Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 21, 2011 9:39:55 GMT -5
Haywire could always just ride on Nightbeat's shoulder and call the directions if he gets really desperate.
"Okay," says the young Nebulan, "but the offer stands if you change your mind or something." At Muzzle's offer of a drink, Haywire looks sheepish and tries to politely wave off the bottle. "Thanks," he murmurs quite sincerely, "but no thanks. I got plenty to drink at the club." Being offered some of the precious single malt and being addressed by name, even with a quick correction, does feel pretty good, though. Maybe he isn't so much of a kid now. "…But I'll keep that favour in mind," he adds.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 21, 2011 21:51:03 GMT -5
"Suit yourself," Muzzle says, leaning back and taking a long gulping swig from the bottle. It contains significantly more air than it did before when he replaces it on the table next to the vase.
"Ah, that's the good stuff. I was hoping to get you plastered enough to forget I said anything about owing you a favor, but I guess I'll just have to live with it now," he jokes.
"The club, right. I hear you ran into Singe and Hairsplitter."
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 24, 2011 2:06:06 GMT -5
The reminder of his visit to that little club darkens Haywire's expression somewhat and dampens his mood. He leans forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Yeah," he murmurs. "And Aimless. Sunbeam was there, too, which probably meant the last one hanging around with them was Zigzag. Though none of them tried to start anything with me." He doesn't want to admit how relieved that makes him when he thinks back on it; headstrong he may be, but there's only so much he can do against five guys. He scrubs at his face with one hand in a mix of shame and bemusement. "Heck, Singe bought me a drink!"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 24, 2011 19:39:53 GMT -5
"Oh, you saw all of them! Recon like that could come in handy." Seeing the enemy in their natural habitat totally counts as recon, even if it involves lap dances.
"You accepted a drink from Singe?" Muzzle says, incredulous and disapproving. As far as he's concerned, a drink from Singe might as well be a drink from Oil Slick.
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 27, 2011 13:03:18 GMT -5
Promptly, Haywire throws both hands up in protest.
"I wasn't sure it was him at first!" he exclaims. "And he bought it so I'd stop being nosy with his group, I think. Pretty sure that's what the waitress said when she brought it over." Now he looks faintly embarrassed, flushing a rosy pink from his neckline to his scalp. It makes his freckles stand out more. "I was, uh… kind of distracted," he confesses.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 27, 2011 15:53:44 GMT -5
"You know what a good way to stop someone from being nosy is? You slip some knock-out drops into their drink and bribe the waitress not to notice. Then you work 'em over in a back alley and dump them in the river," Muzzle grumbles, frowning. "Tends to take the curiosity right out of a guy."
"You were distracted," he deadpans.
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 27, 2011 16:33:01 GMT -5
"Distracted," Haywire confirms, complexion returning to normal. He traces a most voluptuous figure in the air with his hands. "Had a lapful at the time. About my height, lavender-coloured skin, these downy-soft feathers… said her name was Shikoba…." He trails off for a moment with a faraway, contented gleam in his eyes.
Abruptly, he flushes all over again and snaps back to reality.
"And since I went in the first place to have a night off and enjoy myself, I was doing just that when they came in behind me," he adds defensively, chin jutting out. "It isn't like I went expecting recon. And the drink didn't knock me out. Though," and he grins uneasily, "it was pretty strong. Burned like nobody's business going down."
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 27, 2011 16:53:55 GMT -5
"Oooh," the detective says, realization dawning. He reaches over to pat Haywire on the shoulder. "Gotta watch out for dames, kid. Better men than us have fallen victim to a good-lookin' pair of legs," he confides with a smirk. "Seriously, though, don't accept drinks from strangers. Not on Pz-Zazz, anyway."
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 28, 2011 13:22:55 GMT -5
The re-emergence of the much loathed K-word turns Haywire's sheepish look sullen and he slouches away from Muzzle's comradely pat on the shoulder.
"Done playing dear old dad yet?" he grumbles uncharitably, crossing his arms. Sure, he's young, but he isn't a kid. Not any more than Blurr is.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 28, 2011 22:11:42 GMT -5
"I ain't playin' dear ol' dad!" Muzzle protests, half-rising from the bed and then collapsing back down, clutching his side. After a few moments of panting in obviously intense pain and clicking the little button that gives him more morphine while Nightbeat makes concerned noises, the detective looks over at the younger Nebulan.
"I ain't tryin' to baby ya, Haywire. I just . . . " He trails off. "Okay, I have too many painkillers in me to come up with a way for this not to sound corny. You're younger than I am, and I want you to benefit from my experience and not make my stupid mistakes. You think you can handle that?"
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Mar 30, 2011 10:10:52 GMT -5
Haywire isn't so self-absorbed that he isn't visibly upset and worried while Muzzle mashes the pain drip and lies there just breathing. He doesn't feel any better about it once Muzzle finally speaks up again, looking somehow… diminished after that brief fit.
"I know that," he says of Muzzle's sentiments while staring at his crossed arms, plaintive rather than sullen. He's clearly more upset that Muzzle put himself out – and convinced it's his fault – than he's sulking now about the K-word. He goes on quietly, "I'm not as stupid as I look." And he must look a truly naïve fool. He shifts uncomfortably on his chair, pulls a face, and the mood evaporates as quickly as it settled. He isn't quite grinning when he looks up at the other Nebulan, but it's close. "…This isn't gonna turn into some corny male-bonding thing, is it?" he asks, cocking one eyebrow.
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Mar 31, 2011 12:03:38 GMT -5
Muzzle sighs, letting out a big gust of air. "I don't think you're stupid. I just . . . Listen Haywire, you're the only other Nebulan on this oversized tin-can. The Decepticons have Singe, Hairsplitter, Sunbeam, Zigzag, and Aimless. Here it's just you and me. If you die, it'll be just me. The Autobots are great people, but . . . well . . ." He trails off and shrugs.
What he has with Nightbeat isn't so much a friendship as something closer than a marriage. To the other Autobots, Muzzle is mostly out of sight and out of mind. He's just Nightbeat's head, most of the time.
"Oh frag no! I am not nearly drunk enough for that!" the detective says with a hint of a smile.
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Apr 1, 2011 10:24:31 GMT -5
Haywire nearly blurts out that he isn't going to die. He has to swallow the words halfway across his tongue because he already knows that in some future, Blurr dies horribly – and likely Haywire with him. He doesn't think as fast as Blurr can; there's a strangled pause before he finds an alternative, and his smile is genuine but somewhat strained.
"Don't worry," he murmurs with all the reassurance he can muster. "It'll take more than those losers have to get rid of me." His expression eases and his humour returns in full as he adds, "I'll remember not to get you too drunk, then." He'd rather see Muzzle ribbing him and cracking wise than pumping more narcotics with a grimace of pain. He holds up one hand in a loose fist, back facing Muzzle, and extends his index finger. "So! That's one favour you owe me," and his middle finger joins the index, "and one favour I owe myself. Anything else?"
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Nightbeat
Minor
Eternal Foe of Kitsch
"Truth is revealed in the smallest detail."
Posts: 453
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Post by Nightbeat on Apr 1, 2011 19:39:24 GMT -5
Muzzle nods as Haywire tells him not to worry. "I'll have to stay just drunk enough," he replies, a bit groggily. "I'm good for now. Thanks, Haywire."
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Blurr
Minor
There Before You Know It, Gone Before You Blink
Posts: 304
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Post by Blurr on Apr 4, 2011 9:58:33 GMT -5
Haywire chuckles softly and eases to his feet so he can tuck the bottle back into its hiding place. No sense letting it get confiscated when it still has booze in it. Then he rests one hand very gently on Muzzle's shoulder.
"Take it easy, okay?" he murmurs, solicitous and aged somewhat by the worry digging furrows in his brow. After all, if Muzzle overdoes it and sixes himself, not only is Nightbeat out the perfect partner, Haywire will be the only Nebulan left on board. And he won't have a grizzled detective buddy to share sordid anecdotes with him!
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