Kevin & Jennie: Late Thursday Night

[x-wither.livejournal.com]

After Jennie creates a very awkward situation with Marius she feels the need to escape. The answer? Informing Kevin he's being dragged out for waffles.

"You," came a voice from the doorway. "You are coming with me. No arguments. I have decided this."

Kevin had managed to get into the metal shop all of fifteen minutes ago, though it was a block of wood he was working on with his bared hand. The voice was insistent and it wasn't Clarice so when Kevin looked up he had the typical expression of one in trouble. Though, it was Jennie so that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't in trouble. All in all it was quite a feat for him to manage a confused, "Huh?"

"It is late, and I am hungry. So," she held up one hand, a key king dangling from her finger. "Waffles?" Her blue eyes were wide and innocent, and her expression was completely guileless. She needed out of the mansion and away from the humiliation she had felt at the hands of the "truthiness." Kevin had been deemed as acceptable company and as such would accompany her. Whether he wanted to or not.

"Long as ya don't break out in rhyme. Seriously. Ah will shove you in the trunk if ya start breaking into verse." His fingers trailed idly over the surface of the wood though he didn't look at what they were doing. Kevin could not take another person confessing to have checked out his supposed assets, calling him gun shy, or telling him to be more social and let people in. It wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't also come from Jane who he'd barely ever spoken to.

"See, I was doing that earlier, and I finally stopped a while ago. Hence the need to vacate the premises and drown my sorrows in waffles. And possibly slash my wrists with the butter knife. We'll see," Jennie gestured expansively for Kevin to follow her. "Your chariot awaits, mon capitan."

"Well, if ya might commit suicide via butter knife Ah've gotta come. Not to save you, of course, just to watch." Kevin gave her a half grin that was full of mischief. This really inappropriate sense of humor he was pulling out lately was going to get him in serious trouble eventually. Grabbing his glove off a workbench where he'd thrown it not too long ago, he trotted off after Jennie to the car. Thirty minutes later both were seated in a cracked corner booth in a half Waffle House half truck stop Jennie had found off the freeway last year. Open 24 hours a day, the World of Waffles at this time at night usually contained one or two truckers, the waitress, whose hairstyle had not changed or moved at all in twenty years, and presumably a cook. It smelled strongly of maple syrup, and was dingy enough to remind Jennie of home. She perused the sticky menu in front of her, before glancing up at Kevin. "I feel I must warn you. What you are about experience is a culinary feat. This place is going to spoil you for waffles for the rest of your life," she said.

Kevin was pretty sure these were not going to be the most amazing waffles he'd ever had. Actually, he was entirely prepared to be thoroughly unimpressed, but it had gotten him out of the mansion which was the really important part for him. "Well then it's a good thing Ah don't eat waffles often. Ah'd hafta turn all emo and it wouldn't be pretty. Ah mean, just think of the girl's pants and eyeliner." The expression that thought brought to his face, like he'd just eaten something rotting and sour, was entirely genuine as well.

"Dude, I might have to hide the butter knife from you then." Jennie shook her head and then set the menu down. "So, last week has been fun. I noticed you've got yourself quite the fanclub there."

Kevin instantly groaned and slid the butter knife on the napkin beside his hand toward her. "What gives? Jesus. Angel wasn't that surprising. She already said something a while ago more or less. But Laurie? And Jane? Where did Jane come from?" He slumped down in the booth while another miserable groan came out. "Ah don't get it." And on top of it all Jay was pissed at him for a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, speaking as one who possesses two X chromosomes, I can safely say that you are fairly easy on the eyes. Plus you have that whole 'brooding loner' thing," Jennie said, using her fingers as quotation marks. "For some girls, it's like kryptonite," shrugged. And then paused as the waitress came over to take their order. After she left, Jennie took a sip of her coffee and continued. "Your vehement denials to the contrary just make it worse. So, not only are you attractive, but you're oblivious to it, which makes you seem more attainable."

Kevin narrowed his eyes at her for that. She was really no help at all. None. Made things worse if anything. The hood on his head was pulled down further over his eyes. "Does everyone think Ah've got this serious self-esteem problem or somethin'? Ah don't. Why do Ah have to be under the impression Ah'm hideous to not realize people've been checking me out apparently? Maybe that's not what they think, but it comes off like that. Erg. You'd think 'brooding loner' would mean, y'know, out of sight enough to go unnoticed." He sighed heavily. He probably should have thought more along the lines of "I'm a pimp" for having now five girls, two of which were not under the influence of overly honest poetry, tell him that they found him attractive. If he didn't have a boyfriend he probably would have, actually. It might have been a huge ego boost. Mostly it was just kind of weird, though. "Ah'd think the boyfriend thing would make me a lot less attainable seemin', though."

"Hey, I'm just telling you what's what. Doesn't make your situation any less awkward, but there you go. There is some benefit, I've often made use of my personal assets for gain," she quirked an eyebrow at Kevin and took another sip of coffee. She was sympathetic to his plight, but the way he was reacting made her wish she could pinch him on both cheeks and give him a cookie. It was adorable, really. "And it can be worse, at least you didn't get infected and wind up almost completely humiliating yourself in front of your best friend."

"Ah reckon that only works if you're female," he told her with the barest of smiles. He didn't point out that if he was infected he'd never humiliate himself in front of his best friend because he lacked the best friend part of that equation. Kevin was pointedly trying to not make this into a Kevin's a sob story kind of night. "What'd you do? Er, or almost do Ah guess?"

"Nah, see, female waitstaff, you just turn on that southern charm and you might find yourself with the best service of your life," Jennie said cheerfully. Then she frowned, spinning Kevin's butterknife on the table. "If I tell you, you have to swear on all that is good and holy it does not leave this table. Because I will hunt you down and use your intestines to string a tennis racket."

"Riiiight, charm. Ah got that?" He did sometimes, and Kevin knew it. He just ignored that fact in case people started to expect him to always be charming instead of sullen like he usually was. "Y'know, Ah spend a larger percentage of time terrified of you." Okay, maybe not literally but Jennie was a little scary. "Not sure Ah'm supposed to spend so much time scared of my friends." After shaking his head at himself and straightening up where he sat now that the focus was off him, Kevin relaxed a bit and his expression grew more serious. It was a hard differentiation to notice since he hadn't been overtly playful moments ago, but he'd been kidding about things at least. "Ah swear it. Ah'm attached to my intestines where they are, thanks. 'Sides, got no reason to go tellin' anyone anythin' anyway."

"All right," Jennie spun the knife again, then stopped it with the flat of her hand. "So in all the fun of the saying things that I did not want to say to Marius, I wound up discovering something. Thankfully I was able to get it to stop before I told him, but--" she sat back and cracked her knuckles. "I might have feelings for him. The kind that go beyond friendship. Which is, just, stupid." Jennie shook her head at herself and looked incredulous. "I mean, it's Marius, right? He's completely, I don't know...ridiculous?"

"Oh," the sound of the word hung in the air longer than it needed to, but Kevin was a bit surprised. Why was he surprised? Probably because Marius regularly sounded like a literature professor when he spoke and Jennie was....well, she was Jennie and the combination didn't fit in his head. It was like trying to make a Caravaggio styled chiaroscuro painting on a urinal as a found art piece. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad. It wasn't quite oil and vinegar either. No it really was chiaroscuro on a urinal, even if they were friends. "Marius is kind of, well, yeah, ridiculous. He's a good guy, though, from what Ah know of 'im."

"Well, I do know him. He and I have been through a lot, and some of that was actually his fault." She made a face. "Like, okay, he's a nice guy, but I'm pretty sure he has his own STD named after him. The guy doesn't believe in anything longer than a one-night stand. And even then that's too much time. He's kinda selfish, and can't really see beyond his own problems most days." Jennie put her head in her hands. "It makes absolutely no logical sense. He's the kind of guy I tell my friends to avoid."

"If ya want not making sense look at who Ah'm dating," he pointed out. Actually, the entire mansion probably was convinced he was gay and possibly in denial over it so maybe it wasn't effectively the point he was trying to make. "Point is, attraction ain't logical and most people like people who're bad for 'em, y'know? Sometimes it's better for some crushes to stay crushes and Marius might be that sorta thing. Or maybe it's a totally illogical thing that'll work like me and Jay. Sadly? Only one way you're finding that out likely."

"Yeah," Jennie said. "Which is why that stays firmly in the realm of hypothetical. I can already predict what will happen. Barring, of course, he doesn't laugh right in my face if I tell him. One, we're decently happy up until the point comes when we have to touch," Jennie stuck her tongue out. "Mutants make him twitchy. Which is why he likes them blonde, skanky, and human. Two, inevitably he will forget that he has to pay actual attention to me once in a while. And three, I will wind up having to effect his most brutal murder when he forgets himself and cheats on me. So, add this all up and it equals one large world of no. I'm just wondering where in the hell this came from," she flicked her bangs out of her eyes. "He's been my friend for over two and a half years, and I've enjoyed a crush-free existence until recently. Like, okay, did you have a slight crush on Jay before you start dating, or did it just wind up 'happening' like him and Kyle?"

Blonde, skanky and human. The words echoed in Kevin's head and he had to use all his willpower to not make a face, though he failed. Relationship aside, he didn't see the appeal. Then again, Kevin was pretty secure in the idea that he was generally odd in most things and his taste in girls might very well be included in that. He didn't like skanky. You couldn't take skanky home to your mom, assuming you had one still. "Uh," was the initial reaction when questioned about he and Jay. "Jay had one on me, Ah think. Pretty sure. It was all his doing." After another moment of silence Kevin sighed and finally sat up completely. "Look, so long as we're on this 'this leaves the table and you die' thing this gets included, 'kay? Me? Completely oblivious. Ah mean, it's one thing to be oblivious to girls, who Ah kind of avoid 'cause who needs to purposely dangle food in front of an Ethiopian, right? But, it ain't the same kind of oblivious Ah had with Jay. Fer one, Ah didn't know he was gay. Fer two, Ah'm not gay. Ah'm not even bi, not really. And this is a real sore spot with Jay so Ah don't want you repeatin' any of this to anyone. Ah don't like guys, Ah just like Jay. So, yeah, it just happened. He'd been pushin' my buttons since we met in the suite and he kept on until he found out Ah could kiss without my powers being a factor. Then Ah was just kinda...claimed."

"Wow, you and Kyle have so much in common it's not even funny. Apparently that's just how he and Jay happened. I believe you when you say you're just ...um, Jaysexual? I guess. I mean, I don't know Jay all that well since he and I hung out on a little before he graduated and left and I got kidnapped off to Europe and wound up having wacky misadventures and nearly killed Manuel," she paused, realizing what she had just said, and then pointed at Kevin. "There is another thing that doesn't leave this table. Anyway. Jay kind of sees what he wants and um, gets it? I mean, I guess you just go for the person, not the gender or the fact that they're 180 degrees of something that would be good for you." Kevin and Jay suddenly made way more sense than it had previously. At first she thought it was just another one of Jay's "day and night" scenarios, but now she could kind of guess. Jay was someone who was safe for Kevin, healing factor and all.

Kevin drew a cross over his heart with a finger to confirm he'd not utter a word about her nearly killing Manuel. Funny, most people around the mansion were all about despising the guy and Jennie had almost gotten him killed? God, those people made no sense to Kevin. None. "Ah guess Jaysexual's a good way of puttin' it, yeah. Ah dunno, he's, erm, persistent. Hard to say no to in a way. Nah, that's not the right way to put it, really. Not sure what is the right way to say it. Ah guess hard to resist is better, but still not completely accurate. Obviously Ah'm not the most articulate ever." He shrugged in his helplessness to adequately explain it. "Ah'm actually pretty sure Ah'm not any good for him, but you couldn't ever tell him that, y'know?"

"Yeah, just so you know? The Manuel thing, with the cane and the head injury? My powers broke on me and I almost got hit by a truck. Manuel saved me," she shrugged and took a sip of coffee. She didn't know why she always felt the need to justify it, what could be justified, anyway. It wasn't like Kevin had known him from Before, anyway. She was interrupted from saying anything further by the timely arrival of their food. Jennie thanked the waitress and then turned back to Kevin. "Jay's ...been through a lot," she said finally, taking a bite of her waffle. It was perfect, like it always was. "I don't think he really wants to put up with any bullshit any more. But that's an outsider's perspective. And he just kind of happened to you. I guess that's kind of like me and Marius in a way. We just kind of wound up being friends somehow. I mean, you wouldn't think it to look at us, be we have a lot in common. We're both bastard lovechildren, for example." Though she figured that lovechild was not an adequate term when it came to Amanti Laverne. More like she clubbed Cartier over the head and dragged him back to her lair to mate.

"So that's how he ended up in a coma?" Kevin hadn't asked him, but he was also pretty sure Manuel wouldn't have wanted to tell him. There was always that feeling that everything that'd come before was stuff Manuel was trying adamantly to move beyond and leave firmly in his past. So Kevin let him, especially because it didn't seem like anyone else would. "Yeah, Ah know he's been through a lot. Ah don't know details 'cause Ah don't ask and he's never seen the need to tell me. Figure if it's important he'll tell me. Too bad his friends seem to think it's important and tell me instead. Really annoying, actually. But if he doesn't wanna put up with bullshit he's datin' the wrong person." There wasn't any note of teasing or joking in Kevin's voice when he said it. He distracted himself with pouring what bordered on too much syrup on his waffles and taking a bite. Now those were damn good waffles. "Well, bastard lovechildren really need to find their kindred, right?" Suddenly his smile was back, as was the hint of mischief in his eyes. "Outside perspective over here? You guys work as friends like Jay and I work in a relationship. It doesn't look like it should and maybe sometimes it actually don't, but it does. Weird happenstance of life er somethin'."

"I guess they're just protective of our little Jaybird--" Jennie said, and then raised an eyebrow at Kevin, "--Don't tell him I called him that. As long as you're both happy then I'm not going to say boo," she took another bite of her meal. "And you do have a point. It just ...works, somehow. In spite of everything. Which is why I'm not going to mess it up by telling him about my random-ass crush. If he doesn't screw it up, then I probably will. I have this nasty habit of cheating. I don't think people like he and I are built for relationships," she smiled ruefully. "So I guess that's why we work as friends."

"Maybe they should learn to trust him to make his own decisions instead," he replied with a bitter undertone. Forge and Terry had both had this feeling about their words like they were telling Kevin because they knew what was good for Jay better than Jay knew. He had come to quite resent Jay's friends not really for what they told him which wasn't their business to tell him, but more because they seemed to think Jay was a little boy who didn't know what he was doing or what he wanted. Scraped knees didn't hurt anyone for long, but treating people the way they seemed to look at Jay did cause longterm harm. Harm out of caring didn't cushion the blow at all. It might have driven the nail in deeper, actually. "Well, you two could always mutually cheat on each other. Almost makes it okay." Wow, did he just say that? "Or, y'know, there's that open relationship thing. Or the friends with benefits thing. Or the ignoring you've gotta crush at all costs thing, which is respectable too."

"Yeah, I'm with you there. You and Jay are big boys, as long as you're happy then I'm not saying shit. And if anything does happen I won't say shit either, just so you know." And she wouldn't either, even though she did foresee it ending badly. "And yeah, technically we are in an open marriage anyway. Because the thought of sleeping with him makes my brain want to curl up in a corner and die. I like him, but I don't think I want to, y'know, sleep with him."

Kevin peered at Jennie mid-bite with a look of utter gratitude in his eyes. Nothing lasted forever, Kevin was well aware of that. He knew eventually he and Jay would end and when it did it could end catastrophically. They didn't do much in half measures so if they broke up it'd likely be an explosion. "Ah appreciate that. Ah mean that seriously. It's our relationship, even when it ends it won't be no one's business but ours. Nice someone else might actually respect that," because he could practically see the backlash he'd get if he hurt Jay. But someone always ended up hurt, didn't they? "Wait, ya like 'im but ya don't wanna sleep with him? Maybe you could, just, y'know, get really drunk, y'all can make out and it'll be outta yer system or somethin'."

Jennie looked vaguely horrified at that. "He and I get drunk together a lot, and we've never made out. I'm not sure if it's my hormones or something else. I mean, if it was my hormones then I would want to sleep with him, or at least have tried. Oh dear god," she looked depressed. "I guess I must really like him or something."

"Yer screwed," Kevin told her with a good-natured grin to go with the words and a pointing of his fork in her direction. "If you get all mopey and lovelorn do Ah have permission to throw you in the lake or something to try to snap you outta it?" This would likely be turned around, yet again, on the fact that Jennie could easily kick his ass, but the element of surprise could work for him. Maybe.

"No, I shall not mope over this. I shall accept that some things are just beyond me, as fabulous as I am," she said primly. This was going to take some serious reorganization in priorities, though. Who knew that you could like someone without wanting just to sleep with them? "But you can try and chuck me in the lake if I suddenly decide I need to lock myself in my room and listen to power ballads. But that's only if I get to toss you."

Kevin shrugged. "Sure, Ah'll take one for the team in the de-mope-ification effort." It was just a lake and he could take some wetness if it saved someone from power ballads. "All else fails, find a distraction. Y'know, someone ya do wanna sleep with." It worked for guys so it had to work for girls, right? Nothing got you over someone quicker as fixating on someone else. Hopefully.

"Eh, that's like my Friday night," Jennie waved her hand dismissively. Also probably not the thing to say to the guy who was untouchable, a small part of her brain informed her. "--Anyway. So what is the verdict on these waffles? I told you they were good."

It really wasn't the thing to say to the untouchable guy, but Kevin pretended to be unaffected by the words. Even if they did remind him so pointedly about certain things he liked to pretend he was ignoring. Moving onto a much safer topic he nodded. "They're good. Ya got me there. Ah admit defeat." He even tied a napkin onto a butter knife and waved it like a white flag while taking another bite. Waffles were such a good idea.

"Anytime you need a break, say the word. I have a license and a line on all the best places to eat in this county," Jennie smiled. She was glad she'd asked Kevin to come out with her that night. Sometimes, all you really needed to feel better was a little food and someone you could trust.

He considered that for a moment. Kevin wasn't one to seek out pretty much anyone who wasn't his boyfriend, but maybe he should. Finally he nodded. "Ah will. You'll end up stuck with me now, Jennie. Like yer own little black cloud followin' you around." Kevin grinned, though it quite ruined his position as token black cloud. With his luck she'd tie a string around his wrist and lead him around by it.

Comments

[x-wildchild.livejournal.com]

"More like she clubbed Cartier over the head and dragged him back to her lair to mate."

I was always of the impression that she and Cartier were both x-factor positive. She has a preying mantis mutation and Cartier can grow his head back on. It's the only way to explain it.