somewhere in neverland || mason

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

outfit

It had been an extremely long night. Chloe had been working as a bartender for a few years now, and while she enjoyed her work, she didn't enjoy the emotional burden that came with it. People came to drink when they were at their best or when they were at their worst. There wasn't a great deal of in between, and her ability to feel the emotions rolling off of the people around her almost always made for a stressful shift. Tonight had been particularly trying, and she'd had to feign a stomach bug so that she could go home early. It was only ten, though, and since she was used to working well into the wee hours of the morning, Chloe wasn't sure what to do with herself.

The moment she walked through the door, she kicked off her shoes and headed for the coffee pot. Caffeine was the only thing getting her through most days. She didn't have a lot of fancy things, but one thing she had invested in as soon as she'd been able to save up the money was one of those excessively fast one-cup coffee makers. It wasn't that she only needed one cup. It was just that she was rarely patient enough to wait for a pot to brew. Shoving her favorite mug, a brown clay number with a couple of chips around the rim, under the machine, she jabbed the start button and bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as she watched the liquid drip into the cup.

Finally, coffee in hand, she headed into the living room. Placing her cup of coffee on the coffee table, she kept moving toward the bedroom, stripping off her jeans and pulling on a pair of boxers. Ordinarily, she'd just run around in her underwear, but she knew her brother was due to get out of jail any time now, and, since she didn't typically keep a calendar, she wasn't entirely sure what day he'd show up. Once she was comfortably dressed, she headed back to the living room again, flipped the television on for background noise, and curled up on the couch with her coffee.

[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Mason drew the cool fall air into his lungs. It was almost startling to be out again. The world was such a big place, a real place. Jail had seemed sterile and so under control. Life wasn't like that. A cop gave him a ride back to town, but once there he asked to walk home. He still felt bad about how things had been last. His love had left him for a better job, he'd abandoned his sister--his best friend in the world, left the town without a fix-it guy.

Mason kicked the dirt with the toe of his boot. It felt weird to be in the clothes he'd had 5 years ago, they hardly fit anymore. He had even more gym time when he was in prison. Besides that, they were dirty and other people's blood on it. He would have to change, and buy some new clothes...

He stopped by the shop to change, not wanting to greet his sister in bloody clothes. He decided on a plaid flannel shirt, green, jeans and kept his boots. And then he finished the walk home, pausing at the door before unlocking it. It felt stupid to know.

"Chloe?" He called into the house as he pulled the door shut. "Chloe, I'm home."

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

She felt him before she heard him. A small ripple of insecurity pushed toward her, and Chloe knew it wasn't her own. She wasn't too insecure to sit around her house in a tee shirt and boxers with just her mutt and a cup of coffee or company. Besides that, other people's feelings had a different vibe. While she could tell that the feelings weren't hers, though, she couldn't tell exactly who they were coming from. Logic told her that it was probably family or maybe a coworker from the bar coming to check on her. Odin wasn't barking yet, which was a sign that whoever it was was someone they knew. Even so, Chloe tucked herself into a tighter ball on the couch and listened to see who it was.

When she heard the key turn in the lock, though, Chloe knew it could only be one of two people: her dad or her brother. Since her dad always called when he was planning to come around, that left only Mason. Chloe instantly brightened at the realization and by the time her brother had managed to call out that he was home, she'd placed her coffee on the table and practically leaped over the back of the couch, pouncing on him in a hug that incorporated her whole body, arms and legs wrapped around him forcing him to support her weight. "You could have called, you know. I would've picked you up from wherever," she mumbled into his chest where her head was buried, taking in his familiar, if slightly stale, scent.

A second later, she realized that he probably didn't need anyone clinging to him. Having been in jail for five years would be tough on anybody, and she could feel the strange emotions coming off of him. Gingerly, she peeled herself off of him and stood in front of him, a sheepish grin on her face. "Coffee?" she offered, turning to head toward the kitchen. She knew he wouldn't say no. She also knew that they'd probably be up a few more hours, and coffee was going to be a necessity.

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[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Mason grinned widely when she hugged him. Her hair smelled sweet, her skin soft and her body warm. It had been a while since he'd had a tender touch from anyone and he held her tight, trying to hold on to the feeling of his sister before the guilt, worry and nerves returned. She immediately hopped off and he wished she couldn't read emotions so well. "Sorry, I didn't want you to see me in those clothes." He said as his explanation, which was only so hopeful but partly true. Mason reached out to ruffle her hair lightly. She grew up while he was gone, she really looked like a woman. He was proud of her, coping so well--at least at face value.

"Yeah, coffee would be great." He liked strong black coffee and you couldn't find that in jail. Mason watched her walk into the kitchen and caught a glimpse of the coffee maker. "You got all fancy on me huh?" He asked. "You better not have thrown out my Mr. Coffee." he teased, but she had every right. He got out early for good behavior. She had been living here alone for five years. Guilt washed over him again.

Since she was bound to feel it, he figured there was no point in waiting to express it. "I'm sorry I left you here alone for so long." He said quietly, scuffing his boot on the wood floors.

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

The fact that Mason was apologizing coupled with the heavy waves of guilt rolling off of him had Chloe clamoring to get at least a little further away from him. It was unfair, really. All she wanted to do was to make him realize that no matter what had happened, he was still her brother. She still loved him. Yeah, she'd had to grow up quickly and figure out how to take care of things on her own, but she'd managed, and she figured she was a better person for it. It wasn't really his fault. She'd have had to learn to be a big girl one day, even if he had been around.

Shaking her head at him, she headed for the coffee pot and dropped another single-cup pouch into the machine before sticking a mug underneath it and pressing start. His footsteps and the weight of his mood preceded him and Chloe found herself frowning at the coffee pot. "Mr. Coffee is in the cabinet under the sink," she assured him as the coffee dripped steadily into his cup. She handed it to him and quickly moved toward the sink, pretending she had something to do. Really, though, the dishes were clean, dried, and put away, and there wasn't much of anything to tidy. Eventually she found a bread tie, which she picked up and began to toy with, her eyes fixated on anything but her brother. His guilt was overwhelming her, and she wasn't sure how to deal with it.

By the time he finally voiced his apology, Chloe was completely out of things to entertain herself with. She crossed the room to toss the bread tie in the garbage and reached for the nearby counter to hold herself up. She was okay at the moment, but she was going to need it shortly. Closing her eyes and letting out a breath, she pushed a strong wave of calm feelings toward her brother. If she couldn't get him to chill out for at least a little while, his guilt alone would exhaust her. As she'd expected, she was more than a little tired afterward, but she had coffee and a comfortable couch waiting. She could handle tired. "Would you stop? It's not like I'm mad at you or anything!" Okay, she sounded mad. Or at least annoyed, but it certainly wasn't because he'd been gone. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been doing okay." Shaking her head, Chloe pushed herself off of the counter and moved on slightly wobbly legs toward the couch and her waiting coffee.

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[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Mason frowned, he hated how easily Chloe could be affected by him, and he didn't know if he could cheer up all that quickly. He had been i jail for five years, people would talk, he might not have a job, and he was lonely. It hurt that she moved away, but he understood it. And while she could protest to not being mad, he still felt bad and figured on some level she was mad. "You're still my baby sister." He informed her, and he'd always want to take care of her, even if she didn't need him. "And you look good." He added with a smile. Chloe was all grown up He was sad to have missed, but also glad he didn't have to worry about when she came home and what company she kept. He'd have had a hard time letting go.

He sat down at the kitchen table and started to hum a song from several years before--he obviously wasn't up on pop music or culture. Mason was trying to lighten his mood, but mostly he felt like he was floating. Joy at seeing her, guilt for almost killing a man, glad to be out, uncertain and yet relaxed by his surroundings. Poor Chloe was probably going to have an attack, but he didn't want to be alone again, so he had to brighten up a bit.

"So," Mason started, the coffee machine whirring quietly in the background. "Any boyfriends I have to meet?" He laughed lightly. Though hopefully there wasn't some guy upstairs in the shower or something.

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

Truthfully, Mason's mood was exhausting, and Chloe's feeble attempt to improve it seemed to make very little difference save for to exhaust her further. With a sigh, she offered him a smile. I should hope I look good. We've got good genes, Hammer," she told him, sticking out her tongue. She particularly enjoyed teasing him for the fact that his initials, MC, were the same as those of a rapper. As she headed for the living room to retrieve her coffee, though, she let the smile slide from her face and a look of utter exhaustion took its place. She'd have to hide it again soon, but that took too much energy for the time being.

Coffee in hand, she padded into her room and grabbed a hoodie. Using so much energy had a way of making her cold. She pulled the sweatshirt over her head, rumpling her hair a bit, and returned to the kitchen, taking a seat across from Mason and putting her coffee mug to her lips. At least that was always warm and inviting. When she placed the mug on the table, she offered her brother a smile again, doing her best to look as though the sheer effort of coexisting with his war of emotions wasn't exhausting her. Fortunately, his next question was surprising enough to startle her back into a semi-normal state. Her cheeks turned pink and she let out a short laugh. "Because I'm always bringing guys home and stuff?" she asked, shaking her head. The truth of the matter was a lot of guys probably wouldn't date her just because she was Mason's sister. They'd probably be afraid that her brother would try to kill them. "Seriously, though. No boyfriends. Why? You looking to get rid of me already?" she asked, a real grin brightening her face.

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[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Hammer, it was his nickname with Chloe because of MC Hammer, but it was also perfect in that a blacksmith used a large hammer to bend hot metal---a task Mason could do with his hands. And he looked like Thor, a joke from his childhood, prompting him to name the family dog Odin. "You'll appreciate this," He said rolling up a sleeve to show her his prison tat of a large metal working hammer on his bicep.

Mason laughed and shrugged, "I dont know, you might have been bringing guys home." She had spent her early twenties completely devoid of supervision by parents or her big brother. It wouldn't be a reach to assume she'd had some fun while he was gone. He did feel sorry that most boys were probably afraid of him--now with pretty good reason. "When the cat's away and all that." He joked. Mason wouldn't deny his sister a love life though, but he did plan to vet her future lovers now that he was back.

Mason laughed again and shook his head with a grin. "Never. You're my favorite." He said with a smile and a little wink. "I just wanted to know before I found a guy upstairs in the shower." He chuckled.

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

Honestly, Chloe had been more than a little worried that her brother's time in jail would have changed him. She'd heard that it could. Aside from his mood, though, things seemed relatively the same. At least they fell into their usual sibling dynamic pretty easily. She grinned as he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo of a hammer. "Nice. Very fitting," she noted, nodding her approval. "I got inked while you were gone, too!" she announced, thrusting her right hand toward him to show off the small yellow smiley face that now adorned her skin. It was small and seemingly silly in comparison to some of the designs she'd seen others sporting, but it always served as a reminder to her to focus and preserve her own happiness when she was in the middle of a storm of other people's emotions.

The subject of boyfriends always made Chloe uneasy. To begin with, there was the assumption that she would be bringing boys home. While she'd never given anyone reason to think otherwise, she couldn't help but be slightly affronted that the idea of her preferring to bring a girl around every now and again never occurred to anyone. Granted, she'd never actually brought a girl home, but she'd come to a point where she questioned her sexuality from time to time. She found women attractive and wondered if she might enjoy being with one, but the opportunity hadn't really come up yet. Even so, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed, both by her own questions and her brother's assumptions about her love life. Rolling her eyes at him, she shook her head. "If there's a guy in my shower, he got here while I was at work," she replied, letting out a short huff. "I haven't exactly had much luck in the dating world, you know. Something about sharing the same last name as an attempted murderer..." The words were out before she'd really processed them, and Chloe instantly felt the heat of guilt in what she'd said. Maybe she was more angry than she'd thought over Mason's behavior and subsequent jail sentence.

She let a moment of silence pass, debating whether she ought to apologize or simply pretend she hadn't said something hurtful. With most people, she might have chosen the latter option, but this was her brother and her best friend. Gingerly, she met his gaze and offered him a hesitant half smile. "Sorry... I mean, I know you didn't mean to do it and I don't think that way of you, but you know how people in this stupid town talk. Half of them are afraid of you..." There. The truth was the best option here. Mason deserved to at least know what he was coming home to.

[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Mason chuckled and held her hand flat so he could get a look at her tattoo. It was certainly fitting, what with her powers and all. "Nice." He smiled. "It suits you." He added with a nod, but it dd serve as another reminder that his little sister was all grown up. That was a bit difficult but he was trying to stay positive for his sister.

Whatever his train of thought regarding her dating or men in the shower it was all blown to pieces when the words "attempted murderer" escaped her lips. Mason could only look away, his face blank. She would feel the hurt anyway, the guilt, the embarrassment and all the things he couldn't name. He had almost killed a man. One night of sadness and drinking to undo a lifetime. He's always been formidable, but he'd always been harmless really. Now people had a story to site.

"You think I don't know that?" He said finally. Of course people were talking, of course they hated him and were afraid. He couldn't blame them for that. Mason had only hoped Chloe would be a haven from all of that.

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

"I thought so, too," she agreed, grinning as she pulled her hand back. Shaking her head a little, she gripped her coffee cup, trying hard to ignore how tired all of his feelings were making her. She'd gotten used to living alone, and she was going to have to build up some defenses again. He had a right to feel all of these negative emotions, but she knew she couldn't handle being surrounded by them all the time.

Maybe it was her exhaustion that had turned off her mental filter. Regardless of how she'd managed to let the words slip out, though, it was too late to take them back. Chloe winced at the rush of guilt, hurt, and embarrassment that attacked her. It was too much. When she was really close with a person, it was almost like she took on some of their emotions, and she could feel tears prickle her eyes. Though those were just as likely caused by her own embarrassment and shame. She'd meant to be supportive, but she was only human. (Well, mostly.)

All of the warring emotions her brother had been broadcasting were starting to wear on Chloe. Besides that, her own emotions and her general lack of energy were starting to make her dizzy. She frowned across the table at Mason. "Whatever. If you want to ignore it and have me just pretend nothing happened and that the only impact it's had on my life is your absence for the last five years, that's fine. But I'm not going to lie about it." Her head was pounding and her vision was starting to swim. Chloe gripped her coffee cup and took a long drink of the now cold beverage, trying to steady herself. If she and Mason didn't both calm down soon, she wasn't going to be able to stay conscious long enough to finish their conversation.

[MASON MIEL CAIN]

Mason huffed. "I'm not asking you to ignoring it, and I hate what its done to you and I'm sorry, you know that." He snapped. He couldn't help it, she knew him too well and because she was his sister, he could get mad at her, and she would forgive him. Mason took a gulp of his coffee, got up and walked into the other room. Mostly just to give himself space to breathe without looking at her face.

Her face... so sweet and familiar but also so different and adult, her winces as his emotions hit her. He couldn't take it and for a moment he wondered if he never should have come back. Chloe might have been better off without him, soiling her name or what have you. Mason clenched his fists and released them a few times, trying to just let go of the emotions.

He wished he could go back and change how things had gone that night. What a horrible night. Mason hated how easily his heart broke and how easily it screwed everything up. Love was overrated and dangerous, but he still felt an ache without it.

"I'm sorry." He said softly.

[CHLOE ALICE CAIN]

Chloe could tell from the height of emotions in the room that she shouldn’t have said anything. Mason wasn't stupid. He had to know how his behavior and subsequent jail time had impacted her life, but he hadn't meant to cause her harm, and she knew he would've changed it if he could have. Even so, his anger was almost enough to push her over the edge. She almost hated her powers at times like this. Feeling people's emotions only helped when you could do something about it. Right now, she was sure there was nothing she could do to curb her brother's anger. "I know you're sorry," she murmured in response, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

When he pushed back from the table, Chloe let him, silently glad for the reprieve. Granted, she wouldn't be entirely relieved of his emotional burden, but the further away he was, the less she felt it. She remained in her seat, conscious of her physical state and nervous about getting up. But her coffee was gone, and she wasn't going to be able to make it through the rest of the night without more caffeine.

After a few seconds, she stood and crossed the few steps to the coffee pot, her legs shaking violently. That definitely wasn't a good sign. She placed another pod in the top of the filter, positioned her mug under the pot and moved to press the start button, but her brother's emotions were still pushing at her even from the other room. In the end, it was too much to bear and she felt herself falling before she could even think to call out for Mason's help.

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