Harvey was just another monster in a city full of them. He didn't think standing out on the corner under the street lamp would give him very good advertisement, so he opted for the alleyways.
The man showed up, as promised, and Harvey couldn't help but feel he should have given him a warning. Then again, he wasn't so used to it, himself.
Hesitantly, he took a few steps out of the shadows the alleyway had hid him under. His right half gave the man what could have been a welcoming smile, if his left half didn't look like something right out of a horror novel.
As James wheeled around he was suddenly in the company of the man he sought. He wasn't sure of it was Harvey's appearance or the fact that he'd managed to sneak up behind him that made him let out a yelp of surprise.
Either way he gathered himself quickly, though he wasn't really sure what to do with himself. He was trying not to stare.
"Geeze- don't sneak up on a guy like that. You must be Harvey, I take it?" He smiled but it came off more as a guilty wince. Don't judge. He'd seen stranger things in this city. And even now- he couldn't help but think of her.
The disfiguring disease. Don't look at me, James! I'm a monster!
He forced his eyes up, and worked his mouth into as warm a smile as he could muster. For James, though, the friendly look never really worked.
"I'm James, if you hadn't guessed already," He offered a handshake.
Harvey could tell, James looked at him the same way Gordon had, the same way they all had. But Harvey wasn't worried about that right now, he was worried about trust. Trust, and that nice little handgun James had mentioned.
"Forgive me, yes, I'm Harvey. Pleased to meet you."
The introduction and the handshake was enough to settle Sunderland's nerves.
He was just a normal man, after all. No doubt an unfortunate normal man, but still just a man in the end.
"Well, Harvey. I'm sorry you're stuck here like the rest of us. It's not a fun place to be, I'll tell you right now." He mumbles, digging in his pockets and producing the handgun and two clips of bullets.
"Here," He offered it over, "Use it sparingly. And know who you're shooting before you pull the trigger." All pretty sound advice, though James was almost certain it was smalltalk to Dent. The man obviously knew how to use a firearm, or he wouldn't have requested one so quickly.
The right half smiled a bit, the left still hanging there dead and unmoving. "Thank you...really." he replied, taking the weapon as it was handed to him and placing it in his suit pocket.
"I've been lucky enough to not run into any live ones yet...but I saw a few parasite corpses on my way down here. I don't want to run into one without one of these." he tapped the pocket he placed the gun in as he finished the sentence.
"I'd offer you something in return but I'm afraid I have nothing of value." He'd of winked if he had eyelids. "Lets just say I owe you."
"Hey no problem," James shrugged, feeling particularly heroic. Particularly useful.
"Yeah, they're nasty little bastards. Fast, too. Might be a good idea to find something blunt and heavy in case you run out of bullets." Sunderland added, gesturing to the rusty pipe that was now tucked into his belt loop.
"Ah, no worries. I've got everything I need. How about you just come have a drink with me sometime at Billy's bar and we'll call it even." Nothing said friends like sharing booze, for James.
Hesitant, he furrowed a brow.
"You haven't found a place to stay yet, have you?" What decent living spaces still stood after the last attack...?
Harvey, for the most part, had tried to stay away from alcohol. It reminded him of his father. Then again, he wasn't really the same Harvey anymore.
"The bar still stands?" he chuckled a bit, under his breath. "I have nothing else to do."
He thought for a bit before answering the man's next question. This was his first social encounter since spotting the Joker following him through the streets. He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take.
"Not...exactly." he finally spat it out, wondering what exactly he just got himself into.
"Irony, huh? Yeah, it's hard to keep yourself busy around here at first." James probably needed to lay off the booze by a lot. It showed in his face, he was a very tired, very empty man
( ... )
Mobbed. That was funny. Was James looking at him? All Harvey had to do was growl or frown the wrong way and he sent others running. He didn't have anything on him of value, anyway.
He hated to be antisocial, but it was what seemed like the better idea. Especially with someone like the Joker constantly paying him unexpected visits. He wouldn't bring that on anyone. Or would he?
Admittedly, James was a bit relieved to not have to explain this to Harry. Still, he was curious about this guy. He avoided asking outright, what happened to him, and he knew he would be most likely left to speculate.
"Not that I know of. Most people tend to want to stay in the more populated areas." He understood the man's desire to be alone. After all... looking like that-
"Most of the places are already furnished, so you'd have all the necessities." He points to the north-east, "Just head that way along this street until you reach the old pawn shop, hang a right and it's across the street from the theater. You can't miss it."
James was a trusting man. He was also a very foolish man. And despite his efforts to remain indifferent, he couldn't bring himself to make eye contact. Still, at least he meant well...
"It'll be perfect." he listened closely to the man's directions. He just wondered when would be the best time to go there without being seen.
Harvey honestly couldn't have been more grateful, thanks to James he was all set. Maybe if he took up his offer for a few drinks, the man would finally be able to look him in the eyes.
"I guess I should head that way before it gets dark." The sun was, after all, not taking it's time.
It was becoming obvious that Mr. Sunderland was trying desperately to compensate for something. Why would he go to all that trouble for a complete stranger? Well, he was either incredibly naive, stupid, or he had ulterior motives. (At the moment, it seemed to be mostly bits of column A and B.)
"Well, good luck. Better get yourself shut in before it's completely dark. Watch for crabs, too. They usually move in little groups." With that, he turned seeming ready to head home himself, "Oh- and if you need help- Just go north and look for the statue of Atlas." It stood across from his church.
The man showed up, as promised, and Harvey couldn't help but feel he should have given him a warning. Then again, he wasn't so used to it, himself.
Hesitantly, he took a few steps out of the shadows the alleyway had hid him under. His right half gave the man what could have been a welcoming smile, if his left half didn't look like something right out of a horror novel.
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Either way he gathered himself quickly, though he wasn't really sure what to do with himself. He was trying not to stare.
"Geeze- don't sneak up on a guy like that. You must be Harvey, I take it?" He smiled but it came off more as a guilty wince. Don't judge. He'd seen stranger things in this city. And even now- he couldn't help but think of her.
The disfiguring disease. Don't look at me, James! I'm a monster!
He forced his eyes up, and worked his mouth into as warm a smile as he could muster. For James, though, the friendly look never really worked.
"I'm James, if you hadn't guessed already," He offered a handshake.
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"Forgive me, yes, I'm Harvey. Pleased to meet you."
He gave James his right hand.
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He was just a normal man, after all. No doubt an unfortunate normal man, but still just a man in the end.
"Well, Harvey. I'm sorry you're stuck here like the rest of us. It's not a fun place to be, I'll tell you right now." He mumbles, digging in his pockets and producing the handgun and two clips of bullets.
"Here," He offered it over, "Use it sparingly. And know who you're shooting before you pull the trigger." All pretty sound advice, though James was almost certain it was smalltalk to Dent. The man obviously knew how to use a firearm, or he wouldn't have requested one so quickly.
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"I've been lucky enough to not run into any live ones yet...but I saw a few parasite corpses on my way down here. I don't want to run into one without one of these." he tapped the pocket he placed the gun in as he finished the sentence.
"I'd offer you something in return but I'm afraid I have nothing of value." He'd of winked if he had eyelids. "Lets just say I owe you."
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"Yeah, they're nasty little bastards. Fast, too. Might be a good idea to find something blunt and heavy in case you run out of bullets." Sunderland added, gesturing to the rusty pipe that was now tucked into his belt loop.
"Ah, no worries. I've got everything I need. How about you just come have a drink with me sometime at Billy's bar and we'll call it even." Nothing said friends like sharing booze, for James.
Hesitant, he furrowed a brow.
"You haven't found a place to stay yet, have you?" What decent living spaces still stood after the last attack...?
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"The bar still stands?" he chuckled a bit, under his breath. "I have nothing else to do."
He thought for a bit before answering the man's next question. This was his first social encounter since spotting the Joker following him through the streets. He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take.
"Not...exactly." he finally spat it out, wondering what exactly he just got himself into.
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He hated to be antisocial, but it was what seemed like the better idea. Especially with someone like the Joker constantly paying him unexpected visits. He wouldn't bring that on anyone. Or would he?
"Are there anyone in those condos?" he asked.
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"Not that I know of. Most people tend to want to stay in the more populated areas." He understood the man's desire to be alone. After all... looking like that-
"Most of the places are already furnished, so you'd have all the necessities." He points to the north-east, "Just head that way along this street until you reach the old pawn shop, hang a right and it's across the street from the theater. You can't miss it."
James was a trusting man. He was also a very foolish man. And despite his efforts to remain indifferent, he couldn't bring himself to make eye contact. Still, at least he meant well...
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Harvey honestly couldn't have been more grateful, thanks to James he was all set. Maybe if he took up his offer for a few drinks, the man would finally be able to look him in the eyes.
"I guess I should head that way before it gets dark." The sun was, after all, not taking it's time.
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It was becoming obvious that Mr. Sunderland was trying desperately to compensate for something. Why would he go to all that trouble for a complete stranger? Well, he was either incredibly naive, stupid, or he had ulterior motives. (At the moment, it seemed to be mostly bits of column A and B.)
"Well, good luck. Better get yourself shut in before it's completely dark. Watch for crabs, too. They usually move in little groups." With that, he turned seeming ready to head home himself, "Oh- and if you need help- Just go north and look for the statue of Atlas." It stood across from his church.
At last he turned to leave-
This... almost pathetic man.
He turned a corner into an alley and was gone.
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