You sound like my friend, Simon. Always sayin’ things about how the suit makes the man and all that shit. I’ve never gotten it. Never understood it. Maybe that’s why I haven’t gotten that far in life. Who knows? (Mark paused his speaking, not entirely sure what he was trying to say. Maybe he—

Three stores? (Mark knew he said that way too loudly, but that sounded like a nearly unbelievable amount of shopping to him.) And you like to do this?? Because you think it’s fun?

I have no earthly idea what this is… (Mark mostly mumbled under his breath, eyes scanning the name of the store and where they currently were.) But it looks expensive.

Good. I don’t think I could ever convince myself to like dull clothes. (Well, when he was mostly sober, at least. Fucked up Mark didn’t care enough about fashion.)

Very gentle way to say I suck at it. (Truth being told, Mark didn’t mind. If this was the worst teasing he would get from Rip it was actually endearing.) How would you dress me up? Anything specific you’d put me in?

I sound normal. You’re the one that sounds exotic. (Mark was trying to change the subject away from him, but he still had that same silly, blushing smile on his face.) I look like a junky that’s tryin’ to dress above his means, but I appreciate your effort.

You do? (Mark wasn’t sure how to respond to that. All he could do was respond with a surprisingly sweet smile. There was a real innocence to it. Something Mark wasn’t sure he’d had any longer.) I uh— thank you.

I’m not gonna tan, Rip. I appreciate you even entertainin’ the idea of it though. (Truth being told, Mark wasn’t insulted in the slightest. If anything, he seemed pleasantly humored by a suggestion that he felt was completely off the wall.) You think? I’ve never considered that, but well… I sure—

Maybe. I could to appreciate the heat. Could never learn to live the sunburn. (Unfortunately he was really the type to burn. Something about the red hair and the freckles, he supposed.) I’ve noticed that, but maybe it’s even better. I don’t have to speak a fuckin’ shred of Dutch to get by here.

It is hot here though. I’m gonna be fuckin’ baked. I mean, in more ways than one. (He smiled at his own pathetic, so called joke. At least Mark was humored.) Well, I was gonna get fucked up and sleep with everyone I wanted to. Then maybe I’d actually try to work. Make a little money.

It is. But it’s a good shock. I like it here. (Seemingly, Mark meant it. Except for the sun that seemed to cook him constantly.) I thought I was here on vacation. Thought I’d stay a couple months and go to Amsterdam. What I expected to find though? I can’t say I know. Maybe freedom?

Oh, some people do. Especially in the city proper. But where I’m at? Hell no. (Or maybe it was mostly just Mark. He nearly totally surrounded himself with junkies that couldn’t care less.) Now? Nope. Not at all. I cut everything off the day I left. Left everyone and everything behind.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘦𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 2 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 (1996)

The what ring?

Thinking about cleaning one pool and being done with work for the day…

I mean, it is cheap, but no fuckin’ people in my part of Leith are buyin’ name brand clothes. But yeah. It’s stained. I’ll give you that. (That’s honestly the one part Mark would change. He was just extremely… frugal.) Her? I mean, not really. We just didn’t click I guess. She was nice and all.

(Mark made a mental note to try to get more info out of Rip sometime, even if that was essentially impossible.) Crop tops are in! I swear it. You just don’t see outside of LA. (… maybe that was a lie. Even Mark wasn’t sure.) Ah… no, no. I don’t. I dated a girl like that once. It didn’t work out.

Well, maybe I am. Maybe that’s actually why I think it’s a good idea. (Still, Mark grinned, clearly not upset by any of Rip’s implications.) I… well, yeah. The shorts are probably pretty ugly, but it’s fuckin’ hot as balls here.

A free tour? I’d have to be crazy to turn that down. (Mark seemed genuine about that, even if the clubbing thing would probably take him by surprise.) Shoppin? Really? I must look pretty bad…

I’m not doin’ it on purpose! (Except he definitely was, in a sense. At least he was happy enough to be laughing about it.) Where are we goin’?

(Mark looked genuinely unsure for just a bit. Sometimes, showing emotions felt too much like working overused muscles, but he managed to do precisely that. His smile was certainly there, but it was genuinely strained. Mark desperately needed to work on his acting.) Are you convinced? I felt like—

For real? I mean, I know there’s dirty cops. I’ve even met a few. It’s just that I can’t help but be a little freaked out I guess. Some sort of skittish junky nature. (Mark didn’t really get the whole babes thing. Maybe that was an LA thing too that he would never really catch onto.) I mean, if—

// the kind of videos @skagb0y.bsky.social would send Rip in the middle of the night youtu.be/njFw1NOAu3s?...

If I got arrested for heroin and theft in Scotland, I’d probably pay a fine and get some probation. Hell, at the worst I’d get a few months to a year. Have you watched the fuckin’ news lately? American prisons are hell. Have a few ounces of marijuana and they put you in with the serial killers.—

Mark hesitated for a few moments, but eventually did order a drink. If this ended conflating him something, he would be fucked, but so be it.

If I stole a car, the American police would figure out I was a junky and fuckin’ put me under the jail for somethin’ like that. Steal a car and they act like you murdered a family. (And well, Mark seemed pretty comfortable. No reason to move when he was that relaxed.) And why not just sit here?—

(Interesting. Rip somehow thought someone like him was interesting. The lowest of the low. A chewed up piece of gum on Edinburgh’s dirty, old streets. But Rip found him interesting. Maybe that was what was interesting about him. He decided to not irk him, instead choosing to just watch Rip walk—

You’re just tryin’ to tempt me. (Mark grinned and laughed, but Rip had already essentially convinced him. A job, sex and a friend? Couldn’t be anything much better than that.) Good luck! (He wanted to say to be safe. Careful. Yet he already knew Rip wasn’t the type to take well to that.)

You would? (Mark sounded impressively surprised, as if he’d never expect anything like that to be said about someone like him.) Yeah, I think I can probably give you an answer then.

I mean… you’re not wrong. I could really start over here. Absolutely no one would know me in the slightest. (That was definitely appealing and it only grew more so the more Mark tossed it around in his mind.) You know what? I’ll definitely think about it.

It was. Then everything went to shit. (By his own choice, of course.) Maybe? I haven’t really thought about it, but it’s a nice place. I just know that I’m not goin’ back home.

// im trying to hold it together

It wasn’t intentional. I was just stupid. (And hungover. Definitely hungover.) I did when I graduated. Lasted for around four years or so, surprisingly.

I’m just sayin’ I’ve done crazier things than clean a pool before. (Still, Mark responded with a surprisingly genuine smile.) Nearly nailed my fingers to a board an uncomfortable amount of times.

“Sure you’re not fuckin’ with me?” Mark would gladly take someone’s money, no questions asked, but he was more worried about having a debt to repay. “Because I will. But I don’t have any money to give you back.”

Yeah. Whatever. Sure. (Mark didn’t sound particularly excited, but his hard could it be?) I used to help build houses, you know.

@skagb0y.bsky.social youtu.be/nJ4BTKb-Szg?...

Can’t really say I’m the workin’ type. (That was an understatement to say the least.) But for a car? Maybe.

I shouldn’t be surprised that you have a car this nice, but still… (Mark genuinely was impressed. Very much so. He couldn’t even dream of owning a decent car and especially not one like this.)

I don’t mind sittin’ in the car. (In fact, Mark was pretty interested in seeing the rest of the city. He hadn’t had the energy to do anything the least bit touristy.) I think I would like it actually.

Mark hurried through the door before it could close, feeling a little intimidated by suddenly going somewhere with someone he hadn’t barely spoken too. “I’ve been here a couple of times. It’s pretty okay.”

(Mark was surprised to be invited. Surprised enough to stand still for a few seconds, as if he was expecting to be punked somehow. Finally, he ended up following, when he finally decided it wasn’t a trick.)

I’m guessin’ this is your attempt to get rid of me? (Mark pulled together a grin. It wouldn’t be the first time it happened and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. He should be used to it by now.) Probably some important drug business.