action // video

[othersdie]

[Midday, a new arrival--or perhaps someone familiar to those who have been in the City for more than a few months--appears by the fountain. His button-up shirt (buttoned all the way to the top, as usual), khakis, and loafers aren't exactly seasonally appropriate, but at least he managed to avoid the icy fountain.

It's not as if the cold can bother him that much, anyway.

He looks around for the device that he knows will be nearby and--yes, there it is, just like always. He dusts stray snowflakes off of it, checks the date, and switches it to record.]

This is Justin Pendleton. If anyone who knew me is still here, I'd appreciate a response.

Who's currently running the City? Anonymous? What state is the police force in? Again, answers would be appreciated. Thank you.

[He moves to end the recording and hesitates.]

Neil, Todd. You'd better still be here.

[There, good. He cuts the video short and pockets the network device. Until he hears from his flatmates, Justin resolves to check out the City and see what has changed in the four months he's been gone himself.]


[ooc: Feel free to contact him via the network or run into him in person! And don't forget that it's National Hug Day. <3 Justin does so hate love hugs.]

Comments

Action

[trenchknives]

[Jimmy's on his lunch break from work, going for a stroll, despite the cold weather, and... Well, that's a face he didn't expect to see again. Okay, wait, phrasing it that way is weird. He sees that face every day. Just not attached to that particular person. Okay.]

Justin?

[He's approaching him quickly, curiously, oddly glad to see him.]

Action

[othersdie]

[Justin almost catches himself smiling when he sees a familiar face. No, poor phrasing, but the point is that being dead is incredibly lonely, Jimmy is fucked up in a comfortingly familiar way, and this is good.]

Jimmy. [He neglects to, like, move to intercept Jimmy. Some things never change.] How are you?

Re: Action

[trenchknives]

I'm okay. Things've been...

[He shrugs. And then... shit, what's he doing? Is he throwing his arms around Justin and squeezing him tightly? Yes, yes, he seems to be, and that's odd, because as much as he likes the guy, he'd had no intention of expressing his affection quite so... affectionately. A pat on the back would have sufficed. A friendly handshake.]

Uh...

[He draws back after a few seconds.]

Things've been fine.

Action

[othersdie]

[Oh, that's--what. Justin isn't cursed himself (perhaps it's a benefit of coming in partway through the day) or particularly fond of human contact, so he freezes and waits for Jimmy to stop.

Huh.]

Fine? Is there a curse today?

[valentineluke]

The deities haven't returned, and, welcome back.

[othersdie]

Thank you.

[His tone is clipped; Luke's being pleasant, but Justin really doesn't like vampires. Still. Ever.]

video;

[dignity_misery]

There you are.

video;

[othersdie]

Were you looking for me?

video;

[dignity_misery]

Everywhere.

video;

[othersdie]

Do you want something?

video;

[mumbled_truth]

Justin?

[ It's not much of a question, since he clearly knows the answer. And he's even visibly happy. ]

We're still here.

video;

[othersdie]

[LOOK, a real smile!]

Good, since you're not allowed to leave. Would I be intruding if I came to the apartment?

video;

[mumbled_truth]

[ Amazing. ]

Of course not.

video;

[othersdie]

Thank you, Todd.

It'll be good to see you again.

action;

[anatural]

[Right okay it is time for her to head back to work. A little flushed but very contented, Korra hurries away from the cafe and back to the Welcome Center. Except she's not exactly looking where she's going-]

Oof! I'm so sorry!

action;

[othersdie]

[Justin isn't exactly looking out for people himself. When he collides with someone--]

No, sorry, I-- [Oh, crap. It's the girl who hates him because he keeps arresting her.] Korra. Hello.

action;

[anatural]

[Oh shit.]

You're back! Why...

action;

[othersdie]

[Did she just say why? Justin doesn't know how to reply, so he goes for the most reliable response he has.]

I'm sorry...?

such belated, very action. wow.

[had_not_lived]

[Maybe he ought to reply to that, when he sees it. Maybe the right answer is not to yelp, shoo out someone who's browsing with a handful of flustered apologies, and lock the shop up. One upside to being self-employed: Neil won't get yelled at for closing unexpectedly in the middle of the day. (Really, the shop's founder would be proud.)

Neil heads in the direction of the fountain, figuring Justin probably can't have gone far yet.]

still impress. amaze.

[othersdie]

[Justin is indeed still in the vicinity of the fountain. It seems like the logical place to be; that's where Neil and Todd would go, he's sure.

And he's not wrong. Justin doesn't exactly run to Neil when he sees him, but he does take his hands out of his pockets to wave feebly. But look, there's a smile! A real one!]

[had_not_lived]

[He doesn't need to go running, because Neil is as always enthusiastic enough for the both of them.

Enthusiasm might be selling it short, really. You could definitely call it a flying leap, the way he throws himself at Justin to hug the other young man.

Yeah, he's not even cursed.]

[othersdie]

[Having friends who are that eager to see him will never stop feeling like a novelty. After a moment of awkward how-do-hug, Justin manages to reciprocate the motion. Honestly, he forgets how these things work when he leaves the City for a while.]

It's good to see you, too.

video;

[moonlitrequiem]

Welcome back, Justin Pendleton.

video;

[othersdie]

Thank you, Yin.

video;

[moonlitrequiem]

[Like usual, she just nods to that, then proceeds to stare at Justin.]