video; un: wallofsleep

[cacophonish]

[ Here's a YOUUUUTH, drunk off of moon-themed cocktails, laying back on a park bench, a red cloak spread out beneath him. It's totally at odds with the rest of his outfit: ratty jeans, a Hawaiian shirt, and a leather bomber jacket. But damn it, he's rocking the Lil Red Riding Hood look all the same.

And he's singing, eyes closed, seemingly to himself. Just, y'know, tipsy and enjoying all the celebration and revelry going on. ]

Under blue moon I saw you... So so~ooon you'll take me... up in your arms, too late to beg you, or cancel it though I know it must be: the killing time. [ He smiles dreamily, exhaling. ] Unwillingly mine...

[ Now he opens his eyes. It's harder to seem all chill and laid back when he's actually looking at... whoever the hell this message is for. There's a haunted look in his eyes, and his smile seems forced, almost a grimace. It's the smile of a hostage trying to assure their would-be rescuers that everything's fine! ]

Hey, whoever the werewolf is, can you come and bite me already? [ He makes a face, wrinkling his nose, as if really thinking on it. ] That's how the game's played, right?

Comments

[cacophonish]

Not the worst trade-off.

Plus I could shave.

[gristle]

Your whole body? Who’d wanna do that?!

[cacophonish]

A werewolf who wants a date. [ A beat. ] Nah, nevermind. Sounds like too much work. Guess I won't let one bite me...

[gristle]

Yeah. It’s dumb. Who’re you? I’m Bev.

[cacophonish]

Yeah, well, there's a lot more dumb ideas where that came from.

I'm Jeff.

[gristle]

Nice to meet you, Jeff.

[Its a common enough name that she’s not putting two and two together.]

So what other dumb ideas have you got?

[cacophonish]

I couuuuld... hypnotize the werewolf with the gift of song, and have a cool werewolf sidekick.

Or flirt with the werewolf. Get a werewolf girlfriend. Or boyfriend.

Either way, I'm set. Nobody'd fuck with me.

[gristle]

Hypnotize the werewolf with music? Really? You can do that?

[cacophonish]

Yeah.

[ A beat. ]

Probably.

[ Okay okay... ]

Maybe. I've never met a werewolf before, I dunno.

[gristle]

But do you normally have magic? Or is it just like something you've got here?

[cacophonish]

Always. [ Oddly, he sounds a little ambivalent about it. Then he shrugs it off with a smile. ] I'm Gifted.

[ Said like everybody knows what that means. Well, in his world, they do. ]

[gristle]

[Bev can hear the capital G in that 'Gifted' and it reminds her of Jeff and Cam and something twists in her chest in a way that she can't explain. Bev knows that if it weren't for Jeff and Cam, she never would have trusted Aaron or Eric or basically most anyone else here. So, there's a little bit of something in her voice, maybe a mix of hope and fear and concern above all else.]

What's your full name?

[cacophonish]

[ He doesn't quite know what to make of the way she asks that, what significance his name might have to her. But he can tell that, for whatever reason, it means something to her, so he doesn't give a flippant answer. ]

Uh... Jeffrey?

[ Not flippant! Just confused. But after a beat, he realizes that she probably meant, like, first and last name. ]

Calhoun.

You heard of me, or something?

[ It would be weird, but not impossible. Like. Maybe she's really into alternative... experimental... niche rock music from the West Coast... ]

[gristle]

[very quickly before she cuts the feed.]

No.

[cacophonish]

[ WELL, THAT'S WEIRD. Why'd she hang up on him??? ]

Uh... Hello?

[ But hey, if she doesn't respond, it's no skin off his back. He'll just write the conversation off as... a case of mistaken identity??? ]

[gristle]

[Bev does not respond, because she doesn't know what to say. But she is hoping that the real Jeff will show up when all of this is done, because that's definitely who she wants and needs. Her heart is gonna be a little broken when he doesn't.]