(no subject)

[wisecracked]

WHO: Kenzi, Gilbert and maybe a Piccolo?
WHERE: Kenzi and Piccolo's place
WHEN: 2/20; evening
WARNINGS: Drunk Kenzi...
SUMMARY: Kenzi drunk dialed Gil and he decided to check on her.
FORMAT: Quickthings

[Well that was embarrassing! Kenzi had, for a moment, forgot where she was and thought she was calling Bo. Instead she got Gil, talk about rude wake up to reality. She hung up quickly because she didn't want to explain she called because she thought she was calling Bo. God, she missed her best friend. Admitting it to people just made it hurt more.

At least that's over now, right? She won't have to explain anything.

She flops down on the couch with some chips and starts flipping through the channels. She just wants to find something boring to watch and fall asleep now.]

Comments

[invoking]

[ He hesitates. Even with a glove hand, it feels alien to touch another person like this. Not Oz. Not Alice. It doesn't feel wrong, merely strange.

It's the least he can do for her. It's not Jess, or Jesse, or Donna's faults they were ported out. They had provided him with comfort, but they're no longer a constant in his life here. He's lucky to have Kenzi, he realizes. As often as they disagreed on things, she's stayed by his side and checked up on him when he actually needed it.

He gulps, gingerly pushing whatever stray hair falls around her out of her face. ]

I don't know why this has happened to us or when it will stop, but having a little bit of hope isn't so bad. And... [ A beat. ] You still have others here. You're not as alone as you think you are.

[wisecracked]

[It's those little things that he's doing that are helping make her feel a little better. Sure the words help but Kenzi's a very physical person.]

Yeah...I know. But I don't have anyone here that I've...y'know been through life or death situations with. Nothing like back home. [For all that crap that's gone down here it's not been as bad as the past two or so years back home. All the kidnappings and murder attempts. All the times she's nearly ended up Fae food. Or that one time with the drunk minotaur.]

[invoking]

[ How long has it been since he's hidden what's underneath his collar? November. November is when HABIT took him and those other people. When he bashed out Lenalee and Damian's brains without missing a beat and then tore his own throat open.

It doesn't feel like months. It feels like years. He finally loosens the collar and breathes like he hasn't breathed for the first time. The scar isn't completely visible from the angle he sits at, but when he looks back, it's peeking out from the collar. ]

A connection, you mean.

[wisecracked]

Yeah. [She doesn't notice it at first but once she does she sits up, a worried expression painted on her face.]

I got that better with people back home...not so much here. [She wants to reach out and pull his collar down more to look at it but stops herself before her hand gets too far.] What...?

[invoking]

[ He lightly pushes her hand away, not to be rude, but to tell her it's alright. ]

Just a scar. [ He says quietly, repeating those words in his heads. It doesn't mean anything right now. ] I wish I knew what to say, Kenzi. Without Oz, hell, even Break and the others... it's difficult.

So I understand for you, it's also hard. [ But he's simply at a loss for words. ] Sorry, I'm really no good at words...

[wisecracked]

[She gives a weak smile and shakes her head. She's not the best with words either, which is why she's so big on actions over words. And right now? She's moving to hug him. She knows he probably won't appreciate like she will but she just needs to be close to someone right now.]

Yeah...I know. [She's reluctant to pull back but she doesn't want him to feel uncomfortable for long.]

1/2

[invoking]

[ He shifts a little as he finds her pressing against him. Though he's caught off guard completely, he knows moving quickly or at all can result in her falling off the bed. ]

Huh? Kenzi...

2/2

[invoking]

[ His body stays rigid for half a minute while he tries to take in what's happening.

When he processes it, a hand trails through his hair while the other wraps around her and his body relaxes. He can't remember the last time he was hugged like this. Oscar? Probably Oscar. The only one who could really get away with gestures of affection, because it reminded Gil that he was still loved despite betraying the Vessalius who had done so much for him-- Oscar, Oz, and Ada in particular.

Deep down, it means so much to him that someone still cared after all these years, even if he can't fully understand it. ]

Maybe the Porter will bring them here to us one day.

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi was in the process of pulling away when he returns the hug. She so surprised by it that she slips back against him and just stays there with her head resting against his shoulder.]

I keep hoping. Only...because I don't want to leave the people I've met here behind. [But she knows her friends wouldn't be happy here. Humans were just snacks for Bo. Dyson, well there was wildlife out there for him when he started to feel too cooped up so maybe he wouldn't mind it too much. She wasn't sure how Hale would deal with it. He'd probably try to do something to help relations between imPorts and natives. Trick would probably hate it here, too many humans and he'd be without his bar. And Lauren, well Kenzi could care less if Lauren showed up here or not.]

[invoking]

[ It's the same deal for Gil; they would feel too contained here. With so much happening back home and with them being so close to uncovering the truth they've sought for so long--

It's cruel to hope they'll come here.

He can't hope to stay here, however. ]

If only there was a way to keep our memories.

[wisecracked]

I..don't think that would make it any better. To go home and remember everyone from here would be cruel. [Just as it's cruel to anyone left behind here.]

[invoking]

Losing those memories also seems cruel. [ So there's no winning. ]

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi finally pulls back from him.]

You don't even realize there's anything missing though. Unless you're one of the one that returns here and doesn't remember ever being here.

[invoking]

You should lay down again. [ He lets go of her, suddenly oddly conscious of the scar.

What she says next makes that strange prickle in his temple return. He knows there's something in his memories trying to find its way back to the surface. Not here, though. Not now. He knows about Jack (or he thinks he does) and it's enough. ]

I think a part of you would still try to find those memories. Perhaps they wind up buried deep within us.

[wisecracked]

I'm...feeling pretty sober now. [She gives a weak laugh but ends up laying down anyway.]

Maybe. I was only back home for a couple hours so I never even had time to wonder if there was something I was forgetting. [Yeah, she was too busy worrying about bleeding to death.]

1/2

[invoking]

It's impossible to sober up that fast! [ He shoots, squinting at her. ]

[invoking]

[ He pauses. ]

You as well, huh. I'd... been ported out before, but I was gone for months before I was brought back here.

[ A lot had happened in that short range of time, however. ]

[wisecracked]

Call it another superpower. [She sticks her tongue out at him.]

It was only a day...maybe a little more than a day here. Coulda done with more time back home though. Coming back injured isn't fun.

[invoking]

The Porter does like to cause trouble whenever it can... [ A sigh. That stupid machine. He glances back at Kenzi and then looks down at his shoes.

He took off everything but the shoes. How did he let that slip by him? He finally gets to untying the laces, not wanting to walk around the place with them. ]

[wisecracked]

Yeah.

[She yawns and stretches before lightly poking his side.] So, gonna lay with me?

[invoking]

[ And he nearly slip off the bed as he removes the last shoe. ]

Still going on about that?!

[wisecracked]

Please? [Doing her best to look all cute and innocent here.]

1/2

[invoking]

[ But it's inappropriate! Even with clothes. He's never been this close to a woman on a bed before.

No, April doesn't count. ]

[invoking]

[ He takes a deep breath, trying to swallow his anxiety. It's just... laying on a bed. What's the harm, he supposes after arguing with himself in the back of his mind. ]

... A-Alright, I suppose. [ He murmurs, like someone is going to catch him in the act of doing something wrong.

But it is kind of wrong... he thinks.

He gulps again and brings his legs onto the mattress, leaning back slowly. One would think he doesn't know how to lay on a bed properly from the way he's stretched uncomfortably on it. ]

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi smiles and resists the urge to immediately cuddle him. Instead she scoots over to give him some room to get comfortable and curls up with that pillow she was cradling earlier.]

Thank you, Gilbert.