[It's New Years Eve, which is only important to Naoki in that it means every corner and alley of this podunk town is lit up with noise and flooded with witches. It's the worst possible circumstances to search for anything significant, but he'd figured it would be this way, and there's a motel bed waiting for him where he'll be camped out for at least the next two weeks. Hopefully more, if anything worth investigating crops up.
It's pointless to try and hide from the chaos behind the thin walls of his room- if strangers want to get drunk enough to lose their lunches in the gutter, it's no skin off his back, but they could be fucking quieter about it- so Naoki treks across the town, crossing the road whenever someone draws near, until he finds somewhere a tad quieter to waste the hours away: a bar soaked in old spilled alcohol and older magic.
He folds himself into the corner and pulls out his notebook, and a clipped interaction with one of the staff- don't let them ask anything personal, cut the conversation off- results in more than one foul look shot his way. Still, a single freeloader from out of town crammed into a corner seat when everyone else is celebrating the new year isn't too much trouble, and Naoki is blissfully left alone- for now.]
( new years eve is one of a handful of days where nick actually works hard. any major partying holiday really, because there's only so many dealers in a town this size and there's even fewer working with magical products. one, actually, there's only one. find something that no one is doing and then become the best in it, right? he bounces from bar to club quite happily, hitting up friends, customers, both, until he finds one mostly filled with college attendants that haven't gotten home for the holidays.
he makes the appropriate sort of entrance for someone walking into a room and truly believing that everyone in there already adores him – most of them do, to be fair, and he's buoyant and cheerful as he flits unfocused between people. nothing holds him for long, until he spots someone new on the other side of the bar.
new people don't come in here very often. strangers don't come to town very often, but when they do, they don't usually come to bars like this one. not without a friend, certainly. colour nick intrigued. )
Writing a novel? ( nick drapes himself over the back of the chair next to naoki, head tilted curiously and lazy grin situated perfectly. ) We haven't had a writer here in years, spooky forests just don't attract like they used to.
[the moment Nick situates himself next to Naoki, he snaps his book shut with a sharp snap that mirrors the annoyed sigh he huffs out before he can catch it. he doesn't know what about him right now is suggesting he needs or wants company, but apparently there's something he needs to turn off.
still, apart from the crime of nosiness, the stranger hasn't really done anything that deserves being snapped at, and Naoki meets his gaze with a carefully neutral expression.
writing a novel? that one is easy enough to answer, at least.]
Not a novel. I don't think you would find it interesting.
[that's not a lie either, obviously. this guy lives in a town full of witches. what's a singular fae, right? Naoki tucks the journal away into his pocket, and clasps his hands together on the table, studying a nasty looking water mark on it's surface and not giving Nick an inch more.]
I find a lot of things interesting, you don't know me.
( nothing about this is an invite, but nick takes it as one anyway. he drags the chair out, loud and obnoxious, and drops himself into it solidly. grins, bright and wide as he gestures to the bartender – they've been on first name terms for a while now and it doesn't work in his favour at all. they turn to serve someone else, and nick's face drops into a dramatic pout in respond.
it's all very exaggerated, truth be told he doesn't feel that strongly one way or another about much of anything, but it's more fun to put on a show. nick taps the spot on the table where the journal used to be, and when he drops his hand into his chin and elbow onto the bench, it's maybe uncomfortably close.
...he's maybe a little buzzed. )
Alright, keep your secrets. Are you waiting for someone?
[Naoki's tone is very nearly cold, and very definitely rude, but he would feel worse about it if Nick wasn't pushing into his space with all the tact of an overenthusiastic puppy.
his exchange with the bartender is admittedly entertaining though, and Naoki hides the tiniest of smiles behind his hand, looking sidelong at Nick as if he's not even worth his full attention.
it's with a small prick of nerves that he realises the annoying behaviour is regrettably charming. Naoki doesn't want to pursue that thought at all, except for how he really actually does and the curse immediately knows as much. it's a countdown now until he says something embarrassing, but he could leave before it happens.
Naoki doesn't get up.]
No. I travel alone. It's peaceful.
[there's no bite in his words this time; just a lilt that is far closer to teasing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
here we go mario
It's pointless to try and hide from the chaos behind the thin walls of his room- if strangers want to get drunk enough to lose their lunches in the gutter, it's no skin off his back, but they could be fucking quieter about it- so Naoki treks across the town, crossing the road whenever someone draws near, until he finds somewhere a tad quieter to waste the hours away: a bar soaked in old spilled alcohol and older magic.
He folds himself into the corner and pulls out his notebook, and a clipped interaction with one of the staff- don't let them ask anything personal, cut the conversation off- results in more than one foul look shot his way. Still, a single freeloader from out of town crammed into a corner seat when everyone else is celebrating the new year isn't too much trouble, and Naoki is blissfully left alone- for now.]
its time!!!!
he makes the appropriate sort of entrance for someone walking into a room and truly believing that everyone in there already adores him – most of them do, to be fair, and he's buoyant and cheerful as he flits unfocused between people. nothing holds him for long, until he spots someone new on the other side of the bar.
new people don't come in here very often. strangers don't come to town very often, but when they do, they don't usually come to bars like this one. not without a friend, certainly. colour nick intrigued. )
Writing a novel? ( nick drapes himself over the back of the chair next to naoki, head tilted curiously and lazy grin situated perfectly. ) We haven't had a writer here in years, spooky forests just don't attract like they used to.
no subject
still, apart from the crime of nosiness, the stranger hasn't really done anything that deserves being snapped at, and Naoki meets his gaze with a carefully neutral expression.
writing a novel? that one is easy enough to answer, at least.]
Not a novel. I don't think you would find it interesting.
[that's not a lie either, obviously. this guy lives in a town full of witches. what's a singular fae, right? Naoki tucks the journal away into his pocket, and clasps his hands together on the table, studying a nasty looking water mark on it's surface and not giving Nick an inch more.]
no subject
( nothing about this is an invite, but nick takes it as one anyway. he drags the chair out, loud and obnoxious, and drops himself into it solidly. grins, bright and wide as he gestures to the bartender – they've been on first name terms for a while now and it doesn't work in his favour at all. they turn to serve someone else, and nick's face drops into a dramatic pout in respond.
it's all very exaggerated, truth be told he doesn't feel that strongly one way or another about much of anything, but it's more fun to put on a show. nick taps the spot on the table where the journal used to be, and when he drops his hand into his chin and elbow onto the bench, it's maybe uncomfortably close.
...he's maybe a little buzzed. )
Alright, keep your secrets. Are you waiting for someone?
no subject
[Naoki's tone is very nearly cold, and very definitely rude, but he would feel worse about it if Nick wasn't pushing into his space with all the tact of an overenthusiastic puppy.
his exchange with the bartender is admittedly entertaining though, and Naoki hides the tiniest of smiles behind his hand, looking sidelong at Nick as if he's not even worth his full attention.
it's with a small prick of nerves that he realises the annoying behaviour is regrettably charming. Naoki doesn't want to pursue that thought at all, except for how he really actually does and the curse immediately knows as much. it's a countdown now until he says something embarrassing, but he could leave before it happens.
Naoki doesn't get up.]
No. I travel alone. It's peaceful.
[there's no bite in his words this time; just a lilt that is far closer to teasing.]