A new job

Cole appears wearing his standard gas mask and gloves, he walks out the front door of the lighthouse

The weather is somewhat warm as a bit of green is trying to grow back on the ground from Winter.

Cole heads to the carnival, attempting to take a less crowed route to the mail tent this time

When he gets there he sees there's far more people. WIth the sky dark its illuminated in bright lights and filled with music. He finds his way to the tent rather safely. He sees a few workers trying to sort the mail.

Cole looks around for Chester

He doesn't see him as one of the workers gives Cole a glance

Cole sighs as he heads to a local bar

He finds a small and quiet bar downtown. The walk from the carnival isn't too far off and only a few people are inside. The walls are covered in dusty photos from years ago and alot of furniture is outdated. The entire place as a whole is a mix of dark browns and the glow of yellow lightbulbs. The bartender is a nonferal mule is putting away a few glasses as he glances up at Cole. 

Cole heads inside as he looks around for Chester

It takes a moment but he see's him towards the back corner in a booth with his eyes closed as he holds a drink in one hand. He almost mixes in with the surroundings (edited)

Cole sighs as he heads over to Chester and sits across from him

Chester makes a long sigh as he opens his eyes and glares at Cole. His voice sounds a bit mellow but slurred, "Wanting to go out for drinks again I see?"

Cole shakes his head, "I uh...wanted to talk to you about your drinking habits, they....aren't exactly healthy"

Chester sets the drink down as he narrows his eyes, "You drank with me that night we went out. I don't see what the issue here is."

Cole sighs slightly, "I don't even remember what the fuck we did, that's part of the problem" Cole points to his gas mask, "I can't drink like that every night or my liver will not be happy"

Chester shrugs and goes to take another sip of his drink, "I'm just built different."

Cole looks confused, "Built different how?!"

He starts to take a sip but then takes a larger swig. "Just been doing it longer than you. Like building an immunity." The way he's breathing and speaking, it's clear he's had quiet a few drinks already by now. 

Cole sighs, "That's not how that works, your just gonna hurt yourself by drinking more and more" Cole shakes his head, "Look i get it, drinking is a pretty easy way to forget something you don't wanna remember in the moment but that in the moment relief is something you'll be chasing for the rest of your life"

"Look, I get you think I'm cute and all but you don't know anything about me. This." he sets the glass down, "Is my only option. Living in that breif moment until there's none of me left. Either way, everyone's happier."

Cole doesn't seem happy with that answer, "I think your more then cute, i honestly believe that without a doubt in my fucking mind that i am staring at the perfect man" Cole sighs as he points to the glass, "And i'm willing to listen to your problems and help you if you just put the drink down, i'm not saying quitting cold turkey just slowly drink less and less"

Chester scoffs, "Well thank you for liking the façade but my problems aren't solvable. Not to mention if you keep hanging around me you're just going to be hated for liking me. "

Cole rolls his eyes, "Have you actually tried talking to people about your problems or is that just the response you give so people leave you alone?" Cole sighs, "And i don't particularly care what other people think of me, so that won't matter to me" (edited)

Chester grumbles back, "To make them leave me alone so they don't have to mourn my death."

Cole gives a heavy sigh, "And what if i don't leave you alone? What if i want to see you improve and be the best you that i know you can be? I want to support you and help you, your not getting rid of me so easily"

"Not so easily? Yeah? You really think I can chnage after what I've done?"

Cole nods, "Everyone can change, nothing is permeant"

"Even with death? Cuase I seriously doubt that."

Cole nods, "Even with death, a wise friend told me that no matter what blood stains your hands it can always be washed off"

Chester pulls a sour face as he looks away. His voice sounds somber and cold, "...I can't wash off the look in her eyes I saw before pulling that trigger."

Cole hangs his head as he mutters, "I know that all too well..."

Chesters eyes begin to water as he shakes his head, "She was dying and I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't even attend the funeral cuase I got sentenced for the murder."

Cole glances up at Chester, "If you want, we could go somewhere less public to talk about it"

Chester rolls his eyes, "Everyone already fucking knows. It was plastered on the news and talk of the town for months. There's no fucking point." He goes to pick up the glass again

Cole tries to gently push the glass back down, "I'm sorry that happened, if you want we could go visit her grave and you could have your goodbye"

The glass is lowered as Chester seems to fold in on himself at the thought, "No... I can't after what I did. That's a murderer going to a victims grave infront of their family, it's just wrong."

Cole slides the glass over to himself, "You aren't a murder, and i'll make sure people start viewing you for who you truely are"

"I doubt that would ever happen."

Cole picks the glass up as he stands up, "Come on, we're going to the grave"

Chester sighas he gets up. Theres a hint of a sway and he walks

Cole sets the glass on the counter as he opens the door for Chester

Chester walks out

They head down the sidewalk a few blocks away to the edge of town where a decent sized cemetery rests by the road. There's no one else around at the time and a few trees are scattered among the stone graves. The graveyard it self looks well kept and various graves have fresh flowers by them.

Cole looks over the graveyard as he asks, "Do you know which grave is her's?"

"Should be this way." Chester continues to walk as Cole can see a few freshly made graves that they pass. One being the grave for Morris Hill and the other for Erik Smith, and a final one for Boris Fray.

Cole's face seems to drop as his eyes catch Morris, Erik and Boris's graves as they walk

Chester walks up to a grave and stops infront of it. The stone has Daisy Brone engraved into it and a date from a few years ago. Several bundles of flowers are laid by it. Instead of sobbing however, Chester smiles as he looks at it. He has a bittersweet and hushed tone, "You got so many flowers."

Cole smiles slightly as he stays at a respectable distance and stays quiet

Chester keeps his tone quiet so no strangers could listen in, "I'm sorry for everything. I know I took awhile and I missed your funeral but you forgot our aniversey so we're even now. I might try to visit again. If I can. But if not then goodbye. I love you." Someone in a coat makes their way into the entrance of the graveyard while holding some flowers.

Cole glances at the person in the coat suspiciously then goes back to watching Chester

Chester takes a moment to watch the grave in silence as he closes his eyes and sighs. The stranger in the coat is a distance as he reaches for something in his coat.

Cole snaps back to staring at the person in the coat as he keeps his hands close to where his revolver is

For a brief moment Cole spots a silenced pistol from the stranger's hand

Cole unholsters his revolver and pulls the hammer back as he keeps it at his side

The stranger pulls it up to point at Chester's leg

Cole quickly takes aim at the strangers head and pulls the trigger

The stranger stumbles back as Chester jumps from the sound. The bullet riquoues off something but with a loud crack

Cole yells out, "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM CHESTER" Cole pulls the hammer back on his revolver again

The stranger gets up and attempts to sprint away

Cole looks over at Chester and sighs, "I'll be back" Cole takes off after the stranger

Chester turns and watches as the stranger jumps and short stone wall and sprints down the sidewalk.

Cole leaps over the stone wall and continues chasing as he yells, "YOU FUCKER GET BACK HERE"

They bump into a a padestrian before turning down an alley. Something is starting to seem familiar about them

Cole continues chasing as his eyes flicker to being a dimly glowing pink

As he turns the corner he is suddenly hit in the face with a lead pipe.

The glass on Cole's gas mask shatters as he stumbles backwards and lets out a angry groan, "you son of a bitch"

They drop the pipe and begin sprinting down the alley and go to scale a fence that divides the alley from the woods.

Cole starts sprinting after them again as he tries to take a shot at their leg while their climbing the fence

They drop off the fence onto the otherside but hit the ground and grunt in pain from the shot

Cole groans as he starts climbing the fence with urgency

The strnager tries to get up but fumbles to the ground again as they growl to themselves.

Cole quickly places a foot on their throat and aims his revolver at their chest, "You better start talking or i'm gonna put a fucking hole in you"

As they turn their head to face Cole, he can see they have a specialized helmet to fit a rather long muzzle. Theres a large crack from the bullet on one side and they put their hands on Cole's leg out of fear, but don't attempt throwing him off. They sound rather nervous with a familiar gruff voice, "I was pai- wait..." They pause as they look aup at Cole, "Cole?"

Cole squints as he asks, "Icarus?"

Icarus groans, "Yeah. Fucking why are you here?"

Cole sighs, "Because i wanted to help Chester stop drinking?! Why are YOU here?!" Cole's eyes shift back to being hazel

Icarus lets go of Cole's leg and grumbles, "My leg finally healed so someone made me get back into work again. I was sent to beat the shit out of him... looks like im back on fucking bed rest though, same fucking leg too."

Cole sighs as he takes his foot off of his throat, "Look if you just tell me who sent you i can give you some money to go to a hospital"

"Can I trust you won't go telling on me? Cuz if you do I might end up on the other end of the gun." He sits up and lifts the visor up so he can see better and get fresh air. His eyes look rather sore and tired.

Cole sighs and lowers his gun, "Who would i even tell on you to? The police?! I'm like 90 percent sure that they are looking for a reason to arrest me"

"No, the man I'm being paid to do this for. I dont want him knowing if I tell you who he is."

Cole nods, "Right well i'm not gonna go around telling people, so just tell me so i can go reassure Chester that i wasn't murdered"

"A guy who calls himself Mailman is forcing me to keep an eye on the cemetery for Chester. I was on a break for awhile cuz of my leg but now I'm fit enough again. He wanted me to give him the worst night of his life if he chose to show up. Make sure he barely makes it through. I wasn't getting any payment though. He just said he would spare me if I did it." He has a few noticable scratches across his nose and face 

Cole sighs and reaches into his jacket as he tosses a bundle of hundred dollar non-feral dollars, "If he asks what happened, tell him i send my regards"

"You actualy don't care if I say your name infront of him? You know he's a torturer right?" Icarcus grits slightly as he speaks and picks up the money.

Cole shakes his head, "He wouldn't hurt me, now do you help walking or can i go back to Chester?"

Icarus grumbles as he pulls himself up, "Not my first time getting hit. So you want me to leave that prick alone I assume?"

Cole rolls his eyes, "I want you to leave Chester alone, he's not a prick" Cole holsters his revolver back into his jacket as he starts walking back to the graveyard

He is dead inside he looks tired as he waits.

Cole waves to Chester as he calls out, "I'm not dead, and i didn't kill that guy that wanted to shoot you"

"He was trying to kill me???" Chester looks a mixure of scared and worried

Cole sighs, "Well he was going to" Cole does air quotes, "give you the worst night of your life but make sure you barely made it through" Cole shakes his head as he walks over, "I put a good hole in his leg for what he was trying to do"

"Well... thank you." Chester looks down in thought a moment

Cole waves his hand dismissively, "It's not a big deal, i'll always protect you"

"Usually I'm the one being beat up. huh. Anyways uh. I should probably go home. Don't think you'll let me drink more tonight anyways."

Cole nods, "Have a good rest of your day, i wouldn't worry too much about me being beat up"

Chester nods and begins walking off towards downtown