He did the monster mash! [party thread]

[smithnjones]

[OOC: I know there have been a lot of posts lately, but this one can be tagged from now until whenever. I just wanted to get it up this weekend. It technically happens Sunday evening. There has been advertisements up in the journal and around the Kashtta. Non-Kashtta residents can come too! Costume is not required though remember, you can feel free

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[doyoulikecake]

Kaden turns at the sound of Iris's voice, smiling. He was kind of hoping she'd be here, given that she's the only one he definitely knows in the Kashtta and all. He grins down (though not that far down, considering his own tiny) at her, reaching over and ruffling her hair. And with the contact, the Calling zeroes in, thrums through his fingertips and he quickly takes his hand away, lest he give in to the urge to tighten his grip, interrogate her about her relationship with Molly. Maybe under duress -- definitely under duress.

"Hey kiddo," he says, instead, keeping his voice light. "Good to see you. And you're not allowed to say anything about this outfit when you're wearing that." He has no idea that 'that' is actually from a game related to the game Sephiroth is in, though it does look vaguely familiar. He can't quite place it, though; what he's noticing is how well-tailored it is, and the wings.

He laughs at her admission, resisting the urge to see what he can do with it, not least because he doesn't actually know how to handle a sword in more than a rudimentary fashion. "No, I'm not a mercenary. I'm Sephiroth, the bad guy in a pretty popular videogame, not that I've ever actually played it. I lost a bet to my students, and therefore they've dragged me out in this." He gestures toward the table that his students had taken over, though there's only two of them left over there; he pretends not to see them wave back. "You wouldn't need to be scared of me, though. I can barely lift the damn sword."

He reaches around, tapping one of her wings. "Wishful thinking?" he says. He can't help it; the costume is begging for it, even if he somehow can't see Iris wanting those particular wings.

[sophicsulphur]

She giggles again, as he scruffs his fingers through her hair. It's one of those gestures that might make some people feel belittled, but for all she considers she's perfectly mature, Iris doesn't mind this sort of big-brotherly fondness. Or big-sisterly fondness, when it comes from a girl. In fact, she really likes it rather a lot. It's the kind of thing that makes her feel cared for.

She looks up at him through her now slightly messy bangs, not that it's uncommon to find them that way. "I didn't say it was a bad outfit," she says, grinning. "It's a nice outfit. You just-- remind me of someone I know, is all."

It occurs to her that she doesn't actually know what a videogame is. Which is the irony of all ironies, really. She doesn't want to look silly by asking, though. She asks that kind of question of people too often. She should just start doing her own darn research, even if her relative cluelessness about her current world does mean she always has a topic of conversation handy.

There's a tiny flinch, just a hint of one, when Kaden makes her wing bounce. With the way it's rooted in her costume, it nudges her scars, and a shiver runs through her. It's not painful, exactly, or she'd never be able to stand the wings at all: they do press on her back there. It's just intense.

Which adds to the flush that reaches her cheeks, as she answers. "Ahahaha, no. Though I'm sure that's what everybody's thinking," she says, a touch ruefully. "I didn't pick it. I can't even get out of it. I just-- woke up dressed like this, believe it or not." She wrinkles her nose. "That's the Kashtta for you, I guess."

[doyoulikecake]

He raises his eyebrows. Someone she knows? The admission intrigues him, and he realizes at the same time that he hasn't been keeping as close of track on her as he might normally. He doesn't know who she knows, other than Molly and Hermione. He should probably fix that, figure out who he'll have to dupe later when she runs crying to them -- if she does. If he does his work right, she'll let him rebuild her after he's torn her down. "I do, do I?" he asks. "Here, or back home?"

He's immediately distracted from that train of thought, however, by the flinch. It's a struggle to keep casual, and the smile drops off his face, replaced by a look that might be a touch too intense, his eyes a bit too bright and focused. He taps his fingers against the wing again in a little pattern, then forces his attention back to her face and the words she's saying.

He tunes in at about 'woke up dressed like this', and chuckles. It's almost mean, but not quite. "The Kashtta or the Rift?" he asks. He's of the opinion that you just blame the Rift for everything, and if he knew anything about the Kashtta, he'd blame the entire tower on the Rift as well. "Either way, it's got a sense of humor."

[sophicsulphur]

"Ah, no, back home," she clarifies, quickly. She always feels a little guilty, being glad that Edge isn't here, but there's just too much she'd never be able to explain to him. Too much she'd never want to, really, and he'd be miffed that he was far from her best friend any more, far from the first person she'd choose to open up to. As mean as it sounds to hear herself think it, that was only when she didn't have a choice.

"My friend Edge. We kind of grew up together. But it's only the outfit-- really, the mercenary thing. You're not at all like him in personality." She laughs. "...Thankfully." Kaden's much too smart and thoughtful to be Edge. Not that he was entirely stupid, either, but he tended to think with his blade before engaging his brain.

Her expression shades more uncomfortable, as he taps out the rhythm. It's sending sharp little bursts of feeling through her, and while the intensity might be bearable if it would come with a release, she knows it's not going to. And that just makes her twitchy. "--hey, Kaden. That's--" She rolls her shoulders, making the wings bob violently. "--kinda bothering me." She doesn't like to say it, because she generally likes him being free to be playful around her, but it is. "Sorry. I know you're just goofing around."

"--And I guess it could be the Rift, now that you mention it. I guess I was just putting it down to the same phenomenon that makes clothes manifest themselves in my closet." She gives another rueful smile. "That has a sense of humour, too."

[doyoulikecake]

"Huh," Kaden says, studying her. He can see a bit of that guilt on her features, and he wonders how much that has to do with Chicago, or if it's just some residual trauma from her home universe. It's always hard to tell with Wanderers. His Calling hones in again, pressing him forward -- pry, pry, prey -- and he continues, "Thankfully? Why, because you don't want to be reminded?"

His laugh at her request is a bit mean, and he can't quite disguise that, though he does swallow it down as quickly as he can as he draws his hand back. The gesture is a bit reluctant; he could see her discomfort, plain as day, and it was wonderful, a perfect distraction to keep him chatting normally with the Calling hovering. He's wondering how long he'll be able to sit and talk with her without doing something more drastic, and he suspects that he would get kicked out of the place if he tried to pull anything here. It being the Kashtta and all. He saw the guards.

"Sorry, yeah," he says, then goes right now, stays off the subject. "That closet sounds like something my sister would love, to be honest. God knows her apartment is basically one huge closet at this point." Well, it was -- now it's slowly being packed in boxes, like his own, since Ken decided that if they were going to be living together he wasn't paying for two apartments. Not that Kaden's complaining much, really.

Though he does turn a bit serious at his own mention of Lily. She had been looking forward to Halloween. He'd been looking forward to Halloween with her, even if a good portion of that was looking forward to making her as uncomfortable as possible, reaffirming his anger at her for calling their father, for not being loyal to him. Well, he figures, he can still do that.

"Do you drink?" he asks Iris, figuring she might not, given her age and all. But it's polite, if he's going to go get something, to offer to get her some as well. "'Cause I'm going to go get something, and I could bring you something back."

And if he brings something back, he can slip something in it. She said she had hallucinations; maybe he can induce something, mess with them, sate a little bit of this Calling so he can keep existing in this place for a bit longer. And if not, well, he'll figure something out.

[sophicsulphur]

Iris falters, at that, her gaze going to the ground. "--Uh. Well..." Her tone's reluctant, but she's talking anyway. She doesn't exactly like speaking ill of a friend, but it is nice to have someone to finally open up to about Edge. Someone who'll get what it was like for her, stuck in that little village with only a handful of people who'd really befriended her, and all of them far too attached to their normality to really appreciate anything she valued.

"It's just, I mean, he was a nice guy and all. He did a lot for me, after my parents died." She clarifies, a little, realising she doesn't think he's heard this story. They've mostly talked about angels up to this point, which is understandable given everything, but she's starting to realise he doesn't know all that much about her, as a person.

"--I lost them when I was twelve. I didn't really have anyone else to take care of me, so we moved in together, into my old workshop. The only thing we had left, after the fire. But he... I don't know. He didn't really get anything about me. He thought alchemy was outdated and a waste of time. At least he didn't hate me for it, like everybody else, but I could never get him to understand the things that mattered to me at all. He just... he was capable, but not really the right kind of smart, you know?"

She grins up at Kaden a little, then. There's still a bit of guilt in her grin, but she's mostly focused on complimenting him, for the instant. "So, you know. Would be kind of insulting, comparing you to someone who wasn't-- you know. You get what I'm saying."

She doesn't really notice the cruelty of his laugh, though she does notice that he's a touch reluctant to retract his hand, nodding at the closet thing and then adding, "--just so you know, I don't normally mind if you touch me. ...I mean, uhh, not like that." She laughs awkwardly at herself. "It's more just like, I dunno. I like having friends who're okay with hugs and things, yanno? Don't wanna scare you off, just." She taps the end of her Keyblade on the ground, leans against it. "Just kinda sensitive back there. You know."

Because Iris sees no reason whatsoever not to spill all of her personal vulnerabilities to Kaden. He's such a good friend, after all. If you can't do that with your closest friends, who can you do it with?

"--Actually, yeah, now and then," she says, at his offer of a drink. "I'm, uh." She leans over and whispers in his ear. "I don't think I'm really legal, in Chicago." She rocks back on her heels. "Up to you. But, hey, it's a party, I wouldn't mind one." She smiles. "Whatever you think I'd like. I like trying new stuff."

[doyoulikecake]

And if Kaden hadn't been paying attention, if his thoughts had been straying to Lily and to checking his phone just in case he missed a call from her or something like that, the tone of voice and the falter swing him right back around. He takes in every hesitation and the way her eyes drop, filing it all away. He figured reminding her of what she really was would get this reaction, but he wasn't quite expecting the sadness. Added bonus.

The Calling hums down his arms again, wanting him to record this, to write down her words even if it's not the words but what she's not saying that's important right now. His hand twitches, and he shoves his hands in his pockets to disguise it, shifting his shoulders and nodding.

"Shit," he says. "I'm sorry -- about your parents, I mean, and your friend even if he seems a little..." he trails off, shrugging and letting the vague insult stay implied. Unless she pries, but he suspects she won't. It doesn't seem like she wants to dwell on it, which means all of that gets filed away for later -- he can pick at how guilty and broken she is over it at some other point, preferably when they're not in the middle of a dance floor. Or if they must be, later on when he has her trained better; he doesn't trust her not to break down in the middle of the place if he pushes the wrong button just yet.

He laughs again at her awkward clarification, though it's mostly at her embarrassment again. Not that she knows that. "Kiddo, no offense, but you're a little young for me," he says, then adds, "And it takes more than one faux pas to scare me off." And then he reaches out and ruffles her hair again, as if to demonstrate. When he stuffs his hand back in his pocket, it's tingling, almost numb. Damn.

He rolls his shoulders again, staring up at the Halloween lights above them for a moment and concentrating more on how the Calling's doing and the way everything's moving to it (and the music) than her. Well, no, he's still thinking about her, turning all the new tics and nuances over in his mind, but he's trying to gauge how long he can actually interact with her before he has to excuse himself from the situation so he doesn't do anything drastic.

It's not so bad, quite yet. His hands are only slightly numb, for one. So when she whispers in his ear, he simply smiles back. "I may find you a little young for certain dubiously-legal activities, but I've never been against giving mind-altering substances to minors," he says. "Seeing as I was younger than you when I was introduced, and I turned out fine. C'mon."

He starts toward the drinks, smiling a bit to himself. He likes her deference, the way she wants him to decide for her. It reminds him of his sister and how she always lets him order for her when they go out, even if she does argue with his choices. There's a sharp pang as the Calling surges again -- at least it's not pulsing yet, that's when he's in trouble and he knows it is. He misses Lily; he's not sure if it's worse knowing she's there or thinking she's dead.

Either way, he's going to get Iris the closest approximation this party has to something Lily would drink. Only probably significantly less alcoholic. Though he's realized now that maybe it's about time to wean his kid sister off all that.

[sophicsulphur]

"No, it's-- okay," she says, falling in step behind him, her voice soft but not too pained. "It's... it was a long time ago." Four years, plus what she spent in the afterlife, isn't such a terribly long time, but to a sixteen-year-old, it can see like forever. "And as for Edge, well... I feel bad for thinking it, but... I guess at least I do have friends here who get me." She smiles at Kaden, making sure he knows he's included in that. Very much so.

"Mostly, I guess what still hurts about the whole thing is... just how cruel people can be, just because they don't understand. Just because you're different." That may not have followed, exactly, but she doesn't clarify. She doesn't feel like stressing the fact that her parents were murdered. She's a little past dwelling on it, and though she still loves them deeply, all that's a world away. It's time for her to be building new families, now, as an adult, as the next generation.

Except she doesn't know now if she'll ever get to build the family she wants to. Not now Kaden's father-- not that she quite understands his relationship to Molly, any more-- has decided he doesn't approve. She doesn't know what to do about that. Molly's the one she wants to make her home with, with Kaden as her close relative and her precious ward. But that dream rapidly seems to be fading away, and she can't even talk to him about it.

So if she goes quiet and looks wistful for a little while, Kaden, that's why. She's thinking about how much she wants you to say you'd be happy to be her cousin-in-law, and how you probably never will.

--And then she's looking mildly put out, as he takes this down the whole "too young for me" track. "Hey, hey, I do too take offence," she says, elbowing him to let him know she's not wholly serious. And she can't really stay mad at him while he's ruffling her hair. "Not at the not being interested. At the rubbing it in. ...I guess I just get tired of it. I'm-- I'm not immature. I've already died once."

Well, twice, if one counts certain virtual realities. And yes, she just said that like it was no big thing.

There's a sigh, just a little one, which she mostly mitigates by leaning into him, a milder version of her previous nudge. "Sorry. I-- it's no big deal, just you're the second person who's said that to me in a week," she says, in a tone that's got some definite eyerolling in it. And again, is mostly light. She's not mad at him, she's just setting a few friendly boundaries. It's the kind of thing friends do, when they're working out where they stand with each other.

Don't worry, Kaden. She really isn't going to set too many.

[doyoulikecake]

She doesn't have to clarify, not really; he's sharp enough to figure out that she's still talking about her parents, and Edge, though he's not quite sure whether or not it's particularly about Edge or about her general past life. Either way, it shows a vulnerability; he has to work to not press too much, to nod along and smile reassuringly instead.

"Yeah, the community here seems pretty welcoming, probably just because there's so many different people coming through the Rift," he says. "Even if the CLF keeps showing up randomly." At that, his smile disappears, if only because it's not appropriate for one to be smiling when one talks about the CLF. Even though they haven't shown up much yet.

And he does catch her wistfulness, right away; he's been paying far too close of attention to her not to. He's chalking it up to missing her past life, as that's the most likely scenario in general, but that's not going to stop him from reaching over and tweaking her chin. "Hey, you okay?"

But her joking almost makes him forget -- well, no, almost makes him put it to the back of his mind. He won't, but he can let it go for a second, anyway. "Well, I'm not going to go to jail for statutory rape," he chides, as though going to jail for giving alcohol to a minor is better, not to mention the drugs he'll offer to her if she really feels the need for them. Given that he's probably going to be taking more in front of her sooner or later. "And somehow I suspect that's not what you're after with me anyway, given Molly and all. Also: you died?"

His tone is equally light, mostly to hide his surprise. He's not sure whether or not to believe her; after all, she is sixteen, and teenagers have a tendency to be a bit histrionic. But he can't not ask, because she is a Wanderer. It is a distinct possibility.

"Right, let's go get those drinks, shall we?" He puts an arm around her shoulder, then, steering her toward the drinks. Yes, he does accidentally bump her wings again, but this time makes a show of wincing for her -- not that hard, given that it gave him another nice shot of pins and needles up his arm -- and leans over to mutter, "Sorry". Yeah, Iris, those boundaries? Don't worry, Kaden will always apologize after he breaks them, every time.

[sophicsulphur]

She forces a smile, as he touches her face, wanting to feel reassured, but somehow just feeling more depressed. Kaden's so nice, and Molly's so perfect for her, and all she wants is to have a family. Well, and to be her adoptive family's species. That's all, really. Not too terribly much to ask of the universe.

"...Your dad's just a jerk," she eventually sighs. "I mentioned that, right?"

Her eyes go wide, then, at his mention of statutory rape. She might not actually know what you mean by that, Kaden. And now she's terribly confused. "I... I wasn't accusing you of--" she stammers, her hands flailing in front of her face. Which is not a terribly wise idea, given the Keyblade she's holding: it almost cracks him over the head. "I, I'd never accuse you of raping me, Kaden, I know you're not-- whatever gave you that idea?"

For a second, she's wondering if he's misheard something, something she said about the surgery. And so now she's just going to babble. "That wasn't-- I didn't mean you, okay? --and I told you I'm not with Molly any more, not that I don't--"

Another heavy sigh. "Sorry. Drinks would be good," she says, flopping against his side, almost not noticing the wingbump in her turmoil. "--And yeah. I died. Back in my own world, I... sorry, I never mentioned, did I." There's a weak smile at that, laced with apology. "I sort of forget. Who I've told these things."

[doyoulikecake]

He gives her an odd look at that. "I'd have picked a couple stronger choice words than 'jerk', but yeah," he says. "What bro--"

And then she's flailing, and he's having to duck a Keyblade to the face. He does manage to duck out of the way, and then just watches her with a smile on his face while she flails. This is amazing. Also a bit hilarious.

"Iris," he says at one point in the flail, but she doesn't seem to hear him, so he waits, drinking it in a bit longer. "Iris. Statutory rape is a legal term -- I wasn't think you were accusing me of actually being a rapist. I'd be much more offended if you were." He shrugs, letting her flop back against him. "It means someone who's legally an adult -- over 18 -- having sex with someone who's legally a minor, meaning someone under 18. Consensual or not, though you have bigger problems if it's not consensual than the age gap."

He gives her shoulder a quick squeeze, smiling back down at her. The little apologetic smile is just perfect. "You never did mention it, no," he says, "but you don't have to tell me the story right now. I can imagine it's not a pleasant one." And he has other things to bother her about right now.

He takes a moment to break away and order them the drinks they'll be needing, and then turns back to her. "So as I was saying before all the flail, I'm very aware my dad's a fuckwit, but what brought that on?"

[sophicsulphur]

Iris stops with the flail, and furrows her brow at him. "...But why's that called rape?" she insists, still looking mighty pissed off by this whole conversation. "It's not rape for someone to-- don't I get to decide when that is? Don't I get to decide when I feel violated? Don't I get to-- that's just stupid." She folds her arms, glowering at him like he can fix the world for her, if only she's petulant enough.

--And then shoots him a startled glance. "Wait, does that mean if anyone sleeps with--" She quickly amends that to the past tense, just in time, even though it isn't actually applicable. She doesn't need Kaden to know she's still planning on sleeping with Molly. "--if anyone's slept with me they're...." And lets the implication trail off, because she's too horrified to speak it.

She doesn't want to make that true of Molly. She doesn't want society to call her that. Never ever. But she wants her, so much, and....

"--this just isn't fair," she says, stomping her overly-heavily-shod foot on the ground in a final burst of exasperation.

And she'd be elaborating on the death thing, but right now, she's just in too foul of a mood. And since they're on the topic of Molly anyway, she's going to add, "...I'm just stressed out because we had a perfect relationship and now he's going to hurt her if I do anything and I just, I just want...."

She trails off again, choking back angry sobs. Because most of what she's saying is, technically, true, even if it isn't true that they've broken up. She still has to be so careful. And she's never going to have the family she wants.

[doyoulikecake]

"You would think so," Kaden replies. "But the courts get to decide when people have autonomy over their own lives, ultimately, and in most places that's 18. In Illinois it's younger than that, though."

He doesn't miss the implication that Iris and Molly have slept together -- like hell he would, not after his journal conversation with Molly. And he can't help but grin at Iris's admission. He'll have to talk to Molly about that later. But right now he's going to just sit and drink in her indignation, her need (albeit for his cousin, but at least that's funny at Molly's expense), her impotent rage.

And he's also going to grab their drinks when they're shoved his way by a rather harried party volunteer.

He doesn't bother trying to put anything in them -- he didn't bring anything other than his own drugs, and it'd be hard enough to get it in there even if he had, with Iris right in front of him like this. So he just offers the drink with a sympathetic smile, or one that he hopes resembles sympathetic. He also hopes Iris takes her drink soon, as he's not sure he can hang onto them for very long.

"Iris, to be honest, if he's not hurting her over you, he'll find something else," he says. "He thinks he's taken care of Molly's problem and is back in California. Forget he exists. It'd be better for all of us if you did." He shrugs, taking a sip of his own drink. "It's what we do."

The entire time, his eyes are glued to her, watching her try and hold back her tears. Watching her try not to fall apart in the middle of the room. "How about we go into one of the movie rooms?" he suggests. "You kind of look like you need to talk about this, and I think I need to sit down for a bit anyway." And more drugs. Beside the point.

[sophicsulphur]

Iris isn't always the kind of person who needs autonomy over her own life, necessarily. Often, she's more than happy to let higher authority fill that space, to submit to the will of a power that knows how to guide her life better than she does. But in this particular case, her belief is that-- well, the law is an ass. Though she wouldn't have put it quite like that. She doesn't see why the courts should get to tell her what's violation and what's not. And she finds it even less appealing that they intend to force that decision on Molly.

"...how much younger?" she huffs, holding her shoulders tense, still looking like the wind's been taken out of her sails. "You know, in my world, I'd be almost expected to be settling down by now. I... I just don't wanna be told who I can and can't love. By the courts. By your father. By anybody." She almost snatches the glass from him, taking a gulp. "That should be between us."

Her posture slackens up a bit when he talks about how she should forget Ken exists, though not by much. "I guess," she says, quietly. "I don't wanna make more trouble for the three of you, or anything. Or remind you of how it is."

She shoots him a defeated sort of smile, her eyes still wet with unshed, angry tears. "...sitting down sounds like a good idea. Yeah." She nudges the side of him that isn't holding a glass, in lieu of actually being able to squeeze his shoulder, now that both her hands are fully. "...Thanks, Kaden. You're-- I just can't say it enough. You're a really good friend."

[doyoulikecake]

Kaden shakes his head, taking another sip of his drink. "Not sure," he says, awkwardly transferring the cup to one hand so he can dig his phone out of his pocket. It takes some effort, given that these leather pants are a bit tight even on him. "If you give me a sec I can find out, though."

He resists the urge to check his missed calls. He'd know if Lily called; there's no way he wouldn't be able to feel his phone buzzing in his pocket, even with the numbness of his Calling spreading down his back. Instead, he just opens the browser on his phone, trying not to think about it.

"It's not really that bad," he says with a shrug that sends more tingling down his arms. He looks up once, to shoot her a half-smile, one that says 'yeah, I know how that sounds', and starts walking toward one of the rooms. "I mean, it's not like we have to deal with him on a dai--oh shit."

All that concentrating on walking and his phone and talking to Iris, and he forgot that his left hand was supposed to be holding a drink. It's not like he can really feel it all that well at this point.

Well, part of that's because it's just ended up on the floor. He's just going to stare at it, still holding his phone, with a somewhat defeated look on his face. "Well, that sucks." At least now he doesn't have to pretend to drink it.

[sophicsulphur]

Iris is about to question how in the world it is that looking at his phone will help him find out that-- is he going to call someone? Inquire? Well, that's embarrassing, she thinks, as if all this weren't embarrassing enough-- and then he's staring at the drink he's dropped, a rather dismayed expression crossing his features as its contents pool on the floor.

"--ah, you okay?" she asks, partly in case any of the drink got onto him but mostly because she wonders if his hand's all right. "You wanna go back and get another one?"

Or she could offer him hers, but she's going to exhaust that option, first. She kind of feels like she could use the numbness in her system.