"R-Right… um…" Nathaniel flustered a bit, not quite sure what to do and clearly nervous. He wasn't great at making decisions in the best of times, but especially not for a complete stranger. He ended up just ordering simple coffee for Carter since he'd said he liked bland things, and something with lots of caramel and whipped cream for himself.
.png)
Carter looked around for a long minute, "this place is nice, much better then where I normally hang. Being the only sober person in a bar is really lame, not that they'd let me drink anyway." He shook his head, forgetting that Nathaniel didn't know much about him so probably didn't understand what he meant.
"If you say so." Nathaniel thanked his coworkers for the drinks and sat down at a table, sliding Carter's drink over to him. "I don't really get out much. Mostly just come here to work and then go… home." He hesitated before saying 'home', as he didn't really have one to go back to.
"Yeah well, I just stay home. Mostly, but I tend to get myself in bad situations" he shrugged taking a drink. "not bad. Anyway, I hang out in the bar downstairs, which would be more fun if Jim let me drink." He shook his head.
"Mm… well, alcohol is pretty expensive anyway, so at least you're saving money?" Nathaniel laughed weakly and drank some of his coffee. "I don't have a lot of friends to hang out with other than my coworkers, and they're always busy if they're not working…"
"Psh I don't even pay for the drinks I do get, the only thing I pay for is my car." He shrugged. "I don't have any friends, except maybe my adopted uncle. Would it be called that? It's one of my adopted parents wife's brother…yeah that's just complicated, anyway I only have one friend but he's family, my 'coworkers' are all uh well none of them like me."
"Family can be friends, I think. I was friends with my brother." Nathaniel shrugged. "I don't live with my family anymore, though. I live by myself." He shifted his wings so they were held out more since they were being crushed between him and his seat. "And I just walk everywhere… cars are too expensive and I don't know how to drive. Maybe I'll get a bike."
"I love driving I ra- uh psh I dont do anything illegal." He said quickly in attempt to save himself. He quietly drank his coffee.
Nathaniel tilted his head to the side curiously, but simply shrugged and dropped the subject when Carter cut himself off. "I would fly if I could, but unfortunately that isn't an option for me…"
"Why?" He had started tapping his fingers on the table without realizing it, and he had finished his coffee. He knew he was forgetting to do something, but he's think of it later.
"Um… well…" Nathaniel hesitated and swallowed nervously, but eventually stretched out his left wing enough to show that it had a bullet hole in the joint and it wasn't quite the right shape. His right wing had a slightly crumpled appearance as well, but didn't have the bullet wound. "I hurt them when I was young."
"oof, sorry. I am guessing there isn't a way to fix it? I mean, even being turned doesn't heal scars" Carter muttered the last part, his eyes had gradually started turning red. "Sorry about that… yeah" he had lost what he was going to say.
Nathaniel shook his head and looked down at the table, missing Carter's eyes turning red. "No… they couldn't fix them. Even when I healed, they healed all wrong. I can't fly."
"that sucks, oh what are you, cuz like, you have wings, but a lot of things have wings…right? I don't know" He shrugged, tapping his fingers on his empty cup.
"Um…" Nathaniel flushed lightly and looked a little uneasy, as though unsure whether or not to tell the truth. He hated to lie, so he decided he should tell Carter what he actually was. "I'm… an angel. That's kinda why I don't live with my family anymore. They kicked me out…"
"oh, they kicked you out? that sucks, I mean, my parents left me when I was young and I ran away… for reasons, and now I live with my adoptive parents" Carter shrugged, "but I get not having a place to call home"
"Well… they being everyone, not just my family." Nathaniel sighed. "I wasn't useful to them anymore because of my injury. So, they sent me down here to fend for myself." He shrugged and had some more of his coffee, holding the cup with both hands. "I was eight then…"
"that's about the time my dad disappeared, when I was eight, but I didn't live on the streets till I was like 11 and it was only for a few years, sorry you were alone in that." He shrugged, "enough with the pity party, no offense, but I prefer to have lighter conversations."
"Yeah, no, totally agree." Nathaniel laughed weakly. "I'm fine. Obviously I'm doing okay for myself now, right? Don't need them. Anyway, um… what do you like to do for fun? Hobbies?" He asked.
"I drive, when I can," he shrugged, then paused for a long moment, "hey, are my eyes red? I can't see them myself but I have a feeling they are" he ran his tongue over his now visible fangs.
Nathaniel looked up to see Carter's eyes and was clearly taken aback and surprised to see that they weren't white. "H-Huh? Um… yeah, they are. Is that… something that happens often?"
Carter nodded, "yeah no, just when I forget to feed, drink, whatever you wanna call it" he shrugged. "So, I need to go home, to the bar, whatever, you wanna come?"
"Um… right…" Feed?? That's probably not good… Despite the obvious red flags, Nathaniel decided to agree. "Yeah, sure… that's fine. Do you live far?"
"nah just a few blocks," he shrugged standing up, He muttered about hating what he is as he started walking towards his home.
"Right…" Nathaniel finished his coffee and got to his feet to hurry after Carter. He looked around curiously as he walked. "So, uh… do you have any pets or anything? Favorite color, maybe?"