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[goodbyesandusky]

Clive nudged the door open, "I'd say 'pardon the mess' but really there isn't one. S'what happens when I haven't got much to my name."

It was true, the room was small and surprisingly uncluttered, there was a stack of CDs on the bedside table, a few notebooks under it, out of the way, and a cardboard box overflowing with fabric scraps over by the treadle sewing machine he'd borrowed from Bar, other than that though it looked more or less like a normal economy-class hotel room.

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[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Jimmy enters and looks around, taking the guitar off his back and leaning it against the wall. It's certainly tidier than anything he's used to but there's nothing wrong with that.

'Yeah, it's cool, I like it.'

He wanders over to the sewing machine and looks at it, but doesn't touch.

'What's this?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive smiled, "Sewing machine." He shrugged, "I make things, used to do costumes for Gypsy, mostly just do it to keep myself busy here." He'd made a stuffed kangaroo and a wardrobe for it for Sally for christmas, other than that it was just piecework.

He nodded to the only other door, "Shower's through there."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He stares at the machine, then reaches out and runs a finger over the top. There's a quiet laugh and he turns away, heading for the bathroom. He stops at the door though, and looks over to him.

'What do they call you? I mean, I could just call you 'dude' forever but I figure that'd get old pretty soon, y'know?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He blinked twice, then realized he hadn't actually introduced himself.

This struck him as highly amusing and he laughed, shaking his head, "Clive, my name's Clive."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He laughs too, nods and just says, 'Jimmy.' And then heads inside because even when you spend most of your time off your head, you still want to be clean.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive laughed once more, shaking his head and adding the notebook to the pile, tugging his CD player out of the pocket he'd had it in, winding the headphones around it and setting it beside the CDs before sprawling into the chair by the sewing machine, continuing what he'd been working on before, which was adding a gathered ruffle, black and silver lace, to a shawl, black velvet, it was slow going at best, because gathers required concentration.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He takes about ten minutes and even remembers not to go overboard with the shampoo, seeing as someone else is paying for this. It's not something he'd normally pay attention to but he's trying.

When he's done, he wanders back out, just wearing jeans with his shirt slung over his shoulder. He sits on the bed and pulls out a cigarette, then remembers that Clive doesn't smoke and puts it away again.

'What's that? Can't believe you make clothes man, that's crazy.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive laughed, stopping treadling for the moment so he didn't end up stitching his fingers, "Going to be a wrap. And yeah, I do."

He nodded towards the cigarettes, "Go ahead, don't let me stop you." Beacuse, really, he didn't mind, he just didn't do it himself. Same with a lot of things.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He immediately lights one up, then gets up to examine the wrap more closely.

'That's awesome. I dig the goth look man, it's cool. Lot of friends that are into it, y'know? Pisses their parents off but whatever. Do yours dig it?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

"Uh... well, not sure, they're dead."

He shrugged, "My sister doesn't mind it, though she insists it's just a phase."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Oh. Sorry man.'

If it's said carelessly, its not because he's unsympathetic, not at all. He just knows so many people with parents that are gone, or left, or in rehab or hate the sight of each other or don't care for their kids that this, again, is almost normal to him.

'So you live with your sister. What happened to your folks, if you don't mind my asking?'

There's another casual flop down onto the bed.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He started treadling again, just for a few inches of lace, "Car accident." He finally said, adding, "Them and my brother."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Right.'

He's not so out of it that he doesn't realise when to leave something alone, so he does, and just lets things be quiet for a few minutes while he idly smokes and watches.

'You want me to leave you alone?'

Because sometimes being on your own is better. Not always, but sometimes. He understands that.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He did stop stitching, shrugging, "You don't have to if you don't want, but, y'know, don't let me keep you if you've got somewhere else to be."

It had just got him thinking really, about how freaked out Lois must be, all things considered.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He shakes his head and says, 'No. I haven't got anywhere to be. I can stay if you like, you're cool. Just don't want to get in the way if I upset you. I didn't mean to, y'know?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He shook his head, "Don't worry about it, just got me thinking is all, I mean... if I'm actually dead, Lois, s'my sister, she'll have lost everyone to the same damn thing y'know?"

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Yeah.'

He looks sombre and actually thinks about that properly for a moment.

'God yeah, that would really suck. Like...majorly. Fuck.'

Jimmy's got a sister. He quite likes her, and doesn't like to think of her in that position.

'She's older than you, I guess?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He nodded, adding another few inches of stitching as he said, "Yeah. Married. Baby on the way."

He shook his head a moment later, "I don't think I'm dead though, but... I don't know if she knows it."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Moving on, starting over, new family.

He doesn't say it, he does have more tact than that. With things like this anyway.

'Well...why wouldn't she? I mean, if you are dead then she'll know for sure. If you're not -- well, you're here. I mean, where's she going to think you've gone?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He shook his head, "That's just it, I don't know. I mean, I was in the Trans, and it rolled, and if there wasn't a body she's going to wonder even more than if there was one, yeah?"

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Yeah, I guess.'

He thinks about it a moment, then says, 'Well, at least she'll have hope then, right? Maybe she thinks you've wandered off or something because you hit your head - but cops will be looking for you and they'll think they could find you. And she'll be hoping that you show up again and then when you leave here, you'll see her again. So all the hop won't be for nothin', you know? And that's better than her knowing for sure that you're never comin' back.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He mulled that over for a few long moments, filled with the sound of the sewing machine once more, finally finishing off the lace and overstitching the thread to hold it in place, "Guess you're right."

He shook his head then, "No, no guessing about it, you're right."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Yeah.'

He grins widely, relieved that he said the right thing. But it seems that way to him - hope is always better than having none, even if it's hard to hold on to sometimes.

'So, I guess...' He stops and frowns, as something occurs to him. '...what's stopping you leaving? Is there even a way out of this place?'

It hadn't occured to him to ask anyone that yet.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He shrugged, "I haven't got a door. Some people don't, call 'em 'Bound'. I'm one of those."

Another shrug as he shook out the wrap before running his fingers along the stitching to make sure he hadn't missed any places, "Some people can come and go, others can't."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Oh.'

He looks rather blank. He honestly hasn't thought about leaving since he got here. He tends to just...be, wherever he is, and not give much thought to anything else.

'I don't know if I can or not. Weird. But whatever.'

He'll look into it at some point, but his mind's already moving on. He nods at the wrap.

'That's really cool. Is it finished?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive was more than happy to change topics. Sometimes that was what was needed.

He nodded, "Yeah. All done." He shrugged, "Simple, but, y'know, it works."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Yeah! It's awesome!'

It definitely fits into the category of 'cool' in his mind.

'Someone show you how to do this shit, or you just kinda know?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He scratched the back of his neck, "I remember watching my mom, but other than that it's kind lf like, some bizarre sixth sense."

He shrugged, "It's like, I can see what I want in my head, and how to do it and it all just falls into place.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Jimmy looks kind of awestruck, mainly because he is.

'Dude, that's how artists are, y'know? I got this buddy, Mike, he does that with drawing. Like, he sees what he wants and it just kinda comes out. You're a fuckin' natural man, that's so cool. You want to do it for a job, because being a designer of cool stuff, that'd rock.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive blinked twice, then twice more, that wasn't something he'd even thought of as a possibility for a carrer, though, mostly that was due to Sandusky not being the center of the clothing design world.

His smile spread, slow and easy before he nodded, "I totally could."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Yeah! You should. You should go to...what do they have? Fashion schools or some shit like that? And then hit those catwalk shows, y'know? Only get cool people to model it, proper goth dudes and that kinda things, make it real, you get what I'm saying?'

He practically bounces, which is what happens when he gets taken with an idea and enthuses about it to this degree.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive was grinning brightly at that point, apparently the bounciness was contagious, "I could, I mean, I'd have to find out if there were any in Ohio even, but, I'm sure I could go live with Gypsy in New York, there's gotta be one there, right? I mean, c'mon, it's fuckin' New York City."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Dude, of course! If there's any pace to get into it, it's there. Best place to do it in America. All the other good ones are in Europe so if you want to do it, the city's the place to hit.'

He always thinks its awesome when people talk about stuff they really want to do.

'Besides, New york sounds like it'd be awesome fun and you've got your friend there so you could just go and have a blast!'

Which, frankly, is really more important than anything, to him.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive was still grinning, "It's brilliant! I have to figure out how the hell to get out of here first, but still! After that it'll be cake."

Provided he could convince both Gypsy and Lois that he'd be better off.
And could get a scholarship of some sort because he certainly didn't have tuition money, but all in all, those were small obsticles.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Dude, you should totally use this time to plan shit, y'know? And maybe see if there's someone rich that'd help you out with cost or whatever.'

Well, you never know. And Jimmy's not synical enough yet to think that there's no hope whatsoever. People can dream, after all, and Clive looks like he's got talent. No harm in going for it and giving it a try.

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

"fuck." He said, "That might be easier than finding a scholarship that I qualify for."

He smiled crookedly, "Wonder if taking donations for the 'put Clive through fashion school' charity would be considered 'business'.

Couldn't hurt to ask after all.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Jimmy laughs and stretches languidly, then shrugs.

'Well, why not? Do you know any rich folk here? There's got to be some, and maybe some that'll just magic you up the money or something. Also? That shit isn't 'business' - it's not selling anything, or revenge. Just getting people to help you out.'

He sees nothing wrong with taking favours from people.

'Hell, why don't you sell some of the stuff you make here?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

"Because that'd be business, I mean, I could probably trade it for stuff, maybe, I don't know... oh, or did you mean when I get home?"

He shrugged, "Could work, if I take it back through with me, don't know that I"m going to though, hell, don't even know if I'm actually going to get back through.

He almost smiled then, the expression crooked, "Don't know that many people here really, but I could try putting a notice up on the board, see if taking donations to put myself through school is alright.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Nah, I meant here. I guess that does count as business but still, you don't have to put a sign up saying BUY MY SHIT. You could just, y'know, talk to people and mention it, or wear the stuff you make and when people are loving it, tell 'em they can have it for a price. See?'

He can't see anything wrong with that as a plan.

'But for sure, ask for donations too. School's expensive, people should know that and want to help.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Already there were Plans and Schemes starting in his head, he nodded, "Might work, I'll talk to Angel, she makes stuff too, wears skirts, maybe she'll have some advice or something."

Technically Angel wasn't a 'she' at all, but, y'know, twentysomething Drag Queen who Clive had met all of twice, but Angel had made an impression.

And besides that, there were always ways around the rules. Like maybe once the weather was good set up shop outside by the lake. The rule was, technically, no business in the bar.

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

He would definitely recommend finding a way round the rules. They're boring and anyway, if a guy's stuck here then what is there to do? Person's got to eat.

'See, there you go. Got a buddy that can help you out already. Awesome. If this chick wears skirts, you could put on a fashion show or something, get her to model it for you.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive blinked again, and then practically dove out of his chair to root around in the scrap box, pulling out things that were partially finished, hell, he might start recruiting for a fashion show soon, there were bound to be more people around who'd want to be in on it, if just for fun.

"This is a fantastic idea."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Jimmy laughs and lights another cigarette, watching the activity with a grin.

'Yeah well, it kinda makes sense, y'know? You put on a show and I'll model for you if you like.'

He suddenly looks a bit embarrassed, and shrugs. 'I mean, there are probably other people that could do it better. Professionals or whatever. But if you want, I couls still wear stuff.'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

Clive laughed, shaking his head, "I'll get a few more things finished, maybe get some more fabric from Bar, some pattern books or something, then I'm sure I'll get people if I put up a sign up sheet." His smile went crooked, "If you want to, sure, I mean, the more the merrier."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

Jimmy shrugs, and his smile dims a little, but he still says,

'OK sure. It could be cool, y'know?'

He gets up then and stretches, reaching for the guitar.

'I should leave you to it, you got stuff to plan. I'll see you around though, right?'

[goodbyesandusky.livejournal.com]

He nodded, smile still in place, "I'm stuck here, so be kind of hard not to see me around."

There was a pause and then, "Thanks y'know? For the idea and stuff."

[childofourtimes.livejournal.com]

'Hey, no worries man, it's allgood.'

The guitar is slung over his back and he picks up his shirt from the bed.

'Thanks for letting me use your shower. I'll see you, Clive.'

A last grin and he quietly lets himself out.