Jake raises an eyebrow when Lighter finally answers. "Are you trying to make me feel better? Or are you just saying that because you didn't like what I had to say?" He laughs, also letting the whole thing drop. He wasn't a fan of discussing topics like that with someone else, he only let himself wallow in those thoughts. No need to push it onto someone else. "So where now from here? Home?" He teases.
“It was meant to help you feel better.” He mumbled, glancing st this kid. He was vaguely familiar now he got a good look at him. Maybe just his mind trying to convince him he was some dangerous person.
Lighter scowled. “What home?”
Jake smiled then busted out laughing at his question, having lost it. "Relax, I'm not trying to trigger you, just trying to make friendly conversation" Jake had to admit, he enjoyed messing around with Lighter. "Besides, we both know that we don't have a home. At least not for now but I like to dream even if it's just to make myself feel better" He finger gunned at Lighter. "Because that's always the way to go"
Lighter rolled his eyes. The scowl remained on his face for awhile after. Home didn’t exist. Not for people like him. “Dreaming huh? I’ve not really tired that.” He replied, stumbling slightly on a loose rock as he started towards the gate. He cursed, kicking it away with his twisted leg. “I’ve never met anyone like you”
Jake still wore that giant smile on his face even after Lighter looked slightly triggered. "You should try it sometime, it's like drugs except you don't have to take any mushrooms," He said as he nudged Lighter playfully. The smile froze on his face when Lighter said his last statement, his gaze softened from his usual joking mood. "Yeah, I bet. I'm pretty abnormal for your usual wants-to-kill-himself kid" He laughed softly. "You're not so bad yourself, you just need to learn to lighten up a bit, even when they're trying to stab you" After that his mood seems to go a bit down "But don't get used to it, I'm not usually like this, this is just one of my good days. Running away and all y'know?" He seemed to be really happy. He had to be honest, he had never felt like this. Not one day in his life since he was born. Hell, he even cursed the day he was born but now, things didn't seem so bad. All he had to do was get away as far as possible. Talking to Lighter also seemed to have some sort of effect on him, like he could speak his mind. It was just nice having someone around who understood the hardships even if they never said it directly.
He laughed, shaking his head. “Mushrooms are disgusting.” He said with a soft grin. “So I’m glad it’s like drugs without mushrooms.”
Lighter studied Jake’s face, his eyes narrowing. “Abnormal? I’d say you’re perfectly fine even if so. Well you know, minus the ‘I-want-to-die’ mentality. But I have that too, so you know.” He paused for a moment, staring at the ground. “We all have ups and downs… some more dramatic than others.” He admitted, pretending like he didn’t just try to hurl himself from a building two days before.
Jake laughed at his disgust for the mushrooms. "Yeah no kidding"
Jake glanced at lighter as he studied him. "I guess you're right…it only matters what you do from here on out. Whether you decide to change how you do things or just make a decision for your own good" He said as they kept walking. It was nice to be called "normal" for once, even though sometimes he would scare himself because of how morid and gruesome he would get without flinching. It sickened him in a way.
“Exactly.” Except Lighter himself had chosen to follow the drug path. Not a good way to go, he admitted. “So I say, run away from your family. Hell, maybe I’ll Join you.” Lighter liked the sound of that. He could run away too. All he really had was his violin.
“Do you smoke?” He asked suddenly, pulling his lighter and box of cigs out. He needed nicotine.
Jake smiled at Lighter's suggestion. "I won't complain if you decide to tag along" He turned to Lighter as he took out a pack of cigarettes, then nearly scoffed at his question. "How do you think I've been surviving? On pure sheer will?" He laughed. "Though, it depends on the type you have. I have what I like to call the American spirit" he laughed at his pun as he took out a pack that said Natural American Spirit, the box was a grey color. "I'll usually go for these heavier ones with a drink- which taste heavenly by the way- but I like my smooth flowin' cigarettes too" He took out his own lighter which was half way empty.
Marcus shrugged. “Usually I have a different brand but today it’s the classic Camel pack. I like the brand my moter used to smoke but I can’t recall the name. They’re sweet.” He recalled, smiling with a soft laugh. He enjoyed the sweeter side of smoke.
Jake noded in acknowledgment, though he preferred a heavier harsher bitter taste to his cigarettes, they usually felt nice and solid once he inhaled them. "I guess you take after your mother, yeah?" He said taking out a cigarette from the pack and lighting it.
Lighter’s entire body seemed to sag. Just hearing the word hurt him. He growled a few curses under his breath. “I did.” There were no more words or phrases added. It was just a simple ’did.’ He didn’t want the conversation to sway this direction however.
He lit his own smoke, taking a rather long drag from it. The bitterness of it caused him to make a face. “Any alcohol preference? I personally prefer vodka or EverClear. Sometimes tequila.”
Jake just observed Lighter's actions. The word 'did' resounded in his head over and over again. He didn't know what it was like to lose someone he loved. He never had anyone like that so it was a bit difficult for him to imagine. He lets the whole situation drop, because by the looks of it, it was a heavy topic for Lighter. "My usual goto is a brandy but I'll also take bourbon whiskey. I guess I like my alcoholic beverages sweet and light…" He trailed off as he shrugged. "I'm a light weight in that aspect, as surprising as that may seem"
Lighter laughed softly. He could take a pounding. “You wouldn’t do good with what I drink then. I’m a heavy drinker.” He admitted. It was never one drink or one shot. It was always a full bottle at most. “It’d Probably kill you.”
Jake snickered. "I doubt that in a literal sense but when it comes to alcohol you got me there" he took another drag at his cigarette, letting the feeling wash over him. "Any particular place we're headin' to?" He asked after a while, having lost track of the time.
“Mm, no. Unless you want to head downtown? There’s a bar that doesn’t care who you are.” He grinned. “A bar that doesn’t care is a good one.” He added soon after, throwing his cigarette on the ground. The bitter taste was too much for him.
The word 'bar' caught his attention and he smiled. "Sounds good, I'm down," He said taking the last puff of his cigarette with pleasure before also throwing it and pressing it on the ground with his shoe. Jake thought it wouldn't hurt to take a drink or two, besides, a drink sounded nice, he hadn't had one in a while now.
(Sorry for that, had a performance. It was stressful.)
“Look at that, making a friend was easier than I thought.” Lighter joked, running his fingers through his hair. “Haven’t had a bar mate in awhile.” Marx had been the last. And Marx wasn’t exactly a conversational human.
(nah, you're fine dude lol and that does sound hella stressful though)
Jake let out a short chuckle. "Glad you consider me your friend~ Although we just met a few minutes ago" He laughs but he liked it. Having a friend sounded fun. "Yeah same, I tend to visit the bars often but since I had to prepare how my run away was gonna go down I haven't had the time." He pauses. "Though it was just a waste of time because I ended up not taking anything in the end" He scowls as he remembers how he left his guitar behind with those trashy people. He might go back for it in the night. It was worth the risk, at least to him. Others would have probably thought he was insane to go back for that useless broken piece of junk.
(T^T)
“Hey, any friend made over escaping the police are meant to be.” He joked. It was a partial truth. He did get along with anyone who would run from the cops with him. Usually because they were like him.
“You didn’t manage to get anything?” He asked with a curious glance.
Jake let out a startled laugh. "Yeah I suppose" he grinned, remembering how he slammed right into Lighter when he turned the corner.
Jake shook his head, he looked up ahead and laughed darkly. "I heard the footsteps and I hadda blast. Wasn't about to stick around for another one of their twisted games." he shrugs and looks away with distant eyes. "It's no big deal really"
“You know, I’m good at breaking into things.” He replied with a sly smile. “Ever need anything stolen back, I can help.” For a moment, Lighter found himself caring. It felt strangely wonderful.
“Hey, if you ever need a place to sleep I’ve got one. I go there when I’m late for curfew. If I don’t go home he eventually forgets and I get off without a single bruise.” Why not share his place with his new found friend? Even if Jake ended up stabbing him in the back, Lighter really couldn’t sink any lower! It was a win win for him.
(JSHOOK I AM IN TEARS LMAOO I fixed it lol)
Jake looked down at Lighter. He thought about it. "Hmm, maybe I could use your help to get some of my stuff back…" Jake seemed surprised to heard that the guy was willing to give him a place to stay. "Are you sure? I'd really hate to bother" He said half smiling casually.
(AHAHHA I was pretty shook myself)
“Pfft I practically have my own place. Hell, a roommate is welcome. I haven’t spoken this much with another human for years. I’m desperate for social interaction. Hell yes you’re welcome to stay.” The truth had hit him hard a few months back. He was extremely desperate for any sort of human touch and emotion. He wanted to feel again and to talk with someone who could feel. “And as for stealing, I’m already in.”
(😹😹😹 same lmaoo)
Jake lifted his eyebrow. "Well that's a new one, you seem like a pretty cool guy. Don't see why you've been alone this whole time" He froze as he heard Lighter say he would help. "Really?" He smiled. Just knowing that there was a possibility of getting his guitar back had him super stoked.
Lighter’s eyes found interest in the ground below them. He was in a gang. He was dangerous. He was an asshole to most. There were many reasons he was so alone. The biggest, to him at least, was because he pushed people away. He isolated himself and blamed the world for it. “People aren’t too prone to trusting a druggie and an alcoholic.” And a gang member. “Yes, really.”
Jake shrugged. "I feel ya there but even so I'm sure you can find friends of the same interests. There's nothing bad about being both of those things….well, at least not to me since well y'know, I am those things too" Jake found himself peeling the black nailpolish from his nails as they kept moving, trying to find something to keep himself entertained.
He grew a little frustrated. Jake didn’t see things the way he did. All people to him were only bad characters in disguise. They only pretended to be nice so they could get what they wanted. He was afraid of people. “Mm, only those who are like us see that though. The world is a dark place. The people are crooked.”
Lighter huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets, nodding towards a building down the street. “That’s the bar.”
Jake saw his agitation but said nothing on it. He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so" he said as Lighter pointed out the building which was supposed to be the bar.
“But hey, doesn’t mean you can’t befriend a few of those crooked people.” He added shortly after Jake’s response. “I’m pretty crooked and yet here we are, about to share a conversation over a drink.” The whole thing seemed rather strange and surreal.