[001 - video]

[freeholding]

[Two men have settled into one of the larger rooms of the Tower. One is tall and lean and looks vaguely untrustworthy, like someone you wouldn't want to share a cab with. He's got a mean-looking scar through the right side of his face, a silver pentacle around his neck, and a dramatic black leather duster hanging off his frame. He's the one seated on the floor, a circle drawn around him (was that done in chalk?) on the lumpy carpet.

The other man is far more respectable looking, but something about him would incite nervousness and distrust if you met him in person. He's older, with greying hair and eyes the color of dead grass. Dressed like a businessman in tailored Givenchy and silver cufflinks, there is nonetheless the sense of a prowling panther as he paces slowly around the outside of the circle.]

Are you ready? [says the man in the suit.]

[The one in the circle opens an eye to glare at his companion.] Are you interrupting a wizard when he's wizarding?

We're on a time table, Dresden.

A what? [The one by the name of "Dresden" squints at the other man like he's in awe of his existence.] I don't care how OCD you are, you don't have a time table yet.

Near and present danger.

Hell's bells, fine. Operation Stress-test commencing in five... four... [His voice trails off as he closes his eyes again, focusing before:] Hexus.

[There's a quick series of pops as all the lights burst into showers of sparks, power sockets go up smoke, and the NV's feed promptly goes dead.]

[[OOC: Blue font is Harry, Green font is John and they'll be replying separately to your comments!

If you'd like to play along, Harry just hexed the electrical things (lights, AC units, TVs, anything really) in their room, and the effect may spread to anyone nearby in the Tower apartments. Feel free to suddenly have a freezing cold shower or have your radio cut out, etc.]]

Comments

[forzare]

You're doing that thing again where you're trying to flatter me, but you put way too much sarcasm into it and that ruined the whole experience. [ Harry spins a finger through the air, imitating the path that an attempt might take as it crashes and burns. Ouch, and it's now burying itself into the carpet. ]

What are you talking about? Are you telling me you thought any of this was a permanent thing? I've got Chicago to get back to, and nothing here's worth setting up shop over. The moment I can find a way back, I'll take us. Until then, the most we've got is a common goal and temporary living accommodations together.

[freeholding]

[John doesn't exactly forget how annoying Dresden can be, but it's different when the wizard is being a pest to John's face and not just in memory. John drops the polite charade (because what is the use of artifice between them) and gives Dresden a remarkably annoyed look.]

You need to read through the provided information again. If you'd like to focus on the immediate return to our city, I have no qualms, but as usual you ignore the need for contingency plans. I am talking about the prospect of being stuck here longer than we'd like, and with that the struggles that come with a foreign environment. You heard the sirens. Shall we step outside and see about this Darkness?

[He is only so hard on Dresden because they can afford honesty. But here, John sighs and rubs his face.] A proposition. Let's play to each of our strengths. You can see about a short-term escape from this Port. In the meantime, I will see about securing us some resources in the event that.... we need long-term plans, [he finishes quietly, relying on euphemism to lessen the blow.]

[forzare]

Okay, I misspoke: we have a way to home. The Ways themselves work, they're not closed or anything. Hypothetically, we could walk through them and get to Chicago in - maybe a matter of days. The problem is this Pull phenomena, it's the leash that keeps us in the kennel. We slip the collar, we go home. That's the extent of my damn plan.

Everything else is stepping stones to get there. I am not going to move in with you on a permanent basis, we are not picking out curtains.. [ ah that's what got him ] I work better when you're not breathing down my neck, and vice versa. Understand what I'm saying?

[freeholding]

[That is a more complicated situation, without doubt. John sits on the sofa and steeples his fingers, tapping the peak to his lips.] That of course raises the question of why this Port doesn't use the Ways as a means of escape. Surely there must be some mages living here with knowledge of the Ways. Something to look into.

[John grins at Harry.] Says the man who apparently shared his one bedroom apartment with a White Court vampire. But fine. As we are each other's only link to home, I simply want us to stay in contact. There's too much we don't know about this place.

[forzare]

I hope you don't think I'd leave you here. I might not be able to stand you, but you're my responsibility.

While I agreed to room with you for the month, that's it. I figure if we run out of month before we can get back: divide and conquer. These NV-things make it easier to keep track of each other. [ since he's never owned a mobile phone. ] And don't go making my previous choices in roommate your business, because it's not.

[freeholding]

[Is that sentimentality from Dresden? No, likely he is just showing his pragmatic side for once.] No, we've seen what happens when I am temporarily removed from the picture. You'd rather have me than the likes of Torelli.

Your personal business is a popular topic in the gossip mills. It's hard not to hear a few things.

[John is aware of Harry's inexperience with anything more than an aged landline.] Will you be able to keep up with such new technology?

[forzare]

I don't want to have to explain myself when people ask why I, Warden, ditched you, Freeholding Lord when I get back to Chicago.

[ He had entertained the idea of leaving Marcone for milliseconds. Then he'd kicked it to the curb because responsibility be damned, he'd just feel guilty if he did something like that. Idea? Terminated. ]

I'll manage. It doesn't look like I need to get along with technology or use it to survive in this place.

[freeholding]

[John tips his head to Dresden. Whatever you have to tell yourself, Dresden.]

[Well, of course he does. John frowns.] What about your NV?

[forzare]

[ Reeeeeally trying not to land himself in a situation where he and John are cohabitees because that's just weird. Beneficial, though. So he's not kidding himself about that. There's some fumbling around in his duster pocket, since he's not using his NV at the moment. Then he yanks out this battered black notebook and offers it to John. ] It's this thing. And it looks like, past a mild disagreement, yours is okay too. Otherwise I guess I can just ask you or someone else if I need something that has to do with technology.

Let's start with the month. Maybe it'll work out better than we think, you and me.

[freeholding]

That... is a book. [He takes it and turns it over in his hands.]

Ever the optimist, Mr. Dresden. [It's rather sweet. Like a rather dim puppy.]

[forzare]

It [ says the man with his best Vanna White impersonation before he passes it to John ] is my notebook. It had all my casework, now it's got all sorts of spooky-magic capabilities. I guess it functions like your own NV-mobile-thing, hypothetically.

... You know, I think this is bigger than my place back in Chicago.

[freeholding]

I surmised as much from the cola stains and extensive dog-earring. [John flips through it, frowning, waiting for something to happen. No such luck. It's a book. Perhaps it only responds to Dresden. Typical.] How kind of the Port to give you an NV that you're less likely to destroy.

I've seen blueprints of your house. I have some supply closets bigger than your hovel. [He glances around the room.] Do you prefer the on-suite or the room with the window?

[forzare]

Not from the fact that my name and address are on the inside cover? [ He holds out his hand for his NV, if John is quite finished exploring everything between the covers. There's some client-confidential information in there (oh god he's got bills to pay and can't pay them from canada). ] I know, right? I think I love magic.

Burn the blueprints and erase that information from your mind, I have neighbors to look after and excuse you, it's my hovel. [ and then: ] I don't want anything with a window, windows are-- wait. Give me the window.

[freeholding]

If you want to be simple about it. [John does hand it back, with some care. Even from a quick glance it is clear that most of Dresden's life is in there, and that warrants some respect.]

You act like I've been plotting a hostile takeover of your building. [There's not enough value in it as real estate.]

[John raises an eyebrow at him.]

[forzare]

I was going for the obvious, but yeah. Keep it simple, stupid. [ or, KISS, which was a fantastic mantra to repeat when on a cases that kept escalating into some sort of pseudo-apocalyptic situation, yeesh. ]

You wouldn't be the first, [ he points out, not because he thinks John would do it, but because it's happened before. It's never been much of a home, but it was his house, and it's been broken into in increasingly violent ways that leave a guy twitchy. ] Phobophage, zombies, blah blah.

I'm just saying: I got neighbors. Since I'm a walking danger zone, I have to watch out for them.

[freeholding]

[John opens his mouth, but reconsiders. No, no, too easy.]

Until my real estate division says that your neighborhood is ready for renovations and gentrification, you're safe.

[He's not going to point out that they'd need less protection is Dresden didn't stay around them, because that's not helpful roommate behavior.] You're not going to tell me why you suddenly want the window, are you?

[forzare]

[ To his credit, Harry resists the urge to air-quote at John: ] Aw thanks, I'll sleep "safe and sound" now that I know that.

Okay so, [ and then he gets animated, which is just one of those tells that says i'm attempting to lie ] I figure I've lived in a basement all this time, so it's about time that I had a room with a view. Even if it's not that great of a view. You can fight me for it, but I got dibs.

[freeholding]

[John holds up his hands in a placating gesture.] By all means, enjoy. [He doesn't believe a word of it, but is too weary to press.]

[forzare]

[ Half-expecting the usual you're a terrible liar harry, he's a little taken back when John concedes. (The truth is that it's one more entrance to watch, in case the supposed Darkness-proofing fails.) ]

Tomorrow then. We'll start with supplies and sustenance and I'll see what I can dig up for work in the meanwhile.