*✧･ﾟ:*indie oc*:･ﾟ✧*

Oh... the other’s shirt catches his eye. 

It looks familiar-- he could almost remember why it looks familiar. Was the fabric similar to one he owned? It looks designer.

he pauses : looking over at charlie before laughing awfully sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he did so. “don’t joke about that, man. we – i could have went to jail for graffiti!” there’s a real chill down his spine as steve looks over at the man, trying to think of something plausible, his fingers flowing through his hair. “i didn’t think so. i mean, i thought it would be NORMAL, but i guess not.”

Silently, Charlie finds it adorable, how Steve believes his graffiti will earn him real tax paying jail time. He needs to stop himself from re- aching over to pinch Steve. “I dunno, I believe a police offer should give you a stern talking to,”   Charlie   nods; but  his  act  is  hard to keep up. 

“Pineapple on pizza?” he grimaces, covering up playfulness. “And here I thought you were trying to keep away from batshit crazy.” 

Sure enough, the front doesn’t hold up. Sure enough, the alcohol or this odd sort of giddiness budding in his chest forces through his scowl and Tobias dares to grin. “Tobi. Damn, I can’t remember the last time anyone’s called me that.” His mother, perhaps, but that’s ages passed. “Pizza’s the same story…don’t ask when I last had it.” With the same sort of melancholy look seen briefly from Charlie, he wonders how long it’s been since he simply indulged. Humans are selfish— and he continuously lets them. 

“I’d like to try the pineapple,” he says. The silence is heavy and his cigarette is half gone. Tobias itches for something to do with his hands, short of smoking through the pack. “There’s a joint up the block if you don’t mind walking.” 

      Oh boy, Charlie is charmed by the facial expression. He wants to do more things to bring out this unique side of Tobi. “I’ve been known to CHALLENGE the social norms. Hopefully, you’re not too bothered with my name preference for you. I’d like to keep calling you Tobi.” His cigarette is almost finished. No cigarette has ever tasted this good; Charlie muses it must be the company. 

Tobi is turning out to be full of surprises. Charlie assumes he’s a type of person that people can only stand for so long. Tobi on the other hand wants to have pizza with Charlie? “Yeah, let’s introduce you to pineapple pizza,” Charlie answers with a grin. He agrees before he can make up an excuse to back out. 

“calm — you act like i killed someone,” he says, partially calm as he looks over at the other, panicking on the inside as he shrugs his shoulders. “gee, i thought i would just call the police, but y'know… that obviously can’t happen!”

      “Would you like me to call the police for you? 9-1-1, right?” He spoke in a serious tone, but his eyes gave it away. 

          He’s poking fun at the young man. 

“Who thought tonight would be this EVENTFUL, eh?” He nudges the other with his elbow.

His smile shifts from genuine to confident. “Some of us have useful talents. Others?” A hand sprawls on his chest. “Well, it’s my personal opinion that pettiness has endless applications, hardly the least— amusement.” 

Cigarette glowing, he pockets the device and pulls in a deep breath, holding the heat in his chest.

“My friends call me Tobi… the few that I have.” He’s selective in that area; guarded. The handful that know him know him well. In his game, such information is dangerous. “Clearly–” Tobias gestures around at the deserted sidewalk. “–they aren’t my reason for coming out.” A mix of business, a mix of boredom took him to the seedy bar, however as Charlie mentions it, he thinks it best to drop business altogether. The night’s young, after all; crisp and clear, too. 

Another drag fills his lungs. He flicks ash from the end and glances at his companion. 

“How’s the rejuvenation coming along?” 

“The few that you have,” Charlie repeats and eyes his peer with a curious expression. TEMPTING. He won’t press for more information. He laughs and takes a drag from his cigarette. “I don’t blame you. Life can be too fast to keep up with friends.” 

The joke has Charlie snickering. “Clearly--- Good thing I came around, Tobi,” Charlie says like he’s trying to see what Tobi’s name sounded like coming from him. 

     “Honestly? I’m going fucking batshit because I’m not in the office calling the shots.” He chuckled to himself, his tone is still lighthearted. “I know they are trying to take things in their own vision, because humans are selfish creatures and want to prove something.” His nose wrinkles. He does exhales and glanced back to Tobi. “Then when I stop being dramatic, I’d say tonight is showing lots of promise.” He answers the other’s questions and inhales a puff of smoke, with his gaze on Tobi.

“Oh, it’s hardly a will to live.” The smile greeting him is charming enough that he opens no figurative tab for the smoke and lighter given. “A will to outlive, perhaps.”

Feeling particularly clever over that, Tobias shares a smile in turn— his acceptance of the offer.  Another cigarette is plucked from his pocket, held precariously between his lips as he flicks a fifty down for the tab. “But are we truly living without a little risk?”

    By this point, Charlie takes the offered cigarette and lighter. "How PETTY of you,” Charlie teased and laughed, but there was a lightness in his tone. He’s genuinely enjoying himself and leads the other outside of the bar. 

Charlie lights up the cigarette and returns the lighter. 

A single brow lifted, Tobias spares a look in the direction of the query. “Attempting to kick the habit, actually.” 

But, ever prepared, he finishes what’s left of his drink and rummages through his coat pocket. A moment later, he presents the stranger with both, as requested. 

“I often find myself in the company of those who do.” 

         SHIT--- Charlie doesn’t expect the other to turn and reveal a face like that. “Attempting to kick the habit? You found the will to live? You must share your SECRETS.” Charlie is making an effort to keep the interactions interesting. 

dazed.2017