WHO: Gwen and Darwin WHAT: New year, new ground rules WHERE: Their apartment WHEN: Two weeks ago? Post-Reavers, Pre-Bat Crisis WARNINGS: None. NOTES: Using happy Gwen icons while I still can.
Gwen sighed as she looked from her kitchen to the rest of the apartment. The repairmen were doing a very good job, working quickly trying to restore order and a semblance of normalcy to the Bathos apartments. And in hers they were doing a great job. But as she surveyed what was left of her living room, she wondered if it was even worth it. Most of their belongings had been destroyed and they’d have replacements soon enough. But maybe restoring the apartment exactly how it used to be wasn’t the key. Her, Quinn, and Darwin were three people in a two bedroom apartment. To say it was overcrowded was an understatement some days. They were told that construction would be done by the end of the week and Gwen had noticed several vacancies on their floor. Maybe it was time for a move, even if it was down the hall.
She was just taking a peek into the oven, making sure her daydreams weren’t ruining their dinner, when she heard footsteps. She was well used to the sound of Quinn’s soft footfall and since his introduction months ago, she had already learned to recognize these. “Darwin,” she called over her shoulder. “Got a sec before dinner?” Gwen was usually pretty laid back about their comings and goings in her house. With vigilantes, she had to be. And while her tone was casual, the fact that she asked meant she was serious. It didn’t seem like she wasn’t going to take no for answer. Even dinner sounded non-negotiable.
There were very few occasions on which Darwin was called by name or called on at all. These occasions included but were not limited to him putting his laundry in Quinn’s hamper, requesting to snuggle with Quinn, eating Quinn’s food or Gwen suggesting that maybe he stopped doing those things at any given time. Consequently, as Gwen was asking to see him, as he walked into the house he did wonder which of these things he might’ve done this time. He hadn’t seen Quinn all that much recently since the zombies, so what he had done must’ve been before that and his attention span wasn’t all that great. He dumped his bag in the hallway and poked his head around the door warily.
“I don’t know what I did this time.” There was a confused look on his face as he spoke, and his words were definitely more careful than usual. Plus the word dinner was used. Surely dinner was always compulsory when he was around? This probably wasn’t good. “Should I be feeling guilty?” It was an honest question, and he slowly edged his way into the room to speak to the woman whose name was actually on the lease of the apartment.
Gwen blinked back at him for a moment, momentarily forgetting their dinner and giving his question actual thought. Should he be feeling guilty? He did do a lot but honestly she couldn’t think of anything. Things had been quiet in the aftermath of the Reavers. She had been enjoying it.
“No,” she replied honestly, turning the timer for another ten minutes and then turning her attention back to Darwin. “Unless you want to feel guilty. I actually wanted to talk to you about... plans.” That sounded simple enough and she gestured for him to take a seat at the dining table. Clearly this was a talk that would take a while. “You’ve been here for a while now, I stopped thinking of you as just a guest a while ago.” She hoped with her grin he knew that she didn’t mind this change. “But now that you’ve done what you originally set out to do: find Quinn, get used to this world, I’m wondering what you’re planning on doing now.”
There was a moment in which the sigh of relief he inwardly heaved was visible on his face, but he managed to relax and shove his hands into his pockets to disguise it. “I don’t want to feel guilty, it’s all good! No harm done.” The beatific grin on his face hopefully painted a picture of innocence on his face.
It was as she continued that the smile began to fade into something more thoughtful. “I... hadn’t really thought about it?” The more he thought, the more he realised that his ideas of what to do hadn’t really developed past ‘get used to the world’. And by this point, he couldn’t deny that he had. He didn’t even think twice about the Reavers, they just happened and he got on with it. He really needed to think of a game plan. “I guess I didn’t really think I’d need to do anything other than... you know what I mean.” Being a vigilante, as he had discovered, wasn’t really a full-time job and vegging out on the couch, while fun, did preoccupy a lot of his time.
Yes, she did know what he meant and she laughed softly for a second. For some of them, it was a full time gig, and he should be glad that it wasn’t for him. “Are you planning on sticking around Seattle?” Really, after a brush with a disaster that felt like an apocalypse she didn’t blame anyone for skipping town. She had seen a much emptier parking lot and more quiet hallways since it became safe for them to move back in. Granted, Darwin hadn’t left yet, but it was that yet that needed some denying or confirming.
It took him a few seconds to consider her words, and in that time he had decided standing there contemplating wasn’t doing him any good, so he slouched down onto the couch with a sigh. “I guess so?” Careful words were accompanied by a very wary look on his face again, suddenly realising where this conversation could be going. He might not be considered a guest anymore, but their apartment was small. “I mean, if you need the couch back I’ll go, really, just say the word.”
He looked up to the ceiling for a second, noting a scratch that the decorators hadn’t gotten rid of. He couldn’t help but grin. “I mean, even with the occasional zombie moment, I kind of like it here. It’s nice. I like staying in one place.”
She laughed softly, glad that she had an answer and glad that was his answer. “Well I could use the couch again but you don’t have to go anywhere. There’s a bigger apartment down the way.” She couldn’t help the slightest tilt of her head towards the door. “I think we could find something better than a couch for you there. But then you wouldn't be a guest anymore. You’d have to start pulling your own weight.”
She glanced up at his face more carefully to gauge his reaction. “A job or school, either one but it has to be at least one of them. You don’t have to pay rent, not really. Whatever money you get you can keep for yourself. You can even do both if you like. But you can’t lay around the house all day.”
The look of relief on his face was painfully obvious, as was the grin that spread over his face soon afterwards. He wouldn’t be a guest anymore, and that was a surprisingly refreshing idea. He could stay. They didn’t have a problem with him around; or at least, Gwen didn’t and she was the name on the papers. He followed her nod involuntarily, before nodding himself. He had a home to go to, not just a place he crashed at. This was something that hadn’t happened in years.
Darwin realised he hadn’t answered yet, and frowned. “I hated school. I didn’t feel like I was doing anything there.” He leaned forward again, chin propped up on one fist as he thought about what to do. “I guess. I guess I’m getting a job then.” He frowned even more at that idea, but he turned to Gwen almost as quickly. “How do you find jobs?”
She laughed softly at the frown, louder at his question. Where should he look. “Internet, paper.” The most obvious answers came first with a wry little grin, knowing that she was being completely unhelpful. “Or you can check the forums. I’ve seen a couple of people poking around and asking for jobs.” Her lips pressed together thoughtfully for a moment before adding, “and considering how things have been lately, it’s a good idea to stick close to other Creations. Just in case.” Things had gone quiet in Seattle since the Reavers but she was still uneasy about it all. Sticking with people in the other buildings might limit his options but in her opinion, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Darwin listened carefully, eyes narrowing as he thought to himself about what exactly he was going to do. There was something oddly satisfying about becoming domesticated, and he liked the feeling of realising that he was going to do something useful. Being a vigilante was cool, yes, and he was helpful to the wider population, but never to anyone in the immediate vicinity. He nodded as she spoke about the Creations. She was definitely onto something.
“This is weird.” He spoke slowly, almost to himself. “I’ve never done this before: I can’t promise they won’t fire me, I’m not used to this.” The end was definitely directed at Gwen and there was a nervous sort of honesty in his voice. Then of course, he remembered one important thing. “...Are you sure Quinn won’t mind?”
She frowned slightly as at the word choice but relaxed into a laugh once he clarified. Weird probably was the best way to describe it. “Just want you to try, that’s all. I mean, don’t get fired if you can help it but you know what I mean.” It was nice to see that he was nervous. She saw it as an understanding that this home she had was important and was worth to hold onto. As long as he kept that in mind, he could stay.
She almost wheeled away back to the dinner when he asked her one more thing. “Oh she knows,” she replied almost airily. “I told her I was going to talk to you about it and so far no objections.” She gave him a half shrug and a little smirk. “Guess you’re stuck with us.”
There was a feeling of a weight being lifted, one that he hadn’t registered as existing and one he now definitely felt better to be rid of. He watched her go, a dazed look on his face about the whole conversation as he pondered what exactly had happened. He was back to normality. He had a life in the daytime. It felt good. “I guess I am.”
He stood up, turning to the bathroom. He had to wash up before dinner, because whatever it was smelled good. Domesticated people did that kind of thing, right?