New York, Definitely Not Thursday Afternoon... To Thursday Evening.

[apocalipped]

[OOC note: I didn't save a backup of this post, and LJ somehow managed to delete just the body of it, leaving only the comments. I have no idea how the hell that happened. But the contents of post itself were the last few issues of the Civil War era New Warriors run, and involved time travel, tying up loose ends with Night Thrasher's missing

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[glacial_witch]

Karla had no idea that Jono was still in New York. She didn't know that he was mourning for Mira, or that she should be, too. She didn't realize he was currently teamless and heartbroken and exhausted.

All she knew was that the last time she'd seen him, he'd just kicked a bunch of Skrulls in the ass in time to see her graduate. So...sorry in advance for the text, Jono.

Photo message: view.jpg
Kiss kiss from Hawaii!

[glacial_witch]

To save one, they'd lost three.

That kind of thinking--she could respect it, could admire it, the way she could respect and admire Raven's pacifism. But she could never really understand it. Not in the real world. Not when it meant that allies could get killed.

No, not just allies. Friends.

Family.

"Mother Night, Jono," Karla said, pushing those thoughts away, focusing on his pain rather than their ideals. "I'm so, so sorry. How are you doing?"

[apocalipped]

"I'm on my fourth cup of chewable coffee and I've been awake for about three days since this afternoon," Jonothon murmured. "One of my closest friends is dead. The Warriors have gone their separate ways. I... horrible as it sounds, I'm looking forward to going to Glacia. At least I can make sense of war."

That stung a little to admit to, as well.

[glacial_witch]

"Do you want to come here?" Karla asked. "There are plenty of rooms. Quiet, we wouldn't bother you. I guarantee the coffee's better and so is the view."

It wouldn't hold as many reminders, for one.

"And you wouldn't have to be alone."

[apocalipped]

"... I'm tempted," he admitted, a little too softly. "I don't want to impose. But I don't want to stay here, and if I go back to the island right now and it throws something ridiculous at me, I'm liable to level the whole bloody town."

It had been a long day.

[glacial_witch]

"You wouldn't be imposing," Karla said. "It's a huge villa. I mean, I can ask Warren if that will make you feel better. There are hammocks you can crash in if you'd prefer and a whole kitchen full of food I'm not allowed to touch, and--Mother Night, you could probably rattle around downstairs most of the time and we'd never even know."

[apocalipped]

"I... if you're sure I wouldn't be... I mean..." Jono sighed, sliding his coffee cup to the side and leaning forward until his forehead thumped the tabletop. He kind of just stayed that way, well aware that people were once again staring at the strange blue man. "I can lay low, there? Really?"

That was kind of like 'yes please' and 'thank you,' there.

[glacial_witch]

Before answering, Karla sent a link to Warren, explaining to him what had happened and asking if she could extend an invite to Jono. She knew they didn't really get along, but--he'd lost family.

And Warren's modded with permission, obvs response just made her heart melt a little more.

"Of course you can," she said. "There's a TV we never use and I brought some books if you'd like--" sorry for the quality, but they were beach-reading "--and Warren and I both think you should come here and spend some time away from everything."

[apocalipped]

"Well..." That was enough to have Jonothon sitting up again, though grudgingly. If he kept his face down on the table much longer, he'd just fall asleep there. "Thank you, then. Is... there any time that'd be best for me to show up? I mean... I can get a room for tonight, if need be."

Still with the not wanting to impose. One would think that he'd be more used to people going out of their way to help him when he was down, by now.

[glacial_witch]

Karla rolled her eyes at him, ignoring that he couldn't see it over the phone. She just had to trust that he'd know.

"Call for a portal. Get a direct one and charge it to us. Believe me, now is not the time for any unexpected stops in London, during the Blitz, with zombies."

Because that had happened, Jono. On Valentine's Day.

"Just get here, okay? If we're somehow not around, make yourself comfortable. There are lots of rooms on the first floor to choose from. Make yourself something to eat. Spend some time outside in a hammock. I even have books!"

They weren't great books, because beach reading, but they were brainless and enjoyable!

"Get here whenever you can." Her voice gentled. "You're not an imposition. We're family, Jono."

[apocalipped]

Leave it to Karla to say the magic words to get Jono kind of choked up, right there in a public place. Thanks for that, Karla.

"Family." It was true enough. He often said she was the little sister he never had, but it was moments like these that proved that she was the little sister he did have. And she had his back in turn. "I... can handle the portal fare. I've got that. Text me the coordinates for th'portal...?"

It was kind of impressive, considering how many beatings he'd taken, how long he'd been awake, and all the crap he was dealing with, that he had the presence of mind to ask for that much, really.

[glacial_witch]

"It'll be easier if you give me yours," Karla said. "Because you probably know yours, whereas I'd have to go back into the house to get ours."

And she didn't want him to have to do anything but show up. Everything else, they could take care of.

"You just worry about stepping through that portal, okay?"

[apocalipped]

"I... can do that," Jono replied, after a moment. "Text you my coordinates, I mean. There's a place not far from here I usually have it open. Out of the way. Keeps people from staring. Not that people aren't used to these things..."

He huffed a soft, tired laugh.

"Stepping through portals seems to be what I do, lately."

[glacial_witch]

"Then step through one for us," Karla said. "There should be an amazing lunch prepared by the time you get here. I'll bring it in to you, so you don't have to worry about meeting any new people."

Captain Chiba and his men were used to Warren's wings, but Karla didn't think this was the best time for Jono to become the first blue guy they ever met. Just an idea.

"Do you like swimming? There are a few rooms that open right to the pool, so you can take a dip whenever you want to."

[apocalipped]

"Don't know," Jonothon admitted. "I haven't been swimming for the fun of it in... a decade or more? Not much of a recreational swimmer, I suppose."

Usually, his swimming tended to be of the 'for dear life' persuasion.

"Haven't got much in the way of changes of clothes on hand, anyhow. Definitely don't have swim trunks floating about."

[glacial_witch]

"What's your basic size?" Karla asked, calling in a notebook to jot a few thoughts down, like Call portalocity and Have concierge at some hotel bring clothes to the dock for Jono.

It was pretty awesome what spending money can make happen.

"And, like I said, don't worry about it. I'm gonna take care of everything."