"Kaz, I'm driving myself crazy... how the hell do I stop myself?"

The Sept Compound(#2075RAM)
Sweeping branches of trees form a sort of natural roof overshadowing most of this clearing, no more than an open space of grasses and beaten earth in the heart of the forest. Some pains have been taken to keep wear and tear on the area to a minimum, so the firepit tends to shift from time to time. The firepit, several sawn logs polished from use, and a stack of firewood discreetly piled up at the base of an old spruce under a tarp, are the only signs of constant occupation. However, a student of such things might think that some minimal landscaping or planning has been done, for the meadowlike profusion of grasses and other plants has an unusually high concentration of brilliant flowers, which attract a number of bees and butterflies.
A faint trail leads off to the east, and a bit north.

It's a fairly nice morning. Or, at least, it's not raining. Kaz is taking advantage of this fact to roast some steak tips on the fire. She's just now taking one off the stick she had pierced it on, and carefully putting it on a piece of paper towel to cool.

The sound of piercing, tuneless whistling,as Kaz probably can't fail to know after packing with him for several weeks, often portends the approach of Kevin. This time is no exception. His 'music' sounds vaguely bluesish as he wanders into the clearing, a distracted look on his face.

Kaz gets the briefest of pained looks on her face, which, given the volume of her singing at times, is a bit hypocritical. But since she's not showing the look to Kevin, that hardly matters. Instead, she calls, "Yo!" just as he wanders into the clearing, and sticks another hunklet of meat on her stick. "'Sup?"

Kevin focuses back in. "Kaz!" he shouts, and runs over to her. "Hey, packie, just the person I wanted." He flops down to the ground on the other side of the fire from the metis, and looks at her pensively. He doesn't say any more, at least not yet.

"Yeah? What's up?" Kaz moves the small mound of steakettes closer to him, and offers, "You wanna steak tip're two, g'head."

Kevin reaches out and selects one small piece of meat, holding it in his hand. "Uh," he says lamely, then "uh," again. Then he goes on "Look, Kaz. If I tell you this, you must promise... secret. Utter secret, yeah?"

Kaz takes a nub of meat herself, and pauses in the middle of raising it to her mouth to look at him for a moment. "OK," she says, and then polishes her rather small chunk off. After a moment of thought, she rummages in her pack, and produces some bread. As she unties the wrapper, she asks, "So what's up?"

Kevin is silent for several more seconds. Then he pops the morsel into his mouth and chews, equally silently. Finally he swallows and speaks. "Kaz," he says in a half whisper, "I'm driving myself crazy... how the hell do I stop myself?"

There's a pause. And then she asks, "Well, I might be able to suggest somethin' if I knew what you was drivin' yourself crazy with."

Kevin makes another long pause. He seems unable to tell his story other than at his own pace. But eventually he comes out with "Basil," and sighs. "I have to stop kidding myself that I'm over him. I'm not. I'm... sorry if this sounds like, emo... but I love him and I can't stop thinking about him..."

"Mmmf," Kaz says. "I, yeah." She puts her stick down entirely (it starts merrily burning in the fire), and sighs. "I guess what it comes down to is, if you want to remain Pure As The Driven Snow and all that, packin' with him's stupid. 'Course, that's a big if."

"Well, yeah, that's it," Kevin blurts, going from silent to verbose as though a switch has been flicked. "He's my alpha so I'm meant to admire him, and his attitude and his scars and the way he just looks at you... " His fists clench up. "I know I shouldn't pack with him, Kaz, but who else'd take me now? I'm damaged goods."

Kaz quirks a grin. "I don't think he's hot stuff. But I don' swing that way." She sighs. "Honestly, Kev, I think a lotta packs'd take you. I think you got all kinds of clues, an' you're smart. People ain't gonna reject you, although you ain't gonna be no Beta nowhere other'n here, at least not right now. So I don' think that's actually as big a thing as you think it is. On th' other hand, I kinda like packin' with you."

Kevin gives a dry laugh. "Beta? I'm Omega. Through and through, baby, through and through. And I like packing with you," he confides, "else I wouldn't be talking to you now. It's not, I suppose," he goes on, "that I'm worried I'm going to fall back into bad ways... I trust Basil not to even if I don't trust myself. But I've got this tire fire fight coming up soon, and... well." He shrugs helplessly. "I guess I'm kind of... scared."

"Yeah, well. Me too." Kaz sighs. "Anytime I got too much time before a fight, I get to thinkin' too much, and scarin' myself." The Gnawer finds another stick, and pokes her old stick. It falls apart. "I tend to think you and Baz's old ways wasn't that bad, p'ticularly if you can get y'self to hang out with Aimee, too. But I'm obviously in the minority around here, an' anyway you gotta be all about appearances for awhile."

"Aimee and Basil," Kevin says with a jaundiced air, "have apparently been comparing notes about me. I'm not sure whether to be flattered or terrified. Or what to expect when I go back to town and see her again... Listen," he says, still in the low urgent voice. "It's not that I don't like Aimee. I do. A lot. I guess I must be... must be bisexual," he says, spitting the word out like an unpalatable bit of gristle found among the steak tips, "as opposed to gay. But that just makes it all more complicated. I keep wishing the whole sex thing would just go away," he concludes, "and leave me the hell alone."

Kaz stops poking the fire and really looks at him. "I guess you'd take it wrong if I thought two people who love you a lot conspirin' together was a good thing?" She sighs. "I guess I'm too far removed from th' confusin' self hatin' days to be much help, 'cause personally, I ain't found nothin' wrong with bein' bi. It's kinda interestin'. I jus' don' connect up so good to guys, emotionally. But you clearly do. Which is... really cool to watch, actually."

Kevin seems a little taken aback. He looks at Kaz, realises he's staring, looks away, then forces himself to look back. "I hadn't thought of any of it that way," he mutters. "You reckon it is because they both like me? Not because they're just trying to dig the dirt?"

Kaz can't help but smile just slightly at Kevin's double take, but she nods. "I really can't see Baz, at least, as tryin' to dig dirt on you. I ain't met Aimee, so I can't say, but it just don't seem to be in Baz's character. I mean, he's just as much of an asshole sometimes as anyone else is, but he cares."

"Yeah," Kevin says in a choked way. "He cares. If nothing else, Kaz... that I know. And that's the problem. Couple of weeks, we're doing the tire fire thing. Odds aren't good. Maybe both of us'll buy the farm, more likely at least one of us will. That's what's preying all over my mind. He's the ahroun. He's gonna be in there biting and clawing, right at the heart of it while I'm just running interference... maybe dying while I'm not able to help. And that's why I'm scared. I've never been scared of a fight before, Kaz," he pleads, "and it's freaking me out."

Kaz lets out a sigh, and closes her eyes just briefly. "Yeah," she says, a little tightly. "That one's never easy. You just gotta have faith that basically, packs are there to help each other out, so you really will have each other's backs. That... actually did help, th' last time I had people die on me."

Kevin closes his eyes for several seconds. His jaw works back and forth a few times as though he were chewing gum, though it's more likely his own emotional issues he's chewing on. Then he looks at Kaz again. "Be there for me, Kazza? I'll be there for you. I'm... pretty fighty for a ragabash," he says, in the air that someone might say who claims he's pretty tall for a dwarf.

Kaz watches him while he struggles, a fierce, sad little smile on her face. "Yeah," she says, that same tight, hoarse tone to her voice. "I'll be there for you. Def'nitely."

Kevin seems more than a little set at ease by her promise. "And did you know there's other garou want into Vendetta?" he says, as though surprised at this. "Morgan... and Reggie. What d'you think of them? I know you and Morgan get on, both being..." He doesn't say the fateful word which they both are, though it's probably not 'female'.

"I talked t'Morgan. She's a wacky kinda kid, but she tries hard, so I don' got no objections. As f'Reggie..." She trails off. "I'll have t'give him a sniff." She seems to mean this literally. "Ain't never had any actual problems with him, though, and he's a good guy in gen'ral."

Kevin seems glad to have an excuse to move onto a less fraught subject. "Reggie's kind of weird... I always get the impression there's more going on in his head than he ever shows... but maybe that's just Uktena for you," he shrugs. "Can't think of an ahroun less like Basil, mind. But maybe that's a good thing. Variety, yeah? I hope they let the whole pack fight together," he goes on, returning to the previous topic like a man with a sore tooth his tongue can't let alone.

"He's always seemed to be not to be able to connect to people so good." Kaz shrugs. "But like I say, I'll sniff him, and then see what's up. Variety's definitely of use." At his return, she pokes at one of the logs. "Yah. I don' know a lot of major operations where they /don't/ deal with th' whole pack."

"We need to fix up getting Morgan to meet Patches," Kevin declares. "Nice and soon so they're in tune by the time the fight comes. And Reggie too, if Basil doesn't pitch a fit at not being the only ahroun in the club."

"Yeah. I been wantin' t'do that since, uh, more'n a week ago." Kaz grabs a hunk of cold steak tip, now that the conversation is apparently less emotionally fraught, and encases it in a piece of bread. "I think Patches'll like Morgan, honest."

"I like her, mostly," Kevin says a little cautiously. "She kind of freaks me, but I guess if I pack with her I'll get more used to her. Like I have you," he says with a wave of his hand to Kaz. "Though you don't look... like her."

Basil walks into the area in his same shorts and t-shirt borrowed from the cub bin and a rifle on his shoulder, instantly smiling big when he stumbles across his packmates. "What's all this then? Having a bit of a party on the Bawn while I've been off talking to Emma? What're you talking about?"

Kaz says, "I still think she's mostly freaky 'cause of th' abusive upbringin', not 'cause of how she looks. Although that helps, I guess. Oh, hey, Baz. Morgan, just at th' moment. Other stuff, earlier."

Kevin's face sets into stony immobility as Basil approaches. "And Reggie," he adds to Kaz's statement. "Forgot to tell you yesterday, he approached me about joining Vendetta. What d'you think of that?"

"Oh, yeah. Fianna raise their Metis like soccer balls." Basil says, glancing between Kaz and Kevin. "I think I'll have to ask him. Isn't he kinda crippled for an Ahroun? It's not like he'll knock me off." Basil scratches behind his head. "You want him in? Or don't? Oh. Kevin, I've sent Tu a message about some experiments. I need you to help him, my Rage is too high to do it. You're going to be burning tires and seeing what puts them out the best."

"Well, in this case, Fianna raise their metis in basements and don't interact with them, but same thing." Kaz blinks. "Cri-- Oh, I suppose kinda. Everyone's got scars of one sort or another, though. His is just kinda more there."

Kevin raises an eyebrow. "I thought he was just a porky bastard," he says. "What scars has he got, then? I hear he's been cliath for years and years, so I guess he must have picked up a few dings?"

"I dunno, I'm just going by some stuff I've heard and all. Anyways, he honks a mean horn." Basil looks at Kaz. "You happen to know anyone that can drive a truck?" Basil looks at Kevin. "And you, you still got roach connections and stuff?"

"Well," Kaz says, with a slight grin, "I can. If you mean a van type've thing. If you mean an 18 wheeler, I know a few folks..."

Kevin laughs at the mention of Reggie's horn-blowing. "Oh man, that was such a great fight," he says fondly. "Wish I could believe the tire fire's gonna be as much fun... and have as few casualties. But yeah, I'll set fire to tires back home if it helps. I'm still a roachwolf, not going to change that. But you know I can't drive. Yet."

"I mean eighteen wheelers. Maybe a Ryder van. Heres the plan." Basil states, almost looking proud as he folds his arms over his chest. "I and Justin thought about it. We're going to test, or Kevin's going to test, and see what does well against fires. Tire fires. Go on the net and do a bit of research. Whatever they use for forest fires, liquid nitrogen, things like that and get it quick. If we find something works well, we swipe a truck or two or three of it, hit the fire with it, hit it with talens, and maybe rain if possible. And if that don't work, we create some sorta barrier between the tires we put out and the burning ones. But. First, we have to see how likely it is to work."

Kaz blinks. "Well, I can drive Ryders. And I did kinda once drive an 18 wheeler. It was fun! So, uh, yeah. Also I bet Reggie can, speaking of him. An'-- Sounds like a gen'rally good idea t'me."

"He can," Kevin agrees. "I'm sure I heard someone say he drives a truck. Maybe that's why he's so hard to get to know," he muses. "Back in England, truck drivers have this reputation of being loners. We had a couple of them who killed a bunch of kids." He shrugs. "Are they like that over here?"

Kaz shakes her head. "Nah, over here, they're just kinda assholes, most've the time."

Basil shrugs. "Ask Reggie if he likes killing kids if you see'm. I never paid much attention to truckers. People seem to dig the idea, or at least Justin did. Emma seemed to think it might work. The thing on the cake is, after we leave, we leave Green Peace shit around, like spray it on the trucks and stuff."

Kevin perks up. "Hey! That was my idea!" he proclaims proudly. "Diversionary tactics." He looks almost smug for a few seconds. "So, yeah, we say Reggie's cool by us if he's cool by Patch?"

Kaz says, "Works f'me, Kev."

"Yeah, yeah. I just want to talk to him first. Lets see... Me, you, Kaz, Bug, and Reggie. Pretty full pack that is." Basil grins. "We'll be getting along just fine, I think."

Kaz mutters, "Back in a sec," and wanders off to somewhere where she can't be reached by telephone.

"Still no theurge or philodoxes," Kevin ponders as he waves to Kaz and annexes the few remaining steak tips, "but you can't pick and choose always, can you?"

"Ah, you think a Philodox wants to pack with two Charachs? Or you think I want to pack with one?" Basil speaks, waving to Kaz as she wanders off. "Not the most popular with that auspice."

"I bet Grey wouldn't mind," Kevin points out, loyal to his tribemate. "Only Havoc already got ahold of him. Maybe Ken would, even. He's never been a great one for worrying about what people think of him, not when I was with him in Requiem anyway." He sighs. "You spoken to Aimee again since last time?"

"Ken's too pissy and angry and I don't want him in my pack. He's also all traditional and Shadow Lordy." Basil lifts his hands, then drops them. "No. I think I'm going to avoid her for a bit, and drinking with her." Basil grins at Kevin. "Otherwise I might get flashed again, and I'll never stop talking about your girl friend's tits."

Kevin's jaw drops, quite literally. "Flashed? She... flashed you?" The British garou couldn't look more astonished if the moon had dropped out of the sky and coshed him on the head.

"Don't be so silly. It's not like I pulled down her pants and fucked her on the couch. I told her it wasn't nice to tease the dog or something, I think." Basil grins, shaking his head. "You're lucky to have such a fun girl. If you're going to go see her, see her before you burn those tires. You'll smell like crap after."

Kevin makes a few more incoherent splutters. "Basil... I... have to go," he gasps and almost jumps to his feet, so vigorously that he comes close to overbalancing into the fire. "I'll be in touch," he promises hastily, "once we're back in town, yeah?"

Basil shakes his head at Kevin. "People do it all the time in New Orleans, you know! It's not the end of the world! How the fuck am I more comfortable with this shit than you." He wonders a loud, waving to Kevin as he runs off. "Yeah. Go see your damn girl friend!"

Kevin makes it halfway across the clearing before Basil's last words, which make him halt and spin round. "Yeah," he shouts back pugnaciously. "I'm gonna. I'm gonna do just that. See my girlfriend," he says with heavy emphasis on the possessive. Then he turns again and goes stomping off.