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[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[the sound of Billy's front door closing, and a short sigh]

...Well.
I guess it lasted longer than I thought it would, at least.

[fridge door sound, hiss and pop of a can opening]

--Speaking of things that last longer than I thought it would...are we ever going back to the Castle?
Not that I'm eager to or anything, of course.

It's just that... well.

[staring forlornly at where a certain mad-scientist laboratory should be]

...Anyone else end up somewhere that is juuuust different enough from home to be really unsettling?

Comments

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. Because everyone is pleasant and understanding like that.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[arching an eyebrow] It doesn't take being pleasant... and I don't think there is a way to understand half of what the hell people do.

[shaking her head, looking back at the stage] It's more... not letting someone else control your life any more.

Eye for an eye... eventually, everyone is blind.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Letting the world push you around, that's how you let someone else control your life.

You have to fight back.

[Billy is such upbeat company. eating more ice cubes.]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

You're right. I'm not disagreeing. Not really. But there are other ways to fight back besides violence. Certainly besides killing.

[pause... her jaw tightening a bit, eyes distant with some memory] I'm not saying let it continue. Turning the other cheek just tells them they can hit you again.

...but this retaliation. It only escalates.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[at least most of those things reassured him a little and took some of the argument out of him]

Eventually there's a winner.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

...there's never a winner. [said softly enough that, if he hadn't been right beside her, he never would have heard it.]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Sure there is. [perhaps somewhat darkly]

Sometimes it takes a while, and sometimes it's not pretty, but there's gotta be a winner eventually.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the cost is too much.

[but this wasn't why she'd brought him out here and, before the mood can settle too thickly over them, the band begins yet another round of reels. The music is catchy and much too upbeat to stay down.

Feeling the need for a break, Jilly sets her empty glass on the counter before hopping to her feet. Reaching over, she'll give Billy's sleeve a tug, tilting her head in the direction of the stage] C'mon.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[kind of making an 'ugh I don't wanna' face, but...tentatively lets himself be dragged]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[Just laughs and leads the way. Thankfully, once they're closer, she doesn't attempt to make him do anything. She's joins a group of girls who are dancing and cheering by the stage, leaving him to enjoy the show from a much closer point. And, if he lets himself admit it, there is something cool about being closer to the music.]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[yeah...there kind of is. He sticks around nearby, with other guys who aren't doing much but standing and watching the band, and is sort of forced to forget whatever he was thinking about before]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[it's the beautiful thing about music. It was so easy to just slip away in a good beat. Whatever Billy chooses to do, Jilly has no intention of leaving the stage until the band finishes the last of their set.]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[it's also too loud to hear yourself think, which--in this case--is a big plus. He's content to stay there until the end of the set, doing nothing but playing normal for a little while]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[when it was all over, it was still a little while before Jilly would be ready to go. There were dancing partners to chat with and musicians to praise, as well as one persistent fellow who seemed to tag along after wherever Jilly went (there always did seem to be at least one creeper in a bar).]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[...sees creeper. Hey, Jilly! Guess who's coming over to intercept!]

You have fun?

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[grateful smile, maybe inching just a bit more in Billy's direction than she would normally] Very much. They were fantastic.

[arching an eyebrow] You?

[meanwhile, said creeper is glaring at Billy and looking disgruntled at Jilly's attention being diverted]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[he's fine with her getting a little closer because, hey, he's actually pretty good at playing at something that he's not. He also manages to glance over Jilly's head shoulder and catch the guy's eye with a surprisingly cool 'fuck off' look as he replies]

Yeah, not bad. Can't say I've ever seen another band like them.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[there's a look of mild surprise in her eyes, but nothing obvious. Have that brilliant smile directed fully at you, Billy, subtley dismissing her stalker] Me either. I used to go see my friends play all the time, but they were a bit more traditional. This was closer to rock. [headtilt] I like it.

[the other guy looks a little wary about Billy's proximity, but he still gamely gives it a try] Yeah, my buddy's in a kickass band that's a lot like 'em. You know, they're playing a gig this weekend, over on State Street?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[glances over at the guy again, with a sort pointed '...really?' look, before answering]

Yeah, we're busy this weekend. [looking back to Jilly, nodding for her to follow him back towards the bar] You gonna get one more drink before we go?

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Mmhmm... thanks anyway.

[and she'll follow, doing a fairly good job of hiding her amused surprise at Billy's sudden confidence.]

[she'd only had the one drink, and it was still relatively early so... why not?] Sure. Sounds good.

[sliding back onto one of the bar stools, she'll pitch her voice low just for Billy] we're busy this weekend?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[that random confidence sort of tones itself back down once they get to the bar, taking a seat and letting his shoulders hunch again. He's also not really doing anything about that drink he mentioned.]

Yeah. He was being creepy.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[that's okay, she'll signal the bartender herself. She did say it was her treat, after all] Thanks.

[head tilt] You want anything?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Oh... sure. [as if the thought hadn't occurred to him. Which, it mostly hadn't. And beer was FINE.]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

What do you want? [she saw that face earlier. She's giving him a chance to order something for himself]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Whatever. [chance denied. He's leaving her to order something, as he glances purposefully over his shoulder one last time to make sure creeper guy was no longer hovering]