savetheearth | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Owen Thalberg and Jesse Ellias
Where: The grocery store
When: April 7th
What: Mistaking Jess for a certain spiky haired thug, Owen does something stupid
Warnings: Teenage stupidity, some violence

[Owen doesn't ONLY eat sweets or whatever his aunt and uncle put in front of him, honest. In fact sometiems he even tries to cook, though nothing too fancy. Today he is getting a week's supply of mac and cheese.

Only to see... someone. He blinks, then moves to quietly follow the other teen, just to be sure. That Guy had his face mostly covered during the snake attack, but he's almost SURE...]

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[Jess had seen Owen when he first walked into the store--some guy with an armful of macaroni and cheese, but he's not about to judge. The shelves are a bit emptier than usual. Still, he's finding his own groceries just fine. After making Holly's birthday coffee cake, they were running low on butter and eggs, but his mom sent him a list with just enough to fill a basket.

Before discovering the network and gaining his echoes, he wouldn't have noticed someone watching him at all. Jesse's been on edge for weeks, so taking a look around every once in a while is warranted.

Then he meets eyes with the macaroni guy. His eyebrows raise. His eyes flicker away and back again. Can he help you...?]

[Yeah, he's sure. And the more he's sure the angrier he gets. Skyler (though he doesn't even know his name) may have saved Killian's leg, but he was so so sure he had seen him strangling him first. No matter what Kils said, he knew what he saw. And then the asshole *left* Killian there to bleed out.

Killian was his friend, but they hadn't been especially close... but his talk with Thorir had given him a new found drive to make his own path toward heroism. And taking out a thug like Skyler would be a good first step.]

Thought I wouldn't recognize you, asshole?

[That is probably the last thing he would have expected to hear. Or wants to hear. From anybody. He steps back.]

...What? Wait- Me?

Don't try to deny it just because you had your face covered!

My face covered? What are you talking about?

[The denials just make it worse. He shoves his boxes onto the near-by shelf, knocking a few things off in the process]

No more lies, if you won't admit to your wrong doing I will have to punish you all the more!

[You might wanna dodge Jess 'cuz here he comes- with another lifetimes worth of fighting skills backing him up]

[THIS IS GETTING WAY TOO EXTREME, Jesse has almost zero dodging skills, because being a goalie means more about getting in the way of things rather than getting out.

So he drops his basket and tries to shield his face with his arms. Owen still gets him right in the forearm, jamming his arm against his nose and throwing him back against the shelves.]

Ugh-! [Cans and packages fling off onto the ground, the few people around gasp and stir, someone far off yells, "HEY! What is happening back there?!"]

IT'S ALRIGHT MA'AM, IT'S ONLY JUSTICE!

[Owen bellows back before moving to strike again, expecting "Skyler" to take flight or cast a spell any moment.

Instead he steps on a can of unsalted greenbeans and trips in a totally graceful manner fight into his foe, sending the shelves over completely, and the two of them with it]

[Boys and shelves and all go falling over. The shelves behind it follow suit. A good portion of the store is wrecked, and people are gathering round. Jesse is somehow not unconscious, but he is in a lot of pain. And his nose is probably bleeding.

The employees are all rushing over. One brave lady--the one who yelled before, stout, middle-aged, ponytail with glasses--shoves around the remains to get a good footing. She grips them by the arms and hoists them up a bit.]

You boys alright?

[Jesse groans. His head is spinning and he hurts all over and his back is soaked with beet and artichoke juice, but he can sit up.]

Such...such wounds are nothing to a man like... me...

[Owen is pretty wobbly though, for all his words. But the fall seems to have punted a lot of the fight out of him. He peers at Jesse for a moment]

...weren't your eyes darker before?

[No Owen honey that was Skyler you dumb shit]

[Jesse is back to teetering and holding his face a moment before he registers the guy's question. He raises his eyes and just blinks at Owen like he spoke Chinese. Nothing this person has said since he opened his mouth has made any sense. Darker eyes?

Meanwhile, store clerk lady is not happy.]

You two wanna make goo-goo eyes now? Wonderful! You can do that out of here. In fact, I don't wanna see either of you back in this store until you both make nice. I'm thinking a good few months to a year. You get me?

[With her vice grip on their arms like cold crab claws, she heaves them both back onto their feet, fully intending to drag them out the door once they have their footing. Jesse stumbles along.]

[Yeah and the hair was a little darker too... oh shit. Ohhhhh shit this is bad and it shows for a moment on Owen's face before the clerk starts yanking him right along with Jesse]

UNHAND ME SERVICE WENCH! THIS IS AMERICA YOU CAN'T DO THIS I HAVE RIGHTS!!

Yeah? So do I! [OWEN DON'T MAKE THE LADY ANGRIER] And the only reason why I'm not making you two clean up after the mess I saw you two make is out of the goddamned goodness of my heart! You still wanna argue with me about rights, punk?

[The two boys are hauled like a mother pulling their ears until they are standing right outside the sliding glass doors. Then she lets them go.]

And you'd better call someone about your friend. [She points her first and second fingers at her eyes, and then swivels her hand to point one at Owen.] We've got camera's outside of this place. Anymore roughhousing and I'm calling the cops. We clear?

[Jesse is still incapacitated and holding his face. It's a miracle he's standing up, but he nods.]

[He's about to continue the argument when she says *cameras*

The fight against Wise Snake flashes through his head and he starts looking around for it a little frantically]

Y-yeah we're done... M-ma'am.

[Once she's gone he eyes Jesse again and yeah he made a big mistake]

Shiiiit tell me your nose is broken, please...

[The lady gives one last huff to them both, releasing their arms and turning to walk back inside of the store to clean up the mess.

Jesse, on the other hand, is still holding his nose. His eyes open enough to squint at Owen, and he slowly lowers his hand. Some red is seeping out through his fingers.]

You eben habe to ask? [All nasally. And his nose is definitely broken.]

Nooo, goddamn it, I swear i thought you were someone else, shitshitshit-

Oh god I'M THE BAD GUY!

[He raises and yells at his own fist in what almost looks like mock agony... only he seems to be completely serious]

DAMN THIS UNCONTROLLABLE POWER OF MINE, HOW MANY INNOCENTS WILL YOU DESTROY!!?

[Why is he yelling? Jesse's eyes pinch closed again while more pain shocks through his nose, but he has to calm this guy down somehow! These poor people leaving the grocery store look all freaked out. Some lady takes care to guide her daughter a few feet away from them, telling her not to look.]

It's okay! [Jess opens his eyes again and tries to talk him down, even if his voice is muffled through his palms. It's actually not okay at all, and Jesse wants out of here as soon as possible, but getting him to stop yelling ASAP is more important.] Really! Jus' stop yellink!

[He claps his hands over his mouth, eyes huge and panicked]

S'rry! S'rry!

[He takes a few shaky breaths]

W-we gotta.... ER... or something, yeah!

[Killian, a sensible young man who knew that he was suddenly a lot hungrier and that meant he was eating more, had gone to the store to try and replenish some of the food he was eating at Thorir's.

This unfortunately meant he heard the entire thing go down between Owen and this other guy once Owen started yelling. Once Owen started yelling, he'd rushed over and barely got a chance to see the blond guy before stuff started happening and the two other guys were kicked out of the store. Killian goes to pay for his groceries (lots of carbs) and heads out to see Owen and the blond guy doing God knew what]

Owen? What the hell?

[Jesse's name is not Owen, but he still turns to meet the stranger. He blinks over the hands tented at his nose. He's drips from his hands, and lowers them to cup beneath his nose. Please tell him this isn't someone else who's going to punch him.]

Kils, oh thank god.

[He runs over, like a lost puppy]

I-i kinda accidentally assaulted a guy...?

Dude, I was in the store. You didn't accidentally assault anyone. Why did you jump this guy?

[He just sighs and sets his bag down and goes to the other guy]

C'mon, lean forward and pinch closer to your face. Is it broken or did you get lucky?

[Thank you based gods for someone reasonable showing up. Jess does as instructed, swallowing and wishing he could wipe his nose. He blinks hard.]

I dunno. [Despite being a goalie, he's never broken his nose before, or at least nothing's hurt this much. He can't see it, but it's starting to swell.] I can' breathe through it. [He hisses through his teeth, and he squeezes his eyes shut.] It hurts.

[Owen shakes his head frantically. He can't tell Killian the details because he will certainly hate him for it- for not only starting something he was told was over NOTHING, but *hitting the wrong guy* over it]

...man...

[He feels awful... what if it had been worse?! WHAT IF HE HAD PUNCHED HIS NOSE RIGHT INTO HIS BRAIN]

Then let's assume it's broken and get you to the ER. Owen, you got ten seconds to tell me why the hell you broke some guy's nose before I call Win and come up with some crazy batshit story.

[Jess only nods. He knew that the guy who knocked him out (Owen, it sounds like) probably deserved a verbal lashing, but now that he sounds remorseful about it, it's difficult to keep that sense of divine retribution in mind. That, and Jess is kind of a woobie. He doesn't say anything for now.]

I.... I thought he was that guy! You know, from when things went bad downtown....

[He glances at Jesse, reminding himself to not get too detailed in front of the muggles]

I mean LOOK at him, it's kinda creepy how close he is!

[Killian takes a moment to look at the guy, slightly disturbed by the similarity but more worried about getting him to the ER. He may need an ambulance. Hm]

So you attack someone you think is a Blood Key in public?

[He pulls out his phone, checks the time, and then starts to call for an ambulance. It'll be faster and this guy needs help]

[Leaning forward is difficult when you have two strangers giving you the Up and Down. Jess withdraws into his shoulders a bit, but what Killian says gets his attention immediately.

He stops pinching his nose to sputter to Owen:] You thought I was a Blood Key?

I'm sorry, but you look like an asshole!

[WOW OWEN. He pauses, realizing that he fumbled his English. Then:]

You look like THAT asshole- he had sunglasses and a handkerchief over his mouth okay, it happens!

[He unthinkingly gets in Jesse's space]

But don't worry! I will repair this horrible slight upon you! Until the stain is washed from my honor, I owe you a debt of blood!!

[Killian calmly and carefully pushes Owen out of Jesse's space, still on the phone with the dispatch for a moment longer. Soon, though, he hangs up]

Since we're too far away from the hospital--and you need to get that checked out and stuff--an ambulance is on the way. Owen, chill. You made a really stupid mistake but all you owe is maybe getting your aunt and uncle to pay the guy's medical bills.

[To Jesse:]

Though, to be fair, you do kinda look like that asshole.

[Are you really going to say the guy you just punched out looks like an asshole, Owen. Even just leaning away gives Jesse a ringing headache, but he's not getting within ten (or sixty) feet of this person again. Thankfully Killian edges him away.

And then still calls him an asshole??]

What're you talkink about? [Brows knotted, Jesse holds his nose again. His nose is killing him...] Who? I'be neber seen you guys before!

Yeah no, you're not him. It was just a mix up! One I mean to correct!

[Sorry Kils, you're not stopping him. it's too late]

By paying his ER bill and nothing else, Owen.

[He swears to God]

Yeah, there's a Blood Key with your face wandering around and Owen here thought you were him. We're not calling you an asshole, just warning you about the asshole.

It's fine. Really. [To Owen. Please don't be serious about the blood pact or whatever. Please. Jess is not ready for that kind of commitment. Jess swallows.]

Should I just... keep my face covered up? Wear contacts? This could happen again, right?

Nah... I think only me and Kils know what he looks like?

[He glances over at Killian in question. Of course having no idea that the older boy knows exactly what Skyler looks like, oops]

[Killian makes a face]

Yeah, I'm the only one who knows what he looks like well enough for it to be a problem. Don't worry about it.

[Should he trust them?

Even if he shouldn't, he's going to anyway. Killian at least seems to have a good head on his shoulders--and Owen, a slightly better one when Killian is around. He deflates a little, shoulders slackening as he replaces his hands over his nose.]

So other Blood Keys won't go out lookink for me either. [Right? There's another jolt of pain. He hisses a little through his teeth.] Okay. Thanks.

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