18396/A phone call home
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A phone call home | |
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Date of Scene: | 22 June 2024 |
Location: | A bedroom in a Mansion |
Synopsis: | AJ talks to his mother again. |
Cast of Characters: | Allen-James, Kid Devil
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- Allen-James has posed:
AJ paces back and forth. He's wearing his new clothes, his new shoes, staring at his new phone, running his fingers through his freshly cut hair, and... he's still terrified. He's done all sorts of things over the last day or two trying to put this off, to 'prepare' for it, and.. it's still just as scary as it has been for years. Five years ago, he thought he'd never go home. Never talk to his parents again. That he had to stay hidden from them forever, to protect himself from their misguided attempts to 'cure' him.
Now... Now he was hanging out with Heroes and training to try to make a difference in the world. Sooner or later, his parents would find out. They would hear about him dating a Wayne, or see his powers on the news, and they would know he was out there. Before things got to that point.. he owed them at least this.. right? And he wanted it. Wanted it so badly. To talk to them. To hear their voices. To... well. To be a part of a family again. Would they be that for him? Would their minds have changed in the five years he was gone?
Only one way to find out. Allen-James Vincent Ramses-Denholme, the Fourth, closed his eyes, squared his shoulders... and pressed dial.
- Kid Devil has posed:
The hum of the dialing sound seeps out of the speaker. Again. And again. Were they even still there? Did the number change?
Finally there's a click, a rustle, before a woman's voice fills the line. Sounding so, so tired-- or merely exhaustively put-upon, the way she often did-- she says, "Hello?"
There was no mistaking the tone, or the voice.
- Allen-James has posed:
Pacing resumes, nervous prowling of the bedroom he's in. He bites his lip as the phone rings. And rings. Finally, he hears a voice. A familiar voice.
He's thought about how to start this conversation a dozen times. Thought about a dozen witty things to say, ways to break the ice.
Instead of any of those, his voice cracks a little, before he manages to say "Hi, Mom." in a quiet, almost shy tone, nervous about her reaction. The way he always used to when he was confessing to stealing treats, or some other offense that his parents had found out.
- Kid Devil has posed:
There's no immediately reply. One can almost hear her squinting at the phone. Suspicious. Is it a prank? They did get a number of those, especially after 'the boy' disappeared. Cold-calls. Private detectives offering services. For several tense moments she's wondering why she even answered; considering hanging up.
But something about the sound makes her stop with her thumb hovering over the button.
"Is that... is that you?" she murmurs. "You sound. Different. Are you eating properly? I've told you, you cannot simply *have* cookies all the time, Allen-James." So she at least seems persuaded, for the moment, that's who she's talking to.
- Allen-James has posed:
The scolding of his mother makes AJ's eyes mist up, even as he barks a laugh. "Five years, and you want to know if I'm eating too many cookies? Mom... Mom.." he laughs again, and shakes his head. "I'm... I'm eating fine." he says softly. "Is... Is dad there? Are you.. ok?" his voice trembles again as he shakes his head, trying to think of all the things he intended to talk to his parents about.
"Yes, it's me. I.." he doesn't know where to go from there, and his voice peters out a little. "I'm sorry." he murmurs quietly into the phone.
- Kid Devil has posed:
"Five years of worrying," she replies, terse and frosty, before she regulates her tone again with a few slow, deep breaths. "He's in his office. We're fine. We've nearly recovered from the embarrassment you caused us, so your timing is quite perfect, as usual." It's not even said with any particular hostility; just her way of casually making herself the victim of any particular scenario.
"You're sorry? Over the *telephone*? You know, we never turned off your access to the residence. You could have come here and said that to us directly."
She sighs again and has to restrain her impulses. For now. "Where are you? Do you need me to send a car to fetch you? We can discuss everything. Your trust is still waiting for you, of course. It will all be fine."
- Allen-James has posed:
Ahhhhh, there's the reaction he was expecting. Much more in line with how he planned for this conversation to go. He grits his teeth at the tone his mother is taking. But he knew this was coming.
"I'll come visit soon. I just... I wanted to talk a little first. I want you to know, I'm safe. Doing well. I've been staying at a place that is helping me with learning more about my... special abilities." he monologues a little.
"But.. I wanted to let you know.. before you heard it from anyone else.. I've been.. well.. I'm dating Damian Wayne." he decides to drop that bomb shell in the midst of the conversation. "Being around him. Seeing him with his family.. It made me realize how much I want to... be a family again. So I thought I'd call."
- Kid Devil has posed:
The mention of 'abilities' causes a shudder. It's easy to envision the way she's grinding her teeth. "Yes, we've left the arrangements in place for you to get treatment, as well. It's nothing to be ashamed of! It's happened to numerous people, but there are so many remedies for it now. The Whately-Smythes-- you remember them, I'm sure-- their youngest daughter was afflicted by some sort of fish disease--"
But then her ears catch up, and her words grind to a halt. "...Wayne? Not *that* Wayne, surely. There must be others, and Damian was a fashionable name for a time. At least among people with no regard for family tradition."
She pauses again to breathe. She never got into yoga; it might have done her some good. "Allen-James, I... we don't care if you want to date a boy. That's all very respectable now. They have a whole parade in town. We're on the boards of several of the sponsors! But a *Wayne*? *Really*?"
It's almost as bad as being a mutant. "Shouldn't you find someone more... low-profile? Oh, you know, I think the Vandermeers have a gay boy. Or did they say he was... bisexual? Anyway, I'm sure I could put you in touch. He's never once been in the newspapers."
- Allen-James has posed:
"I'm not sick, and I don't need treatments. That's why I left in the first place. I don't need fixed, mother. I'm learning to use my powers. To help people." AJ says, his voice firm, and a little cold. "I know it's not.. what you want for me, but.. I'm not going to be some lab experiment in power removal."
At her reaction to the Waynes, though, he gets cooler still. "And what, pray tell, is wrong with the Waynes?" he says, his voice chilly and stern. "I am not dating someone for appearances, mother. I'm dating him because he makes me happy. And I make him happy. It's called Love, I think you may have heard of it."
- Kid Devil has posed:
"Not *fixed*, no, of course not," she replies. Never 'fixed'. That would imply something was wrong with him. Genetically. Which would imply... no, no, that's unthinkable. "*Treated*, darling. But-- that's fine, we can discuss that later, once you are settled and recovered from your... adventure."
She purses her lips and tsks. "Did I say there was something wrong with them? Certainly not. He's always perfectly charming at the galas. We funded a hospital wing with him, you know," as they take every opportunity to mention, "He is just in the *media* so much. The man must have a camera crew on retainer, I am convinced. And you don't need that kind of expos..."
She halts then. For several moments there's not even a sigh, or a breath. Nothing but the empty hum of the open phone line.
"There is *much* I have sacrificed for you, and for your father," she murmurs. "For love. That was a very unkind thing to say to me, Allen-James." Sometimes it's hard to tell when she's even sincerely hurt, or merely pouncing on another opportunity for martyrdom.
- Allen-James has posed:
AJ's voice remains cool, calm, collected, not raising to the 'I'm hurt' bait. "I'll put up with a lot of things, mother. I miss you, and I want to be around you again. I'm not moving home, but I'll come visit soon. I'll put up with a lot of things, for the chance of being family again."
He pauses, drawing a breath. "But you will not speak ill of Damian, or his family. Not to me. That is a line I will not abide crossing. He has supported me, and been there for me, and I love him. If you find some problem with the Waynes being the target of the media, well, as you once said to me, wealth makes targets of us all." he taps his finger on a bedside table. "I love you, mother. But don't push me on this one. I love him too, and I don't take kindly to anyone attacking him."
- Kid Devil has posed:
She sighs. "I wasn't *speaking ill* of anyone, Allen-James. I am only trying to protect you..."
Uh huh.
But she also has more diplomatic skill than to get into a protracted argument about it, especially over the phone. Shouting has never been her technique anyway; she prefers to lay a minefield of passive-aggressive innuendo.
Finally she exhales. "Well. I love you, too, dear."
After another pause she asks, "When should we expect you? I'll have the house staff touch up your rooms and have a car sent to retrieve you. You are still somewhere on the continent, I assume."
- Allen-James has posed:
"I keep feeling like you're not actually hearing me, mother." AJ, through a supreme effort of will keeps the exasperation out of his voice. "I don't need a car to pick me up. And I'm not planning to move home. I'd love to visit you soon, perhaps for dinner one night. I'll bring Damian, and you can meet him." he offers calmly. "Why don't we have dinner next week." he offers, by way of conciliation. "Perhaps after dinner, I can play Dvorak for you. Damian likes hearing me play."
- Kid Devil has posed:
"Dinner, then," she agrees. "I'm sure we've met him before, at some party or another. Looks a lot like his father, doesn't he? Only shorter? Well, anyway, yes. A recital would be lovely. I'll have the kitchen staff prepare your favorite."
She pauses, as if squinting suspiciously. "It *is* still your favorite, isn't it? You haven't since taken a liking to... to *convenience* foods, have you?"
Of all the possible scandals, this one might be the least forgivable.
- Allen-James has posed:
AJ laughs, and shakes his head, "No, Mother, I haven't changed that much. I'm not a picky eater though. You'd be surprised at how convenient convenience food can be." he says. He doesn't mention that there was a severe lack of chef cooked meals where he spent much of the last five years.
"Anyway.. I... I love you. And I'll see you soon. Tell father I love him too. I'll let you know before we come over."
- Kid Devil has posed:
"Your father sends his love," she replies, though who knows how true that might be. "We'll be waiting."
Just couldn't resist getting in one more jab. Though, maybe this time she didn't *mean* it like that.
"I love you, too. Tell... Damian we said hello. I doubt he'd remember us anyway. Take care of yourself."
She doesn't hang up; she waits for AJ to do it.
- Allen-James has posed:
"Goodbye, mother." AJ says softly, before hanging up the phone, and flopping back onto the bed in the room he's using. That went... not as badly as it could have. Not as well as he'd hoped. He hoped that things would be better with his father, but... This was going to be awkward. He almost feels bad about dragging Damian into this, but.. well.. He's sure he can count on Damian, even if everything else melts down.