Finnley chose to have another go at hanging around the local bar. School was slowly making itself known, the Irishmen having gotten all classes figured out and just when he would start. This was the year he would get to work more in his biology major which was exciting for him, but something still felt out of place to him. He was sitting by the bar today, a beer in front of him as he was picking his thoughts on what could be getting to him. He normally was able to stay bright and happy, but Finnley didn't look nearly as excited as he normally was. His thoughts were going over today's events as he took a few sips from his beer. He had been to the doctor today, nothing too unusual aside from the doctor being more pushy with corrective surgery than usual. Blue eyes were focused on some point of the bar as his thoughts started to click. His face fell at his own realization, clearly in a world of his own. His dad had called them with fack that he was flying to and from Ireland, meaning he'd get to visit family for a few hours. Family Finnley dearly missed. He took another swig, not trying to drown the feelings away persay, but give him some sort of distraction. He'd done pretty well not feeling homesick so far, and he wasn't about to let the hallow feeling take over. He was well aware he'd need a better distraction than beer, he just didn't have one at the moment.


outfit

Raphael had only arrived in Bitter Springs that morning, having spent the night in an airport hotel the night before since he wasn't sure he'd be able to fine anywhere here so late on. So late, in fact, it was early. That morning, though, he'd headed into town, found a place where he could stay, and ditched his bags. He could unpack later. For now, he wanted to get out and explore the town, getting a feel for the place and what was there.

In typical Raphael fashion, he headed straight for the nearest pub. Well... The Grill... but it served alcohol, so that was good enough for him. It was always one of the first things that Raphael did when he went somewhere new, and not just because he wanted a good drink after a day of travelling, but also because it quite often had the tendency to be a good place to meet people. That, and heading to the shops and having a bit of a chat with the staff while paying, but that wasn't quite the same as in a bar, was it?

He looked around when he entered and he was drawn straight to the bar itself, and he wasted no time in ordering a lager and feeling the cool liquid immediately push away the remains of the long few days he'd just left behind. Raphael looked to the person closest to him at the bar curiously. He hadn't really spoke to anyone yet, so he wasn't sure what to make of the place, or what they'd make of him. Was this the sort of town that saw new faces regularly, or was he a fish out of water around here? "Nice day for a drink." Starting conversations... it was always going to sound awkward.

Finnley had his eyes focused on a point in the bar still when the doors opened to expose a new face. His back had been facing the door, but he had picked up on the bartender looking over at the door to alert him to a new customer. Blue eyes looked over at the new guy, trying not to seem too intrigued as the stranger took a seat. Finnley was still learning who everyone was in town, so he hadn't the slightest idea if this guy was new to town or didn't go to the bar too often. He picked up on what was ordered. He was staring at a point in the bar again before said stranger looked at him. The irishman had to be alert of this sort of thing as it meant there was a chance for conversation. He returned the look, expression pleasant for the most part as he read lips as if it was nothing. A bit more of a smile came to his face, his voice thick with a combination of his accent and the warped sound of him unable to hear himself.
"It is isn't it? Name's Finnley, you a local or a new face?"
The blond was always straight to the point but he always worked to keep talking pleasant and somewhat low volume. He didn't like that his voice would get so loud sometimes, but at least he was well aware of this fact.

Raphael generally found it quite easy to start conversations with people. At least, he wasn't the sort who'd hover back and wonder to himself whether it was a good idea or not. He was generally the sort with enough confidence to walk up to someone and just talk, even if that person made it difficult by not wanting to talk back. Today though, that didn't seem to be the problem. The blond-haired guy had looked at him before he'd even properly started to speak, which he took as a good sign.

"It is isn't it? Name's Finnley, you a local or a new face?"

The first thing that Raphael noticed was the accent, but he couldn't quite place it. A few things popped to mind but none of them seemed to match too well, so he wasn't sure. Then again, one line wasn't much to judge from. He smiled back at the guy, glad he seemed to willing to talk. It made things so much easier. "Just got here this morning. Raphael." He lifted his glass and nodded to the other guy before taking a drink. He'd picked up the habit long ago.

Finnley caught onto the smile, his own seeming to brighten some. His eyes looked curious of where this man could be from. He wasn't even going to attempt to say the name Raphael out loud, knowing full well he was just going to mush it up unless he had the spelling. He noticed how the drink was lifted and the head nodding motion, mirroring the action some with his warming smile.
"So what ya doing in a small town like this?"
His words were a touch more warped then, but he was keeping his volume under control for the most part. he took a drink, trying not to keep his eyes off of Raphael too long in case he were to miss any sort of words that could be spoken.

His day was off to quite a good start - arrived, found a cheap place to stay, found the bar (most important thing), and even met someone who was willing to talk to him. It wasn't every place you went where people were willing to talk to a stranger.

"So what ya doing in a small town like this?"

Raphael grinned. "Avoiding the life my parents want for me." Which wasn't a lie. He'd been travelling for 3 years now and he was going to keep travelling as long as possible, so long as he didn't get dragged home, chucked in some boring university, and then chained into a stuffy little office for the rest of his life.

It was odd how Finnley hardly seemed to look away from him, almost staring, but Raphael shrugged it off as nothing, and tried not to pay attention to the slightly odd sounding words. Perhaps this wasn't his first pint of the day, eh? "What about you? From around here?"

Finnley watched what Raphael was saying, eyes focused more on lips than anywhere else on the man's face. He couldn't help to lift a brow at "reading" that this guy was avoiding his parents. He wasn't really one to think of a reason to get away from his parents. The only reason he would even attempt to get away from them is if they forced him to undergo surgery when he was still undecided on the matter. He blinked at the question directed at him before seeming to grin.
"Nah, me and my family have been moving around the U.S. for doctors and such. I will say I miss ma home back in Ireland, but this place isn't so bad."
He took a drink then, eyes full of his memories of home, some from when he could hear even starting to filter in. He shook the thoughts away though, starting to keep up some form of cheerful nature for the time being.

The more he looked, the more it felt like the blond guy was staring at his mouth, but again, Raphael tried not to think about that. He was going to stick by his theory that Finnley was a few pints in, and that explained it all. Though, despite a few oddly pronounced words, he otherwise seemed coherent enough.

Raphael frowned at his answer. "It's usually something bad if it sends a family all around the states..." When he'd been in Africa his first year out of school there'd been some charity think to help get a young girl to the states for an operation she needed. It was always the major things that went stateside. Ireland though... that place the accent he'd been hearing, at least. "Land of the leprechauns," He grinned into his drink before taking a mouthful. "I don't think I've ever been to Britain..." At least over the last three years he hadn't. It seemed like too much bloody trouble.

Finnley couldn't help to let his expression soften up some at seeing the concern and reading it on Raphael's lips. He was still smiles, bringing his drink to his lips for a moment before giving an answer.
"It's not that bad, just me and mum nitpicking about a surgery and tha cost of it."
His words got a bit louder, but he was still keeping a decent volume. He looked the other, unable to help his smiles about Britain being mentioned.
"Been there once, it wasn't all that different from home, but the doctors there are quacks half the time."
He chuckled then, thinking of the one that tried natural remedies to fix hi hearing problem. He was fine being unable to hear if it meant he didn't have to put up with crazy tonics again.

Raphael looked at Finnley curiously. Surgery... Hmm. He wondered who the surgery was for, but he didn't think it was particularly the sort of thing you should ask someone you've only just met. And met in a bar, no less. It just didn't seem the place. So, he pushed it from his mind - there was no point getting on the wrong side of people by being nosy on his first day here.

"Been there once, it wasn't all that different from home, but the doctors there are quacks half the time."

Raphael grinned at him. "But it's free there, right? That's gotta mean something." Free health care... why didn't everywhere do that? For some reason, he didn't think of himself of even the US when he thought that, but rather some of the other places he'd been over the years.

"So this town... what's it like?"

Finnley chuckled at medicine being free in Britain, knowing it was but when they went to the UK his mother was on a kick of finding a more" natural" cure for his hearing loss. He took another drink, ordering another one. Two wouldn't put him over any edge that would make things difficult for him, so he just continued on with the conversation.
well yeah, but mum was on a kick for something more natural and didn't require cutting my head open. Still remember how that tonic tasted.."
He made a bit of a face then, unable to stop from chuckling. He had learned to talk lightly about the subject of his doctor visits and the surgery, but deep down he just hated the factors. He looked a bit unsure about how to answer the next question, looking to a wall in the bar for a moment.
"It's a bit different than the small town I grew up in, but there's a bit of mystery that makes it interesting."
He didn't want to say what said mystery was, unsure if this guy was human or one of the many monsters that roamed around. Not that he would be rude if Raphael did turn out to be something inhuman , but at the same time wasn't afraid to used the silver knife or wooden stake he had tucked away. He was watching the man's lips again, not even attempting to glance back up at eyes to seem more normal as he had grown comfortable enough.

Cutting my head open... that answered that question at least, and he didn't even have to ask. Raphael didn't know quite what to make of the blond and the way he laughed about the some tonic or other. So, there was something wrong with him...but what? Curiosity really wasn't a good thing at times like this. "If nature was a cure-all we'd still have medicine men, and no doctors, running around with leeches and chanting rhymes." And look at that, he didn't even ask and questions.

"It's a bit different than the small town I grew up in, but there's a bit of mystery that makes it interesting."

"Mystery? Mystery is always good." Raphael liked places with mystery, because mystery usually meant history, and surprisingly enough, he rather liked delving into the mysteries of the past in the places he went to. 

He was still aware of the way that Finnley seemed to be looking at his mouth more than anything else, and he took a drink, pondering for a moment about it. "You've got a rather... unusual line of sight, mate." He had to ask, it was just so odd.

Finnley could only nod at the mention of medicine men and such. He honestly didn't want to think of something like leeches being used on him. He couldn't help to make a face about it before paying attention again. He had missed a bit of what was said, unable to help blink a little confused for a moment before seeming to catch on. He didn't mean to stare so hard at Raphael's lips but he wasn't going to ask if a stranger knew how to sign. He gave a bit of a sigh before moving to turn towards the guy as applied to just looking over. He even had his hands ready to sign if need be, doing his best to keep his voice from going too loud or words warping too much.
"Sorry if it's makin' you uncomfortable. I have to lip read if I wanna understand ya. Thing is I'm deaf. Hearing started going weak when I was little til it went away completely when I was 13-14."
He seemed to just prove this as one of his friends was waving at him and saying his name but he didn't react as his back was turned. He still seemed more focused on Raphael before jumping at his friend touching his shoulder to get his attention. This friend wasn't aware he couldn't hear just yet, simply behaving as if everything was normal before his friend went on his merry way with his date to a table in the place. Finnley just shook his head before focusing back on Raphael, eyes trained on lips to catch whatever could be said.

Raphael took another drink as he waited for a response, curious about what explanation he would hear. He certainly wasn't expecting what Finnley said, and almost spat his drink back into his cup, staring at the guy incredulously. "You're kidding me!" No way was he deaf! The guy hadn't missed a beat through out the whole conversation... though, maybe it explained the odd way he said some words, which Raphael had assumed was just part of his accent.

He watched as someone approached Finnley, who hadn't heard his own name spoken. He turned, facing the blond, leaning against the bar and sipping on his drink, watching the exchange between the two before who ever the friend was vanished to a table.  "No way." He still couldn't believe it... "So... how's cutting your head open supposed to fix it?" He twigged on to the meaning behind their prior topic. "They have surgery that fixed that sort of thing?"

Finnley couldn't help to chuckle at Raphael nearly spitting his drink back into his cup followed by what he could only guess was loud words in shock. After making sure his friend was good and settled at his table, he brought all of his attention back to Raphael at the bar, noticing the guy was still a bit stunned that Finnley was deaf. Normally you'd have to catch him completely off guard or him losing control of just how loud he was being for anyone to really notice. He was rather expectant of the question on just what the surgery would do to fix his hearing. He scratched at the back of his head then, not minding talking about it, but it just brought to mind the few arguments he and his parents would get into about going through with it or not.
"Well, most that are deaf its a freak accident or were just born that way. my hearing was there, just need something fixed with my nerves from what the doctor keeps telling me. Says that its not real damage, just something needs to be re-connected or something like that."
He was just one of those weird medical cases. even his doctors had said this was something that was out of the ordinary for people. Finnley just took his situation in stride, not sure of what to think of it since he was used to hearing silence, but part of him still missed being able to hear things, mostly music and nature.