On the way home (open)

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur scanned over the document one last time, before saving, adding to the email and then sending. With a content sigh he leant back in his chair and stretched. Well, that was one less thing to worry about. Now if only he could would out that plot point for his next story that was alluding him…

He closed everything down with one hand, while he sipped what was left of his tea in the other. He often came to this café when he had a deadline, preferring to buy a sandwich for lunch rather than making one. Besides, they made tea properly and they had free wifi.

Finally shutting the laptop, he put the empty teacup back on its saucer before putting it away in his satchel. Rising with another stretch, and a click from his back as he straightened up, Arthur pulled his jacket and scarf back on before shouldering the bag. He nodded to the waitress as he left, giving her a brief smile.

Although it was cold outside, Arthur found that it wasn’t too bad yet. It’d probably get worse once the sun went down in an hour or so, but for now it was comfortable, so he just pulled his jacket a little closer around himself and then set off. While there was a bus back home, it was only a quarter of an hours walk, and across the park, so he usually only used it if he was late or it was raining.

While midwinter had passed, it still wasn’t close enough to spring for any of the flowers to be out in the park, and Arthur frowned up at the leafless branches of the trees as he walked. It had been a mild winter so far, a milder one than most could remember, but Arthur felt in his bones that something was wrong. It might just have been his usual pessimistic nature, but to him it felt more like the calm before the storm.

A bridge bisected the lake that filled the centre of the park, and Arthur paused in the centre. Leaning on the rails, he looked over the water, taking in a few ducks that were paddling to one side. Reaching into his bag he found an old breakfast bar and crumbled a piece off, throwing it over to them. Chuckling a little as they squabbled over it and another came over, stealing it from under their noses, Arthur quickly threw some more out for them.

Once the bar was finished, he let out a sigh and stepped back, intent on finally heading home this time, but stepped back into someone on the bridge behind him. The shock didn’t help him, and he lost his balance, falling into them. Quickly righting himself, he span around. “Ah, I’m dreadfully sorry! Are you all right?”

[beilschmidt]

"Oh, jeez. Aha, it's fine." The stranger grinned, and rubbed the back of his head. He smiled at Arthur, his red eyes bright and happy. Really, he wasn't expecting to see anyone out in the park. People normally didn't go out and about during winter, but potential company suited him just fine.

"Are you alright?" He inquired, hands on his hips. Besides a scarf and a black thermal shirt, the man wasn't dressed very well for winter. It would have seemed he was just passing by, but the red on his cheeks made it obvious he had been outside for a long time. But at the same time, he didn't seem to notice the cold.

[Arthur Kirkland]

For a moment Arthur was startled by bright red eyes and white hair, but it didn't do to stare. Catching himself, he took in the other man's happy smile and thin attire, and frowned a little. Still, at least he seemed to be all right, despite Arthur stepping back into him. "Oh, yes. I was just startled. I didn't hear you." Arthur shifted a little, moving so that he wasn't quite so much in his face. He relaxed a little, drawing his own jacket a little tighter around himself.

"Aren't you... cold?" He asked. He didn't look it, aside from the red on his cheeks, but he wasn't dressed for the weather. "Are you on your way somewhere?" He shifted his bag a little, moving the weight so it was more comfortable, and then leant back on the rail of the bridge to talk.

[beilschmidt]

"Oh, no. I was just looking at the trees." He sniffed before rubbing his nose and grinning again. "I'm Gilbert Beilschmidt." He said eagerly, holding out his other hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Any normal person couldn't pull it off, but his smile and friendly nature pulled anyone in. It would only be afterward that, after one's guard was down, he would become loud and attention-seeking. "And anyways," He continued, "What brings you here?"

[Arthur Kirkland]

One over sized eyebrow rose. 'Just looking at the trees'? Did anyone even do that any more? ...Aside from himself, of course, but he at least didn't make a trip of it. "I'm surprised you don't get a cold if you wonder out like that." Arthur said, nodding towards Gilbert, but he did take his hand, shaking lightly. "Arthur Kirkland. Likewise. Sorry for treading on your foot." He even managed to smile at the albino.

"I was on the way home." He explained with a light shrug. And then, because Gilbert seemed friendly enough, Arthur decided that he didn't mind the conversation, and petted his bag. "I had work, and I find it much more pleasant to walk back than get the bus." Glancing at Gilbert, Arthur frowned a little. "Did you really just come to look at the trees?"

[beilschmidt]

Gilbert let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "No, that was an excuse. I just wanted to get out." He explained. "But," He added, "I do miss the foliage." He sighed a little, then nodded at the answer. "Ah. I actually haven't really had work in... Well, a week. My main customer kind of failed on me, and the other ones don't need cleaning."

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur nodded in agreement. "The sooner spring comes round again the better. But I think we're in for a rough month or two before we get there." He commented, admitting his own suspicions even if they weren't that of the weather predictors, but weather prediction was no longer a science as it had been before the world had changed. Things were too unpredictable these days.

"Cleaning?" Arthur replied, sounding, well, a little bit suspicious. He hadn't heard of any Highlanders doing such a menial job, and while he knew that there was nothing wrong with Lowlanders from his own exclusions there, it would do nothing for his reputation to be caught talking with one. "Is that what you do? Isn't it a bit dull?"

[beilschmidt]

"Well, see," He started, rubbing the back of his head, "I kind of slacked off in school, and so I kind of have to clean for a living. But I'm a wizz at it, and I'm really good, too." He waved his hand some. "Really. The people I've worked for have said I was the best there is!" He beamed, obviously proud. It was true, Gilbert had been a great cleaner since he was young, never missing a spec of dust or a spot on a plate. "Oh! I have a Blog, too. Everyone reads it."

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur almost chuckled when he heard that Gilbert had failed school, but managed to hold back. That wasn't very polite, after all! "As long as you're happy with that, and making decent money, I guess." He said, a little wearily, with a nod. He couldn't imagine being content, but Gilbert seemed proud enough.

"A blog?" That Arthur was more interested in, and he took his weight off the bridge, leaning in a little. "What on?" It was a bit much, perhaps, to expect anything too intelligent, but Arthur lived in hope. He wasn't brilliant with technology, but he could at least give it a look. He did, however, doubt that 'everyone' read it.

[beilschmidt]

"Oh, I update it everyday. I just post whatever happens and I upload pictures of things." He smiled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "But I also use it to talk about dreams I have. Especially this weird one. People talk about it all the time, but I don't think it's anything special." He shrugged, then looked up at a passng flock of birds. "I record stuff in my journal, too. But anyways... Do you want the url?" He offered, smirking. "I could always use another follower." He knew very well not everyone read it, but the few dozen that did enjoyed it very much.

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur couldn't imagine putting his dreams up on the internet for everyone to see. That would just be... odd. Besides, sometimes he used them for his novels, and he would rather people didn't know where his inspiration came from. "Hmm. All right then. I might as well have a look." He said, with a slight smile. He'd have some free time now that his article had been done, and if he was lucky there'd be something there that'd kick start an idea of how to move on in his latest novel.

"What's the dream?" He asked, a little curiously. Of course, he could always find it later, but Arthur was interested now.

[beilschmidt]

Gilbert's face grew a little pale. "Well," He started, "It starts off in a room. I'm sitting next to someone who's close to me, but I don't know who it is. Then for some reason we're pulled apart, and I hear screaming." He shivered, crossing his arms.

"Then there's this feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I'm going to throw up. And all of a sudden I'm in a snowy, cold place and there's this big wall on front of me. And a searing pain fills me, and then I... I wake up covered in sweat." He shivered at the breeze blowing through the trees, and looked back at Arthur. "It's the same thing every time."

[Arthur Kirkland]

Frowning a little, Arthur watched Gilbert as he explained. He wasn't sure that he'd tell such a personal dream to everyone so easily, and it reminded him of his own, far too familiar, recurrent nightmare. He shivered lightly, and drew his coat in around him again. "Odd. I'm sure some psychotherapist could tell you all kinds of things from that. You're probably a divided person or something." He said, with a laugh. Not a mean one, but just trying to make light of the situation.

"Where do you live?" Arthur asked, curiously. He'd accepted that Gilbert was indeed a Highlander, he was just curious to see if their paths crossed for the way home.

[beilschmidt]

"Oh, um," He pointed in a general southward direction. "I live about fifteen minutes that way. It's kinda small- do upu get my drift?" He asked, tilting his head."It's not bad at all, though."

He expected Arthur lived in some big-scale apartment, just judging from what he gathered of him. So he returned the question casually. "What about you? Where do you live?"

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur chuckled and nodded. He privately wondered whether Gilbert could support himself or not, but that wasn't really any of his business so he didn't ask. "As long as you're comfortable there, I suppose." He offered, though in his heart he knew that where you lived on this island was more important than it should be.

He was unsurprised when Gilbert returned the question, and he gave a light smile. "About ten minutes that way." He said, with a chuckle. "One of the flats by the river, about two minutes out of the park." It wasn't a bad area, but it was small and relatively downscale. Arthur hadn't moved since he'd moved out of his parents house. Although he could afford to, he was rather attached to his flat.

Straightening up a little, he nodded to Gilbert. "I want to be back before dark, actually. Do you want to walk back with me?" He offered, since home for both of them was in the same direction.

[beilschmidt]

Gilbert grinned, and accepted happily. "Of course, I'd love to!" He was more than thrilled to have someone to walk home with. It was a little disapointing to never have someone to walk with or talk to - in fact, it was a little depressing. "Go on and lead the way."

He smiled as they kept in step, and mostly looked at his feet when he walked. It was a bad habbit, and he knew one of these days he'd run into something, but he kept his head down for now. "... Earlier you said something about the weather. Do you think it'll sleet or anything?" He asked, trying to start a conversation.

[Arthur Kirkland]

Nodding, Arthur led the way off the bridge finally, taking the familiar path home. It had been a long time since he'd walked home with anyone either, and it was a little odd, actually.

"I don't know. It just feels like it's been too calm this year, and I'm sure there's going to be storms later." He said, with a light shrug, trying to explain what he meant. "Can you remember a year when it's been this peaceful? I can't." Gilbert seemed to be about the same age as him, at least. "Obviously not immediately, though. That's why I'm enjoying this weather while it lasts." He sighed out. Of course it could just be that he was naturally a pessimist and never believed that anything good could last. He had been told that before. "Why sleet?" He asked, curious.

[beilschmidt]

Gilbert shrugged, looking up at the sky to see if any clouds were moving in to back up his claim. "I don't know, I just thought it would be better than snow." He reasoned. He kicked a small stone, letting it roll and making sure to kick it again when he came up to it. "Besides, I never really liked snow for some reason." He shrugged again, shoveling his hands into his pockets.

"I always preferred spring and summer." He admitted, smiling fondly of memories of sprinklers and swimming with his brother and his friends. "It's easier to walk around and the grass is green," And he added with a chuckle, "There are leaves on the trees."

[Arthur Kirkland]

Frowning a little at that reasoning to start off with, Arthur then gave a light shrug. "That's fair enough, I suppose." He admitted. He wasn't a big fan of snow either, it was cold and unpleasant. He actually preferred rain, though you wouldn't believe it to hear him swearing when caught out in it. "I'm not a fan of snow either. It's too cold for me. And besides, spring is a nicer season altogether." He smiled a little.

"When I was younger we used to have a bit of a garden, and sometimes I'd help the gardener in the spring." Arthur said, smiling. "It was always good to get out after being cooped up during winter." Of course, he didn't have a garden any more, but he did miss it a little.