Weapons of Mass Destruction - Learning from the Master (Chapter 2 Night shift)

[Maxx]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:03 am - Paul Anderson

Paul looked at Vesper for a moment.  "That sounded fucking awesome!"  he said.  "Was it like an opening a gate rushing or like an ice cube melting?"  Despite his presence in Department 7, Paul seemed completely human and was decidedly childlike in his interest in what had happened in the Umbra.  It was likely that he, of all of them, lacked any kind of experience or ability.

[Sonovaditch]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:03 am - Vesper Novak

The corner of the elder boy's mouth twitched up at the youth's enthusiasm. This childlike demeanour of Paul's was more than welcome by the child-minded Vesper. It was refreshing. His question, however, confused the Eurasian werewolf as he leapt onto an unspecified topic, throwing off his wobbly-at-best conversational guard.

"What do you mean?" Vesper asked, his oft-blank expression warmed by just a hint of genuine delight. Paul may have been the upteenth person of interest he'd encountered today, but he was only the second to capture his attentions in a manner neither scientific nor physical.

[Maxx]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:04 am - Paul Anderson

"The spirits.  When the walls came down did they rush out in one big group or did they just trickle away, little by little?  Was it like breaking a balloon and everything goes everywhere or was it like letting a balloon go and it goes all over the place but slowly deflates?"

He dropped his skateboard onto the floor, controlling it with his foot as he used his hands to illustrate the movements he was trying to describe.  He looked like an overgrown kid.

[Sonovaditch]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:04 am - Vesper Novak

"Ah, the spirits," Vesper said with a few slow, vacant nods, "No, what they did was…  They… dissolved, I suppose. It was so strange… And somehow beautiful… A hoard of previously fervent Garou slowly evaporating away into nothingness. Or so it seemed."

Vesper's black eyes followed the skateboard, amused by the juxtaposition of such a conventional object in a place where so many extraordinary things had happened. The boy, too, carried the same contradiction - such an ordinary-looking boy… And yet here he was. And what was he? ... Who was he? Vesper realized that if they had been introduced, he'd long forgotten the boy's name.

[Maxx]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:05 am - Paul Anderson

"I would have given my left nut to see that,"  Paul said.  "Figuratively speaking,"  he added quickly.  "I'm not sure whether any of the people capable of taking me out there would think I meant that literally and they have the chops to rip my nards off, if they don't jut bite them off.  No offense meant.  I know you guys aren't the bloodthirsty animals the movies make you all out to be.  I mean, you aren't quite as gay as the Twitard werewolves.  You're a lot more bad ass than that."

[Sonovaditch]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:05 am - Vesper Novak

"No offence taken. Maybe not bloodthirsty… Maybe just a little gay. Definitely not about to brutally accept such an offering for such a paltry reward, no matter how badass," Vesper responded, a debatable attempt at humour distinctly his own.

"I should hope that considering the unfairness of such a trade that no one would take you so seriously. But then… I am not so sure either," he added, giving the slightest of chuckles.

[Maxx]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:06 am - Paul Anderson

"It's a thing guys say all he time,"  Paul said.  "You know, "I'd give my left nut to bang that chick'.  'I'd give my left nut to be able to skate like Tony Hawk'."  He chuckled, his foot playing with his board.  "Tony would give his left nut to skate like me."

[Sonovaditch]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World - 12:06 am - Vesper Novak

Vesper tilted his head inquisitively, seemingly re-appraising Paul. "I have never seen Mr. Hawk skate in person. But I used to watch him on T.V. when we still had one. And I am more than aware of his notoriety." He gives a long pause, enough to straighten up again. "I would like to see you skate sometime, if you would show me."

[Maxx]

Paul dropped his board onto the floor and stepped onto it, balancing on one set of wheels without even the slightest wobble.  With a slight shift of his weight, he set the board turning in a slow circle, still balanced on two wheels.  He stopped after he'd gone around twice.

"If we get some time off tomorrow, I'll drag you out to one of the skate parks and I'll show you how it's done," he said with a grin.  "I'll bring one of my old boards so you can try it out."

[Sonovaditch]

Department 7 Headquarters - The Real World  12:07 am - Vesper Novak

Vesper watched with great intrigue as Paul glided around him on one set of wheels so wonderfully it must've been second nature, like he'd learned to do this before he'd began to walk.

"I would like that very much," he responded quietly in such a way that said quite clearly he was honoured by the invitation. He fished his Department-issued cellphone from his pocket as well as an old, folded-up piece of newsprint and a broken pencil. After re-checking the number on his phone, he scribbled his name and number on the piece of paper and handed it to the other boy.

"Call me with a time and place. Anytime, I am free. I will meet you there," Vesper explained "Until then, spokoynoy nochi-" he broke off as he meandered out of the room, realizing mid-sentence he still didn't know the other's name. But instead of waiting for the boy to fill in the blank his 'goodnight' had left in the air, Vesper retreated from the room quickly and awkwardly. Not the best last impression of the night. But there was always tomorrow.