maskormenacelogs | OPEN: Hiding in a crowd

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OPEN: Hiding in a crowd

WHO: Grey and OPEN
WHERE: Around Heropa
WHEN: Within the first few days that he arrives
WHAT: Grey explores his new surroundings and gets used to life in the city.
WARNINGS: Probably none! If you anticipate a thread needing warnings, please add them to your sub-header. I will update this if necessary.

Watching Nature

[ Grey doesn’t like his apartment. It’s clean and bare, and carries with it the feeling that no one has ever lived there. The world he had known had been full of people pressing in on every side, because there was never enough space for anyone to move without brushing past ten others. Nothing had ever been clean or new, and no one had had their own room. Now Grey has several, including a kitchen that he doesn’t know how to use, and a bedroom that’s far too empty and quiet for him to sleep. Staying there at night is enough of a struggle. He leaves as soon as the morning comes.

Work doesn’t go well. First he’s late because he can’t find the place, then they send him home because of the clothes he’s wearing – an old coat and track pants, both so faded and dirty that they look like trash to anyone who’s not Grey. They don’t like his unruly mass of hair, either, or the number of tattoos that he uses to try and explain. When they discover he’s not registered, they lose their patience, and tell him to go home. So the milk doesn’t get delivered, and in fairness, he’d have struggled to find where it should go anyway.

He walks away, and keeps on walking, because the city has plenty to distract him. Eventually he finds himself in a park, sitting on a bench, and just staring at it all. It’s green. Grass both looks and feels strange. He’s picked a few blades to look at them more closely, but it’s not long before the breeze catches them. The breeze itself is just as strange. Grey closes his eyes every time it hits him, savouring the relief it brings from the sun’s heat. He watches people move through the place, eyes on them as they run, walk, exercise, guide small, furry creatures on leashes, and mostly fail to appreciate how beautiful everything is. He quickly forgets about what happened in work. There’s so much to look at here that he could stay here for hours and still not take it in. These are sights he never even imagined he might see. ]

Watching Urbanity

[ The city itself is a different prospect. The streets are an equal balance between comforting and terrifying. At least his eyes don't hurt in the light anymore. Grey walks with near silent precision, used as he is to an environment that was always in motion. He’s not yet used to walking on ground that doesn’t move, and the people around him seem careless by comparison. He’d come here because the larger crowds had drawn him; eventually even the park had felt lonely, and it had made a ball of anxiety grow in his chest. Just being in a crowd helps to chase that back, but…

But the city itself is huge. It feels like there’s too much to take in. He can bear it for a while, but it’s never long before his head starts to hurt. There’s too much to see and hear and it’s all so big – wide and tall and it seems never-ending. He has frequent impulses to flee from it, except that he only knows to go to his apartment, and the thought of the silence and solitude there brings his anxiety back with a bang. Finally he ducks into the nearest store, a pet store. He only notices that once he turns and comes face to face with a rabbit, which sends him skittering back across the floor in surprise. He stares at the weird, fluffy white thing in the cage, and slowly inches towards it again. He’s at a loss, with animals. He has no idea what to do, but he doesn’t like that it’s trapped in a cage. He pokes a finger through the bars, and the rabbit inches forward to investigate. The feeling of its wet nose against his finger draws his first smile of the day. He wishes his friends could be here to see this. ]

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[ Grey immediately decides that he likes this boy. He gets a lot of points for talking to the rabbit, for being kind to it. Grey watches for a moment, getting used to the rabbit’s movements. It seems to like being touched. Grey’s fingers curl around the bars of the cage that it’s in. He’s not sure if he likes that part. It seems wrong that something so gentle should be locked up.

A glance around the petshop tells him that almost everything is locked up. Even the dog the boy had been at before has a rope around it, holding it back. That seems wrong.

But Jonathan doesn’t. Grey slips off one sleeve of his jacket. He’s bare-chested beneath it, but even if he understood that it’s not socially acceptable to dress like that (which he doesn’t), he would need to do it anyway so that he could use his tattoos. He’s covered in them. He finds one on his upper arm and turns it, showing Jonathan the word Who? written in cursive. Withdrawing, he turns an openly curious expression on the other boy. Who are you, what’s your name? Is Grey allowed to know it? ]

[Jonathan's eyebrows rise in curiosity as he watches Grey. it was certainly an unusual way to communicate, but he's encountered so many things outside the ordinary that it no longer really effects him the way it might have once. instead his mind wanders to how exactly Grey had settled on such a system, but of course that isn't polite to ask and so he keeps it to himself.]

I'm Jonathan Joestar, although you can call me Jojo if you like. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[does it matter, giving his nickname to a mute boy? it does to Jonathan. names are important, and his nickname implies a friendly familiarity that he'd like to extend to everyone. speaking of extending friendliness, he holds his free hand out to Grey for a shake.]

[ Grey’s head tilts at the nickname. Of course, he can’t call Jonathan anything at all, but he’ll remember the nickname. Jojo. He slides off his other sleeve, and shows Jonathan the word Grey, on his right forearm, before he pats his own chest. He has no other name than that, so it will have to do. Then he shakes Jonathan’s outstretched hand, and nods, eagerly. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too. His own hand is calloused and rough; Jonathan’s feels warm to him.

Pleased with the company, he turns back to the rabbit cage again. His fingers tap lightly against the bars, which he still dislikes, and he pulls lightly on them before turning questioning eyes on the other boy. Why are these here, do you know? Why are they all locked away? ]

[he gives a return nod in acknowledgement of Grey's introduction before following Grey's line of sight. it takes him a few seconds to quite parse what he's inquiring about this time, but his eyebrows raise a little when he does finally get it. guess he hasn't been in a pet shop before.]

It's for their own protection. Many of these animals would seriously injure each other if they could interact, and almost certainly get themselves killed if they managed to escape the store.

[but it's still a little sad to see so many caged animals begging to be taken home, even if it's understandable, so Jonathan quickly adds:]

But it usually doesn't stay that way once someone takes them home.

[ Grey glances at Jonathan. Put that way, maybe he doesn't mind the cages so much. He wouldn't want the animals attacking each other. Especially not the rabbits. They don't look like they could hurt anything, so they'd probably be prey. Unhappy about that, he reaches his hand inside to pet the white one again.

The idea of them being taken home is a strange one, though. Do people really do that? With his other hand, he gestures at Jonathan, and then glances back to fix his eyes on the dog. Is that Jonathan's dog? Is that why he's here? ]

No, not right now. I don't think that the house I'm living in currently allows pets at all; it's just nice to stop by and visit now and then.

[he laughs, and the sound is filled with the appropriate amount of humor, but the sharp-eyed will notice that Jonathan's expression becomes wistfully nostalgic as his gaze lingers for a moment or two on the dogs.]

I haven't owned a dog since I was much younger.

[ Grey likes that look, the one behind the smile. It has an aching kind of familiarity to him. Many of the older Tail passengers would have looked that way when talking about their past, in the old Earth.

He slips his jacket on properly again and moves, edging towards the dogs. He’s still not sure about them, due to all the teeth, and to the way they’re straining towards him as he moves. But if they make Jonathan’s face look like that, he’ll give them a chance. He turns, lifting his eyebrows hopefully, and gesturing at the dogs. Can we go and see them? Maybe if they do that, Jonathan will tell the story he’s thinking of. ]

[Jonathan obviously hasn't been dour by any means throughout this conversation, but he seems to brighten in some imperceptible way when Grey inches towards the dogs. they'll always have a soft spot a few miles wide in his heart.]

Oh, of course! They're much more energetic than the rabbits, but there's no reason to be afraid of them.

[his own cautionary words harken Jonathan back to the last time he'd uttered something similar, although he quashes it as quickly as the memory arises. this was a completely different situation, thank god.

as he returns to the pen a large chunk of the puppies rush at him, clumsily excited at their playmate's return. he laughs, amused rather than dismayed at suddenly being covered in wriggly animals.]

If these are a little too much for you, you might want to say hello to Melanie first. She's a bit sleepier than her friends.

[he nods in the direction of another dog, this one apparently more concerned with snuggling into the plush toys than charging the newcomers. all of this certainly has Jonathan in a nostalgic mood, but he refrains for the moment in favor of keeping an eye on Grey - this is probably his first time interacting with dogs, and he wants to make sure everything is fine before turning the conversation down a selfish path.]

[ Perhaps predictably, Grey had hung back when he saw how the puppies rushed at Jonathan. He's not exactly afraid of them - he doesn't know enough about them to be afraid - but he's cautious, wary of what they might do. He follows Jonathan's nod towards the other one, instead, and as if Jonathan had given him an order instead of a suggestion, he approaches that one instead.

It doesn't rush him, though it does look up as he approaches. Grey moves slowly, trying not to spook the dog, and then he glances over to see how Jonathan is dealing with the smaller ones. After a moment, he looks back, and reaches out towards Melanie. She comes close, ready to sniff at his hand. At the last moment he almost withdraws, but he keeps it there at the end. Then, when Melanie seems not to dislike him, he reaches to clumsily pet her head like he'd done with the rabbits.

She's far more responsive, pushing into his touch and nudging closer. Her tail even wags, and it's not long before he's looking up at Jonathan with a crooked smile, wider than anything he's managed thus far. Look! He did it it. This is right, isn't it? This is what he's meant to do?

After a moment he gestures at her, and then points to the puppies. Are they hers? ]

[the bright grin that Grey receives in return is full to the brim with completely genuine excitement. it's gladdening whenever someone gets along with dogs on a personal level, perhaps because of the past. either way, his words are very lighthearted as he obligingly gives one of the puppies a belly rub.]

These aren't hers, but she did have a litter somewhat recently. They were all sold and she's been feeling a bit lonely, so they put her here with the younger dogs to cheer her up.

[how does he know all this? because in between lavishing love on the animals Jonathan chats up the employees like the inhumanly friendly protagonist he is. what a loser.]

Most people prefer puppies, but the age really doesn't make a difference. Danny was an adult when my father bought him for me, and he became my best friend.

[ Danny. That must have been Jonathan's dog. Grey glances down at the dog he's petting, the one that's now putting her front paws up to him. He crouches beside her instead, and lets her nuzzle into him. It's a strange feeling. He's been so lonely since he's been here. The sheer lack of physical nearness from other people, something he'd grown up with and never known to imagine being without, has been a heavy weight since he's been here. People seem to stay at a certain distance, even when they like him. But the dog doesn't. She just pushes right in, and he's so grateful for that.

He can understand how a creature like this could be someone's best friend. He looks up at Jonathan again, his face attentive. He holds out his arm, showing Jonathan the word 'where?' Where is Danny now? Not here, if Jonathan is playing with other dogs instead. ]

[...ah. Jonathan's gaze drops more fully on the dogs, because he knows that otherwise it will be too easy to spot the painful sadness in his expression. even after all these years, his death still manages to evoke the same raw feelings that had rushed through him the day he'd died.]

He passed away some time ago. I haven't had an animal since, I suppose out of sentimentality.

[sentimentality...or the fear that it might meet the same fate. he couldn't have borne putting another living being in that position.]

[ Passed? So the dog is dead?

Grey glances down at the one pressed against him. He stands up, taps the dog gently as if to say he'll be back in a moment (which is useless, since the dog trots after him anyway) and he goes over to touch Jonathan's arm.

Grey has never had a pet, but he understands grief. He pushes up his sleeve, showing the word 'Sorry'. The word alone would seem impersonal, but sympathy is written into every line of Grey's face. It's okay to be sentimental. He understands that, too. ]

[the gesture brings a fragment of his usual smile back onto Jonathan's face, although it's still tempered by the poor memories. the sadness can't choke out the gratitude evident in his tone, either.]

Thank you.

[he shakes himself a little, as if he can physically cast away everything that's bothering him. whether it actually works or not, he outwardly seems to have steadied himself.]

I don't usually dwell on it very much. I was lucky to have so many wonderful memories with him that it seems a bit disrespectful to think only of the worst ones.

[ That's true. It's hard, though. Grey looks away. When he thinks of Gilliam now, he thinks of him dying. He remembers that all of the time.

But he remembers other things too. The closeness. The care. Rough hands on his face, in his hair, a voice that always told him what to do. Jonathan is right. The good things have to be remembered too.

He nods, and his hand lightly squeezes the boy's shoulder. The dog who'd followed him over seems to take her cue from this, and nuzzles at Jonathan's hand. She wants attention, too. Grey smiles, pointing at her. Your friend might be gone, but there are others who'd like to be friends too. Surely that's not disrespect. ]

[he laughs, swooping down to give the dog a kiss on the nose and an affectionate tousle of her ears.]

They're all very sweet, aren't they? Perhaps when I leave the government housing I can talk myself into taking one home.

[he's finally somewhere safe enough to think about bringing a dog home. Dio may be in Heropa, but they weren't living together...or the same people, really.]

In the meantime, it's nice to just come and visit for a bit. I always seem to make another friend every time I stop by.

[human or animal, his smile seems to say]

[ Grey likes this boy. He likes that he's affectionate with the dog, and he likes his smile very much. It's impossible not to return it, even just a little bit. Jonathan's cheer seems to be infectious.

That last line makes Grey's head tilt, curiously. Do you mean him? Really?

After a moment he nods, agreeing. This is a nice store. He'd only come into it to get away from the street, but he likes it too.

He holds out his arm, showing Jonathan the word 'thank you' - which could mean thank you for saying that, and also thank you for the story. They're both true. Crouching down again, he pets the dog, too. ]

You're quite welcome.

[in Jonathan's mind there really isn't anything he's done worth being thanked for, but it's rude to dismiss someone's gratitude. if they felt that way, he was glad to have caused it.]

I live in the government housing here - number thirty-six. If you'd ever like to stop by and visit, you're more than welcome to.

[ That makes Grey smile slightly, and he nods. April had said the same. He nods, and then after a moment, he takes his phone out. He types the name of the apartment exactly, the way it's printed on his file. ]

HEROPA GOVT. APARTMENT COMPLEX

[ He shows it to Jonathan, before gesturing to himself. He doesn't like that place, though. He can't imagine it ever feeling like home. Though, maybe it would, if there were other people there.

Putting the phone away again, he looks down at the dog, giving her head a last pet. Then, glancing at the door, he tilts his head towards it. He should go, probably. He's glad he came in here, though. It hadn't been planned, but it seems to have been a lucky break. ]

[he nods, filing the address away in his memory. it might be nice to drop in sometime, rather than keep himself cooped up in the library so much like a loser.]

Thank you, it was good to make your acquaintance. I hope we'll see each other again soon.

[ Grey nods, agreeing with that. His face is serious, but friendly. He pulls his coat around him and moves out, back into the street to leave the store behind. ]

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OPEN: Hiding in a crowd

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