triggerhappy.

     oh,  but  if  with  such  wording  one  can’t  help  a  jump  out  of  the  wood - like  bed  you’re  forced  to  sleep  on,  to  land  barefoot  upon  the  nastily  cold  floor  mere  inches  away  from  the  crystal,  which  has  her  cheek  against  it  as  of  now.  her  cheek  and  both  of  her  palms.  that  is  something  she  wants  to  hear  loud  and  clear,  even  when  brushing  off  whatever  actual  intentions  are  hiding  behind  the  lure.      ‘  you  can  gain  all  sort’a  names  just  by  stickin’  with  me,  bay - bee.  ’      (  points  at  herself,  burying  the  index  a  bit  too  deep  to  her  own  chest,  then  hand  returns  to  the  door  )      ‘  that’s  a  pwomise!  ’      removes  her  face  and  he’s  found  being  struck  by  a  pair  of  battling  baby  blues  before  allowing  a  dip  to  one  of  her  brows.      ‘  so  long  as’cher  not  expecting  any  funny  business,  ‘n  i  don’t  mean  stand - up  kinda  funny—  tho  i  can  do  stand-ups.  ’

    “ sounds like a good time. “    tommy  says,   corner of his  lips  quirking  upward  in a  playful  smile  as  the  girl   approached  him,   the only separation between them    the   thick    glass.    oh,  yeah,   she was nuts,    tommy thought to  himself   ;     had to be to  date  that  green - haired  asshole,   he  assumed.  but  it  wasn’t  like he had  a lot of   buddies  waiting  for him  around  the  corner.  maybe he could use a little  nuts in his life.

 “  funny  business?    perish  the  thought,   ma’am. “    tommy  exhales  smoke from the  cigarette between his lips  before  flicking  it  downward  into the  lower levels  of the  cells,     the  small  item seemingly  disappearing into  the  abyss.      “  i’ve got a  boyfriend  who’s  a real  stick in the  mud,   so don’t you worry.   i’m actually  looking  for someone who can  do  really good  stand - up,   so,  you know   --     it  all works out,   in the end.    kiiind of short on  pals  at the moment,   which makes  going to bars really depressing.   “   he  dug  through the  deep  pocket  of his  green trench coat  for a  moment  before  bringing out a  small   key card.   

  “ i was in the marines for like,    two  goddamned  seconds,   and it was the biggest waste a’  time  of my whole life.   only reason why sean sent me was ‘cuz i iced this guy  messing with pat  and had to get outta gotham,   but   whoo …   i can confidently  say that if i hadn’t met my  best friend  natt  while on duty  it woulda been the dumbest thing i’ve ever done. “

 “ believe it or not,   i had  siblings.  a  bunch of siblings.   two brothers,  two sisters:     frances,   billy,    johny, and  philomena.     i was the youngest.  “   he  lights a  cigarette,   shrugging his shoulders.     “  last  three before me  died way before  i  could ever  meet   ‘em,   years and  years ago.     i managed to meet  frances before she died.   she was,  uh …    well,   beautiful. “  

  “ hey,  b!   you made it! “   tommy  stands up in  excitement,   rushing to where the fellow boy  walked in   somewhat  awkwardly  through the  front door of the  sleazy  bar.    he clapped a hand on his  shoulder,    smile  wide  &  brown eyes holding a glint of excitement  within  them.  hand  wraps around  bruce’s  arm  and  gives him an  encouraging  little  tug,   jabbing his free thumb in the  direction of the  back   room.    clearly  tom’s  real excited at the prospect of a new friend.      “ come on!   the new  tv’s  back here.  can i get you somethin’ to drink?   uncle sean told me that’s the polite thing to say to guests. “

  “ don’t worry,  lina.   i caught the hint.    i know it smells like   a pair of socks  in here.    ain’t surprised,   either.  “   he hasn’t really moved from his spot on the couch since she  decided to drop in through the window to pay him a surprise  visit,   feet  propped up on the  coffee-ring-stained  table  and   cigarette  smoke  filling the  heavy  air of the  room.   it smelled  awful,   and  so did he:   the whole place  had the stench of death in there,    the odor of decay.   tommy really did  look in worse shape than usual,   too :  deep rings under his  unmasked  eyes,    black beard covering the lower half of his face that he  idly itched from time to time,    old boots  covered in  grime.