FEB CATCH-ALL

[heartstings]

WHO: Kenzi & YOU
WHERE: Maurtia Falls (mostly)
WHEN: FEB
WHAT: Kenzi doing Kenzi things post CnC2020
WARNINGS: Alcohol, language, possibly some violence.


[A] THE RED BRANCH
[ Work on the Branch hasn’t made any progress due to spending most of the last month in an alternate version of the City. Was it alternate? Kenzi couldn’t be sure, the way events played out it could have been how things would have ended up if not for Atropos. All she knew was that she wasn’t herself -- she was herself but she wasn’t, it’s confusing.

In any case, Kenzi can be found in and around the Red Branch during the day and maybe during the evening. If it’s too cold or snowing outside she’s inside continuing cleanup. If it’s a clear day she can be found outside -- somewhere on the grounds -- cleaning up any trash she finds or working on getting the old sandpit back in serviceable order after Xellos blew it up. Thanks, Xellos.

Though she may not be cleaning, instead she might be working through a routine with a pair of truncheon either indoors or out. Or working on creating some smoke bombs fill with various colors.

Mostly she’s just trying to keep busy and not let her mind wander to thoughts of the City or a certain someone she may or may not have feelings for. ]


[B] GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN (OPEN; ANY CITY THAT ISN’T JEOPARDY)
[ Kenzi can be found in the bars and clubs in any of the cities; flirting, drinking, hustling some guys at pool if there happens to be a table, and dancing. She back from vacation and not letting the fun train come to a stop. Not yet, anyway.

She might also be found in a cafe or diner, window shopping, or just chilling on a bench. She likely has Sir Apple, the cat-sized green and pink fairy dragon, with her. Having him around garners a bit of a crowd, usually children, so she can’t be too hard to miss. ]


[C] IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES…
[ The funny thing about suddenly have ten years’ worth of new experiences in her head is that she’s a much better fighter now. Sure, she no longer has telekinesis to fall back on but her physical skills have been honed. And while her body isn’t used to the movements, her mind knows what to do so it’s just a matter of training.

After a few days, she decides to see what she can do out on the streets at night. Her plan is to locate any drug dealers, knock them out, take any money they have on them, and then leave them for the cops. She’s dressed from head to toe in black, with a loose hooded jacket made from the material Oliver had given her, goggles and a facemask covering most of her face, and her hair braided and pinned back beneath her hood. She initially intended to make herself a full outfit from the material Oliver had given her but then she was ‘ported out and her powers changed making it impossible for her to create the outfit.

Maybe she’s up on a roof keeping a lookout for the activity she’s after. Or maybe she’s in the middle of kicking some butt and looks like she might need a bit of help. Either way, drop in? ]


WILDCARD
[ If you’re looking for something else feel free to drop it here or HMU at rubberspaceducky. ]

Comments

text - setting a date for conversation - prelude to nobody town

[callmevision]

You're back?

So many others came back... I hope this reaches you.

[heartstings]

[ She stares at her comm for a little bit before responding. She's actually been back longer than many but hasn't wanted to talk to anyone. ]

yeah

[callmevision]

I am glad.

I... I hope you are okay.

[ This felt awkward. Very awkward. ]

[heartstings]

im fine

[ Might as well go ahead and pull the bandage off... ]

we should prob talk

[callmevision]

[ Her words send a shot of dread into him. ]

Yes.

Your place or mine, maybe, tomorrow?

[ That would give him time to clean up. ]

[heartstings]

the branch
im free now but tmw works 2

[callmevision]

I am not, I am sorry.

Tomorrow it is then.

[ A pause. ]

I am glad you made it home.

[heartstings]

k
c u tmw

[ She's not going to respond to the last bit because making it back was not exactly a fun endeavour. ]

text to action

[callmevision]

See you then.

***

Around 24 hours later, Jonas arrives for their rendezvous. He is a little scared to be there, but he is not willing to give up, and he does not want to not be friends, even if everything else is gone. In the last day, he has showered and cleaned up, gotten a new sweater and jeans combo, then a second one after rethinking the first one, and finally has spent some time working on his shifting abilities. When he shows up, he looks better than he has in weeks, and nods to himself as he walked to the front door, and looks around.

He knocks, and waits, humming to himself to calm his nerves, his fear, and his... feeling of not knowing what the fuck he is doing.

[heartstings]

Emotions take too much energy...

After a night with Gabriel, talking to him and trying to comfort him after everything that happened back in the City, she's not sure she has the energy to talk to Jonas. But she couldn't very well text him and tell him something came up, that she can't talk just yet.

She's done what she can to not look as exhausted as she feels but there's only so much she can do.

They didn't set a time so she's upstair cleaning up one of the rooms when the knock comes at the front door. Luckily, Sir Apple has taken to sitting around the main area to keep an eye out for anyone that enters the building and alerts Kenzi to the knocking.

It takes her a few moments to make her way downstairs, pausing just on the other side to dust herself off and smooth down her hair. Sucking in a deep breath and slowly letting it out she opens the door.

She offers a small smile, "Hey."

[callmevision]

He cocks his head and nods to her. "Is this a bad time? You look tired. Beautiful, but tired."

Trepidation converts to worry just that fast, and he looks at her, unsure and uncertain, but not wanting to make things worse for her.

[heartstings]

"I don't think there'll ever be a good time, not with how this place has been lately. I'm just...it's been exhausting."

She draws back from the doorway so he can enter.

[callmevision]

Jonas steps in, glancing around, and going in far enough to turn and face her again.

"Is there anything I can do to help you get... resettled here?" Emotions are a raging whirlwind in him, exhausting him just thinking about it all.

[heartstings]

Kenzi starts to follow after him with the intention of moving to the fire but when he stops so does she. Her gaze drops to the floor as she tugs one of her sleeves down over her hand and plays with the hem.

She snorts softly, "Not unless you can magic this place into working order..." Shaking her head as she glances back up at him.

"'Sides you came so we can talk."

[callmevision]

Realizing he had blocked the way, he steps back and nods to her. "Sorry. And you are right. We should probably do that."

He pauses and waves at the couch. "Shall we sit?" He has fond memories of that couch, but still, it is easy to sit at, he thinks. And he tries not to notice how good she looks, despite her tiredness.

[heartstings]

There's a moment of silence before she nods, "Yeah."

Her head snaps up, blinking at him, "The couch? Oh, right in the den. Yeah, sure." She moves past him and to the den just beyond the bar.

Luckily Gabriel is out doing...something. She hopes he's okay. But there's still the blankets she'd given him the night before strewn over the couch. She quickly moves to ball them up and shove them off to the side so they're out of the way.

[callmevision]

Jonas follows her, cocking his head at the mess, but does not comment. It's none of his business.

Once it is clear, he does sit, waiting for her to do the same before shifting to face her.

"I am sorry that telling you how I feel caused problems. I know we agreed to no complications and I broke that agreement." Not that he chose to, but... yes.

"I do not want to cause you more problems, but I cannot say my feelings have changed. I still care for you, just as much."

[heartstings]

It's probably a good thing she thought to actually pick up the blankets in the main area of the bar.

She almost prefers to stand but when he sits and doesn't say anything she relents and settles in on the opposite end, turning to face him while pulling her legs up with her. She remains quiet, letting him speak and tries desperately to keep her expression as neutral as possible.

When he's done she sucks in a breath and slowly lets it out. "Don't. Don't be sorry."

There's a pause as she thinks about what to say next, carefully choosing her words is so unlike but the situation is messy enough without her bungling it. "Look. I...I care about you, too, I really do. And I..."

Don't want to be alone. She wants to say that but can't bring herself to do so. She wants to throw herself at him, have him hold her and comfort her, but that would possibly be the worst thing she could do right now.

"But I still don't think I'm ready to get into a relationship again. Especially after..." She waves a hand around, "After dealing with the City again."

[callmevision]

He listens, eyes on hers and he nods. He was not expecting anything more, and in fact, expected far worse. At her words and the way she says them, he nods again.

Taking a long breath, he speaks softly.

"I respect that. I will do my best to give you that space." He cares for her too much to do anything else.

Taking a breath again, which always strikes him as odd since he does not need to breathe, he speaks softer, not wanting to say what he has to say next, but feeling he has to.

"I... I do not think I can continue the benefits part of our previous situation with how I feel now, but... I would like to continue our friendship, if that is okay?"

[heartstings]

She could never cut him off completely, he hasn't done anything worth that kind of treatment.

She nods slowly as she presses her lips together and looks away from him, blinking rapidly. Forming tears burn her tired eyes but she doesn't want to cry right now, or any more for that matter.

"Yeah, that's understandable." She offers a small smile as she looks back at him. "I should have known it wouldn't be as easy as it was with Cu." Then again she remembers him being a bit pissy about her ending things. Not that she can remember why she ended things when it was so good.

She starts to reach over then stops herself. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more. You deserve someone that can be and I'm sure you'll find them."

[callmevision]

At her response, he is already shaking his head. He cannot help but feel guilty. If he could only have done what she asked, he would not be... this. Not to mention being inferior to this Cu as well. He sighs internally but speaks outwardly with passion and intent.

"You've done nothing wrong. You told me what the rules were. I am sorry that I could not hold to our agreement. And no matter what else, I hold you dear, Kenzi. Know that. I will not ask for what you cannot or will not give, but I will always be here for you."

And he leans in, hesitantly, and presses a gentle kiss to her cheek, hugging her once, unsure if more was wise or welcome.

He is not looking to find anyone else. If he could not keep her happy, what chance would someone with more expectations have? No, better that he stop this experiment with humanity here and now.

[heartstings]

If she knew what his thought process was not only would it break her heart but she'd try to explain Cu as a person or at the very least the kind of person he'd been toward her.

Kenzi bites the inside of her cheek as she speaks. This shouldn't hurt as much as it does. She wants to give him what he desires, what she also desires, but that pain... Losing people and being so alone both here and in the City, she can't do it again. It's better to push everyone away before they get a chance to hurt her right?

She accepts the kiss and hug, having to fight against the urge to cling to him.

It's not that he couldn't keep her happy, she could have stayed that way if she just let herself be. But the constant worry that she's going to screw it all up or that something will happen and he'll be gone plague her. So ending it seems like the best course.

She shakes her head as she lowers it, trying to hide the tears. "I've done everything wrong. I shouldn't have...with you... I should have taken notice of your feelings sooner." No, that's a lie. She'd noticed and chose to ignore. Just as she's ignoring her own feelings.

[callmevision]

"I disagree. But..." He shakes his head. "Perhaps we should not argue over who is in the wrong." he gently taps her nose, then smiles softly.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Kenzi? To help you with your return?"

Because even now, he will not abandon her. How can he, when he loves her?

[heartstings]

Yeah...sure." She sniffs and wipes her face before looking back up at him.

"You don't happen to have a way to erase, like, fivish years of memories from an alternate timeline do you?." Maybe if she didn't have those memories all this would have been easier. Maybe she could have let herself be happy and not afraid.

[callmevision]

Without hesitation, he answers, because he knows this one.

"I cannot do it myself, but some wizards and some telepaths could on my world. As we have some of both here, it is possible one of them both can and is willing, to do so." He nods.