[ota] blood or water, it's all the same

[sirforawhile]

It's been going on for months. The quakes are over and don't seem to be starting up again any time soon, and there's no sign of any other disaster. Iggy just wants to move out of Heart Castle and go home. Unfortunately, as the rest of the family is adamant that the kids remain at the castle, he cannot. Or, well, he's not allowed to. Because poor little kids, even teenagers old enough to babysit their own siblings and cousins, need to be supervised. Even if some of them are already adults by the standards of the Deck.

Which is, of course, piffle. So he's put his foot down and packed his things and gone back to the Xiu house.

The Xiu house will not have him. So, alas, he is wandering the streets of the Town, box of belongings on one shoulder and dragging a monstrous suitcase behind him. Or maybe he's sitting down on a bench somewhere. Take pity on him, folk of the Deck.

[ooc: he will ultimately wind up at Alasdair's place, so offers of a home are welcome but will not be accepted for varying reasons.]

Comments

[sirforawhile]

Breathe slow. Focus on the weight of the box carrying what's most precious, emotionally if not financially.

"...Right. Thanks, Rita."

[butneverbreak]

"Nothing for." One last tug at a spit-curl, and back she steps. "This isn't forever."

Nothing like this was. Not really. Not even if nothing ever went back to where it was supposed to be.

"See you in the office, then."

[sirforawhile]

"...see ya." And he's on his way now, only to turn up the next morning asking if she'd seen a misplaced envelope among what he'd brought her.

[grrranimals]

"Never take sucker odds," she tells him. The suitcase doesn't dip one inch as her hand catches hold. She may be little, but she is mighty. She spends far too much time dealing with one-ton animals.

"Didn't go well, hmmm? How can you abandon them?" The last comes out in whiny sing-song.

[heartvestment]

"Totally not. Obviously. I'm too cool for that." She laughs a little. She's lying. "And I'm totally in awe of your inner strength."

[sirforawhile]

"Oh, they noticed Stage One, where I abandon the kids at the castle," he says airily, half-applauding her strength and stepping away. "Stage Two has been executed, where I stealthily depart while they're yelling. We'll just have to see if Stage Three, where they assume I've gone back to the castle but actually I haven't, is successful." That's how.

[sirforawhile]

"Inner strength, nothing," he says, lightly punching himself over his heart. "I've just built up a mad tolerance to being heartbroken. Works wonders with the emotionally manipulative."

[heartvestment]

"Aw, Iggy. You're amazing. Really. I'm in awe." Look at her genuinely putting a hand on her heart. Just look.

[sirforawhile]

Huff. You are ruining his intention to sulk, lady. "Don't say that, c'mon." Cheek pinch. She is by far not too old for a cheek pinch.

[heartvestment]

"Fine." She adopts a serious, bored expression. "You're lame."

[sirforawhile]

"Lamest of lame," he agrees, still tugging at her cheek. "Worser than worst."

[heartvestment]

"Hey!" She'll protest, sticking her tongue out at him childishly as she tries to squirm away from his fingers.

[sirforawhile]

He'll let go eventually, tugging on an ear instead before leaning his forearms on his box again. "I'm amazed you put up with this day in and day out. Or is it just me that's the problem?"

[heartvestment]

"I put up with it because you have a cute face. You're just lucky." She laughs, a grin spreading over her face.

[sirforawhile]

"I'll be sure not to share my luck then. No lucky pencils or four leaf clovers for anyone else." He pats his box seriously, looking for all the world as if he's got a stash of valuables- or lucky items- inside.

[grrranimals]

"They'll suss you out. There's no escape. It's like Jehovah's Witnesses. Hey! Maybe if you wore black robes and shook a cat at them? No? It was worth a thought. At least Allie'll eat better now." Thank god her job that takes up too much of her time to make her a truly viable babysitter.

[sirforawhile]

Clearly he made a poor career choice. He should have gone with something like field accountant, too far from home and too often occupied to continue overdoing his uncle duties. "I could fake out like I've joined a cult. They'd cut ties ASAP."

Faces made at feeding friends don't necessarily contradict the statement of feeding friends.

[heartvestment]

"You be sure to keep it to yourself. I'll be very unhappy if I have to put up with everyone just because you've shared your luck."

[grrranimals]

"Why doesn't someone else come watch the rugrats if it's all that important to them? You can't be the only responsible party in your family. Come on. I'll stand you to a drink. Got a place yet?"

[sirforawhile]

"Next one down's Tian'e, and apparently because she's still in school, she can't take care of herself and her siblings and her cousins even though she's nearly seventeen. But god, why bother actually spending time with your own offspring." He'd throw up his hands if they weren't already full.

At least he can nod fervently to her offer. "Probably Allie's. I mean, I haven't asked yet, but..."

[grrranimals]

She hadn't been sure that option was still open since Elani had come on the scene. "That's good, then. Much better than my couch. Don't know about you, Iggy, but I'm fairly certain when my family looks at me, they see the word WELCOME stamped across my face. We're too indoctrinated."

[sirforawhile]

"Oh, god. We need to start learning to say 'no' to things. They've trained us too well. Sit, stay, roll over, take care of the kids while their parents go out for another dinner date." It seems so absurd now that he's finally made the push.

[grrranimals]

"Tell me about it. Even Marc gets away with it. And y'know, I love 'em, right? I don't mind...usually. But some days it feels like they expect us to do the parenting while they go off and do the living."

[sirforawhile]

"Ought to make up a chart. How much time we spend in the life of one kid versus how much time their parents spend. Throw in the teachers, maybe."

[grrranimals]

She grins. "And whip it out next time they try to rook us into doing their job for them? It's not that I don't love the little rugrats, but I'd like to have a life occasionally." And her relatives were slightly more reasonable than his.

"Don't know how you do it. I'd be a raging loon by now."