kenneth-carson

[kenneth-carson]

@gabrobichaux

Ken blinked at this answer. It wasn't that he hadn't heard it before– in fact, since returning to Swynlake he had been running into it over and over. So, really, he shouldn't have been surprised when people kept saying they didn't want to be paid with money. It was just jarring after a decade of getting it drilled into him that nothing could go unpaid. That debts could not be left for later. That everyone wanted something, and that it was usually money. Even if he didn't have the demon sitting inside of him anymore, his mother's lessons hadn't suddenly vacated the premises.

So while she was ready and willing to move on with the conversation, he just had to make sure that this wasn't going to cause an issue later on down the line. He didn't think Gabby was someone like that honestly, but he never knew– money could make people act very strange sometimes.

"I'm sorry, not to ignore your questions or anything, but...are you sure you don't want anything for doing this? I don't think your garden or other projects aren't less worthy of your time. I really don't mind paying you," he told her.

Stress For The Dress || Vintage Dolls

[kenneth-carson]

@boointhenight

Ken listened carefully, needing to focus his attention entirely on her voice in order for it to filter through to roaring of the other sensations whose inputs were slowly deamplifying. But even then, he still couldn't seem to make sense of what she was saying to him.

Well, the first part anyway. He was pretty sure he got the, I would have killed you message loud and clear. Which wasn't scary or off putting– it was comforting, almost, to know what she had been willing to do to protect the people in that room and the world at large. Again, she was nothing short of heroic to him, as he didn't think he would ever be capable of making such a choice if given the burden.

He swallowed, trying to shake of the sensation that his tongue was too big for his mouth or that his thoughts were made of liquid, running by too quickly for him to pick up.

"There's only one you, Mary," he said. "And...if you still...if we're still friends, then I will...always want you around."

He breathed in, steady now.

"I feel more like me when you're here."

Up In Your Bedroom After the War || Possessed Doll

[kenneth-carson]

@kouros-herc

The sun was still shining down on Sycamore Drive that evening, it lingering longer and longer above the horizon as spring heated up into summer. It was warm but not scalding and the rushing breeze that brought the scent of lawn clippings and matured floral made it all the more pleasant to be outside. This was scene by the amount of people out walking their pets or groups of kids on their bikes in the neighborhood.

Or for two friends to be outside on the pavement learning how to roller skate.

Re-learning, rather! Ken was still getting his body and brain to reestablish their relationship, but had also been staring forlornly at his skates. So, when Hercules (who had no doubt noticed this) had offered to help him, he had gladly taken him up on the offer. It had just been a matter of clearing an evening– and what a perfect one they'd wound up finding.

"Okay!" Ken said after tightening the last knot on his laces. He looked up at Hercules from where he was sitting on the curb outside of their house, and reaching out a hand toward him, only to stop midway to him. "Or should I try to be getting up on my own?"

Roll Model || Kerc

[kenneth-carson]

@kouros-herc

Hercules did not disappoint with his answer. Not that Ken wouldn't have understood had there been more hesitation or boundaries set up. Again, the demon had used him to get to Hercules. Had said and done so many horrible things to him, he wouldn't have taken it personally if Hercules needed time to sort through his feelings on the past year. Ken's face and voice was also the one that the demon had worn all those days, through all those interactions. It wasn't until the ritual that Hercules had seen it as another entity, right?

But instead, like always, Hercules was the kind and wonderful friend Ken had been lucky enough to meet upon his return to Swynlake. Ever since their first correspondence to their first face to face meeting, it had been clear that this guy was going to be important and from that point on he had been. Ken knew now, after all Hercules had done and continued to do, that he always would be.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he said, gratitude saturating his tone and expression. "And okay. I'm...yeah. It always seems obvious but there's nothing quite like getting possessed to really show how short life is? So, I'm with you. No more time lost."

Glad To Be Home - Kerc

[kenneth-carson]

@officer-judy-moon

Ken gave a little shake of his head and dismissive wave of her trying to downplay what he had said. It wasn't as if she was out here trying to be a ballerina on a stage in front of hundreds who had paid for their seat or a in a ballroom full of other competitors and judges. There were no stakes here on the street. He wasn't a dancer, either, but what he lacked in practice he made up for in confidence and that went a long way.

He smiled and clapped for her dance move from childhood, about to reply with something else when she spoke again.

"Yeah, sure! What're you listening to?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to drop it into his palm. Once he had it in his ear it reconnected and played, making the question moot. It took him a moment, brain having to work harder than usual to find the memory for him. He'd been 16 and already moved to Texas when the song hit the charts, so it was associated with a very particular part of his life.

Didn't mean it still wasn't a good song, though! He nodded his head with the rhythm as the drums picked up in the chorus and then his body followed, dancing along.

And the flashback starts | Open

[kenneth-carson]

@gabrobichaux

Ken smiled upon hearing this, thinking it was good insight. After all, clothes weren't just pretty things to put on the body for occasions like this. They should be functional, like Gabby said, for things like cutting it up with whoever it was she was going with– friends, a date, even just by herself.

He gave a little chuckle, because while they might not have been in charge of accessorizing the look, he had to admit he had been thinking about that, too. After all, accessories could make or break an outfit. Ken put a lot of weight into the decisions behind them, even if it didn't seem like it. He just appreciated knowing that there was something else he and Gabby had in common.

At her question, he started to work out putting his replies into something that would make sense outside of his head when he tried to describe it to her– but then she caught him with that last statement. Right, business! Should probably clear that up before they got too far down the creative gravy train.

"Well, if you agreed to help me then she would be our client," he said. "I would pay you for your time and effort. I wasn't asking this as a favor or anything. You have the skills and the taste, I wouldn't be able to pull of something like this with just me."

Stress For The Dress || Vintage Dolls

[kenneth-carson]

@boointhenight

Ken opened his mouth, breathing in sharply, only to stop himself short before replying as he decided to take a moment. To rethink what had been said earlier. Maybe he had missed something.

...and no, he pretty much came to the same conclusion as he had before. Mary had stayed away, wanting to give him space. Mary had called herself the demonologist. Clearly, that had been the signal to him that they weren't what they had once been. Otherwise she would have said friend first right?

But she was saying it now.

"Because....because you said. You said the demonologist was the last person I would want to see. I figured...after what I asked of you...I figured that meant that's all we were now. The demonologist and the possessed client," he tried to explain as a headache began to brew just behind his forehead and between his eyes. "Or...post-possessed? I don't know what the word for that is."

Up In Your Bedroom After the War || Possessed Doll

[kenneth-carson]

@officer-judy-moon

The sad part about his body still not quite being in sync with his brain and spirit was that Ken was left to walking around when he'd much rather be back in his skates. It had been months since he had been able to roller skate, either out on the pavement or over at the roller rink. But the last time he had tried to put them on he'd promptly face planted into the neighbor's shrubs, where he had been found by said neighbor who had helped him out.

He wasn't in the dumps about it, since it was a privilege to get to use his legs at all, but he did miss it and wished he could get the whole coordination thing on the fast track.

So, when he stepped outside of the thrift shoppe to help unload a box from someone's car boot and saw a woman spinning round seemingly without a care, he couldn't help but to pause and watch. He blinked when she made eye contact and shook himself, about to compliment her when she beat him to speaking.

"You don't look out of practice," he replied, waving a hand before using it to shut the trunk of the person's car. He gave it two pats and they peeled away from the curb, Ken set the box of clothes down by the door of the shoppe before turning back to the woman. He did a little shuffle step before mimicking what she had done and giving a spin before stopping, facing her, and waited to see if she would continue.

(outfit)

And the flashback starts | Open

[kenneth-carson]

@kouros-herc

That was good to hear. That it was a want rather than a feeling of being pressured to do something or be something. Ken imagined Hercules did enough of being hard on himself, so having someone who liked him for who he was– that was all a friend could hope to hear about a significant other. Because Ken knew that Hercules was a wonderful person, and that he cared about people in such a warm and entrusting way, it was easy for him to say that he was more than good enough for anyone out there. It only made sense that Hercules' partner had figured that out, too.

He smiled, eyes following Hercules' hand as it reached out to bridge the gap between them once more for a brief moment. The fabric of his shirt there brushed his skin, the nerves lighting up underneath. But it was the kind words and sentiment that administered the healing touch to Ken's invisible wounds.

He didn't know that he could agree with Hercules. It still seemed like there was a long stretch of road in front of him before he could be deserving of anything good. There was so much he had to make up for. The demon may have been making the decisions that had hurt people, but it had been Ken's face and body that people would associate those things with. Things he needed to atone for.

"Yeah?" he narrowed his eyes at his friend, smile still on his features. "Are you sure you want to give me that power? Because I will use it to my full advantage to make up for all the hang outs I've missed out on."

Glad To Be Home - Kerc

[kenneth-carson]

@gabrobichaux

Ken didn't clock anything from the quiet commentary, his brain not having the tools within it to think conspiratorially about other people's words. He just thought it was a nice thing to say and took his seat once more, waiting to hear more of her thoughts.

As she clicked the photos he leaned closer, bending a little at the torso and neck so that he could look at the images right side up as best he could. He glanced up at her as she spoke, nodding.

"Yeah! Wow, I think that'd be great. Definitely fits the bill of skeleton but pretty," he said. "That seems like a lot of intricate detailing. Would you want to carry that down to the bottom half? Or keep it entirely to the bodice?"

Conceptually, he thought it could go either way. A lot of skeleton's didn't have all the bones, right? They could play on that or they could try to work in the latter half of the body's skeletal system into a garment.

Stress For The Dress || Vintage Dolls

[kenneth-carson]

@boointhenight

His head felt as if he had sat up too fast, blood rushing back to places it had been drained from. Everything was slowly trying to correct itself. It had him reaching up, wanting to press the heel of his hand against his forehead for pressure and comfort. Instead he just wound up smacking himself in the face.

Which was nothing compared to the whiplash Mary had given him by saying those two statements back to back.

One eye had squeezed shut from where he had hit himself while the other was used to continue to look at her. She had missed him? That wasn't really something someone said to their client. Ken took in another deep breath as he thought about this, letting his emotions settle. It made it easier to focus.

And, though he didn't know it, those words had been a bit of a healing factor in themself. As Mary had given her emotions and memories to the ritual, saying such things to him had given...whatever one wanted to call it. The soul, the spirit, the essence of someone, the non-physical portion of a person that made up who they were, hers had given Ken's mangled one a helping hand. Just as her physical one had in picking him back up a few moments earlier.

"I missed you, too. More than you know," he said, voice quiet since he was scared he might start yelling without even realizing it with the way his control was fairing. Ken looked down, shoulders slumped as he effectively showcased his sadness. "Is there...anything I can do? I don't want to lose you after– everything."

Up In Your Bedroom After the War || Possessed Doll

[kenneth-carson]

@kouros-herc

Oooohh yeah. In all of the admiration and excitement for the relationship, Ken had totally forgotten that Arista was Aquata's sister! Wow, that must have been a bit weird but Ken would imagine that since Aquata knew exactly the kind of person Hercules was (i.e. the best) that she would be more than thrilled for her sister to be seeing him. Though he could understand if it was also awkward, siblings were what they were and being friends with their significant other's could be for better or for worse. Especially if they broke up.

But Hercules seemed pretty gone on Arista, and it was too soon to even be thinking about that sort of thing anyway.

Which apparently even Hercules needed to be reminded of.

"Hey, the fact you even think like that, already means that you are," Ken said. "Do what you do best and you'll have that covered. Just don't think about it too much– be there."

Not that he was anyone to be giving out relationship advice. He wasn't trying to, really, he was just trying to kick the self doubt back and away from Hercules as much as he possibly could since it had no reason to stick around, trying to nip at his ankles.

"I'm really happy for you, man. You deserve something good, too."

Glad To Be Home - Kerc

[kenneth-carson]

three thousand seven hundred euros. the stupidest size for a bag i've ever seen. "clutch" yeah you better clutch this thing with both arms because it appears to be roughly the size of a human torso. NO straps NO handles ALL your stuff is gonna be rattling around in there. HOWEVER it is shaped like a celery. so i want it 💖

[kenneth-carson]

@gabrobichaux

Ken brightened, excitement spiking in his person in such a volatile way it nearly hurt. Ever since the demon had left his body and mind, his emotions all felt like they had been turned up to the highest degree. The other day he had been on his way to work and saw a hedgehog scuttling along in someone's front garden and cried because it had been too cute. It was ridiculous– it was like being a child all over again, except he could remember this period of his life with much more acuteness than recalling all those years ago.

"That's great! Thank you so much," he praised, trying not to keep his focus on the conversation instead of letting it get away from him. But he was very grateful for her help, knowing that she was on board with it meant that he now had zero doubt that this girl would get what she was searching for. Then he was nodding, getting up to step over to his desk and pick up his phone.

"Yes, she had a Pinterest board that she linked to me, if you want to go through that..." Ken stood there, poking at his phone for a few seconds before handing it over to her. The board was filled with pictures of bones, 'aesthetic' skeletons, and then dresses that had skeletal structures within their design. "From what she told me, the theme was Night at the Museum? And she wanted something that would be a reference to skeletons that are on display in museums. But pretty."

Stress For The Dress || Vintage Dolls

[kenneth-carson]

@kouros-herc

Ken watched Hercules as he spoke, taking in the changes of emotions as the story hit its peaks and valleys. It was strange to hear about something he had technically been there for and yet had only had a vague awareness of, but welcome nonetheless. Even if it was hard to hear Hercules describe feeling bad and doubtful about himself, when he was someone who Ken had always seen with absolute certainty. But then Hercules was his own worst enemy.

Or, rather, he had taken the worst enemy's word as truth back when he had been young and impressionable instead of what was actually true– which was that he was a great guy and wonderful all around person. Of which anyone would be lucky to know him and love him. Arista Triton had just been added to the ranks of those with such a privilege.

It did manage to snag at the thought of his own relationship that had taken place in parallel. If one could have even deemed it Ken's relationship. He had never had any real agency within it, since he hadn't wanted it to begin in the first place, but he still blamed himself for the whole entire mess it had become. Thankfully Isabela had been able to stick a pin in it before it got worse. Though, he supposed, that would have fallen to him since the demon had eventually been extracted.

"And I take it she gave it to you?" he prompted, wanting to hear the rest.

Glad To Be Home - Kerc

[kenneth-carson]

@boointhenight

It was both easier and harder to listen to Mary without looking at her. Without the addition of having to intake the subtleties of body language he only had the words she said and the way she said them to go off of. Without the help of seeing her mouth moving with the sounds, it took off an element of help to understand. Which was why he still felt like he didn't know what she was saying in its entirety.

How could it be something she had needed to do but just as a demonologist? How could she say he didn't want the deal when he had been the one to make it? Or was she talking about the family's deal...? It was all too confusing, and even if his head wasn't spinning with sensation and intake, regular ol' pre-possessed Ken wouldn't have been able to decipher it either.

He shook his head slowly at the last statement, "Not...the only...reason."

Ken breathed in slowly, it stuttering as he tried to fill up his lungs to the very bottom before letting it out. Slowly his heart began to calm down to a more manageable tempo, the adrenaline spike fading to a dull roar within his system as his body came to realize it wasn't in any true danger. It made his weight slump a little, sinking an inch downward against the couch.

"You," he went on to say, lifting a hand to point blindly at her. His other fingers were curled loosely as his index stuck out in almost a lazy manner toward her. Ken's eyelids peeled away to let his pupils search until they found her face to focus on, too. "I wouldn't...I wouldn't be here...without you. You...saved me. Twice now...You're my hero."

Up In Your Bedroom After the War || Possessed Doll

[kenneth-carson]

@gabrobichaux

Ken led her into the back to the office that sat on the other side of the storage area where everything that had been donated but still needed to be sorted sat in their piles upon the tables. The office wasn't anything extravagant, it held a desk with a computer, lamp, organizer filled with various papers, and other little sticky notes or office supplies. There was also a small cupboard that sat in the corner with a microwave, coffee maker, and electric tea kettle on the top, along with a mini fridge that sat next to the unit. And a table with four chairs, where employees would come to take their breaks.

He pulled out one of these chairs, silently inviting her to sit, before taking his own seat catty corner to it. Distracted, he was about to ask about what kind of plant until she course corrected the conversation to remind him– right, he had called her for a reason. Not just to hang out!

"Yeah! Yeah, well, the thing is, I had a customer come in today looking for a prom outfit. I guess they announced the theme for this year and– I don't know if you know this about Swynlake but prom is a pretty big deal around here for all ages. It's basically just a big party we're all invited to dress up to. It's great," he smiled. "But this customer, Beatrice, has this idea for it that she really wants to wear, but doesn't know where she's going to find it and can't do it herself.

"Which is why I called you! I was wondering, if you had the time, if you would be interested in helping me make this garment for her," Ken said, gesturing to Gabby. "I don't think my sewing skills are at the level of making what she has in mind, but I've no doubt you do."

Stress For The Dress || Vintage Dolls