Gilbert Kinkaid Walker (veryperceptive) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2011-05-01 00:05:00

Entry tags:

gk, inactive - eli coyne, inactive - j'anna j'onnz, inactive - lian harper, npc - tim drake, team - outsiders, zoe torres

"I don't know half of you half as well as I would like"
His 18th Birthday. A pretty big deal. And GK was cheerfully wrapping presents, taking a cue from Hobbit culture like a rich, pampered, and geeky boy logically might as well do.

He'd already made sure presents would be waiting for his family when they got back from Switzerland. In the meantime, he had something for Zoe, her Mom, the gang at work, the Outsiders -- to be delivered in costume -- and, last but not least, Eli.

Once the ones for work were dropped off, he headed for the triangle with two packages. On the way, he checked the mail.

There was a card. He blinked in shock to see that the postmark was from England, the return address from the Holdaways' firm. Did they actually give a damn all of a sudden?
And then he read it, and he was barely past the 'Dear Gilbert, Congratulations on your 18th birthday' when he statrted grinding his teeth.

It should have taken more effort to read between the lines. They should have put more effort into looking like, after all this time, they were into something more than getting Grandma's account back. He guessed to people like that, eighteen years and nine months was just a little blip in in a nearly three-century business deal.

He folded the card and shoved it in his pocket as he headed to Zoe's. Very quickly, since he wasn't bringing his stick.

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	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 03:25 am UTC (link)
	He knocks on the Torres door with the packages under one arm. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-05-01 03:37 am UTC (link)
	Michelle opened the door and smiled in delight. "GK, how nice to see you. Come in. Zoe didn't mention we were expecting you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 03:39 am UTC (link)
	He comes on in. "Hi, Ms. Torres. I didn't tell her. Sorry for being unannounced; I wanted to bring some stuff by. Um, have you read The Lord of the Rings? This makes much more sense if you've read it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-05-01 04:10 am UTC (link)
	"Don't be silly, you're welcome any time." She closed the door and drew him toward the living area. "I did read it, as a matter of fact." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 04:21 am UTC (link)
	He smiles. "Well, I've decided that 18 is equivalent to one of the major hobbit birthdays, so I'm celebrating hobbit-style and this is for you." He handed her a package, neatly wrapped in tissue paper, which turned out to be hair combs. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-05-01 04:30 am UTC (link)
	"It's your birthday? Happy birthday." She hesitated, deciding on an appropriate way to congratulate him. She settled for an affectionate shoulder squeeze before she took the package. It was opened and admired. "They're beautiful. They'll be lovely with an outfit I have saved for a special occasion. Thank you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 04:31 am UTC (link)
	Shoulder squeezes are acceptable, Ma'am. He smiles. "Glad to hear it, and glad you like them. Is Zoe home?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dc_parent 2011-05-01 04:35 am UTC (link)
	"She's in her room. The last I saw of her, she had headphones on and studying for her online test. Go right on in." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 04:37 am UTC (link)
	"Thank you." And he will take the other box and head for her room and knock on principle but go directly to opening the door, since her headphones are probably on. "Zoe?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 04:43 am UTC (link)
	Zoe saw the door move and pulled her headphones off. She didn't reach for the open gun case under the edge of her bed facing away from the door when she saw the blond head. Instead she sat up on her bed and gestured him in. "Hey GK. What's up?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

veryperceptive
2011-05-01 05:00 am UTC (link)

"Hi. I'm celebrating a hobbit birthday," GK says cheerily. He sets the second package down in front of Zoe. Inside is a small book about the infamous serial killer Flay-by-Night, who'd turned out to be a rich, respectable physician who just killed people for a hobby. As the Triangle had been one of his hunting grounds long before the two of them were ever born, he thought she'd find it of interest. Offsetting this gruesome offering was a set of set of headbands in rich browns, deep burgundies, and olive green. If GK saw anything odd about combining criminology and fashion in a present, he didn't show it.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 05:07 am UTC (link)
	"You know a hobbit?" It wouldn't surprise Zoe if he did. The package got a look. She turned it over in hands. "It's not my birthday." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 05:10 am UTC (link)
	"No, um, in The Lord of the Rings, hobbits celebrate birthdays by giving out presents. I decided that would be fun to do this year. I'm eighteen today." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

zoe_torres
2011-05-01 05:17 am UTC (link)

That explained why she didn't get it. She didn't read fantasy books unless forced. "Happy Birthday. You should've said something. Mom would've invited you for dinner."

Still, a package was a package. She opened it and grinned when she saw the title on the book. She'd read other true crime books on the serial killer, but not this one. "Cool. A little light reading before bed."

The headbands were given a glance of appreciation. She supposed they would be good for her coloring, and noticed they weren't black.

"You're the one who's supposed to get a present. Did your mom send you something?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 05:24 am UTC (link)
	"See, I offset the horror of owning multiple headbands with something interesting." "They're in Switzerland. I've got a feeling something Swiss'll arrive eventually. All I got so far is a card from people I don't like, but that's the beauty of this plan. I know that several awesome presents are going to happen." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 05:30 am UTC (link)
	"That's right." She glanced at the open door. "Mom's getting emails from your Uncle Jed," she said in a low voice. "I heard her humming this morning." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 05:35 am UTC (link)
	"Awesome." He shuts the door and giggles. "I've gotten more than a few e-mails from Mom that started 'Now that Jed has given me back the damn computer.' I don't want to jinx anything," he taps her bedframe with light superstition. "But I think we made a very good call." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 05:47 am UTC (link)
	Zoe grinned as well. "It was worth the torture she put me through after we got home after their lunch. You'll see if she decides you have to eat dinner with us. I'll warn you, birthdays around here are saved for Chinese takeout." She crossed her legs Indian style and relaxed back on her hands. "You got a hot date tonight?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 05:52 am UTC (link)
	He looks sheepish as he sits on the corner of her bed. "I'm hoping Eli can make it this evening, yeah -- he's a hard guy to figure out, probably because of all he's been through, but... I really like him." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 06:07 am UTC (link)
	Zoe gathered up her hair, no mean feat, and put on one of the headbands. Crooked. "As long as he treats you well. You don't have to put up with anybody's crap." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 06:12 am UTC (link)
	"May I?" he asks, reaching towards her hair. "Don't worry. No problems but a bad memory, a few miscommunications, his prejudice against retro clothing, and ... his picking a really bad time to refer to his... past professional experience." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 06:18 am UTC (link)
	She let it all go. He was better with her hair than she was. No shame in admitting it. "That doesn't sound so bad. What sort of past professional experience? What was he before?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 06:24 am UTC (link)
	And he'll gently and carefully get it situated right. "Well, either it was a really weird and tasteless joke, or back before he got his place to stay in San Francisco, he was, um, sleeping with people professionally, apparently," GK mutters. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	zoe_torres 2011-05-01 06:32 am UTC (link)
	"Some people don't know what else to do." Prostitutes were not on Zoe's hot list. It was the pimps that made her angry. "But it's past, so let it stay there. Lots of people don't like the retro look, but that doesn't mean you should change the way you dress." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	veryperceptive 2011-05-01 06:39 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, I just... didn't have any context on how one deals with stuff, you know?" He nods. "He's not controlling or anything... I know Mom's going to worry when I tell them more about him." He got out one of his ever-available hand-mirrors. "Now, check that out." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)