Kate Danvers | Otherworld (katedanvers) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2019-08-22 18:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, ~2019 august, ~25 points, ~~julian blackthorn (nottoleavethee), ~~~~~ kate danvers (katedanvers) |
WHO: Julian Blackthorn and Kate Danvers
WHAT: School supply shopping
WHEN: This afternoon
WHERE: Staples
WARNINGS: Nope
STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Julian loved school supplies. It was partly because he was an artist, and there was undeniable overlap between school supplies and art supplies. He also loved the way that they helped him keep everything in order; that they helped him stay organized. There were so many parts of his life that he couldn’t control, but this was one that he could.
Carrying a little basket in his hand, he walked up and down the aisles, carefully reading the backs of packets of pens, or carefully choosing the colors of his favorite highlighters. He was also choosy about notebooks - three had to be college ruled and he needed at least three subjects for each class, although five was ideal.
He was aware of someone coming down the aisle behind him and moved a little to the side, hoping that he wasn’t blocking her.
“Sorry,” He said, giving her a glance to see what she was looking for. “I’m in the way.”
***
Staples was one of Kate’s favorite places to shop. She loved organizing and color coding things, no matter how many times Nick called her and Stiles nerds for it, and she was picking up some things so they could finally get started with the whole zombie mini goat lawn care service. The past few months ended up being kind of nuts with the cruise and people leaving and then her boyfriend becoming a pod person, and she was hoping that now she could actually get things started.
Just in time for winter, when lawn care wasn’t particularly needed. Oh well. At least if she got things going now, they’d be ready for spring.
Kate didn’t bother with a basket, knowing she’d buy more than would fit in one, and was pushing a cart when she encountered a young man in the middle of the aisle. “I’m not in a hurry,” she said. “And I wouldn’t want to rush anyone’s supply shopping.”
***
He grinned at that, appreciating the sentiment. “Right? I mean, these are important decisions that need to be made carefully. You don’t just want to buy the first crappy pen you see only to find out that it doesn’t give you a smooth ink flow.”
He shook his head. He’d faced that disaster before, and wasn’t happy to admit it.
“Emma thinks I’m crazy. But she humors me.”
***
Kate laughed. “Exactly,” she agreed. “And choosing between 3 and 5 tab file folders is a real commitment. It’s not the kind of thing that you can just wing.” At least it wasn’t the kind of thing Kate could wing. She was aware that might not exactly be a normal thing though.
“Nick mocks me and Stiles all the time too. And yet he doesn’t complain about the fact that we’ve managed to keep his life organized.” His girlfriend and boyfriend and their incessant need for color coding and organization definitely made Nick’s life easier, even if he wouldn’t admit it.
***
“It’s how relationships work, I think. Friends, or dating. I mean, Emma’s my wild side and I’m her organized side. And we both need each other.”
He couldn’t deny that, no matter how difficult it was to be around her because of the curse. She was part of him, as much as his hand, or his foot was.
“I’ve convinced her that she needs a separate notebook for each class, though. I mean, at least that’s a step. Otherwise you end up unable to find your notes, or you run out of room. She always thought five subjects meant five classes.” He rolled his eyes at that crazy idea.
***
“And they should have different color covers,” Kate agreed. “So that you can find the one you need easily.” She also used to buy folders in matching colors and highlight assignments in her planner with that color as well.
She grinned. “Oddly though, I’m both the wild one and the organized one,” she said. “Nick’s the most laid back werewolf I’ve ever met. And Stiles is just kind of a spaz.” It was probably why they worked though.
***
“And if they’re colors you can associate with the subject, all the better. Like, you know, green for biology or whatever. Makes it even easier to stay organized.”
It was nice to find someone who understood the power and importance of organization.
“I’m the organized and responsible one. She’s...kind of wild, I guess. But smart, and passionate, and she cares so much.”
So did he, of course, but his emotions were almost always even, at least on the outside.
***
This kid got it and Kate automatically liked him.
“Sounds like you and Emma are a good match,” she said. It was obvious from the way he was talking about her that he was into her.
***
Julian outwardly flinched, although he knew he should have been used to comments like that by now.
“I wish,” he said, with a shake of her head. “It’s one of the biggest taboos back home. It’s completely forbidden. There’s even a curse.”
***
Kate raised her eyebrows. “Why? Is she related to you or something?” That was the only reason she could think of that them being together would be a taboo.
Curses weren’t her area of expertise, but she suspected that one of the many witches around town might be able to help with that.
***
“No, god, no,” he said, shaking his head adamantly. “We’re not related at all. It’s just...well, we’re parabatai. We were bonded to each other as partners when we were twelve years old, and parabatai aren’t allowed to be lovers. Apparently if we are, we’ll end up going crazy and destroying everything and everyone we love.”
That sucked. And it definitely made Julian not want to trigger it. He had too many people he cared about to risk them.
***
Something about that sounded weird, but Kate supposed that she’d heard weirder. “How did you get bonded to each other?” she asked, wondering who made that decision for them and what exactly it entailed.
She also wondered if whatever mechanism was in place for that would apply here.
***
“We chose to be,” he said. “Emma’s parents had been murdered and my parents were...gone...and we were afraid that they’d take her away, to another Institute. We were only twelve, and best friends, so it made sense then. They wouldn’t separate parabatai.”
Soon after that, he’d started having feelings for her and the regret that they’d done it had been eating at him for five years.
***
That sounded rough. The idea that anyone would let twelve year old kids make that kind of life altering choice was… terrible. “I’m sorry,” Kate said. “That sucks. I guess there’s no way you guys can get around that here?”
She could see herself making an equally stupid mistake at the age of 12, especially if someone was trying to separate her from her twin. Which, okay, was a lot different, but still.
***
“I don’t know,” he said. “We’re trying. We’ve been talking to some magic users about breaking the curse, but we haven’t come up with anything concrete yet.”
He kept hoping that they would, but it just hadn’t happened yet.
Julian shook his head. “But enough about me. Have you been here long? And did I hear you say you have two boyfriends?”
He wasn’t judging - Julian was an open-minded sort of guy. He just wanted to make sure he got that right and had interpreted what she said correctly.
***
Kate nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been here for five and a half years now,” she said. “Nick and I have been together for… four, I think?” At least officially, that sounded right. Their relationship was complicated. “We started dating Stiles a couple years ago.”
It was unconventional, but it worked for them. “Oh, I’m Kate. Kate Danvers,” she said, realizing that she hadn’t actually introduced herself.
***
“Julian Blackthorn,” he said, introducing himself in return. “And you know, whatever works for everyone involved. People care too much about other people’s private business. My feeling’s that whatever makes everyone happy is totally fine.”
He shrugged. He knew that most Shadowhunters didn’t approve of LGBT+ relationships, and would probably disapprove of what Kate was saying even more than that. But they were stuck in the past, and that was their own problem.
***
“I agree,” Kate said. “And on that note, I actually need to get going, but it was nice meeting you, Julian.”
He seemed like a good kid and she’d have to ask around with her own supernatural contacts to see if anyone might be able to help him and Emma with their curse problem.
***
“It was nice meeting you, too,” he said. It was nice to meet another person who respected school supplies the way he did. There were way too few of them in the world. “Maybe we can talk again sometime?”
Emma would be glad to hear that he’d made another friend. He had never been quite as outgoing as she had, after all.
***
“Definitely,” Kate said. “Message me any time. Or come by the Pack house next time we have a party.” They hadn’t had any since before the cruise and it wouldn’t be the same without Clay manning the grill shirtless, but she knew they’d get back to hosting gatherings sooner rather than later. Especially with Halloween coming up.”
***