tushanshu | [Console; Video] Fresh Meat

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[Console; Video] Fresh Meat

[The video opens on a somewhat charming smile. The man in it seems very sure of himself, and utterly unrattled by his new situation.]

Hey. Captain Jack Harkness here, and I've got to say it's a pretty nice turtle you've got. She's not exactly where I was trying to get, but seeing as this place seems short on the killer reality tv shows...pretty minor quibble.

I've already met a few of the locals - thanks again guys, and sorry about those vegetables - but I'm always open to meet more people. Local, not-so-local, I don't really mind either way since it looks like I'll have some free time.

Other than company, all I'm in the market for right now's a job and maybe some tools, if someone's willing to lend them - I have a piece of tech that got broken in transit somehow, and I'd really rather get it back in one piece.

[He raises his left arm to show off a leather cuff with what appears to be a communicator inside. It's been fried.]

I'm sure we can work something out in exchange, I've been told I'm pretty good with my hands.

[He laughs a little, at his joke, and there's a moment of dead air after it. Just when the pause starts to get uncomfortably long he makes a show of clearing his throat.]

And oh, Doctor, Rose? [His smile tightens, just barely. Appears just a bit forced.] If you're out there, looks like I'm alive after all. Which I'm kind of hoping you two didn't know, because seriously? There are much nicer ways to let a guy down.

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[Jack gives a friendly, rolling shrug of his shoulders.]

You're welcome to come see for yourself any time.

[A little more forward? Maybe. The next question was the hard one though.]

It was World War II. [That, of course, didn't match at all with what could be seen of his wrist-strap for those paying attention. ] But that's just the one I was in the RAF for. The first one was... [There's a little laugh.] A little later.

I'm sure I am.

[Not that he intends to take the good captain up on that offer, but it was clear enough that Jack Harkness was not a shy human being by any stretch of the imagination.

The latter causes an eyebrow to rise a few millimeters.]

I fought in World War II myself, albeit on the ground rather than in the air. [A pause while Devin does some mental math.] Is time not a linear construct, in your world?

[That was taking it lightly, but Jack shot the comment back an affirming smile.]

Well, it certainly can be. [His smile gets a little more mysterious.] For most people it usually is, all depends on who you know. Though speaking of that - slim chances, I know, but did you ever happen to run into a guy named Algie?

[This captain is proving more intriguing by the second, though Devin doesn't show it.]

I've probably met at least one in the past century and a quarter, but I don't recall an Algie during the war, no.

[The slightest of head tilts. Is Harkness seriously talking about time travel? Well, they are in a different reality on the back of a giant continent turtle, so anything goes now.]

Someone special to you?

[The past century and a quarter, huh? Jack has no problem with showing his piqued curiosity at that.]

Fair enough. Special? Don't think I'd go that far. Just a guy I knew while I was wearing that uniform. I might've teased him some, just curious whether things turned out alright for him.

[That seems to be the truth, and it wasn't like he'd really even thought of him since then. The mention of that war had just brought it back up. There were other things to bring up though.]

If you want to know more about how linear time isn't, we could always talk over a drink sometime. I'm okay sharing a few tall tales and if you want, you can give me some of your beauty secrets back. I probably don't have to tell you you're looking pretty good for your age.

[There's a smirk there, and the invitation - to whatever extent - is definitely genuine.]

[Looking after old war buddies - the thought tugs at something Devin doesn't want to give attention to, and it doesn't show in his face.]

Informing me that I'll be treated to tall tales beforehand rather defeats the art of the telling, does it not? [The smirk suggests this is not strictly a refusal.] I'm a vampire; functional immortality is part of the feature set. I can show you another over several drinks - you'll have a time of it trying to get me drunk, but I'm rarely one to turn down an excuse for good liquor.

[He is, he will admit, faintly curious about the nature of time Harkness is privy to.]

If that's what you think, then you must be lacking in people who know how to tell a good story. It's a shame, really.

[Vampire, huh? It was a common enough phrase, or idea, but this had to be the first time he'd met someone claiming to be one. This wasn't a bad thing.]

Sounds like a good time to me. Don't worry - I can hold a few rounds myself. So. Just how curious are you? We should figure out a time and place.

[Oh, if only he knew how utterly true that statement is. Devin is lacking in people generally.]

I assume you mean to correct that deficiency.

[The corners of his mouth turn up wryly.]

Curious enough, though I'd be doing you a disservice if I agreed to meet right this very instance. You might think me an easy catch, and I can quite assure you I am not. Perhaps you should get yourself settled in before you ask strangers out for a drink.

As a matter of fact, I do. What can I say? I hate seeing people bored.

[Jack runs a hand over his hair, the whole exchange doing, really, wonders to distract him and get his mood a little more genuinely up.]

In that case, I've been done a couple disservices already. I've never been that good at settling in - but I guess I can make you wait if you're that eager to. [This time when he smiles, his eyes crinkle a little.] And I guess you must be eager if a little friendly drinking means you're caught.

I could use something to look forward to though.

If I'm bored, it's only because there aren't enough books here that I can read yet, but I'm working on amending that. I had a rather large library, where I came from.

[Perish the thought of him watching television. The vampire appears amused by the direction their conversation is taking.]

You'll have to try a great deal harder to net me, captain. No one has successfully managed that. [Lie, sort of, but it doesn't show.] But you are a creature of intrigue, I'll give you that.

[Devin isn't sure what to make of being the thing anyone looks forward to.]

I've been called worse.

Well, I don't have anything written down but I'm personally more of a fan of good old fashioned word-of-mouth retellings. You never get exactly the same story twice. Have you been here long that you're running out of books already?

Oh, I'm not afraid to put a little effort into it, don't worry your pretty little head about that. [And it's very clear he means what he says. He preens a little, mostly amused, at being called a creature of intrigue.] Well. I've been called a lot worse than that. I guess it would be better to make you wait, wouldn't want to give away all my secrets and ruin the effect would it?

[If possible, there is even more charm poured into his next smile.]

Not yet, but I'm certain I will. I prefer books to most people.

[They can't abandon you, and they can't hurt you. Books are simple.

He looks amused by the outpouring of charm and cheer.]

Have you considered you may be trying too hard, captain? In any case, I'm a patient man; enough for the both of us, if need be.

I'm more of a people person myself. [As if that wasn't obvious.] Guess I'll blame it on a lack of reading material growing up.

[He's blasé about the piece of information he gives. It's nothing, really, but a lot more than he typically brings up.]

Trying to hard? Never. Anyway - if I didn't you might think you weren't worth the effort. [His expression turns faux innocent for a moment, a hand coming up to cover his heart.] I can't have that on my conscience, now can I?

[It was very obvious.]

Books were my teachers, as a child.

[He had little else, and no other companions. Devin is... not sure what to make of Jack's compliment. Worth the effort. It's light, surely meant to charm, but it strikes at something much deeper than the captain likely intends. He hides it all the same.]

I can write out a long list of people who would tell you that I'm not, but if it entertains you, I suppose you can carry on.

I can respect that.

[And he sounds like he just might. At the least most of the usual levity is gone from his voice. Blame the talk of childhood, if you wanted to.

He smiles though, after.]

Why am I getting the feeling you'd be one of those people? [There's something of a sigh in his eyes as he asks, like he's disapproving of that idea in theory. The thing with charm was, it came off better if it was meant, even in just some little way - and Jack honestly liked most people until he was given a reason not to.]

Either way, since I've got your blessing, I'm thinking I'll stick with it.

[Interesting that something about this topic has put a damper on Jack's charm, if temporarily.]

Possibly because you, unlike many people on this turtle, have good instincts. [Which is to say, yes, Devin would be on that list. He'd be at the very top, in fact.] If you insist, but as a forewarning, you'll be wasting your time.

[Now that was something that would be monumentally harder to get him talking about.]

Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. [He was back to seeming untouched by well, anything, smile in place. Good instincts were important for surviving. He wags a finger at the screen, almost scolding.] You're assuming anything short of getting you into bed's going to count as a loss. Maybe all I want's to show off some scintillating time travel stories, and have a few drinks with attractive company. You think of that?

I do my best to think of everything a situation presents. [Call it an occupational hazard. If he wasn't being vigilant, he would die. Devin takes the scolding without losing the smirk.] Point being, you can do better than me, even for that. But I don't have much going on at the moment, and learning a few more mysteries of the universe wouldn't go amiss.

Sounds good. You'll just have to try to scare me off the good old fashioned way if you change your mind. [He doesn't expect that to happen, frankly.] Just leaves the question of if we're setting a date for that now or if you're going to make me hunt you down.

Oh. [And now his smile changes just a little, like he's made a little epiphany.] And there's the little catch where you still haven't told me your name.

[Scary isn't hard. He's literally got the teeth for it.]

I'm staying at the Hotel currently, so I'm not exactly hard to find.

[Although he didn't actually spend much time there. The owner didn't like him.]

Devin.

[That, of course, is assuming they aren't a turn-on for the dear captain.]

Looks like I'll be staying there myself. I will definitely look you up for that conversation and those drinks.

[And he's smiling again, just a little cheeky but his eyes are earnest.]

Guess you'll want to get on with your day now, huh?

[At that point, he'll improvise. Threats of physical harm usually do the trick, but who knows.]

You're the popular one of the two of us, Captain. I should think I'm the one taking up your time, rather than the other way around.

[Won't know until you try.

I've got a couple appointments, you, presumably, have some kind of life here.

And here I thought you'd jump on that temporary out. Admit it - you're enjoying this despite yourself.

[This one's going to test him.]

You're more entertainment than I've had for some time.

But seeing as there's some intent to preserve mystery, I can go about my daily existence once again.

[Not 'life'. What he has here isn't a life, or at the very least he doesn't want it to be.]

[Yeah, he can have that effect on people.]

And I'm just getting started.

[His smile is a little easier.]

Already looking forward to next time.

[There's a wink, and something of a mock salute before the video ends.]

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[Console; Video] Fresh Meat

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