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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 7:32 am
The morning was spent drawing. Not out of choice, actually, but because it seemed to be the easiest way to pick up pocket change on Gaia. Shade leaned back against the warm brick wall of the building behind him, and sighed. "Are you sure that's not enough?" he asked the little fairy in his pocket.
"Are you hungry or not?" she asked with a hint of irritation in her voice. "And you're the one that decided to get a vegetable kid, remember? Which, if I might remind you, will be coming any moment. It probably could be back home already. How are you going to support a kid when you can barely support yourself?"
"I'll come up with something," Shade said, not sounding too bothered at all. "Girls like a guy that shows he's good with pets!"
"It's not a pet, Shade, it's a human... or something," Callisto replied with a sigh as she pulled herself out of his pocket and dropped down on his shoulder. She eyed her fingernails thoughtfully, looking for flaws. She didn't see any. "It'll eat and other things. Nasty things that feien don't have to deal with. And lots of it! Don't expect me to be changing diapers, understand?"
"Course I won't," Shade said cheerfully as another patron came for a drawing. "You couldn't pick the diaper up enough to get it to the trashcan."
"That's just such a disgusting image," Callisto said with a shudder. She couldn't help but imagine herself being toppled over by a whole diaperload of nastiness. "You could have just gotten another feien, you realize."
"Like Silva?"
"Don't use that name in front of me," she said.
"Point proven," Shade said as he finished up the sketch and handed it to the woman, taking the money she gave him and pocketing it. "You still haven't told me what he did to you."
"And I'm not going to!" Callisto said firmly. "He's crude and rude and the epitome of arrogant male. He should be swatted to death with a flyswatter."
"Mmhmm," Shade said as he packed up his things. "Let's go see if the vegetable has arrived."
"Have you ever thought anything through in your life?" she demanded. "You kill every plant you ever get!"
"You're still alive, aren't you?"
"I wasn't a plant," she said before leaning against his neck, resting her head against his warm black skin. "You're doing this to impress Ice, aren't you?"
"You think it will work?"
"Probably not."
"It's worth a try," Shade said. "Right?"
"It's too late to ask that, don't you think?" Callisto asked, reaching down to grab hold of the collar of his coat. It helped her keep her balance as he walked. Soon they were at Jack's house, looking up at the creepy place with a bit of fondness. And there, sitting on the porch, was the cabbage that they had been waiting for.
For a long moment Shade stood there, looking down at the cabbage with his hands in his pockets. "Doesn't look like much, does it?"
"We should give it light," Callisto said. She loved light more than anything else in the world, so it had to be the right thing to do.
"There's a bottle next to it, too," Shade said, finally crouching down. "Think we should have told Jack about this earlier?"
"You haven't told him yet?" she demanded, horrified at the idea.
"It might have slipped my mind," he admitted. "Maybe we should wait till the kid shows up, you think?"
Callisto just groaned, feeling a headache coming on.
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Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:20 am
It was actually larger than he had thought at first, Shade admitted as he lugged the cabbage up the steps to his room. He guessed that made sense since there was supposed to be a kid in it. It weighed about thirty pounds, he noticed absently, which made him feel a bit sorry for pregnant mothers, and at the same time drew a picture of a pregnant Ice in his mind.
She would be meaner than hell, he decided firmly. But pregnant ladies were most definitely sexy in his mind. He couldn't quite figure out why, but they were. He guessed it had to do with--
"Shade!" Callisto growled, grabbing and pulling on his ear to get his attention. "Are you going to find a place to put the cabbage or not?"
"Oh, right," Shade said as he looked around the room. There was a bed to his right, a dresser with a mirror to the left, and a desk to the right of that with one of the computers he had gotten in his old job sitting on top of it.
"Put it on the veranda," Callisto ordered once she realized he wasn't going to do anything still. "You're going to need a baby bed thing, or something. And since we can't afford one on Gaia--,"
"We have to get it from space, I know, I know," Shade said, interrupting her. "I need to do some shopping, right?"
"Right," she said.
"If I touch my accounts, Kori's going to notice," he said, scowling slightly. "Unless I go for the one I kept under--," he went off on a little discussion about all the ways he had hidden space creds over the years, which Callisto blatantly ignored as she flew over to the cabbage he was still holding and dropped down on top of it. She laid down there, pressing her tiny head to the cabbage heart to try and hear what was going on in there.
"So I'm going to rig the spray bottle so you can use it, okay?" Shade finished, making her glance up blankly. "While I go get some stuff for the kid in space I want you to stay here and watch over the cabbage," he explained. "I'll be back in a day or two, so there shouldn't be any problems, okay? You just keep it in the sun and spray it, I guess."
He grabbed the blue plastic bottle and headed for the bathroom to fill it before she could protest. A few seconds later he came back with the bottle, showing her how he had tied a string around the trigger and hooked it to a weight that she could stand on to make the water spray.
The cabbage itself was placed on a pile of blankets on the veranda, with a small stool next to it where the spray bottle was placed. Then Shade left, leaving Callisto with a plant that was at least ten times her size.
"I was never meant to be a mother!!" she bellowed into the air as her bond disappeared into a rift. This, she thought blankly as she stared down at the cabbage, had to be hell.
The only thing that would make it worse was if Silva decided to come pay a visit. She twitched at the very idea and went over to the spray bottle, stepping on the weight and spraying the cabbage a bit. Thankfully, she thought, that had never happened before. Silva didn't know where she lived, after all.
With that hopeful thought in her mind she fluttered back to the cabbage, sitting down on top of it and soaking up the sun. If it was going to be her responsibility, she thought logically, it was also going to be her sunbathing blanket. It wasn't as if her isignificant weight would do anything to the plant, after all. And this way she would notice when it had dried out, she told herself as she let out a yawn and promptly fell asleep on the poor cabbage.
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Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:58 am
For a long moment Silva stayed in the air, watching as the little female feien slept peacefully on the cabbage. She looked comfortable there, complete with a pair of silk heart covered mens' underwear as a blanket, and a tiny little cup of water to the side. The spray bottle on the table looked a bit less full than it could have been as well. He got the feeling that she had been living like this for a day or two.
He watched her sleep, taking in her perfect body and those swirling markings that she had with a slight smirk. She was gorgeous, he would be the first to admit. But that wasn't the thing that interested him the most. He liked that look of terror she got whenever he got near.
With that thought he dropped down on the cabbage, walking over and spreading his wings so he blocked out her precious light. He was a bully, he knew, but he hadn't found someone that reacted instinctively to him like this in years. He missed it.
Still asleep, Calli curled into herself, hating the lack of light and waiting for the cloud to move away from the sun again. When that didn't happen she cracked an eye open, glaring at the sky only to realize that someone was standing in the way. The glare turned to horror and she scooted away from the tall feien as fast as she could. "Why are you here?"
"Your bond wrote a note," Silva said. "And, lucky for you, he left his address in big bold letters at the bottom, inviting my bond over to see his new brat."
"He invited Ice, not you," she said, fighting the urge to run. Then abruptly she realized where she was. "Get away from my cabbage!" she said, kicking out to try and hit his legs. He avoided the kicks easily, still fingering his toothpick.
"Already feeling attached?" he asked curiously.
"I have to live with it, and I will not have your dirty personality rubbing off on him!" she replied, her anger and fewar mixing on her face and turning into desperate determination. She kicked out again, but he avoided it, moving closer.
"Aleric will be coming as soon as he sees the note," he said calmly.
"Aleric? Why?"
"Because ever since his girl left, you're the one he's been thinking about," Silva replied. "He feels guilty about that fact, too. It's damn funny, if you ask me."
"I'd rather have Aleric think about me than you," she said, turning her nose into the air. It would have worked better if he hadn't been standing over her.
"Well that's too bad, darlin'," Silva said. "Because Aleric's not going to get you."
"What does my relationship with Aleric have to do with you?" she asked, not about to mention that she had no interest in Aleric, or a relationship at all, for that matter.
"One, he's my brother, and two, I want you for myself," Silva said bluntly, starting to lean forward. She went still, a look of horror and astonishment in her eyes. But before Silva did anything the cabbage started to rock. It split down the center and Calli went tumbling backwards, sure she would fall to her doom only to lose her breath as she was caught from above.
Her heart pounded against her chest as relief hit her. She hadn't fallen. Then she realized that it wasn't only her heart that she was hearing pound. She tried to jerk away from Silva's hold, feeling far too close to him once again. She hated being this close to him, it made her skin crawl. It was like being held by pure evil. She looked up, about to demand that he let go of her, when she realized that he wasn't even looking at her. He was looking at the cabbage.
She turned, still stuck firmly in his arms, and looked down at the little boy lying in the cabbage, watching them curiously with big blue eyes. This, she thought in wonder, was Shade and her new baby.
"Looks like it's a boy," Silva drawled in amusement. His hand shifted, touching the base of her wings in a way that made her positive he had done it on purpose, regardless of how casual the motion seemed. For a moment heat ran through her treacherous body before she jerked away from him completely and flew to the baby.
There were more important things to think about than Silva copping a feel right now, she told herself forcefully. Like how in the world she was going to take care of the baby while Shade was still out shopping!
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:43 am
Closed RP with ShortGreen heart Surprise! Babytime! Jack yawned, scrubbing both hands through his hair as he left his study. He paused just long enough to close the door and lock it - first with a key and then with a wave of his hand, callused fingers stroking the wood twice and then the doorknob in secret language. "That'll do it," he muttered under his breath. "Too many hours in there. My head'll go funny. Not workin' anyway." A light weight landing on his shoulder made him start and he nearly swatted Brunswick away in instant, impulsive reaction. The feien neatly dodged the act and then strolled over to kick his bond in the neck. "You're talking to yourself again," he accused. "What the hell have you been doing in there? It was, what, almost 12 hours? Evie's about to cry. She misses you." The Englishman stifled another yawn. "An' you, Bruns?" he asked. "Do I make you cry, too?" "Yeah, sure. When you flirt with girls. Disgusting." He moved back to the edge of Jack's shoulder and sat down, cross-legged and balancing. "Go eat something so Evie doesn't think you're dead." "You're a bossy little shite, you know that?" Nonetheless, Jack immediately began ambling down the hall towards the stairs. As he passed Shade's room, however, he paused and tilted his head. "Bruns... Do you hear something?" The feien stood and half-closed his eyes. While he ordinarily did the opposite of what Jack suggested just to torment the man, the tone in his voice had him curious. "... Is that someone crying?" "Yeah, sounds like." Jack hesitated, hand already lifting to touch Shade's doorknob. He glanced at Brunswick who shrugged as if to say "why not?" Jack nodded. "Well, it is my house, right?" With that, he pushed open the door and stepped in gingerly. "Please stop crying?" Calli asked, crouching down on the boy's chest to try and stop him. The little boy was sobbing quite pathetically, and she had no idea what to do to get him to stop. "Please? I don't know your name, of course, since you don't have one, but--," "Yeaaah, this is why I hate brats," Silva said from where he was hovering over them. Calli turned to glower at the taller feien. "If you hate them so much why don't you le--," she stopped as she heard the door opening, and groaned. "We're so busted..." Jack froze, head through the door, and stared at the small baby and the two feien. "Um... I didn't do that, right?" he finally managed. Brunswick snorted, recovering faster than his bond, and promptly kicked Jack in the neck again before launching himself into the air. He fluttered over to land beside Callisto and patted her shoulder a bit. "Tough luck," he offered. "Hey, old man." "Blame it on Shade," Silva said, glancing over at Bruns with a snort before looking over to Jack. "He did something stupid again." "Don't talk about my bond like that," Calli snapped, only to groan as the baby started crying once again. "Shhh, shh, c'mon, it's okay. Why don't we name you? Um... Charlie?" "Does he look like a Charlie to you?" Silva asked. "Well, no, but I don't remember asking you!" She stopped, suddenly realizing that Jack deserved an explanation. "Well, um, you see, Shade--," she tried to think of something, but could only come up with, "did something stupid again." "Color me surprised." Brunswick smirked and settled down into a crouch to study the child. Meanwhile, Jack had managed to shake off his paralysis and pushed the door open further. Then, in a few steps, he was across the room and bending to gingerly lift up the child into his arms. There was an awkward moment as he tried to find the right way to hold the little boy; after all, the last time he had held a properly sized child was too long ago to be anything but a dim memory. Finally, he figured out a way to hold him and then he edged back to sit on the bed. "Okay, then." He sighed, peering down at the crying baby. "Right. So where is my flatmate, the idiot?" "He's um, in space, getting baby things," Callisto admitted. "Since we've only got a little gaia gold." "He's broke? And he's getting a kid?" Silva asked, laughing abruptly. "No wonder Ice dumped him." "He'll be back any moment, though," Calli said with another dark look at Silva. It wasn't that she hadn't thought those things herself, but hearing them from her nemesis made her pissed. "As soon as he has all the stuff he needs. I should have told him to get baby formula," she said abruptly. "We'll figure something out." Jack absently started rocking the child in his arms but his gaze had moved to lock on Callisto. "So where did the sprog come from then?" "And who in their right mind gives a kid to anyone in this house?" Brunswick added with a snicker. "You're different, Calli. You and me. We're not totally dependent on these idiots. Evie's just too much -her- to give a damn." His gaze flickered towards Silva. "By the way, old man, what're you doing here? Did you bring Soho with you?" "I came to check out the brat," Silva lied smoothly. "Soho's off shopping with Ice again, or something. Hell if I know. She's an adult now, you know." "The cabbage," Calli said as she flew over to them, looking down at the much calmer baby in his arms. "He's pretty, though," she admitted. "For a human baby male, that is." There was already signs of infatuation on her face, much to Silva's surprise. "He is kinda cute, yeah." Jack looked down again to study the boy's face. "Little guy. Kids come outta the weirdest things, don't they? You an' Bruns from flowers, Evie from a cup..." That caught Brunswick's attention and he lifted a bright eyebrow. "Oh, is she, huh?" he drawled. "I'll have to stop by and visit." "She'd like that," Silva said blandly. The girl was too damn horny for his (not hers) own good. He was getting sick and tired of waking up with her curling up to him. He wasn't going to snog his own brat, dammit! No matter how hot she came out! Antony's eyes were focusing more even as he spoke. It was as if his brain was comprehending and processing the language and storing it away. Calli didn't notice this at all. "I didn't expect him to come out this quickly, though," she admitted, patting the boy's cheek. "Hungy," the baby said in a demanding tone, almost giving the little feien a heartattack. Jack blinked. "... Did you just say hungry, sproglet?" he asked. "Yeah, I reckon you did. Wish I knew where Shade was but, ah, well. Needs must an' all that rot." Carefully, Jack stood, still cradling the child. "Maybe we can find somethin' soft downstairs for you t' fill up on." Brunswick laced his fingers together behind his head and stretched lazily, ignoring the little drama near the bed in favor of the new information. "I guess I ought to," he announced. "I've gotta apologize, right? It's not good manners to desert a gorgeous girl. Not even if it's to take care of an idiot bond and his kid. Wait, you haven't met Evie. Never mind." "What's the 'never mind' mean, brat?" Silva demanded, moving closer to Calli as if he expected her to run the moment she got the chance. She didn't, though, she was too focused on the baby and Jack. "We could get--," she stopped as she heard something from the doorway. Shade pulled to a stop as he saw the scene in front of him, realizing abruptly that the kid in Jack's arms was probably HIS. "I can explain," he said, letting the heavy box he had been carrying hit the ground. "I just bet you can." Jack grinned at his roommate and walked over, pushing the box out of the way with his foot. "C'mon downstairs. He's hungry. You can explain on the way, huh?" "Never mind is just..." Brunswick scowled a bit. "Look, Evie's a good kid, alright? She's just got too big a heart and I don't want her crushing on you or anything. Jack's already muttering about flushing a couple of her little cup friends." "She's a cup?" Silva asked blankly, only to jerk as Calli followed Jack, still keeping an eye on the baby as if it were her new obsession. He didn't like that, he decided as he chewed on his toothpick. He really didn't like how easily she had gotten over her problem with him for the brat. He didn't realize his interest in the ancient was blatantly obvious until Shade's eyes fell on him, surprisingly cold. "Don't even think of it, Silva," Shade said coldly before turning to chase after Jack. "So it's a boy?" "Looks like. Cute sprog." Jack carefully picked his way down the stairs, extra cautious with his precious burden. "Doesn't look a thing like you luckily." Following them, Brunswick barely managed to bite back his snickers at the sharp warning from Shade. Then he dragged his attention back to his own area of Do Not Touch. "Yeah, Evie came from a cup of liquid," he explained. "She grew out of it and then she grew some more. Cup's too small now." "Huh," Silva said, not sounding too interested. "So she's a cup baby. I got a wolf brat and a skunk brat, but never heard of a cup brat," he added as he headed to follow them. He wasn't that worried about Shade's threat. Really. The b*****d had to accept she was an adult already, after all. "He needs a name," Calli ordered. "And not Charlie." "Huh? Well..." Shade thought for a second. "How about Antony?" he asked, picking a name out of thin air. "That work for you, sproglet?" Jack asked the calmed child. "Yeah, well. They're cool and boys." Brunswick moved ahead to stand on Jack's shoulder again, looking back over his shoulder, narrow-eyed, at Silva. "Evie's not a boy." Silva smirked. "Warning me off of little sister?" he said. "No worries, brat, I don't like little girls." Antony looked up at Jack sleepily, then spoke again, "is 'kay." "He's already learned to speak?" Shade asked, almost tripping down the stairs. "Earthlings grow up fast!" Jack laughed, reaching the bottom of the steps and heading towards the kitchen. "Shade, mate, he was a cabbage. Earthlings don't come out o' cabbages an' we don't talk 20 minutes after being born," he pointed out. "He's somethin' else a bit. Him talkin' makes things easier for you, though. Right, Antony? You can tell your Da what you want." "Not warning." Brunswick shrugged. "Just saying. Like I'm worried. Evie's dopey but she's not completely stupid." "Mm, I'll try not to break her heart," Silva said dryly. His eyes moved to Callisto again, contemplating. "Besides, I've got a much more interesting toy to play with at the moment," he added in a wickedly low tone. Antony looked at Jack, then looked over his shoulder at Shade, who was still standing on the steps. Which was his dad? Were both? Did it matter? As long as someone fed him, he wasn't going to complain. Unless the food was horrible, that was. "He's more like a feien than a human, in that way," Callisto said. "More like. Quick on the uptake," Jack agreed with a smile at Callisto. "He'll be fun t' have around. I just hope he doesn't pick up things from Brunswick." "Hey! He could do a lot worse, Jack." The feien in question folded his arms over his chest and scowled. "At least I've got some sense." "See, I figure if he doesn't come out a serial killer then I'm doin' good," Shade said seriously. "He will not become a serial killer!" Callisto said. "Isn't that right, Antony?" she asked the baby, earning a blank look as his mind processed the question. Things like "serial killer" were still out of his range. But they wouldn't be for long, no doubt. "I'm puttin' my foot down there. No serial killin' in this house." Jack grinned as he led the little parade into the kitchen. "Or you'll all be out on your ears." "Daddy? Who's that?" Jack paused immediately, so fast the others banged into his back. Seeing as how only one of them had any appreciable mass, this was no problem and he merely laughed a bit. "Oh, Evie," he said sheepishly. "I forgot you were in here, lil bit. I thought I'd put you in t' watch telly." The little girl shook her head and her ponytail bobbed. "Nope! I got bored of that so you brought me in here to draw." She motioned to the piece of paper beneath her and the large blue crayon in her hand. Then she waved. "Hi, Shade! Miss Calli!" Silva glanced over at her, unable to help himself after the kid had said what he said. She was cute, he had to admit, but not his type. "Evie! Meet our new baby!" Calli said, flying over to the little cup girl with a beaming smile. "Bring him over for her to see!" she told Jack bossily, even as Shade pulled to a halt before quite running into the other male. Antony looked around trying to twist in Jack's arms to see who was speaking this time, his big blue eyes curious as to who else lived with him. Clearly amused by Callisto's orders, Jack obediently walked over so Evie could better see the baby boy in his arms. "What d'you think, lil bit?" he asked. "Shade's got a new sprog. His name is Antony." Evie promptly abandoned the crayon and went up high on her knees to lean as far as she could over the rim of her glass. Reaching out a hand, she touched the little boy's cheek lightly. It was barely a feather's touch. "Oh, he's so cute!" she cooed. "Hi, Antony. My name is Evie. I bet you're going to like it here." From his perch on Jack's shoulder, Brunswick rolled his eyes before turning to Silva and shrugging one shoulder gallically. Antony gave her an angelic smile, added with a charming gurgle of laughter. He only expected such reactions, after all! "He's like a little prince, isn't he?" Callisto asked, shaking her head and shoving her hair back with a hint of amusement. "Y'know, you might be right," Shade said, peering over Jack's shoulder. "The clothes look like it, at least." The poor brat. His dad was poor. "I should get goin'," Silva said casually. Ice would want to hear about this one... "Yeah, if you have to." Brunswick grinned. "Tell Soho I'll be by to see her soon, okay?" Evie blinked, attention distracted from Antony for a moment. "Hmm?" Spotting Silva, she blushed sheepishly and waved. "Oh. Hello! I'm sorry. He's just... Well, he's cute." She giggled. "I'm Evie." "It'll be weird havin' someone 'round here who wears clothes," Jack mused. "Sure," Silva said with a smirk before he nodded at Evie. "Don't worry, darlin, I've been getting that reaction all day," he drawled before heading for the window. Callisto watched him, heaving a sigh of relief as he left. "Don't bother with him, Evie, he's not a nice man," she said in a motherly tone before turning back to the baby. "I got stuff," Shade said abruptly. "A bed, and some clothes, and food... I think. The lady took one look at me and filled the list out for me." "I don't blame her." Jack chuckled. "Mate, one look at you an' she knew. Just bless motherly sorts an' our life'll be easier." Evie shrugged, frowning a bit. "He looked okay," she murmured. "He's like you and Brunswick so he can't be all bad." "You'd be surprised," Calli said, making a face before she turned to Shade. "If she got you food for him, then go get it already," she said with another shove at her hair. "That's why we came to the kitchen, remember?" "Oh! Right!" Shade said. "I'll go get the food, then," he added before heading for the stairs and the box he had left upstairs.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:57 pm
Within a week Antony was toddling around, poking his nose and fingers into anything that caught his attention. He had almost cut off his fingers twice already. Shade had spent an entire day trying to put his old weapons up higher than the kid could reach, as well as trying to figure out how the kid could possibly have found all of those things in one week.
He didn't even want to think of all the electrical outlet problems he had run into. And he was horrified about the moment the boy found Jack's stuff. The last thing he wanted was for his week old kid to summon a demon from hell, or whatever it was that Jack did during his spare time. Side-jobs in that household were of the "don't ask, don't tell" variety, after all.
Callisto doted on the boy. She was often found trailing around behind him, warning him not to touch this or that, all of which the boy ignored, even though Shade was positive the kid understood her. He was smart, the little blue prince, smart enough to know when to play dumb. That was a horrifying thought, actually.
But, Shade thought as he propped the kid on his hip a little more firmly and entered the space station toystore, he was cute. And because the kid was cute, he could get away with a heck of a lot more than an ugly kid would have been able to. He caught sight of an ugly kid out of the corner of his eye, and silently changed that opinion. His mother looked like she would fall over with the weight of toys she was carrying. Maybe ugly kids were spoiled more, to make up for the fact that they would always be ugly.
"Fadda?" Antony asked, drawing his attention down to the boy again, "want that," he said, pointing at the aisle of dress-up clothes.
"Ah, um," Shade said, looking around. "You sure? I mean, there's better stuff in here! Look, they have the new gamesystems from Carn! 'Course, I've got no idea if it'd work with a Gaia TV, but--,"
The little boy pouted up at him, tightening the hold he had on his shirt.
"If he wants dress-up clothes, then get them for him," Callisto said from where she sat on his shoulder, leaning against his neck.
"But what if he--," he lowered his voice, "chooses something gay?"
"Like a tutu?" she asked in amusement. "It won't matter, he's only a baby. At the moment he has no idea that boys are different from girls. If they even are for his species."
"You're right, I guess. Okay, sprog... or sprout, or kiddo... what do you want?" Shade asked as he walked over to the aisle and let the kid look. Antony pointed at the crown that went with a perfect prince's outfit.
"Want!"
"He wants a crown," Shade said blandly.
"It's better than a tutu," Callisto said.
"Alright," Shade said as he grabbed the crown and dropped it on the little boy's head. "Next," he said as he looked around, "other toy stuff. Like... a stuffed animal or something."
"It's that way?" Callisto asked, pointing to the aisle that had toys on the sign over it. It wasn't in an Earthian language, she noticed, but she could read it. She wondered if that was because Shade could read it. She would have to ask the next time she ran into another feien other than Silva, she decided.
"Hey, after this, want to try some space ice cream? It's a hell of a lot better than Gaia's stuff."
"Hell!" Antony repeated cheerfully.
Shade let out a groan and headed down the toy aisle. He was going to have to clean up his language, he thought, and not let Silva near the kid... till he was thirty.
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 8:57 am
"He's watched that movie three times already," Shade muttered as he leaned back in the couch, watching the boy sitting on the floor in front of the television. "I never should have asked Evie if she had a few spare movies he could watch."
"It's fine," Calli said from where she was sitting on his shoulder. "He's a baby, I guess they do this sort of thing."
"It's a girl's movie, though."
"He's a baby," she repeated. "They don't understand the difference between boys and girls." She moved so she was sitting on his lap and shoved her hair over her shoulder. "Brush this for me."
"Sure, Calli," Shade said as he cheered right back up again and grabbed the tiny hairbrush from the table. His good mood was abruptly lost again as the strains of "Someday my Prince" started playing on the television and Antony looked over his shoulder at them with a dark expression.
"Shhhhhh," the boy said, pressing a finger to his lips before turning back to the movie. It wasn't the singing lady that was so interesting to him, though, it was the prince. Everybody liked the prince. The prince was smart and funny, and good looking...
Antony wanted to be a prince!
Shade almost said something. The boy was so out of his norm, though, that he had no clue as to how to deal with it. For a long moment he contemplated the idea that his little boy, his son, might just be gay. He didn't know how to deal with that idea, honestly. What did one say when their son brought home their first boyfriend? Would the kid be the seme or the uke? He felt a little sick at the thought, honestly. He had never quite understood same sex relationships.
"Shade?" Calli asked, turning to look up at him.
"Hmm?"
"You stopped brushing."
"Oh, sorry, Calli," Shade said as he went back to his job as lady's maid. "Hey, Calli? You're straight, right?"
"Straight?" she asked blankly.
"You like males."
"Not very often. Why do you ask?"
Shade groaned. It was spreading already!! "I mean for um..." he paused, trying to figure this out, since in his mind it was a big deal. "Physical enjoyment," he said finally.
"SHHHH!" Antony said over his shoulder again, getting irritable. It was getting closer to the time the prince would come!
Calli laughed out loud, shoving at her hair and looking up at Shade with a raised eyebrow. "You haven't realized how feien get physical enjoyment yet, have you?"
"You mean you don't?"
"Oh, we do, but you don't have to have a partner to get it. All you really need is a hot tub like the one you built in my little room."
A flush crossed Shade's cheeks as he fell silent. Now he would have that image stuck in his head for the rest of the day!
"Be quiet!" Antony yelled, only to groan as he turned back to the movie. He had missed the prince part entirely.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:11 pm
"I'm cooooming!" Soho yelled as someone knocked on the door for the millionth time. It was driving her insane, honestly, she had been in the middle of watching music videos on Youtube! Rancid shows, RANCID!
She fumbled with the special string on the doorknob, then backed up and used her speed to open it, since her weight and her strength weren't about to do it. The door opened on its own and she peeked out, eyeing Shade and the baby in his arms blankly before she said anything. "We've got enough, thank you."
"Enough?" Shade asked blankly.
"Uh huh! We've got Kitsu and Walter and Oblivion and me, Silva, Aleric, Jade--,"
"Oh!" Shade said, tugging the little boy up higher on his hip. "I'm not giving him to Ice. He's mine, right, kiddo?"
Anthony looked at him with a sweet smile before turning back to Soho and waving. "Hi," he said.
"Well he IS cute," Soho admitted. "He can share a room with Walter!"
"I just said--," Shade started out.
"We're not taking him, Soho," Ice said as she stepped into sight behind the little feien. "And I don't remember inviting you here, Shade."
"I sent a note," Shade replied, "but you never came. So we decided to come to you! Well, except for Calli. She refuses to come anywhere that has Silva on a regular basis."
"Oh," Ice said, wondering what was going on between her oldest and the ancient feien that made that so. Knowing Silva it was his fault, though. "Well... I guess you can come in. For a little while, at least."
"Thanks, Sweet!" Shade said as he walked in, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek before she realized it. "You look beautiful, you know?"
"Shut up, Shade," she replied, but without the anger she had used when he had first gotten to Gaia. He took it as a good sign. "So, what's your name, sweetie?" she asked Antony, sure that he could talk by how he had greeted Soho.
"Antony," Antony said.
"Anthony?"
"No, Antony."
"Oh," Ice said, glancing up at Shade with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a good name," Shade replied. "He's cute, huh? Bathed and everything. Heck, he's cleaner than I am!"
"I'm not surprised," Ice said. "Do you want a drink, Antony?"
"Yes, please?" the baby boy said, giving her his cutest smile. Then his eyes fell as he felt someone watching him. There, behind Ice, was a small golden blonde haired boy that looked as if he had been playing in the trash all morning. His pants were torn over one knee, his feet were bare, and a metal monstrosity loomed behind him, its eyes glowing red.
Antony's eyes narrowed slightly, but his adorable smile didn't diminish in the least.
"Mommy, I want a drink!" Walter said, grabbing Ice's hand and giving her an adorable smile, one that rivaled the blue boy's. "And a cookie!"
"Not until after dinner," Ice said sternly, walking right past him. Walter turned, eyeing the impeccibly dressed little boy closely. Usually he made friends pretty quickly, honestly. But there was something about this one--
"Can I have a cookie, please?" Antony asked sweetly.
"Sure, kid," Shade said.
Walter's eyes narrowed. THIS meant war.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:04 pm
RP with Trinityblue^^ Quote: The street was rather busy that day, and Shade was racking up a decent clientale for his artist gig. He was starting to get popular, so he was making more money, but at the same time he was starting to get bored with it, as well. But Callisto wouldn't let him skip out early any more. They had a son to feed, after all. "Don't you think I should be in school?" Antony asked from where he was standing in front of his father, holding up a sign. "I got you books, didn't I? Now smile a little more, kid, we need the business," Shade said, not looking bothered by the fact that he was using child labor in the least. It wasn't as if the kid was doing anything other than looking cute, anyway. Trinityblue was walking down the street, looking at the shops as she passed. In her hands was a stroller, holding the youngest member of her family. Madison was happily sucking on a cookie, looking around at all the people who were passing. Melo was also hovering around the stroller, giving things a bored look. He was warned not to eat anything, until Trin gave it to him. "Why are we here again?? That kid's got enough clothes!" Bav asked, sitting on her bond's shoulder, hidden by all long, gray-ish hair. "Because I do like to shop, ya know. And I haven't in a while. It's good to get out of the house!" Trin answered. "As long as you don't teleport, it's fine," Bav added in a huff and looked around. Then she froze at a familuar looking man sitting on a corner with art like things around him. That's just want she needed! Him again! Then, to her horror, she relized that her bond was going right for the man who almost killed her. Trin was such an idiot! "Shade! I didn't expect to see you here!" she called to him, honistly surprised. "Huh?" Shade asked, looking up from his slightly scandelous picture of Ice. He grinned and hopped to his feet. "Hey, Trinity! Long time, no see." "Hello, ma'am," Antony said with a stately bow and a brilliant smile. "Would you like to have your picture drawn?" "As long as I have everything on," Trin answered, though that might have been the wrong thing to say to a child. But this was Shade she was talking about! And he was drawing her sister somewhat naked! But she took a seat, pulling Maddy out of her stroller and smiled to the boy. "It's nice to meet you," she then said, and glanced at Shade questioningly. Though Ice did say something about him raising a boy. Then she grinned again. "And this is Madison and Melodious." Maddy was looking at them both with wide eyes. The big man was... well... he was -big- and dark looking. In her chuddy, little hands she cupped Melo, look at both. He knew Maddy was oddly uneasy about the big one, of course. To the point, she didn't much look at the boy. Antony looked shocked, properly so. "Never let it happen, ma'am. Father doesn't draw--" he stopped, knowing the lie wouldn't be bought, and grinned with just the perfect amount of sheepishness. "Well, most of the time he doesn't." He looked over his shoulder at Shade, silently prompting him. "Ah, right, Antony, this is your aunt, Trinityblue and her--" he stopped, looking down at the little girl and the fireball in the stroller. "When'd you get a kid?" "To make a long story short: I touched a weird book in an even weirder library, and then poof! She appeared with her daemon," Trin explained, holding the little girl, flame and all, in her lap now. Maddy was still staring intently as Shade, with the whisps of Melo's fire moving over her fingers. Then she looked to Antony as her tail gave a little playful swish. "You are very charming! I see Shade hasn't rubbed off on you yet?" she teased. "I don't believe so?" he asked, looking hesitantly at his father in a way he knew was charming. "Have you rubbed off on me, Father?" "Nope!" Shade said cheerfully before crouching over the little girl's stroller. "And what about you, sweetling? Want your picture drawn?" Maddy looked at him for a long moment, then a grin exploded on her face and she cheered happily at him. Then she started to talk to him, reaching out with one warm hand while keeping her other hand on Melo. Melo's own, slightly tense mood, vansished with this action. "Good! And it seem's your papa's passed Maddy's inspection," Trin said with a little grin. The boy was just so charming! He was going to be trouble, later. She just knew it. Bav, meanwhile, was hunkered down and growling down at the little girl and how quickly she accepted Shade. Didn't she know that man tried to kill Trin?! .... Wait, she didn't know..... "Shade, I found the stall--" Callisto called as she flew around the corner, only to stop as she realized who was there with him. A slight frown crossed her face. The last thing they needed was for him to run into Trinityblue! Things had been going so well! "How about a group shot?" Shade asked, glancing up at Trinity for a brief second before turning back to listen to the little girl speak gibberish. Antony glanced over at Callisto, wondering why she had stopped mid-sentence. "A group shot will be good," Trin answered, then looked up the the feien. "Hey Callisto, long time no see! How are you?" she asked with a grin. Bav's head now appeared out from under her bond's hair. -Finally-! Here she was thinking she was the only one with any common sense around here! Melo saw this new feien and bobbed eargerly in Maddy's hand. Others who could fly were interesting to him, after all! Maddy complied, letting for of him, only to hold out her hands to Shade, wanting to be picked up. A bight and happy look on her face, as if he could do no evil. "Hey! Hey! Melo!" Bav yelled, zipping out from the hair and intercepting the ball of flame. "Remember? No eating things less Trin gives it to you." Melo gave her a disgruntled look. Why would he want to eat something like that?? He moved more slowly to the adult feien, starting to bob around her. Callisto raised an eyebrow as she watched the small ball of fire dance around her. "I always have liked fire light," she commented casually. "But I never realized it came with eyeballs and a mouth." "Is she save, Aunt Trinityblue?" Antony asked hesitantly, watching the fireball and the feien cautiously. He was rather attached to Callisto. She liked to call him "prince" after all. Shade grinned and picked the little one up, perching her on his hip. "If you two would sit on the chair right there, I'll get to work," he said, motioning to a folding chair. "She's safe, Antony. Melo doesn't eat living things," so far as Trin hoped, anyway. "He perfers to try and burn my house down - or any store I'm in and not paying attention," she told them sheepishly, taking a seat where Shade directed her. Melo, was still bobbing around Calli and he smiled, pleased with her. She liked his light! "That's just because Melo's a strange strange thing...." Bav muttered, crossing her arms and glaring at the little fireball. And why didn't he treat her as nicely? He and Maddy like to try and eat her! Maddy even thought she was some kind of sucker! Maddy, herself, was in love. This guy was big and strong! She cooed happily, holding on to his shirt looking up at him with big, blue eyes. Shade grinned at her. "Aren't you a pretty one? Now let's put you with Mommy and I'll draw a picture of you two!" he said as he put her on TB's lap. "So he's hot?" Antony asked, distracted from his being charming as he frowned slightly as he eyed the fireball. "Wait, is he like the metal thing that follows Walter around?" "Yes, to both questions," Trin answered, arranging a now slightly fussy Maddy on her lap. Maddy had just been abandoned by Shade! She was going to cry about this till her mother's finger went on her nose, distracting her. "Now, smile pretty for Uncle Shade. He wants to see that smile of yours!" Trin said, averting a crying fit. Then she looked up to her two fliers. "Melo, Varia--" "Bav!" "-- come here so you can be in the picture." Melo started to come, slightly deturned about leaving the one who liked him behind. "Be a good boy, Melo," Callisto said with a little smile as she flew over to Antony, dropping onto his shoulder to watch the drawing. "That's right, sweetling, smile real pretty for me," Shade said as he started to draw. Melo had gone right back into Maddy's hands as she started to play with him. Keeping herself entertained and showing him off to Shade. "So, how are thing?" Trin then asked, realizing just how boring things were, just sitting and being drawn. Bav was purched on her shoulder, waiting for this to be over. "Well, I went over and introduced Antony to Ice, Walter and him seemed to hit it off," Shade said as he drew. "I'm gonna ask her and the kids over for a party sometime. You want to come?" Antony coughed slightly, hiding a laugh. Him and Walter getting along? Yeah, right. "Sure!" Trin answered. She figured it would be best to do so, so that Ice would feel more comfortible with her there. Possibly. Maybe? Well, she agreeded, so now she'd just have to see what would happen. "Besides, I miss hanging out with Ice, now that we're doing our own things." "So you haven't seen her for a while?" Shade asked her. "So she wouldn't have told you about what she's thinking, huh?" "I don't think it's polite to ask people about other people's thoughts, Father." "He's right, that's between sisters," Trin answered, giving him a catty smile and her tail moved amusedly. Of course, she knew Ice wasn't melting that easily. She could hope, though! The fact Shade had been a killer and almost killed her was simply gone from her mind. "Besides, I thought there was something between you and Uncle Ja--" The fact that Shade had his hand over the boy's mouth before he could finish that comment wasn't what was astonishing. What was astonishing was that the other male had been sitting a good five feet away from him when he had started, Antony thought. "Don't say that kinda joke, kid, she might take you seriously." Trin, very smartly, bit back her laughing and leaned to them both. There was a sly, almost playful-evil look on her face. "So then, you mean their isn't? Even if you are living together?" she asked him teasingly. Maddy was amazed by Shade's speed, looking at him with big, blue eyes. He was so amazing!! "There is not! And don't go spreading rumors to Ice, either, would you, Trin? As a friend? A pal? I'll do this for free kind of thing?" Shade begged. Antony tugged at the hand covering his mouth, but didn't budge it an inch. Callisto just rolled her eyes. "Yes yes," Trin grinned, waving it off. Bav wasn't nearly as forgetful. Besides! It was something to hold over Jack's head now, too! That suited her just fine, though she said nothing. "By the way, I think Antony would like to breath," Trin then said, pointing at the boy. "Huh?" Shade said, glancing down at his son and blinking at the sight of him looking even bluer than usual. "Oh, right," he said as he took his hand away. The boy gasped for air for a long moment, slowly turning back to his normal pale color. "Thank you, Aunt Trinity," Antony gasped when he was able to. Shade was already back to his drawing. "Of course, hun!" Trin grinned at him. "Now, can you tell me a bit about yourself? You're so very polite for someone living with Shade," she told him with an air of seriousness. Frankly, she was enjoying teasing Shade. Bav just gave a sigh, settling back down as Shade went back to his work. She didn't like him being so close to her bond. "My name is Antony, I'm a prince!" he said with a beautiful smile. "He's still in a little phase," Shade added dryly, earning a quickl, dark look from Antony. "He's a very gracious prince," Callisto said as she leaned against his neck, playing with a strand of hair. "And he's grown very quickly." Now, one thing Trinity didn't like were Princes. And if he had bee a real Prince of her race, she'd hate him. As it was, he was just a boy - if not one that she could tell was going ot be trouble (Princes were like that). So, she took it as a phase and grinned at him. "But he is a charming one!" she said in agreement. Maddy, now that all the attention seemed to be on the boy, was looking at Antony curiously. She liked his hair! It was sooooo blue! Like her eyes! Her little hand shot out to touch it, and the little feathers on her arms were explosed. Antony caught sight of the movement, cocking his head slightly at the sight of the feathers as he pasted on a smile. "You have very pretty feathers," he told the little one seriously. "Are they part of your coat?" Maddy stopped halfway through the touching, looking at her own arm and the mini fethers there. They were soft, and tickled her, but they were also annoying. She then started to tell him about this face, with a very serious baby-face. It never once ocured to her that no one knew what she was saying, only that people weren't good listeners at times. He blinked, but nodded and smiled as if he understood every word. "Is that so?" Maddy back a big gesture with her hands, as if she were talking about something really big. In which she was, having moved on to a new topic other than her wings. Trin just grinned proudly at her little girl. She was going to be a talker... Antony looked suitably impressed, but in reality he was thinking that his cousin would be quite attractive when she grew up. It would be good to be friends with her now. "And I'm done," Shade announced, holding up the picture for Trinity to examine. "Oh?" Trinity asked, leaning closer to get a better look at what Shade had drawn. Maddy had stopped her talking as her mother moved, looking up a her, then to the picture, wondering what was so important about it, that she had to stop talking to Antony. "Huh, not bad," Bav commented, having flown over to it, peering at it. Shade was a really good artist. Especially with a moving baby. Shade nodded and pulled the picture out of the sketchbook, handing it to her. "Remember not to mention that little... thing to Ice, would you?" "You did a great job!" Trin told him, happy beyond words to have another artist's work. She took it then wondered how to take it home with out it getting crushed. "And which little thing is that?" Bav asked evilly. "The party thing, or the secert you and Jack have?" "There's no secret between me and Jack," he replied. "Other than what we did with your brother, that is!" he added cheerfully as he got to his feet and stretched. "I'm beat. Let's go get something to eat, guys!" Antony fought the urge to roll his eyes. His father was evil. "They didn't do anything to Brunswick," Callisto said, ruining the joke entirely. "Thank you, Calli," Bav said, looking like she wanted to rip Shade's throat out. "At least I can depend on you!" Trin had to snicker about this, ploping her baby back into the stroller and fixing her in it. The picture was tucked away in the back pocket of the stroller, rolled up and waiting to be framed. "I wont tell her, Shade. I doubt she'd ask me that kinda thing, anyway!" Melo looked from Maddy to Calli as he was settled in to go... well... where ever Trin took them. Hopefully home. His purple eyes lingered on Callisto a bit longer, however. "Tell Mister Shade, Mister Antony and Ms Callisto 'bye bye now," Trin told Maddy, waving to them. A big, opened mouth smile went on Maddy's face as she waved to them all, talking to them in her own way and telling them 'bye'. Bav said nothing as she settled on Trin's shoulder again. All three of them waved before they headed off to get something to eat.
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:20 pm
[Open RP found here] "Well," Shade said slowly, trying to figure out how to put it. They had just gotten home from their little trip to the pastry shop, and Antony had yet to speak of the girl he had been talking to at the table. "There comes a time in a guy's life where he meets a certain type of girl..." Antony looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Please get to the point, Father." "She was cute, huh?" "She was evil personified, and if I never see her again it will be too soon," Antony said angrily. "Look at my clothes! I'll never get the stains out!" "Oh," Shade said. "You really didn't think she was cute? Cuz if you ask me, she's going to be flaming hot in a few years--" "She was NOT in any way shape or form, cute!" Antony said, his temper showing. "I'm going to take a shower, please don't bother me." "You need me to start the water?" Shade asked. "I think I can manage," Antony said dryly before disappearing into the bathroom. For a long moment Shade sat there, listening to the shower running in the other room. The kid was growing up fast. He wasn't quite sure how to handle it from this point on, honestly. The kid wasn't interested in what he was interested in, and this whole prince thing kind of bothered him, as well. They didn't live in a castle, Shade wasn't a king, and the kid had come out of a cabbage, for crying out loud. So where did Antony get off thinking he was a prince? "There is no hot water!" Antony said as he burst out of the bathroom, his towel around his waist. "What happened to the hot water?" "You stayed in too long," Shade said. "I demand hot water!" Antony said. "We're barely paying enough to rent the room, Antony, we've got no right to complain when we use Jack's hot water up," Shade told him, feeling a headache coming on. "Then pay more," Antony said, his chin firming as a disapproving look crossed his face. How he was so short and yet so demanding, Shade had no idea. "Or better yet, we should move someplace more befitting of a prince." "Sure kid, as soon as you make enough money for it." "Maybe you ARE the demon king," Antony said coldly before turning and walking away. "I want my own room!" "I'm starting to want the exact same thing," Shade muttered, rubbing his temple. How was this supposed to impress Ice again?
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:54 pm
Quote: Meeting Bea: Jack's old friend Beatrix comes over with her own cabbage in tow. Shade found Antony staring at himself in the bathroom mirror the next night. The boy was only wearing his boxers, showing just how scrawny and pale he was. "You look like a ghost," he told the boy, making Antony jump and turn to glower at him. "You need to go outside more." "I do go outside." "And you need to start working out, too. Else little girls will torture you with food coloring for the rest of your life," Shade added evilly, bringing up a sore point and knowing it. "I highly doubt I will ever use force on a female," Antony said stiffly. "It's impolite and un-gentlemanly." "I meant they won't think of you as a man," Shade said. "Girls like muscles," he added knowledgeably, thinking of how Ice used to run her hands over his... way... way... waaaaay back when. Man he missed having a girlfriend. "And where did you get that idea from?" Antony asked, looking oh so much older than he really was. "I'm really old, remember?" Shade asked. "Wanna learn some?" "Some what?" "Self defense. Not how to kill, just how to be tougher, so you don't get picked on because of your clothes." If Antony agreed, he thought, he might have something to do with his time other than b***h about not having a maid! Antony went still, looking back at himself in the mirror. He was somewhat... skinny compared to his father, he admitted silently. He hadn't thought of it that way. "I'll... think about it," he said, earning a nod from Shade. "Now if you don't mind," he added pointedly. "I was going to take a shower." "Oh, right," Shade said. "Go easy on the hot water, won't you? I haven't had mine yet." He closed the door before Antony could reply, even if the boy had cared to. Antony turned back to the mirror, staring at himself once again, but it wasn't his muscle structure he was staring at, it was the fact that ever so faintly, he could see the wall behind him through his skin. He wondered for a moment if he should have mentioned that new development to his father.
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:43 pm
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:25 am
Quote: A Trip to the Lake: Shade and Antony join Riley and her family, as well as Manuela and a few others for a day of swimming in the lake. (Open RP) The Bird, the Prince, and the Peacemaker: Antony, Manuela and Riley go to the movies to see the Princess Bride. (Closed RP taking place of 2 solos)
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:49 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:24 am
Quote: Math Class - 7/24/07: Antony and the others have their first class with Dr. Beatrix Darnell. (Open rp) Royalty and Recesses: Antony and Deva play on the swings during recess! (closed rp, replacing 2 solos)
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:11 pm
It wasn't until a few days after Antony started going to school that he ran into the old man who cleaned the place. For a moment the tall, muscular man with streaks of white at his temples looked the boy over before grunting and standing from where he had been cleaning the toilet. "Is there a problem?" he asked the boy.
"I um," Antony started out, still hesitating. "One of the kids in my father's class needs water."
The man nodded and headed for the sink, stripping off rubber gloves and throwing them away before washing his hands. "There are paper cups in the locker," the man said as he started for the door. "I'll get them."
"Um, thank you, Mr--"
"Deakon," the man said. "Mr. Deakon."
Antony nodded, memorizing the name as he followed the man to the janitor's closet. The room was fascinating for the boy, because it was so sterile. Paper wrapped toilet tissue lined one wall, and boxes of cleaning tools lined another. There were brooms and mops and buckets all around, as well. And on the wall there was a corckboard covered with pictures of the prettiest woman Antony had ever seen.
"Mr. Deakon?" he asked, staring up at the woman curiously. "Who is this lady?"
"Hmm?" the man asked, glancing up from where he had been getting cups from a box. "That's my Missy. She's my wife."
"Oh," Antony said. "She's very beautiful."
"Yeah, she is," Tyler agreed with a slight smile as he glanced at the pictures. "Where's your father's class at?"
"It's outside today," Antony said, jerked from his admiration of the woman in the picture. He sure had a lot of pictures of his wife. Then again, with a wife that gorgeous, who could blame him? She was definitely princess material.
"Take these with you," the man said. "I'll be out with the water jug in a minute."
Antony nodded, glancing one last time at the picture before taking the cups and heading for the playground. He paused, glancing back as the man walked out of the closet. "Thank you, Mr. Deakon."
"Hey, who is your father, anyway?" Tyler asked curiously.
"He's the P.E. coach, Shade," Antony said with a slight smile.
"Huh," Tyler said, thinking over the new teachers for a moment before recalling just who Shade was. There was something different about that boy, and not just because he had a kid.
Antony nodded, half expecting that sort of reaction. Then he turned and headed off to provide the cups.
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