i packed up the car and started to drive

[gevurah]

WHO: DAMIAN and KATE
WHERE: outside Helena's place
WHEN: backdated to last week
WARNINGS: tba
SUMMARY: two people who don't really like each other sad about Helena.
FORMAT: tagger's choice


[ It's difficult to convey in words, but Kate feels as if Mannheim resurrected from the ashes of the burned down building back in Gotham, found his way into this universe and then stabbed her in the chest with fervent determination once more before carving open her cavity and leaving her there exposed. Oddly, it doesn't hurt yet; it's a terrible empty hole she feels sitting in her chest.

The drive to Helena's place is difficult and maybe pointless. Seeing the amount of money deposited into her account and when questioning when and where it came from before receiving confirmation it was Helena's generosity told Kate enough.

But she drives down anyway, parks the motorcycle and takes the quick hike up the building and sees flyers and newspapers piling up. Some are damp and others wrapped in plastic and elastic, but there's no mistake to the trained eye: they've been sitting here for some days untouched.

The hole seems to stretch now, engulfing her in a cold numbness she can't fight. ]

Comments

[suchaprince]

[People come and go—it's supposed to be par for the course here, and Damian was fine with that. Really, he couldn't wait until he got to leave, and there was no one here whose presence really mattered to him... or at least, that's what he thought. He couldn't really explain why the possibility of someone leaving actually made him feel weird this time. It's an icky, complicated feeling he isn't used to and it's better to concern himself with more important matters. You know, the kind that actually make sense.

It doesn't surprise him to see the motorcycle parked outside. He could even already guess who it would be before he makes it up to the penthouse. It's a little troublesome, but it wasn't like they didn't both have business here, so it was fine. Nothing awkward about it at all.

When he catches up to Kate, he doesn't shove his way past her or anything like that. He's patient (or, well, as patient as he can possibly be). He doesn't offer a greeting or anything like that, either, but he certainly makes his presence known:]

I'm just here to check on the cat.

[Ah, yes, that seems completely legit.]

[gevurah]

[ No doubt Kate doesn't believe his justification for being at his alternate universe sister's place, however; she's not about to press his buttons, as much as the boy can press hers.

She looks him over quickly before her eyes flick back to the sturdy door before her. There's a desperate part of her that hopes that door will unlock and swing wide open, revealing Helena's face on the other side. ]

Do you have a key?

[suchaprince]

No. [He shakes his head once. He never needed one, after all.] But I doubt that will be a problem.

[He takes her question to mean that she doesn't have one, either, so he steps forward, more than content to deal with the locks himself.

...well, sort of. It was a weird thing to have to do. He never felt like he had to sneak around or do things like this with Helena, so it was actually weirder than he'd admit.]

[gevurah]

[ As Damian isn't aware of her other identity yet (as far as she knows), she lets him deal with the lock instead. ]

Are you going to take her cat?

[suchaprince]

I already have two. [And a dog. And while he wouldn't really mind another pet, there were probably others who deserved that chance more. He didn't know her half as long or as well as other people did.] You can have her, if you want.

[And— there. There's a clicking sound and he reaches out to open the door.]

[gevurah]

We have a dog, so I'm not sure how that will go over.

[ She could probably take her in for a bit, but if the dog and cat don't get along she'll have to re-home it.

She waits for him to enter first before following closely, her heart skipping a beat as she makes her way through the doorway. ]

Did she have anything else she needed to be sorted out?

[suchaprince]

Hm. [It's a thoughtful sound that he makes as he moves to shut the door behind her.] If you can't find anywhere, let me know.

[Amiga was already used to his animals, so it wouldn't be a problem, but he was sure there would be somewhere for her.]

Besides the company? I'm not sure.

[gevurah]

[ Damian being a cat person is never not a tad bit funny to her, although she doesn't say anything. She doesn't want this kid trying to stab or punch her in Helena's home.

Instead, as her eyes fall on Damian, she pauses. ]

I'm sorry, by the way.

[suchaprince]

[It's probably for the best. He still frowns a little at what she does say, though.]

I didn't know her very well.

[His tone is dismissive, but in truth, it bothers him more than he'd like to say.]

[gevurah]

That can make it worse.

[ She says, finally looking at their surroundings. Bits of dust have already begun to settle on the furniture and floor and there's a strong smell of feces coming from somewhere. Also cat litter. Poor thing. ]

Do you have anyone to stay with?

[suchaprince]

No.

[As he answers, he walks off, deciding to go and look for the cat. Perhaps surprisingly, though, he actually feels the need to elaborate on his answer while he searches.]

The place where I'm staying was left for me. [Left for him by his... friend.] I don't intend to abandon it.

[gevurah]

Nill wouldn't mind if you stayed, even for a bit.

[ Despite not getting along with the boy, she's not that cold. ]

[suchaprince]

[...huh. There's no witty comeback for that one, because he doesn't expect it and doesn't really know how to deal with it. There were certain people he could hear that from and immediately assume the worst, but Kate certainly wasn't one of them. This is weird.

He had paused briefly in surprise, but only for a moment. He doesn't want it to be too obvious that it caught him off-guard.]

I can take care of myself, you know.

[gevurah]

Helena wouldn't want you to be alone.

[ In spite of bad blood between them and the boy's unnecessary attitude, this isn't the time to push those from home away.

While she doesn't know how to deal with him, Nill does, and she would probably welcome the boy into the home without protest. It's a small apartment, but he shouldn't take up too much room. ]

[suchaprince]

And I had to remind her constantly as well.

[Not that he didn't appreciate the concern, because he did. It was... nice knowing that he wasn't entirely alone. He just didn't know how to let her know that. For a brief moment, he thinks that he wishes he did.

Ugh.]

But... perhaps I will consider it. It could be easier to have someone like you around.

[And by "someone like you," he means an adult. Adults, apparently, kind of come in handy here. Maybe he should take advantage of that.]

[gevurah]

[ She isn't sure whether or not it's a compliment. ]

There's not many of us Gothamites left.

[suchaprince]

There are a few they could still afford to take.

[A particular jailbird he hates being associated with, for example, and those darn rogues whose very existence irritates him.

Damian kneels down to look underneath a table, and sure enough, there's the disappearing cat. He considers just leaving her, but... he can't resist. So he tries to coax her out.]

But I suppose there are worse people to be stuck with. You're at least somewhat tolerable.

[gevurah]

[ Having only spoken to Jason once, he doesn't come across her thoughts and instantly thinks Damian is referring to the likes of Nygma, Dent, etc... which she doesn't disagree with.

She watches on, keeping her distance as to not frighten the cat. It's barely familiar with her despite having been here before with Helena and petting the cat a couple of times herself. ]

Flattered.

Do you know if Helena kept a kennel in here for the cat?

[suchaprince]

No clue, but I would assume so. [If she really was her father's daughter, she likely would, if only for the sake of being prepared—that was Damian's logic, anyway. Nevermind how unreasonable that logic might actually be.] I'll look for it.

[It didn't sound like fun, but hey, at least he wasn't searching an entire mansion. That's a plus. Although, speaking of preparedness...]

There might be other things she left behind around here.

[gevurah]

[ She doesn't mind the search, however long it takes; it gives her more time to take in these surroundings one last time. ]

What else are you looking for?

[suchaprince]

I'm not. [He says it with a shrug as he picks up the cat.] But she had been here for a while, had she not? We should see that everything is taken care of.

[Damian's feelings about Helena could be described as conflicted at best, but she was still a Wayne, even if only in some weird, alternate universe. It was a matter of respect, of honor. Those were things he never had to question.]

[gevurah]

Not disagreeing.

[ She looks toward the bedrooms and her heart plummets further. She turns her gaze down the hall leading to the kitchen. ]

I'll check the kitchen first. There's probably food that went bad.

[suchaprince]

Good idea. I think I can already smell it from here.

[Gross. He heads over to what looks like a closet and opens the door. Maybe there'll be a kennel or something in there.]

When we're finished, what should we do with this place?

[If circumstances had been different, he might not even have considered it, but Helena had made an effort to keep up his and Dick's place for them if they ever returned, so...]

[gevurah]

[ Before she passes through the doorway leading into the kitchen she stops, a hand pressing delicately against its frame. Her back remains turned to Damian. ]

Wait a couple of months. If she doesn't come back, you could check the market value and sell it.

[ Not that Damian needs the money, but it's his call in the end. ]

[suchaprince]

I guess it's only fair. [He wasn't sure if there was anything significant about the place. But if she returned later and wanted it anyway, it wasn't like that was a problem money couldn't fix.] I don't want to be responsible for looking after some empty place if no one's going to be there.

[gevurah]

You can't hire a housekeeper for the place?

[ A part of her does worry Helena might return; Renee did.

Without memories, but still.

She enters the kitchen then, heading straight into the fridge and pulling open the door. The milk looks fine, but all is proven wrong when she takes a quick sniff of it and reels her head back quickly. ]

Gross.