monsters still in our time

[beanshield]

In Grant Park, somewhere far from the crucifixion site, far enough that you can't even see the yellow police tape, Bean is sitting at a table. On and beneath the table are boxes and boxes of T-shirts, in all different sizes and colors. All of them have the phrase "Wanderer? Fine by me" printed in bold letters on the fronts. Bean herself is wearing

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[crimeatthetime]

Even if everything's gone to shit in the most spectacular way possible--everything, from his life to the city to just everything--the sight of the tiny, pink-haired girl and her dog is enough to make Adrian stop for a moment. He's been wandering for who knows how long, mussed and sleepy-eyed and looking like a cross between a hobo and a drunk businessman.

"You shouldn't be out here," he says. There's a pause, while he considers the image this must present to passerby. Another pause, while he considers the fact that he doesn't care. "You're going to get yourself killed."

[beanshield]

Bean looks up and blinks at Adrian, startled. Bums and drunks don't particularly worry her, but she has been jittery all day. Potato is watching Adrian like a hawk, his body tense.

"U-um...I k-know it's dangerous, b-but I needed to d-do something...a-and I made all these shirts anyway...and! And we need to prove that we're n-not scared of people who are awful and cowardly, and even if it's a little thing, I mean..." She loses her steam and shrinks a little. "Please don't hurt me, they're just T-shirts..."

[crimeatthetime]

"Hurt--" He leans back a bit, surprised and, under the breastbone-cracking weight of depression and the liquid-fist-nausea impact of not sleeping for as long as he has, a little hurt that he thinks she would assume something like that.

Of course, he also can't blame her. He's a mess.

The demon digs into his pocket, muttering Spanish curses all the while. "How much?"

[beanshield]

Bean peeks up at him through her hair. It takes her a second to realize what he's asking, and another second to realize that he just spoke Spanish.

"O-oh! You want to buy one? Um--th-they're just four dollars each. Um. What size and color would you like, sir?"

Potato sort of snorts a little, relaxing infinitesimally, but still keeping his eyes on Adrian.

[crimeatthetime]

"I don't... Large. You pick the color." He hands her a twenty. "Keep the change. For if someone wants one and they can't..." He waves his hand, awkward.

Kids. He doesn't do well with them. Okay, there's Dusty, but Dusty has music and that's different. "This is a good thing that you're doing. I didn't--I'm sorry if I scared you."

[beanshield]

"O-oh..." She takes the twenty and debates telling him she can't accept it. "Um. Okay. Thank you. Okay, a large, let's see..." She looks him over and then looks at her color set. Adrian looks like a sky-blue kind of guy, so she digs out a large sky blue shirt and hands it to him, smiling.

"Oh, it's okay. You just startled me. I-It's kind of scary doing this with just Potato, but, I mean, I thought I should do it right away once I heard about that poor lady who got--killed. And anyone could be with the CLF, so..." She trails off and suddenly pouts. "But I bet that's what they want, for people to be paranoid and not trust each other. That's no good!"

She raises a fist above her head. "I'm gonna keep believing the best of people! Yeah! Take that!"

[crimeatthetime]

Wow.

He didn't think that level of adorable actually... existed, in real life.

"Uh."

He can't let her do this alone. Adrian slaps a hand against his face and scrubs his eyes. "Just--hang on, all right? I'll be right back."

Off to the Conrad to use their showers and snag a change of clothes that don't quite fit. The jeans do, at least, and he decides to wear Bean's t-shirt back to the park. When he reappears, he still looks tired, but at least in all other ways presentable. "You shouldn't be doing this by yourself. Even with Potato."

He gives the dog a respectful nod.

[beanshield]

Bean is oblivious to Adrian's revelations, and just sort of blinks at the offer. "Oh, um, okay." There's a pause, then, "Wait! But I don't even know your name...! Oh, he's gone." She turns to Potato. "Chicago is full of weird Good Samaritans, huh, boy?"

Potato just rolls his eyes.

In the interim, Bean manages to sell two more T-shirts, and when she spots Adrian coming back--wearing the shirt no less!--she positively beams.

"Oh, hello again! Gosh, you're even wearing the shirt! You really want to help me, though? Well, that's okay I guess, but if we're going to work together we should know each other's names, rights?" She smiles and extends her hand. "Hi, I'm Bean!"

At the acknowledgment, Potato just inclines his head, his opinion of this human(?) increasing a point or two.

[crimeatthetime]

"You're.... Bean." A pause, while he tries to figure out if she's serious and whose parent would name their child after an ambiguously categorized food product. He shakes his head. "I'm Adrian. Nice to meet you."

[beanshield]

"Yup! Well, everyone calls me Bean. My real name is Isabelle, but like, so few people use it that I barely even answer to it anymore." She smiles brightly. "But it's nice to meet you too, Adrian! And thanks for helping and all, it's really nice of you."

[crimeatthetime]

"My God is abundance." He sits down next to her and offers a hand to Potato. "It's a pretty name. I knew someone called Isabelle once."

He should've brought his guitar. He could have gotten them a bit more attention.

...Right. A bit more attention. Not necessarily the best idea anyway.

[beanshield]

She giggles and blushes. "I-Is that really what it means? Hee, I didn't know that! No wonder Grandma likes it so much."

Potato sniffs at Adrian's hand, tilts his head a little at the strange demon scent, then finally gives the hand a delicate lick. Adrian, you have Potato's approval.

[crimeatthetime]

Adrian chuckles and gives the dog a gentle scratch behind the ears. "This is a smart animal you've got. What's he for?" The demon gives the service vest a very gentle tug.

[beanshield]

Potato gives a sort of snuffling sound to acknowledge the compliment.

"Oh, um...he's a service dog." Bean fidgets a little. "I have a sort of medical condition that I need him to be around for."

[crimeatthetime]

...Well, now he's more concerned than he was before, though he doesn't let it show. She probably doesn't want a stranger all up in her business, asking what kind of things one would need a service dog for if one is not blind.

Though he is curious. "Oh."

...That is so not enough of an answer. Adrian scrubs a hand through his hair. "Why are you doing this, if I might ask?"

.....And that is not a much better question.

[beanshield]

"Y-yeah..." Bean fidgets a little, smoothing out her shirt.

"Why? Well, um. Because someone had to, right? I mean...Wanderers and stuff, they need to know that at least someone is on their side. That, you know, not the whole city hates them." She blushes. "It's really depressing when you put it like that! But...yeah. I mean, I have Wanderer friends, and I have friends who, you know, get mistaken for Wanderers or whatever, and it's just no good! So I just want to show my support and get other people to show theirs, too."