonball) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2020-06-29 20:25:00 |
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Entry tags: | #january 2018, adrian, adrian x toby, toby |
Who: Toby and Adrian
Where: Toby’s Apartment
When: Thursday, January 25
Status: Complete
Toby and Adrian didn’t even make it to the car on Wednesday before Toby forced them to turn back. He couldn’t see anything specific, but he could feel it and that was good enough for him. Things were too quiet and when he called the hospital no one answered. No one picked up anywhere, so they stayed in and rested, something that seemed weird, but came all too easy for Toby. He couldn’t explain the exhaustion, but it bothered him. No matter how much coffee he drank, it didn’t seem to make a difference. He ended up heading to bed early and slept like a rock until the middle of the night, when he woke for a few minutes, then fell back asleep until morning.
He couldn’t have put his finger on exactly what had been wrong with him, other than being tired, but he knew when he woke on Thursday morning that he was back to normal. Whatever had its hold on him was gone, or had at least let up for the time being. He got dressed and wandered into the living room, where Adrian had been camped out for the past couple of days, wondering if he felt it too. “Morning,” he smiled, heading towards the coffee maker. He was ready to go as soon as Adrian was, but he needed caffeine first.
Adrian couldn't feel any of what Toby could feel and he was currently chalking that up to not being human. Toby was still very much human so he was more sensitive to whatever was going on. It made him think of Mila and Aaron but his voice was still shot on Wednesday so he just hoped and prayed they were okay. It wasn't easy, but he had to focus on staying safe and healing before he worried about anyone else.
Judging by how chipper Toby was, he guessed the crazy might be over, or at least improved somewhat and he sat up a bit groggily and gave him a faint smile. "Morning," he mumbled and to his amazement his throat didn't hurt nearly as bad. He'd nearly emptied Toby's fridge of everything with meat in it and god he hoped he could leave soon before they ran out. He'd obviously need to leave some cash for the food he'd devoured but god, the thought was depressing. He had so little left. No, he reminded himself, it didn't matter. Where he was going it didn't really matter. "Hey, I can talk," he said instead of voicing any of his jumbled thoughts, his smile growing a little wider. "I still sound like shit but I can actually speak without whispering. Small victories."
“One day at a time, honey,” Toby smiled. “It’s nice to hear your pretty little voice again. I was getting tired of my own.” He didn’t say how impressed he was with Adrian’s healing abilities, since he knew it came with some major drawbacks, but any normal human would still be in major pain. Plus, it was nice to be able to have an actual conversation. He could pick up on a lot with his abilities, but he didn’t want to push them either otherwise it became obvious that he was doing more than reading Adrian’s lips. “I was thinking we’d try to get you to your car today. No rush, of course, you’re welcome to stay if you need to, but if it’s safe to move your car I thought you’d like to get it. Plus, they probably need me at the hospital, assuming everyone’s stopped sleeping through their shifts. What d’ya say?”
Adrian grinned a bit at the 'pretty little voice' part especially since his voice was anything but pretty, still gravelly like he had a sore throat, but it was a definite improvement. "Hell yeah," he murmured as he sat up and pulled his jeans over to put them on, yawning as he started getting dressed because yes, going out sounded very good. "So it's over?" he asked. "The whole... crazy thing." God he hoped so, he was so beyond done with all of this and he needed to get out of town. The thought of his would be killer lurking outside waiting for him crossed his mind and a cold chill went down his back but damn it, he wouldn't be caught unaware again.
“I think so,” Toby answered. “I mean, I don’t feel like I’m apt to become Super Bitch over nothing and my head’s stopped feeling like it wants to explode, so I’d say yes. If we get out there and I start to act funny, we can always turn back around.” He didn’t think he was one of those that might become violent, but he was certain that Adrian could handle him if he did, even in his current condition. The bigger threat was anyone they might run into, people who were pushed into madness by whatever it was that had infected the town. Toby wasn’t immune, but he’d probably fall asleep before he got to the point where he might kill someone and that was frightening in itself. “If things are bad, you think you can drag me back here?” he asked, raising a brow.
Adrian still felt a little beat up but nowhere near as badly as he had the night before so he nodded. He could probably fireman-carry Toby to safety if it came to that. "I won't leave you out there," he promised and he wouldn't, even if he didn't owe Toby his life. He finished dressing and darted off to the bathroom to take care of the morning business, ready to go a few minutes later. He was hungry but that was nothing new so he grabbed leftovers from the food he'd had the night before and hurriedly chowed down on that while Toby got ready. "I'm gonna keep a close eye on you," he muttered as they headed out. "Last thing I need is for you to drive us into a wall or something." If he was still crazy, he'd be driving which meant he was less likely to attack Adrian but the shit he could do behind the wheel was a lot scarier.
Toby grabbed himself something quick to eat while Adrian finished getting ready, a touch nervous about stepping out the door again. He’d been relatively safe locked inside his apartment, which he was thankful for, but he knew that whatever it was that had infected people could follow him in if he stayed out there long enough. He had a good feeling about this though and knew that eventually things in Point Pleasant always got back to normal. He was munching on a Pop-tart when Adrian returned and would have offered one to Adrian if he thought he might want one. It was Strawberry, however, not beef. “I didn’t feel the least bit suicidal last time, but be sure to buckle up, just in case,” he said, then grabbed his keys and opened the door. It was quiet outside, but he wasn’t hit by a wave of awful, so he decided they should head on to the car once he locked the door behind them.
Leaving Toby's apartment was no less anxiety inducing than the first time and Adrian couldn't help but feel like he was about to get jumped again, like every muscle in his body was preparing for the impact and for the pain. Nothing jumped him before they got to Toby's car but that didn't mean he could relax because they were about to go back to Seaview and he half expected his own car to have been trashed where he left it. And then fucking what? Well, he supposed if it still ran it could still get him wherever he was going, even if the windows were broken or - he was getting ahead of himself and so he forced himself to stop fretting. The car might be fine. There just might be a psychotic killer waiting for him where he'd parked. "Fuck," he whispered, rubbing the back of his neck. "You feel any different?"
“No,” Toby said as he climbed in the car and started it up. “Just cold, which is pretty normal for this time of year. Times like these, I wish I had a garage. Or magic heating powers.” No, he was just lucky enough to know things he shouldn’t. Probably more useful, but not when it came to freezing temperatures. “Sooo… I just realized I’m not sure where I found you. That whole day’s kind of a blur up til then. I figure it’s got to be between the hospital and my apartment, but who the fuck knows what I was thinking. Got any ideas?” There was a lot he remembered about that day, but where Adrian’s car was didn’t meet the requirements. Looking back on it, he was impressed he made it back home at all, but staying at the hospital would have been worse no matter what.
"Yeah it's not between here and the hospital," Adrian replied with a touch of wonder to his voice because now he was curious to know what had been going through Toby's head when he came to his rescue. "My car was parked at the Seaview exit." And he'd probably be dead now if Toby had gone straight home from the hospital. Maybe not dead, no, the reminder that he had died and come back struck him like a block of ice which managed to chill him far more than the actual cold outside could. "I don't know what you were doing there but I'm really glad you showed up," he muttered as he buckled in and pulled the sleeves of his jacket down over his hands. "And, you know, weren't as crazy as everyone else."
“Huh,” Toby muttered as he pulled the car out of the lot, brows drawn in in a moment of thought. He’d been turned up to full volume that day, tuning in to people he didn’t even know, stray thoughts, memories, possible futures and paths he couldn’t even comprehend. It was possible that he’d caught on to Adrian as someone familiar and just followed the signal like some kind of beacon. He’d never done that before, but that wasn’t to say it wasn’t possible. Or maybe it was just luck, some kind of karma. With powers like his, Toby didn’t often believe in luck, so the later seemed far more likely. “We’ve all got our own version of crazy,” he said with a little smile. “But yeah, glad mine wasn’t as violent as some of the others. For both our sakes. Glad you weren’t affected, for that matter.” Adrian had been the one holding the knife, but Toby had been too lit up to ever really see him as a threat.
Adrian didn't remember his attempt at threatening Toby with the knife, that moment in time was just chaotic noise in his memories now, nothing but stark panic and pain. Now he was more concerned with what came next and he needed to make sure his family was okay before he moved on. "You know, I probably won't ever be able to repay you," he said and while he didn't want to be awkward about it, it needed to be said. "But I owe you my life and like... hundreds of dollars worth of meat, probably." He smiled faintly and lightly rubbed at his neck, his throat still aching a little when he used his voice but it was all coming together, fast enough to remind him how abnormal he was. "Let me pay for some of the food at least, it'd make me feel better."
Toby had already started shaking his head before Adrian even finished speaking. “I’ve got two jobs at the moment. You’ve got none. There’s no way I’m letting you pay me for my hospitality, sweetheart,” Toby smiled over at him. “You wanna make it up to me, come over for drinks sometime when the world doesn’t feel like it’s ending. If you know your way around a bar, I like anything with an umbrella in it. I’ll even provide the liquor.” But he wouldn’t say no to Adrian buying him a bottle. He kind of doubted Adrian would ever take him up on it, but it would be fun to catch up when things didn’t seem quite so dire. It also gave Adrian a reason to drop by and let Toby know he was still alive.
Adrian had his doubts but who knew, maybe his luck would change and he would actually get the help he needed and be able to come back, check in on Mila, have a drink with Toby. It was hard to imagine any sort of future these days but those made for some nice goals to have just in case. "You've got yourself a deal," he said with a little smile. "But why oh why are you working two jobs, the hospital isn't stressful enough for you?" Sure, Mercy wasn't as busy as the hospitals in Portland but for a small town there was plenty to do there and he remembered too often being overworked. "What are you moonlighting as?"
“I dance at Cherries when I’m bored,” Toby grinned and winked at Adrian, but was too amused by the idea not to laugh. He thought he could do some amazing things if given a chance at pole dancing, but he doubted anyone would be willing to pay for such a show. He’d have amazing costumes though. “Edgar Raynor ’s been in a coma since the fog. I’m caring for him while Silas and Addie work, then I go pick up the three to eleven shift at Mercy. I can’t do it indefinitely, but I thought I might as well make use of my lacking social life and save up for a house or a cruise. One of those is clearly more responsible, but far less exciting.”
Adrian didn't know the Rayner twins well but he knew who they were and most of all their dad considering their line of business had often crossed lines in the past. "The funeral home guy?" he muttered to clarify anyway, furrowing his brows. "Damn. What happened? Or was it... just the fog?" Honestly at this point not a lot would surprise him. If the fog could produce monsters the size of houses and drive people crazy, it could put people in a coma. That just meant it sucked more for the family, not having any definite answers. Comas tended to be tricky anyway though and he didn't wish that kind of hardship on anyone. "You'd definitely have more fun as a go-go boy," he added with a faint smile, shaking his head. Why was that too easy to picture? Maybe because Toby was delightfully flamboyant and theatrical in his daily life.
“Right? I should really go drop off my resume,” Toby snickered, certain that a resume wasn’t required for that sort of job. It was one of those things that seemed fun in theory, but he knew he’d hate in reality. It was fun to fantasize about though. “Yeah, the funeral home guy. The doctors say it was a stroke, but they can’t explain the coma. Personally, I don’t think anything natural caused it, but that’s not my professional opinion.” He could probably poke at Edgar and find out exactly what had happened, but Toby knew better. If something Edgar had seen in the fog had caused him to retreat into himself permanently, then Toby wanted to stay far, far away from the truth. This was one of those times that using his powers might be dangerous to himself. “It’s a little bit weird, but it’s easy work and I can still watch my daytime soaps or Netflix.”
Adrian wished he could do that, just get a side gig babysitting some coma patient while watching TV and enjoying his anonymity somewhere. That wasn't going to happen unless he faked his credentials under a different name and while Adrian was becoming a lot of things he never could have seen coming, criminal mastermind wasn't one of them. "Sounds sweet," he agreed, even if he knew from experience coma patients could be a little creepy. Especially in a town like Point Pleasant - especially if the circumstances were suspect. "That can totally be your professional opinion between you and me," he replied. "Though I wouldn't really say it to just anyone." Plenty of nurses were religious or superstitious or both, even the ones who hadn't seen the shit they'd seen in Point Pleasant, Adrian absolutely believed Toby was right. Why would he doubt it after everything he'd been through.
It was the kind of situation that Toby would’ve helped Adrian get setup with, if he could be sure that the patient’s family didn’t know him and wouldn’t ask questions, but it was probably too risky. There were probably too many chances that someone might recognize him, at least here in Point Pleasant, which made the idea a no go. “It might surprise you, but I know when to keep my mouth shut,” he said with a little smile. “Especially in front of patients. Especially when it comes to the supernatural.” Too many people didn’t believe in the crazy shit that was out there and Toby knew he’d sound insane if he started talking about what he knew. Most of the time he craved attention, but not when it came to things like that. If he wanted to fly under the radar, he needed to appear somewhat normal, even if a little quirky.
Adrian nodded. He'd made the assumption that Toby might not be professional when he first started working with him based solely on his character but during the short time they worked together he'd found the opposite to be true. It could be a difficult line to balance on, some patients were religious while others were and so many of them sought comfort in the nursing staff. Adrian had been in a few uncomfortable positions when a patient knew his family and knew they were catholic, expecting him to completely agree with all the doctrine like his mother did. It took some skill to navigate that at times. "You're a good nurse," he muttered. "I don't doubt that. It's weird though, how many people live in town and still don't believe in shit. Like they just forget or something."
“I think it’s how they cope,” Toby said, glancing over at Adrian as he drove. “The truth’s too weird. Too dark. It makes them feel powerless. So they buy into the lies that cover everything up. It’s easier to accept and makes them feel safe, even if most of them know deep down that it’s a lie.” He’d seen it happen enough times that this was what Toby had come to believe, even if he couldn’t exactly poll the people around him. He’d seen it happen over and over. He’d felt their minds close up against the truth, watched as they grasped for something less frightening. The ones that accepted it were either a part of it or had somehow confronted reality personally. And it changed them, for better or for worse.
Adrian wondered just how many things he'd denied over the years, before the horror hit as close as it did, before he became a horror. He'd been skeptical too for the longest time and Toby was right, it was easier to write it all off because it was too dark and too frightening to live with. "So how long have you believed in all that stuff?" he asked not because he necessarily needed to know but... He was a little curious. "Doesn't sound like the fog is what opened your third eye open wide." So to speak. Toby didn't seem like he was new to all of it and easily rattled and Adrian didn't know just how many of the local folk tales he'd heard were actually true. The boy in the lake, the monsters in the woods, the evil in the tunnel. At least he knew two of those things was real now, but did that mean all of them were? Fuck he hoped not.
“No… no, the fog didn’t get that privilege,” Toby said as his hands tightened on the wheel. The fog would’ve been a gentle gateway compared to what he’d been subjected to. He tried not to think about it, to turn that part of his brain off, but the truth was that he’d never forget what AIR put him through to activate his powers. Some people blocked out torture, but Toby wasn’t so lucky. The memories were often triggered when he least expected it, though a certain scent, a jolt of pain, or when he was sleeping. Delving into them wasn’t something he did for fun, but the fact that he had a wendigo sitting next to him made him consider it. “Something happened when I was a kid,” he said, eyes never leaving the road. “It changed me. Let me see the world as it really is. Maybe it made me better prepared, but… I dunno. I can’t take it back. And I wouldn’t be me without it.”
Adrian couldn't even begin to imagine the depth of what Toby was telling him, in a town like this it could have been anything from a scary sight to something like Mila had gone through and he didn't even consider that Toby's supernatural introductions had come from other human beings. He couldn't help but wonder again if knowing the truth from an early age might have saved his friends but going down that depressing road wouldn't bring them back so he pushed those thoughts away and supposed he'd been blessed to at least have a fairly good childhood. "Well you came out of it a cool person," he replied and shot Toby a sad little smile. "I've lost count of all the weird shit I know about now, I'm not sure I wanna know more. All the places to avoid, all the shit that can happen to you even if you're careful. It's exhausting."
“Thanks,” Toby said with a soft laugh. He’d been called a lot of things over the years, but Toby had never been one of the cool kids, not like he thought Adrian probably was. Being cool was always going to be a novelty, one that didn’t last for long, but he still appreciated it. “It’s a fucking trip, that’s for sure,” he nodded, glad he hadn’t said more than he did. He didn’t need to add to Adrian’s ever-growing list of crazy shit that happened in this town. Monsters were bad enough, but knowing there were humans out there willing to torture others… No, they were gone. They’d been burnt to the ground years ago. An uncomfortable feeling swarmed around in Toby’s chest and he focused on the road. “You said Seaview, right?”
"Yeah, I was staying with Mila's boyfriend," Adrian replied. Well, staying was probably not the right word for it but it was a safe place to go when he really needed one. "I parked the car at the main road out of there, hopefully it's still there and I can point it out to you." He kept imagining the worst case scenario and it was mentally draining him but he couldn't seem to stop and he wondered if he'd ever be able to relax again. "It's a rusty piece of trash but it's mine," he added with a faint smile, leaning his head back and gazing out the window at the houses they past. The moment he saw another car he remembered his place and pulled his hood up, sinking down in his seat a little. "So what do you think? The whole witch burning back in the day caused this? Or was it even worse before."
Talking about the witches was far more preferable than thinking about AIR, so Toby went with that as he headed towards Seaview. He knew exactly where Adrian’s car was now, so it should be easy to find, so long as it was still there. He had the feeling that it was and his feelings were usually spot on. “I dunno,” he answered. “I think they were probably really witches. Maybe their spirits cursed this town upon their death. Or maybe it was cursed to begin with and that’s why they got killed. Maybe they were just a scapegoat for all the bad things that were happening, that would have happened even if they weren’t witches. I don’t think it’s coincidence that Point Pleasant is swarming with them, but we both know that witches aren’t the only supernatural beings that live here, so it’s all kind of jumbled, a ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg’ kind of thing.”
"I wasn't so sure they were real when I was growing up but I'm pretty sure now," Adrian muttered. "Now that I've actually met a witch, seen all this crap is real. You know, I went from believing it was true, to thinking it was just some superstitious massacre of innocent people who maybe knew too much about herbs or something and now I'm right back to believing." Could it even be called believing when he knew it for a fact? The tattoos on his chest didn't lie, neither did his first hand experiences of uncanny creepy things. "Do you know any witches?" he asked with a wry smile. "Like, up close and personal, I mean."
“Kind of,” Toby answered. “I know some people who are. Like, I’m ninety-nine percent sure. I’ve talked to them, but never about witchy stuff, so I don’t know if that counts.” The people who ran the tea shop were for sure, he’d known the second he set foot in that store, but he had no real proof, since all he ever bought was tea. And then there was Harper Wolfe, down in the hospital morgue. She gave off that vibe for reasons he couldn’t explain. There were others that he’d come in contact with over the years, but those were the ones that stood out. He couldn’t imagine a situation where he’d need magic, but if he did, he thought those were the witches he might run to first. “What about you?”
"Noone in this town," Adrian replied. "I met a legit one a few years ago though, she uh... She gave me some tattoos that were supposed to keep me-" he hesitated, trying to find the right words. "From going bad. Losing control. When I get too hungry they start bleeding so that's nice and not creepy at all." It felt weird to talk about it so casually but a relief at the same time. Toby wasn't so close to him that he'd give him the worried and horrified look Mila would, he knew about supernatural shit so he wouldn't look at him like he was crazy either. Saying these things out loud made them more real somehow and it was grounding, like clearing his head after a confusing dream. This was probably why people loved shrinks. "I think I might have to ask her for more tattoos," he added with a wry smile, giving Toby a sidelong glance just to make sure he did in fact not have one of those unwanted expressions on his face.
“Huh,” Toby said, brows lifting in surprise. “Didn’t know that was a thing. Pretty cool. Minus the bleeding, though I guess it’s a pretty effective warning system.” It was also nice to know that Adrian hadn’t been near that point when he’d found him. He’d been pretty beat up and there’d been blood, but nothing that looked like a tattoo had started giving off its warning sign. “You think you need another to keep you from losing control? Or were you thinking it might serve some other function? And how’d you find this witch anyways? They don’t exactly advertise themselves for what they are, at least not that I’ve seen. You just happen to stumble across a magical tattoo artist?” It made him wonder if something like that would work on psychics. Not that he wanted to modify his own powers, he felt like he’d gotten pretty good control over them over the years, but it would be good information to know.
Adrian couldn't help but laugh at the magical tattoo artist remark. His tattoos were hardly artistic but they did their job and that was all he could ask for. "Guess I got lucky," he said and was thinking about telling Toby all about that strange place he'd been taken but it didn't quite feel right. That place still scared him, even if he thought it might be his last resort now, maybe knowing about it could get Toby in trouble. Thankfully he was interrupted by the fact they were closing in Seaview and when Toby turned the car, Adrian felt a little relieved to see his car was still there. Now he just hoped it was in one piece, could still run and hadn't been emptied out of all his belongings. "There it is," he said, gesturing over. "Still there."
Toby pulled up behind Adrian’s car, still a little shocked to find it there. The only reason he’d have gone so far off course like that was if he’d felt some kind of psychic pull, but that day had been so fucked up that he didn’t really want to try and think back and relive any part of it. All that really mattered was that he’d been where he was meant to be. Toby’s eyes searched the area, just in case there was someone there waiting for them. He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean they might not be hiding. It felt safe though, which said a lot coming from him. “Do you have your keys?” he asked. “And there was something you mentioned…you were worried about… damn, I can’t remember.” It wasn’t Adrian’s keys, he was sure of that, but something similar maybe.
"My knife," Adrian said quietly and he was looking around too, listening and wishing he could just turn on the heightened senses that came with being hungry. He felt scared suddenly, unwilling to get out of the car like if he got out something might spring out and strangle him again. It was a bone deep fear that made something deep inside him quiver unpleasantly and he felt like he might throw up for a second. "I dropped it here somewhere." Someone might have found it and he couldn't think about the consequences that might have. He reached for the car handle but didn't get further than that, not yet, so he stared at his car, trying to spot anything shady within it.
Toby watched Adrian for a moment, almost able to feel his fear without even reaching for it. He’d almost died there a few days ago. It didn’t take a psychic to feel the anxiety this place might cause. He looked from Adrian to the car and immediately knew the knife was there, right where Adrian had dropped it. If someone had come looking for him, they hadn’t disturbed the scene. Taking a deep breath, Toby opened his door and climbed out, his eyes scanning the area around them, though he was more feeling for danger than actively looking for it. The past few days had made him feel out of control himself in a way, his powers acting up with no way to rein them in. Now he could use them with a purpose, do what he was good at and then tuck them back away. It felt good. “I think we’re safe,” he said into the open car, but it was more than that. He knew it for certain. They were alone.
Something went tight and cold inside Adrian when Toby left the car and he felt like he should stop him, but he didn't. Instead he watched him with growing trepidation and then looked around again when Toby gave him the all clear. It did look clear, nobody was around and even if someone was hiding in the treeline it was far enough away that they'd see them coming. He took a deep breath and forced himself to open the door, ignoring the way his knees almost buckled when he got up. "What would you have done if it wasn't safe?" he asked, smiling wryly at Toby over the roof of the car. What he really wanted to say was 'thanks for going first' but it was easier to half joke about dying, he supposed.
Toby’s lips turned up to a lopsided smile. “Probably scream and run away. Or drive away. Very fast. Most likely hitting things in the process.” Or something along those lines, though if he’d felt bad about it, Toby doubted they’d have even made it this far. What amazed him more was how honest he’d been with Adrian when a lie would have been oh so easy. In fact, he hadn’t felt the pull to be completely outrageous all morning. Maybe something was in the air. “Lucky for both of us, I have very good survival instincts,” he said, stepping away from his car and walking towards Adrian’s. If something jumped out of the woods now, he’d have to blame the bad ju-ju on him, but he doubted that would happen.
"Driving is more effective," Adrian muttered as he followed and he wasn't sure what he would have done if Toby had suddenly bolted away, screaming. He had the keys. Adrian felt a little steadier now like getting up and moving had dissolved some of his anxiety and that made sense, not moving always made anxiety worse because the body wanted to run. He spotted the knife by the tire of his car as they got closer and went to pick it up, relief and disgust flaring up inside him all at once. The knife had been lying out here in the snow and fog and it showed, it was wet and the blade looked off. Maybe it was leftover blood but Adrian didn't think so. Finding the knife wasn't about using it again though, he just needed it gone. Maybe he'd toss it in the ocean or something before he left town. "Doesn't look like anyone messed with it," he commented as he peered in through the windows.
“Obviously,” Toby said with a roll of his eyes. “But it’s safe, so you don’t have to worry about how horribly I handle fear.” He had no doubts that whatever his natural reaction would have been, it would not have been the most logical one and probably would have made Adrian’s life far more difficult. Toby watched as Adrian picked up the knife, glad for his sake that it was still there. Things could have become complicated if someone had picked it up and it had his blood on it. “I think pretty much everyone was out of commission until today. Or late last night. Something like that,” he said, walking a circle around the car. It didn’t even look like he’d gotten a ticket for leaving it there, another blessing.
Adrian wondered just how much out of commission the guy who had attacked him was right now but he couldn't see any crime scene tape off in the distance so maybe he hadn't died right there. Adrian wasn't sure which was worse, but he knew he had to get the hell out of dodge soon just in case he was wanted by the cops now. He found his keys, since it looked safe now, digging them out of his pocket. "Man, I feel like I owe you so much," he admitted. "I promise I'll look you up and bring some booze next time I'm in town." That was really all he could do, make promises he wasn't sure he'd be allowed to keep. He wasn't looking forward to talking to Mila, that was for sure. There'd be more promises and it'd be a whole lot harder than this.
"You just take care of yourself, okay honey?" Toby smiled and came around to give Adrian a hug, whether he wanted one or not. They'd survived some heavy shit together, so they were friends now, and Toby hugged his friends. "Let me know if you need anything, and don't disappear forever again, or I'll think you really died. And that'd be such a shame. You have such a pretty face," he snickered. He knew Adrian couldn't really hang out whenever he wanted, but he did hope that he took him up on that offer for a drink sometime. Hopefully things would improve and they could have some fun instead of fearing for their lives.
Adrian laughed and to his chagrin he could feel his face heat up a bit at the odd compliment. It had been a while since anyone said anything like that to him, joking or not. He did hug Toby back, grateful for the touch of human warmth and friendship. "I'll try not to," he replied, still a bit sheepish but that wasn't a bad feeling at all. "But I need to disappear for a little while. Don't let this town eat you up, I'm sick of losing people to the crazy shit that happens here." He hadn't lost Mila but it had come too damn close and he needed to get some control over his shit so he could be there for her in the future and not be yet another threat.
Toby waved a hand at Adrian, batting away the thought. “This town can’t have me. I’m too good for it,” he smiled as he headed back to his car. He couldn’t see the future, but he felt like he was well equipped to deal with most of what Point Pleasant threw his way. He worried more about other people, but it was nice to know that Adrian was a little harder to kill than the average citizen. “Be careful,” he said with a sincere little smile, then made a show of blowing Adrian a kiss before climbing in the car to head off. He couldn’t help but be a little over the top. At least Adrian should know that by now.
Adrian made a show of catching the kiss, unable to keep from laughing and it was a welcome change to his mood even if he could still feel all that misery and fear still lurking underneath it. He really hoped Toby was right, that he was too good for the dark things in this town, but hadn't Mila been too? Adrian couldn't let himself go down that path of thinking, it was what it was and he'd dealt with it as best as he could. "See you around, Toby," he murmured and got in the car, locking it as soon as he was seated just in case. He'd feel more at ease when he was out of town but he was still clinging to the hope that the man who'd attacked him was either dead or had snapped out of his craziness along with the rest of the town.