I'm The Merchant.

[He tenses up for a moment when the fingers touch his skin, nearly dropping the cigarette in alarm. He tips his face into the touch, though, bringing up a hand. to Dax’s and then sliding it up his arm] Can’t. Not here. So for once, I don’t have to worry about it.

Have you had enough to drink for that making out thing I mentioned? [He asked, voice shaking just slightly with a chuckle that he was trying to hide.] Or should we wait until you're slurring?

Well…uh…sorta?  But not in this case.  There are no victims here, just unlucky civilians who fall into our prank.  Being new isn’t a problem, since I’m a bit new myself.  So with that in mind, it depends on who you want to make an impression on.  Right now I’m thinking about that guy that glows different colors depending on what he’s eating.  What about you?

We have an excellent cook, so I’ve never really even experienced that. I’m afraid you really are when you show up in the lab looking for food. Actually, you’re sort of lucky that I found you and not one of the security guards. Not bad people, they just take their job very seriously.

I'd have been able to calm them down, I'm pretty convincing when I need to be. What's your name, by the way? I figure if we're going out for a meal we ought to get the introductions done. I'm Daxton.

Well hey, don’t look so disappointed!  I can teach you the ways of a proper prankster—or at least what I know anyways.  See, I’m a hardened criminal and I learned from the best.  {playfully}  Okay, that’s not really too true either but you just give me the mark and I’ll come up with the plan. 

Excellent.  {Colin’s eyes spark with a bit of excitement as he rubs his hands together, leaning forward to whisper}  So tell me, how good are you with pulling pranks?

This place is creepy as hell to wander around during the night. I keep expecting a serial killer or a ghost to pop out at any second.

You should probably bring a wandering buddy. Your chances of surviving an encounter with a ghost and/or serial killer go up when you're in a pair.

I usually look bored. But I’m not opposed to that, actually. I really don’t do the ‘kicking the snot out of’ people thing, though. Often. 

I only do it when I'm told.

Oh now that sounds like a plan.  And I have just the idea—but I don’t know if you’d be up to it…

No one ever is. Trust me, it is so irritating. My mother is telepathic. She literally can cut off everything before it gets good. Usually sent my dad in to do it. [He sighs, fishing around in his pockets for a moment and pulling out his own cigarettes and lighter and lighting it up before he continues] My dad’s not so bad, but he’s that’s like being not as bad as Cujo in terms of bad dogs. Yeah, I have an overprotective everybody. 

I'm going to touch you, [Dax warned though it was hardly any real forewarning before he reached back and trailed his fingertips over the other's jaw and down over the side of his neck.] Well, she's not going to cut this off before it gets good. Right?

Doesn’t matter. Eventually, it grates on everyone if you’re always there. My thing is a little different, I know, but still. It’s the same concept. [He laughs, shaking his head and drawing another pull from he bottle, laying back on the desk.] Yeah, but it doesn’t stick. It never does. Not with my mom, either, but I can’t tell if it’s better or worse that she’s not here. 

Yeah, she wasn't a fan of me fucking with her boyfriends. [He grins, like that's a fond memory, and takes a drag of his now lit cigarette.] You got the whole shebang, huh? Overprotective everybody.

[He takes the bottle back, thinking that over and then taking another swig before he replies.] I get that. I do. I understand that. But even if you could protect her from everything, doing it doesn’t do that well. It just… it irritates and all the safety in the world doesn’t make up for experiences. 

I didn't treat her like she was made of glass, though. [He looks over at Zach quickly and lets out a long sigh, patting his own pockets before drawing out a pack of cigarettes.] You ever try, like ... Tellin' your brother that he's driving you nuts?

I think all big brothers are. At least the good ones, anyway.  [He cocks his head at the tone, a curious look on his face before he holds the bottle out again.] Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. But humans aren’t as bad as they say here. I don’t really… like them. In a general sort of way, but they’re not the monsters that they keep saying, I know that. I’m sure she’ll be okay. 

[He takes the bottle, drinking long and ignoring the burn for as long as he can. There's a moment of silence before he coughs and pushes the bottle back against Zach's palm.] There are shitty people everywhere. Here. There. There are also good people everywhere. I couldn't protect her from everything even if I were right next to her all the time -- Just wish I could. S'all.

[He reaches in and fumbles around for a moment, pulling out another bottle and unscrewing the lid, giving it a sniff.] Nope. Butterscotch. Where the hell did I get butterscotch schnapps? [He puts the bottle back and spins to face Dax again, taking the bottle when it touches his hand and taking another swig] I mean, I wouldn’t trade him for the world. But I also hate him just a little. I share a complicated set of feelings with most of my family, but it usually comes out to love at the end.

I'm guilty of the overprotective big brother routine. [He slides onto the desk beside the other, looking at the bottle for a moment before letting his gaze fall to the floor.] 'Course, I can't really do anything for her while I'm here. My sister, I mean. She's not a mutant. Don't think she ever caught on I was ...

It doesn’t. That’s the thing. It’s a matter of conquest, like bagging someone of a certain profession just because you haven’t before.  [He drops the harness and Beck goes to curl up under one of the chairs while Zach tugs open a drawer and puts a bottle of whiskey on the desk.] Can’t keep it at home. My brother thinks I’m a china doll, remember? [He hops up on the desk and unscrews the cap, taking a swig before he holds it out.] I have a bottle of rum as well, and some schnapps, but I don’t remember what kind.

Schnapps, huh? Well if it's not cherry, I want nothin' to do with it. Whiskey's fine. [He heads over to the desk and leans against it, taking the offered bottle and lifting it to his lips though he pauses for a moment.] Still, man. Overprotective brother -- Gotta be better than nothing, right? [He takes a sip and then hold it out so it brushes against the other's knuckles.] It's gotta be nice to know someone loves you that much.