2019-09-24 - Well that was a Thing

Joey took care of closing the gym he could have lost today. They lost the ring, the lights, and a couple vinyl bags that blistered fro me the heat. The truth is it could have been worse. It could have been a lot worse. Tomorrow will tell as tonight it will be too damn dark with no electricity powering it. There's no point. He had to notify his other work out partner he is cancelling his practice.

So lunch became cold Five Guys by the time Joey got to it and Nicole kept his niece busy and safe out of the way so he can watch his life ladder slowly go up in flames. Munchkin safe inside the house he walks back out in the long autumn afternoon to sit on the porch with Nicole. Arching an eyebrow he just looks at her for a long time before granting from his weary, angry ass soul, "Thanks again. Sorry this shit like wrecked the afternoon, but... I appreciate the help."

Each day brings them deeper and deeper into the Fall season. There might not be many days left that Nicole can comfortably enjoy the outside air, so as Joey goes in to settle Jessie in and do whatever else he needs to do, she sits on the porch waiting for him to return. There is a brisk bite to the air, so she keeps her arms wrapped around herself, slightly tucked over her knees as she watches the day drift by. It certainly didn't go as planned, but then, how many of them actually do?

When Joey walks out, she turns to smile up and back at him. Considering all he dealt with, it's a soft smile, not one of her overly bright ones. He looks at her as he sits down, seeming to study her a bit, and she tilts her head curiously. "Oh Joey, you do not have to thank me..." She smiles, pushing his knee slightly with her own. "It... well, okay, some shit was wrecked... but I am more concerned about your gym than our lunch. I am hoping we will have a lot of opportunities for lunches and things. And in case you don't know it? Well, you need help, I'll be there... and I do hope you let me help however I can with fixing the gym back up. I can be slightly handy. We'll get it back in great shape, even better than before." She leans in then and plants a small kiss to Joey's cheek.

Joey slides an arm around Nicole's back and sliiiiides her over tucking her against his side. It's just as likely that this is appreciation as it is 'If my hands are occupied I can't go take my grievances out elsewhere'. The smooch to the cheek, however, is met with an arching of one eyebrow."Ya missed." It's the easy invite there, and there in lies a bonafide Washington State home grown organic smooch. That's some good value.

"Well now we can grade shop labor." His molars tap together and thinks hard on the long fucking day. Shit he even got zapped. Who does that? "Like I know you get it, right? Scrape everything together to try to get*out* of this fucking hole, and we put up with some crazy shit to get the scratch to do it and then... this fucking shit happens and for a moment? It was like I was watching the only real good parts of my life burn. Not even just mine but others too but like... I dunno."

Nicole is more than happy to be tucked against the side of Joey. Grinning crookedly, she nods and whispers, "seems I did," and takes no issue in trying again, and winning that smooch. Priceless value.

"You said you have insurance though at least, right? That will help." She nods slowly, reaching up to lightly rest her hand on his chest. It's partly tenderness, partly sneakily trying to see how he is doing, knowing if she asks he would say he was fine. "I get it. I mean, I ran out as soon as I could... and here I am again." Her voice falls silent a moment. "Guess I failed at escaping." She looks up to meet his gaze, to study those green eyes. "Plenty left there. And in the rebuilding, maybe it will bring more people together, giving them more opportunities and... Sometimes...." She pauses, thinking of the best way to say what she means. "Like, life here can be utter shit. But it helps us recognize the good in the small things... and sometimes, amidst the shit... you might find a diamond some dumb ass dog swallowed." Poetic, Nicole. "What I mean to say is, sometimes, there are blessings in disguise and what seems like shit might turn out to be... wonderful. Yeah, I know... I am cheesy."

Joey listens. He genuinely shuts the fuck up and listens. The other arm comes out and he hugs her pressing a kiss to the top of her forehead. The story paints well. There's hope in the ruin and really that gym is built on that...in the brochure. The rest is pretty much entirely dirty money. But hope! hope's on there. Look, people do what they gotta do to survive.

"Failed at escaping, or succeeded in coming back." The comment about the dog though pulls a wide, dimpled grin on his face breaking up the tired malaise of weathered bullshit. "Maaaaan, We got Snatch on the Plex. We should watch that. Because dogs shitting diamonds is a good end to today. " It's chilly and his coat is inside but that doesn't keep him from keeping her warm... or trying to steal all of her body heat. Affectionate larceny is a thing right? "Hey, cheese is some good shit. You saved my ass today in a small but important way you get to look like a Hallmark card with an outstanding ass. You earned that right."

It's hard to have hope sometimes. Nicole knows that about as well as anyone else, but she tries, always tries to keep an eye on any bright glimmer that might exist. Otherwise... well, she doesn't like the otherwise. She does, however, like hugs from Joey and sinking into his, smiling as he kisses her forehead, content to just linger there for a moment.

"Succeeded at coming back... possibly. Succeeded at surviving long enough to come back, definitely. I keep feeling there is a reason that this is the place I came to when all else went to shit. Not sure what that reason is yet... " She kisses his shoulder before resting against it. "Maybe it's just to rise above. Like this place, my past, nothing can hold me back, I am going to succeed at this bitch called Life one way or another." Glancing up at him, smiling when she sees that dimple in his cheek. Her expression changes to one of curiosity. "Snatch?" She seems not to know what that is.

Affectionate larceny seems to be a two-way street, as Nicole doesn't try to move even an inch from the radius of his arms and warmth. "I do have an outstanding ass," she agrees ever so humbly. "It's truly one of my best.... ass-ets." She grins like a dork and leans her head onto his shoulder again.

Joey rests his chin on the side of her head taking one of these fleeting and few quiet moments in his life to rally, regroup, and focus on what isn't broken instead of taking himself down an anger spiral. Again.

There's a squeak from his molars grinding together. He really needs to stop that. Arms tighten around her arms. At least right now this was good. Jessie is perfectly fine. The bad pun-joke gets a half grin and he comes out of the swathe of thoughts, concerns, and his heart sinking in the grief of letting his uncle down. The gym is a way out of life being so fucking hard. It's tiring to think about. Focus on what you got, Kelly. Make it work.

Letting the easy nature of rolling with this shit surface he says,"Snatch. Movie with like Brad Pitt and Vinnie Jones. They got a diamond heist and the dog eats like a fifty karat diamond so now it's a dog heist. I think Benicio del Toro was in it too. We'll watch it. It's really almost a metaphor for me, Geoff and Poe gettin through finals week." TO SAY THE LEAST!

"Hilariously I bought that and Hot Fuzz with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost on the same day. The British cop movie. Man, my Auntie had a fit until she realized it was two comedies we was talking about. Hilarious."

"Oh, wow. I am surprised I haven't seen that." He mentions they'll watch it and Nicole looks up at him with a small curl to her lips. "Promise?" A small crease knits between her brows as she tries to consider how this movie is a metaphor to finals week, but, given the common history of those three, maybe it is better that she doesn't get it, just at the moment. Maybe she will after watching the movie. "I should like, check on him." Geoff. "He asked to hang out and I kinda didn't commit. I need to get over the awkward. We're adults now. Like, what possible reason do I have to feel awkward anymore?" She gives a gentle shake of her head and rolls her eyes.

"Snatch and Hot Fuzz. You perv you." Nicole teases, reaching across her torso to poke him gently in the side. "How long did it take her to realize that?" A laugh bubbles within her. It's not her usual loud, full of life laugh, but a milder one, as if even the sound of that has been subdued by the day. She goes quiet for a moment after as some thought or another passes through her mind, her brown eyes looking off into the distance. After a small bit of time, she leans in against him, wrapping her arm around him enough to let her hand come to rest near his opposite waist. "As crazy as it might sound. I am glad I came back. Like... I feel completely separate from back then. I am so different. My life is so different. It's strange to feel so disconnected from one's past and yet connected too. Like some abstract feeling of what home is." She looks down then and smirks. "I am rambling. Sorry... my mind just wandered for a moment."

Nicole takes a breath and moves on to less somber thoughts. "So, I have to confess. I've never seen Hot Fuzz either..." A sheepish grin spreads across her face as she looks up at him almost guiltily.

Joey arches an eyebrow, "When we go back inside and figure out dinner eventually because if I don't stay here with you I'm going to be wandering around the gym in the god damned dark and this seems a lot better use of my time." On the note of Geoff? He nods considering all the sides of that, "Eh he seems to be on a kick of amends and shit."

That's a big topic and in a lot of ways a big divider between he and one of his former best buds. Still, He wants to go Boy Scout and Joey seems to have conflicting feelings on that one. "I mean in the end? Good for him. However, you don't owe any of us or anyone shit so what you want to do on that is entirely up to you. Maybe it's like cataracts..." He pauses and thinks about that and rewinds it, "Catharsis for him" better "But that's up to you what you want to do."

Then the loaded question about Aunt Jenny bringing a snicker, "About two hours when we stopped laughing and got a word in edgewise. And yes, I am. I ain't claimed to be otherwise. Warning's on the tin." He lets her words wander and doesn't even try to stop her thinking about them. "I mean... it makes sense. I mean kinda the same reason I just never bothered to leave. The scenery changes but what is there really but more of the same? The faces just change and the food tastes different. Same bullshit but you just start over. I mean even Byron. He ain't really left. He just changed it up."

"Mmmm... dinner." Nicole turns bright eyes up towards Joey. Bright with happiness at the thought of food. "Those burgers in the car with Jess seems so long ago. I am starving... and yours can't have been good." She frowns with a scrunched up nose. "I can cook something for you if you got stuff... or, we can order out? Just really chill the fuck out tonight because we're going to be busy for a while after. When we can start repairing things and getting back to what constitutes as normal for you know, people." Yes, she included herself in on that repair plan. "Like, future lunch plans might be picnicking in your parking lot while we take a break." She smiles at him, not really giving him a chance to deny her helping him.

Geoff was a thought, a momentary one that seems to drift away on the breeze after joey talks about her ex being overall pretty good these days.

"I have cracked that tin open, a little... I look forward to reading the label more closely." Pursing her lips together, there is no keeping that lopsided, mischievous grin away from the look she gives him then. "I am surprised you didn't just tease her and joke about it more, puling her leg until you HAD to tell her. I can picture you just building it up and up...."

Looking around the neighborhood she nods a few times. "The scenery changes... faces are different... Maybe that's part of the allure of coming home. Here, I at least know what to expect from people... you know, somewhat. People change, but still, the foundation of the past still gives you something to build on when you meet again."

Joey asks curiously, "How many condiment mixed together before it's considered a meal?" There's a telling question! The idea of ordering food in gets an agreeable mmhmm. "How about we order out and save the rest for working on clearing stuff out tomorrow. And you still have clients. I think. Maybe. I dunno how that all works."

A faint grin forms with some hesitation, "Eeeh don't expect too much of the contents. The recipe ain't changed in the last decade." This is as far a warning as any. "Geoff is a reformer. I ain't, but like you say, consistent. Maybe slightly less stupid." The breeze off the Autumn afternoon has its merits. Nothing smells better than Autumn. Fight him on that. "yeah, I guess good or bad it's familiar ya know? The place ain't great but we fought for it. You don't ever really walk away from the pieces that are a part of you. You just build on it." He pauses and murmurs with admission, "Heard that in a Reese Witherspoon flick. Don't judge me."

Nicole seems to ponder that question deeply. "let's see... if you have mustard, like, the kind with the seeds in, and... some worcestshire... a dash of hot sauce, add in some beer... maybe we could make a soup?" She turns, slightly, only to lean her back in against his chest, wrapping his arms around her in that fashion, settling her hands on his at her stomach. "I do have clients, yeah. But, I can swing by after. I am opening tomorrow, Lacey's closing. She's becoming someone I can rely on, work wise, it seems. By the time I get there, knowing you, you'll have it all cleaned up already, I'll find something to do though. I am stubborn that way."

Turning a touch more and leaning back to look up at him, half laying across his lap, she says, "I'm not looking to change the tin, or the contents. Seems a mighty... mighty fine recipe to me. Just interested in the smaller print, the secret ingredients that make you so... you." She shrugs then lifts a hand to lightly touch his cheek. "You can't make a leopard change his spots, and why would you want to, when the leopard is so fucking hot anyway?" She might not know everything about him, or his life, or what he does... but what she does know, she seems fine with. Sitting back up she squints at him then asks, "is that from... was that called Alabama? The one where she moves to New York then goes back home and says to her one friend, 'you have a baby.... in a bar.' And that dude makes cool lightning glass?" Clearly, no judgment.

That's a happy sound growling around his chest. "Weeeeell I'll let you count the spots later and make sure they're all there" He nods looking impressed. "Yeah the Sweet Home Alabama one. You know how bad Jaime and I almost got our ass fried when I thought hey maybe I'll do that." Arching an eyebrow he informs, "Don't go setting the ground with electricity and expect the same result. It don't wind up in glass, you wind up in urgent care." Truth.

He considers all the options on the table and says, "Well what if we order Chinese, hanging out here watch some tv and catch up on this movie gap because I'm beat and got hit by lightening and my business is burnt on one side like a bagel and I could stand to do... with a much better ending to my damn day if you. are. game?"

Lifting her hand to her lips, Nicole cannot hide the giggle that erupts when he talks about he and Jaime almost getting fired trying to recreate lightning glass with electrical current. She probably wouldn't have laughed at the time, well, at least not until she was sure both were okay, but now? Now she is laughing. Once she is able to calm those giggles, she looks up at him. "I hereby solemnly promise to never try to make my own lightning glass. " Pause. "Speaking of.... how is your chest?"

"God yes, Chinese, movies or tv, maybe some more Go Fish with Jess." Nicole is nodding in agreement even as she moves to stand up and spin to face him again, holding out her hand to help him up. "Then we see just how good we can end the day." There's that impish smile again, shining right at Joey.

Joey pulls her to the side wrapping her in a bear hug with a grin, "Iiiiit pretty amazing last I heard." cocky bastard. He presses a kiss to the side of her neck, "You can give me your expert opinion later." He is honestly, after all the bullshit today happy to just hold her there sitting on the porch. "A woman after my low-budget heart." He doesn't mention the zap of lightening marking him up. There's been worse things to deal with. That shit he'll walk off eventually. This right here is pretty good. "Sparrow's having a movie thing this week. You in siiiince your lightening glass career is kaput?"

When she offered him her hand to help him up, Nicole did not expect Joey to pull her back down and into a bear hug. It just makes her chuckle and hum gently. "I do recall it being really spectacular. It's been a while though... I might need a refresher." It's been a day or three, give or take. "I will be sure to use my expertise and give it a very thorough review later." She smiles, kissing his neck with a gentle brush of her lips. "One low-budget heart to another?" Nodding before a small chuckle. "You are a lightning glass dream crusher, Joey Lee Kelly. What else is there to do but go to the movie thing? I mean.. do I get to share popcorn with you?"

Joey snickers shaking his head, "I warned you. I'm the worst. Glass ruiner. I'l adding that to my business card." He drags her around his shoulder and scoops her up. he definitely ain't no fuckin Steve Rogers but incentivised he can do this all day. He stands, and sets her back on her feet. Maybe it's for her amusement, maybe not. He doesn't fucking explain his actions, the man has his reasons. His hand, a bit bruised from his go around without the gloves on, pulls the screen door with the peeling paint that doesn't fit exactly right in the door frame of the old farmhouse. He holds it open shooing her in like a goose.

"Let's see what the troops want. I'll get ya dinner." She did take a half day off and to that he's not ungrateful. "Man I'm gonna feel like hell tomorrow."
If only he knew the half of it.
Thanks for everything, Alexander!
Jackass.