Jez: "Is this Aerin?" A cool, calm voice still almost detached. It's vaguely recognizable as Jez.

Aerin Thomas: "Jez? Yeah, it's me..." Oh, shit. "Jez, what's up? Are you okay?"

Jez: "I spoke to Annika in the park," he says quietly. "She and Andy had a confrontation. She made an implied threat against Andy and Craven's 4 year old. When Andy reacted badly, she went for a gun, saying she would start aiming for her friends. Both Nathaniel and I were armed, however, so she didn't pull her weapon and we didn't pull ours. Malcolm, I believe that's his name...park security. He came over and asked us to leave."

Aerin Thomas: The sound of a snarl is heard, and the phone is flung away, from the smack sound that reverberates. Luckily, it appears to have hit something soft...whatever the crashing sound is, isn't so lucky. "FUCKING BITCH!" can be heard, some distance away. "YOU FUCKING..." More crashing.

Jez: "Aerin?" Now emotion is coming into the voice, a hint of alarm. "Aerin, please...where are you? I'll bring tea." Chamomile, preferably.

Aerin Thomas: Something else smashes...and then, there's silence for several moments. Some muttering in the background...Aerin's voice, tense. A couple more moments, before the shuffling sounds of the phone getting picked back up are. His voice comes out, low and dark. "Sorry. Needed a moment."

Jez: "Yes, I can tell. You're not alone right now, are you?" Wondering how to calm him down. "Do you need to get out for a bit?"

Jez: The 'dead' and calm voice is gone now, replaced by warmth.

Aerin Thomas: "No, I'm out already. It was a long day, and I didn't feel like going for a two-hour drive home. I'm in a hotel near the Park....and yeah, alone."

Jez: "I didn't mean to get you all worked up. I just thought you should know what's going on. I'm trusting that Nathaniel has already informed Craven. I'm home alone too, sort of jumping at shadows at the moment and feeling silly for doing so."

Aerin Thomas: He sighs, still coming out as half a growl. "Everyone's okay, though? I mean, physically?"

Jez: "Yes, but Annika is in mortal danger, not that that bothers me, and I've likely increased the likelihood of my impending death." He sighs. "I already know for a fact that I'm targeted, I was pretty much told so by Hauser, so...oh. Oops. I don't think I told you I spoke to a Reaper. Yeah. Anyway, I went to Redbones the other day and nothing happened, and things were cool but now there's this. She knows now that I carry a gun."

Aerin Thomas: "Great. This is just...fuck." He sighs. "You want to come have a drink? Strength in numbers, right?"

Jez: "I would love to say no, I'm perfectly capable of handling myself, but truth is I'm a little spooked right now. Yes, where are you, what hotel?"

Aerin Thomas: "Greenwood Inn, Room 238. It's about a block away from Bliss and my old apartment."

Jez: "Traffic is light, I'll be there in a Jiffy Pop."

((And fast forwarding once he hangs up the phone...))

He pulls up in the hotel's parking in the sleek silver bullet. Getting out, he locks up by remote, the convertible's top is locked down, and he moves into the lobby, where he registers his vehicle with the front desk. He hops the stairs to the second floor, locates the room, and knocks.

Aerin Thomas: The door opens just slightly, Aerin's head coming into view. When he sees it's Jez, he smiles and opens the door fully, uncocking the Glock. "Hey...come on in. Ignore the mess." The mess being the side table, a chair, and mirror shattered and laying in the corner. He tried to clean up at least.

Jez: He steps in with a smile. A blink at the mess, smile staying in place. "Wow, yeah." Nods towards the gun. "What model you got there?" He winks and lifts aside the silk jacket he's wearing, revealing a Glock 17 in a shoulder holster.

Aerin Thomas: "20. Same gun I've had since the algorithm." He shrugs and shuts the door, slipping the gun into his own holster. "I bought it while It...while I was in hiding. How're you holding up?"

Jez: "It looks like a nice piece." He sighs, slipping off his suit jacket and unstrapping the holster to lay it gently aside, just wearing a simple black silk tank top underneath. "I'm alright, better than I should. I should be terrified, but I'm not. I'm...angry, wanting to *do* something proactive to stop this shit, excuse my language, and resigned to the very real possibility I'm not going to see my 19th birthday."

Aerin Thomas: "You don't have to excuse your language around me, Jez. I swear like a fucking sailor with Tourettes." He looks at him, dead seriously. "And you're damn well going to see 19. And 20, and 21, and so on. So stop thinking otherwise, understand?"

Jez: He does smile at that, lowering his lashes. "Yes, sir, I understand. Besides," he laughs softly, "I have more guts than people think, and I'm not anxious to have them strewn about."

Jez: He walks over to the bed, flopping down and leaning back, propping himself on his elbows, kicking off his shoes before he props one foot up on the bed with bent knee.

Aerin Thomas: "Good." He nods a little bi, moving over to the table...there's a bottle of Scotch already there, the Chivas Regal, aged 18 years, that he always drinks. He refills his glass and pours one for Jez. "And one more thing..." He looks up and smiles a bit. "Please don't call me sir. Aerin will be more then fine." He brings the kin his drink, handing it over.

Jez: He blinks a little as he takes the drink. "Hoo boy, here we go again. I'm a serious lightweight, nothing harder than wine and the one time I slammed back some whiskey? I was completely loopy." He takes a sip, screws up his face and squints one eye.

Aerin Thomas: He chuckles some. "Don't worry about it. You're in safe hands. Besides, after a day like that, you deserve to relax a bit." He takes a seat on the table and lights up a smoke. "So...little Miss Nazi Bitch is really out for blood, eh?"

Jez: He nods, taking another sip bravely. "She's their informant, at least one of them. Hauser said that, quite openly. And today, she knew the name of Andy and Craven's daughter, suggesting that Nadia would be better off without a mother who 'lays with common animals' as she so nicely put it."

Aerin Thomas: : His lip curls. a low snarl escaping. "Cunt." A word never heard from Aerin's lips in New York before. "Oh, she is SOOOO going to fucking die..."

Jez: He sets the glass aside and stands up quickly, putting his hands on Aerin's arms. "No, no, it's alright," he says soothingly in a low, calm tone. "Breathe in, let it out, push it out of your mind."

Aerin Thomas: : He shuts his eyes tightly, hand tightening around the glass to the point a sliver of refraction makes its way along the middle where it starts to crack. Focus...focus. He controls his breathing as best he can, until he's at least a little calmer.

Jez: "Aerin," he says quietly but firmly. "Look at me. Open your eyes. Look at me and focus on me. You have the control. I'm here, you're here, we are both safe. Our loved ones are all safe right now."

Jez: ((Eh, delete the last line *S* that doesn't sound like Jez))

Aerin Thomas: : He takes adeep breath and lets it out slowly. "An' if I get aggression, I give it to them two time back.
Every day it's just the same, with hate and war on my back." He opens his eyes, grinning very faintly. There's still anger, still deep, deep tension. But it's progress from a few moments ago. "We gotta start giving them two time back, Jez."

Jez: He smiles, honey-brown eyes glittering their golden flecks and he nods, his hands still on Aerin's arms. "Oh, I agree. I'm ready and willing if any part can be found for a Kin."

Aerin Thomas: : He nods a litte, reaching up to brush a hand over his hair. "Count on it. Gonna need you guys as much as any Fullblood."

Jez: His hair is chaotic as ever, unwilling to be tamed and *sproinging* back to stick-up position as soon as Aerin's hand passes over it. Jez leans into the touch, his lips curving a bit more at what Aerin says. "I'll be happy to do whatever is needed. I don't mind getting my hands dirty or a little wetwork."

Aerin Thomas: : "Good. Because as much as some people might wish otherwise...this isn't going to be done on honor and glory. To paraphrace yet another Clash quote... 'You better cheat, no reason to play fair. Cheat or don't get anywhere." He grins a little bit. "A lot of tactical philosophy could be based off punk rock, you know."

Jez: "I wouldn't doubt it." He reaches up to touch Aerin's face. "We're going to win, you know."

Aerin Thomas: : He leans into that hand and nods. "I know we are. Because we're right. And we're smart. We just have to think, no offense, like Shadow Lords. And let them think like Get."

Jez: "Absolutely no offense. You're right." He smiles, letting his hand slide away with a light brushing of the fingertips over Aerin's jawline.

Aerin Thomas: : The extended touch brings a slight flush to his face, and he smiles a bit. "Good. Most Lords, with the exception of Bliss, seem to think that I say things like that in a derogatory way."

Jez: Never one to overdo an enjoyable touch, he smiles and steps away, turning to pick up his glass and drink it down in a quick gulp. Makes the alcohol kick in faster. His back to Aerin, he is free to make a face at the taste.

Aerin Thomas: : He sighs and moves back to pick up his glass, taking a good, strong swallow. He's used to it...hell, by human standards, the man would likely be an alcoholic by now. "So, beyond this whole...fucking...thing, how are you?"

Jez: He sets the empty glass aside and sits back down on the bed. "Getting used to being alone again, but I feel like my life is back on track apart from that. I'll be starting law school in September." He smiles. "I'm specializing in International Law and Environmental Law."

Aerin Thomas: : He looks up, impressed at that. "Very nice." He nods. "Sometimes I wish I had made it through college...I mean, don't get me wrong. Running around with a reject from the Trenchcoat Mafia and acting like a bodyguard without any clients has it's perks, but..." He chuckles and spreads his hands, the cigarette dangling from his lips. "I always wonder how things would have turned out."

Jez: "You can still take classes without having to enroll." He delicately lifts one shoulder and lets it drop. "But you're still cool. Gambit tendencies and all." His lips twist in amusement.

Aerin Thomas: : "Just don't ask me to do the accent. For a former theatre major, I fucking ~suck~ at accents." He winks and plucks the cigarette out for another swallow off the scotch.

Jez: "You did theatre, hm?" He lays back lazily on the bed, propping himself on his elbows. "I would have liked to have seen that."

Aerin Thomas: : "Yeah. Some musical theatre, even. God forbid, somewhere, someone has a videotape of me in a Jets costume. Short-haired, clean-shaven." He chuckles. "Thank Goddess those probably haven't circulated far."

Jez: "I want to see them." He drops his head back, his spine arching a bit. "Mmmm...that drink's mellower than whiskey...doesn't hit so hard."

Aerin Thomas: : "Yeah, not a whiskey drinker myself." He shrugs a bit. "Used to drink mostly rum until I got turned onto this stuff." He smiles faintly. "And I hated it at first...absolutely hated it."

Jez: He smirks and sits back up, then slinks off the bed and approaches Aerin, picking up the bottle. "Then shall I pour you another? I think I shall stick to wine. I have another glass of *this* stuff and I'll be dancing on the balcony."

Aerin Thomas: : "Sure." He nods and smirks. "And I wouldn't call the fire escape a balcony, and certainly wouldn't let you dance on it. At least, not without a camera." He grins wickedly.

Jez: He blushes scarlet. "You wouldn't dare!" And then he smiles, honey-brown eyes glittering devilishly. "But if you double-dog-dared me...I would do it."

Jez: Oh, yes, and pours him another glass.

Aerin Thomas: : "You're going to get me in trouble..." He grins and takes the glass, gratefully. Another drag off the cigarette, moving to take a seat finally, slumping into a chair.

Jez: "Is that a bad thing?" he asks lightly, following to slip behind him, settling surprisingly strong hands on his tired shoulders and manipulating knotted muscles.

Aerin Thomas: : "I'm not honestly sure yet." He looks up at Jez, brow quirking a little, though he's still smiling. When the kin starts working on the muscles, Aerin gives one of those 'good winces,' a groan coming forth. Jez finds his shoulders and neck pretty well solid...the life of an Adren who seems bound and determined to fix an entire city. He sighs and leans his neck forward, eyes shutting a little.

Jez: "I vote it's not. A little trouble reminds us of how alive we are, and how fortunate." He smiles, applying pressure to the massed muscles, working them a little more free. "I think you need to take up yoga," he says lightly.

Aerin Thomas: : "I'd need far more flexibility for that," he says, melting underneath Jez's hands. "I've been thinking of meditation, but..." He shrugs, as much as he's able to.

Jez: "I've been doing yoga. It's actually increased my flexibility." He laughs gently. "And the positions are...unusual." He runs a hand up the back of Aerin's neck, under his hair, then resumes the upper body massage, working over each shoulder in turn.

Aerin Thomas: : "Yeah, so I've gathered they are." The light hand up the neck draws an involuntarily shiver from him, and he sighs deeply before leaning back. "I'd need a little time off from my work to really be able to dedicate myself to it, though."

Aerin Thomas: : ((And I just have to say. Eminem's "Shake That" Music Video is quite possibly the most distrubing video I've ever seen. Like, scarier then "Happiness in Slavery" in a way.))

Jez: "It would be beneficial. You may have to *make* time for the meditation." He smiles, unseen behind Aerin, his hand making that same trail up Aerin's neck before moving to the other shoulder.

Aerin Thomas: : "Mmmm...meditation comes with it's own problems, though." Another shiver, just a tiny bit lighter this time.

Jez: "I'm sorry," he says softly, leaning over to say it quietly. "I'm probably bothering you. I'll stop."

Aerin Thomas: : He shakes his head, though his brow furrows. "You're not bothering me, no. I just..." He sighs. "I...Jez, I can't fuck this up. Which...really, is par for the course. Just one of many such things."

Jez: He moves in front of him, crouching down with a faint frown as he looks up to him, a hand on his knee. "What are you thinking you're going to fuck up, Aerin?"

Aerin Thomas: : He smiles faintly. "What aren't I, is the better question, maybe." He sighs and shrugs, taking a drag off his cigarette.

Jez: He turns his head a bit away from the cigarette. "I don't know what you think you're going to fuck up, but I know you can't fuck up my life," he says firmly. "If you mean this...mess, it's not your doing and it's already fucked up."

Aerin Thomas: : "No, but..." She shrugs a little, taking the cigarette and moving it away out of courtesy when he realizes it's bothering the kin. He stubs it out in the ashtray and leans back, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes. "I don't know. I can't...everything is on a razor's edge. Not just this Reaper bullshit, but absolutely everything. And everyone seems to think I can fix it all. And truth to tell, I can think of all of one thing I've actually, successfully fixed since I came here to New York. The rest is failures or things that just...went away."

Jez: He leans up on his knees, lightly touching Aerin's arm. "You're not Superman, hon. You can't save every single person in the world. That's not failure, that's just life. No one person can do it all. You are a good man and you are giving your 100%. No one can ask for more."

Aerin Thomas: : He smirks slightly, pulling his hands away from his eyes. "Yeah, maybe I can't save everyone. But one or two every now and then would be kind of nice." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I'm not giving to going all emo and woe is me typically, I swear."

Aerin Thomas: : ((Given))

Jez: "If you did," he says with a grin, "I promise I wouldn't tell anyone. I'm good at keeping secrets." He moves from crouching to sitting on Aerin's lap sideways, an arm around his neck and a playful smile on his face. "So what's going to cheer you up? Name your cure."

Aerin Thomas: : He raises his brow and smirks a bit, sitting up a little. "Don't suppose 'Slipping enough Ecstacy to kill a horse into the Reaper's coffee and locking the door so they only have each other' is an option, eh?'"

Jez: He laughs. "Oddly enough, I had suggested something similar the other day. Except it was awakened Ecstasy and I would...I'll stop there." He grins. "Normally I don't condone drugs, but I would make an exception in their case."

Aerin Thomas: : "Yeah, no shit." He nods. "Well...typically, cheering up involves either my daughter, Ethan, my pack, going out clubbing--or used to--or trying to figure out how much it's going to take to drink until I'm sure I'm going to have a semi-normal night's sleep." He frowns thoughtfully, considering. "Wow. How strange is it when I can say I had more options for unwinding around my ex-vampire ex-girlfriend?"

Jez: "Hmmm....I think I'm not going to touch that one," he chuckles, leaning back comfortably with a quiet sigh. "I guess I *should* go home, it's probably safe."

Aerin Thomas: : "Probably wise," he says with a little smirk at the first part. "You want me to at least head with you and make sure you get home safe?"

Jez: "If you want." He stands up slowly, looking around the room, then frowns and looks back at Aerin. "Why are you in a hotel room? Do you need a place to stay?"

Aerin Thomas: : He shakes his head. "Just...had a long day today here in the city, and didn't feel like making the two-hour drive back home."

Jez: "You shouldn't be alone, but I suppose driving to my place is also out of the question. Damn it, Aerin," he says with a chuckle, running slender fingers through his hair, "Now I'm going to be thinking about you being all alone tonight."

Aerin Thomas: : "Don't worry about it, Jez. Really. I ~can~ drive...just takes a few minutes in another form, and that metabolism kicks in, kills the buzz right off. Just...didn't want to deal with the open highway." He shrugs. "But really...if they were going to come after someone, much as I wish it were otherwise, it wouldn't be me." He smiles ruefully. "Especially not if they wanted to really get to me."

Jez: "I know," he sighs, leaning in to kiss his cheek gently. "I should say goodnight, unless you would rather not be alone."

Aerin Thomas: : He smiles at the kiss.and nuzzles the other's jaw a bit before he rises. "What I'd rather and what I should do are sometimes two entirely different things, Jez. In fact...more often then not. But let me at least head with you to make sure you get home safe."

Jez: "I know that feeling," he says wryly. "I would rather not leave, but I probably should." A heavy sigh as he grabs his gun and jacket.

Aerin Thomas: : "Yeah." He nods a little, agreeing with the sentiment, and slips his own holster and trench on. He slips an arm around Jez's shoulder and draws him into a hug. "You're a good man. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Jez: He slides his arms around Aerin's waist, absorbing the embrace gratefully and returning it, allowing himself the momentary weakness of resting his head on the garou's shoulder. "So are you, Aerin, believe it."

Aerin Thomas: : "That's what they tell me." He smiles faintly and kisses Jez's forehead. A slight pause, before he pulls away and steps to the door to hold it open for Jez and then follow him out.

Jez: He doesn't yield to temptation this time, a wry smile on his lips as he heads out of the room to go for his car.