03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Work had been a shit show. So after a day of stressful fuck-ups and getting yelled at just because she had the audacity to be in a pleasant mood when she returned from a hike. And while naturally, Darcy wanted to get hateful with this woman; her boss was in office so she simply let this woman go about her rant and even apologized as the woman was leaving. One look at her though, and her coworkers opted to step outside for a moment. And upon their return, only one stapler had managed to be damaged.
All she wanted to do was her job, spend some time outside checking some of the trails and the water levels for one of the streams near a popular hiking path; she didn’t plan on getting yelled at by some overstimulated mom on a hiking trip with her family. “I don’t know how I managed to double book for the tours, I swear it was free when I took the call.” Darcy just waved off the attempted apology from the other ranger, it wasn’t like they all hadn’t done something like that before. And it wasn’t his fault this woman became unglued. Besides, she felt significantly better after the destruction of the stapler.
“Well, if no one else has anything more to add; I’m going to dip out early today.” She informed them with a shake of her head, only her boss frowned. “Type it up in an email and I’ll read it tomorrow… I’m not here.” She insisted with a nod, grabbing her keys and getting up from her desk. She dropped the broken stapler into the trash as she walked out the back door.
She let her messy curls air dry and finished getting ready. Not bothering with more make-up than some simple mascara, and a bit of her favorite perfume. She grabbed her keys, purse and phone; then headed out to her truck. The familiar drive to Purgatory wasn’t one that took too long, and Darcy realized it had actually been about a week since she’d been there. She’d been spending more of her time out and about in the forest and trying to enjoy the fresh spring air.
Darcy parked her truck and pulled her purse onto her shoulder. Easing out of the truck and locking it as she headed up into Purgatory. She gave a nod to the bartender, who pulled up an empty glass and poured her usual; double shot of whiskey, neat. “Thanks.” She said with a nod, taking up the glass and leaning against the bar with ease, smiling softly as she smelled the liquor before taking a swig.
last edited Apr 26, 2024 5:17:55 GMT by Darcy Vance
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 26, 2024 11:43:05 GMT
Ferris got caught up in conversation as he left and then had to remind the station cat she couldn't hang out under his truck. He had planned to go home and change again, but he had a feeling if he went back to his apartment, he wouldn't want to leave. So he settled for the grey T-shirt with the fire station emblem and the light washed jeans.
He parked a few minutes after his friend and his eyes found her at the bar easily enough. Though admittedly he was already distracted by the hockey game on the left TV. He pulled out a stool next to Darcy and plopped down, eyeing her short jeans shorts and the baggy shirt as he stretched out over the bar for a moment with a groan. "Nice pants, Darcy," he greeted.
"You look relaxed," he noted. A lot more comfortable in these clothes than her work ones. And a lot more calm than the texts had mad it clear. Poor stapler. "You have anything else about work to get off your chest?" He asked, leaning forward with his elbows on the counter. "I want to clear the air about how I don't condone the wanton murder of staplers," he said firmly. What he really meant was that he didn't want them talking about work the whole evening, but wanted to give them both the release they needed if there was something they needed to say.
Ferris' felt work was fine enough, even with Ethan and Cisco trying to baby him a bit. It had been a mild concussion, he got it but he was fine. So maybe he still wasn't up to complex papers in his school work, he couldn't afford to drop another class. But none of that was anything new. He'd been a bit less active over reaching out to Darcy in texts and felt a bit embarrassed about why, but not really sure how to say it. But he was really looking forward to relaxing at the bar with his friend.
The bartender stepped up to ask what he wanted and he simply gestured at Darcy. He would have what she was drinking.
Okay, so maybe work had been exhausting, but she’d gone for a hike and a bit of a run after she found herself some privacy. And a run in wolf form always helped her knock out some of the stress from the day. But if she was truly being honest, just getting to hang out with Ferris went a long way towards heavily improving her mood, regardless of any cold shower she might have subjected herself to beforehand.
And while it might have been a minutes since they’d hung out in person, she felt a smile pull across her lips the moment she picked up his scent as he walked into the bar. The familiar thud of his heart beating in his chest, had quickly become one of her favorite sounds. She gently shook her head, dark eyes flashing toward him in amusement as she shrugged. “Thanks, something about losing the work uniform for something more casual definitely helps.” She teased before taking another sip. In public, Darcy at least tried to make a conscious effort to not inhale her alcoholic beverages like they were nothing. Plus, she wasn’t in such a rough mood that throwing back shots was necessary.
“Ill do my penance for the stapler in due time, but it was simply unavoidable.” She had the decency to offer a feigned look of remorse before chuckling softly. “Not much else happened, I left work about an hour earlier and spent that time hiking and then went for a run…. What about you?” Now she wasn’t shy at all about letting her eyes take him in. Imprinted or not; Ferris was one of the most attractive men Darcy knew. It was hard not to catch herself staring at him at times. Plus, he smelled amazing. There was something about his scent that made her want to find a private corner of the bar to pull herself against him and just get lost being wrapped up in him.
But that wasn’t something they did in public… so long as pulling off a secluded hiking trail’s parking lot in her truck could be counted as ‘private’.
Okay, so she needed to stop with those distracting thoughts. Another sip of her whiskey as she gently bumped his shoulder with hers before taking a seat of the barstool. “It’s been a minute; whatcha been up to?” She asked with a raised brow, her eyes very unapologetically leaving the TV in favor of looking at him.
last edited Apr 26, 2024 19:58:25 GMT by Darcy Vance
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 26, 2024 19:18:54 GMT
Although it had been a while since they hung out (Ferris blamed his classes and work and himself for that), that didn't mean they hadn't talked. Darcy didn't seem to be able to leave him alone and while he didn't know it just yet, Ferris was getting used to her texting him after her shift or even during, sending him stupid videos or talking about movies or like today, talking about work. It wasn't simply normal, it was almost unconsciously expected to be part of his day
Ferris nodded, just as solemn. "Good," he said I acknowledgement of her penance. He smiled though and glanced away from the TV at her at the mention of a run. "Glad you made time for one of those." It was still strange, but he was a lot more comfortable with the idea of her running through the woods as a wild wolf. Knowing others did too and how many was the part he was still sorting out.
"No. After those fires stopped, it was a quiet winter." Nor that there weren't always accidents and emergencies but he waa glad is team got a lot more regular sleep now. It was relatively peaceful. Giacomo's words left him believing it would be short lived.
The bartender asked for his card to close out his tab (which was usual for the Fire Chief, he typically only had one drink), but Ferris shook his head. "Leave it open. And add an order of cheese fries and boneless wings. No sauce," he said. One was more for him, the other more for Darcy, but he had meant it when he said he was hungry. But he also planned to have a few drinks tonight. It was a habit he had picked up at home the last couple weeks and tonight was no exception.
The blanket question made him uncomfortable but he smiled. "Visited the family thanks to someone really sweet," he said. He hadn't know how to handle Darcy's gift then and he still didn't know how to properly thank her. "We had a good time. Played a lot of hockey on the lake, Mara's taken up baking. Well, cake decorating, as a part time job. Got to see some of the kids' games and help them with school, fixed a few things around the house..." he shrugged. It had been a really relaxed trip and more than helpful to have that family connection. "It meant a lot."
While she might not have been as pushy about seeing him in person over the last month, namely due to work and just trying to convince herself she could go without seeing him; Darcy absolutely texted him. Daily. She couldn’t help it. Even when she didn’t get to see him in person, texting him could arguably be the best part of her day. Which was also the only reason she could go so long without seeing him in person. Because at least they texted, or she’d call him. Over anything really. Because she couldn’t help it that he was the first person who came to mind when she wanted to share anything. A funny video, pictures from her hikes, or even just venting about shit. Hell, sometimes she just called him because she wanted to hear his voice.
“For sure, it helps take the edge off after work.” She said with a soft sigh, leaning against the bar as she listened to him. It was rather unfair just how attractive this man was without even trying to be. She did so enjoy the sight of him in that grey firehouse shirt. It suited him. The mention of the fires calming down made her nod slightly. She was relieved things had calmed down quite a bit, she worried about him whenever she heard the emergency calls. But it was part of his job, and he was so good at being the calm and collected fire chief during those emergencies.
Hearing him order food nearly made her own stomach grumble at her own hunger being remembered. “Oh, can I get some white cheddar bites too?” She’d start small and god from there afterall, knowing her friend she’d get to enjoy some of what he ordered too. She was glad her was ordering food though, that was always a good sign; him having an appetite. She couldn’t help worrying about him at times.
His mentioning the visit to his family (part of her Christmas gift to him) made her grin, managing only to lightly blush at the compliment. It was definitely one of the more well planned and thoughtful gifts she’d ever put the effort into curating. And she was glad he actually went. Darcy had a slightly different opinion on family visits, since she claimed her pack as her family more than her grandparents. But she was glad he went and had a good time. “That’s awesome, I’m really glad you went.” She said with a smile, taking a sip of her drink as she glanced between the TV and him.
“Sounds like you actually tried to relax, I’m proud of you.” She teased with a playful wink, and then shook her head a little. Despite his words, he seemed… off. It was a touch unnerving how well she knew him at times.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 27, 2024 0:19:42 GMT
Ferris grinned as Darcy ordered food. To be honest, he was surprised she hadn't already. For a supposedly always hungry werewolf, the woman barely ate more than he did and he didn't eat much. Even with what he ordered here, he figured Darcy would eat most of it. At least the cheese fries were for himself. Thankfully he had a physically demanding job and plenty of drive and time to work out. At least he had stopped losing weight.
"Me too," he agreed. It had been a long time coming. "I don't know about that. It was a lot of chasing three kids and fixing this faucet and that curtain, take apart the bunkbed for the boys, teach Rory more guitar sets, set back up the bunkbed..." he said with a shrug. Kids were a lot of work. But he wasn't complaining. It had been exactly the sort of 'vacation' he liked. Keeping busy. "Sometimes wish I was closer so I could help out a bit more," he admitted, looking down at the whiskey and taking a swallow before glancing over at Darcy and then back at the tv.
"Oh," he said as he set down the glass on the bar top and reached down to pull his phone from his pocket, shifting on the stool to do so and brushing up against her. "I haven't gotten it yet, but Rory designed my next tattoo," he admitted a bit sheepishly. It had been a good idea from a friend that he totally stole, and it worked out a lot better than he'd thought it would. He pulled up the pictures up on his phone and showed them to Darcy. The design was for a stringed instrument, vaguely guitar styled but very mechanical steampunk and gears style around his left forearm. He wasn't much for steam punk but...he would admit, it looked awesome. "She wants to get a sort of matching cyberpunk sleeve, with guitar elements too...not sure how Mara won't kill her but...that's where I come in." Talking about it was a great distraction from how he was otherwise feeling.
There was something so comforting about how at ease she could find herself around Ferris. It was nice to have a friend to sit and catch up with at the bar. And granted, she could easily find herself getting a touch too distracted or caught up in that smile of his; it was always good to see him. She was surprised she managed to not immediately hug him when he joined her at the bar. Mostly because she was already sipping on her drink and she wasn’t that girl who hugged all her friends. Showing that restraint toward Ferris wasn’t easy.
For now, she was just happy to be hanging out with him in person after what felt like forever. Okay, so maybe it was more like a month-ish, but after they’d spent so much time together after he’d gotten hurt…
No.
She did not need to be thinking about all of that right now. And this was exactly why she’d opted for a cold shower before seeing him.
“Ferris, that is considered ‘relaxing’ for you.” She teased with a gentle nudge of her shoulder against his. Okay, so maybe she couldn’t help finding little ways to end up brushing against him. “I’m sure they loved having you there.” Her voice was soft as she ran a hand through her hair, raising a brow as she looked at those grey eyes of his. “Maybe you will be one day. Or you could just make yourself visit more throughout the year.” She offered with a gentle shrug.
Okay, so maybe she wasn’t the most helpful there. She hadn’t been ‘home’ in years. And her next visit wasn’t likely to be an enjoyable one, funerals never were. Her great-grandfather had just started his in home hospice care. It was just a waiting game now.
Her train of thought was disrupted by his sudden “oh,” and the feel of him brushing up against her as he dug his phone from his pocket. She bit her bottom lip, trying not to focus on how much more she wanted to feel him pressed against her. Instead, she listened and looked at his phone as he explained his niece, Rory, had helped him design his next tattoo.
“That’s going to look amazing, and you’re exactly right; you’ll help Mara come to terms with things.” Darcy made no effort to try and be distant while he was showing her the pictures on his phone, leaning close and-
She fought off the urge to frown. Something was definitely going on with him. And while Darcy had no issue being the persistent friend who bugged until he spilled; maybe sitting at the counter of the bar wasn’t the right place. “Come on, let’s pick out a booth before the food is ready… I think that one has the best view of the TV with hockey on.” Darcy eased out of her seat, picking up her whiskey glass in one hand and reaching for his arm to gently tug him toward the booth, her playful smile on full display as she did.
last edited Apr 27, 2024 2:28:49 GMT by Darcy Vance
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 27, 2024 2:24:14 GMT
He wasn't oblivious to Darcy's attraction to him. Though while he didn't doubt their friendship, he did think a lot of that chemistry they shared, the physical kind, was purely what it was. He was actually a bit surprised she hadn't invited him over one night, but to be fair, until recently, he'd been pretty transparent with her about his struggles in the bedroom and she'd been more than understanding that he wanted space. He just hadn't realized what that would do. He missed her closeness, only the bar wasn't the place for it, and he wasn't sure how to be quite that comfortable with her, even though he wanted to. But that was what the hockey and food and conversation and drinks were for.
Ferris grunted. "I guess," he allowed. He knew what relaxing was supposed to look like. He just didn't seem compatible with that most of the time. He belated realized Darcy was teasing him, but still, she wasn't wrong. He nodded. "That's what the tattoo is for." Of course he needed to visit more anyway. He was glad to know Darcy liked it. He still wasn't sure it was quite 'him', but the meaning was more about being closer to Rory. And while it was a lot of ink (not to mention it would go over that scar from the hike with Darcy and that would hurt) he was excited about it. "Have to find a place around here, since I haven't gotten a new tattoo in...since moving here," he mused, just now realizing as much. That was rough. Hopefully there was a good place with an artist up for the task in one of the neighboring towns.
"I try. Mara was just glad to have me around so Rory could push my buttons instead of hers," he pointed out. Also a joke, but also true.
He was taking another drink when she grabbed his arm. "Whoa, easy tiger," he rumbled, downing the rest of the glass. He set the empty glass on the table and motioned for another when the bartender looked up. He let Darcy tug him away to the booth. "That your first drink still? Did I win?" He sat down in the booth, for once not having to ease himself down because for once, for the moment, he wasn't a bruised mess. This was the same table he usually claimed on game nights, indeed having a good view of the tv and he settled against the slightly deflated cushion comfortably, leaning back and stretching his arms out over the back of it. He kept his comments about the game to himself, though clearly he was using it for a distraction.
"You ever think about getting any new ink?" he asked suddenly, looking back down at her.
Sometimes it was difficult being a werewolf. Being so accustomed to scents and sounds. And if you were a wolf who hand an imprint bond in place, it was just another complication to throw into the mix. Darcy had become so used to Ferris’ scent, the sound of his voice, his heart beat, the way he laughed; being without him had been… difficult. She was trying hard not to get into a habit of thinking anytime they hung out that more was going to come from it. Namely because she knew he’d had some issues and she didn’t want him to feel like she only enjoyed his company if they were getting naked.
Sure getting to enjoy him naked was always great; she also liked the times when they fell asleep watching a musical together on his couch, or on her couch. She’d nearly called him to come over just to stay the night sooo many times over the last two weeks. It’s another reason why she spent more time running. When she couldn’t sleep and missed him; she got up and hopped on her treadmill, or stripped down and took a cold shower. It wasn’t easy, but she liked a challenge. But fuck, was it difficult to finally see him and keep her hands to herself.
“Well, I think it’s a great idea and a really cool concept.” She gave a nod, then couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Hmmm, well; roadtrips for a tattoo can be fun too. No need to settle for local, I’d totally help with the driving…” Then gave a tap of her chin. “So long as I get to pick the roadtrip snacks and some of the music.” While her smile and amusement in her eyes were obvious, she wasn’t joking. Darcy loved roadtrips, and for a tattoo; that would be so fun.
“Tsk, Tsk; wrong animal.” Darcy gave a playful wink as she slid into the opposite side of the booth to him, then rolling her eyes as she tossed back the rest of her drink and nodded to the bartender for another. “Fine, you won on finishing the first drink… I was trying to pace myself.” She gave a sigh with a shrug. Also, she’d been trying to not so heavily turn to her alcohol. Baby steps. She did well not to touch her ‘emergency’ bottle at work this week. And in public, she had to at least look like alcohol affected her to a degree.
His question made her smile again, she nodded her head, she straightened her legs out to rest on the seat beside him. “Oh, all the time. Just trying to decide what to get and where to get it…” She shrugged slightly, nodding her thanks to the bartender when he brought them their second drinks.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 27, 2024 4:54:27 GMT
”I’ll be sure to let Rory know you like it,” he said. While he had told Rory about the hike and the cute ranger he met and the bear they simply ‘saw’, he had left out the spicy bits. Like the sex and that she was a real live werewolf. His niece was a bit too young for all of that just yet. Not that he was much for coddling her. But she wasn’t his kid.
Ferris made a noise of interest. Now there was an idea. He’d gotten sort of matching tattoos with Garrett way back when. Not that it had been much of a road trip. But still…it had been a fun experience, figuring out what they wanted together, getting something that matched but also fit them specifically. Fuck, he missed him. “I still have to look up a place and contact them. But I’ll let you know,” he agreed. Not that he wanted to go too far, considering he’d probably have to break it up into a couple sessions. “Rule is driver picks the set list,” he said with a shrug. Sure, he didn’t love country music, but it was alright.
He grinned as she down the rest of her whiskey in spite. “Sore loser,” he said firmly, though the smile ruined it. It was good to hear she was trying to pay attention. He knew she liked to drink and while sure, she could handle more than a normal human, that didn’t mean she should. But he wasn’t going to tell her to stop tonight. He looked over as she set her feet on the cushion beside him and then back to the tv. Ferris nodded, listening, but his eyes on the screen.
“Sometimes it hits you. Other times…it’s about an experience with someone.” He nodded to the bartender for the drinks, leaning forward to pick his up and down a swallow. It felt good going down. “What are we drinking, anyway?” he asked, meaning he was curious to know the label. “It’s…heavy,” he added, trying to figure out his feelings on the taste.
Ferris leaned back and resettled his arms. The tips of the wings on his back poking out past his shirt. He was running out of real estate on his arms for sure. But he didn’t presently have anything below the waist. In another few drinks, he might consider that a shame. He winced as there was a particularly nasty hit in the game and then leaned forward to watch the following powerplay.
That Ferris would even bother mentioning her approval of the design to his niece, made Darcy smile. She hadn’t considered that he might have talked about her, but then again; friends talked about their friends. Especially to family members who worried about them. Hopefully knowing he had an annoyingly stubborn friend around helped ease some of the concern.
As someone who only had two tattoos currently, she was definitely due for some serious ink therapy. But unless she went to a werewolf or out of town; she typically had to be more considerate on her placement. She had quite a few scars she’d rather avoid trying to explain to any locals. “Please do, I‘d love to tag along. Plus, it’ll make me feel eager to figure out what I want… maybe something with the moon.” She mused softly, shrugging a little and then chuckling. “Oooh, roadtrip playlist!” Darcy’s body moved in a playful shimmy with her words. She’d been stationary for the last three years, she was due for a little trip. And the idea of a little roadtrip with Ferris was only that much more exciting.
“Oh, always.” That playful yet cocky smile toyed at the edges of her lips as she released the glass and adjusted herself more comfortably into the booth seat. Her dark eyes rather enjoying the familiar sight of him. Fuck, she had missed him. It had taken an alarming amount of self control to not call him up and ask him to come over… or for her to call and see if she could come over. Just to be near him again.
“You’re not wrong.” Her tone a touch softer as she considered an idea that seemed a bit… crazy. No, she wasn’t about to suggest something that crazy, not without oh so much more alcohol. She raised a brow and then looked at the amber colored liquid with a grin. “Buffalo Trace… I try not to break the bank when I’m enjoying drinks at the bar.” she picked up the refilled glass and took a sip, trying to distract herself with the flavor of the liquid and not the man sitting across from her.
It wasn’t easy, especially as she watched him reacting to the ongoing game of hockey. She liked seeing how into the game he could get, it was cute. Of course, she didn’t make a habit of telling a grown man something he did was ‘cute’. Instead, she welcomed the distraction in the form of their food arriving. “I think after the cheese bites, I’m gonna cave and order a burger with some onion rings.” Darcy admitted with an amused grin as she popped a cheese bite into her mouth and tried to cover her mouth slightly as she inhaled and exhaled in quick succession, trying to help cool the molten cheese burning her tongue.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 28, 2024 6:01:47 GMT
He found her little happy dance over picking a playlist amusing. Not that he was about to mention how cute she was being to her. They were friends, but that was a bit much for him. Even being friends with benefits. "Just none of that one Journey song," he added. He had heard enough Don't Stop Believing in his life and while he liked Journey in general, that one got on his nerves.
Ferris hummed softly. "Thought it was familiar." It wasn't one he kept in his cabinet; it was a bit too sweet for him. But the finish was pleasantly smooth, so that was enough reason to enjoy it. And it made it a lot easier to throw back if he wanted to handle it like a shot. Which, in the amount they were pouring, certainly wasn't. He did remind himself he would have to drive home later. Sure, he knew he could rely on Darcy if he got himself into a problem, but he would rather not have to. Not because he wasn't accepting of her help, but because that meant going back to her place or his place together and he wasn't sure he was ready for that.
Not that the thought stopped him from another large swallow. Thankfully the food arrived and that would help. "Good," he said to her note about food as he picked over the fries. He pushed the order of wings to the middle of the table pointedly. "Help me with these first," he added. "How's the paint job?" he asked. He hadn't been back since they finished the second coat of paint in her living room. "Tired of looking at Waterloo yet?" Ferris was pretty sure that was the color name she had picked out.
Curating a playlist for a roadtrip with her friend was definitely a fun idea. His comment about ‘that one Journey song’ made her laugh. If she was cruel, she’d slip a couple different covered just to be an ass. But alas; she was much too sweet on him to be that cruel intentionally. “Fair enough, but I’m going to throw some classics in there too. Can’t have a roadtrip without some classic rock after all.” classic rock, and snacks that looked like they had been hand picked by an unsupervised nine-year old.
Darcy sipped on the drink with a slow nod. It was easy to drink, typically always on hand, and wasn’t something that would cause her to go broke after a weekend off at the bar. Well, not that she’d been spending that much time at Purgatory here lately.
”Ooooh, don’t mind if I do.” She grinned with a playful wink as she moved to take one of the boneless chicken wings and dipped it in the ranch cup that was brought with her cheese bites. They knew her preferences well. His question about the paint job he’d helped tackled at her house seemed like a pleasant enough conversation, but damn did it make her mind want to deviate to other things than painting that had happened.
No, she could behave. She wasn’t an animal. Well, not all the time.
“Not at all, it definitely ’sparks joy’.” Darcy admitted with a gentle chuckle. Okay, so she might have also taken up listening to some podcasts and videos to entertain herself and help tidy up some of the things in her home. “Though it did put me in the mood to listen to ABBA while cleaning the other day.” She finished the rest of the boneless chicken wing in her hand and then raised a brow, curiously eyeing him. “Are you okay, you seem a little… off.”
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Apr 28, 2024 17:21:04 GMT
He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "You do recall I own two guitars, right?" he asked. As if he didn't like classic rock. Sure, not all of it was electric guitar solos and he didn't have to like every song out there, but he still wondered if she forgot who she was talking to for a moment. Or maybe she was joking, and he was just a little slow as usual on the uptake.
Ferris took another sip and savored the flavor. Not something he would normally drink as it was almost...too pleasant. But he could appreciate something a bit cheaper since he wanted to get a bit more lost than normal. Thankfully, he tended to just get more relaxed when drinking a lot. Though it had been a long time since he was properly drunk with other people around, so Ferris wasn't really sure how that would go. At least with Darcy, he knew, and he was comfortable with that potential outcome.
He took a few wings himself, eyeing the way she dipped practically everything in ranch. It was such an American thing and one he would never understand. Ranch wasn't an appealing condiment to him. "Glad it's still doing it for you," he said, looking back up to the tv. She was so strange. "Never been much for ABBA. even with the musical," he added with a shrug. He caught himself from saying he'd have to stop by sometime to see how everything had come together. Once again, he felt awkward nearing any topic that would put them alone together.
The rest of his whiskey was finished in another long swallow, just as she made it clear she found something was 'off.' Okay, so maybe drinking faster than Darcy was a bad sign. Ferris looked back across at her and then quickly down to his fries, picking up a few and giving himself a moment to come up with a response. "So suddenly a guy is 'off' if he's not got any new bruises to tell you about?" Okay, so maybe that was a bad one since it was partly a lie. He had new bruises, just not ones he wanted to tell her or anyone else about. It had been long enough that his wrists didn't look that bad, but there were still some slight discoloration there. Thankfully his watch on his left wrist covered the worst of it.
“No shit! And here I thought it was this other fire fighter friend I have, small world.” Darcy teased with a grin, shaking her head and letting those wild curls bounce with vigor. Of course she knew he had quite the eclectic taste in music. She liked his taste in musicals too, it was nice to have a friend she could enjoy those with, without having to beg or bribe. Though they had yet to actually make it to the end of any movie they started. Not that she minded. She liked falling asleep pressed against him.
This thought kept an amused smile on her lips as she gave the bar a quick once over. Purgatory was one of the few ‘places to be’ in their little town, so it stayed decently busy. And tonight was no exception. Though she wished the college kids at rhetorical jukebox had better taste in music. Darcy enjoyed a few more cheese bites, as she returned her gaze to Ferris.
“Fair enough, I’ll be sure to include lots of ABBA on the road trip playlist.” She gave a playful wink, clearly only saying so to annoy him. She had promised to limit her annoying him, but not completely. “I did cave and watch ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ while putting some maps in the new frames.” She liked musicals while doing those more ‘mundane’ tasks, especially when she was trying to distract herself.
Even if he hadn’t been polishing off his drinks faster than she was, Darcy would have known something was up. There were other factors at play, Something about his scent was odd, like he wasn’t quite as relaxed as he wanted to be. And despite his comment about not having new bruises to talk about, that wasn’t quite true. She hadn’t wanted to make any assumptions about the slight discoloration to his wrist, but now she was quite suspicious. “No, a guy is ‘off’ when he’s besting me at drinking when he doesn’t typically.” Darcy quipped, rolling her eyes as she threw back the rest of her drink and nodded to indicate for another. “But hey, if you don’t wanna talk now, you might after a few more drinks.”