Players:
Summary: Jeremy meets up with Kaji again and tells him how things are looking up.
Date: February 17, 2010
Moving Forward
Rating:PG-13
NYC- Thompson Square Park
Thompson Square Park is a small park in the middle of Mutant Town. The benches might need a fresh coat of paint, the fence might be rusted in places and the pavement is raised and has cracks but it's all part of the mutant haven and fairly relaxing. Trees and grassy areas are in between the many paths, there are a few structures and benches along the path as well as a special area of the park that is marked 'the dog walk'.
It's mid-morning and most of the park is patched with snow. Some has melted but other areas still have white spots. The ground is wet from melting snow which is why Jeremy is sitting on one of the park benches instead of under a tree. He's wrapped up tight in the leather coat and inhales intently from a cigarette. The last week has been tough but he's finally gotten the strength to leave the half way house and get some fresh air, if nicotine counts as fresh air. He looks tired, bags under his eyes and kind of pale. Definately looks worse for wear, but actually, it's for a good reason.
Though the steps are soft, the grass under them cruches; giving his entrance away. Granted, it's not in such a way that Jeremy is used to seeing him. Kaji's in his wolf form, average size for a timber wolf. The only difference giving him away as a shifter is the fact he's carrying a bag of clothes in his mouth, and the color of his eyes are that of his other forms as well. When he spots Jeremy on the bench, he starts to head over there. His tail starting to sway slightly behind him as he gets closer; though he doesn't get too close due to the cigarette.
The smell of cigarettes on Jeremy is quite strong, suggesting that he's been smoking a lot more than usual. He's almost done with that one when he spots the large black timber wolf and freezes, staring at it a bit. He's heard stories of wolves getting loose in New York City parks and causing havok, he just hopes that this isn't one of those times. He tosses away the unfinished cancer stick and just watches the wolf. He hasn't put two and two together yet that the wolf is the same one he's seen before.
Kaji sits back on his haunches, setting the clothes down in front of his feet before he lets out a soft bark. C'mon, Jeremy. Add it up. Kaji tilts his head to the side a bit, an ear flicking as he looks at the boy. Sitting a good bit away cause of the scent of cigarettes.
Clothes, bark, black wolf…"Kaji?" Jeremy says as things click and he stands up. "Hey, sorry, not used to seeing you like this." He says walking over to the wolf, not realizing the scent will bother him. "Need help with something or just doing your…wolf thing?" Whatever the wolf thing is.
Kaji wrinkles his nose, shaking his head with a huff before he picks up his clothes once more; heading into the cover of the bushes and trees nearby. There's about a moment's pause before Kaji walks back out as an anthro wolf. With pants and an open button down shirt on. "Didya know that smell really reeks to canines?" He lets out a soft laugh, see? He's joking.
"The smell?" Jeremy asks smelling his shirt. He's wearing clean clothes and he did shower today. He's not a years worth of homeless funk smell anymore. "Oh, the cigarettes, sorry, I've been smoking a lot more lately. It's been a week." Since he's last used herione so the cigarettes have become a crutch. One thing at a time. "Sorry, about the last time I ran into you, I didn't mean to throw that on you."
Kaji smiles just a bit, though it's hard to notice with black fur and all. "Yeah, that smell." He waves a hand a that last part. "Don't worry about it, Jeremy. Ya needed help. Just that I didn't have any help to really give." He tilts his head, arching a brow a bit before he says, "You look like hell." Yay blunt.
Jeremy smiles at that. "That's cause I found help. I asked Andres, the head of the halfway house, to help me, and he has. It's been…hard." Jeremy hasn't been sleeping, he's been cold, it's been a roller coaster of suck. "Though I can feel it, that it's been starting to get a bit easier. The first few days were…really hard." Lots of crying, throwing things, making weird noises.
Kaji lets out a soft ah, his tail swaying behind him more out of habit than anything; but he's also happy so there's that. "That's good to hear, man." He laughs a bit before he moves to lean against the /other/ end of the bench; it's a bit more tolerable if he faced upwind from the smoke smell. "I can imagine. And congrats to ya for survivin' it."
Jeremy nods and smiles. "I will admit, I do miss the high, but I'm glad to be done with the addicition. Or that I'm getting done with it. I don't need it." There was period after the injection where he just kind of went into this zone where he didn't care, where everything was a bit of a haze but he doesn't need that escape. "I can't move forward with that under me."
Kaji nods a bit. "That's good to hear. No one really ever needs something like that." Unless there's some sort of thing as medicinal heroine. But that's really never going to happen with that. The anthro's tail flicks a bit before he hms softly. "Well, you're making progress and that's a good thing."
"Which also means I don't have to steal to get money to buy the stuff." Jeremy can retire from being a pick pocket. "And if I do get any money now, I can save up to buy a violin. I could have bought one so easily with the money I used to get drugs but, I'm going to get on the right path again." He says nodding. "So how's your art going?"
Kaji snickers softly. "Course, if I did catch ya stealing. I'd have to give you a talking to." And probably let him go. You don't want to see Kaji in hero mentality. "And that's a noble goal to save up for." He smiles a bit. "It's going well. Got a project now, have to go to the zoo and do sketches of animals on a list as well as freehanding their natural environment."
"That should easy for you, espescially if you pick the wolves." Jeremy says pushing some of his hair back. "I've only been to the Central Park Zoo here but mostly looking at tourists than the animals. I just think that getting clean, having a place to live, I feel like I can do stuff now, ya know? Before I was so afraid of people finding out that not only was I a mutant but another homeless drug addict."
Kaji lets out a soft laugh. "Sounds like the fear I had when I was younger. High school is rather hard on a mutant with a shifting power. Or any kind of power really." Specially that time in the locker room. Hoo boy. He smiles warmly. "Teacher said I couldn't pick wolves since I have such an easy time drawing them. So I might go for lions or tigers." Maybe the bears.
"High school was when this all started for me. Imagine sitting at a desk, getting a flash of the last 25 years of that desk and trying to act like nothing happened." Jeremy shakes his head. "It just got less controllable over the years. And if you want a friend to go to the zoo with you, let me know." He says timidly.
Kaji snickers. "Alright, got me beat with shifting into this while in the locker room shower." He spreads his arms, motioning to his anthro form as he says that. He hms a bit before he nods, "I think I'd enjoy that. It'd be nice to have somewhere there to talk to while I'm drawing."
"If you got a piece of paper I can give you information on how to contact me. It's in Hells Kitchen, a place called Second Chance." And Jeremy definately got his second chance. "I should be getting back there in a bit, I think I've had enough fresh air for now." In other words he's starting feel the withdrawal starting to hit again, at least it's becoming a bit more berable.
Kaji chuckles. "I know where it is. And just ask for Jeremy when I get there?" He hms a bit before he says, "I should head back home, really just came out here for fresh air as well. Been studying for other tests. I'll be tryin' to go to the zoo within a few days. So, I'll be headin' there."
"Yeah, Jeremy Inada. I'm the only one there." Jeremy says as Kaji's the second person he's told his last name to. Andres was the first. He tends to keep that a secret. "I'll see you around Kaji, and, thanks." He says giving a wave as he goes to head off in the oposite direction towards home.
Kaji gives a wave to Jeremy. "See ya later then." Then with that, he heads back home. Yay for midterms. It's enough to make a wolf howl in distress. Oh wait.
