xp_logs | Kevin & Nathan | Tuesday morning

Kevin's decided he hates playing hero but he wants to help people anyway. He goes to the only person in authority he really likes or trusts, Nathan.

A strange mood, that was the only thing Kevin could really think to blame the sudden urge on. He wasn't a joiner. Actually, if there was two or more people in any given area Kevin could be counted on to avoid it at all costs. Even if it meant jumping out the window, scaling down the side of the mansion and abandoning all clothing in a nettles bush he would avoid groups of people because the level of twitchy and jumpy was worse than the bother of alternate route conception.

Despite this rather glaring fact, part of which had existed long before he'd ever manifested, Kevin was on his way to the boathouse. Not only was he on his way to the boathouse, but he was doing it with the intention of willingly requesting to join something for once in his life. It went against all of his artistic loner senses, but it seemed right in a way. That was, of course, until Mr. Dayspring's slightly terrifying secretary gave him a very displeased look for requesting to see him without an appointment. She put on quite a show about how busy Nathan was and how it might be impossible to see him for weeks. Kevin only said he would wait, sure to make his voice rather firm out of spite.

"Juliette, why are you tormenting the poor boy?" Nathan was just emerging from Rachel's nursery, where he'd put her down for a nap - she hadn't been at all thrilled with the idea, but she hadn't slept well last night, so it was a necessary evil. "We like walk-ins."

Kevin gave the woman a broad, sweet smile that resembled a little kid who had just bested their older sibling by running to their parents to get them in trouble. "Only 'cause she can' manage ta hit me wi' a brick an' get me shoved inta tha closet 'fore anyone notices." She glowered at him, but Kevin was okay with that for the moment. "Hey, Mister Dayspring. How're you?"

"I'm not bad," Nathan said. It was a little more honest than 'I'm fine', still. "Have a seat," he said, waving at the long table that was currently unoccupied by anyone doing reading. "What can I do for you?"

Kevin mentally chewed on his lip, but didn't let the gesture become physical. After a moment of thinking he just nodded to himself and finally sat gracelessly in a chair. The silence continued as he tried to explain to himself why he was doing this because Mr. Dayspring would, of course, likely ask and a reason needed to be had. Nothing was coming to mind, though, so Kevin hoped when time came one would present itself. "Ah wanna help out with Elpis. Ah know Ah helped fer a day tha' once an' it wasn't really mah thing but...Ah've changed mah mind. An' Ah swear Ah won't jus' go an' change it back er anythin'. More stubborn'n that."

...well, this was interesting. "I don't actually make you sign contracts in blood," Nathan said dryly, sinking into one of the chairs himself. "If you try it on a regular basis and don't like it, that's fine. You've not got anything to prove, Kevin. Not to me."

"Ah didn' mean Ah did. Some people'd jus' worry 'bout someone flakin' out on 'em, tha's all." Kevin shrugged a little. Had he thought he had something to prove? Not really. At least, not to anyone but himself. "'Sides," he added with a small quirking of his mouth, "word is ya abandoned tha signin' in blood an' now ya jus' hold organs as collateral. But, really, whatcha need all them kidneys fer?"

It was possible that the psychotic break had affected his mind in more than the obvious ways, because Nathan couldn't find the gleeful 'recruit them all and let God sort them out!' impulse that usually drove him in situations like this. He didn't think it had anything at all to do with Kevin, either. "I believe you that you wouldn't flake out," he said quietly, meeting Kevin's eyes to make sure that the young man knew that he meant it. "I suppose I'm just wondering what changed your mind."

At first Kevin just shrugged, he knew he'd have needed some sort of reasoning. He didn't really have a reason yet, though. Despite that, he just opened his mouth and hoped what came out made some sort of sense. "Ah dunno. Ah don' do anythin' all day 'round here. Ah'm never gonna be tha heroin' type. Ah mean, c'mon, do Ah look like Ah wanna run aroun' an' save people from certain death? Not ta mention Ah'm not overly effective mutation-wise in a fight anyway. Suppose, Ah dunno, suppose Ah just realized how much that ain't me. But Ah wanna help people anyway. Elpis kinda seemed like tha good idea all thin's considered."

Well, that was good enough for him. "Then let's put you on the payroll," Nathan said. "I don't know if that's what you had in mind, or whether you were more into the idea of volunteering, but the only reasons I don't pay people for helping out are if they're too younger, or richer than I am." Besides, it would look good on Kevin vis-a-vis the legal system, which was no small consideration.

"Hadn't gotten tha' far in tha thought process, actually." But, really? Having a paying job had perks and he wasn't going to say no to it. Besides, he really did need something to do with his time and while he was perfectly content to hide away in the metal shop making sculptures all day Kevin was pretty sure it might be detrimental to his mental health or something of that nature. "So's it gonna be me an' tha very small prin' again?"

"There are other things you can do," Nathan said, finally smiling - a little. "Newsfeeds and phone calls and the like..."

"Yer head still all scrambled? Ya jus' suggested puttin' me in contact with humans. Me. Kevin. Tha leas' people person person ever." Actually, that was a lie. Somewhere inside Kevin knew it was a lie as well. He could be downright charming when he let go of all his other stuff. It was the letting go that was the issue. "Ah'll do whatver, though. Seriously."

"Then, when can you start?" Nathan asked. "Seriously. We've got all kinds of stuff that needs doing, and given that a lot of the people who work here are students, they're coming up to a busy period and can't put in as many hours as they usually do."

"When can't Ah? Only got powers trainin' an' Samson ta worry 'bout an' Ah'm free o' 'em both today so Ah can start now if ya want." It wasn't like he had anything else to do other than busy himself with sculpture. Seriously, if he was going to decide to be of use there was no point in putting it off for any reason, was there?

"All right then. Juliette-"

"Already doing the paperwork," Juliette said from her desk.