[Open] We tried so hard to live in the truth, but do not tell me all is fine...

[dominateartimus]

Who: Xander Jarle & you?
Where: A grocery store
When: October 8th, evening.
What: Xander is finishing up work for the day and is walking about the store getting some groceries, before accidentally bumping in to someone.


With work done for the day, Xander was leaving the bakery section while putting his uniform away in to another bag. He needed to pick up a few things before he left today, but with the constant buzzing in his head and paranoia of disappearing in to the shadows in public made it semi-hard to remember the list.

It was something along the lines of needing more cat food, coffee and some sort of flavoring. But, was it chocolate or more dried fruit? Or maybe needed more of both. Maybe he should have written down what he needed instead of leaving it to his memory.

He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice that he was walking right in to someone. The collision knocked him from his thoughts, blinking a few times in surprise before his expression turned to concern.

"I'm really sorry! Are you all right?"

Comments

[detectivetroll]

Nick'd stopped by the grocery store after work - it wasn't his usual one, but he'd been talking to a witness in the area when he spotted it. He needed to pick up a few things for the barbecue that weekend, and he might as well do it before he headed home. It wasn't like he was home that often for dinner any more, but having some groceries around for Sarea and the other people who stopped by his apartment when he wasn't there.

He was absorbed in checking the selection of corn on the cob, peeling back a bit of the husk to take a peek at the kernels before making his choice, when someone collided into him.

Fortunately, he kept his grip on the corn, and looked up with a smile. "It's all right, no harm do-"

And then he realized that he recognized that voice, and that face. "...Xan?"

[dominateartimus]

His concern about the other man he bumped to was completely forgotten when Nick mentioned a nickname that not many people used around him. It had been quite a while since he saw Nick and here he was storming back in to Nick's life. He tried to speak, but all his thoughts and words fled from him. What could he say to someone who just suddenly disappeared from his life without another word?

But Nick's question received a short nod with a bit of a strained smile. This was horribly awkward and he wanted to disappear from Nick's sight. It's a shame he didn't have an ability that allowed him to do that -- oh wait, he does.

Without realizing it, he was starting to sink in to his own shadow and it didn't dawn on him until he noticed that Nick was taller than him. Panic was taking over in his head, but it was too late to salvage this. Nick was a cop and would arrest him for this display of unnatural abilities! They would probably interrogate him about the network and torture him, just like that memory he got from a pulse!

[detectivetroll]

All right, Nick was prepared for this to be a little awkward - it's not every day you literally run into your ex, especially not when you've moved to a different town across the country from the place you dated.

He wasn't prepared for Xander to start actually sinking into the floor, or at least, doing what looked like the equivalent. By now, Nick's been exposed to too much network stuff not to know it when he sees it.

A quick glance around shows that no one's watching them at the moment, but he knows very well that could quickly change. He reacts instinctively, grabbing onto Xander's shirt with both hands and attempting to physically haul him up, while crowding him against the stand to try to shield him from view of any onlookers.

"Whatever you're doing, Xan, stop it," he hisses.

[dominateartimus]

Xander was hoping to make it to the floor before Nick could do anything about it, but that wasn't the case. He could feel Nick's hands grab a hold of his shirt, attempting to pull him out from the shadows beneath their feet and dragging him towards something taller. The fact that this works surprises him and he couldn't hide the look of shock on his face. It didn't help that he couldn't tell if Nick was intentionally trying to attract more attention to themselves by doing this or he was trying to help him.

When his back touches the taller display and with Nick being flush against him, he couldn't help but think back to a happier time. The memory was brief, erased by the tone that Nick addresses him with. Things were different now.

"...I'm..." He started, managing to get a little bit of his voice back. "I'm trying."

He wanted to say that it was hard to control because of him being here and the fact he was a cop, but refrained. His priority should be making himself fully physical again and not staring at Nick.

He let out a deep exhale before closing his eyes and calming himself down. It took a few moments, but he was successful. With his legs back to normal, he tries to regain his footing and was dreading what was to come next.

[detectivetroll]

Right now, Nick's more paranoid about where they are and who might see them than thinking about his close proximity to Xander. Nick may have thought - and possibly even hoped - that he'd never see Xander over him, and yet his first instinct in this is to protect him.

Especially knowing what's out there, and not knowing if Xander knows about the network yet.

"Try harder," he mutters, his voice low and mostly calm, although a hint of urgency leaks through.

His eyes are locked on Xander's, but it doesn't occur to him that that might not be helping until the other man closes his to try to calm down. Then he looks away, eyes darting around to see if anyone's noticed them - but if they have, it's just to assume that they're up to, well, exactly what this looks like.

Now that Xander seems to be on even footing again, Nick's... very aware of their proximity, and he takes a step back, searching for something to say.

"I didn't know you were in town."

...good job, Burkhardt.

[dominateartimus]

Once Nick pulls away, Xander reopens his eyes and looks over to the homicide detective before moving away from what he was forced against. What he hears causes a weak, but strained smile to appear on his lips as he straightens his shirt.

"I moved to the city in the middle of August." At least he was quite honest with his response. "...But I wasn't aware that you were here either."

His attention turns to the floor, to locate his bag and anything that spilled out of it when he was forcibly moved. For all he knew, he could have dropped by Nick's cart.

[detectivetroll]

Nick's own smile back is equally strained, as he awkwardly pushes a hand through his hair. Normally he's much better and improvisation than this, and it isn't like this is the first time he's ever run into an ex before.

But it's the first time he's run into an ex who literally started sinking into the floor, someone who's obviously part of the network. And someone who he thought was across the country.

"I moved here a few years ago."

Soon after they broke up, but he doesn't say that. Instead, he crouches down and starts gathering up their dropped groceries.

[dominateartimus]

Xander's mind was still expecting Nick to suddenly produce a pair of handcuffs and apprehend him for being different. He keeps some distance between himself and the other man, trying to keep his body language from screaming tense and cautious. He just needs to grab his bag and anything that spilled out of it before taking his leave.

"...I take it you probably know the ins and outs of place then?" He asks, trying to steer their conversation away from them. "Maybe I should ask you for a tour, but knowing your work schedule, you probably don't have the time for it."

Besides, Nick didn't owe him anything. It was rude to even suggest such a thing. So, he quickly follows up what he says with, "Sorry, that was rude of me to ask. It is none of my business anyway."

He'll crouch down quickly to retrieve his bag and check that everything was in order. Once it was, he grabs a few scattered groceries to hand back to the other man. He didn't need to do this either, but it was his fault that he bumped in to Nick and caused the mess in the first place.

[detectivetroll]

Nick picks up on it anyway, the distance and the tension. Mostly because he's a detective and it's what he does, but partially because it's Xander. There'd been a time when he'd known his body language really well.

Steering the conversation away is a very good idea, and Nick almost latches onto it before Xander adds on an apology.

"No, Xan, I-"

Except he doesn't really know what he'd been going to say. At some point, he should probably stop calling him by his old nickname, but - old habits die hard.

"I'm not exactly the safest person to be around right now. You're part of the network, right?"

[dominateartimus]

At the mention of his nickname, he pauses in what he was doing and looks up at Nick. It only lasts for a moment as he returns his attention to the items in his hands and returning them to their proper place before standing up. He even makes sure his back pack is on properly this time as Nick continues to speak. What he hears is exactly what he feared, despite what happened in the past.

"Yeah and I can say the same about myself." He replies with a nod before lifting his right hand, wiggling his thumb and index finger to show off that it was in the final stages of healing from a burn. "...I take it you hear the obnoxious buzzing too?"

[detectivetroll]

After double checking that he'd gathered everything up, Nick stands as well, looking over the other man. It's... been a while, he's almost having trouble believing he's seeing him.

Nick reaches out automatically, a few inches away from taking Xander's hand for a closer examination, before he catches himself and realizes the touch may not be all that wanted. Instead he pulls it back, pushing his hand through his hair. "What happened?"

As to the question, Nick just gives a slightly wry smile. "I'm still a cop. I'm sure you've been told what the network thinks of them."

[dominateartimus]

Xander takes a few steps back, despite the glance over from Nick. It had been five years since they've seen each other and he felt the same way that the homicide detective was about this meeting.

"I snapped my fingers and a flame appeared." He answers, but doesn't demonstrate it since it would take a few times to get it started.

Even though the answer from the other man wasn't a confirmation, he gives an exhale and a nod. "Yeah, I was informed on the first day I was on it. I figured you were still in the same profession when I dated you."

He forces a strained smile to his lips and shifts the bag on his back.