[Closed] Try to get out but we just keep sticking around

[smokedout]

who: Jamie Dodger, Eichi Tenshouin, Eddie Thawne and Christian Fischer.
what: Various dates purchased for charity.
when: Throughout the week after the masquerade.
where: Around the inner city.
warnings: Dodger. Will update as needed.

Comments

[causational]

That's handy. Where did you get him? I might be able to handle something like that.

[It's idle, because now that Dodger has heard him voice the interest, Eddie's nowhere near interested in actually following through. In giving Dodger something else that he cares about to threaten. Instead, he keeps stroking at Brink's fur, his fingers toying over the charging cable and USB cable, shaking his head a little bit at the contradiction between what looks like a sweet dog but feels like a computer accessory.

When Dodger says that, though, casually and callously points out that Eddie is single and suggests getting a dog to fill the empty void in his life, Eddie's jaw clenches in anger, and his eyes go hard. Because that hurts, it hurts lot, to have someone like Dodger point out and commentate on something that hurts, left him lonely and feeling unwantable. Squaring his shoulders, he forces a smile.]

That might be good advice if I actually had an empty void. Anyway, I didn't really ask your opinion on my romantic life. Shall we move on to another topic, or should I just go?

[smokedout]

[His brow twitches again, and with a quick motion he taps the side of his chair for Brink to move over and sit at his feet. Other dogs come to investigate them, but the atmosphere sort of fades in favor of his nerves at having ruined the moment of... something. Whatever had been happening between them.]

No- fuck. Don't get up. That was out of line.

[It just comes so naturally... teasing and hating. It's easy. Connecting with people is difficult, and it's remained difficult even after months of trying to figure it out for the sake of having something meaningful to do here.]

You probably noticed, but I'm moving out of my comfort zone to do this. You're gonna have to bear with me while I figure out how to talk to you without- bringing shit up.

[The whole point of this had been to make him uncomfortable... but it seems hard now, seeing as he's - a real person, with some similar interests, not a faceless cop that sees him as an abomination.]

[causational]

[It's strange. Eddie's always been pretty good at reading people, and Dodger is no exception. After all, he's a person, and so Eddie can pick up on all the tells and body language as Dodger reacts to what he said. And it looks like Dodger is struggling with it a little, and when he asks Eddie not to get up and says that his dig was out of line, it looks like he means it.

Shifting in his seat a little, Eddie licks his lips and looks Dodger in the eyes for a moment, as if he could figure him out.]

Okay.

[It's quiet, a little drawn out, and his brows furrow a bit as he keeps his eyes on Dodger's face.]

So can I ask why, exactly, you're trying to be a decent human being to me now?

[smokedout]

Does it matter? [He tips his head to the side, watching him somewhat calculatingly.] I've got my reasons, just like you've got your reasons for agreeing to it and not standing me up.

[He pulls out a cigarette without thinking about it, but... just ends up fiddling with it in his hand, unwilling to put smoke out in a room full of dogs. But damn... this whole scenario makes him itch.]

What matters right now is that you're getting whatever you want here for free... not including dogs. And we can chat, on neutral ground. Wouldn't wanna worry the dogs by starting a fight.

[causational]

I'm a police detective. The 'why' always matters to me. [Raising his brows, he snorts a little when Dodger says Eddie's got his reasons for not standing him up.] For example, I'm going to be completely transparent with you. My reasons? Because this is for a charity, and I'm not an asshole.

[Eddie manages to bite his tongue when Dodger pulls out that cigarette, but only barely, mouth pursing, at least until Dodger just fiddles with it and doesn't light it. After a moment, Eddie just lets it go.]

Okay. I buy that, sort of. I'm still pretty curious about why, exactly, you want to chat with me on neutral ground, but I guess I'll just bite my tongue for now. You do have a way of getting to what you want eventually.

[Flagging over one of the waitstaff, Eddie orders himself a nonfat latté and then glances up at Dodger.]

You getting anything?

[smokedout]

Because I've got a vested interest in not getting arrested, surprising as that might be.

[He says that much, before the waiter comes over. For a moment he just watches Eddie, silently judging him for ordering a latte, and orders a black coffee without a glance at the waiter.

And once the waiter has gone, he leans back in his seat, still watching him intently, still fiddling with that cigarette in his hand.]

I want to talk about the night we met. No games, no threats, just talking. Figured since anything else I've tried did fuck all, I might as well try diplomacy.

[causational]

Totally shocking.

[Eddie says it with a slight twist of a smile at the corner of his mouth and a roll of his eyes, gently teasing. It's a bit sarcastic, but not as bad as it could be, because he's making some kind of effort to let his guard down, just a little.

But after they order and Dodger gets back on about the night they met, no games or threats or anything else, Eddie finds himself sighing. Shifting a little, he lifts a hand to rub at his forehead, eyes sinking shut, because this, again? Because he'd thought this was settled.]

So it didn't occur to you that maybe the things you've tried haven't worked because there is no grand scheme to my actions? That it was just the fact that Ivar didn't want to press charges, and I didn't want to arrest you only to have you out on the street again in a few days and angry enough to take it out on an innocent person?

[Eddie leans back in his chair, arms crossed, looking irritated, eyes on Dodger.]

If I was playing some game with you, I'd have already made it clear. I'm not some kind of mastermind, I'm just a guy who happens to be a cop. I'm not even a good liar.