New York lightin' up

“Just be careful next time, some people aren’t so polite. “It is, I named him after an Italian Opera composer.” He spoke, reaching down to ruffle the top of the dogs head. 

“Yeah, yeah I will. I’m sorry.” Scott offered a kind smile. Silently grateful the other man wasn’t angry or upset, as many other New Yorkers would be. “Opera composer?  You’re one of those cultural people?” He couldn’t help but laugh a little. Not that being cultural was a bad thing at all.

“Well I like yours too… They have personality.” While most of Derrick’s was done professionally, he did have quite a bit that was done during drunken binges. Sometimes those were most favorite as they were truly unique. “Scott. Good name. I mean like easy to remember and stuff. That’s cool.”

“That’s one way to say it. Most of them are pretty trashy, but thank you.” Scott knew the majority of his tattoos were bad. He only had two done by proper artists. Not much he could do about that now. “Why thank you. Can I ask, how long have you been tattooing for?”

“so my brother gave me a list of new years resolutions he wants me to work on this morning. i’m not sure if i’m offended or not that he included ‘not petting every dog i see’ on it.” riley shook his head, smiling at the man sitting on the park bench with him. “what about you, any new year resolutions?”

“I mean, I’ve never actually met your brother, but what kind of killjoy would write something like that? Petting puppies just brings joy into people’s lives. Perhaps you should teach him that.” Scott chuckled. “Oh, I don’t really have any. Maybe eat less junkfood, but that’s not gonna happen.”

The people. There’re so many and it’s so loud. So there’s much going on. Ever been on the subway on your own? It’s quite calming actually.

“Oh, please, don’t worry about it. I’ve done it more than once before. It’s easy to get distracted in this city.” He admitted. “Plus, Poochini here is pretty tough.”

Letting out a soft sight, Scott nodded, finally defeated. “Yeah, alright. You’re right, accidents happen, especially in a place with so many people.” He raised a brow. “It’s name is Poochini? That’s kinda fun.”

“I’m sure. I’m okay, I promise. Don’t worry about it.” Ewan bit his lip. He took his phone out of his pocket and held it up. It was perfectly in one piece. “See? All on one piece. Do you want to go get a coffee or anything to calm yourself down? My treat.”

Scott finally breathed a sight of relief. It was quite difficult to shake the feeling of potential guilt, but seeing how the other man wasn’t mad or hurt, was reassuring. “Okay, alright. I’m sorry if I freaked you out.” He let out a nervous laugh. “Uhm.... That’s very nice of you, it really it. Coffee just isn’t a very good way to calm me down, but I’ll go with you anyway, sure.”

hotdoc: thinking about taking another shift at the hospital?

soconnell: The hospital? You work at a hospital?

“So err.. not to be that neighbor, but the late night screaming sessions have got to stop.” Julian voiced with a raised brow and slowly, the annoyed frown came to show on his features. “I mean, it can be heard through all of Little Italy, literally every night.” His eyes falling on the guy in front of him. “Not that it’s you, but you have to at least agree with me that those screams are a little excessive.”

Scott stood, deeply frozen in place. Every swear word in the book going through his mind. Was it really that loud? “I-I... It isn’t me. I’m not even dating anyone at the moment.” The young man mumbled, as he shifted from foot to foot nervously. “But they are loud, yeah. I mean, can’t people have a little bit of consideration and decency. Not everyone needs to hear they’re going at it.”

hotdoc: So...um...

hotdoc: what are you doing for the snow storm

soconnell: Not going out, that's for sure.

soconnell: Probably not even gonna do anything productive to be honest.

“Hey, hey.. no. It’s okay. You don’t have to be sorry. I’m not hurt or anything.” Ewan replied. The bump did little more than make the keys in his coat pocket jingle. He didn’t mind being interrupted in his day. It tended to make things a bit more fun. “Are you okay?” His Irish accent lingered in the air between them.

“A-Are you sure?” Scott looked up at the man with wide eyes. The whole ordeal had given him quite the scare, one he’d have to run off later if he had the time. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. Just...” Uncertain of his to word it, he simply twirled his finger near his temple. The young man had accepted that his mind worked a little differently from other people’s long ago. “As long as you didn’t get hurt or drop something, that’s all that matters. I’d feel so bad if I made you drop your phone or something.”

The Client - A man who watches Scott’s livestreams regularly. By chance they meet in real life without Scott knowing who the man is or how they could possible know each other already. 

The Over-Stayer - A person who watches his stream one night. When Scott forgets to turn off the camera after saying goodbye and lights up a joint right in view of the webcam. A man on the other end witnesses this. Scott never talks about his marijuana use, especially not on cam, so what the man does with this secret information is up to him.

«I don’t know what the worst part about moving is. Unpacking hundreds of boxes or trying to find new favorite places.» He mused. «Could you point me toward the best bar in town?»   

Nevada was out taking Poochini for a short walk, trying to survive in the cold weather. The dog was wearing a simple dog coat to keep him warm in the chilly air. He was paying attention when another bumped into him. Taking a moment to recollect himself, making sure the Dalmatian was okay. “Oh, don’t worry about it. It was just an accident.”

For a long moment, Scott was so scared the dog had gotten hurt. That would’ve been absolutely devastating. But after taking a moment to try and recollect himself and see straight again, nothing harmful had happened. “Oh man, I really am sorry. That could’ve gone very wrong for your puppy.” Looking between the stranger and his dog, Scott could breathe a sight of relief. 

“Ah-” Loren watched his coffee drop to the pavement and splash the ice and snow, immediately melting a nice puddle of gross brown slush. He rubbed his temples, glancing at the shorter man and shaking his head. “No, it’s… shit, I wasn’t really watching where I was going either.” Which was idiotic when he was hard of hearing- he really should’ve had his attention on the street and not his phone. “Almost wish the coffee had gotten on me and not the sidewalk, it’s so goddamn cold.”

Scott looked on in horror as the coffee spilled all over the ground. But even the relief that the liquid hadn’t poured all over the stranger, couldn’t shake the terrified feeling in him. “I am so, so sorry.” Looking up at the man with wide eyes. It could’ve easily been both of them not paying attention to where they were walking, but in the end, they couldn’t do anything about it now. “Don’t be stupid, that would’ve hurt you. At least.. At least let me buy you a new one. Please?”

Derrick smiled at the other, tilting his head. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh… Well thanks… I hope that’s a good thing. Having a lot.” He smiled at the other, smiling at the man easily. “I’m um… I’m Derrick. A tattoo artist… Hence all the tattoos.”

Letting out a breathy chuckle, Scott nodded his head. “Yeah, yeah that’s a good thing. Trust me. Your tattoos, they’re nice too.” Even from a distance, he could see the other man’s body art was miles better than his own. Hell, the stranger even looked like he had his shit together. “Ohh. That explains a lot. Nice to meet you Derrick. I’m Scott.”

Caspar was out of breath, his hair all over the place and his jeans ripped. He ran into the apartment complex and knocked on the first door he came across, praying that whoever opened it wouldn’t be an asshole. Caspar shifted from foot to foot while he waited, constantly looking over his shoulder, and when the door finally opened he breathed a sigh of relief. “Hey- sorry to bother you. I’m just- I need to hide from someone, can I come in for like two seconds? I’ll pay you back with pizza or whatever.”

Scott knew he should’ve gotten ready for a night of working. Taken a shower, gotten dressed and set things up. But.. He hadn’t. He didn’t even get up from the couch, before a sudden knock startled him. Proceeding with caution, Scott opened the door. The young man’s brows furrowed with each of this stranger’s words, but none the less did he let Caspar in. “Are you in trouble? WHo’re you running from?” Concern laced his voice as he closed and locked the front door again.