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 Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 4:39 pm
Suddenly, Jace remembered exactly which hiking trip, exactly which conversation, Holden was referring to. He stared at the costume for a long moment, and though his expression didn't change, his ears and cheeks turned just the faintest pink.
"Holden," he said, "You shouldn't have. What is this?"
He lifted it up, eyes scanning over it.
Arguably, it was meticulously made, and it was good quality and creative, but he lowered it and looked at Holden. "You didn't tell your brother. You didn't put this idea in his head. Please. Don't tell me you only made me that sandwich to butter me up. I can still convince your brother I'm a lost case if he only ever sees me in suits and nice clothes--but if he saw you making this. Holden," he said, half agonized and half pleading. "What even goes through your head? This is--"
He groaned, but rolled his head exasperatedly, and then examined it again. "--It's really well made though, this looks really professional." He rubbed his fingers across the fabric. "I mean, to be fair, if I was going to wrestle, yeah, I probably wouldn't die being seen in this. It looks nice. I mean. For a wrestler. Which--I know your brother hasn't brainwashed you, you're too clever for that..."
He chewed on the inside of his cheek.
"...I hope."
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Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 5:16 pm
“He didn’t see.” Laughed Holden. “I made him some with the same material just more colors, something very flashy. But I didn't say a WORD to him, I promise." Holden tipped back their head and gave a boisterous laugh, utterly delighted with the reactions garnered. “Lift it up, your proper gift is under that.” The laughter didn’t stop but there was at least a more jovial kindness in Holden’s eyes. “BUT, I am keeping that, in case you pull another all-nighter.”
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2020 7:09 am
Jace breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, a bit flustered that Holden had gone through so much effort to tease him. "You know I'll pull another all nighter, that's not fair. I work best under pressure."
Which wasn't really saying much, because he was always under pressure, just different degrees of it. He probably had no idea what it was like to study without any threats or consequences dangling over his head.
"You didn't have to do so much for me, Holden. I'm just happy you're back," he insisted, but folded up the costume and moved it aside to see what was hiding underneath.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:08 am
“You don’t know if you work better without pressure!” Holden reached out and bopped Jace lightly with the rubberized edge of his phone case and then stuck out his tongue. “Besides, I was bored so don’t feel bad about this, I needed something I could do while I wasn’t allowed to do other things!” He leaned forward slightly to watch you pull the next thing free of the box. It was… a dress shirt. A deep purple-hued more towards blue than red, Pinstriped with a deeper purple that was very nearly black. It was broken into fine dashes by what might have been assumed to be a simple pattern, but there in the fabric were woven exceptionally tiny delicate skulls. Barely big enough to be the tip of your finger. “I found this while we were out there and we bought so much other beautiful fabric! But this one, I had to make you something. It was CALLING you Jace. You just couldn’t hear it under all that -pressure!” He huffed again and jutted his chin out in a small pout. “Frankly I don’t know what you’d do without me.” He teased. Because Holden wasn’t precisely the boldest or adventurous outside of his fashion.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:26 pm
Jace seemed like a cat who had been personally offended when his nose was booped; he wasn't quite feral to Holden, just surprised.
"Holden," he said, eyes darting to the shirt; he ran his fingers over the smooth fabric with his thumb and drew it closer to examine the little skulls.
"...I'm just surprised you know how to make things that fit me," he said, and was suddenly struck with the desire to try it on.
...But, that meant taking off his oversized sweater, and truthfully, he couldn't remember what shirt he was wearing underneath and that idea was just as frightening as nothing at all.
"Holden, this is beautiful. Like, really. The fabric is beautiful, but."
But it was made for him. With him in mind. By someone who was thinking about him. Who cared about him.
He looked up from the shirt before he could get too emotional about it--clearly lack of sleep and not anything else, obviously.
"...Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."
How many times had Holden kept him sane when he thought he was losing himself?
"I don't know how I'm going to repay you for this. Really. This is amazing."
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 7:19 am
“Are you kidding? When you wear that for your test I’ll not only be having you represent my whole…brand, but it’ll be like I’m right there being smart with you! Do you know how hard it can be to get people to wear clothing that doesn’t come off a store rack at times?” “It's so nice to have friends who believe in what I’m making, and it doesn’t hurt that you’re a fabulous model.” He brought his phone back to tap against his chin with a smile. “Now… do you need another sandwich before I send you to shower and sleep? Also, I need you to consider, would you wear a vest? Because of a nice black vest with a pocket square made of this fabric?” He reached out to brush the cloth with his fingertips. “You don’t have to tell me now, but think about it okay?”
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:03 am
"I would," he answered, because Holden had suggested it, and for as eclectic as Holden could be, Jace did not suspect he would be deliberately steered wrong. His appearance was very important to himself and his mother, and he had been doing his best to look professional from a young age.
He didn't comment on the fact that he was being accused of being a model, though he seemed to huff a bit instinctively.
He thought about asking for another sandwich just to get Holden to stay for longer, but he didn't want to risk eating so much he threw up. "--Are you really going to leave so soon? I'm awake now." At least for a while longer. "You can't just drop something off and leave. I mean, unless you have plans, I guess."
Holden did just get back in, he probably wanted to go home and sleep, too.
"If you do, we'll have to meet up again soon. I can take you to dinner or something. To make up for lunch. I don't know how I'm going to compete with this shirt, though. You've topped everything I can think of." And Jace was not particularly artistic, outside of crochet--but Holden was so fashionable, he probably didn't need some janky scarf. Even if it was getting colder outside...
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:10 am
“My ONLY plan is to do some napping of my own.” He smiled and tucked the phone under his chin. “We could nap and then go to dinner?” He tipped his head. “I would be just as happy to pin you down as my teddybear.” He teased. “If you wear the shirt I’ll have to plan around looking at least as good, plus I’ll be able to see if I need to improve the darts in it. You are going to look like… an absolute KING.” He clapped his hands. "Oh I wish you could have come through, they had this fiber-goods market, it was so lovely, I wish you could have been there, I would have loved to see what drew you in."
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:09 pm
"I'm not a teddybear," was nearly the only thing Jace could sputter out. "--I sleep like a log. A cold log." He knew Holden was aware of Xander's griping, about his cold feet. He wiggled his toes, almost self consciously, beneath his two layers of socks.
"Just wear what you have on, it looks good on you. I can wear whatever. You can help me pick it out, you've been in my closet before. I'll even let you pick the place. And I'll pay." Which was a given, he'd said he would, and it was supposed to be a treat for Holden.
"No one's even going to be home until after midnight. I mean, Xander might, but I think he's out with Nelson. Either way, he doesn't matter. You want to nap out here on the couch? Or...?"
He left it open ended, but then added, "Unless your brother will be afraid that something's happened to you, now that you're back home and don't have to be attached at the hip."
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:22 pm
Holden pondered. “I can text my brother. I think he’d understand if I chilled here. And you’d be a great grumpy teddy bear don’t underestimate yourself! No monsters would dare creep with you around.” “I could also make dinner if you wanted to just hang out after we wake up.” He offered thoughtfully. “Anything without eggs.” He laughed tipping his head back and letting his shoulders fall. “I mean, we got creative.. but, eggs, I think the only place I want to see them is in a CAKE, they can hide there, or bread… just am going to boycott omelets, scrambled eggs, poached, fried… etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Sometimes I wish I could forget how many ways there are to cook eggs and all the other bodybuilder food options.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:33 pm
"Well--text him, then. I know he knows where I live, the last thing I want is him busting down my door and trying to fit into my house like a normal human being. I can explain a lot of weirdness to my family--" or rather, find ways to hide it from them, "--But I can't explain a giant hole."
He leaned back in the chair and really didn't even want to get up to drag himself to his bed. At least Holden was right, he wouldn't have to worry about monsters with Jace around. But, if Holden was actually scared of monsters, it only made him wonder what company he was keeping while he was gone.
Dinner was an easier thought.
"We can see how we feel when we wake up. If we even want to go out and see people. I mean. We could also order in." Duh, he knew that, he'd done it twice this week. "I don't want you to have to do so much for me. Aren't you still supposed to be relaxing?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:40 pm
“Sometimes it’s relaxing to fuss at someone else!” He protested folding his arms gingerly. “Besides, I’d make you help! You’re still taller than me so it works out!” He pouted slightly. “We can see when we wake up then, that does sound good.” He lowered the phone to his lap and typed out a quick message. //Staying here for a nap, Jace liked his shirt. Will U B okay?// and hit send. Not that he expected anything other than yes, things would be fine, but it was still polite to ask. “At least if I nap here I’ll totally know if you Don’t rest,” Holden said with a decisive nod. “No studying, only sleep!” He pointed an accusing finger.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:17 pm
The response on his phone was almost immediate:
Quote: Of course Jace liked his shirt. You did great!! Text me if it gets too late. I don't want you riding home in the dark. I will come get you. Miss you, make good decisions.
Jace raised a brow, wondering if his brother was currently as glued to his phone as Holden seemed to be, but as long as it was a 'yes, that's fine,' he didn't care.
"I'll sleep, I'll sleep. Let me go...clean my room up," he said, vaguely wondering if he had left out anything that would get him into further trouble. Too many energy drinks and junk food in the waste bin would only confirm the worst that Holden could have expected.
"Do you want my bed? It's clean. I can take Xander's. Which might not be clean." But might also have some snacks hidden under the pillow.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:35 pm
“I am NOT kicking you out of your own bed!” He said firmly. Sending a heart back to his Brother along with a small singing bird, which basically amounted to “I will! and associated affection. “I am just fine with the couch, and better to leave Xander’s bed… to Xander.” He laughed and shook his head. “I fear I’d find myself sleeping on a jar of some kind of hot sauce, Diablo-death-foot, or some other ridiculous name.” He shuddered. “The couch is just fine with me, I’ll make a nice nest out of pillows and it will be lovely!
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:25 pm
"It's not kicking me out if I offer it to you," he huffed, and forced himself out of the comfortable seat he was in. It wouldn't have surprised him if there was some super spicy death sauce hiding in Xander's bed, but he really didn't think he should risk it.
"Just make yourself comfortable, then. I'll be back."
He was tired, but it didn't stop him from taking long strides. In his room, he changed into slightly more reasonable sweatpants and grabbed a pillow and blanket from his room, and then more of the same from the closet. He draped his on the sofa he'd just been sitting on. On the couch, he placed two of the nicest pillows he could find, and both a comforter and a throw blanket. "All right. I'm going to sleep on the sofa so I can keep an eye on you and make sure you're getting some sleep. When was the last time you got a good night of sleep, or didn't have to wake up at six because your brother was cooking? I mean," he was shaking out the comforter, apparently intending to either throw it over Holden or actually be nice about it and drape it over him when he was comfortable, "You're supposed to be taking it easy, anyway..."
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