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 Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:14 pm
Dari just collapsed into a slightly flushed gigglefit when it was over. Wait, what? He laughed more honestly at Cody's insistence. He was probably just kidding.
"I can't sing."
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:17 pm
Cody stared. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, you can." Who'd told Dari he couldn't sing? Had he never had formal lessons then, or had his brother teased him often enough that he believed he couldn't? "Babe, you've got a beautiful voice."
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:18 pm
"Really?" Dari flushed further, not out of embarrassment but flattery. "Um. Thank you, I guess. I just don't, really." He never had. He'd taken up humming and the like since he'd achieved human form but that was about it. This human body made things so much easier, all of the movements were so simple!
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:25 pm
"Will you sing for me?" Cody had to return his eyes to the road. "Sometimes?" They reached a stoplight. "Do you want to stop for coffee before we get there, or on the way back?"
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:45 pm
Hey, if Cody liked it...
Dari smiled softly, his eyes warm. "Sure. Of course."
Oh, coffee.
"Before. Nearby. Ask if they want any."
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:50 pm
When Cody called, his mother answered. The offer of coffee was met with a "No thank you, darling. I hope you two are hungry! Will you be here soon?"
Cody confirmed that they would be, and his mother hung up without saying goodbye.
In a while, they pulled up to a house with an attached garage. The garage seemed to be two stories, but the only room upstairs was the attic. Cody knocked on the door and waited.
He didn't wait long. About ten seconds later, a woman answered. Her dark hair was freckled with gray. She looked Cody up and down, and then seemed to notice Dari. Her smile became a little forced. "Come on in," she said.
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 3:55 pm
Being a special agent, Dari was trained to read people. This one seemed a bit 'off.' He wondered why. He followed Cody in and offered Cody's mother the flowers.
"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am. I'm Darren." He gave her a big grin. He was meeting Cody's parents! Yay! This was a big deal! He was the first one!
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 4:16 pm
Hannah took the flowers, admiring their colors before seeming to realize she was being spoken to. "Thank you, Darren. Its nice to meet you. Call me Hannah." She led the two inside. "Nicky, look who Cody brought."
Cody immediately frowned. Something was wrong. His mother's mannerisms were wrong; she never called his dad Nicky unless she was upset, or wanted to annoy him.
Nicholas looked up. He studied Dari for a long moment, and then looked to Cody. He glared, eyes veering from one man to the other. He pointed to the door. "Out."
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:14 pm
"Alright." He wouldn't, though. She'd probably be 'Mrs. Fletcher' forever.
Dari was oblivious to the usage of a nickname or any changed mannerisms in the woman. Them being Cody's parents and having been told he was coming had put him at ease. Unfortunately that meant utter confusion at the appearance of Cody's father. He looked to the man, then to Cody. "Um." Then back to his father. "Excuse me?"
There was no malice in the question and not a drop of attitude. Dari was really, honestly confused.
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:25 pm
Cody looked to Dari. He hesitated and leaned over to mutter in Dari's ear; "I think we ought to go," he muttered. He looked to his mother, eyes wide. Well! He hadn't expected that.
"Nicky, I asked them to dinner," Hannah explained, awkwardly.
Nicholas looked between the two men. He set his book down and stood. "Fine. Dinner, and then go. None of that..." he seemed to be struggling for words. "Floozy stuff."
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:27 pm
Dari's brow furrowed. Ought to go?! Why?! He looked to Cody's mother too and found her looking rather awkward herself.
When Cody's father stood, Dari nearly took a step back. No, no. It was good to stand your ground. Besides, he was combat-trained.
Floozy stuff? Did they think he was some sort of promiscuous man wh--
Oh.
Oh no.
He looked to Cody. He hadn't told them he was a man, had he? No wonder his religious parents had been so excited to meet him... Wait, had he never come out?!
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:44 pm
"Sorry," Cody muttered. He took Dari's hand and squeezed it. He hadn't expected his parents to react this way. He'd always been close to them. And Dari was so special. Why couldn't they see past his gender?
"Mom, Dari's a Harvard graduate and works for the government. And he's an artist. And he can sing!"
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:46 pm
So that was it. oh, damn. He'd always though bigotry against this sort of thing was ridiculous, and here it was staring them in the face. So much for a happy evening. Did they really have to stay for dinner?
He turned to Cody's mom then and just offered her an apologetic brow and a forced smile. Sure, he was all of those things, but most importantly he was porking their son, right?
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:50 pm
When Cody's mother didn't respond, Cody gave Dari's hand a squeeze. "Lets go home," he muttered. He led Dari towards the door. He definitely regretted this. He couldn't believe his parents were so blind.
"We'll call in take out."
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:53 pm
Dari nodded. Holding Cody's hand suddenly felt wrong or, no, more dangerous than wrong. "Yeah. We--um." oh, his spirits were so dampened. He had rarely felt so low. "I'm sorry for the confusion."
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