#granny flat kit homes

[portablecontainers]

Modular Homes - Kit Homes - Granny Flats- Origins of modular homes part 4

[designerecotinyhomes]

Choose a tried and tested design for quick delivery. Make it yours with colour, appliance and fixture selections.

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[portablebuildingswa]

Choose High Quality & Stylish Design Kit Homes Western Australia

Do you need an affordable and instant solution to cramped space problems or overcrowding? Portable Buildings WA offers a selected range of Kit Homes Western Australia. We use only the highest quality steel and weld them to form frames and base structures of our kit homes. We strictly adhere to the Australian building codes in all the kit homes and other modular and transportable housing options. Do not hesitate to contact us for more details about our homes.

[getadvanceinfo]

Stylish Granny Flats in Newtown

Discover Superior Granny Flats in Newtown for innovative and customizable living solutions. Perfect for guests, rental income, or extra space. Explore your options for modern, stylish designs today!

[colleenmurphy]

She had thought the dinner had been going well. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas. The all American family dinner complete with chocolate blackberry cake for dessert. Minnie would have been proud. At that she'd smiled as she cleared the table and set out her Granny's demitasse set with Sambuca laced coffee to go with dessert on the wedding china they'd used a handful of times. Their rental was small, a little shabby in places but was tidy and inviting. It wasn't much but it was home for now, especially with the work being done on the house in Sloughbridge. Her grandparents place left to her by her father before he passed. Her brothers were far flung these days. Mike and Dennis were down in the Catskills trying to make a go of an orchard they'd purchased Stevie went with them acting as their 'goat whisperer' and head harvester. Ronnie was back in prison, this time doing hard time out in Allegheny prison for armed robbery. All she had were her girlfriends, Helene and Liz and her husband Red Dobbs.

"I can trust Mary with anything."

A whistling snort sounded from their guest, a squat roly poly greaseball of a man by the name of 'Rooster' who had parked himself in one of the high back kitchen chairs as he casually sipped his tenth beer of the evening. Rooster and Red went back for ages as both grew up in the same little community just outside the town limits. Mary and her brothers had grown up on the banks of the Copperline river in the town of Miller's Junction. Worlds away from people that were raised like Rooster Jenkins.

"But can ya trust her, brother man?"

"I love her, of course I trust her."

Another undignified snort and an appraisal of her from head to toe as Rooster rolled his eyes. He probably couldn't even remember her damn name. Half the night he called her Maddie.

"Love is for family. Lust is for the pretty young thing down the block. Trust is for your brothers. What do you give your wife? Tolerance is all she deserves brother man, can't ever trust your wife 'cause you know deep down no matter how much she says she loves you she don't. She'd leave you flat for the next dick that came swingin'. "

The air in the room changed as Mary herself puts it "I just lost control of my body. It was like someone else took over, hand to the Holy Spirit." By Red's account Mary walked over to Rooster slapped him with her left hand and grabbed his ear before putting him over her own knee, dropped his pants and caned him with the first thing she got her hands on - the braided cloth telephone chord leaving welts on his back and buttocks.

"When the damn chord snapped she grabbed my work belt that was hangin' over the back of the living room chair and whipped him with the buckle end. J..just like my Mama used to deal with my brother Frank."

"What's my name?"

"What?"

"Say my name, Boy. You've got to count of three or I'm fixin' to start tanning you some more. I'm the oldest of seven, I all but raised my brothers so g'on and keep pushin' me and you're going to find out how I was raised down on the Copperline."

"M-a...MARY!"

"What. Else."

"K...Kay."

"I've never seen Mary Colleen that angry let alone a woman tan a full grown man's hide. Rooster deserved that whippin...no she gave him the whooping his Mama never did."

Red was overhead saying later over coffee down at Rigsy's Diner.

"My name is Mary Colleen. I'm Rhett's wife and if you can't respect that then you can get the hell out of our home, Roland."

She towered over the whimpering man sprawled over the shag carpet of their living room. To Rooster's surprise she offered him a hand and went and got the first aid kit and a clean warm wash cloth for him. Red understood Mary's gesture as a peace offering but the ball was truly in Rooster's court now.

"I-I'm sorry...M-M'am."

"It's Mary. Now that that's behind us and you've hopefully learned some respect would you like to start over?"

Before he had time to react Mary held her hand out.

"I'm Mary Colleen, Red's wife. It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Roland...and it's a pleasure, M'am."

[prefabricated123]

Flat Pack Granny Flats: A Modern Solution for Multi-Generational Living

The concept of flat pack granny flats has been gaining momentum as an innovative solution for multi-generational living, offering flexibility, affordability, and sustainability. These prefabricated structures arrive as kits, which can be easily assembled on-site, providing a practical alternative to traditional housing additions. Here are some fresh perspectives on why flat pack granny flats are becoming a preferred choice for many households.

Innovative Design and Customisation

Modern flat pack granny flats are no longer limited to basic, boxy designs. They come in a wide range of styles, from contemporary minimalist to charming rustic aesthetics. Advanced design technologies allow for significant customisation, enabling homeowners to choose layouts, finishes, and features that match their existing homes and personal tastes. Options such as solar panels, smart home systems, and energy-efficient appliances can be integrated seamlessly, creating a space that is both functional and stylish.

Cost-Effectiveness and Financial Flexibility

Affordability is a key selling point for flat pack granny flats. The cost of these units is significantly lower than traditional home extensions or new builds. This affordability extends beyond the initial purchase, as the streamlined construction process reduces labour costs. For those who might not have a lump sum available, many companies offer financing options, making it easier to manage payments over time. Moreover, the potential for rental income from these units can provide a financial boost, helping homeowners offset the investment.

Flexibility and Mobility

Unlike permanent structures, flat pack granny flats offer a degree of flexibility that is particularly appealing in today’s fast-paced world. These units can be disassembled and relocated if necessary, making them an excellent choice for families who might move or need to reconfigure their living arrangements. This mobility ensures that the investment in a flat pack granny flat is not lost if circumstances change.

Enhancing Property Value

Adding a flat pack granny flat can significantly enhance the value of a property. These units increase the livable space on a property, which is attractive to potential buyers. Whether used as a guest house, a rental unit, or a space for a home office, the additional square footage and functionality contribute to a higher market value. In regions where housing demand is high, this can be a strategic way to maximise property investments.

Addressing Urban Density Challenges

In densely populated urban areas, space is at a premium. Flat pack granny flats offer a solution to urban density challenges by utilising existing property footprints more effectively. They allow for the addition of living space without the need for extensive land development or reasoning. This makes them an ideal option for city dwellers looking to expand their living space without leaving their neighbourhoods.

Flat pack granny flats represent a forward-thinking approach to modern housing needs. Their combination of innovative design, rapid assembly, environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and property value enhancement makes them an attractive option for a wide range of homeowners. As urban areas continue to grow and the demand for adaptable living solutions increases, flat pack granny flats are poised to become a staple in contemporary housing landscapes.

[kithomesnation]

Get Affordable Granny Flats in Australia

Looking for a reliable and affordable solution to expand your living space? Kit Homes Nation-Wide Pty Ltd offers a wide range of stylish granny flats that are perfect for families, singles, and retirees. Our high-quality, affordable homes are built to last and are perfect for a variety of uses, from guesthouses to rental properties. Choose from our extensive selection of designs or work with us to create a custom solution that meets your unique needs. Contact us today to learn more about our granny flats in australia!

[portablecontainers]

Modular Homes - Granny Flats The Origins part 1

[ashtonellisblog]

Find The Eco-Friendly Kit Homes Perth WA

Are you looking for custom-designed and beautiful kit homes? We are a leading supplier of Kit Homes Perth WA with many years of experience in the enterprise. We offer a fast way to solve cramped space issues in residential and commercial applications by creating a home in a more efficient path. Contact us if you want to know more details about our homes.

[designerecotinyhomes]

Grant Emans' Vision: Crafting Affordable Tiny Homes

Join Designer Eco Tiny Homes in embracing sustainable living. Since 2016, we've focused on crafting affordable, eco-friendly tiny homes. Experience quality living with modern, energy-efficient designs.

[portablebuildingswa]

Choose The Premium Quality And Affordable Granny Flats Bunbury

Are you looking for a move-in-ready granny flat? Portable Buildings WA provides exceptional investment opportunities and the solution to create an instant and affordable housing unit. Our architectural designs fill with value, backed by a team of experienced professionals who go far beyond customer service. We offer a variety of Granny Flats Bunbury that provide accommodation space at an economically affordable price. Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to know more about our granny flats. 

[aussiepanel]

Why To Choose A Kit Home And What To Expect

Is it true that you are searching for an answer for your lodging needs that is adaptable, financially affordable and eco-friendly?Kit homes have made some amazing progress as far as nature of development, highlights and structure – to such an extent that you would be unable to choose such a home on a rural road. Another of their incredible attractions is their quick build time, which dodges the regularly extensive lead-in time of a customary brick development. Let us see some facts, which will help us to select the best.

What is a kit home?

 A kit home is a pre-assembled constructing pre-worked in sections and afterwards shipped to the site where the final assembly happens.

For what reason would I pick a unit home? 

They are an incredible alternative on the off chance that you are searching for an adaptable, secluded answer for your lodging needs. They can have quick manufacture or assembly, particularly when contrasted with a conventional brick home.

Is there a money-saving advantage to a kit home? 

Unquestionably – Because the house is pre-assembled, you maintain a strategic distance from the expense of utilizing an architect or building designer.

Would I be able to customize a kit home? 

Kit homes are modular so it is as simple as concluding that you need an additional room, for instance, which can be added to the fundamental core structure.

Are their environmental advantages to a kit home? 

Kit home or granny flats augment your living space while utilizing effectively recyclable materials, for example, steel and vitality proficient features, for example, insulation and double-glazing windows.

So, you can see how beneficial it is to purchase a kit home. It is time to understand what you can expect in the kit homes manufactured by manufacturers in New South Wales.

Little about what is beneath the skin of your kit home

The characteristic standard kit home considerations truly rely upon who your maker or provider is, as various organizations will include various things for their estimating structure. You will see that a few organizations will incorporate very similar things regardless, while others will have a "tiered" evaluating structure, where the considerations will rely upon the tier that you pick. This is the reason you truly need to plunk down with your kit home manufacturer or provider and discover precisely what has incorporation, so you can have a spending plan for every one of those things that have exclusion!

In any case, some regular standard kit home incorporations are:

Plans prepared for submission to your council

Engineer's confirmation

Frame outline or guidelines to take into consideration the simple development of the home

Foundations

Preassembled divider and rooftop boards

All essential jolts, fixings and bracings

Doors and windows counting supports and door and window furniture

Roofing materials

Guttering framework

Insulation for dividers and rooftop

External cladding, what this is will rely upon the producer

Garage doors

Wall and roof linings

Moisture safe linings for wet zones

Cornices and skirting

Architraves

Kitchen, restroom and cupboards

Wardrobes

Kitchen, restroom and laundry fittings like sinks, latrines, showers, and so forth

Appliances

Hot water framework once more, the sort will rely upon the producer

To have the best of kit homes it is ideal to rely on Aussie Panel. They have the experience and knowledge to customize their products to meet all the requirements that you have. Call at +61 (0) 411 867 333 to have a word with them to discuss your requirements.

[mystical-lemonade]

Hii I'm the anon that made that clumsy reader request and I loved your writing so much <333 I'd like to request that same prompt but for the 2nd years. If the characters are too much than I'm fine with just Riddle, Ruggie and silver <3

Warnings: minor injuries (skinned knee, sprains, bruises etc.)

Wordcount: 1,695

Pairings: Riddle Rosehearts x gn!reader, Ruggie Bucchi x gn!reader, Azul Ashengrotto x gn!reader, Jade Leech x gn!reader, Floyd Leech x gn!reader, Kalim Al Asim x gn!reader, Jamil Viper x gn!reader, Silver x gn!reader

Wants to immediately wrap you in bubble wrap

Riddle doesn't know what to do with you half the time

Watches you like a hawk

"Dear take a step back. Pivot 30 degrees left. There we go. You were about to run smack into a wall again."

He'll say its because he wants to ensure that you don't break any rules, but we all know its because he's really concerned for you

Removes all breakable objects from places you could accidentally smack into within Heartslabyul

He tries his best to make sure you don't get hurt, but when you inevitably do, he'll bring out the first aid kit and help as much as he can

He's not exactly experienced in first aid but, he does his best. And thats what's important

Will take to following you around at a distance or just checking up on you a lot

May or may not abuse his dorm leader privileges by asking his dorm members to watch out for you and make sure you don't get hurt that often.

You now have a small army of people from Heartslabyul all trying to help make sure you don't get hurt while at school.

It 100% works.

Will absolutely make fun of you

He has never in his whole life met someone as clumsy as you

Ruggie may not have much sympathy towards you, but he'll always help bandage you up when you get hurt

He's done it a little back home.

It was too expensive to go to the doctor half the time so he got really good at helping his granny when it came to cleaning up his cousins' injuries

Will require payment in snacks for patching you up so nicely.

Its only fair after all!

"With the way you're flailing like that you'd think I'd have put you under Laugh with Me Hot Stuff. Shishishishi"

Humour helps alleviate any tension that arises when you break something expensive

And when Leona goes on a rampage because you shattered his window and disturbed his nap

Ruggie will be right there beside you as you run away in fear from the angry lion man

All in all, he won't save you from your clumsiness, but he will help out afterwards

Mostly disappointed but also kinda confused???

Really you shouldn't be expecting much help from Azul

Because his immediate thought goes back to how he and the twins used to walk like that when they first got their legs

Going from 8 lower limbs down to 2 was a trip for him. Plus Gravity? He was wobbling all over the place

But you, you're human. You've always had that many legs. So just? Stop??? Tripping??

"Why? Why are you like this Doll. Seriously, I learned to walk not even two years ago and even I can walk ten steps without falling flat on my face. Just. Stop. I beg of you."

Will lose his shit if you break anything in the lounge because you tripped over your own feet

Like lifelong ban kinda loses it

He may care about you, but the wellbeing of the restaurant and has to come first when your very presence spells out a disaster with all the breakable stuff around

The good news is he will fuss over you every time you get hurt

Scolds you about being more careful, probably would suggest you do a lot of the exercises that he and the twins did to get used to legs

They may or may not help

But due to the fact Azul sees you as a walking hazard, please do them, it'll prevent him from getting early wrinkles from all the stress he's getting from being around you.

Also confused as to why you're so clumsy

He didn't even have legs prior to 2 years ago so, you really should be better at walking than this

Probably the best person to be clumsy around

He'll usually catch all the things you knock over

Steady you with a hand when you almost trip and fall

"Careful now Dearest~ You could have gotten hurt there. You are quite lucky to have fallen within arms reach of me. Fufufu~"

Wrap up and injuries you get should you get hurt

However...sometimes he'll just, let you fall.

And he'll watch you with those maliciously amused eyes of his as you get up from where you landed

He'd make sure you weren't hurt too bad but still. Sometimes he just enjoys watching you flail a little

He finds your genetic incompetence at a basic skill endearing.

After a bit he may force you into doing the lessons he took to be able to walk normally. So be on the look out for that

Finds your clumsiness to be kinda fun at first

He could swoop in and pick you up for an impromptu squeezing session that he could hide as saving you from yourself

After a while though, Floyd does get bored of that. The novelty of you being a clutz wore off and now he sees it totally different.

Can actually be quite mean when it comes down to it

At that point he'd become kind of moody and refuse to help you any more.

"No Pearl! I'm not helping you pick up glass again. Its boring. Maybe if you'd stop breaking stuff I'd be having fun again."

If he learned how to walk normally after living 16 of his years without legs at and you still can't when you were born with them? Then that's on you

Any damages you inflict are your fault for not being able to human properly in his eyes

That attitude changes quick the first time you get injured enough that you either sprain a limb or start bleeding

Then Floyd refuses to allow you to walk anymore

Clearly you can't be trusted, but don't worry, Your Eel in Shining Armour will carry you everywhere you go, so you never have to put your feet on the ground ever again

And yes, if he finds out you've been asking he will get pouty and mad

Does he care that its an unreasonable and quite frankly dumb restriction he's placed on you

Not at all

So you better either ask for those essonne he got to learn to walk, or suck it up and never use you legs again.

He's actually way more concerned about your health than anything you could possibly break

Kalim would fuss over every bruise you get

He doesn't really know why you're so clumsy but accepts it as part of who you are

So he mostly tries to steer you away from sharp edges.

Reminds you of low hanging doorways

Or of that one uneven step going up to history class you always trip over

Tries his best to be supportive even though he genuinely worries for you

"Baby, are you okay? I saw that tumble you took there. Are you sure your ankle is okay?"

Convinces you to start dancing with him more often. It helps with coordination, so hopefully you'll have fun while also learning about where your body parts are in relation to the world so you stop hurting yourself all the time

You did give Jamil a stroke the first time you broke something expensive.

Kalim had to spend a while bringing him back down from that episode.

Wants to immediately wrap you in bubble wrap 2.0

Jamil is genuinely so stressed out by you being clumsy

Like at the rate you keep almost pitching yourself off of the balcony, Jamil will have a full head of grey hair before he's 20

He tries to be sympathetic

But after the 3rd time you dropped someone fragile because you bumped into a doorway in one hour?

He gave up

"You know what? Thats it. I'm done. No more of you flailing around like this Blossom. Either you learn to walk like a human and not a freshly born deer. Or i will do something about this."

Jamil will not allow you into the dorm unless you are riding on his back

He has hidden and locked away everything that you could possibly destroy

Thats right Jamil baby proofed his dorm room because of you

Good news is while he'll scold you for being so clumsy, he will bandage you up if you get hurt.

Will eventually beg you to go to the doctors. Because this level of clumsiness could be a sign of some underlying health conditions.

An actual Knight in Shining armour

Probably the most normal if all the second years when it comes to your clumsy nature

Silver will request that you allow him to escort you between your classes, as well as back home.

Genuinely very sweet how he does ensure that you remain relatively unharmed

Silver keeps his arm looped around your waist as you walk together

He'll guide you away from sharp corner and make sure to look out for things you could break accidentally

His reflexes are no joke either. He can catch most things you knock over before they hit the ground

All while he keeps his arm secure around your waist.

He is super caring every time you get injured, he even carries around a bunch of cute bandaids with little cats on them for you

"Love, please just let me take care of these for you. You fell down a flight of stairs, and skinned your knees. I can bandage them for you."

All in all, Silver is so sweet to you. 10/10 for a clumsy person looking for someone.

Thank you for the request Dear. The rules do say not to ask for more than 5, but due to how the fact i haven't been posting as much recently as I'd like to I did do all of them. However for all who are reading this, in the future please only request a max of 5, i repeat this post is a one time thing, please only request up to a MAX of FIVE (5) characters. Unless you're requesting the defined exception of the dorm leaders that is~ I do hope you enjoyed the post regardless.

If you liked the post and want to see more from me feel free to send me a request . See you soon~

Sincerely Jupiter

[humanmoodring-retired]

Season’s Yeetings Pt. 1 || Blanche, Connor, Nadia (x2), Regan, and Kaden

TIMING: Present PARTIES: @harlowhaunted @connorspiracy @humanmoodring @kadavernagh @chasseurdeloup SUMMARY: Another exorcism. feat. Mav the Exorcist CONTENT: Self harm, suicide attempt (possession-driven)

If it could, Nadia was sure that her heart would be beating way too fast. She was… scared didn’t seem like it could properly encompass what she was feeling. Nervous and terrified and resigned in case things went wrong. And this could really go wrong. This could go terribly, actually, ending with not just a dead body but the wrong spirit also being destroyed. But she didn’t think she could handle being like this for much longer, and she knew that there was no way in hell Cordelia could be allowed to keep her body and do whatever she wanted with it. This had to end, no matter what. She looked around her apartment, covered in dust and messy as the day she’d walked out. This was the first time she’d been in it since the wards had been put up, and it hurt a bit to be back. This was somewhere that she’d once felt safe, comfortable. She didn’t know if she’d ever feel comfortable again if she made it out of this. But she needed to steel her resolve. She looked over at the others, gave them a nod and what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “We’re just waiting for Kaden and the exorcist, right?” And her body, of course, but that didn’t need to be voiced, did it?

Regan knew that she didn’t need to remind Nadia of what she had said in the cabin. It was as good as a promise, even though she couldn’t say the word. Nadia wouldn’t die alone. No matter what happened here today, Regan could at least give her that. And anything could happen. The first aid kit Regan had set on the counter was testament to that. Nadia didn’t want to acknowledge it verbally, but her tense expressions and manic pacing -- sometimes through the floor -- said what her words didn’t. She was terrified. In some moments, Regan allowed herself to be, too. This wasn’t how Regan wanted to come back to their apartment together, both of them ghosts of their former selves, but if today went in their favor -- and she would do anything she possibly could to see that it would -- one of them could be saved.

When Blanche and a young man who she assumed to be Connor arrived, Regan backed up to the opposite side of the room, staring across at them with a tight frown and black eyes. She didn’t greet them, but she wouldn’t shame them either. She didn’t have anger inside of her anymore -- not enough to speak -- but from an objective point of view, she did blame the two of them for Nadia’s current predicament. They would set this right, or they would face consequences. They both seem determined but anxious, focused with heavy steps and tight knuckles. Blanche, especially, seemed more an adult than she ever had before. Regan silently watched as some parts of the stage were set. Candles, salt, metal which looked dangerously like iron, and more. For her own contribution, she pushed the furniture to the sides of the room, creating an open space in the center. She could see all of their footprints in the dust, layered on top of each other and the ones she had left just a couple of weeks ago. When that was done, she went back to her wall, maintaining as much distance as possible from anyone who wasn’t Nadia. “Yes,” Regan replied, Nadia’s nervous smile melting through her a little, “Kaden said he would be ready at twenty after.” She checked her watch. Soon. “As for the-- I don’t know anything about them.”

Did it make him look better or worse to show up with homework? Photocopied pages lay folded in his back pocket, but he hadn’t dared pull them out in front of the others. He’d read them countless times anyway. Connor was more than grateful for the material’s Leah had copied from her archives for him, as well as everything he'd found while researching with Rio, but he still hadn’t managed to find anything that related to the exact situation they’d found themselves in. As far as he could tell, exorcising the wrong soul from a body just didn’t happen all that often. He supposed either he was that much of a fuck up, or Nadia’s situation was just that special. Regardless, he reckoned the older exorcist would know. “Do you know where Kaden found this bloke?” Connor asked nobody in particular. He wondered if it would be impolite to smoke a cigarette while they waited. He opted against it, since the woman with the dark eyes seemed ready to kill him at any moment. “I mean, I appreciate the help. I really do. I just wanna check what exactly we know about him.”

The somber expression on Blanche’s face couldn’t seem to leave, even as she entered the apartment and took a look at Nadia and Regan. “Hey,” she said in greeting, her tone flat. She couldn’t say much else. Blanche dropped her smaller bag on a piece of furniture and began to set up as much as she could - Blanche was conscious enough to keep the iron as far from Regan as possible. She glanced at Connor as he began to speak, pulling the long black bag she had on her back off. “He has his connections. I’m sure he’s adequate,” Blanche replied, though she was unsure too. Granny had instilled a distrust of exorcists in her from when she was young. She wasn’t sure how much of that was out of fear of being exorcised herself, but Blanche knew that a lot of people liked to masquerade with powers they didn’t actually have for the chance to get quick cash from desperate people. She unzipped the large bag, before pausing, with a frown. Warily, she announced, “I borrowed a shotgun from a friend,” she said, pulling it out. Well, really, she borrowed it from Stan, who was all too keen to give her a firearm after she got stabbed in his place of business. “It’s loaded with salt rounds. In case things get… Bad.” She glanced at the door, moving her equipment out of the way. “I suppose we’ll hear them.” She looked to Connor. “And we’ll feel Cordelia whenever she’s nearby.”

It had been so long since Kaden pulled up to Regan’s apartment, pulling up to park in front of the building felt strange and foreign at this point. Putain, he hated that. Still, there was a small sense of relief. This was finally almost over. “Welcome home,” he said to Cordelia as he led her from the car up to the top floor. It was eerie being here, even though there were plenty of people waiting inside. Maybe it was because of how abandoned the building felt now. Maybe it was because of how defeated Cordelia seemed, almost accepting of her fate. Almost. Didn’t matter. He carted her upstairs and walked her in. His heart caught in his chest as he looked around the room. Empty, cleared out, and covered in dust nothing like he remembered. It was strange to see it like this. It was strange, too, to see Regan in this context. Willingly, at that. Black eyes and distanced, it was almost easy to forget who it was. Almost. This wasn’t the return to this building he expected for both of them. He winced when he remembered what he’d done to Cordelia’s wrist. Nadia’s body’s wrist. Hopefully Regan didn’t think too poorly of him. But it was too late to do anything about it now. And if this worked, a broken wrist was the least of Nadia’s worries. Blanche was here, too. With a shotgun no less. He shot her a look but let it lie. And also some kid he assumed was Connor. He couldn’t see Nadia even if he wanted to. Now where the fuck was this exorcist?

“Howdy, folks,” the man with a mustache said as he walked through the door behind Kaden, tipping his stetson. “I heard we have a big here nut to crack.” He took a good look around the room and assessed the situation. “I see you all followed instructions. Thank you kindly, this set up should work just fine. Just fine.” He noted the handcuffed woman in the center of the room and made a quick guess that was the little lady in question. “Mr. Langley, good to see you again. I suppose some introductions might be in order. My name’s Maverick, but you can call me Mav.” He was told there was going to be a medium, another younger exorcist, and a banshee. He wasn’t sure what a banshee was doing in these here parts or what her particular interest was in this here ghost, but he wasn’t one to question. Not if he was going to rake and scrape himself together a handsome pay day out of this job. “First thing’s first. I believe a repossession is in order, is that the case here? No need to dilly dally if we’re all ready and raring to go. You all know the plan?”

“What a fucking gentleman,” Nadia snapped at Kaden as they walked into her old apartment. Good memories, she remembered. There was the cabinet where she stored all of her equipment, and that was the couch that she’d passed out on after a couple of good heist, and there was what was left of the kitchen table that she’d definitely destroyed on her way out of this place. She rolled her shoulders, felt Kaden’s knife shift from where she’d tucked it in the waistband of her jeans, the shirt covering it up. She’d just need to snap her handcuffs off like she had the last time this happened. Whatever, she could do it. She could do it. She looked around the room, glancing at the little banshee, the children, the shadow of her host. “Howdy, folks,” she said mockingly. “This looks like a party, huh?” When the mustachioed hombre walked in, she rolled her eyes and glanced at the shadow, at Nadia Diaz. Give me your best shot, she said with her eyes.

For her part, Nadia didn’t know what the hell she was supposed to do. This next part was on her, right? She had to get this started, wasn’t she? She was. Of course she was. But she was a bit nervous. Really nervous. Scared, maybe, was the right word. She gritted her teeth as she and Cordelia stared at each other, steeling herself. All she could see was her reflection in the mirror, grinning as she faded out of existence. Except Nadia couldn’t fade now. She couldn’t. She couldn’t. She stepped forward instead. “Right. I-- I repossess her, and you exorcise her out, right?” It sounded easy. This was her body, too. It was her body. She could do this. “Is there…” She trailed off as she looked at Cordelia. What a mess the two of them had made of her life. Looking in that woman’s eyes, her eyes, Nadia knew what she wanted. She wanted her fucking life back. “Is there anything else I should do?”

For a moment, Regan lifted herself from the wall when Kaden walked in, yearning to approach. But now wasn’t the time for so many reasons, and she was forgetting herself. Cordelia -- Nadia’s body -- was dragged in, wrist swollen under the handcuffs in a way that made Regan think it might be broken. Would Kaden have-- later, that was something to think about later. Once Nadia was in there again. So she stayed glued to the edge of the room, eyes flitting between Nadia, Kaden, and the shotgun that looked so massive and out of place in Blanche’s small hands. There was only one more person they were waiting on now, and just as Regan thought it, their final party member swung into the room looking like a man straight out of a spaghetti western, but far scrawnier. He appeared almost as malnourished as that child Blanche and Kaden were friendly with, Rio. But despite his protein deficiencies, his mustache still glistened under the dull lightbulbs -- which Regan suspected wouldn’t be there long considering her own track record -- and he seemed energized and ready. Where on earth had Kaden found this man?

“Hello,” Regan said in response, her first words to anyone other than Nadia, “What are your credentials?” She bore into him, not stepping any closer. Was Nadia really ready to pour all of her trust and hopes into this? Regan looked over to her friend for a moment, seeing her fear and tenseness. She offered a hand, though she knew Nadia couldn’t exactly take it; maybe it would still be enough. “I’m Regan. I’m here for Nadia. I’m a-- I was a doctor. I will not let anyone die here today.” As for Mav’s question, she had no answer for him; she’d leave that to Blanche and Connor to answer. She relayed her friend’s concerns instead, in case Mav or others were unable to hear her. “Nadia is wondering if there’s anything she should do.”

Connor's eyes widened as Blanche drew the weapon. "You bloody Americans and your guns," he sighed, but they could have done worse in this situation than a rocksalt shotgun. It was powerful, yet non-lethal, at least at the right distance. "Just be careful. Get too close and you'll blow her fucking chest out even without actual bullets." Thankfully, Kaden and Cordelia's arrival saved them from further conversation about the weapon. "Oh, you're as lovely as ever, darlin'," Connor scoffed, his confidence boosted by the presence of the others in the room. Kaden seemed as gloomy and squinty-eyed as the last time Connor had seen him clearing Snicker-Snackers out of his apartment, yet this time, the weight of his bad mood was far, far heavier.

Connor stood as the final man walked into the room, raising an eyebrow as if this was some type of bloody joke. He imagined this was what John Wayne would look like as an exorcist. "Mav," he repeated, extending his hand. "Y'alright, mate? I'm Connor. I'm gonna be helping you out with this one." He was glad he wasn't the only one who wanted to know the stranger's credentials. Thankfully, Regan had saved him from asking the man directly. He could feel Nadia's nerves, her fear, and somewhere in there, her determination. Connor couldn't touch her, couldn't offer a comforting hand, but he gave her as reassuring a smile as he could manage. "Just stay strong, yeah? Stay focused. You got this."

“I know. If I didn’t know how to use it, I wouldn’t have it,” Blanche snapped quietly at Connor, her already bad temper souring even further. She refused to look at Cordelia, there was no need, considering Nadia hadn’t yet repossessed her body. She wouldn’t need to watch for the struggle for control between them -- not yet, at least. Blanche pressed her lips together into a thin line, examining the exorcist carefully. Had she died and woken up in a bad Western? Blanche was with Regan on this one, and she glanced at the Banshee quickly before turning back to Mav. What were this man’s credentials? It wasn’t like she could ask for a CV or an exorcist license… Blanche slung the shotgun over her shoulder, finally stepping forward to greet him. “Blanche. Medium. I’ll be running telekinetic interference in case it gets…” She let out a breath, remembering the telekinetic game of tug-of-war her and Constance played in the classroom. She had thrown the teacher’s desk through a window. Blanche grimaced, and she hoped they didn’t completely trash Nadia’s apartment. “Completely out of hand.” Eyes narrow, Blanche glanced at Nadia. “Whenever you’re ready to begin, Nadia. Just like we practiced.” She looked back at Mav, still distrusting of him. Finally, lowering her voice, she asked. “You can tell what she is, right? The spirit in the body?” He had to at least be able to answer that Cordelia was a poltergeist. It was the only question she could think to answer to make sure they weren’t getting scammed.

Kaden wanted to go over to Regan, give her hand a quick squeeze of reassurance before slinking off to the side, but it wouldn’t help. The only thing that would help was finishing this, giving Nadia back what was hers. He wished he could see her, give her some reassurance before all this started. “Mav’s one of the best there is. Trust me,” he said before backing away to the door. He had to be. After what Kaden sacrificed to get him here, he had to be. This wouldn’t be for nothing. “I’ll be right at the door. Let me know if you need me.” With that he headed to the door, giving the scene one last look. He really hoped he’d be useless here and it’d be over sooner rather than later. He had to trust this was the best group possible to make this happen.

Mav gave the hunter a nod. “I’ll call on you if I need you, partner.” He didn’t know much about this Langley fellow but he trusted Porter would only refer him to someone worth his time. And this case sure sounded like a doozy. “Nice to meet you, youngin,” he said, shaking Connor’s hand. “I hope you’re good and ready for this rodeo. It’s sure to be a hullabaloo. Just follow my lead and stay by me.” It seemed like Mav and Mr. Langley might be the only two in the room who couldn’t see ghosts by the sound of it. That was alright, he didn’t need to see them to exorcise them. “Telekinesis? Well I'll be damned. That’s a horse of a different color right there, boy howdy.” That was more than he bargained for from a medium. This might not be a total disaster after all. Maybe they had a shot. Though not if they all kept on questioning him. He hoped he could settle this score and keep the quarreling to the spirits. “Young lady, I’ve been dealing with ghosts and performing exorcisms since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I know a poltergeist when I feel one and you’d best believe I know how to handle one so none of y’all need to fret about any credentials, you hear?”

Mav fastened his hat on his head a little tighter and rolled up his sleeves before pulling out his grand pappy’s old iron pocket watch. It was a silly old trinket, but it was a fool proof focal point for him. “We’ll need our Ms. Diaz to repossess her body. Once she’s in there, we’ll start the exorcism. The circle here should keep little lady Cordelia trapped while we do the banishment. There’s bound to be a lot of rattling and hollering but it’s very important that once I start wagging my mouth that no one interrupts me. One missed syllable is all it’ll take for things to go belly up in a delicate situation such as this one. So if we’re ready to start wobbling jaws and get this show on the road, y’all need to be absolutely sure you’re ready.”

Just repossess the body. That was all Nadia needed to worry about doing. She looked at where Cordelia and her body waited within the circle. The moment she crossed that line, she’d be stuck in there with a homicidal maniac until everything was completed. The way that Cordelia looked at her without really seeing her would have chilled Nadia to the bones. This had to be the most twisted form of self-loathing, when her own eyes were filled with so much hate, but she wasn’t even in there. Nadia looked at Regan’s hand and, comforted, stepped forward. Cordelia straightened up, her mouth set in a hard line. Nadia crossed into the circle, and there was no going back. She stood toe to toe with her own body, her feet floating off the ground and making her an inch or so taller. Once again, Nadia felt like she was staring at her reflection in a mirror back in Phoenix, blood on her hands and a smile that wasn’t hers, had never been hers, stretching across her mouth. She was done with this. Nadia reached her hand out and grabbed her own shoulder.

It felt weird, feeling Nadia Diaz’s hand pass through her body, but the sensation meant that the repossession didn’t work, and all Nadia could do was laugh. “You can’t even be dead properly, can you?” she hissed at the translucent figure in front of her. “God, any ghost worth their shit can possess. Come on, champ, try again.” She looked out amongst the group in front of them, from the little banshee to the cowboy, sneering. Bet they felt like dumbasses, backing the wrong Nadia. She was clearly the better of the two, more in control and more capable of taking care of this body. Not that it’d matter for long, but, shit, it was as if Nadia didn’t even want it anymore. Just like when Nadia had taken over, the girl had no fight. She couldn’t have fought back if she wanted to. “Didn’t you hear me, you dumb bitch? Try aga--” Nadia gasped, and, for the first time in weeks, she wasn’t alone in her head anymore.

The first thing Nadia noticed was that she was unbalanced. She wobbled a bit, trying to remember how to plant her feet on solid ground. Her wrist hurt. Her throat hurt. Her head was killing her. She had to blink tears out of her eyes for a moment as everything came back into focus. She was trembling, but she could feel it. She could feel everything, not just herself, and the weight of it was crushing. It was relieving. But she could feel Cordelia, too, just underneath the surface, and the poltergeist was so much stronger than she was. However, Cordelia wasn’t the one that was used to being possessed, and this would always be Nadia’s body first. For a moment, and just a moment, she had total control, even if the spirit taking up residence in her body fought like a motherfucker. “Now,” she gasped out, locking eyes with anyone that she could. “Start now. You’ve got to start now.”

Regan wasn’t sure why Blanche felt the need to mention her size to Mav (she was more shrimpy than medium, though neither of those words were qualitative enough for Regan’s liking), but she was already struggling to follow everything else that was happening. Telekinesis? Horses? A pocket watch that made a shiver roll down her spine? Instead of trying to make sense of nonsense, she turned her attention to Nadia and Kaden. As much as she wanted him to stay here, she knew it was important that someone guard the door. The last thing they needed was for Cordelia to escape… or for Ms. Carmody to wander up insisting to see what was causing all the noise. Despite not agreeing with Mav’s chosen terminology, she understood that his warning about interruption was to be taken seriously, and for a moment, she considered promising that she wouldn’t interfere. But… what if she had to? What if there was no other option? What if Nadia’s death would be a result not of the “exorcism,” but of Regan’s inability to intervene? So she held her tongue as tightly as she held Nadia’s gaze. Her fingers felt nothing as she tried to graze her friend’s hand, but something in Nadia’s eyes told her that it helped a little nonetheless. Regan only wished she could do more. She wasn’t the best at inspirational speeches, but it seemed prudent to remind Nadia that she believed in her. “You were shot by a mime and wouldn’t even come to me for stitches,” Regan said, voice resolute, “you’ve been using hydrogen peroxide on your wounds despite my warnings, and you fearlessly confronted all of those dangerous individuals at 66 Brimme Stonne. There’s likely more that I don’t even know about.” That thought sank like a stone inside of her. “You can do this, Nadia. You’re tough and, to my chagrin, occasionally medically irresponsible. But most importantly tough. And I’ll be here. No matter what.” That was a promise Regan would have made if she could.

At Mav’s instruction, Nadia drifted into the center of the room, where Cordelia stood in handcuffs. Though Regan had seen both of them individually before, seeing them in one place, staring each other down, was maddening. Some part of her wanted to explain all of this away as a hallucination, but she couldn’t lie about that, not even to herself any longer. There was no imagining Cordelia’s fury out of nowhere, either -- it was very real, even directed at someone so insubstantial as Nadia. There wasn’t even a tremor under Cordelia’s voice; she thought herself invincible, truly believing that Nadia was going to die trying. More impossible things unfolded -- Nadia vanished. Regan looked down, expecting her to pop back up through the floor, but she didn’t. Her head swiveled frantically as she searched the room. Nadia was gone. But Cordelia -- something was changing across her face. And her balance. Cordelia nearly fell, and Regan was caught off guard by how Cordelia’s voice changed. Uncertain, fearful, frenzied, with a backbone of determination. Regan knew, then -- that was where Nadia had gone, somehow. She stayed back, lingering at the side of the room as she looked to Mav, pleading silently with him to save her friend.

Bloody hell, there were a lot of people here. Most of them actual adults. This wasn't like last time when it was a bunch of kids in the woods just hoping to get this right. Connor wasn't sure if he was intimidated by that, or comforted by it. "Right," he said, nodding and stepping into position next to Mav, trying not to let the man's colourful use of language blur his judgement. They wouldn't have invited him if he wasn't capable. This was Nadia's life at stake. "I've got you, mate." He touched his focal point, currently nestled inside his pocket. It would make its real appearance once they were ready. "You got this, Nadia," he said again, looking at her sincerely and giving her an encouraging nod.

Connor could feel the palpable tension in the room. He felt the poltergeist's fury, the struggle, the pain. He focused on the battling spirits, never taking his eyes off them, ready to leap in at any moment regardless of not knowing how he could help. "She's winning," he said, managing a hopeful smile. But they weren't out of the woods yet... There was still the rest of it to do. "Quick, I'll start getting everything in place, yeah?" No wobbly mouths, or waggling jaws, or whatever the cowboy had said. The ritual had to go perfectly. He drew the diagrams around the Nadias, taking the relics and items as Mav handed them to him, the two of them settling the playing field as Nadia and Cordelia fought for control over the other. "You’ve won, okay Nadia? Stay strong, we're almost there," he called to her.

The mustached exorcist watched and waited as the spirit of Nadia Diaz returned to her own body. Mav almost wished he could see it proper, but he didn’t need to see to know what was going on. The energy shifted around them, forces battling to occupy the same space, and beyond that, he wasn’t a spring chicken. He could hear the arguments back and forth. When she said the word, Mav didn’t hesitate to start chanting. He gripped his fingers tight around the chain of the pocket watch as he formed the Latin clean and precise even with his accent peaking through, narrowing in on the energy until it was clear and crisp as sweet tea on a summer’s day. In normal circumstances, he’d never need to focus his energy like this, not for a basic removal ritual. But this? This was three gallons of crazy in a two gallon bucket. The spirit that belonged to the body was weaker, it would take everything he had to pull the poltergeist away. And then a little more than that to banish it back to hell and keep Ms Diaz from heading down to the bone orchard herself. He felt the words forming a bond of energy, like the chain from his watch, latching onto the poltergeist and pulling at it, peeling it away from the body. She was tough as a pine nut. A focal point wasn’t enough. Without dropping a phrase, he nodded to Connor and reached out to him to pull from him, to strengthen the chain. It was going to need to be strong as steel, iron even, to make this work. But Maverick Mulaney was no failure, no sir.

Blanche understood Mav’s exasperation, but she wasn’t quick to drop her skepticism. Once it was all over, she could apologize -- or kill him, if she ended up being right. The somber thought made her grimace, even as Nadia succeeded in overtaking Cordelia and the removal started. The energy in the room was thick and made her skin tingle uncomfortably. Watching Mav start to pull from Connor, Blanche backed away and started inching closer to Regan. “Regan?” She said quietly, not taking her eyes off Nadia and Cordelia. This was probably the first thing she had said to Regan directly in a very long time, but it was better to warn her now then let her be surprised. She had seen the first exorcism, and Nadia’s screams of pain weren’t something she would soon forget. That said, maybe with the removal it would be, at least, a little better. “Once Cordelia is out, it’ll get better for Nadia.” She spoke softly so she wouldn’t disturb Mav or Connor’s concentration. “... Well… Maybe not better. But it probably won’t get worse,” she corrected herself. Her hands tightened on the gun, and let out a hissed wince as her body began to feel like ice. “I think he knows what he’s doing.” Blanche was struck again with a sort of sadness and pity for Cordelia, as well as the familiar guilt in her gut, but she shook it off. There would be time to lament her choices later, now she had to keep a careful eye on Nadia.  She narrowed her eyes at Nadia, taking a few steps forward as she tried to watch for Cordelia’s soul to be ripped out of Nadia’s body. “C’mon, c’mon. Let her go.” Blanche hissed under her breath. Before it killed Nadia.

Just like last time, Nadia felt a pulling sensation, like she was being ripped in half. She gritted her teeth against the pain so hard that she tasted iron in her mouth, but she stayed in control for as long as she could. This was working. They were going to win this. Granted, she felt like her insides were coming apart, as the connection with Cordelia that had literally just reformed was severed again and again and again. Cordelia raged against her skull, but Nadia held on as much as she could. If she concentrated, she could hear Mav chanting. She focused on that, on the sounds of words in a language that she didn’t understand. If she made it out of this-- When, when she made it out of this, she was going to start learning a new language. Maybe a dead language, something that could be useful in this fucking town. But she was making it out of this. Fuck, it was cold. It was so cold. Nadia felt herself trembling, and she opened her mouth to say something, but she didn’t say anything at all. She screamed.

“No!” Nadia screamed out, finally regaining control as the temperature in the room plummeted and the lights surged with her anger. No. This wasn’t happening. She wasn’t losing this. Not now. Not now. Just like in the last exorcism, she reached inward, to that part of her that was dead and had been for so long but refused to fucking stay that way. Again, the felt the shackles, fucking handcuffs of all things, fall from her wrist, but this time, she knew she wouldn’t make it out in time. She had one last Hail Mary. She didn’t even feel the pain in Nadia’s wrist as she gripped the knife hidden behind her back as tightly as she could. Lightning fast, she ran it against Nadia’s neck, leaving a thin red line. But that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Too quick. Nadia Diaz would die suffering. She felt herself being pulled, pulled out of the body, but Nadia clung on as hard as she could, planted her heels, and dug the knife into Nadia’s stomach. It was poetic, wasn’t it? This was where she’d stabbed Kaden, where she’d stabbed the little medium. She gritted her teeth and dug in more, as much as she could. It wasn’t a big knife, sure, but she was a determined gal, and she didn’t give a fuck about Nadia’s pain. Not anymore. Then, Nadia wasn’t pulled out of Nadia’s body. She pushed herself out.

[kithomesnation]

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ZsaszMask Week Day 1: Pumpkin

Happy ZsaszMask Week the First! Many thanks to @mashimero for putting this together. I’m gonna do my best to stay on schedule and post something every day.

Kicking things off with some seasonally appropriate trauma set in The Arkham Home For Troubled Youth AU.  Features kids swearing, background Hattercrow, violence done to innocent pumpkins, and very indirect references to child abuse, dead parents, and self-harm.

Also on AO3.

--

“How’re you not excited for Halloween?”

Roman scowled at Jon across a table strewn with several pumpkins and the contents of just as many pumpkin-carving kits. “Every day is Halloween in this sickhouse.”

“Yeah, it’s great,” the taller boy grinned, thoughtfully sorting through the various jack-o’-lantern patterns. “But this is real Halloween. I never got t’ have real Halloween before. Granny always said it was the Devil’s work. Oh! Look at this one!”

Jon grabbed a pattern of a wide, grinning cat face and held it in front of his own. “Jervis’ll like this.”

“Well, it’s stupid,” Roman said. “So probably.”

“Don’ be a dick,” Jon scoffed, lowering the paper. “I wan’ him to have a good time. I don’ think they even have Halloween in England.” He set the cat face carefully to the side and went back to studying the rest of the patterns. “But he’ll have a great first one. It’s really cool a’ the rich boy t’ take us all trick-or-treatin’ in his rich neighborhood.”

Roman bristled, baring his teeth and growling his words out between them. “His name is Bruce.”

“We always go trick-or-treating with Bruce,” Victor suddenly spoke up, jumping in like he always did when he knew Roman was about to do something especially stupid. He was kneeling in the chair next to Roman’s, struggling to cut a lid into a pumpkin with one of the thin, flimsy knives from the kits. “His parents have a big party every Halloween, so we all meet there, and then his butler drives us to all the houses. It’s cool ‘cause it’s too far to walk, and we get to eat candy in the car. And then we have a sleepover if it’s not a school night.”

“And it’s not!” Jon crowed, successfully distracted from a potential fight with Roman, which was probably for the best. Roman thought he might be stronger than Jon, but Jon was taller and quicker and claimed to know karate. “I can’t wait! It’s gonna be the best night. Candy and scary movies and monsters and zombies and ghosts!”

Victor’s face blanked out at the last items on that list, and he went still. Roman sat up in his chair, hackles rising again, but he wasn’t as fast as Victor was at averting disasters. Jon had seen and was already leering at Victor, grin as wide and toothy as the jack-o’-lantern patterns.

“Oh?” he said, teasing and delighted. “Are you sca-a-ared of those?”

“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?!” Roman roared, slamming his hands on the table hard enough to hurt and make the pumpkins wobble dangerously. The look on Jon’s face was almost worth it.

“Th’ hell’s your problem?! I was only askin’--”

“Dead things should stay dead,” Victor said flatly, once again cutting in before Roman could receive the ass-kicking he just kept asking for. Except Roman wasn’t sure he’d meant to do it this time. The way he was staring down at the partially lobotomized pumpkin, Roman wasn’t sure he was aware of them at all.

At least Jon wasn’t a complete idiot and noticed it, too, his eyes widening as he stuttered out an apology. “Oh, sh-shit, I’m sorry. I-I didn’ mean--”

Victor suddenly stabbed the tiny carving knife into the pumpkin with such force Roman was sure it would snap in half.

“This isn’t working,” he said, still in that flat tone, and pushed back from the table to disappear into the kitchen, leaving the knife wedged in the top of the pumpkin, wobbling slowly to a standstill.

“Fuuuck,” Jon groaned, shrinking back into his own chair and looking guiltily at Roman. “I swear I didn’ mean anythin’. I jus’... I forgot...”

How do you just forget something like that? Roman wanted to ask, except that he had sort of forgotten, too. Or else he might have realized where the conversation might end up and could have stopped it. He should’ve stopped it.

“Don’t say stupid shit like that to him,” he said, anger already fizzling out and leaving him exhausted. “He’s just a kid.”

“Yeah. Yeah…” Jon stood and awkwardly gathered the cat face pattern and a few others into a stack in his hands. “I’ll jus’... go see if Jervis likes any a’ these... Sorry.”

Roman slumped back into his chair once Jon was gone, sighing and grimacing as he peeled his still-stinging palms from the table and turned them over to look. They were red.

Little socked footsteps heralded Victor’s return, and Roman hurriedly rubbed his hands together to soothe and hide them. Victor didn’t need to worry about him right now. The smaller boy climbed back into the chair next to Roman, holding a kitchen knife almost as long as his arm. Roman eyed it warily, but didn’t say anything just yet.

“He won’t say anything like that to you again,” he began, speaking softly and reassuringly, carefully watching Victor’s face. He looked sad and a little confused, but that was better than the blank look from before. The dead look. “I’ll kick his ass if he does.”

Victor sighed. “Dr. Thompkins doesn’t want you getting into fights.” He was quiet and didn’t look at Roman, but he smiled, just a little, and that made Roman smile, too.

And feel a hundred times worse about what he had to say next.

“She doesn’t want you using that knife either.”

Victor’s tiny smile immediately vanished, and Roman hated himself a little more than usual. “I have to cut the pumpkin,” he insisted, his grip on the knife’s handle tightening. “The little one doesn’t work.”

“Okay. But maybe we should wait for her to-- Hey!” His hand shot out to grab Victor’s arm as he raised the knife. “You’re not supposed to have something that sharp!”

His voice broke on the word, and he swallowed hard, sliding his hand down to curl around Victor’s tiny wrist gently, so carefully. “Put it down,” he said, much softer, lowering both their hands. “C’mon, kid. Let’s put it down.”

The knife dropped to the table with a clunk, and instantly Roman filled Victor’s empty hand with his own.

“It’s okay,” he said, squeezing tightly as Victor lowered his head to stare at the floor. Roman wasn’t as good at comforting Victor as the reverse, but he was learning. “It’s okay.”

They sat like that for a long, quiet minute, not quite looking at each other. Finally, Roman heard a sniffle, and Victor’s hand squeezed back. “Roman…?”

“Yeah?”

“How come you aren’t excited?” Victor lifted his head to frown at him. His eyes were always sort of wet and shiny, so it was hard to tell if he’d been crying. “You love Halloween.”

“Halloween’s fine,” Roman sniffed, frowning right back. He didn’t want to talk about it, and he didn’t want Victor worrying about him, but it was hard to say no when Victor looked at him with those big eyes, wanting something else to think about. It felt like being tricked.

He let go of Victor’s hand and shrugged. “I just don’t wanna go back there.”

Victor cocked his head like a little bird. No, a puppy. “You don’t want to go home?”

“It’s not home anymore, Victor!” Roman suddenly shouted, slapping the table again. “We don’t live there. We don’t live there anymore, and now we’re gonna go back, and... Everyone will be there, and it’s the first time since... since we left, and... And they’re gonna know now! They know... what happened, and that we... But now we’re going back like it’s normal, and Bruce should’ve known--!”

Roman curled his hands into fists and stuffed them into his armpits so he wouldn’t hit the table again. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to think about it, and he didn’t want to yell at Victor, and he didn’t want to be crying, but...

The rich boy and his rich neighborhood.

Because Bruce was the only rich boy now, and Roman and Victor weren’t. Because it was still Bruce’s neighborhood, and Roman and Victor didn’t belong there anymore. Because even though Bruce came to visit and get his head shrunk, he didn’t have to live in the crazy house with the crazy kids nobody wanted. Because Bruce had someone who loved him and took care of him, and Roman and Victor--

“It’s okay.” Victor’s arms wrapped around Roman’s trembling shoulders, hanging on tight as he climbed from his chair into Roman’s. They were both bigger now and couldn’t fit in the same seat like they used to, but that didn’t matter much when Roman grabbed him around the middle and hauled him into his lap. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not!” Roman sobbed, burying his face in Victor’s shoulder and gripping his shirt with both hands. “It’s not okay.”

“It’s not,” Victor echoed, and Roman was certain he was crying now, too. But he nuzzled his little blonde head next to Roman’s and just held him tighter, the way he had since the hospital, since the funeral. Like even when he let go, he hadn’t really. “But that’s okay, too.”