This almost felt mean.
Almost. That was a very key word, here, because if it had been anybody else, then maybe, just maybe, Stepney would have felt kinda bad about what they were doing to Emmett (and, like that key 'almost', that was a very big 'maybe' – this sorta thing was fun no matter the target). But, for a start, it wasn't as though they were doing anything cruel, not really; they were egging a guy on to throw a ball into a hoop. Quelle horreur! The only reason all three of them were actively pushing him towards that goal was because he'd put up such a resistance to it.
And that was the other half of the equation; that guy was Emmett Bunnell, and thus, any lingering doubts that were nestling in the far-off, dusty corners of Stepney's mind drifted away like ash on the wind. Emmett was the sort of guy who took a smile as a threat, and a friendly greeting as an act of war. He was a moody, grumpy old sod, and all this happened to be was a means of getting some light out of the guy.
Yeah, that was an excuse Stepney could make himself believe in.
He watched, eagerly, as Emmett moved to take his shot, barely able to contain his grin. The ball sailed through the air – honestly not a terrible shot, all things considered – and arced towards the hoop, almost looking like it was on the verge of swishing through. But, like a moth to a flame, like a Redditor to a shitty joke, like a Stepney to a form of obtaining money, the ball dinked against the rim instead, bouncing away into a corner, and not a single person on the court was surprised in the slightest.
Stepney definitely couldn't stop himself from grinning like a madman now.
"Ooooh, close, man, close!" Stepney said, walking up to Emmett but stopping a few feet short. Didn't wanna chance his arm in the lion cage, after all. "Couple millimetres to the left and you'd have had it!"
Stepney paused for a couple of seconds, just to add dramatic effect, desperately trying to wipe the grin off his face.
"Course, ah... you do realise this means you owe us all a drink now, right? Unwritten rule of betting, y'know."
He took another step back. Just in case. He valued his face unbloodied.
Just Chill
Open!
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
Rest in fucking pieces, Emmett. And maybe Stepney too, now.
"Can I call dibs on the Crunch bar, then? Or do we split it?" Andy ignored Stepney's very possible approaching doom and zeroed in on the real issue here. "'Cause like, if I'd known that was on the line too, I would have taken the shot."
To prove his point, he went to collect the basketball that was now sadly rolling away to a corner of the court. Andy scooped it up, bounced it once, twice, and threw it, nice and easy. Nothing but net.
Of course, he was a bit closer now than Emmett had been, and Andy actually knew how to handle a ball. But still. He deserved at least a bite of that Crunch bar.
"Can I call dibs on the Crunch bar, then? Or do we split it?" Andy ignored Stepney's very possible approaching doom and zeroed in on the real issue here. "'Cause like, if I'd known that was on the line too, I would have taken the shot."
To prove his point, he went to collect the basketball that was now sadly rolling away to a corner of the court. Andy scooped it up, bounced it once, twice, and threw it, nice and easy. Nothing but net.
Of course, he was a bit closer now than Emmett had been, and Andy actually knew how to handle a ball. But still. He deserved at least a bite of that Crunch bar.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Hmm. Abel didn't know what he expected, but it's not like Emmett was trying to be the next Kevin Durant. At least he tried, he passed the test to Abel's satisfaction. A for effort.
Stepney was very probably about to die right now. Maybe it was time to skedaddle from the court before Abel was witness to a first degree ass-whoopin'. Or maybe he should at least try and defuse this bomb before Andy and Abel got caught in the explosion too.
"Tch, don't listen to Stepney, man, he's weird," Abel said to Emmett, doing his best to spare his con artist friend-but-not-really. "Don't worry about the drinks."
Abel stood up on the bleachers, his shirt riding up and exposing some of his back side. He grabbed the candy bar and made his way down the stairs, fixing his shirt as Andy talked about getting in on the sweet chocolate action too.
And of course, Andy just had to make the ball in when Abel was at the halfway point on his trek. Abel came to a halt and rubbed the back of his neck in dejection. "Yeah.... yeah, one sec," he said, spinning around 180° degrees and breaking into a half-walk, half-jog back to his seat. He reached into his candy hoard and pulled out one - wait, no, might as well make it two since Stepney was present and would make that into another bet anyways. You might as well just assume you lost and skip to the end when dealing with a professional.
Abel grabbed his stuff and made the long journey back to the guys on the court to pass out the candy like it was Halloween. "Here, I gotta get going but now no one will starve," he said while giving two of the three bars to Stepney and Andy. Huh, maybe this was how it felt to be Oprah.
He stopped by Emmett next and handed over the reward. "Thanks for trying, Emmett," said Abel, resisting the urge to give Emmett a physical pat on the back and instead just continued on his way to the exit.
"I'll check you guys later!" said Abel as he opened the entrance doors and took his leave. Now he had to refill his stash; maybe Faith was bored and they could do a store raid later on.
((Abel Zelenovic continued in Miss Bell's Home for Spiders))
Stepney was very probably about to die right now. Maybe it was time to skedaddle from the court before Abel was witness to a first degree ass-whoopin'. Or maybe he should at least try and defuse this bomb before Andy and Abel got caught in the explosion too.
"Tch, don't listen to Stepney, man, he's weird," Abel said to Emmett, doing his best to spare his con artist friend-but-not-really. "Don't worry about the drinks."
Abel stood up on the bleachers, his shirt riding up and exposing some of his back side. He grabbed the candy bar and made his way down the stairs, fixing his shirt as Andy talked about getting in on the sweet chocolate action too.
And of course, Andy just had to make the ball in when Abel was at the halfway point on his trek. Abel came to a halt and rubbed the back of his neck in dejection. "Yeah.... yeah, one sec," he said, spinning around 180° degrees and breaking into a half-walk, half-jog back to his seat. He reached into his candy hoard and pulled out one - wait, no, might as well make it two since Stepney was present and would make that into another bet anyways. You might as well just assume you lost and skip to the end when dealing with a professional.
Abel grabbed his stuff and made the long journey back to the guys on the court to pass out the candy like it was Halloween. "Here, I gotta get going but now no one will starve," he said while giving two of the three bars to Stepney and Andy. Huh, maybe this was how it felt to be Oprah.
He stopped by Emmett next and handed over the reward. "Thanks for trying, Emmett," said Abel, resisting the urge to give Emmett a physical pat on the back and instead just continued on his way to the exit.
"I'll check you guys later!" said Abel as he opened the entrance doors and took his leave. Now he had to refill his stash; maybe Faith was bored and they could do a store raid later on.
((Abel Zelenovic continued in Miss Bell's Home for Spiders))
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Emmett wanted to die. Or kill Stepney. He wasn't too sure which of the two. Fuck it. Was it even worth it if he lost his temper right now? It was his own fault for giving in to the pressure and normally he wouldn't have done something as stupid as that. He had just wanted to make smug Stepney feel like a dumbass. Expect now he was a dumbass.
He was almost about to tell Stepney to shove his bets up his ass. But Abel had managed to cause a distraction and he didn't even get to say anything when Abel handed a bar to him. He didn't know if this meant that he owed Abel one or that Abel was trying to make sure that he wouldn't make a fool of himself. He hoped that it was the latter. At least the guy seemed decent unlike Stepney and his smug grin that made Emmett's skin crawl.
Emmett took a few deep breaths and he felt the temper that had been rising fade away slowly. "I'm gonna have to pass on owing you two guys anything." Emmett said as soon as Abel had left and he stepped over to his belongings, staring at his half-finished sketch. "I didn't even agree to the bet so it doesn't count, Stepney."
He stared back at Stepney with a bitter expression and didn't say a word.
He was almost about to tell Stepney to shove his bets up his ass. But Abel had managed to cause a distraction and he didn't even get to say anything when Abel handed a bar to him. He didn't know if this meant that he owed Abel one or that Abel was trying to make sure that he wouldn't make a fool of himself. He hoped that it was the latter. At least the guy seemed decent unlike Stepney and his smug grin that made Emmett's skin crawl.
Emmett took a few deep breaths and he felt the temper that had been rising fade away slowly. "I'm gonna have to pass on owing you two guys anything." Emmett said as soon as Abel had left and he stepped over to his belongings, staring at his half-finished sketch. "I didn't even agree to the bet so it doesn't count, Stepney."
He stared back at Stepney with a bitter expression and didn't say a word.
Oooh. Swish. Andy's shot showed Emmett's exactly how it was done. Might as well call him LeBron Kobe from now on.
Yeah Stepney was kinda an expert on basketball, how did you know?
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, softly whistling an unrecognisable tune to himself. Today was a good day. He still had his drink money, he'd just won yet another bet (which put his lifetime total up to, ooh, way too many to count), he'd had the satisfaction of seeing Emmett fail at throwing a ball, and best of all, Andy getting nothing but net and Abel scurrying back and forth between here and the bleachers had provided the perfect distraction to ensure Stepney would be going home today with his nose unbroken.
Yep, today was going at a 100% success rate so far, and that streak continued as Abel pressed a candy bar into his hand. Stepney flashed a grin and a thumbs up at the guy, hand wrapped around his precious bounty of chocolate and crisped rice.
"Oh, shit, thanks man!"
Stepney paused for a moment, before cupping his hand to his mouth and calling out to Abel's retreating form.
"I'll take this as payment for that debt you owe me!"
Which debt was that? Fuck if Stepney knew. Basically everybody at George Hunter owed Stepney somebody, it got kinda hard keeping up with every single one of them. Blaise excluded. Someday, though. Someday he'd get them.
And then there were three. Stepney turned back towards Emmett and Andy, grin still firmly on his face. Emmett's fuse might have been momentarily snuffed out, but one wrong move and one stray match, and Stepney would be right back in the blast zone. He debated telling Emmett that he had been joking about the whole owing drinks thing, tapping his finger against his chin, but swiftly decided it was funnier to just... not do that.
"Hmmm... Loophole abuse, huh?" Stepney said, as if consulting his invisible Big Fuck-Off Manual Of Betting Rules. "Not entirely within the spirit of the game, but y'know what, I can dig it. You win this round, Bunnell!"
Stepney moved his hands from his pockets to behind his head, catching Andy's eye as he did so. Sometimes, it wasn't about the reward, it was about the satisfaction of winning. Unless the reward was money. Then it was about both.
"So I'm guessing you don't wanna raise the stakes a little and have another shot at it?"
Yeah Stepney was kinda an expert on basketball, how did you know?
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, softly whistling an unrecognisable tune to himself. Today was a good day. He still had his drink money, he'd just won yet another bet (which put his lifetime total up to, ooh, way too many to count), he'd had the satisfaction of seeing Emmett fail at throwing a ball, and best of all, Andy getting nothing but net and Abel scurrying back and forth between here and the bleachers had provided the perfect distraction to ensure Stepney would be going home today with his nose unbroken.
Yep, today was going at a 100% success rate so far, and that streak continued as Abel pressed a candy bar into his hand. Stepney flashed a grin and a thumbs up at the guy, hand wrapped around his precious bounty of chocolate and crisped rice.
"Oh, shit, thanks man!"
Stepney paused for a moment, before cupping his hand to his mouth and calling out to Abel's retreating form.
"I'll take this as payment for that debt you owe me!"
Which debt was that? Fuck if Stepney knew. Basically everybody at George Hunter owed Stepney somebody, it got kinda hard keeping up with every single one of them. Blaise excluded. Someday, though. Someday he'd get them.
And then there were three. Stepney turned back towards Emmett and Andy, grin still firmly on his face. Emmett's fuse might have been momentarily snuffed out, but one wrong move and one stray match, and Stepney would be right back in the blast zone. He debated telling Emmett that he had been joking about the whole owing drinks thing, tapping his finger against his chin, but swiftly decided it was funnier to just... not do that.
"Hmmm... Loophole abuse, huh?" Stepney said, as if consulting his invisible Big Fuck-Off Manual Of Betting Rules. "Not entirely within the spirit of the game, but y'know what, I can dig it. You win this round, Bunnell!"
Stepney moved his hands from his pockets to behind his head, catching Andy's eye as he did so. Sometimes, it wasn't about the reward, it was about the satisfaction of winning. Unless the reward was money. Then it was about both.
"So I'm guessing you don't wanna raise the stakes a little and have another shot at it?"
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
Aw yes, Andy got the candy. He still needed a drink, and probably would even more so once he ate the Crunch bar, but that was in the future. The now was satisfying and full of chocolate.
"You offering to buy then, if he makes the second shot?" If that was the case, Andy could maybe let slide the dollar he'd been promised for making a shot, which Stepney didn't seem at all interested in producing.
The main factor in how things turned out was just how long Emmett would be willing to play ball, literally and metaphorically. Right this second, Andy was pretty okay with continuing to poke that tiger, mainly because he wasn't the one standing within reach of the claws. He bent to pick up the basketball again as it rolled towards him, bouncing it on his palms. One, two, three.
"Come on, Emmett. Give it another go."
"You offering to buy then, if he makes the second shot?" If that was the case, Andy could maybe let slide the dollar he'd been promised for making a shot, which Stepney didn't seem at all interested in producing.
The main factor in how things turned out was just how long Emmett would be willing to play ball, literally and metaphorically. Right this second, Andy was pretty okay with continuing to poke that tiger, mainly because he wasn't the one standing within reach of the claws. He bent to pick up the basketball again as it rolled towards him, bouncing it on his palms. One, two, three.
"Come on, Emmett. Give it another go."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
FOR FUCK SAKE!!
Why wouldn't these two assholes just leave him the fuck alone? He had been the first one in here. So why did he have suffer more goddamned humiliation? Haven't they tormented him enough? He wished he could just take the basketball and throw it at both their stupid faces. Knowing Andy, he would possibly magically catch it before that would even happen. Andy was too cool and it kind of pissed Emmett off more. On the other hand, seeing Stepney get hit in the face would be a classical. Well, at least to him.
Emmett was contemplating what to do next. He was raging on the inside, he was close to losing his temper. He did wish that he wasn't like this, but it was so easy to get his buttons pushed. He was a complete idiot when it came to that. He just needed to take a breath and relax himself. Don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad.
".....I...." Emmett was struggling to get the words out and he was getting a bit red in the face, feeling like a fool. "I just want you two to leave me alone."
There! Wasn't he being reasonable? Not getting angry for once.
Why wouldn't these two assholes just leave him the fuck alone? He had been the first one in here. So why did he have suffer more goddamned humiliation? Haven't they tormented him enough? He wished he could just take the basketball and throw it at both their stupid faces. Knowing Andy, he would possibly magically catch it before that would even happen. Andy was too cool and it kind of pissed Emmett off more. On the other hand, seeing Stepney get hit in the face would be a classical. Well, at least to him.
Emmett was contemplating what to do next. He was raging on the inside, he was close to losing his temper. He did wish that he wasn't like this, but it was so easy to get his buttons pushed. He was a complete idiot when it came to that. He just needed to take a breath and relax himself. Don't get mad, don't get mad, don't get mad.
".....I...." Emmett was struggling to get the words out and he was getting a bit red in the face, feeling like a fool. "I just want you two to leave me alone."
There! Wasn't he being reasonable? Not getting angry for once.
"Hey, sure thing."
What? Stepney wasn't totally heartless. Or an idiot. Sarcastic? Sure. Kinda a prick but in that funny way that made people like him anyway? Frequently, especially if you asked certain people! A charming, dashing, handsome rogue? Oh, you're too kind, but yes, absolutely! But there were two big reasons stopping him from pushing any more of Emmett's buttons.
The first was that, well, he'd veered way too close to the possibility of being punched in the face for comfort already. Stepney couldn't read faces, but he sure could read the room, and he could tell he was walking on thin ice now. So, best for everybody he dialled back the usual prodding and tempting towards regrettable actions. The janitors here already had to deal with backed-up toilets and the unholy mess that was the cafeteria. No need to make their lives more hellish by making them mop up blood in the basketball courts.
The second reason was that being a straight up dick just wasn't Stepney's style, y'know? He would nudge, gently step on toes, lightly rib people, but actually upsetting people? What was the point? That was more in the wheelhouse of dumb-dumb meatheads like Wyatt. If you legitimately pissed people off, they were less likely to play cards with him, or to take him up on one of his dumb bets. Even people with a frostier reaction upon seeing him could be persuaded to loosen up some when a significant amount of money was up for grabs.
"I'll take that as my cue to leave. Later, Bunnell!"
Stepney grinned at Andy. Y'know, he could have sworn he was forgetting something, here, but damned if he could remember what exactly it was. Ah well. Couldn't be too important, if that was the case.
"I guess I owe you a drink for getting that dunk, huh? Fairs fair, and all."
It was a stab in the dark, but nobody was gonna complain about free soda. With a casual wave, Stepney turned to stroll out of the courts.
"Come find me to collect your prize!"
Of course, by that time, Stepney would have come up with another bet to foist onto Andy. That was just the way the world worked.
((Stepney Cruz continued in Clinging to Loss))
What? Stepney wasn't totally heartless. Or an idiot. Sarcastic? Sure. Kinda a prick but in that funny way that made people like him anyway? Frequently, especially if you asked certain people! A charming, dashing, handsome rogue? Oh, you're too kind, but yes, absolutely! But there were two big reasons stopping him from pushing any more of Emmett's buttons.
The first was that, well, he'd veered way too close to the possibility of being punched in the face for comfort already. Stepney couldn't read faces, but he sure could read the room, and he could tell he was walking on thin ice now. So, best for everybody he dialled back the usual prodding and tempting towards regrettable actions. The janitors here already had to deal with backed-up toilets and the unholy mess that was the cafeteria. No need to make their lives more hellish by making them mop up blood in the basketball courts.
The second reason was that being a straight up dick just wasn't Stepney's style, y'know? He would nudge, gently step on toes, lightly rib people, but actually upsetting people? What was the point? That was more in the wheelhouse of dumb-dumb meatheads like Wyatt. If you legitimately pissed people off, they were less likely to play cards with him, or to take him up on one of his dumb bets. Even people with a frostier reaction upon seeing him could be persuaded to loosen up some when a significant amount of money was up for grabs.
"I'll take that as my cue to leave. Later, Bunnell!"
Stepney grinned at Andy. Y'know, he could have sworn he was forgetting something, here, but damned if he could remember what exactly it was. Ah well. Couldn't be too important, if that was the case.
"I guess I owe you a drink for getting that dunk, huh? Fairs fair, and all."
It was a stab in the dark, but nobody was gonna complain about free soda. With a casual wave, Stepney turned to stroll out of the courts.
"Come find me to collect your prize!"
Of course, by that time, Stepney would have come up with another bet to foist onto Andy. That was just the way the world worked.
((Stepney Cruz continued in Clinging to Loss))
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
Well that was a wet fart of a buzzkill, wasn't it?
Andy's immediate instinct, of course, was to not leave Emmett alone. Like, dude. At least come up with a good excuse. Andy had suffered his fair share of torment throughout school and then some, and you didn't see him being a raging dick when everybody else was just trying to have a good time.
Against all odds, it was Stepney to the rescue before Andy could open his mouth and turn things sour. "Yeah, you do-" He started, turning towards Stepney only to see that Stepney was taking his leave.
"Hey!" Andy shouted after him. "Where's my dollar, you dick?" Alas, he was too late. Stepney was gone, leaving Andy to pursue him during a later quest. Where else did that leave him? Alone with Emmett, who promised no more entertainment and a whole world of bitching if Andy kept pressing him. Andy kept absently tossing the ball from hand to hand -- one, two, three, one, two, three -- seeming in thought but actually just taking a moment to calm himself rather than mulling anything over. He still felt the twitchiness that had driven him onto the court in the first place, though not as badly as when he'd first gotten here.
"Guess that's that, then," he said finally. "I'm out."
He could go for a run later, or work on some project, or bet Axel that Andy could suplex him through a table to blow off the rest of his steam. He tucked the ball under his arm and swiveled on his heel to head back towards the locker room without bidding goodbye to Emmett.
((Andy Silverman continued in Survival of the Fittest, Leonard!))
Andy's immediate instinct, of course, was to not leave Emmett alone. Like, dude. At least come up with a good excuse. Andy had suffered his fair share of torment throughout school and then some, and you didn't see him being a raging dick when everybody else was just trying to have a good time.
Against all odds, it was Stepney to the rescue before Andy could open his mouth and turn things sour. "Yeah, you do-" He started, turning towards Stepney only to see that Stepney was taking his leave.
"Hey!" Andy shouted after him. "Where's my dollar, you dick?" Alas, he was too late. Stepney was gone, leaving Andy to pursue him during a later quest. Where else did that leave him? Alone with Emmett, who promised no more entertainment and a whole world of bitching if Andy kept pressing him. Andy kept absently tossing the ball from hand to hand -- one, two, three, one, two, three -- seeming in thought but actually just taking a moment to calm himself rather than mulling anything over. He still felt the twitchiness that had driven him onto the court in the first place, though not as badly as when he'd first gotten here.
"Guess that's that, then," he said finally. "I'm out."
He could go for a run later, or work on some project, or bet Axel that Andy could suplex him through a table to blow off the rest of his steam. He tucked the ball under his arm and swiveled on his heel to head back towards the locker room without bidding goodbye to Emmett.
((Andy Silverman continued in Survival of the Fittest, Leonard!))
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Emmett was finally alone.
Fucking finally!
......
Emmett went back to working on his sketch of Andy. Stupid jerks....
((Emmett Bunnell continued elsewhere))
Fucking finally!
......
Emmett went back to working on his sketch of Andy. Stupid jerks....
((Emmett Bunnell continued elsewhere))