soul_logs | V-Day Means Work Day. [OPEN]

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V-Day Means Work Day. [OPEN]

Characters: Roy and other Workaholics
Location: The DOGS Office
Rating: G for now!
Time: February 14, after training until whenever!
Description: What do you do while love is in the air and a chocolate craze has hit Death City? Work like nobody's business.

Even with all of the buzz and the excitement, Valentine's Day was just another day, wasn't it? That meant that people got up, people trained, and people went to work, especially if they happened to be employed with DOGS and the Watch.

Of course, Death City had a way of making things stop being normal pretty quickly...

ooc: Make your own threads and do your own thing in here, guys - do action or prose, whatever you're more comfortable with! Just specify a time, whether your thread's open or closed and maybe a general location as needed. ♥

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Oh shit, they had been found. This was the absolute last spot he wanted to be in at the moment but with Barnaby's presence literally holding him back from escaping to some far corner where he could deny he ever saw anything, all Kotetsu could do was stiffen up and try to smile as innocently as he could while Yuri approached. Just as he'd been about to offer some type of greeting though... they were hugged.

The Judge was hugging them. Both of them. He was hugging both of them. And just as quickly as it had happened, it was over with and he was leaving and Kotetsu had completely forgotten how to form coherent thoughts and words. Until Kerrigan had spoken up, and boy did that get him going again.

"Wh-what was that even all about?!" After he sputtered out his own response Kotetsu turned his head over to Barnaby. "And who says it's just me? You can't let go either! Don't go putting all the blame on me! --oi, back to you!" Once Kotetsu finished berating his partner, he directed his temporary frustrations back to Kerrigan.

"This hands thing is just an accident, an accident! I'm married y'know! Besides, we could ask you the same thing, what with how cozy you were looking with the Judge back there!"

She couldn't help but glance at their hands again, noting that they did seem rather comfortable there regardless of what the rest of their bodies were doing. No one else in the office was hand-locked though, so it made her wonder how such an 'accident' could come about. They seemed rather sensitive about it too.

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and blocked their way from getting through to the rest of the building. This seemed like a prime location to drill them, and it allowed Yuri ample time to contemplate what he had done.

"So... you both can't let go of one another's hands?" She glanced between them again. "I suppose to each their own on a romantic holiday. Maybe dinner and a vid-screen next time?"

She looked at Wild Tiger for his outburst towards her, and she thankfully managed to hold it together enough to not blush. Instead, she shifted her weight on her feet. "Jealous I know him better than you?"

"Still your fault." Barnaby just glared in Kotetsu's direction. There was no way he would even consider taking the blame for this hand-holding, seeing as Kotetsu was the one who had taken his hand first. But right now, that didn't even matter--no, they would probably argue about it later--right now, they had to deal with Kerrigan.

And whatever this sort of reaction was. Barnaby's frown deepened and he found himself blurting out an answer to her sudden onset of questions. "We can't, but it doesn't matter because there won't be a next time." Really, this sheer honesty needed to stop. That wasn't even much of a decent retort, but he couldn't help it.

Though, as she turned somewhat shy at Kotetsu's remark, Barnaby found himself definitely rather disturbed at this. "I'm not," he answered. "But I'm glad for him. I'm sure he'll find happiness with you."

"I'm not gonna argue about something that wasn't all my fault!" Kotetsu barked back at Barnaby before turning his attention back to Kerrigan. Something about the way she was looking at them and questioning these... weird things that absolutely made no sense, just about made Kotetsu freeze up in horror. He'd even attempted to try and yank his and Barnaby's joined hands out of Kerrigan's sight but of course that proved impossible. The most he could do was take a step forward and extend their hands as far behind them as he could reach, trying to use himself as a barrier.

"And you! What's there even to be jealous of? Did you even listen to a word I said?! It's not like that! Like we could ever even sit down for two hours to watch a movie, Bunny's tastes are too much for me! Besides, we already have dinner just about every day so that doesn't even make sense!" And just like that, Kotetsu's Foot In Mouth Syndrome starts acting up. Of course he could care less seeing as he was now far too busy with trying to get Kerrigan to take back these insane things she was concluding. Kotetsu huffed loudly as he pointed a finger right in Kerrigan's face, becoming more and more frustrated with this entire mess that had started.

"Y'know if you really liked the Judge so much you wouldn't be standin' here saying weird things, you'd be going off after him right now. How about that, huh?" Kotetsu looked over to his side and gave Barnaby an expectant look, as if more than assured he'd just said something fitting for a man his age... and that he hadn't mentioned that whole thing about them having dinner together all the time. Nope. Nothing but the most intelligent things have come out of his mouth.

Sarah wasn't about to get involved in their little argument when it came to their hand-holding predicament. It seemed like some elaborate scheme to get away with it, but then again, neither of them seemed like the dishonest type. They were quite the opposite really, so perhaps they were telling the truth.

She stared at Wild Tiger for a few moments before pointedly raising an eyebrow. "The fact you know all about his movie tastes, and that you already have dinner together is kind of a damning comment to make while your hands are glued together, don't you think?" He glanced pointedly at the way he was trying to hide their hands from view.

The topic of the Judge was a little sensitive one, and she looked away finally. "I have all the time in the world, since I know where he lives. There is no hurry. Besides, if he hugs too many people, his head may decide to cave in," she remarked with a sardonic smirk.

She turned her attention to Barnaby after that. "I wanted to ask you about those superheroes from your world, and since you're here, I may as well now, yes? Unless you mind?"

Barnaby had to sigh. There really was no way to get out of this one, and with Kerrigan already emphasizing the stupidity of his partner's words, he figured he might as well give up early. He just shook his head. "In our world, most of my fans know my movie preferences," Barnaby came to their defense, hoping it could dispel even part of this new uncomfortable thought. "Most of that you can read in a tabloid. As for dinner, it's merely convenient." He decided to refrain from mentioning that they shared an apartment, though he was sure she had already assumed that much.

But at least she backed off when Yuri was mentioned - well, somewhat. There was the briefest moment of concern that the judge's head would actually cave in, but he was sure the judge would find a safe way home. Or... preferably to a hideout, since it sounded like Miss Kerrigan would stalk him later. (She worried Barnaby, she really did.) But he found himself almost distracted by the idea when he met her eyes again.

And he really wanted to cry. She was asking questions. He couldn't stop when she answered them.

"I do mind, but I'm not at all capable of stopping you," he blurted out, and with that he mentally cursed himself. Whatever had taken over his self control really needed to be killed. He could only hope she didn't get it... But he had a feeling he would end up answering everything anyway.

All Kotetsu could do at that point was stare Kerrigan down in displeasure, seeing as he really couldn't pick a fight over something as unimportant as whether or not he was having some sort of... relationship, thing, with his partner. Which he wasn't. Never in a thousand years. Barnaby was his partner! What was wrong with them holding hands (totally not even by choice at that), having dinner together (they lived together, how was that even a surprise??) and just... he didn't understand it, but he would have no part in having such weird things implied between the two of them, so he merely turned his head away in a huff, refusing to argue about it more.

As concerning as the comment was about the Judge, he hardly doubted that someone's head was able to cave in under jealousy and so he figured that at this point Kerrigan was just making up a load of things due to simply being unhappy on Valentine's Day. Women were like that sometimes on this holiday, right? He'd seen it before plenty of times so that could easily explain away her attitude. Nothing he needed to mess with them.

But then, once she directed her questions to Barnaby he raised an eyebrow and focused on paying half-attention to whatever the two were about to talk about. "Oi, what kinda answer is that? If you don't wanna say anything then don't say anything." Kotetsu mumbled over to Barnaby, unsure of where things would lead. By that point he hadn't really figured out that his partner was incapable of not answering questions, only really thinking that he seemed a little more up-front and honest than usual.

"Well, it seems that popularity has informed the public of all your best qualities, yes?" She didn't pretend to know much about their world, and the few times that she had spoken with both, there had been only tidbits of information. It seemed she wasn't all that popular with them either; maybe people from Sternbild hated her.

Raising an eyebrow at what seemed like a testy reply, she considered not asking anything at all. He seemed to be awful grumpy for a simple question, and she too thought that if it was such a pain, he could just refuse to answer. She was unaware that he was forced to answer, so she chalked his rudeness up to some arrogant male ego.

Huffing, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. "Just answer me this: those NEXT people in your world, are they all superheroes or do use their powers for bad things as well?"

He found himself nodding at that. The public knew just about everything that made him wonderful, which is what made him the popular hero. A blessing and a curse, really, but it was something he knew going into the business. His strategy. Media politics. It was enough that he was already desensitized to the idea of telling this, and why he was alright with answering that question.

After shooting Kotetsu a sharp look - couldn't the man tell he wasn't answering this because he wanted to? - he turned back to Kerrigan. She seemed rather irritated with him, though he wouldn't blame her too much. He hadn't been playing very nice either. So he did what he usually did when people pouted in his presence: ignored that completely. But that inquiry? Completely harmless. He found himself sighing before answering.

"There are some that use theirs for good," he replied. "Not all of the criminals are NEXT, but we do run into our fair share of them. If I may ask, what brought on that sort of question?"

Thankfully Kotetsu was at least somewhat aware that this was a conversation that didn't particularly involve him, even though he was there (against his will, yes, but still there) and they were talking about heroes and NEXTs and... he shifted, seemingly just to give them as much extra space as he could give them what with holding another person's hand but, something about the topic didn't sit well with him.

Of course Kotetsu knew about what NEXTs were capable of. He was one after all, but this whole 'good' or 'bad' thing left him feeling a little uncomfortable. After the last fight with Maverick, he was more aware then ever that there were people who truly hated them, enough to want them dead, and all because of an assumption that they were all apparently menaces. Lower than dirt. Capable of nothing but harming others. And it was all wrong.

But, this didn't involve him. At least not yet it did, and even if he suspected so he didn't want to make his partner angry by butting in with an opinion that might give Kerrigan a worse impression of what they were talking about. Which she shouldn't. There was no way she could assume anything about NEXTs because how do you go about making assumptions about something you've never seen? Never even taken the time to understand? It just reminded him of those days in his childhood that he quite honestly didn't want to think about at a time like this.

So he turned his head away, brow slightly furrowed as he continued to listen in silence, his grip of Barnaby's hand tightening just enough to let him know he was there. He's listening, and if he has to say something he's going to say it no matter what Barnaby wants.

She noted the exchange between the two and thought that she would do better if she pressed the questions at them both. There was a chance that she could get better answers out of them if they thought to be honest at all. Of course, world secrets did seem to happen and she glanced at Wild Tiger when it seemed he wanted to not be involved.

"I'm curious about NEXT, that's all. I realize you both used to have such abilities, but I find it curious that a society is based on using... well, mutants to catch criminals," she murmured with a shrug of her shoulders. She just killed criminals if she was ordered to, and it was never public.

"Does the heroes of the city even know who all the other NEXT are...? Like, tracking numbers, brands or mental dampeners?"

Barnaby caught the squeeze. Although he didn't glance back at Kotetsu, he could understand the meaning behind it. Kotetsu was holding himself back, but he was still there. But for what...? Barnaby didn't see Kerrigan as a threat in any case. They were coworkers, and not unpleasant ones. But he could still answer - couldn't not - and the first questions weren't very harmful. That second one, though?

Barnaby's eyes narrowed immediately. "We're not mutants," he answered, trying to keep his tone as level as possible. He had to pause, enough to blink away and return to glancing her with a nonchalant indifference. "There's most likely some sort of genetic difference which causes the NEXT ability, but no one's been able to explain it. And most, if not all, of the abilities are retractable and controlled by the person. They're not mutations, they're just added abilities. Please don't use such pejorative terminology."

With a soft sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. "But to answer your second question, no. NEXT are to be treated just like non-NEXT humans in society. The only major registration comes from those who commit crimes and those who actively work with their abilities." Although vague, he meant the heroes, as well as the students at the Hero academy. The ones who used their powers almost every day, if not for training then for fighting. But he didn't explain any of that - he wouldn't unless her questions led into it.

The second the 'm' word reached his ears Kotetsu had to use every fiber of his being to not jump at Kerrigan in a tirade of angry words, instead having pinned her with a heated gaze that just screamed, 'If Bunny doesn't do a good enough job of chewing you out over what you just said then I'm going to do it myself.'

His partner succeeded, in a much more reasonable manner than he could ever manage and honestly it didn't feel like enough but he held himself back and just bristled off to the side, but the more she said the more pissed off he became. Brands? What did she think they were, cattle?! As soon as Barnaby had finished talking he wasted no time in leaping into the ridiculous conversation. Enough of this patience crap, he needed to clear things up before she made anymore insane suggestions.

"I've got no idea what kind of picture you're trying to paint here but I wanna get one thing straight; NEXTs aren't supposed to be treated like you've gotta keep an eye on them 24/7 just because they're different. They're not animals and they sure as hell aren't mutants, they're people. They go to school, they have jobs, they raise families, they do anything you or I or anyone else can do on a regular basis. There's no need to have to keep track of every single one of them thinkin' they're gonna snap at any moment. Heroes aren't being used, we're protecting people, all people, NEXTs or not and if you wanna try and argue otherwise then you obviously don't understand a damn thing!"

...yeah, he's mad now. Very mad.

She raised an eyebrow at their ire at the use of a simple word, and it seemed that response was more than enough of an answer for her. NEXT weren't mutants, but they had been adapted by a genetic mutation, which by the definition of the Confederacy made them 'mutants'. However, she wondered if NEXT were prosecuted more than evolved by their government; people did tend to fear what they didn't understand after all. Besides, she could feel their anger; she had that much psychic ability left.

"So when an ability emerges, one has perfect control over it and can repress it if they choose to?" She didn't believe that for a second, but she was distracted from picking at small details by Wild Tiger's sudden burst of words at her. It really was a sensitive subject.

Turning her head to stare Wild Tiger in the eye, her lip curled into a sneer as she left behind her casual stance and stood straight and almost leaning offensively. "Don't you lecture me about normal lives and how you aren't animals," she snapped hotly. "Simply because your government doesn't have to slam mental training and computer chips in your brain to control you doesn't mean that all of us are so lucky." Her temper flared and she pointed a finger at him, her expression twisting in her own anger. "Don't be so damn defensive about your status, pops. It gives away the truth of your hardships."

She looked between Wild Tiger and Barnaby, turning her back on them both. "Some of us aren't so lucky to be able to live normal lives once we are discovered with 'abilities'. Some of us are nothing but animals to be controlled; some of us aren't allowed to remember what freedom is."

Oddly enough, Barnaby couldn't be that mad at Kotetsu for getting angry. From their encounter with the young NEXT child and from stories he had heard both on the news and from the Academy, he knew that not all NEXT children had been lucky enough to escape teasing. Hell, even Barnaby had faced it from time to time, but he had too much to concern himself with over someone wasting his time. But judging by the argumentative response Kerrigan had dished back, it seemed as though the concept of NEXT hit a lot closer to home than expected.

After all, she had said 'us'. Hand tightening in Kotetsu's, he moved it behind them just a bit more, a way of calming restraint. Just to hold him back, in any way possible. After all, there really was no need for this to turn into a worse argument than already leading to. "Our societies are different. No, it's not always easy for NEXTs, but we don't come from the same sort of society, even if we may have similarly powered individuals," he said, doing his best to remain calm. After all, someone had to. "And no, they're not easily manageable from the beginning - like all new talents, they take time to train. But there are programs to help with that. And practice, and training." Since he still had to answer that question. Ugh on this entire day.

The more that was said the more Kotetsu bristled, hardly able to contain himself and if it wasn't for the fact that they were indoors then he would have been yelling with a whole lot more bravado. Not because he was wrong, because he wasn't. No, it was the fact that she had been able to read so clearly through him that had put him even further on the defensive. So what if he'd had hardships? How was that supposed to make him speak out any differently about how he felt and what she had said? But he stopped, and his eyes widened slightly because it was then he realized that this wasn't coming from a place of bias from her part. If he had heard right, made the proper connections...

He'd heard the 'us' part as well, and that along with Barnaby's tug of their joined hands was enough to completely derail any anger further angry words from being spoken. Kotetsu went quiet, the kind that was filled with guilt and frustration but even if a tiny voice in his head insisted he apologize, he absolutely wouldn't. He hadn't started this, and so if he received an apology first then he'd gladly give one in return. Otherwise, nothing.

However, somehow that wasn't enough to stop him when he mumbled faintly under his breath as he turned his head away, shoulders slouched in defeat. "Sorry, Bunny." Because he at least owed that to his partner for being such a sensitive loud-mouth, and that was as much as he was willing to say for the time being.

NEXT may have developed random abilities that suited them or however they showed off their genetic changes, she knew well what it was like to have an ability emerge and be uncontrolled. The fact that she was treated as an enemy when she had her own source of understanding made her temper remain very close to the surface.

Here she was trying to find out more to limit her own ability to judge them and what they did, and she was the bad guy? The use of a single word turned her enemy?

She shot Barnaby a furious look, her hands clenched at her sides and the urge to drive his glasses into his eyeballs rose and ebbed away. "Well, considering you didn't even ask about mine, how would you know? You two are too busy being on the defensive," she snapped before shoving passed them both to get outside.

"I'm sorry I asked. It won't happen again, gentlemen," she said before walking away down the street without a glance back.

What... just happened here?

From her glare, Barnaby was sure he somehow set her off as well, though he honestly could not figure out what happened in that failure of a conversation that had caused it to break that quickly. Frowning, he just watched as she left, deciding against attempting to stop her. While still holding onto Kotetsu's hand and knowing his partner was already riled up, they wouldn't go very far with this.

He would just seek her out later, on his own, when the chaos of the day blew over. But for now... He just sighed, pulling off his glasses to blow dust from the lenses. "...come on, old man. Let's start our shift."

Kotetsu had winced slightly when Kerrigan fought back with her own angry words, and once again he contemplated on whether or not to merely apologize, but his stubbornness would refuse to let up for anything and so he just remained quiet, standing right where he was like some kid ready to take on a verbal lashing. It was quick, and he really had been expecting more but when she was done and had stormed past the two of them Kotetsu had just blinked and stared at the empty spot where Kerrigan had previously been, looking over his shoulder eventually to where she'd started to walk off.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing, and even has he turned his head over to Barnaby he still kept silent, though that wasn't so much because he didn't know what to say but that he didn't want to risk igniting what burning retort Barnaby would say to him about what had happened. He was angry. He wasn't showing it, but he was angry and Kotetsu was definitely not going to hear the end of it for a long while. "--r-right..." Was the only clumsy response he could give as he looked over his shoulder one more time. Kerrigan was gone, but it wouldn't be the last time he'd see her.

He was so screwed when they'd get home. Not even in the questionable way.

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V-Day Means Work Day. [OPEN]

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