Some people are born old, she told him once.
They'd been watching Conner play a soccer game, and she had been bored, proven by the way she was twirling her hair around her fingers. Ethan had long since lost interest and turned to a handheld game, but Kira was determined to at least feign interest. She had turned to him, and they started to talk about random things, when she said that. "Some people are born old," she murmured. He was the only one meant to hear it, and he was, thanks to the loud cheers around them as Conner scored the goal to win the game.
He thinks on it more than he should.
Sometimes, on rainy winter days when they don't have school, he'll settle on his couch with a cup of hot coffee and a book he was always meaning to read, he opens the book and starts to meet the characters.
It is inevitable that his eyes will leave the printed page to stare out the window, thinking on everything and nothing at the same time. That's when her wise words will resound in his mind, causing his thinking to spiral back to the meaning of the words, and the person who said them.
He finds himself missing her in little ways.
Like the way she would laugh derisively when Conner was having one of his more stupid moments. Her seriousness whenever they talked, and how she never fully relaxed around him. They trusted each other much more deeply than the other two, but whenever he was there, she was instantly aware of him. He could never surprise her.
He misses her wild devil-may-care attitude when it came to conforming. Her music was her essence, full of her ideals and her practicality. Generally, when he waxed particularly maudlin, he would put in one her CDs and puttered around his house, missing her and what could have been.
It is exactly three years, 5 months, twenty five days, 7 hours, 34 minutes and 56 seconds when she comes home.
In the three years she's been gone, they've all undergone changes. Conner's more rugged than ever with a killer tan, since he spends so much time outside these days. Ethan's acquired a polished feel that comes from running his own computer company. Hayley's kind face has laugh lines and her red hair has minor streaks of silver in it.
Him? He hasn't changed so much.
But when she walks through the gate, he finds himself suddenly without breath. Her dark blonde curls have gained a lightened tint, and she's thinner (must be the starving artist thing that record companies are so fond of, he finds himself worrying) but her face lights up when she sees the company waiting for her. There are almost literally sparkles in her eyes as she lets her carry-on drop to the floor, opening her arms wide.
Conner and Ethan need no further invitation, and they run forward, picking her up and swinging her around. She laughs happily, and he has a sinking suspicion she doesn't laugh so often anymore. She slaps the boys on their backs good-naturally, telling them to put her down but spoils the effect by laughing harder.
He and Hayley follow the boys more sedately, but Hayley can't resist the welcome-home hug, either. Kira's just as short, but it seems her presence has diminished ever so slightly. But—she still wears yellow.
He can only offer her a smile, but she doesn't leave him the choice and wraps her arms around him. Almost on automatic, his arms come up and rest on the middle of her back. They stay in that tableau for a couple of seconds longer than technically proper, before they break apart at the same time.
Ethan's grinning at the both of them, opening his mouth to say something snarky, no doubt, but Conner shoves him in mock play, earning the beginning of an argument as the boys pick up Kira's guitar case and carry-on. Hayley sighs and walks with them to referee, and Kira falls into step beside him.
"Have you missed Reefside?" he asks quietly, not really looking at her but aware of her every move.
Kira laughs once. "New York is busy," she answers instead, tucking her hands into her pockets, her eyes equally not on him but on the walls of the airport. "There's always something to do, someone to go see. But the people I wanted to see weren't there."
It is the confession, veiled as it is, that yes, she did miss Reefside.
"Reefside's been pretty quiet since Mesogog was destroyed," he informs her, both of them starting to go down the escalator that will lead to luggage pick-up. "The quiet I've been looking for, I guess."
"No rest for the weary," Kira smiles, turning to him, patting his elbow once. There's a new maturity that she didn't have before. She's less cautious about her discernment, something that could be both good and bad.
He nods once in agreement. "The kids are great," he offers. "They really like studying dinosaurs."
"Is Elsa still coming down hard on kids?" Kira teases. Both of them were well-aware that Elsa had toned down since Mesogog lost his control over her mind, but the lack of topics made it difficult to keep up a conversation.
"Yeah—but I don't have to take kids to the museum for detention anymore."
Kira giggles. "Have you been watching TV lately?"
"Not really," he admitted. "Mostly the Science Channel and the Discovery Channel."
Kira stretches, to see if the tips of her fingers can brush the roof as the escalator descends further. "Me too," she agreed. "But there's been some good shows I've been following. Heroes, and House, mostly. I don't get a lot of breaks these days."
He nods, and they step off the escalator as the boys wave from across the room; they have her luggage. "I know what that's like," he jokes flatly.
Kira doesn't smile this time. Her body language screams weariness, and he wonders how hard they've been working her. "I was lucky to get this two week break between tours," she tells him. "I finally managed to get my manager to agree to have a concert here on my next tours, so that I can at least come see you guys once every eighteen months. He wasn't happy, but I finally persuaded him."
She stops, and he stops with her. "It's a dirty trade," she says at last. "My music is everything, and I can comfort myself with that, but my job isn't about my music anymore. It's about what they could sell." She laughs, harsh and bitter. "If they could sell me to get more revenue, they would. They at least let me write my own songs, but I heard them talking about getting a songwriter for me."
He can only watch as she lifts her chin, showing her old defiance. "But I won't let them do that," she assures.
He isn't quite sure. Kira can be forceful, but record companies can devour you. He lays a gentle hand on her shoulder, and tells her what she wants to hear. "I know you won't."
Her eyes narrow, and he knows she's seen through it, but she doesn't shrug off his hand. "Thanks, Dr. O. This means a lot to me."
Some people are born old, he finds himself thinking as she turns and pulls back her smiling façade for the others. But some people age sooner than they should. Kira had been born old, but she aged faster than anyone he knew.
For this vacation, it would be wonderful to see if she could grow younger again.
Author's note: There's no real point to this. Subtle Kirommy, I guess.