Easy Ryder

if he has to clear that up with her, then he would. he knows that easy likes to stir the pot sometimes. not that he can blame him either. he keeps colossal on its toes every now and then and gives the people something to talk about.

"whatever you need i'm your guy. doesn't just have to be on werewolf nights." is he making a mental note to go back home and research what a boom mic is? yes. along with anything else that he might be able to help with.

for now, he just smiles and nods though. happy to be of use in some way. "i feel you, thanks for checking. don't worry though. my support system's tight. including you."

Of course he was. Jamir wouldn't be caught dead saying something mean about someone else. Sometimes the guy's kindness started to rub at Easy in a weird way - like, there's no way someone could be this genuinely supportive of everyone, right? He has to get pissed off sometimes. Annoyed at a minimum. Easy's never seen it though, not with his own eyes, but he has to assume it happens or else his mind starts to wander to scary places - like robots, or changelings, or some other cheesy horror movie plot.

Easy's about to say something else - something about how actually, he is worried, especially now that he's been told not to - when the lights start to dim. Any further questioning will have to wait until after the movie ends.

"Whatever you say. But if you need me for real, just let me know."

rounding the bend towards the aisle they keep the dramas, julien stops in his tracks as a disheveled looking easy mirrors him on the opposite end. the smile on his face is immediate but purposefully kept small and controlled, another mirror to easy's playfully feigned nonchalance.

"'Kay, while i do think the lovey shit is a bit heavy handed, you can't seriously be mad about one sex scene and like.... some artistic boob." Easy takes the tape from Julien's extended grip and tucks it under his arm rather than following orders. He follows Julien around like a duckling instead, making the task harder but increasing their reunion time. "It's only PG-13! You afraid of a little smooching?"

Easy makes sure to catch Julien's attention before he wiggles his eyebrows, teasing. "Don't tell me you weren't recreating the car scene with girls after every show."

It's just up to him whether or not he wants to open all the doors he has in front of him.

There's nothing else to say, not really. Not right now. Easy watches Fallon fidget with her nails before reaching across the bed with his palm up and open. An offering for touch, however brief or nonexistent Fallon decides it'll be. Easy's affectionate but not pushy; just because he shows love that way ( a brush of fingers, an arm around the shoulders, sitting too close on the couch ) doesn't mean others want it. In fact, for such a touchy guy, he has some pretty close friends who generally keep their distance. Like offering his hand to a skittish cat, Easy will let Fallon come to him.

Hopefully.

This time, Easy uses a proper napkin, then shrugs. "I'm going with the straight-forward 'just ask' method. Worst she can say is no. She won't though, I'm pretty sure." Even after everything that happened with Victor. As long as she doesn't know about Mila, he'll have a chance. "You think she'll do it? I feel like you'd know better than me."

he had seen mila. and he'd avoided looking too long for his own peace of mind. and avoided her in general. that was par for the course, it was a game he'd been playing for years now. he knew it was obvious to anyone who had the displeasure of being near harvey when mila came around that he had a hopeless crush, but it didn't mean he wanted to talk about it. for all of his pointed avoidance, for how sure he was that nothing would ever happen with mila, it still felt like some sort of jinx to talk about her like that. and, he guesses, disrespectful. duh.

so, he's careful with his words. thinks about them, if you can believe it. even through the thick haze clouding his mind as he takes a long pull, he doesn't want to get too lost in the energy of the night. wants to remember who he is— who mila is.

"oh, right." he lifts his head, exhales dramatically "because that went so well last time." calling it last time was generous. he wasn't even sure it was an attempt at anything other than humiliating himself. harvey didn't know what he was thinking when he'd offered mila a ride home, but he'd spent the entire drive making meaningless small talk, gave her a mars bar, and sped off. so. he wasn't confident even if he did want to subject mila to him that he'd have much of a chance.

The smell of Vee's weed is comforting, grounding, and a part of him wants to ask for a hit. He reminds himself that it isn't worth the scratch at his lungs just to feel a little floaty. Plus, high and horny tend to be synonymous with Easy, and he's supposed to be on his very best behavior. No distractions, no sleeping around, no white garters.

Easy snorts. Vee's lack of confidence with Mila specifically is probably why he hasn't made any headway; it isn't like she's an easy pull, but the track from drunken comforting in an empty bar to going down on her in his room was relatively short. Mila's nice. Mila's understanding. Mila would give Vee a shot if he stopped stumbling over himself like an embarrassed lamb.

There are priorities here. Ana's presence on his set is one of them.

"It's different when we're working," Easy mumbles, a dismissive excuse he doesn't fully believe. At least on set there would be structure - and she's already the perfect actor. Bratty? High needs? LA is calling, Ms. Grant, and you better pick up! With a deep breath, Easy finds Ana's eyes, levels her with the intention behind his look.

"Yes. I want to hang out with you. If that's what it takes to get you to say yes, then, yes. I want to hang out with you so bad."

Devon points out the signs advertising discounted tarot readings, glancing between the window and Easy.

"Do you think they would be giving discounts if they actually gave accurate readings?"

Her eyes lit up in curiosity. Tarot had never really been her thing, not that she thinks it's cursed or sinful or any of the negative criticism it's gotten from the more religious groups. It just never made sense that someone could predict the future.

"Have you ever gotten a reading? Like, how can they look at your hand and tell you when you'll marry someone?"

She lifts her hand to look at her own palm, noting the lines and the subtle sign of callouses from her training.

"Sorta. When I'd hang at Fallon's sometimes growing up, there were a few times, but it freaks me out. Like, it resonates." Easy peeks over at Devon's hand. "Never had my palm read, though. You think there's really a connection with someone's life line and their... life?"

He holds up his hand beside hers. Their life lines pose different lengths, and Easy's has an odd break in the middle of his.

"i'm sure junia has enough information to make your movie double the time with some more inspiration." he chuckles softly as he thinks about what both siblings probably know about those in colossal. "how's the movie going by the way? if you need any help with it, you know that i can support wherever needed." he's not an actor or director, but he's an extra pair of hands.

he nods slightly, glancing back over at the screen. "that doesn't mean he's not going to try to do just that thought." everyone wants a slice of easy. "yes, they do actually. at least some do."

He grins. The offer is kind - as are most things Jamir does. Easy's tempted to say no, if only to give the guy some kind of break from all the charitable acts he does, but at the same time, he's not exactly in a place where he can say no.

"Hell yeah, dude, I'll let you know. We're still polishing off that script, but as soon as we start filming, I'm calling you in on that favor. You seem like you could hold up a boom mic."

Easy's eyes soften and he bumps his shoulder against Jamir's. "Okay, man. I'm just checking. You do so much for everyone else, you feel?"

When Vic lifts himself from the chair, Easy holds the kitten closer - instinctively protective over the thing until it's clear that Victor's actually coming to do is exactly as he was told. Immediately, a part of Easy melts; nothing he chooses to dissect right now past the vague thought that seeing such a tiny animal in such a large pair of arms is beyond the constraints of the word adorable.

"Those two are at least good. Airheads had so much potential and threw all their scriptwriter budget into casting. I'm hoping Dario will bring by an edible so I can snag a bite and actually enjoy that one." Airheads has its moments, sure; Easy can't focus on anything but the waste. He leans back, pops a few more kernels in and crunches down.

"I won't. I have it on good authority he secretly loves musical movies so he'd be pretty disappointed in you for forgetting that one." Easy offers her a teasing quirk of his lips and a tilt of the bin - popcorn is best shared. "So you better pay attention this time around."

That's something others didn't have the honor of knowing about Fallon. While she might have a less-friendly reputation than himself, her consistency - her inability to be anybody but herself - is comforting in a way that Easy finds himself endlessly grateful for in their friendship. Now, yes, but always, too.

In a way, the only woman Easy sees a future with is Fallon Wu.

He briefly imagines her with a shovel. She's in a detective's uniform, wrapped up in a smart trench coat that makes her look both good at solving mysteries and vaguely off-putting. A cigarette hanging out of her mouth as dirt flies out of the grave. Easy will have to ask her about the detective movie concept later - when he's not drunk, and she's not hiding from a party, and they're not working through something. He looks at Fallon - the real Fallon, not the cinematic version in his head, and studies her profile. Eventually:

"You know I'm not..." Easy lets the silence do the heavy lifting there, afraid of what his voice might do if he tried to force it out. When he does speak again, it's much softer - unsure in a way he doesn't usually feel. "I'm just figuring stuff out."

Slipping out unnoticed was easy, too easy, for Dario. If he just kept walking then he’d be home free very soon, right? But then…he hears Easy’s voice call out to him. Part of him was happy and another part of him just let out a soft sigh to himself. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy to see Easy, Dario always was, but even around Easy he didn’t exactly let his mask fall all the way. Not anymore, anyway. And tonight…Dario was tired of wearing a mask.

“Oh, hey,” he greets in return, voice softer than usual, but his smile still held that usual warmth. He scans Easy’s face for a second, trying to see if anything seemed off, then his gaze travels down the sidewalk. “Yeah, I guess. I was heading home.” What was the point of lying? He gave a shrug, shoved his hands into his pockets, continues on his way, fully expecting Easy just to fall into rhythm next to him. “Everything okay, E? I’m surprised you’re not wrapped up in something.” That came out more blunt than he intended, so he adds, “I didn’t mean…I just mean like you’re always the life of the party.”

"Never thought I'd hear someone say that." It isn't how he'd describe himself either, but Dario's always seen something good inside of him that Easy couldn't see himself. "Guess they'll have to find a new pulse, because I'm leaving too."

Getting wrapped up in something is the last thing Easy wants tonight. Walking away from Mila earlier is as out of the fray as he can get; one night together had ended up in him being scolded by Ana and paranoid about people finding out that he's firmly of the belief that he needs to stay out of that mess.

Easy brushes against Dario, elbowing him softly. "Why're you going? Something happen?"

"good. you're welcome, but you know that i always got your back!" the snack patrol. the pantry. the mom of the group. he goes over to the row that the other slides himself into and takes the bag with him. he places it wide open on the side of his seat, which means that he also slides a little bit to the other side.

"good. you're one of my news sources of colossal, so if you don't know of anything going on then i'm sure that everything is pretty calm." jamir likes to think that he has a pulse on the town, but it's not like he can be everywhere at once. easy, however, he feels like he gets the details from everyone around.

"are you working doubles and not telling me? do i need to start bringing you some lunch and waters?"

( It helps that he keeps the secrets he's learned. )

"Been kind of focused on my movie stuff, man. You might have to get another news source because I'm bone dry. Try my sister." She'd have real news, too; Junia always knew when big trouble was brewing in town. He wonders if Jamir would be susceptible to being kidnapped for one of Junia's stakeouts for her articles - if maybe he hadn't already been on one.

Easy shakes his head. "No way, dude. I love Portal, but Petey can't squeeze any more out of me than he already does." Honestly, Easy could stand to pick up a few hours. "Does anyone ever offer to bring you lunch and waters, Jamir?"