Exploring London with Sherral

[runningred]

Jay opens the door out into a very expensive hotel suite. "Let me just grab my own gear." He gestures towards the balcony and the view across the city.

Comments

[runningred]

Jay doesn't know them personally but he knows the crowd well enough. And he stands his ground too.

The bigger of the two guys looks Jay and Sherral up and down. "You run?"

"I run. My friend here is learning." Jay grins, rising to the subtly implied challenge. "You want us to prove our skills?" He winks to Sherral.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral catches the wink, and inclines his head at the men. He's not entirely sure his skills are up to whatever standards they may have, but if they ask him and Jay to, he'll certainly give it his best shot.

[runningred]

The men give them both another long look over. Not unfriendly and not particularity threateningly but with an edge of playful menacing. "Tag the flag before we do and we might just let you in."

He nods to a Union Jack flag hanging from a pole some two blocks away and quite a long way up the tall building.

Jay gives Sherral another quick smile and eyebrow raised. Jay might be the better flyer but that's only half the game being offered. The other half is getting between these guys and the flag. And he knows how good Sherral's defence is.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral reckons he can probably handle that, so he gives Jay a quick nod.

[runningred]

"Let me just confer with my partner here." Jay steps over to Sherral, throwing his arm around Sherral's shoulder, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Up for a bit of fun?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye, of course," Sherral says, keeping his voice low. "You go for the flag, and I'll keep them off your back."

[runningred]

Jay grins brightly and shifts his weight, ready to start his run but steals a kiss first. "Just to you know, I'm not adverse to you cheating."

He takes off at a run, bouncing off a car roof to get the clearance to get to the second floor balcony.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral might turn a tinge pink at the kiss.

As soon as Jay is off, Sherral is moving as well, into the path of whichever of the men is furthest forward, then throwing out an arm to force the other to swerve out of the way.

[runningred]

Jay doesn't look back as he flips himself over the rail and throws a line to the building opposite.

The first man pulls up sharp and tries to change direction as the other one leaps over Sherral's arm in a somersault, still running at Jay. "Your boyfriend's got some cute moves. I'll try not to bruise him to bad."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral zigzags, body-checking the second man (not too hard, but hard enough to throw him off balance) before moving to block the first one again.

[runningred]

The man has no problem body checking Sherral, grinning. He's taller and wiser than Sherral but is slightly shocked by how solidly Sherral stops him.

Jay and the other guy are leaping from ledge to ledge. Jay is taking very risky jumps casually, grinning maniacal.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral shrugs off the body check with a small smile, moving to make sure he stays in the path of the man.

The other guy looks to be long out of Sherral's reach, but he trusts that Jay can win in a straight out race between them.

[runningred]

"You want to dance, pretty boy?" The man teases, darting back and fourth to get around Sherral.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral laughs, moving with the man. He's fast and light on his feet, so he manages to keep up with the man's darting, always getting into his path just before he can make any progress.

[runningred]

"You're good, pretty boy." The man grins and charges at Sherral, ducking low with the intention of grabbing him around the legs and throwing Sherral over his shoulder.

From high above, Jay whoops loudly and throws the flag down to Sherral.

[fluffiest_archadian]

In another context, Sherral would be blushing furiously - and probably will be once it catches up with him that the man's said that twice now.

As it is, as the man charges Sherral puts one hand onto the man's shoulder and pushes up enough to roll easily over his back, landing behind him and getting an arm around his shoulders, tight enough to pull him in and grip him close.

The other hand reaches up and catches the flag, giving it a quick wave.

[runningred]

The guy hoists Sherral up onto his shoulders as Sherral holds the flag up. "Yeah, nice! You guys are good. Come and get a beer." He glances up to where Jay and the other guy are playing on the rooftop.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral makes a slight noise of surprise, flailing for a split second before settling.

"Thank you," he says, inclining his head. "It was more Jay than aught. He's very agile."

[runningred]

"I'm Seth, by the way." He sets Sherral down and nods toward the source of the music and noise. "The one currently dancing with your boyfriend is Danny. Where are you from?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

As soon as he's set down, he stands up even more ramrod straight than usual, like he's subconsciously compensating for the surprise of it all by being even more soldier-y than usual.

(Should he be denying that Jay is his boyfriend? He's not sure.)

Sherral has just realised that he literally knows of only two locations on Earth, which might make answering this question a shade awkward.

"Just a little village up North," he says, because little villages and compass directions tend to be Things no matter where you are. "Are you from around here?"

[runningred]

"Thought I caught a Scottish twang in your voice." Seth teases, heading for the keg and pulling Sherral a beer. He nods and smiles, pointing up to one of the project housing towers. "Born and raised in there. Doubt I'll live anywhere else."

Jay and Danny come over, still laughing. "Nice run." Jay offers, Seth a handshake and throws an arm around Sherral. "That was fun."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral settles one arm around Jay and takes the offered beer with the other hand.

"Aye, you looked like you were having fun," he remarks fondly to Jay.

[runningred]

"Well, Danny here is a better climber than I gave him credit for." Jay grins, ducking at Danny throws a playful punch at Jay's shoulder.

Seth grins. "Sherral's no slouch ether. Even for a Scot."

The two locals spot a friend and wave at Jay and Sherral. "You guys have fun. We'll see you a bit latter on." They take off.

Jay chuckles and heads towards the fire a little, still warm from the run. "You've been making friends."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"As have you," Sherral replies wryly, following with Jay.

[runningred]

"London has a big free-running scene, mostly in the poorer areas." He nods to the stark concrete housing towers. "I grew up in an area like this. Not quite to vertical but this sort of poverty."