lmao

Ethan’s eyes fell to floor in disappointment when she said trespassing. What he was expecting, he didn’t know, but from experience it tended to be the kindest of people who had the most interesting criminal secrets.  “I was really hoping you were gonna’ say drug smuggling or something…” With a small laugh, he looked back up to her. “So you went squatting? Never done that, I don’t think anyway. Spent the night walking around an abandoned hospital once, but we got too freaked out and left in the early hours. Old buildings make weird noises.” Pulling the phone from his pocket, he scrolled through the photos on his phone until he found Hank. “Husky… Name is Hank… Well, Hanky and he’s got a brother called Panky. But my friend has him so when it’s just us two it’s Hank. What kind do you have?”

Kennedy blushed only lightly as Ethan commented on her story, looking away from him for just a moment before she continued their conversation. “I know, it’s not like, wild or anything. But, it’s something. And like I said, it was fun.” She paused briefly to listen to his own story. “Trust me, I know. You learn to ignore it, until a door slams shut and everyone is you came with accounted for. Then you goddamn leave,” she laughed, running a hand through her blonde hair. “A husky? I have a husky, too! His name is Max,” she nodded, leaning in to look at the photos the man as brought up on his phone. “He’s gorgeous. And I love the whole Hanky-panky, names. It’s very cute. My other dog is a golden retriever, her name is Lola.”

“And why not…” Ethan raised an eyebrow and propped himself up on his elbow. “Come on, I just told you that I stole shit all the time. At least one thing, make it even. Oh, you and be both— Except I’ve only got one, he’s huge and  my landlord would murder me if I got anymore.”

Kennedy made a noise that sounded akin to one of frustration before realizing there was really no harm in telling. “Fine, when I was travelling through Europe my friends and I would sneak into places all the time. You know, like trespassing. People are not very good at locking their doors apparently, and if you look hard enough there are a lot of abandoned places all over. So, yeah,” she admitted with a light shrug. “We’d like, camp out in old buildings and stuff. It was fun, I guess. I’m surprised I wasn’t murdered by a ghost because some of that shit was haunted,” Kennedy shuddered in memory. “What kind of dog do you have? I have three at the moment, usually two but I like to foster when I can.”

“Yeah, I’m not talking grand theft auto…“ With a reassuring smile, Ethan sat back and nodded towards her. “My conscience should probably be a little more alert, if I’m honest. Nah, there’s nothing wrong with that. And anyway if I’m ever busted for the amount of pens I’ve stolen across the years, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that you literally owe nobody anything.”

“Hmm, not true, completely,” Kennedy chuckled lightly. “I’ve never really stolen anything which is true, but I’ve done a few things that could get me into trouble with some people. Not that I’m going to name them, but...” She paused for the moment, licking over her lip as she remembered her shenanigans during the time she spent travelling. “The most I’d get in trouble for now is probably hoarding too many puppies at once. If that’s even illegal.”

“You know when you’re in a store, carrying stuff around then have to leave? Put everything back, then leave and go back the next day? Yeah… Apparently I forgot to put a pack of pens back on the shelf. I felt bad, but it was only ten cheap ass pens.”

“Oh,” Kennedy was a little relieved to say the least. “I’ve done that, but I always go back and pay for it. My conscience can’t handle the guilt. Once I accidentally forgot there was a can of soda I had been holding under my arm  and I went back the next day to pay for it... They just let me have it because they were pretty sure I’d paid the money I owed in the gas I used to get there. Which probably sounds like I’m really lame.”

Kennedy sighed, no matter what the man was probably right. She hadn’t exactly been looking, god knows the last thing she needed since her ex was a serious relationship. But, the places she had actually found people weren’t the best. Still, she had to snap herself back to reality once she heard what he asked. “I’m- I’m sorry, pardon?”

“I mean, I never really planned on becoming a journalist, though. The goal is to be a New York Best Seller. But, I have yet to actually write a novel and I don’t have much else that can be published. At least, I don’t think.” Leo began to ponder, wondering if there was any way he could get through to a publishing company if he was able to pitch ideas. “Enough about me, though. What’s it you’re going for again?”

Kennedy hummed as the man explained his work to her. She would think that being a journalist would be amazing for some people, and maybe it was, but it wasn’t his goal and that was understandable. “At least through journalism you must meet other writers with connections, right?” She suggested, a small shrug coming from her. “Me? I’m training to be a veterinarian, I’m almost done, too. Only a few more months.”

“See? You’re already half way there. Now you just need sex and a puppy and you’ll be all there,” Kennedy smiled at her friend, nodding at her. She was glad she’d been able to put some sort of smile on Ceci’s face. It was sort of one of her goals in life, to make people happy. “I think that getting a small dog or a puppy would be good, it would be adorable to watch them grow up together.”

“What? You don’t think I can hold my liquor, huh?” He chuckled under his breath at this information, pretty sure that his 25 year old self would be able to breeze through this night and repeat it tomorrow, but that present-day-Quentin would not be likely to even get out of bed tomorrow. “We can do it, we can do it.” He said and nudged her in the side with his elbow, grinning in her direction before he started counting down and soon enough putting shot glass after shot glass to his lips, until they were all empty. “Holy shit— holy, fucking shit! Well, that was gross.”

Kennedy only gave the man next to her a teasing shrug, grinning over at him as they both psyched themselves up to do the shots. She wasn’t entirely sure why she’d agreed to this, and sure she had age and the fact that Quentin had already had a beer or two under her belt, but she was only tiny and hadn’t done this many shots for a while. “Okay, okay, okay...” She whispered to herself just as the taller man began to count down, throwing back one shot after the other as he reached the final number. “Oooh, my god!” The blonde practically hissed once she’d swallowed the last shot, her hand over her mouth.

“That does make sense, of course. When I traveled I made sure I knew the basics that would get me by, but I do wish I’d learned more.” Kennedy listened as Clary spoke. “How many languages do you need to know, only French?”

Laughing softly, Layne nodded. “You better!” She smiled. “Good! May I ask how you did so?” She asked, curiosity filling her mind.

Kennedy laughed lightly, smiling over at the other blonde. “I just repeatedly say no thank you and continued walking, he followed for a few seconds but I think he got the hint eventually.”

“Well it does sort of, if you’re going to be planning a trip for twice as long you’re going to need twice as many things to do, right?”

Ethan’s face remained serious for a moment before merging into a laugh, “I’m kidding—” He smiled, reassuring the blonde. “I was bored as a kid… Never knew what I wanted to do, was never good at anything. Then I started to steal things, one time I even stole an entire bag of dry dog food. Sold it for fifteen bucks, made a great profit.” He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory. “It’s less frequent now… And sometimes accidental.”

Kennedy raised her eyebrows, laughing a little but mostly because she wasn’t sure of how to actually react. Stealing isn’t exactly something she feels positively about. “Accidental? What do you mean?”

“Good, maybe I’ll compliment your hair or your looks later on.” He added in a humorous tone. “And why exactly are you by yourself so often?”

“Maybe?” Kennedy asked in a teasing tone. “Um, most of my friends are back in Ohio, and the ones that are actually here in Montreal are probably sick of me,” she said, her tone a little quieter.

“I hope so,” Kennedy smiled with a wink.

“Well, no, actually, there are certain things you can do, and certain things society can do. First, you have to assess your safety – if it’s at night and you’re walking alone, obviously the best thing to do is not say anything. But if it’s during the middle of the day, on a crowded sidewalk, you need to respond – because these men have to learn, even if it’s by one example, that their behavior is demeaning not just to women but to themselves. Make eye contact and use a firm voice, telling them their behavior isn’t okay. No, go away – leave me alone – what you’re saying is disrespectful. Something like that. Or you can always turn it around on them, make them feel just as uncomfortable. But don’t swear. And then walk away. If all else fails, you can threaten to call the police – or actually call. It might honestly be that they don’t know what they’re doing is so wrong, because for the most part, society encourages the idea that women are desperate from any sort of attention from a man, which of course isn’t true.”

“Yeah, which is easy for you to say. A tall, large man with a lot of power behind him. It’s not easy being so small, you know... Especially when the people making comments to you are much bigger. It’s intimidating. And it’s scary, sometimes. ” Kennedy swallowed, sighing out just a little.