[Maddison Lancaster]

[googlefont=Allura][googlefont=Montagu Slab][nospaces]

I don't care, no, I wouldn't dare

to fix the twist in you

[attr="class","MADDISONstair"]

Days off work were supposed to be relaxing, time to destress and have fun. Instead, too much of the day had been spent stuck on the bus that broke down on the way back from Mason’s house. Maddie was so irritated about it. Couldn’t it have broken down on the way to Mason’s, not on the way back? She would have been okay with skipping out on brunch with Mason, Miranda, and Tomas, who had apparently shown up to talk to Mason about something and Miranda invited him to stay and join them. [break][break]

She supposed it served her right. After sitting there listening to Miranda’s needling - someone had told her about Tomas and Maddie’s on again off again fling, but forgot to mention they were decidedly off now - Maddie wanted nothing more than to get home. Tomas had offered her a ride, but she refused. She was too stubborn and independent, she wanted to prove to everyone that she didn’t need Tomas. [break][break]

By the time she’d made it home, the sun was setting and she’d wasted most of the day. Sure, she could have texted Mason or Tomas and they would have come and rescued her from public transit purgatory, but that would have meant she’d have to take back her snarky comment she’d made to Tomas when he called her stubborn for refusing the lift home, a call back to one of their last serious conversations. “I can do it on my own.” [break][break]

So, instead of being reasonable and getting herself a faster way home, she waited her turn to get onto another bus. That bus headed in the wrong direction to a transfer station, then she had to take two more buses before she was finally back in East End. [break][break]

She thought about changing and going out for the night, but she really didn’t want to go anywhere else now that she was home. So she grabbed her pack of cigarettes from her bag and went out onto her fire escape to smoke. At least it was a pleasant outside now that the sun had set, with a breeze that kept the night from feeling too stiflingly warm. [break][break]

Aftering finishing her cigarette, Maddie snuffed the butt out in an ashtray and sat on the railing of her fire escape, staring out into the city. She could feel that she was in a mood. Seeing Miranda always left her this way, and it didn’t help matters that Tomas had been there as well. She thought about up and leaving, starting over in another city where no one knew her. But she’d made a life for herself here, even if she didn’t have much to show for it. She had her apartment and her job, and she had her routines… [break][break]

Maybe it was just fear that was keeping her from making a move, from doing something different. [break][break]

A brief rattling noise took her attention downward. She didn’t find the source, but she did spot Dane’s light filtering through his slider. She hadn't seen much of him lately, so she decided it was a good night to try to catch up. Maddie pocketed her cigarettes and hopped off the railing, not bothering to lock up her apartment or grab her phone or anything else. It wasn’t like she’d need it. [break][break]

Maddie scaled down the two floors of the fire escape until she was at Dane’s slider, then knocked on the frame. “Hey, you busy?” She thought about just trying the slider, seeing if he'd left it open, but that might be too rude, so she just knocked again instead, impatiently. “You’re not dead in there, are you?”

[attr="class","MADDISONstair_note"]Dane Wayland | let me know for changes or if anything doesn’t vibe about the set up

[newclass=.MADDISONstair]padding: 25px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair b]color:#702963;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note]font-size:9px;border-top:1px solid #702963;padding:2px;margin-top:-8px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note b]color:#702963;[/newclass]

[Dane Wayland]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","post-lizardstripee-o"]

[attr="class","lizardstripee-post"]

BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA DINE WITH

them cannibals; sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

It had been a mostly quiet year for Dane. He'd spent the majority of it under the ever-scrutinous (and oft infuriating) watch of Wolfhound. An extension of his father's eye and hand, of course. He'd recovered, as best he could, from his grievous wounds — the loss of his mother, the loss of Grace immediately upon its heels, and then even Gemma's distance. It'd been blow after blow after blow, landing on him in such quick succession that he — lacking the energy to do anything else — had simply lied down and taken them. Barely felt them, for a long while. [break][break]

It'd been his father who'd come around to ensure he didn't lie down forever. Forced him to keep mostly sober. Gave him tasks to keep him busy. Loosed Wolfhound on him like a sentry. [break][break]

In some, distant and faraway recess of Dane's mind, he wondered if Antonio had chosen to come down hard on him after Mona's passing, because he knew Dane would need it. Would need something. Maybe he guessed, and perhaps correctly, that he'd spiral without the direction and a firm hand. Was that just his special brand of stark, fatherly concern? An act of pulling his son up by the bootstraps? It was hard to imagine. Easier to imagine that Antonio, cunning and advantageous bastard that he was, knew full-well that Dane's descent would make him pliable again. Moldable. But only if he acted quickly.[break][break]

And as much as Dane loathed to admit it, even just a little, he'd been good. By the Guild's standards, at least. Antonio had asked for a return to competency and he'd stepped to task. He did what he was assigned. For the most part. Most days. He played around and bitched less. And he was even being mindful of the messes he made — something that'd baffled a cleaner so much that, after a couple of relatively-tidy assignments, he'd texted Dane to complain about having already been "geared up and ready" and that he was feeling a little left in the cold.[break][break]

But Dane didn't do it because of Antonio. Not because he asked him to. And he didn't do it because of Wolfhound and the punishment that came when he bared his teeth and toed with the man. He was falling in line and back in shape because — like a lot of things in this past year — doing anything else had simply lost a bit of its shine. A bit of its enjoyment. Acting out, being unruly and disruptive just for the shits and giggles and to be the prickling thorn in everyone's side, it... seemed a lot more work than it was worth most nights. He'd never been the one to smack his lips, bite back his disdain, and grit his jaw before. To do things he didn't want to do. But... these days... it just seemed easier. Or, perhaps more accurately, the alternative just didn't bring him the same enjoyment he found in it before.[break][break]

As a result of his "good dog" behavior, he'd gradually been given more demanding tasks as the year went on. Less menial and trifling. Like he was an animal who deserved new toys for its mental stimulation or a lab-rat awarded some environmental enrichment. He'd been stepped back up to a level where he'd been once before, when Dino was still alive. Doing stuff more befitting a Wayland boy. And Wolfhound left him alone most days now. [break][break]

But the tattoo upon his back, it hadn't grown any smaller with his (comparative) obedience. It still wound down to the elbow of one arm, rolled over the tops of his shoulders to kiss his collarbones, and it still reached close to his hips. Which, at the end of the day, surprised Dane none. There were plenty of guesses he could make on why his father hadn't lessened his ink or slackened his lead.[break][break]

Distrust was the obvious one. Maybe Antonio was just a little reluctant to loosen that muzzle. Or perhaps it was a knowing suspicion that it wouldn't last? That it was just a simple matter of time before Dane put on his "little boy" shoes again? Maybe he figured his son, watching his tattoo shrink in the mirror, would feel somehow chagrined by the bare skin — would feel inexplicably cornered and become desperate to act out. Would dare and invite the pain just so he was marked, visibly, as ungovernable. Maybe Antonio knew that any reward of obedience, rather than having the intended effect of encouraging it, would only curl Dane's lip, make him seethe, and set him snarling. [break][break]

Dane couldn't exactly scoff at the idea. Nor could he dismiss it as ridiculous. His father was a smart man and his thinking (like always) was spot-on.[break][break]

He'd earned another quiet night. And — in a way that might've been uncharacteristic before (but'd gradually become less surprising as the year progressed) — he was staying in. There was no rush in his veins or harrowed need to be out, not at the moment. It'd been a couple of weeks since he'd sought his usual company in the usual places. His face was clean of any purposefully-sought bruises and his body free of those typical (and stupidly-won) wounds at various stages of healing. His dark brown eyes were clear and bright. Not made hazy and dim by a combination of shots and beer, but only touched warmly by the bottle of wine on the coffee-table before him.[break][break]

To any onlooker (to anyone who knew Dane well or at least knew the look of him one year ago), the argument could be made that work had been treating him well. He'd been taking care of himself better. His body and his mind. Someone who knew him really well — and there were none of those persons around him anymore — they might argue he'd become very unlike himself. Whether it was a favorable, likable change, or something they somehow didn't like to see, Dane couldn't guess. And they weren't around to ask.[break][break]

He was sat on the edge of his couch when the knock came at his slider door. He lifted his gaze toward the balcony, mind turning leisurely with the possibilities, and then he shucked a quiet chuckle when Maddie's voice cut the thinking short. He dropped his head, thinking more, and then she spoke again — knocking with a touch of impatience now — and he pulled himself to his feet. He closed and pushed the sketchbook he'd been working in to the center of the low table and made his way across the room. [break][break]

The only light in the studio apartment came from a lamp in the corner (with its Walmart vest hung from a branching limb), and also from the light of the TV on the wall — playing some nature documentary at a low volume simply for noise. The place was tidy and clean, as it typically was, but most definitely was not when Maddie had first acquainted herself with the space.[break][break]

Not long from a shower, and having no plans to go out for the night, Dane himself was a little out-of-sorts. He hadn't dressed more than his boxer-briefs and socks and he'd put nothing in his hair — which left it a floofy mess, a couple shades lighter than it'd be when styled (and also far, far larger). He thought about putting on a pair of pants, or a shirt, but decided against it. If he took too long, Maddie would probably retreat back upstairs. And she'd seen enough of him already, to the point where he didn't think he needed to be shy about scars. [break][break]

Not that he typically was.[break][break]

He pulled the curtain back enough to glimpse her and let a brow quirk quizzically before he pulled the door open. "Busy? Dying?" He hummed, tilting his chin to pretend to think (quite exaggeratedly) about it. After a moment, he dropped his stare and cleared his face. "Are those prerequisites for a visit?" He lifted a brow. "I could go get shanked just a little down the street, if you'd like? We both know we live in the place for it." He let his mouth tug, pulled the door more open with an inviting tip of his head, then stepped back — turning as he did so. "What's up, neighbor? Before you answer, know my fridge is disappointingly bare."[break][break]

Rather than returning to the couch, he stepped behind it and moved toward the rack of clothes kept close to his largely-unused bed. He supposed he could put on a pair of pants. Unless. The easy tuck to his mouth pulled just slightly, becoming something a little more like a smirk. He tossed her a quick glance over his shoulder while he pulled down a pair of bottoms. "Food-wise, that is. Beverage-wise, it's got some options."

but i'm glad you've come around here with your animals[break]
and your heart that is bruised but unbeaten

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
Sorry, this turned into a lot of internal set-up for Dane and getting him caught up/back on track! Give me a nudge for any changes or if you need more to work with!

[newclass=.lizardstripee-post]background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/zMvksmS.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;width:360px;text-align:justify;padding:20px 50px 25px 50px;background-color:#f5f5f5;color:#666;line-height:1.2!important;[/newclass]
[newclass=.lizardstripee-post b]color:#3C584D;[/newclass]
[newclass=.post-lizardstripee-o]background-color:#3C584D;width:460px;padding:15px;[/newclass]

[Maddison Lancaster]

[googlefont=Allura][googlefont=Montagu Slab][nospaces]

I don't care, no, I wouldn't dare

to fix the twist in you

[attr="class","MADDISONstair"]

It wasn’t but a moment before her impatient knocking was answered. When Dane appeared at the glass, looking notably healthier and more rested than she’d seen him before, only clothed in his boxers and socks, she wondered if she’d actually woken him. She couldn’t imagine that he’d already been sleeping at this hour, but then again, she wasn’t sure what kind of work shifts he had, or even where he worked. In their prior conversations, they’d never really gotten to the getting to know you kinds of topics. A ‘hey’ and head nod on the way past Dane’s door if she spotted him on her way up or down the stairs was the norm. Or a late night chat from balcony to balcony. But nothing deep. Not even after he nearly bled out between his apartment and hers. [break][break]

Maddie shook her head when he commented that he could go get shanked in order for a hang out. “No, no. Stitching you up once was enough for me.” She quietly snorted out a laugh. “You picked the wrong sibling if you need a hero.” Even as Maddie joked, she wondered if bringing up Mason was likely to bring out a more prickly side of him. The two immediately seemed to have a dislike of each other when she'd called on Mason to assist, something she regretted in hindsight, even if she thought he’d be the best person to help in the moment. [break][break]

“Were you sleeping already, like some old man? She half questioned, half joked, but didn’t pause stepping past him through the opened door into his apartment. She glanced around as she entered, noting it looked damned near spotless, a stark contrast from the last night she'd been inside. No blood soaking the floors, flat surfaces, or even patches of wall he must have brushed by. No tattered clothing or covered knives. She couldn't imagine what he'd gotten himself into, but maybe he was past it now. From the looks of him, he didn't have any fresh wounds at the very least. They'd be noticeable if he did. [break][break]

She wasn’t taken by surprise when he said his fridge was bare. Her own wasn’t much better, save for a couple take out containers that she’d brought home from work. She was pretty sure there were some chick tenders in her freezer as well, but it was a gamble if they were freezer burned or not at this point. She vividly remembered him telling her that there would be a fifty-fifty chance that he had any staples on hand, should she come calling for anything like eggs or sugar or whatnot. “Oh what, no cup of sugar at the ready?” She shrugged. “There’s always options if we decide we need food.” That there was almost always some place open, no matter what time it was. But it wasn’t food she was looking for tonight, it was company. [break][break]

“Honestly, I’m just bored and I really didn’t feel like going to a bar tonight.” Maddie watched Dane grab some clothes, and then continued in toward his kitchen, just wandering through the space with no real purpose. “It’s so… clean in here.” She commented, wondering if this was the usual state of things. Had that terrible night truly been an exception? From the things she’d seen when she cleaned his apartment, she wouldn’t have thought so, but maybe she’d jumped to conclusions. [break][break]

The scars he had also told a different story. Her gut told her there was more to him, though what that meant, she had no idea. “So, are you up for company? Or am I keeping you past your bedtime?” She glanced back at him, curious and hoping he wasn’t going to tell her to piss off. He’d opened the door and let her in, so that had to be a sign in her favor, right?

[attr="class","MADDISONstair_note"]Dane Wayland | let me know for changes or if you need more to work with.

[newclass=.MADDISONstair]padding: 25px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair b]color:#702963;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note]font-size:9px;border-top:1px solid #702963;padding:2px;margin-top:-8px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note b]color:#702963;[/newclass]

[Dane Wayland]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","post-lizardstripee-o"]

[attr="class","lizardstripee-post"]

BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA DINE WITH

them cannibals; sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

Behind him, Maddie slipped into the apartment with little hesitance and Dane couldn't help but wonder — should she be more cautious? She'd seen a lot of him. Enough of him, at least, that he wouldn't be surprised were she to want little more to do with him. If she averted her eyes when they passed one another at the building's entrance. Quickened her step when she passed his door on her way to the stairs. Checked that he wasn't out before she stepped onto her balcony. [break][break]

But she hadn't done any of that (that he was aware of). [break][break]

Why the lack of hesitance? Or avoidance? He had sought her help that night because she'd seemed nice. At least, nice enough that he couldn't imagine her leaving him to bleed out on the other side of her slider door. It'd been a gamble. And all that she'd ended up doing for him after letting him inside — far more than she (or anyone) was obligated to — had been a genuine surprise. She had been quick to act, too, and mostly steady, even with his blood on her hands and a needle pricked in his skin. [break][break]

There had to be a reason for that, right? Something in her life that made her that brand of ready? It was curious. Dane was always interested in those sort of "why"s. [break][break]

And surely, during and after her (so very stubborn) cleaning of his apartment, she'd had to have wondered about his "why"s. Why he'd been stabbed and why he'd chosen not to seek professional help. She'd asked him those questions that night. And he'd given her fibs that, in the time that'd passed since, she'd had to have decided might be untrue. She'd seen the knives. [break][break]

But she hadn't mentioned them. Hadn't asked. And neither had any suspicious policemen or landlord knocked on his door. There had to be a why there, too. [break][break]

Cutting into his musings, she mentioned her brother. [break][break]

Dane was relieved his back was turned, just so she didn't see the darkening he felt pull at his mouth and flit across his eyes. It came and went quickly enough — he didn't want to warrant the man too much of his headspace — and he focused on the other half of what she'd said. About being the "wrong sibling". He knew a little bit about that. He'd been the wrong sibling most of his life, too. [break][break]

"Pah," Dane cleared his face and aimed a fleeting, decidedly-crooked grin at her as he stepped into his pants and jumped them to his hips. "Heroes are boring. And my surviving that night was all your credit, none his, anyway." All Mason had done was look at his sister's work. Granted, Dane hadn't given him the opportunity to do much else, but the fact remained that, had the paramedic not arrived, he would still have pulled through. And had a far more pleasant time of it, surely. [break][break]

He snorted when she went on to liken his habits to an "old man", mouth pursing with the intention to retort something smart. But, as he watched her look around and his gaze followed (especially to the TV and its monotonous, low-volumed droning and the clock on the wall that read a still-decent hour), he considered his state — cozy, casual... practically already bedded down for the evening — and his lips pressed back together. [break][break]

Okay, so maybe he didn't have much to stake a case on at the moment. All that was missing was a half-finished crossword book on the coffeetable and a fat, wizened Chihuahua dozing on a recliner arm.[break][break]

Forgoing a shirt, Dane pocketed his hands and started a casual stroll in her direction; blinking curiously as she explained she was bored and didn't want to go out. She then commented on the "cleanliness" of his apartment and Dane dropped his chin to his chest, mouth parting around an amused scoff. "Is that a complaint?" he asked incredulously, moving into the small kitchenette where she was slowly strolling (seemingly without any sort of aim). "Oh no, don't tell me you're a stress cleaner. So bored that you climbed down in hopes of finding this place ransacked again, just for the excuse to scrub some floors. That's not any fun."[break][break]

He settled his weight on a hip against the kitchen counter and cast his gaze about before shrugging. "Not hard to make a mess of the place, though. If that's what you really want, I do owe you."[break][break]

Was it a flirt? Could be. If she squinted and if she wanted it to be. If not, he wasn't pressed about it. But... it was always in Dane's best interests, to lay all the options out there. In case she ever got too bored one night, he liked it to be known he was a card on the table. Plus, he just liked to be a cheeky. It was in his nature and in his blood. It was fun. And, until told to stop (or otherwise clued in that the suggestions were unwanted), he was like to continue.[break][break]

Did it matter that he was attentive enough to know Maddison had somewhat of a "regular" boy? One that came and went rather... unreliably? Was sometimes spotted dropping her off in front of the building in a nice car? And sometimes stormed off in a huff faster than he'd arrived? [break][break]

No. It didn't. [break][break]

Besides, he hadn't seen that fella in a minute. Not that that seemed to mean anything either. They obviously had something hot and cold going on. Dane didn't care enough about it. But he was observative enough to make note of it (and imaginative enough to know that rocky relationships and jealous boyfriends could play in his favor — that "bad decisions" might be made out of anger or spite and, hell... he was only two floors down). [break][break]

"It's a bit past my bedtime," he continued, voice pitched in a way that — coupled with the faint roll of his eyes — made it clear that it wasn't. "But you obviously are an exception. So, what kind of company are you hoping to keep?" [break][break]

"Feet on the coffee table, sipping some wine with a comfort show put on?" He tipped his head with a thoughtful hum, eye traveling briefly to the ceiling as he tried to pull a name from a figurative hat. 'Gilmore Girls', maybe? 'Friends'? He couldn't make a guess... couldn't picture what Maddie might play for background noise as she worked at her sewing table or stretched on her couch beneath a throw. What she might've watched start-to-finish a dozen times over and considered "reliable". "Or maybe something trashy instead? We can shit-talk it and giggle," he dropped his voice a hair, leaning a bit forward to impart the next bit in a hushed tone. "Just to hide the fact we're actually enjoying it."[break][break]

He straightened, eyes narrowing as he made a show of mulling some more.[break][break]

"Order some delivery if you are actually hungry..." he continued after a considering moment. "Italian would be my choice. Not pizza," he widened his eyes as he stepped on the adverb, trying to look severe, as if the suggestion was simply abhorrent. "Pasta. Then," his gaze lidded and the corners of his mouth began a curl. "When I flirt a little too hard — which is bound to happen at some point, me being me — you can be like," he straightened to pat at his stomach and crane his head back, feigning for a moment to be in (utterly deadpan) physical distress. "'Oh... boy... that sounds great, I would, but... arghhh, all those breadsticks.' And then I would be like, 'Ugh, fuck, no you're right'," he shifted, waving his palms on the air with his fingers splayed. "'Why did I eat so much pasta? If I could go back, I wouldn't have had so much pasta!"" [break][break]

Settling, face clearing to complete neutrality, he crooked a brow. "And I'd be lying. Because... if I did possess the ability to go back in time... well," he made a noise in his throat and lifted his shoulders. "I'd absolutely eat the same amount of pasta."

but i'm glad you've come around here with your animals[break]
and your heart that is bruised but unbeaten

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
On today's episode of "what is this mess" and "does he ever shut up?"..... I'm sorry ;v; Give me a nudge for changes or if it's too much~

[newclass=.lizardstripee-post]background-image:url(https://i.imgur.com/zMvksmS.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;width:360px;text-align:justify;padding:20px 50px 25px 50px;background-color:#f5f5f5;color:#666;line-height:1.2!important;[/newclass]
[newclass=.lizardstripee-post b]color:#3C584D;[/newclass]
[newclass=.post-lizardstripee-o]background-color:#3C584D;width:460px;padding:15px;[/newclass]

[Maddison Lancaster]

[googlefont=Allura][googlefont=Montagu Slab][nospaces]

I don't care, no, I wouldn't dare

to fix the twist in you

[attr="class","MADDISONstair"]

Maddie couldn’t keep herself from staring at his tattoo briefly while his back was to her. She was still very curious about what the truth was behind it. She didn’t believe that it could have been a dare or a bet or however he’d explained it up in her apartment. She was positive that there had to be more to it than that, it wouldn’t make sense. Friends might hold you to something small, something ridiculous, but something that covers an entire back? That had to be too much. [break][break]

Once he was in a pair of pants, it looked less like Dane was ready for sleep and more like he was just having a chill evening in. Maybe that’s what he’d been doing already. The glass of wine on the coffee table and the show on his TV, albeit it a dull show, seemed to indicate he hadn't been in bed for the night yet. [break][break]

“What made you think I could even help you? I mean, I’m glad I was able to, but why’d you pick me?” They’d been neighbors a while before that, seen each other in passing and exchanged a few pleasantries. But to this day she wasn’t sure what had made him think that she would be able to save his life. Most people would have called 911 right away. She probably should have. She wasn’t entirely sure why she hadn't. She absolutely could have ignored his protests and called for help. It’s not like he would have gotten far on his own if that’s what she’d chosen to do. [break][break]

Maybe it was because she could tell he was like her. Like Mason and Tomas. She didn’t know what he could do, or even if he knew what he could do. But there was something. [break][break]

So many questions were still unanswered, and more went unasked. [break][break]

A smile pulled wider as he theorized she was a stress cleaner. He actually wasn’t far off, though she wouldn’t generally describe herself as such. And she definitely didn’t seek out messes. More than being about cleaning, though, it was about having something that was in her control. She could focus, do a task, have a level of control over what she was doing. [break][break]

“Not a disappointment, just an observation.” She shrugged. “If I was looking for something to clean, I’d start with my own place.” Like her life in general, Maddie’s apartment was usually a bit of a mess. Definitely cluttered. Sometimes dirty clothes piled where they shouldn’t be. Her trash almost always needed to be taken out. Not quite dirty, but definitely messy. [break][break]

A playful smirk formed when he commented that they could make a mess if she wanted. Maddie couldn’t be sure exactly how he meant that to come off. The thought crossed her mind to give a flirty response, to egg on that path of conversation, but she stopped herself. There were too many things that she didn’t know about him yet, things that could get messy. [break][break]

Was messy a deal breaker? [break][break]

No. Messy was usually fun, at the very least. But he was her neighbor. It could get awkward. Not that that had stopped her in the past though… [break][break]

He continued talking, saving her from the rabbit hole she was letting her thoughts slide into. She listened as he listed off several options, scenarios of how the night might go. She noted that he brought up flirting, even though he buried it in talk of pasta, and she decided that the previous statement was meant the way she thought. But for now, she was going to let that be. Think about it and maybe, depending how their night went, do some flirting of her own later if the mood struck her. [break][break]

“Is it even possible to eat pasta without eating too much?” She laughed and shook her head. “I’m pretty sure that it’s a law that pasta portions are meant to be doubled.” [break][break]

Maddie moved back through the apartment and sat on his couch. He seemed pretty amenable to hanging out, so she figured he wouldn’t mind. “So what were you already doing?” She glanced at his TV again in time to see a baby bird take a tumble. “No offense, but this does look like some boring old man shit. What, did your near death experience turn you into a geezer?” She wasn’t sure how that was going to land, but it was too late to stop when she realized it might be too much. Especially since she had no idea what had really happened to him that night.

[attr="class","MADDISONstair_note"]Dane Wayland | this got a bit rambly and scattered, and Maddie is being A LOT. let me know for changes

[newclass=.MADDISONstair]padding: 25px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair b]color:#702963;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note]font-size:9px;border-top:1px solid #702963;padding:2px;margin-top:-8px;[/newclass] [newclass=.MADDISONstair_note b]color:#702963;[/newclass]

[Dane Wayland]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","post-lizardstripee-o"]

[attr="class","lizardstripee-post"]

BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA DINE WITH

them cannibals; sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

Dane's imaginative pasta skit earned a laugh. And, so far, Maddie was mostly smirks and small grins. Not overly enthused or very generous — as if to suggest she were keen to play into his antics — but not exactly discouraging either. The (half-expected) alternatives were dismissive eye rolls and exasperated glares — the type of looks that usually started off "polite"... before growing more and more warning as tolerance thinned. [break][break]

But, he'd back off. If that was why she'd come down tonight, bored enough to seek "something easy", then he would trust she'd be forward about it. He'd made it clear enough where he stood on the matter. Stated his position. The ball was in her court and he'd let it stay there, to be tossed back at some point or not. He'd let it be. Let it be an option. He wasn't in the habit of convincing (unless it was clear that convincing was simply a desired part of the fun). [break][break]

When she moved across the cozy space and deposited herself on his couch, Dane followed and beckoned to the wine and sketchbook when she asked what he'd "already been doing". And his mouth pulled reluctantly — it did look a lot like old geezer shit, he supposed again. Or maybe wine-aunt shit, if he were to light a candle or two and put on some Alanis Morissette over the noise of the television. [break][break]

And God... he must have seemed "cool" when he was stabbed and hiding knives and laughing at his own mortality. How quickly was he losing that cred? By the minute or by the second?[break][break]

"Boring?" Dane echoed, voice like a quiet scoff while the corners of his mouth tugged in a frown and he glanced at the TV. A baby bird had tumbled from its nest and the show was now alternating between shots of its clumsy stumbling and a snake slithering slow through the brush. A common black racer, Dane guessed, or maybe an indigo snake (given the umber coloring of its lower jaw). Though the volume was too muted to make actual words of the narrator's dismal commentary, it surely wasn't heartening. [break][break]

"I mean," he shrugged, lowering himself on the edge of the couch and reaching across his coffee table for the remote. "They could definitely get a new voiceover guy, sure." This one could put anyone to sleep. And had lulled Dane to a much-needed one many times before. He supposed the show could earn its views for being an insomnia aid if nothing else. "But nature and animals, they're far from geezer shit. They're brutal and savage. And," he quirked a brow, interest piquing as the alternating shots began to include the chick's returned parents, both sounding the alarm and darting about. They were some sort of scrub jay. "Usually in a far less nuanced way than we people are." [break][break]

People were animals, sure. But not nearly as predictable. Their baser instincts were always so muddled by morals. Complicated by teachings. Their choices and decisions couldn't be explained away and dissected so easily. And anyone who tried applying "human" logic to an animal's actions were usually castigated and criticized for the naivety.[break][break]

In the conclusion of this episode, a snake would simply prey, not toy or play, and it would be surprising if the scrub jay parents did little more than echo one another's alarm as they flew about. Maybe they'd dart low in some last-ditch effort to ward the snake off. But probably not. [break][break]

Replace all the beasts with humans, though... and the show would need five seasons of backstory, a whole lot of exposition, and at least two follow-up episodes of played-out angst to wring total understanding from the next two minutes.[break][break]

A snake could kill and eat and not be a villain. Birds could choose themselves (and their remaining nest) over one helpless baby and not be crucified. A chick falling from its tree before its time could be simple, unfortunate collateral damage. But... make them all people... and they became a colorful cast of monsters, victims, and martyrs — every choice and move they made demanding examination (and explanation).[break][break]

Looking from the TV, Dane handed over the remote. "But we can put on whatever you deign 'entertaining' instead. Just," he pulled the remote back for a lingering moment and narrowed his eyes. "No comment about me having cable of all things. The old geezer insinuations are stacking up quick and I won't have a comeback for that one." He settled back, fully prepared to comment instead, and quite liberally, on whatever show she put on (if she cared to change the channel at all).[break][break]

In the meantime, he considered her other inquiry. [break][break]

"Now, for why I picked your door that night..." he tipped his chin with a thoughtful frown, thinking back. He hadn't had a lot of options at the time. But that had to be clear already. He considered reiterating that, if he were to be in anyone's debt, he might as well make it a pretty girl. That... even when dying... he could be strategic. But he refrained. If he were to hit that dead horse one too many times, it'd lose its shine. Become boring. [break][break]

And Maddie struck him as the type to grow bored easily. Also the type who'd be unafraid to toss her head back with a groan, let someone know they were boring her, and then leave. Maybe it was the way she handled him and her brother during their cat-like puffing. Maybe it was the stubborn way she'd fought him when it came to helping him to his apartment (and then cleaning it). Maybe it was how she showed up tonight or the way she plopped herself in his living room and, so flippantly, disparaged him and his shows (not that he minded). Whatever it was, he could assume she didn't play any games that she didn't want to (and that preserving someone else's "pride" was one of those games). [break][break]

So, he decided to just be honest.[break][break]

"You were close," he started, shrugging his shoulders. "And I dunno... we knew each other's names." And somehow, he'd even given her his actual one, not Darren (as was more typical). Had he been drunk the first time they exchanged pleasantries? The odds were. "I knew you. Not at all well, but... still more than I know most people in our building." He sucked his lips against his teeth, humming as he considered a moment longer, then craned to drop his head on the back of the couch and squinted at the ceiling. "I suppose I just couldn't imagine you doing nothing." [break][break]

He rolled his head sidelong to smirk at her and let his brow give a small jump. "And I was right." He perked, shoving himself to his side so he was facing her more square while his mouth pulled the tiniest bit fuller. "Still... you did do far more than I expected." His eyes narrowed. "So... why's that?"

but i'm glad you've come around here with your animals[break]
and your heart that is bruised but unbeaten

Tag: Maddison Lancaster [break]
Why'ma so rambly here smh sdkjfhsdf... [break]give me a nudge for any changes!

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[Maddison Lancaster]

[googlefont=Allura][googlefont=Montagu Slab][nospaces]

I don't care, no, I wouldn't dare

to fix the twist in you

[attr="class","MADDISONstair"]

Maddie’s gaze trailed back toward the television as Dane spoke, explaining how nature was brutal, how the program was not, in fact, geezer shit. It was a dramatic shot, bouncing between a snake and a baby bird, clearly about to be the snake’s next meal. [break][break]

He had fair points. Humans couldn’t just act on instinct like animals did. They had to follow the rules of society. Generally, that would mean parents protect their children from those that would hurt them, not abandon them to save themselves like the baby’s birds parents on screen. People who were threats were harder to notice than a snake slithering through the grass would be. [break][break]

People tend to hide their intentions. They make it feel safe before they strike. Dane was absolutely right about that. [break][break]

“Okay, I definitely see the brutality of it.” Maddie turned her face back toward Dane, avoiding a clear set up of the snake eating the baby bird. She held up her hands, attempting to keep a straight face as he stated he wouldn’t have a comeback for jabs about having cable. “I
take it back, not geezer shit.” [break][break]

She briefly thought about what she would even switch the channel to, but didn’t take the offered remote. “I don’t watch much TV.” It wasn’t dishonest. She didn’t watch many shows. The things she did watch were really just guilty pleasure shows. Trashy reality TV, sprinkled with fashion themed competition. Mason had told her more than once to stop watching that ‘insipid bullshit’ on his profile. Apparently it messed with his recommendations or something. Occasionally, when she wanted to annoy him, she’d still watch shows on his profile for the hell of it. Truly, she didn’t even know if most of the reality shows she watched were still going, or where she would find them on cable. [break][break]

Besides, the topic of the night she’d stitched Dane up was far more interesting than anything she could have put on the television. In the time since it had happened, she’d developed her own theories about what had occurred that night. Her imagination ran wild with images of him being attacked by Hunters after being caught using whatever gift it was that he possessed. Or maybe he’d gotten jumped on his way home. East End was rough, maybe he’d been careless or complacent and wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. [break][break]

Regardless of what had actually happened to him, he’d still chosen her over calling for an ambulance or knocking on the door of any other neighbor. The why there was something she hadn't been able to theorize, something she still felt stumped on whenever she considered what his reasons could have been. It wasn’t like they had known each other more than the superficial way neighbors did. She knew his name, knew he was cute but mysterious. Easy to chat with on nights they were both out on their balconies. But they’d never really learned about each other. Never gotten past the fluff. [break][break]

And yet, still he came to her slider when he was practically dying. [break][break]

When he explained, Maddie was quiet, absorbing his words and thinking it through. It made some sense. Though she knew Dane, she had no idea who lived in the third floor apartment between them. She didn’t know most of the people in the building past facial recognition. A handful of names. There was a high turnover rate, like most places in East End. Someone couldn’t pay the rent and got kicked out. Or they caused too much trouble, had the cops out to their apartment more than a couple times and someone else complained to the landlord. Suddenly they weren’t renewed for the next lease term. She didn’t make a point to make friends just because they lived in the same place. [break][break]

Dane had been easy to talk to though, they’d had similar enough habits to cross paths multiple times. She supposed that familiarity, though it wasn’t deep, might have been enough to make her come to mind. She was close, just two floors up. [break][break]

Maddie turned so she was also facing Dane, legs pulled up criss cross underneath her. He turned the questioning back on her, asking for her own why. It was fair enough. [break][break]

“I could point out that I didn’t want you to bleed out in my apartment.” She paused, puffed up for a second as she gathered her thoughts before slowly letting out the breath. “Though, I think we would both know that wasn’t it.” If she’d only been worried about him dying in her living room, she would have called 911. It wasn’t like he was in the position to stop her, even if he’d said no multiple times when she asked if she should get an ambulance. She imagined that most people would have just called for one anyway. [break][break]

As much as she’d wondered what had happened to him and why he’d come to her that night, she’d hardly thought about why she’d actually helped him. There were easy answers, like not wanting him to die at her place. That would have meant getting the cops involved, it would have meant some sort of investigation. It would have been a whole hassle, but those weren’t really the thoughts going through her head that night. [break][break]

“I think, more than that, you were probably right about me. I couldn’t just do nothing.” She continued, glancing around as she spoke. He’d know she would have seen some questionable shit while she cleaned up his apartment, doing her best to keep stains from setting in. The cleaning kept her from spiraling, from letting the trauma and gore derail her emotionally. It gave her something to focus on, a task she could control. The mess wasn’t all that different from the way she’d grown up. Cleaning up after her father or brother trashed their apartment, after another fit of anger subsided. Cleaning up vomit from their hall and bathroom when her mother hadn't been able to gauge when to stop drinking for the night. Her early years had been spent picking up the pieces, cleaning up the messes of others. She had gotten good at it. [break][break]

He probably had nearly as many questions about her actions that night as she had about his. [break][break]

“As much as you two seemed to hate each other right away, you and my brother have more in common than you’d think. Before he got his shit together, that could have been him.” She shrugged and looked back at Dane. “But it’s more than that too.” [break][break]

Maddie chewed at the corner of her bottom lip while she considered how much to actually say. “Maybe it was the way you didn’t want outside help, you didn’t want an ambulance.” She shifted, wringing her hands as she spoke. “There’s only a few reasons I could think of for it, and you don’t strike me as someone with a warrant.” She could be wrong, but she didn’t think so. “I also know that everyone has reasons for the things they do, and when to mind my own business.” She shook her head and gave a short laugh at herself. “Not that I always do, but if you don’t learn when you can and when you can’t pry growing up here, there are bigger problems.” [break][break]

She watched his face for any sign that she should just shut up now, but she didn’t quite know how to read him well enough, so she decided to take the risk anyway. “How did you end up getting stabbed?” There was a chance he’d refuse to answer, or even tell her to fuck off and mind her own business. But she was still curious.

[attr="class","MADDISONstair_note"]Dane Wayland | this got longer than I planned, let me know for changes

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