Author Topic: Nobody is above good advice  (Read 276 times)

Offline Connor Murphy

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Nobody is above good advice
« on: January 22, 2016, 11:53:24 PM »
 Smoke curls around a hoodie covered head as Connor Murphy stands outside of the hotel, the dark held at bay by a rather weak florescent bulb.  Not your normal hotel to say the least as the young man inhales another burning drag of the cigarette hanging from his lips.  Beside him Tim can be seen resting on the half wall advertising the hotel.  Connor can’t help but shake his head at the blank stare on the face of his partner and reaches up to pull the smoke from his lips and rests his hand on the shoulder of Tim.

Connor Murphy:  You know what Tim, I gotta tell you that those meds you are on, totally taking you to another place.  Do you think you really want to go there?

Tim turns his cold eyes to Connor, a ghost of a smile cracking the intense look on his face.

Tim Staggs:  Whatever place it is, starting to feel like home to me.

Connor can’t help but wince at that comment.  This Tim wasn’t the Tim he joined the Nobodies to tag with.  This was a different Tim, a distant Tim…a Tim that needed to be jolted out of whatever this drug was making him.

Connor Murphy:  Don’t you think maybe you might want to ditch the dozy drugs and get back to the Nobody everybody knows and loves?

Tim Staggs:  Loves?  Really Connor…sounds more like you are on drugs.

The young Staggs chuckles at the irony of the joke before dragging more smoke into his lungs.  Exhaling slowly, Tim once more faces forward, his eyes focused on something that Connor just can’t see.

Tim Staggs:  Besides Con, keeping the fear at bay is a good thing.  Not feeling is a good thing and keeping the monster inside calm is the best thing of all.

Connor Murphy:  Maybe what we need is the monster considering who we are facing this week and defending our titles against.  Let’s let the monster come out and play.  Point you in the direction of Raab and his Frankenbride and let you do what you do best.

Tim smirks slightly at that comment before the smirk fades to be replaced by the ever present blank look that Connor has been seeing recently.  Sitting beside his partner as he flicks his butt into the night air, Connor begins to stare off into the distance.  Tim spares him a glance from the corner of his eye.

Tim Staggs:  You don’t seem happy…

Connor Murphy:  I ain’t.  I’m more worried about someone that I see as my brother.  Tim man these drugs are messing you up.  I get that Grimm did some ef’ed up crap to you but this shouldn’t faze you man.  You are a Staggs for sobbing out loud.  I fought beside your dad and you and the two of you are more alike than you would like to think.  Dude, if Spike was…

Tim shoots to his feet and turns on Connor.

Tim Staggs:  I ain’t my father!  He’d be stronger than me you are thinking I bet!

Tim turns abruptly to walk away but is stopped by Connor who is also on his feet and angered.

Connor Murphy:  If you would have let me finish instead of getting your underoos in a bunch you would have heard me say that if Spike was tough, you are just as tough.  Listen Mister Exposed Nerve, not everyone is against you you know.  Hell if you would stop and think for a minute that I am on your side you would realize that I am trying to help you not lose you.

Connor slams his hands onto the shoulders of Tim, shaking him slightly.

Connor Murphy:  I get it Tim boyo, you had a hell of a scare but you need to get over it.  You are one half of the tag champions.  And this week we are in a title defense against the Monstimals.  And if that ain’t a bitch, we got Ben Jordan wanting to face us for the titles with his friend Simon.  So I need you on the same frickin’ page but the way you been coasting through on that Xanax makes me think you ain’t there.  So are we or not?

Like some bulldog, Connor again gives Tim a slight shake that seems to wake him up slightly. Bringing his hands up between them, Tim lays it on the shoulder of Connor who leans in angrily, eye to eye with his partner almost willing him to snap.

Tim Staggs:  Yeah Con, we are on the same page.  I just…bringing up Dad is like a sore point with me right now.  

Tim’s voice falters slightly before his head falls and his red hair covers his face.  Almost guiltily, Connor releases Tim and steps back, body still tense but the anger draining from his face.

Connor Murphy:  I ain’t trying to be your dad.  We are partners and brothers.  We are a pair of Nobodies.

At that, the two share a grin as Connor moves beside Tim and puts an arm over his shoulder.

Connor Murphy:  Listen, I am going to take a hike and work off this pissiness, why don’t you go and relax.  We’ll train tomorrow.

Tim Staggs:  Nah, I’m good.

Connor holds up a hand.

Connor Murphy:  You may be but I ain’t and the mood I’m in now, you just might get hurt.  Take the out and we’ll get on it tomorrow.

Before he can argue, Connor spins him around and sends Tim staggering towards the hotel with a friendly shove and an airkick.  Tim catches himself and turns to say something but the hooded figure has moved off into the night.  Taking two steps towards his partner, Tim is stopped by Connor’s voice floating towards him.

Connor Murphy:  Don’t make me kick your ass boyo.

Tim’s snort of laughter joins the faint chuckle from Connor as he turns and heads inside the hotel while Connor disappears around the corner.

\'user


Only hours earlier Connor had dealt with his partner and now he had moved off to deal with his anger at the fact his partner was medicated into docility, was being stalked by this crazy lady on twitter (yes he was watching the social media but wasn’t doing his chirping on it) and now had to deal with facing Raab and his spouse in the ring.

Being tag champion was Connor’s first taste of gold in Sin City and to say that he liked it would be putting it mildly.  Winning the titles with Tim was something that no one had given either of them credit for doing but now these nobodies were somebodies. Or were they?

A small diner sign blinked a neon sign that was worn and half lit in some letters.  Pulling open the door, Connor walks inside to find a tired waitress leaning against the counter, her light purple hair pulled up in a messy French twist that was sprouting a couple of pens and a beat up old flower.  She warily watches as he moves further into the diner.  Sitting in a rather grubby booth, Connor looks at the plastic menu that is resting on the table beside a small little jukebox with tunes from the fifties. Connor flips through a few pages but recognizes nothing.

The waitress moves towards the booth with a pot of some kind of dark liquid that she is trying to pass off as coffee. Setting a cup in front of Connor, she splashes the hot drink into it.

Waitress: What will it be young man?

Connor looks at her, a crooked smile breaking across his face.

Connor Murphy: What do you have for killing a monster?

Waitress:  A monster? What in the ever loving hell are you talking about?

Connor's smile widens as he leans towards the woman as if taking her into his confidence.

Connor Murphy: Don't you recognize me?

Waitress: Should I?

Connor gives her a look of disbelief before grinning at her again thinking she hadn't really looked closely enough the first time. The waitress raises one eyebrow as she sets the pot of coffee on the table then leans closer to Murphy, her own face breaking into a flirty grin of her own.

Waitress: Listen young man, I don't know if you are trying to flirt for a free piece of pie or what but just because you are cute and all doesn't mean I would be that cheap yanno. The pie ain't free and neither am I.

Connor realizes his mistake and leans away from the waitress who mutters "I thought so" before grabbing the pot and sashaying back to the counter and behind it. Connor once more begins to look over the menu then takes a sip of the brew with a wince at the taste. Picking up the sugar, he pours a stream into the cup and picks up the water marked spoon to stir the drink.  Leaving it resting in the coffee, Connor pulls up the cup and takes another cautious sip.  As he does the bell on the door rings again and a rather dark brooding man walks inside, his hat slouched low over his face.

Trucker:  Hey Flo, coffee and lots of it.

The waitress had already anticipated the request and slid a cup of the black stuff across the counter.  From his table, Connor watches the man get to his feet and look around the diner, the trucker’s eyes coming to rest on Connor in his booth.  A half grin crosses his face as the trucker moves towards Murphy who begins to map out an escape route a moment too late.

Trucker:  I know you boy.  You’re that wrassler fella.  That Nobody ain’tcha?

Connor can only nod as he sizes up the trucker who smiles more and slides his bulk into the seat opposite the hooded Connor.

Trucker:  I caught your wrasslin’ the other day when I was home with the little woman.  She’s a big fan of you.  Can’t stand ya myself but then again, I only like looking at them beautiful women you got running around that company.

Connor Murphy:  Yeah I like to watch’em too.  

The pair chuckles uncomfortably before letting the laughter fade.  The trucker swigs at the coffee as Connor looks around for the waitress who is mindlessly watching a small black and white television behind the counter.  The trucker leans forward and puts both elbows on the table and stares at Connor.

Connor Murphy:  So…wife’s a fan huh?

The trucker grunts his reply as Connor nods.  

Connor Murphy:  But you, not so much.  I get that I guess.  

Trucker:  Like I said, wife’s the one who likes wrasslin’.  And I know she said that this week you Nobodies are facing two monsters.  So when I saw you in here, I figured that maybe I might come in and talk to you…you know, man to man and ask you what the hell you think is gonna happen when you face off with these monsters.

Connor smirks at the downhome honesty of the man and taps a finger on the table.  

Connor Murphy:  I think we are going to defend the titles and we are going to kick the crap out of Frankenbride and his monster.

Trucker:  Dude if that is what you got planned you might as well say good bye to those titles.  Monsters like the guys my woman says you’re facing are the type that just wants to see the world suffer.  You gotta be aware that the two of them are looking for that and you are the ones that are going to suffer.  You gotta fight harder and crazier than those two.  

Connor listens closely to the man as he speaks realizing that maybe just maybe he knows what he is talking about.

Connor Murphy:  You might be right…I have faced Raab  before and took him to his edge and beyond…

Trucker:  And if you ask me, I think the one that is going after you is the one that you ain’t had to deal with before.  Be ready for that and you got a world of crazy to deal with.

Connor smiles as a thought crosses his mind.

Connor Murphy:  I can do crazy…

The trucker nods as he picks up his cup and holds it out to Connor who grasps his own cup and raises it to clink dully against the truckers.

Trucker:  By the way, can you sign me a little something for the little woman.  Will get me in good.

Connor laughs and pulls a napkin from the silvered holder then begins to pat himself down for a pen.  When he can’t find one, the trucker pulls out a sharpie from some unknown pocket and writes his name across the papers white surface.  The scene fades out on Connor and the trucker talking as dawn can be seen coming from outside the window.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2016, 11:56:45 PM by Connor Murphy »