Part Two: The Dinner

[lestercraft]

Who: Arthur & Helly Lester and anyone who actually goes for the invite
When: Evening of Jan 29th
Where: The Lester Household
Open/Closed: Open! Come one and all from Haven Street.
Applicable Warnings: Discussion of January events, mass conspiracy (it's us, we're the conspirators)


It's even odds, he thinks, whether people thought he was off his rocker in making a post like that, or if people would believe he's actually trying to contact people the only reasonable way he knew how. It was certainly much faster than trying to contact people individually, especially in this weather, and hopefully between himself and Helly that they've met enough people to get a decent turn-out.

The more they can learn about this place, the more they can trust each other, the better. Right now, trust is all they have.

The lower floor of the house is well lit, even if all the windows are curtained and shut, and there's a record playing in the lounge, audible from outside - something jazzy and dated by the standards of the time, but a bit of Hoagy Carmichael and Billie Holiday is settling his nerves, if nothing else - and the kitchen is... sparse, clearly underused but for the stack of mugs by the sink, but with some effort the blind leading the blind he and Helly have at least put together a salad for people. Theoretically they'll be bringing their own food too, make it at least ostensibly a potluck.

Comments

[workingthenumbers]

Numbers rolls his eyes. Nothing useful to me.

He's about to add another annoyed response when Wrench gestures to Arthur--then, he raises an eyebrow when Wrench moves to trace letters against Arthur's hand.

He waits for Wrench to finish, then replies, Yeah. Met him at the mall. Mannequins. I see you two are friends. He then looks to Arthur, not really bothering to adjust his expression. Why would he? It's not like the man can see it.

"I see you two are already friends," Numbers says flatly, repeating what he said to Wrench out loud. "And I didn't mean to sneak up. I just wanted to talk to my partner."

He pauses, evaluating the man before him.

"You're Arthur, right?" The name was on the invite, and he's making tea like he knows the kitchen, so it probably means he's one of the hosts.

[lestercraft]

Oh, well, call him a liar, apparently. He did recognise that voice, hissing and cursing as its owner was forced to drag him like dead weight through the shopping centre.

He taps Wrench twice with the back of his hand on the man's flank, before he opens back to the same page, holding it low and flat for Wrench to read, scribbling fast even as his voice remains level and dry.

"Yes, I'm- Arthur Lester." # + W in a crude circle. "I met Wrench when he helped me in one of the fallout shelters, I got a bit- I-I suppose overwhelmed." W in shltr 1st mtg. "He's been- remarkably patient, given our respective circumstances." # knows AL blind W deaf.

[wwrench]

Occupying a space at the counter alongside Arthur keeps the man in Wrench’s reach and Numbers solidly in his view. Mannequins? he queues his partner, realizing not for the first time that there’s plenty he’s missed over the last couple of weeks. Neither Numbers or Teddy have been in much of a fit state to thoroughly explain, either. Wrench flashes a glance back to Arthur, trying to put the pieces in order as the man revises his previous assertion and signals that yes, the two of them know each other after all.

He watches between Arthur’s notebook and his face as he passes the message along to the both of them. The writing gets blunted, but Wrench can’t blame him for that. With Numbers finding his way into the conversation, it’s no surprise to see English take its full form. It does cause Wrench to shoot a look to his parter, but he focuses on Arthur first.

# signs. He defaults to the same pound sign Arthur’s written for ease of tracing this into his hand. The simple expression must give a good clue to their familiarity. Then again, Numbers called him partner not so long ago, and from what he’s seen of this town so far he doesn’t think anyone could mistake that for meaning they got matched up somehow on arrival.

Someone want to tell me about these mannequins?

[workingthenumbers]

He lets out a small snort when Arthur describes Wrench as patient. He didn't know how accurate that assessment was. The man was certainly able to keep himself cool, even in the most stressful scenarios. Or even when wrangling an impatient Numbers who just wanted to go, go, go.

"Fallout shelters. From last month," Numbers continues, nodding slightly. "Give me a second--I need to explain the mall thing to him."

Numbers turns to Wrench, a bright expression on his face, apparently excited to regale this story. As he signs, Arthur can probably hear his arms moving

We got trapped in a mall, and all of the mannequins came to life. Wouldn't stay down when shot, hard to kill. Arthur-- He gestures towards the man. --was being attacked when I found him. It took two days for the mannequins to stop and for us to leave the mall.

He pauses, reflecting upon the incident. He continues, though his signing clearly becomes more hesitant and reluctant as he goes on.

Still don't know how it happened. So I...went to go get answers. He visibly cringes as he recounts it. And you know what happened to me last week.

Numbers then turns back towards Arthur, his head tilted to the side.

"So...um." Christ, he doesn't have the smalltalk thing down at all. "You guys seem to have some sort of communication system." For Wrench's sake, he then mimes tracing the palm of his own hand, then gestures between Wrench and Arthur.