Troy to Dalziel: "You look great today!"
Who the... Oh look, it was that weird kid from the college. Dalziel eyed the blonde for a minute with a serious expression for a long moment. "Indicating I don't look great every other day?"He replied a bit smartly before glancing back down to his phone that he'd been checking while waiting for his coffee.
"Implying that some days I pay more attention to your looks than others," Troy said, nodding gravely. Then he grinned and moved to the seat right next to his. "I'm not sure we've met. I'm Troy. I've seen you around a couple times."
Dalziel looked to the other with what nearly looked like an annoyed expression before he was suddenly snickering "Seen yes, met... No afraid not. I usually do better at avoiding actually speaking to human beings. Guess today isn't exactly my day is it" He joked a bit dryly at the other as he glanced briefly to where the other was now sitting. "Dalziel" he finally introduced himself with a faint smile briefly crossing his face as he moved to pocket the phone in his hoodie.
"Oh, hey, well if you want me to leave you alone, that's no problem. I've got to head to hockey practice soon, but I thought I'd come and say hi since I recognized you. You're pretty hard to miss, actually."
"Dalziel" The barista called as she went setting the cup of coffee onto the counter.
"Oh yuck, in this weather? You must be insane" He remarked to the mention of hockey. Then again he wasn't a fan of that sort of thing at all, Blizzard warnings or not. Least he immediately after assumed the other probably meant at the indoor rink which he only knew existed because he'd had to pass by and look for his little sister there a few times.
"Well.... Good luck on that" He added a bit dismissively as he moved to finally head for the door. Hand reaching to pull his hoodie up as he stepped out into the cold and snow. Least it wasn't coming down bad yet right? Left enough time to make it back home before it did... As well as find a snack on the way.
"Practice is indoors," Troy pointed out, "as are the games. Nice officially meeting you, Dalziel." He got his own hot cocoa and started to walk out, only to realize they were going in about the same direction.
"Where you headed?" he asked.
The sound of Troy's footsteps in the snow behind him were easy to pick up on. Dalziel was glancing over to him with a sort of bland expression as Troy caught up. However it didn't take long for a different thought to play in his head. The rink was still a good ways up the street and then you had to cross through or past the trailer park to get over to the other main street through town. Then up even further to the college.
"Home... Been a long night" He admitted with a faint chuckle. For him it is as even late as it was cloudy enough to get away with it without dying at least.
"Has it?" Troy asked. "I don't usually go to bed till...." He trailed off. That wasn't important. "Um, why's it been so long?" he asked instead. "And do you need a ride or have you already got one?"
He knew that if he went back to the dorms now, one of his buddies would probably be waiting for him. In bed. It didn't used to bother him, but this particular friend had become more and more insistent on sleepin-- resting, beside him, as if he was some sort of living, breathing teddy bear. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, so he didn't insist she stop, but he had been going to bed later and later, and hell, even if he was following a virtual stranger home, he could say he'd caught up with a friend and lost track of time. It was pretty on-brand for him to do things like that anyway.
"Listen... Sorry if it seems weird, but there's this girl I'm av-- um, giving space," he admitted quietly. Dalzell would understand that, right? Most guys he knew would.
Dalziel sort of chuckled awkwardly looking over at Troy "First off... Slow your roll. One question at a time yeah?" He mused with a chuckle. God, dudes jabbering was definitely borderline Noel minus the amount of enthusiasm. However before he could inform the other he was most certainly walking home he slowed for a moment. Brow furrowing as he looked at Troy for a second.
"You can say avoiding.... It's not a dirty word. Nothing to feel bad about if she's a nuisance" He blatantly told the other as he moved to fish a pack of cigarettes from his hoodie pocket, placing one between his lips before moving to light it up. Briefly even using Troy to block the slight cold breeze as he did before moving to start walking again.
"So, who's the chick?" He added casually now a bit curious himself. Troy at least from a distance definitely seemed to get along with everyone so this was amusing. Little nice boy finally found someone he couldn't stand eh?
"It's not that." Troy tried to backpedal. "We're practically best friends. It's just... lately, she's been a little more, um, enthusiastic about our friendship." His cheeks warmed and he averted his eyes, fingering his purity ring absentmindedly. "I don't like hurting people's feelings, so I don't know how to let her down. It's best to just hide like a little squirrel for now. Hey, are you sure I can't give you a ride? It's really no trouble. And you can tell me about your night on the way."
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