mellowyellow | IC ♪ ADSTRING VOICEMAIL

[That almost gets a laugh out of her. At least she sounds amused.]

You don't even know what a pirouette is, Mr Two Left Feet.

Then what?

You just can't comprehend the depth of my skill and dexterity.

[The response is immediate, and he promptly continues the tale of his fascinating journey afterward.]

I did everything short of nuke the place to find something worth keeping! But all I got for it were a couple of groceries, some forks and knives, and a ton of bottled water. Seriously. The stupid package weighs a ton. It's not fair to ask a guy to carry that! [Not that anyone asked him.] It took, like, two hours to get everything to Jade's place. Such a pain in the ass. But there was one of those killer bunnies hanging out around the corner, and they're kinda cute when they're not trying to eat you. Actually, now that I think about it, it might've been waiting to see if I collapsed under the weight.

After that I just played around on the PCD for a while. These things really, really need solitaire built in. But I checked for any happenings anyway. Doesn't sound like much is going down anywhere. I'll probably hang around the park after this. There's usually someone there to chitchat with. But whatever you do, never feed the pigeons there! They're scary! Once they peg you as a sucker, you're toast! Asta lavista, baby!

[Silently, she listens to every word. Her breathing is deep and even. Everything went downhill in her mind from the mention of killer bunnies. Jinx didn't even know they existed. The local wildlife is the least of her worries. But for Kida, the smallest thing could come out of nowhere and--

Suddenly serious:]

I want you to be more careful.

It's not like I was unarmed.... [Forks and knives, yup.] I could've squashed it just by dropping the water on it.

I don't care! Something bigger could've come along. You were slowed down by all that crap and you obviously weren't paying attention to your surroundings. You were an easy target! What if something happened to you!?

[Remember the last time she freaked out like this? You were bleeding.]

I would've called you, remember?

[Or dropped the crap and escaped himself. Somehow that first answer seems a more appropriate offering for the angry goddess.]

I can't always be there to protect you! I'm not a hero! People die and--and they go away forever and there's absolutely nothing I can do to stop it no matter how powerful I am or how hard I try or how good I try to be--people just leave!

[This is why she's been ignoring your texts, kiddo.]

...

[Apparently he thought wrong. Is she scared he's going to disappear? That's... something over which he has no control. And that's pretty frightening.]

Hey.

Isn't that why you gave me those defense lessons? All I'd have to do is ask, and Jade'd help me with a gun.

[He hasn't asked as of yet. Not after having one pointed at his face.]

I even have a drawer full of knives in the kitchen. Been collecting them ever since you first came over.

So just do what you can, okay? And if you can't do something, call me. Like this. Or text me. Or whatever. Maybe I can help out.

Okay?

No.

[Her voice has weakened substantially.]

It's not okay. Guns and knives aren't gonna stop the Animus from taking you away from me. Not even Lucifer's powers could stop them.

[Ahhh. There it is.]

And now he's gone. Just like Negi's gone because no one is meant to be happy here.

[Lucifer. Lucifer's gone. Girls are supposed to be happy to see their exes go. But he'd already known she wouldn't be, hadn't he? After the way they'd talked earlier that month.

But the whole reason she'd stopped talking to him as often was because of Al and Negi. That's two low blows, one right after the other.]

...So that's why you're gonna lock yourself away in your secret tower and leave me all alone out here?

[Yep. There's the guilt she didn't want to face. All this time, she had been ignoring Kida so he didn't have to deal with this. Maybe if she ignored him long enough, Lucifer would come back or she'd get over it all. Then everything could go back to normal.

But all the texts. Sokka telling her she needed to call him. This was such a bad idea.

The sorceress makes several attempts to talk to Kida, but she has no idea what to say. A few indiscernible syllables escape her mouth before she just starts sobbing.]

[Smooth, Masaomi. Now she's crying. Shit.]

Jinx, I-

[Fuck.]

I've got tissues.

[She debates hanging up. Well, more like throwing her PCD hard enough to make it hang up for her. She hates crying, especially since she feels like it's all she's been doing lately. While choking miserably on her own tears, she finally presses the button to relay her coordinates. Maybe it was an accident, maybe she wants him there, but either way she's already screwed up so badly he probably wants to leave her. How the hell could she make this worse?

Finally, she does decide to throw her phone. The sound is probably awful on Kida's end before it cuts out.

Now, the funny thing about the coordinates? They're not far away from Jade's house. At all. A couple blocks, half a mile at best. And the two story cottage she's residing in? Is painted violet with black accents. Hell, the windows even look brand new. And there's Jinx inside, curled up on her couch and nearly having a nervous breakdown. Wonderful.]

[Yeah, that definitely calls for a moment to let his ears stop ringing. But he has coordinates, unlike last time. That's progress. He rushes through a note to let Jade know where he's going, grabs a packet of tissues and his old, bloody tennis shoes, and makes a beeline for the coordinates she gave him.

They really are close, and when he sees that paint job, he freezes momentarily to stare. Well... no point in breaking theme. A deep breath, and he gets moving again, though considerably slower than before. He knocks on the door only twice, hand still raised for another knock that never comes.

What is he doing?]

[Being a good boyfriend to your terrible girlfriend.

When she hears the knock at the door, she doesn't get up. She's a wreck. There's makeup smeared all over her blotchy, tear-stained face. She's been tearing at her hair. Her weight is fluctuating again, but not as badly as it did a few months ago. Right now, she just doesn't want to drag herself to the front door. So she snaps her fingers...

...and nearly blows the door off its hinges with her powers. Well, at least it's open now. She curls up into a tighter ball on the couch, her arms over her head.]

[He jumps back from the door with perfect timing, not so much desensitized as just getting used to being surprised.

A few seconds after the door stops swinging dangerously, he forces another deep breath and peeks inside. His voice is soft, warm, though he can't hide his hesitance. Or maybe he can. He holds up the packet of tissues in front of his face.]

Special delivery.

[Still choking on sobs and in a very pathetic voice, Jinx responds quietly. He should be able to hear her, seeing how the back of the couch isn't too far from the door.]

No soliciting. Greenpeace can suck it.

Well, they're gonna have to suck it somewhere else 'cause it's just me today.

[He makes his way over to the couch, leaning over the back to dangle the tissues above her covered head.]

A peace offering for the princess?

There's no need for a peace offering when there was no slight.

[...but she reaches up to snatch the tissues from him, anyway.]

Call it an investment then.

[He pulls out one of those prize smiles when she takes the tissues.]

[The little trainwreck sits up enough to pull out a tissue and blow her nose. It's noisy and messy. After discarding it on her coffee table, she grabs another to wipe the black makeup off her face. All she manages to do is smear it around. She wads up that tissue and tosses it. It bounces off one of the many piles of books in her living room. She hasn't really looked at him this whole time.]

I wanted you to see this place when I had it all fixed up. [Sniffle.] When you climb out my bedroom window onto the roof, you can see all the stars. If you climb up higher, you can totally see where Jade's house is.

[Stalker.]

[He's complacent and surprisingly patient as she tries to make herself presentable, taking in as many details of Jinx's new home as he can. She may be upset over him, but if Lucifer's gone, then that's it, right? He's gone. It's Masaomi who's standing in her living room with her, not him. In the back of his mind, he's about 90% certain that this entire situation - Adstringendum and everything in it - is karma slapping him in the face, but he is damn well going to enjoy what little there is to enjoy while he's here.]

So I take it that's Tsun-kitten for, "Spy on Jade with me tonight, please."

No.

[She goes through another tissue before she puts her forehead in her hand.]

It's your girlfriend for, "I'm really having a hard time right now and I have no idea how equipped you are to handle any of this."

[She's...serious.]

[That causes him pause. How well equipped is he for this?]

Well, it might help to know about any other ex-boyfriends who could kill me with a wink.

[Haha. He's trying to be funny. Really.]

Not them, Kida. Me.

[She shakes her head and growls.]

I was in love with the Devil. I'm damaged goods. I'm screwed up. I'm not a good person. I have nightmares about all the different ways I could slip up and hurt you. Kill you. On accident. On purpose. I'm not even human. I'm hideous and horrible. I'm a monster.

And you're the fifteen-year-old boy who thinks I'm a good idea.

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;

call;