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

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

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...

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[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?

[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.]

Upstairs, DUH.

[She straightens up, and positions, crouching, gesturing him around to the back end of the... kind of spindly looking desk, to be honest. The surface was lacquered once, but now has pits and grooves melting here and there under a fresh coat of sealant immortalizing a sparkling purple and gold nail-polish name: 'rylie Luvs' (name scratched out with sharpie--possibly with s bit of help from an exacto blade, judging by the smooth line-dips under the fresh sealant.)

Underneath there are a number of bathroom-wall-meets-yearbook sentiments in sharpee that don't make much sense at all, in a variety of handwriting styles. Though 'rylie Luvs' with its little heart over the I is definitely the biggest bit of desktop, graffiti-style names seem to get practiced a lot around the edges and outer corners, half-overlapping with inside jokes and vapid encouragements, little pasted magazine glamour models pouting lipstick and fitted caps.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to get this wobbling thing in the front of the uhaul.
Two guesses who.

Rylie snaps her gum and crouches, both hands braced on the legs in front of her.]

On eight, okay?

[You are so not impressive. You'd better not drop her desk. She bounces briefly.]

five, six, seven, eight-

[UP goes her end as she pops back up into a standing position, arms braced.]

[Sky eyes the desk as he does his best to get a good grip on it. He already knows this is a dumb idea. Especially because of the stairs.

But he still braces himself to lift it. He manages that part just fine--at first anyway. It's not exactly an easy feat for someone who typically avoids strenuous activity.

Yeah. This is a stupid idea. But he follows her lead. At least until they reach the bottom of the stairs.]

Shit.
Hang on.

Oh God, what?
Don't you dare drop my desk.

[She huffs her bangs out of her eyes, and relents a little, eyeing him.
He is kind of straining...]

Is your grip, like, slipping or something?
Wanna put it down and adjust?

[She is kind of genuinely checking on you. Seeing as you're the kind of person who's more a flier than a base. Top of the pyramid type.]

If I don't, we're definitely going to lose it on the stairs.
This thing weighs a ton.

[Granted, he might potentially lose it on the stairs even with a readjustment. He's going to start lowering it now though. Eyeing those stairs. It just had to be the second floor, right?]

[Sigh.]

Whatever.

[Cue bonding sass walk for a few steps before hollering at Grace.]

Hey! Earth to the grown-ups! Quit flirting and help us!

[Headwhip back to Sky, adding in a more normal and less bossy voice, still slightly scowling.]

Hang on, what's your name again?

It's Sky.
And good luck getting my aunt to do anything.
We'll probably have to wait for my cousin to get his ass down here.

[He had been planning to bail once Hunter showed up. But that was before he actually got outside and saw who the new neighbor was. He is not yet convinced Kai isn't a potential pervert creeper or something.]

[He controls himself, and doesn't comment the way he'd like on, 'work them til they drop,' and just keeps smiling.]

I'm not sure either of us is far gone enough from our teenaged years to forget all those choice memories of forced labor.

[He says it fondly, though, and with pointed good humor.]

Besides, I have to take your word that they'll still be cute when they're dropped. I might hesitate. Or waver.
I do that sometimes.

[Yes, yes, support me while I swoon, cute neighbor lady who gets all the boys do do things for her just like he thinks his sister does. ~~No, Kai, that's totally the wrong idea.~~]

I know my fierce hoodlum countenance might be giving the wrong impression, buts really I'm quite... gentle. Dare I say, 'fuzzy', even?

[Also the kind of guy who makes movie references and tries to get people to beat him up like he's a normal guy still. But you don't need to know that.

Look instead and see how charmingly beat-up your soft-spoken new neighbor is with his big smile and his harmless de-sexualized Asian countenance. Smile back, cute neighbor lady. Come on....smiiiiile?

He's too busy bantering to remember he's still damaged goods.

Look at this sweet teddy bear face dealt a hard blow in life. Just look, lady-lady. See the smile? See that instead of the black eye and beat up jacket in the summer.]

[Grace is bemused. Kai gets a smirk and a quirked eyebrow at that comment about not being too far from teenage years. She's already noticed a lot. The bruised eye, the jacket in summer. The way one sleeve drapes differently than the other. The absence of parents anywhere in sight. She knows better by now than to ask questions so she pretends she hasn't noticed any of these things.]

They'll have to get used to it now.
Won't be long before they have actual jobs and all that.
They grow up so fast.
Plus, in Sky's case, anything that means he isn't opening his mouth automatically adds cute points.
Not that I don't think it's adorable when he curses like a sailor, but not everyone thinks a fowl mouth on a kid is cute like I do.

[She was a foul mouthed kid once. Now she's a slightly less foul mouthed adult. Only slightly.]

You and your sister set for dinner tonight?
Moving days are a bitch when it comes to meals.

[Look at her, all concerned and neighborly. Worrying about the new kids in the neighborhood. This is how you make friends who might invite you to dinner later. Or help out in other ways.]

Edited 2014-07-29 11:12 (UTC)

[That gets a pause, then a shrug and a carefully worded reply of]

I object to the indiscriminate state of an undetermined origin mouth far less than I object to a young white man with an inability to parse a Fight Club reference when he hears it.

[Seriously, Sky.
You're a disappointment as a man.

He does turn a flat, blank face to you at the mention of dinner.]

Ah...
Cereal with beef jerky is an inappropriate choice for a growing young woman?

Yeah?
Fight Club's one of those all young men should see.
And young women.
But I'm biased because I like movies where people beat the shit out of each other.

[Grace loves violent movies.]

Depends who you ask.
I had a couple of meals like that when I moved out.
And a lot of instant meals. Mostly burned.
Things out of cans.
Sometimes I had cookies for dinner because fuck, why not, right?

[Grace should not be asked about proper eating.]

[This is about the point when Hunter finally arrives, parking his car a little ways away and then jogging over to his aunt.]

Hey, so you have new neighbors?
It's been a while since someone new moved in, right?

[Then he realizes he knows the guy she's talking to. He looks from Kai to the uhaul.]

Oh.
Hey.
So you moved in after all?

Edited 2014-07-31 03:41 (UTC)

I can't think of very many people who wouldn't allow themselves to be beat up by Brad Pitt.

Cookies. There's an idea...

[He seems to be thinking this over as Hunter bounds up and asks Grace about the move. When addressed, Kai blinks, looks up, and brightens up immediately, completely forgetting that he looks a lot more beat up and homeless than he originally did. Which is possibly saying something.]

Oh. Hey. Awesome. Yeah.

[Hand out, while asking Grace,]

I didn't know he was one of yours.
Hunter, was it?

I wouldn't be moving in on the backs of sweating teenagers today without this guy's help-

[Wait. No. Car. Trails off, and you swear his eyes dilate in front of you.

My God, that's a beautiful car.]

Oh good.
You already know each other.
That makes everything so much easier.
Hunter, I hope you're ready to do some heavy lifting.
I volunteered you and Sky to help move Kai and his cute sister in.

[She grabs Hunter and pulls him to her side with a grin. She's so pleased. She knew she could count on him to make a good impression on new neighbors. All is going well.]

You could have asked first...

[But he doesn't make a fuss about it. Arguing with Grace was kind of pointless. And anyway, he doesn't mind. Kai had seemed like a pretty nice guy.

He notices where Kai's gaze is after a second. He's kind of pleased whenever he catches someone eyeing up his car. Though also maybe a little embarrassed too.]

Ah...
Right.
That's Boris.
I could introduce you all properly and stuff once you're moved in, if you want?

[He catches himself again, and pretends to cringe.]

With my hair a mess? What kind of first impression would that be?
It'd make me cry to have a beautiful car like that laugh at me.

[But then he smiles and squints, shielding his eyes so he can get a good look.]

What is it? A dodge?
Looks a little like the old style viper with the V10 from here, but with custom paint.
You're on first name terms with a viper? That's pretty hardcore, bro.

[And he gets that dreamy look of a boy who used to sneak car magazines into the bathroom with him.
What he wouldn't give for two hands and a go in your car around some corners.
Ughhhhhhhh.]

A dodge copperhead. 1997.
Sort of a toned down version of the viper?
The orange color is sort of it's trademark feature?
Copper fire orange.

[Hunter loves his car. His father didn't really seem to know or understand the things he liked, but the car had been one thing the man had gotten right. It made the car all the more important--a feeling like maybe his dad was trying to understand him. Sure, it came with a stipulation that he'd have to get into sports, but that had all worked out fine.

He wants it to mean something, no matter what he'd tell other people. He wants it to be a sign that his dad is paying attention.

Maybe it was just a fluke. He'd rather it not be.]

Ah.
Sorry.
I came over to help you move stuff.
I should get on that...
Is Sky already taking stuff up?

[Grace looses her hold on Hunter, bored with car talk. She's thinking of just heading back up to her apartment. Go get some drinks. Play the part of the good neighbor who doesn't want her nephews and the cute neighbor girl collapsing under the strain of moving things.

That's when she hears the calling out.]

Hear that boys?
Enough flirting with the car.
Sky was helping the sister move a desk.
Ten bucks says she wants you to come lift it off his scrawny ass, Hunter.

Aunt Grace...

[Hunter just gives her a look for that joke.]

I'll go see what they need help with then.
Introductions to Boris will just have to wait.

[He turns and takes off to where Rylie and Sky are.]

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

[3/4]

[4/4]

Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

Re: Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

Re: Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

Re: Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

Re: Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

Re: Whatever, Sky, you're coming with me for a bit...

[Kai and Grace---watching the others]

Re: [Kai and Grace---watching the others] (Hunter might pop in next round)

[Kai and Grace---watching the others] (aiiiiie yussss Hunter.)

[1/2] [Kai and Grace---watching the others]

[2/2] [Kai and Grace now with Instant!Hunter---watching the others]

Kai, Grace, Hunter--- by the truck, supervising

[1/2] Kai, Grace, Hunter--- by the truck, supervising

[2/2] Kai, Grace, Hunter--- by the truck, supervising

Re: [2/2] Kai, Grace, Hunter--- by the truck, supervising

1/2 Kai, Grace, Hunter | And then I guess we'll just connect this back into the other thread here..?

2/3 Kai, Grace, Hunter | And then I guess we'll just connect this back into the other thread here..?

3/3 Kai, Grace, Hunter | And then I guess we'll just connect this back into the other thread here..?