Apartment building {Open}

[bachjones]

Bach pressed the elevator button four times before he remembered that there was maintenance this week. Just like the previous week. He sighed and started going up the stairs. Hopefully Cinderella wasn't too angry. Hopefully he could sleep and forget about the abuse the bitch queen had heaped upon him.

Comments

[alfiehaywood]

"I'm off back down to ground level. Just was helping Mrs Gordon with her shopping what with the lift being down," he responded, pointing his thumb towards the door behind him. Most people in the building knew her, but it wasn't a guarantee that everyone knew everyone. "It's Bach right? I probably bothered you when I first moved in."

[bachjones]

He licked his lips. Why couldn't he remember the guy's name?

"Weren't you at the brunch thing last weekend? You help Mrs Gordon?"

That's awfully sweet. If I wouldn't be so tired, I'd make a dubious remark about older women being the only women where it's safe to be around. "Want to help out another neighbor? I've fifty dollars."

[alfiehaywood]

With a quick smile, Alfie nodded, "Yeah, chance to meet more people in the town. Plus delicious pastries are always a bonus." He merely smiled in reponse to the second question, he didn't want to go into a ramble about how much she reminded him of his Grandmother.

Alfie's ears definitely perked up when money was mentionned. What could he say, college graduates needed all that they could get their hands on, he had enough debts to pay back. But it was always best to be safe than sorry, so he questioned, "What would you want me to do?"

[bachjones]

"Pastries? I will have to remember that. What do you for her?"

He sagged against the wall. In his drugs and alcohol years he would have been able to keep himself upright, but he wasn't used to anything any more. "Well." Bach smiled. "If you could help me to the top floor and push me inside after I opened the door ..that would be amazing."

[alfiehaywood]

"Just bits and bobs really. Basic DIY, give her a lift to places here and there. Most things she's better at than me, but with this maintenance it's a bit of a hassle. Feel a bit bad I'm hogging the ground floor, but then it's a smaller apartment because of the garden."

For a second Alfie paused, wondering if he'd actually heard that correctly. He blinked before replying, "Man, for 50 bucks I'll carry you up if you like. Whatever's ebst for you."

[bachjones]

"Oh. Yeah, I'm not so good with money. And exhausted, so I just kind of - want to get in my bed. Make sure my cat's okay. How did you end up with Mrs.?"

Bach looked at him. "And that's sweet of you, but I don't know if you won't break underneath me. Just get on my right and walk me up, okay?"

[alfiehaywood]

"Money management is definitely a skill that requires some solid practice before you can the complete hang of it. And I fixed a lightbulb for her when I was introducing myself to all the people that were in."

"Sounds fine with me," Alfie moved to Bach's right hand side. He probably could carry the man up a floor or two. Heaven knows he did enough lifting of luggage at work and or logs at home, but dropping a person would be worse than a bag of clothes. "Do you want me to take your guitar?"

[bachjones]

"Man, you're nice." And cute, but still in a boyish way. Bach had always preferred age appropriate or older. Plus.. no way he could get it up now. "Not enough nice ki- men in the world right now. Except for Gr- Fuck. Grant had been so right about Lara.

"Don't touch my guitar. She's been through things. But I really appreciate it. This. What was your name again?"

[alfiehaywood]

“Why thank you, although you can definitely blame my Mom for that.” He was tempted to ask Bach what had happened to him, as he assumed getting up stairs wasn’t typically a problem for the other man. But that seemed a little rude or digging for information and he didn’t want to be either of those things. “Believe me, people are a lot nicer than they seem. Just sometimes need a chance to show it.” The slip of Bach nearly calling him kid did make him smile a little, the old baby face again. Whilst 23 years old wasn’t in any sense old, for most people they at least looked old enough to buy alcohol without having their ID scrutinised.

Alfie nodded at the guitar comment – his younger brother was the same about his lucky baseball bat. “Honestly, not a problem. Hopefully maintenance will get it together soon with the elevator. Don’t imagine it’s much fun getting up and down all the stairs. And it’s Alfie. Haywood. I’m in Apartment 2.”

[bachjones]

"I will blame your mother for that as soon as I meet her. If she's a nice woman, of course. I don't have the best track record with nasty and cruel women."

He pulled himself up. "I'm more used to the opposite. Give a person time, and they will show their ass. I thought they would fix it before the end of the month. Which is next week, if they meant this month, at least. Thank you for your kindness, Alfie Haywood of Apartment 2."

[alfiehaywood]

With a chuckle, Alfie shook his head, “A little set in her ways, but I don’t think anyone would ever call her cruel or nasty.”

Letting go of the other, he made sure for a second he wouldn’t fall over before letting his hands drop down to his sides, “Well, then you’ve most likely met the wrong kind of people. But there are plenty more around.” Glancing toward the lift he grinned, “For the sake of everyone higher than the first floor, I hope so. Let me know if you ever need a hand with anything.”

[bachjones]

"Everyone's set in their ways. Some just get angrier when you try to make them change parts of it. You're lucky, having a not-cruel mother."

Bach grinned. "Don't worry, I'm not fragile goods. I just don't want to land on my back and hurt my guitar. Some bruises won't make my life worse." He patted his pockets. "Let me get the necessaries."

[alfiehaywood]

Alfie wasn’t entirely too sure what to say in reply to that. He’d be the first to admit he had issues with his family, but that if anyone ever hurt them he’d be the first one threatening bodily hard with his impressive collection of woodwork tools. Family was a complicated thing.

“Well, minimising further injury can only be seen as a positive thing,” he replied. For a moment Alfie wondered if Bach was trying to locate his keys before he remembered the earlier conversation. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Get yourself in, have a good relax.”

[bachjones]

"You'd think, right?" He gave himself some time to look at the guy. "I really appreciate this, man. Didn't have the best day and I kinda expected it to be round up by someone mugging me. Although I don't know what has happened behind this door yet, of course."

Bach took Alfie's hand and put a couple of dollars in it. And his keys. "Let's not be to hasty." He took them back. "Relaxing? Depends if Cinderella still loves me."

[alfiehaywood]

That seemed as good a lead to ask as he was going to get, “I didn’t want to ask, but what did happened to you?” Asking if he’d needed first aid, would have probably been a logical thing to ask early in the conversation – his kit was downstairs though if it was needed.

When the dollar bills were placed in his hand, he wanted to protest that all he’d done was help Bach up a few stairs. It’s taken 5 minutes top and he didn’t expect anything for that. Instead of starting a potential argument over it, he decided he’d be better placing it in the charity box on the front desk at work. “Oh, who’s Cinderella?” Alfie wondered aloud.

[bachjones]

Bach chuckled. "I have no fucking clue, but it involves a crazy woman and an angry rash. She wore me out in every possible way, I guess."

He opened his door and immediately got a pair of claws in his ankles. "Fuuu- Cinderella." He pushed the door open so Alfie could say. "Tasmanian Devil in the shape of an oversized cat. Yes, I'm sorry that I'm so late. Blame the blond bitch."

[alfiehaywood]

“Oh,” replied with a slight widening of the eyes, “I see.” Or at least that was what he picked up from the implications. He’d never quite been that exhausted following sex, but then maybe that was the lack of interest in it other than for the intimacy. Angry rash didn’t sound so good however.

“I’m guessing she’s hungry. My dog Penny is the same if I’m late, minus the claws and with a healthy dose of sad puppy eyes.” Whilst he was normally all for petting any animal in sight, it seemed Cinderella was a little more focused on attacking Bach than getting petted by a stranger.

[bachjones]

"I doubt that you do, but only because of lack of experience in the matter. Which is very good, in this case. I don't wish crazy women on anyone."

"I really hope that's the case." Because that would mean that all the bullshit about someone breaking and entering to feed his cat was just that, bullshit.
Cinderella turned her eyes at the newcomer, meowed and let go of Bach's ankles.

[alfiehaywood]

"I'll give you that. College tended to be people just looking for a little fun rather than investing in anything serious."

"Most likely," he responded, kneeling down to see if Cinderella would move closer or run away, "Or lonely, being on your own is no fun right?" The second half of the statement was most definitely aimed for at the cat than Bach.

[bachjones]

"You're in college? That's awesome. What are you studying? What do you want to do with it?" He waved him in, making sure to only enter after Cinderella had.

His cat head-butted Alfie's knee before walking inside. "Want a beer?"

[alfiehaywood]

"Well, I actually graduated last year, I'm 23 even though everyone thinks I'm younger." Alfie wasn't quite sure why he'd thrown his age in there, because people went to college at any age, but too late now. "I studied tourism and hospitality - as for what I'll do with that. I have no idea, I'm just glad to be employed currently really."

Stepping into the apartment, Alfie quickly glanced at his watch, "Yeah sure, I have nowhere to be and Penny is on some version of a dog play date."

[bachjones]

"Twenty-three? Keep that youthfulness. My mother told me I'm only two years older, while I look like I have twenty five years of rough living behind me."

Cinderella head-butted Alfie again, this time the back of his knees. She meowed before walking over to the couch. "That's an invite, by the way. I guess she wants to get to know you."

He walked into the kitchen - after almost walking into a wall - to find some beers. "Dogs go on play dates?"

[alfiehaywood]

Scrunching up his nose slightly, Alfie stated "Youthfulness is bit overrated when you look like and are treated like the baby of the family, despite not being." Stepping a little further into the apartment he tilted his head slightly to the side, "I wouldn't say you looked like you'd had a rough 25 years."

"Ah is that it," he moved over to stand next to the couch, gently running a hand across the top of Cinderella's head.

With a slight laugh Alfie replied, "Yeah, I didn't know it was a think either, but my boss offered to watch her and take her out with his collie for the day. Seemed better than her being stuck in the apartment whilst I was busy."

[bachjones]

"How many siblings do you have?" He took a deep breath before returning to the living room. It was only bone weariness now, something he could handle. "Thanks, I guess. Only twenty?"

Cinderella swatted at his thigh, but started purring when Alfie continued. "She likes it best if you spend some extra time around her left ear. Penny's a big dog? Can't you bring her into work?"

[alfiehaywood]

"2, I'm in the middle," he answered, absently petting at Cinderella's fur. Letting out a slight chuckle he shook his head, "Still think you're over-estimating how old you look, but I get that people see themselves differently from everyone else."

"Left ear? Got it." Moving his hand to rub his thumb behind the cat's left ear. "Normally she'll come and hang around in the staff quarters or wander around with me, but I was doing a lot more travelling around the town today. She's a chocolate lab."