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((Set Approximately May 2015-a few months after Dessie’s official Adoption papers went through))

The paperwork said she was now a Jacobs; she now belonged in this huge house; this large room was hers; the clothes in the closet were for her to wear; she had a family. For a runaway like Dessie all of this was a foreign concept. If it had been a few months ago she would have skipped town like the devil was on her trail but now, now she paced the bedroom. Uncertainty filling her mind with each pass. Before she ended up in this city the young blond figured she would be on her way west by now after spending winter down south but everything changed when she stopped at Destiny City.

Who would have predicted that after dusting a demon, turned out to be a youma, meeting Maia and a talking cat that Dessie was a fighter for justice, for good, for light… for order. At the time Dessie didn’t really care she just wanted to find a since they spotted her disembarking, she hesitantly agreed to Maia’s offer of the room when ever she needed it. It was during this time that she learned the ropes as a senshi, and began to trust both Maia, Lily, and her brother Xander. After months of visiting, staying longer each time, it came as a surprise when she was told about the adoption proceedings however she was given a choice… adoption or emancipation.

She could be free of worry. She could go wherever she wanted. Do whatever she wanted. Alone. They were willing to help her escape ever having to go back but they offered adoption as well. They wanted her to be a part of their family. They wanted her to stay, no strings attached. She decided adoption, she owed Xander and Lily for their kindness. She owed it to the city itself to help take down chaos. And a small, secret part of her, didn’t want to leave. Wanted to be legally tied to this family. This large and insane family.

She was a Jacobs… was even offered their name even if she turned it down, after all she was who she was. She didn't need anyone despite everything to the contrary. Dessie paused as she was passing by the balcony doors that led outside, it was tempting to bail out those doors and head into the city depths. To disappear into the dirt and grime but she consciously turned away and instead opened her bedroom door. She would head down to the kitchen and scrounge up some food. She was hungry is all… it had nothing to do with wanting to stick around a little longer… nothing.

Dessie paused a moment when she realized that someone was already in the kitchen. Did she really want to deal with someone? She was prepared to slip back into the shadows of the hall and make her way up to her room, the kitchen lurker none the wiser, when her stomach grumbled. Even after eating her fill at dinner… and lunch… and breakfast… she was still hungry. Years of never quite getting enough had her desire to fill her belly over rule her dislike of people. When you scraped and scrounged to get enough to eat day by day it was a blessing to have access to fully stocked kitchen and even after months Dessie hadn’t forgotten what it was like to go to sleep hungry and to wake up knowing that unless you got extremely lucky that day would end the same way as before, with a empty stomach.

So with her gut still growling the young blond walked into the kitchen with her head high, doing her best to ignore the older, darker haired guy already making himself a late snack. Ian lived in the basement, he was another one of the strays the Jacobs had seemed to collect, herself included. Dessie didn’t really understand Ian’s reason to be there but it was none of her business so she kept quiet, letting him do his thing without any interruptions.

She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and bit into it with a crunch, the juice from the red fruit filling her mouth with a sweetness. Her icy blue eyes tracked Ian’s movements, curious about what he was making. He seemed to know his way around the kitchen where as Dessie knew some basic stuff like boiling water or slapping a simple sandwich together. It was tempting to ask him what he was doing, maybe she could pick something up, but rather to speak up she took another bite of her apple.

It was tempting to make a cutting remark as Ian eyed her but he turned away before she finished her mouthful of apple. She finished the last of the piece of fruit as the guy fished out some pots from one of the cabinets, her brow rose briefly as she realized he knew his way around the room. Apparently he used it much more than she first realized not that she really watched what the others do. She didn't care about them so there was no reason to make sure everyone was home at night, to randomly check to see that the doors were locked and the Windows secure, or even to make sure the lights were turned off. So what if she always returned after a night of traversing the city because she worried about the balcony door she left unlocked. It wasn't like these people couldn't take care of themselves. It wasn't the warm bed, the filling food, or even the knowledge that these people cared for her. She didn't need any of it. Nope. Not at all.

Dessie had been contemplating the fruit bowl, mentally debating just throwing away the apple core and leaving or sticking around and getting a more substantial snack then an apple. One would mean she would still be hungry, the other would mean she would atleast have to bite her tongue and wait till Ian was done. She started slightly when he asked if she wanted something to drink. Shaking her head the blond glanced over at him, muttering quietly “don’t need nothin’” as she grabbed a banana, not one of her favorite fruits but it would do, but didn't peel it.

Her curiosity was piqued so as she sat there absently picking at the banana peel, Dessie watched Ian. Finally she quietly asked, “What are you making?”

“You skipped dinner! Voluntarily?” The concept of deliberately skipping meals was so out of this world for Dessie she couldn’t help but stare at him in shock. He didn’t look like he could really afford to miss any more meals than she could and yet he did it on purpose. For someone who had grown up with limited supply of food, access to it now meant never missing a meal. It just boggled her mind. “Why!?” She was so intent on understanding that she had voluntarily come closer, still not within touching distance but she wasn’t as far as she was, the banana left forgotten on the table.

At Ian’s offer though she froze, surprised and yet a little suspicious. They hadn’t really ever talked, they didn’t really know much about each other, she knew he was a senshi just because she was told but who and what she had no clue. Dessie didn’t know why he was living there or anything really about him, just that the Jacob’s had accepted him. That was enough to try to deal with him but that didn’t mean she understood him. Why was he offering to cook for her?

“No.” Her reply was short and a little harsh. Trying to soften her refusal, after all the Jacobs’ cared for him so Dessie had to try to be polite-ish, she added, “I’m not that hungry. The apple will do it.” It was a blatant lie. One her stomach refuted by growling quite loudly in the quiet kitchen. Barely flinching at the sound the young blond turned away and went to grab a glass from one of the cabinets. “I’m not hungry so no point in the food going to waste.” She continued her lie, speaking to the wall even as her stomach growled again. Dessie would rather pull out her own teeth then admit that she needed anyone in any way. She would take care of herself even if that meant living with just the apple and going to sleep with a belly calling for more food.

With her glass in hand Dessie had gotten water but by that point Ian had started to cook. She hadn’t really watched anyone cook before so rather than just leaving the kitchen the blonde stuck around observing his every move, sipping her water every so often. As the meal came together the smell of it had her stomach growl and roll with hunger, the one measly apple was not going to cut it no matter what she had said earlier. There was no way she was going to get any type of sleep with the way her gut was crying out for real food. Dessie was contemplating making a sandwich, well within her cooking abilities, when Ian finished up.

Trying to ignore him and watch him at the same time she saw him dish up the pasta, leaving quite a bit behind. Was he saving some for later? Confused but still doing her best to act aloof she headed towards the fridge, her steps slowing as she passed the stove and his pasta dish. A quick glance at Ian showed that he was tucking into his plate so moving quickly Dessie was able to grab a piece of chicken and pop it into her mouth, before finishing her trip to the fridge.

It was good. Hot but good. Now she kinda wished she hadn’t turned him down but it was his food, he made it, it was his to do what he wanted with it. As she stared at the fridge’s content, not really craving anything in it but more than willing to sedate her hunger with what she could put together from it, she spoke to Ian, “Don’t forget to put what's left away. Don’t waste it.” She wouldn’t steal his food. She had never done it before, not even when she had lived on the streets, and she wouldn’t start now. No matter how good it smelled… and tasted.

Dessie glanced at him over her shoulder, weighing his words against his actions. Since all Ian was doing was tucking into his own portion it didn’t seem like he was lying, granted she had seen people whose lies were truth and truth, lies but Ian didn’t really give that vibe. She could imagine him forgetting about the excess food, leaving it to rot and go bad in the fridge. That was almost as bad as forgetting to eat at all. With a sigh she closed the fridge and started to open cabinets, looking for something to store the leftovers in, at least if it was still there tomorrow she could eat it without Ian knowing.

Ian made his offer right as she found the bowls. It was tempting, tempting enough that she paused and contemplated the cabinet’s contents. With a mental shake of her head the blonde decided that she wasn’t going to accept his charity and grabbed a glass bowl. Her resolve remained strong up to the point when she was scraping out the pot. The smell of the pasta, it kind of wove a spell on her and before she really realized it, Dessie had grabbed a fork and tasting the concoction. She really needed to learn to cook.

Still slowly making her way through her bowl of pasta the young senshi made her way to a seat at the island, keeping more than enough distance between her and Ian. Even savoring each bite she scarfed the food and before long the bowl she had gotten to put the leftovers away was empty. After a moment of silence she quietly said, “That was good. Thanks.” Nothing more, nothing less. Just an acknowledgement of his skills and that he shared. Standing she took the dishes to the sink, gathered the ones he cooked with, and pushed up her sleeves before flicking on the faucet. He cooked, she would clean. With the long sleeves pushed out of the way the few faint scars on her arms were revealed in the bright kitchen lights only to be hidden by soap and water as she plunged her hands into the hot water. Without turning around, basically talking to the waterlogged dishes, Dessie muttered, “Once you're done I’ll clean your dishes too.”

Dessie did her best to ignore him, a grunt here and a nod there. Enough to make it seem like she wasn’t paying all that much attention to him even though she was quite aware of where he was and what he was doing at all times. She needed to know where he was, just like she watched everyone else in the house when they were around. Dessie hated to be snuck up on. She couldn’t stand it so it was best if she knew where everyone was at all times. So she wasn’t surprised when Ian came up and started to dry the dishes she had placed on the side, she just slid further away from him. He was too close.

Finishing the last utensil silently, completely ignoring him and his offer, the blond added it to the stack of wet dishes Ian was working through. She stepped away but didn’t leave, at least not right away. Her eyes were shuttered and chilly as she looked at him, “I’m fine. I can take care of myself. I only ate it tonight so it wouldn’t go bad.” With those harsh words she turned and started to make her way out of the room, pausing once she reached the door but not bothering to turn around. “If you asked the cook would likely let you help… as long as you don't waste the food.” It was a olive branch of sorts. Something to ease the colder words and actions. Ian wasn’t such a bad guy but she still didn’t need his help. Nope. Not at all.

With her stomach full and the restlessness she had felt earlier slowly easing Dessie made her way back up to her room. She hesitated once in front of the balcony doors, the darkness still calling at her, but she passed it up as a yawn had her breaking the stoic look on her face. She would go out those doors tomorrow, or the day after, but for tonight she would sleep. Tomorrow would be dealt with later. Dessie crawled into the softest bed she had ever experienced before coming to this house and buried her head under the covers, sleep sucking her down into its depth faster then she would have realized.