"You think somehow I /didn't/ think this through five hundred and twenty three different times?"

[renferret]

An attempt to ask to learn a gift from a packmate leads to popping a few angst balloons.

Brownstone: 5th Floor Apartment(#4015RJ)

 

The wide open space of the brownstone's top floor has been utilized well. The back half consists of a master Bedroom and a guest bedroom, the doors to each on opposite sides of the central lift corridor. A few large book cases, decorative screens, and a home office delineate the floor just in front of the lift into three spaces. To the south of the office space is the kitchen, complete with table and chairs and a counter with a small in-house garden set up. The office itself has a few bookcases, a file cabinet, and a home computer. The bookcases contain everything from law, psychology, and philosophy texts to popular fiction and how to books. In the northern corner of the open space is the living room. There is a couch and a couple of matching chairs and an ottoman. An oak entertainment center houses a tv, stereo and dvd system. A fireplace is built into the northern wall, while the long western wall has an array of windows that run the whole length of the building, bookended by two bay windows. The design leaves the apartment flooded with light in the day and with a spectacular view of the city at night. Just above the comfortable couch is a slanted skylight imbedded into the roof. Along the brick, by the fireplace, Jesse's hung a few personal mementos, including her certificates and commendations from work, a blackthorn shillelagh, and a couple of family photos.

 

Contents:

Jacob

 

Obvious exits:

Out

 

A busy Thursday morning has Jacob in his usual routine. The smell of breakfast lingers, suggesting there was pancakes and bacon not long ago, and the dishwasher is mrring casually in the background. In the living room, there is a blanket set out with a bunch of blocks and stuffed animals, and the Gaian, often known for a surliness in the past, is on the ground with a baby and helping her build up the blocks only to take a small wolf stuffed animal to knock them down again.

 

The adorable domestic scene is, alas, at least temporarily interrupted by a knock at the door. Three even raps. Mouse is on the other side, sunglasses and long coat donned. She looks...thinner than her usual, which is saying something. There's also a fair amount of tension settled somewhere around her temples that doesn't seem as though it has gone away much in the past while, even though her actual expression is casual enough.

 

Jacob looks at Abigail, then stands up to check the door. A careful peep is given and then the door opens and he takes a curious look at the other, "Mouse." The name comes out with a sort of heavy expectancy or uncertainty. "Uh, hey." He glances back into the house then opens the door the rest of the way, "C'mon in."

 

"Hey," Mouse says in return. There's a tiny bit of equal uncertainty, though it's not entirely clear if that's just general awkwardness or a response to Jacob's manner. She shuffles inside slowly, in the same manner an old, arthritis bitten woman might use, and turns her head toward the sound of baby noises. One had reaches up to sweep off the glasses. "...Oh. I uh, didn't know you already had company."

 

There's a subtle hint of pride in Jacob as he follows the woman's gaze. "Uh, not company per se. She's kind of full time here." He moves back to pick the baby up, and the little girl curls right up into his chest. "This is AJ, my daughter." He nods to the Walker and then looks toward the kitchen, "You want something to drink?"

 

Mouse's mouth quirks up a little as Jacob picks up the girl, but only for a moment. "...Wait, full time? And uh, water's fine, if you feel like it."

 

Jacob settles the girl on his hip and moves to get the water. "Yeah, she's here with us full time. Jess works though, so ya know, it's a juggle. My parents are in town though, so they look after her when things become less than ideal for her here. So far so good anyway." A glass of water is fetched and brought over to Mouse, and it's then that AJ starts getting curious. A little hand reaching out and offering a wave and a teeny voiced, "hi hi hi".

 

Mouse regards AJ with a mixture of fascination and the kind of amusement found in people who are looking at something funny that they don't quite understand. She offers an awkward little wave in return, then nods at Jacob as he brings her the glass. "Thanks."

 

"Sure. So uh." He moves back into the central area of the living room, setting the tot down and running a hand through his shaggy hair as he looks back to Mouse. "Everything ok?"

 

Mouse gives a very slight shrug and sips her water. "Right now, yeah. I uh, I actually came by to ask you a favor." Pause. "A somewhat large favor, in fact. I was going to wait, but circumstances have changed."

 

Jacob reaches down to distract Abigail with some blocks, which works only a little bit as the baby keeps trying to initiate peek-a-boo with Mouse from the couch's armrest. "Uh, big favors I'm not so good at doing lately."

 

Mouse's right eyebrow lifts. "Well, I'm willing to trade, obviously. I didn't come down here just expecting--anyway. I'm looking to learn a gift."

 

AJ starts crawling around the couch, a little tiny voiced giggle as she leans around it and offers a, "Peeboo." It brings a smile to Jacob and distracts him momentarily from the question. A shake of his head brings him back to the topic, "Oh. Yeah, sure."

 

"Parting the Velvet Curtain," Mouse says, getting to the point at last. "The one that lets you take non-Garou into the Umbra with you. I'm not sure I know anything of equivalent value on its own that you could learn, but obviously I know plenty of rites, or I could do something for you. Talen making, and so on."

 

The name of the rite brings his attention up rather sharply and he looks at her with a heaviness to his gaze. A shake of his head, "Why? For who? For what reason?"

 

Mouse blinks once, and then again. "Multiple reasons," she says slowly, before taking another sip from her glass. And then, a little lighter. "...I need a reason? I'm a Theurge."

 

Jacob looks down and then shakes his head, "I just, I don't think it's- I've had some bad experiences with it. Bad enough that it makes me wish I never used it. So, teaching someone else to use it sort of runs against my senses just now." He reaches down then to pick up the girl once more, perhaps this time more for his own distraction.

 

"Bad experiences?" Mouse echoes. The lightness in her tone has faded. "What do you mean?"

 

Jacob takes a moment to smooth some of Abigail's wispy hair down, drawing in a breath. "The Umbra isn't meant for humans. It's just not." As the topic stirs up his emotions, the baby wrinkles her nose and reaches toward the floor for her blocks. After a moment of hesitation the Gaian relents and puts her back down, moving then to the kitchen to fetch a beer for himself. "They're /too soft/. Hell, we have a hard time in there when shit goes wrong. They don't stand a chance. It's not worth it."

 

Mouse sets her glass aside and leans heavily against the counter. "I wasn't exactly planning a school field trip. But kin? In places I /know/ are safe? And in emergencies? I'd rather choose 'risky' than 'dead in explosion'."

 

"Yeah, I get that. But- there's just. Shit goes wrong too fast. In the blink of an eye. And I'm talking about /safe places/." He once more runs his hand through his hair, sighing heavily in past thoughts. "And it's not like it can be used as a freaking emergency exit. One guest per garou, and you're /attached/ to them."

 

"Jacob," Mouse says, "You're talking to someone who arguably spends more time in the Umbra than out. I'm well aware of the dangers. And it can be used as an emergency exit /for that person/. That's better than nothing, isn't it? It's an option."

 

"It took Jesse! Right from my arms, it grabbed her and was gone. By the time I'd found her, it'd nearly killed her- and I had to worry about whether my attacking /it/ was in fact harming /her/ at the same time." He shakes his head, "So, I dunno if it's better than nothing. I know that if she'd died there that day ..."

 

Mouse's eyes narrow, one more than the other. While she doesn't say anything, it's very clear that she's holding back her comments, not that she has none. Her heavy lean on the counter has yet to ease.

 

The shift in the mood causes Abigail to fuss, which in turns sends a ripple of guilt through Jacob. With a quick downing of his beer he draws in a deep breath, forces himself to calm and then moves toward the baby on the floor. The stuffed toy is picked up and wiggled into her belly, which at first does very little to soothe the child, but eventually she breaks into a pout-grin that turns into a failed-to-restrain giggle. "How do you choose?" he asks then, and indeed the question is rather random and vague.

 

Mouse doesn't take terribly long to answer, judging by the short silence between his question and her speaking. "I choose to act," she says, simply. "Anyone endangering the Tenement to the point we need that kind of emergency evacuation is going to kill kinfolk or worse. I'd rather have the tool and /not/ use it, than find myself in a situation where I need it and don't have it."

 

The Galliard looks up, though he's now doing his best to keep his tone and mood more even for the child's sake. "I mean how do you choose /which/ kin gets the free ride out when shit goes wrong?" He shakes his head, "It's an idiots gift. You want it. Fine. Not like I have any right to refuse you."

 

"A gift is a gift," Mouse says, just a little bit flatly.

 

Lefty has arrived.

 

Jacob glances up and tosses up a shoulder. "Yeah." He puts the stuffed wolf into AJ's hands and then leaves her at the blanket so he can get another beer. "Tell me when you want to start working on it." The tone he returns is similarly flat and tinged with irritation.

 

"As soon as possible?" Mouse manages to banish a little of her flatness; whatever argument she might have been fermenting seems to have been discarded for the moment. "I don't know if I have too much time left."

 

Jacob eyes the woman, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

 

Mouse's eyebrows lift. "Before the Caern rite? I'm trying to get things done before then. I need to be focused."

 

The lift rattles and clanks as it rolls up to the fifth floor. The Gnawer opens the gate and the sliding apartment door on her own, letting herself in. "Pizza's here," she says, picking up the box once the door's open.

 

The apartment has a visitor today, but the mood in the building is a little awkward and tight. One person seems happy to see the woman though; Abigail lifts up Wuffy and waves it at the woman. "Hi hi hi!" Jacob looks over and gives Lefty a nod before turning back to Mouse. "Fine. This weekend. You pick the place."

 

"Harbor Park," Mouse says immediately. "We won't have to worry about the moon at all." She looks away from Jacob, toward Lefty. The Theurge is looking a little thinner than her usual beanstalk appearance, and she's leaning heavily on the counter, but standing. "Hey, Lefty."

 

Lefty picks up on the tension immediately. the pie is set down on the coffee table, and the Gnawer turns immediately to the little girl. Beaming, she picks AJ up, along with Wuffie, and says hello in an animated, happy way. Only after she's lavished a little attention on the girl does she turn towards her packmates. "So, uh, what's up?"

 

Jacob nurses on his beer rather heavily, shrugging a shoulder. "Nothing." He pulls the bottle back, looks at the half remaining, then finishes that off and tosses it into the recyle with a bit more clang than he wanted. A moment later he's pulling a baggy out of the drawer and heading toward the balcony.

 

Mouse reaches up and pinches the bridge of her nose. "I was just asking him to teach me a gift," she says, by way of...not really explaining much.

 

Lefty watches the Gaian with growing irritation. She bounces the baby on her hip and then decides to take her into the bedroom to put her into the crib. "You stay here and play with Wuffy for a bit. Aunty Lefty will be back in a bit," she says, turning on the kid's musical blanket, as well. The Gnawer returns a moment later, putting a reassuring hand on Mouse's shoulder. she eyes the balcony where the Gaian is no doubt smoking. "Which gift?" she asks, as if that might shed light on what's wrong.

 

"Velvet Curtain," Mouse replies, in a tone that suggests she already has a good idea. "I didn't realize it was a touchy subject."

 

Lefty winces. "Ohh. Yeah. Ok," she says, letting her breath out in a sigh. The Gnawer moves to the fridge and pulls out a beer for herself. She doesn't bother to check on the Gaian, leaving him be out on the balcony. Instead, she turns back to Mouse, and says, "The boy does Guilt really well." After a moment's thought, the Gnawer snorts. "Don't we all?"

 

Mouse shrugs roughly--more roughly than she really should, judging by the wince. "I heard that was an alternative pack name." And she finally leans off of the counter in order to sink into the first available chair, with a sigh of audible relief.

 

It's a quick few hits the Gaian manages on the balcony before coming back in, chugging the last half of his beer and then grabbing for his pack of gum. A glance is given to Lefty after he spies the empty floor, "Where's AJ?"

 

"I put her in her crib," the Gnawer explains, even as she continues to watch Mouse, noting the particular sigh of relief. Afterward, she further reassures Jacob by adding, "She's fine. Playing with Wuffy and her blanket."

 

Mouse busies herself with her water. She takes slow, deliberate sips, and equally slow and deliberate swallows.

 

Jacob finds himself studying the Walker more intently now, and then, all at once, he seems to lose it. "Seriously Mouse? Are you in any shape to suggest you can protect a human in the umbra? I mean c'mon! I teach this to you and it's pretty fucking irresponsible on my part." A pause. "And you... shit goes wrong and you just drop off the planet. Lock up and hide out. But then you show up here asking for this gift like nothing's amiss?"

 

Lefty's eyes widen, darting between Gaian and Walker with growing apprehension. She doesn't do anything, except bite her lip a little bit.

 

Mouse's eyes lift from her water, and then ever so slowly flick up and sideways to regard Jacob. "Lock up and hide out," she echoes. Her voice is flat, but calm. And perhaps a little cold. "/I've/ locked up and hid out?"

 

"Yeah." Jacob snaps back. "I'm kinda just sick of it. The whole thing."

 

Lefty takes a step back, as if she suddenly spotted a bit of C4 on the floor in front of her. The gnawer silently continues to back up, moving in the general direction of the bedroom, though her eyes remain on the two garou in front of her.

 

Pack> Mouse says "*A brief, intense spark of anger and shame, which cuts out as she blocks herself off.*"

 

"Fine," Mouse says, more flatly. "If that's what you want, I'll leave you guys to your important work, and just focus on my /locking up/ and /hiding out/." Storming out isn't remotely possible, but she does set the glass down and start to pull herself--very slowly--out of the chair.

 

"That is exactly my point. Sit your ass back down." Jacob looks toward her with frustrated insistence. "You have /never/ accepted me. Which, fine. I get it. But this?" he looks between the two Garou, "Is not working. It probably never was if we're honest about it. So I'm done faking. You guys go run your pack the way you want, and I'll run my life the way I want. Consider the gift, which I /still/ think is a death sentence for whatever kin you take in there, my parting token of appreciation."

 

"Whoa," Lefty says, growing alarmed now. She holds up her hand and looks between both Mouse and Jacob, frustration and sadness in her expression as she tries to find words to stem the growing crisis. "Jesus, can't we...just slow down for a minute and take a breath?"

 

Mouse does not sit back down, much as the strain in her voice suggests she might prefer it. "/Accept you/?" She echoes again, exasperated. "Jacob, I don't /know you/. The most you've ever approached me with is laptop troubles. I heard about your baby from Lefty. I heard about your family issues /from Lefty/. I think I got a few rumors of girlfriend arguments from /Kavi/. You don't talk to me, you don't open up to me, how exactly have I ever even had the chance /to/ reject you?" She inhales sharply, glancing from Lefty to Jacob. "You have no idea what I've been doing, but if /this/," she gestures sharply toward her still not quite standing self, "is all you think I'm capable of now, I will /absolutely/ get the fuck out of your way. Just fucking /say/ so. I'm tired of waiting for it."

 

"You're like a closed fucking door Mouse, so don't play like this is my fault. I've tried in the past. And yeah, I kept away from the lot of you these past months because what the hell was I worth to any of you? I had shit going on, but so did the rest of you. And since none of you would let me help on your shit, well, it worked out better for me to get the fuck away. From the day we took you to meet the totem, you've been all tight-lipped and shoulder-turned toward me. And the crazy thing about it? We're not all the different from each other Mouse. I didn't want to be in a pack either. I had shit I wanted to hide. Reactions I didn't wanna share." A pause. "And No. I don't want you out of the fucking way. I've wanted my pack to be there when shit was good, bad or in between. But we're a bunch of fuck ups - and maybe that's just par for course."

 

Lefty's hand balls into a fist, and the Gnawer grows more tense and frustrated. Her jaw sets, but she continues to remain silent--simply watching the other two garou go back and forth.

 

Mouse inhales sharply. "That's /who I am/," and there, at least, there's some clear vehemence in the words. "Did you ever once consider it had nothing to do with you?" She raises one hand, stiff and a little shaky. "And I am /not/ a fuck-up. I've spent my entire goddamned life climbing the mountain that is being something other than a fuck-up. /Other/ people get that luxury. I /can't afford it/."

 

"Did you ever consider /telling/ me that it wasn't me? Who I am and who you are? It's not a good match for packmates. Since you and the others get on so well *I* will leave. I've not really been a part of it anyway." He pauses to try and settle his temper, then looks toward the room where AJ has been tucked away. "You want the goddamned gift, then meet me in the park on Saturday. And it's on your head if you choose to take someone in there or teach it to any other damned fool who asks for it."

 

Lefty finally loses her battle with frustration. She stamps her foot on the ground and growls out, "God dammit, why does everyone of us have to be some fucking pig headed!?" The Gnawer's outburst produces a small cry form the bedroom, as the baby picks up on the mood and tension in the apartment.

 

"Oh /fuck off/." Mouse, now, seems to be getting into the spirit of emotional exchanges. She's not pulling the cold tone any longer. "It's not my responsibility to read your mind and somehow figure out that you'd decided my basic manner of interaction was all some personal sleight against you. And don't you even start talking about how you've never fit in and how clearly everyone likes me better. They've bent over backwards for you. They've been there for you. I know that and I /wasn't even in the pack/ for it. I /have/ packed. They both ended horrifically. The only goddamn reason I /ever/ even contemplated going through it again was because of Fidelity. /All of Fidelity/, you fucking asshole. You think somehow I /didn't/ think this through five hundred and twenty three different times? That it was just a whim? If I didn't want to be your packmate, I wouldn't have joined your fucking pack."

 

Jacob clenches his fists as the exchange erupts further, and finds himself staring at the Walker with restrained fury and frustration. Lefty's comment earns her a look, though brief, before he turns back on Mouse. "I don't know what you want. I never have - because your basic manner of interaction, as you put it, is the equivalent of a tv with no sound or picture. It's like a brick fucking wall. Point in case? How many days did you fucking withdraw and cut the connection from us when you got yourself all fucked up? That is /not/ interaction. I know withdrawing when I see it because I'm the goddamned master of it."

 

"Right!" Lefty counters, pointing at Jacob. "Exactly! so would both of you just fucking /stop/!? You're basically saying you're both wrong! You both do the same thing! So just..STOP!"

 

Mouse pulls her gaze sharply away from Jacob. It's not clear whether it's his words or Lefty's that causes her to stop, but she does stop. Her jaw clenches, and the fingers of the hand still on the back of her chair tighten.

 

Jacob shuts up as well, hands coming up to ring through his hair as he turns around and moves to stare at the fridge.

 

Lefty seems fairly surprised that that worked. For a moment the gnawer stands there, unsure what to do next. The sound of Abigail fussing in the bedroom kicks her into gear, though. "You," she says, pointing at Jacob, "Go see to your daughter. And you'll teach Mouse the god damn gift without complaining." Taking a breath, she turns to Mouse. "And you." Again, she struggles, trying to think of something cool to say. "will sit down. So we can talk this out. Civilly."

 

Mouse exhales. She slides a foot backward, and sinks slowly back into the chair. Freed of that strain, she rakes her fingers back through her short hair, and ends up eyeing her water glass for lack of a more suitable, non-Rage-filled target.

 

The command from Lefty seems to hang him up a bit, not for lack of want in regard to the crying baby... It takes him a full minute, though it seems infinitely longer most likely, before he steels himself into a place where he can attend his daughter. He moves into the bedroom, closes the door and remains there for several minutes.

 

Lefty uses that time to take a breath and go sit by Mouse. "Sorry," she says to the Walker, in something almost as small as a whisper. "He's an ass, but he means well. Just like you." She doesn't say anything else, apparently waiting for Jacob to get finished and come back out again.

 

"I haven't been doing nothing," Mouse says flatly, though her voice is equally as quiet.

 

Lefty asks, before Jacob gets back, "What do you mean?"

 

Mouse inhales, nostrils flaring. "I haven't been locked away pouting and doing /nothing/," she says, a little bit louder. "I've been fucking occupied. I've been preparing for the Caern rite. Figuring out where we need to take the wasps. Trying to help with figuring out /how/ we move the wasps. Dealing with vampires on our front doorstep, tribal business, security, the local spirits..."

 

"Oh," Lefty says, nodding in response. "Yeah, you have. But, when it first happened? That's not true. You locked us out. and if I hadn't forced you to, you might have died there, rather than reach out to us." She lets that sink in while she glances to the bedroom, listening for Jacob.

 

The crying eventually stops and Jacob exits the room and closes the door gently behind him. He looks much less ready to pop, though there is a strained weariness on his face. As he comes out, he glances to the other two, and takes a few steps toward where they're seated before stopping and looking toward Lefty.

 

"Well that's..." Mouse stops. Looks away. "That's not the same. I was dealing with this. I was dealing with dealing with this."

 

Lefty meets Jacob's gaze when he re-emerges. She tries to offer comfort and reassurance with that look, and she gestures for him to sit with them. To Mouse, she answers, "Yeah, I know. And I understand. But it doesn't change the facts of what I said. You could have died. Might have." after another small pause, she takes them both in and adds, "Look, we're all--all of Fidelity--really good at hiding in one way or an other. Me too. I'm guilty of it. I run, if given the chance. Sure. I admit it. Kavi? He'd gladly kill himself rather than have any one of us suffer from a hangnail. Each one of us has their thing. We have got to stop beating each other up over our faults. Accept them and move on."

 

Jacob rakes his fingers into his locks again, the gesture familiar and typical given his mood. He draws in a breath and sits down on the empty chair and leans forward to rest his elbows upon his knees so he can stare more at his hands than the others. After a moment, he offers a quiet, single worded but genuinely spoken, "Sorry."

 

Mouse looks as though she's about to say something several times, but Lefty's words, coupled with Jacob's apology, leaves her examining her water glass again, the fingers of one hand twitching lightly open and closed.

 

Lefty, now that everything's quiet and people are listening, is again unsure what to say. "Well. Good. Ok, that's somewhere to start. I'm gonna...I'm gonna give you both orders, since I'm still the fucking pack leader here, and it's my job. Mouse, I need you to try and be a little more open." Before anyone can brook argument, the Gnawer holds up her hand and quickly adds, "I'm not saying you need to change who you are, or that how you deal with things is wrong. I'm just saying...try and, you know, lean on us. Let us in a little. you can start by spending more time with Jackass over here." She gestures to Jacob, and then turns specifically to him. "And you. You need to get off that high horse. Who are you to be indignant with her, when you're practically guilty of the same damn thing? You. Will get back in the game, son. You'll teach Mouse, and then you'll learn from her. Tobaccos Calm, for one thing. And Artwork from Kavi. And after that, I'll tell you what else."

 

Jacob looks up at the comment of Jackass and opens his mouth, clamping it shut after a moment of thinking better. He glances back down to his hands, rubbing a thumb over the opposite palm. A nod is given.

 

"But I'm not--" Mouse starts, and then stops again. There's a brief, vaguely visible internal struggle. "We don't lean on people."

 

"Bullshit," Lefty says, but there's no vehemence or antagonism in her tone. In fact, the Gnawer says almost with a tinge of sadness and sorrow. "People say that, Mouse. And they use it as an excuse. But it's rarely ever true. Or if it, it only serves to fuck them up worse. the fact is, you /have/ joined a pack, and doing that requires you to make an effort /to/ lean on us. to let us help you. It's part of the deal. I'm not asking you to surrender to us wholly and become ONE, but...you know...just let us in. Just a little. A crack in the door. Something. That's all."

 

Jacob glances up a bit at Lefty's plea for Mouse, nodding. "You might not need to lean on people- but I need people to lean on me." He shrugs at this. "I don't have a lot to offer on most things. So when the thing I can offer isn't needed or wanted..." he lets the rest trail off.

 

"Hippie," Mouse says, though it doesn't come out as much of an insult. For the most part, she just sounds tired now. There's a few more false starts at more words, and finally, "...I mean metis. Metis aren't supposed to lean on people. It's a hard habit to break."

 

Lefty's lips quirk upward when Jacob speaks, but Mouse's opening comment earns an outright snirk. She nods, to both of them, and then takes a deep breath. "Yeah, each of us have our idiosyncrasies and flaws. But we have to work on them. Mouse, you know what his are, now. And Jacob, you know hers. Forgive each other, and stop using them as /reasons/ to make things /worse/. Fight to get past it all. Please. For my sake. Or I'll do what /I/ do best and leave both your asses and move back to New York."

 

Jacob cracks a slight grin at Mouse's comment toward him then nods to her. Lefty is the one that gets the worst of the glare and he shakes his head at her, "That's not even fair to threaten Lefty." He draws in another breath and then looks down, "I'm sorry for being a jackass Mouse. Maybe, maybe you can come up with something to help make it safer for the kin in the umbra. I just- I'm still pretty shaken up from that ordeal. I almost left Abigail without her dad, or her mom."

 

Mouse grunts. "Yeah, well." Her eyes flick to Jacob, briefly. "If I'd have had any idea you had that bad of an experience with it, I would've looked for it somewhere else. I promise, I'll be beyond careful. But I do still want to learn it."

 

Lefty shrugs her shoulder, looking pointedly at Jacob. "Why not? Didn't you, not more than ten minutes ago, threaten the same thing? Leaving the pack?" That said, she looks to Mouse, expression growing thoughtful. "Ok. That's all settled. I'll get the pizza. It's probably a little cold, but that won't stop us, will it?" she gets up and moves to pick up the pizza she brought in when she first arrived.

 

Jacob nods to Mouse. "I'll even offer to go with you whenever you take someone, just as an extra set of eyes, so that you can focus on whoever you're bringing there and I can keep lookout. Obviously, won't work in those do or die situations, but it will eliminate some of the risks." Lefty gets a looks and he lowers his head, "I know. But you- nevermind. Another time maybe."

 

"Cold pizza is a dietary staple," Mouse remarks, settling a little easier into her seat now that the argument has ended. "Anyway, I guess I haven't been entirely working. I've crashed Stormfront three times. You can only really call that combating the Wyrm in the loosest sense...but it was fucking cathartic."

 

Lefty puts the pizza on the table. Jacob gets a reassuring touch before she opens the box and lets the others take as they please. The look she exchanges with the Gaian promises another talk, later on. To Mouse, she prompts, "Stormfront?"

 

Jacob reaches in and takes some pizza, sampling a bite as he listens to hear what Mouse has to say. He does, however, add an apologetic, "Yeah, um, I'm pretty much clueless on /everything/ these days."

 

Mouse's movements toward the pizza are slower and more careful, but she takes a slice for herself before leaning back into a more comfortable position. "It's basically a massive neo-Nazi headquarters on the internet. Forums, mostly. Their members've been having issues with some alpha versions of viruses I've been designing."

 

Lefty finds that amusing. she moves to the fridge to pull out a couple of beers. "Mouse?" she asks, seeing if the Walker wants anything to drink.

 

"You're harassing internet Nazi's?" asks Jacob with a curious look toward the Walker.

 

Mouse shakes her head at Lefty, and indicates her water glass. "I'm good. Don't waste good booze on the one who won't be able to appreciate it." Jacob, however, gets a nod. "Oh, I'm probably doing them a favor. How else will they maintain their persecution complex if someone doesn't persecute them sometimes?" She pauses, and then adds, "They'd probably prefer not to have permanently damaged hardware, I suppose."

 

Lefty brings the beers back, snorting again at Mouse's exploits. "Go Mouse," she comments, sitting and stealing a slice for herself. With a sigh, she offers a faint grin. "Now. This is better, right? Everyone friends." She takes a huge bite of the greasy, delicious pizza.

 

Jacob glances over at Lefty's comment and gives her a rather harmless glare. "Thanks for the pizza," he comments. He manages just a bite before shaking his head, "I need to figure out how to juggle life better."

 

Mouse also takes a bite of the pizza, chewing thoughtfully as her eyes move toward Jacob. "Maybe less juggling, more straight up balancing?" she suggests. "I mean, your tribe's pretty small these days, so not much work there. And right now we're in waiting mode for the Caern. There's the vampires, but as I understand it they won't be around too much longer. We definitely need better communication, but /part/ of that is the Shadow Lords being self interested stupid assholes, as per the usual."

 

Lefty is polite enough to wait til the mouthful of pizza is devoured before she speaks. Whatever she was going to say to Jacob, though, gets pre-empted by Mouse, and the Gnawer looks to her instead. "what are they up to now?" she asks.

 

Jacob snorts at the Shadow Lord reference, nodding. "Everytime I think there's one that might prove our fears wrong... they sucker punch me." He glances back at the bedroom then turns back to the pizza. "Balancing might not be any easier."

 

Mouse opens her mouth, presumably to answer Lefty, but she gives a sudden start. "Oh /fuck's sake/. I am a fucking moron of the highest order. Jacob, do you know a Shadow Lord kin named Alice? Do you think any of the Get who live here do?"

 

Lefty blinks, confusion clearly on her expression. Her gaze darts quickly between Gaian and Walker, uncertainly.

 

Jacob thinks about it briefly, then shrugs his shoulders up, "Shit, I don't know her. I don't think so anyway. As for the Get, I only ever really see Emma coming and going. She and Jess have been hitting the range together."

 

"I am the stupidest motherfucker on the planet," Mouse growls. "And the worst Galliard. She might be a mole for the vampires. That's how the Tenement's been compromised, and the Shadow Lord hangout, and probably Edgewood, even though it'd be really obvious if someone was watching that place. You haven't noticed anyone hanging around outside that shouldn't be? Homeless people especially."

 

Lefty's expression reflects growing alarm. "Whoa, hang on. Here?" She looks sharply at Jacob, expecting him to perhaps blow another gasket. Before he can, she gestures to Mouse. "slow down and start from the beginning. You're not the dumbest person on the planet, but /I/ might be, so explain, using little words."

 

Jacob blinks then, looking suddenly far more concerned than he was a moment ago. He considers the question and then shakes his head, "No, I don't think so. We're so close to the police station here, they don't hover too much." Still, the question has him reeling it would seem.

 

Mouse sets her pizza down, and takes a moment to rewind. "It's this stupid fucking vampire that Kavi's been after. She has the Tenement under surveillance. Homeless ghoul during the day, fellow vampire at night. They haven't done anything, not /recently/, but they absolutely know where we are, and what we are. Kavi's been sure someone's been leaking information to the vampires for a while now; turns out, that someone may well be a Shadow Lord kinfolk named Alice. So anyone and any building she knew about is compromised. The kicker is, the Shadow Lords heavily suspected this, and told fucking no one. And they realized their safehouse was compromised, and told fucking no one. Oh, and when Kavi called them on it--them being Alexandra and Ky--Ky was the biggest fucking disrespectful brat imaginable, /and/ disobeyed Kavi's orders. Which is kind've becoming a trend for him, that whole disobeying direct orders thing. So, you know. They need heat when this is over, feel free to let people know all about it. But I didn't think to fucking mention it the instant I walked in."

 

Lefty rubs her temple, the subject clearly drawing out the Gnawer's ire and frustration again. "why does this sort of stuff continually surprise me? I should fucking know better by now." She sighs. "And, of course, they used the /library/ as their hotel, too. So...fucking /great/."

 

"Any way to tell if they've got this place markered?" asks the Gaian. "Maybe I should have Jess and AJ stay with my parents..." A frown follows and he shakes his head. "Let me know what you know when you know. Ok?

 

Mouse explains, "Kavi used facial recognition software and obsessively watched the cameras. They're subtle, that's for sure, but they really like using homeless people to do their dirty work. As for moving them out, I guess that's your call? They haven't done anything recently, and they haven't done anything at all to the Tenement. Kavi's planning on ending the threat soon in any case. Maybe just be extra careful."

 

Lefty's jaw tightens. "Using homelss people. As a Gnawer that really kinda torques me in a special way, you know? thanks Mouse. I'll keep an eye out, and see if I can do anything on my end."

 

Jacob glances back to the room where the baby sleeps and then just turns to swig at his beer. "Yeah. I'll let Jess know." There is a sudden beckoning cry from the other room and the Gaian ups himself rather quickly, "Ah, crap. This one's gonna take a while. Uh, make yourselves at home..." he offers as he slips back into the bedroom.

 

Mouse picks up her pizza again, nodding to Jacob on his way out before she looks back to Lefty. "Yeah, I know. Or at least, I can imagine, I don't /know/. Anyway, I want a philodox. And should they move back into their little city safehouse, I think it shouldn't be a very comfortable home for a while."

 

Lefty eyes Mouse, her lips curling again. "what, you planning on doing something specific to make it...uncomfortable?"

 

"The city's our turf," Mouse says, and the way she says 'our' clearly includes Lefty. "They fucked us, either intentionally or through neglect. Their kinfolk probably made us to our enemies, while they were sitting pretty in the middle of the city, something they routinely look down on us for. If they go back to sitting in the city like nothing happened, I don't think they should have access to such 'Weavery' toys as electricity. Or working plumbing. Do you?"

 

Lefty cannot help but start to giggle. It's not a little school girl sound, though. It's much more mature, and extremely devious. she offers a nod to Mouse. "absofuckinglutely," she answers, tipping her beer to Mouse.