open | so make mine a pain in the neck

[burying]

Who: Kieren Walker + You!
What: Kieren returns to Milton after his self-exile. Catch-all for August.
When: Mid-August, onwards.
Where: Various.

Content Warnings: Will be added to specific prompts!



wildcards fine with plotting, hmu! | permissions are here | contact: heolstor / _heolstor for questions/plotting

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[burying]

[ What, spray paint it on your door or something? is what he wants to say, but Kieren bites his tongue. He's really got no leg to stand on. So he stays quietly, making a face at the second punch. ]

Alright, alright— can you just— just stop hitting me? [ He might not be able to feel it, but still— ] I'm sorry—! I just... I just— I couldn't stay here.

[ He's scrambling for words. ]

People would've just... made me stay. What good's that gonna do?

[friendsfordinner]

It's not gonna make your mates worry, that's what! [ he snaps. Hickey stops punching Kieren in the shoulder. Instead he steps back, rubbing the bridge of his nose, before pointing out, ]

I'm not an idiot. I know that there would have been some people who wouldn't be happy at the results of that ridiculous meeting. And those people would take it into their own hands. And even if someone didn't deal with you, we've got people who vanish! Those lunatics in the woods! What good staying would have been would have kept me from worrying.

[ Which Hickey obviously doesn't like admitting. Feelings are gross and admitting it sucks. But Kieren is one of his mates. Kieren's someone he's going to look out for, to take care of, to make sure he's still alive no matter what it takes. ]

cw: passively suicidal thoughts

[burying]

Honestly, they were the last thing I was thinking about. And— and to be honest I expected dying. From... any of those options. [ There's something in his voice that sounds... kind of okay about that. He doesn't want to die, but— he'd be pretty accepting of it. But saying that doesn't help, he knows. And Kieren's already cringing a little at his own words.

Cornelius worried. And that's— not a small thing to admit, he knows. ]

I'm sorry, Cornelius. [ He does mean that. ] I didn't mean to any worry. I just... I could stay here, I couldn't hurt anyone else.

[friendsfordinner]

[ Hickey hates that.

Cornelius Hickey, a man who would do anything to stay alive, who would kill and eat the man he loves because he knows it would keep him alive, hates how...resigned Kieren sounds. How fine with death he'd be.

Nah. That's not going to happen. Not on Hickey's watch. ]

Then you should have stayed with me and Billy instead. D'you know, he set Rorschach on fire? He'd make short work of you if you tried anything rash, which you wouldn't. What happened to us a few months back wasn't either of our faults.

[burying]

[ What can Kieren say? You die once already and you realise everything just stops. Living's hard. Being dead and staying that way? Everything gets a whole lot easier, less to worry about when you can't physically worry about anything. ]

The... creepy little man in the mask? [ Oh yeah. Seen him about. Kieren definitely avoids him. He exhales a breath that's almost. ] Pretty sure I won't be able to come back from being barbequed but... the sentiment's nice.

[ But also oh, suddenly it all makes a lot more sense. ]

That explains why Billy's hands were smouldering one time. I thought it was that creepy house fire thing. That's the... power he ended up getting, yeah?

[friendsfordinner]

[ Hickey nods: yep, that creepy little man in the mask. Billy almost barbequed him and it was literally and metaphorically hot.

It occurs to Hickey that Billy Gibson, his husband who is allergic to admitting even the slightest emotion, might not want him talking about his fire powers. But...well, this is Kieren. Kieren's different. Of course Billy would be fine with him talking to Kieren, wouldn't he? ]

I think everybody's gotten a power or two at this point. Can't think of anybody who hasn't. But yeah, that's his.

[burying]

[ They get on pretty well, Kieren thinks. He thinks highly of him. Billy's— he's a good person. He's pretty chill in a particular way Kieren's familiar with. It's almost ironic he got the fire power.

Kieren nods, but then stops: a power or two. ]

Just... out of curiosity— [ It's worth asking. ] Last month... did you have another weird dream? Like weird like the ones that happened in January?

[friendsfordinner]

[ Without any hesitation, Hickey asks, ]

Please tell me you can also turn into a wolf?

[ He's keeping that a secret from other people. But Kieren? Nah, Kieren's one of his mates. Kieren's one of the few people here who he can trust with more than just the basics. Of course Kieren's going to learn that Hickey can turn into a wolf.

also Hickey, baby, that's not answering the question. ]

[burying]

[ Kieren pauses, his expression incredulous. ]

What? [ A beat. Can he turn into a wolf. ] No?

[ Like sure, running fast or blasting your thoughts like a radio or making fire is one thing, but turning into an actual wolf?. Kieren stares for a moment. ]

... Sorry— you can turn into a wolf?

[friendsfordinner]

Yeah? 'Cept I'm not going to do it now cause when I do it, it'll ruin all my clothes.

[ Wait a moment. ]

You can't turn into a wolf? So what can you do then?

[burying]

[ Right, as if that makes perfect sense said aloud. He can't turn into a wolf because it'll ruin his clothes. ]

Yeah, no. No... wolfin' out for me. [ His life is already weird enough, thanks. ] I don't... actually know? Like I said, I had another one of those weird dreams only— I dreamt I was trapped in ice. Crushed by it. I'd never felt pain like it.

But then... it stopped hurting, the ice started cracking around me. And then I woke up.

[friendsfordinner]

Huh.

[ There's a moment before Hickey muses, ]

Considering that my weird dreams ended up with me getting some perks, we should poke around to see what your new one is.

[burying]

Might be here all day. I don't... feel any different. Haven't noticed anything, either.

[ He raises his hands, wiggling his fingers. ]

Although it wouldn't be a stretch to see if I've gotten some cool ice powers, like Billy's fire powers. How's his work, anyways?

[friendsfordinner]

They relate to his emotions, [ Hickey muses. ] If he's feeling scared or aggravated or something like that, they just...flare up. He's gotta work on pushing them back down when something like that happens.

[burying]

Makes sense. [ Kieren considers for a long moment. ] Right so, maybe it's something similar.

[ Then again, he's felt like shit the entire hike back to town and nothing's happened there. So... he's not entirely sure. ]

Or.... maybe I can freeze people solid just by touch. Like. Turn them to ice.

[friendsfordinner]

You'll have to try that on somebody, [ Hickey muses. Yes, it's a bit weird and unethical to blatantly say 'go hurt somebody'. Does Hickey care? No. Kieren should learn his limits! And if his limits involve turning someone into a block of ice then hey, that's what it matters. ]

Lord knows someone's going to start something soon enough.

[burying]

Mm, yeah. Reckon I've caused enough trouble lately. [ It's a joke, but it makes his chest hurt.

There's a questioning look at the second thing Hickey says, and Kieren's lips are a thin line for a long moment. He doesn't like the sound of it and it makes the anxiousness in him creep up again. There's a little pause and he opts for a little more... tact, being cautious as he asks: ]

What's it been like? In the last month or so?

[friendsfordinner]

It's been...interesting, [ Hickey points out, with a little frown. He's thinking things through and deciding what to say, choosing his words carefully—a rarity for Cornelius Hickey. ]

People've been hesitant. Some people just want to push all that behind them, others don't. There wasn't any way that meeting could have gone without someone being pissed off, but the lack of consequences for anybody probably did more harm than good in the long run.

[ Say what you will, but Hickey already knows that he can literally get away with murder now. Other people probably feel the same. ]

[burying]

[ Interesting. One way to describe it. Granted it keeps the apprehension in him, as he's quiet and listening. ]

Bit of a mixed bag, then. [ He offers quietly. Kieren huffs out a slow, long breath, his shoulder sinking. ] I guess I can't blame other people wanting to bury all of that, though. But—

[ Yeah, probably more harm than good. ]

... Anyone I should be— uh, watching out for?

[ Is anyone gonna pull vigilante shit. Please let no one pull some vigilante shit. ]