sixthiterationlogs | open | we always are together

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open | we always are together

WHO: Kamala Khan
WHERE: House 6
WHEN: Dec. 13th; late afternoon aka KAMALA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
OPEN TO: residents of house six, assorted cr of Kamala and the other house six residents - basically everyone who knows Kamala, Frank, and Jessica and is on good terms with them. It's basically everyone.
WARNINGS: Possible mentions of horror settings or past trauma since Kamala does live with Frank Castle and Jessica Jones who are their own warning. Honestly this is a rated G birthday log.

She wakes up super stoked to be alive. It's not unusual for her honestly. Kamala is more excited than usual if only because it's not every day you get superheroes coming over for your birthday. Granted she's seeing them more as ordinary people who do incredible things sometimes. That's a positive change as far as she's concerned. It doesn't change the fact that Kamala from like age seven and up would have seen this as a dream come true. Who is she to question the wisdom of tiny Kamala?

She spends a decent portion of the day (following breakfast) getting ready for guests. She styles her new, shorter hair cut as elegantly as she can, dresses in the hunter green dress and pants outfit given to her by the Observers because screw them it's pretty and they can't ruin it with what they pulled after.

By the time she finishes, it's time to greet guests and see what Frank's done with the rest of the house while she's been hiding out in her room to obsess over her appearance. She'll go around greeting whoever shows up, shoving food at them, and generally be grateful they came. It's her seventeenth birthday. She's away from her home, childhood friends, and family. Having anyone here today means a lot more than she lets on. It's about the only thing allowing her to feel happiness instead dwelling on what she's missing.

(ooc; ~~top levels will be posted by Frank in like five minutes for setting info. please hold for those!~~ feel free to tag those or make your own starter ~~once they're posted~~. I'm flexible.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She doesn't scamper off as early as she'd like to but it's not as unbearable a shindig as a fundraiser, charity event or birthday brunch. Plus she likes clocking who Kamala's friends are, IE who better not let her down. (Bievenue to the My Two Dads household.) There's definitely no place for her once people start coming up to the birthday girl for goodbyes, so Jess gets away while she's harried with dispensing gratitude. She expects anyone who filters out shortly after her to merely be going her way until she takes a look over her shoulder.

Should've known. It didn't feel like they were on her tracks that coincidentally but she wrote it off as paranoia. Paranoia and Frank sense are basically the same thing. Jess slows in her steps so calling back doesn't require as much power. ]

Could be. Depends who's down there. [ If anyone. Jess checks the census almost as much as she uses it: Not at all. In her defense, she keeps meaning to, but in defense of reality, that's just her excuse for not bothering. ]

[ he nods, using her slowed gait to catch up without looking too thirsty. just the right amount, maybe. hopefully. ]

Yeah, I never looked at those things either.

[ the sign-up sheets. if he does any "shifts" they're at the fountain but it's whenever he finds himself there, he's learned his lesson ascribing his name to shit. ]

Uh. [ in reims there was none of this awkwardness. other awkwardness, sure, but if he wanted to follow jessica he would just follow jessica. here he has to at least ask. but after how many times she's run off on him, his eight ball is casting a solid "outlook not so good" or maybe that's just the queasy feeling churning in his guts. ] You mind if I tag along?

[ oh wait, he actually has a bargaining chip. he lifts his eyebrows as he comes up next to her and holds up the j-wrap from his pocket. what about now???? ]

[ In Reims, there was always someone following Jessica, whether they knew it or not. All Kilgrave had to do was ask who had seen her that day and then demand the details, so having Frank as a second shadow, eyes on her six, made survivalist sense. Both for her and the dumb fucks who wouldn't learn their lesson and look the other way as soon as they saw her, Big Murderer on the French word for Campus. In the village, she doesn't need it, but the moron mill might. No offense to everyone, she just can't afford to assume the best of people, should the worst of persons show his smarmy ferret face around here. ]

I don't if you don't. [ Cool dad move, giving Kamala some space. With all her teen friends, unsupervised, surrounded by Jessica's empty bottles? Who knows what they could get up to! Jess's dry sideways glance turns into a double take, stuck on the joint between his fingers. ] You and-- Do you even smoke this shit?

[ She snatches it to appraise his handiwork. ]

[ he takes that to mean yes and falls easily in at her side, this - walking with her - still feels natural. even if she's right in thinking the reasoning behind it sucked. everything about reims sucked and he needs to keep that in perspective here. there's blaine, but he's no kilgrave. and it's nothing he wants jessica to concern herself with especially. frank relinquishes the joint so she can examine it with a snort for her question. he shakes his head though that's not his answer!! he forgets they barely speak here, honestly. that she hasn't been there for every moment at his side, just like this. somehow, it feels like she has. ]

Not a lot. [ but it's a serviceable wrap, if not the prettiest. another thing kira had showed frank before fucking off like everyone eventually seems to. ] I take it you didn't find the one I left you yet.

[ that can be a surprise for later then. ]

Edited (stupid distracting dog!!!!!) 2018-12-17 21:45 (UTC)

I found it. [ That didn't miraculously give her a clue what to do with it. Managing the shame of her addiction around Kamala is fun enough; she's not keen to fill the house with pot smoke. It's too cold to walk without her hands shoved into her pockets and bunker duty is the closest thing she has to a job around here. Now that she has a lock on half-assing it, what use is messing with the rhythm? Jess just rolled open the nightstand drawer and dropped the joint in and that's likely where this one would end up, too. Jess offers it back to him. ]

I think I'm a one intoxicant kinda girl. Don't be offended, though: I drank a bunch of wine.

[ oh my god jess!!!! just use your words. (ha-ha) he does look offended for a second, but it's not for any of the reasons she thinks and he's not actually serious anyway. he takes his drugs back with a little snatch, more playful than truly annoyed. ]

I was gonna smoke it alone.

[ so he still can, the company will just be... company. it's a bit windy so he has to stop in order to light the thing, but at least these new fire powers are convenient though he still carries around his flint for the moment it disappears. he's all too familiar with the way these things work now, even if (as usual) no one will listen to him, even those who have been here far longer than himself. he turns to shield himself from the wintery breeze and snaps his fingers, a flame springing up between his thumb and forefinger as he holds it up to the joint stuck in his teeth. it might be the first time he manages to start the damn thing without coughing - scoring all the cool points today. though, of course, jess didn't wait for him so now he has to trot through the crunchy snow to catch up, not exactly stealth. ]

Did it get better as you went? [ the wine he means. it was his first attempt!!! he's gonna try again soon. ]

[ She doesn't see him take out a lighter and raises a brow at the spontaneous combustion. After his coyote kick, that must be the latest power he hit up the machine for, she assumes, but she's aware it's a 50/50 shot she's wrong. He hasn't set the house on fire so however he came by it, it's all the same to her, and she walks on. ]

The wine? [ Jess flattens her lips, unable to recall the specific steps in her very no good wine journey, or much of it when taken as a whole. Booze is booze, and even if it's crappy, when it's made ~~at home~~ in house, it spares her a brisk walk to a populated building. ] I got drunker, so yeah. I thought I'd hate the hippie cake but it wasn't bad. [ There, there's his compliment, may it feed his thirsty spirit for a fortnite. ]

[ he nods as he takes a pull and there it is, a little breathy cough that (really is) more from the dry coolness of the air than the devil's lettuce filling up his lungs. that's why he likes the wine too and after like a tall glass or two you can't taste it at all and who doesn't love that. ]

Thanks. [ more of a grunt than anything as his smoke mingles with the air depressing from his lungs. he slips his free hand into one of the (bright teal) mittens in his pocket as a stop-gap until the weed makes him stop caring about the cold. he is glad she at least ate it, he worked really hard on it even if maybe it was more like a confection than a real cake. ] Nice holdin' out on that chocolate by the way.

[ one side of his mouth twitches up under his hood before he takes another pull. in another hit or two it'll make him laugh. ]

[ Jess shrugs, ducking her head as the recollection of Kamala's reaction hits her as hard as her hug had and she has to smile a little. ]

I meant to give it to her a lot earlier, you know. [ She still wouldn't have brought him in on it though. They're cohabiting for the season but they're largely strangers to each other. That's been Jess's choice and Kamala's respects it, possibly because of what she did in Reims. What they have in common, Jess isn't comfortable ruminating on. A benign chat about chocolate is all they've got that's untainted by the place where they met. ] But this way she doesn't owe me anything.

[ it wasn't actually a negative comment, but he really hates it when she smiles like that. like, so much. he takes a way longer pull than necessary and nearly hacks up a lung. you saw nothing!!!!! he glowers at her like it's her fault when what he's really mad about is how sweet she's being!!! naturally, his expression softens the instant it lands on her face anyway. ]

Thanks for bein' there today. For her.

[ She could have just waited to hear him cough and get her answer as to how often he smokes. She battens down a laugh at his expense, shooting him an unimpressed stare across the smoke. Then her eyes stay on the path but move farther up, her chin raising. She clears her throat gently and wets her chapped lips. ]

I needed to unload that stuff. [ She bites the inside of her cheek before adding, ] And she's a good kid. She should get to be a kid. [ Granted the petting zoo was a bit much. ]

Careful. Once people find out you're nice it's all over.

[ no really, they make you the mayor. it sucks. he's grinning at her like an idiot btw. ]

No shit. [ because that hasn't been her play all along. Jess can almost remember yelling something similar at him. the sky was precipitating then too.

Hands jammed in her pockets, she flexes her fists to keep the blood flowing, they come upon the fountain, where Jess slows her steps again. with her boot, she scrapes freshly fallen snow from the edge, leaving an empty patch for her to sit in. a light dusting of flakes remains when she sits down but her ass is too cold to melt them prolly. ]

Yeah, yeah.

[ he snorts and sits heavily down next to her without moving the snow. unlike her, he's a furnace and now that he's at least a little high he doesn't care about much. he takes a much shorter drag this time before holding up the joint in final offering. ]

Sure I can't peer pressure you?

[ The shallower snow on and surrounding the fountain tells her someone's been by to maintain it lately. She doesn't doubt they're down in the bunker. Loitering around is functionally the same as providing backup detail, making it her new plan for the time being.

And seeing as they have no real responsibilities right now (or ever #clonelife), Jess sighs and grabs the weed. Also ] 'Cause it gives the whiskey a kick. [ In her bag as always. Jess has a slow, careful drag, with nearly as much smoke left in her mouth as got into her lungs, and she doesn't hold it, breathing it in and out and stifling two short, controlled coughs in her fist. Smoke continues to stream thinly from the joint's end but she doesn't hand it back yet. ]

[ he smiles more sincerely when she takes the joint, ducking his head and sticking his other hand in his other pocket to find his wayward mitten. it's pretty out here, he's always liked the snow, the way it could make anywhere it landed new again. ]

Sure it does. [ knowing, but not judging. he's too damn tired to judge anyone anymore, especially with so much food in his belly and so many tears shed and now the cannabis pumping through his veins. he's either finally going to sleep like the dead or be up for the next 50 years. ] You still wanna go back?

[ he asks suddenly, shifting forward on his feet so he can look over at her without sitting up. ]

[ Ah, that old chestnut. Jess scoffs wanly, wondering what he means this time. No harm in asking, not unlike how she's finally clued in that there's no harm in being asked. It has zero affect on her ability to go anywhere. And on her desire to go anywhere. The case is pretty strong for her not being the woodsy type. If she were fighting it, she'd be sticking it out in house 60 tonight. ]

To my house? [ When it warms back up? Or to New York, where she might nothing but a knock-off with no family of her own? Jess has a second toke, deeper than the first now that she knows what to expect. Exhaling is rocky, the initial outpouring of smoke so smooth it starts to burn. Jess coughs out the last of it and keeps on coughing, passing the joint back to him. ]

[ he scoffs back at her answer, near-silent, and shakes his head. could be an answer or just 'nevermind, you asshole.' when she starts to cough, the mittened hand closest to her rubs at her shoulder without thinking much of it. he leaves his other mitten behind so he can reach across himself and rescue the joint though he just holds it aloft a minute, letting it burn. his skin is buzzing and he's not sure how close or far away anything is - he's pretty sure he's in the right spot. ]

It's really nice. [ frank says out of nowhere, then laughs a bit. ] Having you around— for Winter, for Winter.

[ his hand tightens on her shoulder in a gentle squeeze though he hasn't noticed he's still holding onto her as he laughs again, a fond, low noise from his throat. ]

[ Jess didn't feel the need to rub his back when he was hacking up ganja smoke buuut she's been starved for contact lately so she lets him patronize her. The warmth of his hand won't make it through her leather jacket so she leans into his side a bit to compensate. Blocks some of that wind as well, which picks up intermittently before settling again. Thankfully the snow isn't light or dry enough to be swept up with every gust and come cutting at their faces. ]

It's been a couple years since I lived with anyone. Trish stayed with me in Reims but I was never around. [ She was, as he knows, at the prison. ]

[ when he feels her settle against his side, it's like the wind knocks out of him, not even noticing that the kickup of snow and wind blows the joint right out of his hand. it's frozen numb anyway. ]

Yeah. I mean, you know my deal.

[ doesn't she? whatever. point is, it's just good to have her close. and to know that she's safe. his bemittened hand makes it down her arm some to brace her against the cold, tucking his chin down against it himself so that his long beard grazes her shoulder. ]

I know you can take care of yourself, you know I just... [ care too damn much? no matter how many times she told him not to? ] Didn't like the thought of you bein' alone out there in the cold, is all.

[ Jess watches the joint fly and then tumble away as if tugged on an invisible string. The white paper vanishes against the snow that's a mix of dirty and fresh. As the cherry fades and dies, a thin line of flaky black ash strewn behind it like a scar is all there is to suggest its existence, and in a couple minutes that'll be gone. That's deep, man. Fuck, is she high? ]

I was getting a bit sick of it too. [ Jess admits. He's aware, having been at the starting decline of her most recent low. Without looking, she searches by hand through the bag at her side until it emerges with a bottle. ] Not that you should get your hopes up or anything.

[ it's taking everything in him right now not to just curl up against her and stay that way. but even through the weed-addled haze his mind is under right now, he knows they don't do that even if he can't remember why. he does stuff his other hand in his pocket to find his other mitten, realizing he's cold before his fingers start to fall off at least. high hopes is suddenly playing through his mind on a loop, well, the chorus anyway. and it makes him have to stifle a chuckle under his breath, not fully aware of his cold nose bumping her cheek. ]

That doesn't mean I can't like having you around while you're here.

[ he knows she'll leave eventually. it might be in the spring, it might be next week, it could be years from now. but she will and he accepts that. it's just who she is. ]

[ Better his nose than his beard, though part of her is glad he's still got it. Not for any practical reason. It gives her an idea of how strong her influence is on him, after months of relative separation and peace. Honestly, she used to hope he'd glom onto one of the other women here. Because she hasn't seen it doesn't mean he didn't make an effort. But Jess is strangely grateful for things as they are right now. She can keep a beat on them. Accounting for Frank and Kamala every day isn't as exhausting as she anticipated it would be. ]

So you still wanna sleep on the couch? [ She concentrates on unscrewing her bottle, set on top of her lap. He'll probably say yes or some inelegant equivalent to it so she's not really taking a risk by asking. Unless he takes it to mean or include sex, but she kept her tone as innuendo-free as she could. But then, it is Jess talking, so he might still assume that. That's good to take stock of too, she tells herself. It'll help get her back on the bitch wagon so they don't tumble into these cozy traps as much while the season wears on. ]

[ the truth is: he did try so she can't really fault him there. as usual, they're both undesirables and maybe it's better to keep those together. it's not like he's a good judge anymore, shivering once before setting his thigh against hers and warming up some again. logically, he knows if they just started walking again it wouldn't be so cold. but this reminds him of how things used to be in a way that doesn't make him itch for a change. maybe that's just the weed, but right now it doesn't suck. ]

Uh. [ inelegant is right, his brain stalling as he works through possible scenarios. he actually doesn't assume she means for sex, if only because kamala lives with them, but there's still a lot of baggage there. even if she used to be the only way he could sleep half the time once the mayor gig took over his life. ] Not really.

[ It merits thinking about and while he does that, Jess has a swig from her half-empty bottle. The two of them seat together doesn't remind her of anything, blissfully. She resented being his balm back in Reims because no one could ever be hers. She got what she could from him anyway. Here she doesn't need to use anyone like that yet sometimes she misses him. Still can't tell if it's really him she misses or just how, very occasionally, he could distract her from the pain of living, but the fact that none of her one night stands here have been repeats is sufficiently telling. Maybe she wouldn't obfuscate it this aggressively if he weren't here. If he got out, like Trish and Poe and Luke. All no doubt leading better lives, even that kooky one that thought he was from outer space. ]

Then don't. [ Just for tonight. Or play it by ear. Jess's expectation of a no hasn't gone anywhere and she's able to look him full in the face, his beard scraping her chin with the slight turn of her head. ]

open | we always are together

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