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Tweak says, "Rodents of Unusual Size"

Vee (sobeit) wrote in containmentrp,
@ 2015-01-15 14:23:00

Entry tags:

2215-01-09, hespe, jane

Late for the party
Who: Hespe and Jane
When: evening,
Where: The Worlds Ends Pub
Why: Friends being friends.

“Go.” Was the green light Jane got at 11 PM from Adam Weyland, King of the grill. The restaurant was quieting. Orders were slowing. People were moving on to bars, very much like Jane wanted to do.

Adam got no argument from her. Not this time. “Thanks!” she said, pecking her dad's cheek before she made a run for it, up to her room. In the scarf decked lamplight she threw on something that didn’t smell like Mega-Onion Rings and pretty much jogged over to the bar where she hoped that things were still swinging. Maybe she could make a plea for her particular clothes drive if Mr. Richy-Rich and the starlet were still entertaining the folks with their sing songs.

It's all for a good cause Mister. I swear

OH, and to meet Hespe too. Of course that. They’d spoken briefly when the Redhead came in for lunch. It was 11:34 when she burst into the bar dragging the cold weather in with her. A few faces looked up. Not many. Obviously she had missed the grand spectacle. You know what? She was alright with that. By the out of tune song playing, Karaoke was still going but it had inevitably gotten to that point in the night where someone was doing their whiskey coated version of “I Did It My Way”.

A quick glance around and she didn’t spot Hespe right away, so she went up to the sign-ups, asked how many until she’d go on. When she got a reasonable answer she pulled the big book over and found the song she wanted. Then handed the slip over with all the relevant information.

After THAT, then she was looking for her friend and it didn’t take too long to spot her. “Hey!” she called over, tucked her restaurant frazzled blond behind her ears and took a seat in the booth the same time she was shrugging off her coat. “Sorry it took me so long.” It was an earnest apology. Restaurant hours were murder, especially on weekends. A quick glance around for Knox, then for Theo. “I take it the party’s over.” She said, and caught the eye of the waiter.

“Do you need a refill?” she asked and waved the guy over and then finally, finally she took a deep breath, settled into her seat and said, “How are you?”

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sobeit
2015-01-17 11:13 pm UTC (link)

Jane tried to love everyone. She aspired to this but it was always easy. Not as all. Some people were innately just born to be assholes. Some people were bullies, like her firehouse pal Rollins, who laughed at people in genuine distress. Even do, everyone deserved a little bit of kindness. Everyone. It could be a catalyst, you never knew, this chain reaction of good. It was a good thought to have. To try to do but even so, Jane kept those sorts of brewing, bubbling feelings under a cover. Or at least she tried to..

Marriage was set up this way, directly because of and for procreation.. The two of them, healthy woman with vibrant, young uteruses ,were exactly the types that would get a letter sooner than later. They had ripe and ready vaginas. Once implanted with the seeds of their one true piston, they’d get the powers flowing, the classes stronger. Maybe then the lower dregs of this combustible society would collapse in on themselves.

Too many thoughts, not enough talking.

“It was. True love. True choice. True Heartbreak.” she sighed, hands clasped to her chest as she fluttered her eyelashes. “I’ll just have to live vicariously through all the greats.” she nudged Hess, her arms squeezing tighter.

“I am totally into your mothers sweaters.” Admittedly, “They’re warm and cozy.” She was wearing one now. “You tell her that anytime she wants to knit me a sweater I will gladly except. My goal is to have one for every day of the week.”

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hespe
2015-01-18 12:31 am UTC (link)

Her laughter at Jane's antics, though small, helped drive the darker and more tangled thoughts away for the moment. It was something she was practiced at, something she had perfected over the years. It was only recently that the reaction to dark thoughts seemed somehow...wrong. It seemed wrong to deny herself from thinking about these things, because there was a niggling voice in the back of her head that knew better. Jane was right. Back before the cataclysm, marriage was different. She didn't know if those movies or books could be believed, but before mankind was almost wiped out, the world didn't have to worry about the most efficient ways to make babies. There must have been so many more choices, she thought. Despite the commercials she had seen depicting life back then as ridiculous and wasteful and messy, she had to think that having that much freedom must have been a worthy exchange for some mess and heartbreak.

After all, her mother had survived her marriage, and hadn't that been a disaster? Hespe liked to think she could survive something of her own making. It couldn't be any worse than what her mom had gone through. If only she had the option. She felt guilty for thinking such things, but there was only so much inside her own head she could ignore.

"She will drown you in sweaters, Jane. Death by cable knit. I'm pretty sure she's got a few more your size in one of the many boxes she's been filling. She's giving herself callouses trying to clothe ever man, woman, and child that lives in the neighborhood." Hespe grinned, so full of pride she looked like a caricature of herself. "Mom's the greatest. She just wants to 'mom' the entire world."

Hespe paused, growing quiet, and nudged Jane with her elbow before glancing up at her to give her a crooked smile. "Thanks for coming out. It felt like an adventure. Let's have more adventures, yeah, Janey? It seems like it's about time for me to have a few. Mild ones. A few mild adventures." Knowing Jane, 'mild' and 'adventure' didn't combine, but Hespe was finding herself more curious by the day and less frightened of every little thing. It was incremental, and slow, and sometimes she had a little backslide. But restlessness won out.

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sobeit
2015-01-18 03:35 am UTC (link)

It was engrained, the constant propaganda and she wanted to believe that her Council did what was best, that their government cared about each and every one of them. At one time in her life she thought that true to her heart, she dreamed about her wedding day (her parents being well matched), dreamed about her own life starting and the fun she'd have being older and free enough but then she matured, started seeing with her own eyes, going down to the Slums and hearing stories about the Diaspora. And she knew that she'd never be free enough. That there were divisions here. Forces that let her and her kind get just enough to keep complacent and the rest not enough to keep them knocked down and compliant.

It twisted in her, the strain of it, the constant back and forth of what she wanted so desperately to believe and what she experienced. What she read in books and watched in movies that Teddy had and what was ultimately made fun of on the networks she put it together. That was dangerous conversation, one she didn't want to start up and she sighed. Best to end the night on a chipper note. A light snow was starting, Just a light, sparkle drift and it was pretty. It was peaceful despite the cold and she was thankful for moments like these, with a good friend, one whom she loved and depended on for her own sanity.

"Death by cable knit is a respectable way to go." she nodded, convinced that being knitted for couldn't be all that bad. "The sweaters are a big help. I've been meaning to do something nice for your mom. You have to tell me what she'd love. I want her to know how grateful everyone is, even if they all can't come and tell her themselves."

and then she sorta had an aww shucks moment, " You're silly. I couldn't wait to see you." Said the blonde, a soft smile spread candy sweet and she was nodding, "I wouldn't have any other way Hess. More fantastic adventures surely await us. I have good feelings. I think you'll find a whole new world this year. New Years will become the Best Year." she laughed, coming up where they'd have to split up soon.

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hespe
2015-01-18 06:38 pm UTC (link)

If they spent any time talking about it, Hespe might be startled with how neatly her thoughts lined up with Jane's. She liked to think of herself as a good good, obedient and efficient. A contributor. But how much did she truly want to be like that? Did she actually like herself as Doormat Hespe? Did she actually want to follow the tram track that every single citizen of Haven had laid out for them by the Council? Of course, it didn't do any good to want otherwise, what else was there? Living outside of society in those little murderous tribes they sometimes talked about on the news? Hespe had grown up feeling trapped, but she severely disliked the feeling as an adult. At least she could escape her father at school, and more ultimately, when he died. She was free of him forever, then. But this had no escape. This was just...life.

"Oh, Jane, that's sweet," she said, and smiled gratefully up at the taller girl. No one loved Shelaugh Barba as much a Hespe did, and it would be so gratifying to see someone do something nice for her. All the woman did was work and knit and fuss after her daughter. She deserved something good. "Her birthday is coming up. Maybe I can bring her by the restaurant for a nice birthday dinner? She doesn't go out much." Of course she didn't. The Barba matriarch was so used to staying home, keeping a clean house, and being a good wife that she never thought of doing anything for herself. She ate plainly and cheaply and did nothing all night but make warm things for others. "I think she'd really like that."

Hespe smiled somewhat bashfully and shrugged. She was a silly girl, that was true. Her mother didn't think so, of course, but then again if Hespe hardly knew herself she couldn't expect her mom to know any better. This feeling of wanting more, of needing more, it was relatively new. There was something of a hunger that was starting to grow inside of her, and she didn't know what she was craving. She just knew she needed something different. She needed to be something different. The other night, before bed, Hespe had realized that she had never really been herself-- that she didn't even know who that girl might be. The idea terrified her. What was the point of living if she was going to flinch at shadows until she died? They came to a crosswalk (well, Hespe assumed the crosswalk was still there under the snow somewhere) and she stopped. Her building was just across the street. "Are you sure you're all right getting home yourself?" she asked suddenly, realizing how late it was. "I can walk with you, if you wanted. It wouldn't be any trouble."

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sobeit
2015-01-19 06:09 pm UTC (link)

"Then bring her by. I'll make a cake special. We can light it up and sing happy birthday real loud." She needed to ask, because birthday cake should be someones favorite, "What's her favorite type? Chocolate? Vanilla? Checkerboard? Strawberry...." Jane would make sure Mama Barba felt like a queen.

These feelings welling up in her friend were exciting! Jane wanted to help, to get her to come out of her shell. According to Jane's thoughts and feelings she was completely sure the rest of teh world would appreciate knowing the wondering lady Jane did.

"It IS late." Jane agreed and Hess had an important job to get to early. "I'll be alright." She promised. "Will you text me? Let me know you got home alright?"

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hespe
2015-01-22 02:26 am UTC (link)

A cake seemed downright extravagant, considering the kind of plain, no-nonsense fare she and her mother usually ate. Hespe felt herself growing excited despite herself, mostly because she could not imagine her mom's reaction to such a gesture of celebration. Her feelings of excitement were somewhat dampened by guilt, though. Hespe paused and tried to think, tried to remember the last time her mother had sweets (or commented on them) or expressed a favourite at all. Growing up, they hadn't really done birthdays. Her mom always made a point to acknowledge it, and to do something small and special for her-- like purchasing a new set of crayons, braiding her hair special, or taking her to the corner store to buy a piece of candy. Her father didn't believe that spoiling children did any good, and he was of the opinion that birthday celebrations were a waste of finite resources.

"I don't know what her favourite is," she admitted. Confessing to Jane that neither she nor her mother had ever had a birthday cake felt like the very definition of 'pathetic', so Hespe didn't bother. That sort of information wasn't useful, anyway. She was quite sure there were plenty of children in the slums who didn't get birthday cakes either, and at least her childhood home had been warm and she had a full belly. "But when we've had candy she always goes a little crazy over the lemon. Can you make lemon cake?"

They stopped at an intersection. Hespe's building was within sight, and the biting cold was only growing worse. She shivered and nodded, poking Jane affectionately. "Yes. You too. Be careful, Janey. Okay?"

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sobeit
2015-01-22 05:07 pm UTC (link)

"Oh! You bet I can." Said Jane, her smile turning into lemonade itself. "I have the perfect recipe for that. She's going to love it. I promise." She crossed her heart.

Maybe there was a tiny part that wished she'd taken Hess up on traveling with her all the way to her house. She hated goodbyes. Didn't matter how casual they were. She'd miss her friend. When she was poked, she launched into a full hug. "I had the best time." she detached herself reluctantly, pulled down her hat for the rest of the walk.

"Text me tomorrow 'kay?" she started to back up then turned to go on her way, back to a warm bed that was calling. She threw a wave over her shoulder. She had to just GO or she'd stall and they'd freeze into popsicles before too long.

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