[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]

He scoffs at that, madam. Scoffs. "I am a raging loon, Tess Bowen, don't be mistaken. Why d'you think I'm out here now?"

[grrranimals]

"But, Iggy," she mimics in a high, sing-song, whiny voice that sounds like every family member everywhere, "you know you don't mean it. Now, we'll be back next Friday at 4:58 but we plan to have dinner out, so you won't mind watching the little darlings for the evening, right? Actually, they'd best stay the night. Wouldn't want to wake the poor dears. I know! How about the entire weekend? Yes, that'd be best--and then we're back to work on Monday and no one home when they get back from school. We know you can arrange your schedule. You're such a dear! Toodles!"

She think the toodles is a nice touch.

[sirforawhile]

His face just grows more and more grim as she continues, and at the toodles he points a threatening and melodramatic finger at her. If he could have made a clap of thunder happen, she would have heard one. "You've been listening in on our conversations.And you've been learning Mandarin. Jezebel! Eavesdropper!"

[grrranimals]

"Pretty certain Jezebel's talking 'bout something different than eavesdropping." Something, sadly, that had been missing from her life for several months.

"Cheer up. Misery loves company or so they say. Have you enlisted your friends over at Heart Castle to cover for you?" The longer it took Iggy's family to realize he'd flown the coop, the better.

[sirforawhile]

He exaggerates the roll of his eyes just for her. "Okay, what d'you prefer? Harridan? Virago? Should I leave off altogether? Get the kids to improve their vocabulary by hunting through dictionaries for me? Anyway, I'm checking up on the teens tomorrow, so we'll see."

Which doesn't account for the non-Xiu Hearts. Hmm.

[grrranimals]

"Super Tess, natch! Teens can be bribed. I have faith in the success of your escape attempt."

[sirforawhile]

Hand pressed to chest in delight and pride. "I'm gonna write that up and pin that over wherever I'll lay my head tonight. Now, you going that way or this?"

[grrranimals]

"Home actually, but your way looks more interesting. Lead the way."

When she gets home she'll make him a sign on her computer: the Tess Bowen version of 'Home Sweet Home.'

[sirforawhile]

Hopefully she can make it through his wide, wide range of long-suffering face before he takes it with him to Alasdair's. She can get the dirty details of her sign being taped up from the latter later.