Allison Hargreeves (superfamous) wrote in valloic, @ 2020-02-19 17:17:00 |
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Entry tags: | ₴ inactive: allison hargreeves, ₴ inactive: dan torrance |
WHO: Allison Hargreeves & Dan Torrance
WHEN: February 18, 2020 , afternoon
WHERE: A coffee shop somewhere
WHAT: Getting coffee and making friends
TRIGGERS: Mentions of death and addictions, drug use?
Truth be told, Dan definitely preferred local coffee joints over a big corporate powerhouse like Starbucks. Sure, he had his go-to’s there, but more often than not he’d skip it if something smaller and more quaint was available.
Like the place he was directed to here in the city - probably one of many local coffee shops, but it had character. It was very - what was the word? Instagrammable, though he didn’t mean that in a bad way. A bright space, with white marble countertops and all sorts of succulents and vines scaling the walls; minimalistic art, sunshine dripping in through the windows. Everyone seemed to like the iced lattes and the matcha, along with the scones - those smelled mouth-watering, so he couldn’t blame the clientele. He’d done kind of a cursory scan of thoughts, going with the flow to pick up tidbits here and there when he first sampled the wares, to see what was good.
A lot of coffee snobs turned their noses up at the iced variety, but Dan was not on that level. When he went to meet former child superhero Allison (that was a story, probably? It sounded like a story), he definitely got there first and ordered an iced coffee, the largest size, with room for cream. And since it was lunchtime, the special as well - which was half a panini with eggplant, a cup of tomato basil soup.
It almost felt normal. Like he wasn’t a dead man walking at all.
He swirled the coffee with his straw, ice plunking against the plastic cup, and he waited - he was listening for her, anyway. So he’d notice when she came in, even if he didn’t exactly know what she looked like.
Allison was nervous. She’d never met anyone that had been able to read her thoughts and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it exactly. But it had to be easier than typing or writing everything down. She missed the ease of communication, but she would have to get used to it. There was no telling if or when she’d ever get her voice back. It was something she’d have to deal with. And, the very least, there’d be coffee.
She made her way to the place Dan mentioned, peering up at the name to be sure it was the right one and then looking down at her phone. Once she’d decided she was in the right place, she stepped through the door, taking in the decor of the place. It was nice. Not what she’d expected. Only now she had no idea who she was looking for.
Over here.
The words flowed, a calm current, and Dan projected them carefully - nothing that slammed into her head, but rather settled like a blanket. Guy in the sweater. He waved to catch Allison’s attention, though luckily it wasn’t too crowded in the cafe - he was at a table by the window, because that sunlight felt nice and it was also nice to people watch outside.
Sorry if it feels weird, talking like this - it can be a little jarring. That was why he didn’t rush at her, but instead went for something a lot more gentle. And he didn’t probe deeply into her mind - he’d just remain at surface level, so they really could have a conversation, talking without moving mouths.
Okay. It was definitely a little weird and she’d nearly jumped after the first words, which would have looked particularly weird. Or like she was in a crisis. She was glad, however, that she managed to avoid appearing absolutely ridiculous.
Turning to look around, she spotted Dan, offering him a quick, somewhat awkward smile. She moved through the cafe to the table, sitting across from him. It’s a little weird, but I get the feeling that’s going to be normal. She shrugged. New, unusual place, her in it. All but three of her siblings were here. She wouldn’t be surprised if the other three showed up soon, but she couldn’t help but hope that it was a very long time before Luther ever showed up. She’d take Diego or Five.
Hi. I’m Allison. Which seemed obvious. It’s nice to actually meet you.
“Nice to meet you too,” Dan smiled - he said the words out loud, since if it was just two people sitting here staring at each other from across a table, it might also look strange. Personally, he didn’t care - he’d been called worse than strange - but he imagined this was jarring enough for Allison.
He wanted to ask about her superhero status, not to mention her celebrity life (she definitely looked like a celebrity - a face for the camera) but they could get settled first. What would you like? he asked, sliding a menu toward her - a lotta fancy coffee drinks to choose from, that was for sure. Macchiato and cappuccino and latte, more flavors than you could shake a stick at as well.
And are you settling in fine, after the Hell Feds explanation? He knew they were called something else. But he’d still stick with Hell Feds.
Allison honestly didn’t know anyone here enough to worry about what they thought, but she appreciated the gesture. It was at least normal enough for someone to talk to her and her to write back, but Gansey had been kind enough to explain the cellphones to here, so now she could text her responses as needed, which was still longer than saying them, but easier than writing everything. She imagined her hand would get tired eventually.
Taking a look at the menu, Allison considered the benefits of just going for a regular coffee, but if she were being honest, she wanted a little more sugar. A caramel macchiato sounds great, actually. She considered the food, too, since he was eating. And one of the scones. She wasn’t overly hungry, but she figured she should eat anyway. Just a little something.
Her fingers moved idly to her neck, checking that the small dressing was still there. Yeah. Turns out that was not the most trying adventure of the day, she thought afterwards. Getting drinks with my brother was the most trying part. Her lips quirked up with a smile. I learned my lesson, though. Do not go out drinking when you’ve been fighting all day, are exhausted, and still recovering from your injuries. It just ends in regret. But there were worse things. Probably.
And just like that, there was a waitress - Dan asked for what Allison wanted, that caramel macchiato and a scone (both sounded good) and when she left he picked up his own coffee to sip from the straw. “Gave up drinking awhile ago, mostly because of that regret thing,” he chuckled ruefully.
And because he was a monster when he drank, a Category 5 hurricane that ripped through the lives of people he didn’t even know, but who had to deal with the fallout of his scorching temper. He had no desire to return to those days - and he may be missing the AA chip, but he knew who he was only one drink away from being. It was no one good.
“So far it’s not so bad here. You have family already shown up though, that must be nice?” he said, with a quirk of his brows. Or not nice. Sometimes family was complicated.
Ah. Yeah. It hasn’t been a while, but usually I am in more control than that. I think the stress and exhaustion got to me. She wouldn’t drink for a while now. Pretty sure Klaus is used to it being the other way around. And so was she. But at least Klaus looked after her anyway. So they made it out okay.
She nodded. A little complicated right now, yeah, but nice. Missing about three brothers. Vanya and I are the only two girls. And their father had used them against one another the way he’d used all of them against one another. But it’s been nice. Also nice to talk to people not related to me. But so far, so good.
She glanced over at Dan for a moment. Has it been okay for you? I guess you’ve been here a while?
A week? was his mental reply, and it made him chuckle. Because if it seemed like he was here awhile, maybe he was doing okay after all. Fitting in. Being ‘well-adjusted,’ after experiencing his own death. “It’s been okay though. Better than where I came from,” he continued, stirring the cup of soup with the spoon - he’d eaten most of it, no complaints. Then again, he was never picky about food. He couldn’t be, while growing up. Not when it was ramen, creamed chipped beef, and tuna casserole eight days a week (cheap meals, cheap thrills).
“Three brothers, a sister - so were all of you superheroes growing up?” he asked, curious about that. “And how does that even...happen?” Mostly he thought it was just an occupation in comic books or something.
A week. Well, she hoped she was as adjusted after a week. He seemed to know a lot, which made her want to look around more so she could get more used to it all. I think we can both agree on that. Because she’d come from the apocalypse. Even if they were all going back in time. Who knew if they’d make the same mistakes or not.
Five brothers and a sister. All but Vanya. Which is a long and complicated story. The part about Vanya anyway. Forty-three children were magically born on the same day even though none of the mothers had been pregnant before then. Our father bought as many as he could, which turned out to be seven. Technically my name is Number Three. My father doesn’t call me Allison. I didn’t get that name till our mother gave it to me. She shrugged one shoulder. But we all have different powers. Which was what made us so desirable to a man who didn’t really even want children. So he turned us into the Umbrella Academy and we fought crime. I don’t really know to what end, but it was what it was.
Dan winced a little, out of commiseration, because what the hell - did everyone he happen to come across have a shitty father? It just seemed like it was the Soup of the Day for some reason. I think your dad lost credibility as soon as you mentioned that he bought children, Dan noted, not wanting to say that out loud - since it seemed kind of personal. My old man wasn’t great either. Started when he threw me into a wall and broke my arm, didn’t get much better after that.
Then he froze to death in a hedge maze, at an empty hotel - well, empty save for the spirits that sank into your blood and your bones; they lived in the lockboxes in Dan’s head, cold and hungry.
What’s your power? he asked, though he might be able to tell. He could sense the Shining, or some form of it.
How else are you supposed to put together a team of superpowered kids if you don’t buy them? Her mouth twitched up in a smile that wasn’t really about amusement at all. It was hard to remember a time where she hadn’t been angry that he’d basically spent all his time ignoring them or, as Klaus would put it, being a colossal dick. She frowned a little at Dan’s story. I’m sorry you had to put up with that. Klaus had been right about daddy issues...even if this was outside of their family. It seemed a popular thing.
The question made her gaze drop down to her hands. She wasn’t sure the reaction her power would get her, so she was hesitant to explain it. I...can make people do anything I want. If I say ‘I heard a rumor’ in front of something, they do it. She chewed at her lip. Can’t use it now, though. She gestured to her neck. But I wouldn’t anyway. And now she was sure it was just a matter of time before Dan was uncomfortable knowing it, which meant one less friend. But she didn’t want to jump to giving him an out unless he seemed like he was ready to escape. She looked up again, trying to gauge his reaction.
Surprisingly, Dan wasn’t really all that uncomfortable. The Shining came in all different varieties - depending on how strong it was, there could be a lot of different applications. Some didn’t even know they had it, and for those that did? Well, fact of the matter is there ain’t much about mind-reading that wasn’t invasive.
So, really, who was he to judge? He did neat tricks, like helping out a frazzled doctor when he couldn’t find his watch, but the flipside to that was that Dan knew absolutely everything in turn - little secrets and unsavory thoughts, things like that. Things he shouldn’t know.
It’s a similar power to mine, he assured. It was also how Billy had died, thanks to the youngest member of Rose’s disturbing family. But that was a different person, a different situation - obviously Allison had nothing to do with it. I know what it’s like, to have something so...heavy, he added, moving his dishes closer to him when Allison’s goodies were delivered. That macchiato did look good.
She felt surprised, the uncertainty and anxiety melting away. Most people were enamored by the idea of her power, celebrated her and what she’d done back home, but there were some that didn’t feel the same. She hadn’t realized that there were powers similar to hers. But here seemed to be full of interesting things.
It’s kind of like...a drug? She shrugged slightly. You just keep using it because you’re used to it and soon you don’t know what you’ve gotten because of your own skill or your power. Love, roles...everything. Then you use it because it’s easier to use it than to actually set down rules and boundaries with your own kid. She frowned. So I was working on it. Not using it. Now I couldn’t even if I wanted to. She shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal, but, in a way, it felt like one. She never dealt with it. Choice was out. She couldn’t even feel proud of her will power and how she’d done so much better because she had the easy route. No talking. No nothing. She wasn’t mad at Vanya. She was mad at the situation. It was partly her fault anyway.
She took a sip of her drink, feeling the warmth of it go down her throat. But what else is there to do here that’s not just coffee? She’d eventually have to find a job that didn’t involve any talking at all.
‘Kind of like a drug’ was something that resonated with Dan. And he would know what that was like, wouldn’t he? It’s a slippery slope, he agreed. I did every drug under the sun to suppress my own power because I didn’t want to use it. Now, yeah, I guess I’m more accustomed to using it. Our gifts are also our greatest burdens, and so forth.
He chased that deep observation with another swallow of coffee. He could feel the buzz working its way through his veins - oh, caffeine. Such a lifesaver.
“It seems to be your standard big city. Like New York or LA?” he said. “But just a bit more magical, I think. So basically anything you had to do back home, I’m sure there’s some equivalent here. What did you do for fun back home?” Besides dealing with a shitty father and forced heroics.
Allison nodded. Sounds like my brother, but I don’t know that I’d handle seeing the dead that well either. She preferred hers over that, but at the same time, sometimes she wished she was a little more ordinary. She wouldn’t have been much help in the apocalypse, but then again, she wasn’t much help in the first place. But that was because her brothers hadn’t let her handle things her way. They’d just rushed in like attacking their sister was the best way to handle anything. Allison had seen Vanya’s smile.
She almost asked if court ordered therapy sessions were considered fun, but decided against it at the last minute. It’s been a while since I’ve had time for fun. Which was sad, actually. But between her divorce and everything with Claire, when she wasn’t working, she was trying to prove she could be trusted with her own child. When I first started out, I guess dancing? And I liked to wander around anywhere because I could. Sometimes that was just a city I’d never been to...like here. Sometimes it was more hiking? Do they have an aquarium here? I haven’t been to one in a while. I just remember it being kind of amazing, but then I didn’t get out much before then.
Dan smiled a little. I don’t know, but there’s a pretty dense forest so the hiking must be good. People even lived in the forest, in some shared housing facility - he was picturing some kind of throwback to ye olden days of shared tables laden with stale bread and porridge, straw on the floor, and body odor. Maybe even a fireplace somewhere to rest hairy hobbit feet by.
Not sure about an aquarium either. But I guess we can find out and then go. Deal?
She considered it. There were probably a lot of places to go hiking in the forest. She couldn’t learn it if she never went there. So she’d make an effort to do that. Can’t hurt to learn the forest as well as the city in case something ever happens. Someone mentioned making sure to learn the city without the waystations, so probably beneficial. She could probably rope Ben into going with her. Then she wouldn’t feel bad if she just texted the entire time because it was the only way to talk to him anyway.
Yeah. It’s definitely a deal. She was quiet for a moment before she though, And what about you? Do you have things you like to do that we could look into?
“Honestly, I think we could find a couple of cozy bookstores and we’ll be good,” he said, slurping up the last bit of his coffee. This was a gigantic cup, and Dan was pretty sure he’d be wired for the next few hours now - until the inevitable crash, but that was fine. He’d end up going to work with a spring in his step, so that was what he focused on. “I like reading. And I need to bulk up my book collection here.”
There may be other things, but they’d come to mind and he’d share them - he didn’t exactly have a lot of fun, since after he gave up drinking and going to bars he was more the ‘come home and fall asleep’ type. Maybe television. But mostly books.
“So I guess we’re official exploration friends, then?” Wow, friends with a celebrity. Maybe he should ask for an autograph.
She smiled when he mentioned cozy bookstores. She hadn’t honestly been to too many of those, but if he liked books, she could find something worth looking at. Stories that she could share with Claire if she ever showed up. Allison wasn’t sure that would ever happen, but she could at least find something.
So less the brawling in elementary school type and more the sitting in the library type, then? She couldn’t laugh, but that didn’t stop her from pressing her lips together like she was trying to stop herself from laughing either.
She nodded at his question. Yep. Looks like we’re official exploration friends. Though, I think we can just be official friends no matter what we end up getting up to. It was nice to have a friend. Someone who wasn’t wrapped up in the movies and seemed pretty nice and down to Earth...as far as people went.