16"Nice to see you among your kind, Stockholm. Nothing you do surprises me."
Emmerich knew that voice. It belonged to one of his rivals. The one he never could quite remember his last name. Eddie…Eddie…Norman? No, no. Norton? Hmm. Nero! Nero, that was it.
The other playboy continued his insults to Emmerich's amusement. "Was that your escort turning you down? What's that...number one-hundred? Not only are you a horrible business person, but when the prostitutes and gigolos want no part of you, it really says something about you, doesn't it?"
Taking one last drag from his cigarette before snuffing it out on the wall, Emmerich looked at Eddie Nero with a confident, happy smile, watching as the other man casually and calmly removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled into the night air. "Only you would be making such assumptions. It isn't right to make assumptions on a fellow man. It makes an ass out of you and me."
Chuckling, he walked up towards Eddie, raising an eyebrow. "Unlike you, I like people. And I only came down here for a quiet drink. You won't believe what happened a few days ago. Not that you would care. But then again, you didn't get to make these bruises, did you?" Emmerich mocked.
It was if he was sporting such bruises as a trophy for getting attacked in a back alleyway during a party. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't.
"And for the record," Emmerich said as he clicked his tongue. "No one has really denied me yet. Those that carefully avoid the matter I respect. Besides, I have other things to busy myself with other than, well, people."
Eddie apparently was mute for the time being, staring at Emmerich until he frowned. His cigarette was dangling in his mouth again and he looked as though he would much rather be anywhere but here. "Who says I don't like people? Just because I don't parade myself around with people who don't give a damn doesn't mean I don't like people. It just means I like the right people."
Emmerich rolled his eyes and poked Eddie in the chest. "You hermit, where have you been?" He stepped back to look the man over and had to cover his mouth to muffle a laugh. Eddie's dark, dark brown hair was sticking straight up; he had just about given up on trying to make it look tame apparently. His eyes also looked dazed and confused, and as always, Eddie's clothing left a lot to be desired. Eddie Nero, the self-made millionaire, looked like a pauper tonight. "I-I'm sorry - but what the hell are you wearing?" He tried to turn serious, his face still trying to crack a grin. "Don't answer that. I don't want to know." Tilting his head to the side, he lifted his eyebrows in innocent speculation. He looked so much like a hyper kid, hair tossed and unruly now that it was wet - brown, wide eyes as innocent as a puppy's.
There were many things about Emmerich that annoyed Eddie to no end, he was sure. His constant grin and pretentious attitude to name a few. Eddie just rolled his eyes in impatience. When Emmerich lightly jabbed him in the chest, Eddie took a few paces back, a look of weariness all over his face.
"I guess I can't say so much for myself. That kid threw a bucket of water all over me and ruined my suit. My skull's been so abused lately I keep blacking out at random intervals. Sucks, right? Just so you know, that bar is sooo closed." Emmerich almost giggled. "Three drunken idiots tried to mug me, so, I get cornered at the bar, right? Then this kid just walks right in and-" he stopped. Shit. He wasn't going to tell Eddie about the other super.
"I'm not into material things like expensive suits." Eddie took another look at him, looking Emmerich up and down before continuing, "I know that I'm good looking regardless of what I wear. Not to mention that everyone knows who I am. I don't have to hide it." He removed his cigarette from his mouth and threw it at Emmerich, a snarl fleetingly on his face.
Emmerich didn't flinch, but he brushed the ashes off his suit. It was a bit difficult, it being wet and all. However, he stomped out Eddie's burning cigarette for him, not letting the other man's mood phase him. Not yet.
If Eddie ever found out who had given Emmerich those bruises, he would personally write Extremist a thank you note from the way Eddie looked when he heard. "Yeah, that sounds lovely. I'm sure you had it coming," he said distractedly. Eddie wasn't paying much attention to Emmerich ramble.
Shrugging, Emmerich waved his hands dismissively. "Well, anyway, like you really care. I'll be heading home now." And he stepped past Eddie without another word, walking on as he waved his hand for a goodbye. The wind was whipping his unruly hair everywhere, the cold nipping at his face, chilling him. Being wet in such weather was not a good idea. However, he wasn't going to show any weakness around Eddie, and fought the urge to keep himself warm by wrapping his arms around himself. Instead, he just kept walking. Then he heard Eddie mutter.
"You're done Stockholm. Look at you, you're a joke." A few seconds later, Eddie called out, "Did you hear who got a Peabody Award? Jules Gardner's getting another one. I'm his guest of honor and he's throwing a massive party! I assume you'll be there?" Just the thought of being able to publicly humiliate Emmerich was enough for Eddie to sound excited.
It was clear that Emmerich had been completely oblivious of every comment Eddie made to him, or otherwise ignored them. But the mention of the party made him stop and turn around ever so slightly, resting his hand against his cheek as he tilted his head, other arm touching his elbow. "That so? Sounds great. Sadly, I won't be able to make it. Meeting tomorrow. That and I look like a wet dog." He shrugged.
"Also, I'm a bit tired, if that isn't obvious. If you have any other comments to make, because it's so clear that you hate me, go ahead and get it off your chest." Emmerich lowered his arms, walking back over, keeping his steps steady. He was still tipsy, but he had pretty good motor control. "I pretty much missed all your witty comebacks. Well, except that one thing about people." Emmerich scratched his head.
"What makes the right people, exactly? Last time I checked, this whole place is corrupted. No one is 'right' anymore. The world is going to hell. I just try to stay on the positive side of things. Live life. It's short. Too short." His smile was still there, but it was melancholy. Something in his eyes held a wisdom of pain that haunted him. "I try to help people. Is that really all that awful?"
He chuckled softly, rubbing his face with his hands tiredly. "Sure, I make mistakes. I make an ass out of myself. When do I not? But I'm human. Mistakes are what we are known for. Sorry I'm not perfect. But I try to make things right. And if you, or anyone else, tries to stop me, well-" He let out a weak laugh. "Guess you'll just have to kill me. Not to say the other guy hadn't promised that already."
Clasping his hands together in front of him, he lit his face up with another one of his signature smiles that covered up his true emotional stance. Emmerich carefully ended with, "No matter what you or anyone else does or says about me, I'll still keep smiling. Nothing and no one can take that away from me. You can think what you want. Won't change the truth of who I really am."
Running his fingers through his drying, damp hair, he tried not to wince when he touched the opened, bleeding scab left over from the fight at the party which had been reopened due to the bar fight. "Anyway, have fun at your party. Congratulations. Sorry I can't make it." He turned around to leave again, the dizziness hitting him once more. He saw black in the corners of his eyes.
Emmerich tried to blink them away and just kept walking. If Eddie was still staring at him he probably would think he was walking funny because he was drunk. Nothing unusual. He was going to be fine. If not, he'd sleep in the gutter tonight. Not that he hadn't before.
Through all of that, however, Eddie Nero hadn't even said a word. Emmerich didn't look back, though, to see the other man's reaction. It wasn't his place. He just hoped he got to make a point. Emmerich did feel bad, though, for not giving Eddie a chance to continue his cruel mocking words. Oh, well. The next party he was sure that he would run into the rival playboy again.
Until then, Emmerich had a meeting to attend to in the morning, and a possible crime lord to deal with afterwards. Screw Extremist, he had a job to do.
Author's Note: Yes, I know this is short. But that was how it ended anyway. Edited to keep it in Emmerich's point of view. Eddie Nero does not belong to me and all writing's about him and dialog was written by my the admin and friend of Falling Pieces where this takes place. Sorry for lack of physical description on both Demitri and Eddie. I'll try to fit that in the next chapter or so.