Public tensions

”Yupp. I should probably show you the place sometime.” Eric nodded with an affirmation, looking at his phone which had an address settled into it. ”All bodyguards get personal places. It’s not a penthouse but I typically don’t hear any complaints from quality.” As they entered the place, someone seemed to call out to the larger male and mention something about him being a celebrity, likely mentioning the debacle on television earlier. Well, it was nice to know that not everyone was so judgmental of metahumans, even if they were likely to turn to the violent solution.

”Self made. Addmitedy got the idea from a friend, but I guess you could say my own business sense got me this far. Played the stock game, and here I am.” He had settled down with a considerably less massive pile compared to the viking, slowly shoveling the food into his mouth and giving time to swallow. Seeing the male remove the massive section of armor revealed the body which was not as large as he would have guessed. Still muscular, but not quite as excessive as he would have thought. Eric became painfully aware of how small he looked compared to him, likely only thicker than his thighs are the thickest point.

”Bad accident. Metahumans were in the middle of one of their city wrecking battles, car got thrown off a bridge and smashed into the ground below. It was told I was lucky it only injured my back like it did. Was told not to do anything like football. Apparently getting tackled by big, burly men is a no go.” A joke that was followed by a laugh, shoving more food into his mouth. ”Pool boy was the ex-wifes idea. Hated cleaning the pool, so she thought we needed some help. Saw how well that went.” Wiping away a bit of the sauce around his lips, he looked up to the male.

”Not as fragile as you would think. I take care of myself, eat healthily...mostly and I work out. Can’t say i’m as brawny as you but I got some muscle definition.” He gave a small flex, mostly making his point.

Roan took a bite of meat, nodding intently as Slattery spoke...but all semblance of respect broke when the man began to flex. Roan started to choke on his food, laughing through the gags, his eyes watering "Oh, shit you're serious." The viking thumped his chest to stop the coughing, chugging a glass of water. "Sorry, that was rude." Roan sat straight, bringing his arm out to the side, flexing slowly, as his bicep and tricep expanded to almost triple the size of its relaxed size. "I'm a bit of a show off."

Roan began to stand up, stretching "Ever get any surgery or physical therapy done? I mean, i'm sure you have, but never hurts to ask." The beast of a man twisted at the hips, cracking his back in two short bursts "The pills and booze will just fuck you up in the long run..." Roan reached over the table, plucking away the flask, and smelling the insides. He frowned, and tossed it across the room. He paced over to the drinks bar, grabbing a cup of hot water, and a tea bag, and trotted back to the table "It sucks for a bit, but it's better in the long run." He winked at Slattery, slamming a hidden pot of coffee on the table alongside the tea.

"I may be overstepping my boundaries, but if we're working together, you need to make an effort to better yourself."

Eric could not help giving the large male a half amused glare as he proceeded to laugh at him. Having enough shame to lightly blush when laughed at, looking around as if expecting someone to be watching but they all minded their own business. Massive arms flexed, revealing that the arms could getr even larger, likely wider than his entire body. Okay, now that was very impressive. ”Talk about bein a show off, but that’s very impressive Mister Roan.” Eric coyly said, looking down blankly to the flask that had been ripped from his grasp and thrown across the room.

”Yeah, had a few surgeries and did a shitton of physical therapy. Luckily they helped me walk once again.” He explained, vague memories of a wheelchair and him rolling himself around. Might have explained why his wife fell into the well muscled arms of a pool boy rather than his own. Okay, now he was thinking too deeply and that just stabbed him right in the pride. The concept of the pills and drinking was terrible for him, then again it was more about drowning pain than actually doing anything good for him. Continual phantoms pains did not help matters, but he didn’t expect the titan of a man to understand that.

”Alright alright, just give me a little warning before you rip something out of my hands. Don’t need you and those massive arms accidentally ripping a hand off.” Eric teased with a returned wink, looking down to the tea. ”Since i’m planning to hire you, might as well get to an interview at some point. Get to know the person that’s supposed to be protecting me. So, any prior work experience? Prior felonies or convictions beyond the prior mentioned. Not that those would ruin your chance to have this job. Preference on hours, and do you have anything like religious holidays I should take into consideration? Also, are you seeing anyone? ” The last one was difficult to tell if it were a joke, but the smirk made it seem partially like that.

Roan nodded once again as slattery spoke "But regardless of all that, you probably still get pain from memories, yah?" Roan pointed to the scar on his face and snorted "This was from my first fight with a true villain...some chick named Madeline, fucked my shit up..I still remember the feeling of that cold blade when it hit my face." The viking sat back at the mention of an interview, sighing a bit "Alright alright, I'll answer y'er questions..." He tapped his foot, listening to each prod towards his life "I was a personal trainer for quite a while, and a professional strongman..before all of..y'know the super strength stuff" Roan shifted in his seat at the mention of felonies or convictions "Been arrested for destruction of public property...a lot. Kinda can't help it when i'm thrown through a few walls but, whatever." He sipped his coffee, continuing on "I just need to sleep, that's my only thing..other than that...I have to return..to asg-...home every new year for a feast with my family and battle for a week straight." On the final question, Roan began to turn red a bit "I uh, nope...no one in my life. Family is sorta gone, kinda disowned me.." he coughed, putting up air quotes "My "Family"
is really just a bunch of friends from the war to be completely honest, but they're who I got."

Roan shifted himself forward, clasping his hands together on the table, looking at Slattery "Now, for your interview. Get to know the person that's supposed to be paying me." A shit eating grin appeared on his face as he began "What does your company exactly do? I'm not asking for the answer you'd give the public, I want the dirty shit too. What level of shady are your business partners? And do you always wear that stupid cologne?"

Eric nodded with each answer, seeming to smile when the male was reduced to a red face from the question about his relationship status. ”Alrighty, interesting so far. Nothing that stops me from hiring you so you’re good on that front.” He said with a few nods, seeming to make a mental check on things. Fingers thrumming on the table as he reached for the tea when it seemed to be finished steeping, and taking a small sip from the dark colored liquid. Questioning turned upon him as the male said something about interviewing him and even smirking at the concept of such a thing.

”Okay, i’ll play along.” Smirking, he let the questions roll over him with responses formulating within his mind. ”We have our fingers in various things. Pharmaceuticals, robitics and the like. Anything that is profitable we look into.” A simple answer, though who he associated with that was dirty turned out to be a little harder to answer. ”Some of them are pretty shady. Working with that big wig Lucius Alba for this venture everyone hates, a few of them are pretty questionable in ways I won’t admit in public for...personal safety reasons. I’d say I try to make sure my dealings are mostly fine.”

Holding back a chuckle from the statement about his Cologne was impossible, so he took a few seconds to laugh. ”No, normally the cologne is even more stupid than usual. Do I smell weird or something?” He asked, sounding more amused than self conscious. ”I mean, not that I would be bothered by that really. Not everyone digs the smell of overly pricey cologne.”

Roan raised an eyebrow at Slattery "If not in public, Mr. Slattery, then maybe later in private..I won't give my services unless I agree with at least a majority of your business ethics. "  He leaned further in "And as for this...Lucius guy, who is he, what does he do, why do people hate him?" Roan was always out of the loop on current situations in the world, seeing as he spent most of his time on the streets or in the woods. He grinned as Slattery went on about cologne "I'm not used to the smell of such...expensive cologne I guess.....ever thought it might be useless to buy any sort of deodorant or cologne that costs more than 5 bucks?" Roan wasn't accustomed to wealth and riches. He believed the only success was that of on the field. Anything more than a few bucks seemed almost meaningless.

"Not to undermine who you are. I'm just talking in the fact that wealth is all subjective...dollars mean nothing when society falls. Only strength, perseverance and skill. " Roan stood, showing off the ram tattoo on his shoulder "Earned that during the wars...took down a patrol of ice giant on my own. The prince commended me, and these are our medals." He then pointed at the armor he had taken off "All of that was initially forged by me, and later upgraded after I was discharged from combat." Roan turned to Slattery with a bit of a sigh "To explain it shortly..."

The viking sat back down, looking back and forth for anyone listening in. "I've been to Asgard..y'know, viking warriors, Thor, Odin, Elves all that shit...It's not like you'd expect but it's damn close..Not really a place that exists like heaven or hell, more of a different dimension." Roan sipped his coffee, and cleared his throat "That's where I initially grew up.
That's why i'm not impressed by your wealth, you seem like a good man..I'll give you that" Roan stared into Slattery's eyes "Not to insult you at all, I actually quite like having you around..the security guards were wrong, you're not a massive asshole."

”Understandable. I have a hotel room in the city, more private. Less likely to have any listening ears around.” Eric suggested, dabbing at his lips with a napkin, coming away with large dark stains from the rather generous portions he helped himself to. ”As for Lucius, not as bad of a guy as everyone makes him out to be. Is making huge strides for metahuman rights, new head of Belarus and from what I can tell is just one of those people everyone loves to hate.” The explanation was simple, and mostly what he viewed the politician as. It was odd defending someone that was normally hated, but then again Roan did not appear to have the same biases humanity held.

”I know. I just don’t have all of the strength or skill you obviously have. I imagine my...brawn might be worth laughing at but I have to take what I can get.” Eric wasn’t grossly strong like the male, or even overly skilled. Should the two come to blows, he would likely not last beyond the first casual flick. ”My strength lies elsewhere, leadership and doing good with what I have. Some people might all me corrupt, an asshole even but that’s typically people who don’t know me. You don’t seem like someone to make unfounded assumptions, I like that.” A sip taken from his tea, licking his lips and looking at Roan ponderously.

”Well, that’s enough for me. Let’s get out of here. I imagine I need to explain the more nuanced parts of the job. Nothing major, just so people don’t complain that I didn’t go through all the channels.”

Roan shrugged, standing up, and beginning to put his armor back on "I see everything at face value, and everyone for who they are." Almost like clockwork, he slid his axes back into their sheaths "Lead the way, good man." Roan walked out of the store, putting a peace sign up over his shoulder "Great as always, Jonny boy." The viking waited for Slattery to catch up, and coughed a bit "Leadership only goes so far..the question is, would you be willing to give your life for your men?" He rolled his shoulder, adjusting the pauldron "A true leader sees them self as equal to those they command"

The sun had began to fall, causing the sky to go dark "Do I have any contracts I need to sign? Stating I won't do this, or that and only talk to these people?"

”Direct, I like that.” Was all he said in response to seeing people for who they were. He liked to believe that he was also that way, but then again that was more him seeing himself in a somewhat idealized manner. Perhaps Roan was someone that he needed now, upfront in what he saw and even one to call him out on his bullshit. He left the building along with the male, hands buried into his pockets. ”Dying for your people is fine, something I could commit to but I prefer not to throw my life away needlessly. We all have things we’re willing and unwilling to do, extremes we aren’t willing to go to. Things like that.” He explained, making sure not to sound as if he were looking down upon how he did things.

”Contracts won’t be too extreme. Just something you need to sign before you can claim me as an insurer, break things with less restraint.” Eric assured, knowing that many people would not understand or perhaps grasp the complexities of contracts. ”You’ll be able to talk to whoever you want, and mostly do what you want. Wanton murder and a few other things being the exception. Just don’t… outright break the law.” A simple concept to understand, though he was unsure if that was the case. ”But looping back around to the question, yes. I am willing to risk my life or livelihood for my people. So, can you fit in a truck or do you just walk everywhere?”

Roan nodded briefly as Slattery explained how he wouldn't sacrifice his life needlessly, which would have been a respectable answer to anyone except him. He continued to walk alongside the CEO, eyes scanning him up and down. "I mean, my existence breaks the law, let's be fair. I carry two axes, i'm in armor, in public, with the intent to use all of it." The viking snorted before beginning again "Anything that can haul over a thousand pounds, I can sit in." Roan continued to stare at Slattery, quietly "Take your hands out of your pockets,
and stand straighter." The brute coughed "The way you're walking makes you look weak, gotta do this." Roan went from showing Slattery the way that he was walking, to stretching a bit, cocking his shoulders back, leading with his chest, and keeping his hands out, at his sides. His arms seemed almost like a gorillas, hanging away from his body due to the muscles in his back and triceps.

"Confidence makes you look stronger, more powerful. Makes people less likely to try and walk all over you. I know you have the money and the reputation, but you need the outwars appearance as well." The sun had retreated, the heat of L.A finally had began to break, as the two continued down the road to meet privately. Boy howdy did Roan have a ton of questions, but one needed to come out now. "Do you have any way of getting into contact with Atlas? Y'know, big fucking brute, stronger than the strongest of heroes..constantly whooping ass,
can probably lift an actual city if he wanted to..." He looked down at Slattery "I need to be stronger, and who better to learn from, than the legend himself, yah?"

Eric did not intend to fully have the male on his side, and just from an examination of their conversation it was obvious Roan was more of an honorable type. ”Yeah, all those weapons do make you a walking felony. I suppose luckily being my bodyguard makes that not an issue anymore.” Eric noted with a shrug,  not seeing that part as an issue. Especially when Maddie could likely destroy a building with her mind alone, which was just as scary as a giant man who could rip vehicles in half with a fling of his axes. Having his own poor posture corrected by the very same man was...amusing almost.

Humoring the metahuman and copying the posture taken, he gave a few nods. ”Not like I look very strong as I am, but I gotcha.” He said with a small nod, ceding to the point that he could due to look a little more...imposing. Even if it meant forgoing the comfortable position of hands in his pockets like he usually did. Made him look immature, as many complaints before had come about. This internal posturing ended when the mention of Atlas came up, Eric looking up to Roan with an arced brow. Whipping out his phone and scrolling through the registry app that he had made sure to download at some point. It was convenient for him that he could look up a Heroes Association name with ease.

”Yupp, I do know him actually. Have his contact information and everything.” Looking up to Roan with an arced brow. ”I could schedule a meeting with him next week when i’m in New York. Would have to come along with me, but i’m sure you don’t mind that. Could...probably snatch a gravity room, nothing excessive but I know a few tech people who would be willing to part ways with them.” Eric offered, wondering how well he would take to such things. ”I...think we should only be a few blocks from my penthouse actually. No offense, but would like to sit down a little. All this nearly getting kidnapped has me...wanting for an excuse ro rest.”

"Gravity room, huh? Sounds...odd to say the least.." Roan thumped along next to Slattery down the street, before Slattery mentioned wanting to relax "It's no problem, I understand." The viking hunched over, gingerly lifting the man onto his unarmored shoulder, before continuing on down the street "You're my GPS so lead the way." Roan glanced up at the man on his shoulder, scanning up and down quickly, before turning back. His eyebrow raised for a split second, and his shoulders gave a micro-shrug. They made their way down the street, before coming to a spot where no house had been built yet, the sun glowing orange in the sky "Beautiful, ain't it?" The viking snorted, staring off into the sunset, it was almost as beautiful as an asgardian sunset, the two suns in the sky falling in unison, one red and one blue...he missed those days.

Roan had lost himself in the sunset for quite a bit, before he shook his head and continued walking "Funny thing is, I had been all over Asgard, but here? Only Scotland and California.
I've seen extremely cloudy and rainy, and always too fucking hot for anything." Roan let out a sigh as they came up to the building where Slattery's penthouse was. "Unless there's a cargo elevator, my ass has gotta go up the stairs."

”Gravity rooms are all the rage for strength training with metahumans. Surprised you haven’t heard about them.” Eric let himself get lifted onto the shoulder, resting the hand on his head of ginger hair. Wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t exactly like straw either. Not like he expected a viking to understand something like conditioning when they were likely more into violence. He had a feeling there were a few eyes upon the male riding this massive males shoulder, carrying him like a beast of burden. Their gazes focused on the sunset, his eyes narrowing to avoid getting ruined by it.

”Haven’t been to  anywhere else except those places? I’ve been to many places, we think I should remedy that soon. World is too big to not see everything it has going on.” Once their attentions changed from the sunset, they found themselves coming upon his apartment. Looking immaculate against the skyline, top of the line in every way that one could think.

”Think the place has a few elevators made to carry heavy metahumans. I think we have one living on one of the lower floors. This place is like really up there as far as the whole tech thing.” Eric motioned for the male to walk on. ”So let’s go, top floor. Try not to hit my head on anything if you carry me around like this.”

Roan set the man down before stepping inside of the elevator "Well, that's pretty sweet." This had been his first elevator ride in over a decade. As he settled, the elevator creaked and moaned, before putting its way to the top, with the sound of calming music. The doors opened to an immaculate room, which smelled oddly like lavender. "Nice place,
smells kinda girly." The viking snorted, stepping off to the side, and began to shed his armor, very carefully. Once free of the heavy metal plating, he trotted his way around the front room, looking at the art pieces, fancy furniture, and ample booze laying around. "Not bad regardless, hot shot." Roan winked towards Slattery, before he shed off his sweat drenched shirt. "Feels good to be actually free." He tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck, and moving his arms around to stretch out his chest and back.

"So is this the part where you tell me to be a good bodyguard and have sex with you?" Laughter erupted from his mouth before he gingerly sat down on the couch, surprised from the lack of creaking. "Sorry if I got a little too comfortable a little too quick...it's just a chest."

”I think it smells pretty nice in here. Like the whole lavender scent goin on in here, though it could do with a bit more vanilla.” The two of them entering his apartment meant they could relax, considering that he made sure his safe space was without the chance to be spied upon. Settling down and giving the larger male a chance to do the same, the feeling of couch underneath him giving under feeling so nice. Despite not likely meeting the standards of an Asgardian, Roan appeared to be giving his little place a approval despite how below warrior standards it might have been

Being free of that bulky looking armor also looked pretty nice. The male saying something along the lines of a joke about them having sex, or whatever. ”Buy dinner first before we get into any screwing.” Eric smirked, shooting back the joke as he just let himself relax. ”You’re fine there big guy.” Eric decided to stand up and settle himself on the couch beside Roan, not really seeing the harm in it and admittedly  the view was better up close.

”Nothing wrong with showin a little chest. Would take my shirt off, but then you’ll have to suffer through lookin at scrawny me all the time.” A small pause. ”So, what do you do for fun?”

Roan tapped his chin thoughtfully "What do I do for fun...uhh...lift heavy things, save people..sex, lots of sex.." He let out a slight giggle at the last part, and turned to Slattery. "Now let's flip it back on you, and I swear if I hear drink alcohol, i'm going to throw every bottle out of the window" His eyes narrowed a bit, while looking at Eric "I have the slight feeling you're coming onto me, Mr. Slattery." His fingers thumped on the couch in triplets and cocked up an eyebrow "Cuz i'm between being amused, or just fucking with you."

The viking looked around, his eyes darted back to Eric every so often, seeing him staring at his chest, and muscles. "Eyes are up here, big guy."