[Jarod Nightingale] Jarod hadn't told Thomas why he wanted to meet with him. Likely chance was, the Hollow One was used to cloak-and-dagger meetings, but given the source of the offer, he might have occasion to suspect Mr. Nightingale's motives. Especially when it involved meeting at a hotel. Still, he'd agreed, with the caveat that a bottle of whiskey and room to smoke be provided for him. Jarod had smirked at the first request, and reluctantly agreed to the second - mostly because he figured that Thomas might be more personable if he were allowed his vices. If the Verbena hadn't been on good behavior, he might have made a joke about how these requests (given the location of their meeting) made him feel like he was hiring an escort. But he hadn't.
The Peninsula was one of Chicago's best hotels, and probably not the kind of place that Thomas usually found himself in (though really, one never knew.) Golden light poured from the glass doors and windows of the main lobby and warmed the sidewalk below. There was a doorman outside, welcoming people in and helping with their bags. Had Thomas been the kind of person who stuck out more, his presence there probably would have drawn more overt suspicion (he did not belong, you see,) but the street kid had more than a few tricks up his sleeve, chief among them the ability to escape notice. So he'd remain unmolested as he waited for Jarod to arrive.
...Which he did, and right on time. A black 2010 BMW M3 Coupe pulled up outside the hotel, and in a moment Jarod exited the driver's side. The man at the door smiled at him and rushed forward to offer assistance, giving a signal to a second employee waiting in the lobby. This man (he couldn't have been more than 20) came out to help as Jarod walked around to the trunk of the car and opened it. Inside lay a couple of suitcases and a handful of garment bags. He let the bellhop unload them onto a cart and take them inside as he greeted Thomas. "Hey, I'll just be a moment. Wait here."
Because he hated to let strangers drive his car. So he got back in and drove down to the underground lot. After a few minutes, he reappeared, pulling his long black wool coat around him to block out the cold. (Not that it ever bothered him much.)
"Hope you didn't have to wait long." There was an easy-going smile that accompanied this. "Let's go."
And if anyone gave Thomas a second glance, well... he was with Jarod. And Jarod was a frequent customer. No questions would be asked.
[Thomas Black] They met outside, and the first request was Wait here'...The cigarette in his mouth was consumed at a rapid rate and he was not impressed at the first reception. He took it on himself to go inside, cause a small scene and when Jarod entered he pointed to him and said "Told ya" Even as reception was striving to calm the chaos he had set in motion by his presence, it was only with Jarod instancing he still be allowed in the hotel. Jarod was welcome he was not, Jarod left a tip he told the lift man to "Fuck off" the cheeky bastard asking twice. Even though the people downstairs were already forgetting the scene he had sent a message to Jarod, it was all in the mind of the Hollow One thought this was business and it was obvious he did not expected to be kept waiting for parking if he was told to be somewhere for a time.
He was cautious. He saw no reason why Catman would want to meet him unless he wanted something done that was criminal in nature, that of course brought up more questions but he knew very little of Jarod. Second hand tales or second hand lies dependent on how much you trust your sources and even after six months in the mystic community Thomas trusted a scant few.
With Jarod you wanted to step carefully and with caution as he was like Lara only showed you what he wanted to be shown, the man had as many secrets like Thomas. A man like him cannot sleep around like he does and not get baggage unless you had a few tricks.
As soon as they enter he pulls a cigarette from the back of his ear and places it in his lips the tell tale brass zippo coming forth and lighting it as he inhales the smoke and blows out a big smoke ring.
"So, wats up?" Straight to business
[Jarod Nightingale] Naturally Thomas assumed that they were here because Jarod wanted to ask him a favor. It was a reasonable assumption, and one that Jarod himself did not attempt to deny, even though his motives tonight were... rather a lot less selfish than usual. Though of course, there might have been a bit of something in it for him. He seldom did anything without first considering the benefits.
Thomas caused a scene while he was waiting. When Jarod got back into the lobby, he'd flicked his eyes across the room and looked, for a moment, vaguely irritated. But it was the kind of irritation that one had when dealing with overly rambunctious children, and nothing he couldn't smooth over with a brief sigh and a large tip to the hotel staff. Thomas wanted a reaction. He wasn't going to give him one. Instead, there'd been that smile, and a friendly-enough greeting. And after checking in at the desk, the two of them would head into the elevator that took them to the 12th floor.
The room he'd reserved wasn't a suite. Chances were, had he been intending to stay here himself, he'd have gotten something larger. But it was still a beautiful room, and more spacious than most anything Thomas was likely to afford on his own. The door opened up to a hallway that led into the bedroom, and a door to the right marked the entrance of the bathroom and dressing area. Jarod turned on the lights and led them into the bedroom, where a huge, open window looked out onto the city. There was a sofa beneath it, and he slid free of his coat and draped it neatly over the back. Then he turned to gesture toward the king-sized bed.
Sitting on top of it were the suitcases, now open, and the garment bags, neatly laid out. Inside the suitcases were neatly folded clothes, ranging from casual to business attire. The garment bags contained suits. All of it looked both new and expensive.
"I get more clothes than I know what to do with. To be honest, I was going to donate these, but I figured maybe you could use some. Take whatever you like. I..." he eyed Thomas up and down shrewdly, "... think we may be the same size. Or close to it. Anyway, consider it a late Christmas present. You know, so you can have an easier time getting laid." There was a smirk there, as he remembered their conversation in the Park a few weeks back.
He sat down on the couch and made himself comfortable. "And just in case you're not big on charity, you can pay me back by letting me know if and when anything interesting happens in the city. I imagine you're good for information."
[Thomas Black] Jarod maybe smooth with most of the Chicago's population but he had started this badly. At his words the first intake of smoke was direct and aggressive, it was pulled into his lungs and after he had stated they might be the same size he moved to the bottle of whiskey as he opened it and plucked the cigarette from his lips and had a massive gulp straight from the bottle.
He smirks and looks to Jarod "That wud 'ave been a temptin' offer a few months hat, but things 'ave changed, well firstly I don't do clothes so I wud'ave said no regardless second my bricks an mortar 'as increased I cud turn this into a fuckin' suit if I wanted." He was dressed in scruffy jeans, a faded T-shirt and that long tan coat he wears. He then shrugs putting he cigarette back into his lips "My next advice wud be don't take lip service for granted, wat I say ain't aways wat I mean, am comfortable in me skin an I dare say I wore expensive clothes just like yer not so long ago..." He moves the window as he places the cigarette in his mouth and looks to the Chicago sky line
"I 'ope this ain't 'ow you seduced North an Ash 'cos I 'ave to say there must 'ave been bloody easy..." He tilts his head and looks to Jarod "You kept me waitin' outside, you try to give me yer throw off's yer comin' very close to a point where am just gonna walk outta 'ere, I ain't charity, I ain't as young as me years, an I can tell we ain't gonna be mates, yer rich, I ain't, yer bi, I ain't, you 'ave it all...I don't now get the fuck on with it Catman before I show you sumthin' I do 'ave an trust me you don't want it fuckin' slappin' the side of yer noggin'. Because you wantin' to meet me 'ere says one thing..." He pulls the cigarette from his mouth and downs some more shidkey before his backhand comes up and wipes his mouth "You want sumthin' from me, or I can do sumthin' for you, save yer tongue for all the weak kids I ain't, I can resist Succ 'ow is fuckin' hot you don't stand a chance, in fact I 'ave no issue with kickin' yer ass so get on with it"
It was generous in his offer of clothes but he was dealing with someone that was poor for his entire life and he felt insulted by his charity, his words spoken were not there to receive a donation because by doing so Jarod had admitted in some sense he felt sorry for Thomas and you never want a Hollow One to know you feel sorry for them because they will ensure you do not for much longer.
[Jarod Nightingale] Jarod could be arrogant. He was more than well aware of this fact (probably did it intentionally, sometimes.) But it was a fair bet that had he actually wanted something out of Thomas, he'd have approached him much differently. This was an open-ended exchange. Perhaps something would come of it... perhaps not. But just as Thomas wasn't about to turn suddenly all happy-as-you-please just because some rich bastard who happened to have hit the genetic jackpot when he was born was offering him some spare clothes (even if one of the suits was worth about a thousand dollars, had Thomas decided to just turn around and sell the thing,) neither was Jarod going to act as if he owed the Hollow One some kind of courtesy. He didn't. And he had no real vested interest in pleasing or impressing him.
He might have been more annoyed, had he not assumed from the get-go that Thomas was likely to behave in exactly this way. He'd lived in England for 4 years, and known people just like Thomas. Proud, belligerent, as likely to stir up trouble as they were to be of any actual use. (There was that arrogance, again.) So he just sat there as Thomas went off on him, listening to the tirade with a bland, faintly irritated expression. When it was his turn to respond, he shrugged, as if to say really kid, that's all I got.
"First of all, I didn't seduce either Emily or Ashley. They're both perfectly capable of making their own choices, and deserve more respect from you than that. Second, I'm not nearly desperate enough to try and fuck a chain-smoking, obnoxious, alcoholic straight guy. If you don't want the clothes then don't take them. I'll give them to someone else. Makes no fucking difference to me. But if it makes you feel better to assume that I'm after something from you, then pretend I just wanted an excuse to see you without your shirt on. Or maybe to bask in your absolutely delightful company."
There was a beat, and he stood up, reaching to grab his jacket. "You're not a charity case. I'm sorry if you thought that's what I was implying."
[Thomas Black] There's a smirk when he speaks about Emily and Ashley like what he had was not concrete but now was regarding Jarod. Like he just wanted confirmation not any actual insult for whatever reason. He goes on and he just smirks. He scented it for just a moment it might have been mixed in with a cocktail of emotions but he sensed some fear. He blows the smoke out and he just shakes his head as Jarod keep going on. "Thanks for the free info say's a lot 'bout yer character cos most folks wud 'ave not said shit regardless." As for the information about Thomas Jarod realises he is speaking to someone that is comfortable with being him. " Beings not Doings. Individuality and Courage Catman, if I was that bad I wud not be 'ere you wud not be offerin' clothes an you wud not be wantin' info which says to me that you still need me bloody regardless of wat you throw up now, you can't fuckin' show yer german an then start bluffin' you just look like a tit." He smirks at him "You want info an can't get it yerself, no doubt too many fuckers 'ave shagged ya"
"Well you obvious thought I was a case or why offer me sumthin' shit like clothes as a source of info, please play the irate bitch it's most likely a card you don't get often, I can leave first or you can which ever makes ya more the man tis all robin to me."
He chuckles darkly as he walks over to Jarod. "Yer a user mate, don't matter 'ow you coat it, you get wat you want my usin' others, the art to robin business is bein' a robin a middle man puttin' folks together an usin' it to yer advantage..." He stops in front of him and taps his cheek twice gently "Yer a pretty boy so it's easier for you, but don't try an blag a blagger, you can storm off now an make yer self out to be the pretty lil'' player you are of if you want I got a deal that cud benefit us both but am not 'bout to deal with a playboy wanna be...am 'ere to deal with a business man."
He brings the whiskey to his lips "But before I do business I need to know 'ho am dealin' with, you wanna stay the straight an narrow pretty boy then fuck off now, or tell me too an that's that, you wanna be the bad boy then let me know an we can see if we deal."
For all his years, for all his experience there are people you hit up against that stop you, perhaps he has never really met this kind of resistance in Chicago, perhaps he has but it was obvious Thomas was offering something underhanded and Jarod would have to sully himself one way or another. Jarod has tackled people like him, had suffered experienced by people by him but hoe many magi has he met that were like him, and the magi will just add's to the troubles.
If there was any doubt he was serious it was by the lack of rising to his comments of nakedness, he said nothing quite serious on all his comments.
He pulls another cigarette from his pocket and lights it from the ember of the last "Really you thought you get free info for clothes...please you cannot be that naive?"
[Jarod Nightingale] He'd been reaching into the pocket of his coat to get his phone, but to his credit, he was polite enough not to start using it while Thomas was speaking. That was about the only respect the Hollow One was likely to get from him for the rest of the evening. Or, well... the rest of the few minutes they were likely to remain in each other's company. Thomas implied that he was naive, and Jarod smirked.
"Relax, kid. You're gonna give yourself an aneurysm."
Thomas thought he'd given him info. He hadn't actually said anything, but people were wont to make the assumptions that seemed most likely to them, and one of the more aggravating things about Jarod was that he never showed his hand. This more or less forced people to make assumptions. Sometimes they were right, sometimes they weren't. It didn't really matter to him.
"Basically what we have here is a no-win situation. If I don't want anything, then you're a charity case, and if I do, then I'm an entitled prick. Well, I'm gonna make things easy on you. There isn't shit that you can give me that I can't get more easily from someone else. And if you don't want me to treat you like a kid, then don't act like one. Now get the fuck out of my room."
[Thomas Black] He nods, it is short and to the point surprised that Jarod was not interested in his offer but the look is fleeting and there is a finality to his nod "Understood." He drops his cigarette on the floor then stamps on ensuring the cherry is rubbed into the carpet burning a hole.
"I hope you got from this wat you wanted, 'cos it's all yer gonna get from me goin forward, Ta!" He walks to the door gives him the two fingers and leaves Jarod to his room and perhaps the shortest encounter with another human being.
