Aerin Thomas: He'll steps out of the Umbra in the alley neabry and sneaks his way to the window of the doctor's office, checking through to see if she's about ready to go. He's dressed in his Dedicated clothes, the trench, the poet's shirt, the leather pants, and the steel-toed Doc's. He moves about half a block down and then starts to make his way toward the office, acting casual.

Gina Torrio: *shes settled herself in a plush chair to wait for the pharmacist, alert for her name as she mouths the words of a magazine she's reading, intent on figuring out the larger words. reading was one thing. National geographic? another.*

Aerin Thomas: He takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair, which is hanging free...no, he hasn't dedicated a hairband. Oh, but he does have his staff with him...someone's fully repaired it. He pushes into the doctor's office and then just...freezes there, blinking as he notices Gina. You know. Because he's surprised.

Gina Torrio: *Her eyes never raise farther than the leather pants, soft brown glancing his way idly at the sound of the door, then back to her magazine. Prec-.. precipit- precipitation? She breaths out slowly through her nose, mouth working the word over, and placing it back into the sentence for meaning. Her brow furrows in concentration*

Aerin Thomas: He purses his lips and walks to take a seat near but not next to her, setting the staff at his side. He leans forward and scracthes at the back of his neck, looking over...of course he's looking at her. He can't NOT. It's HER.

Gina Torrio: *a few more words rolled around on odd salmon lips, before she gives up on the article and slaps it back down on the table disdainfully. Who would write an entire paper on icecaps anyway. Bollox. Gina Torrio is called by the dour matron of a pharmacist, and the busty italian pops to her feet with a pleasant bounce, going pale faced as she sees aerin a few chairs away.*

Aerin Thomas: He purses his lips and gives her a weak smile. "Umm. Hey."

Gina Torrio: *her name is called again and she looks to the drug counter, taking a few tenative steps towards it* You can't do this. You can't. * she sings quietly, turning her back on the man with a definite shake of her head. The perfect print of a dock martin is stamped on her lower arm in yellowing bruises*

Aerin Thomas: He sighs a little bit, staring at her. "Do what? Go to the doctor's? Exist in this city?"

Gina Torrio: *Her frizzy head dips, bounce running away from her step at his words. She's sullen as she plucks joe's wallet from between her cleavage and doles out twenty dollars for her prescription. Paper bag crinkling she turns and casts familiar brown eyes on the man. No matter they're flecked with gold.* visit me.

Aerin Thomas: "I don't want to...I mean, I do, but..." He sighs, shaking his head. "Why the fuck can't I talk to you, Gina? I'm good with words. But dammit..." He stands up, ignoring the looks from anyone else inside the office as he watches her.

Gina Torrio: *a deep sigh, she rubs at her arma nd moves towards him* come.. you're makin a scene. and I know your folk arent the sickly type. *A soft unpleasant sort of snort. His type. she'd tried so hard, just months ago, to ~be~ one of his type... a shake of her head at herself as she moves for the door*

Gina Torrio: come on.

Aerin Thomas: "I..." He looks at the counter, then back to her. "I have people I take care of who aren't so immune. And no, not her. She's fine." He grabs the staff...apparently, he can be back later...and moves to follow her.

Gina Torrio: *Anger flashes in her eyes as she jerks her head back to look at him, but she restrains herself from the scene she'd breifly considered making. A glance up at the smoggy night sky confirming her choice as a wise one. She bites her lip and continues on walking, eyeing the nearest alley*

Gina Torrio: ((Gina: d10: wp: 8,3,7,2,5,2,2))

Aerin Thomas: He blances visibly and looks down. "No, not him, either." He sighs and starts walking, his free hand stuffed into his jeans pocket to extract a cigarette.

Gina Torrio: Her hands fly up in exasperation* Och jaysus! *Spouts the little italian in irritation* who the bloody ~hell~ are you talking on? What do you want aerin? *she heaves herself onto a crate, scowling* what? You've.. *a deep breath, and she stows the tirade, leaning heavily against the wall and rubbing at her arm again. funny bruises were kind of enjoyable to poke at. Lip caught between her teeth, she looks away*

Aerin Thomas: His eyes are instantly drawn to the arm and the bruises...the opening he was secretly hoping for. He frowns a little bit and looks at it. "Gina...what happened to your arm?"

Gina Torrio: *she scowls and shakes her head* thats why you're here then? well lets have it out then, I was hit with a boot. *she rakes a hand through tangled blonde frizz and cocks her head, watching him*

Gina Torrio: Gina: d10: per emp: 7,7,3,5,7,

Aerin Thomas: ((Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Manip+Subterfuge(WP): 4,9,6,5,7,9,3,)) He honestly seems surprised to see the bruise on Gina's arm, and seems a little resentful that she is implying that he arranged this. After all, if he wanted to talk to her, he'd just come talk to her honestly. And the idea that she got hit by a boot has him worried, angry, and protective over her. But not frenzy-ready, nope. Not him.

Gina Torrio: *A sharp breath out through her nose in irritation, sadness creeping into her slouched posture as she looks away from him pointedly. The full moon was not the best time for this. *

Aerin Thomas: He takes a deep breath and leans against the opposite wall, watching her. "Is this where you're going to tell me it was an accident, he didn't mean it, he's really sorry, and it'll never happen again?"

Gina Torrio: Och shut it!! *the noise of angry outrage she makes is enough to clear the alley of hobos as she picks up a discarded coffeecan and hurls it at his torso, aiming right fot the pretentious poet shirt, eyes ablaze in offense. Apparently the bruise does little to effect her aim* You've no bloody right to ask such questions! ((Gina: d10: throw can: 1,9,7,10,8,))

Aerin Thomas: He doesn't bother to dodge...now much damage can a coffee can do, anyway? Besides, he deserves it.

Gina Torrio: *the can rebounds off him and clatters on the ground tinnily. Gina meanwhile shoves her hair out of her face and moves deeper into the alley away from him* He hit my bloody ~tentacle~ thinking it were a damned intruder. You daft jackass.

Aerin Thomas: "I'm not allowed to care about you? I'm not allowed to be fucking WORRIED?" His eyes narrow, and he leans a little heavily on his staff.

Gina Torrio: Auugh! *she snaps, whirling around* Worry? Don't you bloody well ~dare~ speak to me about worry! Joe's a good lad and he takes fine care of me, you know that damned well, you're the one what left me with him! But where the bloody ~HELL~ is Tori Aerin? because you're sure as bollox never with the lass! *her shoulders heave, little italian having lost her temper, hands curled into balls at her side as she gapes at him*

Aerin Thomas: He stiffens at that, looking as if he was struck, and gets an angry, defensive look on his face. "How the fuck do you know if I'm with her or not?" He grinds his teeth a bit. "I spend as much time as I possibly can with her, dammit!"

Gina Torrio: *oops. Caught. aw well fuckit. in for a penny in for a pound. she ignores the question and snaps in a high angry voice* As much time as you possibly can? she should be your top bloody "to do"! You're her damned da! *hurt and disgust, she shakes her head in frustration* how could you?

Aerin Thomas: "Because if I don't, Gina...if I have her with me 24-fucking-7, she could get hurt! She is my top FUCKING to-do, Gina! Everything I Goddess-damned do is with HER in mind! And I'm sick and fucking TIRED of you acting like I'm the worst father of all time!"

Gina Torrio:
then stop bloody well acting like it! *she snaps angrily, curling her arms around herself and striding out the other side of the alley into the light of the dingy newyork street, head hung low, lip bit savagely to bite back any further hurtfulness, eyes squeezed tight*

Aerin Thomas: He grits his teeth. "You don't know anything about me, do you?" He follows along. "You think I want this to be like this? Really? You think I like my life and those I care about being at risk? I don't. Which is why I'm trying to stop it. People are hurting kids, Gina. Fucking kids. Not my people's kids, but all kids. Did you see the news report? The schoolground and the fight? I'm trying to stop that. I have to stop that, so that people like Tori, like you, like Joe, like Archie, like everyone I care about will be safe. This is ALWAYS with her in mind."

Gina Torrio: you're always trying to solve everyone's bloody problems. And what does it get you? nothing much worth keeping I've seen. *she shakes her head* Take care of your damn own Aerin. Or spread yourself too thin. *Her voice quiets as she speaks, winding down into a bitter whisper as she strides towards hell's kitchen* I don't bloody care, nevermind. Go away now. There's no reasoning with you. never bloody was. Go home.

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah. Because it's someone else's problem." He shakes his head. "If there's something wrong with the world, and I can help...you really think I could live with myself if I just let it happen? Honestly? What if it gets worse, and worse, and one day, it gets Tori? Or Archie? And I could have stopped it before, but it's too big now. Kids, Gina. Fucking KIDS are becoming monsters."

Aerin Thomas: "I don't want anything. I don't need anything, except the knowledge that the people I love are safe and well. I spend every moment I can with Tori...she's one of the only things that still makes me happy. And I want to be good to her, but I can't...let kids get hurt. Once upon a time, neither could you."

Gina Torrio: *she makes a high growling noise and stops in the midst of the crosswalk she was moving across* Aye! And what did i bloody well accomplish? *Bitter brown eyes spit on his* Who'd I bloody well save? No one. Just got myself in danger and made things worse! Best thing you can do is take care of your own is all. Or run out and martyr your bloodyself. It doesn't matter. I don't fucking care anymore. Leave me alone damnit. If you left to save me then stay a-bloody-way! *pessimism and bitterness from the once eternal optimist. Things certaintly have changed. Maybe that makeover was more complete then they'd hoped. the blare of a horn sets her to moving again, hands coming to wipe at her face*

Gina Torrio: (feel free to per emp her if he's thinking straight enough, as not all of that is 100% straightforward))

Aerin Thomas: ((:P Aerin Thomas [PB 3]: d10: Per+Emp: 5,3,4,3,5,2,6,))

Gina Torrio: ((woo. she's hurt and bitter and lashing out!))

Aerin Thomas: He stares at her, his face stricken by her words, eyes displying the heartbroken pain running through his body. He shakes his head as it lowers, eyes casting to the ground. "You saved me." He sighs and slowly turns around, heading back into the alleyway.

Gina Torrio: *hands coming around herself, she holds herself and trudges homeward, wounded and guilty. He hadn't deserved all of that. Not all of it. Blinking back tears, she's jostled by pedestrian traffic until the tiny woman dissappears into the crowd*