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 Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:56 pm
“Nope, you’re still part of this, you just described an editor.” He lightly punched Jace in the shoulder. “Besides, you know How -I- get in group projects too. So don’t even try and say you’re worse, you’re just too used to people shoving off all the worst parts of a project on you and stuff. “Besides, we’ll need you to practice now so If I ever graduate beyond kids books then I can have someone read my grand fantasy epic and tell me if it’s stupid or not so I can be prepared!” “Nope, you’re still part of this, you just described an editor.” He lightly punched Jace in the shoulder. “Besides, you know How -I- get in group projects too. So don’t even try and say you’re worse, you’re just too used to people shoving off all the worst parts of a project on you and stuff. “Besides, we’ll need you to practice now so If I ever graduate beyond kids books then I can have someone read my grand fantasy epic and tell me if it’s stupid or not so I can be prepared!”
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:15 pm
"I--" Jace's lips pursed and he huffed, managing a shrug. "All right, all right. But don't make it sound like a job, I have enough work on my plate. It's a kid's book! Make it fun."
He didn't often seem to seek out fun, much less ask for it. But it was a lot that he trusted his brother with; he was one of the very few.
"Do you want to write a grand fantasy epic or are you just talking?" he asked, trying to recall any hint of his brother actually being interested in such things. He tried to think of what books he'd seen his brother reading, of what he might have missed in his ramblings--of hidden desires, peppered nonsensically in any other conversations that he might have missed before.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:22 pm
“Yes sir” He said holding up a hand in a half salute. “I will, Promise, I’ll make it fun, like for everyone If I can help it.” He nodded. “I mean, I could write a grand fantasy, I just… thought in that moment, that, you don’t stop, so why should I? I know plenty of people who could inspire a hero, and if you turned a lot of life into allegories then… you could teach people that they can do a lot of things” He shrugged. “I like kids books for that, I do… but I feel like parents don’t get enough books like that. Long term goals I guess?”
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:50 pm
Jace remembered reading textbooks, not fantasy books, but when he trudged back into his memories, as far as they could go, he felt like there had been storybooks. He just couldn't imagine his mother's voice, reading tenderly and stroking his hair. He didn't hear his father's voice, either.
A dream, maybe.
He scowled, but his heart wasn't in it.
"I want to read what you'd write," he decided, finally. "So write your kid's stories, warm up. And then, I want to read your grand fantasy. I want to know all about your type of hero. I want to see you inspire others. There are plenty of parents out there who could use a bit of help," he said, eyes again on the pond, and the trees on the other side of it.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:53 pm
“Oh I could get you to punch me SO hard right now.” Xander said sounding far too amused for someone who was suggesting that they had means of getting socked quite solidly. “But yeah, yeah I think… I think I know who I’ll dedicate it to as well.” he nodded, the smile shifting to something softer, less ‘wattage’ but no less real. Something, worn into a smoother shape by time than the sometimes brittle edges of his bright, exuberant energy.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:06 pm
His gaze jerked back to his brother and he grimaced, torn between sanity and curiosity. Did he want to punch his brother? Did he want to know that would make him want to punch his brother?
He bit the inside of his cheek, holding back questions that might pry too deeply.
The smile on Xander's face was different, and Jace couldn't explain why. Maybe it was the way it reached his eyes differently, the way he could see some undercurrent of maturity. Maybe a trace of his true self, hidden beneath flippant smiles and overwhelming energy. He watched him, not wanting to ruin the moment and then, when he could wait no more, he grumbled, "Do I want to know?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:09 pm
“Who I’ll dedicate to? Or why you’d punch me into next week?” He grinned. The light returning to his gaze, bright hummingbird spark of it that never seemed to truly go out, though it had, at times, flickered. “Cause I -can- tell you both, but if its the punch one I demand a head start.”
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:14 pm
He considered, for only a second, and then nodded before he could change his mind. He adjust the pack on his back. "Both. I'll give you a ten second head start."
He was digging his feet into the dirt, though, like he was grounding himself and getting ready to take the charge and tackle his brother into the ground as soon as he had the opportunity.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:17 pm
“Ok… Dedication first.” He said and then did finger guns, directly at Jace. “You…of course, for a lot of reasons but obviously being sit through this, and two… if you’re curious about the protagonist, check this out, I already have some good ideas, just flip it open to see.” And then he took off after handing you a small disk, weighty and plastic. … it was a make up compact, probably your sisters since sometimes you all shared these bags. … in other words. It was a mirror. "Don't kill me! this is the most obvious place to stash a body!" He called back over his shoulder.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:34 pm
Nothing registered, for a long moment. Jace's face had time to transition from oblivious, confused, and then embarrassed. His face was red even before he started running--and, even if he hadn't promised a ten second start he might have been stunned for the same amount of time as he processed the answer.
He thought Xander had said just about everything possible to shock him before, but now his mind was scrambling for some sort of response. Everything was frazzled, completely jumbled. Totally useless.
He remembered something about running, and he managed to snap the compact closed and clutch it in his hand as he bolted after his brother.
"You're so full of it!" he huffed, but he didn't seem mad--only flustered.
Xander had a ten second start.
Jace really didn't want to have to kill him. He should have given him twenty seconds to get a little more distance.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 7:55 pm
“AAA!! Think of the crime labs!” He laughed and tried to take advantage of a slight downhill slope. “Think of how mad mom would be if she had to help you hide a body?” He added. “She’d probably fill my bedroom with more books for quizzes!! think of our sister!?” He was SO toast.
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Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:18 pm
Jace didn't waste his breath on words, he just charged towards his brother. Downhill gave him as much of an advantage as his brother when he reached it, and he was more confident on his feet and less concerned about tripping.
When he caught up with his brother, he shoulder checked him with enough force to jostle anyone off their feet; as soon as it looked like Xander was going to trip, he used it as an excuse to wrap his arms around his brother and catch him.
It wasn't a hug. At all. It was just showing that he could have knocked him to the ground. But caught him. Even if he held onto him for a few seconds longer than he needed to.
It wasn't a hug.
He squeezed him extra tightly so that it definitely couldn't be construed as any sort of affection, and when he released him he gave him a little smack on the arm.
"You will not survive the zombie apocalypse. You are way too slow."
He was still red, but maybe this time could have played it off as the sudden jogging. He shoved the compact back into Xander's hand and wouldn't look at him, instead keeping his eyes on the trail in front of them.
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:51 am
Xander laughed, a breathless exhilaration despite being checked and caught, and absolutely ‘not hugged’. “Yeah but… that’s why you’re on the team. He chuckled. “If I get eaten they still have you, and that means they have someone fast, and a good leader you dork. You just have to not send me out on assignments when there are super fresh zombies around.” He rubbed at his arm even with the light smack, playing it up as he did before taking the compact back. “I’m glad you came with, even if I was eaten by zombies.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 6:30 pm
"Whatever," he huffed. "I wouldn't let you get eaten, and you know it. If I sent you out, you know I'd be at your side. You're lousy on your own and I'd want someone to bail you out of trouble. And there's no one better at that than me, so you're just being a drama queen."
His face was still red so he reached his hands up to smooth out his hair and try to get back to looking as composed as possible. "I'd keep you save, inside our base. You're too valuable to be zombie food. You're a fast learner, and morale would be totally shot if we lost you. You'd get along well with everyone and be a good pair of hands wherever we needed it. Ugh! You'd probably go out and try to befriend the zombies if I sent you out to do anything!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:05 pm
“Hey… Maybe some Zombies are nice! Maybe they’d try and eat me and realize they’d just go hungry because I make too many dumb choices?” “Also if you kept me inside all the time, people would probably leave to get away from me chattering.” He laughed at the fluster. “So… since you’ll keep me safe from the zombies, but you also caught me, do you want me to get you a bubble tea to help you finish writing your paper? Something to give you a little energy? Ehhh? “
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