[She's managed to a) find make up that should work with his skin tone and b) cleared out her roommates to save Donny from having to deal with anyone but her.
She opens the door with a smile, and just - raises an eyebrow at all those marks, before ushering him inside.]
( No Stephanie, he looks so mortified, just shuffles in and holds out the cookies as if they might be some kind of penance. )
J-just um, p-pretend I have a witty p-pun, here.
( Huff, so flustered, as he (uselessly) tries to tug the neck of his t-shirt up a little bit. Hopelessly: ) I thought t-toothpaste would uh, w-would help.
The cookies are accepted and set down on the kitchen bench, and she gestures for Donny to take a chair, before just - looking at him. She sighs, looking at the ceiling as if there might be answers for her life written up there.]
Boys.
[How do they even function in real life?]
Go wash your face.
[Just in case there's anything toothpaste left, he does smell a bit minty, after all.]
( Since they are pie buddies I am going to use the powers of retcon to say it was pie all along
PIE, STEPHANIE
She manages to get just the tiniest bit of a smile out of him, before he slides out of the chair and trots along to the bathroom, giving himself a good scrub. And spoilers: Donny does not function, lbr.
It's not long before he's back, idly scratching at his jaw, and making a sound when he accidentally prods a hickey there. )
[Stop using Ancient Greek words, that isn't a language she speaks.
FINE IT'S PIE.
Once he's back, she points him towards a chair at the kitchen table, taking a seat herself, since that's where the make up is set out, and it's light enough there that she can see what she's doing.]
Well done. [gold star for you, Donny.] Am I allowed to ask?
( Growing up around Classics scholars. And yet the boy still thinks he's stupid. ) It m-mean uh, like-- a hero's t--t-tragic flaw.
( Wow he doesn't know what these things are. Well, some of them. Three sisters. He's just relieved there isn't an eyelash curler.
... There isn't an eyelash curler, is there?
Wow but he's actually really interested in checking out all these bits and pieces all of a time. ) Sure.
( He doesn't have to answer though, does he? Because he is trying to think of a way around explaining Max and his skin is flushing red. Maybe better to circumvent: ) A g-girl.
Huh. [She's learnt a new thing today (that she'll probably forget by the end of the week, but whatever).] I'm pretty sure my fatal flaw is stubborness. [a beat, and then awkwardly:] I mean. Not that I'm, you know... A hero. Or anything. Just-- yeah.
[Because apparently running around fighting crime is what bad guys do???
Ignore her logic she's just have A Moment and is going to ignore it by raising her eyebrows at him.]
( He's not a hero, either, but he just raises his eyebrows at her, tilting his head and looking at her for a moment. Saying anything here, that's... it's not his place, it would be Atlas' thing to say, because it was Atlas that fought alongside her in Elmer's world, who deals with the Bat. She is a hero. Maybe it's part of the way for some heroes, not to realise what they are. Not everyone has to fall into hubris.
His gaze falls away at the question. Genuinely, he has no idea how to process. The last time he had to deal with this was lies told to his family at Asteria's wedding. )
[Just - gently teasing, even if it's a bit of an exaggeration, sine she's never had that many hickeys.
But there is a reason he's here beyond her desire to tease him, so she picks up the tube of concealer, putting some on her fingers and using her free hand to gently tilt his chin up, so she has better access to his throat. From there, it's just a simple matter of gently blending the concealer over the bruises.]
You know the colour wheel, right? You wanna start by getting a concealer base that's opposite from whatever colour the bruising is, that's why you go yellow for hickeys, since they're usually purple.
[Like a lot of bruises, though it obviously depends on what stage of bruising.]
( He makes a face, and that constant need to protect Max comes to the fore, just in case Steph was making fun, or-- or implying anything about Max. )
It's c-complicated.
( At least he is a compliant subject, paying attention to what she's doing. His expression brightens a bit with the mention of the colour wheel – that brings it into terms that make it a lot easier for him to grasp.
The bruises are a little tender, but he's used to not squirming, the stitches on his brow testimony to it. )
[Her tone is still light, but it's more gentle than teasing, and she won't push this subject. She's assuming this girl of his is someone from home, because three weeks isn't long enough to warrant so many hickeys and an it's complicated.]
Not a lot of girls know this stuff, either. My mom taught me how to cover bruises.
[For all she joked about being good at hiding bruises and hickeys, there's no joke in what she says, there.]
( The meaning takes a second to register, but he seeks out her gaze instead of avoiding it, very gently touches her wrist. Not grasping, rather laying his hand against her skin, comfort and a question. His skin kicks up a couple of degrees. Selene. )
My s-sister knew.
( Rough, but she has to know he gets it. He understands, even if not exactly. He tries to, at least. )
[She offers him a smile, but it's soft and wry, apologetic.]
I'm sorry.
[For his sister, because it's never easy, and while she doesn't know exactly what happened, the fact it was only his sister, rather than him as well, makes her assume a partner, rather than a parent.]
( A shrug. What else do you do with that sentiment, other than let his hand slide away. There was no good saying it's okay, or all right or any variation like that. It wasn't. Even if it was, it wasn't his place to say that, only Selene could, and Selene still seemed determined not to acknowledge him, some days. )
Me t-too.
( There's a few moments of Donny just fiddling with his hands, taking particular care not to look at Stephanie. It seemed to confronting, when someone was so close. The brief interval of looking at her had been enough. )
[She's quiet for a moment, touching his cheek to turn his head, applying concealer to the other side of his throat. It's not that shes ever made a particular secret of it, in part because she never could, at home, when everyone knew about the Cluemaster, but that still doesn't make it easy to talk about.]
[The way her fingers twitch against his throat is probably answer enough, and she pulls her hands away, takes her time putting the lid back on the concealer and setting it back on the table.]
I don't know.
[quiet, a little pained, and she looks at him briefly, brow furrowed, before turning her gaze away.]
My dad was-- We thought he was dead, but now he's back, and he should be in jail, but I was brought here before I could make sure of it.
[There's something strained in her posture, even when she shrugs. Because it's more than that, too; she's worried what her father being back might mean for her mom's addiction, but she doesn't know how to articulate that to someone, or if she even wants to try.]
Donny spares her his gaze, and he honestly has no idea what to do, save for being a compliant subject. )
That sounds c-- c-complicated.
( To say the very, very least. Very-- very tentatively, he reaches for her hand, wraps it up in his own. Loose, and gentle, and his thumb tracks over her knuckles before he squeezes it and lets her go. Too much contact is hard for him, and you never know how someone will deal. )
( Certain, absolute. ) And we c-can, we c-can fix things.
( He has to sound certain to convince himself, because if he can't believe that, he'll fall apart. )
Family makes it-- m-makes it worse. B-but-- ( But we can do it, he wants to say, even if he is struggling with the words. He just looks at her in earnest, instead. )
[Whether that reassurance is for herself or him, even she isn't sure, but she at least has to hope that even by accident, she'll end up back home. They'll get home, they'll fix things, everything will be fine.
But as for family:]
Family's what you make it. Blood doesn't mean shit.
[For all that she says it with conviction, it annoys her that other people won't believe it, that too many people look at her, and see her father.
( Ouch. Ouch. Family is complicated, and he gets that it's complicated for her too, but he almost winces with that, lapsing into silence.
Finally, he ventures, very very cautiously and even more quietly, ) You're angry.
( And he's not sure if it's something he said, or just what they were talking about, but it's set him on edge. A little-- a little less skittish: ) B-blood's important.
( His sisters are important, and his parents, he's known it, even if he's spent most of his life terrified of them. They're his family. Even if they think he's useless, they're all he has, aside from Max. And he doesn't have her. He's... they're not anything. )
[There's a moment where she nearly says no shit, but she's not angry at Donny, and it's not really fair to be a dick to him, just 'cause he happened to touch on a sore subject. She doesn't like thinking about her dad.]
I'm guessing you don't know what it's like to be raised by a criminal, to have blood mean that people don't trust you, 'cause they think you're gonna turn out like your parents, a crook or a junkie. I don't want that blood.
[For all that momentary anger, that sharpness, now she just sounds kind of tired.]
I-- [She sighs, closes her mouth, focusing on the table, rather than Donny.
I don't want that blood for my daughter, either.]
i just realised he said his sisters' names earlier in this thread RETCON BC BELLA DUMBED
( A long, long silence. No, he doesn't know what that's like. He doesn't know what it's like to have your family name hang over you. He does know what it's like to hate your family, sometimes, and to feel ashamed and pick himself to pieces for it, but that's not quite the same. He knows what it is to be a disappointment, and a shame to the family, because he's not what anyone wanted. That's not the same thing, either. )
Asteria.
( He said the name to her once before, on the rooftop the first time they met. ) Nyx, M-Morpheus, Hypnos.
( Remember, Bat? Remember how you dismissed it? He does. That Asteria hadn't sounded dangerous, to her. ) She's my sister.
( I don't want that blood. Very softly, because he feels like he should go, now. ) S-sometimes, the secrets are worse.
It's written all over her face, that regret and sudden understanding and guilt, because way to go, Brown. There's a reason she doesn't have many friends, and it's because she tends to let her anger get the better of her, making her say stupid shit like this.]
I'm sorry.
[For... everything, really. Both her own actions, words, and she's sorry for how shitty that situation must inevitably be.]
I don't think blood should define us.
[That's what she meant, it's what she was trying to say, but got too caught up in her own anger and - selfishness to put it properly.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
controlledvariable) wrote2014-02-02 07:59 pm
no subject
She opens the door with a smile, and just - raises an eyebrow at all those marks, before ushering him inside.]
And here I thought we had something special.
[Okay, so she can't help teasing just a little.]
no subject
J-just um, p-pretend I have a witty p-pun, here.
( Huff, so flustered, as he (uselessly) tries to tug the neck of his t-shirt up a little bit. Hopelessly: ) I thought t-toothpaste would uh, w-would help.
( :C betrayed, by Colgate )
no subject
[Stephanie leave him alone.
The cookies are accepted and set down on the kitchen bench, and she gestures for Donny to take a chair, before just - looking at him. She sighs, looking at the ceiling as if there might be answers for her life written up there.]
Boys.
[How do they even function in real life?]
Go wash your face.
[Just in case there's anything toothpaste left, he does smell a bit minty, after all.]
no subject
( Since they are pie buddies I am going to use the powers of retcon to say it was pie all along
PIE, STEPHANIE
She manages to get just the tiniest bit of a smile out of him, before he slides out of the chair and trots along to the bathroom, giving himself a good scrub.
And spoilers: Donny does not function, lbr.
It's not long before he's back, idly scratching at his jaw, and making a sound when he accidentally prods a hickey there. )
M-mission accomplished.
no subject
[Stop using Ancient Greek words, that isn't a language she speaks.
FINE IT'S PIE.
Once he's back, she points him towards a chair at the kitchen table, taking a seat herself, since that's where the make up is set out, and it's light enough there that she can see what she's doing.]
Well done. [gold star for you, Donny.] Am I allowed to ask?
[Where he got those.]
no subject
( Growing up around Classics scholars. And yet the boy still thinks he's stupid. ) It m-mean uh, like-- a hero's t--t-tragic flaw.
( Wow he doesn't know what these things are. Well, some of them. Three sisters. He's just relieved there isn't an eyelash curler.
... There isn't an eyelash curler, is there?
Wow but he's actually really interested in checking out all these bits and pieces all of a time. ) Sure.
( He doesn't have to answer though, does he? Because he is trying to think of a way around explaining Max and his skin is flushing red. Maybe better to circumvent: ) A g-girl.
( nailed it )
no subject
[Because apparently running around fighting crime is what bad guys do???
Ignore her logic she's just have A Moment and is going to ignore it by raising her eyebrows at him.]
A girl, huh? Should I be jealous?
[Apparently she's competing for his affections.]
no subject
( He's not a hero, either, but he just raises his eyebrows at her, tilting his head and looking at her for a moment. Saying anything here, that's... it's not his place, it would be Atlas' thing to say, because it was Atlas that fought alongside her in Elmer's world, who deals with the Bat. She is a hero. Maybe it's part of the way for some heroes, not to realise what they are. Not everyone has to fall into hubris.
His gaze falls away at the question. Genuinely, he has no idea how to process. The last time he had to deal with this was lies told to his family at Asteria's wedding. )
She's, um. A friend.
( Because friends leave you looking like this. )
no subject
[Just - gently teasing, even if it's a bit of an exaggeration, sine she's never had that many hickeys.
But there is a reason he's here beyond her desire to tease him, so she picks up the tube of concealer, putting some on her fingers and using her free hand to gently tilt his chin up, so she has better access to his throat. From there, it's just a simple matter of gently blending the concealer over the bruises.]
You know the colour wheel, right? You wanna start by getting a concealer base that's opposite from whatever colour the bruising is, that's why you go yellow for hickeys, since they're usually purple.
[Like a lot of bruises, though it obviously depends on what stage of bruising.]
no subject
It's c-complicated.
( At least he is a compliant subject, paying attention to what she's doing. His expression brightens a bit with the mention of the colour wheel – that brings it into terms that make it a lot easier for him to grasp.
The bruises are a little tender, but he's used to not squirming, the stitches on his brow testimony to it. )
My s-sisters, uh, they-- n-never explained.
no subject
[Her tone is still light, but it's more gentle than teasing, and she won't push this subject. She's assuming this girl of his is someone from home, because three weeks isn't long enough to warrant so many hickeys and an it's complicated.]
Not a lot of girls know this stuff, either. My mom taught me how to cover bruises.
[For all she joked about being good at hiding bruises and hickeys, there's no joke in what she says, there.]
no subject
My s-sister knew.
( Rough, but she has to know he gets it. He understands, even if not exactly. He tries to, at least. )
no subject
I'm sorry.
[For his sister, because it's never easy, and while she doesn't know exactly what happened, the fact it was only his sister, rather than him as well, makes her assume a partner, rather than a parent.]
no subject
Me t-too.
( There's a few moments of Donny just fiddling with his hands, taking particular care not to look at Stephanie. It seemed to confronting, when someone was so close. The brief interval of looking at her had been enough. )
no subject
Is she safe now?
[That might be too personal, but she has to ask.]
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F-from him.
( His jaw is tense, but somehow he keeps his voice from sounding as strained as it probably should. )
I'm w-working on the, uh. Other stuff.
( A beat. ) Is she? ( Steph's mother. )
no subject
I don't know.
[quiet, a little pained, and she looks at him briefly, brow furrowed, before turning her gaze away.]
My dad was-- We thought he was dead, but now he's back, and he should be in jail, but I was brought here before I could make sure of it.
[There's something strained in her posture, even when she shrugs. Because it's more than that, too; she's worried what her father being back might mean for her mom's addiction, but she doesn't know how to articulate that to someone, or if she even wants to try.]
no subject
Donny spares her his gaze, and he honestly has no idea what to do, save for being a compliant subject. )
That sounds c-- c-complicated.
( To say the very, very least. Very-- very tentatively, he reaches for her hand, wraps it up in his own. Loose, and gentle, and his thumb tracks over her knuckles before he squeezes it and lets her go. Too much contact is hard for him, and you never know how someone will deal. )
She'll be okay.
no subject
Well, my best friend has heat vision, so I'm counting on her to take care of things if he tries to mess with anyone.
[Joking, though her voice is still a little strained.]
no subject
( Certain, absolute. ) And we c-can, we c-can fix things.
( He has to sound certain to convince himself, because if he can't believe that, he'll fall apart. )
Family makes it-- m-makes it worse. B-but-- ( But we can do it, he wants to say, even if he is struggling with the words. He just looks at her in earnest, instead. )
no subject
[Whether that reassurance is for herself or him, even she isn't sure, but she at least has to hope that even by accident, she'll end up back home. They'll get home, they'll fix things, everything will be fine.
But as for family:]
Family's what you make it. Blood doesn't mean shit.
[For all that she says it with conviction, it annoys her that other people won't believe it, that too many people look at her, and see her father.
That sometimes she does the same.]
no subject
Finally, he ventures, very very cautiously and even more quietly, ) You're angry.
( And he's not sure if it's something he said, or just what they were talking about, but it's set him on edge. A little-- a little less skittish: ) B-blood's important.
( His sisters are important, and his parents, he's known it, even if he's spent most of his life terrified of them. They're his family. Even if they think he's useless, they're all he has, aside from Max. And he doesn't have her. He's... they're not anything. )
no subject
I'm guessing you don't know what it's like to be raised by a criminal, to have blood mean that people don't trust you, 'cause they think you're gonna turn out like your parents, a crook or a junkie. I don't want that blood.
[For all that momentary anger, that sharpness, now she just sounds kind of tired.]
I-- [She sighs, closes her mouth, focusing on the table, rather than Donny.
I don't want that blood for my daughter, either.]
i just realised he said his sisters' names earlier in this thread RETCON BC BELLA DUMBED
Asteria.
( He said the name to her once before, on the rooftop the first time they met. ) Nyx, M-Morpheus, Hypnos.
( Remember, Bat? Remember how you dismissed it? He does. That Asteria hadn't sounded dangerous, to her. ) She's my sister.
( I don't want that blood. Very softly, because he feels like he should go, now. ) S-sometimes, the secrets are worse.
wait he did???
It's written all over her face, that regret and sudden understanding and guilt, because way to go, Brown. There's a reason she doesn't have many friends, and it's because she tends to let her anger get the better of her, making her say stupid shit like this.]
I'm sorry.
[For... everything, really. Both her own actions, words, and she's sorry for how shitty that situation must inevitably be.]
I don't think blood should define us.
[That's what she meant, it's what she was trying to say, but got too caught up in her own anger and - selfishness to put it properly.]
I THOUGHT HE DID i may have... just thought about using their names and forgotten fuck idek anymore
it's okay i'll just play along
bro 4 lyfe
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