Under The Awning

Who: Dodge and Evelyn
Where: On the streets
When: afternoon

Dodge was holding court in the afternoon light, despite the lousy weather. Lounging on a railing of a high stoop he was dolling out order to his subordinates, updating on them on Maddy's return, changing out the newest set of orders and interrogating those who weren't able to find out that someone had grabbed her from the church. His enforcers had already wandered off with some of the boys, doling out physical punishment where it was deserved. Those used to him in leader mode might have noticed him being a little tougher than usual, holding people more accountable for mistakes.

The morning's haunting still sat uncomfortably with him, and he continued to turn it over in his head this way and that, but he wasn't going to let it be true. No, today he was completely Dodge, maybe even a little over the top but that wasn't going to stop him.

Below him a group of boys not involved in court were playing a make shift game of hockey on the frozen sidewalk, trying to push a tin can into two turned over trash cans with whatever they could get their hands on. Occasionally their cheers would erupt which made him smile. They were happy, his boys. Patrick had been wrong, Dodge was doing just fine.

Evelyn walked around the corner, frowning a bit at the weather as she bunched her shoulders up to ward off some of the cold. She had left the Drake pretty early: she hadn't been too busy, mainly canceling reservations instead of making them. And after a lengthy lull she opted it was best to leave, both to deal with those worries of hers and to be out of the hotel before Ian returned. She didn't have answer for him, yet.

She saw Dodge probably a good deal before he spotted her, seeing as how the block was long and he was still halfway down it. And, bundled as she was, she probably didn't stand out from anyone else crazy enough to be outside. Evelyn had returned to the grocer's she worked at, though they were closed, because it seemed there were always some of Dodge's gang or a couple street kids milling about there. It had taken her randomly questioning a couple kids, but she had finally got a straight answer from one that led her here; and Evelyn was relieved to find the kid hadn't sent her on a wild goose chase.

Although, while she was relieved to see him alive and looking well, she didn't go up and talk to him. Instead she stood a building or two away, just observing whatever was going on. Because that guilt that had driven her here? It was the same thing holding her back from just speaking to him.

Few things went on in his kingdom without Dodge noticing or at least hearing about it and Evelyn on his street was no different. A smaller boy, different than the one she'd talked to, slid in from the alley behind Dodge, calling up to him, then scrambling up the stairs to report. Headed his way huh? Climbing up on the railing, using the wall to steady himself he scanned the street in the direction of the grocer for her. She wasn't too hard to spot, despite being bundled up, she was the only person not hurrying somewhere. Jumping down from his perch, he gave the last of the orders, mostly getting the boys inside before it got dark. One sick meant all sick.

He made his way down the stairs, protests about being sent inside echoing behind him and then up the street to her. Even though he told them different one or two of the boys would loiter near the stoop, just to keep an eye out. Dodge had been missing for over twenty-four hours just the day before and they were wary about letting him out of their sight again. Still they would hang back for enough. His cheeks were pink from the cold where they weren't bruised, and the fedora was perched back some, so she could see his face. He was back to his cheaply polished self, pants no longer wrinkled, hair mostly tamed. "Something I can do for you princess?" he asked once he was closer.

Watching him closely, she wondered if she was mistaken coming here. Unpleasant images of him freezing outside or getting himself killed had repeatedly crept up over the past couple days... but, as usual, it seemed she had made up the situation to be bigger than it was. And, now, she was starting to feel a bit silly for coming here, even if she didn't show it. Instead, Evelyn merely shrugged at his question, "I was just dropping by the Kellers," they were the couple who owned and lived above the grocer's, "and figured I'd drop by." She eyed him again, eyes flicking at the bruising; despite it though his demeanor seemed as much himself as ever.

He had a good feeling she was lying as his boy had told him she was asking other kids around there until she found one of Dodge's. "Glad you did," he told her sincerely. Despite having spent the day with Maddy he had wondered about the state of things with Evie. It was hard not to relish that stolen kiss, even if she had been upset about it, but more than that he'd just left with things so raw between them. "C'mere," he told her pulling on her am to drag her under a nearby awning. It got them out of most of the wet weather, but it also shifted them so that other things tucked under the awning obscured them from the casual passerby.

Now that she had seen him, and he seemed fine, Evelyn couldn't help that bit of worry that came when he pulled her to the awning. She wasn't worried that he'd hurt her, not at all, just that... well, she didn't feel like reasserting where she stood right now on being more than friends. While she was stubborn, and wasn't always one to avoid an argument, she was trying to do so now. Because, she had come here for a reason at least. Despite seeming to be quite over things now, Evelyn hadn't imagined how he had been on Thursday. "How are you?" She asked softly. It unintentionally came out almost as an afterthought even though she sincerely wanted to know.

Dodge had his mouth open to ask why she was there, if everything was alright with her. Evie didn't come back down here much, maybe to visit her brother or family but they were still on the outskirts of his main domain. When she asked about him though he was caught off guard by the soft little tone. Enough that his tough exterior he'd been building up all day cracked some. Not completely open but enough that someone watching would notice that he wasn't as great as he said. "I'm...I've been better," he told her, voice almost as soft as hers, opting not to lie and raising a hand to touch her cheek. Her skin was so warm against his cold fingers.

"Dodge," the tone was still soft, not as strong or harsh as usual, but that underlying warning was still there. She didn't want to tread onto that land mine right now, and end up doing more harm than good... or maybe she already was by coming here. Maybe she should've stuck with just not seeing him, and not getting his hopes up. That whole 'cruel to be kind' cliche came to mind. But that worry was still there as she noted the crack in his demeanor, and Evelyn still felt bad about how things had ended last time. "Your friend?" She asked gently. The one who was missing, that he'd been upset about... was she found? alive? alright? Or... well, Evelyn would wait for the answer before she dwelled on the other possibilities.

He didn't let go of her, but didn't push it farther. Dodge knew what she meant by that tone, even if she didn't sound like her heart was in it this time. "She came home yesterday morning," he answered after a moment. He visibly flinched again, remembering how she'd found him, curled up on her bed, not the other way around. "She got picked up by some lady at the church 'cause she passed out sick. I didn't find anyone who'd seen it until after she got back." The emotionless tone of his voice was enough to show how torn up by the whole thing he was, but his eye reflected the failure he'd been suffering from for the past two days. "She's alright now." Dodge was feeling like he had in her kitchen, like maybe she didn't expect something or someone in particular from him. Like he could just tell her and she wouldn't judge. Just liked he'd felt when he told her about Patrick.

"I'm glad," she answered, giving him a brief little smile there; and even though she meant it she didn't keep it up long, still feeling the seriousness of the matter that cut short such a smile. She caught the tone of his voice, and though she could read exactly what was bothering him, she could easily see that he was still bothered by the loss of the friend in the first place... despite the girl re-appearing. And Evelyn was quiet for a moment, trying to think of what to say. Comforting people still took work for her: she had to think and usually debate what to do, what was right. And she found that she didn't always choose correctly. So after some thought, she opened her mouth again, "You were there for your friend in the end," she added -- hopefully helpfully -- with a small shrug of the shoulders, "and that counts for a lot."

"I still don't think it was enough. She relies on me, and I completely failed her." Dodge finally pulled his fingers from her cheek, running the hand over his face before tucking it back in his coat pocket.

She felt a bit relieved when he pulled his fingers away, she appreciated it even. But Evelyn kept quiet for a moment, thinking he was being far too hard on himself here but opting not to say it. Even hearing her say it in her mind made it sound condescending, even though that wasn't how she meant it. And if she had known DG better, she might've been able to point out that there were other people the girl also relied on, and that he didn't need to shoulder all that himself. But she didn't know DG better and wouldn't have said that if she did. Even though she didn't mean it to, again, it sounded too close to 'she might not need you as much as you think' which Evelyn didn't think was comforting at all. "How so?" she finally asked, working to keep her tone as gentle as possible, getting that this was a... sensitive? touchy? ...well, a difficult subject for him.

He leaned back a little, lifting his hat off his head to rake his hands through his hair. "It's just me. For her. For all of them. I mean DG, she's got other people, other friends, but she relies on me for that sort of thing. They all do. And not being able to do it for her? She's headstrong and generally able to take care of herself. But the others..." Dodge trailed off. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

She refrained her cheeks from twitching into a smile there, because she understood that sentiment all too well even though she would never fess up that, for a good while now, she herself wasn't certain what she was doing (or wanted) anymore. But at least Evelyn didn't have to feel the pressure of being so depended upon -- she had family that relied on her yes, but that burdened was a shared one. And, with Evelyn being the youngest, she that burden had spared her most of all. But Dodge... she couldn't help frowning a bit, understanding that was an awful lot of responsibility to be put on someone so young. She couldn't help wondering just who Dodge depended on, with so many depending on him.

Unsure if that was a good question to ask, and opting not to for the moment, she tried to figure out what to say, "It's..." she trailed off for a moment, watching him, "what do you want to be doing?" She knew that was the best place to start, when it came to re-assessing what one was doing. It was something Evelyn hadn't figured out yet for herself, but it didn't mean she couldn't ask the question to someone else.

"I want to be good at this, at taking care of them." Dodge sighed a little. "I told you about Patrick, about what he did. I got him sent away. I saw to it he didn't touch anyone ever again. But every one of those boys? I recruited all of them. Every last one. They came because of me. I led them right into that. I can't just walk away from them. I can't fail them again after what I did to them." It was a shame she hadn't asked about who took care of Dodge because the answer was simple. No one. It had been Patrick, but now....it was just Dodge.

Evelyn had been young -- only seven or so -- when her niece had been born. ...young enough to initially begrudge a baby Baby J for usurping the 'youngest James' status. But even then she still recalled how trying it was for Jesse to take care of one child, and that was with the help of their family. So, right now, it was difficult to fathom how one Dodge would be able to take care of his whole gang. She considered the orphanage... it was more equipped to take care of such things as food and shelter and medicines... but she had seen how his gang looked up to him, and she knew so many street kids that fleed the orphange, that she couldn't honestly suggest it as a viable idea.

"It would be a challenge to take care of all of them," she stated the fact calmly, since his demeanor was cracking. "But... it's not impossible, I don't think." She made sure to smile, being very mindful of being reassuring. ...Okay so maybe she was making up for last time still. "You already have their trust, and they obviously care about you--" she nodded towards the two boys (that she could see) who had stuck around, lingering in the background behind him. "--that you can't buy from a store." Or, y'know, steal. "But the other part -- the material part -- that's not impossible."

Dodge watched her, part of him really truly loving her smile, but another part needing to hear what she was saying. "You think? I used to, I'm just not sure. These days, I keep feeling like I'm falling short. I can't lose any of them Eves." Dodge reached out for her, knowing full well she'd probably pull away, but he really needed it.

Her guilt and his being upset held her there for a second, but her practical side would only tolerate it for so long before she did what he knew she'd do: pull away. "It's not impossible," she repeated, "And anyone would feel overwhelmed, Dodge. I know people taking care of one child feel overwhelmed." She wasn't trying to de-value his being upset, she was trying to point out that him feeling overwhelmed right now? There was nothing wrong with that. And there was nothing wrong with him because he felt that way.

The situation wasn't an easy one, and she couldn't pretend otherwise. But she meant what she said when she said it wasn't impossible, but a challenge. Challenges were things that could be overcome, not easily obviously, but it could be done. It was a belief she had always held. Even though disappointment had tried and dimmed that belief in some areas, it was one that was still so ingrained in Evelyn's being that she would never abandon it completely.

His face fell a little when she pulled away, even though he knew she would. "I know it's normal, I know anyone would feel this way. I just can't get past it. I thought it was fine, but losing DG like that. That scared me Evie." Had he actually just said that? It certainly was the truth though wasn't it? His mind drifted back to that morning, to the ghost in the alley. Briefly he considered telling her about that, but that voice whispered again in the back of his mind. The same warning from before. That not matter how far he ran, that he'd still fail. His face scrunched up a little, not enjoying the voice lingering, but still not talking about it.

It made her uncomfortable, hearing that he was scared. Of course knowing that made her feel bad -- who could feel no different after hearing that from a friend? -- and just uncomfortable. Such news always made her feel that way. But this wasn't about how comfortable or uncomfortable she was feeling, it was about Dodge right now. "You wouldn't be a decent human being if that didn't scare you," she offered a bit awkwardly. It kinda sorta sounded cheesy and cliche to her even before she said it, and hearing the words aloud didn't change that any. So, lacking some sage response that would put everything perfectly and make it better, she simply amended with a smile telling of her lack of footing, "It's okay."

He leaned in closer to her, taking her face in his hands and pressing his forehead against hers. Again he knew she'd react badly but even for a brief moment he could use this. "I know," he told her, although it sounded more like it was for him. For the first time in a few days he was starting to breath a little easier. It didn't make sense, but just her being her was helping, more than his whole day with Maddy had. Just that passing second with his cool skin against her warm skin.

That got her to freeze up a little, back stiffened. A hug was one thing, and Evelyn still found that personal, but this gesture just felt too intimate for her so she stepped away; not tolerating it nearly as long as she had the hug. She was trying to be a friend -- she wanted to be, he was the only one right now she could be truthful to when she was lying to everyone else -- but she was trying to be clear with him without stirring up another unpleasant argument. So she pulled away just enough, but Evelyn didn't go standing as far away from as she could get away with, not like she had on Thursday. However, one thing did stick with her from the gesture, "Your forehead's freezing. How long have you been outside, Dodge?"

It felt like she was ripping away part of him, when she stepped back but he let her go, also reminded of the extreme distance she'd put between him when he pushed it too far. Still, he was feeling a little better, not back to normal, not free from his painful memories, but better. "Most of the day," he finally answered, hands back in his pockets. "Busy day even."

She frowned, brows furrowing with the act, "And what business do you have that's kept you outside in this weather?"

Dodge smiled for the first time since he'd walked over to greet her. Reaching into an inner coat pocket her produced a familiar item. Evie's compact, the one he'd stolen before and now again, lay in his palm. "Busy day," he told her with a smirk.

Evelyn stared at it for a moment. Seriously, how? Her purse had been snugly tugged beneath her arm the whole time! She sighed, rolling her eyes in typical Evelyn-dealing-with-Dodge exasperation... the more pronounced kind that wasn't truly annoyed at the moment. She pulled a hand from her pocket, holding it out expectantly, eyes aimed at the awning above for a moment before coming back to him, "So partial to compacts, Dodge? Is there something you forgot to tell me?" Despite the obvious tease there, Evelyn delivered with a straight-faced, deadpanned expression.

"Just yours," he said with a smile. "I need to stop giving it back every time I take it." Eventually he'd not give in and just keep it, adding it to his collection of stolen trinkets. "And no, nothing I forgot to tell you." Dodge paused briefly looking at her closely. "I've told you more about me than anyone else Eves." It dawned on him that he trusted her. Not in the same way he trusted the boys or he trusted Maddy. He trusted Evie with himself, enough that he could do that, just be, when he was with her.

She wasn't sure what to say. Thank you? That she appreciated it? That was the general sentiment that she was feeling, but the words seemed a bit off. So she smiled. It wasn't wide and toothy but it was genuine. She wished she could say something similar in return, but that wasn't exactly the case on her end, was it? He had stumbled onto her secret, she hadn't actually told him. And saying something like 'I don't lie to you like I've started doing with everyone else' just didn't have the world's greatest ring to it. But that was true too. Evelyn didn't profess any actual belief in karma, but she certainly behaved as if she did. What with her recent lying streak, maybe she could make up a little bit to the universe by having at least one person she was truthful to in the little she could bring herself to admit.

She pocketed her compact, and gave him another surveying look, "I think you should get inside." The smile was smaller now touched with some concern. She wasn't saying it for the sake of getting rid of him, the weather really was crappy and she doubted that Dodge's current winterwear was effectively warding off the elements. "Lifting compacts is no reason to get yourself sick."

"Again, only your compact," he reminded her with that Chesire Cat grin. "And yea, I was headed that way soon enough." Dodge paused, glancing back over his shoulder, spotting the boys there waiting, trying very hard not to look like they were watching him intently. "You wanna come up?" he asked, turning back to Evie. Their hideout had mostly been a secret, but that was Patrick's thing. Most of the kids in town knew where to find Dodge, or at least the right building, and letting someone like Evie up would definitely get him some grief, but it felt right to offer.

Evelyn shook her head, gently, "I was going to make the rounds with my family." It was the truth, she wanted to stop by there. She had tried with Dodge first: because she had seriously been concerned he might've gotten himself killed or something -- and she had no wish to walk around the streets looking for him close to sundown. But he was alive, and physically well enough, and now that worry about what her brother would be up to wouldn't let up. And, when it came right down to it, she missed him. And her nieces. And her sisters. And her parents.

"But, I'm glad to see..." huh, she wasn't sure how to finish that one. He had so much on his figurative plate right now that 'fine' wasn't right... and she could bring herself to admit that she was glad to see he was alive. So, backtrack! "It was good to see you." Alive. Well. and all that.

"No, that's fine," Dodge backtracked as well. She wasn't one of them, and so offering to let her in, show her his space, it didn't mean as much to her as it would to another street kid. The level of trust that revolved around sharing one's space, giving out one's location, that was something special, but he couldn't hold her turning it down against her. Evie just didn't know.

"It was good to see you too," he told her sincerely, brushing his fingers against her cheek again. "Don't work too hard Amelia," he said with a little tease. "And I'll be seeing you soon." Leaning in he kissed her cheek, quickly and softly before stepping back and tugging the fedora down low on his brow.

Her brow arched in mild annoyance at the gesture but she didn't comment on it, or on the fact that him seeing her soon probably involved popping up at inopportune times. Because right now Dodge was still sailing on her lingering guilt from Thursday and her relief on not finding him dead. Being a pain in the butt was better than being dead, or having him avoid her completely. Her web of lies was trapping her in, and she didn't want to be completely bereft of the company of somebody she had managed to be honest with. Especially because, one he wasn't being a pain in the butt or so pushy, it seemed Dodge could be pleasant to talk to. Or, well, mainly listen to in this instance. "Well you better not be sick or hurt or whatever then," there was a begrudging tease in her own voice as she reached up and adjusted the cap that had shifted a bit when he had pulled her to the awning, then Evelyn shoved her hands snugly back into her pockets, "Go get warm Dodge. Inside." Which was her way of saying, y'know, 'good-bye'.

"I will do my best Princess," he told her, matching that Chesire Cat grin with a little bow. Although her bossing made him feel a little childish it was nice to hear that someone cared, which is what he assumed he meant by it. Dodge gave her one more look, slightly longing, slightly pleased, and obviously more relaxed. He let the look fall away, turning on his heel and heading off, down the street towards his waiting crew.