Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

Who: Whistler + OTA
What: Whistler decides to voluntarily leave his apartment for once
Where: Around town
When: Now
Warnings: N/A. Will change if needed. Update: Warnings for some discussion of self-harm in Whistler and Julie thread. 

It was odd. Generally the heat didn't bother Whistler much, not so long as he was inside anyway. But today it seemed to be getting to him. The skin of his back kept sticking just a little too much to the floor as he tried to work and his palms kept getting slick with sweat to a point where it made fiddling with small wires too frustrating.

But if he couldn't work there wasn't much he could be doing while he was holed up inside. 

Which was how he ended up outside. Something that is normally only done out of dire necessity: when he needs groceries. But today he's giving it a very tentative chance. Mostly just to get himself moving. To feel something other than floorboards and stone walls. 

If you look for him at his apartment you will only find a messily scribbled message jokingly saying 'Gone Fishing' (inspired by his conversation with a young man only the day before). But hey you should be impressed that it is legible at all given the circumstances. And he mostly figures no one is going to come looking for him. 

But if they do he can be found in various locations: 

Pools near the outside of town

Whistler has shrugged off his shirt and rolled up his pant legs so that he can lay with his legs in the water, back on the sand with his shirt over his face so as to protect his eyes. He's naturally tan so he's not overly worried about getting burned, but even so he's made sure to lay in a patch of shade. After all, tan or no tan, two suns is two suns.

Around the shops

Whistler can either be found shuffling along the town streets with his cane swinging in front of him or sitting on a bench picking at a berry muffin with his fingers and placing small bites of it almost delicately into his mouth. He's savoring it, thank you very much. 

Wildcard

Want to bump into him in a shop? Maybe you catch sight of the blind man about to try on a horrific technicolor t-shirt? Or you see him in the park napping? 

Choose your own adventure.

Comments

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[The ease with which she transitions names in conversation makes him smile softly despite himself, but he makes no comment on it. That would defeat the purpose, now wouldn't it?]

I can exercise indoors. Just get me one of those pull up bar things you stick in the doorway.

[In fact he used to have one of those in the team headquarters. Mother used to use it as a party trick, getting people to bet that the blind man couldn't do a full pull up then watching with glee as Whistler proved them wrong by doing several in a row. And then, as per agreement, Whistler would get a cut of the proceeds. That or Mother would have to do that week's paperwork. But that last bit often annoyed Crease.]

[redwinekindofgirl]

[That he doesn't want everyone knowing his real name has been something established from the very beginning of their friendship, and Julie has worked hard to place herself in the position of trust that she holds with this singularly reclusive person. There's no way she'd want to ruin that.

She looks up at him, making a face she's sure he can feel even if he can't see it. Her lips purse, then she shrugs.]

Yeah, okay. I've seen you without your shirt on. I can believe you can use one of those.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[His grin turns bashful despite the fact that he was the one who brought up the subject. Perhaps he just didn't expect her to actually confirm his statement.

Shyly he clears his throat, trying a little less than successfully to act cool]

Well, being this pretty doesn't just happen naturally, Jules.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Oh, yeah, I could see you've worked really hard at it. [She hums out nonchalantly, her grin wrapped audibly around her words while she speaks.]

Could bounce a quarter off those abs.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[If life were like Looney Tunes cartoons, Whistler's face would be bright red with steam coming out of his ears from his embarrassment. It's not as though the team back home had never had a chuckle about the fact that Whistler was secretly athletic, and it's also not as though he's never had a lady make a comment on it...but...this is different.

He can't exactly put his finger on why. But it is. Maybe because he takes Julie's words with more weight than he does 99% of people. Maybe because he normally never lets people see him the way she's seen him. Or maybe all of the above.

In a desperate bid to turn this around, he bumps into her lightly]

Well maybe I'll let you try it sometime.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[His reaction provokes an instant, gleeful laugh from the young woman and she gently hangs off his arm as they walk.]

I can't believe you just said that to me. [She tells him bluntly, with no small amount of good humour.] Mister Emery.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[He burst into a fit of embarrassed laughing, trying to say something but then being too overcome to manage any actual words. Its the kind of laugh that curls his nostrils and forms deep dimples in his cheeks, eyes screwed shut and shoulders shaking.

Finally he manages to catch a steady breath and he wheezes]

Oh god don't call me that. You make me feel like a dirty old man.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[While he's laughing she stops walking, only provoked into further giggles by his response. By the time he's calmed down enough that she can stop grinning, her cheeks almost ache from smiling.]

Can't have that. [She chortles out. It's good to see him laugh like that.]

I think you're supposed to say something like 'Mister Emery was my father'.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[Whistler's still catching his breath, a stray snicker sneaking in now and again]

Mister Emery is my father, I'm afraid.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Pft, well then. [With a light tug on his arm, she sets them off walking again.]

I'm going to keep that one in reserve for the next time I want to see you laugh like that.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

The young just don't respect their elders these days

[He pretend huffs, following her lead as they start walking again]

[redwinekindofgirl]

[She snickers.]

If you didn't want to sound like an old man, you're not helping yourself.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[He sticks out the tip of his tongue in reply]

[redwinekindofgirl]

Oh, really mature.

[She rolls her eyes, watching both of their feet as they step into the park, slowing her pace to guide him carefully over a small drop in the path.]

You're such a kid.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

You can't be too annoyed by that though

[He teases softly as he minds where he's placing his feel, noting the change in terrain]

Otherwise you'd have dumped me by now.

[redwinekindofgirl]

If I dumped everyone I liked because they were dorks, I wouldn't like anyone. [She tells him wryly, slowing her steps a little as the shade of the trees make the sunlight less difficult to stand being under.]

I guess we all have a type.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

Oh no. You're going to tell me you've got a thing for blind people

[He feigns dramatic shock, confirming the fact that, yes, Julie, you do end up associated with dorks]

[redwinekindofgirl]

Actually... [She gently hangs off his arm again, dragging on his arm to lightly pull him off-balance.]

I'd never met a blind person before I met you. You're the first.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

I'm honored to be your starter-blind person.

[He leans in the direction he's being pulled, smiling easily]

Please be sure to let my company know how you'd rate this experience.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Oh, A-plus, would definitely use the company again.

[She rolls her eyes as she lets him straighten up, tucking his arm against her side again.]

Interested to know if they have a model with less facial hair.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[He chuckles softly]

Trust me, you don't want to see the model that tried to shave by themselves.

[Whistler's tone evens out, thoughtful]

So I'm really the first?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Well, pffh... yeah. I spoke to that guy once... Matt? Didn't know he was blind until way later. And I mean...

[She huffs out a sigh.]

I guess... when shit all hit the fan back home... People who couldn't make it to safety, well... didn't.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

[That makes Whistler go quiet]

Like with the Null?

[redwinekindofgirl]

... Not really. The Dead never... attacked us like that. It was never organised.

[She sighs.]

They don't want to wipe us out. They're just... hungry.

[whistlewhilstyouwork]

That's not exactly what I meant. I was talking about how...you know... in any of these scenarios, there's always going to be the people who aren't really equipped to get away as successfully as the others. That's just...how it goes.