2019-10-04 - Adventures in MurderSitting

Easton's usually immaculate apartment is in rough shape. There are bottles and just general stuff on the usually clean counters and cabinets hang open. There is poorly mopped up blood stains on the floors and many of the cabinets. Easton himself is seated on the sofa wrapped in bandages with a tank top over them. It's clear that they are new bandages, still pristinely white except where some blood has started to seep through. He has on a pair of sweatpants and running shoes and while he's dressed for a run or workout he looks like the walking dead. He has dark circles under his eyes and is pale. He has a cigarette in his hand, smoking indoors which he normally is very adamantly against. There's a military backpack packed by the door.

If they venture farther into the apartment it's clear to see where the blood came from. The master bedroom is basically tossed, the bed's been stripped by there's blood all over the rug, the bedding in a pile and all the towels in the master bathroom along with most of the surfaces. Normally Easton would just get on with it an clean it up, but he's too drained from the attack and the flu and he needs to just get out of there. Thankfully that's what having concierge level service means, a quick voicemail is left and he trusts he will come back to a clean place. He just hopes that happens before Bennie returns.

The apartment looks like a crime scene. Seriously. There is no way around the fact it does, and Baylee is nosy as fuck about things when her and Aidan turn up, so despite the risk to her probably expensive boots she moves through the apartment to check it all out.

When she finally circles back around to the living room where Easton is sitting she comes to a stop, "No one was murdered, right?"

Shit. He meant to text her, to warn her of the general state of things, especially to warn her that this is only his blood. Easton barely even heard Baylee come in, he's very spacey just now. And so as she looks around it slowly dawns on him that he did not in fact warn her.

"No. This is all my blood. I mean, not all of it, but it's ... only mine." He didn't bleed out or anything, which is weird that he feels the need to clarify that but there's a lot of blood around. "I fell into a Dream after Bennie left. I was attacked by werewolves." He takes a drag of the cigarette before saying as if to himself, "As you do." And then continuing, "Clayton patched me up. I can't.. I shouldn't go to a hospital right now. It's not safe. For them."

He still makes no move to actually get up off the couch just yet.

"As you do," Aidan agrees, looking around. His boots are at least not particularly expensive, but he still tries not to end up tracking bloody prints around. That just leads to questions. "...okay. So. Do you think you're more or less likely to be able to keep a ghost from making you do shit if you're healed some more? 'cause I could see what I can do." A small pause. "Is Bennie okay?"

"Werewolves." Because of course. Baylee only gives that a small amount of side-eye. Not because she doesn't believe him, oh, she very much does believe. But because there is a 'why werewolves' question hanging in there somewhere. Instead she just shakes her head, leaving Aidan to do the healing thing before adding, "Where's your coat? So you..know.."

You know, Easton. Walk out of here without looking like a bloody mummy.

Easton just nods and can only offer a half shrug at the unspoken, but received anyway, question about why werewolves. He looks at Aidan and says, "I don't know. But.. for now, leave it. Please. I appreciate the offer but the more injured I am the less of a threat I am." How do you fight yourself? Well, Easton's got a plan for that too.

"Jacket's in the closet. And could you grab the crutches too?" He stands finally and makes his way towards the door. "I'm going to have you take my leg. Harder to murder people when you have to hop after 'em." Well it's good to see that his dark humor hasn't been all the way extinguished, maybe. But he doesn't smile when he cracks the joke, as much as he might otherwise find that mental image funny.

"'s why I was asking," Aidan says with a small nod, though he still doesn't look fully certain about the threat assessments. The remark about hopping gets a brief half-smile, whether it ought to or not. "Theoretically," he sort-of-agrees; presumably it depends on the method attempted. He does head toward the crutches, though he adds, "...you didn't answer about Bennie. Also, have you eaten and stuff?" 'cause all anyone needs is a hangry serial-killer-ghost-possessed person, right?

"I can text Bennie to check..." Just in case Easton dodges the question again. In fact, Baylee should probably just check in on Bennie anyways, and probably will. In fact.

With Aidan going for the crutches she heads to grab the jacket, pulling it out of the closet before heading over to hold it out to Easton, clearly serious about him not walking out of there without at least attempting to cover up the bandages. "We'll grab a hotel room, and order room service." She is only assuming that whatever hotel they end up at will have room service.

Easton says, "Bennie's okay." Easton's voice is tense when he bites that out. "I'm trying not to think about, sorry. That sounds fucked up. I just.." He takes the jacket and carefully slips it on, obviously sore and in pain just moving his arms. He doesn't make much of a fuss about it, he's just very slow in doing it. "I need to get through the next couple of days. I can't let myself fall into certain thoughts." He needs to be zen, or stoned. And since he's not great at the whole meditating thing, "Which is why I'm planning to get stoned out of my mind as soon as we get wherever we're going."

With obvious effort he lifts the bag and lets out a mild grunt when it touches his back. "Alexander brought me something, but thanks. I know this is a lot to put on you guys.""

Are there any hotels in Gray Harbor with room service? Are there any hotels in Gray Harbor, or just the motel and the B&B? Aidan was probably figuring the motel, given the glance he gives to Baylee. "I dunno if that motel's got room service," he says, confirming this, "but we could always order pizza or something. I mean as long as the delivery person stays outside." A small nod to Easton, which seems to acknowledge both the reply and the need to not think too hard on things, given the slight relief and lack of follow-up. "Sounds like a solid plan. And, I mean... I guess just be ready to lock one of us up if murder-ghosts try to infest us next or something, right?" Which is a weird way to say 'you're welcome' but there you go. The van is parked downstairs, much as most residents here would probably prefer it were not, but it at least means no more wounded trekking than necessary.

"I can just take my shirt off and flash my tits, they'll forget anything else they saw." Unless they don't. But Baylee can't always make good points today, eventually she's got to fail at it. Once Easton's got his jacket on, and bag, and everyone heads out of the apartment she pulls out her phone to actually check in with Bennie while enroute. Or order pizza, because now that just sounds good.

"No delivery people." Easton says quickly before giving a half-shrug that explains, "I nearly broke one's arm.. but I thought it was just the flu? Or being really couped up?" Somehow infected by a ghost serial killer wasn't his first thought. Go figure. "I mean I guess, so long as I don't have to deal with them, it's fine?" The tit flashing gets a small shake of his head that maybe he's wondering if this was his best idea. Not because he has a problem with that in anyway, just well, past issues. "I'd offer to flash 'em my tits if it doesn't work, but it would probably kill the effect to have to unwrap bloody bandages to flash 'em."

Getting in the van, Easton does his best to not let his back touch the seat. He lets his head fall into his hands, leaning forward trying to quiet all the pain and anger and regret swirling around his head and just focus on the plan.

"I mean, I guess I could flash 'em mine," Aidan says a bit dubiously, glancing down toward his chest, "but I'm pretty sure they haven't got a good amnesia track-record. Yeah, though, I was thinking prolly we'd want 'em to... not see you, so at least there's that. Probably if the bloody bandages thing didn't kill the effect that'd be something to worry about too anyway." Things one probably should hope the security dude doesn't overhear?

It's not a long drive to the motel. Nowhere in Gray Harbor's a long drive, after all, but this is really barely past next door. There might be a better hotel if they went a bit further, but something about the situation just gives Aidan a 'maybe don't all be cooped up in the van longer than necessary' vibe. Possibly the whole murderous ghost possession thing. So it's really not long before he's parking by the Sea View, glancing toward the office. Weren't there some murders here recently? Then again, there's been murders everywhere recently, so he just slips out. "Bay, you wanna get the room, or should I?" Keeping in mind he only ever pays for things with cash.

"I'll get it." Baylee replies as they arrive, having no problems throwing money at things. In fact, it's one of her best talents, if people are keeping tabs on things. So when they're parked, she's climbing out of the van to make this getting a room thing happen as quickly as possible.

Thankfully the van ride is short because it's also miserably painful for Easton. He just grits his teeth and doesn't say much during the ride to get it over with as quickly as he can. At the very least he's not getting angry about it, just a little nauseous. The van stops soon though and he makes his way out unsteadily. He opts to just carry the bag like a duffle. "Aidan." Easton takes the opportunity of having a moment alone to say something important. "If I start trying to hurt people, just snap my fucking leg." Yes, he's considered it, and he knows that even without his legs he can still do damage if his abilities recover from their flu hibernation, but maybe that won't happen until this is over? Maybe.

It's a really useful talent! And not one Aidan's really got. Leg-snapping, though... okay, it's not his idea of a good time, but that's arguably a talent he's got. He gives a slightly reluctant nod. "If I don't have a better immediate option." Not exactly enthusiastic, but he does sound like he means it. "If I have to break things, I will. Promise." Surely very reassuring. "How's the ghost getting put to rest? Should we be doing anything to, like... help with that?" He has absolutely no idea how one puts a ghost to rest, though now he's thinking about it he'd really like one. He also seems entirely healthy, incidentally. Somehow avoiding both possession AND the flu so far, the bastard.

The room gotten, keys gotten, everything bought and paid for. Baylee gets them from the van, and unlocks the room so that everyone can pile into it, "So, get comfortable." Which clearly means that she's expecting Easton to give up his leg here in a second, "I really want pizza."

Which, Aidan is the one with the van, and Easton is the one that said no delivery men. So, put the pieces together.

The room is exactly what you'd expect from a motel. It's budget, but will serve the purpose. Easton drops his bag near the bed, pulling out some of the necessities that he packed, first and foremost a bottle of whiskey is set on the nightstand. He tosses the jacket over a chair and sits down to take off his shoes first and then the prosthesis. Once that's off he takes a drink from the bottle, not bothering with a cup. Handing the leg over to Baylee he realizes that he never took his custome KA-BARR knife attachment off. "Yea, that's going to need to not be here." Being armed at all times seemed like a good idea when he was facing external threats. Now it's all just added liability.

"Aidan's a good dude. Again, sorry if I fucked that up for you two." Obviously it didn't do critical damage considering they are together, and up until recently Bennie and Easton were too. But it's still worth saying.

"You didn't fuck up anything between Aidan and me. At all." Baylee points out with a shake of her head as she takes the prosthesis, and moves to shove it into the closet. She'll deal with moving it, and the weapon, somewhere else when Aidan gets back. Instead she goes to drop herself down on the edge of the bed after grabbing the remote, holding it out towards him.

"It forced us to talk about some stuff, and we're in a good place. A better place." She glances towards the bottle, then back towards him, "I'm sober right now..." She's not unaware of the fact that her state of sobriety is always something that is in flux. "I love Aidan, Easton. If anything, that shit sort of made that all come bubbling up."

Easton pulls out some safety pins from his bag to pin-up the leg of his sweatpants as she talks. He takes another drink, and accepts the remote. He starts to turn on the TV and thinks better of it. Last thing he needs is some stupid news report sending him over the edge. Or Sarah McClachlan and her damned animal commercials that usually make him sad but right now would probably send him into a murderous rage for toying with his emotions. So he tosses that down and gently lies down on his stomach, trying to find a comfortable way to lay his arm.

"That's good." He's relieved to hear that he didn't screw up their relationship at least. The look at the bottle and talk of sobriety get only the briefest of raised eyebrows. "Sorry, the booze is necessary. It stays." He's aware that wasn't a statement about his drinking. He knows mentally he doesn't need to be defensive, that something else is trying get him pissed. He quiets those voices back down. "Yea well, not fucking that up is just one of the reasons I didn't want to pull you into this thing with Ghoul. I had no idea it'd do this but... it's almost over."

"You got friends, Easton. You and Bennie both...You can't just..." Baylee shakes her head, a hand lifting up before she moves off the bed and towards the chair in the room, moving to position it between the bed and the door before she drops into it, kicking her feet up onto the edge of the bed.

Which, hopefully isn't a trigger. And hopefully her pulling her cigarettes out and lighting up isn't either. "We'll talk about that shit another time, yeah? Right now, we can just sit here in silence for the next few days."

"I know." There's an unnecessary edge in his voice that Easton's trying his best to tamp down. He doesn't seem to mind the feet on the bed, but the cigarette get a plaintive nod of his head and a "Can I bum one? I brought some packs, I just don't want to move right now." He needs to get a bendy straw for the whiskey too. He didn't really count on having to lie on his stomach during this whole ordeal. Thanks a lot werewolves.

"You're right. We shouldn't argue or get into anything. I'm not stable enough." He's actually doing just fine holding it together compared to some of the others but a) he doesn't know that and b) he has much higher standards than others when it comes to keeping his shit together.

"What's the traditional gift for 'sorry I almost murdered you?'... a bag of meth?"

If there's one thing Easton can hopefully rely on in painful times, it's his dark sense of humor.

"Flowers, I think." Baylee moves to tuck the cigarette into his mouth, then leaves him there on the bed to burn the place down as she retakes her seat, and lights a second cigarette. "Might also throw in a pair of nice shoes, and a box of chocolates. Bennie really likes shoes." She should know, she's got a thing for shoes herself.

"You want me to check in on her?" Not that she won't do it anyways. It's just more of a question on if Easton wants her to tell him the results of the check in. "So you are going to be alright, right? In the end."

An ashtray is summoned from nearby nightstand with a thought and it places itself down on the carpet in front of Easton. Yes, he should really not use his abilities for trivial things, but he cuts himself some slack, okay a lot of slack. He takes in a drag of the cigarette, obviously enjoying it even though deep pulls aren't going to happen anytime soon. "Yea..." He trails off considering something he's not readily volunteering just yet.

You want me to check in on her?

"Please." Easton is relieved at the offer but then asks, "Do you mean me? Or us? Cause I'm not sure there's going to be an us left when the dust settles." Maybe that's my sacrifice? Easton thinks to himself darkly. The one thing he wasn't willing to give up to seal away Ghoul, maybe Ghoul took it anyway. He screws his eyes shut to stop that train of thought.

"I will be just fine. Eventually."

He chooses to answer the easier version of the question.

"I meant just you." Baylee points out, reaching into her pocket to pull her phone out, sending a text. Or a few. Whatever she's getting back just seems to have her increasingly more worried, "She says she's fine. And maybe it's just because I hear her in my head when I read her texts, but she sounds bouncy."

She shakes her head, balancing her phone on her knee, "I'll track her down once Aidan gets back, see her in person to make sure."

Watching Baylee send the texts, Easton shrugs and says, "Then yea. I'll be fine." He reiterates, wanting to use his words to bend reality into making it so. If he just keeps saying it enough with enough conviction eventually it will be the truth. He watches her face as she texts and sees the obvious worry. He shakes his head and says, "It's probably the aderall." He tries not to sound bitter and judgemental, considering he's planning to use copious amounts of booze and drugs to get through the next week, but it still comes through just fine.

"I would appreciate it. She was shaken up bad and I don't blame her." He has a whole lot of thoughts on what she needs oe what she should do, but who the hell is he to say anything about any of that now?

"Bennie is a friend, so...yeah, consider it done." Baylee waves that off, which mostly just means that there is a lot of smoke waved around in front of her at the moment. "You just get some rest, when Aidan gets back we can eat...and I'll go talk with Bennie."

It is just that easy, it seems. Whatever thoughts Baylee might have on the Easton-Bennie situation, she keeps them to herself. For now.