In which a man and his sister move in [HANDOUTS+CHINAGRETEL]

[handouts]

Creaaak- EXHAUST. And with that, a dim diesel rumble. A moving truck sits in front of one of the empty complex rooms, and at the wheel of the little uhaul, Kai slumps.

God, he shouldn't be this tired from driving thirty minutes down the road with just his off hand in front of his sister. She probably already wants to kill him for how useless his injuries are making him. Absolutely no lifting, says the nice doctor. Not that he didn't try anyway, and bend double for breath, holding his ribs.

The blond girl next to him seems to be pointedly ignoring him, texting away on a cell phone paid out to the end of the month.
This hasn't been the best month for Rylie either, naturally, but when a fourteen-year-old girl has to call on a posse of would-be-boyfriends and buddies after the estate sale, and pack up the majority of odds and ends herself you know you're in sad shape.

He'd swear there's transparent evasion in all those friends suddenly being too busy to help her move in. Rylie does NOT approve of their new place, does not approve of having people realize she's suddenly not in such good shape financially. She's not even officially guardian'd up yet, with all the paperwork and shit.

Enormity sits like a weight on Kai's shoulders, but he straightens up and forces an eyebrow waggle--the kind Rylie always hated.

He is so bad at being their dad.

God, how are they going to get this to the second floor?
Fortunately, he's got resting bitchface to hide that.

They didn't even sing stupid songs on the way over.
Does she still do that? The last time they really spent more than a chance weekend in the same space, his sister was twelve. Now she's a bleach-blonde and a cheerleader.
She's a total stranger, and he's not the artsy older brother with bad taste anymore.

What the Hell are they going to do?

"Ready to move in?"

She ignores him, texting away with her thumbs, booted feet scrunched up on the edge of the seat, hunching her in.

Kai reaches out, and taps her knee, "Hey-"

"get off. i got it." Rylie snaps, clicking her gum at him, with a knock of her knee, stowing the phone and wrenching open the door with a twist.

She slams it after her, and Kai can't help but cringe a little on the inside.

He slides out of the cab after her, wondering if maybe he can fudge carrying in their winter coats or some blankets or something, wondering when he's supposed to get used to actually being less useful than a normal human being, and if he'll have enough rent to avoid getting evicted in two months.

Must be nice to still be a teenager...

Comments

A wild Grace appears! *Cue pokemon battle music*

[miniskirtsandcombatboots]

Grace makes it her business to know what's going on around the complex. Who's moving in. Who's moving out. She likes to know who her neighbors are. Mostly to see who she can count on to wrangle some freebies out of on occasion. Meals, usually. She can't cook. Dell can't cook. Sky was only really good for basic meals. And there was only so much she could put up with her sister's husband, oh so unaffectionately nicknamed 'King Kong' so dinners at her place were typically out.

But hey, you never knew when it could come in handy to be on friendly terms with the neighbors. People could be so useful. She grabs Sky's arm on the way through the living room.

"Come on. Text Hunter and get him to come over. We're going to go play nice with the new neighbors. He'll be more useful than you on that front."

She hauls him, complaining all the way, out to greet the newcomers with a grin.

"Hey there! Welcome to the complex!"

She pointedly ignored Sky's whispering curses under his breath, pulling him against her side so he doesn't scamper away somewhere. Grin and wave. Grin and wave.

[1/2] In which kai notices a wild blonde and a young troll victim

[handouts]

[What's this?
Some hot blonde woman is tugging a very familiar blue-haired person towards their truck?

Never mind, he's not feeling down at all, now.
The swelling in his nose is down, and the black eye has turned to a very respectable green. It still hurts as his eyes crinkle up at the corners.]

Ah. Yes. Hello.
We're the new neighbors.

Kai-Li.

[Only hand goes out. Head gesture at the skulking blonde girl with the heavy eye makeup who comes out of the back of the Uhaul carrying a suitcase in each hand and another across her arms.]

And this is my sister Rylie.

[2/2] In which unimpressed teenager is unimpressed.

[chinagretel]

[Rylie stops long enough to look Sky up and down before ever so slightly sneering.

Skinny guy is so not her type, and this is not her best day ever.

In her head-script the team of shirtless hunky firefighters next door would be coming out right about now to carry her bags for her. Not this miniskirt-lady her brother's already giving the eye to, and her rebellious teeanaged son or whatever that Kai's sure to try to steamroller her into being friends with.
Her pocket's already buzzing and she's hoping it's Trish or Matt or any number of the other friends she's leaving behind in the rough life a person has before they can drive out to see their friends whenever they like.]

Yeah hi.
Aaaaand bye.

[Heel spin.
Hell to the no.

That blue creepy skinny guy had better not be checking out her ass.]

[

1/2 In which auntie is going to grin and force her nephews into manual labor for the lols (And food)

[miniskirtsandcombatboots]

Grace Pikes.

[Grace squeezes Sky tighter and holds her free hands out for a shake to Kai. Where are you trying to escape to, nephew? She needs you to earn your keep around there by helping her woo neighbors!]

And this little brat is my nephew, Sky. We just thought we'd come down to say hi and see if you needed any help getting settled in. He doesn't look like much, but he would be happy to help carry boxes. Right, Sky?

2/2 And Sky just wants to not be neighbors with the guy who picked a fight with him

[not_your_baby_doll]

Shit.

[It's the kind of creepy guy who wouldn't back off until Sky hit him. This is so not what he wants or needs. He tries to squirm free of Grace's hold, but she's kind of like a dog with a bone and he already knows it's kind of hopeless.]

Who's helping carry boxes? Don't volunteer me for things!

[He glances from Rylie to Kai. The second of whom he glares at.]

[1/4?]

[handouts]

[Kai returns that glare with a big, broad smile. Enjoy your handiwork, Sky?]

Oh? He's come to help?
How nice.
I'm not supposed to be doing lifting still, while my broken ribs heal.

[Catch that, Sky? Because he's not breaking eye contact with you even to look at the cute blonde who brought you.]

I was starting to feel like my dear sweet sister might start to hate me by the end of this.

[2/4]

[chinagretel]

TRISH=BFF 4EVA
but r u still comin 2 school wit us?

[She's texting back an "IDK :(" in the stairwell, and comes back outside in time to hear 'dear sweet sister' in that pointed tone where Kai's laughing like Hell at someone on the inside.

That gets her looking up from her texting.]

Wait, what?
What did I do now?

[So done with your shit, big brother.]

[3/4]

[handouts]

[He cranes his neck around to look.]

On a scale of one to hoping I crash into the sun, how close are you to hating me for everything right now?

[4/4]

[chinagretel]

[You are getting the WHAT, REALLY look only teenagers can really perfect. She snaps her gum and pushes the hair out of her face, hand on one hip.

Like she wants to wish anyone crashing into anything.
She doesn't want to cry and punch at him in front of a bunch of strangers, though, and he probably knows it.]

You're a complete and total piece of space-case shit.
And you've been sizzling on the surface of the sun, like, forever, because you're a moron.

[And for good measure, she levels a scowl at the audience of people she knows Kai's acting for before ducking back into the uhaul and starting to drag a desk out, legs screeching all the way.

Well there you have it.]

[1/4]

[not_your_baby_doll]

[He doesn't drop his gaze, continuing to glare back. Is he supposed to feel sorry for what he did? He refuses. He didn't ask for some guy to come up and start screaming for him to throw a punch. He didn't want to fight anyone.

He won't feel sorry. He won't.

And then Kai is looking away first--at the girl. Riley, Kai had said? She's probably about his sister's age, if he had to guess. But the way she interacts with Kai seems totally flipped. With his own sister, he'd been the one snapping, telling her she was a stupid crybaby usually. Then she would actually cry. No. Faith was a crybaby. This girl's totally different.]

[2/4]

[miniskirtsandcombatboots]

Teenagers. They're always moody about something.

[Grace grins and nods knowingly before she shoves Sky towards the uhaul.]

C'mon, shrimp, make yourself useful and go help the cute little sister move that desk.

[3/4]

[not_your_baby_doll]

[Sky stumbles a bit, whirling to glare at her. He flips her off with a sneer, but he does move to grab the other end of the desk.

Did it have to be a desk first? Really? Couldn't it be something smaller? Or couldn't Grace do it? They both knew she could lift more than he could. But why would she ever lift a finger when she could get someone else to do it for her?

He knows better than to open his mouth though. He doesn't really want to be wrestled to the ground in a choke hold today.]

Where are we taking it?

[4/4]

[miniskirtsandcombatboots]

[She gives Sky a thumbs up in response.]

They're so cute at that age.

[Back to Kai.]

I have another one coming over to help out so don't worry.
He's not as much of a whiny bitch as Sky.
And doesn't look like a strong breeze could carry him away.
It's good for teenage boys to get this kind of exercise so feel free to work them until they drop.

[Clearly she is the best aunt with that kind of mindset.]

/tosses Neil in post!move in

[best_guard_dog]

[Neil made regular stops at the complex building in his neighborhood. Most of his friends lived there. Including his lifelong best friend and crush, Izumi. Whom he'd been dropping in on today. But apparently, Izumi still didn't appreciate being serenaded while he was trying to study for upcoming tests and had kicked him out after the second song.

He made a stop at the Walker household but Devin was out on a date, Erin was probably over at Lucas' place and Poncio had a late shift at the cafe. Still too early to go by the cafe and wait to walk Poncio home, so he's taking a walk around the place and weighing his options. That's when he spots someone he recognizes from the random tea party a while back. He raises a hand in greeting.]

Hey, Captain Hook. You never call. You never write. You never text me hearts. I thought we had something special.

[Greeting status: nailed it.]

/Catches wandering Neil and adopts him

[handouts]

[He's sitting at the bottom of the stairwell trying to smoke a clove cigarette and not feel two inches tall after another hysterical screaming-shoving fit by his sister, about how he's being a fakeity fake faker who ruins everything. This followed a fit about how none of her friends live around here and he clearly wants her to be a lonely weird freak like him.

He knows she's upset. He knows she's had a bad day, and probably just can't take losing more than she has.

But it would be a whole lot easier if she didn't so obviously believe everything she yelled, with the wounded tones of fresh discovery.

So he's sitting back, wondering what the point of it all is, while thinking various quiet iterations of 'fuck me'.

He never claimed to be a good influence.
He was trying, though.

Whatever, maybe it's just not something he can do.

He's on clove number two, thinking about stubbing it carefully into the back of his hand, when he remembers that hand's gone missing. No fake Tyler Durden kiss for him, anymore.

This just seems still more depressing after all the careful nights picking the right people to add to the shape of the lips he'd been making there, as symbolic as any tattoo, and as personal an homage, taut behind his palm, throbbing in an almost post-coital way as it healed and he drew, week after week, dom after dome, explaining his intentions and asking them to be a part of it... building up memories into something you could look at.

Ah. Well. Fuck my life. He's too tired even to feel rancor over it anymore.

He's just drifting off and absently wondering if the residents will think he's a homeless guy when Neil notices him.

He straightens up immediately at 'Captain Hook', and for a moment is just so...grateful he can't find words.

Then he catches himself and breaks into a wide, genuine grin.]

Neil?
It's... Neil, right? Corey Taylor? Princess Jasmine? Something about Princess Bride?

I'll be damned.

[He stands fast, fumbling to smooth himself down, and fumble his fake cigarette away, hand outstretched to the blank-faced guy who hugs strangers at parties.

It's the fumbling that gives away just how glad he is to see you right now. The rest of him is still quiet, almost mumbling, not sure if hugging is a thing right now or that's a misread. He'd like to hug you, anyway, but hangs back, because, you know, that might be weird.]

Shit, man, what're you doing here?

/rolls into your family like "Yo. 'Sup? You can't give me back now, you know."

[best_guard_dog]

Visiting a friend.
Trying to help him study.

[He turns and points back the way he'd come from. At a window that's too far off to make out much other than the light is on.]

Clearly my gorgeous flaxen hair and caramel complexion was too distracting for him.
He kicked me out so I'm just walking and killing time until I have to go pick up my cousin from work.

So does this mean you moved in?
Or are you prone to hanging out on other people's stoops?
Cuz that's cool too and all.

[He grabs that hand, having just noticed it and then it's in for the bro hugs. Eventually Kai will realize Neil kind of thrives on weird.]

"This is like the beginning of one of those porn movies with the boy who's a pet."

[handouts]

[Eventually, Neil, you will realize that Kai thrives on the unabashed acceptance that comes with the non-militant weirdness.
Mind you, he's seen plenty of people in art school too concerned with their own individualism to be themselves. He doesn't get that vibe from a guy who hugs strangers at parties with no audience around.

He stands there and hooks his bad arm as well as he can around Neil's back, craning to try to locate the pointed out window.]

You flew up and offered to show him the world and he turned you down? Harsh.

[He says it with complete mildness, though.
Whenever you want to stop hugging is fine by him. He's not going to rush it. His eyes shutter open and closed a perfect little snapshot of the window.]

I was just getting ready to take the uhaul back.
We're not quite moved in yet. Though, one of the neighbors is a blonde fox with an army of teenagers at her beck and call, so it's been productive.

"I'll bark for you. But I won't call you 'Master'. Someone already has that title."

[best_guard_dog]

Izumi's a special kind of prince.
All locked away in his tower telling the princesses on their flying carpets to go away because he's too busy to be rescued.

[He's not at all troubled. This was how their friendship worked. He likes the shouting and the energy. And the way Izumi will shove half-written lyrics into his hands after he's taken his test and calmed down. When he starts to feel bad about snapping. Grumbling about how they're no good and how Neil has to come up with the music to go with it himself.

Warning him not to show anyone.

In a couple of days, Neil might have a new song to work on. Something that's just theirs, at least for as long as Izumi continues to write mostly in secrecy. Neil can't complain.]

A blonde with an army of teenagers, huh?
Was her name Alyssa?

[That was the first person who came to mind anyway. He didn't live in the complex, but a lot of his friends did so he'd been coming around since he was a kid, hanging out and getting to know everyone. He can't think of any other blondes with armies of teenagers--not off the top of his head anyway.]

"I'm not sure I'm ready for this kind of responsibility."

[handouts]

That sounds like a Ken doll.
A nerdy one.

[Or like his sister during finals week, only minus the tears and hysterics.]

'Grace' I think she said.
With a miniskirt. And dimples.
There was also talk of dinner.
No word yet on whether she's amazing.

[Matter of factly in a kind of 'but I'll let you know if I get a chance at it' kind of way.]

"I can feed myself? And I'm house trained."

[best_guard_dog]

Nah.
Ken's all perfect and plastic.
Izumi's an angry derp who likes to scream a lot.
But he's sort of a nerd, yeah.
A cute one.
I'll introduce you sometime, when he isn't throwing text books across the room.

[Wait. Now he knows who Kai's talking about.]

Ah right.
The woman who passes out condoms to all the teenagers on Halloween.
And who sometimes chucks interestingly shaped goodies through windows.
She's pretty cool.

"It's the de-worming and de-clawing expenses that have me worried."

[handouts]

Screaming nerds are the best.

[Like that completely fine Haitian guy that one time. Until they turn out straight. Yyyyck.

He does brighten thoughtfully after, though.

Yeah?
That's encouragingly suggestive of being down for it.

"I'm a dog. No de-clawing necessary."

[best_guard_dog]

[Neil shrugs.]

Wouldn't know.
Never asked.
It probably can't hurt to hit on her and find out.
Godspeed, my friend..

[Neil isn't going to question an interest in someone probably old enough to have kids roughly their age. He'll just root him on from the sidelines. Also he's finally backing out of that long-held hug.]

So how long is the uhaul drive going to be?
Maybe I'll come with.
Ease your loneliness as you pretend to be a trucker.
I can be the hitchhiker.
Or we can switch.
If that's more your thing.

"Claims the man who has never owned a wooden floor. As the aspca frowns on animal bondage."

[handouts]

Hitting is something I prefer to negotiate on.
Preferences are fine and all, but I have trouble bringing myself to hit a woman. Even when asked.

[If she wants to hit him on the other hand...
She looks like the kind of lady who might not balk at that.
Or who might have some other ideas.

A little further down the road, maybe. It'd be rude to ask the day he's met her after all. And no hard feelings if she isn't interested. It happens.]

Ah- Don't think less of me. She seems cool.
I like to keep the process of lending sugar to neighbors uncomplicated and pleasant for the long term.
Or, at the least, I might wait until I heal up and can start accessorizing this.

[Stump raise.

He eyes the uhaul.]

...If you've got an hour to kill, I think I'd like that.
S'cool if you don't. Or if you want to take that back after uncomfortable conversation about fine neighbors.

"All of my floors are wooden. Carpet would never survive."

[best_guard_dog]

There are a lot of fine neighbors around.
Once you've met a bunch of them you'll see.
Eye candy everywhere.
I would be more surprised if you didn't notice.

[Granted, Neil thinks most people are attractive in one way or another. It probably comes from having an artist mom who sees the beauty in everything, even when no one else does. Even in dark, seemingly twisted and ugly things.

He didn't quite see what she saw. But he's always made sure to look closer, like she told him.

Finding someone attractive and being attracted were two different things, of course. But Neil likes to look. No harm in that.]

Anyway, I do have about an hour.
Let's kill it together.
And then we'll find a creative way to dispose of it.

[1/2] "...And with that, you may have convinced me you're an outdoor pet."

[handouts]

[His mouth quirks a little, not making eye contact, still looking at the room with the light on, something unsettled and frustrated in the pit of his stomach.

There'll be pictures to hang up in the house--another impossibility without two hands right there. Hammering nails isn't going to happen any time soon, and Rylie will make her own room up without worrying for a moment about his, or what his eyes need.]

The cravings of my eyes are the least of my concerns right now.

[Hospitals and doctors notes are killing his style right now. He can't remember the last time he went this long past the age of twelve, when he was still a short-haired, snub-nosed little nerd who was trying to take out his frustrations in drawing the tendons in the arms of the young couple sneaking hand-holding when they should have been working on the still life project.

His nostrils flare and he grips at Neil's wrist suddenly, waggling his eyebrows.]

Hey kid, I've got candy in my shady moving van-