could it be in your head or in your home?

[glassbox]

WHO: Kate Kane and Lil Crawley.
WHERE: Matt's house.
WHEN: Weekend.
WHAT: Girl time.
WARNINGS: TBA.

[ Honestly, she's been well overdue for some quality time with Kate Kane. She probably should have reached out weeks ago, but she'd avoided it, subconsciously or purposefully, using the excuse of her turbulent romantic life to dodge having to face the loss of a close mutual friend. If anyone sympathized with what it felt like to lose Renee Montoya, it would be Kate.

Well. There's always Harvey, of course. But something says he wouldn't have coped with the subject as well.

It's almost a bit of a relief, when she finally brings herself to just pick up the phone and invite Kate over. Maybe they'll talk about Renee and maybe they won't, but... At least there's wine. Lil made a point of picking some up. And with Matt at the office, it'll be just them girls. ]

Comments

[gevurah]

[ Kate doesn't know if she wants to broach the subject of Renee or anyone she knows and cares about being ported out over the summer, but it was hard to turn down Lil, someone she didn't know too well but enjoyed her company enough to agree to come over.

The address supplied surprises her; Matt had given her this address not too long ago and though he had mentioned he was seeing Lil recently, Kate had not expected the two of them to be living together so soon. Then again, the nature of this place can force people to act on their desires faster. Renee and Christine had been living together, after all.

She lowers her sunglasses once she's reached the front door, looking over the doorway to find the doorbell. When she does, she hesitates before pressing the button.

Maybe they won't discuss Renee. Maybe the two will get tipsy and forget their troubles instead. ]

[glassbox]

[ Matt's place is probably an upgrade from anywhere Lil could have invited Kate over to a few months ago -- either one of Frank's dingy little safehouses, or worse, her government-assigned housing, where Harvey had been living until he'd finally decided to move out. And besides that, she'd found it difficult to be alone, after the loss of friends and a lover. She'd always been emotionally needy that way.

Her footsteps are audible inside before she pulls the door open. No hesitation between the look of recognition on her face and the way she leans, loosely wrapping her arms around the smaller woman in an embrace to say hello. Tactile, with no regard for another person's boundaries -- typical Lil Crawley. ]

Hi, hon. Y'look so good. [ Pulling back, she gestures for Kate to follow her inside. ] Feels like I ain't see y'in ages.

[gevurah]

[ Kate is taken aback by the physical gesture, freezing in place for a fleeting moment before reflex kicks in and she gingerly pats Lil on the back (the lower portion, given the height differences between the two women). It's a touch awkward, but not unwelcome; Kate hasn't been embraced like this in what feels like a long time. Nill's power required physical contact to communicate, but she's been gone a while now. ]

Hi. [ She lowers her arms and steps through the doorway. ] Since February, actually.

[ Which is too long, honestly. ]

[glassbox]

[ Too long, for sure. Longer than Lil even realized. It's that tunnel vision of hers, how obsessed she gets with focusing on one thing. Maybe someday, her relationships with men won't be such a defining factor of her identity, consuming and overwhelming -- and reaching out to old friends never really hurts.

She shuts the door behind Kate before heading into the kitchen, where the bottle of wine has been open and breathing. Detouring to one of the kitchen cabinets, she retrieves two glasses. A touch wryly, she remarks: ]

Hope I wasn't assumin' too much when I figured you'd appreciate a nice red.

[gevurah]

[ Kate lets her purse slide off her shoulders, hanging around her elbow before she lowers it onto the counter. She smiles as she fixes her hair, then holds out her hand for the glass of wine. ]

Red's fine. [ She's fond of bourbon, but she's not about to turn down Lil's offer. ] Have you and Matt been living together long?

[ She hasn't asked Matt about his love life, though they're still building back their relationship. Kate hasn't been in touch with him lately, but she's also been avoiding most people since Nill's departure. ]

[glassbox]

[ Honestly, there's probably bourbon around too. Lil isn't an alcoholic by any means, but she's a woman in her forties who's been living in an extended midlife crisis mode -- having alcohol of all kinds handy is to be expected. But wine's a starting place. She takes a sip before responding to the question: ]

A little more than a month now, I guess? Give or take some. I was dealin' with some things an' it jus' kinda happened naturally, I guess.

[ A little pause. ]

Y'been talkin' with him?

[gevurah]

Not in some time. Been busy.

[ She had purposely avoided him, then they had had their little heart-to-heart, then Nill had been ported out and Kate decided it was best to steer away from socializing with those who would have pitied her.

Matt means well, but she can't bear it right now.

Kate takes a light sip of her drink, licking her bottom lip once she's swallowed. ]

Is he at work?

[glassbox]

[ Lil leans her weight against the kitchen counter as she listens to Kate, taking another sip of her wine before answering that question: ]

He's doin' some kinda work. [ Her voice comes out dryly without her really meaning it to. They'd had a rough patch over Matt's vigilante lifestyle. She didn't take well to the idea of having to compete with the costume. ] I try not t'ask if I don't have to.

[ But anyway. ]

What y'been busy with?

[gevurah]

[ She can only imagine the lawyer and vigilante career are consuming most of Matt's available time and leaving barely anything for socializing. She can't fault him for it; she finds herself entrenched in her case work often as well.

She notes Lil's tone, but doesn't pry; if Lil doesn't know, it's not her place to out Matt. ]

Work and moving, mostly.

[ After setback after setback, she's finally getting back the privacy she needs. There's a hint of relief in her voice. ]

[glassbox]

[ There's knowing, and there's knowing. She has a vague sense of it all, a general knowledge of what he does without understanding the technicalities of it. The secret name. Things she doesn't care about so much as the fact that it makes him come home late. ]

Movin'? Y'leavin' Heropa? [ Not that Lil hasn't considered it herself. The place is a real drag sometimes, there's no denying that -- but there's a lot keeping her here too. People, mostly. ] Gettin' tired of the scenery or what, hon?

[gevurah]

[ There isn't much to anchor her to Heropa anymore outside financial issues hindering her. She still isn't sure if she wants to stay or if when she finally acquires enough money, to move out to Maurtia Falls or Nonah. ]

Still here.

[ She takes a sip of her drink, thoughtful. ]

Always preferred the big cities.

[glassbox]

[ Anywhere in the States is more or less too far south for Lil personally -- but it's a hassle, trying to get permission to take a vacation out of the country, let alone move out of it. Besides, she has things keeping her here now. One big thing, anyway. ]

Y'do seem like the type, I guess. [ Cool and chic. Much more than Lil herself is. ] Y'don't wanna get away though? I mean, after everythin' that's happened an' all. Seems like with the folks that've been sent home, might be hard on y'stickin' around.

[gevurah]

[ Her expression settles into a slightly discomforted one as she thinks about all the people who have been ported back. For better or worse, it never seems to matter, it stings all the same and her heart longs to see their face or hear their voice again. ]

A visit upstate one of these days would be nice.

Seeing Paris is out of the question.

[glassbox]

[ Lil's never been especially good at dealing with things that make her feel powerless. But the Porter happens to be talented at doing exactly that. Each loss hurts for weeks and months afterward. It's hard to let go. The number of ImPorts that have been there as long as she and Kate have continues to dwindle.

She glances down into her wine a moment before responding: ]

Y'could always ask. See what they say. Don't even really know how all that works -- never really tried t'bother with it. Already got my hands full down here.

[gevurah]

[ She idly stirs the wine in her glass before glancing back at Lil. She doesn't seem sold on the idea, but she shrugs haphazardly anyway. ]

They might be more concerned about national security than someone needing a change of scenery.

[ There's also the issue of her tattoo reading VIGILANTE these days. She doesn't want to unveil that bit to any legal authorities.

The next bit gets a brow raised. ]

Did he ask you to move in?

[glassbox]

[ The question makes Lil pause slightly, not because her relationship with Matt is a secret or anything, but mostly because she just hasn't really had the chance to talk to anyone about it yet. That's probably a testament to how fast everything has happened. It's all very reckless and maybe even a little irresponsible. ]

Not exactly. [ That's what she finally settles for. ] It jus' kinda worked out that way, I guess. I was havin' a rough time of it after my -- [ Friend? Ally? Lover? ] After Frank got ported back. I came over that night, an' I ain't really left since then.

[ A brief beat. ]

I know it sounds... [ How does that sound? ]