MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
Help From Home: Part One
Brigid slowly tapped her fingers as she stared at the screen, her eyes occasionally darting down to see the date, and knowing she had a fight to deal with. At the very least, she wouldn't have to contend with Korra interrupting after their argument, though there was a chance Korra wouldn't care about that if she learned who she was talking to.
After the first two attempts, no one picked up, but after the third time, someone picked up and per usual, it was her brother, though he did not look happy, his arms crossed and a toothpick in his mouth, pointed upwards, opposite of the way his lips curled into a frown.
Brigid sulked in her chair. "Listen... I can explain. Things have been hectic, friends thrown in brigs, and... I-I'm sorry. I... I love you?"
Galen's face didn't change, but he just moved the toothpick around his mouth, continuing to glare at his sister.
Brigid scoffed. "Now... don't be all dad about it. You know I wouldn't..." She scoffed again, sitting back. Wouldn't what, call? This is the seventh time in ten years, Brigid. "I... I'm sorry, Galen. Between my problems with new friends, old friends, fighting those I care about, people being thrown in prison..." She closed her eyes. "I'm just a big disappointment. And after I promised... damn it..."
"You still haven't said it." Galen simply told Brigid, tipping up his hat a little.
"Um..." Brigid smiled coyly. "H... happy... birthday, my dearest, sweetest, most understanding of brothers."
Galen chuckled and he shook his head, taking the toothpick out of his mouth. "Kiss ass... a simple happy birthday would have just sufficed." The Irish teen leaned forward and his smile faded a bit. "Though I may not have heard your apology, there is a little bit of interference, I might need you to write it down or record so I can get it properly."
Brigid frowned. "You have a real knack for irritation, have I ever told you that?"
"A couple times..." Galen looked down and he scratched his nail against the wood of his desk, and the teen sighed. "Brigid I think you should stop calling me... Or at least just start calling Mom. I know your busy but... For the past seven years I lived my life normally, but up until 3 months ago, there isn't a day I don't come home and check to see of you called. It sounds selfish but I don't know what else to do to keep my sanity. It kills me inside that things are like this. But I don't want you to blame yourself..."
Brigid opened and closed her mouth, caught off guard. "I... I... just wanted to... I-I'm sorry, Galen. I... I know I've been a pretty lousy sister, and it isn't easy making up for it this far apart, but I'm trying. Please... j-just... don't shut me out like this. I-I really do love you..."
"And I love you too, but it may just be too little too late..." Galen looked off to the side, something else clearly bothering him.
"Galen, please." Brigid placed her hand against her chest. "I might be pretty bad at it, but I am your sister. If there is anything wrong, you can tell me. If it was anyone else, I might just let it be, but you're my brother, and I want to be there for you. I need to be there for you. Please, talk to me."
"I-I... I lost the scholarship, Brig... apparently some foriegn girl submitted a better piece than me and she got it, even after everything I had done to get it... it was all wasted..." He said in a low voice.
"Oh..." Brigid slow sat back, tilting her head down. "I... I know how much that scholarship meant to you. And... a-and maybe if I hadn't... come along to make you worry and mess with you emotions... you might have... won..."
Galen laughed grimly, the teen looking at Brigid with sad eyes. "You don't give yourself enough credit, it was because of you I thought I had a good chance. You gave me the boost I needed to try harder..."
"Bullshit!" Brigid slammed her fist on the desk. "You don't have to cover for me, Galen! You seem to have to do that with every call. That's why you don't want me to call you anymore." She placed her palms against her eyes. "Light-years away... across the vastness of space, and I still find a way to ruin your life. I... I can't do anything right. Not at my job. Not for my friends. Not... not even for my little brother..."
Galen looked down and he clasped his hands together, "That isn't completely true... You did get one thing right."
Galen got up from his seat and he walked out of his room for a few moments, about a minute later coming back with someone close behind him, a girl who was about the same height as him, perhaps a hair taller, wearing a bright teal dress with gold colored thread around the hem and on the straps. The girl herself was strikingly beautiful, with a few freckles dotting her nose and big, brown eyes. Her most striking feature was her cotton candy pink hair going down to her shoulders.
Galen grabbed another chair for the girl and unmuted the call. "Brigid... This is Alicia, my girlfriend."
Alicia smiled brightly and she bowed her head slightly in a greeting. "Hello, Brigid, Galen has told me a lot about you." The girl said with a slight French accent.
Brigid had to resist the urge to let her jaw drop. "This... this is the Alicia..." She smiled brightly. "It is really nice to meet you. From what Galen has said, you mean the world to him. I'm glad to see her actually asked you out."
Alicia smirked and she glanced over to the person next to her. "That is a bit of revisionist history. I asked him out, and when I did his jaw nearly hit the floor."
"I-It didn't go exactly like that..." Galen grumbled.
"Please, you looked like you were ready to have an accident." Alicia giggled.
"Really?" Brigid laughed. "Well, strong women have always been important in this family, so I'm sure ma loved you. How did... dad take it?"
"He was confused by the hair at first, but after talking with her, he grew to like her. Though he has a strict, 'No closed doors' rule whenever she is over. To be honest, I'm not really supposed to have her over while they are not home. Man's paranoid." Galen answered, crossing his arms.
"Probably afraid you'll take after his wife," Brigid said with a grin. "Can't wait until Korra finds out. She's going to be heart broken."
"Who's... Korra?" Alicia asked cautiously, looking over to Galen worried.
Galen shook his head as well as one of his hands. "Don't worry, it is just one of Brigid's roommates on her ship that likes to tease me, as well I her."
"O-Oh... If that is all..." Alicia smiled but inside she gave a sigh of relief.
Brigid held a hand against her mouth. "Sorry. Didn't mean to give the wrong impression. Korra just likes Galen because he likes to give her the run around when he flirts, not because he flirts back. Trust me, Galen is trustworthy. I'm sure our mother would bring the hurt if he acted in a manner that made our family look otherwise."
"I don't understand Mum at all... I can never tell if she will pet me on the head like a dog, or bite my head off."
For comedic effect, Alicia tapped Galen's head like she would a dog and he snapped at her with his teeth, just barely missing her but earning a laugh from the French girl.
Brigid rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Speaking of which... I joked, but... what does ma think of Alicia."
"Ma wants her boy to be happy, but is cautious of the little one that could draw too much of his attention," said a voice from the doorway.
"Damn Dad and his open door rule..." Galen turned around and smiled. "Heeeeeey, Ma... When did... You get home?"
"Right around that 'bite my head off' line." Morrigan walked over to her son, kissing him lightly on the head. "Hello, dear," she said to Alicia.
"Hello Ms. O'Brien, you look lovely today as per usual." Alicia said in a light tone.
"As do you, dear." Morrigan looked at the screen. "And to be more direct, motherly worries aside, I find Alicia to be delightful, as well as a good source of confidence for you bother."
Brigid nodded. "Good to hear. And... happy birthday, ma."
"Thank you, Brigid. But..." Morrigan looked at her watchless wrist. "You're a little late, hon."
"Just a smidgen." Galen added.
Brigid dropped her head to the desk. "Maaaaaa, please. Galen already drilled it into me as it is."
Morrigan folded her arms. "I guess I'll let it slide. But you need to call more often. For Galen's sake."
Brigid looked away, still upset about what Galen had told her, but not wanting to tell her mother. "O-Okay, mom."
Morrigan frowned as she looked at her son. "You tell her about the scholarship?"
"Y-Yeah, of course I told her." Galen stated, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Don't worry about it Galen, you still have a year and a half to try again for the scholarship." Alicia said, rubbing Galen's arm.
"Well what about you? The plan was to try and get in together, but now that is kind of hard to do." Galen said back to his girlfriend.
"We... We will find a way." Alicia smiled warmly and it wasn't long until Galen was smiling on his own, unable to resist her charm.
"That's right." Morrigan rubbed Galen's shoulders. "I have friends, and people that owe me favors. And if all else fails... I have some money saved away. You're getting in that school if I have to pay for it with the clothes off my back."
Brigid meekly raised a finger. "M-maybe... I can help."
Galen raised an eyebrow. "How so Brig?"
Brigid rubbed her wrists nervously. "W-well... I, um... this is a job, and I am getting paid. I... I don't really need the money all that much. If... if it helps, I'd like to contribute all that I can."
"How are you supposed to provide for yourself after the fact? Don't you need a house and stuff after your term is done?" Galen asked, sitting forward.
Help From Home: Part One
Brigid slowly tapped her fingers as she stared at the screen, her eyes occasionally darting down to see the date, and knowing she had a fight to deal with. At the very least, she wouldn't have to contend with Korra interrupting after their argument, though there was a chance Korra wouldn't care about that if she learned who she was talking to.
After the first two attempts, no one picked up, but after the third time, someone picked up and per usual, it was her brother, though he did not look happy, his arms crossed and a toothpick in his mouth, pointed upwards, opposite of the way his lips curled into a frown.
Brigid sulked in her chair. "Listen... I can explain. Things have been hectic, friends thrown in brigs, and... I-I'm sorry. I... I love you?"
Galen's face didn't change, but he just moved the toothpick around his mouth, continuing to glare at his sister.
Brigid scoffed. "Now... don't be all dad about it. You know I wouldn't..." She scoffed again, sitting back. Wouldn't what, call? This is the seventh time in ten years, Brigid. "I... I'm sorry, Galen. Between my problems with new friends, old friends, fighting those I care about, people being thrown in prison..." She closed her eyes. "I'm just a big disappointment. And after I promised... damn it..."
"You still haven't said it." Galen simply told Brigid, tipping up his hat a little.
"Um..." Brigid smiled coyly. "H... happy... birthday, my dearest, sweetest, most understanding of brothers."
Galen chuckled and he shook his head, taking the toothpick out of his mouth. "Kiss ass... a simple happy birthday would have just sufficed." The Irish teen leaned forward and his smile faded a bit. "Though I may not have heard your apology, there is a little bit of interference, I might need you to write it down or record so I can get it properly."
Brigid frowned. "You have a real knack for irritation, have I ever told you that?"
"A couple times..." Galen looked down and he scratched his nail against the wood of his desk, and the teen sighed. "Brigid I think you should stop calling me... Or at least just start calling Mom. I know your busy but... For the past seven years I lived my life normally, but up until 3 months ago, there isn't a day I don't come home and check to see of you called. It sounds selfish but I don't know what else to do to keep my sanity. It kills me inside that things are like this. But I don't want you to blame yourself..."
Brigid opened and closed her mouth, caught off guard. "I... I... just wanted to... I-I'm sorry, Galen. I... I know I've been a pretty lousy sister, and it isn't easy making up for it this far apart, but I'm trying. Please... j-just... don't shut me out like this. I-I really do love you..."
"And I love you too, but it may just be too little too late..." Galen looked off to the side, something else clearly bothering him.
"Galen, please." Brigid placed her hand against her chest. "I might be pretty bad at it, but I am your sister. If there is anything wrong, you can tell me. If it was anyone else, I might just let it be, but you're my brother, and I want to be there for you. I need to be there for you. Please, talk to me."
"I-I... I lost the scholarship, Brig... apparently some foriegn girl submitted a better piece than me and she got it, even after everything I had done to get it... it was all wasted..." He said in a low voice.
"Oh..." Brigid slow sat back, tilting her head down. "I... I know how much that scholarship meant to you. And... a-and maybe if I hadn't... come along to make you worry and mess with you emotions... you might have... won..."
Galen laughed grimly, the teen looking at Brigid with sad eyes. "You don't give yourself enough credit, it was because of you I thought I had a good chance. You gave me the boost I needed to try harder..."
"Bullshit!" Brigid slammed her fist on the desk. "You don't have to cover for me, Galen! You seem to have to do that with every call. That's why you don't want me to call you anymore." She placed her palms against her eyes. "Light-years away... across the vastness of space, and I still find a way to ruin your life. I... I can't do anything right. Not at my job. Not for my friends. Not... not even for my little brother..."
Galen looked down and he clasped his hands together, "That isn't completely true... You did get one thing right."
Galen got up from his seat and he walked out of his room for a few moments, about a minute later coming back with someone close behind him, a girl who was about the same height as him, perhaps a hair taller, wearing a bright teal dress with gold colored thread around the hem and on the straps. The girl herself was strikingly beautiful, with a few freckles dotting her nose and big, brown eyes. Her most striking feature was her cotton candy pink hair going down to her shoulders.
Galen grabbed another chair for the girl and unmuted the call. "Brigid... This is Alicia, my girlfriend."
Alicia smiled brightly and she bowed her head slightly in a greeting. "Hello, Brigid, Galen has told me a lot about you." The girl said with a slight French accent.
Brigid had to resist the urge to let her jaw drop. "This... this is the Alicia..." She smiled brightly. "It is really nice to meet you. From what Galen has said, you mean the world to him. I'm glad to see her actually asked you out."
Alicia smirked and she glanced over to the person next to her. "That is a bit of revisionist history. I asked him out, and when I did his jaw nearly hit the floor."
"I-It didn't go exactly like that..." Galen grumbled.
"Please, you looked like you were ready to have an accident." Alicia giggled.
"Really?" Brigid laughed. "Well, strong women have always been important in this family, so I'm sure ma loved you. How did... dad take it?"
"He was confused by the hair at first, but after talking with her, he grew to like her. Though he has a strict, 'No closed doors' rule whenever she is over. To be honest, I'm not really supposed to have her over while they are not home. Man's paranoid." Galen answered, crossing his arms.
"Probably afraid you'll take after his wife," Brigid said with a grin. "Can't wait until Korra finds out. She's going to be heart broken."
"Who's... Korra?" Alicia asked cautiously, looking over to Galen worried.
Galen shook his head as well as one of his hands. "Don't worry, it is just one of Brigid's roommates on her ship that likes to tease me, as well I her."
"O-Oh... If that is all..." Alicia smiled but inside she gave a sigh of relief.
Brigid held a hand against her mouth. "Sorry. Didn't mean to give the wrong impression. Korra just likes Galen because he likes to give her the run around when he flirts, not because he flirts back. Trust me, Galen is trustworthy. I'm sure our mother would bring the hurt if he acted in a manner that made our family look otherwise."
"I don't understand Mum at all... I can never tell if she will pet me on the head like a dog, or bite my head off."
For comedic effect, Alicia tapped Galen's head like she would a dog and he snapped at her with his teeth, just barely missing her but earning a laugh from the French girl.
Brigid rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Speaking of which... I joked, but... what does ma think of Alicia."
"Ma wants her boy to be happy, but is cautious of the little one that could draw too much of his attention," said a voice from the doorway.
"Damn Dad and his open door rule..." Galen turned around and smiled. "Heeeeeey, Ma... When did... You get home?"
"Right around that 'bite my head off' line." Morrigan walked over to her son, kissing him lightly on the head. "Hello, dear," she said to Alicia.
"Hello Ms. O'Brien, you look lovely today as per usual." Alicia said in a light tone.
"As do you, dear." Morrigan looked at the screen. "And to be more direct, motherly worries aside, I find Alicia to be delightful, as well as a good source of confidence for you bother."
Brigid nodded. "Good to hear. And... happy birthday, ma."
"Thank you, Brigid. But..." Morrigan looked at her watchless wrist. "You're a little late, hon."
"Just a smidgen." Galen added.
Brigid dropped her head to the desk. "Maaaaaa, please. Galen already drilled it into me as it is."
Morrigan folded her arms. "I guess I'll let it slide. But you need to call more often. For Galen's sake."
Brigid looked away, still upset about what Galen had told her, but not wanting to tell her mother. "O-Okay, mom."
Morrigan frowned as she looked at her son. "You tell her about the scholarship?"
"Y-Yeah, of course I told her." Galen stated, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Don't worry about it Galen, you still have a year and a half to try again for the scholarship." Alicia said, rubbing Galen's arm.
"Well what about you? The plan was to try and get in together, but now that is kind of hard to do." Galen said back to his girlfriend.
"We... We will find a way." Alicia smiled warmly and it wasn't long until Galen was smiling on his own, unable to resist her charm.
"That's right." Morrigan rubbed Galen's shoulders. "I have friends, and people that owe me favors. And if all else fails... I have some money saved away. You're getting in that school if I have to pay for it with the clothes off my back."
Brigid meekly raised a finger. "M-maybe... I can help."
Galen raised an eyebrow. "How so Brig?"
Brigid rubbed her wrists nervously. "W-well... I, um... this is a job, and I am getting paid. I... I don't really need the money all that much. If... if it helps, I'd like to contribute all that I can."
"How are you supposed to provide for yourself after the fact? Don't you need a house and stuff after your term is done?" Galen asked, sitting forward.
