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On and off Po had visited while being gone, sometimes Layne found himself wondering if it really counted as being gone at that point. But he didn't really give much a s**t either way. As it was, he was still focused on bettering himself. Which meant somewhere along the first two months his general had left Layne got a job at the gym.

First it was a shitty job, cleaning, but he got to use the facility as he pleased. It was a few months into work when he applied for another position. Now he was something of a class coordinator, setting up class times, working on schedules, book work believe it or not that he was good at. Easy s**t but it paid just as well as spending most of his time at the gym. Layne had easily in the almost year put on twenty more pounds, most in muscle.

Personal life, a little weight gain and a new hair cut weren't the only changes however. He had tried to improve his whole situation in the negaverse as well. After promotion to Captain he had started working alone on things like teleportation, pushing limits of longer distances. It was hard, it had been hell when he overestimated how much he could handle but it had been worth it. Generally Layne was pleased with himself for keeping his head down and having not yet lost his temper enough to be killed, course that came with doing things by himself, less temptation to annoy someone.

What this all meant was he hadn't exactly had time to give the general a proper welcome yet, now that she seemed back for good. Today he planned to fix that, she was use to him being lazy or late anyways right? Sending out a text to warn her he was on the way he started out. Picking up a bouquet along the way just to be a brat, because somethings didn't change.

Arriving he hammered on the door, for the first time not just walking in. "Hurry up M'ah die of old age out here!" He called while leaning himself against frame and sticking the flowers behind back.


haircut (no mustache )

There she was as pretty and poison as the last time he laid eyes on her. Her hair had changed but generally she looked as she always did. When he caught it the staring had a blue eye cocked in mild amusement, to be fair he was a bit himself. This is what happened when you hadn't seen someone in awhile. Half his own fault but half the blame was Po's as well, she knew where he lived. Even if he hadn't been there most of the time thanks to work and other things.

"Yea?...Wanna touch et?" A light tease of familiarity tried to break any ice that might be built between them. But judging how the woman stepped into personal space Layne was going to say that no honest hard feelings lingering. Not with her being this close and not yet having smacked him. But instead of responding the way he would have months ago there was no attempt to touch the woman in front of him.

Standing with a broad smirk he shifted back enough to put his hand and the bouquet between them, "who the hell ever told you that bullshit...you aint my favorite and these definitely aren't for you..." Favorite. On a snort he leaned a little down towards her and added, ".....dunno you miss me? Also I'm ******** starving you can flatter me more on my boyish looks over lunch huh?" Cause they needed to catch up.

He needed to catch up.


-making this a current interaction due to hiatus reasons !
hair

Porsha's tense demeanor didn't go unnoticed, he did however hold back commenting for the moment. Especially when seeing the shaky breath release into that bright half a** laugh. It was a good sound though, one admitting he had missed.

She had a way though, one that jumped into brain as every ounce of anxiety he had thought he saw before washed away, not a trace to tone. Had she been? Was he seeing things again? Hard to say. What was easy was the returned, "same here," as Po let it be known she missed him.

Watching as the woman stepped back a hand slid down over hip and dark denim jeans and into pocket. Resting there and juggling the keys to his motorcycle. Po was usually his only constant in life, but that had all been changing. She wasn't the only thing that reminded him who he was anymore, or telling him what to do. It had been unnerving in figuring out after so long of being self-sufficient that he had fallen into such dependency on various things. But this, this was good.

On a smirk he tauntingly offered a hand out as she came back, "you wanna hold hands and snuggle honey or you wanna ride...also whaddya want to eat?"

Hand accepted a smile stretched the corners of his lips half way, "we can do that too, just after lunch has settled huh?" They both knew that line was a had to for him, personalities never fully changed. Easily he was drawn into the elevator and the woman, settling next to her side as those eyes glanced up to take him in. A wink singled he wasn't oblivious to the stare but that was all.

As they rode the elevator down he debated her given 'options'. Listening more than talking and looking a little spaced off as he tried to gather talking points in head. This was certainly going to be a very weird ******** lunch for them. Or was it? Po had seen much more s**t than he had, Layne had no doubts about that.

Just as the doors binged opened a decision came, "yeah that sounds fine..." Truth be told he didn't like chowder but fish was fine. Really any food sounded good at the moment, it was more of the not to busy that reeled him in. "Gonna ride with me honey or you going make me follow?" On a grin he walked out of the elevator still attached to one of her hands.

"Darling, I'm always good..." On a purring promise fingers tightened briefly around the ones laced with his own. That warmth was a good comfort in the moment, kept him grounded and relaxed. Instructions given Layne moved around the chrome plated motorcycle and ran his free hand over Po's hip while guiding her back towards bike. "Hop on boss...lets go for a ride." He snickered just slightly, amused by himself not unlike usual, but it was much more reserved than his usual still.

When both parties settled they were off, Layne driving smoothly through traffic. Downtown was a sore area for him, mostly recovery reasons but Layne felt good today. On a slow smirk he took a corner a little sharp before pulling them into the lot to park. The smell of various restaurants filled the area, chattering hit the ear from time but the most noticeable thing to Layne was the fact that he was still in a decent mood. It was a needed boost to confidence.

On the sidewalk a hand ran the back pocket of jeans to check for lighter and smokes. They survived, good thing too he was losing more lighters than he wanted to admit lately. On a glance down the street he finally asked, tone going down a few octaves, while getting ready to walk the rest of the way to the cafe, "....how you been?" It wasn't nearly as standard as it sounded and opened the question on his own end as well if she bit.

The fact that someone had went missing was news, it showed as a brief surprise rolled across his default features. Slates brother huh, damn, it had him thinking to Stevie and that was a sore spot. On a sigh he offered softer than usual with a small grin, "guess that means you should stop leaving.." A bit of advice he could take himself and they both knew it. "If I can help..." The offer was left there though he doubted there was much a single person could add, especially one that knew absolute s**t about the situation.

As they walked he let her tighten grip around hand, it was hard to talk like actual adults. Layne was getting better with it thanks to help. Silent at first he curled his fingers tighter around the opposite hand, holding it as insecurity fell from mouth. "Just trying to hold it together..." It was a mimic of her words but by no means a mock. It had just been the perfect response really.

A genuine look of tiredness washed the mans face out a little as he continued to explain, voice soft for what was likely the first time ever with Po. "I was in rehab and therapy...got pretty ******** up while you were away." Layne felt an uncomfortable itch across his skin admitting this to someone he did not want to be vulnerable around. Truth be told it had started long before Porsha had left, it just spiraled the last time he had been left to his own devices.

The sudden silence nearly made Layne feel ill. Luckily a tug turned his attention from the tight knot forming in the middle of his stomach. Drawn back closer towards Porsha a hand went to her hip, curling around it and giving them every appearance of a tenderly embracing couple there on the sidewalk. For a good long while Layne stared down into those wide pale eyes that he'd grown stupidly fond of. Eyes he hadn't want to see looking at him like they were right now, it was one of many reasons he hadn't told her about what was happening before now.

"I didn't..." Of course she didn't know, people only knew what you told them, what you showed them. "I'm sorry. I should have been there for you." No, the word echoed in mind at the last sentence. She shouldn't have been there it had been bad and it would have been so much worse if Porsha would have been there. Layne had no doubt he would have tried to use her in various ways none of which were good.

The words stung because there had been a time Layne had thought them, thought it was somehow Porsha's fault in part for his situation. Layne had blamed her, hell he had blamed everyone but himself for a number of years. But that time in his life was over, as she stopped talking Layne whispered firmly, "cut that s**t out right now...." Porsha didn't need to put anything about this on herself, "course ya didn't ******** know. Hell I didn't know till I woke up one night strangling on my own vomit." Layne looked away and frowned harshly, opening up further with a push to pride, "ya honestly think..." The man paused and sighed deeply, it was hard, he already felt worn out and hadn't even explained.

"You think I'd just ******** admit to being a junkie, to being weak?" Layne laughed mockingly at himself then continued as his eyes fell away to look up to the sky,"...especially to you?" Especially to her, the words held varying emotions as his voice flickered off. Out of all the people in his life Porsha was honestly the only one he didn't want to let down. The cards dropped there and he felt every muscle in his body tense, including the hand around Porsha's waist. This kind of s**t was really for the birds he thought, but it did kind of help.