[FIN] Bottom of a Bottle

[Suudonym]

Another shrug. "You ask someone to marry you, it's not because you want to make them miserable."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Don' know what ta tell ya man." Jerome said with a deep sigh after another pause, feeling a little heavier then he had at the beginning of this topic. Memory of someone he's been trying to put behind him. For her own good.
"I kow this ain't a shocker, but guys like me-" He placed a hand on his chest arching an eyebrows though a few strands of matted locks. "We aint th'kind th'get the girls. Not t'say I don't feel ya."
He drained the remainder of his beer, pointdly placing the bottle back onto the counter.  

[Suudonym]

He shifted his posture to rest the edge of his cheek against one hand, using the other to trace meandering shapes in the condensation of his mostly full glass. "Dunno. You'd be surprised what people will accept, and put up with."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"No" Jerome replied calmly a light shake of his head as Bro drifted back by him, his arms crossed. "I wouldn't be surprised. S'kinda th' problem though yeah?"  

[Suudonym]

Luke tilted his head slightly aside. "How do you mean?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Another shake of his head and a dismissive gesture ""Ya get people like me, s**t I've done, s**t I'll probably keep doin' till somethin' finally offs me, There ain't nothing different fer me, there ain't nothin' can do bout it. And then ya get people who're just bout the flip side a what I am, good, and I mean down in their soul, good people. An they treat ya like ya got a good soul, and for a while it might help ya forget that ya are just a punk a** ol' banger."
Jerome took a long pause here, looking at his empty bottle as if wishing it had more in it.
"An they get hurt. Fer doin' nothing but knowing you, th'get hurt for you bein' what you are. Like yer some kinda poison. an the only way t'save em is ya cut yerself outta that world a theirs."  

[Suudonym]

The concept pulled up bitter, painful memories of a time when he felt very similarly, of the scant sense of responsibility that had just barely bound him to the region in the midst of regretting that he ever came. "I've been the cause some awful things myself," he said, his voice low, "and I'm sure I'll be the cause of plenty more, but when I tried to cut myself out, she cried and cried and blamed herself and... well... I get the feeling that it was wrong to try to make that choice about her life on her behalf. She's got more say about her world than I do." He shook his head lightly. "I can't imagine it's always that simple, though."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Sounded like the kid had something of an understanding of what Jerome was talking about anyway, though it was clear that the turnouts were different. Then again, Jerome had not given Izumi a chance to cry about it, if she would... and he knew she might have. No good buy, no explanation. For all she knew he could be dead, and the last he heard she had gone home, to her mechanic shop off Kodo, safe, and well.
"Hn-" He grunted with an odd form of agreement " Guess it works out fer some. Sounds like ya did. Must be, f'yer marryin' er"

A new beer was placed down onto the counter in front of him,
"So- man s'the story wit you?" he asked, accepting the drink with a more heavy hand, shifting in his seat to face Luke. "I ain't peggin' ya fer my kind, but the' way yer talkin' sure don't sound like some high tower shot calla' with a fiancee the boys sayin' ya were"

At about this time, the door to the bar opened up, a a small group of three walked into the bar. Two men with dark hair, and the smaller of the three a tired looking girl that didn't look more then her late teens.
They were talking and laughing as they made their way up to the bar, and where Jerome was before Jamie was the first to notice who Jerome was talking to and froze stiff.
This reaction eventually drew the attention of the other two, who froze as well.

"... Oh s**t, you didn't call the cops, did you?" Ryan asked looking quickly from Luke to Jerome.  

[Suudonym]

True enough, even if he wanted to leave now, he couldn't in good faith; he'd have to be some kind of cold-hearted b*****d to drop off the face of the earth mere months before his wedding.

Luke blinked in mild surprise and shook his head, "Wow, I don't know where they got that idea." His attention fell absently to the counter. "I'm just some dumb kid who messes up every chance I get."

A reflexive, cursory glance at the group that entered became a second look as Luke realized that he recognized the people - and that they recognized him. "Yeah, we're just killing time until they get here," he answered, sarcasm in his words. In all honesty, the situation was only getting weirder, but as long as he didn't have to deal with that one guy-- He cast a suspicious, sidelong glance at the group. What were the odds that every single person from that day would be there except that one guy?  

[Blood_Goddess]

For a few seconds the entire group stood gaping at Luke, unsure if they wanted to belive the sarcasm or not. Eventually they started shifting, Looking to Jerome and looking as if they were going to start leaving before Jerome let out another laugh, having been watching them through their thought process.
"Sit yo asses down and get a beer." He continued to chuckle, "Red's jus messin' fer now."

"Sir uh-" Jamie started looking at Luke uncertainly "Are you sure?"

"We're just takin' a night off, fer now s'just forget it." Jerome said, making a gesture to Luke to see if he could be okay with that.  

[Suudonym]

Luke shrugged a shoulder, leaning into his palm again, "No good reason to involve the police, as far as I can tell." As long as no one was getting hurt, he didn't see any need to cause a scene.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Still looking extremely uncertain the small group looked to Jerome once more time, eying Luke as they slowly took their seats. All but Ryan anyway, who jumped as if he remembered something. "Oh s**t, Kyle's parking the car" He said suddenly to Jerome then bolted out of bar, pausing at the door. "We uhh- I'll just - Uhh just- See you guys later!"

Jerome watched him go with slightly widened eyes as the door swung shut behind Ryan.  

[Suudonym]

Aha, so it wasn't all of them except that one guy after all. If he was interpreting the rushed farewell correctly, that was probably the best course of action - or else there likely would have been a good reason to involve the police very soon.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"So... not to be rude-" Jamie started, sitting on the other side of Jerome furthest from Luke, while the girl took the seat closer to the red head. Keeping mostly quiet and her arms crossed as she watched the door that Ryan had just run out form.
"But why didn't you call the cops?"  

[Suudonym]

He supposed that was probably a reasonable enough curiosity; trainers and Rockets were natural enemies, after all, and if he had been more of a grudging type he might have felt inclined to get payback for being tied up in the snow for hours and having his gear stolen. Calling the police on a group of people who were just relaxing, however - who hadn't even really played much of a role in causing the incident in the forest - seemed unnecessary. In fact, he probably would have just felt guilty in the end.

Kyle was another story, but thankfully that didn't seem like it would be a problem.

"No one's been hurt, no one's in danger," Luke explained with a shrug. "If that changes, I'll deal with it then, but I don't get my kicks out of ruining people's days for no reason." Unlike certain foreign paternal figures.