InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Remember the penny test?"

Levi Slates (weretiger) (dreamsoffire) wrote in utr_logs,
@ 2010-02-08 22:48:00

Entry tags:

levi slates, liam archer

Who: Liam Archer and Levi Slates
What: Meeting up
Where/When: Strawberry Fields/After Liam's arrival
Warnings: Not likely

Levi hadn't even gotten the guy's name, but he was fairly certain he'd know him when he saw him. Not too long ago, he'd been the new guy, fresh off the indiscriminate vortex. He knew how it felt to be drop kicked into a whole new plane of existence. It was kind of scary.

He had just enough info from the guy to track him down. He spotted him from a good distance, and increased his stride to move in closer. He slowed as he approached, and relaxed his posture. "Hey. I think maybe you're waiting for me? Levi Slates. We spoke on the message board? About ID in your wallet and what not." He smiled a little smile and pushed his hair out of his face.

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liamarcher
2010-02-09 04:03 am UTC (link)

There was a reason that his family generally lived out in the middle of nowhere. When a lycan stressed, their senses went into overdrive, trying to assess the threat, keep that one step ahead. Being dropkicked out of his hospital, into what was apparently a new universe, in a new state? Every breeze was a new smell, every pedestrian was shouting at the top of their lungs along with their iPod. He was having a bit of a difficult time keeping it together, finally slumped over on a bench to try and just block it all out for a while.

And it was working well enough, until a new scent came over the air. Feline, for sure, but not lion. Not panther... but similar. He turned in that direction, looking up at Levi with a shocked sort of expression. It took less than a second to realize he was the source of the smell, and Liam's tension was obvious, but he managed to keep the motion to his feet almost casual.

"Uh, right. Liam, Archer. 'Parently the new guy in town," He didn't offer his hand- shifters sometimes took that as stupid, or threatening. So he just bulked down a bit, watching Levi warily.

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dreamsoffire
2010-02-09 04:10 am UTC (link)

Levi's senses weren't as in tune as Liam's. He'd been turned only days before he'd been brought here. He'd killed his sire, without learning anything about his new state from her. He'd been thrust into a new way of life and into a new life all at once. Kai and Beth and most recently Davis had been extremely helpful, but none of them really knew what he was dealing with.

He smelled the feline in the air, but it was mostly foreign to him. He'd never encountered another quite like himself. Beth was a shifter, but her other form was a swan. Levi really didn't know what to think, and didn't quite connect the scent with Liam. He took the other man's slumped posture and abrupt attitude as part of the new arrival process.

"Eh, don't worry about it. There will be others dropping in after you. One day you can be the guy to greet them when they do."

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liamarcher
2010-02-09 04:15 am UTC (link)

"Uh, right. Sure," Liam looked around a little, taking a deep breath only to cough on the exhale. Christ, did everything in the city smell like garbage? He rubbed a hand under his nose, probably rather uncivilized looking. Sue him, he was tired after his shift at the hospital.

"Look, I don't want to. I mean, is there somewhere we need to go? Someone I have to talk to? Not to rush you, it's just... cold." He was only in a set of scrubs, not having the forethought to fall asleep in his coat for his trip into the new universe.

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dreamsoffire
2010-02-09 04:22 am UTC (link)

Levi shook his head. A lock of hair fell over his face. "No, it doesn't work that way. You're pretty much on your own." The poor guy was hardly dressed for the weather. "There's a hospital not far from here. Your new ID might be on staff there." Given that he was in scrubs, it was a fairly safe assumption. Or he could be way off base. Levi wasn't really sure, and he wasn't really sure why he'd even decided to greet this guy on the boards. He'd never done that before. Must be the work he'd been doing with Davis, he was gaining self confidence, branching out.

"We can go somewhere, anywhere. You probably don't want to stay outside too long." Levi found the cold didn't bother him quite as much, anymore, but it was bitter cold and he was glad he'd worn a heavy coat and gloves.

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liamarcher
2010-02-09 04:28 am UTC (link)

He looked confused. "What do you mean, on my own? Your family just-" He winced, backtracking a little, "I'm not here to cause problems. I just.... really don't want to get on anyone's bad side, while I'm here," He had seen the kind of treatment Caine and Hunter had given the stragglers back home. This guy couldn't really be suggesting that?

Going somewhere made sense, though. He didn't give another thought to his ID, he couldn't really worry about his job. He had to find his pride. "Yeah. Maybe somethin' to eat? While I wait for Cam to call me back," Her phone had gone straight to that stupid automated voice-mail thing, but he knew she'd call him back soon. Especially if she was getting this same story.

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dreamsoffire
2010-02-10 01:02 am UTC (link)

"I really don't think Cam is going to all you back," Levi said with a shake of his head. "Did you look at the website the other guy linked for you on the message board?" He nodded his had toward the walking path, to get Liam moving.

There was something about the guy that Levi felt an instant connection to him. Maybe it was the fact he was alone, or maybe it was the feline in him, though Levi hadn't really connected those dots yet. "I know it's crazy, but it's real, and you're here so you might as well just accept it."

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liamarcher
2010-02-10 01:13 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, but. That's a load of shit, f'you don't mind my saying," It wasn't that he had a problem believing in magic and other planes of existence. That'd be pretty hypocritical of him. It was just... a little too much to take in. it sounded like a bad vampire plot. But Cam...

"You don't understand, she has to be here. She's my-" He waved a hand in front of himself, expecting Levi to fill in the blanks. "I can't be here without her. Without my... family,"

He crossed his arms over his chest, slightly defensive posture, but mostly cold. There was snow here. Snow. Not a familiar animal, to a farm boy from Southern Louisiana.

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dreamsoffire
2010-02-10 01:48 am UTC (link)

"Sad to say, it's not your choice. But sometimes people you know come in later." Levi said, tone shifting to a little more sympathetic. "Just be patient, and keep an eye on the boards. You never know who will pop up." He tried for a comforting smile.

He thought about offering his coat, but he thought better of it. Seemed like it would be a b it awkward, given they didn't really know each other. Levi thought Liam was a nice enough guy, and he hoped they could be friends. he didn't want to freak him out any more than he already had, from the start.

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	liamarcher 2010-02-10 02:01 am UTC (link)
	Liam shrugged, falling silent as they walked to the edges of the park. He might have seemed a little jumpy, looking around at all of the new sounds and smells passing by them. But he was keeping as calm as he could, trying not to seem too out of place. "So where can we get something to eat?" So he sounded a little short. 'Trying' was key, there. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

dreamsoffire
2010-02-10 02:35 am UTC (link)

"What are you in the mood for? We can walk to just about anything before you'll get hypothermia dressed like that," Levi said with a little smile, to try and lighten the mood. he accounted Liam's jumpiness to the confusion, the newness of the situation, the shock and possibly even disbelief. Levi remembered well how he'd felt, how he hadn't believed what was happening when it happened to him a few months earlier.

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	liamarcher 2010-02-10 03:00 am UTC (link)
	"Steak," He answered without really thinking about it. He didn't even really care what kind of steak- it was one of those carnivorous stress relief things his mother used to try and make him understand. It would've been better if there had been somewhere to hunt around, but. "I'm guessing there's not a real big deer population in New York?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dreamsoffire 2010-02-11 02:40 am UTC (link)
	Levi shook his head. "No, not so much. There's a couple places have venison on the menu." He shrugged. Deer was never really his interest, though he had a greater appetite for meat, now. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	liamarcher 2010-02-11 04:09 am UTC (link)
	Liam shook his head. "No, it's..." Not the same cooked. But there were people around- no reason to say that aloud. "Steak it is, then. "You don't have to do this, you know. I mean, thanks, but... I didn't mean to drag you out," He wasn't really sure why Levi was taking him out, if he didn't have to. If it wasn't a matter of territory... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dreamsoffire 2010-02-11 04:26 am UTC (link)
	"It's no problem, really. I was bored, looking for something to do." Levi shrugged. "And, paying it forward like I said before. Did you check your ID and stuff?" He asked, curious. He wasn't trying to pry, he just wanted to be friendly. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

liamarcher
2010-02-12 03:53 am UTC (link)

"Yeah," He held up his wallet, showing the ID for the hospital on the one side of his billfold, the New York driver's license on the other. "Ain't taken a step North've Kentucky in my life. Don't really know what I'm supposed to do up here," In the big city. Without his family... this was crazy. Absolutely insane.

"What about you? What's your story?" He was curious, mostly. Wanting to think about something that wasn't his missing life, or his suspicion that this was all some sort of vampire trick.

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dreamsoffire
2010-02-13 02:21 am UTC (link)

Levi sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. "New York's not so bad. Okay, maybe it is bad with the snow, if you're not used to it. I don't really mind it."

He shrugged and glanced at the horizon. "My story? Not that interesting. I got here a few months ago. Confused, disoriented, like you. It's pretty common, most people are dropped off somewhere they're not really familiar with. It takes some getting used to. I've made a few friends, here. Makes it easier."

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	liamarcher 2010-02-13 03:05 am UTC (link)
	Liam nodded a little, shoving his hands in his scrub's pockets to try and keep his hands from the cold. He really had no idea where they were headed, so he just followed after Levi. Thankfully, the smell of food was enough to appease him from being too grouchy as he made his way through the crowd. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dreamsoffire 2010-02-13 04:28 am UTC (link)
	Levi led the way to a nearby restaurant where Liam could get a decent steak. The smell of meat made him perk up a bit, his nostrils flaring before he thought to control himself. He nodded and moved ahead of Liam to pull the door open. "It's decent, and not terribly expensive." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

liamarcher
2010-02-13 04:37 am UTC (link)

"Don't worry about that- my treat," Hey, the guy was nice enough to come get him. And besides, he had a doctor's-

Had. Past tense. He might have wanted to check his wallet, before he did that. Oh well. He'd figure it out. He followed the waitress over to the table, although halfway there he had to openly start at a blue woman. He managed to hold his tongue until they were seated, looking over at Levi curiously.

"So... that website really wasn't lying about that." Weirdness. People like him- like them.

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	dreamsoffire 2010-02-13 04:44 am UTC (link)
	Levi smiled, and shook his head, amused. "No. It really wasn't lying. It's really true. It takes some getting used to, but for the most part they're just trying to get by, same as you and me." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	liamarcher 2010-02-13 04:45 am UTC (link)
	Liam didn't exactly look convinced, but he shrugged. "If you say so." He didn't feel the need to point out how weird this was. Again. He occupied himself with looking over the menu, ordering a beer when the waitress came by to take their drinks. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dreamsoffire 2010-02-13 05:04 am UTC (link)
	Levi seconded the order of a beer. "You will get used to it." Even if his friends didn't show up. Levi was glad no one he knew before had wandered in, at least as far as he knew. He read the message boards, even if he didn't respond to many of the posts. "Or you'll drink a lot of beer trying to forget, and that rarely works out well." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

liamarcher
2010-02-13 05:18 am UTC (link)

"I know, alright? I'm trying," He chuffed an angry sort of sound in his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his scrubs. He hadn't been without his pride for more than a few days in his life. He didn't really know how to live alone, at least without becoming... well, he didn't want to think about that.

"What is it you do here? I mean, what did they tell you to do, when you got here?"

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	dreamsoffire 2010-02-13 06:23 am UTC (link)
	"I have a place in Henderson, out side Las Vegas. The Joe Schmoe I replaced was a dealer in one of the casinos. Unfortunately, I don't know shit about cards, so." He shrugged and leaned back to let the waitress deliver their beers. He reached for his and took a sip. "I'll have the ribeye, medium," he said with a little smile for the waitress. (Reply to this) (Parent)