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 Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 9:24 am
“If you had a million dollars, what would you do?” Orien asked as he held up his milk carton bucket and waited for it to drain before going back in for another scoop of coins. “I would buy us a house somewhere in the mountains or… anywhere away from people. It doesn’t have to be a big house, just one big enough for a cat or two. And us, of course. But I’d want a lot of land to keep people even farther away, but I’d also want to, I don’t know, raise chickens and grow a garden and not have to worry about anything. Maybe get those fancy solar panels and water purifiers so we really don’t have to talk to anyone.”
He thought it was an excellent idea. He was tired of people. He just wanted to be with Kaelan, who understood him. He doubted his mind would last as long as Kaelan would need it to, but he would try to stay himself enough for Kaelan to not have to worry.
At least with that much money they wouldn’t have to be wading through fountains to steal change.
“It can’t be that hard, right? It’s not like we haven’t taken care of ourselves enough as it is. Just us against the world. Ah, but that wouldn’t be too lonely for you, would it?”
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 9:39 am
“Oh, I love all of that. That wouldn’t be too lonely, I’d have you. We could keep chickens, but only for their eggs. I don’t think I could slaughter anything. I’d get too close and want to name them. But I like having enough room for them, and for a little garden. And a fence, to keep the bears out. I don’t know if that’s a real thing, but just in case.”
He’d rolled his pants up over his knees and left his socks and shoes by their backpack so he could go into the middle of the fountain. His sleeves were rolled up as much as he could get them, and he was working hard to scoop up the coins. Every little noise still made him jump, but in all their time of doing this, they’d never run into anyone–thankfully.
“A cute little cottage sounds nice. And it’s not like we’d need to keep in contact with anyone, so we don’t need good phone service. I do like the internet, but maybe we can find somewhere close to town. Or maybe we can pay to have some internet hooked up near us. I don’t know, I like your idea. And a car. Nothing fancy, just enough to get us into town. Oh, and I’d buy a computer, so I could write. I’d still like to do that. You really want to get cats? –What about kids, would you ever want kids?”
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 9:45 am
“Kids?” he repeated in surprised amusement--
But he immediately froze before he could say anything else. Kaelan had asked it so casually that it caught him off guard, but if Kaelan was asking then… did he want kids?
“I don’t know, I’ve never really thought of it,” he answered honestly. They were still basically kids themselves. They couldn’t even drink legally.
Orien was quiet for a little while longer. He didn’t want to answer without thinking about it. He loved Kaelan too much to brush something big like that aside.
“My childhood was s**t,” he said after a little while. “I don’t know how I survived it. There were a few times I was pretty sure I wouldn’t.” He might have told Kaelan that before but… he couldn’t remember…
“Cats? Yeah, I like cats. There were a number of strays I used to try and take care of when I was little. Gave them what food I had. They needed it more than me. And they curled up on me to keep me warm. I mean, I’m sure it kept them warm too, but still. But kids…?”
Another pause as he looked down at the coins he’d collected, and then glanced back over where Kaelan was, and nodded. “Yeah. If I could help a kid or two from having a childhood like mine, then I’d want a kid. Do I think I’d be a good parent? Absolutely not. But that’s what they’ll have you for.”
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 9:52 am
Kaelan had stopped collecting so he could listen to Orien, and he didn’t regret any of it. He looked so thoughtful, like he was taking it all so seriously. He knew how hard it had been for Orien when he was growing up, and how he didn’t really have adults that he could trust or rely on.
Kaelan had never really thought about having kids, himself. Right now, there were far too many things for them to do; they could hardly afford to take care of themselves, much less anyone else. “I think it’s cute that you like cats. That you cuddled with them. We should get one. Maybe when we have just a little more room, so we don’t have to have the litter box so close? Unless we find the perfect cat. I mean, if one just showed up with big, sad eyes. You know, all sad and pathetic, all wet from the rain?” It wouldn't even take that much, he knew it, “Of course I’d let it in.”
And, anyway, how cute would it have been to come home to a cat curled up on Orien? He wondered if that would help him relax, some, too. Pets were supposed to be good for that.
“I also think it’s cute that you think I’d be a good parent. I bet you’d be a good parent. No one would ever mess with our kids. But–I think we have to make up for the childhood you didn’t get to have, first. There’s a lot of stuff we have to do. Like–have you ever played mini-golf? Gone to the movies? Bumper cars? Trick or Treating? Get presents from Santa? Had a sleepover, gone to the fair, gone to a baseball game, had a birthday party?”
Oh–he had to get back to scooping, he couldn’t get sloppy with it now. But, he did keep looking up at Orien because–well, he couldn’t help it. He looked so handsome in this light. Kaelan just didn’t want to take his eyes off of him.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 10:03 am
Orien just smiled as the list of things Kaelan asked about got longer and longer. There was a bit of color that touched his cheeks, but he wasn’t upset or anything like that. Maybe a little embarrassed to realize just how many things he wasn’t used to having.
“I’ve had birthday parties,” he pointed out. “We would save our desserts and we’d eat them away from everyone else. My memory isn’t that bad,” he laughed. “We even got Ryan to join us one year.”
He knew it wasn’t what Kaelan meant. But he wasn’t sure what to say other than no, he hadn’t done any of those things. He wanted to ask if Kaelan had done all those things but figured if he was asking Orien then he had.
“I wouldn’t mind a cat, as long as that’s something you’re okay with. But yeah, we might want to make sure we have a bigger place first. I want to make sure it has plenty of room to run around. And you’re right that no one would mess with our kids. I’d kick anyone’s a** who looked at them funny.”
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 10:25 am
Kaelan’s smile softened when Orien mentioned Ryan, because it was a happy memory and he couldn’t help it. If he had a memory strong enough to make him smile, he was going to take full advantage of it.
“Well, we’re going to have real birthday parties. We’ve got a lot of things to make up for, but,” his jug was getting heavy so he sloshed through the water–paused so he could kiss Orien’s cheek–and then leaned over the edge of the fountain so he could pour his coins into the plastic bag they’d lined the backpack with to keep it dry.
“I’d be okay with a cat. I’ve never had one. But I like them. I like dogs, too, but I know they need walks and a lot more energy. Cats are pretty independent. Oh, and they’ll eat bugs and mice. If we have any. And dogs bark. Like, I think they’d be fun to play with, but maybe not exactly to keep. I don’t know, we’d have to see. The cat comes first. Maybe for your birthday,” he teased.
He stood up and stretched; his back cracked once but it only seemed to bring him relief and he quickly returned to his work. “Do you think they’d let us adopt a kid? I don’t want to have to kidnap one. Maybe we can get our records expunged. Or, we’ll just grow up and be crazy cat…people.”
For a split second it looked like he might have been about to succumb to an unflattering mental path, but he shrugged and shook his head to dislodge the thought. He promptly returned to scooping up coins in a part of the fountain he hadn’t reached yet. There were a lot more pennies and nickels now than quarters, so every little bit counted. There was another fountain they hadn’t yet checked out, but it had a bit more foot traffic than these, so he hoped that the later it got in the evening, the less likely they’d be to have anyone find them scooping coins.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 11:10 am
Orien was still a little distracted by the thought of kids when Kaelan kissed his cheek. He perked up a little and turned to watch as Kaelan emptied out his container, and Orien quickly followed to do the same.
He didn’t miss the hesitation, and frowned a little when Kaelan went back to collecting coins instead of continuing, but…
“Yeah, we’ll get everything figured out,” he insisted, because at the moment Kaelan seemed like he really needed to be cheered up. “We’ll get our records expunged and we’ll be the best parents a kid could ask for. And honestly? If there was some kid on the streets who needed people to look after them…? I’m just saying… I wouldn’t have said no to a safe place and a hot meal.”
He didn’t immediately start collecting coins, but instead gently caught Kaelan around his waist to give him a gentle hug. He would do more, but he was afraid of getting them completely soaked. He opted for a kiss on Kaelan’s neck instead.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 11:37 am
It wasn’t that Kaelan was ticklish, but something about the kiss made him laugh, anyway. He leaned back so he could nuzzle against him.
“Well, as long as we don’t get tagged as creepy or nefarious weirdos trying to make kids come into our house. I hope things are better now than they were when you were young. I’d like to think that the system is getting better about not letting kids slip through the cracks, but.”
Maybe it was just wishful thinking. He had a lot of nice thoughts, but he didn’t think most of them were practical.
But, Orien seemed convinced that things would work out–that they’d get their records cleared–so he perked up a little bit. He still had a few years before he had a chance; he couldn’t afford to try and expedite anything, and if thing went well, all he had to do was stay out of trouble and turn twenty one, and–well, he didn’t exactly know the details, but. He was going to be on his best behavior, anyway.
“As long as I have you, I’ll be happy. But maybe the universe will be kind to us and cut us a break. We’re doing good! Oh, well.”
He looked at the coins on the bottom of the fountain. “--We’re doing mostly good. We’re getting there. And we’ll make up for all of this when we can afford to. If we want to. I mean, technically if this is just going to go to charity or fountain upkeep…we’re charity cases. And we’re technically cleaning the fountain, so that’s upkeep.”
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 11:52 am
“We’re definitely making someone else’s job easier, so I think they should add us to the payroll,” Orien huffed, and wrapped his arms a little tighter around Kaelan.
He was getting tired, but he didn’t want Kaelan to know that. He was getting better! He was able to keep his facial expressions pretty neutral when his stomach cramped or when he felt nauseous. As long as he wasn’t turning colors, Kaelan had no reason to think that he was feeling sick.
Probably.
Okay maybe it was wishful thinking. Kaelan knew him so well that Orien wouldn’t be surprised if he could read his mind sometimes.
“I hope things have gotten better,” Orien agreed, but he didn’t sound convinced. Maybe he was just angry and bitter about everything. Well, everything in the past. Right now he was very happy to be there with Kaelan.
Even if they were knee deep in a fountain scrounging around for change.
“We’ll get there,” he agreed, and pressed a couple more kisses wherever he could reach. Kaelan’s cheek, his ear-- before finally letting go so he could help and not just stand around.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 12:11 pm
The hug itself wasn’t suspicious. It was comfortable, and Kaelan quickly relaxed into it. He smiled, because he really did love Orien, and the kisses did make him feel a little tickled.
“I love you. I think we should finish up here soon, we should hit up that other fountain on the way home. I don’t want you to work so hard that you sleep in too much tomorrow. Although, I suppose you deserve it.” He had been working hard. Healing was tough business!
“I’ve got something special planned for breakfast tomorrow, though, so I don’t want to wear you out so much that you sleep through it. Let’s do one more quick sweep and then head out, if that’s okay? Our bag’s probably getting heavy already. Maybe we’ll pick up enough pennies that we’ll be able to afford that cottage in the woods,” he teased.
It was unlikely.
But, it was a nice dream.
It would get him through tonight, at least.
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