OTA

[logan_echolls]

His knuckles connected with skin, and for the first time in days, Logan felt alive.

He honestly couldn't remember what the fight had started over, but it had begun in a bar and spilled out onto the street in a matter of moments. He wasn't winning, Logan was sure of that, but he honestly didn't care. Even as he crashed to the pavement and the other man's boot made contact with his gut, Logan only laughed through the pain.

His lip was bleeding, and his cheek was already bruised- Still, the fight wasn't slowing down at all, and likely wouldn't end until someone stepped in- Or one of them stopped breathing.

Comments

[logan_echolls]

"I'm not broke, if that's what you're asking," Logan replied, not eager to offer more than that. "My mom was an actress- then she... She, uh, made a very dramatic exit from the world, if you know what I mean. Dad was an actor, but now he's just an alleged killer, so that's fun."

[hardertohide]

"No wonder you're looking for someone to beat your face in," Dutch stated, crossing the street towards the pub they were headed for. There was no judgement in her voice; her family history was a lot less fucked up than his sounded like, so she really wasn't in a position to judge. "I'll get the second round," she added, because sharing that kind of fucked up history definitely called for a drink, and she pushed open the door to the pub, holding it open for him to follow her inside.

It was a cosy little place, with a few stalls and some stools along the bar. The walls were plastered with old concert posters, and the music currently playing was some classic hard rock.

[logan_echolls]

Logan followed and sat himself down. It wasn't his scene really, but he didn't care. Most of London wasn't his scene, it seemed like. He'd never felt more out of place in his life.

Taking a moment to order some drinks and some pub food, he waited until they were alone again before starting to chat again.

"So, be honest, how bad does it look?" he asked, pointing at his bruised cheek and slightly swollen lip.

[hardertohide]

Dutch reached out to turn his face to the light, so she could have a look at that bruise, mostly. "The bruise is still coming out, give it an hour before it's that awful yellow-purple colour. The lip's probably going to feel worse than it looks." Especially whenever he drank any proper liquor.

[logan_echolls]

"Didn't break my nose at least. Hate having my nose broken," he laughed, as if that was funny.

[hardertohide]

"Yeah, I can't say that I have fond memories," Dutch confirmed. Their drinks were ready, and she stood to go and get them from the bar, exchanging a few words with the barmaid before coming back to Logan. "Here you go," she pushed his towards him, then raised her stout in silent cheers before taking a sip.

[logan_echolls]

"Thanks," Logan replied, nodding and holding his own glass up before drinking deeply.

"God I needed that."

[hardertohide]

"Clearly," Dutch agreed, and she knew the feeling. It just so happened that she hadn't, today. She was just out for a good time, nothing else. Maybe she'd ring up Jade later. "So what brings you to this side of the pond?"

She'd definitely look into him and his parents later, out of nothing but curiosity. For now, anyway.

[logan_echolls]

"Mostly a desire to be anywhere but California," Logan said honestly.

[hardertohide]

"New York would've been closer," Dutch remarked. She liked the city, too, for what little time she'd spent in it. She'd felt at home almost immediately, and had been tempted to stay, but London was home.

[logan_echolls]

"I know too many people in New York- Or, too many people know me, anyway," Logan shrugged. "Besides, the point was to be anything but close."

[hardertohide]

Dutch shrugged. "Every city in that country seems far apart to me," she admitted. "So no one recognises you here, do they?"

Honestly, even now that she knew that he was - notorious, if not famous - his face did not ring a bell.

[logan_echolls]

"Now and then, but it's not that bad. I don't think my parents were ever that well known here," Logan shrugged.

[hardertohide]

"Well, then. Here's to finding a good place to hide," Dutch stated, and drank to that. "What are you studying, anyway?"

[logan_echolls]

"I was studying law, but- I don't think that's going anywhere," Logan admitted. "I'm thinking I might drop out."

[hardertohide]

"How far into your studies are you?" Dutch asked curiously.

[logan_echolls]

"Less than a year," Logan shrugged.

[hardertohide]

Dutch laughed at that. "Yeah. Run for the hills while you still can." She grinned, amused. "How old are you?"

[logan_echolls]

"Eighteen," Logan shrugged. "Legally an adult, right?" he laughed.

[hardertohide]

"And you don't even need fake ID here," Dutch remarked, amused and all the happier about having stopped Danny earlier. He probably hadn't realised how young the kid was, any more than she had. She'd have given him at least five more years.

[logan_echolls]

"Didn't need one in Neptune either. Cash tended to be way more convincing," Logan snorted.

"What about you?" he asked.

[hardertohide]

Well, that was definitely a one-percent kind of remark, but Dutch let it slide on account of the shit turn his life seemed to have taken. "I've never needed fake ID to get a drink either," she answered, with a smirk. "Breasts tended to be way more convincing," she echoed his phrasing, but she knew what he was asking. "I'm 28," she finally answered his actual question.

[logan_echolls]

"You don't look it," Logan replied, not that it mattered. Age had never meant much to him.

[hardertohide]

"It's all the alcohol," Dutch assured him wryly. "Keeps a girl looking young and fresh." Or possibly he was full of shit, but honestly, she didn't really care. She liked the way she looked, and that was all that mattered to her.

[logan_echolls]

"I wasn't being smart, I'm just sayin' You could pass for younger, that's all. It's not important though. Age doesn't mean shit where I'm from. California has this thing where no one looks any certain age... They just look plastic. ...You look real though. It' nice," he shrugged.