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[ Unlike a normal human, Ian doesn't pull the door open. He's getting pretty damn good with his power now, and it's a quick two-part sequence of events: bend the bolt on the lock back, bend the hinges so the door swings open. It's faster than twisting the handle, he's not ashamed.
Anyway, there's no time to comment on it. He does not sweep in to hug her so much as bodily pick her up around the waist and squeeze the crap out of her a few inches off the ground. Like a happy hugging snake or something. ]
Anyway, there's no time to comment on it. He does not sweep in to hug her so much as bodily pick her up around the waist and squeeze the crap out of her a few inches off the ground. Like a happy hugging snake or something. ]
[Oh, hi Ian. She was mentally preparing herself for a hug, but not being crushed, and she lets out a quiet sound of complaint. After the last couple supremely shitty months she had at home though, she totally soaks the contact in, burying her face in his shoulder.]
I freaked you out, didn't I? I'm sorry.
[If he actually takes a look at her, it might become clear that she was home for more than just a few days. Her hair is long, halfway down her back, and there are a few new scars on her arms.]
I freaked you out, didn't I? I'm sorry.
[If he actually takes a look at her, it might become clear that she was home for more than just a few days. Her hair is long, halfway down her back, and there are a few new scars on her arms.]
[ He's never shied away from physical contact in the first place, slap on how much of a damn heart attack she gave him and he's remorseless about constricting the breath out of her for a little too long.
When he finally sets her down again, his hands don't leave her biceps. Just gonna... hold her there for a minute so she doesn't disappear.
(Behind them, the door closes itself. Ish. It takes a turn of his head to look, but that only takes a second.) ]
What in the hell happened?
[ Demanded in time with his eyes tracking over her properly for the first time, clocking the changes. Small differences that add up. Just a little more of something hidden in her face, longer hair, new scars.
That's more than a week.
She went home, didn't she? ]
When he finally sets her down again, his hands don't leave her biceps. Just gonna... hold her there for a minute so she doesn't disappear.
(Behind them, the door closes itself. Ish. It takes a turn of his head to look, but that only takes a second.) ]
What in the hell happened?
[ Demanded in time with his eyes tracking over her properly for the first time, clocking the changes. Small differences that add up. Just a little more of something hidden in her face, longer hair, new scars.
That's more than a week.
She went home, didn't she? ]
[The empathy bond delivers a strange mix of emotions—relief, guilt, a hint of discomfort. This is awkward to talk about, and she doesn't really have the words to talk about it.]
I was home. I mean, for longer than a week. I guess I was only gone for a week here but it was... It was like, over a year to me. It doesn't feel like that long, though. Not totally. [She takes the tiniest possible pause.] It does and it doesn't?
[And then she makes a face, not sure any of this is making sense and completely aware she's rambling like an idiot.]
Ugh, just tell me to shut up.
I was home. I mean, for longer than a week. I guess I was only gone for a week here but it was... It was like, over a year to me. It doesn't feel like that long, though. Not totally. [She takes the tiniest possible pause.] It does and it doesn't?
[And then she makes a face, not sure any of this is making sense and completely aware she's rambling like an idiot.]
Ugh, just tell me to shut up.
[ The empathy bond hits him delayed just like everything else, a few seconds off before he remembers to tug his hands quickly up over her shirt sleeves. It's the discomfort and the awkwardness that drives it, and he doesn't think twice about it.
A year. ]
Jesus.
[ Breathed out, just shy of speechless. ]
No- come on, god—
[ Quickly, and without any real complete sentences. ]
You scared the shit out of me, you can talk as much as you want.
A year. ]
Jesus.
[ Breathed out, just shy of speechless. ]
No- come on, god—
[ Quickly, and without any real complete sentences. ]
You scared the shit out of me, you can talk as much as you want.
[She didn't actually mind him feeling it, for once. It feels like a silly thing to worry about when he was so plainly upset over her disappearance. It does spare him from another rush of guilt though, both for the fact that she worried him and for the fact that he was here, freaking out, and she didn't remember him at all. It's fucking awful and unfair. Maybe that's what drives her to throw her arms around him again and be honest without the endless worrying about how he'll react.]
I'm sorry. I'm so fucking glad you're still here. I would have totally lost it if you weren't.
[Who needs the empathy bond? Emotion is making her voice a little unsteady anyway.]
I'm sorry. I'm so fucking glad you're still here. I would have totally lost it if you weren't.
[Who needs the empathy bond? Emotion is making her voice a little unsteady anyway.]
[ He hugs her this time without breaking her back, though he still lifts her up a little onto her toes. She's like a foot shorter than him, that's just the way these things go sometimes.
And yeah, there's something really compromising going on with his emotions right now, but he already made himself way too transparent with permanent evidence in her inbox. ]
I want you to know that I handled it super well.
[ He says, somewhere over her head. ]
I was basically a rock in this time of crisis, and you should definitely not ask anyone about it.
[ Specifically, Lance or Nate. ]
And yeah, there's something really compromising going on with his emotions right now, but he already made himself way too transparent with permanent evidence in her inbox. ]
I want you to know that I handled it super well.
[ He says, somewhere over her head. ]
I was basically a rock in this time of crisis, and you should definitely not ask anyone about it.
[ Specifically, Lance or Nate. ]
[It's nice to be somewhere a little more dive-y, actually. Kyna plops down beside him, taking the beer gratefully. She's already talked to Ian, so she's already a little emotionally wrung out.
She looks different, though—her hair's halfway down her back and if he's observant, he might notice a couple of new scars on her arms.]
My hero.
She looks different, though—her hair's halfway down her back and if he's observant, he might notice a couple of new scars on her arms.]
My hero.
That's all it takes to be your hero? [ He's trying not to look too close, aware that he'll just be sitting there admiring her, but he catches a fair amount in a quick glance. ] Woulda bought you a beer weeks ago.
[ He's teasing--sort of, anyway. And since he figures how are you? and so how was home? are off-limits... ] You didn't miss much, y'know. No new monsters to fight.
[ He's teasing--sort of, anyway. And since he figures how are you? and so how was home? are off-limits... ] You didn't miss much, y'know. No new monsters to fight.
Eh, don't be so sure.
[ It's idle shit-talking, punctuated by a sip of beer. ]
You planning on rescuing me, next time the city's overrun?
[ It's idle shit-talking, punctuated by a sip of beer. ]
You planning on rescuing me, next time the city's overrun?
So no to the drink, then.
[ he's teasing, probably. when she shows up he's already behind the bar, wiping down the corners. he's not in any rush, no matter how late in the evening that it is (or early in the morning).
everything he does he does with focus. ]
[ he's teasing, probably. when she shows up he's already behind the bar, wiping down the corners. he's not in any rush, no matter how late in the evening that it is (or early in the morning).
everything he does he does with focus. ]
[Kyna just sends some stupid emoji back and heads to the bar. It's a good thing it's pretty much deserted—she's feeling so strange and unmoored that she doesn't really want to be around strangers right now. Seeing Ren, though, soothes her immediately. Rather than sit down, she slips behind the bar and hugs him tight.]
[ he's so intent on cleaning that he almost doesn't notice her until she's in his space. there's no hesitation in returning the hug once she nabs him, and he settles easily with his arms around her shoulders. in the brief contact there's a little emotion: both relief and fondness mingle. contact like this is easy for him, and there's an underlying warmth that always seems to defy his placid expression. ]
[His emotions mirror hers perfectly, except there's an underlying current of anxiety thrown in the mix. This whole thing has thrown her off, and she's not sure how Ren managed to stay so calm when it happened to him.]
Hey. You owe me a dumb picture of Strange.
Hey. You owe me a dumb picture of Strange.
Eh, wouldn't say no.
[ Usually I save myself, he wants to say, but how true is that, these days? ]
Maybe I can save you. Figure out my little, uh, superpower.
[ Usually I save myself, he wants to say, but how true is that, these days? ]
Maybe I can save you. Figure out my little, uh, superpower.
Don't know 'im.
[ He swigs a sip of beer, thoughtful, swallows, and turns a little more toward her. ]
Okay. Try'n punch me.
[ He swigs a sip of beer, thoughtful, swallows, and turns a little more toward her. ]
Okay. Try'n punch me.
[ He gestures at his stomach, currently safely covered in the fabric of a wifebeater. ]
As a heart attack.
As a heart attack.
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