5th Floor Common Room, Monday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy had been responsible all morning, finishing up the last of her college applications before running off to class. So it wasn't until she got home and logged onto the net that she finally saw the news.

Oh. Oh damn.

There seemed to really be only one thing to do, once she'd gotten past the point of just staring at the screen and willing them to take it all back and declare it to be some kind of weird, tasteless, internet joke. And that was head to the common room and watch the fantasy movie he'd made what, thirty years ago now? Sure, as she'd grown up, she'd started listening to his real music; started appreciating his other roles, both on screen and on stage. But this flick, silly as it was (with a glitter budget almost the size of StuCo's), it was where it had all began.

Huh. According to the back of her DVD, the movie had had supposedly been inspired by "true events". Funny how she'd never noticed that before.

[Because method RP helps? Or something?]

Comments

[ungue.livejournal.com]

"I have no reference point other than my cousin Megan, but I had to put some distance education with her for her safety." Sending her to a magical kindgom might not had been a bad option.

Also, she had technically killed all her siblings. Clones. Kinda.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Sarah--my sister--was my only friend for a long time," Kathy admitted. "She's one of the few things I miss about LA. But she's a major brat. Part of it is because she's got that kind of charisma that just makes it...cool, you know? The kind of brattiness that just makes you like her more."

The kind of effortless cool that Kathy didn't have. Any cool she could lay claim to had been worked for.

"You'll get to meet her for graduation. Or maybe I'll be able to bring her to the island for a visit without our parents. That would be awesome."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

[jeez, autocorrect]

Laura was basically imagining most of the things Kathy was saying. Other than the name of her sister things sounded too far removed from her life.

"If there is a chance I might bring my... my Logan."

Accurate.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Well, there's Parent's Weekend every October," Kathy explained. "Though doesn't have to be parents! It doesn't have to be family at all. Just anyone you want to have come visit you. So your Logan can definitely come visit you at some point."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

"He is family. In a way." How do you explain something like that? "It is complicated." And she didn't even know if he would be okay by then. Most likely.

[spin_kick_snap]

Even without an explanation, Kathy was willing to accept the designation. Adoption and fostering existed, which was what she assumed.

"Pretty much all families are," she said with an understanding nod. "My family is as basic as you can get--two married parents and their biological daughters--and we still manage complicate things." She shrugged. "I think that's part of what makes it family."

[Sorry, I thought I'd posted this an hour ago!]

[ungue.livejournal.com]

And it was technically right.

"I suppose. It is just Logan and I." And his son that she didn't want to meet because he was a massive douche. Massive. "Do your family know about your... activities?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy's eyes went wide. "Oh noooo," she said quickly. "They don't even know I can do the things I do. My parents--" She glanced away, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly. "--they wouldn't understand. Or be very pleased about the matter."

Understatement.

Meeting Laura's eyes again, she added, "My little sister would think it was cool, if she knew. But I don't want her worrying about me. What she doesn't know might keep her safer, too."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

"I see." It was... a typical superhero thing to do? Laura guessed as much, she had never been too worried about hiding her identity, considering she was something of a ghost herself. And the one person she could be related was the goddamn Wolverine, so he was safe. "Is it because they worry about you or...?" They didn't approve?

"Many heroes in my world cover their faces to keep their loved ones safe."

[spin_kick_snap]

"My parents are, umm..." Wow. Kathy's hands sure were interesting. "They can be a little...difficult. About things. A lot of things, really. No one on the island really likes them."

Understatement.

"They wouldn't understand what I'm doing or why," she said finally. "They'd be...pretty appalled, really. So it's just so much better that they don't know, you know? I hate it when I disappoint them."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

Boy language, voice tone, scent variations, socioeconomic extrapolations based on mannerisms, racial markers, the works; Laura was actually pretty good at getting all those cues. She had to be that good, after all. But she also realized that simply saying 'your parents want you to be a 20's housewife' or something to that effect (and in words Laura would actually use) wouldn't help anyone, certainly not Kathy.

So she didn't. She just shrugged and tried what should pass for a shoulder squeeze. "Their loss."

[spin_kick_snap]

A 1920's housewife and a doctor. And they saw no problems with having multiple, conflicting expectations, so long as she met all of them.

Understanding Kathy got really easy (not that it was ever hard) when you understood her relationship with her parents. And that relationship was most easily summed up as "their love contingent upon her perfection."

Kathy tried very hard to be perfect.

"Maybe some day they'll come around," she said with a shrug, giving Laura a smile at the almost-squeeze. "You know, after I save LA's mayor and am awarded the Medal of Bravery or whatever and everyone wants to know who the girl behind the rainbow mask is."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

Well that was cute.

"Maybe," she agreed, not wanting to ruin the mood. Because she certainly could tell her that was unlikely, but tact, Laura was learning some. Slowly. "That would be an impressive achievement, anyway."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy burst out laughing. "Don't worry," she assured Laura. "I know full well that's not going to happen. I may be an optimist, but I'm not delusional. Promise."