Empire Records; Monday [ 01/29 ]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad was in the process of making a very impressive card castle on the counter today. It was definately one of those days where you don't do anything but menial things like building card castles, but you make sure that you at least do a good job with the menial things.

Today's music was his favourite mix, the one with classic rock intermingled with classic overtures.



[[ empire's open; weird day today; if I disappear suddenly, school or work has overtaken me ]]

Comments

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

After class, Pippi flounced down into town as was the style at the time.

Sadly, no onion on her belt.

"Hi Chad!"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad winced slightly as he very slowly set another card into place, wondering if the flouncing vibes would disturb them. "Hey, Pippi," he greeted her, drawing his hand away slowly.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Are you okay?"

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded, but carefully, not taking his hair-draped eyes off the little tower he'd constructed as he very slowly placed his hand over another card, pulled it away from the others and off the counter. He straightened, exhaled, and then, after steadying his hand, arched over to place the next piece.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi crept closer to get a better view of the construction.

She held her breath. She could do that for quite some time.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

It was a good thing, too, because Chad had gotten the tower pretty high and was particularly proud of his success at thwarting awkwardness enough to accomplish this much. With bated breath, he carefully placed the card onto the structure, waiting to ensure its security before slowly drawing his hand away. His breah slowly released. Another successful addition. He shot Pippi a brief grin.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude clattered into the Empire with his headphones on, his personal soundtrack surprisingly close to the one Chad was currently playing. He stopped abruptly when he saw Chad. "Oh. Uh. Forgot you work today. I mean, um, hi."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Forgot you work today. It was hard for Chad not to quirk an eyebrow at that; thankfully, his hair covered it and he kept a grunt in check. Not exactly the ideal way to be greeted. By anyone, much less the guy you dropped to have unashamed sex with an alien. Good thing the next tower was still pretty low; Chad focused on placing the next layer. "Hey, Jude," he said. "What's up?"

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Um, nothing." Got my cast off. Skating again. A hundred and one thing I wanted to tell you when they happened. You're still hot. Y'know. The usual.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Nothing?" Chad asked, slightly doubtful tone, because he doubted it was nothing before Jude saw that he was working. He placed another card and nodded toward the board. "Skating again, I see."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Cast's been off for a couple weeks. Hit my groove again."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Awesome; now ya gotta show me your work, like we talked about." Chad straightened from where he was arched over the little card castle too look around. "Unfortunately, Empire's not too good for boarding."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"You still want to see my stuff?" Jude asked, brow furrowed.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad frowned. Maybe he was wrong in thinking this could go the same way as with Ranma and they could still be friends. "Why wouldn't I?"

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude shrugged, looking down. "I dunno. Sorry."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Don't gotta be sorry," Chad said, hoping to sound encouraging although he was feeling pretty discouraged himself. Great. THings were awkward. Although, really, did he expect them not to be?

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Neither of them were very good at this whole talking thing in the first place.

"Um, yeah. It's still kinda snowy so I can't so my best stuff, but I can show you some tricks some time," he offered finally.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded. "That'd be cool."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Awesome," he said with a small smile. "So, uh, how's Ted?" Do you miss me? Stop being a dork, Jude. But - no. Stop. Just stop.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad scratched the back of his head; so much for heading in a direction away from the awkward. "He's...good." Really go-- no. No, Yasutora. Don't even.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Good." And that just about killed Jude's topics of conversation.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Usually, Chad liked silence. This was definately not one of those times.

"Ya had to've come in here for somethin'," he said, after a moment, adding a hint of a grin for good measure.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah." Jude looked sheepish. "Music. Josh trashed some of my tunes, gotta replace 'em."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Josh?"

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, last weekend when everyone went all Mirror, Mirror? I turned into this total jerk named Josh and . . ." he trailed off and went pink as he remembered some of the things Josh had done.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded, with a slight grunt. "Yeah, that. I...didn't change at all, but Ted, and Setsuna..."

Still wanted to cause physical harm to that girl for what she did that weekend, despite knowing it was all a fluke, but it wasn't like he ever even saw her anymore, anyway.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude winced, his shoulders lifting. "Hey, part of what she did was my - Josh's fault, he didn't exactly try to stop her." He rubbed at his neck absently.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad blinked, head tilting slightly, unsure if he was interpreting that properly. "What...what did you..." He shook his head. "...Josh have anything to do with it?"

He just remember Ranma talking about Hikaru and John, and that really nasty scene at the bar...

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude's expression took a definite 'oh shit' cast. "Uh . . . a lot. We - they did some stuff. I shoulda found Ranma and apologised anyway."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Rubbing the back of his neck, Chad's expression sort of boggled a little. John, Hikaru and Jude/Jude's doppleganger. Shit. No wonder Ranma was so upset...

"...damn."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Not to mention offering Bluntman and Chronic her panties . . .

"Yeah. But it totally wasn't her fault, she was this totally different person. Trust me."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad nodded; he really didn't need detail on how different she had been or how much into that he should trust Jude into that. "Yeah; an' she's back, so...." He briefly recalled his worry over the Teddy/Justin thing. "Everyone's back. S'good."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Jude made a face. "Josh was a jerk."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"M'glad I stayed me," Chad said with a nod, wondering, idly, who he would have maybe have been if he didn't. The first thing that came to mind was Nova's Chad, but everyone turned into someone really different, and he hoped that Nova's Chad wasn't all that different from him Chad...

And then Chad remembered that thinking about that sort of thing really hurt his head, so he made himself stop.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude nodded. "Yeah. Weird weekend. Anyway, he turfed some of my CDs . . . all my Queen and Motley Crue and White Snake. Totally harshed my mellow Monday morning."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad's eyes got wide. Forget Setsuna drama. He trashed Queen?

There were no words. Except: "...Dude."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"I know," Jude said mournfully. "He was beyond asshole."

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad grunted in disturbed agreement, then lifted his chin after a moment of consideration. "Get what he trashed on the house," he said. And be glad that all remnants of this Josh fellow were gone, 'cause no one harshed on Jude's mellow like that, not on Chad's watch, not if he could help it. Even if...Jost was Jude, but not really, and...

Ow. Brain.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Really? Thanks, bro!" Jude's smile was beatific.

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Chad nodded. "Don't worry 'bout it."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Free tunes? Jude coulda kissed him.

Except . . . with the awkward. Bad with the awkward.

He happily clattered towards the appropriate section to hunt down his missing music.