I against I & me against you

[imperceptible]

Characters: Kevin Smith & -insert name here-
Format: ACKSHUN!
This log is: o p e n
Location: outside the dorms
Summary: Kevin's working through some of his inner demons by doing the one thing he knows best. Play tennis.
Warnings: Possibly some swears, to be updated as needed.

[Anyone wandering out of their dorm and into the courtyard will hear the strange, consistent echo of something smacking against something else in an almost rhythmic beat.

If you bother to search for the source, you'll find Kevin in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a tennis racket in hand off to the side of the central building. The source of the noise? It would be that tennis ball he's continuously smacking back against the wall. This otherwise ordinary scene is broken, however, by how violently he's doing it. If you didn't know better? You'd think he was trying to crack someone's skull open with how hard he's hitting that dang ball. Wonder what his problem is...]

Comments

[womenwouldgrieve]

Hello. [Then maybe it wasn't a dream... But it still doesn't feel like it was real.]

How are you doing?

[imperceptible]

Alright... I guess. [Have a shrug as Kevin suddenly finds something on his racket to inspect. After a minute he glances back up at Edgar and... looks away. It's hard to say something meaningful when you're twelve.]

What about you?

[womenwouldgrieve]

Me too.

...I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Edgar.

[imperceptible]

Kevin. [Have a brief pause before Kevin awkwardly rubs the back of his neck.] Look, I'm probably stupid for even saying this but... thanks.

[womenwouldgrieve]

So you remember... [What even was that, if it wasn't real? Sigh] It was nothing. I mean, I still wasn't able to...

In any case. I'm glad you're all right now.

[imperceptible]

Why wouldn't I remember my own nightm... [And then he sees that look on Edgar's face and his own falls.]

... it was just a really bad dream.

[womenwouldgrieve]

I have no idea what it was. But it's over, now...

Ah, what is it you were doing, just now?

[imperceptible]

This? [Kevin holds up his racket and looks at it. For the umpteenth time, he's stuck trying to figure out why he even bothers. He knows it's a lost memory and that he'll get it back sooner or later, so he'd better keep it up but it's hard to get into something when you don't know your motivation.]

Tennis. I figured since I'm out of Exaclan I might as well do something else with my time.

[womenwouldgrieve]

I haven't heard of that. Is it some sort of game?


[...huh] "Out" of Exaclan? How so?

[imperceptible]

... seriously? [At least Gino knew what it was.] It's a sport.

[Have a shrug, Edgar.] No player right now so I'm a- what's the term? Discard?

[womenwouldgrieve]

Oh, I see. Do you prefer not having a player? [he can see where that might be preferable] Or have you simply not found one?

[imperceptible]

Kinda both. [Kevin debates elaborating before giving a half shrug.] Guess I just haven't met a player I can work with.

[womenwouldgrieve]

That's understandable. It's a unique bond, from what I've gathered.

...if you need one, I am looking for more weapons. But it's entirely up to you.

[imperceptible]

[At the realization that Edgar's asking to pair up with him, Kevin stares at him for a moment before nodding.]

Since it's you, I'll do it. I owe you one for not letting my brains get shot out. [Although, what did happen was sort of just as bad...]

[womenwouldgrieve]

[Assuming that really happened...] All right, then. I promise to protect you, if it comes to that. Thank you, Kevin.

[imperceptible]

[Hey, he dreamed of a complete stranger saving him and a week later he meets said stranger. Call it what you want.

And ugh, you guys and your sincerity. He's never gonna get used to this vowing thing, ever.]

Sure, no problem.

[womenwouldgrieve]

Mm. [nod. well, it's awkward once that's done with...] I didn't mean to interrupt your practice.

[imperceptible]

It's fine. I'm starting to get sick of playing against a wall anyway.