Who: Thom and Kaysen
Where: Thom's basement
When: Morning

Thom had stayed overnight at Isaac's house, though his friend had been quieter than usual. He wasn't happy with where things were right now, but in the middle of vamp!crisis when his protected had knocked herself out doing shit - really not the time for friendship talks, so Thom had been kinda avoiding, just for now.

There'd been a note from his mom when he got home, telling him to watch the news and informing him that it looked like the vampires had moved on. Which was so great he couldn't express it. School still wasn't back in session though, so he headed down to the basement to start clean up, converting it back to the band's room. Maybe he'd be feeling better about things if he could just get that space back. It'd at least give him a neutral topic with Isaac, something he could get the guy over for, something they could talk about that he wouldn't be left feeling that there were undertones about.

Kaysen, when she was physically able to get up and go over to the Harkin's household, did that. She had decided she was going to go shout at Thom after her conversation with Isaac, and she still planned to follow through on that. So, there she was. She paused outside the back door for a moment or two, wondering if she should knock. The past few days had kind of been in and out between both houses, so she actually wasn't totally sure. And anyways, she was there to yell at the guy, would it be weird to knock first? She was thinking about this too much. In the end, she walked in, and checked the basement first, since that was where they'd spent most of their time when she was there, and whenever she was over the house in the first place, that was where she went. "Thom! You in here?"

Thom had managed to manhandle the mattresses back upstairs, leaving them heaped on the landing - he'd come back and tidy them up later - and he'd cleared up most of the trash that had accumulated and was currently recovering the instruments and setting them back out again when he heard Kaysen's call. "Yeah, down here!" he hollered back, squatting down to set up the stand for his keyboard.

She marched down the stairs. "You have some explaining to do, asshole!" she said immediately, heading over to him. She was still moving a little slower than usual, even with her pissy sister attitude in place, but she was covering well for the moment. "So, start talking! What's this I hear about all this bullshit going on with my brother and you keeping things from him and not including him in shit and what the living fuck were you doing stalking my boyfriend to find out that he's a ...a...it starts with an F!"

Thom hadn't been expecting to be shouted at and he tried to stand up and turn round as she came down the stairs - only that didn't work so well for him, given that the metal of the stand got in the way and he just managed to whack his head against it instead. He finally managed to stand, rubbing the forming lump and processing what she'd said. Shouted. Whatever. The first bit he'd been going to reply to, only then he realised what else she'd said. "He..." Thom started, sounding less than impressed, but managing to bite back what he'd been going to say. Isaac had told her? He'd told her - after Thom had told him that what Chance he told him was a secret, he'd gone and blurted it all out to his sister. Great.

Kaysen actually winced at him hitting his head like that and sort of looked at him like she wondered if he was alright. Then remembered she was pissed at him! He could have a lump on his head! It meant she didn't have to give him one. Or whatever. "He said that you guys had a fight, and that you're like...being a dick and shit. Or that's not exactly what he said but that's what he meant, I'm sure, and that's just not right, and what the hell, man? And why are you suddenly all stalker-tech with your going behind people's back to check up on my boyfriend, and anyways why didn't you even call him when all the vampire bullshit hit how come you called me and came and got me? That's totally insane!"

Thom just... Didn't know where to start with any of that. Maybe, if she'd managed to just shout at him on one subject at a time or something, he'd have more of a chance, but he thought he could count at least three in there and that was without really trying. "Kaysen, calm down," he told her instead, figuring that maybe trying to get her to stop shouting would be a better plan.

She crossed her arms and gave him a solid, pissy Look. "Well?" she asked. She didn't actually say which of the myriad of subjects she'd thrown at him she wanted an explanation for first. He could start somewhere, she just wanted him to start...fessing up or something. She had no idea what, really. And perhaps she should have thought of this slightly better before she'd come over here, but yeaaah. Kaysen St. James wasn't known for her overwhelming patience and forethought.

"I didn't stalk your boyfriend - I went and talked to him. Last time I checked, that wasn't a crime," Thom told her, calmly, figuring that, of all the subjects, was actually the safest and the least likely to touch on things he couldn't talk about.

"Yeah, and why exactly did you feel the need to do that? And why didn't you tell me about it? I mean--Thom--he's my boyfriend, okay? There's shit that's your business, and shit that's like, insanely emphatically not and he? Is totally on that I E N one! Just no! I don't even know what you were thinking! And Isaac said that you totally didn't even tell him about it too! Dude, seriously, what is wrong with you?" Kaysen asked, exasperated.

"Kaysen, get a grip. Firstly, at the time, I didn't know he was your boyfriend. Sure, I knew he liked you and shit, but I didn't know you were dating. Secondly? The guy had just dragged us through a mirror. Don't know about the rest of you, but I was insanely fucking curious about how the hell he could do that. It's not like I was going and asking him questions about you or some shit. You know - the world does not revolve around you," he told her - which was ironic, really, all things considered.

She rolled her eyes. "I know that!" she said. "But fine--I can see that. Why didn't you take my brother? Why didn't you tell him anything about it after that? He's really...I dunno. Bent out of shape or hurt and stuff over like, everything, and that seems pretty huge." she said, attempting for some form of rationality, and weirdly enough, she managed better than usual. She was also feeling like she needed to sit down again, but stubbornly refused to just yet. Besides. If she sat down, that would probably lead to rational conversation, and she was still busy being pissed. For real.

"I didn't take Isaac because I actually wanted to talk to Chance and I know that they don't get on. or didn't. Or - look, last time I was with the two of them, Isaac was threatening bodily harm, so I judged it better to go alone. Being approached by one person you're not sure of is a lot less intimidating than being cornered by two guys. I wanted information, I decided that was the best way of getting it. And I didn't tell Isaac, because Chance asked me not to tell people and, given what he told me - which wasn't much - I was going to respect that," Thom told her, maintaining his possibly annoyingly calm and rational tone, looking at her as if to ask whether she was going to try and pick holes in that.

That...made sense. Which was disappointing. But maybe good. "Well, you should tell him that, cuz he just feels like you were going behind his back and shit." she said, sulking slightly. "And maybe that's the problem! Maybe there's reasonable explanations about like, everything, but you're not telling him so he can't know, cuz he's not a mind reader! So...like tell him more! or something, he's feeling like you're keeping a bunch of shit from him and like you're turning it around on him to make him feel bad for feeling left out. Which is fucked up, Thom." She was frowning at him in a disappointed sort of manner. "He says that you're like...keeping shit about yourself, and me, and I already said the Chance stuff." Damnit, this was getting more and more rational by the second. And she really did need to sit down. She caved, walking over towards the couch, and she dropped onto it, curling up to rest her head on the arm of it as she continued to give him a disapproving expression. She hoped she could pull it off while needing to almost lay down.

"I did tell him that," Thom told her with a slight sigh, though the sigh was mostly for the rest of what she'd said - because he was keeping things from Isaac, from everyone and that was becoming more and more obvious. "I'll talk to him," he promised instead, hoping that would satisfy her.

It didn't. "Well he's really hurt. And he said like, that he feels left out. I dunno, maybe cuz he doesn't have the freak gene or something. But he was saying he felt all bad because we didn't talk to him about the vampire frying thing either. And like, dude, you still haven't said why it was you didn't even call him when everything went bad, and you like...came and got me first thing." she said. Her voice was a lot more subdued now, and she was looking at him, really wanting to know that herself. "That's messed up. He's your best friend. I'm just like...some girl you put up with because you have to."

Shit, she went back to that. He'd managed to successfully sidestep that question with Isaac, but so far here he'd not been so lucky. "Well, apparently I'm just fucking up all over the place, aren't I?" Thom said, dropping rationality in favour of an air of pissiness which went quite well with the earlier sigh.

"...well, yeah." Kaysen said. She was still looking at him. And weirdly, Thom had gone for pissy, and Kaysen's tone was a lot gentler. "What's going on? Why'd you do that? Are things for really changing that bad between you and Isaac that you're like...gonna...well, like break up? And I know you're not dating, I already got bitched at for thinking you guys might be making out now, so don't you yell at me too for it, but like...honestly, what's going on? He's really confused, and hurt, and he's got so much shit going on right now. I'm really worried about him and like...you two fighting? Like seriously having um. Relationship issues and shit? That's not right. So what's up?"

Thom's eyes bugged slightly as Kaysen started banding about words like 'break up' and 'relationship issues' and jesus but she shouldn't have had to clarify that they weren't dating! "Jesus, Kaysen - where the fuck did that come from!" he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. Oh god, that was just... Oh god. She'd thought... That he and.... "Jesus," he repeated. Because... oh god.

Kaysen just stared at Thom for a minute as he had his mini flail fit. "Um, quit hyperventilating, Thom. Calm the hell down. Jesus, what the fuck? Like, is the thought of my brother that disgusting? But whatever, didn't I just say not to give me shit about it? I already got the shit! Isaac just said something, and like, I took it wrong, so whatever! Also--tooootally not the point! Like, at all! I don't really care what you want to do with your genitals! Or Isaac for that matter! In fact, the less I know, the better! Get over it and focus here with me!"

"Kaysen! Just - stop it, okay? With the... and the... And yes, the thought of your brother is... When you put it like that. Can we just change the subject? Please? God." What was it with the world thinking they were gay? It was dealable when it was, like Chrissy Chapman and he stupid rumours, but Kaysen? Shit. "Look, he has a girlfriend - I had a girlfriend before I was royally dumped. Not gay, okay?"

"...Thom. The subject only landed here because you can't seem to get over shit. So get the fuck over it already, and move on." Kaysen said flatly. "I didn't put the subject here. You did. Here. I'll make it really easy for you. Why did you not even think to call my brother when all this shit went down, and instead you came straight for me?" Seriously, you'd think homophobia would have died out already, but the way Thom and Isaac were acting...maybe it was that case. What was it? The lady protesting too much or some shit? Yeah. That. Maybe they just needed to come out or something and be done with it already. For fuck sake.

Aaaaaand he probably would have been more comfortable talking about how he wasn't gay. Which might have been part of his reason for making such a big deal. Though, really, what was it with everyone? "I dunno," he told her, reluctantly, since this was like the third time she'd asked the question. He did know, of course, he just couldn't tell her about it. Or Isaac. Or any of them.

"You don't know. Well something had to have happened, there had to be connections somewhere. Like...seriously, what's up with it? It's kinda weirding me out, and it's...I think it's making Isaac feel really bad n stuff. I mean you didn't even call him and like...it's just not making any sense. So...maybe if you could tell me, I could tell him, or I dunno. Something. But honestly I kinda wanna know too." Even if she was almost thinking being blissfully ignorant of it might be cool too.

Thom had no idea what to say, he was totally out of ideas. Because he couldn't explain it and there was no seemingly rational get out with this one. He hadn't called Isaac, he hadn't even given it a second thought. He'd gone directly for Kaysen, even when he'd known she was at Chance's and therefore not in any immediate danger. "I'll talk to Isaac," he told her, sounding subdued.

"Thom," Kaysen said in a tired sounding sigh. "C'mon, remember how you said that the world doesn't revolve around me? You're right. It doesn't. But this actually does have something to do with me. I wanna know. I think I have that right, being you showed up out of the blue and like, action heroed your way inside and got me to safety and stuff. That's...what is that? I'm not stupid, alright? I know it's something." She just couldn't fathom what.

"I... I can't be having this conversation," Thom told her, taking a step back. Nothing he could come up with would sound at all sane, everything would be a blatant lie. So, he'd just... cut the conversation short.

Kaysen frowned darkly now, and her head came up from where it had been resting on the couch arm. She just stared at him. "...okay I was weirded out before? Now you're outright fucking scaring me." she told him, voice sort of quieter than she meant it to be, but an unease had settled over her. A really serious one.

"No, it's just... There are some things that I can't talk about," Thom said, wishing that he wasn't having this conversation at all. That they'd never started in on this.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kaysen asked. She still had that kind of rabbit in the headlights look about her. She was just about a hairs breath from telling him to stay the hell away from her from now on. She was seriously getting the creepy creepy vibe and she didn't even know why. "What do you mean there's some things you can't talk about?" Confused and frightened! Yay!

"I mean..." Thom started, then stopped. he went and grabbed the stool for his keyboard from the corner and set it down in front of the couch before sitting. "Okay - you know I told you I had been raised for all of this? That there were certain things that were expected of me? That it all ran in the family? Well, also running in the family is a curse - there are certain things we can't talk about."

Kaysen moved back away from him, not so much that she changed where she was sitting, but she leaned as far back as she could manage. "Yeah, I---wait a curse? Like, a serious, witchy woman put the evil eye on you curse? And it's...that you can't talk about things." she stated, seeing if she got that right. There was a doubtful cast to her tone, because that sounded insane. Or it sounded like bullshit, one of the two.

"I don't know about the whys and wherefores, just that it's there. And yes, a curse that means that certain things we can't talk about - cursed with silence. So no talking about things, no explanations, nothing. Just can't be done. We can't even say what things we can't talk about until they come up, or why we can't talk about them," he added, trying to phrase it so that maybe she'd conclude there was more than one subject, rather than the truth.

"That's..." Kaysen said, staring at him. "That's insane. Or...are you just trying to get out of telling me shit? I mean, if you are, that's pretty low. But you seriously expect me to believe that you're cursed just not to talk about some stuff? And apparently, that stuff has to do with like, what happened and why you came and got me?" she asked. She sounded wary and doubtful about it all, totally not sure what she should believe.

"Isaac knows," Thom told her. "Or you can go and ask my mom. She'd tell you the same thing. You really think I'd make this shit up? Like that I wouldn't come up with something better if I was?" he posed.

"Thom...right now I don't know what to believe about anything in the entire world. I set it on fire the other night, or that's what it felt like. I could have burned up you, my brother, and my boyfriend, all at the same time. I'm still feeling like I can't even move properly after it, like I'm too drained to really do much. I have Isaac on one side of me who seems really insanely upset about how things are going or not going with you guys and you guys have been the most solid thing in my life since I was little. I have you acting all weird and now apparently you're cursed and can't tell me why. I burned up vampires the other night, and it was easy for me. Ask yourself if there's anything in my entire head right now that I can really rely on anymore, when all this has happened in like...a fucking week." Kaysen said, sounding really, really tired.

"I'm sorry," Thom said, feeling a little helpless about it all right now. She wasn't the only one having an insane week, or who was having troubles with it, but he wasn't going to offload on her and he wasn't going to be playing one-upmanish either. So a quiet apology was her lot.

"It's not your fault. Most of this isn't like...anything to do with you. It's just...everything. It's what we were talking about before. How like, everything seems to be coming all at once, or not stopping or something. Like it all just keeps getting worse. Everything feels like it's fucked up now. Like it doesn't make sense anymore. And I guess my boyfriend's ...something that can heal and travel through mirrors and stuff, and I still don't know about that stuff. He was gonna tell me before but I wasn't ready, and I told him after I woke up that I wanted him to tell me when everything's over, but I have a word now, and I hadn't known about the healy stuff, and I dunno." She looked up and met Thom's eyes. "When did everything get so stupid?" she asked. Because there was still a part of her that believed that Isaac and Thom just knew everything, and had everything covered.

"The demon cats," Thom told her with some conviction. "Things were passably normal before then." At least, for most of them. Thing had been weird for him for a long time, but there was no helping that.

She gave him a little eyeroll and a half smirk, but it was something. "Yeah, alright." she agreed. Then she drew in a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. "So what happens now?" she asked. "Are you and Isaac really gonna like...keep having problems? Or can you fix stuff? You made him feel like shit, y'know. Like it's his fault for feeling left out, and I kinda think maybe he has been." This time, however her voice was a lot less accusational.

"I told you - I'll talk to him. And I'm gonna try and fix stuff," Thom promised her. "I didn't mean to make him feel bad, or to leave him out. Or any of that stuff." He just couldn't be everywhere at once, but he'd been dropping the ball recently - he needed to try harder.

She nodded. "Kay." she said. "I didn't figure you did, really. That seemed...weird." Again, she thought that she'd much sooner believe they were making out than fighting. "But yeah, I dunno. He's hurting right now, and...yeah. I already said all that." she didn't want to get into repeating herself. "So talk to him. You can blame me n stuff if you have to." she offered.

"I know, squi-Kaysen. I knew that even before you came to shout at me. Believe it or not, I don't particularly like things being kinda weird between me and Isaac, so I was already gonna be working on fixing that," he added.

"Kay." She repeated. She felt better about things then. Thom would stop being a douche, he'd talk to Isaac, they'd make up and the world would make slightly better sense again. She thought it was a plan. "Good then." she said. Then she realized that it was probably time for her to leave, since she'd just barged in in the first place. "Guess I should...let you get back to whatever it was you were doing before I made you bump your head." she said. "You're okay, right?"

"Yeah, course I am," Thom told her, not really wanting to give her any excuse to stay right now. Not that she probably wanted one in any event, but right now, he'd prefer it if she was just somewhere that was else.

"Kay." she said for the third time, and she got up, feeling the dreadful tiredness wash over her again, but it wasn't as bad as it had been initially. So she was calling it good. She headed for the stairs. "...see ya." she said, since it occurred to her that she didn't actually know how to say goodbye to Thom. They like...were always either around or in and out and there wasn't really any proper farewells to be had. But it felt weird to just walk out without saying anything, either. She didn't hang around for a reply though, making as quick an exit as she could.