[color=9e0b0f][centre][h1]Marcus Ainsworth[/h1][/centre][/color] [centre][h2]His Apartment Friday Afternoon[/h2][/centre] Interactions: [@MissCapnCrunch][hr] The news was surprising to Dusty but she was more excited to hear it than anything. She knew Marcus had been dreaming of being a part of a big band forever, and this was his moment. It didn't even occur to her that it meant that she might never get to work with him, let alone see him ever again. [color=fe697b][b]"Oh my God Marcus! That is so fucking exciting!"[/b][/color] she threw one arm around his neck, holding her beer in the other. She pulled back as she looked at his face, [color=fe697b][b]"Tell me you said yes."[/b][/color] Marcus couldn't help but smile brightly and let out a soft giggle as she was pulled into the hug, wrapping his free arm around her waist softly, returning the hug. As she pulled back and questioned him, his expression dropped and he forced an uneasy snicker. [color=9e0b0f]"Umm... i didn't say no..."[/color] He mumbled before pausing, and taking another sip of his beer. [color=9e0b0f]"I also didn't say yes... I dunno what to say, really... it's a lot, and it came out of nowhere..."[/color] She looked at him with a sense of disappointment, her head cocked to the side. He was always so indecisive, meek in some respects. [color=fe697b][b]"I guess you're right, do you think you'll say yes?"[/b][/color] she questioned, taking her seat again, and a sip of her beer. She wondered why he was so hesitant on the entire thing. [color=fe697b][b]"If it's about the bar, forget about it. The bar will be rebuilt and it'll be fine- you don't need to worry about that. You need to worry about you!"[/b][/color] she exclaimed, nodding. Running his hand through his hair, and Dustynn sat back in her seat, Marcus let out a soft sigh. He wore a thoughtful look on his face, obviously completely torn when it came to this decision. [color=9e0b0f]"I dunno..."[/color] He mumbled in reply, looking down at the floor as he thought over Dusty's question. Why was he so unsure about Ethan's proposal? Being in a world touring band and playing music for a living had been his dream for as long as he remembered. But something just didn't feel right about this spontaneous offer. [color=9e0b0f]"I guess I just hoped that if I got famous or whatever it'd be for my own music, not someone else's... i dunno, that's probably dumb... like, an opportunity is an opportunity, right?"[/color] He rambled softly, both hands clasped around his beer bottle, fidgeting with the label slightly. Dustynn nodded along to his words, she understood that feeling. [color=fe697b][b]"Sometimes you gotta start at the bottom of the barrel. In the case with Ethan's band it would be sorta like being at the top of the barrel but you're still covered in stinky fish."[/b][/color] she giggled a little, her mix of alcohol and weed buzz stirring in her head. [color=fe697b][b]"If that makes sense that is. I just mean you gotta start somewhere, this city will swallow you up if you don't at least try."[/b][/color] she smiled, watching his hands fiddle at the beer bottle. Marcus looked back up at her, nodding a little in understanding, unable to hold back a slight chuckle at her analogy. There was obvious confliction on his face, though he was smiling softly. Having Dustynn there to talk through everything with made thinking about it all much easier. Though he felt like an idiot for even considering turning down Ethan's offer, he actually had reasons to. [color=9e0b0f]"Yeah, I know... And I've been trying for years, but now that there's actually a door open for me... I don't know if I actually wanna walk through it. Like, I dunno, it's weird. Like, there's stuff that I'm kinda worried about leaving behind or somethin'... I guess? I dunno, does that make sense?"[/color] He rambled, waving one hand around a little as he spoke, while still scratching at the label of the beer bottle in his other. It was very obvious he was still struggling to process everything that was going on. A small pout formed on her lips, another sip of her drink she took before talking once more, [color=fe697b][b]"It makes sense."[/b][/color] she nodded, putting her head back on the couch, her dark curls resting across the fabric. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and peered over at Marcus and gave a small smile, [color=fe697b][b]"I always knew you'd be famous one day Marcus."[/b][/color] she lifted her beer towards him in a cheers motion before finishing it off. [color=fe697b][b]"I need a smoke, you want to sit out on the balcony with me?"[/b][/color] she asked sheepishly. He let out a soft sigh of relief, glad that his ramblings were making sense to someone other than himself. He couldn't help but smile at her as she laid back and closed her eyes. She really was... Something else. He'd never let himself think about it to much, because she'd been with Leo pretty much the whole time he'd known her, but his mind wandered a little for a moment, before giving himself a mental slap in the wrist. 'Even if she wasn't with Leo, she'd never think of me that way, right..?' He thought to himself with an inaudible sigh. It's not like he really was worried about it at all, he enjoyed just being friends with her, but he couldn't help but think... As Dusty opened her eyes again, and raised her bottle, Marcus snapped back to reality and did the same, clinking their bottles together as he let out a slight chuckle, shaking his head. [color=9e0b0f]"Me? Famous? Nah... Even if I do take Ethan up on his offer, it'll probably just be like a temporary thing, filling in on tour until they find someone better or something."[/color] He replied with a shrug. He didn't sound down about it, just telling himself he was being realistic. He then nodded before finishing his beer and standing, stretching his hand out to her, offering a hand up. [color=9e0b0f]"Yeah sure."[/color] He replied with a sweet, albeit awkward and still slightly thoughtful smile. Grabbing his hand, she hoisted her petite body up. A little stumble, before regaining herself. She reached back onto the couch and grabbed her leather jacket slipping it back on. [color=fe697b][b]"Shut up, I don't want to hear that negativity from you. If you don't become the star member within the first day, I'll stand outside their house and complain all damn day."[/b][/color] she laughed once more, not bothering to slip on a pair of shoes as she opened up the sliding balcony door. Thankfully the overhead had made sure no snow had landed on the planks, but it was frigid to the touch. She slipped out quickly so the apartment would not get filled with the cold air. It was moments like these that she wished she would kick the habit right there and then. She dug in her pockets and prepped herself to take a drag, and it brought her back to why she hadn't stopped yet. She looked over her shoulder at Marcus, motioning him to come out, [color=fe697b][b]"It's fucking cold!"[/b][/color] she exclaimed, puffing a few more times as she looked down over the balcony. Marcus let out a soft bout of laughter, shaking his head as he walked over to the kitchenette and grabbed his jacket from off of one of the stools, slipping it on. [color=9e0b0f]"Heh, I'll hold you to that."[/color] He retorted jokingly. The outside cold was evident from the moment the door slid open, sending a shiver down Marcus' spine. He reluctantly followed her out and slid the door shut again behind them, looking out over the balcony blankly with his arms crossed over his chest, rubbing his arms a bit to try to keep warm. [color=9e0b0f]"Uh huh... It's not as bad as it has been, but still..."[/color] [color=fe697b][b]"True, Spring is just right around the corner I hope."[/b][/color] she curled her toes on the cold flooring, as she brought her cigarette to her lips, she leaned against the railing. For the moment she wondered what Leo had been up to, he had been spending so much time figuring out the problems with the business that she hadn't had much time or words with him edgewise. She was thankful for Marcus or she'd have been stuck in the trailer all day talking to her mother or worst, herself. Flicking off the end of the cigarette, she watched the ashes fall down to the ground in a grey snow effect. [color=fe697b][b]"Thanks for letting me come over, I appreciate it."[/b][/color] she said, not looking Marcus in the eye, her gaze still following to the ground. She felt a little light headed and not herself, but still enough in control of her body to know what exactly she was doing. [color=9e0b0f]"Thanks for coming over."[/color] He responded to her gratitude with thanks of his own. [color=9e0b0f]"I'd just be wallowing and freaking myself out if I was on my own. So I really appreciate it."[/color] He smiled at her as he moved to the edge of the balcony, leaning against the railing beside her. [color=9e0b0f]"You're welcome anytime, really. Day or night, if you need some company or a place to crash or whatever just let me know."[/color] He smiled at her softly, watching her face as she stared over the balcony. His smiled morphed into a look of mild concern, noticing that she seemed more troubled than she was letting on. [color=9e0b0f]"You... Uh... We, are gonna be okay, Dusty. Both of us."[/color] He assured her softly, giving her the sweetest, most reassuring smile he could muster at the time.