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Where most of New York is lively this early on a Friday night, Mutant Town is its own beast. There are people walking the streets, but far fewer than one might expect to see in a comparable neighborhood elsewhere — the Eight Ball has a crowd, but otherwise, things are relatively quiet. Tense. Anxious.
And then there's the acoustic guitar wafting about the air from one of the neighborhood brownstones, specifically from the young man sitting on the stairs leading up to the front door. Even here, Jono's keeping his head down, scarf up to his nose while he plays. Or, well. Tunes, in this case.
*
Mutant Town is a long way from Hollywood but Lucy doesn't mind. Whatever makes other people anxious about mutants, she doesn't share. She's rather comfortable around them. Of course, she's got Laura's hand in hers, so it's hard to be afraid of anything.
"We look until we find a place we like. A place they won't look for me. Or you." Lucy pauses on the corner, looking around. The street smells of cabbage and drying laundry strung between the buildings, cigarettes and the faint dank of sewer. She's sure nowhere's going to smell great to Laura and at least this is just the smells of living.
The music catches her ear and she turns — that young man is unmistakable. "Oh, I saw that boy the other day at Coney Island. He seemed nice. We should ask him how he likes it here."
*
Laura has been happy to just trail along in Lucy's hand and absorb her commentary about What Makes a Good Choice of Apartment. She is by no means dressed normally, but at least she left the bow back in her stash— the rest is quirky but nothing out of place in this part of town.
When she mentions Jono, Laura cranes her neck to look past Lucy, then nods. "He was there when we ran into that…" What was the term? "…busker." Which is kind of like an agreement that they should, indeed, ask his opinion.
*
It isn't the voices that get Jono's attention. More of an impression, and a little glimpse of a downright comical amount of contrast between two people. He looks up and squints towards Laura and Karolina, his fingers falling still as he realizes, yes, he does recognize them. Both of them, actually, though one more recently than the other.
Oh, hell. He's about to have to be social, isn't it.
*
They are a mismatched pair, to be sure. Blonde and perky, dark and dangerous. But they seem pretty happy with that — or at least Lucy does. She's sunny even with the bracelet on.
"Hi!" She waves at Jono. "You were on the boardwalk when I was, remember?" She seems certain that she's forgettable. "Do you live here?"
This is Mutant Town, Lucy reasons. That means he's probably a mutant so there's likely something wrong with his face. Maybe he can't talk.
"Oops," she says, right on top of her questions. "Sorry if I'm being rude, if you can't talk. I know some sign language, just a little, from working at summer camp." Painfully sunny. And cheerful. With the smile and everything.
*
"Hello," Laura offers in turn. Still not super-chatty, though Lucy does tend to bring it out in her at times these days. She watches her friend sidelong for a while, then adds, by way of explanation, "We are seeking a new residence." Another glance at Karolina. "Somewhere quiet. Un-curious."
*
Damn his luck, he does have to be social. Jono gives the impression of a sigh before he sits up a bit straighter, loosely folding his arms along the top of his guitar. He briefly toys with the idea of playing mute… but it's brief.
«I remember you,» comes the thickly accented, unspoken reply, and two of Jono's fingers wave vaguely in Lucy's direction. «Link Wray. Bright spot in an otherwise dull afternoon.»
And then his eyes drift to Laura… and her hands. He remembers her, too. «Picked a good neighborhood fer it.»
*
Ooh. That's neat. Lucy does not say that out loud but it is super cool. He probably knows that. "I'm Lucy. This is Laura." She gives Laura's hand a little squeeze. "And, yeah. I love Link Wray. Him, I was allowed to listen at home. It must be okay if you live around here. Not too expensive, no one too nosy." She didn't miss the reluctance to be social. "And no one looks twice at weird shit, right?" Yes, the swearing. But some of the stuff that has gone down can't be encompassed by any other term than: weird shit.
*
Laura's cheif concern is rainbow-colored glowing girls won't be too remarkable or worth chatting about. But she doesn't say such, and she doesn't give a flying flip about Jono's eyeing her hands. Whatever. She lets go of Lucy's hand, so she can stuff hers in her jacket— but ends up hooking her arm through the other girl's elbow, so it's effectively no change. Since hasn't anything to add to that, she busies herself with studying their environment, cataloguing everything dangerous, useful, and irrelevant. It's a habit.
*
As long as he's already not being rude… «Jono. Whether or not people look tends t' depend on exactly how weird yer shite is, but more than lookin' is… rare.» He shrugs a shoulder.
After a moment's thought, Jono gets to his feet, shifting the guitar up to rest over his shoulder as he wanders down to a more companionable distance for conversation. Why not. «Forgive me fer sayin', but you two don't exactly look like the sorts that get hidden away out here.»
*
"I guess looks aren't everything." Lucy lifts her chin stubbornly and steps a little closer to Laura. "Some of us just hide being weird better than others. And there's more than one way to be weird, isn't there?" She's an alien rainbow factory, Laura is a spiky mutant assassin, among other issues. "It's better if we don't draw attention. So we try not do. Unless, you know, there's an emergency. Like hellhounds or tentacle monsters."
*
"I do not 'people' well," is Laura's contribution. "It is better if people are used to that," she opines. Also that whole thing where they both have people they would rather word not get back to, but she's not interested in volunteering that part.
*
Jono's eyes flick between the pair, the corners turning up slightly at Laura's contribution. «Me neither.» He reaches up to thoughtfully scratch the side of his nose, then fusses slightly with his scarf to keep it properly settled in place. «Fair 'nuff, gel. If you wanted to ask after some rooms, the boss is home,» he notes, thumbing over his shoulder to indicate the front door. «Pretty sure there's at least one or two vacancies based on the number've people who yell at me when I play.»
*
"It'll be nice to have a proper place to sleep. And we'll be neighbors if we move in," Lucy says to Jono, with a bright smile. Then she realizes that this is not necessarily an upside for Jono.
"Which means you can ignore us all you like," she amends. "Unless you need anything. Promise." She is happy to be ignored as needed. "We're very useful, though, if you ever need help. I'm really good at people. And Laura is, well. Laura." She gives Laura a look that can only be described as adoring, as though she were looking at a kitten — that Laura is a murderkitten is only a bonus.
*
Laura trades glances with Lucy when she's given a look, and offers a small smile, then just shrugs at Jono and nods once. She is indeed Laura. Sometimes that's the only good description, if one is honest. Also if one is honest, she's not sure Lucy's approach to Jono is working. But he hasn't professed undying hatred yet, so it's probably good enough. Right?
*
There it is again, that odd, disembodied laughter. But this time, it's obvious that it's coming from Jono, who cocks his head to the side as he eyes Lucy in amusement. «Relax, sunshine. Y'like Link Wray so yer fine with me,» he muses, dark eyes twinkling. «It'd be nice t'have somebody with decent taste 'round fer a change. Never much cared about how much use somebody was, that just seems…» He gestures vaguely, squinting. «…cold.»
*
"Well. New York is cold when you're on your own, even in the summertime. It's just good to know where you can go when you need help and who can help you out." Lucy shrugs one shoulder unapologetically, still sunny. "That's all. Come on, Laura. Let's see if there's any rooms that suit."
*
Laura opens her mouth to say something about the topic of being useful, but apparently decides 'come on Laura' is the better option. Probably true, given her views on such things. "Okay. Maybe they will have one near the roof," she muses hopefully. Laura likes heights.