silentlystrong (silentlystrong) wrote in the_dome, @ 2013-08-12 13:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | 04-07-2017, december, december and mickey, mickey |
Spending Time Together
Who: Mickey and December
Where: Mickey's house
When: Late
The various things that had needed fixing beyond the work he’d done at the police station had kept Mickey busy throughout the day and right up until dusk despite the less than ideal weather that rolled in. Then he was headed back to his place to clean up and re-check the small stitches on his stomach and arm. A few had pulled a little with the work he’d done but everything was still intact and after his shower he didn’t quite rush in re-bandaging the areas. Instead he just ate something light, standing in the kitchen in just a pair of jeans that didn’t quite fit right and hung a little lower than he normally would wear them. He knew to expect December at some point, but wasn’t really rushing her arrival. She’d get there when she got there and getting twisted up and excited about it wasn’t going to help matters. So Mickey let himself focus on other things, even if it was just the rain falling outside and the sandwich he was eating.
December walked up the steps to Mickey's door, not quite sure what to expect. Though werewolves were now on the brain, and she had to wonder how that was going to work out. She also didn't quite know what to expect from werewolves yet, and was thinking she needed to know sooner rather than later. Either way, she shook her umbrella to get the water off of it once she was under the overhang of the porch, and she knocked.
Mickey just barely heard the knock over the rain, but he didn't hesitate in heading to the door and opening it for her. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of December, giving her space to come inside. "Hey." Belatedly he realized he should have grabbed a shirt, his chest and arms a roadmap of werewolf scratches and a vampire bite.
December paused as she took in the fact that Mickey was shirtless. "...just hangin out half naked? That's your thing now?" she asked as she walked inside, propping the umbrella in a place where it wasn't going to get water on anything important. "And you should get something on those scratches, you don't want them infected, right?" she asked, a bit concerned there. Though she did look at Mannix' bite, and it didn't look infected. Which, now that she was thinking about it, really should have been. The human mouth was a cess pool of gross. But then again...Mannix wasn't human anymore, was he?
“Just got out of the shower a few minutes ago,” Mickey said, even if his hair was drying and it was an indicator of how long he’d been out of the shower. It was his house though, he was allowed to do what he wanted wasn’t he? “I can get a shirt if you’d be more comfortable.” He probably should do that and once she was inside he was a taking a step back towards his room and his first aid kit so he could re-bandage the damage.
"Hold up a sec." she said, stepping up closer so she could eye how his tattoo was healing. Which looked fine to her, but she wanted to be sure. "Looking good on the phoenix." she commented. "You may proceed."
Mickey froze, not sure what she wanted, but her looking at his tattoo made sense. “Glad it still looks good,” he said with a smirk over his shoulder. He kept moving, ducking into his room for a moment to get a spare shirt, then headed into the bathroom to get his first aid kit out from under the sink. “So what’s up? Or did you just miss me?” he asked, finding a smile for her. He really did like her there, close enough to touch even if he hadn’t done that yet.
December wasn't sure how to answer that. Or, more, she didn't know how to answer that without being kinda crass, or rude, or something. She didn't want to be any of those things. So, she went with truth, just not the entire truth. "I realized it's been a while since I sought you out." she told him. Which was true. Mickey was sorta around all the time of his own volition. But it had been a while since she'd gone to see him just to see him.
So the joke wasn’t going to fly. Mickey let it drop, just nodding as he focused on bandaging his stomach, ointment on the scratches first, then going for gauze to put over it. “You said you needed time. I can respect that.” He didn’t look at her. For some reasons he couldn’t, but at least he had something else to work on to distract himself with.
"And you have, and it's appreciated." December said. She sat down on the couch, sitting against the arm of it. Was she going to tell him about Mannix? Technically it wasn't his business. And it would be upsetting for him. Though really, she knew he would want to know, even if he would't really. She had no idea how to play this situation, she'd never been caught between two guys before. "So there are probably werewolves. You aren't experiencing any heightened senses or anything, are you?"
“I’m always going to,” Mickey told her softly. He was always going to respect what she asked. That was how he worked. He had an inkling that something was up, something that wasn’t talk about werewolves, but he didn’t question her. Not yet. Instead he moved to his arm, patching that up as well. “No, nothing like that. I would have called you.” He frowned more. “Werewolves? Really?”
Grabbing the tape, she started to get strips off for him, holding them out when he needed them. "I guess. I mean, I don't have proof? But yeah. I guess that could be a thing. At the rate we're going, with vampires and the wolf attacks and shit like that, I wouldn't say it's too stupid an idea. Even if I feel kinda like an idiot just saying it."
Mickey appreciated the help, taping his arm up, then reaching for his shirt, something flannel and button-down, but worn in and comfortable. “I kind of feel like an idiot for all of it, so you aren’t alone. But we’ve seen it with the vampires. We can’t really deny that shit is weird.” He cleaned up the last of the first aid kit then went to sit with her on the couch. “How’d you find out?”
"That's pretty much why I'm figuring it's a thing now." December said with a sigh. "So, there's that. And I found out at the hospital. Someone there was experiencing some stuff." she said, not selling out Micah. She didn't sell Mannix out to people either, in her opinion, until they did something harmful? Their secrets were safe with her.
“Someone? If it’s people who got attacked by the wolves, it’s more than one person feeling strange. That place has been swamped.” Mickey had been caught up in it twice, both before he was hurt and when he was. “It’s a whole host of them.”
"Thanks, I'm not an idiot." December said with an eyeroll. "I know that. I'm saying someone specific came and talked to me about feeling strange. Totally understand the scope."
“Fairly certain I wasn’t calling you an idiot. Just commenting on the scope.” He ran a hand through his hair before leaning back more on the couch. “Are we going to be hunting werewolves as well?”
December shrugged. "I guess, if they start running around mauling the shit out of people." she said. "But so far, who knows. Mannix is still figuring out the rules of being a vampire because he's winging it. I didn't notice a 'So, you've become a werewolf!' handbook anywhere. So I guess we just...wait." she paused. "And pay really close attention to when the next full moon is."
Mickey nodded, agreeing with what she was saying. He didn’t want to hunt people. That had always bothered him about the zombies. They’d been people at some point. Taking them out was necessary, but it was part of what had eaten at his faith. He looked over at December again, reaching his hand out to touch her arm, but not quite making it there, stopping just short. “Full moon. Got it.”
She saw him reach out, but didn't move away. "I didn't really come here to talk about werewolves, and hunting." she said. "Not that I have an answer for why I did other than I wanted to see you." she continued. "Which I get is probably confusing."
“I didn’t think you did,” Mickey told her. “You would have led with that.” He finished the motion, knuckles rubbing against her arm. “It’s not confusing. It’s normal. I wanted to see you too.”
Jesus, was it normal? Probably. And she just made it weird, she guessed. She knew she needed to come to some sort of conclusion with these two, but really was having a hard time doing so. It wasn't even like she was enjoying having two people interested. It wasn't making her feel good or wanted, it was making her feel like everything was complicated. "What have you been doing?"
“Working mostly. Saw Zania and I think she’s still pretty upset with me. And got bit by Mannix, which wasn’t my idea of a good time.” Mickey kept touching her arm for a moment then shrugged and leaned back against the couch. “Saw your friend, Serge, the scary Russian dude. He says not to clean his pistol. Which sounds dirty now that I repeat it back.”
That's not what I heard... December thought about the whole being bit thing. When he said something about Serge, she smirked. "I shouldn't clean his pistol? Shame, I'm good with that kind of thing." she said, clearly teasing.
Mickey found himself half laughing, poking at her arm again. “Something I should know? Because I’d like to see just how good you are.” He was teasing back, liking that lightness between them.
"Maybe," she said. She liked the lighter thing too. "So why is Zania still mad at you?" she asked, having picked up on that, and she was curious. On her end, she still figured she wouldn't get along well with Zania ever, but she'd dropped a lot of the actual animosity.
Mickey shook his head. "Mad isn't the right word. She's upset," he corrected lightly. "She wants...me. And I can't be that. And even if I did wind up...if things didn't..." He was stumbling over things with December, how to explain it and eventually he left it open, assuming December would know what he meant. "It wouldn't be enough. Because she wouldn't be my first choice. We still get along, but I think just being around her upsets her." And Mickey was at a loss for what to do.
"Honestly, I wouldn't want to be around someone I wanted but who didn't want me. It would just be kinda...this constant reminder that I wasn't quite good enough." December said. Which was probably why she was having a hard time getting her ass in gear and picking one of the guys. She didn't want to lose either of them, and was aware she would. Or probably would. Or it would be super awkward and painful all the time. "So...I don't know. Think of her feelings?" she suggested. "See if she wants to keep seeing you, or if maybe you two should take a break or something."
He knew telling December that the harder part was that he wanted Zania too, just not as much as December or as deeply as December, wasn’t going to make things make more sense. “I try. But she does was to see me. And it is fine until it’s not and then I try to leave and she beats herself up about it. Sometimes I think I’m more mindful of her feelings than she is.” He looked over at December and nodded. “I know. Space. Until she has another distraction at least.”
"Maybe be more mindful for her." December suggested. "Sometimes people aren't great at actually following through with what's best for them. But what do I know. It's none of my business, I guess." she said. But the idea of Mickey going to hang out and just upsetting Zania wasn't a great one. It had to be a blow to the self esteem if nothing else. But it really wasn’t her business. It was Mickey’s.
"It's your business because I'm talking to you about it and you're giving me some advice. And it's indirectly related to you. But that's probably what I need to do, give her more space." He reached out for December again, touching her jaw with one finger. It was probably too intimate but he couldn't help himself. "What have you been up to?"
"Besides learning about werewolves?" December asked, tilting her face toward his touch. It felt nice. But that really just served to remind her that she'd made out with someone else the other day and he would probably not be touching her so nice if he knew. Shit.
“Besides werewolves,” Mickey confirmed, not pulling his hand away when she leaned into his touch. He just kept it up, thumb grazing across her cheekbone.
She was quiet a moment. "Do you actually want to know? Or can we just hang out, and not worry about it?" she asked. "I kind of just want to spend time with you right now." she admitted. "Can we do something? Get a beer? Go for a walk? I'd sit and play scrabble, whatever."
That left Mickey frowning. “Why wouldn’t I want to know?” he asked, not sure where that came from. He didn’t pull his hand away, but shifted so he could better see her eyes. “I’m fine with a drink or a walk, I just want to spend time with you too, but...is everything okay?”
She shouldn't have said anything. She sighed, and scrubbed her hands over her face. "Because you'd be mad." she said. "I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry." she apologized, sincerely.
Mickey opened his mouth to answer, but realized he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. “Mad?” he finally decided on, pulling his hand away from her cheek, but not moving farther away. “Even if you think you shouldn’t have said something, I’m officially a little worried.”
"Mannix came by..." December said, and made a 'and so on' gesture. "He's taking his shot too. And I know I'm between the both of you, and probably shouldn't say anything but I don't know. It didn't exactly feel right to not tell you." she admitted. Which could have been why she sabotaged herself there.
He was sure he heard her wrong. There was no way that drunk fuck of a vampire who he’d helped of his own volition had shown up and just tossed his hat back in a ring after giving Mickey his big boohoo over not getting the girl. Falling back more against the couch it was Mickey’s turn to run his hand over his face, not even sure where to start with that. “That...fuck.” He didn’t swear much, not as much as some other people he’d been around, but he couldn’t come up with a better word for Mannix. “I can’t...oh I really hate that guy. So the other night while I was getting mauled by a goddamn wolf he was actually flirting with you. I should have hit him with my shotgun then.”
"He wasn't flirting at the same time as you getting mauled, and thank you, we were all out there risking our asses. So don't play the poor me card when we were all in on that. Tone that right the hell down." she told him. "And is that why you were being so pissy at the end? Because he was flirting? Also no. No hitting people with shotguns."
“He’s a fucking vampire. He wasn’t at risk,” Mickey said shaking his head. “I am not playing a poor me card, I’m pointing out that he’s a smarmy pain in my ass.” He looked away from her knowing the question that he had to ask next and knowing he was avoiding it. He had a guess he knew the answer too. “He earned me hitting him with something. He actually went on and on about how I got the girl, then turned and did this. See if I offer to help him out any time soon.” Which probably wasn’t true. It wasn’t in Mickey’s nature to not help someone out who needed it.
"...because I didn't dust one with a trocar? They're totally immortal, and even if a wolf ripped his throat out, he'd be just fine?" December deadpanned. "Yep, it's sounding like the world's tiniest violin time, if you're going to be that way about it." she told him. Because it was bullshit. Sure, Mannix would be at a little bit less risk, but it wasn't like he was totally safe, or some immortal god or anything. She kept listening, then got up and walked toward the door.
The last thing Mickey wanted was for December to leave, especially annoyed with him, so as soon as she got up he was up too, following after her. “Stop,” he said, reaching for her hand to keep her there. “Don’t...I’m sorry I’m just…” He rubbed his free hand over his face. “You like him too. I can tell. I don’t actually have to ask the question.”
She did stop, at least. "Yeah, I do. I did before. He was the first one who showed me interest in the first place, remember." she said, which wasn't actually a dig at Mickey, just a fact. "And you say you hate him and you both get pissy over each other, but basically? You're practically the same guy. You just bitched that he got sad when you told him about us, then the second you find out anything about him you're immediately whining too. And I'm starting to feel a little like both of you have forgotten I'm not actually a possession you're fighting over."
She might not have meant it as a dig, but it felt like one. He wanted to argue that he wasn’t anything like Mannix or that he wasn’t whining and that he hadn’t told Mannix anything about himself and December that Mannix hadn’t already known, but he knew it wasn’t worth the impending fight. “So...where does that leave us? Because I’m seeing like three options and sort of at a loss.”
"I don't know. Maybe I should just...not be with anyone." December said. "That way I don't lose anyone, and maybe people can calm down." she said, even if she didn't especially like that idea. Both encounters with the guys were fresh in her memory and neither of them had fallen flat in her book. They'd both been right up there, top notch.
That left Mickey frowning, hand on her arm in a gentle way. "You can't lose me December. Don't think that. You really think I'd just go?" Mannix might, but Mickey wasn't going anywhere, he couldn't. He'd been with her too long to just walk away. That'd be like cutting off a limb. "Maybe that makes me stupid and just gives you a reason to be with him, but I couldn't leave you. You won't lose me until you decide you're done with me."
"I think if I was abruptly dating Mannix, you'd have a really hard time with it, and it would pretty much ruin things, whether you actually took off or not. You'd be angry, you'd be protective, you'd be unhappy. And I wouldn't want to stick you in the Zania seat like she is to you." she told him. She did get that he wouldn't actually leave. But that didn't mean their friendship wouldn't be gone in a lot of ways.
Mickey took a deep breath, thumb running against her arm. “Maybe. If you were happy, what could I say otherwise?” Why did he feel like he’d already lost? “I...I’m not sure what you want me to do. Or if you being into him is a sign.”
"It wouldn't be what you would or wouldn't say, Michael." December said. "It'd be whatever you were going through." she told him. Because she did give a shit. She absolutely did. She didn't want him to wind up upset, or...or whatever. And maybe it wouldn't happen, maybe he would just get over her and it would be done. But she didn't know that it would. So, she was kind of thinking being alone was the answer. That way she didn't hurt anyone, and she could just be...well. Her normal lonely self.
He ran his hands through his hair, hating that he’d put her through this. “Tell me what to do. Because if you want, I can fight for you. I would. But...I really don’t know. I don’t want to make this harder for you.”
"Maybe for right now, I just back off of everyone." December said. "...not friendships, though, if that's alright. Like, can we still sit down and do something stupid and mindless together? I was serious that I just wanted to hang out." She still did.
It wasn’t perfect, not even close, but Mickey would have liked more, but he wasn’t going to fight it. “Yeah of course.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’ll get us a couple beers, unless you want to go out.”
December considered that, then smiled and shook her head. "No. I want to stay right here." she told him. Just...hang out. Spend time. Talk. Play cards. Something. Something that wasn't stressful, or having to do with supernatural anything, or relationship drama, or anything else.
“Here works. Go, make yourself comfortable,” he told her, nodding towards the couch. The smile was reassuring at the very least. “Beer work?” he asked, already starting back towards the kitchen.
December went back to sit on the couch. "Beer works." she said. She glanced around, sure that there were cards somewhere. But she felt a little better. Maybe this was the answer. She didn't know. She'd probably feel differently about it later. But for the moment, she was feeling like this might be the right answer. At least for now.
Mickey grabbed two beers from the fridge, opening them before returning back to the couch and handing one out to her. “Cards are…” he turned in a circle in his organized chaos and found what he was looking for and handed her the deck. “Or...whatever.” Mickey sat with her, smiling a little and rubbing his knee.
"Hurtin?" she asked, nodding toward his knee. She got the cards out and shuffled, taking her time with that part of it to be sure they were properly mixed.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” he said quickly, first reaction to cover the pain. It was hurting. He’d been on his feet all day, up and down a ladder, which wasn’t much, but it used the damn thing too much and now it was sore. He wouldn’t go into that though. The last thing he needed to seem less of what he used to be.
December responded by giving him a flat stare. "Yeah. Right." she said, clearly not believing him.
He couldn’t look her in the eye when he answered, even if he caught the stare. “Yes. Happy? Hurts like hell.”
"You realize I can tell, right? Why lie?" she asked. "...maybe you should take it easy." she suggested. "Or go to the doctor, see if they can give you something. A shot or...who knows. But somethin."
“Because the pain thing is new. I wasn’t like this before.” And all of Mannix’s limbs functioned properly, which wasn’t the right way to think about it, but the thought was there. “I had work to do. I couldn’t take it easy. People needed help. And I might. But it’s just temporary. The damn thing’s busted.”
"I know, you're not going to leave people high and dry. Maybe...I don't know, start your own little side business and hire someone to help you?" she suggested. "I'm sure there are people out there who would do that. I'm sure there's teenagers or some shit who would jump at that."
Mickey rubbed at his knee while he considered that. He hadn’t actually thought of it, assuming eventually someone else would come around so he wouldn’t be one of the only guys in the dome, but it never happened. “I guess I could do that. Hadn’t thought about it before.”
"You'd be a good boss." December said. "So...yeah. Branch out. Hire someone, post up fliers around town. I think it would be a good idea." she encouraged. She started to deal them a poker hand, thinking the idea over as she did so. "You already have a client base and everything."
“If they got good enough we could split the work,” Mickey said, though his customers did have an expectation. He’d have to be unbelievably picky when he chose. “I’ll look into it.”
"Good." December said with a smile. "Now pick up your damn cards, and let's see how badly I can kick your ass." she told him, tone playful. Yeah, she was feeling more relaxed. She'd needed this. She was glad she'd come by.