II. (open) i'm gonna fight with myself til i'm bleeding

[oorah]

featuring: hotdog castle & everyone (open to new arrivals too!!)
what's happening? frank feeding everyone venison dogs; frank fighting everyone; introlog spillover stuff + whatever else you want hmu
day: 11th nighttime (after all new arrivals are out and about/getting settled)
content warnings: ground meat, being a good neighbor, boyfights
notes: hit me up on PM or plurk hotdoge if you want anything else! happy to oblige

A. have you ever had a hot dog cooked by a guy named hotdog? this is going on instastories.

[ the time has come for frank to probably show all you losers what a hot dog is. for posterity or some such. he's been curing deer meat from a recent hunting trip with aloy and after their housemate reigen had soundproofed house six's kitchen, well. it seemed as good a time as any to put his plan in motion. not to mention he's in a good mood for once after encountering his best friend among the new arrivals.

early in the evening, frank will be piping his mixture into homemade casings with the doors to the back deck wide open for anyone to come pester him. and then later on of course he will be cooking them up with mustard he made and onions he found. he will also chop up pickles from the natives for anyone who gets down like that. none of y'all better ever ask him what a hot dog is ever again!!!

if you come in while he's cooking expect to be put to work, and did i mention he'll be downing rosé the whole time? e n j o y.

note: the kitchen is only soundproof when all the doors are closed. he will tell everyone on arrival this, so while he's cooking the doors will be shut but all other times feel free to mingle!! ]

B. the rules of fight club are bring snacks and make sure frank castle stays in bruises. tia for your contribution.

[ after posting up this little gem, frank has been steadily gathering members for his and mike's "club." his garage is a makeshift boxing arena and open for all any time they want to blow off steam or learn some new skills from punching bag himself. or from whoever else is lingering around. feel free to match yourselves and have a fight without him too, he'll ref!

the only rules of fight club are: bring snacks, agree with your partner on tactics: weapons/no weapons, fists only/every man for himself etc etc. AND when one person taps out or doesn't get up the match is over. the garage is approximately 80% soundproof. every fighter must wear wraps on their hands to muffle sound and agree not to shout or make loud noises, even in pain. soft-volume trash talking is allowed and perhaps even encouraged... ]

C. write your own starter or ping me for one!

Comments

[clussy]

(Eddie's juuust naive enough to think that for just a second, he isn't actually noticed quite yet. The man in question does look intimidating. Eddie's gotten his ass beaten enough times, as have his friends, that he recognizes even faded bruises. His eyes hesitate on that, and then he's shifting a little closer. A part of him wishes they could make noise, because a part of him is anxious that if he does startle the man, he might be attacked out of fright.

But a larger, wiser part of him realizes that this man looks a lot more capable than getting frightened and attacking instantly. Like a guy who knew how to fight. Eddie wonders idly if he was a soldier, maybe, and walks slowly up towards the deck. Then sits down just against it, waiting for a moment, breathing quietly.

Nothing happens for a couple of minutes.

Then Eddie is just there on the deck, having crawled his way around and up the steps. He has his legs hanging down, feet planted, just in case this man was violent and Eddie had to make a run for it. Things are much harder when you can't speak out. And a part of him is too anxious to get close enough to use his phone. Between that and his uncertainty with the stranger, his entire body is rigid. So he stares at Frank straight on. Finally, he gives a hesitant wave.)

[oorah]

[ when eddie comes onto the first step, frank takes a few steps back. he doesn't want to spook the boy, and he knows he can be... spooky. just as hesitantly, he waves back, gesturing for him to stay where he is a second later.

frank disappears inside the house for maybe ten seconds, then appears with a plate bearing a venison dog. he tries to shrink down a bit like he might with a frightened dog, holding out the plate but not trying to move into eddie's space to make him take it. ]

[clussy]

(Eddie remains put, staring after Frank. When he comes back out with the hot dog, Eddie can't help but instinctively smile. He really was starving.

But as his hand reaches out, he stops abruptly and then brings it back to himself. His mouth twists to the side, contemplating Frank again, thinking. Then finally he gets out his device.)

I'm technically not supposed to take food from strangers, I don't think.

Plus. Do you want something for it?

(Suspicion, a little. Last time kids started reaching for things from total strangers back in his home town.....Well. Everyone knew how that ended.)

You're not gonna eat my arm, are you?

(Sounds weird- but Eddie's convinced the cosmos had it out for him when it came to his arm.)

[oorah]

[ at first, frank thinks it might really be that easy. discouragement flickers across his face, but when eddie doesn't take the offering he draws up to full height, shaking his head. he doesn't want anything for it. and he's not a stranger. no one is really strangers here, as eddie will come to find out, even if frank never volunteers his true identity anyway.

by the time the next message comes, he has his own device out and he frowns, reading it a few times like it might have a different meaning. rather than type a reply he just offers the boy a super incredulous what the fuck look. those are universal, he's pretty sure. ]

[clussy]

(It's an expression from an adult that isn't even remotely surprising. Eddie can't help but roll his eyes a teensy bit.)

It's more likely than you think.

(He had it on great authority that he dies exactly like that, thanks. That and it had already happened to his best friend's kid brother, so this was a track record that really probably shouldn't be a track record in any kid's life.

So okay, that what the fuck look is honestly pretty universal, yeah. He's seen it from people from all kinds of worlds by now.)

[oorah]

[ he nods with a tiny one-shoulder shrug like I'll take your word for it, kid. if frank castle wasn't already a master of nonverbal communication, this place would have sealed that deal. he points to the dog one more time and lifts his eyebrows. last call it would seem, to see if eddie will take the food or not. ]

[clussy]

(Eddie gnaws at his lip, considering the object of the hot dog now more than anything else. Okay, okay. He's had enough negative experiences to realize that someone wasn't going to cop him any 'last call' bullshit if they really wanted him nearer for insidious reasons.

If someone's too nice, be nervous.

He gets to his feet and approaches, taking the hot dog at last. Then, after a moment, he smiles at Frank a little more genuinely.)

Thanks. I can't remember the last time I had one.

(And he digs in. Pretty generously too. Clearly it's been a while since he's eaten period. He polishes it off in record time, staring again at Frank.)

I'm Eddie. (Because obviously introductions are not as important as eating.)

[oorah]

[ frank lets the plate fall by his side when eddie is through, pleased that his patience paid off. he can deal with skittish, and he agrees with eddie's internal monologue anyway. better to be suspicious of everyone than to... get your arm eaten off (what.)

he nods at the introduction and the thank-you both, clearly a man of a few words with or without access to the device. he's still holding it in his hand, but he's close enough now to read eddie's screen instead. he gestures back towards the house, clearly asking if eddie wants to come in and hang for a while. but then he remembers something, typing for the first time: ] the kitchen is soundproof. we can talk inside.

[ he remembers how that had put mike at ease day two when he'd met him at the meeting. and frank is in better spirits now than when he himself was a fresh arrival. frank had refused to talk to anyone but the children for a long time. now he's equipped with a lot of advantages new kids to this horror diharama don't have and he intends to share what he can. ]

[clussy]

(Eddie doesn't mind it so much. In any case, he's not expecting chatter in a place like this. What intrigues Eddie the most is not the invitation itself, but the fact that the kitchen was soundproof. He instantly wants to know how.

He gives a nod then, and puts his device away, ready to follow Frank inside. He wasn't fond at all of using solely text to communicate. Being from the fifties did that to a kid.

The moment he's able to, when he's safely in the kitchen without any exposure to potential sound eaters, Eddie sighs. Then instantly starts to talk, his voice quiet despite the soundproofing.)

You never told me your name.

so fun story i wrote a really beautiful tag to this and it got eaten so this is take2

[oorah]

[ frank follows eddie back into the kitchen and starts battoning down the hatches. he shuts the doors and stuffs the pillows left nearby into the frame, blankets sealing in the gaps and the rest of the noise. once he's satisfied that it'll be effective, he moves away from the door, into the center of the room so their voices won't carry, regarding the boy silently for a moment.

he thinks of what jess said then: that frank associating with all of the children here would paint targets on them via kilgrave. he can't ignore them though, it isn't inside him to leave these kids stranded. he has to believe he can help them in the end, or else what's the point in them being here at all? not for the first time, he wants to strangle whoever thought it would be such a great idea to drag minors into this, but there are plenty of unequipped adults too. "you can't even help grown adults if you haven't noticed." he swallows, fixing eddie with his stare for probably too long, and finally he unwinds his arms from where they'd ended up folded over his big barrel chest.

frank extends a hand to eddie, like a man. the same way he'd done for mike. ] Frank. But it's a secret, okay? You can call me Hotdog out there. [ he nods his head towards the outside. ]

oh my god. no. i am so sorry. that is actually the worst thing that can happen.

[clussy]

(Eddie watches with absolute wonder as Frank goes about sealing off the kitchen. It looked actually pretty doable, and already his head was going over the mechanics of what could be done. He wonders why the natives didn't exchange metal for plastic to avoid squeaking hinges, but it's a passing thought.

He winds up regarding this hulking man right back. For just a brief, startling second, Eddie wonders if anyone would be able to hear him scream if the man tried something.

But then Frank is introducing himself, and Eddie unwinds from his momentary paranoia. His nose wrinkles up at the given nickname, yet it's just silly enough that he can't help but let out a quiet giggle.)

Hotdog? Seriously?

(It didn't even remotely fit the guy. But his laughter fades and he regards Frank seriously.)

Is it because you have powers or are a superhero or something?

(Eddie's met a lot of those back when he was on the station, and he knew that secrecy was a huge deal for them. It protected them. From their own enemies, from hateful people- anyone, really. So Eddie understood this and respected it deeply. He glances at the offered hand and after a shy pause, he takes it with his own significantly smaller hand and gives an awkward, weak sort of shake.)

Does your face hurt? (Cause it was bruised, he means.)

i was really distraught ok bc i want this cr more than life itself

[oorah]

[ he gives a soft little snort at eddie's bemusement. he doesn't speak up until after the boy's lame handshake and he can pull his hand away. he makes a mental note to do something about that. ] Not a superhero, man. No powers neither.

[ but he does have a vigilante name that he wilL nEVER tELL you. that shit's not age appropriate. ]

Starting to feel like just about the only one. [ who doesn't. he skips over the question about his face, just shrugging. it doesn't seem to bother him much atm. ]

Okay but yeah it is honestly. SO GOOD.

[clussy]

Then why the nickname?

(Maybe the guy was hiding from someone or something? Eddie doesn't know, but he's also just young enough to forget that sometimes prying wasn't always the best solution to figuring out something puzzling.

Eddie's entire life is not age appropriate, okay. This kid could handle it. Except, you know, it's not like he walks around with an 'R Rating' slapped across his forehead.)

The only one what? (Yeah unfortunately for Frank, Eddie cannot skip over such things. He squints a little harder. Of all the kids to try and help out, Eddie was...probably one of the most high maintenance. Sorry, bud.)

Did you get into a fight?

right they're great....

[oorah]

[ now he's bypassing the name thing. it seems like this guy can only handle answering one question at a time. on a good day. ]

The only one around here who isn't a superfreak. [ it's honestly said with fondness. especially since one such individual put most of these bruises on his face and she's one of his closest friends here. ] You got any freaky powers?

It was friendly, kid. Don't worry about it.

[clussy]

(Eddie had all day for a good day. He doesn't totally mind being ignored, but at times he could get needling to the point if he cared enough.

The question makes Eddie pause, though he doesn't quite know why. Eventually though, he shakes his head.)

No. I'm pretty boring.

(But Eddie wasn't really aware of things that he could do. They were quiet, subtle things that maybe even other people wouldn't notice either.)

Oh. Like sparring? (He only just recently learned about that kind of thing, and something in the line of his shoulders relaxes. He was glad to hear it. A part of him was worried about people getting into fights cause if people were getting into fights then that mean someone would probably eventually try- and succeed- in kicking his ass.)

[oorah]

[ he nods, though he doubts that. no one here is boring. that's the first thing he'd noticed upon arrival. ]

Like sparring, yeah. You want a turn? [ eleven and mike had been gungho about it, so he figures he'll ask even if eddie doesn't exactly seem the fighting type. ]

[clussy]

(You know. Frank ain't wrong. He isn't even slightly wrong. Eddie really wished he was though.

The question makes Eddie hesitate. Because, surprising literally no one, he definitely wasn't the fighting type. He had started to learn how to spar back on the station, but physically fighting people always made him feel weird.)

I don't know. I'm not really good at fighting. This guy back- I was on a station first. Which wasn't the same as my home- but this guy was helping me with knives. Other people were trying to help me learn how to spar but I'm just- I'm small? (He gestures vaguely to himself- though he could hear Tetora already telling him to knock that shit off. Size means nothing, Eddie.

Which sure, maybe, but going off a guy like Frank? Eddie would be pulverized.)

[oorah]

I could teach you. [ he offers, biting back a smile. size really doesn't matter, but he's not about to get into that with this scrawny kid. ]

Offer's open. Any time. [ or they can just eat hot dogs. he's cool with that too. he'll protect eddie at any cost whether the kid takes fighting lessons with the other kids or not. ]

[clussy]

Maybe. (Eddie, for some reason, felt shy about the idea of sparring with a man like Frank. It was like how he'd been embarrassed being caught by Shiro trying to practice sparring. Frank would probably see him flail about for three seconds, realize what a sissy he was, and then ditch that effort real quick.

Or that's what Eddie's convinced of anyway. Maybe Frank seemed kind enough, but Eddie still didn't know him nearly enough to be a little more comfortable with certain things.

He glances up though at the point of the offer being open, and he considers it.)

Maybe when I'm a little more settled? (And maybe when he knew Frank better, more importantly, but he knows that it's rude to vocalize your suspicion of adults. They never liked that. Adults wanted automatic trust and respect all the time, and Eddie could pretend to give it so he wouldn't get in trouble.)

[oorah]

[ all of eddie's assumptions are wrong here. frank welcomes any and all suspicion. that means this kid is smart. it also probably means he's been burned before, which frank doesn't like thinking about, but kids who trusted adults so readily were even more worrisome. especially a guy who looks like frank. of course, he says none of this either, just shrugging at eddie's pontification. he won't press either way, acting like it doesn't matter to him. and it doesn't, not really. different kids are into different things, even if it's easier for him to relate to brash, loud kids because it's the kind of kid he was? that doesn't matter. he appreciates smart kids too, maybe even moreso. they're probably a whole hell of a lot more useful than frank's fists in a place like this. ]

What house are you in? [ he has a hunch that he already knows. that he was even the one who put eddie's bed in his room with his brother bill. but he asks, because it's nice to ask. and it's good to know where all the kids are, so he can do his best to keep them out of harm's way. ]

[clussy]

(Again, Eddie hesitates. But this time not for quite as long. In this kind of setting, he realizes that people had to depend on each other. That and a guy like Frank would figure it out soon enough anyway. Just like he had to get food from Frank just now. That reminds him to ask where the hot dogs came from.)

House eleven. A couple of my friends are there too- from home. (Eddie doesn't elaborate right away, instead focused on the subject of food.)

Where did you get hot dogs? And like, food and stuff in general? Is there soap and stuff here? (Also important.)

[oorah]

[ he nods, so that was eddie's room. and eddie's brother. though he just says friends. he isn't sure if it's another layer of self-protection and so frank leaves it alone. ]

It's good you have each other. I just got a friend from home too. [ a beat, the slightest and briefest wan-seeming smile. ] More like a brother, actually.

[ it's frank's turn to hesitate, not that he's ever thought it best to shelter children from the truth. he had always told his kids exactly how it was. he thinks they were all the better for it, too. ]

My housemate and I killed a deer. That's about all there is for meat, and rabbits. There's vegetables in the greenhouse. [ a beat ] I can get you soap. [ fight club fight club fight club ]

[clussy]

(For Bill, 'brother' and 'friend' were virtually the same thing. Though lately, Eddie was certainly thinking of Bill more as a brother, and soon he'd drop 'friend' altogether.)

Friends like that are the best. (Eddie smiles at Frank then, something more genuine and warm. The food had been nice enough, and Frank might not have done anything inherently wrong, but the fact that this man at least understood the importance of friends? Eddie felt something in him lower down and open up.

No one who cared enough about their friends to call them something like a brother was a bad person, Eddie has noticed. Henry Bowers certainly didn't give a fuck about his friends.

The comfort goes a little cold though and Eddie pales, looking down. He's not oblivious to meat and where it comes from, but Eddie was soft and didn't like the idea of killing animals.)

Oh. (He grimaces even more mostly because rabbits were cute.) I- I work at the greenhouse. (He stammers into saying finally, not wanting Frank to look down at him for not being able to handle animal stuff. But also-...)

Really? (He looks back up and there's that smile again.) Where from? I don't want to be a burden.

[oorah]

[ he nods, unable to deny that. when eddie goes pale, frank crouches down so they're on eye-level though he doesn't try to reach out. his elbows rest on his knees and his fingers lace, an obvious attempt to make himself small and nonthreatening. he will kill for eddie, he will do anything for these kids -- but he'd never hurt them. not in his right mind. he offers a tiny smile when he mentions the greenhouse. ]

My brother works there: Micro. He lives here, too. If you ever need anything, come to one of us. Okay? [ he nods, understanding eddie's urge to hide himself away and not ask for help. but frank isn't going to take no for an answer. he'll make sure he's provided for in any way he can. ] I have a Native friend. It's no trouble.

[clussy]

(It's a bit of a surprise when Frank gets down in front of Eddie in such a curious way. There was something unique about it, Eddie thought. Not a single adult in Derry had ever bothered with approaching him like this. They were awfully good at sitting behind their big desks and staring down at him with cool, cruel eyes. The eyes looking at him now were not those of Mr. Keene's eyes, nor his mother's, but instead...

A press of warmth slides up into the center of his chest. A soft name enters his mind, and for a second, he feels guilty at having forgotten. Clara.

So Eddie relaxes once more, and perhaps this time, more genuinely than the other times prior. He nods, taking the words seriously. Maybe not an absolute, perfect trust, but he could feel the shape of appreciation growing inside of him. Something that resembled Potential.)

Okay. (Eddie hesitates, and then after a second, slowly reaches up to very lightly touch one of those bruises on Frank's face before dropping his hand a second later.)

I'm trying to learn how to take care of people. I'm not- I'm no good at being violent. But I've learned some stuff from before--. I might not be a great doctor or anything, but I'm gonna try and stock my bathroom at my house with stuff. So if you ever...need anything...Or if your friend does...

(His confidence at the beginning peters out well by the end and he just fades off. This was an adult, after all, and Eddie sincerely doubted an adult would ever need his help. But it felt right to offer, and he meant it all the same. Frank was offering him help, so it felt fair and good to offer it back.)