How We Do

Participants:

magnes_icon.gif sable_icon.gif

Scene Title How We Do
Synopsis Magnes surprises Sable with a gift.
Date July 17, 2010

Gun Hill - Magnes' apartment and Sable's apartment


It's afternoon in Magnes' place, and he's still adapting to the lack of actual television. He sits on the couch with a mouse and a keyboard on the coffee table, the long wires going all the way to the computer next to the entertainment center. There's a large monitor where the television used to be, and the telephone is no where to be seen. He's in a green Lantern shirt and a pair of jeans. He's clearly made some interesting changes to the apartment, no real wireless gadgets laying around like before. Strange!

The significance of this will be lost on Sable. To her, making a radical change to your environment seems almost natural to her. Get bored, decide you need to live life a different way, change your setting. If you can't move, you make other shifts. If you can't change yourself, you can change how you're framed. Degrees of self reinvention.

But that'll all have to wait. Sable's not here to talk wacko hobo philosophy. She arrives at Magnes' door with an air of purpose assisted by the constant pain in her arm. Aspirin can only do so much, but she isn't getting issued any more superfun pills. For the best. She wants to be sharp. She knocks three times on Magnes' door, eyes slashing from side to side, the picture of conspiracy.

Magnes quickly gets up and heads over to the door. It's easy to know when Sable is knowing, without extending the gravitational field to know that something small is on the other side. He opens the door and smiles down at her, though notes the injuries. "Hey, Sable. Thanks for protecting Elaine. And um, if you have a phone, could you take the battery out?"

"Y'd've done a better job," Sable says, up front, "Squashed that shithead like a fuckin' bug. But I cut him up best I could. Lost yer knife though. Sorry." She sidles in. Her brow arches but she follows Magnes' directions without any prior questions, taking her cellphone out of her pocket and popping the battery out. "We gotta take care 'f this shit. But we gotta be smart. Ferryfolk ain't so pleased at how far this has gone with us not sayin' nothin'. I hate t' lose the satisfaction of spillin' this motherfucker's red ont' the ground ourselves, but I ain't exactly th' soundest 'f minds, s'pecially when it comes t' the love 'f my friend. Not liable t' be smart 'nuff. Mind clouded, 'n' all."

"I have a plan, actually." Magnes locks the door and walks to the couch, motioning her over with a few waves of his hand. "We need to get him arrested. I need you guys to be witnesses, I'm thinking we'll do this in a warehouse somewhere. Elaine wants to be bait, and I thought about it. I think if I use a speedster I know, we can safely use Elaine to bait this guy, and the speedster will grab her before he even lays a finger on her. Then I'll come and fight him. He won't be able to resist fighting me, and we'll have him on assault and attempted murder maybe."

Sable quirks her lips to the side. She looks doubtful, it's quite obvious. "Sense I'm gettin', Magnes, is that I ain't in no position t' get near th' cops 'r nothin'. I carved th' fucker up, 'n' the pigs likely got ahold 'f that knife, with his blood 'n' my fingerprints. I ain't keen on havin' this turned around on me. Not t' be selfish. 'n' not t' make this a matter grand, nor take away yer lover's prerogative, but I think we better doublecheck anythin' we plan with the Ferryfolk first. We stand t' get our asses kicked t' the curb, at best," she scowls, "The Great Big Brit already has somethin' 'gainst you f'r that whole Shibuya situation. She'll vouch 'gainst y' soon as she thinks yer a danger t' the Ferry. Asked me t' keep y' in line."

"That was so long ago. I have much better control of my ability now. I didn't even know how to fly back then, or really fight for that matter." Magnes leans forward and moves through movie and show folders on the monitor screen, and looks over at the remaining computer box he has in the corner of the living room. "I'll speak with Doyle, but I really think this idea will work. I'm gonna try to get a meeting together. Oh, and I have a present for you."

Sable waves her hand dismissively, "Ain't my concern. Dee told me 'bout it, 'n' I dig. Old news. Yer with th' band now. We all got our shit. 'n' I will keep y' on track. But not 'cause the GBB told me to. Because I ain't gonna be without my fuckin' bassist, dig?" She cricks her neck, and her brows arch, "Whassat, then?" she grins, "I'm down with gifts 'n' offerin's."

Magnes stands up and heads over to that computer box, a monitor box being behind that, and a little plastic bag from an Apple store, despite this being a Dell computer and monitor. "Since I had to get computers to replace my televisions, I decided to buy you a computer, and an iPod. You carry that CD player around all the time, I think you should upgrade. You'll thank me later."

Sable blinks. A whatnow? "Oh J-Jesus," she stammers, "That's just too fuckin' much. Jesus boy, y' can't just…" she goggles at the Dell, like it's some sort of alien artifact. "I never… Jesus," she looks up at Magnes, helpless for a moment. Then she grins, crookedly, trying to salvage her swagger a little. "I'm gonna be surfin' th' net one handed without th' usual fuckin' benefits f'r a bit." This came just in time. "Y'… y' think I could score some production software 'r somethin'? I need t' sharpen some skill while th' arm keeps me outta th' game."

"I'm sure Quinn has something you can use. Since I have so much money in my savings, and keep adding to it since I don't spend a whole lot, I thought it'd be nice to just splurge a little." Magnes figures she won't be impressed with the computer until they get it set up, so he instead chooses to impress her with the iPod. He pulls it from the bag and hands her the package, explaining. "It can hold forty-thousand songs or two-hundred hours of video."

Sable takes the package in her good hand and turns it over with the twist of her wrist, peering at the dark box and the sleek device imaged upon it. She looks up at Magnes again, that helpless look in her eyes again, "Y' mind openin' it f'r me? This box is too pretty f'r me t' gnaw on it t' get it open." She glances down at the box again, "Jesus…" she repeats, then grins, "I think I c'n do forty-thousand. Just gimme th' chance. I'll fill this fucker up."

Magnes carefully picks the box open, pulling things apart before presenting her with the insides, nodding for her to take it as he bends down to pick up the boxes. "Let's go up to your place, I haven't seen your apartment yet. I'll get this set up. You can leech wi-fi until I get you on my ISP's account."

Sable pulls the door open for Magnes, brows lifting. "That's fuckin' true," she observes, "I've try t' do a few good things f'r the place. If nothin' else, it's me all over," she snickers, "All over 'n' everywhere, 'cross the floors 'n' on th' walls 'n' ceilings."

"I hope you didn't get yourself all over the walls and ceilings purely because of Elaine. I know how that can be." Magnes laughs, not usually one to make a dirty joke, but he has his moments. They head out the door, passes one apartment, then waits for Sable to open her door. They're relatively close, not a long walk at all. "Have you ever used a computer? And how long until you're healed, anyway? I don't get how he could have broken you, he can't be some expert fighter, it should be very hard to hit you with that ability."

Sable lets out a laugh at this. "I hope what I've taught 'er comes t' some good use t' you," she says, grinning as she pushes her door open and nods Magnes in, "Redheads, eh? Got th' devil in 'em. 'n' yer a goddamn saint t' give her such freedom as y' have. Know I fuckin' respect y' f'r it, 'n' she loves y' all th' more f'r th' trust y' place in her. Yer a lucky man, 'n' she's lucky gal." She closes the door behind them once they're inside. "Doctor chick said it'd be 's many 's six weeks, which is fuckin' awful, but so it goes, eh?" She cricks her neck again, glancing around, trying to see the room as Magnes might see it upon first arrival. "'n' that was my fault. I got stupid. Tried gettin' 'round him, lost sight 'f his grabber, 'n' like we found out, what I can't see, I can't dodge."

"Speaking of the devil, you find Delilah's devil yet?" Magnes asks, taking in the sight of the apartment with the boxes under his arms. He looks down at the mattress, then to her, then the mattress again. "You know, you could have taken your old bed…"

"That girl's a puzzle 'n' no mistake," Sable says, lips quirking to one side, brow creasing, "I've gotten most things I'd think meant somethin' from most girls, but still I'm left feelin' somehow on th' outside. Like… I feel like a caller at her door, 'r somethin'. I dunno. It's frustratin', feelin' as I do, wantin' as I want. I'm used…" she gives a one-shouldered shrug, "I dunno. Guess I'm used t' tellin' a girl what she wants. Dee ain't so easy. She knows what she wants 'n' I'm left tryin' to make m'self whatever th' hell that is. But nothin' quite clicks. I feel like, each time I see 'er, I've got t' start all over 'gain." She glances the mattress, then shrugs, "Where y' got it stored? I'll take it. Mattress don't have nothin' t' tie nothin' to, 'n' that's a limitation I don't care f'r."

"It's against the wall in my work room, since I thought you'd be staying with me again." Magnes finds a corner to sit the computer stuff down, and starts opening the boxes. "But isn't that the whole problem?" he asks, on the topic of Delilah, pulling the tower from the box to sit it on the floor. "You're trying to give her what she wants, you're trying. Don't do that. You have to be yourself, give her you, be sincere, and if she wants you, she'll take that. Remember that if someone can see through your facades, all you can do is be the best you that you can be."

Sable wrinkles her nose. "Nothin' 'bout the real me I c'n really change, nothin' I c'n ever really hide," she says, "But bein' me's 'bout bein' changeable. 'n' love's 'bout bein' transformed through th' lovin'. I wanna be worthy, y'know? More. 'n' less, too. I wanna be f'r her. Just be. I want her t' shine her love my way." She sniffs, her eyes cutting over to the wall, looking at nothing there, "Y' know what that's like, dontcha?" her eyes return to Magnes, "'cause y' c'n always already feel it. Yer always different when yer in the presence 'f th' lady 'f yer fancy. That's how y' know she's yer fancy. Somethin' within y' shifts. Like a flower turnin' its bloom t' face th' sun."

"I remember how I was with Abby. I always tried to be better, tried to impress her, but in the end she always saw through it and it made her like me less. That's one of the things that convinced me I should always be as sincere as possible." Magnes gets the modestly sized flat screen, not as large as the ones he's using to replace his television, but still a good size, about twenty-four inch wide screen. Once everything's in place, he starts plugging it all up. "With Elaine, I think I just try to have as much confidence as possible, which she really helps me with."

"I ain't tryin' to be better," Sable insists, "It ain't like that. It ain't me tryin' t', like, impress 'r nothin'. I ain't showin' off. It's like… I want her t' know how right I'd treat her, how fuckin' real I'd be. I just… I've got somethin' so strong 'n' deep inside me, I feel like if she could see it, she'd know, 'n' mebbe, if I was lucky, she'd say 'yes'. 'n' I'd lift my head up t' her and she'd warm me in her love…" She moves over to watch Magnes at work as she speaks, taking a seat at the corner of her bed and reaching up to massage her own shoulder, "But I just gotta wait. She likes me, I figure. I just gotta be patient." She says this, in a tone of self-convincing. She smiles at the mention of Elaine. "She's a fuckin' winner, yer girl. I'm gonna make sure you keep her, dig? It's my fuckin' duty as yer friend t' make sure 'f it."

"Just take it easy, Delilah will appreciate you. Just if she gives you a warning, you should take it. She knew I couldn't handle her being my first, emotionally, so I kind of got hurt because I had high hopes that we'd be more than just sex. When she says you won't be more, she means it." Magnes warns, wanting to give Sable a little insight, since she figures Sable is the type to ignore advice and get her hopes up too. Meanwhile he's set up the wi-fi on the computer, and has Chrome downloaded. "I need to get the anti-viruses and firewalls set up, but we're safe for me to teach you how to use this thing now. Come here. And, don't talk about anything secretive near computers and phones, or anything wireless."

Sable gets to her feet and steps over, hunching down by the computer - the floor's the only surface available for it. "She hasn't put her foot down 'r nothin'," she says, "'n' hell, I figure I'd be able t' live with just bein' a lover. Like… I can't imagine bein' quite so sore as t' not get over it," she smirks a little, at her own expense, "I'm only human, 'n' she's a regular goddess by my judgin'. Still, I'm holdin' out hope 'til she says there ain't none. Y' know she won't spare m' feelin's on the matter, then? 'cause I've out 'n' out told her I wanna be serious, 'n' I ain't gotta a reply either way 'bout it. Figure no news is good news?" She peers at the screen, "Know a little 'bout this," she admits, vis a vis computers, "This have somethin' t' do with yer askin' me t' pull out m' batteries? What th' worry, m' boy?"

"I just don't want technopaths spying on me, it's creepy. Yeah, you heard me." Magnes teases the computer, then goes straight to Google, making sure she can see everything he's doing. "Google is the most popular search engine, so if you wanna look for something, you just type it in. It even corrects your spelling. So what do you want your first internet search to be?"

"And Delilah, she'll be straight with you, she's not the type to lead anyone on, but…" He shrugs his shoulders, grinning a bit. "If she does offer the benefits, take them for as long as you can."

"I'll earn my fuckin' keep," Sable says, giving a snort, "I ain't no fumble in th' hay." However humble she makes herself in Delilan matters, she isn't about to sacrifice that point of pride.

"Yeah, yeah, I know 'bout th' fuckin 'net," Sable says, "'t least the basic shit. Porn 'n' music. I sure as fuck know 'bout Google, y' don't have t' start that fuckin' basic." She arches her brow, "Y' ain't just bein' paranoid, are y'? Be straight with me. This somethin' I gotta worry 'bout?"

"Not paranoid, he's probably monitoring me specifically, I don't know for sure. Just don't say anything secretive near devices that can pick up information, that includes things like a gameboy. But I doubt Rebel cares about porn and music, so you should be safe. It's not like he has body parts to actually perv on you." Magnes starts typing in torrent searches, pointing her to the screen. "When you want a whole item, you can search for torrents. They take a bit of patience, but once you know about torrents, you can download entire discographies, even the rare stuff, not just one album."

Sable laughs, "Yeah, boy, know 'bout that too. Though… if y' could be so kind as t' download th', like, whatever thingie c'n do it… I had that bit done f'r me last time." She wrinkles her nose, "Who's Rebel that doesn't have th' luck t' perv on me? Sorry sucker, can't enjoy my limitless fuckin' charm."

"Rebel's a few technopaths that got combined into one somehow. I know one of them is Micah Sanders, which is kind of sad, from what I know he was a good kid. Now he's tied up with the group I left, he's kind of like a real life Big Brother, except he's not spying for the government. I think we're generally safe, but I like to be cautious." Magnes gets the software downloaded and installed, then grabs the iPod and starts showing her how to plug it in. "It's all pretty simple then. Is there anything you want me to do for you? I'm kind of surprised you already know so much, sometimes I feel like you're a cave girl." he says with a snicker.

"Homeless, dammit, I was just fuckin' homeless," Sable exclaims, "'n' y' think I didn't have what it took t' slip int' a few hearts 'n' homes on my way up here? How d' y' think I got experience like I did? Lovers put a roof over yer head if y've got none 'f yer own, 'n' all sorts love t' teach a cave girl how t' use fire. Goodness 'f their hearts, f'r a charity case."

"You always surprise me." is all Magnes can really say, smiling as he starts searching torrents again. "What do you want the first artist on your iPod to be?" he asks, figuring she'll likely already have something in mind.

"The Beatles," Sable replies. There is no hesitation. Any and all rock christenings must start with the Beatles, the highest ideal. "Surprised? If y' dig that, I'll try 'n' keep it up, brighten yer fuckin' days," she squints a little, "If you were a chick, that've been an easy openin' right there."

"I still don't get how girls do it." Magnes randomly says as the download starts. A very large Beatles discography. While he's waiting for that, he suddenly lays back on the air, as if he had an invisible bean bag chair. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"What, bein' surprisin'?" Sable says, arching a brow, "Beats th' fuck outta me, too. Somethin' in us is blind t' them. Love, I figure. Usually th' culprit, eh?"
"No that's not what I mean. What I meant was…" Magnes coughs, clearing his throat, then hunches forward slightly. "What I'm saying is, I don't get how girls… do it." he tries to repeat, with more emphasis on the word 'do'.

"Don't fuck with me, man," Sable complains, "Just say what yer gonna say. Whatall could y' possibly need t', like, veil yer words from me f'r?"

"Hey, I may have a hot redhead and all, but I'm still a little awkward sometimes." Magnes, needless to say, awkwardly admits, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. "Girls, how do they… get it on."

Sable's answer is prompt. She lifts three fingers, counting off. "Fingers, tongue 'n' toys," she says, entirely matter-of-fact, "Which ain't nothin' outside what a man c'n provide, 'cept men 'r' men 'n' there are, like… disadvantages t' men. Mostly outta ignorance."

"Ignorance?" Magnes taps his head a few times, as if he's expecting something to rattle in it. "I think, or, well, hope I do a pretty good job. But you're saying women are better than men are stuff in the bedroom?"

"I'm sayin' a woman knows better what a woman wants than a man tends t'," Sable says, "Mostly just 'cause women 'r' scared t' say 'n' men 'r' too proud t' ask. Men are awful proud, wanna think they're naturals. Not you, 'course, you let yerself be taught. I know yer good, 'cause," she smirks, "Why else would Elaine bother t' come back t' y'?" she leans over and punches Magnes' arm, "I'm just fuckin' with y', 'course. But I do fuckin' mean it… girls know girls. 'n' boys often fuck as boy's think, simple 'n' rough 'n' overfuckin' hasty."

"If it wasn't you assuring me, I'd get some sort of complex." Magnes grins, then stands up and stretches. "I'm gonna head back to my place, alright? You can drop in for dinner. Hell you could come for something to eat whenever you want. I still think of you as my roommate. And I hope you enjoy the computer."

Sable stands up straight and loops her arm about Magnes, "Thanks. Nothin' I've ever fuckin' done in life is 'nuff t' deserve yer friendship, so I'll be bein' good th' rest 'f my days, just t' be worthy 'f it." She reaches up, and flicks Magnes' nose, "Now get th' fuck out. I need t' jill off t' some naughty pictures."

"I'm glad you try to be good, but you never have to thank me." Magnes smiles, and starts heading to the door. "See you later, Sable!"

"Peace, sucker," Sable says, grin slanted as she slips into a crosslegged sit in front of the computer. "'n' shut th' fuckin' door!"


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