: Saintsmourn - Nicholas & Patrick :

[dangernerd]

Nicholas Kirkland (Nicky to those who he considered friends) was at this moment finishing up the last of his reading for his college classes. In the little dorm-room that himself and Patrick shared, it was a muddle of books and random objects that they'd collected. Not only that but also bits and bobs of their friendship tied into neat little nostalgic notes.

The last rays of the sun was streaming in through the window and he was poised, feet crossed on desk and balancing barely on the back two legs-- precarious yes, and honestly he knew that he should not really be doing this. Coordination be damned, he'd never worried about it before despite the bumps and bruises he regularly got because he was perennially distracted.

It was almost time for Patrick to come home from his late evening classes and then they'd start their foraging for dinner.

After that, well the evening was still young and there was trouble to be had. All of which he looked forward to, after all Patrick had for as long as he remembered, been his favorite partner in crime.. they had grown up together and they had a special bond.

As close as brothers, except not quite-- and honestly? Nicholas was glad for that.

Comments

Re: *kicks your email*

[giveeverything]

"Aren't you though?" The Rabbit type. A little particular, a little opinionated. Nicky was, after all, certainly not like Piglet or Eyeore. Not nearly so pompous as Owl at least. Maybe there was a bit of Tigger in him, Trick thought to himself before realizing that typing his best friend into a Winnie the Pooh character wasn't helping much of anything at the moment. He snorted at the comment about the honey. "It is not my fault my ass is a full-size cake. It's a burden and responsibility that I must bear."

He tried to joke, tried to act like he wasn't going to fluster himself to death the way that Nicky was leaning over him. It was fine this was fine. Another sigh and he set about wiggling, a momentary struggle before he started to make forward progress, enough that he could get both halves of himself fully through the window, gingerly easing himself down so he didn't knock Nicky off the crate in the process.

"Thanks. And thanks for not taking a picture of my shame."

Re: *kicks your email*

[dangernerd]

Disaster, thankfully, averted.

"Consider it a freebie, after all I have other pictures that could be used as blackmail though if it happens again? I am not making any promises." he said with a shrug as he started to hop down off the crate, however before he could do that, it keeled over and he was unfortunately not dexterous enough to talk and function at the same time.

It had been only a matter of time before his general klutziness came back to haunt him, and well something was going to kill him and likely it would not be any ghosts but his own klutzy hubris. A long stream of curses stretched out only after he hit the ground.

"I take that back, I will tell no one about you getting stuck in the window." because now Trick had blackmail fodder on him. "Oh gods, I think I broke my ass."

[giveeverything]

"Wow, betrayed." Patrick was currently trying to account for what pictures that Nicky actually had, because he was indeed sure that his best friend had quite a bit of blackmail fodder. He wasn't given much time to worry about it because gravity once more got its claws into Nicky and exacted its revenge.

He winced at the thud. Ouch. He fully sympathized with the sudden rather impressive string of curses.

The flash of a camera phone interrupted the low light as Trick snapped a quick picture of Nicky in his failure. ...what? There was a whole album on his phone entitled 'Nicky's love affair with the ground' okay? Then he offered him a hand up. "Your poor ass. So young and so beautiful, shattered before its time."

[dangernerd]

The thing was, going home was not an option. He was a Kirkland, a long family line of people who plunged into danger without nary a single thought in their head; ginger cats-- every one of them, even the females.

He saw that flash, but he was not going to say anything yet about it, rather he took up the hand offered and managed to get himself up from the ground. Thankfully he was young and not so very breakable (there had been moments and a few broken legs, and a few affectionately signed 'dumbass' signed into plaster, both from his sister and from Trick.

"It may be okay, I'll need an ice pack for it later." he dusted himself off of years of dirt layered on the ground and then he glanced around before he leaned down gingerly to pull out his EVP, all the while handing the flashlight over to Trick. Then he turned on the contraption and held it out, the green lights on it glowing a steady brightness.

"At the very least whatever entity that's in this place knows that we are here."

[giveeverything]

And Patrick had no self preservation instincts whatsoever. So they were an excellent combination. That said, Trick did have an extremely strong Nicky-preservation instinct at least.

He took the flashlight and held it so that Nicky could fiddle with the EVP. Once that was done he let the beam swing wide to take in the room. Another laugh, and he nodded. "Yeah, we lost the element of surprise all right. So... whatever is in here must be awake now."

They had not been subtle. Or quiet.

A moment and a breath and he let himself open to the strange vibrations that the supernatural always had, that rang through him like something in him called to it, little accidental catalyst and conduit that he was. "And there is definitely something here." His nose wrinkled. "It's hungry. That's not great."

[dangernerd]

Nicholas started to adjust buttons and dials, turning up frequencies and then making sure that the antenna was pointed in a direction that would not interfere with any rogue power lines in the distance. The good thing about abandoned houses was that you could tell the low distance electrical signals from what was outside down roads and streets. There was a sharp line that hugged the undercurrents; it usually hit Trick first before it came over the meter.

The hum was drawn out but it was there.

He stood on his tiptoes then and tried to see if the hum got louder the closer to the ceiling. There was a difference, but only subtle.

"Upstairs I think is the place to be."

Because putting stairs between you and your point of exit was a very good idea, especially where these two idiots were involved.

[giveeverything]

Going upstairs in their own personal horror movie. Yup. Excellent decisions all around. Patrick nodded. "Up we go. You take the lead. I'll bring up the rear. ...so I can catch your ass if gravity gets you again."

He was only half teasing. It was a serious consideration.

A shiver ran through him, as if their decision to come upstairs was one that the entity in this place was pleased with. Great. Cool. Well at least it wouldn't be a bust of an exploration, it seemed.

[dangernerd]

"Much appreciated, if anything I know that you got my ass." he said with a nudge and maybe a little bit of an ass-wiggle before he starts in through the kitchen door and into a hallway. There are picture frames that lay scattered everywhere, beer bottles and cans spread on the floor-- some broken and others crushed.

"Oh well, this does not surprise." He said as he steps gingerly over one of the more intact bottles and then comes face to face with a view of the hallways' end, and the stair that leads upward and then to the right at a flight landing. "Hey, at least there is a landing patch right in the middle, that means that there will be a chance for a full and complete stop before we land completely on at the foot of the stairs."

Thinking positively, that was Nicky for you.

[giveeverything]

If only.

Patrick resisted the urge to smack that wiggling ass -- a true display of willpower really because it was wiggling and it was right there -- and followed behind Nicky down the hallway. He stepped carefully around the detritus of the clearly frequent parties that were staged in this house.

"We need to work on your optimism. The bar is so fucking low..." But he did have a point, Patrick supposed. It would mean a pause in any tumble, and also a good landmark if they had to make a run from any particularly unhappy entity.

"Anything on the EVP?"

[dangernerd]

"Here in Saintsmourn, you learn to take what you can get." there was a suitable snort from him. He could see some activity absolutely coming from upstairs, the beeping was growing louder by the minute. To the stairs and then he put his foot up on the first step very gently, this was to feel for any potential traps or unsteady steps; this was not the first house of lax-repair they had been into and it would not be the last.

Images came to mind of their first haunted house where he had stepped right through a floorboard and twisted his ankle, not a good time though optimism in effect-- at least it had not been broken?

It all seemed steady and so he started to scale the steps one by one, better to be safe rather than crying about the whole thing. Ever so often there was a creak, but that was the extent of it.

[giveeverything]

There was something different about this house. Patrick couldn't put his finger on it, but something felt off. Not like the usual residual echoes or poltergeist. Not even like an actual intelligent ghostly presence. He shook his head, trying to clear it, to fix in on what he was feeling, but it didn't quite click in.

He wasn't going to suggest they back down, of course. That wasn't really how either of them rolled, now was it? But his defenses were up, a certain wariness, readiness.

Trick followed in Nicky's footsteps exactly, well aware that his roommate was careful about where he placed his feet.

[dangernerd]

Would it be against the bro-thing if Nicky reached for Trick's hand?

He considered it with every squeak of the floorboard but then he opted against it each time his weight was put on it and nothing occurred that could potentially harm them. No, there was no way that Nicky would've backed down and this was exactly why the both of them were exceedingly dumb.

Braincells that were suitably masked by a healthy dose of hubris and testosterone, and with both managing to piggyback off of each other.

The beeps on the EVP was starting to get less far apart, the green lighter brighter like it was picking up something. "Oh yes.." they hit the landing and then past a window and another flight of stairs to the hallway above. "Looks like we have something." he did not pick up anything those, no vibes or anything.

Only an unseasonable warmth.

Wait.. was it not supposed to get colder?

He paused a few steps before the second floor. "I can't see my breath?"

[giveeverything]

Trick would've taken the hand holding. In fact, it would've felt reassuring. Something here. Something here something strange something wrong. It was wrong. It was dangerous. Trick could feel it in that empty place in himself where it echoed.

His chest felt tight, throat dry. Not great. Not good. He slipped a hand into his pocket. Amulet. He always packed an amulet for these.

Nothing. Shit. He'd been too excited at the prospect of their Friday night out.

"It's not a ghost..." Trick murmured quietly. "Whatever is in here is not a spirit. It's something else."

[dangernerd]

It is often times said, that the moment that you notice something is off is the exact moment that it is too late.

Nicholas turns to look down at Patrick, the two of them on the very threshold of the second floor and both of them coming to the exact same conclusion but in different ways-- with Trick it was the gut reaction that served him so well, but for Nicky it was the deductive reasoning.

"Fuck..."

Glass shattered all around them, but it felt more theatrical than a poltergiest-- it did not touch them though but it would keep them in place from moving up or down the staircase.

[giveeverything]

Patrick looked up to Nicky just in time to meet his best friend's eyes as the other man cursed and hell broke loose around them. Out of pure reflex, Trick stepped up onto the same Step as Nicky and pulled the other against him so he could try to shield the other from the sudden explosion of shattering glass.

But after a moment it didn't seem there as a reason for it, the way the glass had managed to surround them but avoid actually striking them.

"All right, cute trick. If you want to play games, then let's play. We aren't going to scare so easily!"

Yes that was a good idea, taunt the destructive entity.

[dangernerd]

Perhaps Nicky's own heart was pounding heart enough that he could understand the reason for the sharp pull against Trick's body, it was all that adrenaline as he came into solid contact. Both their breathing coming in time with each other-- there was a single drip of blood though, one of the shattered pieces of glass, rogue that it was managed to make a criss-cross just on Nicky's cheek.

Did they notice this though? No, mainly because their hearts were pumping so hard and fast.

There was a surge of power as it reverberated through the hallway and hit them with an impact. It made Nicky all the more aware of how close he was to Trick, like a rising tide.

At this point though Nicky was sure they were working with something demonic. He glanced over at Trick-- "So you know that I am not the one to ask this usually but.. ah, did you bring your rosary?"

[giveeverything]

Oh. Yes. Rosary was a good idea. He may have left his amulet at home, but the rosary was one he almost always wore around his neck -- just in case he ever ran into Liam and had the chance to use it. He still had it in his head that his brother must be possessed, and eventually he'd find the right ritual to properly exorcise him and get his brother back. It was a misplaced hope maybe, but a hope never the less. He fitfully fished inside his collar to pull it out and off.

"Yup. Got it. Now... let's see what we can do about this. Probably not a great idea to leave whatever this is just... hanging out here where frat guys hold keg parties."

It could cause problems, and not fun problems. Trick was unaware of the fact that the entity here had already decided it wouldn't be staying, that it was fully intent on leaving -- just, you know, leaving by making itself at home attached to Nicky.

[dangernerd]

And honestly?

They were the perfect people to take care of this, weren't they? Two nerds with rosaries, since the ghost hunting equipment they brought was probably not going to do the two of them a lick of good whatsoever. Nicky did share a grin with Trick even as he fished his own rosary out of his pocket, something that he only kept in his pocket at the insistence of his best friend-- he was not the type to think of demons as a big deal but well.. Patrick was.

He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand and then started to head up the stairs, reaching behind him to take hold of Patrick's hand. "Come on loser, we're going up."

[giveeverything]

"Whatever, nerd." Patrick would do his best not to dwell on Nicky holding his hand. (Gay Panic was a lifestyle choice at this point for him, always gay, and whenever his best friend was around -- which was always -- always panicking because of it.) They had more pressing things to worry about than his big stupid crush, even if the target of said big stupid crush had smiled that stupidly handsome smile at him and was rushing into supernatural danger like the madman that he was.

Why was that hot? He couldn't say exactly. But fuck him it was.

His free hand held the rosary, and he tried to clear his senses, to get a feel for where this thing was hiding. "Left... it's down that way. I can feel it."

[dangernerd]

Very good, exactly what Nicky needed.. his best friend leading him right into danger. But the Kirkland blood ran strong and he'd always rush into danger-- it was hereditary by this point, in veins that were more like fire than blood by this point. But then Nicholas had never balked or been fearful of actual dangerous-- perhaps in social situations he was a little bit anxious, but when it came to facing the unknown, he was stalwart, like a lion.

To the left, though he was careful to look back at Patrick.

Then a door directly to the right slammed open, narrowly missing him. So clearly his dexterity was not suffering too bad, for he stepped to the left, his hand still clutching the rosary. And oh thank goodness he still held it in his hand. "Well did you just fucking see that? Trying to take out my shoulder like that?"

But he was silently yay'ing under his breath because it missed him.

[giveeverything]

They were a dangerous combination. Neither one of them was possessed of a great deal of self preservation instinct, but hell, they'd made it this far in more or less one piece. Trick startled as that door slammed open, quite ready to pick Nicky up off the floor, but no, in a display of uncharacteristic coordination, the other man had dodged it.

"It's not a very polite demon, clearly."

Trick teased at him, patting his shoulder gently. "We're just getting started. I'm sure it's got more up its sleeve. Be careful, Nicky..." A low murmur. Trick may not have any self-preservation instincts, but his Nicky-protection-instincts were always operating at maximum.

[dangernerd]

Make it this far, they had to go all the way right? It was only fair and suitable that the do so, neither of them were cowards and they never backed down when it came to the chicken game which would work for the Incubus' favor. "Very rude, treating guests like this." Nicholas gave himself a very wide berth as he kept the course he was charting which would place him in consistent miss mode with any doors that decided to slam open.

Glancing back over his shoulder, those blue eyes met Trick's own gaze-- a sparkle to it, he felt alive in this moment, and he was near incandescent. Under pressure was where Nicholas excelled, all of the Kirklands did-- like bright glittering rubies that had a little diamond within them.

"I have this, Trick.. promise." when he probably did not have it.

The rosary, it warmed in his hand as if drawing attention to itself. Almost immediately Nicky understood that perhaps he should put it on-- he knew that it would take one singular trip for it to fall into a trap. How very helpful to the rosary to remind him of that so.. he slipped it on-- likely it would also cause Trick to breath a sigh of relief. "Okay, there." he said as he patted the cross that nestled against his chest.

More doors slammed in high drama, cupboards banged and there was a clatter toward one of the backrooms.

"Do you have some holy water ready, Trick?"

[giveeverything]

Yup, there it was, the spark in those absurdly beautiful blue eyes. Trick could not resist it at all. He'd follow Nicky straight into hell and back if the other man looked at him like that. "Yeah, I know. You're a professional."

He did nod his approval as Nicky put the rosary on. Much better. Much less chance of him dropping it at exactly the wrong time. Startling, he turned to look to where that clatter had come from. Oh. Something was having a tantrum. Not a good look.

"I should, hang on." He reached back to fish into his backpack, pulling out a pair of plastic squirt guns, pressing one into Nicky's hand. "Here."

Patrick Leary was a serious paranormal hunter, okay? Ready to take on all the demonic legions of hell.

[dangernerd]

Nicholas Kirkland did not bat a eyelash at that, in fact he took the squirt-gun gratefully. It wasn't a supersoaker (they had that one back at the dorm room, but it really was a pain to fill from the cistern without attracting notice) but it would do in a pinch, and it didn't seem like multiple demons, he was sure there would've been a flanking mechanism in place as Demons were not dumb and were highly tactician when it came down to it.

He hoisted it with the mouth of the gun pointing upward and then he placed his back against the wall, dragging the other man in close, his other hand going back to cross over Trick's torso as if he could stop anything from getting to him which was sweetly protective.

"You ready to bust in there? Remember to keep a good cover if at all possible." awww, like they were in a crime novel or something. Aren't they precious?

[giveeverything]

Patrick was currently in a full on gay panic because his idiot crush had, with holy-water-filled-squirt-gun in hand, had pulled him close and gone all James Bond pose on him. His heart was suddenly racing at an alarming rate and it had nothing to do with demons or haunted houses. Nope. It was about this fucking nerd hat he was so goddamn infuriatingly in love with being sexy in the most ridiculous circumstance that he could possibly have imagined.

Fuck his entire life.

It took a moment to register that words had been spoken, because most of the blood in his brain had very abruptly flown south for the winter. "Right... yeah, no, yeah. Ready. On three?"