Part 1

Context: You're just another ghost in a city full of them, trying to do a little good. The man you are fated to cross paths with tonight is the opposite. It could never be… or, so you thought…

Setting: A big, depressing city - 1940s/Eddie’s apt.

Tags:[M4F][Strangers to Roommates?][Tsundere1940s Gangster][Mysterious Cryptid Listener][1940s - Time Piece][Gang Tales][A City of Cryptids][Comfort][Protective][Cryptid Hunters][Mystery][TW:Injury]

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[Scene opens in an alley]

[SFX: Wing, half-hearted wing flaps petering out to a crash in an alleyway]

[You’re not sure where you are. The rain is so thick and the pain in your wing won’t go away. You fly and fly and hope… until, at last, you crash]

[SFX: A distant reaction of alarm and footsteps rapidly approach/a few wing flaps in a futile effort to fly away]

“What in God’s green Earth-!?”

[You pause… the voice is familiar]

[...Pause?]

“Wh-? Yes, my name’s Eddie, how did…? Wait…”

[SFX: Eddie coming closer]

[He stops before you, just as startled as you are]

“Hey… It’s you…”

[. . . ]

[His tone softens and he holds up his hands for peace]

“Shh, it’s OK. I don’t mean you no harm, Angel, I promise. I’m glad to see ya, truth be told.”

[...Pause?]

[He smiles]

“Yeah, I mean… I never really got a chance to thank you for saving my life. Thank you, by the way. I really appreciate it.”

[...Pause <3]

“Heh, yeah… I bet I was a spicy habanero to you. My apologies. I always get a touch belligerent after a good stabbing. Still, no reason to be mean to a pretty lady.”

[Pause…]

“...Look, I’m no good at subtext. This city is… inhuman. There are entities like you just roaming around with no explanation or action, except for the Richter.”

[. . .]

“...You shuddered. You’ve had run-ins with the cryptid hunters, eh? I wish I could say I was surprised… I’m guessing that’s why you look so weak… Geeze, and your wing! Looks like a giant hellcat bit down and shook you around! I don’t see no blood, though… C’mon, we should get you inside!”

[Pause…]

“No, no, you got me wrong, doll! I don’t want nothing to do with those shortsighted idiots! I want to protect folks like you who are just trying to live their lives in peace. Yes, I’m a criminal, I’m well aware, but I’m allowed to be a hypocrite if I want to!”

[. . .]

[He holds his hand out to you, earnestly]

“...Come with me. Let me at least hold you up at my place until we can figure something out, OK? The Richter find you again, I… I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to scare ‘em off, you know? I’m one guy, and they have a lot of firepower. Still…”

[His eyes drift to your wounded wing and he frowns]

“...I ain’t gonna let ‘em put another dent in your wing like that. I’ll die first. Er… die, again, I guess…”

[Pause…]

“Yep. I am saying I’ll run to your aid any time I can, like a big, dumb meathead because, guess what? I’m kind of a big, dumb meathead… But I take care of my own, alright?”

[. . .]

“...Atta girl, c’mon. I gotcha.”

[Eddie helps you to your feet with a strong arm around your waist and your arm over his shoulder]

“There we go… It’s a few flights of stairs, Angel. I can carry you instead if you want.”

[...]

“It’s no problem, Dulzura. Here, up we go!”

[Pause?]

[SFX: Eddie walking back into the building and up the stairs/the Listener’s wings brushing the ground if desired]

“*Dulzura? It… ermf. It means something like ‘sweetness’ in Spanish. My Pops used to call my Mother that and it’s become a bad habit of mine to ladies I favor.”

[Pause <3]

[He turns red but it could just be the long gauntlet he’s doing to get you home]

“Yeah, OK, taunt all you want, ma’am… How’s about you, hm? I’m curious about you.”

[Pause?]

“Well… they say every cryptid in Newlark City has a story… Something that gives some inkling as to why they do the things they do. I’ve been working on a compendium since we met, but I still don’t have the scoop on you, Angel…”

[. . .]

“...Too painful? Alright, not a problem, my dear. Not a problem at all. It’s just kind of chewing my brain that we’re getting to talk again… I thought for sure I’d never see you again, and the thought was breaking my heart.”

[...P-Pause]

“Pardon? What did you say?”

[Pause…]

“Please don’t fall in love with you…?”

[His face flushes and he goes from wide-eyed to angry in a second]

“Hey, whoa! You’re a pretty lady and I owe you my life but you’re making a lot of assumptions, here, miss ma’am! I ain’t in love with anybody and I’ll chew a cigar before I find myself getting domesticated, got it?!”

[. . . <3]

“Wh-?! I am not cute like a barking dog! You call me that again and you’re gonna see how little it takes me to literally bite you!”

[Pause <3]

“...I’m gonna set you down now. So I can unlock my damn apartment. You… rude lady, you.”

[SFX: Him setting the Listener down]

[He stews and fumes as he unlocks the key to his apartment]

“Rglrlarl… here. Home sweet home.”

[Pause…]

“Yeah, everyone is always surprised that it’s clean. I don’t know if I should be offended or resign myself to people classifying me as messy in their brains automatically.”

[Pause…]

“Yes, I have a lot of personality! Much, mucho! I have so much personality that my hands have to talk at the same time as my mouth! You are SERIOUSLY twisting my locks, madame!”

[Pause <3]

[He shoots you a look, hiding a slight smile]

“Hmph. You’re gonna be the worst roommate, aren’t you? Anything I do is going to be cute to you until it isn’t.”

[Pause…?]

“Wh-? You want to see where I got wounded? Alright, we’re changing topics, sure… Here, let me get the ol’ shirt and vest off.”

[SFX: Eddie partially disrobing]

[He tosses his shirt and vest off, arms folding on instinct before he remembers you need access]

“There we go… Hm? Oh, I folded my arms, right. Sorry. Here… I’m… ugh… ‘vulnerable’.”

[Pause <3]

“Shut up, woman, I swear to God…”

[Pause! <3]

“I do NOT have a body-wide blush! You’re doing this on purpose! And then you have the audacity to tell me not to fall in love with you!”

[Pause…]

[He sighs through his nose as you rest a hand over the scar]

“...Yeah, the scar is still pretty vibrant… but it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. Heh, you know, I told my Ma about what happened and she made me pray with her for an hour. So, she sends her thanks as well.”

[Pause… <3]

“Yeah, she said you could come by for supper any time you pleased… I told her I’d extend the invitation but not to get her hopes up.”

[Pause… <3]

[He chuckles and nods his head toward the hallway]

“Tell you what. When you settle in, I’ll happily arrange a family dinner. I only have one condition, alright?”

[Pause?]

[He looks away for a moment before pinning you down with his stare]

“I need you to not shut me out completely, Angel… If I’m gonna protect you, I gotta know who in the Hell would make enemies with a literal angel…”

[. . .]

[There’s a brief moment of uncertainty as he shows you your room. It’s sparse but comfortable enough]

“Here. Your room. I dunno if you’re like the others and don’t need food, but, help yourself, regardless. I’ll be right next door if you need me.”

[Pause…]

[He pauses, as if confused, before muttering out a quiet:]

“Yeah… you’re welcome. I guess… Night, Angel.”

[SFX: Fade out on Eddie heading off to his room/faint city sounds - 1940s]

[To be continued?]

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Literally, they were roommates.