Hank Anderson (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sociallychallenged) wrote2018-08-17 01:48 am
sociallychallenged) wrote2018-08-17 01:48 am
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VICTORY ROAD CONTACT
[Connor has gotten himself a nice blue shirt and some dark jeans, and is waiting for Hank with Crockett by his side outside of the inn. By now it's become apparent that they'll be in Cherrygrove for a little while, so he's managed to find a job working temporarily for the pokemon center. It means he has a little more money to spend on things like that.
He's not nervous, or anything. Why would he be? Though they've classed it as a "date", it's not romantic. If anything, he's excited to see what all the fuss is about. Crockett seems excited too, bobbing in place and beeping.
When Connor spots Hank finally he steps forward, giving him a bright smile. He's in a good mood.]
Hello, Lieutenant. I thought I'd wait for you here.
He's not nervous, or anything. Why would he be? Though they've classed it as a "date", it's not romantic. If anything, he's excited to see what all the fuss is about. Crockett seems excited too, bobbing in place and beeping.
When Connor spots Hank finally he steps forward, giving him a bright smile. He's in a good mood.]
Hello, Lieutenant. I thought I'd wait for you here.
[Hank looks awkward as hell.]
[He sort of knows its practice, and is sort of treating it like the real thing. He's wearing a nice button up shirt, a light jacket, and jeans. And he's carrying a bouquet of simple blue flowers because that's what you do, and a box of chocolates. Tubbs gets to be in his pokeball for this. He doesn't get to see his failures.]
Hope I wasn't late. [He walks up to him and offers him the box and the flowers.] You don't have to keep the flowers if you don't want them, I just uh....
Seemed right, I guess. They matched your usual color scheme so. [What a reason to pick out something.] They smell okay, too.
[Fucking smooth. Good job. What, why is he doing so bad at a fake presumably and probably platonic date? Has it been that long?]
[He sort of knows its practice, and is sort of treating it like the real thing. He's wearing a nice button up shirt, a light jacket, and jeans. And he's carrying a bouquet of simple blue flowers because that's what you do, and a box of chocolates. Tubbs gets to be in his pokeball for this. He doesn't get to see his failures.]
Hope I wasn't late. [He walks up to him and offers him the box and the flowers.] You don't have to keep the flowers if you don't want them, I just uh....
Seemed right, I guess. They matched your usual color scheme so. [What a reason to pick out something.] They smell okay, too.
[Fucking smooth. Good job. What, why is he doing so bad at a fake presumably and probably platonic date? Has it been that long?]
Oh!
[He seems pleased with the flowers. He hadn't expected them. Nobody's ever given him flowers before. He takes them and the chocolates, and when Hank mentions that they smell okay he leans in to sniff them. Not bad.]
Thank you. I didn't know what to bring. Now I'll know for another time.
[Whether he means with Hank or with someone else, he leaves it open. He does note that Hank seems awkward though, and tilts his head a little.]
You seem a little tense. Is everything alright?
[He seems pleased with the flowers. He hadn't expected them. Nobody's ever given him flowers before. He takes them and the chocolates, and when Hank mentions that they smell okay he leans in to sniff them. Not bad.]
Thank you. I didn't know what to bring. Now I'll know for another time.
[Whether he means with Hank or with someone else, he leaves it open. He does note that Hank seems awkward though, and tilts his head a little.]
You seem a little tense. Is everything alright?
Just a little nervous. It's a date thing.
[He tries to brush it off as just that.] So, lets go find somewhere to go. I was looking through radio stations and I found a couple that might play something we can use. It'll at least tune out- [he makes a round about motion in the air. The fucking soundtrack, or whatever this shit is.]
I'd offer you my arm but your hands are full now. [Another tradition that, thankfully, hadn't falling into complete offense by the 2030s.]
[He tries to brush it off as just that.] So, lets go find somewhere to go. I was looking through radio stations and I found a couple that might play something we can use. It'll at least tune out- [he makes a round about motion in the air. The fucking soundtrack, or whatever this shit is.]
I'd offer you my arm but your hands are full now. [Another tradition that, thankfully, hadn't falling into complete offense by the 2030s.]
Edited 2018-08-20 18:43 (UTC)
[Connor just nods, and walks beside him instead.]
The beach seems like it would be nice this time of evening. Or there are the small gardens.
[Nobody really seems to be out right now, the city is quiet save for the music. They could probably go anywhere and be left alone.]
The beach seems like it would be nice this time of evening. Or there are the small gardens.
[Nobody really seems to be out right now, the city is quiet save for the music. They could probably go anywhere and be left alone.]
Beach seems fine. The tide is high but there's still plenty of room. [And the sound of the ocean generally mutes the overlayed track.]
[At that point he just chooses to walk with him, rather than provide his own commentary. This damn weird world has been exhausting him with it's damn weirdness, he's had bothersome thoughts that he's not shared. So he'll just quietly enjoy Connor's company as they go in search of a nice, late evening place for just the two of them.]
[Almost like a real date.]
[At that point he just chooses to walk with him, rather than provide his own commentary. This damn weird world has been exhausting him with it's damn weirdness, he's had bothersome thoughts that he's not shared. So he'll just quietly enjoy Connor's company as they go in search of a nice, late evening place for just the two of them.]
[Almost like a real date.]
[It doesn't take long to get to the beach, since the town is relatively small. Connor finds a nice place to sit and sets down his flowers and chocolates, looking up at the sky. A little cloudy, but the stars are visible for the most part.]
This really is a nice place, isn't it?
[What a strange world they've found themselves in. A nice one, though.]
This really is a nice place, isn't it?
[What a strange world they've found themselves in. A nice one, though.]
It feels as strange to me as your body does to you.
[There's so much he wants to say that's not really 'date talk'. But he's trying not to ruin it, because Connor needs this decent example of how things can go.]
The air is nice, though. And the beach. I could do without the janitorial work, but I think that's a consensus through any other world.
[He doesn't want to be obnoxious and say that, having been at the top of his class, the worst he did was work in retail for a few months before he was out of there. But he does feel small pangs of, "I'm too old and too good for this."]
[There's so much he wants to say that's not really 'date talk'. But he's trying not to ruin it, because Connor needs this decent example of how things can go.]
The air is nice, though. And the beach. I could do without the janitorial work, but I think that's a consensus through any other world.
[He doesn't want to be obnoxious and say that, having been at the top of his class, the worst he did was work in retail for a few months before he was out of there. But he does feel small pangs of, "I'm too old and too good for this."]
It's strange, yes. But it's pleasant.
[Unlike his human body, which so far has been nothing but a minor inconvenience at best. He looks up at Hank, and pats the sand beside him.]
Come sit with me.
[They can share the chocolates.]
[Unlike his human body, which so far has been nothing but a minor inconvenience at best. He looks up at Hank, and pats the sand beside him.]
Come sit with me.
[They can share the chocolates.]
[He sits down beside him, but stops and pulls off his shoes, his socks, and rolls his pants legs up again. In case he has to step out into the gently rolling water. He rests his elbows on his knees, looking at the colors of the sunset. There's so little light pollution that he can actually see the stars. He's at least right that it's nice, even if it feels off and fake and wrong. If things are unsettling they should at least be mundanely so.]
[Then he looks over at Connor, waiting for him to try his chocolates. This. This is the deciding moment. He picked a small box of the very best he could find, he even tried samples to be sure. Hopefully he's not misjudged.]
[Then he looks over at Connor, waiting for him to try his chocolates. This. This is the deciding moment. He picked a small box of the very best he could find, he even tried samples to be sure. Hopefully he's not misjudged.]
[Connor takes off his own shoes too, setting them neatly by the flowers. He sees that Hank is watching him closely as he unwraps the box, and it’s almost enough to make him stop and ask what’s wrong. But he finishes opening the box and takes one of the chocolates, absently biting into it and not really expecting much.
Oh. Oh, it’s... it’s good. Real good. His eyebrows raise slightly and he mostly looks surprised, and then he realises too late that he’s going to be hooked on these and gives Hank a suspicious look.]
You knew.
[That’s why he was staring at him.]
Oh. Oh, it’s... it’s good. Real good. His eyebrows raise slightly and he mostly looks surprised, and then he realises too late that he’s going to be hooked on these and gives Hank a suspicious look.]
You knew.
[That’s why he was staring at him.]
[Suddenly Hank grins at that, a little proud of himself.]
Almost everyone likes chocolate. [Almost.]
That's why I only got you a little box. Eat too much and it can give you a stomachache. Halloween candy is how kids usually learn that, but since you skipped that step, I should warn you now.
[But Hank's gone from looking pensive to looking real fucking pleased with himself.]
Almost everyone likes chocolate. [Almost.]
That's why I only got you a little box. Eat too much and it can give you a stomachache. Halloween candy is how kids usually learn that, but since you skipped that step, I should warn you now.
[But Hank's gone from looking pensive to looking real fucking pleased with himself.]
[He looks as though he’s seriously weighing the pros and cons of just eating the entire box himself, before he holds it out to Hank.]
I did intend to share them, so I’m going to.
[And he pops the rest of the first chocolate into his mouth, sighing both from pleasure and slight resignation. He’s going to spend all of his money on chocolate.]
You can stop looking so pleased with yourself now.
[He nudges Hank with his elbow, though he’s actually happy to see him smile.]
I did intend to share them, so I’m going to.
[And he pops the rest of the first chocolate into his mouth, sighing both from pleasure and slight resignation. He’s going to spend all of his money on chocolate.]
You can stop looking so pleased with yourself now.
[He nudges Hank with his elbow, though he’s actually happy to see him smile.]
You make it sound easy. [He only takes one, though.] You can have the rest. I got them for you.
[He'll just munch on this one and spitefully look proud. But rather than directing it at Connor, he directs it at a dimming sky and pretty stars. He pulls out his PokeGear and surfs stations, finding the one that he found earlier that seemed like the dj was just playing with variety. Amazingly, the other background noise does actually stop and Hank turns the music on down low so he can listen for a decent song.]
I don't know if I can beat chocolate to be honest. That might be the best I can give you.
[He'll just munch on this one and spitefully look proud. But rather than directing it at Connor, he directs it at a dimming sky and pretty stars. He pulls out his PokeGear and surfs stations, finding the one that he found earlier that seemed like the dj was just playing with variety. Amazingly, the other background noise does actually stop and Hank turns the music on down low so he can listen for a decent song.]
I don't know if I can beat chocolate to be honest. That might be the best I can give you.
There must be better things.
[He seems pretty sure of it. As good as chocolate is, it can’t be the best thing being human has to offer.]
Or at least things equally as good.
[Because no offence to chocolate, but if this is the pinnacle of human enjoyment it’s not quite what he’d hoped for.]
[He seems pretty sure of it. As good as chocolate is, it can’t be the best thing being human has to offer.]
Or at least things equally as good.
[Because no offence to chocolate, but if this is the pinnacle of human enjoyment it’s not quite what he’d hoped for.]
I didn't say it was the best. I said it was probably the best I'm allowed to give.
[The he brushes that off because all the conversations that could follow it would only result in disaster.]
Later we should check the map and see where to go next. This is a nice town but everyone keeps suggesting that we keep moving around. Apparently that's how this place works.
[The he brushes that off because all the conversations that could follow it would only result in disaster.]
Later we should check the map and see where to go next. This is a nice town but everyone keeps suggesting that we keep moving around. Apparently that's how this place works.
[Connor, thankfully, lets the conversation drop. He pulls out his Gear and looks at the map.]
The next city is Violet City. That’s going to be a long walk, though. At least a week.
[It makes him want to go back to bed just thinking about it, but he’ll deal with it. He has to.]
The next city is Violet City. That’s going to be a long walk, though. At least a week.
[It makes him want to go back to bed just thinking about it, but he’ll deal with it. He has to.]
Hey, at some point, we'll get a- [god he has to say it, he hates saying it *even now*] -a Pokemon big enough to ride, right? Maybe one of the horse ones. And we'll make these trips a lot quicker.
[Suddenly he goes from the one doubting their role and position in this place to trying to be encouraging. Though not really unlike him. Whenever Connor faltered in a mission, Hank always reminded him that they still made some progress. They knew what a deviant looked like, or that it was more important to survive.]
[Finally something slow and jazzy comes on, and Hank looks behind him at the PokeGear, turns it up, and gets up.] Take off your shoes so we don't step on each other's toes. [First time for Connor dancing, after all.]
[He waits until Connor's done so before holding out his hand.]
[Suddenly he goes from the one doubting their role and position in this place to trying to be encouraging. Though not really unlike him. Whenever Connor faltered in a mission, Hank always reminded him that they still made some progress. They knew what a deviant looked like, or that it was more important to survive.]
[Finally something slow and jazzy comes on, and Hank looks behind him at the PokeGear, turns it up, and gets up.] Take off your shoes so we don't step on each other's toes. [First time for Connor dancing, after all.]
[He waits until Connor's done so before holding out his hand.]
That could take a while. But you’re right.
[He stands, but not before sneaking another chocolate. He isn’t sure what to do here, so he just takes Hank’s offered hand and then looks up at him as if to ask what next.]
You like jazz, don’t you?
[He remembers seeing proof of that in Hank’s house.]
[He stands, but not before sneaking another chocolate. He isn’t sure what to do here, so he just takes Hank’s offered hand and then looks up at him as if to ask what next.]
You like jazz, don’t you?
[He remembers seeing proof of that in Hank’s house.]
Yeah. I like to listen to Metal to key up and be alert. I like to listen to Jazz to cool down.
[He pulls him over to him and puts his left hand on Connor's waist, holds his right gently. God, those fingers are delicate feeling.] Alright. Put your left hand on my shoulder. I'm going to lead.
[Hank looks down at the space between them, at their bare feet (which is kind of funny.] We'll start slow. When I take a step, you take a step to match. I'll use the hand on your side to help urge you in the right direction.
[He pulls him over to him and puts his left hand on Connor's waist, holds his right gently. God, those fingers are delicate feeling.] Alright. Put your left hand on my shoulder. I'm going to lead.
[Hank looks down at the space between them, at their bare feet (which is kind of funny.] We'll start slow. When I take a step, you take a step to match. I'll use the hand on your side to help urge you in the right direction.
[He does as he’s told, resting his hand on Hank’s shoulder and glancing down too before looking back up at him.]
I’ll do my best.
[This seems a little awkward, but maybe it gets better when you actually start moving.]
I’ll do my best.
[This seems a little awkward, but maybe it gets better when you actually start moving.]
[The little slightly unimpressed look is a little amusing. But he didn't promise this would be an incredible experience. He promised it would be something they would do. Even if what he's showing him is truly the laziest form of dancing. Nothing meant for a ballroom, but for a dark side corner in a lounge lobby at a lazy hour, when you and someone else need to be the only people in the world.]
Since we're just getting started you can look down sometimes. Get an idea of what we're doing. [He moves slowly. Not exactly to the beat of the music yet (though that won't be difficult once they got the hang of it. The song is slow. And the mood is quiet. Just the two of them, the sound of tinny radio and ocean. Connor's free to make every mistake in the world but in the judgment of only one person who likes his faults.]
Getting the hang of it? [He asks as he finally starts to match tempo.] Now you need to keep looking up.
Since we're just getting started you can look down sometimes. Get an idea of what we're doing. [He moves slowly. Not exactly to the beat of the music yet (though that won't be difficult once they got the hang of it. The song is slow. And the mood is quiet. Just the two of them, the sound of tinny radio and ocean. Connor's free to make every mistake in the world but in the judgment of only one person who likes his faults.]
Getting the hang of it? [He asks as he finally starts to match tempo.] Now you need to keep looking up.
[He does look down a few times, and nearly steps on Hank's feet more than once. Each time he does he lets out a little "oops" and corrects himself, learning from his mistake. It's not exactly rocket science, it's pretty easy to figure out after they've gone through the motions a few times.
Eventually he does look back up, though it's obvious at first his mind is still on what his feet are doing. He's overthinking it, just a little. It's only as he gets more used to it that he relaxes, the urge to look down at what he's doing fading away.
It's nice, once he has the hang of it. Nothing spectacular, just two people holding each other and moving quietly to the music under the stars. He likes it. He has an easy sort of smile as he looks up at Hank, pleased with himself for learning.]
Eventually he does look back up, though it's obvious at first his mind is still on what his feet are doing. He's overthinking it, just a little. It's only as he gets more used to it that he relaxes, the urge to look down at what he's doing fading away.
It's nice, once he has the hang of it. Nothing spectacular, just two people holding each other and moving quietly to the music under the stars. He likes it. He has an easy sort of smile as he looks up at Hank, pleased with himself for learning.]
[Hank's pretty patient with it. If anything, feeling the toes occasionally hitting his own is kind of funny because it's so unusual. And then he sees him overthink it. Mutters a quiet, 'You're doing fine', to let him know he's not fucking anything up. He's getting it.]
[By mid-song (What he assumes is mid-song), it's much easier. And he can bask in that quietly pleased look. Somehow his face looks really nice with that genuine smile, lit up like the moon like it is.]
Alright. So... Now. I'm going to take this hand, and lift it up... [He leads him through a slow spin, careful not to confuse him too much, but when he pulls his partner back into place he might be closer than he was before. It's not really intentional, but he's not complaining.]
[By mid-song (What he assumes is mid-song), it's much easier. And he can bask in that quietly pleased look. Somehow his face looks really nice with that genuine smile, lit up like the moon like it is.]
Alright. So... Now. I'm going to take this hand, and lift it up... [He leads him through a slow spin, careful not to confuse him too much, but when he pulls his partner back into place he might be closer than he was before. It's not really intentional, but he's not complaining.]
[He turns awkwardly on the spot, and looks a little confused as to why that happened when he stops. But it's easy to fall back into what he was doing before, so it's not too much of a disruption. He notes that they're closer now, but it's nice.
It's good to see Hank let down his guard a little, too. He seems gentler, softer. It's a side he doesn't see of Hank very often. He finds himself looking up at the older man's face fondly, glad that he gets to witness it.]
It's good to see Hank let down his guard a little, too. He seems gentler, softer. It's a side he doesn't see of Hank very often. He finds himself looking up at the older man's face fondly, glad that he gets to witness it.]
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