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 Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:59 pm
He snorted. "That's a stupid plan, Xander. If I can beat my mother, I can beat anyone. So I'll be a professional by then, and I'll make plenty of money. So you can mooch off of me in my nice apartment. Because," he shrugged. "...Well. I'm not settling for less, and neither should you. No brother of mine is going to live in squalor. We'd make it work."
He adjusted the bag again but stood a little straighter, with a little more confidence and drive.
"I'll look after you if you look after me. We're better together than apart, anyway."
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:05 pm
“Alright…deal.” He nodded. “But I still say the mini houses isn’t a bad idea! It’d be like a really nice little apartment, but you get space around you instead of neighbors thumping on your roof!” He did stick out a hand though.. “Deal… for serious. Looking after each other, absolutely.”
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:29 pm
"Mini houses just sound so cramped," he protested. "Let's just get a real house." He looked at him, almost excited. Jace was very involved in his family, in the legacy his mother would have him take over, in their family business--but he didn't want to live with them forever. He might have moved out years ago, if his mother hadn't had such a hand in his education.
...It helped that staying with them meant no bills, too.
And his mother didn't really accept no, anyway.
"Q and Nelson and I had talked about it, anyway. I mean, it was just throwing around ideas, it's not like anything came of it. But you could come too. I sort of already assumed you'd be there. And if we didn't invite you, you'd just show up anyway. It doesn't matter," he waved his hand dismissively. "Besides. It'll be easier to look after you if you're within my line of sight. I always get this sinking feeling that you're going to get into something bad if I'm not there to stop you. You're too friendly, you warm up to too many people. Someone's going to take advantage of that one day."
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:37 pm
He tipped his head back in a calculated over dramatic way.
“Finneeeeee.” He sighed.
“But I want to put all my hard work at wood working to use, so I’m still doing some home improvement, you just watch. But…big house means we could fit in some of our friends, it’d be like bracing for the Zombie Apocalypse in the best way possible!” He threw his hands in the air with delight. “We even have a doctor of sorts on our side, maybe Holden’s brother can be like…the tank, or something.” He murmured thoughtfully. “Not so sure about Holden, orrrr Nelson, but I’m sure it’d be amazing, actually Nelson does ok with plants i think, thats pretty important!” He laughed as he came back to ‘reality’ to the familiar scolding. “At least I do have you to look out for me, you’d think I was offering my kidney to the lady who lives at the back corner of Target I swear.”
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 6:11 pm
"Well, you might!" he countered. "You only have so much to give! So don't spend so much on people who don't matter. I need you whole. If you only have one kidney, you'll never keep up with me."
He gave him a playful, half-hearted shove.
"--And you'll definitely need it if you're planning for a zombie apocalypse. Would you really want Holden's brother living with us? He'd eat us out of house and home. And then we'd get roped into his slide shows, too. Zombie wrestling," he said, almost absentmindedly, but shook his head to clear his thoughts. "...Wait, you seem way too excited about a zombie apocalypse. You know they don't need lawyers in post apocalyptic worlds. Don't plan for a world where there's no place for me."
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 6:18 pm
“Hey! You never know, if we achieve peace with them we might need someone who understands the law to help make new laws on cohabitation! Besides, I absolutely want you on my zombie apocalypse team, you run really well for one, so there will always be a place for you as far as I’m concerned. I see lots of talents you just don’t want to admit to; And if we got to the country Holden’s brother could probably like…wrestle us a moose for food. He gave a light arm punch in reply and promised as well. “I’ll promise to try not to give up any kidneys on street corners, if you start giving yourself more credit?”
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 6:57 pm
He squinted at his brother, trying to follow his creative thought process. Jace had never devoted much time to such impractical daydreams, so it was interesting to try and follow along. Sometimes. He'd asked for it, this time, so he couldn't be too mad.
He grunted at the suggestion to give himself more credit; he would when he had more to show for it. On the outside, he looked accomplished enough--especially for someone his age, who was still in school and apprenticing in the family office. On the inside, he didn't feel like he had anything to show for it.
Yet.
"Why aren't you writing children's books, again? You're so good at BS'ing your essays. Your teachers love the garbage you give them, and you barely have to try. And you can run your mouth for hours, and you're always daydreaming and talking nonsense. If you could turn that talent into making money, I bet Mom might soften up a bit." He was quiet for only a second, adding, "And dad would love it. But, you probably don't have to do much to make him happy, anyway."
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:05 pm
“Because if Mom thought I was doing ANYTHING that would influence further generations, She’d get a burn license and me AND my drafts would be in it.” He said with a sheepish grin. He let out a sad soft sigh at how easy it was to please their dad though. “Yeah, I just have to be free because Mom’s got you locked down.” He sighed softly. “He’s really proud of you, like… how smart you are and how good you are at actual facts, not just dumping stuff out that sounds right like I do.” He shrugged… “If I tried, would you read them?” He asked carefully.
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:35 pm
He shrugged, suspecting that Xander might have been embellishing their father's pride; despite him pushing himself so hard to follow in his parents' footsteps, he'd learned a long time ago that his mother was the one in charge of his instruction, and his father seemed all too pleased to let her take control. They may have been married, but the two worked in complete different ways. His mother called her husband soft and criticized what compassion he seemed to wield. Jace couldn't remember the last time she'd said something nice about how his father chose to practice, and it had heavily influenced his understanding of things in his early year.
He wasn't so sure his mother was completely right; there had been times he sat in to watch his father work, times he had been moved by how he could win over a jury, or how he seemed to genuinely care about what he was fighting for--not just the fight itself.
He didn't want to challenge Xander's honesty on the subject, so he just filed away the information for a later date. There was a little flutter in his heart that made him hope it was true, but it wasn't like his father was stepping forward to give him the praise his mother seemed incapable of sparing.
"Do I look like the sort of person who would read children's books?" he muttered, but even then he only planted his hands on his hips and shot an indignant look into the forest. "...I'd read yours, though. You're..."
He looked a little embarrassed, despite his best bet to hide it with a stern expression. "...You're pretty good at cheering people up. I bet you could probably write some good stories. Actually--you know." He looked back at him and huffed again. "I had better be the first person you share them with."
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:15 pm
“Kids books to cheer people up.” He said thoughtfully. “… Sounds like I need a grumpy protagonist who needs to cheer up.” He grinned. “I might have to seek inspiration for that, maybe what their friends are like.” He teased ever so slightly. “But honestly you’d probably give me good ideas too, I wouldn’t have thought about that till you said it. You really are exactly what i need in my life eh Jace?” He patted Jace’s back with enthusiasm. He swept his hand over his hair and let them wander for a little just breathing. “I do promise you’ll be the first person to see, if it dosen’t pass muster with you, then it’s not ready yet! Besides you can make sure that I’m not writing something of questionable legality!”
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:36 am
Though Jace huffed, his lips pursed in a thoughtful manner. "For as much as you play dumb, I think you'd know if you were writing something of questionable legality. "
Still, there was visible pride at the promise he'd be the first person to see, and he didn't even seem bothered by the teasing. For now. There was only a smug, satisfied little grin on his face. "...But you should," he finally decided, after the thought had ruminated in his mind for a brief time. "...You're contagious. Everything about you is," he gestured vaguely, "I don't know. If you want to put people in a good mood, you do. If you want to cheer people up, you can. I don't think you need me to get any good ideas, but. I'll stick around just in case. Would you do your own art?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:15 pm
“I might miss something, I am NOT the one studying this for a future living.” He grinned, and it widened as the comment about being contagious came through. “I try, I figure if I’ve got the social graces of a virus than at least I’ll be a fun one.” He quipped. “As for art… That’s… a good question. I might see if I can’t get someone to work with me on that.” He said and rubbed a thoughtful knuckle at the end of his nose as he pondered this. “Audition to art for Xander’s book.” he said grandly. Spreading his hands in the air before them like he was framing a billboard advertisement.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:41 pm
Jace rolled his eyes. "Just do the art yourself, you used to draw, didn't you? I've seen your class notes. Or go make some online friends. Holden's creative, maybe he can draw. But then, Nelson is that quiet, bookish sort," he mused. "Introverts are usually into creative things like art, right?" He didn't know how those things worked; he rubbed the back of his neck.
"--Well, you know? Just right something first and go from there. It doesn't need pictures, not for a first draft. Just--you know. Print out the pages and then leave a blank space and you can draw if you need to."
There was another smile on his face; it had been there for a while now. "...I'm kind of excited to see what you do. You tell good stories." But then, everything about Xander was compelling. He probably could have won over a jury without studying law--just because he was so damned likable.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:48 pm
“I might ask Nelson and Holden, maybe the three of us could make something, who knows! It’s been a while since I drew, didn’t go over so well when I made the caricature of that judge who came over that one night.” He winced at the memory. “Thanks man! You’re full of good ideas, we could hire you out to be like “Yes… this is what you should do”… and it just seems so obvious after.” He laughed. “But thats a talent, seeing what people can’t see, and making it so dang clear.”
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:48 pm
Though he huffed, Jace could feel the blood rushing to his ears and he could only hope that it didn't make its way to his face. "Whatever, it's going to be my job to convince people to go along with what I want them to believe. But I wouldn't want to stand in the way of your creativity. I mean." He shrugged. "...I don't want your money. I'm happy to criticize you, free of charge. You and Nelson and Holden, that's the dream team, right? Besides. You know how I get in group projects. All..."
His voice trailed off and he did something with his hands, like he was trying to crumble an invisible paper into a ball when he couldn't find the words. "...Possessive. I'd just try to take over everything. And it would definitely end badly this time. I can't draw or write or tell stories. No, it's best I sit on the sidelines for this one."
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