maskormenacelogs | ( closed ) so lost, the line had been crossed

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( closed ) so lost, the line had been crossed

WHO: Beth Childs & Shadow Moon
WHERE: in the vicinity of Nonah #001 & #002
WHEN: Shadow’s arrival day
WHAT: THAT’S WHEN GOOD NEIGHBOOOUURS BECOME GOOOOOOD FRIIIEENNNDDSSSS
WARNINGS: Spoilers for season one of American Gods & potential mention of death/depression/violence/the disasters that are their respective lives.

( All things considered, Shadow had to say that he was feeling a little less fucked up about stepping into another world than he would have a week ago. All those days ago he was trying to wrap his head around being released from prison, being released from prison early, Laura being dead.

Now gods walked the earth and his dead wife had been on a road trip with an asshole leprechaun. (It wouldn’t necessarily have made it less shocking if Sweeney wasn’t an asshole, to be fair. It just seemed worth acknowledging.)

And now, here’s Shadow, making his way down a street in a city called Nonah, wearing a mauve shirt, rolled up to his elbows, top couple of buttons undone. The bespoke jacket is draped over a large rabbit hutch that he’s carrying, along with a second, rather more battered looking jacket, leather and ragged instead of hand-stitched, with a tie dropped over the top of it. Inside the hutch are supplies, for ease of carrying.

Behind him hop two rabbits, one all-white, the other black with patches of black.

It’s September instead of Easter; he’s skipped a season, he’s in a strange world, and he’s babysitting two of Ostara’s rabbits because (unlike Wednesday) he’s not a total fucker, but Shadow Moon isn’t freaking out. He’d just like to point out that this is a little fucked up. )

Ah— come on.

( And edge of frustration, as his keys… don’t work. That's not the real problem, though, because the door swings open, and Shadow leans in the door to realise its coming off its hinges, and the place looks...

... trashed.

So, rather than walk into World War Fuck Off in a rush, Shadow walks to his neighbours house, rabbit hutch and rabbits in tow, and rings the doorbell. Okay. Great. Today is just—

Fucking great. When the door swings open, he smiles. He might not be a bubbly socialite, but he knows there’s a time and a place for friendliness and politeness and sometimes even some charm. ) Hi, sorry for the trouble.

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( The problem with having a job free from rigid demands like work hours, or a direct line manager, is that if Beth doesn't want to get out of bed on a particular day she absolutely doesn't. She hasn't done much of anything, honestly, just enjoyed the luxury of an empty house and meandered about from the kitchen to her room and back again. Impressively ( or really not, because this shouldn't be the bar of achievement by which she lives her life ) she hasn't begun drinking yet, and when she hears the doorbell she's briefly glad of that.

No need to let the whole neighbourhood in on the problem, after all.

She's not sure what exactly to expect when she opens the door, but it's not a man with a hutch and two rabbits. )

Hey there... ( She's visibly confused, eyebrow raised as she skims her eyes over the man and all the weird little details that come with him -- why so many jackets, for instance -- but the shock wears off after a moment, and she returns the smile. Somewhat reluctant, somewhat falsified, but she makes an effort, and points should be given for that. ) You uh, you need some help?

( Shadow is used to looking down, generally, when he talks. It's not a condescending thing, he's just a tall guy.

He smiles. It's a self-aware smile, not quite verging into sheepish, but definitely an air of "I know." )

Maybe. I think I'm your new neighbour.

( Shadow moves the hutch, and nods towards residence number one, a victim of the recent Less Than Delighted natives and their shenanigans. ) I just arrived, though. I was wondering if you knew anything about who was living there?

( Because, what the fuck? And there is definitely a hint of what the fuck in his expression, even if its wound up with a certain casualness to help grease the wheels of this awkward introduction. )

( #rude )

Well, aren't you lucky. ( She's wondering if this is just a...thing people do, maybe. In Alison's neck of the woods she could see them all going around to chat, probably with gift baskets to welcome new arrivals, but Beth has never been one of those neighbours.

But then he gives the follow up information, and when he nods Beth takes a couple of steps forward, out of the doorway, and takes a quick look at the house next door. ...Should she have heard that all happening?

Probably. )

Shit, ( She makes a vague note to double check the security situation on her own place, but the more obvious problem is the new arrival on her doorstep. There is a brief second where she indulges the idea of just giving a quick apology and closing the door again, but as desperate as she is to avoid getting into the thick of any new drama she's not a total asshole. So she might sigh a little, but she still steps backwards and pushes the door open a little. ) there's some stuff going down around here. Come on, bring your uh....rabbits in. I'll catch you up.

They aren't mine.

( He says, before looking down at the hutch and contents. ) They're— they belong to a friend. Followed me here, I guess.

( And thank Some God that only two of them did, because Ostara was hooked up with a limited supply. That's what happened when spring was your thing, presumably. Regardless, when Shadow steps through the door, they stand up, and then start to hop after him. )

I'm Shadow, Miss...?

Followed you from your home?

( Sounds like those rabbits are yours now, friend. It's briefly distracting watching rabbits just...loyally lop alongside him, which is her excuse for why she's just invited a stranger into her house without even asking his name, and she's sticking to that story. Realistically it's hardly the worst risk taking behaviour she's engaged in, anyway. )

Beth. No 'miss' necessary, ( She gives a quick, dismissive wave and shuts the door behind them, before gesturing vaguely down the hallway. ) Kitchen's down the hallway, I'll get you a drink.

( and pause, before: )

Shadow? Is that..a nickname?

( The very slow, subtle double-take-kinda-sorts that happens is a silent way of saying one thing: smartass. )

From an acquaintance's home.

( like that'll save him from the fact that he is now bunny sitting. Shadow sets the hutch down where it won't be in the way, tucked to the side of the kitchen, before addressing her question. He moves with a slow steadyness. )

Nope. ( He's answered this question many times over. ) My mom was a free spirit. Shadow Moon just fit me.

That acquaintance here? Because...otherwise I think they might be yours.

( Matter-of-factly, of course, because Beth's very much a straight shooter, but there's a tinge of amusement to her voice as she ducks around Shadow and heads to the fridge. She can't help it, it's a pretty ludicrous situation she's found herself in here.

A beer comes out for her -- it's 5 o'clock somewhere, right? -- followed by another for him. Is he a drinker? She'll find out in a moment, presumably. ) Free spirit indeed. Although I got the queen of a country my Mom wasn't even born in, who am I to judge.

( A person who is absolutely still going to judge. Shadow Moon, really? )

Beer?

No sightings so far.

( Dryly, and he just nods in silent affirmation. Beer, definitely. At least, after a day like today. )

Yeah, I'd definitely compare "Elizabeth" to "Shadow." ( Please, he gives her a very slight look. )

So. This is weird, right?

Looks like you might just be a bunny owner after all.

( Her expression twists into an entirely ingenuine look of 'sympathy', followed by a wry smirk that absolutely should clue someone in to just how funny Beth thinks she is.

( Spoiler: it's a lot )

His question earns some thoughtful pondering though, enough to get in a couple of swigs before she offers a shrug. Helpful. ) Which part? The kidnapping, the weird powers, your vandalised house, or all of the above?

( eAe to the max

Not really, though. It's just a gentle eAe. With a suggestion of a smile that he masks by taking a swig of his beer. )

Vandalism is vandalism. The powers I can almost get my head around.

( Which leaves... lucky last.

And there's probably some damn rule about taking some of Easter's bunnies, the property of gods generally, but he's not sure his nice neighbour is ready for that. Or maybe she's secretly the goddess of sarcastic delivery, knowing his luck. )

Oh, good, so just the hardest one you're confused about then.

( confirmed goddess of sarcasm tbh.

But there's only a tiny bit of sarcasm with that one, actually, because she of all people understands just how weird it really is to arrive here. Sure there's the whole arrival spiel, but does that really answer the questions? Logistics, maybe, but it certainly didn't help quell any of Beth's turmoil. )

Far as I can tell, it's all a bit of a dice roll. You could be here for years, you could end up back in your world in a few weeks.

( Big beer swig. And another, because the thought of going back to her home now is....not one she wants to think about with this low a blood alcohol content. )

( When you believe, you bring things into being. Or, at least, give them power. Whatever, the point is: thank Christ for people with a sense of humour in fucked up situations.

Shadow lets that rest for a moment, idly swirling the beer in the bottle before tipping it back again. The rabbits are slowly loping about the kitchen, though he doesn't pay them much mind, as he huffs out a brief, not-terribly-amused sort of laugh. )

This is fucked up.

( There's nothing forceful in how he says it, it's more like saying the weather is nice today, or he's gotta remember to pick up milk. Beth, though, isn't taking it easy on her beer, seems like and Shadow eyes her for a moment before asking, ) Which one do you want?

( Oh.

It should be a relatively simple question, but Beth momentarily freezes all the same. Everything, her expression, her hand half way back to her mouth, even her breath catches -- but it's for barely a fraction of a second, and then she's trucking along like it was nothing.

She should be better than that. She is better than that. What happened to unflappable, Childs? )

The white one. ( She answers finally, and grins, nodding her head towards the rabbits. Funny, funny.

And once the bottle is empty and set down onto the counter: ) I'd stick around. Weather's not bad.

( Smooth. )

Edited 2017-09-05 13:06 (UTC)

( Now, he's not the best con artist out there. Not the best con generally - that's how he wound up caught. However, he isn't awful, and he's observant. He's learned to be more aware, moreso the last few days than ever before in his life.

Something is up with Beth, but he's too polite to press on it, just yet. Buttons are for emergencies, like when you're playing a checkers game against a god that's a big fan of slaughter. )

Nice try. ( But, he's letting her off the hook, looking at the bunny in question. ) That'd be a way to get my ass kicked.

( He hasn't known Ostara longer than few hours, but he's seen enough to realise that fucking with her would be a bad idea, and those bunnies? Kind of sacred to her holiday. That's a whole extra dimension of weird. )

Maybe we should see if the government'll upgrade our places to have hot tubs.

( There is already a vague itch to grab another drink after that near-miss, but new company and all that. Really, when she's feeling more self-reflective Beth will look back on this particular moment of this strange little meeting and wonder just how many incredibly distinctive red flags a person can wilfully ignore, exactly.

The answer is a lot of course, but that's a problem to be pondered over later tonight along with the fact that an incredibly impersonal and entirely casual conversation can somehow be a hair-trigger. There's going to be a lot to contemplate. )

If they're already dishing out jobs, houses, how hard would it be to throw a hot tub in? ( Probably very, but in their defence it was also very hard to be trans-dimensionally kidnapped and given fancy ass superhero powers, so she's pretty sure the imPorts might still be winning.

Maybe that attitude is why the area keeps getting vandalised... ) Dashed my rabbit ownership dreams but coming through with the renovation ideas, I can't stay mad after that.

( He doesn't quite laugh, but there is an amused smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth. )

Hey, you wanna have a rabbit, knock yourself out. I just don't wanna be the guy that pisses off any more people off than is strictly necessary.

( No violence for fun or profit, and no pissing off gods for shits and giggles. Unfortunately he works for Wednesday, who seems to operate on the opposite spectrum of judgment. It was a little like how Wednesday seemed to think he was all charm, and Shadow was all about the technicalities.

Out of habit, Shadow slips a coin from his pocket - a large, silver dollar coin, that he starts to roll over the back of his fingers. )

I'm practical, what can I say. ( Hot tubs are very practical. )

I'll have you know I'm far too heartbroken to consider just leaping into ownership of another pet. Be more sensitive.

( She really should give more indication that she's joking, because despite the clearly ludicrous topic she's doing a damn good job of deadpanning her lines. It's a good litmus test though - people who don't understand her usually quite dry humour tend not to last long, and if he's going to be her neighbour for the foreseeable future he might as well get to know it early.

The coin thing is....a little odd, she won't lie, but it's hardly that unusual to have forces of habit that keep your hands occupied - hell, she's a chronic fidgeter, she could probably do with something to channel that excess energy. It's more the coin itself though, strange thing that it is. He certainly sounds American - she has admittedly learned quickly here that this is not an indicator that they share the same "America" as her, but still.

A mystery for another day, probably, but she'll keep it tucked away in the back of her mind for now at least. )

Honestly, ( She opts for a glass of water this time, impressions impressions, and takes a quick sip before continuing. ) don't know if I would have taken you for the hot tub type at first glance. You full of surprises, or is it exclusively names and soaking locations?

( Shadow is silent at that, though there's a very slight smile, the kind that's barely detectable, as he sets down the beer bottle and keeps playing with the coin. It moves in idle patterns, disappearing from his hands, then reappearing.

There is a pause, though, at her hot tub comment, and he quirks an eyebrow and looks at Beth. )

What kind of person doesn't like hot tubs?

( He sounds a little amused, and a little bemused. She's interesting, Beth, but it could just be that he's starting to learn that all sorts of people are interesting, could be more than they let you see, or than you're willing to see. So, take your friendly neighbour, for example. What kind of person was she? What secrets did she have? Those were the first sort of questions that came to mind, but with recent events, he also had to wonder: what kind of potential would she hold if someone believed in her?

It's not a weird fixation, nothing particular to Beth; he's starting to consider more and more, it's just that she's the first person he's sat in a room with since he got here, and the first person he's spoken with where he hasn't been worried about getting separated from those damn rabbits. Didn't make the questions less relevant, mind.

Shadow just lets himself contemplate the question for a long while, before responding. ) It'd ruin the surprise, if I told you.

Edited 2017-09-10 13:03 (UTC)

( He's an interesting guy too. Far from the only interesting person she's met since appearing in whatever the hell this amalgamation of the world this place actually is. Probably not a weird moment of death hallucination, people appear at least to hold a life outside of her comings and goings, and hopefully not some kind of purgatory. Probably not. Certainly it's an interesting conversation, and those are few and far between here.

If she gets punished for this by those bunnies chewing through the wires to the fridge or something, Beth is going to be pissed. )

Well they are bacteria factories. ( The lingering knowledge that this could all be temporary, is temporary, makes it hard to ever entirely let herself enjoy much of this place at all. Interesting guy, interesting conversation, but it's never far from her mind. Less so, when the topic actually came up. It's hard to make friends when you're already dead, right? ) I'm very patient. I get the impression those surprises could be pretty interesting.

( Like the fact that his name is Shadow fucking Moon, for one. No cop intuition needed to spot that he probably isn't some run of the millJoe Bloggs you run into every day. )

Wow. ( With that, and a huff of laughter, he tips back the rest of his beer and sets it down on the wooden tabletop with a quiet thud. ) Thanks, Beth.

( There was one thing he was relying on still being consistently amazing, and that was hot tubs. And now, this. Although, admittedly he has enough injuries that probably sitting in a hot tub would be a not great idea, especially given their apparent title of "bacteria factory." He recently had some of his skin stapled together, got stabbed by a tree, got in a fist fight with a leprechaun; it'd be nice to not need to get anything amputated. )

So what do you do, when you're not taking in strangers from the street?

( One of the rabbits, the white one, lops underneath Beth's chair, and he glances to see where the other one is - not causing trouble, yet. )(

( She's delightful when she wants to be.

There's a moment where she considers picking up the bunny - she likes animals well enough after all, always intended to get a pet of her own but never quite got around to it. As one hops under her chair she'd easily be able to scoop it up, but she decides against it quite quickly. Bunnies that follow people willingly are just a shade too close to sentient for her to start messing with. If it started speaking she'd probably pass out, and that won't be a good look for anyone, least of all the stranger with the bad luck to get Beth as his friendly neighbour. )

God, what do I do. ( There are a handful of truthful answers of course, none of which make her look especially great -- or especially stable, for that matter. Even the people she'd consider a friend don't get those answers though, much less strays, so she just gives a loose shrug of her shoulders. ) Casual work, when the mood hits. They hired me as a "P.I." when I arrived, but I don't think it'll stick.

( It's not hard to tell her opinion of private investigative work, by the tone in her voice. )

What about you, what gainful employment did they offer you as apology for the sudden kidnapping?

( Suit yourself, Elizabeth, Shadow over here is going to reach under the chair, and scoop up the bunny in one hand. It's a friendly little thing, seems maybe a little more confident and tame than is generally expected for rabbits in the presence of strangers, and gently scritches behind its ears. Hey, if it works for dogs, maybe it'll work for rabbits. He has no idea. )

Private security, ( he replies, though there's a sort of flatness to it. He has no enthusiasm for the work, it seems. ) Not sure that'll stick, either.

( Not if they ever find out he's an ex-convict and still getting up to all kinds of bullshit, thanks Wednesday. Robbing a bank two days outta prison was a new and unexpected low. )

Might try to go find a gym to work in. Or a shitty burger joint. ( A little dry, a little flat. Both seem possible, sure. )

Gym, interesting. You sure you have the physique for something like that?

( It could be taken as flirting, admittedly. Although she's not entirely opposed to the idea (if only because she has eyes, seriously) it's not the intention. Neither is it supposed to be a straight up insult, though there's little in the way of clues in her delivery to point to either end of that spectrum. It's a luxury she hasn't had in quite a while, to have someone who seems to understand that dry kind of wit, the jokes that by any other ear would sound rude as hell, and rightfully so.

So, you know, fingers crossed he keeps up the understanding, because it'll get awkward fast if her new neighbour thinks she's a dick. Or hitting on him. Neither lend themselves well to amenable but casual street sharing. )

Either way, I'll be looking for a discount. I did take you in in your time of need, after all.

( Shadow huffs out a single syllable of laughter, a kind of aha, yes, I realise human wall kind of thing that suggests he finds it genuinely funny and can take it in stride, as opposed to his masculinity fraying at the seams. And while it could be taken as flirting, and might be were it not for things like his recently dead wife and her recent return from said death, it is not. For all intents and purposes, it would appear that Shadow Moon has categorised Elizabeth Childs as a woman who herds all those around her into line with her wit. (It's a good trait, honestly.)

Anyway, there's a rabbit on his lap, and he looks down pats his abdomen experimentally. )

Maybe I'll lean to flipping burgers. ( And, after a beat he adds, ) Management is really strict about discounts.

( And, a shrug. Sorry, it's out of his hands. )

( Guess what Beth likes best in any man inside her social circle? A healthy lack of insecurity when it comes to that pesky masculinity, so points there. Maybe amenable street sharer can get an upgrade to acquaintance.

But more important is the burger versus gym debates, right? More specifically what she can get out of it. An eyebrow raises, her arms fold across her chest, and she gets her best thinking face on. )

See, that's just not going to work for me then. If they're taking a hard stance like that, you'll have to go down the gym route instead.

I'll see what I can do.

( With that same very understated sort of humour, as he gently smooths the fur between the bunny's eyes, which contently slip shut. )

Worse case scenario, I'll get you a free towel and one of those shitty gym show bags.

( You know the ones, the weird plastic-y canvas with the draw string that never seem to be big enough to actually fit a pair of shoes in and where the logo printed on them seems to be cracked within about twenty-four hours of the bag entering your possession. Those ones. )

( In that moment Beth resolves to acquire a pet. It may not be the best idea, mostly given her questionable ability to look after her own wellbeing at the best of times let alone another living creature, but the decision is made all the same. Who knows, maybe it'll do her some good. Besides, they're just so damn cute. )

Is the towel going to be the one that never seems to dry and ends up with a perpetual damp smell that can never be nuked.
( She's been the recipient of many a free gym gift, Beth absolutely knows what's up with those bags and those towels, and those drink bottles that make the water in them taste weird too. She's had them all. ) ...Who am I kidding, I'll take it anyway. A gift is a gift is a gift, right?

( Christ. This is a stupid conversation, but a stupid conversation is kind of a relief. There's no hidden knives or random floating or bizarre shit going on. Circumstances and rabbits aside, this is kind of normal.

Which is weird in and of itself, but okay.

He smiles, the kind of smile that's not entirely willing, like he's trying to keep a straight face in a half-hearted way. It's not like it's dire. )

You could've haggled for a free six week trial.

( Could she? In this entirely theoretical job scenario?) But if you're happy with a towel that doesn't seem to absorb water or ever be dry, you're welcome to it.

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( closed ) so lost, the line had been crossed

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