Shoeless, Peopleless

[Storyteller]

Kaelyn
Kaelyn had spent a good portion of the evening trying to find Jesse's location. She used her powers and recognized the place. She knew where he was...but could not remember for the life of her how to get there. And of course she no longer had a tome there. That had been gone for two years or so. She had made her way to a place she knew he'd be comfortable in...and oddly enough she was as well. It was late. There weren't any people around, therefore she should be safe to do this. Kaelyn used her powers to summon Jesse to her. Hopefully it'd work. Maybe he wouldn't even allow it anymore. Chewing on her bottom lip she stood there by the booth, waiting to see if the power would work on him.

Jesse Fforde
It was late. Jesse had been out already and had come home. There was a routine, now, that often ended with Jesse at home in Limbo, lounging with the new family members or in the garden with the snakes. It was a homely kind of life, he guessed, but he was not unhappy with it. He was barefoot but at least clothes when he felt the tug -- he had time to quickly snatch up his phone from the nearby bench before he was flung across the city, soon finding himself standing in his second home. Serpentine. With... Kaelyn? He blinked at her, arched a brow. "Well this was unexpected..."

Kaelyn
It had worked. He was standing in front of her now...no shoes. This is why you usually give people heads up. Let them prepare before tugging them around. The blonde stared at Jesse for a moment before saying anything. She really wasn't sure what to say or what the point of this even was. Did she have a point? A reason for bringing him here? How long had it been? A hand awkwardly moved to pull at a curl as she stared. "Uh yeah....hi. You don't have shoes on."

Jesse Fforde
"Noo, I do not. I was about to head into the garden at home," he said. He was not unhappy. More amused than anything else. He gestured to the booth she'd summoned them beside so that they could slip into it. He clearly was unconcerned by having no shoes on, though he could feel the stickiness of the pub's floor; he'd have to get on to someone to make sure it was cleaned. "Hey. What's going on?" he asked, though it looked like Kaelyn was as confused as Jesse was.

Kaelyn
Noticing the motion to sit at the booth, Kae slid into it, taking a seat. Her feet pulled up and bent at the knee so that she could sit criss cross in her seat. She felt awkward sitting here across from him, not really knowing what to say. Not knowing why she even brought them here. Shoulders lifted in a bit of a shrug. "Nothing really....How are you?"

Jesse Fforde
Jesse was silent for half a minute, giving her that penetrating, curious gaze -- that one where it might look as if he were mentally trying to crack her head open so he could look inside and find the real answer. The true answer. The answer even Kaelyn herself might not be aware of. "I'm fine," Jesse said. Not bad, not great. Just fine. No point in being dishonest. "It's been a while..."

Kaelyn
He was staring at her. She knew that look. He was trying to gauge her, read her. Good luck with that. It was a confusing place in there. The blonde shrunk back in her seat some, her shoulder's slouching some. "How long has it been? I don't really know times anymore." Her brow furrowed some. That was actually more true than she had realized moments before...what day was it? Or month even...It was pretty warm outside, so it had to be summer? Warm enough for her dresses at least. "Fine is good. I'm glad you're fine."

Jesse Fforde
Jesse shook his head. "I don't really keep track anymore," he said, still smiling. She'd shrunk away from his look. And there were no other questions. Again, Jesse had to laugh. He leaned back and put his feet up on the bench opposite, ankles crossed, next to Kaelyn's thigh. He wriggled his toes. "This isn't at all awkward. You sure everything's okay?"

Kaelyn
Nails were being picked at as she sat there with them in her lap. Nervous habit? With his question, her shoulders once again lifted in a bit of a shrug. "Yeah I guess so. Maybe. Yeah, I'm fine." It was the truth. She was fine. She would always make sure things were taken care of so that she was fine. She just...she was lonely. She went home to Stagger every day...but he couldn't fill the void of everyone else, no matter how much she loved him. "How is Clover?"

Jesse Fforde
Jesse shrugged. "Clover is Clover," he said, as if that gave any indication of an answer. "Antisocial," he added. Something that he had stubbornly and unhappily come to terms with. They were bound, now, which came with its set of obligations and loyalties and as much as he now felt like he had an anchor tied to his foot, weighing him down, there was nothing to be done about it. She may have been antisocial, but he was not, and there were plenty of people around to keep him occupied. "And I don't believe you."

Kaelyn
Clover had always been much more antisocial than Jesse. Jesse needed people around him, needed to feel wanted and appreciated, loved. At least that's how she saw it. It wasn't a bad trait. They were just very different. Clover kept her distance. They were an odd couple in that aspect...but then again look at her and Stagger. Could you get more opposite? Her brow was furrowed once again. "You don't believe me? About being fine? I...I am fine. I just....everybody is gone."

Jesse Fforde
Jesse arched a brow. He knew that Kaelyn was fond of 'family'. She liked to have someone to support her, someone to talk to. They'd had their discussions, heated as they were, about family and loyalties and Jesse wasn't particularly one to forget when or if someone had hurt him. In his mind, Kaelyn had chosen Doc and his lot over Fforde; but Jesse had chilled a little since then. He could forgive, even if he would not forget. Though, now... what? Everyone was gone? "Gone where? Why?"

Kaelyn
Kae let out a sigh and brought her chin to rest on her hand that was propped up by her elbow now. She could argue that whole discussion over and over if it got brought up...but hopefully it wouldn't. It was something they'd never agree on. Where had they gone? That was a good question. "I don't know...It's not safe here anymore. Everyone had their reasons. Papi wanted me to go too...but this is home. Stagger has a life here I can't pull him away from." Her bottom lip started to quiver a little and she tried to hide it. "But they're all gone."

Jesse Fforde
Papi. Jesse loathed that ******* moniker, but he said nothing. His features gave nothing away. They were vampires, it wasn't exactly unsafe for them. This city was their future; things were happening here that could either make or break vampire-kind. To leave? Cowardice, in Jesse's opinion, humble or not. Jesse continued his research, and watched and waited. Theodosia was awake, she was free. Something would happen, soon. Something had to happen, for better or worse. "Well, sounds like Stagger's still around which is a bonus," Jesse said, dropping one hand to the table, palm up, outstretched. "You can still come hang out here, you know. Or Limbo. Plenty of us around," he said.

Kaelyn
Her head nodded at the mention of Stagger. Her only reason of being sane and still around. He was her one bit of happiness anymore. No friends. Her family was gone. There was no Papi, no Mortll, she hadn't seen Ari in... a long time. Maybe since Christmas? Eyes focused on his hand that was outstretched and open on the table. "Plenty of us? Who is us? Fforde? There are more now? I don't remember how to get to Limbo."

Jesse Fforde
"You did have a tome," he said, a vaguely disapproving frown creasing his brow but his lips still smiled. "Yeah. There are more. A good group," he said. He'd always thought it a bit ironic that when he wanted a family, he couldn't for the life of him get it to work. Everything always went wrong. And when he gave up and stopped trying, a family formed without any help. "It's to the west, down the road past the fair ground. I can give you another tome, if you want it..." he offered, brow arched inquisitively.

Kaelyn
A frown immediately pulled at her lips as she mentioned the tome. It had been hard to replace it with the one to Doc's. She had seen it as her last ability to go to them when she wanted and it had taken her a few weeks before she'd accept the other. It had upset her and made her cry at the time...not that she had let anyone see. Kae had always felt very torn between the two halves of her family. And she'd always be judged and or ridiculed for whatever choices she had made with either. It was a hard position to be in. The mention of a new tome and her stomach in knots. Did she want to go back and see everyone? Definitely. But did she want to lose her only way of going back to Papi's family's place...no. He was gone now. The tome was the only way to safely get in. She couldn't be summoned in now or get a new one later. "I...I cant get a new one. Not now. I'm sorry."

Jesse Fforde
Jesse sighed, and shrugged. His hand pulled back and he leaned back in his seat. He continued to offer, to try to help Kaelyn, but if she constantly forgot how to get to Limbo and wouldn't accept any other way in, then she must not want to be there. She must not want to be surrounded by people. "Then you'll have to figure out how to get there by foot," he said. "You'll still be able to use the elevator," he added. For all intents and purposes, she was still Fforde. Despite everything, Jesse had been the bigger man -- she still had access to whatever she wanted. He chose to trust her at least that much.

Kaelyn
And there was the disappointment. The shrug, the sigh, the pulling away. She had made a choice he didn't agree with or want. She knew she was still able to get into places. Little did he or anyone else know, she had found herself inside the Larch Court house multiple times over the last year or so. She just hadn't remembered where Limbo was. "I'll figure it out and come by some time. I'm sorry to have pulled you away from your home for nothing tonight."

Jesse Fforde
Jesse shook his head. He was disappointed, of course, but only because it was an easy solution to Kaelyn's problems. And the constant rejection to his offers was just a reminder of the choice she was always making. He didn't feel equal to anyone in her eyes. He was second. Still. "It wasn't for nothing, Kae. From what I gather, you're lonely. I wasn't doing anything important. I'm happy to hang out," he said. "Do you want a drink?" he asked. He could see one of his employees from the corner of his eye, easy to whistle over to order what they wanted.

Kaelyn
He didn't understand. He never would. It wasn't rejection. Not in the slightest. She had said she wanted to go there. That she would go there. She just didn't want to give up her ability to go to Doc's either. He didn't understand what he meant to her. If he was nothing to her, she wouldn't keep coming back. She had tried different times over the past few years. But there was always the disappointment behind everything that left guilt sitting inside her. "You don't seem very happy. You seem frustrated and disappointed with me as usual. But sure, I'll have a drink if you want to stay."

Jesse Fforde
"If I wasn't very happy I'd have got up and left already," Jesse said. If he were the Jesse from a year ago, two years ago, he might have done just that. They'd be shouting at each other by now. But they weren't, and nor did Jesse want to start. "I just want to be able to help you, Kae. That's all," he said. "You were never told to stay away. You've always been welcome. There's no reason you have to feel lonely right now," he said, whistling Mary over. Mary looked confused to see Jesse there, shoe-less, assuming he'd gone home for the night already. She was terrified of her boss, but she did as she was told. "I'll get some of the two-percent," Jesse said. The new supplier for blood was proving to be popular. He waited for Kaelyn to order whatever she'd like.

Kaelyn
"I tried a few times...it just always ended either bad or in disappointment. I don't need help. That's not why I'm here. I've been doing everything on my own for couple years now. It's not help that I need. I just...I don't know what I just. All of it just sucks." Kaelyn sighed as hands pushed her hair back behind her ears. "I'll have what he's having too." She had no idea what he meant by two-percent. And she didnt know what they had to offer here, so that'd do. Plus it was probably better to do that than order alcohol...he probably wouldn't approve of that. Especially since she wasn't even old enough technically.

Jesse Fforde
"Not help, then. Call it something else. Fforde is thriving. A few have fucked off, just like your crew seem to have but we're not suffering their loss. Beckett and Renard are new... Beckett more level-headed then Renard. Renard is... well, I think I have a bit in common with him. He works at the tattoo parlour. Arauchia wasn't turned by any of us but I've offered her a place to stay, she's basically Fforde," he said. "There's Reagan and Marisol, Ysmir, Aine, Ursula's still around. Mario," he listed the names like they would mean anything to Kaelyn. They probably wouldn't, but these were the people she could meet. "Look, I'm sorry. I apologise if I didn't react the way you wanted me to. I'm not offering you any less, and the offer remains if you ever change your mind. I respect your choice," he said, calmly and even with a smile.




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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Serpentine area. Participants and rewards were: Kaelyn earned 1944 RPP. Jesse Fforde earned 1865 RPP.