Renovations [Invite Only]

[Jesse Fforde]

Contractors are hard to wrangle, when trying to get them to work at night.

And, most people might not know it, but Jesse can be a bit of a stubborn perfectionist. When he owned his own building, when he ran his own small business once before, the place had always been spotless. Even then, it had been fitted to his specifications, but only to a point. There were plenty of things that he had not liked about True Love, but they were things, at the time, that he had not been able to afford. Now, however, he has a better handle on his finances. He and Grey with their combined nest-eggs are able to afford to create a space that will fit their specifications to a tee.

It might take some time, if they decide to try to do a lot of the work themselves. If they decide only to hire contractors that they can trust; people who they can watch over, while they work, so that they make no mistakes. But there is no rush with these things, and Jesse is simply enjoying the distraction. It is a project to throw himself into to avoid thinking about the addictions that he is avoiding. Here he is creating something alongside his fiance. Creating something, which the crux of the thing. And with the woman he loves. The woman he will marry, and who he can't seem to stay away from.

The main floor has been gutted and cleaned; swept and scrubbed, with only one new wall in place. Downstairs is still a little dusty, with bits and pieces of debris still lying around. Jesse tours the perimeter, wearing trackpants and a tank and boots upon his feet. Hardly fashionable, but who cares about fashion? In his hand he holds his phone, and he pauses as he types out a message which he will post to the two boards. A message that he writes and re-writes several times before he decides to just post it, and be done with it. He slides the phone into his pocket, and picks up the nearest broom, continuing on with the work that has preoccupied him for the majority of the evening.

As if gutting this building is cathartic--a soothing balm for his soul.

[Marjani (DELETED 5749)]

There was an invitation posted. Mari might not talk, but she did get out. Just because someone was mute didn't mean they had to hole up and do nothing. Hide away from the world. She didn't know Jesse, but if this place was important to him, then it was important to her. He was apparently 'family' somehow. Mari still hadn't worked out how, but he was.

She looked at the building, uncertain if it was the right place. She looked at her phone and the message board in Andras and then at the building again. She wasn't sure what she should wear, so the woman wore a black and white jersey, black leggings with white tennis shoes and a white bandana around her head. There is a designer purse on her left shoulder, black and leather. Big too. She knocked and then entered the building, her brown eyes peeled open for Jesse. Not that she knew what he looked like. If they had met before, she couldn't remember. She had been to some family get together before, but there had been too many names and faces to try and remember.

Brown eyes fell on a male in track pants, boots and a tank top. When his eyes fall on her, Mari will raise an open hand to her head and then pull it away from her head, signing 'hello.' She didn't feel compelled to give her name for the time being. Not until she knew if this was Jesse and if this was the place he was going to make something out of.

[Jesse Fforde]

It had been nearly two weeks since Jesse had posted the invite on the Andras board. When no one came, to begin with, he assumed no one gave a ****. But then, that was when he was sunk low in a depression that was caused by forces he didn’t quite understand. He’d thought he was useless and worthless. Now, however, he understands. The family is massive and his thread had not been overlooked. People have lives, they are busy, and there was never any rush, anyway. Besides which, perhaps they’d prefer to see the place when it’s finished. Jesse’s just excited about the outcome, and he wanted to share it before its time.

Since he’d posted that invitation, he’d sired Cosette. It had been a tough week and he had not expected to pull through, but she had. He had not stepped foot outside of Larch Court for that week, except on two occasions; one to seek help, and the other to… maybe seek comfort, but he had got none. Perhaps it was selfish of him. And maybe it’s just the pressure, the build-up of different issues with different people. A subconscious effect. But all he wants to do, now, is wipe the slate clean and start over.

While he had been absent, Grey had continued to work in Gresse’s, on and off. Not the entire time, of course, but they have hired a few different contractors to get a few things done. The structure is now complete – the glass walls that enclose the bar to keep it separate from the garage and the tattoo parlour on either side of it. Glass is the main theme, so that each entity can see the other. It’s strong glass, bullet-proof. Thick, unbreakable. Not only can Grey and Jesse keep on eye on each other in their work, but they can also keep an eye on the clientele. There are also sections of the floor that are glass, that can see through to the basement below. The parkour centre – complete, now, bar for some of the plumbing in the showers and bathroom.

Jesse’s up on a ladder when Marjani walks in. He’s fiddling with the lighting. A few things still need tweaking, and a few bits and pieces of equipment need to be delivered and installed, but otherwise they’re nearly done. Jesse steps down from the ladder and wipes his hands on his jeans – the same, or similar attire, that he always wears when working on the renovations. If he doesn’t recognise her by her face, he at least recognises her by her signing. Maybe.

”Marjani?”

[Marjani (DELETED 5749)]

Her name catches the woman's attention and she turns to the direction of where it came from to see, who she is pretty sure, is Jesse. The singular time she may have met him, there were others there, and while he seemed nice enough (quiet too), Mari's attention had been fixated on Every and her well being.

Still, the woman nods and gives a small wave as she looks around the place. It's still a work in progress, but from what she can tell, it will be magnificent when it's completed. Though, she might be biased and more supportive of it than normal because Jesse is family.

Her pointer, ring and pinky fingers go to rest on her chest, the middle finger clutching her thumb as they sit there for a second. She pulls her hand from her chest, then points to the entirety of the room, before smiling largely. She wasn't sure if he knew sign language, so her other hand goes to dig out her phone, open the messenger app and she types out, "I like your place so far." She inches carefully to Jesse, leaving a lot of space before she turns the phone to face him to allow the guy to read the screen and the words on it.

[Jesse Fforde]

Jesse remembers Marjani mainly because of the muteness. As if, somehow, the disability endears her to him. Not because he is sympathetic. More because he is jealous. A lot of the time, he yearns for the days that he had no voice. The simplicity of it. With the utterance of words comes a deluge of problems. As if something more is expected of you. Conversation is not something that comes easy to Jesse, and more often than not it ends with someone storming out on him. He pisses everyone off, somehow, without intention. When had had no voice, however, people used to open up. They used to just sit with him and spill their guts. He used to hate it. Now he misses it.

Sign language was something he’d never picked up. His mother had been useless and hadn’t known what to do with a son who was now mute and who never used to be. Rather than try harder or even get frustrated with him, she ignored him. Probably because he reminded her so much of the son she had lost. He was the spitting image, so it was understandable, in a way.

Regardless, he can only try to guess what Marjani is trying to say, and when she pulls out her phone to translate, he is almost relieved. Almost disappointed, too. He’d have liked to revert back to silence; to not have to use his words at all. He nods and offers a smile. It had been a couple of weeks since he’d posted anything on the Andras Crownet, and he’s curious now as to whether Marjani had just stumbled in on the place or whether she was responding to that post, specifically. Honestly, Jesse didn’t think anyone was going to come at all. He clears his throat.

”Thanks,” he says, his voice still gruff and husky. He doubted it would ever regain its smooth strength.

”What brings you here?”

[Marjani (DELETED 5749)]

He didn't speak a lot. Only what was needed, but that was fine with Mari. She was used to a world of noise and enjoyed the relative silences she found, as rare as they were. It was noted his tone of voice was different. Unique, but Mari couldn't quite pinpoint what was different about it. Just that it was. Scratchy, maybe? Hoarse? Did vampires get colds?

The thoughts were dismissed when he asked her why she was here. Essentially, that was what he was asking, wasn't he? Mari smiled, looked around, and then returned her eyes to him as she pointed to the male. Fast fingers started typing on the keyboard of her phone, explaining herself more. 'There was an invitation extended. I wanted to see if you needed anything.' She paused to look at him, only to make sure he wasn't getting bored of waiting for her to finish her thoughts. 'I'm not handy, but I can change light bulbs and hang things?' Mari never really paid attention in the elective classes she signed up for; metal shop (because she thought she could make some unique looking pieces of art; that actually looked like stick people and blobs or hunks of metal) and woodworking, where Mari thought she could make some cute things for her mom, which also ended up as nothing useable.

[Jesse Fforde]

Jesse does not struggle to wait for Marjani to gather her thoughts or to reply to him. Impatience is something Jesse only really suffers around Grey, sometimes. Otherwise, he has always been and probably always will be happy to take his time in all of his endeavours. Especially where conversation is concerned; he is accustomed and has learned through long habit to think before he communicates. He’d always had a lot of time to think before communicating. Because a lot of the time, he chose not to communicate at all.

He still chooses not to communicate at all, sometimes.

When Marjani finishes typing and the automated voice alerts Jesse to her response, he can’t help but laugh. He nods. He wonders how often this girl checks the Crownet, and whether she had only just read the invitation and believed it to be recent. He doesn’t mention how late she might be to answer the invite, or how he had given up on believing anyone would come. He doesn’t show any bitterness whatsoever. Instead, he reaches a hand up behind his head to scratch at a stray itch, lost in thought a second as he glances around the place.

”You can help me stack the bar?” he says. A bunch of the stock had been delivered and is sitting in boxes locked up down in the store room. The last thing he wants is a bunch of hooligans running through the place and nicking the boxes while Jesse’s not looking. More chance of that happening when the place is half in darkness and Jesse’s the only one there than when the place is open and the lights blazing.

”The boxes are downstairs. The blood from Arbor should be delivered later,” he says, already heading toward the stairs that would take them down.

[Marjani (DELETED 5749)]

He laughs and she smiles. Mari isn't sure why she chooses to smile at him laughing, because she doesn't know why Jesse is laughing, but she does it anyways. She doesn't feel as if the laugh is threatening, so there is no reason for her to do anything but to smile.

Jesse tells her she can stock the bar. That should be an easy enough task. Mari has been to a fair few bars; with her love of dancing, the last couple of years. She also knows about liquor, not that she is a slush, but she does like to drink when she's out dancing. The two seem to go hand in hand.

Mari nods and puts the phone away. She waits for Jesse to take the lead only because she has never been here and because she doesn't know where to look for the stairs. She wouldn't even attempt to assume to know where they might be.

She waits until he is a few stairs down to the basement before Mari follows. While Jesse is family, he is still a male and she knows next to nothing about him. Everything tells her to be wary of him, even if he hasn't done anything to strike that impending thought in the woman.

When he is four stairs in to the basement, Mari follows, slowly. There are always four stairs between them until Jesse gets to the bottom. She waits for him to move away from the stairs to keep following after him, but the second her foot meets the concrete of the basement, Mari stands there frozen.

Her limbs start to shake before her back hits the wall and she is using the wall as a support system. Breaths are taken in, even if they are not needed and suddenly she is bending forward at the waist. Mari is trying to get air and calm herself down. Jesse has done nothing wrong, and Mari knows this deep down, but something in her brain tells her to not go any further. That IF Jesse did mean to hurt her in all the countless possibilities he probably could, her only escape is up these stairs and she should stay close by them.

[Jesse Fforde]

To begin with, the basement is dark. The lights are all off because it would be a waste of power to have them on when there’s no one down there. Besides, a couple of the back lights are flickering and Jesse wants to get them fixed; he knows nothing about electric wiring and if there’s something wrong he doesn’t want to blow a fuse somewhere, or make it any worse than what it is. His plan had been to turn the lights on in the storeroom instead; they are warm and they’d at least bathe the area between the room and the stairs enough for them to traipse back and forth with the stock.

Marjani has stopped, however, and Jesse can hear the heavy breathing, as if she is struggling for air. The closest light switch is the one that brings the entire basement to life, and that’s the one that Jesse flicks. Had there been something down here waiting for them? Hunters? A Fadebeast, maybe? They can get into the darnedest places. The bright fluorescents blink to life. What they reveal are a small city of blocks and blue mats, of poles and climbing structures. A very large space with splashes of colour here and there. The blocks are made of a warm coloured wood, which Jesse hopes will soon be spattered with paint from paint-ball skirmishes. None have happened as of yet.

Those few lights flicker on and off down the back somewhere and Jesse frowns at them. There’s nothing and no one else around; just the slight woman leaning against the wall and struggling for breath as if she were in an airlock. Jesse takes a single step toward her but doesn’t know her from Adam. He has no idea what’s going on and given vampires and their tendency to lose control with their abilities, he chooses to keep his distance. Just in case.

”Hey… hey, what’s wrong? What happened?” he asks. Even the stairs now are all lit up, bright and inviting. Jesse’s hands are at his sides as he tries to remember; who does Marjani belong to? His first thought is Every. Even if he’s got it wrong and Every is not Marjani’s sire, he seems to think she’d know what to do if there is something legitimately wrong. But he doesn’t call anyone just yet. He waits to see if Marjani can give him some indication on her own.

[Marjani (DELETED 5749)]

It's a good thing Jesse determines to stay closer, than nearer. This only helps Mari focus on controlling her emotional state as best as she can. He talks to her and while she hears him, Jesse is not her main focus. There is a spot on the floor that has her undivided attention.

When Mari moved here with what remained of her family from Africa, the schools stepped in and pressed her mother to send both her and her surviving brother to a trauma counselor. While her brother was acting out in more aggressive, hostile ways, Mari had retreated into a ball of nothingness. Eventually, her brother found his balance, and she, well, Mari survived and trudged along. Both had experienced things no children of their age should have, on some different spectrum and then on one singular similar spectrum. To survive. That had always been the underlying motive for both of them. Or maybe it was to escape. Was it any different?

Mari stares at the spot, like the trauma counselor told her when she was just a girl. That when she felt these panic attacks, to channel her focus on something small. Something "Not so scary." The woman told her. A dot isn't scary. It's just a dot. It stays in one place. It is an inanimate object. These are all things she tells herself to calm her thoughts and her breathing.

A hand goes up in Jesse's direction, indicating that she needs a minute. Maybe more. Her breathing is deep, but not as fast as it once was. Her eyes move out past the spot, as Mari tries to "take on" more of the area that is bothering her. To "Confront" her fears.

She stands up, though the woman uses the wall to prop her back up and lets the hand drop to her side. She takes three more breaths in through her nose and exhales them back out through her nose. Then she shakes her head. A closed hand goes to her chest and then she makes a quick counter clockwise motion with that very hand, signing 'Sorry,' to Jesse. Mari then points to the dark, or absence of light in some areas and shoots him an apologetic smile.

While the darkness had been the initial trigger, it isn't the real reason she lost her **** in front of Jesse. But how could she tell him that she was afraid of being in here, with him? Especially when he had never done a single thing to trigger that irrational mind frame? So, Mari decides it's best to play it off as some silly, irrational fear of the dark.