Boston Mariott, Thursday Night

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy...Kathy wasn't doing so well. She had a whole slew of reasons why she wasn't doing well, from her realization she remembered everything about being dead, to finding out Raven had killed her family, to her run-in with Ezra at the Coterie-run bar when she'd just wanted to drown her sorrows the old-fashioned way, it had been one thing after another after a-fucking-nother.

Which was why the phone call at ten pm found her putting the last touches on her makeup and hair for an evening out on the town. Her outfit left very little to the imagination and even less as protection to the elements, but she didn't care. Hell, that was the whole point. This was the third night she was in Boston and the third night of making questionable choices in the pursuit of getting her brain to shut down so she wouldn't have to think about any of the things she didn't want to think about. Sure, it was a weeknight in the dead of winter, but Boston was a college town. There were always people willing to party.

Though that didn't explain how Eliot knew what was going on. She listened to his message with a frown and immediately called him back. The only person who knew she was here was Ezra, so who'd gone to Eliot, carrying tales?

[Eliot's thread is chronologically first, but open to phone calls or that guy in Boston if he'd like! NFB for off-island shenanigans. Content warning for alcohol as a coping mechanism in the comments.]

Comments

[vdistinctive]

"I'm sayin' I am," Eliot tried. "And -- it ain't even something to forgive, hon. These things happen."

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"Well you're a lot more forgiving than I am," Kathy said coldly. "I haven't even had time to--what do you mean these things happen?"

It had taken her brain some time to catch up.

"To whom?"

Was there a spate of parent-killings performed by best friends that Kathy didn't know about?

[vdistinctive]

"Well, I ain't got statistics on it." He sighed. "And, alright, I'm pretty sure it probably doesn't happen exactly like this all the time." The whole 'shapeshifting best friend is the father' bit? Definitely a rarity. "But that doesn't have to mean it's the end of the world."

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"It was the end of my world, Eliot," Kathy said quietly, unable to believe that he could be so insensitive. "I mean, what else would you call it?"

[vdistinctive]

"How 'bout . . . a turning point," Eliot offered. "You've been through a whole lot this year. This probably feels like . . . the cherry on top of all that. But you've --" Well. 'Survived' wasn't quite the word, was it. "-- you've persevered. I know you can get through this, too."

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"But--but--" Fuck, she was crying now. Hadn't she done enough of that already? "You make it sound so easy! But every time I look at Raven, I'm going to be reminded of everything!"

[vdistinctive]

"Alright," Eliot said slowly. "I guess that's fair. But -- she did a lot for you too, right? Is this really somethin' to kick her out over?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy couldn't believe Eliot was taking Raven's side over this.

"Oh really?!" she demanded. "And how would you feel if she'd done this to you?!"

[vdistinctive]

". . ."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yeah, don't have an answer for me, do you?"

[vdistinctive]

"It's not really something I've had to think about before, Kathy," Eliot pointed out. "I mean . . . not from that side of it."

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"YOU'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS?!" Kathy gasped. "You neglected to mention that, well, ever!"

Sure, he'd told her about how he'd sometimes killed people for loving the wrong person, that going after family had been an effective motivator for people. She'd assumed he'd meant, like, boyfriends or wives but she supposed parents and siblings could have been part of that group, too.

"No wonder you're taking Raven's side on this," she said, bitter.

[vdistinctive]

"I was young once, you know," Eliot pointed out. "It's kinda like a rite of passage for a guy." He shook his head. This was not going like he'd planned. "Look, I'm not trying to take any sides."

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"..."

[vdistinctive]

". . . Kathy?" Unfortunately, boggling looks were not as distinctive as pouring alcohol. "You still there?"

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"A right of passage?!"

Sorry about those ear drums, Eliot. Kathy could be a little shrill sometimes.

[vdistinctive]

"I was young and stupid," Eliot said again. "Like I said, this stuff happens. Geez, kid, I never pegged you for such a prude."

He regretted it the moment it was out of his mouth but -- still. She was freaking out about this really hard.

[spin_kick_snap]

"A prude?! A PRUDE!?" Not being blasé about murder made her a prude?!

In a fit of temper, she hung up on Eliot and then threw her phone across the room and onto the bed, letting out a shriek of pure frustration. Seconds later she was diving for it and hitting redial. No way was she letting him off that easily.

"Answer your fucking phone, Eliot!" she yelled as the call connected and it rang on his end. "This conversation is not over!"

[vdistinctive]

This was really not going like he'd thought it would. Honestly, he'd kind of thought there'd be, like, relieved crying?

He answered fast enough when it rang again to catch the tail end of that statement. "You're the one who hung up on me!"

He was so mature. Such a great adult role model. Wow.

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"You called me a prude!" Kathy said. It was a good thing no one could see her, her arms flailing around in the air. "Because I don't think family tragedy should be a fucking rite of passage?"

[vdistinctive]

"Family tragedy?!" Seriously, this was really not how he thought this would go. "Kathy, I thought you of all people would get that getting pregnant ain't the end of the damn world."

He was a middle aged guy from Oklahoma. How was he being the reasonable one on this?

[spin_kick_snap]

"..."



After several long moments of confused and incredulous staring at her phone, Kathy asked, "...Pregnant?"

[vdistinctive]

"Um," said Eliot. "Yes?"

What was she talking about?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Who's pregnant?!" Kathy asked, now completely and utterly confused. "What does having a baby have to do with anything we were talking about?"

[vdistinctive]

"You are?" Eliot said. "That's why you kicked Raven out -- honestly, her part in all this doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me."