Gathering Post - 5/7-5/15

[lcrpg_npc]

 

WEATHER || LONDONIST || BBC NEWS

(Rather than write the same vague drivel, here is a pretty gif to inspire you, a link to the weather for the week, and a link to londonist, a great resource for all things London related. As always this post is open all week. Tag in, tag others, check back often!)

Comments

[taxi_d]

"Nothing wrong with that. Not bad at all," he replied, then took a long drag. Some people might not be interested in what he had to say next, but he thought Danny might be open to at least hearing it.

"I know a bloke. Helps people with skills like that get work. It's safe. He has a place. Not walking the streets, like. Clean, secure. And good pay. He doesn't beat anyone, and even if he gives you a whack it's never in the face. But it's usually the blokes that come in that are asking for trouble that gets it, you know? I'm just saying...if things fall down on your dream job or whatever, might be good to get paid for what you're good at," he said, never looking directly at Danny. He kept watching the smoke leave his cigarette and the way it rose and coiled out the cracked window.

[london_spy]

"Tempting, but- I don't think he'd want me. ...I mentioned before, about a health issue..."

Danny was quiet for a long moment. Telling people he was positive wasn't just still new to him, he also knew it could be dangerous. Not everyone would take it well.

Still, David had been kind so far- Worst case scenario, he got the shit kicked out of him.

"I'm, um, positive," he said, tensing slightly, as if expecting violence.

[taxi_d]

"Still work out there for a bloke like you. I can understand if you'd rather not," D replied with a shrug. To him it was neither here nor there, mostly because it didn't effect him at all. He'd likely have something to say about it if he'd been a little riskier, but it was just a little head. Hell, for all he knew Danny might be more popular for it. He'd heard of people enjoying risks and shit, and he knew of a few blokes who were positive who had...special interests. Might be able to make some cash off that.

[london_spy]

"Maybe," Danny nodded.

Hex wouldn't like it, but maybe Hex didn't need to know. After all, the other man still seemed so- Broken. Not even physically, just- Not right. Maybe if Danny was pulling in some cash, it would lighten the load. Make it easier for Hex to get back on his feet.

"...i could actually use some work now," he said finally. "If you could ask your friend or whatever- I'd be grateful. ...It would just be for a few weeks, but- The more I could make, the better."

[taxi_d]

D tucked his cigarette between his lips and fished his phone out of the pocket of his jacket.

"Danny, yeah? Hang on. Let me see if I can ring him now. Why wait, right?" he said around the fag. He swiped through his contacts and punched up a name, then put it to his ear.

"Hey, mate. It's Davey. With the taxi, yeah. I've got a bloke looking for work, thought you could use him." He paused. "He's good. He's positive, though...is that an issue?"

He nodded then looked at Danny.

"Anything you don't do?" he asked.

[london_spy]

Thinking back on all the dumb things he'd done, all the shit he'd put himself through, then been dragged through in his life after Alex... No, he couldn't think of a thing that would phase him at this point.

Then he thought of Scotty. Of Hex. ...He could feel their disapproval.

Fuck it. What did it matter? It was temporary anyway, and honestly, his sense of self preservation had worn away weeks ago now.

"No, I'm up for whatever," he said quietly. "As long as the money's right."

[taxi_d]

"The worse it is the more he needs," Davey said and went quiet for a long moment. The man's voice on the other end was muffled and deep and he nodded a few times.

"Cheers, mate," he finally smiled. "I'll pass him on."

Then he disconnected the call and looked at Danny.

"He wants to meet you before he agrees to anything. I don't think there's going to be a problem. He'll discuss money with you then. You know where The Pony Keg is? Northside? You can Google it. Meet him there tomorrow at 7 and I'll leave the rest up to the two of you. And if you get the jitters you just don't show and he'll never know you at all. Sound good?"

[london_spy]

Danny nodded a little, his expression blank and gaze empty, as if he'd switched off.

"Cheers," he said simply and quietly.

[taxi_d]

"Hey. Hey," D said a bit more gently the second time. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, mate. People would do well to take that to heart. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. If you don't want to work, you don't have to. If you do want to wark, but not this? Not obligated at all. People will always tell you you can do anything you can dream but that's bollocks. The best I can give you is that you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

[london_spy]

"I need to do something. My mate- The one I'm living with, he's been looking out for me, but he's out of work for a long time. If I can bring in some cash, just for a few weeks, it would make a difference," Danny said softly.

[taxi_d]

"I know loads of people. Got loads of jobs on the line. Why don't you take my number and if you don't go tomorrow or if you go and it ain't right, you give me a ring."

It sounded so kind, so generous, but Davey never did anything if he couldn't see a way to make a profit from it. There was no such thing as a 'goodness of his heart'.

[london_spy]

Danny nodded a little, pulling his phone from his pocket and handing it over.

"...Don't suppose, um, you'd come with me tomorrow. To meet this friend of yours? I'd pay you. Give you a cut of whatever I earn on my first job, I just- Don't fancy going alone."

He'd done a lot of dumb shit, but never like this. Not for a profit.

[taxi_d]

Perfect. Right on time.

"Oh, mate, I don't know. I get a lot of fares around seven. People off work, going to dinner and such," he replied hesitantly, then paused as if in thought, and sighed.

"I could. I could. If you give me a cut to make up for what I'll lose, I could go with you. I mean, you don't know him, he don't know you...might ease the way. I could do that. If you're sure."

[london_spy]

"I can do that, sure," Danny nodded. "Thank you. For, um, everything. The ciggs, the ride, the work.."

[taxi_d]

"Don't thank me yet, Danny. Thank me tomorrow when you've got a job. A ride is my job and cigs are necessary," he replied, chuckled softly, then stubbed his own out.

"What about St. Michael's? Still out? Still rather go to the club and stand in the rain hoping someone will cover you? Or should we just sit here for a bit? They won't kick us out of the place until after midnight."

[london_spy]

Glancing at his watch, Danny did the maths in his head. If they left now, he could walk around the block once before heading inside, and just tell Hex he'd had a headache and left a bit early.

Pulling the money he'd intended for his ride to the church from his wallet, he held it out in offering.

"It's late enough that I can just go home now, I reckon."

[taxi_d]

"Want me to drive you home, or just close enough a walk's no trouble and I don't know your door?" he asked. But he took the money. He was no fool.

[london_spy]

"Do I need to worry about you knowing where my door is?" Danny asked bluntly.

[taxi_d]

"Not if we're friends," he replied honestly. He didn't know yet if they might be, chances were good not, but it could happen. Danny seemed an okay bloke, bit down on his luck and desperate, but he could be clever, he could be useful. D liked to keep a lot of friends who were clever and useful.

[london_spy]

"And are we friends?" Danny asked.

He was desperate, but he wasn't thick. He'd known blokes like David before, generally they were nothing but trouble- But he liked to try and give people a chance.

"Or am I just someone you can cash in on later?" he added bluntly, not seeing any reason not to be direct.

[taxi_d]

"Don't really know," he shrugged. If they had to be friends to cash in later he'd do that. But, then again, being friends might make him less eager to see Danny in a bind. There was really no telling.

And it wasn't something that was going to weigh on him until hindsight made things clear.

"I'd like to think we could be. You seem a good bloke. Don't know much about you, though. Music, movies, first date shit. Fill me in while I take you home. What's your address?"

[london_spy]

Danny offered his address, then sank low in his seat, looking pensive.

"Isn't very much to know about me that you couldn't have read in the papers last year," he admitted.

[taxi_d]

"Oh yeah? You're famous?" he asked as he backed out and set off. He looked over at Danny briefly, then went for a fresh smoke. "You on telly?"

[london_spy]

"No, was just- Never mind, it's not important," he said, trailing off and falling silent again.

[taxi_d]

Like most people, Davey didn't have any memory for the pablum the tabloids and chat shows churned out. Oh, it might come up some time in his life, on a quiz show, maybe, but for the most part when the news cycle was done, he was done a day before. He didn't know who was at war or why, what was going on with which sex scandal, couldn't give a shit about politics if you paid him. But he could nail a pub quiz most of the time with sixty percent and he knew most of the songs on the radio. That counted for something.

"Alright," he said, letting it go because it seemed a sore spot and he had no reason to be a twat. "So? Tell me something. Like, I don't know. What's your mate's name you live with? Where'd you grow up? What's your favorite food?" he listed.