Caleb is the cat in the hat (worth_therisk) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-09-13 20:57:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, caleb rivers, toby cavanaugh |
Who: Toby and Caleb
What: Random encounter
When: Sept 8th
Where: Random bar
Rating/Warnings: Low!
Status: Complete
Just because Caleb had slowed down on his drinking didn’t mean he couldn’t drink at all. He just didn’t drink excessively anymore. Or alone in his apartment. But every now and then he would stop by a bar after work. Which was precisely what he was doing today.
Caleb took a seat at the bar ordering himself a beer. No need for anything super strong. He was over that shit. Just as the bartender brought his drink over her noticed someone familiar enter the bar. Was that Toby? Shit. Caleb had briefly met him through Hanna, but he had never really hung out with the guy. A shame since they were so close in the dreams. Perhaps now it was time to fix that. “Toby?” Caleb called just to be sure it was the right person. Although he knew it was, he had seen the guy way too many times in his dreams to not recognize him.
Toby was done with work for the day, which meant he had to figure out food. He’d thought about making something, but he seriously didn’t trust his oven that much these days and he hadn’t figured out if it was something he could fix without blowing up his apartment. So he decided that bar food wasn’t a terrible alternative.
Walking in, he was going to go take a seat by himself when he heard his name. He stilled, looking around until he saw Caleb looking at him. They’d met before, but he didn’t think they knew each other all that well. Still, he made his way over. “Hey. You’re...Caleb, right?”
“That’d be me,” Caleb confirmed with a nod. Well at least Toby recognized him. “Long time,” he added because well it had been. With the fact that Toby seemed to just barely recognize him and the fact that he had never brought up dreams Caleb could only assume the guy hadn’t dreamed. Which was probably for the best considering how fucked up the dreams were. “How have you been?” he asked motioning for Toby to take the seat next to him.
Toby was glad that he’d at least remembered his name properly. He almost wished that he’d spent more time with Emily’s other friends so this wouldn’t be nearly so awkward. But he’d never really been part of that group, so he was okay to wait his turn and find other places to hide out when things weren’t at their best. “Yeah. It has been.” Which was why he wasn’t really sure why Caleb was talking to him at the moment, but it was possible that it had to do with the fact that he was by himself. Not everyone was comfortable being on their own in a bar or restaurant setting. He cautiously accepted the seat that was offered, checking around to make sure this wasn’t some set up. He tried to make sure it didn’t look that way, though. Just looking around.
“Fine. Busy. Work’s...just keeping me busy now. And I came in here because I’m not sure my oven won’t set the apartment on fire right now.” He shrugged slightly. “The food’s good, too, so that helps.” He cleared his throat, ordering a burger and a beer before turning his attention back to Caleb. “You?”
Now that Toby mentioned it, a burger did sound pretty damn good. Caleb was a decent enough cook, had to learn young since no one else ever cared enough to cook for him. But if he ate now he could just chill the rest of the night.
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Caleb commented before ordering a burger for himself. And onion rings. “I just came in for a drink, but saves me from cooking later,” he added taking a sip of his beer. “Oh yeah? Where do you work? I’m over at Stark but I’ve never been to this bar before.” He was taking Toby’s word that the food was good too.
“I’m known for the occasional good idea.” It was a casual remark, one that almost anyone probably would have said given the chance. Toby had a list of things he could comment on if he was in a social situation and had to actually try, but he wasn’t usually in them. Not since Emily had been at school and then now with her dad. His expression grew serious for a moment before he forced himself to go back to a mostly easy smile. “Oh. I’ve heard of that place. I do construction around. I’m working on a house a couple blocks from here, so I’ve been down here a couple of times.” Usually by himself, but occasionally someone would tag along. “You won’t regret the burger, by the way. Not that you can really go wrong with burgers. Kind of like pizza. Even a bad burger is still okay. Unless you seriously burn it.”
Caleb wasn’t surprised that Toby worked in construction. He did in the dreams after all. Just like Caleb worked with computers in both places, and Hanna was interested in fashion. It seemed common. However, it didn’t seem like Toby had dreamed yet, or if he had not very much and Caleb wasn’t about to point that out. “That’s impressive. I’m much better behind a screen than out actually building things.” He could hold his own if needed, but he preferred the computer anyway.
“Ever thought of building your own house?” he asked because why not. “I’m going to hold you to that. If I hate it, you gotta eat it.”
“Yeah. I don’t think computers are my strong point. It’s a miracle if I can manage to make the program work the way that it’s supposed to.” He shrugged. He liked to draw things out anyway. It was easier and he’d get other people to help him with the computer program when necessary. “But yeah. I like working with my hands, so it works out for me.”
The question caught him off guard for a moment, but he forced himself to recover. “Uh. Well, I guess I’ve thought about it, but it’s not really in the cards now. I’ve got to save up money before that happens.” He shrugged. “I’m counting on not needing to eat it.”
“If you ever need any tips,” Caleb offered. It was the least he could do. Not that he really owed Toby anything, but still. Helping with technology was no big deal for him. “I’m actually moving soon. I’d ask you to build the house but I don’t have that kind of money. And the place is already picked out.” Plus he knew Toby was decent at construction in the dreams, but who knew how good he was at it here. Good enough if he had a job in it, but Caleb wasn’t sure he’d trust a house built by the guy.
“Safe bet,” he added as their food was brought over. Caleb picked up his burger taking a bite. “Yeah,” he said between mouthfuls of food. “Definitely don’t need to eat it.”
“I’ll let you know.” He may not have been that good at computers, but what he lacked in technological understanding, he made up for with his construction work. He just didn’t really brag about it too much. The only person he might have bragged to a little was Emily. He felt like he had to have something to talk about given he wasn’t in school. Maybe he’d go into school one day, but at the moment, he didn’t have any plans in place. Part of him had thought about Architecture, but working with some architects made him rethink it. Most of them had big plans and didn’t always think about the realistic points. You had to make sure the building would hold before it was built.
He smiled a little as Caleb started eating, starting to eat his own burger. “I thought as much.”
“I’ll have to take your recommendations more often,” Caleb said with a grin. Not that he would have avoided Toby’s recommendations they just didn’t hang out enough, or at all really, for Caleb to get any. “Makes me even more glad I ran into you.”
Toby smiled. “Well, if we run into each other more often, I guess I can try to help you out with that. Unless you’re planning to start texting me for my recommendations. I have to warn you, though. First time’s free, but there’s a price for every recommendation after that.” Did he mean that? No. Not really. But maybe it would make the situation a little less strange. Sitting here and talking to someone who was basically a stranger. “Sometimes good things happen, I guess.”
“You know, I might just take you up on that. Charge or not. Actually I can pay you back with upgrading your phone,” Caleb offered with a smirk. That was how he got started after all. But speaking of phones, he pulled his out and handed it to Toby to put his information in.
“Upgrading my phone? I’m not sure what that entails.” Toby had to wonder what he was talking about, but he distracted himself by putting his number into Caleb’s phone, handing it back to him once he was done. Then he took his phone out and handed it over. Caleb could have texted him and he could have gotten the number, but it was probably easier this way.
“Faster service, better apps, your own personal hot spot.” there was more but he wasn’t sure how much Toby would understand. He put his information in Toby’s phone handing it back to him. Yeah the guy could use one of his upgrades. Once that was all taken care of back to eating. “Yeah, I’m going to have to come here more often.”