2010-02-03: Leaving

Players:

Drew_icon.jpg Kaden_icon.jpg Ethan_icon.jpg

Summary: Ethan gets an offer to live with friends, just when he needs it.

Date: February 03, 2010.

Log Title Leaving

Rating: PG-13.


NYC - Queens (St. Francis Prep Dorms - Ethan's Dorm)

This room looks a bit like a hurricane hit it. Books are scattered everywhere and the furniture has recently been put right. A pile of clothes is in the middle of the floor, awaiting a trip to the laundry to get the smell of smoke and mildew out of them. Fresh sheets and blankets are piled up on a new mattress and a wobbly desk is stacked high with even more books.


The evening is wearing on and Ethan is one of the few students who has returned to the dorms, though they have been more or less cleared to do so. A letter of 'Disciplinary Review' from the dean of students is on his bed, demanding his attendance tomorrow. Which may or may not mean that somebody recognized him as a demon while he was wrecking havoc. He sighs and goes back to stacking and sorting books. One comes shooting out from under the bed with great force and he slaps a hand down on top of it, stopping it's skid across the floor and wincing at the damage to the back. He addresses the empty air a few feet away. "Look, I don't mind you guys helping. I'm thrilled, in fact. I thought you'd hold a grudge. But be careful, okay?" He rolls his eyes at some invisible, silent response and mutters, "Like talking to cats." It is, perhaps, no wonder that he's not exactly a social lion on campus.

Following his instincts, and his heart, Drew has come to the school dorms to check on Ethan. Along with him, as usual, is Kaden. Drew is wearing his 'water' shirt. A shirt that's light blue with white stitching. The stitching itself isn't a particular design, but it flows around the base of the shirt like water would. It's an amazingly nice shirt. Under that, he has on a pair of black slacks. He knocks on the door.

Even though it's barely been a day since Ethan's gone, Kaden feels a difference around, he misses him already. Which is weird but then again, Kaden forms few attachments and clings to him. He needs to know that person won't leave him and with Ethan gone, that fear is creeping in that it was all temporary for the mage. Of course Kaden vocalized this to Drew and thus why the two of them have already decided to make it over here to Queens. There's a voice on the other side of Ethan's door that can be heard as he can hear the mage talking to himself on the other side. "Speaking of cats, I think there's one back at the penthouse that misses you." Kaden's dressed similarly to Drew, wearing a shirt similar to his but it's red with orange stitching, resembling fire.

Ethan blinks at the knocking. He says, through the closed door, "Annoying Ethan is suspended on account of 'gas leaks'. Check back tomorrow." Stupid lacrosse team. Seriously? Even the day after hell on earth? He shakes his head and goes back to sorting. He blinks at the familiar voice and grins suddenly, standing up and wincing at the rather dusty and dirty reflection in the cracked mirror on the back of the door. Ah well. He runs a hand back through his hair and crosses over to open the door. "Kaden! And Drew! Thank god!" He pauses and says, "Ah, I mean, welcome." He stands aside to let them enter. "Come in. It's a mess. My fault." He gives the shirts a look and then grins a bit wickedly, "Are you guys forming a bowling team too?"

"No, we miss you." Drew says, with a bit of a smile. He's delighted at how happy Ethan seems to have them there. He wrinkles his nose slightly at the state of the room, but shrugs. "No, don't make fun! these cost a lot." He says, looking a little hurt by that. After all, he paid a designer to make them for him and the others. Of course, he'll get over it. He does move inside, running a hand through his own blue locks.

Kaden nods in agreement with Drew. "Yeah, things just kind of seemed, different with out you and…yeah." Kaden says not voicing his silly fears with Ethan, not yet at least. "I got used to having you around." He gives a confused expression about 'bowling team'. "Why a bowling team? I've never been bowling and I like the shirt Drew got me." Hey it was his first real Christmas present.

Ethan shakes his head. "I was teasing." He shrugs and says, "I'd hug you but I'd get the shirts dirty. And yea, I already miss you guys, too." He picks up a pile of books from the desk chair and casually dumps them on top of the letter. No need in letting anybody see /that/. He gestures, "Somebody sit down. The other one is around here somewhere." A few seconds later there is a rattling thump from the closet and the door flies open. Another secretary chair flies out of the closet as though kicked and smacks against the wall with a loud THUD! He rolls his eyes, "Yes, thank you. Stop helping, please."

Drew chuckles at all the movement in the room and bites his lip before looking at Kaden. He looks down and then finally puts what he wants to say in words. After all, Drew is a little blunt in some ways. "Come back home." he says, nodding. That's what he really wants. And that's what Kaden wants. What more is there to say about it? In his mind, nothing.

Kaden puts a hand on the back of the chair that flies out and smirks. He's about to sit down when Drew just blurts out what he says and Kaden nods. "Yeah, we'd…really like for you to come back to the penthouse and live with us, it's not the same without you and…I don't want you to forget about us."

Ethan blushes faintly and then smiles wider. Risking a little dirt being transferred, he does give Kaden a squeeze and steps back. "How on earth could I forget about you guys? You're my friends. All of you." And then a wry tone and a shrug, "And all my friends, come to think of it." He pauses and then adds, "But I don't want to be a sponge, living off of you. Or underfoot. Don't get me wrong, even with the world ending, it was the best week of my life. But, you know, school and stuff…." He trails off at that. "Ah, maybe, school that is."

"You can live there and go to school. It's not sponging, you're… you're a part of us." Drew says, looking about as he moves to sit on the bed instead of a chair. "As for school, well, we go to school. You belong with us. You don't need to be amongst these folks. They don't appreciate you like we do." He says. Wait, was that a minor air of superiority? From DREW? Yes.

"You could easily forget us, just think of it as a fun week and not come back but…I don't want to lose you Ethan." Kaden has a lot of insecurities that are coming out and he can't really look Ethan in the face. "If it was the best week of your life, why can't you stay with us, I know we're….different and not like the people you go to school with here, and we're not normal, or I'm not that social and I wanted to punch you in the face when we first met but, I need you Ethan, the same way I need Drew, Keith, Xane and Dmitri."

Ethan gives Drew an amused look and murmurs, "Well, that's true enough." He sits down when Kaden speaks and fights the urge to hug him again or do something that might embarrass the volatile young man. His expression grows thoughtful and he considers it a long moment. "I'd love to stay with you. And trust me, the people I know here in school aren't much better than a punch in the face." He frowns and says, "Honestly, I had enough credits to leave a year ago. But …parents …socialization… all that." But for all of his explanations, there really is only one answer and he's self-aware enough to know it. "Ah, the others are okay with this?" That's the question of a man already deciding and just working out the details.

"If they're not, I'll get a job and get us a place." Drew says with a firm nod. "I know they won't care though. But… Ethan, we need you. Kaden needs you. I need you." He says, biting his lip. "And you got socialization. With us. And… I go to college. You can go there, with me. Kaden goes to GED school and will be joining me later, or going to try to become a fireman." He grins.

Kaden blushes a bit and nods. "After I get my GED I'm going to find out what it takes to become a fireman, it was Drew's idea but I like being able to use my powers to safe people, make up for what I've done. Drew and I are gonna get a place when we can someday and we want you with us Ethan. I know you're not linked to us like we are to each other and I know it's not certain that we're always going to be together but…I want you with us. We want you with us. I can teach you what I can about fire."

Ethan fishes a key out of his pocket and says, "Keith had this messengered over to me this morning. So he's probably expecting me to hang around at least sometimes." He grins at the two of them. "Wow. You two have goals. Stealthy ones, but goals." His tone is amused at that. He snorts, "Xane's a close-mouthed guy." He shakes his head and fights back a grin. "Tell you what, I am /not/ breaking up your home. Period. But if the others want me there, I'd be …honored. And happy." He grins and adds, "But I'm bringing my own clothes this time." Another pause. "Ah, you know, when I tell my parents I'm leaving school early, not going to Harvard and moving in a quintet of friends, they are sooner or later going to get on a plane and show up at your doorstep?"

There's a bright grin from Drew. "Good! They won't mind. You make us happy. They'll be happy." He is practically bouncing in place on the bed. "Let'em come. Do they know your abilities?" He asks, tilting his head. "And… they haven't met Keith yet. The guy that ran Kaden's school gave up when he had me and Keith there to take him with us." He says with a nod.

Kaden smiles but there's something a bit sad behind it. "Just be happy you have parents." He then hugs Ethan. "Our home is your home, always. I don't think Drew and I could have it feel like our home without you." Then he looks at Drew. "You have to show Ethan the Island when it's warm and we can spend time out there." He likes Drew's island it actually is a special place for him. "You can share rooms with Drew and I whenever you want."

Ethan hugs Kaden back and laughs quietly. "Ah, no. They thought the lesser spirits were imaginary friends I made up to keep me company. That's why they ditched me here when I was twelve. To make 'real' friends and become 'normal'. Apparently they've never read Lord of the Flies or they'd know private schools don't always work that way." He stands and says, "Ok, so still… Dmitri and Xane should absolutely get a say. It's their home too." He shrugs and adds, "And you guys can help me pack books." Because one way or another, Ethan is pretty sure his time here is over. He smiles, not at all minding the thought.

"Dmitri lives downstairs." Drew says with confusion. "Or, if that's a problem, we'll go live on my island." He says with a nod. "Oh, we're the first of our type to all meet each other. According to our predecessors." He says, explaining. "Good. We'll help you." He says, grinning as he moves over to Ethan to give him a nice, healthy kiss. "I love you. I don't want you away." Awwww.

Kaden feels a surge of sympathy for Ethan. "Yeah my Mom ditched me somewhere when I was six, I haven't seen her since. Well at least you have made real friends, even if we aren't normal." Kaden says nodding behind Drew. "I don't want you away either and anything you want us to help with, we will." He then smiles at Ethan and runs a hand nervously through his hair. "The penthouse is your home now, not this place."
Ethan blinks at that kiss and returns it, putting his hand at the nape of Drew's neck for a moment to keep him in place and then looks a bit shocked at the 'I love you'. He's both smiling and blushing and at a loss for what to say to that. It may be the first time anybody other than his mother has said it. And then at Kaden's words he moves until he has a hand on each of their shoulders and to his own surprise, he lightly kisses Kaden as well. "Well, nobody's going to ditch you now. Let's go home. I can pick up this stuff after my meeting tomorrow."

Smiling brightly, Drew nods. "And we'll get the others to come, too. My transport would be messy." He says, bringing a hand to Kaden to pull him over. He's really happy. So happy… "I should go bring some of the primo stuff out tonight."

Kaden kisses Ethan back and smiles. "We should spend the night on the island tonight." He says wrapping an arm around Drew and Ethan each as he's pulled over. He wrinkles his nose. "You guys can smoke that stuff, I'm not gonna." Drew knows about Kaden's thing with anything that alters his mood, he just doesn't like it. "But the island tonight sounds good and I can make sure Ethan stays warm."

Ethan just looks blank. "Primo stuff?" Why no, he's not sheltered at all. "And there's an actual Island? I thought it was a metaphor. And with this snow…." He trails off. Kaden can keep them warm, of course, but still a night outdoors in this weather? Ah well, it's a small price to pay. He grins faintly and says, "Let me see if I have anything that doesn't smell like it's been in a barbecue pit and pack a bag."

"Dude. I was raised by hippies. My rents made their OWN strain of Mary J. And it's the good stuff." Drew nods with certainty. "Kaden doesn't like it. But, I do. It won't hurt me, anyway." he says, grinning. "You'll be fine on the island. We'll huddle around you for sleep and keep you warm."

"I just don't like anything that screws with me too much like that, you know why." Kaden says to Drew nuzzling against him softly. "Drew and I lived on the island together last year, actually it was around this time of year, right before Drew's birthday." Which he remembers is coming up really soon. "I don't care if you smoke it, just, I don't wanna."

Ethan blinks and then gets an 'Oh!' expression. "Ah. Oh. Hm. Yes. Well, it's not uncommon in tribal cultures, of course. Altered perceptions are often considered a pathway to spiritual enlightenment. And in fact, you could argue that the consumption of mild euphorics and natural hallucinogens are a part of religious ritual around the world." A pause. "I, of course, have never indulged." As usual, when outside his comfort zone, he retreats into his 'analytical guy' persona.

Drew reaches a hand out and smacks Ethan's head lightly. "Stop it." He sticks out his tongue and winks at Kaden.

"Feel free to indulge with Drew. I don't care if you do, just, don't try to pressure me into it." Drew has never once tried to get Kaden to do it, or pressure him, and that's why he doesn't care. They respect each others choices. "So are we packing your stuff and going or what?"

Ethan laughs at Drew and just grins before pecking him on the cheek. And then one for the grumbling Kaden. "I know better." There is a lot of affection and sly, understated humor in his voice at that simple sentence. He goes to gather a few things in his bag and then shrugs, stuffing the bedding in the backpack as well, if now the pillows. "Hey, thirty grand a year tuition. They can spot me a blanket or two. The rest, like I said, tomorrow." He takes a last look around the room and realizes that he's unbelievably happy to be leaving it behind. Guiding his two …friends…? Hm. He's going to have figure that out. Friends. And more…. towards the door he says, "Okay. Let's go see your island." And then he tries to restrain a laugh as the spirits, who have been uncommonly alert and reactive since being freed, silently applaud and wolf-whistle and generally scamper around in delight. Thankfully, he's the only one who can see them.

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