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Post by Gatorman on Feb 6, 2009 0:51:28 GMT -5
Steady MacReady was amazed at the power and destruction a single, undiluted grain of sugar could do to someone. The only thing was, he didn't find out from a television special or on film. He found out live, at his pub, before his very eyes. Steady also learned, firsthand, the aftermath of sugar inside a certain patron's body: several hundred rings' worth of damage and three hours of lost business trying to clean up the place. That meant throwing out charred papers and coasters, melted plastic mugs, deodorizing the entire pub, and mopping up gallons of water that spouted from the sprinkler system. Steady was not a happy bunny. Not only did he remain slightly spooked from the small fire, but apparently he was no fan of soon-to-be-higher insurance premiums, either. He soon finished, however, and was back to work shortly therafter. "I need a drink," he said to himself, opening a small refrigerator under the bar. He grabbed a Chaos Cola, opened it up, and downed the entire bottle in one swig. He tossed the bottle into a trash bin conveniently positioned next to his stool before watching a football game on a television, connected to a ceiling mount at one corner.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 22:06:24 GMT -5
Bit by bit, the patronage began to trickle back in once the doors were once again opened. Some seemed put off by the slapdash bandaid that had been applied to the establishment, while others seemed to barely even notice. Eventually familiar faces made their way in, ordered their usuals, and went about their routines. However, there was one face that was particularly unusual. Not only was he a first-time customer, but he looked like he'd just had a bad run-in with some of the thugs Central City was unfortunately known for. Limping his way to the far corner of the bar, the battered and bruised porcupine delicately hoisted himself onto a stool and snatched a nearby napkin, applying it to his still-bleeding nose.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 22:20:21 GMT -5
Steady had slid a mug of root beer across the bar top, stopping nearly in front of the patron. "I need to work on that," the rabbit joked. Looking up at the television, he saw the Central City football team blowing the last game of the year; their opponents had rushed in another touchdown to give them a 23-13 lead. "They're gonna wind up 4-10 like last year," he simmered. "SOMEBODY'S gotta clean up the front office over there—GAH!!!" The moment the rabbit turned to the porcupine, he jumped a little. Steady was not accustomed to seeing someone in that shape enter the bar. "Goodness, sir," he said, shuddering softly. "What happened to you?" The rabbit inched slowly toward the phone, prepared to call for an ambulance.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 22:25:06 GMT -5
Recoiling slightly at having been noticed, Chocolate eyed the reddened napkin in his hands, nervously scrunching and unscrunching it. "O-Oh... um..." The porcupine's brows furrowed. Actually, he seemed a little afraid to speak at all.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 22:32:26 GMT -5
Steady looked over the porcupine's features and attire. An earring? Pink clothes? Prada? Steady wasn't completely sure, but had a strong feeling he was talking to a fellow homosexual. He placed a hand on his left cheek and pulled Chocolate closer to him. "Come into the bathroom," Steady whispered into Chocolate's ear. "You can tell me."
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 22:38:42 GMT -5
But his patron only cringed and shied away. "I'm just--... I'm just passing through," he replied, his voice significantly lower in his second attempt. Sliding carefully off the stool, Chocolate turned for the door. "I'm heading back to Station Square. G-Good day."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 22:51:01 GMT -5
Steady had no choice. Had he let Chocolate go, there was always the likelihood those same thugs would be waiting for the poor porcupine; therefore, he HAD to go to him. He called out to a fellow employee. "Fill in for me, eh, Boney?" While Boney entered the bar pit, Steady walked toward the door, just as Chocolate was about to leave. He leaned over, placing his left hand on a shoulder. "Sir. I won't hurt you," whispered Steady. "Just talk to me, okay? Please?"
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 22:58:24 GMT -5
Cocoa turned and eyed the rabbit carefully -- or as well as he could, as one of his eyes had begun to swell. Sniffing and wiping some straying blood from his nose, the porcupine's gaze weakened and strayed to elsewhere in the bar. "Wh.. Why do you want to talk to me?" he carefully asked, still with an uncharacteristically baritone voice.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 23:05:22 GMT -5
He leaned in as close as he could get, and whispered as softly as possible: "I know you're gay. I heard you butching up your voice a minute ago. I'm gay, too, bud. Just stay with me and we'll talk things over, all right?" The rabbit looked into Chocolate's eyes, smiling. He hoped it was enough to win the porcupine's trust.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 23:14:47 GMT -5
Chocolate's eyes flickered, his expression somehow a blend of apprehension and relief. Though clearly still insecure in his environment, he made no other attempt to exit the pub, and just quietly stood in place. Eventually, the porcupine nodded.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 23:26:06 GMT -5
Steady nodded. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "In fact, my apartment's on the second floor. We'll have all the privacy we need. Come on." His gloved hand gripped Chocolate's as they headed out of the pub. Immediately next to the pub's entryway was a second door, which led to a long stairwell. These stairs led to residences; each floor had two apartments. Each apartment had four rooms: a living room, small kitchen, bathroom, and small bedroom. As far as Steady's apartment, 2A, was concerned, his bedroom also doubled as his office; he wanted his living room nice and neat. "Here we are," Steady said. "It's my home." He unlocked the door to 2A and pushed it open.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 6, 2009 23:46:29 GMT -5
The porcupine peered into the room for a moment or two before entering it, his arms awkwardly clutching his own body. In many ways, it was a huge weight off his shoulders to have someone extend a hand -- and someone that would truely understand at that. And yet, no matter how much he longed to drop his guard, he had just been accosted while in this city. This guy may seem nice, but he just met him. How could he possibly know if he was genuine? It was because of this slew of thoughts that all Cocoa eventually mumbled was a soft, " Thank you."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 6, 2009 23:56:21 GMT -5
Steady enjoyed helping people as much as he enjoyed talking to people. Although it was perhaps the most inopportune time to think that way, he also thought the stranger was...cute. Once again, Steady quickly scanned the porcupine's features before directing him to the sofa. "Sit down on that couch. I'll get first aid." With that, the rabbit made his way to the bathroom, rifling through various toiletries in search of that kit.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 11, 2009 1:02:35 GMT -5
With his host off rummaging for supplies, Cocoa found himself alone. The porcupine's spines bristled up a bit; even with his only companionship being a stranger, he still didn't want to be by himself at the moment. He turned his gaze to the awaiting couch, and took a seat as instructed. It did feel nice to get off his feet after all of this. Chocolate pulled his legs up onto the couch as well, and hugged his arms around them. Somehow it hadn't occurred to him until just then that he no longer had a way to get home...
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 11, 2009 1:20:24 GMT -5
Steady returned to the living room with the kit, along with a few tissues, in his hand. Placing it on the table, the white rabbit opened it up, taking out some bandages and adhesive tape and setting them aside. He then instructed the porcupine to take a tissue and hold his nose with it. "You should be all right, sir, I hope," he said. He switched on the nearby television, tuning in to the postgame show. Steady continued to watch the porcupine, while the pigskin pundits provided the chatter necessary to break the silence.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 11, 2009 1:26:18 GMT -5
" Thank you," Chocolate again mumbled, not quite disguising his voice anymore, but mainly because the wad of tissue against his muzzle had a muffling effect.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 11, 2009 1:34:45 GMT -5
Steady nodded. He sat next to the porcupine, laying back and watching the commentators go at each other, arguing whether or not it was time for Central City's coach to go. It took only a few seconds before his gaze returned to his guest. "Y'know, it's pretty dangerous for a fella like you to walk alone like that. I'd probably become a target, too, if not for this hat I'm wearing." Smirking, the rabbit pointed to the black toque on his head. "Those idiots must think I moonlight as a longshoreman, and considering their backwards thinking, they don't equate longshoremen with gays."
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 15, 2009 0:09:16 GMT -5
The porcupine at his side sniffed, and tenderly touched his swollen cheek, which quickly led to a pained recoil. " I should've known better," he finally admitted below his breath. "I used to live here..."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 15, 2009 0:15:28 GMT -5
"Ohhhhhhhhh, I see now..." Steady turned down the volume just enough so the commentators weren't a distraction. "And that's why you decided to leave, hm? Didn't want to face 'em anymore?"
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 15, 2009 0:25:40 GMT -5
"No..." Re-wadding the tissues, Chocolate pressed them back to his nose, despite the fact that it was no longer bleeding. "I was... well..." The stylist sighed and frowned. " I lost my home," he finally said after much deliberation.
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 15, 2009 0:35:16 GMT -5
"Mmm." Steady closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Money problems? Accident, perhaps?" Steady himself doubted it was money problems; he had repeatedly kidded his customers about how land values, and with them, rents, would skyrocket if crime were to cease in Central City. He stood up to go to the refrigerator and pull out a soda from the top shelf. "Wouldya like a drink or anything, sir? I've got lots here."
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 15, 2009 0:51:57 GMT -5
The porcupine shied away further as the questions continued. And yet... In some strange way, there was a part of him that wanted to talk about it. It wasn't something he necessarily kept from everyone, but it did happen to be something very few people could really understand. Despite his continued exhibition of high anxiety, Chocolate nevertheless corrected, "A-Actually... Family issues."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 15, 2009 0:59:45 GMT -5
Steady raised a brow at Chocolate's reply. Almost immediately, he had a feeling the porcupine's orientation factored into his situation. He closed the refrigerator door and returned to the living room, taking a seat next to his guest and opening the bottle. Just to be certain, however, Steady pressed on: "Family issues. I take it your parents didn't accept you the way you are, am I right? Tell me more." It was there that Steady took a sip—apparently, soda pop was his number-one vice.
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 24, 2009 0:41:59 GMT -5
After a long, long pause, Chocolate finally nodded, his eyes locked on the floor. "I... I got kicked out when I told them. I h-haven't been here since."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 24, 2009 4:54:43 GMT -5
Steady looked rather concerned. Setting the pop on the table, he leaned in slightly closer to the porcupine. "You can't be serious, right? I mean, didn't you have any other relatives to turn to?"
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Post by Leedzie on Mar 24, 2009 21:56:44 GMT -5
Despite the fact that he had numerous physical wounds in plain sight, the inner aching the porcupine had been hiding for so many years was suddenly the easiest to see. "Both my parents are, like... only children. I don't have any aunts or uncles or cousins..." Chocolate's askew quills suddenly wilted a bit, and his ears flattened to the sides. " I know I at least had grandparents... but.. I've not heard from them..."
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Post by Gatorman on Mar 24, 2009 22:12:16 GMT -5
Steady's ears drooped slightly. "I'm sorry, sir," he said. "I..." The rabbit easily envisioned never hearing from his grandparents again, to which he responded with a soft shudder. Again, he faced the porcupine. "...do your grandparents know?"
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 1, 2009 2:00:08 GMT -5
Chocolate actually let out a chuckle at that. "Actually, I like... totally don't know. Since my folks threw me out, I've been afraid to contact them. They have to know by now, though. My mom sure was mad..."
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Post by Gatorman on Apr 1, 2009 21:12:27 GMT -5
Steady just smirked a little, unsure whether to laugh with him, or shoot him one of his "poor bastard" looks. The possibility was still open that his grandparents still cared for him, so it was best for him to play it safe and avoid doing something that the porcupine may deem offensive. "I see, sir...how have you been doing since then, though?"
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Post by Leedzie on Apr 2, 2009 22:42:37 GMT -5
"I take care of myself. ... Well," he paused to sniff hard and give a final bloody wipe at his nose, "usually." The porcupine gingerly pressed against the swelling flesh around his right eye, and winced at the sharp sting it produced. "...And, just call me Chocolate," he added a second later. "That, or Cocoa."
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