|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:44 am
It was indeed a little startling, and although it took more than that to get his face colored, the unexpected look was enough for him to turn back to the TV.
With risk of his brothers picking on him like a bunch of jerks, he was being too big a baby himself to give the toddler the full intention he really wanted to, same as Barnaby had remained composed with the kittens. That only lasted as long as it took Nathan to respond to Grayson with a hearty 'Yes!', then turn to the TV and gasp: "Wow! Batman!"
"Y'all need to get the Hell out of here," Jude shouted, accent and all, ruffling the boy's hair with his pizza-free hand. "But this one here can stay."
"He would," Mark assured him. So far, one of them had make it back from the kitchen alive. He didn't seem put out sitting on the floor next to Jude, and was stuffing his face in between speaking. Table manners didn't run too high in that family. "Takes after his mom and his aunt, I think. Not a stranger in the world to him, I tell you what. How's the cat, Jude?"
"She's fine. In the bedroom." For Grayson's sake he explained: "My cat had kittens. One was a runt and she kind of kicked it out, so she's staying here and being hand raised instead."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:52 am
A toddler and kittens? Grayson might explode from girlish delight, and he normally wouldn't be half as pleased about that fact as he was just then. He was fond of all animals that didn't attempt to eat him, and he was torn for a moment between asking animated questions about the kittens and keeping his focus on the little boy. As though it was the most natural thing in the world, Grayson had already devoted an entire slice of pizza to Nathan, piecing it off so that he could grab safe portions and munch on them while Batman played. So cute, really. So cute.
Wait, Jude was hand raising a kitten? Grayson's eyes widened, and he looked over the top of Nathan's head a moment, giving his friend a long, peculiar look. It said about about him, didn't it, that he would take in the runt and hand raise it? Grayson liked what it said about him.
He liked most things about Jude, when he wasn't punching him in the head.
"I love kittens." Nope, apparently, Grayson didn't have a Manly Filter at all. He balanced his plate on his knee, Nathan's slice taking up the half closest to him, and set to work on his own piece. It didn't even occur to Grayson to get up and see if there was any pizza left to replace the piece he'd given Nathan; he simply took a bite, chewed, and then looked thoughtful again.
"I wonder if Barnaby did anything to this." He said it casually, tipped his piece back and looked at it as though it would suddenly respond nope, Barnaby didn't spit in me or anything.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:59 am
"Nah. I don't think he'd risk getting fired. The job isn't glamorous, but he's good at it. Plus, he's been there forever." Jude couldn't imagine Barnaby with that kind of malice. The more he thought about it, the more he had to wonder if he hadn't laughed at their order instead of being frustrated with it. "I think we're safe from any spit or rat poison."
"Doesn't seem like that kind of guy to me either," Mark put in. So Barnaby had met his cat and his family first. "From what I know of 'em, anyway. We're all going out to show Robert and Nathan the city soon. You wanna go?"
"We're fine here, I think," Jude answered, but just for good measure, he looked at Grayson inquiringly. "I don't think you have much interest in touring this city?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:06 am
Grayson hadn't seemed too concerned by the idea that Barnaby may have somehow tampered with their food. Almost as soon as he'd inspected the pizza he'd begun eating it again, which could either mean that he had faith in Barnaby or he just didn't care if he ate some of his spit. Both were probably equally true, considering it was food and it was Grayson.
He was a little disappointed to hear that Barnaby had met Jude's family first, but then, Jude had been out of the hospital when he woke up. It was reasonable to assume that he'd called Barny and had him assist in the process, and that was how he'd met his family. He certainly wasn't jealous or anthing.
All right. He was a little jealous.
Grayson was a little jealous of everyone, apparently.
He blinked at Mark, then blinked at Jude, considering the question. The prospect of being herded around his own city by Jude's brothers was both delightful and a little horrifying, but he decided it was in his best interests to pass. He'd finish the movie with Jude, thank him for the evening, then head home. It was the best way to do it, all around.
"Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to pass this time." He sounded sincere, and smiled at Mark. "I hope you enjoy the city, though. I've lived here as long as I can remember, and I really like it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:21 am
"It's new to us, so it'll keep us entertained for a bit." Mark wasn't offended by the refusal. The easygoing influence in Jude's life came mostly from him, though that part of him felt like just a memory now. Barren Pines had changed him. Dying had changed him. Hell, just being given a henshin pen had done enough to change him.
"Are you going back to the hotel after that?"
"Yep. We'll be outta your hair for the rest of today, brat."
Jude rolled his eyes at the insult, but didn't respond to it otherwise.
The next ten minutes were full of stories about things Nathan had done, making Grayson's eyes light up and the corners of Jude's mouth twitch. He really did love his brothers (even if they were a bunch of jerks), but had they stayed any longer he may have gone insane.
Some could argue it was too late for that, but.
"Let's see where we were before those assholes barged in." The shift through the DVD screen was nerve-wracking for someone so impatient. When they'd reached the same point they'd been interrupted, he breathed a sigh and went back to the couch.
The Joker was busy bad-mouthing the cop when Jude pulled his legs up beside him. He was getting hit by said cop by time he stretched them out across Grayson's and tucked his arms behind his head. The motion was innocent, harmless; he didn't even think about it, eyes still on the screen.
Jude didn't like to go around hugging people like Elke, but this persona he'd built up with some of his "co-workers" failed to accurately represent his views on personal space. After way too many tedious hours at their boring job, Barnaby had done this same thing to him while they beat the crap out of each other on Smash Brothers. He saw no problem with it.
Grayson had posed some sort of masculine threat to him once, but he didn't anymore. Grayson and Barnaby were the same type of friend to him now, and with his recent change of opinion and self-revelations, the dynamics had changed so that he was no longer the one who felt he had to be careful.
Had he known he and Grayson had switched places, he would have never done that, let alone allowed himself to fall asleep before the end. Hero gave him too much credit. Jude didn't look angelic or enlightened when he slept. He just looked, you know, asleep.
Could have just been the fact he was shutting up that made it so charming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:34 am
Grayson really enjoyed Jude's family. Really enjoyed them, and he was kind of sad that they wouldn't be around all the time. Things might have been precarious at best between himself and Jude for a long time, but he felt like this was the recovery after the storm; they were leaning toward being friends, more accepting of one another on the whole. Sure, Grayson was battling with things he'd rather not have to, but that could be set aside in the interest of just getting to know Jude better. That had been his first goal so long ago, and it would continue to be his main one for... well, forever, apparently.
It wasn't like he expected anything more. Part of him might have hoped for it, but that part of him was ruthlessly stomped down and shoved aside. It was difficult to do, extremely difficult, but he could manage it. He could even manage it well under most circumstances.
Jude swinging his legs over the top of Grayson's was a little awkward, but he got over it. He debated with himself, decided he was flattered that Jude was apparently comfortable enough to use him as a footstool. It was mildly uncomfortable for Grayson, just because having anyone prop their legs on top of your thighs would be a little bit awkward, but he dealt with it.
If butterflies started winging around in his stomach, he did his best to ignore them.
He hadn't even realized that Jude had fallen asleep until he glanced over, mouth half-open to say something, and stopped abruptly. His family had been around earlier, which made Grayson more cautious than he would have even normally been, but he let his gaze linger for just a moment on Jude's face. Still with sleep, it reminded him, for just a split second, of another time it had been still, too still. His stomach clenched, and his hand flexed uneasily at his side while the image rushed forward. Calmly, steadily, he pushed it back, forced himself to forget what Jude's face looked like slicked with water, and simply looked at him asleep.
It was... nice.
So, he smiled a little, very carefully sliding his hands under Jude's legs and easing them up. He scooted sideways on the couch, lower lip caught between his teeth as he maneuvered, and did his best not to jostle him. When he was clear of the reach of Jude's legs, an impressive feat in and of itself, he carefully set them back down, rose, wiped his hands off on his pants.
Looked at Jude again.
Had he been someone else, he might have leaned over, brushed his bangs from his face. He might have rested the back of his hand against his jaw, or traced his thumb along the arch of his cheek. In that moment, there was no one around to know, no one who would understand or condemn him for giving in to the impulse.
He didn't, however. He didn't think it would be fair to Jude. It would be a violation of the trust put in him.
So, he tiptoed around the apartment, taking his dish to the kitchen and making certain he set it in the sink as quietly as he could. He tidied, a little, which wasn't exactly like him, but lately he'd been acting in a way that wasn't exactly like him anyway. When he tiptoed back out, Jude was still asleep on the couch, so he found his scarf and wound it around his neck once more as he turned off the television and DVD player.
At the door, he cast one last look around the room, taking it all in once more. He wasn't sure when the next time he would see it would be, if ever, and he wanted to remember it. No matter how sad and awkward the day had begun, it had turned into a lovely memory for him.
"Good night, Jude," he whispered, lips pulling back into a grin, as he gently closed the door and slipped away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
