CLOSED | bother bother bother

[huitzilin]

WHO: FREDDIE and ARACELY
WHERE: Around Nonah.
WHEN: Sometime after this.
WHAT: Trying to get to Kaine. Dancing with death?
WARNINGS: Nothing right now?? Probably talks about Kaine punching and also some non-sequiturs.


[ like any normal (demigod???) girl her age, Aracely spent her time at the house with her friends, doing her homework and cheating on tests (some things were easier when you were a telepath), and doing the shopping. she doesn't mind the tediousness of the grocery store, because anything that was halfway boring she could make fun in her mind. so she goes through the brightly colored fruits (bananas for Reiner), picks out the ones that look the best, gives them all a little inspirational tidbit before tucking them in her basket. she always comes back with something interesting: spiral straws, mac & cheese (pasta shaped like pirate paraphernalia), or red velvet pudding cups (or whatever flavor of the month they were selling on special).

she pays in cash as they tuck away the small amount of grocies in her cavas bag before she gives a wave and a thanks everyone for a great time at the grocer store.

it's only a short way back to the housing, and she's humming some cartoon theme song to herself as she has a trot down the pavement. her feelings are extended enough to her surroundings, so when she catches an abnormal amount of attention on her, she turns— ]

Comments

[redhairring]

[ Freddie was in Nonah for completely different reasons: working on an article. It's only after she's done the requisite amount of research (bugging people at the morgue, flirting with a cop until he gives her the info she wants, absolutely lying to the person whose husband was brutally shot) that Freddie put two and two together in her mind and realized, wait a moment, Kaine lives here also. She can do a little bit of digging for her mysterious source about Kaine.

So, after more bugging the cop, Freddie managed to work out just where the imPort housing was. She was on her way over, when a girl carrying groceries catches her eye. It only takes a brief amount of staring for Freddie to put two and two together and realize wait a moment, that's the Aracely kid she was talking with. The Aracely girl who knows Kaine, who can be helpful.

She realizes all this right as Aracely turns to look at her. Freddie flips on the charm, giving a small smile. ] Aracely, right?

[huitzilin]

[ there's nothing in response for a long moment, and Aracely extends herself to get a gist of the feelings and thoughts around her. she doesn't pry directly, but the intent, at least to her, is obvious. ]

You're the person that runs that bad website and wanted me to tell you things about Kaine.

[ Aracely says in an almost haunting tone. ]

What are you doing here?

[ she can tell that it wasn't exactly for her. ]

[redhairring]

[ Apparently, tact was something foreign to this kid. ]

I was in the neighborhood, [ Freddie said, with a little shrug. ] Figured it wouldn't hurt to stop by for a little bit.

[huitzilin]

[ unfortunately tact is not something that she does. ]

Stop by to see Kaine? Did you figure out a way to apologize so he doesn't punch you? I bet he'll still punch you.

[redhairring]

No, I haven't figured out a way to apologize so he doesn't punch me. [ huffy sigh!!! ] That's why I'm here.

[huitzilin]

Again? [ she shifts the weight of the bags in her hands and arcs her head back a bit to look at her curiously. ]

[redhairring]

Look, you're the one who knows him best. You're the one that can help me out. I'm sorry for what I did, but he's got no right to actually believe me. That's why I need your help.

[huitzilin]

[ Aracely sets the groceries down on the pavement and begins to move toward her fearlessly. her face sets with purpose, focus, and she starts to pry for intent, uncaring of just how tactless she may be. ]

Say that again.

[redhairring]

[ Uh, okay. Freddie frowns a bit, unsure of what Aracely is doing, but starts to talk. ] I'm sorry for what I did and I want your help so I can apologize to Kaine?

[ TOTAL BULLSHIT. ]

[huitzilin]

[ with a hop she's in the air, turning midway to look at Freddie in the eye as she floats upside-down. ]

I'm telling Kaine you're lying.

[redhairring]

[ wait what? ]

I'm not lying.

[huitzilin]

You're really loud. It's everywhere. I can feel it. There aren't any good feelings there, the ones that you have when you really want to apologize to someone.

[ because that literally makes complete sense. Aracely is very aware of what she does (and doesn't) feel. ]

Like this.

[ her tone shifts, taking an unearthly quality: ]

You're feeling bad about hurting Kaine. About hurting other people!

[ something is weighing heavy in the air. it's like it wasn't there a moment ago. the perception, perhaps? a pit deep in the gut. ]

[redhairring]

[ And down in Whoville they say, that Freddie's small heart grew three sizes that day.

Because man. She was feeling bad. Why'd she hurt Kaine like that in the first place? Why'd she hurt any of them like that in the first place? No story was worth trampling on the lives of other people. ]

You're...right, [ Freddie says, as if coming to a massive realization. And, full of utter sincerity, ] I really messed things up, didn't I.

[huitzilin]

[ Aracely looks satisfied, but not completely convinced. her voice turns a little more pleading. ]

You hurt Robbie! All those people were exposed because you just wanted people to pay attention to you. You really messed things up.

[ her brow knits together and she says firmly. ]

This is how you're going to apologize to Kaine.

[redhairring]

[ Wait, Robbie? Which one was—oh. Mental illness guy who talked about Rupert Holmes with her. Shit. She really did hurt Robbie. ]

It wasn't just me wanting people to pay attention, [ Freddie said, like a really guilty child who had been shoved into time out. ] I wanted to stick it to the government as well.

...but yeah. It didn't work out well at all, did it.

[huitzilin]

[ harshly: ]

You ended up just hurting people!

If you want to apologize to Kaine, you have to mean it. And then, he'll still probably be mad. Everyone does!

[ her brows knit. ]

He's going to hurt you regardless.

[redhairring]

[ wait WHAT. ]

What?! No, the whole point of this is so that I don't get hurt.

[huitzilin]

You asked me if I knew Kaine and how this would happen and I'm telling you.

You won't walk out of this without getting hurt.

[ she seems sure of that. ]

[redhairring]

Yeah, but I want to apologize so I don't get hurt. How is that hard? And there's some way that I can do this without getting hurt.