[CATCH-ALL] This is gonna hurt kid…

[sleepyhollowed]

Who: Kieran Duffy (sleepyhollowed) and you!
What: A catch-all for the month of February; closed prompts mostly (let me know if you want something for your character at Sheepi!)
When: /points to previous sentence
Where: anywhere you want, p. much!



For Ben [FIRST COUPLE DAYS OF FEBURARY]

[This is a thought that’s been on Kieran’s mind for a while now, the weight of what he’s planning on asking weighing heavily on him. He’d acclimated relatively well, in his opinion, to losing his sight. The help provided to him by the other people trapped in Anchor had no small part in making sure that said acclimation went as well as it could, given the circumstances. But therein lay part of his issue: the fact that he still had to rely on others. No matter how much his own confidence had grown over the months, nor how much his friends insisted that they didn’t mind (and, according to some, actually enjoyed) helping, something nagging at the back of his brain told him that no. This is unacceptable. If he’s going to take advantage of others’ benevolence, he has to do something in return.]

[The culture that he’d come from, rife with machismo and eating the weak, insisted upon it.]

[So, he’s pretty sure he’s ready to take the next step, but, like any major change, he needs to make sure that it’s the right thing to do. And what better way than to phone a friend.]

H-Hey Ben, is this a good time? I can call back later if it ain’t!

--

For Carlisle [WITHIN FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY]

[Although Kieran didn’t expect it, Carlisle jumped on the chance to heal his sight the moment he brought up the idea. It’s a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.]

[One that sends him towards the barn as quickly as he can, relying on a pre-determined path that hasn’t led him wrong yet, thankfully. It doesn’t take him long. Kieran doesn’t like to be too far away just in case there’s something or someone who needs his attention. He knows he’s in the right spot when there are two familiar whinnies and the sensation of velvety snouts against his hair and arms.]

Hey, buddies. Didja miss me?

[Kieran hadn’t been gone for long—certainly for a much shorter time than when he’d been initially moved to the dorms—but to finnicky horses, nearly anything feels like forever. He can relate to that.]

[Running a hand down Eavan’s long face while simultaneously scratching under Branwen’s chin, Kieran starts to coo at them.]

I’m waitin’ fer a friend. He’s, uh, h-he’s gonna set everythin’ right so I can see yer pretty faces. Ain’t that somethin’?

[It sure is something, because for a few moments there, Kieran has to fight through a sudden grip in his throat and choke out the words. It isn’t fear, though, as he initially expected… but a sudden, hopeful excitement. Whatever happens next is going to change everything. Hopefully for the better.]

Comments

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob probably should have allowed Charles to make introductions. He doesn't know how close the two of them were, back in their world, he doesn't know what Kieran knows and what he doesn't.

But he was a member of the same gang, and Charles has spoken of him in that sad, gentle way which means that the man probably didn't make it. Jacob knows what life in a gang is like, he's lost men, but the Rooks weren't ever a family. Not like the people Charles had come to know.

It's the curiosity to know more about Charles' life before that leads him up towards the agricultural level and the stable. Kieran can be found up here often, he's told, and if he goes up there he might run into him. He's never thought of himself as much of an animal person, but horses and birds are different. Horses especially, even if he's never actually had his own.

The smell in the stable is familiar, sweet and earthy, warm with many animals. He steps over to the closest stall, gently talking to the horse within as he steps forward, and begins to gently stroke the side of it's neck. ]

You are a beautiful horse, aren't you? Yes you are. It's been a while, since I saw a horse.

[sleepyhollowed]

[Kieran's blindness made it so that he had to rely on his other senses a lot more than usual. Now that he has his sight back––something he'll forever be grateful for––those same senses are still pretty sharp, and he's not about to take that for granted, either.]

[So when he hears a strange voice inside the barn from the outside, he hurries on in. There's no real paranoia there, after all, everyone on Anchor has been plenty friendly so far, but he can never be too cautious when it comes to his children horses.]

[Kieran stands at the doorway, grasping perhaps the most non-threatening rake in his hands in perhaps the most non-threatening pose known to mankind. Tall and lanky, he's also, effectively, non-threatening.]

H-Hey there! Can I help ya?

[nothinglikefather]

[Jacob had sensed the other man's arrival. He's never lost one of the core senses, but his hearing and sight are damn good, even without Eagle Vision. Not that he needs that to have heard Kieran approach. The point is, the man isn't a threat- he isn't trying to sneak up on Jacob, he's not carrying a gun or a knife or a cudgel. Jacob can continue petting the horse without fear.

Which is good, because he doesn't much like the idea of spooking horses if it can be avoided.]

Not really. Just trying to make new friends, right girl? You've got the biggest brownest eyes, don't you?

[He pauses in petting the horses' neck to look over at the man again, taking him in.]

These your horses?

[sleepyhollowed]

[Rule 1 when visiting Kieran's barn: Never Spook the Horses.]

[Kieran approaches, rake still in his hands, as Jacob gently pets at Eavan's neck. Eavan, in the meantime, is loving the attention, the odd glowing marks lining her face and body radiating on and off.]

Y-Yeah. The mare you're playin' with, h-her name's Eavan.

The little one over there's Branwen. He's, uh, h-he's from home. He's supposed to be bigger than that, but, uh, this place shrank him somehow.

[Kieran studies Jacob a bit. The strange man's clothing looks like something from his time, if not a bit fancier. The accent also adds to the man's overall class, especially when compared to a country bumpkin of Kieran's caliber. His face flushes a bit, although he offers a smile as a greeting.]

You, uh, you new here, friend?

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob would never call himself fancy. Then again, he is willing to bet he lived a very different life to the one Kieran might have known.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't get soppy about horses, however fancy he might seem.]

Eavan, huh? A pretty name for a pretty girl.

[The glowing marks? That's a little unusual in horses. But he's used to Angel's glowing tattoos, so they don't actually worry him too much.]

You managed to bring something from home? That's impressive. But what a good horse. All the best things come in small packages, don't they Branwen?

[The turns then, looking at Kieran with a grin, still petting the horse]

Is it that easy to tell? Arrived a couple of weeks a go, me and a few others from another weird place like this. I was in London before that. I'm Jacob. Jacob Frye.

[sleepyhollowed]

Yeah, she was the first horse I found while here. Don't think there are a lot like her left.

[Which is a sad fact, but not surprising, given the combination of the overall state of Anchor and the size of the Agricultural Level. It isn't exactly conducive to housing herds of animals of any size, let alone horses.]

[Kieran places his rake against the edge of an empty stall before he reaches over to offer Jacob a handshake.]

K-Kieran Duffy. Pleasure to meetcha.

[nothinglikefather]

What about the green? On the lower levels? Wouldn't that work as grazing for some animals?

[ He only suggests it because back home, most of the parks and commons are still used by people for feeding their horses. And cows. And sheep.

Not that it matters when the rake is set down and the man comes up to him with hand extended.]

Jacob Frye. Are you... are you the Kieran Charles knows? Ran with the Van Der Linde gang?

[ Charles had said there were people here from his past, his home. He hadn't said much, but knowing there were people here who had known him? It makes him feel... strange. Uncertain.]

[sleepyhollowed]

[There is, of course, a question that needs to be answered that involves one of Kieran's favorite topics ever, ever. He's ready to wax poetic (or at least the cowboy equivalent thereof) about the space needed for an actual herd of wild horses and how this big ol' building may be enough for a small handful of them, but also that dangers both natural and its cold opposite could be impeding them. But, his little spiel is overshadowed by the revelation of an overall mundane, but uplifting fact.]

[Someone had talked about him to someone outside of the Van der Linde gang.]

[...He also has no idea if this talk had erred on positive or negative.

[To mirror those ideas, Kieran's face brightens up, then lowers a couple of notches as he meekly responds:]

Y-yeah! That's, uh, that's me!

[nothinglikefather]

[ It hadn't been negative, that's for sure. Aside from the fact it had referred to Kieran very much in the past tense. Charles hadn't detailed exactly what had happened to the man, but Jacob had been given the impression that Kieran had died before all the shit had hit the windmill.

It's a little surprising to see him here, and not dead. Instead of remarking on that- he does have some tact- he simply offers a smile in return.

Whatever his concerns, he's glad Charles has people from home, people to talk about the bad-old-days with. People that seem potty about horses.]

Any friend of Charles is a friend of mine. A pleasure to meet you, and your charges.

[sleepyhollowed]

[Not only did Kieran die, he, like, super died. Good stuff.]

[Which means the only way to go from there is up, right? And with the way he tentatively smiles at Jacob's greeting, he's well on the way there.]

[Or he's a little bit further along, at least.]

P-Pleasure's all mine! And I'm sure it's theirs, too.

[With a special spark introduced into his step, Kieran gestures with his entire body over to Eavan. The movement is deliberate and well within her view to avoid spooking her with any sudden movements.]

D'ya ride? I-I got some gear if you ever wanna go out fer a stroll around the area.

[All you have to do is mention being into horses just a little bit, and this guy is ready to share pretty much anything.]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Even in Jacob's fairly extensive experience of killing people, he's never done anything like what was done to Kieran. That was certainly over-kill, forgive the pun. ]

Ah, I'm sure we'll get along. I'll remember to bring a nice treat for them next time.

[ There's a gentle chuckle, and another stroke down Eavan's long nose, making a soft friendly noise as he does so. She's a gorgeous creature.

At Kieran's offer, his smile grows wider, and he turns his head back to the man as if he's just been offered as much free beer as he can drink, or something equally wonderful.]

Is there any other way to travel? If you... you're free now? I don't have any plans.

[ Okay so sure, technically he was home not all that long ago. But he didn't ride in London. Everyone has carriages. He misses just being able to get on a horse without the fuss of having to steal one. ]