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 Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:35 pm
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An Honest Living
A natural! was what Shiloh wanted to tell him, because although he had pointed the man out, Jamie had scooted off without even so much of a cue. What a go-getter, that bunny.
Anyway, it wasn't like Shiloh could let him run off alone like that. He had to act fast—and he did—his movements stealthy and practiced like a recital before a play. The man didn't seem as heartless as one would take, but that didn't mean he wasn't a total jackass. Jamie tripping earned a small frown, an equally nervous look of awkwardness, and a few glances around. Typical adults; they were all so goddamn entitled. Why help someone out when you were running late for a meeting, or late for lunch, or whatever the ******** else there was out there.
Then again, that was more a problem with society as a whole rather than snobbish adults.
Either way, it made Shiloh hate the b*****d more, and it made it easier for him to carry his task out too. The crowd was a perfect cover up; people were already bumping into the man who had stopped to spectate, so Shiloh's brush went entirely unnoticed.
“Hey, you okay?" he slipped past the man towards Jamie, face all an act, “You'll get trampled, c'mon." offering a hand down to the poor, innocent stranger.
His smile was a little less than genuine, at least as far as good morals went. The man went about his business.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:44 pm
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An Honest Living
Sufficient awkward clumsiness, check. It was all too spot on, like this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Except before now, it definitely hadn't been on purpose.
As the suit looked on as if touching Jamie or helping him up might pass on the good guy cooties, he took a moment to fiddle with his hands, to grab desperately for his hat, to play up the act so that any eyes not on him would be on him should they choose to stop. No one really did, but that was okay. Jamie didn't take it personally, but only because he wasn't actually upset.
Only Shiloh stopped. The deed must be done. "U-Um, t-thank you," he stuttered, just as nervously as he might an actual stranger. Quickly tugging the hat back on, he grabbed Shiloh's hand.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:11 pm
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But I'm Not
Some distance ahead of the twins, Jamie meandered leisurely from storefront to storefront. It wasn't that he felt particularly calm yet despite outward appearances. There were still so many things to take in and his anxiety threatened like a lump in his throat when he let his thoughts get too far away, but after a moment to adjust he wasn't outright panicking anymore. There wasn't any thought to the store he eventually stopped in front of, the ghost of his faint reflection reminding him how different he looked than the well-dressed mannequins in the window. They really were riding the tail end of the 80s, even if it made no sense.
Time travel was the stuff of movies. Then again, Jamie supposed he thought the same thing about magic once, too.
"Good afternoon." The voice startled him from his internalizing, making him jump. An embarrassed flush to his cheeks told the woman who'd addressed him exactly what she'd done, but she made no mention of it beyond a cheery smile.
"Like what you see?" she asked as she turned to the window display, "We just got this line in. A little bit high end, a little bit cool and casual. It's a hit. And I think..." now she was appraising him as she spoke, "it would look better on a pretty young girl like you than on these dummies any day."
As she threw her thumb towards the mannequins, Jamie balked, finding no strength to deny her claims and barely enough to make words at all. "I-I, um, I can't afford it." Actually, he had no idea whether he could with the small fold of cash he happened to have in his pocket when they'd landed here. Hell, he didn't even know if the money they'd brought with them was useable in this time period. What if someone noticed the magical, mystical future dates and future designs and thought he was a really bad counterfeiter?
She looked him over again and Jamie was shrinking under her intense gaze. I'm not a girl, his mind said, repeated over and over. Yet each time it felt less true, it felt like he was in denial as opposed to simply stating the facts. Something wasn't right about that.
Needless to say, he still couldn't mention it to the aggressive saleswoman.
"Nonsense," she told him, "It's not that much." Now her hand was at her chin, her long, delicate fingers sliding at flawless skin. It was like she was debating, on the verge of making a very important, possibly life altering decision. "You know what, though, dear... a pretty girl like you-" there it was again "-deserves something a bit nicer than..." she didn't finish her thought, but she didn't have to.
He thought his clothes were pretty nice, actually. Then again, he supposed he didn't do this kind of thing for a living.
"Now, don't tell my boss," she paused, long and purposeful, her lips curling up with every passing second, "Just kidding, I'm the boss." And then she disappeared from the doorway, gone for what felt like a split second and an eternity all wrapped in one. When she returned, she had a bag in her hand and it was heavy with an entire outfit. And entire free outfit.
"This is for you. Go home and see what you think."
Jamie wanted to say it wasn't necessary, he wanted to say he didn't need this or he felt bad taking something like this for nothing, but at the same time he held his tongue. They were in an unfamiliar time, an unfamiliar place, and anything he could get to make his life a bit easier was an actual blessing.
"U-Um," he stuttered, having barely said a thing the entire time, "T-Thank you..."
"Don't even mention it." With a firm pat on the shoulder, she left him to his thoughts, standing outside with a free outfit. A free outfit for the girl she'd thought he was, anyway.
In a daze, he waited for the twins to catch up.
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 5:28 pm
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The Great Outdoors
The sky above them was immense and black, no stars shining through the dark smog of the New York populace. Shiloh enthusiastically pointed up at something that seemed to be moving despite this, “Wait, wait, there's one!"
“Shiloh, that's just a helicopter."
The twin deflated, throwing himself back down against the soft grass they had been sitting on. They had all split up to try and procure living accommodations, but with no luck; at least, none on their side. Jamie had yet to show back up again, whether he was successful or not.
“The sky looks a lot better back home." Shiloh remarked quietly, remembering the far clearer skies of Ashdown and the even clearer still skies back in Maine. “It'd be cool to do this s**t in like, Alaska, where the sky's prolly all wicked and bright and stuff."
“And cold, Shiloh. Very cold." Oliver rolled his eyes, “I've always fancied camping, but not... necessarily like this."
“Aw, what's wrong with this?"
“Shiloh, we're bumming around in a park."
“Oh, true..."
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 8:22 pm
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The Great Outdoors
Though his parents had been all over the place on business, Jamie could count on one hand the time he'd stayed in a hotel other than the exact same one in Florida where they occasionally took their beach vacations. Never before had he been the one booking the place, either, and had a distinct lack of understanding when it came to all things adult.
Eighteen may have been legally grown, but Jamie still had a lot to learn.
"Hey, guys," Jamie greeted as he walked up behind them, currently ignorant to their conversation and Shiloh's camping fantasies. He sounded tired, exasperated even, but accomplished. "I found a hotel that didn't completely destroy our budget."
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 5:16 pm
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The Great Outdoors
Shiloh immediately shot up when he heard footsteps, and then the voice, and then finally Jamie himself. His eyes sparkled, his face broke out into a stupid grin. “See!" he turned to Oliver, “I told you he'd pull through!"
“Shiloh I never doubted you. I never doubted him, ********> Oliver rolled his eyes very dramatically to emphasize his point. Shiloh only stuck his tongue out at his twin and then immediately went back to fawning over Jamie. Had he mentioned how cute the outfit was? Because it was really cute.
“You're really good at this integrating thing." he wobbled back and forth, sitting cross legged with his hands on his ratty shoes. Had it been any other time, his skin would have erupted into colorful blooms. As it was, he still felt disgustingly disconnected from his magic. “Here, sit down, rest a little. You did great— we were just stargazing." he pointed up at the single light floating around in the sky.
Oliver sighed. Again.
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:36 am
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The Great Outdoors
The only thing keeping Jamie from matching Shiloh's floral enthusiasm with a glistening white crown of snowdrops was the same thing that held Shiloh back, too. Since coming here, they hadn't been able to access their full range of abilities. It was slightly worrisome, but they had other, more pressing things to worry about. Survival was one, getting home was another.
"I guess maybe have been doing good," he agreed sheepishly as he joined the twins on the ground. "The room I got, though... it's not the best, so I hope it'll be okay... I thought it might be better than sleeping outside."
Looking up, Jamie noticed the distinct lack of actual stars to watch (thanks New York). Was Shiloh talking about that helicopter? Well, Jamie wasn't about to ruin his good time... "It's a nice night..."
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:14 am
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The Great Outdoors
Shiloh rolled his eyes, patting Jamie on the back. After a moment of thought (or perhaps lack there of), he kept his hand there. “Don't undersell yourself." his tone was gentle, but firm.
“It's nice if you enjoy the taste of smog," Oliver said as he walked over, sitting closer to the makeshift group. “Or the loud, never ending sounds of the city." neither of which Oliver particularly cared for. He hugged his knees, missing the comforts of Ashdown and his cats. Was time directly correlated here? Was a day here still a day in the present time? Eli was going to kill him.
“But Shiloh's still right, thank you Jamie."
“Also I'm starving," Shiloh yawned, not even bothering to cover his mouth as the hand at Jamie's back looped lazily around his shoulders instead. “Think maybe we should grab a pizza or something?" That was one of the things New York was good at, right? Pizza? ******** he didn't care so long as he ate something.
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 5:50 pm
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The Great Outdoors
Jamie didn't mean to make googly eyes at Shiloh, but he couldn't deny it was probably happening. Knowing wouldn't make stopping any easier, but there was a faint blush to his cheeks regardless.
"Okay, okay," he huffed, but didn't sound put out. A little embarrassed, sure, but he was still in good spirits. They had running water and a bed to go back to, even if there was only one bed involved and it wasn't the best of hotels. It was something. "Let's go, it's not that far from here and, um, I'm pretty sure I saw a pizza place on the way."
As he stood, he held a hand down for Shiloh.
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:02 pm
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The Great Outdoors
Since getting to experience both Beaumont twins in the same place over an extended period of time, Jamie had come to the conclusion that they were silly, but undeniably endearing. Their fights, if you could really call them that, made him smile in the stupidest way. It was kinda nice, kinda warm in that familiar way, even if the familiarity wasn't his to feel.
When Ollie shoved him, he laughed, squeezing Shiloh's hand like he was trying to make sure they didn't get separated. "Holding hands is kinda nice, though..." he admitted, turning away to hide the resurgence of the blush.
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