Ashrin - The Opening Line

Erin knew someone new was arriving to the Center. They had sent a welcoming message in the community chat, and Erin had a special quest to meet someone new on The Hope Center's habit tracking app. It was a little obtuse, even for the Center, but Erin didn't mind. He appreciated obvious hints from the universe at small. It was also helpful to have the floor number available to reference as he wandered the halls.

Well, it was less wandering and more actual working as he ducked in and out of his neighbor's apartments, picking up various pooches and taking them out for short walks around the block. Erin was on his way up the elevator again when he finally encountered him: the mysterious stranger, clad in all black and carrying a short stack of battered boxes that looked like they had been carried from across the country, filled with talldarkandhandsom's favorite records if Erin had to guess from looking at him. They had called him their latest musical talent recruit in the missive, and as Erin ran an assessing eye over him, he was willing to bet on punk rock or designer punk being the most likely culprits.

Knowing that their genres in common meant they'd be working together sooner or later, Erin was actually eager as he held the elevator for him and greeted him, "Hello there!" One hand blocked the door, triggering the sensor to keep it open, while his other hand had fingers curled around the leash of a medium sized border collie. The black and white dog was bracketed by the steady, calm presence of Erin's personal companion: Maoi. There was irony in the American Husky radiating peace, but Erin was grateful for it with the high energy of the herding dog.

Once Ash had joined him on the elevator, Erin moved his hand promptly out of the way and stepped back into the corner. With a flick of his fingers, he got the collie to sit down as well, and he introduced them, "This is Koda, Maoi, and-" He twisted to the side to reveal the small dog's head sitting on his shoulder. "Little Miss Thing. I'm Erin. Are you moving into the building?"

The short stack of boxes was Ash’s last and he was grateful, while he may have considered himself to have many strengths, he didn’t consider literal strength to be one of them. Begrudgingly he was prepared to shift the box's weight onto one arm as he made it to the elevator door but was relieved when there was someone in the elevator to keep it open for him. “Hey! Thanks!” He settled into the elevator and checked the lighted buttons, grateful to see he didn’t even have to ask the stranger to do another favor for him before even giving his name.

Whether it was because they were introduced first or Ash had a love for dogs, he noticed and took them in first. He wondered if they both belonged to the stranger as they both seemed well behaved for him. He knew THC had a lot of amenities for dogs so it made sense that it would attract people with multiple. After he had a look over the dogs he looked over at Erin. The word that came to mind- precious.

“I’m Ash.” Ash responded with a grin. “I’d shake your hand but as you can see mine are a bit full.” He motioned to the stack of boxes when he was holding. “But once I get these in my apartment I think I’ll be officially moved in. Do you live here as well?” He asked, wondering if Erin possibly lived even on the same floor as him since that’s where they were both heading.

When the door opened it was long before Ash heard high pitched park in the distance. He immediately blushed when instantly recognizing it as Void. He stepped out and tilted his head towards the left where his apartment was. “That’s my dog- Void. I swear he’s not always like this.. He just.. Misses me.” He didn’t know if that was necessarily true but it was what he told himself- both that Void wouldn’t always be like this and that he missed Ash.

Erin was dressed for the tepid spring day in a long sleeve shirt with a button up over top of it. Should the weather swing cold again, he'd fish out the flannels and graphic tees, but for the moment, he knew his presentation was slightly more neutral than typical. His curls were still pressed down to his forehead beneath the gray beanie that he always wore, but he hadn't bothered getting it cut recently and that meant he needed to keep it contained.

"Nice to meet you, Ash, and not to worry. I don't think Koda could contain his excitement if you're within jumping distance," Erin joked, aiming a fond look at the border collie. The dog's ears twitched at his name, and he flashed the whites of his eyes as he looked towards Erin without moving his head. Maoi sighed and seemed to settle more onto his haunches, his reproachful glance moving from Koda to Erin, who offhandedly told him, "Hush old man," before answering Ash, "Congrats on getting moved in and welcome to the Center. I've been here three years or so, and honestly, I hope you get as much out of it as I have. We've got some awesome neighbors and endless opportunity to collaborate." Which he told himself was not too much of a hint.

As the elevator door slid open, Erin immediately heard the yapping. His gaze flicked towards Ash, halfway to apologizing on behalf of the owner, when he saw the blush. It stilled his tongue, fortunately, and Erin wound up grinning crookedly at the information. "Change is hard," Erin remarked mildly, "and being somewhere new alone is especially difficult." It was not so early that anyone would have any complaints, but Erin did have to consciously check himself to avoid offering Ash help if the dog had separation anxiety. Assumptions rarely were welcome.

Instead, he said, "I'd love to meet him some time? Koda's gotta get home, but I could swing by after if he is alright with other dogs?" Maoi was always the dog he tested other dogs against when he was assessing them. If the way his senior dog was eyeing him was any hint, he would need settled in their apartment after if Erin did not want to carry seventy-five pounds of resentment, but LMT would want to continue riding in her backpack.

While Ash was originally wearing his signature leather jacket as he moved boxes in and out of his apartment, it now laid discarded on his couch as he worked up some body heat while moving. He was left with just a black band-tee that had clearly had its sleeves long taken off and discarded. . He noticed a lot of the people in LA were wearing more layers than he expected but he was used to an Ohio spring which was a shit ton colder than LA spring.

The way Erin spoke of the center and even the cheerful and friendly mood he was in was a decent sign that the people who lived at THC at least liked it. Or Erin was just put under the label for his incredible acting skills. This thought made Ash look him up and down again. He was giving more musician vibes or maybe even an influencer with how social he was.

There was just the tiniest part of Ash that worried about inviting Erin over to his apartment when he had just moved in. There were boxes not neatly stacked and the most he had bothered to do was set up Void’s crate so he wouldn’t get into things. But Erin made the suggestion knowing he had just moved, so he assumed he wouldn’t be judged too harshly. The thought did cross his mind that also Erin was putting out super friendly vibes. Maybe he could score himself some help in exchange for some beer or something. “Yeah, absolutely stop by! Void is pretty chill with other dogs as long as they don’t start anything first… Void will insist he can finish it. He can’t finish it though.” He chuckled fondly as he imagined his dog convinced he could take out both Maoi and Koda. “We’re in 3C.”

Once Ash got back into his apartment and released Void, he was relieved to see the dog was just pleased to have his father back and be picked up and held. He spent a minute too long holding up the ball of fur and apologizing profusely while accepting kids before placing the dog on the couch as he unpacked the dog’s items first, followed by his two guitars. It wasn’t his entire collection but he reasoned he needed at least one electric and one acoustic with him in his new home.

Perhaps the least surprising information one could receive was that Erin loved dogs. Erin often thought it should be surprising, given his history, but then again, that history was why he'd worked so hard to not just be knowledgeable about dogs but also actually able to enjoy their company again. The way that Void was described to him absolutely tugged on Erin's heartstrings, and he preemptively guessed, "I am going to adore him." He loved scrappy dogs and appreciated nothing more than a little dog that genuinely thought it was a big dog. LMT had never been in a situation where she felt that she had to finish things, Erin and Maoi both too fast to intervene on her behalf, but he liked to think that she was the same way. "We'll swing by in a bit."

Koda's home was in the opposite direction. M had one of the larger units, though she had only moved in a few months before Ash. Erin didn't run into her as he dropped Koda off, removing his harness and giving him a hard chew to keep him company until his afternoon walk. Maoi was familiar with their routine and led the way towards the elevator only to lag slightly when Erin bypassed it to head to 3C. He murmured an apology to the dog, and he was still apologizing as he rapped on the door. "After, I'll get your lick mat out and you can go fucking ham on that. I won't make you go out again until after three, so you can get a good nap in, okay?"

When the door was answered, Erin grinned and said, "Whatsup. Sorry I don't have a housewarming gift, but I am here to meet the little guy." Maoi stayed in a close heel as they entered the apartment, and Erin swung his backpack around to free Little Miss Thing. She leveraged her neck against the flat of his hand as he gently lifted her out and knelt to release her and extend his greeting to Void. "Is he a pomeranian? Little Miss Thing is too, well half if the shelter is to be believed." The gold and white dog shook herself out delicately before stepping forward to sniff the muzzle of the equally small black dog.

Ash had just finished unpacking his small collection of treats and dry food for Void into his kitchenette area. Luckily Void had already finished his treat he begged for when the knock on the door came. Before Ash could try to calm him Void had taken off towards the door and yapped it, assering that whoever was there had come to the wrong apartment and they better leave before they get got. However as soon as scooped up the small dog from behind and held him between his chest and forearm Void was quiet and content, just happily wagging as best he could while waiting to see who was behind the door.

It was a surprise to see Erin on the other side of the door, Ash was hoping it’d be him but he knew there was a chance it could be another neighbor introducing himself. He wasn’t sure if THC had a full welcome wagon or if it was a one man show and that’s why Erin was so attentive. “No gifts necessary, I appreciate you stopping in.” He stepped out of the way and once he let the others come in he shut the door and put Void down to greet Little Miss Thing. He did not trust his black fluff ball to not make a run for it down the hall in his new home.”He is a pomeranian… I had a pitbull back at home and I just wanted something…” He took a deep breath. “Different.” His voice was a little sad and he realized it could sound like he wanted a different breed because he didn’t like the breed and not because he didn’t want to be cruelly remdined. He tried to make it a little less dramatic. “I mean Emma’s amazing but I just wanted a change.” He motioned to LMT. “What’s the other half?”

Void mostly stood frozen while LMT sniffed him, before getting the chance to promptly and politely sniff her asshole. “My dog and I are ass men.” Ash stated without a gun to his head. But before he could let the weirdness linger more than a couple seconds he quickly moved topic and motioned to his bare apartment. “I’d say make yourself at home but uh I’m still making progress on that myself.” He gave himself a laugh for that one and opened an unlabeled cardboard box with his keys. Inside were some of his favorite records and he smiled just looking down at them before lifting his head to check up on Void and LMT. Void was being mostly polite but he was following the female dog around, leaving barely a respectable distance. Ash turned his attention to Erin. “You mentioned colorbating earlier? Are you a musician?”

Erin knew most of the apartments on the third floor and higher had a separate living space from the bedroom, and his eyes swept over the transitioning space curiously. Most of what he could see was in boxes, but spotting a crate felt like a positive sign even if Void had been letting everyone know someone had knocked. The black walls and wooden floor were custom, he noted idly, and he briefly wondered if the leather couch had come as far as Ash and his boxes. It was nice, very masculine in vibes between that and the minimalist, black metal and dark wooden shelves of the tv stand and shelves. It was not as styled as some of the spaces he had seen, but he could see the Center's design in some of the furniture.

The weight of the word different caught Erin's attention and brought his gaze back to Ash from where he'd been watching as Little Miss Thing sniffed from Void's nose all the way up to his eyebrows and then lingered at his ears. Her small, dark brown eyes were wide and watchful even as Maoi lazed at Erin's side, reassuring him that the tension in both small dogs was cautious but not concerning. At least not as concerning as Ash's tone. "I've never owned a pitbull, but I walk two that are dollbabies," he offered cautiously, wondering where the ground was fragile. Ruffling LMT's big ears, he straightened up and said, "Papillon. They aren't a super common breed, but it is French for big ass ears."

As Void took his turn sniffing and went straight for LMT's rear, Erin laughed and then laughed harder at Ash's joke. "Like father like son," Erin agreed breezily. Looking around, he released the clip on Maoi's leash and offered, "I can help? If you tell me what boxes go where, I can be put to work." LMT grew bored of the sniffing and with a swish of her long tail, she began to sniff around at the boxes and looking for Void's toys. She loved any plush toy with a squeaker, and Erin kept an eye on her in case she found any mischief. Maoi, freed, sank down into a lay by the door and stayed there as Erin walked further into the apartment.

"I am a songwriter," Erin answered as he peered into the open box nosily. "I also do composition and, if you'd like, I can help with just about every step of the video making process. I'm self taught, but a lot of us here are." Big, doe brown eyes swept to Ash and he asked, "Your last band was Distant Despair, but you were in the Hex Guys, right?" Or he had the same name as the guy that was, and Erin wasn't sure of which. He hadn't gotten too involved in the googling, too tempted to click on songs and listen. The voice sounded right.

“Then I think I had an Aunt that was Papillon.” Ash joked, thinking of a very specific aunt who no longer put her hair up around the family as they teased her so often. He didn’t give himself time to feel bad about joining in on the family bullying even hundreds of miles away from home. Instead he became eager to accept Erin’s offer to help. He was all too eager to pass off the box of records he just discovered on to Erin. “Absolutely. Please do.” He dug into an adjacent box that had already been open and pulled out book ends in the shape of a split skull that sat on top of a solid block. They were heavy enough to keep his records standing up straight. He placed them onto one of the empty minimalist shelves. “Do you mind putting those here?”

Not even having been there that long- most of Void’s toys had already miraculously appeared under the couch. When LMT’s nose got close to the couch, Void squeezed himself beneath it and began pulling out the toys to show off.

Finding out Erin was a songwriter, Ash couldn’t help himself and had to ask the question that he was sure all writers got asked too often. “Write anything I might have heard?” He knew a few of the musicians and their hits that came out of THC before he was considering signing with them and after receiving their offer, he made himself acquainted with a lot more of them. He was also genuinely interested to know what Erin’s kind of writing style was, maybe he would actually look forward to writing with him. Part of his contract was to use the THC writers anyway and they didn’t seem to be encouraging of letting Ash write all his own music.

Ash was impressed that Erin could name his previous two bands. He had clearly done his homework but that didn’t necessarily mean they’d have similar styles. It meant he was just doing his job and knowing who was coming into the building or maybe Ash did have a fanboy on his hands. He wouldn’t be offended by either option. He gave Erin a nod to confirm he had the right band names. “That’s me.” he stated proudly.

"That's out of pocket," Erin said grinning. He didn't have the kind of familial relations that lent themselves to teasing, but he could appreciate it when someone did. Accepting the box of records, he headed for the shelf and began arranging them carefully. In no particular hurry, he kept them in the same order they came out of the box but considered bands and titles, seeking out familiar ones and making mental note of them for point of reference and inspiration. The more he knew, the more excited he got at the similarities in their musical tastes. This would make work a piece of cake. "You've got excellent taste in music," he remarked as he held up a Marianna's Trench record and then slid it onto the shelf.

His eyes were tracking LMT's progress across the room, and he grinned as she immediately pounced on the first toy Void dropped. Her sharp little teeth were quick to find the squeaker, honking it twice as she viciously shook her head and then tossed the toy, dropping into a play bow before the black dog. She was being her typical, playful self, and it made Erin wish that there were more dogs her size for her to play with. Once Maoi passed, he was determined to get a friend for her.

"Coffee and Cigarettes," Erin answered, rolling his eyes as he dropped the single most popular song he'd ever written. It had been top twenty within a month of its release, and had he not compromised on every lyric of personal significance in the original, he might've been proud at how well it had done. The rock ballad was reminiscent of older songs with a strong bass line and a lyrical narrative around glamorizing burnout made to sound like heartbreak over love. "I also do most of the writing for Black Valkyrie and Once in a Blue Moon, but basically anything that isn't rap or hiphop that comes out of here, I've helped out with." Black Valkyrie was a solo artist known for her strong style and heavy metal music. She had cultivated online mystique and was popular outside of her niche. True metal heads might've described her as palatable, but it wasn't bad. Once in a Blue Moon was more acoustic and coffee shop rock. They were made and played for moms, but Erin liked being able to write sappy things.

The confirmation made Erin smile, and he said sincerely, "I loved Trapped in the Dark. The first time I listened to it, I immediately threw it on repeat for, like, an hour." Which was true, but it had also happened to be easier than fighting with his phone when he had Bone's powerwalking him through the apartment walkways. "And Twin Flame literally made me so emotional. Listening to it, I was like okay, maybe love is real even if it is awful." Which was true, but Erin usually tried to dissect the meaning and intentions behind song lyrics like that. What did the musician want to convey was always at the forefront of his mind.

Of all albums to pull from his collection, Ash was surprised to see him holding up a Marianas Trench album. He knew they weren’t as popular as they should be in the states but he appreciated how intentional their lyrics were. It wasn’t quite the sound he wanted to produce but he wanted to write in a similar way or have someone write in a similar way for him. If he had skepticism about working with Erin and having him write for him, it was slowly fading away like the stain he was actively wiping off was his framed guitar picks. To be fair he shouldn’t have packed it with his hair products. He placed the object on the coffee table with plans to hang it later. “I should hope so.” he joked before the squeaking of Void’s toy caught his attention. He was relieved to see it was LMT having fun and not Void just being annoying.

Within a fraction of a second after LMT went into a play bow, Void quickly joined her and then after another moment he hopped around, trying to determine who was going to run and who was going to be doing the chasing.

You’re hired was immediately came to Ash’s mind when he heard Erin was the writer behind Coffee and Cigarettes. It wasn’t the fact that he barely had any say who was writing for him due to his contract but the fact that some people considered it more of a cheesy rock song. But it was only cheesy in the way it was simple and relatable to just about everyone. Ash had been impressed by the actual musical flow of it and its popularity. He knew both musicians that Erin had referenced, he knew Black Valkyrie before his less than deep dive into the residents of THC. He nodded while recalling some of their music. “I’d love to see what you think of some of my lyrics still in the vault sometime. Maybe collaborating would be a good idea.”

In a just almost too sincere way Ash cupped his hands over his chest over his heart to emphasize he was touched by Erin name dropping his songs and sharing what they meant to him. Ash adored meeting fans and when they gave him specifics on songs that he had performed. “To be honest Erin. It sounds like you are the one with the incredible music taste.” His smirk was definitely too sincere as he felt deeply complimented and excited to realize he already had a fan in the building.

Little Miss Thing took Void hesitation as invitation for her to lead, and she darted around the apartment. With all the speed of a rat on crack, she darted around towering piles of boxes and around the black chair. Hitting a corner, she spun around and dropped back into a bow, fully anticipating Void to be there.

The thunder of their paws delighted Erin and half of the lyrics to a song about loving his dogs were given new verses in his head. He'd rewrite and tweak it to be more ambiguous, perhaps implying a parent child relationship, but just about love and joy. His attention fixed back on Ash as he mentioned his own lyrics. "I'd love to give them a read. Everyone is already so curious about the sound you're going to be producing, and I'd love the chance to learn."

Erin grinned so wide that it almost gave him dimples, creasing his cheeks as Ash complimented himself by complimenting his tastes. Modesty was boring and ego was delicious. While he knew his own were twisted into atypical shapes, he could admire the edge of Ash's that he glimpsed. "I mean it though. I thought the chemistry between you and the back up vocals was electric, and the guitar riff fucked." He'd noticed the framed picks as well as the instruments in the room and he'd assumed it was Ash playing. It didn't hurt to lay it on thick, especially since he meant it.

The box of records was empty, and Erin reflexively removed the tape and broke the box down. There had been a time in his life he'd folded every box into the back of his closets, so he just left it in a pile before going to investigate more of the open boxes.

The moment Little Miss Thing took lead, Void chased her around the apartment like he had lived there for more than an hour. He barked a few times from excitement at playing with a new friend and it correlated well with the blush growing on Ash’s face. “Inside voice!” He called to his dog, which really was just a passive way of telling his dog to shut the fuck up.

Calmly, Ash turned back to the conversation about his music. “I’d like to try to get back to some of my early sounding stuff, more basic rock… but I know it has to be … tunes for the masses?” The word he wanted to use was profitable but he hated the direct reminder of what a sellout he was. “But I don’t know. I’ll see what I can get away with.” He smirked, figuring if Erin was truly a fan of his, it would be something he’d like to hear. Most of his fans preferred the older music from the Hex Guys, this included himself but without having access to the same co-writer it was hard to recreate that- though not due to a lack of trying.

Instead of returning to the box that he had started that contained his bathroom supplies, he made his way to a separate box. Ash pulled out three framed photos to place on the shelf with his records.The one he placed in the middle was of him and his parents and older sister, he must have been just a teenager at the time as adults his family was hardly together enough to take photos. To the left he placed a picture of him and the Hex Guys on their first tour bus, all peeking out from their bunks looking clearly a little high on both the adrenaline of the tour and whatever pills their drummer offered them after that night's show.

The last picture Ash pulled out he placed on the right and he lingered as he placed it on the shelf. It was a photo of him and his ex-girlfriend Mia. He justified being able to put it out because it wasn’t an overly romantic photo of them.They were sitting just a little closer than friends at a booth in a diner. He stepped back and took all three photos in, sighing heavily before he got caught off guard by another of Void’s shrill barks. He grabbed another box and peaked in it and then glanced at Erin. “Can you set up an Xbox?” he asked, fishing to give him another task.

LMT's answering bark was almost croaky, not particularly loud nor shrill, though she only barked once. When Ash scolded them, she stopped dead in her tracks. Turning to face Void, she stretched into another play bow and then switched to trying to wrestle with him, pouncing at him and snapping her needle sharp teeth.

Eyeing the blush on Ash's face made Erin more conscious of the dogs playing. The occasional bark did not phase him after living with huskies for years. Every other dog was down right mute comparatively. Biting back the urge to comment that the dogs were alright, just being dogs, he instead focused on the information Ash gave him about music. "That sounds awesome," he enthused. "Your original sound was really distinct, and I appreciated the voice and perspective you had." Which was true, though he did not realize that it was not Ash's perspective that he had appreciated in the songs he'd been listening to. "I hope you get away with all of it. It sucks having to compromise, but the masses have no tastes."

Erin glanced over at the pictures. His eyes swept them and felt like he got a clear picture of the young man before him. Looking at Ash's face as he lingered over the picture of himself and a young woman, Erin was stopped from asking something invasive by the bark. "Lady," he said firmly and Little Miss Thing snapped to attention. When their eyes met, he told her, "New activity." The little dog took a deep breath in and then huffed hard enough that Erin could hear her against the room. He stifled a laugh and turned his attention back to Ash. "If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me to set up the xbox in their new place," he said, grinning as he went to the entertainment center.

"Where are you from?" Erin asked as he fiddled with the wires. His watch said he had time, and it felt perfectly natural to step into Ash's life this way. While The Hope Center might give him a Friendly Neighbor bonus, he really did feel like he was just making a new friend. He wanted to think he'd do this with any of his new neighbors, though he knew profit definitely motivated his extroversion.

LMT led the way over to the couch, sniffing through the toys to see which would be the most fun to chew on.

Just quiet enough to not get yelled at by Ash Void let out a gentle squeak when LMT Bit him. After having to kick his legs a couple times he got off his back and tried to pin the other dog in turn.

“You should charge more than a nickle” Ash commented after just a brief pause. A delayed smirk showed on his face as if he clearly thought his own joke was funny. It only took a few seconds for his expression to quickly turn to curiosity as his mind clearly wandered onto something else. “Do you play?” Ash asked, though if he gave it any real thought he would realize Erin probably would have used that as his reasoning for knowing how to set up an Xbox rather than helping others however Ash didn’t give much of anything a real thought except maybe music and the girl in the right picture frame. He was also just a little enamoured with the idea of making a friend already at the Center. Ash had stage presence and a strong aesthetic that drew people in when it came to being a fan or a social media follower. His charisma didn’t alway translate as well in person. He never vocalized it but making friends was something he worried about beforing out to LA.

Once Ash made sure that Erin was set up properly with the Xbox, he started emptying the rest of the boxes a little quicker. Most of the things were knick-knacks or books he could shove on his shelf or coffee table. There were a couple things he took to his bedroom but even they got put up rather hastily. Without consciously realizing it he was making his priority to finish things up so he could quickly join Erin with setting up the gaming console.

A part of Ash couldn’t help but wonder if Erin already knew the answer to his question. It was true that the best fans were the ones that only knew about your work but he did find most of his bigger fans knew where he was from. The only sign of suspicion was a gentle smirk across the singer’s face as he answered. “Ohio actually. Coming out here is quite the change but Ohio never felt too much like home anyway.” The smirk had shifted into a more genuine and casual expression. “What about you? You from here?” From the bit of Erin’s personality Ash had gotten the pleasure of experiencing he seemed to blend right in with the kind and upbeat West Coasters he was getting used to.

Little Miss Thing jumped back when Void squeaked. She sneezed, ducking her head and letting her tongue loll to emphasize that she hadn't been trying to hurt him. When he jumped on her, she took her turn on her back pawing at him instead of nipping.

Erin made a sound at the joke, not properly mirthful as his brain scrambled from some way to stretch the remark into something about Nickleback, but he failed and reaching the edge of appropriate time to respond, he finally just shrugged and said, "I'd never charge a friend." Which was good and true and flirted with the invitation of friendship, so it felt right. It felt encouraging to have common ground so he said, "Not as much as I used to. I haven't had a system since the three sixty, but there are regular Game Nights at the Center, and I've made a point to play every Call of Duty."

The wires were easy enough to sort. The xbox had clearly been taken apart and shoved into the box, but that meant that aside from some cord management, the task was easy. Everything was already there. As he worked, he paid attention to the dogs playing and Ash moving in and out of the room. It was pleasant enough, and he felt good about being of practical help to someone.

"Ew," Erin responded automatically when Ash said Ohio. His eyes widened immediately and he blurted, "I am so sorry. That was reflexive. It's just...yeah, sorry, it's not even like I'm any better. I grew up in Illinois, spent my teenage years in Alaska, and have lived in Washington, Oregon, and California since." The list of states came fast and easy, encompassing more miles and stories than he had time to share, but communicating clearly why Erin was social. His life had been spent meeting new people, and he'd learned to love it, whether he liked it or not.

As he slid the xbox onto the shelf with the wires secured behind it, he reached over the top of the shelf to grab the cord from the back and coax it up. There were only a few more things to plug in, but Erin's thoughts were elsewhere as he asked, "So, I keep trying to think of how to bring it up smoothly and I can't. I wanna ask about your musical inspirations. Like, who influenced you? What made you want to create music?"

Already having some hope for a blooming friendship, Ash caught naturally onto Erin’s gentle hint at friendship with the lack of charging for help. Ash’s eyes didn’t quite light up when he heard Call of Duty but his eyebrows did raise in surprise delight. “I’ll have to find out more about these game nights and the Game Center.” He thought maybe it’d be a good time to socialize but he had a feeling he’d actually prefer to game in his own apartment.

Taking no offense Ash could only laugh at Erin’s harsh and quick response. Though it wasn’t his initial prediction it also made sense that Erin would have moved around a lot. The nomads he had met were also often friendly to him.

“I feel like when you communicate through music you can be unapologetic for your feelings and face very little consequences for it. I picked up on that and a guitar when I was a young teen and learned how to use my voice.” The answer was somewhat rehearsed yet still a little clunky but at least genuine sounding for that. He had experience talking about his musical origins and inspirations but not any media training yet- not that he needed it for a conversation between friends. “I’ve been inspired by so many… The Killers, KISS, Queen, Aerosmith.. Fuck even Fleetwood Mac.”

Ash helped Erin finish up with the cords and he considered suggesting they play a game if Erin was free but he also knew realistically he’d prefer to settle after moving and he was dying to get outside for a cigarette sooner or later. Preferably sooner. “Can I offer you a beer for your help?” For someone who had more shame than a want-to-be rockstar it would be embarrassing to admit he had moved in with a full six pack but Ash was more focused on exchanging a treat for the service of help Erin had so graciously provided. Rather than having an intention of making it transactional, it felt more like an offering of praise, like when Void got a treat for coming to Ash and getting in a perfectly neat sit. If it hadn’t been for the beanie, who knows? Maybe Ash would have scratched Erin’s head too.

Mental note made, Erin would be inviting Ash to the next one. The Center would be pleased to see him there and it would be a good chance to get him on the channel. Plus, Erin thought the game nights were fun. Was Chad annoying when he was losing? Not as annoying as Theo but they were also fun and they had their own little boy band and maybe Ash would be happy to make fun of them with Erin. It had multiple temptations.

The interview answer made Erin grin wolfishly. Anyone that knew what they wanted to say when asked wanted someone to ask, and Erin appreciated his neighbors that wanted to get famous. “Everyone has been inspired by Fleetwood Mac. It’s the dream: toxic situationship with a bunch of people that you might actually hate but you’re stuck together because of the music? Yum…or did you mean their sound?” Erin tried to make the question sound genuine before following it up with another, “All of those are groups. Does that mean you want to join a band or are you trying to do a solo act?”

The offered reward was almost enough to make Erin wag, and he immediately answered, “Fuck yeah. If I’d known I could earn a drink I’d have been here sooner.” Standing up, he looked towards Ash’s balcony and asked, “Would you want to step outside?” He needed a smoke and he still had questions.

While Ash had definitely met he had been inspired by Fleetwood Mac's music he still found himself able to chuckle at Erin's response. Though it wasn't quite to that level had his fill of band relationship drama when his first band fell apart. It didn't mean that he wouldn't experience it in the future but he didn't romanticize it that way anymore. It didn't bother him when others did. "Uh.. I think my destiny is to belong to a band, however I do have a solo contract but I'm hoping I can meet some potential future band members while working on my album." The benefit of solo work meant he didn't have to worry about resolving creative differences. However he preferred the comradery of a band. The collective passion and soul of playing with other musicians you got to know professionally and personally was untoppable in Ash's opinion.

Petting Void as he passed him Ash headed to the fridge to acquire two beers that were just barely chilled. He was pleased Erin had taken him up on the offer and he was even more pleased when Erin mentioned stepping out to the balcony. He opened both beers with a bottle opener already placed in the kitchen and passed over an open beer to Erin, "Yeah that sounds great. Do you care if I have a cigarette while we're out there?" He asked, desperately hoping the writer would say no but fully prepared to respect his request to refrain if needed.

After being inside for a fair amount of time Ash had cooled down quite a bit and was prepared for the spring air to be even more chilly as hours passed. He grabbed his signature leather jacket and slipped it on, which typically doubled his charisma. Ash slid open the door to the balcony and held it open for Erin to join him. Upon getting his approval to smoke Ash checked his pocket for cigs and was unsurprised to feel he still had a half empty pack on the inside. He took one of the cigarettes and put it between his lips before offering Erin one by pointing the box towards him. Then he lit up- therefore signing up.

There was something endearing about Ash describing his desire to be in a band as his destiny. Erin hoped he was right. He offered, "I'd love to introduce you to some of the musicians I've worked with. No promises about future band members, but they'll at least be able to help on the album." Maoi had not moved from where he'd lain down by the door. LMT hopped up when she saw Erin move away from the television and began to trail him as he headed for the balcony.

Accepting the beer, Erin took a draw only to almost sputter in his hast to respond. "I literally was going to ask you the same thing." Like magic, from beneath the edge of his beanie and the fringe of his curls, he plucked the cigarette that almost seemed to spawn behind his ear. This brief moment of comradery died when Erin spotted Ash in his leather jacket, holding the door for him. Damnit, Erin thought as he slipped past him onto the narrow balcony, LMT trailing his heels, he's cute.

Erin's cigarette was handrolled and smelled of both tobacco and something grassier. It was held between his lips delicately as he fished for his lighter. Once he had taken his first puff, he continued his impromptu Q and A. "What all instruments do you play? And do you prefer any of them to doing vocals?"

“Please do.” Ash responded optimistically about Erin introducing him to some musicians. Coming from Ohio, he knew more musicians on the east coast than the west and he wasn’t all too sure how to go about finding members of the band that suited him and his dream. Maybe he’d be able to find them there at THC. He also considered he might have the best luck after he released his first solo album.

Ash clutched his hands again over his heart as he done previously when Erin removed the hand rolled cigarette from his beanie. “A man after my own heart.” He joked before playfully nudging Erin’s shoulder.

The singer took their time on the balcony to look around and appreciate his new view as he smoked his cigarette. It wasn’t the most luxurious but it was definitely something he could get used to. “I can kind of play the bass but I’d ever play professionally.. not at my current level. And I can fudge my way through a mediocre piano performance. The guitar is definitely where I shine as well as vocals of course. I’d like to continue doing both vocals and guitar for most of my work.”

“At this point I got to ask- is this interview going to be in the company newsletter?” Ash laughed and kept a big grin on his face. He was amused with himself but he also mostly wanted to make sure it was clear to Erin that he was just joking although there was a part of him that wondered what the writer’s motives were for all these questions. He wondered if it had anything to do with Erin being a curious fan or if it had something to do with gathering information for the company. Either way he wasn’t annoyed. Just curious.

Erin's eyes swept over the familiar view. Ash's balcony had the good fortune to be looking at Building C. The tall, beautiful building was almost identical to theirs save for being fractionally smaller, only seven stories instead of eight, and none of their balconies were turned to face Ash's unit. It gave the impression of privacy, a personal outdoor space thirty feet in the air.

"Nice," Erin said. Before he could ask his next question, he was called out, and he laughed even as his cheeks colored slightly. "No, not unless you want me to," he tried to tease back before explaining, "I've been here a minute. I know a lot of people. I figure if I ask enough questions, I'll know who to introduce you to first and how to help out." Taking a long draw from his cigarettes that hollowed his cheeks and left his lungs full, he glanced at Ash through his lashes before he said, smoke dancing with his words, "I want to hear what you're going to create, so I figure I should enable it."

Erin's watch beeped on his wrist, and he checked it reflexively, even though he already knew what it would say. Taking another deep drag and another long drink, he told him, "It's been fun, but I gotta get going. If you need any help settling in, let me know, okay? I am around if you need anything." The words were sincere, paired with a smile and his eyes sweeping over Ash briefly as he took a final toke. Then, dropping the last of his cigarette into the dredges of his beer, he turned back towards the glass door. LMT would've liked to be carried, he knew, but she'd be using her feet until he was aired out enough to not feel guilty about carrying her.

If it had been a requirement to have a feature of him in a welcome newsletter Ash actually wouldn’t have complained. But he still found himself a little relieved when all Erin had to say was a playful question back. He nodded along when the writer gave his genuine explanation and it did make him feel a little guilty to have teased him in the first place. There was something about Erin’s friendliness that even meeting him for the first time made you want to believe he had good intentions. At least, that’s how Ash felt.

Since Erin was trying to figure out who to introduce Ash to, he tried to think if there’s any information he could offer up to make that easier for Erin. “I’m sure it’s be an honor to meet any musician here.” As he finished his sentence he did pause remember there was a boy band under THC that didn’t seem his style and he’d love to meet them but honor might have been a stretch.

While Ash could have spent even longer on the balcony smoking, he convinced himself to put the cigarette out on the railing- it was almost finished anyway. He followed Erin in quickly to see him out and make sure Void didn’t try to make a great escape. He scooped up the little dog and prepared a small wave to Erin. “Yeah I’ll be in touch and you too… don’t be a stranger.

The snort that Erin barely managed to cover with a swig of beer was telling of how much of an honor he thought it would be to introduce Ash to Chadwich or Dave. That was all Erin would say on it even as he started contemplating who he could introduce Ash to first in order to give him the best opportunity to actually make connections. Creation was all chemistry, and he knew that pressure could cause even a good match to collapse before it got a chance.

Erin did not put as much effort into covering up his amusement at Ash's white boy parting. "Back at you," he responded as he snapped the leash into Maoi and took his dogs out. The elevator ride to his apartment was quick, and after he had Maoi crated with a lick mat, he pulled out his phone and dialed. It rang and went to voicemail while Erin headed to the sixth floor. Bones was harnessed and waiting for him when he let himself in, and Erin experimentally called out a greeting only to be answered by silence. Accepting that Rodney was not around, he turned and went back out.

The black Great Dane walked patiently beside him even as Erin tapped out his first email to Ash. He wouldn't send it immediately, not wanting to be Too Overbearing, but it was another thing to tick off his list in the minutes in the elevator. The lobby had the usual shuffle of people walking around, some waiting in line for the coffee stand, and Erin briefly considered stopping for some caffeine.

It wasn't unusual for Horacio and Erin to help each other out with their song writing assignments. They often enjoyed working together and like the old saying went two heads were better than doing something yourself sober. It was less often but still not unusual for one of them to put off a task for so long and request last minute help. Just about anytime Horacio received a request for the resident boyband of THC, he tended to procrastinate until the last minute. Writing for them is what made Horacio truly understand the psychology of Pickle Rick. At least that's what he'd argue when he was high at midnight before his due date and still chose to get an Uber all the way to Thousand Oaks for a hookup. It wasn't just because the boy band was a little cheesy but he also much preferred writing music for one vocalist or two in the case of a duet. But writing for a whole band so even the least talented had some vocals felt tedious.

He was just hours from his deadline and looking at an incomplete collection of lyrics in his notebook when he picked up his phone debating on calling Erin. Erin was good enough under pressure and he was a good friend. But Horacio did feel a little guilty. He looked at the time on his phone instead of hitting the dial and played out in his head what Erin would be doing. Horacio didn't keep a schedule for himself, he prefered erratic plans and living in the moment. Erin was reliable. If he hurried down to the lobby now he could probably make it in time to grab coffee for them both and join Erin on one of his dog walks. Making that decision he shoved his phone back into his jean pocket and grabbed an old vintage but designer fuzzy sweater that was thrown haphazardly on his carpet. He sniffed it to make sure it smelled fine. It smelled of weed but that was still acceptable enough for him to throw it on his body. He threw an equally fuzzy beany on his head that was also just tossed on a desk near the door. Horacio tended to wear things that weren't a planned matching outfit but somehow were still colorful and loud enough that they felt like they went together. His unearned confidence probably helped.

He slipped the pen he was using to write behind his ear and just tucked his notebook under his arm as he rushed out the door and headed for the stairs knowing he could climb down them faster than the elevator could take him. He wasn't that rushed for time but once Horacio did have a plan in motion he had a hard time letting himself suffer any kind of delay such as waiting for an elevator to ding and open. He made it down to the lobby without a sweat and got in the coffee line. He ordered something he knew Erin would like and a small cup of coffee he could drink quickly so he could then have his hands free to write down notes in his notebook. He was just leaving the pick up with both coffee's in his hand, notebook still tucked under his arm, when he saw Erin and Bones.

With his most charming smile he approached his friend and held up the larger cup of coffee. "Coffee?" He didn't ask if he could join Erin on his walk but just put himself in heel with him, prepared to already do so.

In his near three decades of life, Erin had cultivated friends and friendships from all walks of life. Many had been shoved into his path by fate, while others had merely wandered onto the tracks, but like a rushing train, he'd run them all down and collected them in his wheelset, dragging them along the rails...or something like that. The metaphor might've needed workshopping, but when Erin saw a new potential friend, he rarely shied away from the opportunity. From his bus ride to hell that had landed him his bend friend to walking into The Hope Center three years prior and opening the door to this wealth of strangers with a sharped passion for creation, he carped the diem and made friends every chance he got. From the family he had found with his best friend to the collaborators and motivators of his newer companions, friendship was vital to Erin in a way that he did not try to diminish.

Especially not when spotting an aforementioned friend waiting for him with coffee in hand reiterated why he did so. His answering smile was immediately and brilliant as he called his greeting in response. "My favorite Ho-ratio~" He singsonged as he greeted his fellow writer, deliberately and playfully mispronouncing his name even as he accepted the offered cup. A quick sip told him it was one of the seasonal lattes and his heart felt warm with being known. "You just missed my call," he told him as he continued towards the front door, not the least bit surprised that Horatio fell into heel on the opposite side from Bones. The big, black dog barely spared him a glance, padding along peacefully beside Erin. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

The words were, perhaps, a bit more formal and definitely a little more yt than his typical vocabulary, but he was still thinking fondly of Ash's white boy swag. It was a hard won thing to not immediately launch into telling Horatio about him, and Erin would have to later contemplate his eagerness about Ash's magnetism with some modicum of shame. For not, he kept it close to his chest. He could be excited about having someone new to create with later, once he'd figured out what Horatio needed.