Pictures in the Dark

[formidable]

General PSL/FUNBOX post for aurajen and formidable. Lots of OC shenanigans. ➢ Cool Mood Music No. 1 ➤ Cool Mood Music No. 2

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[ghostpranks]

[Homework? A college student? He files that information in the back of his mind, though it really doesn't matter either way.

"Involvement", says the man. For once, Jake's frown twists into a wry, ironic half-grin, and he lets out a laugh. It's a cynical-sounding thing, along with the thread of humor that underlines his next statement.]

Then you'll be glad to hear that involvement is the last thing that I need. Even when it comes to drink and food.

[His grin fades, though, just as soon as it had appeared.]

My brother visited here not that long ago. Morgan Kyle. [He wasn't sure if his brother gave his name or not, but it was best to cover all bases.] About my height. Dirty blonde hair, blue eyes.

[Cold and soulless.]

Ring a bell?

[oren]

... Yes.

[Beyond that, Oren doesn't make a remark about Morgan. Oh, he had his opinion of course. Oren is extremely opinionated, but he's just good at keeping most of his thoughts to himself.]

[ghostpranks]

[A good enough start for Jake.]

Did he say or do anything... odd?

[He's trying to gauge exactly what Morgan did while he was here. Hopefully it was nothing more than drink coffee and feign idle conversation.]

[oren]

Talked. A lot.

A few questions.

[Oren checks the coffee and determines that there's enough. He takes off the filter and takes a thin spoon, to stir the contents.]

You're worried.

[ghostpranks]

[For a second, Jake feels a sense of bewilderment. Was he really being that easy to read? He thinks, by nature, that he isn't. That he's unforthcoming, more detached than most, more direct and uncaring for others' opinions. Ironically, it is the opposite that is true -- he's the grounded one, the one that worries when things go awry, when they have the potential of going awry, like now. He's the sensitive one who just believes he has thick skin.

(He has to pretend he does, after everything.)

He shifts in his seat again, hesitant, but hiding it by running his hand through his hair.]

I'm concerned. [It's the same thing, Jake.] And so, I've got a request, if you'll entertain me.

[oren]

[Oren's 500+ years old.

He's seen his fair share of things including different types of people.]

Same thing.

[And he'll point out the obvious too before pushing the coffee towards Jake.]

Drink.

[ghostpranks]

[He's interrupted by the coffee being nudged in his direction, and though he feels a flash of irritation (because he's trying to tell him something important, damn it), he still picks up the cup and takes a sip.

It's... sweeter than he expected. He's not used to it; his coffee is usually plain and strong. But he likes it, partly because it's novel.]

Thanks. [It's almost muttered, an automatic nicety he doesn't think twice about.]

[oren]

[Equal parts bitter and sweet; it's a popular coffee among their drinks.

Oren just stares at Jake as he takes a drink without blinking before he speaks up again.]

What did you want?

[ghostpranks]

[He warps his fingers around the cup, taking in its warmth. He taps a fingernail against its surface, making a light clink clink clinking noise.

And then Jake gets straight to the point:]

My brother. Don't let him visit here any more.

[oren]

[The silence is short, but palpable.]

Bans only when necessary.

[ghostpranks]

[He leans forward, looking up at Oren with a tangible sense of exasperation and urgency.]

Believe me when I tell you that it is necessary. No matter what your first impressions of him were, you don't know him like I do.

[oren]

No one liked him.

[Oh.]

[ghostpranks]

[He scoffs, taking some sort of bitter amusement from those words.]

No kidding. Then trust your instincts on this matter, and make sure that damn magical door doesn't appear for him anymore, got it?

[oren]

Depends. What does he do?

[Even if Oren or Iona found someone detestable, if they kept their business out of the Grind, there's not much they can do about it. Jake's implying something else though and Oren intends to know what it is.]

[ghostpranks]

He...

[He frowns, hesitating. The fact that he's here, saying this much, would make his brother highly unhappy; if he were to say even more, Jake would honestly be pushing his luck. There's only so much goodwill he can squeeze out of being a blood relative, only so much he can rely on the bond of family to usher in forgiveness should he ever find out. (A bond that he even wonders means anything at all these days.)

But it seems like he's going to have to make his point clearer, and this gives him enough resolution to explain -- though Oren may notice the notable hesitation.]

He takes the souls of others. He collects them. And if you think his interest wasn't piqued, finding this magical little cafe, then you'd be dead wrong.

[oren]

...

[Most people would be flabbergasted and pressing for questions. Why? How? What is WRONG with that guy?

Oren listens to Jake without reservation and judgement (it's hard to tell if he has any to begin with).

And he simply nods.]

I see.

[ghostpranks]

[Jake has already figured out that Oren isn't the most expressive, but he has to admit that he expected something at that. It's irritating, that plain "I see". He should care more, shouldn't he?]

What do you mean, "I see"? Don't you care?

[oren]

Why do you ask?

[It kinda takes effort to really emote these days, geez Jake.]

No need to overreact.

[ghostpranks]

I'm not overreacting, you're underreacting.

[Is this guy for real?]

Maybe you don't understand how serious this is? Or are you okay with your clientele's souls being drained from their bodies and stuffed into jars?

[oren]

...

[Oren raises his hand and then places it on the counter. For a moment nothing happens, but his grip suddenly tightens around the edge until suddenly a crunching noise can be heard and a chunk of said counter has now been removed.

He holds it up for Jake to see and crushes the piece in his hand and lets the tinier pieces drop and clatter to the floor.

The cafe is deadly silent.]

1/2

[ghostpranks]

...

[Jake just... doesn't even know what to say. Or think. The fact that silence hangs over the cafe doesn't appear to affect him as much as it should, because-]

2/3 i lied

[ghostpranks]

[Well, he just crosses his arms and actually laughs a little. He's not scared; impressed, perhaps, but more so of this man's way of getting his point across rather than his strength.]

What point are you trying to make? That you're strong, that you'll protect them? I've got no doubt about that.

[He reaches out with a hand to pat at the countertop. The cafe remains silent, and it's a noise that reverberates in the stillness.]

But that- [His other hand points at the big chunk of counter that is missing, now.] I can do that with my mind.

[His soul, really.]

[ghostpranks]

[And suddenly his tone grows more serious, darker, more determined.]

And guess what? If Morgan wants me to come in here and mess this place up, I won't have much of a choice in the matter. And there are three more where that came from. I don't know what you are, and I hope to god you're as capable as you think, but do you really want to risk that? So it's back to my original point: keep the fucking door closed for Morgan.

[Somewhere between all of that, he had raised his voice. He hadn't planned to wrangle himself in a heated conversation; figures that it would end up this way.]

[nerine]

It means you irritated him.

[The light and airy voice of Monts returns. She's dressed in the white blouse, apron, and dark pants. She doesn't seem perturbed by what's been going on here either (although the soul stealing is definitely not okay).

Monts gives a pointed look at Jake.]

He cares more than you think. We all do.

[ghostpranks]

Yeah? [He looks at her from where he's seated; his irritation in clear, but if one were to step back and take a good luck at the situation, they would realize that Jake isn't necessarily mad at them, but rather, that he even has to sit here and warn strangers that his brother might steal their souls.

It's ridiculous that it's come to this, and he hates it.]

Then if you care, you'll consider it reason enough to ban him. You really don't want any of us here, at any given time. It's safer that way.

[(He's so tired of hurting people, he doesn't want to have to do it to these guys, dictated by someone's whim.)]