Grey Eyes

"Nothing is real, this is how I feel, and nothing is good. But I don't mind being blind, if you don't mind doing time. Nothing is wrong, but everything takes too long."

[dusty-siseal]

[hayden-connolly-deactivated2014]

Hayden twisted, one hand pressed into the grass for support, and looked at the person beside him, eyebrows raised in surprise. The kid was exactly that – a kid. At least a decade younger than Hayden, maybe even a little younger. He would probably have had a better idea of his age if not for the glasses that were obscuring a vital part of his face. There was a dog laying with him. How the hell had he not heard that? He was getting rusty, apparently.

Pushing up into a half-sitting position, Hayden looked him over carefully, confusion tugging at him. A bit of a warning? What the fuck was that supposed to mean? As far as Hayden knew, his mere presence and words should have been enough of a warning. Hayden glanced down at him before turning his attention back to the boy, eyebrows still raised and pulling together. He hadn’t disappeared altogether while he’d been enjoying the heat of the dimming sun on his skin, so he didn’t get what the kid’s problem was.

Or the glasses. Those were confusing. The sun was still out, sure, but it was nowhere near bright enough to warrant sunglasses. “Jesus yourself, dude,” Hayden said, a mocking tone edging into his words. When was the last time he’d been called fucking dude? He couldn’t recall if he’d ever actually called someone that before, either. “I was here first. You’re the one getting in the way of my quiet time. I could feel you fucking breathing. It was annoying.”

Giving the boy a scrutinizing look, his eyes dropped from the boy’s face to the dog and back again. Sunglasses. Dog. Hayden had known a kid like that back in high school. Gee, this was just the perfect kind of day, wasn’t it? “You’re blind,” Hayden said. It sounded more like a statement than a question, and Hayden was sure he sounded more like a jackass than a perfect stranger.

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty tried not to inwardly roll his eyes at the man's tone, especially since it was so mocking. He didn't mind it, since he wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine himself. "Sorry, I won't call you dude. I'll go with cupcake next time. Like that better?" He crossed his arms over his chest, listening to the grumpy man talk. He was somewhat at fault for sitting down too close, but even then it was a park. Free property. "Oh you were here first? Such a great comeback, my man. Keep workin' on that and you might sound believable one of these days."

"Next time, I'll breathe away from you. Just point me in the direction and I'll make sure it happens," he hummed, snickering at his joke since he had absolutely nothing better to do. Dusty tilted his head a little, lifting up his hat to smooth down his hair before placing it back on his head. "Nothing gets past you," he crooned, grinning in the direction of Hayden's voice. "You sound so happy about it, too. Don't worry, I don't think it's infectious." He leaned back on his hands, now thoroughly amused. He definitely did not plan on leaving this spot, especially since it seemed to bug the other person so much. 

He knew he was annoying, but this was probably the only human interaction Dusty would have all day. "I think you should move if I make you so uncomfortable. I'm sure men like you, who live their lives so joyously, could easily find a new place to hang out." Dusty removed his hand from MJ's head, since the dog had decided that Hayden was more interesting than her owner for the time being. She wiggled a bit closer to him, resting her head on his lap like it was no big deal. 

[hayden-connolly-deactivated2014]

If late afternoon could drag out for longer than its allotted time, Hayden would be a happier man. There was something about the sun and the way the light slanted through the trees, over buildings and the way the shadow stretched out further and further with ever passing moment that made him feel a little more peace than he did during every other second of the day. He didn’t know what it was, but it made him feel lighter. Like maybe everything wouldn’t come crashing down on him within a fraction of a second.

After clocking out of work and taking a shower, he’d decided to go for a walk. His feet had carried him to the park of their own accord, his surroundings blurring together until he was standing on the grass and wondering how he had gotten there. There were children playing on the jungle gym and swings, screaming and laughing while they chased each other. A group of dogs were playing in one of the open fields of the park, their owners leaning back against the fence as they spoke to one another and watched their pets.

Stretched out on the grass, his sweater stripped off and bundled behind his head and neck, propped up as he watched what was going on in the park. People were living and existing, perhaps more than Hayden had in a very long time, and he felt like an outsider once again. It didn’t feel wrong to be on the other side of the glass window, not when it was like this. The sun was still out, and he felt more like a something the world was orbiting around than something that was being ignored. It was comforting, in a way, even if it wasn’t conventional.

He could feel someone too close to him. Not breathing down his neck, but someone who was closer than he was comfortable with. Hayden didn’t know how long they had been standing too close for his comfort. It could have been five seconds or it could have been five minutes; he hadn’t been paying attention. Casting a sidelong look to the right, he asked, “Is there something I can help you with?”

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty closed his sightless eyes for a few moments, taking in the different sounds that drifted towards him. It was all he could rely on, and he honestly liked it. Eavesdropping was going to forever be one of his favorite things, especially since people had some of the most interesting questions. Lately, Becky cheated on her boyfriend with his brother, and Dusty was hoping that he'd be able to hear what happened after Becky decided to spill the beans to her boyfriend. There was also the awkward first dates Dusty got to sit in on. And when the crazy mom of the man was involved, the dates lasted no longer than a total of five more minutes. 

For some reason, since he was blind, people for some reason assumed he was deaf. Dusty got the chance to say "I'm blind, not deaf" plenty of times, and it never ceased to amaze him that it had the same effect on everyone. He held on to MJ's leash, walking a few more steps down the path before he sat down on the grass, obviously not realizing that the spot was already occupied. He was unsure of the proximity as well, not even paying attention. MJ had rested her head on his thigh, and Dusty ran his fingers through her golden fur. 

The voice that suddenly popped up managed to give Dusty a heart attack, and he let out a loud "Fuck" before managing to compose himself. "Jesus, dude. A little bit of a warning next time, yeah?" He fixed his wayward sunglasses, making sure that he wasn't going to lose anything. After being mugged, he couldn't help but feel automatically defensive. "No," he snapped, too quickly for his own liking. "Why, do you need something?"

[natalieroosa]

A Step Into Alexandria

The city was absolutely beautiful, but much bigger than what Natalie was used to — and also a whole lot bigger than she anticipated. If it weren’t for the mission that she was on, she would’ve turned around and climbed right back onto that bus. She shook her head and smirked as she walked with her head down. As usual, she didn’t think this through. She had absolutely nowhere to stay, and only a little over five hundred dollars to last her until she was able to find a place. 

“Shit,” she muttered in disbelief. All she wanted was to escape the life she had before finding out about her brother, but that didn’t seem like it’d be happening anytime soon. 

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty stood patiently on the corner of the street, MJ sitting down beside him on the ground. He hated having to wait for people; since it was such a hassle that he really couldn't go anywhere by himself that was further than a couple of blocks. He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly running a hand through his blonde hair yet again. He heard someone mutter beside him, and he rose an eyebrow, figuring a bit of humor might make the person feel better.

"I look that bad today, huh? I knew I should've asked if this shirt went with the shoes I was wearing. Or are you lost? I can try and give you directions, but I can't promise you'll get there."

[dusty-siseal]

so hi hello everyone, I just wanted to put out a PSA that I am going to the 1D concert tonight and if I don’t return, a couple things might have happened. 1) I was trampled by screaming girls. 2) I fainted. 3) I was thrown in jail for throwing myself at Niall. So yeah. Otherwise all my threads have been replied to, so when I recover either tomorrow or Monday, I will be back to start NEW ones. So exciting. I love you all. Toodles

(PS: it's Niall's birthday today too woooooo)

[maddynavvy]

"Oh, I highly doubt that. My aim is pretty sport… I was never very good at baseball, or any sport, for that matter.” Maddy joked with a chuckle, a light-hearted grin forming on her lips as she let out a chuckle. Sure, she had a lot of energy, but that energy didn’t always translate well to sports. The rules just didn’t make a whole lot of sense to her, though honestly, not a lot of things did. Still holding the dildo with just the tips of her fingers, she carefully inspected it, her nose turning up as she attempted to describe it, saying, “Um… Honestly, I have no clue. I’m not an expert in this kind of thing… I guess it’s kind of big and long? And it’s very smooth? And it’s very, um, pink. Very, very pink. Like, um, hot pink.”Obviously, Maddy wasn’t really sure what to say. How was one supposed to describe a dildo? This definitely wasn’t easy.

"Yup, he took it! He gave me a weird look, but… He didn’t object or anything!" Maddy exclaimed, a wide smile forming on her face as she dusted off her hands. The guy had now walked completely out of sight, and for Maddy, the coast was finally and officially clear. Phew. Hopefully, she’d never have to deal with that again. “And hopefully, he won’t be coming back with it!” After all, why would the guy come back to give it to her? Maybe, he would actually have a use for it.

"Well, why did you take it? You do know that you’re not supposed to take things from strangers, right? It’s something we’ve all been taught since, like, the third grade." Maddy pointed out, shrugging her shoulders slightly. Perhaps it was a spur-of-the-moment thing - it had happened so fast that Dusty didn’t have a choice but to take it - but still. He could have just dropped it and walked away; it would have saved a lot of the hassle. “But, yeah, I guess you’re people. Some people are just… Mean. Really, really mean. It’s kind of sad, that they spend their time playing pranks on people that they don’t even know when they could be doing much better things, like saving kittens or working at soup kitchens or something. I almost feel sorry for them. They’re just jerks." 

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty smiled slightly at the mention of baseball, "I used to play. Obviously a long time ago. But I was great. Had dreams of going to the MLB eventually..." He trailed off due to a bit of embarrassment, but a grin broke over his face as she actually started to describe the dildo. He couldn't help but start laughing, shaking his head, "I cant believe you actually described that thing," he giggled and put a hand over his mouth. "Well done. Obviously I looked like I needed a big, long, hot pink dildo. How could I ever get so lucky?" He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling still. 

"Why did I take it? Well, one, I couldn't see the smug ass look on the dude's face at all. And second, he asked if I could help him out and hold something. Normally, I'd tell them to fuck off, but I guess I had some faith in humanity or something since I decided to be nice for once." Dusty rubbed his hands on his jeans, hoping that would get rid of the whatever had been on that hot pink dildo. "Saving kittens, huh? Yeah, they are a bunch of fucking losers. But there's not much you can do about the idiots of the world. If I could, I'd get rid of them all in one foul swoop, but naturally, I'd get put away for murder even though I'd be doing society a huge favor."

Dusty leaned down to rub MJ on the head a little bit, "I guess I should just be happy MJ didn't run after it and put it in her mouth. Thank God she decided to behave, otherwise I'd be rinsing her jaws out with soap."

[dusty-siseal]

Enter Sandman || Dusty&Zach

[zach-hartmann-blog]

Zach had been asked to check on his little sister by his parents after she’d been assaulted for the next couple of days, but the fact of the matter was that he really didn’t need to be asked at all, because he would always look out for her no matter what situation she was in. It was a usual occurrence now to visit her at night, especially since it was when her assault had happened, and after making sure that she was fine, he would leave and return to his home. The visits sounded like babysitting, but he couldn’t view them that way, because this was his sister and he knew that if something like that had happened to him, he’d want someone to check up on him, too.

He was walking down the near-vacant streets of Alexandria, a breeze blowing his light locks into his face as the lamp posts lit his way. The hoodie he was wearing kept him warm, though the night was far from chilly. It was summer, and it was still hot during the night time, but that didn’t mean that he wanted to be uncomfortable on the walk home. His favorite hoodie had fixed the issue once he stepped outside, and now he was thankful that he’d brought it along. The silence stretched on as he was momentarily taken by his thoughts, that ever-constant worrying that never seemed to leave even in the calmest of moments. He just honestly couldn’t help it. For whatever reason, it’d been engrained in him since he was a young kid, and it apparently had followed him through adulthood.

The thoughts that clouded his head soon left as he heard a distant barking. Eyebrows pulled together in the middle as he tried to listen to where the sound was coming from. After a couple seconds of listening, Zach returned to walking peacefully, figuring that it was just a dog who’d heard something and got spooked. Lord knows his own pup did the same thing. He walked a couple of streets more, turning this way and that, until he heard the barking become louder and more violent. On top of the barking was growls, and the dog didn’t sound happy in the slightest. While Zach wasn’t afraid of a stray, the sounds it was making sure put him on edge. The night would definitely end on a bad note should he get attacked by a rabid dog.

His apprehension, he came to realize after a couple steps forward, was all for nothing because the dog that was currently barking up a storm had no intentions of hurting him. Instead, it was focused on someone else, and in the dimly-lit alleyway it was harder to see just what it wanted to attack, but Zach got the gist of what was going on when there was a hit and then a groan. As he walked into the alleyway, minding to be quiet should the attacker turn and find him (even though he could probably take him with his eyes closed), he caught sight of the kid getting beat on and slowly raised his hands to alert that help had come. It appeared that the guy hadn’t seen him, even though he was looking straight at Zach, so he waved his hands and just hoped that he’d be able to catch on. But honestly, what was the point of getting his attention when he was wasting time and the poor guy was still getting the shit beaten out of him?

Zach let out a sharp, “Hey!” and didn’t waste time to pry the other guy off of the blonde. In the process the guy’s sunglasses fell, and while he would’ve loved to apologize for it, he had to focus on other matters. Besides, he could pick up his own damn sunglasses. Shoving the guy into the wall, his expression lethal and his tone deadly, Zach got into his face. “You like picking on other people, huh? You go for the smaller ones?” He grinned, though it wasn’t in glee. “What kind of fucking coward picks on people smaller than him?”

The guy he pressed against the wall struggled under his grip, and as he tried to wiggle his way out Zach kneed him in the groin. “You wanna try something else? A quick stop to the station oughta do you some good. How’d you like spending the night in jail?” The groans that filled his ears didn’t stop, but he felt the guy go rigid. “That’s what I thought. You take anything from him? No?” The guy shook his head quickly, words tumbling from his lips that mirrored his actions. Zach let go of his shirt, but didn’t back away from the situation. He turned to the blonde and asked the same question. When he replied no, Zach nodded his head and returned his attention to the guy. “Get the fuck outta here. You hear me? If I see your face again, I won’t be so nice next time.”

It seemed that his words had sunk in, because the guy didn’t try anything more and took off in the other direction. Now it was just Zach, the blonde, and the dog. He made his way over towards the two, frowning in worry. Always in worry. “It’s a good thing your dog went apeshit.” He said, gesturing to the animal. “I probably wouldn’t have known anything was going on if it wasn’t for it. Did you find your sunglasses?” Zach’s mind idly told him that it was a funny time to be wearing sunglasses when it was nighttime, but he thought nothing more of it. Maybe it was a weird quirk the guy had.

As he waited for the response, his gaze fell to the dog again. It was a little late to be walking a dog, too. He focused back on the guy, who was still trying to stop the bleeding on his nose. If Zach had gotten there sooner, maybe this whole thing would’ve been avoided, and the poor guy wouldn’t be injured. He meant to ask if he was all right, but it was clear that he wasn’t and in the last second of peering a little closer at the guy he noticed—

Zach’s eyes widened in disturbance when he caught sight of the unfocused light blue eyes. His mouth parted slightly. No wonder the guy hadn’t looked for his sunglasses — he couldn’t see. Zach wanted to slap himself in the face for being so inconsiderate and assuming. How rude was he to assume that this guy could see, when it was clear as day that he obviously couldn’t? He took a step back, and then he, naturally, had to take it upon himself to help this guy out even more now because he was blind. Zach searched the alley floor until he found the black shades and picked them up, subconsciously cleaning the scratched up lenses even though it wouldn’t do anything. He touched the blonde’s shoulder, hesitant, and then placed the sunglasses on top of his hands so that he knew he’d found them.

"They’re a bit scratched up." He said, withdrawing his hands and stuffing them in the front pocket of his hoodie. "If you wanted to know. I don’t know how you like your sunglasses…" He really was making a mess of this, wasn’t he? Dude’s just a normal guy, Zach. The only difference is he can’t see. And what a big difference that seemed to make.

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty was all sorts of turned around at the moment. He could feel another jar against his body, which successfully knocked his sunglasses off onto the ground. The sound of them cracking against the pavement reminded him of what would probably happen to him if he continued to refuse his attacker. He grit his teeth, trying to shove back, “Fuck you! You better get a good look at you’re fucking face, cause when I’m done with you, you’re gonna-“ Dusty was cut off once Zach’s voice rang out into the alleyway. It was barely noticeable to Dusty thanks to the constant bark of MJ and her valiant snarling. He was instantly dropped once the body holding his down was wrenched away.

The young man had to bite back any and all remarks he wanted to make as his rescuer began to yell at his attacker. Dusty rolled his sightless eyes, trying not to complain about how he wasn’t a little guy, or someone who needed all sorts of help. Though this situation really begged to differ. Dusty tried to catch his breath instead, feeling the press of MJ’s cold nose against his cheek as he stayed on his hands and knees on the dirty alley cement. “I’m fine,” he breathed to her, trying to push away her prying nose and tongue against his face. He idly listened to the voices in the background, gathering that Zach was some kind of police officer if he was suggesting taking him down to the station. Normal people would say something about calling the cops, but not this fella.

The pounding footsteps of someone running away brought Dusty back to the here and now, and he felt around for his sunglasses before giving up and sitting back on his butt to lean his back against the wall. His ribs hurt and so did his lungs, which were burning from a lack of oxygen. He put a hand through his messy blonde hair, ignoring the man for the moment. He heard his stupid question, though he couldn’t blame him since it was dark out anyway. Everything was dark to Dusty, but not to this guy. He tried to get back on track, shrugging in response since he couldn’t think of much to say at the moment.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” he smacked the hand that had touched his shoulder lightly, mainly since it had startled him. Dusty was already humiliated that he had nearly been mugged in the first place, and the last thing he needed was this stranger’s pity. His shaking hand couldn’t get a grip on the sunglasses, which only made them clatter back onto the ground. He’d have to get a new pair, ones that looked exactly the same. He had worn the same pair since he had been able to see, and it always managed to make him feel like he had a semblance of control when he knew what his sunglasses looked like. “Jesus fucking Christ, shut the fuck up!” he pulled himself to his feet, leaning against the wall.

Dusty put his hand on his forehead again, trying to gather what was happening. He let out a breath, taking comfort in the way that his Golden Retriever took her place right beside him. “If you’re looking for some fucking money or whatever the hell you wanna-be heroes think you deserve, you’re not getting anything.” He didn’t understand why his hand kept trembling, since his pride didn’t want to admit how terrified he had been just moments before. If anything, he needed a major attitude adjustment. He began to walk a little forward and then to the right, only to have his shoulder clip the wall and send him like a pinball back into the middle of the alley.

MJ had sat down after Dusty had made a fool of himself, and even the young man had to finally admit that nothing was going to happen unless Zach helped him. “Look,” he breathed, figuring the male was still there since the only footsteps he had heard were his own, “I- thank you. Okay? Can you just- I just need help getting home.” He didn’t like the way his voice wavered, but there was nothing he could do about it. “I’ll give you whatever you want. Just…my name is Dustin, and I live just a couple blocks from here. But I can’t- I lost count and now I can’t fucking get there.”

[dusty-siseal]

Take A Chance On Me || Dusty&Callie

[callie-richards]

"A smile just for me? You spoil me, Dusty," she answered, feeling her cheeks heat up. Everything he said and did made her feel special, like she was somehow housed within her own universe, separated from the rest of the world around him. Other men in her past had complimented her, cocky and flirtatious overcompensation for a lack of actual interest in her as a person. But Dusty wielded just the right amount of compliment with teasing, and the non-flirtatious conversation was just as intriguing as the flirtatious banter. In short, she liked him a lot…the way he made her feel, the way it seemed she made him feel. The blonde giggled and then tutted lightly as the man bumped shoulders with her again. "Can’t make it too easy for you, Mister. Life is all about a little challenge now and then. Next time you know to wear the paper bag. Or maybe I’ll wear the paper bag."

Someone else might have grinned in an amused manner at Dusty’s hobby. But Callie always took other people’s interests seriously. There was a genuine sort of fascination she held with learning what things intrigued other people, the varying way that the world captured their senses. And there was something sweet and nostalgic about Dusty’s like for radio. “I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a radio broadcast before…though I guess maybe that’s kind of like the internet podcasts that people do with computers and such. Do you think maybe we could listen to one of your favorites sometime?” She liked the way Dusty shifted to be close to her as they settled down onto the blanket, letting her own body gravitate towards him. “Me? Well I like music…obviously. Reading too…I’m also a really big fan of old black and white movies. Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland. I don’t even have to watch the screen, I just love the sound in old movies…the light crackling that the camera makes, the tenor of the voice back then. I’m a bit of a geek.”

[dusty-siseal]

"A little bit of a challenge, huh?” Dusty could not really ignore the irony that was fitted in Callie’s words. For him, it felt like every day was a challenge. He would die before his pride allowed him to admit how hard it was for him to even leave his apartment some days. He tilted his head a little bit, “Nah, you don’t need a paper bag. Everyone has to enjoy your smile.” He hummed lightly, leaning slightly against her just to where it was comfortable and he wasn’t pushing her over with his weight. His daily life was still something he had been trying to work out; nothing he tried over the past eight years had even come close to working. The only routine he found himself in was running back to his apartment before eight o’clock. Tonight he would make an exception, and in truth he found that he would probably do most anything with Callie. She gave him an unusual kind of courage, and he be damned if he let go of it.

Dusty tried to stop the giddy smile that hit his face when she sounded genuinely interested in what he had said about his radio broadcasts. “Yeah, modern stuff has kinda taken over the whole radio thing. I think people get all tripped out when I tell them that I really don’t know what an iphone looks like. Or an ipad, or whatever the hell they are now. Crazy, right? Such little…technology shit can kinda rule everything. I think the radio broadcasts, and the firelight stuff by Teddy Roosevelt is pretty cool.”

He enjoyed the fact that she shared his love for all things old; black and white movies being one. “So I can be James Dean, and you can be my Marilyn?” Dusty flashed a smile towards her, clearing his throat before he pressed on. “Anything music, I’m not that great at. Despite popular belief, I am not Ray Charles,” he shook his head solemnly before grinning, “But hey, anything you read, I’ll read. Maybe you can read it t’me, or maybe I can get it transferred over or something. It will take me twice as long to read it, I’m really shitty about that kind of stuff.” Dusty thought about her old movies, remembering listening to a couple of them. “Judy Garland….like The Wizard of Oz? I just liked it when she melted.”

[dusty-siseal]

Play It Again • Dusty & Brian

[brianrollins-blog]

Brian listened to Dusty speak, laughing when it was appropriate but otherwise managing to keep a steady, serious face. As much as he joked around and laughed, this whole thing was more than just a joke to Brian. Dusty’s thoughts mattered, though he didn’t think them to matter; it was not from a personal concern that she cared, but rather in a professional, business-like manner. So maybe he wasn’t the right guy to give deep feedback, as he so said so himself, but that did not matter so much to Brian as compared to the fact that he was in the documentary, and his feedback — whether or not anything she had put together was offensive to him, especially during his portion —- was important to her.

However, when Dusty suggested that she add her own bit to the video, Brian shook her head in immediate response. That was the only way she knew how to respond, as if to attest the truth: that her place was behind the camera, and that she had not enough inspiration within herself to say something worth saying. Her response was abrupt though, and thus a chuckle escaped her lips. “What the hell does Brian want to accomplish in her life?” she echoed after Dusty. “I guess she’ll tell you when she finds out. But for now, behind the camera is where she’ll be.” A small smile graced her lips, silent to the numerous videos she had taken of herself when she was younger simply for the sake of it. Brian had stopped doing that now; the reason behind why was something she’d forgotten. Dusty’s words brought back their memories, but she was not willful enough to allow them to overwhelm her.

She didn’t have to say any of these things, though. Brian did not have to tell him about the home videos she made when she was an adolescent finding her way in the world, the videos that had once been her diaries. Dusty continued to speak, and she continued to listen, thankful so as not to have opened up about herself. However, the smile only lasted for a moment, for when Dusty began to speak about trigger warnings and how he opposed them, Brian’s face fell. This was as much as she understood: not everyone needed trigger warnings; she herself didn’t for the most part. But the rest was unknown to her. How could someone wish others to be in danger, even if they themselves did not see the danger as such? How could someone not wish for someone’s safety, even if they did not see the need for it? Was Dusty completely numb to the need of others to be safe when it came to media? Brian thought she was horrible, but this was something else. Something else altogether.

At first, she didn’t know how to reply. Only silence came from her end as she thought of what to say to Dusty. However, it was not really the thought of what to say that silenced her; it was the knowledge that she was, indeed, horrible. She was horrible, and she knew it within herself more than any other fact. Speaking up for others would feel like a hypocritical thing to do, but to stay silent even worse. Thus, she cleared her throat, and said, “If so and so gets triggered, I think we should respect them for that.” In her tone was a distance than had not been there from when she first met Dusty; it was harsh and cold, just as she was harsh and cold. “It’s important to keep people safe through the media. It’s important that we respect what others do and don’t want to see for the benefit of their health.”

Brian cleared her throat again. “You wouldn’t understand.” With three words, she dismissed him, anything he could say and anything he thought. It was true, probably, that he didn’t understand. If he had such a nerve to say such things, then chances were that he didn’t understand. And for the most part, Brian didn’t either. She didn’t know how to explain herself; she didn’t know enough to explain it to others. All she knew was that certain people needed to be kept safe from things that triggered them into something beyond ordinary — not just anger, or sadness, or any of that sort; it was the way she needed warnings for death in the family, for she knew she could not handle it, not even as a joke.

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty couldn't blame Brian for not wanting to put in her own two cents. It was always normal for the director to be perfectly happy with their own antics from behind the scenes, but it always made Dusty curious what was going through their heads. Like what Steven Spielberg was thinking when the T-Rex chomped a dude off of a toilet. Those movies had been his favorite, since they were some of the few that he had seen before his sight had been taken from him. He still listened to them from time to time, and it was always considered one of his guilty pleasures that he could imagine Martin Ferrero meeting his demise in a port-a-potty shack. 

He kept his face neutral, the silence not entirely bugging him. Dusty was used to this point in relationships. His ideas and thoughts always offended the sensitive types, but Brian was the last one he thought would be sensitive. "Yes, yes, media and all that," he waved his hand slightly, wondering if she was trying to get a rise with her tone. He could do the same thing, and wasn't ready to be pushed around by someone who had an opposite opinion. "Is this the part where I agree because I actually can't see what everyone else does or does not want to?" he offered lightly, not willing to cut himself off completely. The rudeness was getting to him, especially since it was unexpected.

"Maybe I wouldn't," he smiled a little after a moment, "Or maybe, I understand better than most people do?" Dusty didn't want to end their meeting on a bad or sour note, but Brian seemed intent to make it that way. "So before you try and act all high and mighty with your own opinion, I simply say that I accept what you're saying, and I respectfully disagree." Dusty tried and tried to keep any and all sarcasm out of his voice, and he put his chin in his hand after making sure he wasn't leaning on the computer.

"I'll tell you something, Brian, I think that I have a better idea than most people do. Sleeping isn't a big deal to many people, right? Nah, but if someone just said 'ah man, I could barely sleep last night.' Plain as day, right? Maybe I got the concept wrong, but I'd have to sensor out everything, just so I don't think that there are a shitton of fucking drama queens in the world. I know what it's like not to get sleep. Ever thought what it would be like to live in darkness, Brian? Think of that before you tell me that I don't understand." Dusty wasn't sure where half of his anger had come from, but he was still certain that life wasn't going to make exceptions for anyone. He had learned that.

"If someone's life revolves around the media, maybe then its better." Dusty leaned back into his seat, crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to put together a coherent thought. He was a bitter man, and if that hadn't been evident, then Dusty wasn't sure what was. It wasn't like him to lose control of what he was saying. He was always proud of his snark and his overall rudeness. 

[dusty-siseal]

ilu

stop that. i am unworthy. 

[dusty-siseal]

I still owe a para reply to Brian and Callie, and a chat to Maddy. If anyone has any plot ideas or wants to deal with the dusty man i am always available<3 xoxo

[dusty-siseal]

Enter Sandman || Dusty&Zach

It had been a stupid mistake. A very stupid mistake. For someone as habitual as Dusty when it came to being home before dark, it was nearly unfathomable that the man had forgotten to check the time while he was out. Not even Dusty could understand how this had happened. He had went out to his favorite pizza place, where the deep dish crust and cheese were absolutely to die for. But like a dumbass, he had forgotten to check the time after he had scarfed down half of it and had the rest packaged up. He had been too lost in the old movie they had been playing on the TV. Even then, Dusty knew he shouldve known better. It may not had been late according to other people, but when the shrill sound of his alarm sounded from his phone, Dusty had a feeling of dread hit him. 

He had fumbled to try and turn it off before it annoyed other people, doing so a few seconds after it had gone off. MJ had stood up beside his chair, and he could hear her shake her fur out as she got ready to leave. Dusty ran a hand through his hair, sighing as he stood up, leaving a tip on the table and gathering up MJ's leash and wrapping it tightly around his wrist. He held tightly onto his to-go box as he exited the pizza place, which was only a good two blocks from his apartment complex. 

Dusty could feel the chill from the night air chill him to the very core. There was something daunting to him about being out so late at night, and even though it was now only a quarter past eight, nothing seemed worse to the blind man. "Why the fuck did I do this to us, MJ?" he muttered to his dog, who walked dutifully alongside him. He knew it was paranoia that drove him to this feeling of insecurity, but Dusty had his own reasons. Living in the dark for so long had made him ill prepared for the kind of people that inhabited the world. Lowlifes or those who thought they deserved something someone else had were always around, and Dusty was the easiest target.

There was always the chance that Dusty was simply way too paranoid for his own good. He took a deep breath of the still slightly warm pizza that was contained in the togo box in his hand, the yummy scent calming his nerves for the time being. He was at step 78 in his mind, and it should have only been about 209 more steps until he reached the safety of his apartment building. By the time he hit step number 90, something else seemed to have taken him by surprise as well. His first hint should have been MJ's abrupt stop, but even then the weight of Dusty's attacker was enough to barrel over the young man and send him back first into the brick wall behind him.

"Mother fuck-" Dusty cut off with a yelp when a fist suddenly collided with his face, effectively snapping his head back. He could feel the blood easily begin to slide down from his nose, and a flare of defiance kicked in once MJ began to bark her head off at the man that was now covering Dusty's mouth with his hand. Dusty tried to slam his knee up into the stranger's gut, but even then the man had at least five inches on him and nearly double his weight. Dusty clenched his sightless eyes shut, shakily trying to breathe through the pain in his bloody nose. The quiet but stern words that came from the stranger were the usual "give me your wallet and no one gets hurt" that every thief must have practiced in the mirror. 

Dusty wasn't one to give in, and he shook his head, trying to drown out MJ's snarling and barking with any rational thought. The Golden Retriever, normally docile, was still barking and snapping if the guy swung at her to get her to shut up. Dusty was grateful enough for that, but was definitely not excited when a fist slammed into his gut to effectively cut off his air supply.

[xforgetshit]

[marcusconley-blog]

Marcus had to bite down on his bottom lip in order to stop the sound of protest that wanted to leave his lips. What did he mean, ‘you sound like you need it anyway’? The two hadn’t even talked to each other for more than a couple seconds and this guy was— he just couldn’t— Was Marcus really that easy to read?

Scratching the back of his ear, Marcus let out a heavy, distressed sigh. Rather than the guy being humiliated, it was now him who had to deal with the feelings that came over him. Oh, gosh. He’d said it was his now. “No.” Marcus said, shaking his head as he spoke. “There’s no way I’m touching… that. I don’t even know where it’s been!” He took another step away from it, this time off to the side so he’d avoid stepping into the street. His expression grew mortified. “You threw it at me.”

Oh my god. It touched me.

[dusty-siseal]

Dusty stood there in awkward silence as the other male didn't say anything. He cleared his throat, rocking back and forth on his heels. He would have given anything to see the look on Marcus' face, especially since the guy sounded so distressed over the fact that he had laid eyes on - God forbid - a dildo. "You okay there, buddy?" He couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice, or the smile off of his face for that matter. 

"Like hell if I know where it's been!" he argued back, crossing his arms over his chest, before he inwardly rolled his eyes at the guy. "Yeah, I threw it at you. I used my fucking spidey-senses and tossed it right at ya. Give me a break, pal. Suck it up and throw it away or something."

[cvrpconfessions]

[loriashmore]

"What? You’re older than me? Huh. How old are you?" She inquired before listening to his words. She hadn’t met someone who was blind before - or rather, someone that was blind and seemed so young. "Alright." She responded, shrugging it off and putting any and all questions she had towards the back of her mind. His smile made her almost chuckle with relief. "Oh, yeah? Well… That’s good."

"I am in school. I go to Georgetown and I study pre-law… And uh, it’s not cheap so…" Lori let her words trail off suggestively before she raised her brows. "Oh? You work at an animal shelter? That’s so cool! I, just… I dunno if working at a place like that would have covered what bills I have, y’know." She shifted her weight from foot to foot, uncomfortable with talking money with a stranger. "Yes. Lorelai is me. Thank you, next time I speak to my father, I will be sure to send him your regards." She remarked ruefully. "What about you?"

[dusty-siseal]

"Twenty-two," he ran a hand through his hair, shrugging again, "Though apparently I look like I'm twelve. So whenever i want to get something to drink, they ID me and it takes like five people to assume that it's actually a real ID." Dusty put his hands in his pockets, closing his mouth so he stopped blabbing about whatever. He knew it was probably awkward for the woman he had just met, since he had such a brash personality. He sometimes forgot how to be a polite and social person. 

"Pre-law, huh? Damn, that's quite the subject." Dusty was always impressed by those who chose to go to college. He was always too depressed or down on himself to even think about secondary education. "What kind of lawyer? Y'know...they got prosecutors, and all that stuff. Most of my knowledge comes from Legally Blonde. So I can't say too much." He tried to lighten the mood with his joke, hoping he hadn't offended her with his blatant questions about being a pornstar. "Right, sorry. I'm Dusty. It's short for Dustin or whatever, but that's boring."

[maddynavvy]

"I mean, what else am I supposed to do with it?" Maddy replied, looking down at the object and then back up at the man. What the hell was she supposed to do? Should she hand the thing off to someone else? Should she throw it in the trash? Should she just drop it on the ground and run? It would be kind of mean to give it back to the guy who gave it to her in the first place - he didn’t want it almost as much as she didn’t want it, after all. Honestly, Maddy had no idea what she was supposed to do with it.Still, she needed to get rid of it somehow; there was no way in hell she was going home with this thing.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped the first man that passed her by on the shoulder, hoping that he would stop. Once he had stopped in front of her, she quickly shoved the thing into his hands and declared, “Here, have this. Use it however you want, but don’t give it back to me.” The man gave her a weird look, but thankfully, he walked away with it still in her hand. The thing was now his problem. 

"So, a guy just decided to give you that… That thing as a joke?” Maddy asked, her nose turning up as she thought back to the thing that was just in her hands. Shaking her head, she added, “Sometimes people are just plain cruel.”  

[dusty-siseal]

"I don't know. Throw it at someone, you'll possibly have better aim than I do," he offered, figuring she wouldn't do that since only rude assholes like himself seemed to find the humor in it. Dusty offered her a shrug as well after he had spoken, smiling slightly in amusement. "Maybe you can pawn it. What's it look like? Is it at least big?" he grinned even more, trying not to start laughing so it seemed like he was serious in his questions. The smile on his face probably said otherwise, but Dusty couldn't help but laugh at his own bad luck anyway. 

Dusty stayed quiet as Maddy spoke up to someone, and he had enough sense that it wasn't him she was talking to. He rose an eyebrow before he started laughing, "Did that fucker seriously take it?" he hadn't heard any protest from whoever she had shoved the dildo towards, so he shook his head while laughing still. 

He managed to calm himself down when the girl asked him another question, and he shrugged, "Yep. It was more like two or three of them. I could hear someone else snickering behind the guy that was talking to me. I should've known better," he offered a thin smile, putting his hands into his pockets, "It's life. People don't have anything better to do then trick those who they think aren't as able. Fuck them; they're lucky they didn't stick around. I would've kicked their asses."