I found a new place to dwell ...

[olbustedhotness]

[the community's habit of turning the feed on at the worst of times continues. the TV's on in the background, but neither of the residents of the Brown household are paying it any attention - they're out in the foyer, just visible through the archway of the living room ... so that the community gets its first - and last - look at Elizabeth Ann Reston-Brown.

she's pretty for a woman her age, still, grey hair with the faintest remnant of brown pulled back behind her ears. and she's got suitcases at her side. uh oh. Kevin's just ... standing at the stairs in khakis and a polo shirt, looking like he's not exactly sure how he came to be there. because quite honestly, he's not.]

... So this is ... 'Lizabeth, don't tell me there's nothing I can --

That's just it, Kevin. You're sweet, just as sweet as I remembered you. But that was forty years ago. And ... I've had a life in between then and now, and you --

I tried. You know I tried. But when I say you're not here, I.... [she sighs] We've had this conversation. I don't want to have it again.

But ... what if I could change your mind ...? [even his voice sounds hollowed out, empty. like there's nothing there, like her words are drops hitting the bottom of a well]

Kevin. ... I don't want you to.

[and then she's gone. the door shuts and he sits down with a great, deflating sigh on the stairs. at least he's got his face in his hands, so you're not all completely uncomfortable at the sight of a grown man crying?]

Comments

[rainin_blk_ppl]

[Damn. That's just... damn. He wants to say something, he really does, but he knows it would be worthless since Kay only knows him as the strange dude from the community.

This thing is making it more and more clear to him that he misses his damn partner]

[olbustedhotness]

[he hears the background noise from the feed, after a long moment, and just looks up. .... hell. and it's that kid. the one that pints that hollow feeling that's been plaguing him, worse than anything else. ... nothing for it, he figures.]

.... Should've seen this comin' last year. In Vegas. But you know what they say.

[he can't help but be candid, somehow. he lets out a soft sigh. .... "he was outta breath". ... okay now where the hell did that come from? it just reminds him, whatever it was, how little fits these days. how lost he is. and that's the worst part, the part he doesn't dare admit, for fear of what it might mean. ....she's right. This. this is right.]

[video]

[crackpotcrocker]

[Despite being obessed going after an invisible boy at the moment. The magical book that connects Crocker to the comm was sobbing. Which stops Denzel in his tracks. He's heard that kind of sobbing before. In fact he feels like he's been there before - peeking in he just stares at the screen for a moment or so, with a rather dark background in his lab]


.... She wouldn't take you back would she? I'm sorry. [He trutly was as he was there at point in his life]

I only wish I could say it gets better over time.

[olbustedhotness]

.... [he was on. shit. quickly, he pulls it together and wipes his eyes. he keeps them pressed shut for a moment, though, lips pursed, pushing it back and holding it in. ... right. best way to get past this is to make it not about him. quietly:]

How long has it been?

voice;

[hulk]

[ .....................ah hell and he doesn't even know this all went up does he ugh akldsfjawoefklaw hurk ]

U-uh. Mr. Brown? [ gentle coughing to get your attention ] I... I hate to say this, but. I think. You were on.

[olbustedhotness]

.... Ah, hell. [his voice is rough, but to his credit, he bottles it up fast and well. almost too fast for someone who shouldn't be used to having to hide]

Thanks for the warning. ... Didn't lose too much of my dignity, I hope. Haven't got a whole lot left.

[makewayforroze]

[More than uncomfortable, her heart is going out to him.]

I'm sorry.

[olbustedhotness]

[a quiet, resigned sigh] ....So'm I. ..... Thank you.

[handwritten]

[lifeisbrief]

[She knows she couldn't have been meant to see this, but-
it must be difficult, for that man.]

I'm sorry, sir.

[olbustedhotness]

[handwritten's a new thing for him. but when he spots the foreign writing, it doesn't take him long to figure out it's the community's doing. he picks up a weathered Bic pen and scribbles back]

Thank you.

[video]

[endsorrow]

[It... Although it was painful to watch, too painful, too close to home and memories Braska never wanted to look back at, he wanted to... He had to say something.

The man who appears on the video is wearing an odd headdress and heavy-looking robes, but his expression is soft. It would be a lie to say there isn't pity there, but there's more than that.]

I'm so sorry.

[olbustedhotness]

[after he's had his moment, Kevin composes himself enough to look up and confirm what he was pretty sure he'd already knew: that that hadn't exactly been private. getting up from the stairs, he plods into the living room and sits down on the couch in front of the TV.]

So'm I. ... Don't think we've met, have we?

[video]

[dekillerqueen]

[For some reason, the community has decided to record Shelly's reaction to this post.

... Not that there's much of one. If what he just saw stirred any kind of emotion within him, it certainly doesn't seem to be showing in his face.]

[video]

[6collegecredits]

Um...hey. Are you okay?

[olbustedhotness]

[there's one last sniffle before he pulls himself together as best he can]

Not particularly, no, Ms. Lewis...

[whitechocolate]

[Sam's heart breaks for him. The poor guy.] I'm sorry, Mr. Brown.

[olbustedhotness]

[a soft sigh, as he manages to pick enough pieces of himself up to pull something together]

Me, too. ... You find any more enriching literature in the land of public transportation, lately?

[changing the subject is the best way to deal with things. the very best.]

[hasbottombunk]

[Rory's personal feels are all over this.]

...Mr. Brown?

[olbustedhotness]

... Rory.

[he looks up, and manages a tiny, sad smile. the very saddest. but he's trying]

How're you doin', kid?

[ video ]

[deadlydoctor]

[Knock Out tsh at the video.]

Well..her loss.

[olbustedhotness]

... [softly]

No ... no, it was mine. ... I'm not much to lose.

[justanothercop]

[Shit. Maybe Robbie had never been in the exact position Kay was in but the feeling of loss and loneliness - he knows those two things all too well.]

You drink?

[olbustedhotness]

... Thinkin' of increasing the frequency with which I do, yeah.

[hippie_hacker]

....

What a lousy time for the community to chime in.

/flails happily

[olbustedhotness]

... [he sighs, quietly. an unfamiliar voice, eh? least he can do is make an effort at pulling it together]

You can say that again, son.

voice;

[leucotomy]

[ Oh no but Kevin's the nicest old guy ever, Mrs.Brown. ]

...I don't understand why she'd say that.

I live, I swear, omg

[olbustedhotness]

[ohhhhh. he's not sure if he should be glad to hear a familiar voice, or sorry that she had to hear all of that...]

It's ... kind of a long story, kiddo.