[PRP] the dawn of a new day (jamie & jeremiah)

[azuredreams]

saedusk

text to: jamiebun

are you doing okay?
wanting to do a check in after everything.
maybe meetup to discuss a few things.

There really was a lot to discuss with all the changes but also because Jeremiah had some inherent worries about the moonwalkers in this new reality. More worries than he had in the past for their possible safety.

It was likely unfounded but the worry remained.

Quote:

text to: jamiebun

let me know.

 

[saedusk]

When the name 'Detective Mercer' flashed on his cell, Jamie made a face. Not because the text was unwanted, of course, but because he'd totally forgotten how formal the contact was. While he wasn't fully able to banish the urge to address everyone by titles, he did at least feel closer to Jeremiah than that.

azuredreams

Text to: Detective Mercer

i'm okay i think
things are different
i only kinda understand why

He paused, then dabbled around in his contacts for a second before replying further.

Quote:

Text to: Jeremiah

we can meet up
when are you available?

 

[azuredreams]

saedusk

text to: jamiebun

i've a loose understanding myself
the differences are something else

Jeremiah snorted when he sent that, then let out a sigh. For some, he was sure, that the differences were not so bad or even that varied. The problem was for those that remembered and were older, Alg and himself as well as the wives, had years of differences to deal with.

It took time to adapt.

When his phone buzzed again, he looked down and slid his finger across the keyboard to reply.

Quote:

text to: jamiebun

free at the moment.
as well as most evenings, if not today.
where would you like to meet up?

 

[saedusk]

Strange, definitely, but not so bad. There were a few unfortunate circumstances he'd learned of so far, ones he tried desperately not to dwell on, but other than that he couldn't really complain. In fact...

Jamie glanced over at his fish, watched the Otherworld abominations he loved swim lazily back and forth. After settling in he'd counted them, he'd looked for similarities, and he'd realized everyone was accounted for. Everyone he'd left that day for the void had been returned to him in his life, just with a new coat of paint. He smiled.

azuredreams

Text to: Jeremiah

is tomorrow okay?
dinner?
how about darlene's?

 

[azuredreams]

saedusk

text to: jamiebun

tomorrow is fiine
i'll see you there.
aroundd 5pm?

Which meant come 5pm the next evening, Jeremiah was already at a booth in Darlene's. Coincidentally it was the same one he frequently had shared with Shiloh.

He figured it was appropriate.  

[saedusk]

azuredreams

Text to: Jeremiah

i'll be there

Right around 5:04 was when Jamie found himself directed to the booth where Jeremiah was already seated. "I hope you didn't wait too long," he said with a tiny, lopsided—that was Shiloh's influence right there—smile as he took a seat. Four minutes wasn't all that late, but something told him Jer had been at least a handful of minutes early.  

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah waved and smiled at Jamie, once he was seated and shook his head. "No, not at all. I got here right before five." Which was to say like perhaps 4:55 or 4:56. "I just happened to be in the area already and came this way."

Though it was good to see Jamie smiling, though it seemed familiar as if he had seen it before (on Shiloh perhaps). "Haven't even seen the server yet, though I'm sure they'll be this way now."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Oh, good," he breathed out, sounding genuinely relieved. "I, um, I'm not in too much of a hurry, though." Even if his stomach growled in the same moment. It had been a while since Jamie had a chance to eat out and he'd come prepared, hungry and planning to savor the opportunity. The food at Darlene's was always good.

"There's a lot to talk about," he admitted, unsure how much Jeremiah had learned so far concerning their trips to the past and their stint in the void. That, and so very much had changed. Jamie hoped this new world was treating Jer well.

"Has... everything been going okay?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah's lips twitched upwards when he heard the stomach growl. A menu was slid across for Jamie to look at until the server made their appearance. "There is," he agreed, "though I've been getting bits and pieces from people. I spent most of my time, ah, holding the door."

... because he could make that reference now.

He leaned a moment and, from the edge of the table, picked up a cane that was wiggled in his grip before he set it back down.

"As well as can be expected. Adapting to certain changes like the cane." Jeremiah paused a moment before he realized he should explain. "I am fine, don't worry - it wasn't me that needs it." The last part is quietly said because Jamie would understand that it wasn't him that did but the him that was replaced.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

With a quiet, "Thanks," Jamie took the menu and only looked up from it when Jeremiah mention the cane. "Wait," he said, sounding like he was trying to catch up despite listening. "Are you gonna keep using it, then? Even though you don't need it?" He supposed there might be worse things, and maybe fitting in with who you were expected to be was a good thing, but it seemed a bit of a hassle.

"Oh, um, by the way... thanks for that. Holding the door, I mean. Shiloh and his brother and I ended up in 1989. It was pretty strange." For another quick moment he looked at the menu, silent until he decided what he wanted. Setting it back down, he continued, "You owned a bar. Andromache. Not sure if you heard about that." It had been a neat little place before the memory began tearing and distorting.

"We were there for a wake, though. It was... kinda sad."

azuredreamssss

 

[azuredreams]

"The injury was bad even though he has my particular abilities," Jeremiah replied quietly, just for their ears, speaking of his durability and resistance to damage, "and most expect me to use it around this time of year. If I didn't, it'd be odd, and given how people view those with magic ... I don't want to give anyone any thoughts that I've made some kind of magical recovery." Especially given how medicine and magic was a no-go.

He smiled a little bit at Jamie and nodded. "It was both taxing and relaxing at the same time. We were pouring our energy into holding the way open until suddenly we weren't." His head tilted and he nodded. "I've heard bits and pieces from everyone, Shiloh included," fingers tapped against the bar, "and, yes, that is sad. Especially given the time. It was rough on the community."

Still was in many ways.

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"It's probably selfish, but... I think the saddest part was meeting myself. Well, me and Shiloh. We were runaways, I guess. I didn't get to find out why other than the obvious," he bit his lip then, unwilling to explain, but it was likely Jeremiah would understand. "There was someone I didn't recognize there, too. Dana. She seemed to be friends with us, but... I don't know who she is or if she's still around."

With a small sigh, he set his chin on his hand, elbow on the table. "They were us, but they felt so different. It's like what's happening now. Like..." he lowered his voice even further, too, and gestured with his free hand, "like you with your cane, having to pretend. Like me, not even knowing what I was apparently trying to do with my life." He looked a little droopy. This world hadn't exactly been what he'd expected after pouring his heart and his blood into the sigil.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

The name Dana was tucked away for another time, wondering who she had been or who she was now. "Well she could be someone around, it's very possible considering most that were there seem to have a counterpart." Jeremiah paused, listening to Jamie and then nodded.

"I understand," he agreed quietly, voice soft, "because I've had to step into the shoes of a life that ... is the same yet there are enough differences that it's hard to get comfortable immediately." Worse that the Jeremiah who he had replaced seemed to have made better choices than he had. It was unsettling in the worst of ways. Worse than when the fetch had taken over. "It'll take some adjust but I'm sure we'll get used to it in time. After all, some of the slight changes are good ones."

saedusk

 

[saedusk]

"Some of them are good," he agreed. It would be unfair to say otherwise, especially to those whose lives they'd taken. It was such a weird and somewhat unsettling situation to Jamie, one that made his heart and head hurt, so he tried not to think about it too hard unless he had to.

"But I'm... honestly still a little disappointed. I don't know what everyone else was thinking, but I never imagined people would be so... so... prejudiced against magic. Seeing a time where magic was so commonplace made me want that, too, but more than that I just wanted people to get along. Do you think that's even possible?"

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah felt as if he was living in a shadow once more and it was not entirely unlike coming back to the life the fetch had changed. Except that it was him but not him and that somehow was worse. To have another version of himself that made better choices-

The thought was pushed away.

"I think it is and I'm endeavoring to do so because the only way for that to happen is to foster understanding." It turned out to be something that he, as Chief of Police, was striving for. A more understanding and open-minded view of magic but it was an uphill battle. "It doesn't help that no one can explain why some have magic and others don't or that there are those who use magic for ill." A tired sigh escaped.

"I've been having to adapt to people knowing I have magic." Given his career and his position, there was no way it wasn't public knowledge. "... yet I admit that I could live without the looks I get sometimes."

saedusk