I am a human being

[smokedout]

who: Jamie Dodger and YOU.
what: Catch-all for April
when: April
where: Aaaaall over the place.
warnings: Dodger. (Always assume sex/violence are on the table; will edit with any other warnings.)

--

i. Hospital visits - open

He'd planned to leave the same day he'd woken up, but it turns out that bodies don't like suddenly moving around after a month of being stationary and largely unused. So for the first few days, he's stuck laying in his hospital bed when he's not being lead through physical therapy. It's bullshit, and his snappiness only gets worse when a nurse compares him to Ivar under her breath.

ii. Back to work - open

Once he's out of the hospital, he mostly decides to keep to himself. That means spending a lot of time doing his job, a stunning new change of pace. He's even taken the time to learn more about how cars work, as well as a few other types of vehicles that didn't exist in his universe.

Still, the thing that gets most of his focus is his baby, a black motorcycle with three scratches purposefully keyed into the back wheel's hood, and a purple symbol painted on the front hood. It seems like whenever he's working on that one in particular, he enters into a zen-like state of bliss and focus. Either he's always high when he's working on it, or he actually has some human emotions in there somewhere... who knows.

iii. Burning old bridges - Aeacinos

In true Dodger fashion, he hadn't really explained his intentions when he called the naga over. One short message:

doing spring cleaning. come over.

Dodger is sitting on the steps that lead up to his apartment building, with a cooking pot on the ground in front of him. A fire is crackling contentedly inside of it, though it doesn't seem to have enough fuel for its size and every once it a while it dims just enough for him to snap his fingers and revive it in full. He has a stack of photos, files, notes and spare pieces of paper beside him, and with a blank look in his eyes he's tossing each one into the flames, barely even looking at them before he does.

He can't stand looking at all this proof of the things he's lost. Keeping any of it after the fire was just pointless, dragging himself back when he had to be ready to rinse himself clean and move on when things got rough. He glances down at the next photo in his hand, showing the edge of Reaper's scarred jawline under his mask... he crumples it with a sudden rush of despair, feeling like he might throw up as he holds back the urge to cry over it.

iv. Husky hunt - Eddie

It's no surprise that Dodger knows Eddie's work schedule like the back of his hand - it's one of those things he'd memorized when he was still trying to bring the city to its knees. With the way he walks so softly, and how he makes a conscious effort to take a place at Eddie's side just as he's passing through a crowd on his way home, it almost isn't immediately noticeable that he's showed up. Almost, except that the smell of alcohol tends to give him away pretty plainly at close proximity like this.

"Got a moment? I'm looking for a dog - black and white husky, blue eyes. Answers to Hati. Figured you'd be willing to lend a hand."

He'd been wanting to talk to him again, after that last... whatever it was. He just didn't have much of a reason to, and he still doesn't. Hopefully Eddie will be able to tell it's important to him... and will care.

Comments

iii

[illusionistic]

He'll get that message and arrive shortly afterwards. Honestly after their last encounter he thought Dodger wouldn't want to see him again. After all he had pushed the other man to his breaking point and then he disappeared until just now. It's no wonder Aeacinos thought what he had.

Not that he really minded, Dodger was just a fling, maybe? His feelings were a bit strange when it came to the other man. So he'll arrive at his apartment in his human form. It was just easier to assume this form when moving about cramped places like this. The smoke and fire get his attention but he'll cross his arms over his chest as he watches silently for a second or two. But he'll move to grab Dodger by the chin and turn his head up towards him as he bends down to give him a heated kiss on the lips.

"You have been gone for some time. I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to contact me again after all that."

[smokedout]

The crumpled photo falls from his hand the moment Aeacinos's hands are on him, and a moment later his hands are buried in Aeacinos's hair, pulling him closer as he kisses him back with some mixture of affection and desperation.

And then he breaks off, just enough to speak, and lets out a cracked little laugh.

"I was in the hospital. Fell off the wall." He swallows involuntarily, and presses another needy kiss to Aeacinos's lips. "It's good to see you."

[illusionistic]

Aeacinos will let out a pleased hum as he runs a hand through Dodger's hair. The reciprocated kiss is just as affectionate. He has missed the other man in his own way.

Still when Dodger explains he'll let out a hiss, eyes flashing with subtle anger.

"You fell? Or did someone attack you? I would think if you had fallen you would just teleport, no?" He sounds less than thrilled to hear this.

"Who did such a thing? I will punish them myself if I must." But, he huffs as he kisses Dodger back.

"It is...good to see you as well." Even if he's kind of annoyed that it happened at all?! Still his eyes trail towards the fire now.

"What is all of this? Do you not care for any of these things?" They looked like notes, letters maybe? But they seemed to have been taken care of rather well so Aeacinos wonders why Dodger would just throw them away like this.

[smokedout]

"Relax..." The laugh he gets out is a little more genuine, a bit of light returning to his eyes as he studies the other man's face, "...I was just being stupid. I got startled, that's all."

His lips purse when Aeacinos asks about the papers. He glances down at them, picking up the crumpled photo he'd dropped and placing it into the fire instead. Watching those beautiful scars melt into cinders.

"Old memories... just clearing out the space." He picks up a torn-out page from a composition notebook, scrawled with notes on the fireflies, and adds it to the fire. "None of it matters, anyway. They're all just... reminders of things I lost."

[illusionistic]

Aeacinos will hum as he contemplates Dodger's words. That doesn't exactly sound right but he won't press it. Aeacinos will grab Dodger's wrist then, kissing the palm of his hand as he draws his attention away from the fire.

"Sometimes keeping those reminders is not such a bad thing. It helps you learn, grow, become stronger. But I will not lecture you on keeping these things, they are yours to keep or destroy. Do you wish for some help? That is what you called me here for, yes?"

Or was it something else perhaps...

[smokedout]

"Not exactly..." His gaze is caught on Aeacinos's lips, letting out a contented hum as his palm is kissed. "Just wanted some company. I wanted- to see you."

Honestly, it's flattering to think there's someone left in the city who's surprised to hear Dodger managed to trip and end up in the hospital. Everyone here seems to underestimate him so much, it's infuriating... but he really is nothing without his master.

The smile falls off of his face again. He's found and lost so many people since he came here. Everything moves so fast, compared to New York, and he finds himself suddenly afraid of losing Aeacinos as well. Of Aeacinos seeing some part of him that he finds pathetic and disgusting, or just deciding something back home was more important than him.

The next paper on his pile is a photo of Eichi in bed, naked and grinning sleepily. He can't even bring himself to touch it, instead breaking away from Aeacinos and burying his face in his hands.

[illusionistic]

It was strange to see Dodger acting like this. But he was clearly hurting and Aeacinos never enjoyed seeing his lovers in pain. It made Aeacinos realize just how young Dodger was and how old he was. Something he never really thought about because that was just how he was created. Everyone back home was old to an extent. But humans never lived past 100 year whereas he has been alive for thousands. Things like this don't affect him much anymore but he's been through so much in his live that it never fazed him.

Aeacinos will wrap his arm around Dodger's shoulders and pull him close to his chest. The rhythmic beating of Aeacinos' heart can be heard as he lets out a soft hm.

"Perhaps that is enough for now. Come. Let us have a drink or two." Dodger looks like he needs it at least.

"If you wish to tell me more I will listen. Or we do not have to talk at all. But I will stay as long as you wish it."

[smokedout]

Dodger himself rarely thinks of himself as young. He considered himself an adult at twelve, and he's never let himself step back and be a kid. It catches up to him in moments like this, when he feels helpless and alone, when all he wants is for someone to pull him close and tell him that everything will be alright.

And that's exactly what he's getting, and it's wonderful beyond all measure. His body is running cold and hot all at the same time, as he struggles to hold back his emotions, his breath coming out in a shaky and muffled sob.

He shouldn't be weak like this in public. They should go upstairs, where he can curl up in Aeacinos's tail, and be safe, and loved.. but he can't bring himself to move, and he's shaking violently with the force it takes to keep himself from crying.

[illusionistic]

Everyone is young when you've lived as long as Aeacinos has. But he doesn't think any less of Dodger for crying or giving into his emotions. It wasn't a sign of weakness but more a sign of having some humanity.

Aeacinos will lift Dodger up there and then, seeing as how the other couldn't walk himself, he'll take it upon himself to carry him to his front door at least. Not saying a word as he holds the other man close.

"Your door." He'll nod towards it, asking if it was okay to open it himself or if Dodger would rather do it instead.

[smokedout]

He lets out a small noise when lifted, but it's more surprise than protest. When they get to the door, he hesitates briefly before nudging his way out of Aeacinos's arms, and opening it. He'd left it unlocked, for once... and it isn't until they're indoors that he feels like he can speak again.

"...Brink. Get the- the pictures and notes and- that crap, that I left outside, and bring- uh... bring them back up here. I'll- deal with them later."

"Understood." Brink gets up off of Dodger's bed, and slips past them as Dodger closes the door and pulls Aeacinos to the bed. Not that he has any plan in mind, it just... seems like the thing to do.

[illusionistic]

Aeacinos will watch the exchange before following Dodger to his bed. He'll sit down, dragging Dodger onto his lap. He has no plans to initiate anything either, unless Dodger wants to.

"Are you still up for that drink?" He'll ask as his form begins to shift and change back into a naga. His tail is still far too big to really fit comfortably in Dodger's apartment but he makes due. He'll open that drawer where Dodger stores his liquor with his tail, fetching one with the tip of it as he grabs it in a clawed hand. He'll eye Dodger curiously as he opens it and takes a swig before offering it to him. His tail will slowly begin to move closer to Dodger, almost in a comforting action and position so that he can lean against it if he wishes.

[smokedout]

Dodger nods quietly, taking the bottle from him and sipping it tentatively. After a bit of hesitation, he tips his head back and drains all of it, which takes several seconds but feels very worth it. At least there's something to combat the hollow feeling in his chest. The bottle hits the floor and he leans against Aeacinos's chest, running a hand idly over the scales of his tail just to keep himself grounded.

"I just want to get rid of- everything." he mumbles under his breath, "Everything that happened to me here. Every time I find something good, it leaves, that's how it always-" He stops himself, and takes a shaky breath before repositioning himself to straddle Aeacinos's lap, pressing a heated kiss to his lips. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. I want you to fuck me."

[illusionistic]

"Does it not? What happens to one here matters just as much as what has happened to you back home. All experiences change a person for better or for worse. Which would you like yours to aid in?" He might shift underneath Dodger, eyes narrowing now as he regards him with a stern look.

"I do not think having sex will make you feel any better about this. It is just a means for you to not discuss your issues, is it not?" He says it as he cants his head to regard Dodger with some concern.

"This may have worked with the others you have slept with...but I do not feel this is the right time for such things." He'll lean back against the wall to regard him.

i

[ragnarsson]

As soon as Ivar hears that Dodger has woken up, he goes over to visit his sometimes-friend. He's using his leg braces today, which give him the nice advantage of being able to loom over Dodger in his bed with a disapproving expression on his face. He glares at Dodger for about thirty seconds, one foot tapping the floor, before he takes out his axe.

He flips it around so that he's only using the handle on Dodger. Then he gives him a good hard Thwack! between the ears. "That is what you get for being a fucking idiot!" And then he whacks him again in the side for good measure. Dodger should really have seen this coming.

[smokedout]

He'd been groggy when Ivar came in, about to greet him when the axe first cracks against his head. And he almost gets a response out before he's hit again, this time glaring at him petulantly as he raises a hand to rub his head.

"Nice to see you too." He mutters, sitting up shakily. As far as Ivar goes, it's a friendly greeting, so he doesn't even sound sarcastic. Just moody. "Not here to bring flowers, are you?"

As evidenced by the vase on his bedside table, which has a lot of ash and rotting plant matter in it, he didn't take kindly to the flowers that were set out by the nurses.

[ragnarsson]

Ivar looks over at the vase. That definitely was a typical Dodger move. He knew Dodger disliked flowers, though he's never asked him why. "What's the matter? Did they bring you daisies when you wanted lilies?"

He drags a chair over to Dodger's bedside, sitting heavily down into it while he rubs his legs. Being in leg braces definitely isn't the most comfortable thing in the world. "How did you even end up in a coma to begin with?" Normally, Ivar would have been the prime suspect if it had been anything shady, so it couldn't have been a person that did this.

[smokedout]

"Sure, tiger lilies..." He grumbles to himself, knowing full well the meaning is lost on Ivar. He really doubts the Viking's managed to read up on flower language, of all things.

He sits up properly and gives him a searching look, before shrugging awkwardly.

"Tripped. Fell off the wall."

Not his finest moment, but he isn't about to lie about it. He doesn't consider himself creative enough to make up a person to have shoved him off.

"Figured you'd be glad, no more burning your father. No more hurting that pet Christian of his." He grimaces, "Why didn't you finish me off while I was in here? Pull my life support and all."

[ragnarsson]

He's not sure what tiger lilies have anything to do with anything, so the meaning goes completely in one ear and out the other. Ivar shakes his head at Dodger's explanation. "Only you would be stupid enough to do that." Never let it be said that Ivar ever sugarcoated anything when it came to Dodger.

The mention of his father and Athelstan causes fire to once again rage up inside Ivar.

He reaches over and cards his fingers through the longer portion of Dodger's hair. It could almost be seen as a tender movement until his fingers tighten on his brown hair, pulling his head painfully back so that Ivar can look him in the eye. "When I kill you, mutt, I'm going to be looking in your eyes so I can watch the light die out of them."

[smokedout]

The rough touch drags an excited gasp from him, despite his best efforts to hold it back, and there's a spark of interest in his eyes, like he's just been offered a very exciting new game. He hates to admit it, but Ivar grew up well; and after everything that's happened, arguing with police officers, losing Shigeru and admitting defeat to Genji, who hadn't even done anything to win...

It's nice to be in his comfort zone again.

"How romantic." Dodger leans a bit into Ivar's hand as he speaks, only partly to lessen the pain, "Admit it, though... it'll be lonely without me around."

[ragnarsson]

Ivar really should have expected this. Dodger didn't react the normal way people did to rough manhandling. He was just a little too kinky for it. Apparently his only limits were cold-blooded torture. The problem with Dodger is that he was cute and charming, which made him think he could get away with things.

There's always been something complicated between them, Ivar knows this, and his mind swims with fuzzy memories of kissing Dodger while he cut his hand open at Yule. He'd always said the only time he'd bed Dodger would be when Ragnarok was happening. But never say never. "No one vexes me quite like you do," He admits, still pulling painfully on Dodger's hair, arching his neck back, and presenting a good view of his throat.

One of Ivar's ever-present knives, this one with a space at the end for him to twirl it around his fingers, appears in his free hand. He runs the tip of it down Dodger's throat slowly, letting it rest right at the base. "The problem with you is that you have no master. A dog without anyone to obey is no good." Ivar's gotten well-versed in how to get men far older than him to listen to his leadership in the two years he's been away.

[smokedout]

Dodger shivers as the knife runs along his skin; there's a look of anticipation in his eyes, but for what, even he isn't sure. And yet, at Ivar's words he lets out a low chuckle, almost teasing him.

"Are you planning to be my master, then, Ivar Ragnarsson?"

He wouldn't object; Ivar would have earned it. And he'd bet anything that if something happens to him because of Ivar, Aeacinos will be quick to destroy him. Dodger himself may not have power against him, but he has a card up his sleeve and that's all he really needs to be confident.

[ragnarsson]

There's a smirk on Ivar's face as he runs the knife further down Dodger's body, shredding the thin hospital gown that lies over his chest. He presses the time just hard enough over the hard planes of his pecs for a drop of blood to come to the surface. It's tempting to go further, carve a mark into Dodger's skin to go with the many he's already put there. Ivar's insanity wants it, but the idea of having control over someone he's fought with this long is an even greater temptation.

"We'll see," he says in a manner that comes off as both ominous and yet a little playful at the same time. Ivar does love having his toys to fuck around with. Dodger presents a challenge that he might enjoy taking up. The hand in his hair lets go and moves down his face, resting lightly over the scars on Dodger's face.

[smokedout]

Dodger's breath is shaky as the knife travels further, and one of his hands moves very subtly to his lap so that his arousal doesn't make this awkward. Getting played with like this is a breath of fresh air after suffocating in Riverview... he hates to admit it, but yeah, Ivar grew up very well.

He leans into the hand on his face, shifting to nip Ivar's thumb gently. "Just be careful not to make the same mistakes your father did... if you earn my loyalty, I won't take kindly to being tossed aside."

[ragnarsson]

Having Dodger around in a loyal dog capacity would certainly make his life more interesting. Ivar was certain he could keep him on a leash after all these months of already showing his mastery over the mutant already. "I'm not my father as you very well know." That's not to say that Ivar didn't make mistakes. It's just that he tended to make a very different set of mistakes than his father did.

As if to prove the point, he leaned over Dodger's bedside, kissing him hard on the lips. Like the first time they had kissed, this was more a sign of dominance than anything else. Ivar enjoyed being the alpha dog.

[smokedout]

Dodger wouldn't be able to put into words why this kiss is any better than the other power moves Ivar's pulled on him. This time, he's only intimidated just enough that it adds to his excitement, a splash of fear mixing with arousal and the thrill of being validated, the leftover grogginess of having just come to his senses a minute or two ago.

Oh, and the fact that Shigeru is gone, and he's desperate to find someone new to latch onto. That certainly helps.

Instead of just taking Ivar's kiss he leans into it, grabbing a fistful of Ivar's hair to keep him close. He's accepting Ivar's dominance on his own terms and at this point, it seems like the best move he can make.