stop

          Taking in the state of Jett and his cat, there was more going on than him simply coming over for a social visit which was obvious enough even if the other hadn’t made it clear as Bryce lounged in the doorway but didn’t move to invite the other in, yet. Part of him was curious why they were here but the rest of him was enjoying seeing his friend after the high that he’d been riding off of since Hawaii that was dampened by the news that had broken about Kitty and a past decision that had rocked his world. But that didn’t make it less enjoyable to watch the other squirm a bit as he grinned. “So you thought we’d take our relationship to the next level then by introducing me to the cat. Maybe I should have put a shirt on before getting the door then.” He joked before he stood aside and gestured for the other to come in before continuing the conversation even as much as it was to watch him stand there without a place to be. “I’m good… you want to tell me why you’re really here before or after I get you something to drink. Coffee or tea?”

Jett couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Bryce, which he figured was the intended effect from the other man, “You’re cute, but we established a long time ago you’re not my type, mate.” Pushing through the door, he sent Bryce another slight grin and moved to set the cat carrier down on a flat surface, the duffel bag filled with his belongings stayed strap to his back, though, and he couldn’t help fiddling with it as he stood there, just inside the door. “After and coffee. As much as you’ve got.” Maybe the added caffeine, on top of the three cups he’d had already, would give him the liquid courage to go through with the plan he’d thought up in the wee hours of this morning. He hadn’t been sleeping much lately, and it’d gotten even worse without Asher around to remind him to sleep...and eat...and take care of AJ. It was the thought of AJ getting the worse end of the deal of having to live with Jett alone that had brought him out here--and the chance to not be alone. If only for a few days, to help Jett get his head screwed back on straight. 

Kitty sunk to the floor opposite of him, sticking her feet out she touched his feet with hers, “Hey- Jett.” Kitty spoke his name as she leaned forward and crawled across the floor towards him abandoning her mug where she sat.  Sitting next to him Kitty laid her head on his shoulder, “I’m not going to go anywhere without telling you, and if I do, it’s not going to be permanent. I’m always gonna come back around for you. I love you, you nerd.” Kitty wrapped her fingers through his, “Did I ever tell you about the time I almost got married in Brazil?” Kitty prattled trying to distract him, “I met this guy, total babe, but I couldn’t do it because my friends weren’t there, because you weren’t there…this life isn’t my life without you in it.”

Jett dug the heel of his hand into his eye so hard he could see stars, but stars were better than the clinging fear he’d woken up with. The dream had been so vivid. The reality a nightmare that could come true any day. Coming here seemed to be doing the trick of calming some of that fear, but not enough to release the deathgrip he had on the coffee mug. He dropped his hand from his face as he found Kitty to be curled up next to him, and not on the other side of the kitchen, and forced himself to focus on her warmth, and her words. He understood, intellectually, that she wasn’t going anywhere. That they all lived lives depending on their jobs and their callings, but it was hard to explain that to his mind some night when all it wanted to see was the end of it all. Tilting his head, he let it rest on top of hers, and shifted his grip to squeeze her fingers as he hummed softly under his breath, and let her words and presence finish the task of calming him down, “Didn’t you almost marry a guy in Belize, too?”

         Answering the door in nothing but his sweats and bare feet, Bryce wasn’t expecting anyone this time of day but knew that if it were Poppy knocking on the door ― it was because her hands were full when he’d finally slipped her a key to the place before he left for Hawaii. Back in town a few days now, nothing felt the same as it had when he’d left which had it’s good points as well as the bad as he side stepped one of the plants that was growing out of it’s pot into another and soon to become an indoor jungle if she got her wish. “What’s it this time that you’re bringing home? Another dog or plant or dogwood tree? Whatever it is, we probably don’t have room for it unless you’re planning on buying the neighbor’s lot to fill it up too…” He smirked before he pulled open the door and a look of confusion crossed his face at the unexpected visitor. “Hey Jett… Sorry, I thought it was Poppy there.. what’s, uh, what’s all this about?” He gestured towards the bag as well as the cat cage that left him wondering one of two things about what was about to happen next.

Jett rolled their eyes as they listened to the diatribe slowly get closer to the front door, but there was the faintest hint of a smile on their lips. He hadn’t seen Bryce since before he’d gone to Hawaii, but Jett had been just as avid watching the competition from here in LA and was just as excited by the win as Bryce seemed to be. It was that feeling that had spurned Jett’s decision to come here, over a number of other places that he could’ve gone, and perhaps he should’ve, to spare Bryce from dealing with the darker edges of Jett’s mind, but it was too late. He was here, and the door was opening, and he was sending Bryce a sheepish smile as he lifted the cage so Bryce could get a better look inside, “Well, figure it was about time you met this little guy, with how many of his pics you’ve liked on my ‘gram. And--well..” Now that he was here, standing before Bryce, it seemed that it was harder to say the words he needed to say, and far more easier to just turn around and go back to the empty apartment. “Uh--an’--how’re you? This--mornin’?”

If you’d like new threads/to plot things please LIKE this post for Jett stuff, and REPLY (with a heart or something) to this post for Channing things.

Jett had a large duffle bag filled with his things strapped across his back, and a cat carrier in his hand, but he still couldn’t make himself knock. They’d become something of friends over the months, Jett would almost rank Bryce up there with Asher, but...there were still things about Jett’s personality that Bryce didn’t know about. And if Jett could keep it that way, he would. He just....he just knew he couldn’t live alone right now. Not with Asher...off doing what he was doing. And living with Kitty wouldn’t work, not when her own tendencies often seemed to fuel Jett’s. No, he needed to be around someone that was...normal, and Bryce was one of the nicest, and easiest, people that he’s ever met--so who better to bunk down with until he figured out what to do with himself. Hopefully Bryce liked cats.

Taking a deep breath, he shared a quick glance with AJ, happily curled up in his cage, and knocked on Bryce’s door.

At his mention of the T-Rex costume, Tasha’s eyes widened as she searched around the store for such a novelty. “I’m honestly always wanted one of those things, they’re so damn hilarious”, she said with a chuckle in her voice, images of people playing basketball and harassing random people on the street filling her mind. With a shake of her head she stuck out her hand in a friendly manner, realizing that the two didn’t know each other at all. “Tasha Taylor”

“Then I say if we find one, then it’s your civic duty to buy it, and wear it. For the rest of your life.” Grinning Jett moved to join the search, all but ignoring the wide-eyed sales clerk that could pick which of them to stare at. He paused at her extended hand and grinned as he shook it, her name niggling at the back of his head, “Jett Larson. At your service for your many, and varied, T-Rex needs.”

            “You’re the one that pointed it out first. I just wasn’t about to let it slide without you realizing that you think I’m pretty,” he laughed then, a splash of water rising up around him as he glanced behind at the waves that had yet to produce anything bigger than a bathtub wave. “Trust me, if I thought that I could. I probably would. I’d rather crash and burn out here any day than on that set.”

Jett let out a low snort, “I’m bi, mate. I think a lot of blokes are pretty.” Looking between Bryce and the waves, he let out a soft hum and moved to lie back down on his board as he waited for a big enough swell to appear. “Then do it. Nothin’ stopping you, but you.”

It was rare that Jake roamed around this part of downtown LA. Tourists oversaturated the area at this hour, and the air was always thick with heat from the cars and bodies crammed into the street. However, Kalen and Marcus wanted sushi from a specific place to celebrate the Inked interview. He was waiting at a crosswalk with a cluster of other people when someone drifted past. When a driver slammed on their horn, Jake did not look. Instead, he reacted, his hand stretching out to snatch at the back of the guy’s shirt. He yanked back, grunting at the impact as the other guy stumbled into him. The car zipped past, the light changed and people walked. Jake ran a hand through his hair and let out a laugh of relief, “Yeah, no problem,” then he recognized Jett and paused, “Wait, is this what you do when I’m not driving? You walk into traffic?”

It took a moment for the adrenaline to rush from Jett’s system to allow him to take in his surroundings completely. That was the only excuse he could give not to have recognized Jake immediately, but when he did, Jett let a small grateful smile appear on his lips. “Some days.” Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he looked at the encroaching traffic and automatically took a step backwards, “Thanks for...not bein’ like everyone else, yeah? Stuck in their phone an’ music, or I’d be roadkill.” Getting to where he was going suddenly didn’t seem so important and Jett took another step back, forcing himself to focus on Jake and not the passing cars, “Feel like I owe you dinner for life for savin’ mine.”

“Jett.” Kitty spoke his name firmly placing her hands on either side of his face as she shook her head, “No I want you here. Anytime this happens, any time you ever feel this way. It’s part of why I gave you a key.” Kitty ambled into the kitchen to pull out two mugs, and with a splash of coffee in their mugs, she filled the rest with Irish whiskey. “I’m okay as a girl can be.” She lifted herself up on her counter top and extended a mug to him. “Talk to me…what can I do to help babe?”

Jett was broken from the spiral of his thoughts as Kitty grasped his face, and the shock of it forced him to take a deep breath to help quell the building anxiety, “Kit..” He knew this was what the key was for, why he’d gone here in the first place, but it still made his stomach twist with guilt and nerves at doing this to her. At always doing this to her, and Asher, and to himself. Jett was able to keep most of these thoughts at bay, but for some reason he’d woken and it was like everything hit him at once, and Kitty had been his first thought. Continuing his deep breaths he moved to take the offered mug and slipped down to the ground to lean back against the opposite counter. Mulling over her words, and the best way to put into words the fear and anxiety that seemed to be doing its best to smother him. “Can’t explain it much...woke up an’ had a feeling you were--gone.” They just stared into the mug and pressed the heel of their free hand into their temple, “It’s stupid..”

Kitty pulled her pillow over her head trying to ignore the banging at her door, but when her name echoed and reached her she knew who it was and with a sense of urgency she threw back her blankets and wrapped her robe around her waist and flung the door open. “I’m so sorry, Jett.” She pulled him into her place and her arms, “You have a key, babe-” Kitty leaned back to examine his face, to check for cuts and bruises. Then she pulled back to turn his hands over; no fresh burns, no scrapes, a sigh of minimal relief left her lips and she shook her head, “Do you want coffee, I can make it Irish if you need to take the edge off.”

Jett collapsed into Kitty's arms the second the door was open, wrapping her up tight and taking in a deep, shuddering breath. All that panic, and anxiety that had been building up since he'd woken seemed to start fading away when he was finally able to see for himself that she was safe, and /alive/. As the fear faded, the guilt settled in, and he let her pull away to look him over for the tell-tale signs of Jett having a depressive episode, and he shook his head, "I didn't...I couldn't remember." He curled his hands into fists and almost wished that there were burns there to help take his mind off of how ridiculous this all way, "More Irish then coffee?"

He pulled away and scrubbed his hands over his face as he moved further into her place, “ ‘m...sorry, ‘bout this..”

“Only fools turn down the offer to hang out with the one , the only , Poppy Lowe. Famous barista at your service.” Poppy took a gulp of her coffee, humming happily to finally have a break and with what seemed delightful company. Poppy couldn’t help but laugh over his reaction to the delightful baked good. “Do you need a minute alone with the brownie? Oh one of my regulars is the most wonderful person in the world and dropped off a basket to make sure I don’t starve to death. They’re amazing right? I’m hoping to find someone who will be willing to marry us.” Poppy gave the man across from her a look and turned her phone over so the screen was face down. “Anyone’s company is better than just a phone. Black Mirror knows what the fuck is up dude. So tell me, Mr Mild stranger… what has you so glum?” 

Jett let out a low chuckle, “Well, if I’d known you were so famous I would’a asked for your company a long time ago.” Which was a change of pace for Jett, who spent more time getting recognized these days, than not. The fact that she hadn’t immediately recognized him had been a breath of fresh air, and the main reason Jett had returned to this particular coffeeshop, over and over again. “I might just have to meet this regular and ask if they’ll marry me first, if it means I get this every day.” 

Jett finished off the brownie in just a few more bites, and looked down at his empty hand with a small frown, debating licking the chocolate from them, but deciding at the last second to wipe them off on a napkin. He’d already embarrassed himself enough, he didn’t need to add to the list, especially when she’d already found him banging his head repeatedly on the table. “Well, Ms. Poppy Lowe, if you must know, I’m all out of brownie.” The slight grin on his face didn’t quite reach his eyes, and he knew he was dodging the real question, but he didn’t figure she’d be that interested in hearing about Jett’s problems. Jett didn’t even want to hear them, and he had to live in his own head.

                    “It means everything.” Bryce had put a lot of work into his ‘hobby’ as his team called it, wanting him to focus more on the show but whenever the star had a moment that was all his own, this was where he was at. More often than not, he would have stayed out there longer than the sun did as he paddled into position alongside Jett’s board and waited patiently while the other took to lying down on the job. “And you think I’m pretty? I’m touched, Larson. I really am.”

“Yeah, yeah. Y’know you’re pretty, no need to keep pointin’ it out, reality star.” Grinning he sat back up on the surfboard, and looked to Bryce, “An’ if you’re as good as you think you are, why don’t you do it full-time? Gotta be more fun then that fake drama show you’ve been on.”

Usually Tasha’s unguarded ventures to the Arts District worked out in her favor. She wore big sunglasses, baggy clothes, and if need be a hat so that she was virtually unrecognizable to fans and the paparazzi. Usually was not the case today. As soon as her foot hit the pavement a swarm of fans nearly swallowed her whole. She greeted them the same as always, with undying enthusiasm and a genuine love for the people that had help her career sore. She loved her fans dearly, but they could be unruly if not under the constant watch of a guard, and oh how unruly they were today. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the growing crowd and was trying her best to make it to her car. That’s when a firm hand grip her elbow and pulled her from the mass, shocking the singer at first but she did need the saving so she went along with his beckoning.

Shoved behind a rack of clothing, Tasha had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud and alerting the crowd once more. She found the situation quite comical and the look on the cashiers face even more so. Eventually the crowd dissipated and she stood upright, looking to her savoir and letting out the laugh she had been holding in. “I’m so sorry for laughing but shit you really saved my ass back there, thank you”.

Jett sent the shocked cashier a wink, and lifted his head just barely over the rack to catch sight of the dissipating crowd, surprised by the bright laughter that bubbled from the woman he’d helped escape her fans. “It’s what I do.” Grinning he stood up fully, and wiped his hands off on his pants, sending her a quick glance, “Think you might have to pick a new disguise if they noticed you that quick. Might I suggest a giant blow-up T-Rex costume?”

“You know you’re only charming because of your accent, right?” Leon gave the other guy a hug and a thump in the back, truly glad to see one of the nicer people in Hollywood. They’ve been through some tough times together, although Leon wasn’t privy to Jett’s full story. But they both needed an anchor, and he held some sort of fondness for the guy. Leon knew when to give out kindness to those who deserved it. “Out shopping?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Jett sent the other man a wink, fully aware that he’d used his accent to help him out in more ways since coming to America. Back in Australia, he was one in a million. Here he was foreign and interesting. Grinning, he nudged Leon’s arms in response, then shrugged as he turned to look back at the store he’d been walking by, “Maybe. Haven’t quite figured out what I’m going to do today. What about you? When did you get back into town, an’ why? I hope there’s a better answer then y’met a girl, she dumped you, and then you decided to come crawling back. That’s been played out too many times.”