Participants:
| Scene Title | Questions and Coffee |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Odessa is a little more honest with Kurt about who she/Brooke is, without truly showing her hand. The two find themselves inexplicably drawn toward one another. |
| Date | October 5, 2009 |
The Verb - Kurt's Apartment
Kurt is still groggy and by all means not the most awake man in New York City. The dark man quietly in case his random roomie is still asleep pull back the sheet hiding his bed from the rest of the bachelor suite and shoeless and socklessly pads towards the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot. Just wearing loose fitting flannel pants Kurt looks a little rumbled and under slept.
The blonde woman on the futon is sleeping soundly as Kurt passes. It's only once the smell of coffee fills the air that she stirs. Dark blue eyes open slowly and blink. Odessa doesn't recognise her surroundings. Not right away. The blanket is familiar. Hers. The mattress is not. Harder, colder. She sits up slowly, clutching the comforter to her chest. She sees Kurt and smiles. "Oh, good morning." That's right. Brooke lives here with Kurt. All the pieces slide into place and she drags her fingers through her hair. "Can I get some coffee, too? Or does it all need to go in the Thermos this morning? Are you working today?"
Kurt peeks his head around the wall and smiles to Brooke brightly, "Morning sunshine." He chimes and them goes back to pouring coffee, "Ah no I've got a cup with your name on it. Sorry to wake you up this early." He apologizes and comes out with two black coffees in hand. Holding one out for her he still manages to take a sip of his making a 'ah' noise in appreciation. One thing he always spends money on is good coffee.
Brooke takes the coffee mug and takes a sip, mimicking the appreciative sound. She pulls her knees up to hug to her chest so Kurt can have room to sit down. "Don't worry about the hour. I'm fine." She smiles, albeit sleepily. "Are you working today?" she asks again.
Kurt shrugs his shoulders at the question, "If I wake up enough. I was late yesterday working so don't really have to today if I don't want to." He covers a yawn that threatens to break on his face and slides down onto the couch beside the blond in a flopping manner, "I might go in around noon unless someone comes to get me."
"I'd like to spend the day with you, if you can afford the time away from work," Brooke confesses quietly, peering over the top of her coffee mug at Kurt as she takes another drink. "I thought maybe we could take more time to get to know each other."
Kurt ohs and nods his head at this as he takes another sip of the coffee, "Yeah sure heels." He says before giving her a friendly smile. Leaning back on the futon he rests his head back against the wall, "But I'm not asking questions. I told you I wouldn't, so you gotta ask me them or just tell me what you want."
"You can ask me questions," Brooke responds. "You can ask me anything. I'm more ready to talk about things than I was. I'll tell you if I'm uncomfortable with anything. And it isn't your fault if I am." Her eyes lid as she takes another long drink of coffee, enjoying the moment. He does have good coffee. "And if I ask you something that makes you uncomfortable, just tell me so. I'm not always the best at observing societal norms."
Slowly nodding his head Kurt takes another sip of coffee and leans forward as he touches a finger to his temple and rubs lightly, still trying to wake up. Still cradling the coffee he finally turns towards her and asks, "Okay one question I've been wondering about. How do you not know all the little stuff like laundry and cooking? I mean what kind of life did you live before I met you in midtown?"
Brooke falls silent for a long moment. When she speaks up, it's only to assure him, "I'm not upset. I just need to think about how to answer this. It's complicated." Again, she slips into silent contemplation, a groggy mind aided by coffee. It's a couple minutes before she speaks again.
"I was kind of a… Well, something like a ward of the state." It's a nice way of saying 'orphan,' really. But that's not entirely accurate, either. "I didn't grow up in a home. I grew up in a facility where things like laundry and meals were all provided for you. Toss clothes in the hamper, go to the cafeteria. Never had to learn any of that stuff."
Kurt ohs and nods his head again, "Alright makes sense I guess. I figured you either had to be really rich or institutionalized." He admits sheepishly, "So you were just really sheltered by the government?"
The idea that she was institutionalized merely draws a shrug from Brooke. It's not an entirely unfair assumption for Kurt to have made. "Yeah, basically. It wasn't the government, but very similar." She puts her smile back on and leans forward a little, shifting her coffee mug so that she holds it with both hands in front of her legs and her chin rests on her knees. "You know how you're looking at someone, assessing them, and they tell you their name and you think 'Funny! You don't look like Bob!' Right?"
Kurt nods his head at this and raises an eyebrow as he looks at her from over his coffee, "Yeah I guess." He says with a hint of confusion.
"Well, do I look like a Brooke? What name do I look like I should have?" There's a little twinkle in her eye as she asks her question. This is a fun game!
Kurt blinks and still seems confused, "Um you sort of look like a Brooke I think…but well are you saying that isn't your name?" He asks and then shakes his head but just gives her a half smile, "Maybe Jessica…or um Kate. Nah both are to air headed for you."
Brooke takes a strand of blonde hair between her fingers and holds it in front of her face to examine it. "Could just be the hair colour. I used to know I blonde named Jessica." Seems like years since she last laid eyes on Jessica Sanders. "No, my name isn't really Brooke. It's the name I chose for myself, though. Sort of. I used it as a bar alias, and it just kind of stuck."
Kurt shrugs and chuckles at this, "Yeah blondes tend to get stuck with girlly names like that." He raises an eyebrow though and asks casually, "So what is your real name then? Or to much information?" He doesn't seem to surprised by this but after all the other surprises Brooke has thrown at him who knows.
Brooke shrugs. He's safer not knowing her real name, as far as she's concerned. "It isn't important. It was never really mine, if that makes any sense? The nurse that took care of me when I was a baby, let's say that her last name was Smith. Well, I was always referred to as Smith's responsibility or Smith's child. So it just came to be that I was given the nurse's last name." The words are chased with more coffee. "There's no real legacy to it for me, you know? I had no one to live up to. No footsteps to follow or shoes to fill. So the name's unimportant to me."
Kurt nods his head at this and finishes the coffee. Getting up he heads off to grab another cup after asking quietly, "Want some more?" And indicating her cup as well. Stopping at the kitchen he then says is his slightly rambling manner, "Well my full name's Kurtis Michael Campbell. Kurtis cause my dad didn't think it was peg me as to black and Michael cause it was his name." He says as a way to share back.
Brooke hands off her empty mug, nodding that she wants a refill. "It's a strong name," she determines. "Kurt Campbell." She tries the name out on her tongue and lips and nods again. "I think you look like a Kurt, though. A guy named Kurt should be noble and kind, and you definitely seem to be both."
Kurt lets out a little laugh as he refills the coffee. It's more of a disbelieving laugh then anything else. Coming back he hands off the coffee to Brooke and shaking his head smiles at her, "I guess I try. I don't have the interesting past you do but it certainly had it's moments, so I guess I attempt to make up for them." He shrugs and leans back again, gravitating a touch towards her.
The gravitation seems to work both ways as Brooke squirms a bit in her seat, the end result bringing her a bit closer. "My past isn't necessarily interesting. It's just unusual." She covers a moment of contemplation with a sip of coffee. "This will be my second winter. I love playing in the rain and the snow because I'd never seen it for myself until late last year."
Kurt turns his head over towards her, "Really? Wow…well I guess people way down south haven't seen alot of it either probably." He says and takes another sip of coffee before looking back towards the rest fo the living room, "Should we get a T.V. you think?" He asks Brooke absentmindedly, "I don't normally watch it but I don't want you to get bored or anything."
"I'm fine with books," Brooke assures him. "Just let me borrow your library card once in a while and I'll be happy." She sets her coffee mug aside on the coffee table and scoots closer to her companion, draping her down comforter over his lap. "Help me be a new me," she murmurs, stretching her arms slowly over her head, proving she still isn't fully awake yet. "Do you know anybody who can make a fake ID?"
Kurt hums at the question and holding the coffee in one hand drapes his other arm over her shoulder without thinking about it, "Well I can probably find a few people online. Been a while since I did the illegal hacking stuff but I'm sure it's like riding a bike. Well you know, if you learn once it's basic instinct to remember." He explains remembering her lack of bike riding lessons, "We'll have you all Brooke Lynwooded up in no time."
"Maybe something new," Brooke says, moving a little closer when Kurt puts his arm around her shoulders. "Brooke Lynwood might have a criminal record. Just a little one. Nothing big." A little bank robbery. No big deal, right? "You should help me pick out a new name."
Kurt chuckles at this almost out of nervousness and shakes his head as he squeezes her shoulder, "Criminal record now? You're gonna get me killed aren't ya." He tries to jest, "Okay though…hum new name. Not Jessica for sure." While anyone normal would react differently Kurt just takes the world in stride, why get stressed over the //little/ things.
"It's not… Nobody's going to kill you because of me." Brooke smiles, even though she isn't sure if she's just lied to him or not. The smile fades though, as she admits, "I've done things that… I'm not proud of. I did horrible things to people because I was so sick in the head, I didn't… know better." She shakes her head, looking lost when she looks up into Kurt's face. "I want to leave Brooke Lynwood and the woman I used to be dead and buried somewhere. I want to start over. I just want to be normal. And… I want to be with you."
The coward in her wants to look away, but instead her eyes widen a little, her tone more earnest. "Nobody's ever treated me the way you do. Or treated me like this. I've always felt like I was only a cog in other people's machines. There are very few people that have made me feel like they value me as a person. For who I am." Brooke reaches up to touch the dark man's face. "Even if you get scared of me and throw me out of here tomorrow or next week, next month or even next year, you need to know that I thank you for all you've done for me so far."
Looking a little taken back by this sudden revelations Kurt's eye move from her face to the floor then back up again, "Nobody is perfect heels." He says quietly and he doesn't know if he is talking about himself or her anymore. Coffee is put down as he focuses on her, "You're breaking all my rules lady."
"I'm sorry," she breathes, tears in her eyes. Finally, she's able to look away, having made her terrible confessions. "You must really be kicking yourself for getting into this mess with me. But I understand if you want me to leave."
Kurt shakes his head quickly, "No, no don't leave…unless you want to." He says quietly like he is talking to a hurt animal, "I mean I never let anyone in…I just don't." He stumbles over his words and sighs lightly as he picks up his hand to touch her cheek lightly, "You're just so…and now I'm failing at words…" He shakes his head, "Just don't leave kay?"
Brooke braces one hand on the futon and pushes herself up on her knees. With her free hand, she cups Kurt's face as she leans in to kiss him soft and slow.
Kurt leans forward as she does and keeps his hand on her face. Kissing her lips back lightly he is a little wide eyed then closes his eyes and just enjoys the kiss. Pulling back though he looks at her with a half smile on his face, "Um…" He manages but flushes, definitely not smooth with the girls.
Brooke only pulls away when he does, not opening her eyes until the slow smile has completely spread across her face. "I won't leave," she promises.
Kurt blinks a few times as if he might be dreaming and just continues to smile at her as a flush creeps up his cheeks, "Alright, and no going and getting killed." He furrows his brows and says quickly, "Sorry…I mean…um…ah…" Fail!
That doesn't strike Brooke as odd, where it probably would have most anyone else. "I won't," she promises again. "I'm a tough girl to kill." She leans in for another kiss, more brief this time, but also filled with more intensity. When she pulls away, she crawls the length of space between them so she can sit right next to him and cuddle up, sharing her blanket. "I may be strange and I may seem mysterious, but I'll do my best to do right by you, Kurt."
Kurt kisses her back and when she cuddles up beside him wraps his arms around her. He kisses her hair and nods his head, "Good, no more losing people." He says sincerely and a touch on the serious side. Lifting one arm off her he tries to lighten his sudden mood by saying as he grabs the cup of joe, "More coffee…why do girls always catch me half awake. It's a secret plan I tell you."
Brooke passes off her cup to be topped off once more, a breath of laughter escaping her lips. "I think it's the daytime that catches people half awake," she debates with faux seriousness.
Kurt chuckles and extracting himself from her gets up to head towards the kitchen again, "No I think it's girls. Not like I'm the world biggest womanizer or anything though." He pours them both coffee and heading back passes the coffee to her and kisses her forehead, apparently a little touchy feely all of the sudden.
Brooke smiles when his lips press to her forehead. This must be what warm fuzzy feelings was meant to describe. "Okay, maybe it's girls," she concedes.
Kurt grins brightly and asks, "Okay so tonight I show you how to cook lasagna maybe?"
"Sounds great," Brooke beams. "How about we get dressed and go get some shopping done? I need new shoes if you're going to teach me to ride your bike…"
Kurt chuckles and nods his head, "Sneakers we need." He chimes and then slips off to get real clothing on.