Participants:
| Scene Title | Visitin' |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Reconnecting can mean reaching out. |
| Date | November 16, 2019 |
Kaleidoscope Studio & Robyn's Apartment
Delilah used to be one of those people who dropped by completely unannounced and made herself at home; in the years since, though, she's gotten a wee better at the whole
visiting thing.
A call ahead, a date made for sooner than later, an attempt at making sure she's not intruding. Robyn is a busy person, as is she; life can get in the way, but sometimes that is alright.
"That is the last time I am letting you hold any food." Delilah is having a Word with her son as they step off one of the many busses. Walter is holding a tupperware container with a turtle-like look on his face. As if he could possibly hide inside his shirt, that is.
"It was just a couple- -" He grouses, looking pitifully up at her. The sides of his hair are shorn slightly shorter, and reason seems to be the medically glued up spot on one side of his head. Walter holds up the box as if to prove it, which Delilah shoots down with a disappointed look. It passes. She can't stay mad lately. It's hard.
"Maybe I'll just tell them you got a head start."
"But they'll think I'm a jerk- -"
"Then maybe don't be one." Delilah pauses by the front door to look down at him, brows lifted. He knows when she's messing with him, though, which has Walter's expression going from disgruntled to eye-rolling to a raspberry sound. Fine. As before, hard to stay mad. Delilah snorts out a small laugh and rings the bell, brown eyes watching sidelong as the ginger boy cranes his neck to peer at one of the upper windows.
The front door to the building is unlocked - it normally is during the studio's operating hours. Kaleidoscope Studios only takes customers by appointment, but well, sometimes those appointments are made in person. A chime when the front door opens is what would normally alert Robyn to arrivals, but there's no need for that this time.
Rather, Robyn sits in the lobby with a notebook in front of her. When she sees Delilah and Walter at the door, she simply motions for them to come inside as she lets out a heavy sigh. A smile is offered in their direction, but she doesn't rise to get the door.
Elaine actually arrives after them. Dressed in a simple dark blue skirt and white blouse, she’s carrying a very nice looking leather messenger bag that seems to be her equivalent of a suitcase. She’d scheduled in the time carefully too—even she didn’t show up at Robyn’s unannounced. Those days were certainly over.
She steps up behind Delilah and Walter, the click of her heels being enough of an indicator of her presence so as to not startle them. “Hey you,” she intones towards the ginger boy. “And hey you.” That one’s offered to Delilah. “You’re looking good, but you always somehow manage that.”
She steps forward past the two and opens the door for them.
"Elaine! Hi." Walter gets to it first, looking up to her and grinning. Delilah just smiles and murmurs the same, though as she moves to hold the door for them she does add,
"Nice to see you too, lovely.. Hey, Robyn!" Delilah makes an encompassing gesture to the front door, smoothing the skirt of her dress and popping open her coat. "Things are looking great here- - Takes me back already."
"Back where?" Walter was not at all paying attention, having been considering his container in both arms. "We brought cookies for you, miss Robyn. Sorry there's some missing…" That is as close as she'll get to a complete confession.
"Back to a past that doesn't exist anymore," is a weird response from Robyn as she rises up out of her seat. "I used to live in an apartment with studios just like this one, Walter. It was really quite lovely, but it was a long time ago." Eyes drift over to Delilah and then to Elaine. "Has your mother ever told you about how I used to make music?" The tone in her voice almost says I hope not.
Closing the distance between them, Robyn places her hands on her hips. "Well! We'll just have to make the best of what's left," when it comes to the cookies at least. "Thank you. I'm sure Matthew would enjoy some too." Turning to Elaine, she nods. "Hey 'Lainey. Delilah. How are you both?" She doesn't linger to wait for the answer, instead moving over to door at the back of the room marked STAIRS - EMPLOYEES AND THE CHOSEN FEW ONLY. She pulls it open, looking up the stairwell to the second floor.
"Matthew! We have some guests. And cookies!" She's still uncertain what to expect from the boy sometimes, but she lingers in that threshold, waiting to see if a reply comes before turning back to the other two.
Elaine’s face scrunches up a bit at the mention of the past not existing, but the expression is gone by the time Robyn is glancing in her direction. “I’m sure Delilah’s regaled him with the tales of all our exploits from those days.” There’s a sarcastic but playful tone in her voice as she moves to follow after Robyn. “For the record, I’m good, just busy. I wasn’t quite expecting it to be this busy, but work is work.” She’ll always have too much work to do. While Matthew’s not present, the redhead looks towards Robyn with just a slightly lowered tone.
“Things going well at home?”
Weird response gets an equally weird look from Walter. Robyn's not the weirdest person mom knows, though… so…
"Uhhh…. just a little." He answers, eyes large as he debates whether or not to share what he does know. Maybe he should wait a bit. Walter looks after Robyn when she moves to the door, tipping a look to Dee and watching her mouthing 'Matthew'? Who is??? She just puts a hand on Walter's head, mussing hair. "Not all of them," He pushes the hand off of his head with an exaggerated sigh. "She said she's saving some for when I'm older. Or never. I think."
Moms, right Elaine?
"For the most part." Delilah turns a faded kind of smile to Elaine when she answers, the hand her son was fighting with landing on his shoulder instead. The visit does, after all, touch on Elaine's question. "…This guy is giving me grays and he's only nine." And all of them know approximately where that is headed. Thanks, Adel.
"I'm right here- -" He is not! Walter frowns, then promptly follows with a smarmy-faced little, "Well you're giving dad gray hair- -" It's totally the same.
"I think never is an appropriate time, yes," Robyn remarks in a flat tone, before smiling in a way that directly contradicts it. She catches Delilah's mouth question, looking off to the side a bit. It's a clear indicator of just how little she has talked to her friend in… well, the last year. A frown crosses her face and she sighs, running a hand through her hair.
"Matthew Parkman, Jr.," she offers in response, still not looking at Deliliah. "I took him after… everything that happened earlier this year." She offers what starts as a hesitant smile, before growing into something a bit more… mischievous. "He is shy, but I hope he decides to grace us with his presence!" This shouted as she leans back into the stairwell and calls up towards the door, as though he might be able to hear her.
Her attention turns to Elaine, and she shrugs. "As well as they ever are. Matthew is a gem when he lets himself be. Other that a few unwelcomed guests and…" She trails off a bit, before shaking her head. "It's been largely fine here." That sounds maybe a bit of a lie, but a confident one if nothing else.
Elaine gives a sly wink to Walter. Who knows what she intends by that, but at least the kid knows she’s got his back. Looking back at the two adults, she nods her apparent approval of the answers they gave. “At the very least things are manageable then,” she says. And that’s all Elaine can ask of life for them.
She pauses to lean in close to Delilah to inspect for grey hairs. “You know, I don’t see any, you look just as radiant as ever. I’m sure Walter’s just trying to keep you on your toes, right Walter?”
"Parkman…" Delilah murmurs the name, brow pinching just a little. She doesn't remark on anything further when it comes to Who is Who. If she knows, she knows. Robyn's more mischievious smile gets a sparkle out of Dee's, especially when the other woman pulls a classic move of 'shouting upstairs, very subtle'.
She seems a tad more curious after mention of more unwelcomed guests; still, she knows nowadays to tread a bit more carefully.
"Anyone you might need a hand with? I know a guy who knows a guy. I can trade it for some advice." There's an impish look from the brown-eyed redhead, which only manages to get a weird look from Walter; she lets it shift to something a bit more subdued at her latter words, and it continues for Elaine. "Radiant? Oh, you know just how to butter me up." Another squint from him. Yeah, okay, moving on- -
"Yep!" Walter offers up the cookies to whoever wants to take them from him. So to keep him from eating any more, presumably. "How old is he?" Matt, he means. "Does he like music too? I want to learn something but school only starts lessons next year… Lance lets me in the radio booth sometimes, though. That's pretty cool- -"
Give him an inch, mile, et al.
“I’m twelve,” is Matthew’s introduction of himself into the conversation, said in the tone of I’m almost a teenager. The boy that comes into view through the doorway at the top of the stairs is probably a foot taller than Walter but doesn’t look that much older, still very much baby-faced despite his protests. The slate gray hoodie Matthew wears is a little big on him, but it feels intentional. It also makes his skinny legs seem all the smaller in dark jeans. Matthew’s dark eyes assess the people gathered in the stairwell, affording a smile only to Elaine.
Delilah can’t help but see something in young Matthew’s face. It’s a silent thing, a hidden-behind-his-eyes sadness. The way his shoulders droop, the lack of a smile or excitement at the prospect of new company. It’s an introvert’s demeanor, but she knows there’s more than that. Parkman echoes in her mind again.
It couldn’t have been easy for a child. None of this could have.
“D’you need me or somethin’?” Matthew asks Robyn.
When Robyn hears Matthew's voice she turns slowly, offering him a warm smile. In that moment, her whole demeanor seems to shift, padding across the carpet towards him. "If you don't have anything more pressing," she speaks in a soft voice, hands moving to her hips as she stops not far ahead of him, "I'd like you meet Delilah and her son, Walter."
Her eyebrow raises slightly, smile turning to a bit of a grin. "And even if you do, you know I like having you around. Consider joining us for a bit." But clearly she has no intention of making him. "Grab something from the fridge if you want,"
Turning back to the others, she notions to Matthew but doesn't reintroduce him - there's no need for such things. "So what brings you to Kaleidoscope Studios, Dee? I know it's not to record, I wouldn't forget that appointment "
Elaine greets Matthew with a little wiggle of her fingers and a smile, but she doesn’t interrupt Robyn’s requests to the older of the two children in the room. She simply glances over to Delilah, also curious as to the cause of the visit. “I doubt Robyn would forget anything music related,” she says. The questionableness lies in if Robyn would forget a social engagement, but that goes unspoken by the redhead.
“But we’re glad to see you, regardless of the meaning of the visit.”
"Hello." For having been so loud a moment before, Walter looks up to Matthew with bright eyes and better manners. Maybe he can tell as young children do, when someone has a distinctly different personality. His reaction echoes his raising, thankfully.
"Hey there." Delilah gives Matty a smile, edging on grin, measuring it internally. Not too much of it, just enough. "I kinda wish it was recording. Wanted to pick your brain a bit on something, catch up. It's not like we're weird apartment neighbors or band mates anymore but I still miss you guys." Elaine gets an air-elbowing, cheeky. "How dare us functioning adults have no time." She does her best, but there will always be something missing somewhere. That goes for anyone.
Yet, as Lilahs do, she seems to comfortably pick up right where she left off. It's familiar and just maybe reassuring. #bigmomenergy
Matthew makes a small noise in the back of his throat and angles a look at Walter that comes with a furrow of his brows. There's something about him that makes Matthew pause, squinting, before looking over at Robyn. “Haven't we already…” but he stops himself. There's a sigh, small and resigned, followed by a sheepish look at Elaine. For whatever reason Matthew seems markedly better behaved in her presence. Less contrary. Less… like Robyn.
“You like video games?” Matthew asks Walter, utterly ignoring the presumably dull conversation that Robyn, Elaine, and Delilah are having. “I've got a Yamagato TokiMe and Katana Blossom 3. It's co-op, you can play as Red Samurai.” He tucks his hands into his pockets, giving his shoulders a rise. “But I asked for Evernow for Christmas…” he says if that's somehow a big deal.
As Robyn watches Matthew strike a conversation with Walter, her smile only grows. These may be moments that Deliliah has grown accustomed to, but for Robyn they are still new and each one is it's own little slice of amazing. She relaxes a bit, watching them dotingly. At least until Evernow comes up, at which point she looks at Delilah and nods.
You bet he's getting that game for Christmas.
"Well, it's a good day for it. I have the day off, and Elaine and I didn't have much else planned otherwise." A similarly doting smile is offered to the redhead, Robyn motioning for her to come closer. "Grab a chair. It's nice, open, and comfy down here." Looking over at Matthew, she tilts her head. "Matthew, if you want to bring the TokiMe down here and hook it up to the big TV, go for it. You two won't bother us." Or they can head upstairs, whichever works for them.
The sheepish smile from Matthew gets a kind one returned from Elaine. “I could have used more video games as a kid,” she remarks, as if that were some kind of deciding factor in something. She glances between both Matthew and Walter for a moment before her attention turns back to the redhead near her.
“Well, you’ve certainly got my hard-won attention and time. If there’s something on your mind, I’m all ears.”
If there is anything amiss, it goes right past Walter and his mother. She smiles again instead to Matty and then to her son, whose eyes have gotten big up at the older boy.
"I love video games," Why wouldn't he?! Walter lets Dee abscond with cookies as she moves with Robyn's beckoning. She definitely looks like she could do with some comfy. The little boy, of course, gravitates to the cool older kid. "We only have an old console and my mom lets me use her laptop sometimes… I've seen videos though! Katana 3 looks primal." And now he can get to play it?? "Evernow too…" That little lizard brain of his is helpfully giving prompt scenarios of getting to play that one too.
Having the boys already looking to get along is comforting. Delilah seems perfectly fine in leaving Walter to it, keen to have a sit down, making herself mostly at home as she grabs a seat and sinks into it. Before the boys have a chance to join them- - they'll thankfully be a hot minute to either fetch the game or disappear entirely- - Dee makes sure they aren't close before getting right to the point, still hushed. "My dad re-manifested. I think it might've made Walter's quicker. There's been other times here and there, weird things- - but not like this."
Deets incoming, presumably.
“Primal?” They can hear getting further away. Matthew isn’t familiar with the slang. But it sounds like, at least for now, he’s found himself a friend.
Robyn watches over her shoulder as the pair of them disappear into the stairwell and to the upstairs, smiling wide. "This is good," she remarks in a low voice, head tilting down slightly. "He needs this. Thank you for bringing Walter with you, Dee. Even if he did eat some of the cookies."
Once they are fully out of sight and out of mine, Robyn's expression changes. Features flatten out, smile fading into something that shows little in the way of emotion as she turns back to Delilah. "That's serious, Deliliah. Assuming Walter's ability is going to be the same as his counterpart's." Whatever happened to older Walter anyway? "And wait. Your dad?" A eyebrow quirks up - clearly Robyn has missed something. "What do you mean re-manifested. People don't just- do that." Never mind that that's how she describes her ability returning.
Her cocks slightly to the side, clearly expecting more details.
“Kids are kids. Kids eat cookies.” It’s a statement of fact, and Elaine shrugs a bit as she says it. But her attention fixes on Delilah as soon as she starts talking. There’s the tiniest odd look on her face, but she doesn’t address it. She carries on as normal. “Your dad? I… don’t know if I’ve heard about whatever happened with your dad.” She sheepishly admits, but she’s certainly interested in the story now.
“It certainly sounds like something tricky though. I imagine Walter feeling his way around his ability is gonna be super dangerous.”
Delilah is glad to hear the padding of feet on the stairs. It also gives her a moment to collect thoughts.
"Dad's been in the Benchmark for a while now. He was found after the war, I think he had escaped from an illegal prison, but The Deveaux group said he was just found in a refugee camp." as far as they'd known too, her parents were dead. Surprise?
"His brain trauma hasn't really been getting better, but we've found ways for him to cope. We knew he was one of us. Richard Ray told me some things about him and I should have listened- - said he was an augmentor. Like Gillian. Dad doesn't remember anything about it. He got upset about something Walter described while we were in hospital- - " Maybe some context. She seems quite disarrayed, give it time. Everything seems to jumble equally.
"Walter passed out at school, hit his head. When dad got upset he was holding his hand. Everything just- - flickered around. The landscape outside was as if nothing had ever touched it. I pulled them out of it." Delilah finally leans back, hands on her knees. Her breath is deliberately steadying. "I told Walter it was all grandpa's power. I know that I can't leave it be… I know it will be the same. I'm trying to convince dad negation would be safest. I think he'll bite…"
"As for Walter… I Just don't know. I'm not drugging him. But I can't just- - out with it. Or even explain to him. Not the whole thing…"
The more Delilah goes on, the harder to read Robyn's expression becomes. Hands fold into her lap, and she watches her explain as stoically as she can, and it's only when she finishes that Robyn sits up straighter. "You are in a unique position, Delilah. Most likely, Walter had already begun manifesting, just in small ways no one ever noticed." She chuckles. "I don't have to tell you that every manifestation is different. But…"
She trails off for a moment, gaze becoming a bit harder. "Assuming history holds course, you already know what his ability will be - and how dangerous and sought after it will be. My job as a agent at SESA is to tell you to register him, and to work with them to figure out an appropriate course of action and how to keep him safe."
Fingers drum on her leg. "But don't do that. We both know that's a bad idea, no matter how reformed our government may be. Just keep an eye on him. We can help him learn better with our foreknowledge, and if he manifests something… different, somehow, well… we'll figure it out."
Pursing her lips, she looks off to the side. "As for your father… I hope you take this with full understanding that I mean no ill will, Delilah, but… if your father is flipping switches in people, or augmenting them, or- whatever, and can't control it when emotions run high, that is a very dangerous problem. I think negation and better training will be a wise course of action."
“So don’t explain to him everything. That kind of stuff is a lot to take in, especially for a kid. Maybe figure out what he needs to know immediately and just kind of take things one little step at a time and see how things go. He’s gotta find out at some point. Knowing about your ability early on helps you understand better, I think.”
Elaine always found it had been helpful growing up with her ability, even if she didn’t need to do much in the way of practicing. Things just happened. “Anyway, I imagine a lot of his problems lie from the damage of memory wiping, it’s not exactly something that heals particularly well from what I understand. So I imagine a spotty memory isn’t exactly going to help when it comes to remembering what his ability does. I’m with Robyn, negation and careful training.”
While she was chattering on before, Delilah is quiet as Robyn and Elaine both take time to weigh in. Heavy stuff for having brought cookies.
"Pretty sure it'll be the same." She says this to the possibility it wouldn't be, a muted answer for the potential problem. One hand tucks red hair behind an ear, and the pair with her earn a smile, faint for someone like Dee- - usually so open and boisterous. Parenthood is a weight, as Robyn had to suddenly find out.
"Dad should understand. I'd never hurt him…" Niel trusts her now that trepidation between them has gone completely. It was slow steps for a while. "He wants to do the right things. If he knows it might hurt someone else…" She's sure he'd agree. "I'd have to tell the Benchmark about why he needs to, but I don't think they'd abuse that information?"
"Someone suggested to treat Walter's… like short range teleportation. My plan was to only watch, yeah, but I hate waiting for trouble. Teleportation though… I don't know anyone like that anymore. That's a dangerous field too." As if it were a job. Maybe it is. The back and forth seems to have calmed her enough that she pops the lid on her cookies and sliiides it closer to them with a questioning squint. You remember these, right? They've only gotten better~.
"If you were nine and someone told you that you had powers, do you think you'd just leap into shit-stirring? The older one probably did. The little one can be. A shit-stirrer." Dee lifts her eyes to the door they'd come in through, noting the quiet muffle of a video game being played in the house. "I do my best, you know… to make sure he's kind. To make sure he thinks for himself. It- - It's hard to know if it's always working like I hope, sometimes…"
"Well." Robyn leans back in her chair, glancing over at the cookies, and then up at Elaine. She reaches over and takes one of the cookies as she lets out a small sigh. "With both of them the first step is education and training. If you register Walter as teleportation because it's believed that's all he can do publicly, that's fine. But…"
She shakes her head and recrosses her arms. "Space and time manipulation is serious, and is taken seriously. He needs to be told what he can do and the dangers of it early, before he makes a mistake and someone who would do more about it than I would catches on. He needs a cautionary tale."
What they all really need, as much as Robyn is loathe to admit it, is someone like Hiro Nakamura. Or Walter's older self. And yet, neither of them are here when they need them.
God, time travellers suck.
"With your father, if he can learn to control what he does, particularly when emotions are high, than none of this is an issue." Robyn raises her gaze back to Deliliah, looking her in the eye. "If he doesn't, well."
“I think the Benchmark’s pretty safe to trust with that kind of thing,” Elaine agrees, though she seems thoughtful about the whole thing, as if trying to think up a better solution. When it doesn’t come to her, she just smiles politely over to Delilah. “I would just be very cautious if you stick them in a room together for too long. Maybe make sure everyone’s feeling calm and relaxed? A lot of people accidently use abilities or manifest because of strong emotions or situations. The more relaxed everyone is, the better things are, I think.”
She glances back to Robyn to see if she agrees. “Anyway, I’m sure it will sort itself out. You’re smart enough to make calls about this sort of thing, Dee.”
"I hope you're right, Elaine." The other redhead gets a smile, subdued though it is. "There's never been an issue before now, with dad. He doesn't really… get angry, much. He never did." Which, on its own, says a lot about Lilah too.
"If I can help dad, maybe the rest can fall in place." Dealing with her father's problems sounds like such a cakewalk. She knows the Benchmark will help her, and while her caution over the entire thing has subsided in the past years, there's still a lot she can't bring herself to trust. Maybe what Niel needs is that guidance she holds at arm's length.
"A giant part of me doesn't want to register Walter at all." It will open certain doors and close others. Open lids that can't be closed. "Even if it was just teleportation." Delilah knows that sometimes people revise their registration when their abilities change or become clearer, but even then she'd not want him to do just that.
"If I registered it as one thing and told him the rest… I can only think about what happens when something goes wrong." Biting the edge of her tongue, Delilah's features crease with discontentment. "They'd take him from me. Someone would. A cautionary tale would be nice and all," Her lips press and she looks between Robyn and Elaine. "But that's probably even harder than finding a teleporter that would help a kid…"
"I'm sure I can find you one." Robyn leans back in her seat, nibbling on a cookie. "Well. You have my advice," she states with a sense of finality. "There's going to be risks no matter what with Walter's ability. You just need to take the time to weigh and balance them, short term and long term."
Giving a satisfied nod, she looks over to Elaine. "I can think of a few cautionary tales about overuse of ability and time travel. Can't you, hon?" She offers a knowing smile at Elaine - oh yes, she at least has many, and she expects Elaine to be the same.
"Trust Lynette and Mateo, and trust me." She shakes the cookie at Delilah, before closing her eyes. "And bring Walter around more. Matthew needs friends."
There’s a small chuckle from Elaine. “Yes, I’m certain there are stories we can tell to explain to him just how careful he needs to be.” She glances towards the upstairs before looking back to Dee and Robyn. “I’m with Robyn on this. Those are the best ideas we’ve got. I think this is one of those things you can’t overthink. He’s a kid, he’s gonna surprise you. You need to deal with it as it comes and know what resources you can count on in an emergency.”
She offers a smile. “You know I’m always here if I can somehow help.”
"You really think you can find one?" Delilah murmurs, looking hopeful when she holds her head up to Robyn. "I don't need to even say it would mean the world to me." And yet she does, sort of, hands on her lap twining fingers back and forth. Robyn's commentary to Elaine gets a heartier laugh out of Delilah, some of the color coming back to her cheeks.
Cookie shaking gets a nod, followed by one more good-natured laugh, a spark in brown eyes.
"Maybe overthinking is all being a parent is. Have you noticed that yet, Robyn?" Dee tips her head, eyes squinting gamely. "Yeah. You both are. I know that." Despite distance and/or time, there are some things that you can't leave behind; even if things change for the worse, there will always be that memory, embossed. For Robyn, a nod, and a glance upward. "Matthew seemed to know just what to say… so… I think that would be nice. For both of them. Walter has other kids, but he's one of the oldest ones in our circle, you know? And the next oldest is, hell, the Lighthouse gang? I love them, of course, but he's still a kid."
"Of course," said with an inflection drips of an unspoken duh at the end. "Have you forgotten where I work? I can always take a look at the database of local INST endorsed individuals. Failing that, if you express interest when registering him I'm sure a case worker can be assigned to handle the matter."
"No," she adds after a moment. She hadn't noticed that. At least not when it comes to Matthew. "They'll do well together." Her cookie is finished, and she smirks. "Provided they don't take too well after any of us." Robyn definitely expects trouble at some point.
“Worrying and overthinking are two very different but very similar things,” Elaine chuckles. “Parents worry more than anything. I think if Matthew were a bit younger Robyn would worry a lot more.” She does give Delilah a gentle smile. “I bet it would do both of them some good, yeah. I always kind of liked the idea of a little sibling to look after.” She briefly had that, with the Lighthouse.
“So it sounds like more playdates.”
"Maybe just a tiny bit after us, then. A pinch." Delilah quells the edges of a smile, for Robyn's sake, lifting a hand and eyes to Elaine. That. "Exactly… I don't know about how you're his guardian now, but I'm sure he needs some normal." She doesn't doubt at all that circumstances were likely- - testing- - when Matty ended up here. "And we can have a little quiet, hm?"
"I hated starting this visit all about me, but… thank you. Really." Though self-conscious about how she came to be here, Delilah is so visibly glad to have done it.
It served well to remind her that she truly isn't as alone as she might feel.