[ Ravenscar couldn't give John what he wanted. Nothing can, really. He can just dull the pain once in a while. If he's drunk enough. Or too caught up in good sex to really give a shit. The exhaustion after a job that requires a lot of magic almost does the trick. ]
Don't go blabbing that to anyone, you'll murder my reputation.
[ He has his moments. ]
Let's say I've got no intention of making it anywhere close to a flat surface before I begin my heartfelt apology to you. Though we may end up scandalizing your elderly neighbor if we aren't careful.
Color me surprised. I didn't think you'd try. I stand corrected.
[Or at least he can't outright peg it to be a lie here. And that would be telling too. Matt has tried not to stiffen or alter his reactions when he can tell a fib. No one asked him to listen to John's heart beat.]
I'd rather keep it all to myself.
[Oohh Murdock. Just stop. He considers putting away his phone for his own good.]
I like you different colors. That flush is a particular favorite of mine while we're on the subject.
[ He lies quite a bit. He'll say it's to protect others but it's mostly to protect himself. Hurts less than the truth. It's amazing that withered old thing still rattles away under his ribs honestly. ]
Well you are more the hands-on type. I'm appreciative of it.
[ No please, continue. ]
So what do you say? We'll make sure we don't have an audience and I can show you my appreciation for taking me in on such short notice?
[Ohh Christ. Now it's being laid on thick on both ends. Bad. Very bad. The worst.]
You don't like crowds all that much anyway. So yeah, just me.
[No accomplices. When they're alone the focus is on John as he is. Good or bad. Truth and lies. If Matt wasn't so used to looking for the difference he'd likely not find it. John is so accomplished in illusions as much as incantations and the like.]
I'm an excellent host, you know that. And I'd like to catch up. Intimately.
[ It's all he can manage with such enormous distance between them currently. He's more than a man of words, though. Action is right up his alley and he makes good on what he does say. ]
Not since my punk rock days, no. Do my best work with little to no audience.
[ Not that John isn't against a little light voyeurism, he just knows when his bedfellows aren't. No amount of magick or tricks can hide enough from Murdock, not that he knows it yet. He's got an idea, but that doesn't give him all the details.
Plus, it isn't really a post-coitus conversation starter. Not a good one anyways. ]
Well, after I've greeted you properly, I'm sure a shower is in order. Stuffy car for hours on end and all. Good start?
[At times Matt had hoped that the distance would give him a chance to gather himself. They don't come from the same world, they don't operate with the same belief system. Though for all of the opposites those don't sum to be negatives. No, he's intriguing. Matt leans into him the way he'd lean into anticipating a punch.]
No audience is invited.
[Whatever happens to come through the walls happens to come through the walls.]
I'll lend you a hand, just in case. Don't want you to miss any spots because you're road weary.
[ Absence makes the heart grow fonder. John would say that his old, busted one doesn't count but he loves fiercely. He wishes he didn't. It would hurt less with what he does. He's walked the same kinds of paths that Matt has but they led him to different places once he met Annie. Opened a whole new world for him.
Being drawn to New York for that vile business before had ended with an unexpected bonus and also made it harder to leave. ]
All to myself then. Anything could happen.
[ Hopefully amazingly wonderful things. Lots of sex. Good food and a little booze. ]
Nothing self-serving in that scenario at all, yeah?
[Try as he might to be aloof, distant and unaffected, John has a charm to him. Matt is not immune. He likes the sound of his voice, the way he spins his sentences. The careful touch of his hand and the energy that hums on through him. It's not fair. A few laughs, a few smiles and before you know it a compromising position....]
Specific things will happen. You and I, no clothes.
[The stupidly expensive wine that Foggy bought him that he has had no reason to touch yet. Maybe the rest of his beer.]
I am absolutely looking out for your best interest alone.
[If Matt used emojis there would be a halo wearing smiley face here.]
[ Distant and aloof keeps the people he cares about safe. At least for the most part. Magickal items shore up the rest of it. It's simpler when he's around Matt. There's a right and a wrong and little bit of grey area. No question as to when John's past might catch up to him and who might be in the way. ]
I love a man who knows what he wants.
[ He'll bring over a few beers and some good scotch. They'll make a night of it. He can grab what he needs to cook after. Wouldn't be the first time he's fought a hangover after a night of really good sex on top of it. ]
Absolute Saint you are.
[ He can imagine. It suits. ]
You ain't got to wonder. Just think about the last time. We got out of your hall then. I've got no intention of that here.
[The danger that Matt faces is not the same as the danger that John faces. For now he believes it to be more of questionable people, racketeers. Folks that use the power of belief to manipulate and run businesses in darkness. John's connection to magic has been seen as just...a belief. And who is he to say that it's outright wrong when they have been respectable to the other's ideology.
They are put at odds there, push comes to shove. Matt wonders if they will burn and fizzle out the way that attraction does when it burns hot. His heart beats fast and his demeanor lightens at the possibility of the Londoner around.]
You can be more specific.
[As if there is any doubt as to what is in store. Desperate, messy kisses before alcohol is even involved. Eventually tasting whatever is on tap from one another's skins.]
That's--way, way too generous of you to say. I'm a lot of things. Not quite a saint.
[And not like any devil he has dealt with before.]
[ John is keen to let him believe what he will. Sighted or not the kind of world he deals with on the daily is not for most. He doesn't want to find out the category Matt falls into. He doesn't want to put him in the line of fire.
Distance makes him wonder what will come of them. He hopes that the moments they find in between miles will be enough. He likes being around the other man. Scrappy boy with scars that don't make sense for his day job. ]
What I've got in mind to start is going to murder my knees. Good thing the trousers will be out of the way.
[ Which of course comes after the punch drunk kisses between them. He can almost feel the charge in the air already. ]
More a saint than me at any rate.
[ Not in the least. The good kind. ]
They say it's a virtue. That's on the way to sainthood, right?
[ He's talked Chas into going along with this idea. Only because he'll give over gas money and pay for the hotel on top of it. Good thing his numbers the last few days have panned out. ]
[Still, if he's going to be in danger... may it be danger he's willing to pay the price for. Unfortunately Matt has no idea. Just a sudden and fast attraction. Distance means that they can have their own lives. And what would it look like for a lawyer to be dabbling with a man who is an expert the occult?
These miles between them lets Matt remember that nothing lasts. Not with Elektra. Not with Karen. Take it all for what it is when it is. And he knows that being evasive in his own way is going to have drawbacks at some point. More questions, no answers. Not returning calls and missing time.]
You have a beautiful, smart mouth, John.
[And his gut clenches at the thought. Cigarettes are never a pleasant smell. He still wants those ash laced kisses.]
Anything I should know? Is this going to be a long visit?
[Virtues and graces. Yes, all the things he knows. Benedictions to rattle off to clear his head, that would be the better response. Now he only wants the time to fly by so that the state lines are crossed.]
[ That's the last thing John wants or needs on his soul or conscience. So many others have insisted they know about what he does and deals with. Everyone pays for it. What was it that bastard demon said? Supplying a steady amount of souls for them. It's a big part of why he kept the ruse of being out of the country.
And it would hurt Matt's reputation to be seen with the likes of him in proper public circles.
Nothing lasts. Nothing except consequences. He'll take radio silence at the end of this rather than another mark on his soul. ]
And I fully intend to put it to the best possible use for you.
[ John's keen for it on most days. Throw one Matthew Murdock in the mix and here he is crossing state lines for whatever time the two of them can scrounge up. ]
I've got nothing pressing for now. Few days at least.
[ Maybe more. He's packing up a small bag as they speak. ]
[States away or an ocean away, it's still not close enough to touch. Physical contact as well as the experience of being in John's presence it's what he wants the most. The fond memories of sex also help.]
...did you know I was thinking about you earlier?
[Before he remembered that there was a text message waiting for a response. In those moments between sleeping and waking and half remembered moments.]
[ John won't deny there's a part of him that yearns for the simple life. He tried it once. Didn't take in the worst possible way. The fact that they can steal these moments means a lot but it puts John's hair on edge. Always hypervigilant to what could be lurking about and following his trail.
Even those fond memories aren't enough to lessen his nerves all the time. ]
I was wondering why my ears were burning. Don't keep us in suspense about it.
[ Those moments are the best moments when it comes to good dreams. Seems like an eternity before the world comes crashing back through. ]
[There's no such thing as normal. How could there be? Matt's desk hours and street hours don't add up. And thus far any other person he's tried to fit in the spaces between have been pushed out. John is strong, ornery to boot. That doesn't mean he'd be immune. They haven't even been seeing each other steadily enough to say one way or the other what this attachment is. Yes, there's sex. There's also wonderfully long conversations about music and cities. They indulge in one another's rambling. Does that make a relationship?
It makes something.]
Just about last time. Not just the hallway bit. That was--you're always incredible, John.
[And Matt cuddles to him whether he likes it or not post coitus.]
I have incredible levels of tolerance. You'd be surprised.
[ No but it doesn't stop blokes like them from wondering about the almosts and could have beens. John is made of sturdier stuff than most, if he left it likely wouldn't be because of Matt but instead what he himself brought along with him. He believed someone once when they told him they could handle it all. But what they have when they don't fall into silent wondering is good. They can have a good romp, chat about all kinds of things. Matt likes to hear about the places he's been and he's happy to describe it in detail, even going so far as to trace shapes on his skin with the pads of his fingers.
Whatever it is that they do have it's strong. Strong enough, John hopes. ]
Likewise, Matt. Still remember the bruises from the tumble over the coffee table.
[ It was pure accident and John was less familiar with the flat. They were too caught up in each other to really give a damn. At least it didn't break. And the cuddles? John won't argue that he's got a soft spot for it. Small moments in the morning before they have to go back to reality. ]
Careful, squire. That sounds like a challenge. Dunno what you'd do with old Johnny boy for an extended amount of time. Probably get tired of me, I reckon.
You get anymore bruises and I'll be sure to kiss on em so they'll hurt less.
[Sap. Utter sap. That's just how it goes though. Enough time spent together and he's spending nights thinking back on conversations and moments. They detract from past hurts. No one's got on through to him the way John has in a long, long time.]
I'd find a thing or two to do with you. I got an attention span. And don't undermine your natural ability to be engaging.
Or you could just distract me from the bruises with kisses in general.
[ John lives for it though. When did he end up falling over himself because of Matt Murdock exactly? Chas isn't going to let him live this down the whole drive up. Maybe he can pay him extra to not talk. ]
Only a thing or two? Let's see if we can get a list going longer than that when I get there.
Of course, all you have to do is ask. I'm...very giving too.
[Touching and being touched. Matt's first encounter with John was mundane, the way you run into a person in the city. That strange energy like electricity at touch, husky laugh and musical accent.]
I have enough ideas to start. You're inspiring. You know that. One thing leads to another.
Don't I know it. I think it's my turn to do the spoiling for you though, yeah?
[ Something good has to come of that old wreck of a pub called Josie's, doesn't it? Matt had saved John from a world of hurt when he and Chas were going to get some water to help the sobering process and been steered clear. They had exhausted all their leads for the time and tomorrow was a fresh start. His friend headed back to the hotel and John stayed to get acquainted with the locals. ]
Flattery and good looks, how did I get so lucky? I can't wait until I can get you in bed, the two of us just skin on skin.
Find a hundred different ways to drive you out of your mind.
I must not be remembering right if you think that meant that you're indebted. Or...it's just that fun with you.
[Not just the sex though that is in the foreground of conversation. That night at Josie's they sat at the bar and talked. Not just about how the establishment's water supply was hazardous, but the healing properties of drink. The way it's an international institution. A refuge for all kinds.
And then the flirting started. Careful--you have to be these days. And quickly getting a blind nudge or touch here and there.]
We've got hours to wait it out. And as impatient as I am, if it means being with you I can stick it out.
[As a bonus didn't John appreciate the sheets? That's not a standard thing.]
I know I'm not in debt to you. Consider it a challenge. Me finding all the many ways I can drive you barmy.
[ That night comes with a lot of fond memories. Usually John is only in it for a quick shag and a smoke after. Somehow he got caught up in the man's personality and charm and now here they are.
He was done for before he closed out his tab. ]
Well if you were having trouble sticking it out I could always call and talk you through it.
[ Yes, he's about to be in a cab. Nothing a quick shielding spell won't fix. Give them a bit of privacy and all. As for the sheets, he didn't peg Matt for silk sheets but he certainly wasn't complaining with the positions the two of them bounced between as the night wore on and into the wee hours of the morning. ]
If we're going to be this busy you might have to call in to work.
I have noticed that the very whiff of challenge is around you are game.
[Then again, while Matt touts himself as a bumbler and not all together capable of being a competitive person he truly is. And there was a small hint of that in the first night. How long could he keep the conversation going? How suggestive was too suggestive to his tastes? And John played along, tit for tat. It must have been such a time if he's still game.]
I would...greatly appreciate a call. I think you would too.
[ John was fooled at first but chuffed when he realized he was actually playing a con. It was one he didn't mind playing into himself. Not with someone as easy on the eyes as Matthew Murdock. ]
Give us a few, chief. You'll be hearing from me.
[ And sure enough, once he's got Chas to go along with his hair-brained idea and start getting the cab ready: John calls. He's got his little bag packed and a change or two of clothes, his usual fare. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ Ravenscar couldn't give John what he wanted. Nothing can, really. He can just dull the pain once in a while. If he's drunk enough. Or too caught up in good sex to really give a shit. The exhaustion after a job that requires a lot of magic almost does the trick. ]
Don't go blabbing that to anyone, you'll murder my reputation.
[ He has his moments. ]
Let's say I've got no intention of making it anywhere close to a flat surface before I begin my heartfelt apology to you. Though we may end up scandalizing your elderly neighbor if we aren't careful.
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[Or at least he can't outright peg it to be a lie here. And that would be telling too. Matt has tried not to stiffen or alter his reactions when he can tell a fib. No one asked him to listen to John's heart beat.]
I'd rather keep it all to myself.
[Oohh Murdock. Just stop. He considers putting away his phone for his own good.]
That sounds very, very promising.
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[ He lies quite a bit. He'll say it's to protect others but it's mostly to protect himself. Hurts less than the truth. It's amazing that withered old thing still rattles away under his ribs honestly. ]
Well you are more the hands-on type. I'm appreciative of it.
[ No please, continue. ]
So what do you say? We'll make sure we don't have an audience and I can show you my appreciation for taking me in on such short notice?
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You don't like crowds all that much anyway. So yeah, just me.
[No accomplices. When they're alone the focus is on John as he is. Good or bad. Truth and lies. If Matt wasn't so used to looking for the difference he'd likely not find it. John is so accomplished in illusions as much as incantations and the like.]
I'm an excellent host, you know that. And I'd like to catch up. Intimately.
[Sweet talking, gifts, intimate rendezvous...]
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Not since my punk rock days, no. Do my best work with little to no audience.
[ Not that John isn't against a little light voyeurism, he just knows when his bedfellows aren't. No amount of magick or tricks can hide enough from Murdock, not that he knows it yet. He's got an idea, but that doesn't give him all the details.
Plus, it isn't really a post-coitus conversation starter. Not a good one anyways. ]
Well, after I've greeted you properly, I'm sure a shower is in order. Stuffy car for hours on end and all. Good start?
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No audience is invited.
[Whatever happens to come through the walls happens to come through the walls.]
I'll lend you a hand, just in case. Don't want you to miss any spots because you're road weary.
13 hours is a long, long time
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Being drawn to New York for that vile business before had ended with an unexpected bonus and also made it harder to leave. ]
All to myself then. Anything could happen.
[ Hopefully amazingly wonderful things. Lots of sex. Good food and a little booze. ]
Nothing self-serving in that scenario at all, yeah?
I'll have a kip in the car.
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Specific things will happen. You and I, no clothes.
[The stupidly expensive wine that Foggy bought him that he has had no reason to touch yet. Maybe the rest of his beer.]
I am absolutely looking out for your best interest alone.
[If Matt used emojis there would be a halo wearing smiley face here.]
And me just left to wait and wonder.
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I love a man who knows what he wants.
[ He'll bring over a few beers and some good scotch. They'll make a night of it. He can grab what he needs to cook after. Wouldn't be the first time he's fought a hangover after a night of really good sex on top of it. ]
Absolute Saint you are.
[ He can imagine. It suits. ]
You ain't got to wonder. Just think about the last time. We got out of your hall then. I've got no intention of that here.
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They are put at odds there, push comes to shove. Matt wonders if they will burn and fizzle out the way that attraction does when it burns hot. His heart beats fast and his demeanor lightens at the possibility of the Londoner around.]
You can be more specific.
[As if there is any doubt as to what is in store. Desperate, messy kisses before alcohol is even involved. Eventually tasting whatever is on tap from one another's skins.]
That's--way, way too generous of you to say. I'm a lot of things. Not quite a saint.
[And not like any devil he has dealt with before.]
I have to play the patience game.
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Distance makes him wonder what will come of them. He hopes that the moments they find in between miles will be enough. He likes being around the other man. Scrappy boy with scars that don't make sense for his day job. ]
What I've got in mind to start is going to murder my knees. Good thing the trousers will be out of the way.
[ Which of course comes after the punch drunk kisses between them. He can almost feel the charge in the air already. ]
More a saint than me at any rate.
[ Not in the least. The good kind. ]
They say it's a virtue. That's on the way to sainthood, right?
[ He's talked Chas into going along with this idea. Only because he'll give over gas money and pay for the hotel on top of it. Good thing his numbers the last few days have panned out. ]
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These miles between them lets Matt remember that nothing lasts. Not with Elektra. Not with Karen. Take it all for what it is when it is. And he knows that being evasive in his own way is going to have drawbacks at some point. More questions, no answers. Not returning calls and missing time.]
You have a beautiful, smart mouth, John.
[And his gut clenches at the thought. Cigarettes are never a pleasant smell. He still wants those ash laced kisses.]
Anything I should know? Is this going to be a long visit?
[Virtues and graces. Yes, all the things he knows. Benedictions to rattle off to clear his head, that would be the better response. Now he only wants the time to fly by so that the state lines are crossed.]
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And it would hurt Matt's reputation to be seen with the likes of him in proper public circles.
Nothing lasts. Nothing except consequences. He'll take radio silence at the end of this rather than another mark on his soul. ]
And I fully intend to put it to the best possible use for you.
[ John's keen for it on most days. Throw one Matthew Murdock in the mix and here he is crossing state lines for whatever time the two of them can scrounge up. ]
I've got nothing pressing for now. Few days at least.
[ Maybe more. He's packing up a small bag as they speak. ]
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...did you know I was thinking about you earlier?
[Before he remembered that there was a text message waiting for a response. In those moments between sleeping and waking and half remembered moments.]
All the more for me.
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Even those fond memories aren't enough to lessen his nerves all the time. ]
I was wondering why my ears were burning. Don't keep us in suspense about it.
[ Those moments are the best moments when it comes to good dreams. Seems like an eternity before the world comes crashing back through. ]
As much as you can put up with at any rate.
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It makes something.]
Just about last time. Not just the hallway bit. That was--you're always incredible, John.
[And Matt cuddles to him whether he likes it or not post coitus.]
I have incredible levels of tolerance. You'd be surprised.
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Whatever it is that they do have it's strong. Strong enough, John hopes. ]
Likewise, Matt. Still remember the bruises from the tumble over the coffee table.
[ It was pure accident and John was less familiar with the flat. They were too caught up in each other to really give a damn. At least it didn't break. And the cuddles? John won't argue that he's got a soft spot for it. Small moments in the morning before they have to go back to reality. ]
Careful, squire. That sounds like a challenge. Dunno what you'd do with old Johnny boy for an extended amount of time. Probably get tired of me, I reckon.
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[Sap. Utter sap. That's just how it goes though. Enough time spent together and he's spending nights thinking back on conversations and moments. They detract from past hurts. No one's got on through to him the way John has in a long, long time.]
I'd find a thing or two to do with you. I got an attention span. And don't undermine your natural ability to be engaging.
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[ John lives for it though. When did he end up falling over himself because of Matt Murdock exactly? Chas isn't going to let him live this down the whole drive up. Maybe he can pay him extra to not talk. ]
Only a thing or two? Let's see if we can get a list going longer than that when I get there.
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[Touching and being touched. Matt's first encounter with John was mundane, the way you run into a person in the city. That strange energy like electricity at touch, husky laugh and musical accent.]
I have enough ideas to start. You're inspiring. You know that. One thing leads to another.
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[ Something good has to come of that old wreck of a pub called Josie's, doesn't it? Matt had saved John from a world of hurt when he and Chas were going to get some water to help the sobering process and been steered clear. They had exhausted all their leads for the time and tomorrow was a fresh start. His friend headed back to the hotel and John stayed to get acquainted with the locals. ]
Flattery and good looks, how did I get so lucky? I can't wait until I can get you in bed, the two of us just skin on skin.
Find a hundred different ways to drive you out of your mind.
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[Not just the sex though that is in the foreground of conversation. That night at Josie's they sat at the bar and talked. Not just about how the establishment's water supply was hazardous, but the healing properties of drink. The way it's an international institution. A refuge for all kinds.
And then the flirting started. Careful--you have to be these days. And quickly getting a blind nudge or touch here and there.]
We've got hours to wait it out. And as impatient as I am, if it means being with you I can stick it out.
[As a bonus didn't John appreciate the sheets? That's not a standard thing.]
We'll number them all and then some.
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[ That night comes with a lot of fond memories. Usually John is only in it for a quick shag and a smoke after. Somehow he got caught up in the man's personality and charm and now here they are.
He was done for before he closed out his tab. ]
Well if you were having trouble sticking it out I could always call and talk you through it.
[ Yes, he's about to be in a cab. Nothing a quick shielding spell won't fix. Give them a bit of privacy and all. As for the sheets, he didn't peg Matt for silk sheets but he certainly wasn't complaining with the positions the two of them bounced between as the night wore on and into the wee hours of the morning. ]
If we're going to be this busy you might have to call in to work.
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[Then again, while Matt touts himself as a bumbler and not all together capable of being a competitive person he truly is. And there was a small hint of that in the first night. How long could he keep the conversation going? How suggestive was too suggestive to his tastes? And John played along, tit for tat. It must have been such a time if he's still game.]
I would...greatly appreciate a call. I think you would too.
[Thinking on good authority!]
I'm entitled to my free time when I want it....
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[ John was fooled at first but chuffed when he realized he was actually playing a con. It was one he didn't mind playing into himself. Not with someone as easy on the eyes as Matthew Murdock. ]
Give us a few, chief. You'll be hearing from me.
[ And sure enough, once he's got Chas to go along with his hair-brained idea and start getting the cab ready: John calls. He's got his little bag packed and a change or two of clothes, his usual fare. ]
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