I'll tap into your strength and drain it dry...

[suchasound]

[OOC: this is my post that will be open and slow timed for forever as I don't know how around I will be for awhile. I wanted a post open for anyone to tag cause I'll for sure get back to this, but will feel bad about tagging into anything new since I'm not sure how actively I can tag back in the coming week. So spam away! I can handle it.]

Jane

Comments

you'll never be rid of me. :x

[wearsnomask]

Margays are nocturnal. This has transferred over to Rachel, who was already used to working late nights in the office, anyway.

The days feel a lot longer now that she's got something else to deal with, that being trying to control the shifting. The last really bad shift occurred after the disastrous journal network experience.

She was a cat for a full day.

Needless to say, Rachel needs coffee and Rachel smells coffee.

She smells familiar coffee and it leads her to the kitchen.

"Hey," she says, smiling at him in a bit of surprise. "What are you doing here?"

would never want to be :xx

[despite_myrage]

Robin looks up. He's nice enough that the amusement from the other day is well contained. There's not even an amused smile on his face. Isn't he the nicest?

There is a smile at seeing her. It comes automatically when it comes to Rachel Dawes, and it's fond and warm.

"What?" Robin raises his eyebrows at her, pretending to be offended and affronted. "I'm not allowed to visit?"

Yes, he just answered her question with a question.

He is a hobag after all. What more did you expect?

you never should, I'll be in ur life forever. spamming posts. like a creeper. :3

[wearsnomask]

It's possible Rachel will not forget that night for a very long time. He doesn't have to show his amusement for Rachel to know it's there. She studies him with narrowed eyes, as if she might catch something.

When she doesn't, she lets the smile be tugged at the corners of her lips.

Rachel lifts a curious brow, leaning against the counter. The coffee really does smell good. She should play this nicely.

"Did I ever say you were not allowed?"

She'll answer his question with a question that leads back to her initial question. Ha.

GOOD. that sounds like the best forever ever! :D

[despite_myrage]

The amusement will be there for all time, Rachel. It can't be helped, but he is being nice and not showing it.

He smiles back at her. Even if she doesn't play nicely, he will give her a cup. As said before, he is feeling rather generous today.

"No, but it was implied that it's surprising to see me around," Robin says and then smirks at her. "Honestly. It's as if you think I can't be sociable."

Usually, he can't so he's walking himself in circles at this point.

"This place needs coffee, doesn't it?"

Robin pulls a mug down from a shelf, fills it with coffee, and slides it over to her.

"Would you like anything else? I'm a full-service man tonight, Rachel." And the smirk slides into a hobag of a smile as he waits, expectantly for any request that she might have.

:3 :D 8D XD <33333

[wearsnomask]

She grins a little, taking the cup and then lifting it up so she can have all the coffee.

It'll help keep her up and that's what she needs right now.

Rachel's eyebrow will remain lifted, because she sees those circles and she'll dance around them, Robin.

"There you go again jumping to conclusions. I asked the question because the Kashtta isn't your place of residence, in which case, it's not an implication so much as actually using cold, hard facts."

Satisfied with her answer, and the fact she came up with it more or less quickly when she hasn't slept in days, she sets about serving herself coffee.

"You're in a good mood tonight," Rachel observes, and it's said with a pleased sort of realization.

"Were you thinking of cooking something while you were at it? I wouldn't say no to omelets."

XD *dies*

[despite_myrage]

Robin raises an eyebrow at her dancing around the circles.

It's a fond look that he finally settles on. He knows that she would do it, which is maybe why he drew up those circles to begin with.

"Once again, you are absolutely right," Robin says with a smile, and he ignores the short stab of pain that tells him this is too familiar.

It's short. It's gone as soon as he's noticed it, and his expression doesn't really change much because of it.

You're in a good mood tonight.

"I'm... feeling generous," Robin says, which is not at all an elaboration on that good mood.

It's hard to get into all of the reasons why, and he's not sure why he can't say them, except even if they are friends again, his life outside of the tower feels... wholly separate from anyone else

*gnawws yer head*

[wearsnomask]

It is familiar, but Rachel experiences a different sort of reaction. It's a fond smile that she gives back, if not bittersweet.

Something that was very, very good while it lasted, even if things are different now.

"I thought you were always generous," she points out, mostly to tease and to show she's not going to make him elaborate. The answer's fair, and there are plenty of things she doesn't elaborate on, either.

Things really are different now and their lives are separate enough that some things she won't press on.

"No, feel free to surprise me." She peers into the refrigerator and then she's stepping back. "Need some help?"

Before he can say anything, she is quick to add, "I've gotten better."

*GNAWS*

[despite_myrage]

"I'm feeling especially generous today," Robin says and turns from the kitchen to send a charming smile in her general direction.

He gathers the ingredients together easily enough. It's nice to be doing something for someone else again. He helped in the aftermath of the destruction, but that's not quite the same as this.

Robin likes being able to do this.

"No, as I said, especially generous. I've got it covered."

Robin blinks at her addition, turning around with a couple of eggs in his hands. His expression is the picture of complete innocence. If it were possible, there would be a halo over his head.

"Gotten better...?"

Do not believe that innocence, Rachel. Far behind it, there's amusement. There's all the amusement still.

[wearsnomask]

"Ah, I see." Rachel nods wisely, as if understanding the reason for this overflowing bout of generosity. "Speak no further."

She helps in the only way she knows how, and in between shapeshifting and settling into the Kashtta, there hasn't been much time for that.

There also hasn't been much time for other necessities, like eating and sleeping, so Rachel really is grateful there will be something to eat that she doesn't have to cook.

She may have gotten better, but she's no chef.

Rachel glowers at his open question. "Never you mind."

She sits across from him on the counter, watching as he mixes things. "It's not so bad, the Kashtta," she tells him conversationally. "A lot of the people that have recently moved in are worried about the ghosts and whatnot--understandably so--but all in all, it's not bad."

[despite_myrage]

Robin actually laughs when she glowers like that.

"I really won't," he says, except then he does mind and continues this conversation that she doesn't want to have. "So how much better are we talking? Less peculiar?"

He barely refrains from talking about how much he enjoyed her pie.

He likes keeping himself busy, too. It's more difficult to do that in a small apartment, even if he did have something that he focused completely on. However, with all the time in the day and the little that he needs to sleep, it didn't take him long to finish it, especially since he started when he left the Conrad.

Robin's back to having nothing to do, which may be part of why he feels so generous.

He glances backward at her and then shakes his head. "Ghosts? Right. I think I heard about those. Have you seen one yet?"

[wearsnomask]

"Worlds better if you must know. Absolutely nothing peculiar about it," Rachel says, much of the indignant feigned because well, that actual pie was peculiar and it really isn't worlds better.

She just thinks it is. Because she's Rachel and how can she not be good at something if she puts all her focus into it?

Oh, Robin, you've ruined pie for pie lovers everywhere.

Rachel shakes her head vehemently. "Haven't caught a shadow of one, and if I never do? I'm more than okay with that."

It's a roof over her head. She won't complain. Whatever the negatives are? She'll deal with them. Wanderers don't exactly have the luxury of having a place for themselves.

Not yet, anyhow. Rachel's never going to stop fighting for their rights.

[despite_myrage]

"I think I'll believe that when I taste it," Robin says and then turns from his preparation of the omelet to look at her. "Which means, of course, you'll have to make another pie and let me know when you do. I'd like to try it to see how not-peculiar it is anymore."

He really would, Rachel.

Because he doesn't believe that she could have improved that much.

If she has, he'll be sad. He likes her peculiar pie.

A small, fond smile pulls across his lips as he sees the vehemence of her head shaking.

"I didn't think you'd be thrown off by something as small as ghosts."

Robin has reached the part of omelet preparation that can't be ignored.

"How's the shapeshifting coming?" He asks out of curiosity, not amusement. For once.

[wearsnomask]

Rachel stares at you, Robin. She stares in a manner that successfully conveys how unimpressed she is with his statement.

It'll always be peculiar, Robin. Always.

She smiles back, shifting where she sits. She thought this would be more uncomfortable. It's nice to know it's not, and she also knows a lot of that has to do with him.

"The same, honestly. You were right when you said the first weeks were the hardest." Rachel appreciates you taking this seriously, Robin. Having cat fur following her around is no pleasant business."

"Someone who's also a shapeshifter is helping me with...cognitive training, I suppose. The triggers are always emotional so that can't be helped. It's more or less fighting the trigger when it comes."

She wrinkles her nose, putting the eggshell back down. "It's the last thing I needed," she admits to him with a sigh. "But I'm saddled with it and I'll take care of it. We all have our work cut out for us, don't we?"

and now that I've kicked Robin out of his meta flail. >>"

[despite_myrage]

"They'll likely be the best person to teach you," Robin says with a small nod, and he's almost done with the omelet at this point, but a perfectionist strives for perfection in all things. Even in egg making. "What I know about it, I only know from reading the experiences of other shape shifters or people who've worked closely with shape shifters. It's important to get it under control. If you stay in an animal form too long, you lose yourself. You become all animal."

He sets the finished omelet on a plate and then in front of her.

"Yes, there's plenty to deal with," Robin agrees, setting a fork and knife by her plate as well. "Bon apetit. Enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows when I'll feel so generous again."

i think he gave it to me instead -______----------------

[wearsnomask]

"I know," she says. Rachel looks down at her hands while he perfects the omelet, fingers wiggling slightly in front of her face. Only a few hours ago they'd been paws and she couldn't remember why it was so important they don't stay that way. "Jack says the cues are all usually emotional. We'll always want to shift when we're scared or too upset or angry. So we'll work with that. It just takes time."

She knows it's probably teasing, but she finds she can't really say anything back to to his enjoy it while it lasts. She nods, quietly tasting it out.

"It's very good." But he probably knew that.

*SNUGS* :/ <33

[despite_myrage]

"Jack." Robin makes a face. There's certain amounts of baggage there that there's no used to getting into. He can still remember when Romana shot him. Twice. It was a long time ago. "Yes, they're usually emotional. Fear is the most common trigger, even being startled can set it off when it's a new power."

He flashes her a brilliant, charming smile.

"Yes, I know," he says. "I'm glad you like it."

And he cleans up the mess that's been left behind. It's always been about moving from one thing to the next. He hesitates at the trashcan when he realizes there is nothing left for the moment. One deep breath in. Sometimes he has to wonder if this isn't all pretending.

Robin turns back to her and smiles. It's easy enough to smile, looking at her.

"I'm certain you'll figure out the shape shifting... faster than maybe anyone else has. You're good when it comes to that. Driven, focused."