John Hancock (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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bigempty2026-04-26 05:25 pm
chem_break) wrote in bigempty2026-04-26 05:25 pm
Entry tags:
[Mingle Post: Goodneighbor Ice Cream]
[ A Mini-Mingle Hosted in Goodneighbor Based off of this Creation Club DLC!
Goodneighbor now has an Ice Cream stand run my a ghoul named Scal!
Come on down for the Grand Opening and get one bowl of icecream on the house!
--But uh-oh! Looks like Scal was a little short on cooking materials for such a turn out! So he ended up adding some... extra/unique/off-label ingredients to his recipes!
Probably no one will notice, right?
Just be careful, some sweet treats may cause surprise extra effects!--
Ice Cream Flavors/Effects:
Alcoholic:
Bourbon🍷-- become unable to lie.
Rum🍾-- become unable to Tell The Truth.
Fruity:
Melon🍈-- Sleepy Option! You feel suddenly sleepy and may fall asleep on the person next to you! If you've BOTH eaten affected Melon flavor ice cream you may share dreams (or dreams of memories)!
Mutfruit🍇-- become a wildlife magnet, attracting animals from every corner of Goodneighbor (and maybe beyond)
Tar(t)berry🫐-- become a whole bitch no matter how hard you try not to be
Tato🍅-- WILDCARD FLAVOR-- Create and Describe your own special effect! TRUSTING YOU GUYS NOT TO TRASH THE TOWN OKAY THNX 💖
Brandname:
Nuka Cola 🥤-- Sensory Overclocking! Any (or All!) of your senses are now working overtime! At least the ice cream also tastes extra amazing?
Nuka Cola Cherry🍒-- become Extremely Overheated (undress!)
Nuka Cola Quantum🫗-- become Extremely Chilled (cuddle!)
Sugarbomb🍬-- become compelled to be ridiculously nice to people, no matter how much it pains you to do so
All effects are inconsistent/optional! If you just want to hang out and eat normal ice cream, that's also allowed!
Additionally Mixing/Stacking different effects is also allowed!
YOU'RE A GROWN UP EAT ALL THE ICE CREAM YOU WANT BB~
John Hancock | Fallout 4 | 🥤🍷🍒🫗
He knows this feeling as The Munchies, and it is definitely going to win out, inspiring him to order a few more bowls as he hangs around the stall and greets people who show up to support the new local business. ]
Hey, thanks for makin' the trip. Welcome to Goodneighbor, and Scal's ice cream stand. Go'on and grab a free bowl off the counter if you're feelin' for somethin' sweet.
(( CUSTOMIZE YOUR CR HERE:
🥤: hancock is vaguely stoned/has hella munchies (default)
🍷: hancock cannot lie to your character!
🍒: hancock will overheat and undress (to varying degrees)
🫗: hancock will get chills/crave body heat (to varying degrees)
Note: These represent the ice creams HANCOCK ate but you can choose which effects you wanna see happen in the thread! ))
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Also, inexplicably, frozen desserts.
Finding Hancock had been even easier than he'd anticipated. The moment Joshua turned into the main street he'd spotted that scarlet coat leaning up against the stall, the picture of rakish confidence. It's a good thing Hancock isn't the one running the stand, or the settlement would be down a few headfuls of teeth in a matter of weeks.]
Maybe later. [Joshua doesn't actually have much of a sweet tooth, but if there's anyone can talk him into it as a gesture of good will, they're standing right in front of him.] Assuming there's nothing in there I should know about first.
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[ Hancock sounds. Entirely too casual about this. Is that more honestly than he actually intended? Hard to say. Sometimes a blunt just makes one Blunt and Hancock has imbibed a few of those also, so meh. ]
Nice to see yeah without a ticking explosive between us. You come to deliver those traded goods yourself? Not sure where else I can stake the blame, if it's not the ice cream that got your ass all the way to my neck of the woods... Hmmm...
[ He strums his fingers across his own jaw, underlining his sly smirk. He is implying, at least teasingly, that Joshua must have made the whole trip just to see him. Hancock doesn't actually assume that it's true, but he will certainly have fun with the idea regardless. ]
... Nope, I got no idea. Hey, speakin' of nothin' in particular, want me to ask Scal to make a mint flavored batch next time?
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Putting himself at risk, on the other hand...
Joshua folds his arms. If Hancock were to look up long-suffering in the dictionary, he'd find the man's bandaged face staring right back at him- and they haven't even known each other that long in the first place.]
[witheringly] Not if you're planning on eating it first. I didn't care for the aftertaste.
[Most people wouldn't immediately earn his sarcasm- almost no one would, in fact- but Hancock isn't most people. For one thing, Joshua knows that he not only can take it but enjoy it. For another, his tone is already defrosting.]
At the risk of enflaming your ego, it is good to see you too. That's not the primary reason for my visit, but yes. I've already left a few things at the State House. [He tilts his head a little, frowning as he takes in their surroundings- the shabby facades, the neon signs, the seemingly perpetual haze.] I wanted to see Goodneighbor for myself.
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He holds up his hands, showing his palms as though in a gesture of mock-surrender, and the grin is still gleaming on his face. ]
Okay, okay... just means I gotta put in a little more work figurin' out what your actual favorite flavor is
[ He says it far too innocuously, like he might already be planning some kind of spicy tomfoolery. Only the quick way he blinks and the curl at the corner of his mouth softly make the suggestion. But as Joshua keeps speaking the ghoul's expression shifts, warm and friendly, and his posture becomes slack and relaxed as he regards Goodneighbor's newest guest from afar. ]
Thanks for the Goodwill Donations. Little do you know I'm gunna have to keep trying to one up ya on those [ spoken with a stage whisper, so there's no chance Joshua would not hear him, and passed over with a playful smirk. ] In case no one's told ya so far [ said with slight knowing sarcasm, because people generally arn't as welcoming as Hancock would prefer ] Welcome to Goodneighbor. If you want the Grand Tour, I might know a guy. [ That stage whisper again ] Guy's me.
[ As he chuckles at his own friendly foolishness, Hancock's leathered fingers drift out, catch on the ruffles of his dress shift, and rattle the fabric plumes back and forth as though to shake out an unpleasant heat. The sun is... really beaming down isn't it? And him all in double layers. Not thinking much on it, Hancock plucks open a button on his dress shirt and parts the fabric a little, giving a little huff from the slightly unwelcome heat. ]
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Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever had ice cream at all...
[But he's more interested in (wary of?) the undercurrent of promise in Hancock's voice. If he says it too loudly, the ghoul will probably find something to say about first times and they'll have to start the war of sexual innuendo all over again.]
I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Mayor. [Heaven forbid Hancock be outshone in an act of public service.] Thank you.
[He could, at this point, mention that a ghoul near the gates had tried to pick his pockets the moment he'd passed, or that he specifically didn't bring a traveling companion from Zion because he knew that, mayoral protection or none, they wouldn't have lasted the night. But Hancock has him in surprisingly good spirits, and Joshua indulges him with a rare chuckle, soft and husky.]
I would like that. It's been a long, long time since I set foot in a city, much less a place like this. [Like warrens, he means, all shadowed stoops and alleyways. Close, humid with it.
Maybe humidity is why Hancock's fiddling with his shirt, exposing a deep, mottled swathe of skin between the frills. Odd. Joshua could just be more used to warm weather than he is.]
Please, lead the way.
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[ Oh yes good sir. It is a war of good deeds now. It's on. ]
Don't mention it. Lemme know if ya need something specific. Lota folk around here owe me favors. [ his brain feels a little fuzzy. ] And by favors, I mean caps. Like, way too many? I'm terrible at keeping track [ hahaha... wut? That was... honest. Really honest. Weird.
Joshua could mention that, yes, and there's a decent chance Hancock might then embark on a trip to track down the pickpocket and make them wear their insides on their outsides. Honestly. You'd think people would learn. Joshua's silence probably saves the life of that low-class thief. ]
Then I'm more than happy to oblige. Do I even gotta pretend I don't know where I'm takin' ya first? Bet, if ya think real hard on it, ya can probably guess where my favorite place in town might be...?
[ That'd be the bar, obviously. Maybe if Joshua doesn't want ice cream, he'd like a drink? Hancock's just trying to be a gracious host, okay. He saunters across the short main section of the walled-in town, bringing Joshua beneath the balcony from which the ghoul likes to make his performative speeches. Below that, a sign set above the old subway station entrance reads 'The Third Rail'. It might be redundant of Hancock to consider the bar "his bar" when the town is also "his town", but a little redundancy never killed anyone probably.
Hancock holds the door to the subterranean establishment with a small cordial tip of the head. ]
After you
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Or maybe not. Hancock's attention seems... divided. It's odd. He has never seen the ghoul's eyes anything but dark and sharp as flint, sparking fire at a moment's notice. True, the focus is there again after a moment, along with that playful lilt, yet Joshua wonders- then pushes the thought to the side, for now. Why spoil the mood?]
Knowing you... I would be insulted if you didn't at least offer me a drink. [Which he will not be able to accept for various reasons, but it's the thought that counts- and it's still entertaining to see Hancock's disbelief whenever he reveals another restriction.
Sure enough, the warehouse before them reeks of booze, cigarettes and iniquity. Music drifts up from below, dark and voluptuous.
Joshua enters.]
The red light is a little on the nose. [More teasing.] As a young man, my elders told me that, in the time before, the church was the heart of the community; for most gentiles in the wasteland, it seems the bar now serves the same purpose.
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[ A drink doesn't have to be alcoholic per say; Charlie probably has a couple of non-alcoholic items, but that's a bridge he'll cross when they get downstairs.
The bouncer at the front of the stairs gives them each a friendly nod-- it looks like it took him a lot of practice to get halfway decent at it. Hancock turns and walks down the descending staircase backwards, shooting Joshua a breezy grin as he goes. ]
C'mon, you really gunna fault me for flashin around my favorite color?
[ When he hits the bottom of the stairs first, he awaits Joshua joining him, and then gives a broad welcoming wave for his guest to head first towards the bar counter. If not for something alcoholic, then maybe for some of that Purified Water or Deezer's Lemonade Evaris is constantly selling for Charlie's (read: Hancock's) caps.
Hancock follows up behind, whipping off his own hat and fanning himself with it like he's having a very mild hot-flash. This is poor timing. Maybe he needs a drink too. You know what actually--]
Hey Charlie. Gimmie two waters [ then, to Joshua ] You don't want yours and I'll drink both. Browse the menu if you'd like somethin' else, though. I'm buyin'.
[ As the robot bartender fetches two sealed cans of water, and punches the lids so they can be treated more or less as soda cans, Hancock leans against the counter with one hip, far more casual-lording than any sort of fatigue or distress (or so it seems). ]
About what ya were sayin' before... I think folks value having a place they feel welcome. A Bar, or a Church... but I gotta say, I really appreciate the freedom to get sloshed if I'm feelin' for it. Don't think that's really allowed in the later, even if they do giva ya a little wine.
[ Charlie places the waters on the counter and somehow looks at Hancock like he's judging him. He's probably never seen the ghoul drink a water; clearly, he's trying to impress his guest, right? Actually, Hancock's just hoping the fluid will cool him down. He's not actively concerned yet (sometimes when you take a lot of drugs on the regular, you just feel weird for a little bit) but it is... an effect he's definitely noticed.
He cannot think of a reason he should feel this hot. He can think of a reason he could feel a little hot. But not this hot. Hm. Situation Warrants Monitoring. ]
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That said, Joshua doesn't even hesitate to follow the ghoul down, which must surely mean something. It's endearing, watching him peacock and preen and play to his audience. He can half-imagine a top-hat in place of that tricorn, though it might not make such a good fan.]
Water? Ah. Thank you. [That's... unexpected. Not that the Third Rail serves it, but that Hancock is joining him. Is it unseasonably warm? Down here, below street level, it's at least a few degrees cooler, surely?]
Community. Kinship. It's all some people have ever been able to rely on. [Particularly in a town of outcasts. He lifts the can to his lips to take a sip, though he can feel the frown forming beneath his bandages.] I've heard that some faiths, not so dissimilar to my own, would drink wine as part of their...
[No. He can't ignore this.]
... are you feeling alright?
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Shit, feels like I'm roasting all of the sudden [ His voice sounds semi-casual, extra soot and extra smoke, but the alert-edge to his gaze could sculpt diamond. His spine straightens and he cocks his head towards the loosely scattered bar-crowd, and lets out a sharp whistle. A few key members of the cluttered-folk perk up and listen-- particularly all of them armed, if Joshua happens to observe.
Hancock doesn't give a verbal order. He just says two of their names, and gestures in a circular shape before pointing sharply at the stairs. Apparently the members of the Neighborhood Watch had been previously debriefed enough to know what that means, because a pair of them abandon their card game and head up the stairs and outside immediately.
That being done, Hancock drains half of his can of water like he's used to swallowing fast to compensate for unpleasant tastes. ]
Lousy timing for a hot flash, huh? Sit with me a minute, would ya? Probably just gotta catch by breath... [ And wait for his guy to report back, but that goes without saying, right? ]
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There's a small ripple of activity behind him. Quick, professional. The part of Joshua not prickling with tension is quietly impressed at what he's recognizing as the structure beneath the chaos.]
Of course.
[There's real concern in his voice now. Not gentle, paternal concern, the kind that might press the back of a hand to Hancock's brow or check his pulse: dark, low, the kind that readies a knife for the throat of what- or whoever might be behind this.]
What else have you taken today? Nothing out of the ordinary? [Wordlessly, he pushes his can across the bar towards Hancock.]
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[ he might be jinxing it, but oh well. That aphotic pulse in Joshua's tone, so aliened with a thing not unlike protectiveness, but with teeth, makes Hancock feel an unexpected echo of gratitude. Awww, does Joshua wanna stab someone on Hancock's behalf? That's nice. The ghoul enjoys how that feels. ]
Handful of the usual stuff. Bufftats, Ultra Jet, Espresso, Overdrive for kicks, couple of spliffs, couple of donuts. Then the ice cream. [ blink. ] In case ya wanted an itemized list or somethin.'
[ As he speaks a leathered hand keeps drifting across his own chest to the buttoned edge of his coat, almost as though with intention to grab it and shrug it off, but Hancock shuts down the impulse once and then twice, mildly irritated by the third time the instinct keeps reoccurring. Okay. He's hot, most definitely. But the coat is not coming off. He's drawing a stubborn line in the sand about that. He'd rather sweat. ]
Ah... thanks [ It's more a side effect of genuine wooziness than an intentional flirt when his fingers brush Joshua's as he takes hold of the water. His skin is throwing off a notable amount of heat, not unlike a fever. Gently, he pushes the cannister and Joshua's hand back towards his guest. ]
Appreciate you fussin', really, but don't let me fail as a host so quick. Humor me just a little, would ya?
oOPS somehow i managed to lose this tag??
He blinks rapidly for a moment, trying to jump-start his brain out of the mire of his own inexperience.]
"The usual stuff". [Joshua makes no effort to temper the judgement in his voice. In case Hancock thought he might be going soft.] That doesn't exactly put my mind at ease.
[Not because Hancock has turned his bloodstream into rogue chemistry experiment, but because it means that whatever has the ghoul sweating now must be even stronger. Their fingers meet and it is like putting his hands to a little furnace.]
You don't think that fainting would make you an even worse host? [Then again, there's no slur in his speech or even a hint of a sway to Hancock's posture. If anything, he merely seems put out.] If you won't take off your coat, at least unbutton it.
[because yes, Joshua saw that little twitch of the hand, and he's only going to allow Hancock so much room to be bullheaded.]
No worries it happens to the best of us <3
Sometimes chems and such have unexpected interactions. None of them should though... probably. Not unless I'm suddenly lactose intolerant.
[ It's a joke, but it also tells that he's not leaving the ice cream off his list of possible culprits. Maybe that's paranoid. Maybe he's just careful when a new player comes to town in case they feel like trying to poison the whole settlement for funsies.
Hancock groans in huffy defeat as much as heat-related-discomfort when Joshua makes a very valid point. He leans back, elbows on the bar counter, and shoots Joshua his best brazen, careless grin. ]
Fair point, but I'm just gunna order a-- Thank you Charlie
[ The bot had buzzed over and noisily dropped another punctured canister of water beside Hancock. The ghoul gives a gracious nod, to which Charlie scoffs and mutters (one eye swerving meaningfully towards Joshua) 'Respectfully, Get a room already, Gov''. Hancock immediately erupts into a sunny swell of laughter. He gestures in Charlie's general direction to conclude the point he was trying to make to Joshua-- that he will order another water, and pours a little liquid down the side of his own neck. ]
Fair request, but real talk? You may'a been hanging around long enough to notice, I don't relinquish the threads. Psychoanalyze this, security blanket that, but really, it's probably somethin' close to how you'd feel walkin around with bare skin
[ He can imagine Joshua might be tempted to argue, if he thought Hancock was simply trying to be stubborn. It may be harder to argue with such a genuine confession though, one that the ghoul imagines Joshua must have at least a little empathy for.
Still, he does open up his coat, and let it hang off his elbows as he rests his back against the bar, and takes another series of hungry swallows from his second canister of water. Okay, so water isn't helping. Great. Good to know. He does not want to take off his coat-- and actually he doesn't want to be such a little bitch about taking off his coat either because it really doesn't matter. It's not a big deal at all. It is what it is. He's making it weird by acting like it's something he can't do. ]
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At any rate, he can only defer to experience.]
You know your body better than anyone. [in spite of Hancock's best efforts] I trust you to know when your symptoms become dangerous rather than inconvenient.
[He's also going to very pointedly ignore that little aside from the bartender- even if it is true. Hancock may not have flirted with him in the last thirty seconds, but it's still a permanent fixture in their conversations. The mature, sensible thing to do would be to shut it down... but Joshua isn't sure he's ready to do that, and is even less sure he wants to examine why just yet.
Perhaps it is the curious blend of honesty and ambiguity that keeps him here. In some ways, Hancock has been an open book; in others, Joshua feels as if he is being allowed a glimpse past the gleaming dust-jacket and into his most secret pages.
Joshua's brow furrows a little, his frown one of gentle consternation. He's right, of course. The physical pain is only one aspect; as the air mortifies his ruined flesh, so too would prying eyes.
It works. When Hancock relents, just, Joshua gives a small nod of approval.]
Thank you. I wouldn't ask if I thought the situation didn't warrant it. Do you keep any medicine behind the counter, in case of emergency? Something for lowering a fever, or stimpaks?
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[ Such is the life of a thrill-seeker like Hancock, who is appreciating Joshua's wisdom in deferring to his judgement here. Freaking out would only make things worse, even if he is more than mildly worried.
It's about now that one of the Watch Hancock sent to scout out the street (and the ice cream stand directly) pokes his head back down the stairway and gives Hancock a confused look, a shrug, and a hand-signal for All Clear. No one else mulling around seems to be acting weird... just yet. That's a good sign but the day is young and people have variant metabolisms. Hancock is relieved but not quite relaxed. ]
Well hey I don't exactly wanna sweat to death over something as frivolous as my own modesty. It's just a thing about me-- not usually an issue, but here we are, chattin' about it like it is. But I'm glad you get it. [ He really is, and his attachment to his attire isn't something he'd expect just anyone to grasp. Across all the differences between them, it's nice to feel understood. ]
Uhh... probably a box with a couple stimpaks and such behind the counter by Charlie's safe, if he's up to code... Nothin' fancier than that. Not unless you're dragging me to Amari... probably still unnecessary, as of yet. But, fuck it, if I gotta lose height or width, guess the boots are coming off...
[ If Joshua is thinking about pawing around for fever medication to waste on him, the least Hancock can do it properly try and cool himself off before he passes out from overheating. He's still not entirely comfortable with it, leaning down to unlatch the hidden buttons against each calf. He's got no socks underneath (why would the costume come with such a rare and luxurious item) so he can press the bottoms of his feet to the cold stone floor, and that finally seems to bring him a measure of relief from the strange hot-flash he's suffering. ]
Just... don't say anything about my missing toe, alright? I'm kinda sensitive on the issue
[ He's joking, but the smallest toe on his left foot is missing. The rattling in his boot as it's nudged aside is the bullet he keeps in there to correct the off-fit missing one toe leaves him with. ]
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Even if there were, that would require leaving Hancock's side, and Joshua simply isn't prepared to do that without a target in mind. Better to focus on something achievable, like planting both hands on the counter ("'ere, 'ere! Get your dirty Germans off my bar!") and leaning over in search of that fabled first aid kit. Assuming it isn't composed entirely of half a cigarette and half a tin of Mentats, that is.]
Height or...? [Joshua blinks. Stretched out and over as he is, all he can manage is an awkward glance over his shoulder- just in time to hear one and then two boots clomp unceremoniously to the floor.] Ah. I see.
[He also sees the kit, which he manages to grab before Charlie can swat him away. Sure enough, when he settles back again, he sees Hancock's bare feet nine toes flat on the floor... and, bandages be damned, it's very obvious that he's wrinkling his nose in distaste. The floor is sticky, Hancock!]
That's disgusting. [A beat- then, with the realization of what he has just said, his eyes fly wide open and he hastily adds:] Being barefoot in a place like this, that is. I don't know how you can stand it.
[And now he's gone and made a pun of it. This is terrible.]
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Because the--yeah, you caught up
[ Hancock does not give a damn about the cleanliness of the floor so long as the basement stone is helping him cool off, and it is. He loads up the beginnings of a look to Joshua, a very apathetic, unbothered take on 'bitch please', before the faintly flustered man clarifies his meaning-- and by pun, to boot. A fond grin unfurls the ghoul's mouth and shows a small flash of teeth. ]
Less uncomfortable than the inclination to remove my threads [ that blunt (secretly unavoidable) honesty said with a half-shrug; he's got exactly the same bravado, the charge that brings flash and flare to the performance pieces of his costume. Still, his coat is hanging rather low off his elbows now. Like he's flirting with the idea of shrugging it off. ]
Thought you were talkin about my missing toe for a second. Almost had to drag ya outside and defend my honor [ Hancock can barely keep a straight face when he says it, because it's a bold faced lie; he had been rather both breezy and stone-faced at the idea of Joshua insulting him. Defiant. A King and a Brat almost equally. ]
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Fortunately he doesn't seem to have offended the ghoul, who has seen fit to furnish himself with the kind of smile Joshua might have caught behind bars instead, in the mouth of a particularly smug deathclaw. Joshua sets his own expression back to rights, his look flattened.]
I think your ego could take a knock or two.
[He'd also point out that he's in no position to call anyone's appearance disgusting, but Hancock would probably take that as a cue to lay on the charm all the thicker.
Instead, he smiles to himself.]
Hancock, if anyone in Goodneighbor thought that I'd insulted you, I wouldn't outlive the afternoon. You wouldn't have to lift a finger. [He's studiously ignoring that Hancock's coat is all but hanging on for dear life; best not to bring too much attention to it.]
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[ Bragging is more or less a comfort mechanism at this point. Something familiar to focus on, so he doesn't get restless and agitated. So he can pretend not to be so relieved by the cool subterranean air slithering around his ribs. It helps, soaking up the gratification of Joshua's thickly layered assurances. ]
Bein' Mayor's gotta come with a couple'a perks, don't it? Not like I'm skimming the pot or anything. Can't help it if folk get a little protective-- can't actually say I don't appreciate it [ there's some fondness in his words that is shared graciously between his citizens and Joshua as well, because what is the stern man doing but preoccupying himself with fairly protective behavior, if only to keep occupied. ]
Feels kinda unprofessional to pause your tour for this junkie bullshit-- on the other hand, you said you stopped by the Old Statehouse already. Next big hits are... The Memory Den and The Hotel Rexford... either of those strike your fancy?
[ He's going to try and stand up now yup. One solid hand on the bar counter though. Why does everything suddenly feel taller? Oh. Wait Because of the. Yeah. Hancock represses the urge to kiss his teeth in irritation. ]
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No wonder his citizens adore him. In a world run by doubt and fear- in a town where the only laws are the ones you can enforce yourself- who wouldn't find such confidence appealing?
Joshua certainly isn't entirely immune to it himself... but he still has the wherewithal to reach out as soon as Hancock is on his feet again, one hand braced to the ghoul's shoulder. No amount of ruffle or stained cotton can dampen the heat he's still giving off.]
Are you sure that's wise?
[He stands, just in case Hancock should falter, only to be brought up short (so to speak) by the way he sudden has to direct his question downwards. Those boots were more than just an aesthetic choice, then. He'd try not to draw attention to it, but if anyone's going to be hyper-aware of the sudden disparity it's Hancock. Whether or not it's just silly power-play at work, it matters to some.]
You can take me to the hotel later this evening. I'll probably stay the night. [He glances back at the stools encouragingly.] Tell me about The Memory Den. When I passed it earlier it looked like an old burlesque theater- which, as you can imagine, isn't exactly my idea of entertainment.
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[ He starts off half agreeing with Joshua and half seeming like he wants to argue him anyway; there's a restlessness that quiets on the ghoul's features when Joshua places a hand on his shoulder.
Sweet Christ does he notice those two extra inches of height he's missing, a relatively small measurement to lose that still has him looking up and his concerned companion and processing a pulsing thrill through his chest.
Oh. This is nice. Too nice. Too much enjoyment to steal from a man with the purest intentions. Hancock, you fiend. Maybe he should. Maybe he should sit back down. A long sigh deflates him and he relents a small nod-- okay, okay, fine. Wisdom and Caution will win the day, this time. Hancock melts back onto the barstool, grasping the ruffles of his shirt and whipping them back and forth to get some air beneath his shirt. ]
Done deal. Memory Den's gotta be my second favorite haunt, after the bar. They got these Memory Loungers that can show you any memory you got, clear as day. Lotta folks use 'em to relive their happiest memories. Lost loved ones. Times before the bombs, even. I've been known to go for spin myself.
[ He cants his head and regards Joshua with narrowed eyes. Focusing on him is an excellent distraction Hancock is using to ignore the fact that he's finally peeling off his coat and folding it across his own lap. It's not a big deal. Look how much of a small deal it is actually. The smallest of deals, even. ]
Don't suppose there's anything you'd wanna relive?
[ Maybe, a time before he was burned? Hancock is curious; he wants to ask, but he doesn't. ]
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Again, he is forced to relent.]
Fascinating. I had no idea that technology like that had even survived the war. [Where he's from they can't even get a clear radio signal, much less a machine that can read your very thoughts.
That flapping movement is distracting in and of itself. Out of the corner of his eye Joshua notes the brief flashes of skin beneath- a long and narrow throat, the pronounced curve of his clavicle and the divot below, leading lower still. Leaner than he expected, somehow, but that must be the magic of the coat.
Embarrassed, suddenly, his eyes slide sideways.]
... no. What would be the point? [Joshua looks up again, frowning- to himself, rather than at Hancock or his question specifically.] I laid my childhood to rest in the ashes of New Canaan. I have no interest in disturbing it now. As for what happened afterwards... I remember most of it too clearly. What I do not, I don't doubt that I have forgotten for a reason.
[The human mind can only tolerate so much. He pauses.]
What do you see, when you visit?
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[ The science is really unclear okay do not question it. Hancock chatters on and almost, almost misses that subtle lingering look. But that might have implied the existence of a kind, merciful god. Instead Hancock catches the quietly combing cobalt stare of his companion and immediately, his grin blooms with pride and delight.
Joshua saves himself from another flirtatious onslaught by continuing to speak, and the somber subject matter draws the ghoul's inclination for empathy with stronger magnetism than his habit to flirt. He settles some, pensive. Quiet, and reflective.
He understands that some people struggle to reach for happy memories. He wants to say the invitation is still an open one, if Joshua happens to discover a stray warm recollection, one day in the sand. But Joshua asks him a question, and Hancock's inclination to be honest with the man is so genuine that he doesn't even notice it's actually currently chemically compulsory. ]
Myself. Before I became a ghoul. Pretty sure the staff might think it's a regret thing, but that ain't it. More like... I'm reminding myself of the guy I am now, by lookin' over the guy I'm not anymore.
[ It's not exactly private subject matter... but he doesn't talk about it with many people, either. Not either of his current partners at least, since it's habitual enough to avoid talking about the time before he was a ghoul. But John Hancock knows that Joshua must understand what it is to have a time Before and a time After. It loosens his tongue a little-- or so he thinks, unaware of his inability to lie. It doesn't feel unnatural. ]
I was a blonde. Bet you could'a guessed. As for you? I'd bet my last cap on brunette.
[ Was that a little shiver Hancock just felt? ... No wait seriously, was that a real chill? ]
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... which is what he might have said, were it not for the fact that Hancock immediately clocks his damn wandering eyes and breaks into a grin that some might have called shit-eating. It may only shine for a few seconds, but that's all it takes to let Joshua know he's been caught. No doubt Hancock will wait for some thoroughly inopportune moment to remind him about it.
For now, he stays more or less on topic. Joshua meets his tone with furrowed brows, as if lost in a memory of his own.]
We all have a tendency to reminisce on the way things were. It's human nature to try and forget the cruelty and ugliness that often lurk beneath the surface of our memories. More often than not, those times were not better- just different. [His gaze refocuses, then, finding Hancock's with knife-point acuity.] The opportunity to put that into perspective is a rare gift- but it is rarer still to meet a man willing to do so with unclouded eyes.
[Next to return to Joshua's face: his smile. A thin, wan little ghost it may be beneath his bandages, but it's enough to warm the gravel of his voice.]
Someone once told me that "blondes have more fun". I can't imagine a version of you that could possibly enjoy life more than you do now. Even if I could, he wouldn't have a fraction of the respect that I have for you. [A pause.] ... and yes. You would win that bet.
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Not so sure how unclouded my eyes were exactly... But I appreciate what you're sayin'
[ Spoken with quiet gratitude, and a subtle uncertainty that questions his deserving of the praise. Hancock's not sure why he has to find and outline in white chalk the differences between who he was, and who he is. It feels almost like a compulsion. He never thought it could be something someone would think of as exemplary.
Hancock likes to think he can hear the smile in Joshua's voice sometimes; he's got to listen harder with only the man's eyes to judge his expression by. ]
You ain't wrong. This me is The Best Me. I'm not so proud of that other guy. But he learned. I think he learned.
[ The tension that's climbing over him has nothing to do with the subject matter-- in fact Hancock is delighted to have won the bet he made with himself over Joshua's long lost hair color. What he's feeling is that buckled-in tautness from being hit with a brunt of cold. He can't be that unaccustomed to going without his coat, can he? That the subway-cool air is already making him shiver? Hancock lifts his feet off the floor, perching them instead on the metallic-ring around his barstool, and shoves his hands into the folds of his coat on his lap. What is his body-temperature-flux bullshit? ]
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Still, there may be other uses for those Memory Pods. Perhaps if there is a way to share them, he could show Hancock his more recent history: Zion in springtime, all lush growth and light scintillating across crystal-clear waters, or Dead Horse Point at the precise moment the sun vanishes beneath the horizon on a clear night. There aren't nearly so many stars here in the Commonwealth. Joshua could share his.]
About the loungers... [He doesn't get much further than that before yet another problem presents itself. In complete defiance of his condition, Hancock appears to be shivering. Joshua's first thought is that he's worsened, suddenly, devolved into ticks and trembles- but no, now he's covering his hands, too.]
Hancock.
[Urgency moves his hand as well as his voice. He doesn't even ask before he sticks it out and touches the back of his palm Hancock's uncovered brow, expecting to find it damp and feverish.]
What are you feeling right now?
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Maybe he should go double check the new ice cream joint himself. Lean on Scal a little. What else could it be? None of his familiar substances should make him cold like this.
And he's cold to the touch. Colder than a ghoul or a human should be. ]
Kinda chilly if I'm bein' honest
[ he all but growls, sharp irritation aimed safely away from his companion. Hancock is so done with this whole bad trip. Drugs and snacks are supposed to be fun, okay. How dare they betray him like this. And what's worse is the idea of the slightest chance that his people could be in danger of the same thing. Maybe something worse. Maybe Hancock was too trusting of a new face in town. ]
It's-- I'm good, I'm good
[ Fuck it. Back on the coat goes. Hancock slings it around his shoulder like a blanket, but it feels like the fabric is just pressing the chill into his skin. He has to clench his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering. Some kind of thoughtless instinct has him sway forward, towards the heat of Joshua's palm, like a reptile chasing sunlight. ]
Not ideal. Not commonplace, either. N-not lovin' this.
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Hancock merely sounds put out. Joshua is not so blase. Without hesitation he hops to his feet and edges in close until he's stood more or less at Hancock's back, like a large dog guarding its master's feet.]
Nor am I. [Tension grips every inch of Hancock's body. Even through the thick, gnarled skin above, Joshua can feel the tightness of his temple where his knuckles meet his face, and he feels his own shoulders clenching in solidarity.] We're finding a doctor, Hancock, and that's final.
[Even if I have to throw you over my shoulder and drag you there myself, he doesn't say; the steel-capped severity of his tone all but declares it on the microphone sat unused in the corner of the bar.]
Call your men and tell them to bring- Amari, was it? Here.
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We don't gotta drag the woman from all her fancy equipment. I can walk. Nothin's gunna happen to me on the way with you breathing down my neck
[ said with a heavy dose of affection-- and yes, Hancock did just assume Joshua is going to walk him. It's the vibes, man. Joshua just feels fierce and protective-- and like he's too smart to trust Hancock with the chance to go alone. He could always try to swing by Scal's first, after all...
Hancock doesn't figure Joshua would appreciate the request for a detour just now.
The ghoul fails to repress a spell of shivers as he arranges his feet back into his boots. He doesn't fuck around with the buttons-- the shivers keep crawling down his hands. ]
Guess that means I'm technically showing you The Memory Den anyway, Amari's digs bein' in the basement. So not a completely botched tour.
[ The fact that he's still wise-cracking is an emerging hint of how compulsory it is for him. ]
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As you wish.
[He can compromise. The Memory Den is only a stone's throw from here- and he doubts Hancock would object if he should find his feet leaving the sidewalk should they begin to fail him on the way.
First things first: the stairs. All he needs to do is offer his shoulder, but the chill of the ghoul's body demands an embrace instead. He urges one of Hancock's arms over his shoulder, while one of his own slips around his waist and holds him flush to his own body; it's slight enough that he can keep him tucked close, even as they begin to walk.]
Don't be so hard on yourself. If it is any consolation, this may well be the longest I've ever spent in a bar. Quite an achievement.
[Joshua knows precisely what he is saying, because he learned it in the last fifteen minutes from the master himself: making light of the burden of concern that only swells with each shiver. Strange, he thinks distractedly, that translation should have been such a constant throughout all three of his lives.
One step. Another. He glances down, but he can't see past the brim of Hancock's hat.]
🥤give me my gardener man
Ice cream? He hadn't had ice cream since... pre-war?? He follows the sound of voices and finds the small crowd. It's easy to spot Hancock, but Aries waits his turn. He doesn't believe himself to be anyone special. ]
Free, huh? What kind of free?
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He's feeling... mostly better. No more hot flashes or cold spells for the moment. But there's some changes to his typical look. Hancock has no hat and no coat, his frilly shirt is mostly undone, and he has no godamn boots, which actually makes him a noticeable 2 inches shorter.
Now lets be real this is probably uncommon without actually being unheard of. Hancock do be getting fucked up on the regular, it just usually doesn't effect him bad enough to have him strip off parts of his treasured costume. He was hella toasty. And then freezing cold. It was a whole thing. But he's back now, looking junkie-disheveled, and yet somehow it seems to suit him as he lurks around and watches the fuck out of what Scal is doing back there. ]
... The kinda free where you don't gotta pay for it?
[ Not trying to be a smart ass, just Still Buzzed and answering literally, and maybe philosophically. Hancock's not convinced enough yet that anything is wrong with the actual ice cream to stop anyone from having any. He did take a lot of drugs this morning, to be fair and honest. But he is going to hover around here and keep an eye on people. ]
Hey Handsome. Thanks for coming down, and lemme know how the ice cream is. I'm collecting Community Reviews.
MA JUNE: Sugarbomb🍬
She knew the rules of Goodneighbor, or really, lack-thereof. But putting the barrel of her rifle in the man's back while he was serving ice cream, that seemed far too crass. Not for 200 caps. Maybe 350. Instead she glares at Scal, pointing at her eyes and then his. I got your ass. On the house, he says, and gives her a scoop of Sugarbomb. A small spoonful and she smiles wide,]
Oh, Scal, I forgot why I was so mad at you! Look at that face. I love your face.
[She recoils and smacks her lips together. SHE HATES HIS FACE.]
Love you, Scal.
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[ And here is Hancock a little later, still hatless and coat-less and shorter than usual, sauntering over like he owns the joint (because technically he does) and checking in with another customer to make sure Scal isn't casually poisoning everyone.
(Spoiler Alert: This Scal is an INSTITUTE SYNTH! Why is this the particular brand of messing around in Goodneighbor they're going with? Who knows....?)
Anyway. Hancock. Checking in on the people, of who Ma June is one of. He'd really rather not stab Scal and lose this cute little shop but god damn it be will if the guy is messing with his citizens somehow! ]
i forgot why he's Without Regular Clothes?
This ice cream is just ... real good, ya know? It takes me back... Hancock! Oh, babydoll, I would recognize that voice anywhere, why are you nekkid??