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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 7, 2011 19:53:48 GMT -5
"Ah, work, huh?" Kotetsu glances back and slows a little, to make it easier to follow him. At this rate he's really going to be late, but he's resigned to it now with a mental shrug. "Seems like a lot of people end up here because of work. Good luck with your interview then!"
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 7, 2011 20:02:17 GMT -5
"It's...only a little thing," he smiles, his words seeming humble by themselves, but his echoing of the stranger's word choice previous seems to mean something to him, to his smile, at least. "But thank you."
He knows the man is in a hurry, and conscious of that he makes as much of an effort to move through the crowd as quickly as possible. But he does take the time to extend a hand, once they're in a less-crowded patch of people. "I'm Nathan, by the way." It's the polite thing to do, after the stranger had gone out of his way, but Nathan's also warming up to the man quite quickly. There's something about him that seems...animated. Interesting. Nothing like the people he knows back home, in a way he can't quite put his finger on.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 7, 2011 20:18:33 GMT -5
Kotetsu's popping up on to the balls of his feet now and again to check the direction they are headed in. Everyone he jostles he murmurs an apology to, and he moves gently past a young woman and her son with a grin flashed at the little kid.
The kid promptly starts to scrunch of his face to cry, and Kotetsu hurriedly pushes on down around a corner. They're near a metro stop that heads down under the street, the way opening up a little, and Kotetsu starts as a hand suddenly appears in front of him.
He tugs his hat down and the grin's back, and he shakes Nathan's hand firmly. His palm is dry and warm, the grip certain. "Kotetsu T. Kaburagi," he offers, something about the rattle of it off h is tongue making his grin grow a touch more. "Pleasure to meet you, Nathan."
He flips his hand at the metro station ahead of them, taking the stairs first and a few at a time, sticking hard to the right to let others rush up the other side of the stairwell. "O-okay, when we get down here," he explains over his shoulder, "You're gonna want to take the same train I am uptown. That's the Special Gold line, alright?"
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 7, 2011 20:30:42 GMT -5
Nathan sounds out the name silently--it does have a rather tongue-rolling quality to it, doesn't it?
He likes that.
His own hand is soft, lotion-smooth, but his grip is firm, experienced with shaking other hands, but well-kept, at the same time.
He nods, these directions making a lot more sense than those conducted via pen. "That sounds familiar." He's probably taken it before, maybe not around here, though. "Where do you work, Kotetsu?" Maybe it's nearby. Maybe, if he gets this job, he'll see the man again.
Goodness that name really does feel nice on his tongue.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 7, 2011 20:47:38 GMT -5
Geeze, rich guys.
Kotetsu's getting out his metro pass from his back pocket, hefting it in his hand as he, with no hesitation, headed for the far end of the platform. There are a few options, but the Special Gold line has the most turnstyles. He huffs some air, trying to frantically figure out what to say. Its not that he doesn't get asked that question but.. "Uh. I work for a publishing company, Top Mag."
Well, it was true enough. He scrubbed at the back of his head, glancing over at the ticket machines. "Oh, you got a metro card already?"
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 7, 2011 23:57:17 GMT -5
"Ah!" He's a little surprised; for some reason, Kotetsu doesn't really seem like the publisher type.
And he has no idea how close Top Mag's headquarters are to Firebird's. He'll have to find out.
"Yes," he answers, pulling the card from the inside of his suit jacket pocket, and following Kotetsu over to the turnstyles.
"What exactly do you do for Top Mag?" He doesn't want to pry, but it really just seems off for some reason.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 8, 2011 0:18:37 GMT -5
Oh crap. Kotetsu busies himself with timing his steps through the turnstyle. He brushes his wallet and the metro card close to a pad on top; a gentle beep, and the gate opens, and he strides through with only a bare hitch in his step. "I, uh, work with advertising," he tries.
Okay that was kinda true too. He waits for Nathan on the other side, hands in his pockets and glancing down at Nathan's shoes and then the envelope in hand. The walk is easy now he's committed to being late, taking them down the left hallway bound uptown. Large advertisements slather the walls, including a large one with Rock Bison presenting a plate piled high with perfect rounds of meat.
Kotetsu grins a little as he catches it in the corner of his eye.
"What about you, Nathan? I guess you're not here just to answer phones." He lifts his brows at him.
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 8, 2011 0:34:56 GMT -5
...Okay, maybe advertising suits him. Somehow. Better than the idea of Kotetsu writing articles. For some reason.
For not being from around there, Nathan has the timing to the turn style down pat, or maybe he just has that much natural grace. Either way, he follows along with Kotetsu, keeping stride, and pondering the question briefly. He glances aside at the posters of Rock Bison, lips curling once more into a secretive smile.
"Hmmm~" His eyes are positively dancing now, a teasing tone tucked carefully into his voice. "I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say, Kotetsu~ What if you don't like your job and come after mine?
"How about--" He postures thoughtfully as they come to a halt on the waiting dock for the metro "--I tell you when I get it?" He finishes, looking at the other man with a slightly lidded effect to his bright eyes. They're teasing, they're amused, but they're also a little serious about it, too. Maybe more than a little.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 8, 2011 0:56:08 GMT -5
Kotetsu's steps slow as they approach the platform, the lines already ready for the sweeping train only four or five people deep. Its pretty good, for the morning rush, and he glances back at Nathan with the edge of his mouth twitched up. The other man carries himself with a grace and composure that seems better suited to a dancer than a businessman, but then he tries not to deal too much with business men.
He catches Nathan's eye, half-turned back, one hand casually left in his pocket as his gaze levels and his grin cocks up at the corner.
"I wouldn't give up my job for anything else in the world." There's something serious and determined and maybe a little cool in his face, before he's distracted by the sound of the rails singing with the approach of the train. He huffs an amused sound.
"Hey, that's no fair! You already know my job." Sort of. Its hard to tell if he notices the serious glint to Nathan's eye, but he doesn't dismiss the suggestion out of hand.
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 8, 2011 1:14:02 GMT -5
He watches the train approach, still hanging onto that amused smile. "My job, currently," he says, voice rising in volume to overcome the train, "is to be interviewed. So now we're even."
He sweeps into the train as the line moves forward, opting to stand with a hand gripping one of the bars loosely. "You will just have to wish me luck," he murmurs, when they're both inside, voice vibrating in a little bit of a purr.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 8, 2011 1:20:33 GMT -5
Man, this guy. Kotetsu finds himself walking in Nathan's wake, with is a little weird, but okay. They end up standing together, every seat taken, but not quite to the level of the crush that could trap the unawary against windows. He rolls his eyes, shifting his grip but not seeming to really need the anchor as the train jolts back into motion. His balance is acute.
"I already wished you luck," Kotetsu reminds him. The guy isn't too bad--he's nice, anyway, and Kotetsu doesn't seem to either notice or mind the purr to Nathan's voice. He's still out on whether or not he wants this guy to get his number.
He hasn't really been in the mood for company for.... a while. He slips his hand, wedding ring and all, deeper into his pocket as he watches the walls pass outside the window as the train picks up speed. "Well, good luck with the interview, then! Oh. Uh." It suddenly occurs to him if Nathan's already lost... "Will you be able to find your way back home?"
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 8, 2011 1:34:36 GMT -5
"You can never have too much luck," he tells Kotetsu with a wink. It's not quite crowded enough that he has to press up against the other man, much to his chagrin, and at the moment he's not sure enough that he can get away with doing it anyway to try it. So he stands his ground, his hand on the bar mostly for show.
The question gives him a little pause. Truthfully, his plan had been to walk to Firebird Energy, then take a cab back. But meeting Kotetsu had changed things slightly. Maybe.
"Hmm. I wonder..." He's actually confident he can, though he'd probably take a cab anyway, since it's such a long walk.
But maybe Kotetsu will offer a better alternative.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 8, 2011 1:41:31 GMT -5
Kotetsu shifts his weight from foot to foot, clearly debating as his eyes run over the stop announcements, the hanging flyers--more Rock Bison, man there must be a new push lately--and then settling on Nathan's face. "Well. Uh. Sometimes I work pretty weird hours so its not like I can tell you I can pick you up or anything, but if you get lost. Well."
Kotetsu, much to his own surprise, finds himself digging in his other back pocket for his cell phone. "--You can give me a call if you get lost again."
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Post by thecurtain on Oct 8, 2011 1:55:39 GMT -5
There's a sense that maybe Nathan had been waiting for that, a sense that he either can't or doesn't entirely try to hide.
"I would very much--" like "--appreciate that," he says, smiling. He digs his own cell phone from his pocket in response; it's bright red, in sharp contrast to the dark suit he wears and the dark shoes on his feet, and his dark hair cut close and precise to his head.
If all goes well, he thinks, he may be getting lost in this city quite often.
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Post by gryfeathr on Oct 8, 2011 2:07:04 GMT -5
Part of him has a nagging feeling he's just been had, but Kotetsu shrugs it off as he glances down at his own cell phone and frowns a little as he fiddles with it. There was some sort of..infrared...transfer...thing.... Antonio had pointed it out, and it took him two tries to find the right menu. His phone was remarkably plain, a white company phone likely. "No problem!"
Yeah, this was part of being a hero too. Wasn't just gonna let someone wander around totally lost, and he had a good sense for someone who was up to no good. He was a nice guy, too. Ben would probably sigh at him for being so easily distracted, but.
Well, even if work was all he had, sometimes it wasn't easy to get there in the morning knowing that there was paperwork of some kind and 'reconstruction fees' that were waiting for him.
"--ha! okay, there we go." He brightens as he finds the right button.
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