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littleladylord ([info]littleladylord) wrote in [info]dc_nextgen,
@ 2011-05-18 17:58:00


Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:cindy lord, firestorm, npc - jai west

Let's Do Lunch.
Cindy Lord had heard rumors, and they hinted at something up with which she would not put.

She dialed. "Michael. We need to talk. Have you eaten?"


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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 08:43 pm UTC (link)
Michael wanted to be anti-social right now. He really did. He was avoiding the YJLA if Traya was on the schedule. He would always get as far away from the YJLA headquarters if there was a whiff of the Biyalan girl.

So he would often isolate himself, only doing otherwise when Traya was not there.

So when the phone rang, he expected someone with the YJLA. When Cindys name came up, he smiled and answered.

And immediately regretted it. She's using a tone of voice that screamed "I mean business", at least over the phone.

"No, I haven't. Been working on a project for a while. Haven't really eaten today."

And that was true. He hadn't eaten that day. He had thrown himself at this project in order to keep his mind off of the whole situation.

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 08:45 pm UTC (link)
"Meet me in half an hour at Sala on the Bowery in New York."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 08:48 pm UTC (link)
He doesn't want to. He really doesn't. He'd rather sit and sulk here. But he knows better. He shouldn't be.

"See you in thirty."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 08:52 pm UTC (link)
A glass of Dr Pepper and a tray of appetizers are already waiting at their table when he arrives.

"Hello."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 08:56 pm UTC (link)
Michael looks slightly ragged when he comes to the table. He appreciates the food and the Dr. Pepper, but judging by the slightly frazzled appearance it looks like he has had a lot on his mind.

"Hey Cindy. This looks really good."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 08:57 pm UTC (link)
"Good. Drink up. You look like hell." She smiles. "Aren't you glad you'll always know I'm not Asking Nicely for anything?"

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:01 pm UTC (link)
"Feel like hell. Had a lot to think about recently," Michael says as he grabs a small piece of chicken and pops it in his mouth. He smiles at the mention of Asking Nicely.

"So, what brought the call on? You wanted a time out away from the better half? Your dad trying to expand?"

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:06 pm UTC (link)
"I'm worried about Traya. I don't have BFF privileges to intrude too much on breakup grief, but I want to know how much of verbal bitchslap Jai may or may not need. You'd know more than I. Spill."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:22 pm UTC (link)
Fuck.

"Yeah. I guess they broke up, but there was something weird about the whole thing. The way he talked, it sounded almost like he remembered what he said and saw when he was a black lantern."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:24 pm UTC (link)
"Some of the people who were Black Lanterns do remember what they said and saw. What should that matter now that he's himself again?"

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:31 pm UTC (link)
Double fuck.

"When Jai attacked the YJLA headquarters, it was only Traya and I there. The thing using him made assumptions about us being there alone. I guess it had an effect on Jai as well."

Never mind the fact the feelings it saw from your end were there, right?

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:33 pm UTC (link)
There's a long pause, and Cindy's face gets stern. "Oh, I am going to let him have it. How's Traya handling it? You see more of her than I do."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:39 pm UTC (link)
"She's..."

Michael hesitates.

"I've been avoiding her, too."

Damn it, I can't even lie about it.

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:41 pm UTC (link)
Cindy's face gets colder.

"...Her boyfriend dumps her for getting near another guy while he's dead, and you Scarlet Letter her for it?"

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:45 pm UTC (link)
Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it.

"It's because..."

Admitting it will be better than just letting it fester.

"It's because I've started to feel something for her. And I don't know how to handle that."

Michael has now stopped eating. he holds still, expecting to get chewed out. He knows he's wrong for having feelings for Traya, and now he just expects to get the earful he deserves.

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:47 pm UTC (link)
Cindy looks at him for a moment, shovels a spoonful of gazpacho in her mouth, and continues staring while she makes herself finish it.

Finally.

"So, since you don't know what to do, your solution is to leave someone who's just had her hurt crushed, and is probably feeling inexplicably guilty when she shouldn't have to, as alone and isolated as possible?"

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:52 pm UTC (link)
"I deserved that."

Michael stares at his Dr. Pepper. He feels a bit too ashamed to look Cindy in the eye at the moment.

"I deserve more, actually. When she and I ran into one another, after she and Jai broke up, we talked about why he was acting weird."

Deep breath.

"I told her."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:53 pm UTC (link)
"...you told her then ignored her. In her place, that would make me feel like a whore. And she didn't even do anything."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 09:58 pm UTC (link)
Now that got under his skin.

"Traya is not a whore. She is innocent of all of this. This whole damn thing is my fault."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 09:59 pm UTC (link)
"I know she's not. But no, no, no, be willing to share credit, Michael. This whole damn thing is your and Jai's fault. And he'll get his, trust me. All you can do is apologize to Traya about being a jackass!"

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 10:05 pm UTC (link)
"...I should do that, shouldn't I?"

A look of "God I'm being stupid" is now on his face. He reaches into his pocket to check if he has Trayas number...when an idea strikes him. Talking about the night that Jai attacked Traya and him...

"Huh. I think I know what to do to make things right. With all involved."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 10:06 pm UTC (link)
"Wait... wait... 'I have an easy way to fix everything' almost never ends well."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 10:09 pm UTC (link)
"Didn't say it was going to be easy. And I'd need consent."

Michael thinks again.

"Something I know about the Matrix is that whoever is in it will share minds. The farther away from the mind, the less contact, but that's how it happens. And i can bring more people into it..."

Maybe its the exhaustion, or the guilt, or maybe its an actual idea he's got stuck in his head, but he starts thinking some more about it.

"I don't know if it will work, but it'll be a step in the right direction."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 10:11 pm UTC (link)
"So if you could get Jai's head far enough out of his ass to agree to use it, you could use it to get it the rest of the way out? It's a thought. Or you're shoving Traya bareminded into the mind of some asshole she loved tremendously who unjustly thinks she's a bitch."

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 10:15 pm UTC (link)
"Fuck. Didn't think about that."

Michael relaxes a bit.

"I just want to help. Traya and Jai don't deserve this at all. I'm just a damn flat third wheel that fucked up the whole machine. it may not be a fix and it may not even work, but letting them see what the others feeling would let them be in the others shoes."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 10:17 pm UTC (link)
Cindy thinks, then nods. "It's definitely better than leaving her alone." She chows down on more gazpacho.

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[info]masterofmatter
2011-05-18 10:32 pm UTC (link)
"Thanks, Cindy."

Michael grabs a french fry. There's a lot of work to be done, but its a relief to have it out in the open.

"I mean it. Thank you."

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[info]littleladylord
2011-05-18 10:40 pm UTC (link)
"You're welcome."

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In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 12:58 am UTC (link)
Okay, so the whole "quitting the hero business" thing didn't pan out the way he intended. Still, he didn't have a new costume or identity, so he'd taken to vibrating in order to keep people from seeing his face.

After a bit of helping out around Keystone City, Jai comes home and sits down at his desk, trying to finish a couple of finals projects and deciding what, if anything, he'll do about prom.

Moreover, he tries not to think about Keith...or Traya.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 01:01 am UTC (link)
Cindy, having called in a favor to get to Keystone and gotten to Jai's house, knocks.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 01:14 am UTC (link)
"I got it!" Jai calls out to his mother, who is probably the only other person in the house right now. Dad and Irey were both out doing things, so that left him at home with Mom, who was working in the den on a story.

He opens the door to find Cindy standing there and raises an eyebrow.

"Uh, hey. What's up?" he asks, a little unsure of why Cindy might be here.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 01:15 am UTC (link)
"Hello, Jai. May I come in?"

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 01:36 am UTC (link)
"Yeah, sure." Jai says, stepping aside to allow Cindy in.

"Iris isn't here, if you're looking for her. She's probably out in San Francisco at Titans' Tower." he says.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 01:37 am UTC (link)
"I'll call Iris later. I'll probably need to apologize. Because I'm here to talk to you. About Traya."

St. Elias girls, represent.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 01:44 am UTC (link)
Great.

"Yeah, I don't think you and I should have this conversation, Cindy. There isn't a lot to say and I'm not in the right frame of mind for it. I just lost a friend recently and I'm not up to discussing Traya or anything associated with her." Jai tells Cindy.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 01:47 am UTC (link)
"I am sorry about Keith. But what, do you think if he randomly shows up and sees us talking, he's going to dump you as a good friend for talking to someone else while he was dead?"

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 01:59 am UTC (link)
Jai doesn't say anything for well over a minute, because he's not sure he just heard Cindy say what she just said.

"This whole situation is between Traya, Michael and myself. I'm not sure what either of them told you, and I don't really care. I know what I saw and I know that Michael was all over my girlfriend. I also know that Traya wasn't exactly shutting him down.

I get that she's your friend, but this really, really is not any of your business, Cindy. So back off." Jai says.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 02:06 am UTC (link)
Cindy shrugs. "I'm willing to believe Michael didn't tell me the whole story. He's a jackass. I'm also willing to believe this is none of my business. I know I don't have a goddamn clue what you've been through. Only thing I had to deal with in that whole mess was seeing my soul on display as the grabby little freak I am. I just know a good person who loved you dearly and was devastated by your death not only had to watch you attack her and say horrible things as some soulless thing, she got to see the real Jai back up the idea that she's horrible and worthless as she gets abandoned both by her boyfriend and by the jackass whose shoulder she was crying out her grief on." Cindy walks back over to the door. "I hope things improve. I hope you get your head out of your ass." She opens it to leave.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 03:13 am UTC (link)
"You don't have any right to talk to me like that, Cindy." Jai says, barely containing his anger.

"I /know/ what I saw. He wants her. She, on some level, wants /him/. All I did was give them a chance to have what they both wanted, no matter what it cost me." Jai says to her back.

"I don't expect you to get it, Cindy. No one can because they didn't go through what I did. But Traya hasn't exactly kicked down my door to clear things up, so I assumed she was with Michael." he says.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]littleladylord
2011-05-19 03:16 am UTC (link)
"'Course I don't. But I'm a Lord. We're not supposed to be good people. Michael's avoided her ever since you dumped her. But yeah, but when two guys make you feel like a whore, you're supposed to keep running after them, huh? Whatever, Jai. If you're willing to work on sorting this out, it'll restore the faith I used to have in you."

She'll close the door behind her.

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Re: In Keystone City...
[info]dareyoutorun
2011-05-19 03:48 am UTC (link)
Jai was pretty pissed off. He hadn't needed that, not one bit, but Cindy had managed to wreck his day in less than five minutes.

The sad part was...he couldn't help but think that maybe she was /right/. If Traya and Michael really didn't betray him, then that meant...

he couldn't even think about it. It was too much.

"Mom, I'm leaving!" Jai says, heading for the back door.

This was going to take at least a few laps around the world before he could think straight again.

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[info]dareyoutorun
2011-06-05 11:32 pm UTC (link)
-(END)-

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