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Apr. 19th, 2025 at 7:28 PM
[A few hours of open road makes for easygoing fun. It's great to be traveling again, and the feeling of Chrissy leaning up against his back, holding on tight while he whips ahead on a wide-open freeway through the pitch black of night is like nothing else. The last time they were racing up and down this freeway, they were on the way to go burn a bunch of people's lives down - but now that's hours back, back with the rest of the city. They've left the lights and have nothing to look at but the pavement in Johnnie's headlight, the glimpses of stars shining weakly through hazy clouds, and occasionally an oncoming car.
Johnnie hasn't exactly been trying to tune in to his senses or abilities or whatever it is he has - he's just been cruising, letting the night go by, enjoying their plunge northward without a care or a thought. So it is deeply irritating when the pavement quickly fades to a well-worn dirt track that almost tosses him and Chrissy to the ground, and it takes all of his skills to get the front wheel under control and to slow down before they hit a rock that really might launch them into the nearest alfalfa field. Or whatever it is that's here, whenever they've found themselves. Somewhere pre-freeway. Boo.
But there are a few lights ahead, and he did need a stop to pee, so, fuck it.]
Well, shit. Y'know, I dunno exactly where we are. Last sign said San Jose was still fuckin' hours off. You good? That was kinda shaky.
[As long as this dirt road stays packed, they can drive it, but it's going to be slow. Good thing they're almost to somewhere.]
Johnnie hasn't exactly been trying to tune in to his senses or abilities or whatever it is he has - he's just been cruising, letting the night go by, enjoying their plunge northward without a care or a thought. So it is deeply irritating when the pavement quickly fades to a well-worn dirt track that almost tosses him and Chrissy to the ground, and it takes all of his skills to get the front wheel under control and to slow down before they hit a rock that really might launch them into the nearest alfalfa field. Or whatever it is that's here, whenever they've found themselves. Somewhere pre-freeway. Boo.
But there are a few lights ahead, and he did need a stop to pee, so, fuck it.]
Well, shit. Y'know, I dunno exactly where we are. Last sign said San Jose was still fuckin' hours off. You good? That was kinda shaky.
[As long as this dirt road stays packed, they can drive it, but it's going to be slow. Good thing they're almost to somewhere.]
Comments
[He may not be riding on that energetic high as much as he was earlier, but he's still excited to be in a new city and wants to give it plenty of exploration. New city, new road trip, and who knows what he'll find.
One more kiss, as he brushes his fingers through her hair, and then he sits up and stretches. He does need to get up and get going or the pizza will make him lazy.]
Yeah, I wanna go look around. But you rest up, okay? I'll come getcha when it gets dark out.
[That last part is murmured, and she scoots up so she's resting against the pillows and is able to get under the blankets. Typically she might ask him to tuck her in, but she's actually pretty tired and it's easy for her to let her eyes drift closed. She's asleep before he ever leaves the room, and rests soundly for a long while.
He's still not back when she wakes up, and that's okay. It gives her time to get up and moving, to get in her yellow dress and to put on her makeup. She's in the middle of styling her hair when she hears the door open, and peeks out to see Johnnie walking in. He's given a bright smile and a wave before she pops back into the bathroom to finish up. If they're going out, she has to look good.
And that means dark red lipstick and lots of eyeliner.]
Did you find any trouble out there?
[It's called out as she works another layer of mascara on her eyelashes, her face pressed in close to the bathroom mirror.]
By the time he comes back, his curiosity isn't fully satisfied, but the wandering felt good anyway. He barely understands the city any better, but it felt good to get out. Feels good to walk in the door with a bag full of treasures, too, mostly shoplifted or snatched when he could get away with it, bought only when he had to. The eighties are just too damn expensive.
He grins as he looks her up and down.]
Damn, babe. You're gonna be the hottest thing in the dance club tonight. Those chicks out there on the streets got nothin' on you right now.
[As for her question though, he goes to upend the bag on the bed. Boxes of pop tarts only make up a small part of it - mostly it's goodies from glove boxes, and things utterly mysterious to him too. More than a few cassette tapes are in there mixed in with a modest amount of cash, jewelry, and pills he's never heard of but that might be wanted by the right people.]
Not nearly enough trouble goin' on during the day, but I guess there's still plenty of people in your time who leave shit wide open for the taking. You know any of these?
[He grabs a few of the tapes and brings them over. Madonna, Sting, and a group called Wham!, punctuation included, which makes him grin.]
[She's grinning as she looks through the tapes, but holds up Madonna.]
I hum her songs all the time. We'll have to listen to this one together later.
[The fact that he got her something at all makes her want to snuggle in close and kiss him, but she's even wearing lipliner tonight and doesn't want to mess it up. She doubts he wants to get red on him either, so she'll just save kissing him for later.]
I want to stop somewhere before we go out dancing. I know there's skintight and short dresses in some store around here, and I have to find one to wear out.
[If they're going to be in the 1980s, she wants to look her absolute skankiest without it being trashy.]
I think I'll head out for a few minutes to find one while you're getting ready, so you have the bathroom to yourself. But I won't go far, and I'll have my knife on me.
[In case he's worried about her getting lost or hurt or something.]
It is not the first time that it has hit him just how much she's changed since he met her, but shit, this is a fun reminder. He grins as he pulls her in for a kiss - to the forehead, where he can't see any easily smudgeable makeup, so it's probably safe.]
Sure, baby girl, you have fun. Hey, wait, but whatcha think, am I gonna stand out too much dressin' like usual?
[Not that he cares if he does, but he's not opposed to finding something to wear, just this once. Every now and then the mood strikes him. But out on the street, jeans and a leather jacket didn't really stand out all that much so he's probably fine. Maybe if anything he should just tweak the way he styles his hair somehow.]
[It's so hard to not kiss him, but she blows him a kiss on her way to get her knife and tuck it into her bra.]
If I'm not back in an hour though, maybe come look for me?
[There's always a chance she could wind up arrested or something stupid. She can break herself out, but she doesn't want to ruin their trip by accidentally blowing a hole in California or something.]
[He means that in a teasing way but actually, that's probably realistic. She's going to look for dresses until she finds one she likes, after all, right?]
An hour though, got it. Hey, there's some nicer kinda stuff if you turn left out the front door an' go that way, toward downtown. Gets kinda shitty the other direction sooner. You have fun, all right?
[He's not that worried. Only slightly. She can mostly take care of herself, just that sometimes things go real weird when she does. He chuckles at the thought of her turning a city block into a black hole, and lights himself a cigarette meanwhile.]
[She winks, and blows him one more kiss before she heads out the door. Of course she listens to his suggestion and heads toward downtown. It takes her a couple of attempts to get going the right way, but eventually she finds the nearest pretty dress store and heads right on in.
It's a little harder to steal a whole bunch of things when the store's about to close and she's the only one inside, but she definitely tries. All she ends up able to grab are some new hoop earrings. It's the next clothing store down that's already closed, and she breaks in through the back to enjoy the store that's aglow with ambient lighting.
She takes her time in there, being quiet as she grabs things that catch her eye. If she wants to bring some 80s clothes back home with her, she wants to pick out the best ones. Grabbing everything just for the sake of doing it doesn't feel right, so she fills up two bags with what she views as essentials. It's on her way out that she finds the perfect sequin minidress on a mannequin, and she pulls it off to head back into the fitting rooms to change into it. Her beloved yellow dress is folded and put in the bag, and she puts on her stolen hoop earrings. A pair of heels tops off her new look, and she puts her sandals in the bag to make it back to the hotel.
It's dark when she gets back, and since she didn't grab a room key she has to knock lightly at the door so Johnnie will let her in. As soon as he opens the door she gives a spin, and heads inside so she can set her bags down.]
See? I look better now than I did in that other dress. And I got all the stuff I'll need to bring back home with me, so you don't have to go to any girl stores!
[Both arms raise up into the air, which makes that minidress rise up far enough that there's little left to the imagination.]
So after trying a few styles, he decides it's just not fucking worth it and slicks it back like normal, and enjoys himself some TV and another smoke until she's there at the door in dazzling glittery blue. It's just about enough to get him hard then and there - shame she spent so long on that makeup, since that's all that's stopping him from shoving her against the wall.]
Oh, goddamn. 'Bout takes my breath away. I mean that. I dunno how I'm gonna make it dancin' with you all night.
[He'll never get his hands off her. Even now, his palms go to her hips and guide her in close. Fuck.]
We're gonna have such a fun night. We'll dance until you can't keep your hands off of me anymore, and then we'll find somewhere you can show me how irresistible I am.
[She's never had much of an ego, but she's feeling confident and attractive tonight and wants to let it show. It's nice to finally accept how much she's changed the past handful of months, and really wants to celebrate the woman she's becoming by going out and having a hedonistic night of indulgence.]
Are you ready to head out?
[He smirks and takes a step back so he can take her hand and pull her into a little spin, but then lets go so he can triple check that he has what he needs. Knife, wallet, smokes and lighter, pistol not because he thinks he'll need it but because he doesn't want to leave it somewhere it could get stolen. Better if it's safely tucked away in his belt.
The hotel key is one last thing to grab, and he goes to hold the door for her on the way out to the bike.]
That little dress is gonna ride all the way up with you sittin' behind me, y'know.
[He snickers as he leads the way and hops onto his bike, then offers her a hand up.]
But I found some real fun-looking spots when I was out earlier, so let's go see if some a' these bands playin' shows tonight live up to all the praise on the posters.
[Maybe her butt hanging out, but they'll be driving so fast it's not like anyone will really get a peek. And even if they do, who cares? She looks good and everyone should get to see that. She's still grinning as she settles in behind him on the bike, and her arms wrap around him nice and tight.
He seems to have an idea of where he wants to take her, so she just enjoys the short ride. It's no time at all before he's parking and helping her off the bike, and she takes hold of his hand and leans in for a kiss before he leads her inside.]
Club DV8? Oh! I get it! We're about to deviate, huh babe?
[She does a silly little dance as they reach the doors, where they're promptly stoped by a giant bouncer who asks to see Johnnie's ID. He notably doesn't bother mentioning that he'd like to see hers.]
C'mon, man, you got an invite list or somethin'? I'm twenty one, gimme a fuckin' break.
[Honestly, the guy will probably do something shitty like bend his card in half if he hands one over, once he reads the birth date. And these things are expensive and annoying to get, he doesn't really want to lose one. Benny Garcia is useful at home.
The bouncer is not swayed whatsoever by his attitude and holds out a hand as one last request.]
Prove it, then, bucko.
[Johnnie glances over at the door. There's probably a back way in, every club and bar has a kitchen door somewhere. The smart thing to do would be to step back, give up, and find that alternate entrance, or have Chrissy let him in from the back.
But he's not smart, he's annoyed, so the fleeting thought disappears as Johnnie stuffs his wallet back into his pocket instead.]
Fuck you, man. You don't wanna fuckin' mess with me. You lemme in there or you're gonna have some real fuckin' regrets in a few seconds here.
[To which the bouncer looks him up and down, grabs him by the jacket and shoves him away from the door to make room for a couple who have just come up behind him.]
Come on, we'll just go in the back. And if we can't do that, I'm killing that guy and we're going in the front.
[They stroll along to the back, where Chrissy gets distracted from actually finding a service entrance by pushing him against the brick wall to kiss him. It definitely gets a little red on his lips, and she laughs as she wipes it away.]
I think a band is going to the side door. Let's follow them in.
Cool, yeah, perfect. I thought about somethin' like this but then that guy fuckin' pissed me off. He's real lucky I didn't stab him.
[Not that he was going to. He'd like to hang out in this city just a little bit longer without having to run from the cops. But he sure felt like doing it.
It's a small club and the band is doing as he and his group do, managing all the instruments themselves without anything like roadies. So it's pretty easy for Johnnie to step up and make a reason for them to go in the side rather than just sneaking and being suspicious.]
Hey, you guys need a hand? Here -
[Without waiting for an answer, he gets his arms around part of the drum kit, and nods to Chrissy.]
Hey babe, hold the door for us, wouldya?
[The band has no reason to be suspicious, and quite clearly the guy next to him hauling around a bunch of cables is wearing gratitude on his face.]
[She's all too happy to help, and even goes to grab one of the little amps to carry in once all the others make their way through the door. It's brought over to the little stage and the guy that takes it from her looks her over with a grin.]
Hey, thanks. Drinks are on us later.
[That makes Chrissy laugh, and she shakes her head.]
Oh, I'm only drinking what my boyfriend buys me.
[It's just safer that way.
The guy in the band glances over at Johnnie and shrugs, before going back out to grab more. That leaves her and Johnnie able to slip away somewhere else, and she takes in everything with a lopsided grin. This place isn't very big, but it's charming and loud and fun.]
Hey, I'll take you up on that after the show! Can't wait to hear you play!
[Seriously, it's not like these guys are going to try and roofie him. Probably. Right?
Anyway, who cares, he's happy to take the opportunity to vanish into the mix with Chrissy. The crowd is still building, but the music playing over the speakers is enough to get people dancing and drinking already anyway. Johnnie laughs as he pulls her in close for a quick little celebratory kiss before towing her toward the bar.]
This music is so fucking weird! Every time I hear shit from your time it blows my fuckin' mind. Do any of those tapes I grabbed sound like this? I wanna play this shit for the guys back home!
[It's so... much. So electronic, so futuristic. He doesn't have words for it and he's not sure if he loves it or not but he does love the novelty.]
[She hesitates, unsure how to best describe it.]
Well, it's just like dance club music! It has a really good beat, doesn't it? I bet we can stop by a music store and find something just like it to bring back home.
[It would be so much fun to grab a little boombox and bring it back with as many tapes as they can carry. Her goal tonight is to find one. The rest of the World Enders would absolutely get a thrill out of hearing future music.
But for now, she turns her attention to the bar. Her tongue grazes across her lips as she ponders what sounds good, and as they edge in to stand at the side of the bar she leans in to whisper so Johnnie can hear what she wants.]
I want to have something really strong so I can not have to drink a lot but still have a lot of fun.
[Because it's sort of sweet, the sweetest he can think of without adding sugar. But if she's not down for shots of pure liquor, then liquor with some kind of syrup will be the next obvious choice he supposes.
While she decides, he gets a shot of rum for himself, and drags it closer to him once the bartender serves up.]
See, hardly even matters what it tastes like anyway, a drink that size goes down real fast real easy.
[As proven by him knocking it back like he's having a quick chug of water. Damn good. Rum's not his favorite ever, but it's tasty enough.]
[She cheers him on as he chugs his down, and claps her hands together as if this is a firm decision he can't talk her out of. Not like he'd want to, he probably loves it when she's trashed and loses control. She's probably a lot more fun that way. Or maybe she's more work because he has to really watch after her and babysit her to keep her from getting into trouble.
Either way, she orders one of what Johnnie's having, and as soon as the bartender slides her the shot she chugs it down. It burns and she shudders, but holds up two fingers to order two more. One goes in each hand and she slams one after the other. There's more burning and shuddering, but it definitely gets to her head real quick.]
How many of those do you normally drink, babe?
[But that's just a light suggestion. She loves to go hard, he knows that, and it's pretty funny. As long as she gets the fun time she wants for as long as she wants before he has to drag her around, it's all fine with him.
Plus, they did want to go "shopping" later - but there's always time for that another day if they're too busy having fun here to do that tonight too.
Meanwhile, he waves the bartender down for another for himself, and stops at two for now. He'll come get more later though, that's for sure.]
The best part about being in this time is that they don't have to perform. In the 50s and 60s dancing is about showing off. In the 1980s, it's about being up on each other like its standing in as foreplay. And she's all too happy to let her minidress ride up a little as they move together, pressed close. She's giggly and grinning, having the time of her life.]
I can't wait for the day when it's all the World Enders out here together like this. We'll take over every club we go to.
And the fantasy of having all his friends out here, having the whole gang get to experience what they do, to travel up and down and in and out through time, partying and rampaging all they can, shit. Shit, that's the best possible future.]
Yeah, babe. See, this trip it's just you an' me, we can scout out, get some ideas, see the best places. An' then next time? It'll be dozens of us. Hundreds! Take over the whole fuckin' west coast, then the rest of the country too!
[Hard to know how much she got of that - this place is just getting louder and louder as people keep packing in. There's no room for anyone to dance in any way except for what they're doing here, moving right against each other with no space between them.]
The song shifts to another and she turns so she can dance facing him for a little while. They stay pressed close, her hand cradling the back of his head so she can guide him in for a kiss whenever she wants one. There's absolutely no thought or care in regard to that lipstick she worked so hard to put on. She's having fun, that's all that matters.]
Do you wanna get more to drink after this song? We could dance a little more then maybe find somewhere to be closer.
[She's amazed she's able to put that as politely as she does.]
[And how cute of her to put it that way. He snickers as he indulges in another long kiss and slow grind, not exactly rushing to get that drink. But the song comes to an explosive end with its thumping electronic beat, and Johnnie tugs her toward the bar for another couple shots. His head is swimming and fuzzy with lights and sound and lust - exactly how it should be in a place like this.
He clinks his shot glass against hers and gulps it down, oblivious fully to the taste of the alcohol. It's the effect he's after.]
Oh, fuck yeah. C'mere, baby girl, you drink up an' then you come with me.
[He has his hand up her thigh, sneaking under the hem of her dress, before she's even had time to gulp down her drink. Won't be hard to find somewhere to be closer in a place like this one, dark and full of bodies oblivious to everything around them.]