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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 26, 2021 14:41:21 GMT -8
The Hollow was under way, and in the meantime, Ivory had offered lodgings at her private abode. Her house was getting a little busy after Anthony had suddenly moved back in before the end of Winter Break. His room was just as he had left it, just as his guardian had promised, keeping her general company when she was healing from the Christmas Incident. He was on his phone more often, though her prompts for him to go out like he had been during the fall fell on deaf ears. He very rarely left the house, though the size prevented them from bumping into each other too much.
Largely guided by simply knowing the house's layout in the dark, the last thing he expected was the athletic figure to manifest in the kitchen in the early AM.
Sure, he had seen her around, largely assuming she was one of Abigail's myriad of friends that coasted in and out on occasion. The yelp escaped before his pride could cork it, jumping back from the threshold like a startled cat before his face flushed.
Really?
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 26, 2021 15:16:00 GMT -8
Digging ditches outside of residential areas was the kind of work that got did early in the morning, before the sun cooked the workers too bad. Shorts and a UNLV t-shirt. Messy up-do, out of the way for eating. Coffee, steaming and strong. This was what Anthony had wandered in on. She had heard him coming, so there was no gasp of confusion, which instantly made her sixty to seventy percent cooler than he was. Not a great starting point. The right play was to not make a big deal out of it.
"Morning!"
She cocked her head toward the still-piping French press.
"You want coffee? I can't promise it's good, but it will absolutely wake you up."
Hopefully, Ivory had prepped this kid.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 26, 2021 15:31:38 GMT -8
Anthony coughed into his fist, like it made a difference for the outburst. It make him feel better, at least. They had never had someone here over night; not even when dad was around. Someone going through their fridge caused a weird sense of boundaries being crossed, like she should have asked permission first. However, he had no clue what she was offered, and the complete casual comfort she radiated told him she was one of Abigail's girlfriends.
Okay, fine, he was eighteen and going to be mature about this. Face still red, he walked to the coffee a little too quickly. "Awesome. Thanks," he offered mildly.
Did his voice seriously crack? What was the problem — she wasn't even his mother.
Flashes of him breaking in that kid's teeth in high school danced behind his eyes, as he stared at the black liquid he poured into the mug.
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 26, 2021 15:40:27 GMT -8
As he poured the drink and his voice cracked, she tuned in on the cues visible to her to see what was going on. "I'm Kai. The new tenant...?" She gestured in the general direction of the room that she was renting from Ivory. If she hadn't prepped her kid, well, that was going to be some awkward shit that Ivory was going to have to deal with later that was decidedly in the realm of Mother-Son Discussions. She didn't decide to play cards like oh, your mom has told me so much about you or anything like that. Ultimately, that was just weird and infantile. He was an adult.
A tiny adult.
A tiny adult who happened to matter a lot to the Spring Courtier whose house she lived in.
A tiny adult whose life Ivory wanted her to protect.
But an adult nonetheless, and that meant he got a Normal People Introduction and could take it as he would. She added poorly-cooked bacon to her face and sipped at the coffee. Maybe Ivory could use her rent to pay for a personal chef.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 26, 2021 15:53:52 GMT -8
Anthony was decidedly uncomfortable, but at a range that wasn't normal to a chance encounter. It also wasn't directed at Kai; she was more just the set piece to his growing anxiety.
Her very-normal-response caused a flicker of confusion, turning his head has if he misheard. "I'm so- huh?" he tracked where she was gesturing. He sipped the coffee and flinched, forgetting to add any sort of sweetener to the tar in his throat. "Tenant. Cool. I'm Tony...from upstairs."
Now was where he should go. He didn't feel like grilling her; it really wasn't her problem at all. His throat clenched, "Was there an ad on the internet or...? Are you friends?"
The way he said friends, with her level of empathy, had a casual implication. That was just it though, casual. He didn't assume she was anything special or moving in to pretend to be Mom #2
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 26, 2021 21:01:38 GMT -8
"Nice to meet you, man. We're friends. Hit it off at a social a while back, and she's been really cool about helping me get to know my way around town. I figured if she was going to offer a rental space, I'd be an idiot to keep living alone. I'm new to town." She flashed a casual grin. "Abigail's about to learn what a real workout looks like. You want to join?"
Watching Abby sweat her posh ass off would probably be pretty entertaining to both of them.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 26, 2021 23:04:55 GMT -8
"Oh, you're a...trainer? Coach of some kind?"
The woman was jacked, for above and beyond the norm. She looked like she could participate in top level competition. The opposite of Evelyn, really, with the way she carried herself. Still feminine, though — he wasn't really sure why he was making these comparisons. "I didn't know she was wanting to rent out a room. Cool that it was a friend." Probably lonely.
He felt a pang of guilt for leaving in the first place. She did that — put everyone before herself. But in this case it was the right, decision, right? They had worked that out with a therapist after Arthur's sudden death. Still, his guts twisted.
He was saying 'cool' and 'awesome' a lot.
"I'm actually not feeling well this morning, but thanks. Um-"
You're not a hardcore partier, are you?
He blinked away a tear, surprised and mortified.
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 26, 2021 23:38:03 GMT -8
The details didn't matter. She didn't engage the other questions, the minutia that meant nothing. This was about feelings, about difficult times after the death of a father, about a very complicated world for a young man to find himself in.
"Listen, man. I'm a pretty good read of people, so I'm going to float this to you knowing full well I'm a complete stranger and that you rightfully will take it with a grain of salt."
She gently placed the mug down on the counter. Apparently, the kid had no idea, so she did the only thing that made any sense.
"I've known Abigail long enough to know one thing above all else: you're everything to her. This is your home. She is your person. Family is everything. So, if at any time you want me out of your home, you just say the word. No guilt, no questions asked, I'll honor it. You've got my word."
Maybe he'd fire it off and send her packing, but that was a small price to pay to give someone a bit of their power back.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 26, 2021 23:54:47 GMT -8
"Thanks."
His breathing was shallow, and the coffee was forgotten as he stared at the wall. He didn't want to kick her out. He didn't even know if he wanted to be there, anymore, but the circular argument was flying through his mind. Leave — hurt her, make her feel guilty; Stay — she needed him, things were scary right now; Stay — enable this bullshit; Leave — Evelyn wins and Abigail sinks. Kick this lady out — feel like a dick and disappoint Abigail, while she smiles sadly and says it's his right. Let this lady stay — enable this bullshit. Leave — enable this bullshit. Kick this lady out — let Abigail preen and think she's such a good parent for sacrificing her happiness for him.
He burped a bit as bile and acid filled his mouth.
"'Scuse me. Um. Cool. Do you know Evelyn?"
What kind of question was that?
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 27, 2021 0:02:06 GMT -8
If she noticed the vomiting in his mouth, Kai didn't let it on. She just took another sip of the coffee. "Evelyn? Not really. I met her once, briefly." She seemed open to further discussion about it if he wanted, but she wasn't going to pry. Ball was in his court.
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 27, 2021 0:02:58 GMT -8
"Yeah? Was it a party?" his tone was almost indifferent at this point.
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 27, 2021 0:10:27 GMT -8
"It was. The first I went to when I moved into town. Seemed... all right."
The snake's minion wasn't high up in Kai's estimation. A beat passed.
"I think you two are due for a chat."
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 27, 2021 0:12:21 GMT -8
Anthony's shoulders sagged, "Sorry. I didn't mean to make this weird."
Were there drugs? How drunk was Abigail? Were a bunch of people fucking?
He didn't move from his spot, silent and in his head.
Fuck it.
Whatever.
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Post by Kai Rose on Feb 27, 2021 0:18:17 GMT -8
"It's okay. You didn't."
Ivory had by not talking to him first. This wasn't on him. She sighed, her lips tightening. The situation was shitty, but it was totally someone else's business. All she could do was demonstrate her character.
"You're good, man. I know it's first thing in the morning, but if you ever want to get to know me or ask me anything, I'll be around."
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Post by Anthony Cartwright on Feb 27, 2021 0:25:01 GMT -8
"I'm kind of asking now," he said firmly, jaw setting. He still wasn't looking at her, but the frustration of her deflecting to talk to Abigail then saying she was here when he needed her really rubbed him the wrong way. Sure, she was just being nice. That's all she really could do.
But he wasn't dumb. She knew some shit.
"You're all part of this same party circle. You're not some rich lady looking to network, apparently. Or a swinger- I don't care, by the way. It's not like that," he rambled, "I'm- why are you here? Actually?"
The question was desperate.
"Like, I know what Abigail's going to say. I'm really not in the headspace to make her upset while she tries to give the the nicest answer she can think of. Do you know she almost died recently?"
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