Pool teaching (for 6thseasonbuffy)

[letsdropin]

Yeah, it had taken Reid a bit of recon to find a place that was likely to be decent for making it possible to both play pool and relax, but then again, he had the whole of the day for it, and since he meant to enjoy things, he didn't do this bit casually, either.

Eventually, he liked a place - and no, it wasn't extremely cultured or anything. Just had a feel to it that rang true with Reid. That was enough - there was enough experience for him to trust that.

He texted the location to Tony. And then went to look around some more. No, he really hadn't been there before. So. It had to be explored, the place. Yes, it was big. No, that wasn't intimidating.

Eventually, he got home and rested a bit, because. And then he made his way to the pool place, settling with a beer to wait for the other guy to show up. Not that he had any idea where things were going to end up - maybe just a game, maybe an interesting conversation. Maybe longer hanging around would end up in them fighting, which he'd keep to civilized levels, because he'd learned, but still; and maybe they were going to have a different ending for the night altogether. Mmmm keeping an open mind.

Comments

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

It had been a typical day on set for Tony, which for him meant that his name got yelled every five seconds or was changed to "somebody", as in "somebody needs to climb up on that scaffolding and change the broken light bulb". Tony had learned pretty quickly that when he was working, "somebody" usually meant him. He'd been harassed by Brenda in wardrobe and by Mason, swapped stories with Everett and talked tattoos and bad script ideas with Amy. He'd also dropped something on his foot when Lee smiled at him, which was typical by no less embarrassing. One day Tony would be able to look at the handsome actor without blushing. Today was not that day.

He'd left the night shoot just as the midnight mass bells started ringing in the church outside the studio and checked his cell phone with the texted directions again. Some nice pool, a little drinking, and interesting conversation awaited.

He arrived at the place at little after one o'clock and searched the dimmed circles of light above the pool tables for Reid.

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Reid was watching the games, nursing a beer. And looking around periodically, out of habit. Checking girls out. Barely a bit so, checking guys out, but if he went too obvious about that here, alone as he was for now, there'd be weirdness, and he definitely didn't want to be ... asked to leave before his new acquaintance had had a chance to show up, even.

So he was looking around. And noticed the other guy hanging around the entrance quickly enough. Bounced off his seat a bit and headed over there, smiling and waving as soon as he caught his eye. When he reached within speaking distance, he grinned and reached a hand out for a shake. "Hey, you're here sooner than you expected. That a good sign or not so good one?"

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Tony smiled and held out his hand to be shook, running his other hand through the short dark-brown hair at the nape of his neck.

"It's a so-so sign," he said with a sigh. "We haven't quite got the episode in the can yet but waiting on the weather for clear night shots isn't cast and crews fault so it's not like I'm getting blamed for the delay."

Although there were some mutterings from Peter and Tina that if Tony was a big-shot wizard he should have a spell to make the rain go away. Tony hadn't felt like explaining that trying to hold back the rain in Vancouver with magic was a bit like trying to stop a volcano from erupting by stuffing yourself in the hole. Not a good idea.

"Could definitely use a beer though," he noted.

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Reid's eyebrows twitched slightly at the rest of that gesture, and ginned a bit more. Tony was cute and so far, fun to hang around with. If close proximity meant... something? Flusterment, just, reaction? All the better. Reid wasn't very fond of boring. Even less so, of being boring himself.

"Beer it is, then. Also good, since the tables're taken, but I think one will be done soon enough." No, he didn't have anything to do with it. Just a long time of observing pool - and waiting for a turn at a table - had made him aware of a few things.

He tilted his head towards a spot to sit, close to the pool, and started leading that way, slowly and casually enough so that if Tony had another idea, he could have a say. Or move. "Not getting blamed is a very good policy. I try to stick to it as much of the time as possible, especially when there's been trouble." Why yes, Reid's smirk might be suggestive of the fact that he was the source of that trouble more often than not.

But he wouldn't really touch the weather. Well... not alone, at the very least. Not that he usually had as good reasons to consider it as episode schedules.

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Sitting sounded good to Tony. He'd been on his feet all day, running around fetching this and that, going back and forth between the set and the head office with memos. The headsets were supposed to fix that kind of thing, but after about the sixth garbled message, everyone had decided it was just easier to send Tony to find out what the hell everyone wanted instead of trying to interpret the squeaks and static from the headsets.

He followed Reid over to the chairs, catching the hint of mischief in his smile and grinned back.

"Is there usually trouble?" he asked. Not that he was surprised. Henry was fond of saying that Tony was a trouble magnet.

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Not that Reid knew those details, but anybody getting out of work at this time of night, and with what he'd been told earlier? Yeah, sitting down should probably be a good idea.

He flopped on one of the chairs and lounged, the way somebody who's been used to being among the people having fun for all of his life can. And grinned over. "You kidding? Ask my friends and they'd tell you I'm trouble incarnate." Of course, the other three weren't there at the moment, so it would be difficult to happen, but. And, no, Tony, not that kind of trouble. The kind that makes you facepalm, not the kind that gets people to lose their lives.

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Tony took his own seat with a sigh, stretching out his legs carelessly and mimicked Reid's casualness. Hey, he was off the clock! He could relax once in a while.

"That sounds like something my friends would say," he admitted, ruefully. "But it's never my fault. Well, okay, sometimes it's my fault, but I never mean for it to be."

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Reid didn't mind him relaxing. At all. It was much better and way more fun, really. And he might have been enjoying the sight. A little.

He chuckled at that bit. "Hey, I mean the fun kind of trouble. And it's usually my fault. Which doesn't mean I don't get to try to duck out of the fallout. 's part of it all! Also, watching the faces of people trying to figure out how much of my excuses are pure bull and how much is actually true is always hilarious." Straight-faced. "I try to stick to the truth... as much as convenient."

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

"The fun kind of trouble can't really be that much trouble," Tony teased, nudging the other man with an elbow. "Otherwise it's not fun anymore."

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

"It's a fine line." Smirking. "I rather like sticking to it. Ju-ust on the edge. And then it's real fun."

Right. Beer. Reid bounced to take care of that, just because. He'd had a lot of the day to rest, so no trouble. And then he picked his thread of thought right up.

"It's almost like an art." Yeah, he was bragging a bit.

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, whatever mister ah-teest," Tony replied with a roll of his eyes. He accepted the beer with a smile of thanks and took a long pull from the bottle.

"Living on the edge. Huh. Some people just don't know the value of a perfectly boring existence."

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Reid smirked and took a much small sip. He'd already had some, and getting too drunk too fast might make fun more difficult. "I am!"

He tilted his head slightly. "I don't think that was ever in the options, for us." Meaning his friends and himself. Stupid inherited shit. Except how it usually wasn't that. "So, decided I might as well make the best of what I have!"

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Tony laughed and thought about his own words to Henry way back when. 'Like calls to like.' Maybe being boring or normal wasn't ever an option for him either. And he was certainly making the best of it these days.

"Well it's a good attitude if nothing else," he replied, taking another drink. "I guess the fun kind of trouble would include things like..." Tony raised an eyebrow, encouraging Reid to finish the sentence.

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Laughing was good. Laughing was very good. And, well, magical power aside, Reid was hoping he'd get a normalish life. Plus self-stirred trouble, but that didn't get out of control. ... right?

Another grin. "Glad you like! And, oh, anything. Whatever mood strikes. Picking up the wrong people. Picking on bullies. Going to places we should stay away from," and it's a 'we' out of sheer force of habit, he usually drags Tyler right along at the very least.

And other things. Using power when he shouldn't be. Not that he is, now.

Now, he's got momentum. "I think picking on bullies might be among my favorites. Hate bullies."

ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Just because. Reid wants to threadjack on Chase's post to warn Tony about him. He is an insane magic user.

ooc

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Hee. That would probably just make Chase really interested in Tony if he was suddenly warded off.

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

That would really depend on the Chase. But yeah, the guy who killed his adoptive parents AND persuaded his real father to give up his power to him... thereby killing the man, too? Needs great big warnings. Reid worries! Which I find hilarious. And adorable.

Re: ooc

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

Awww. Well I don't mind being threadjacked.

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

... uh-oh. *giggles, pets the kiddos* Yeah, Chase is the Bad Guy (TM) in Reid's canon... so yeah.

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

Also, it's almost scary how much information they managed to exchange there without calling anything by its actual name. Whee.

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

... and we're sorely tempted to tag on that last sws... but will leave tacking Tony's magic for after I've read about it so I don't make too much of a mess with the differences.

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

... and because I'm apparently procrastinating at the moment (will stop in a mo): this (http://www.bellazon.com/main/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=340573&).

Re: ooc

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

lol wtf

Re: ooc

[letsdropin.livejournal.com]

*facepalms* I know, right? Also, Reid insists that tights will work, but I can verify that very short shorts do NOT work well. (Yes, this is me doing NaNo. And using other stuff to focus.

Re: ooc

[6thseasonbuffy.livejournal.com]

So, on top of NaNo and everything else, ever think of applying to confessioncafe? I've tossed Tony into the place at the moment and it's a really small game.