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 Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 5:36 am
Riker had insisted on walking Julian home. Part of him wanted to make sure he knew where Julian lived, just so he could show up and make sure he was okay. Another part was because he wasn’t quite ready to part ways yet.
There were some heavy topics they discussed, but Riker trusted Julian, and he now understood a little more about what he’d been going through. Not everything, but then again it wasn’t as though Riker spelled out everything he’d gone through, either.
Oh, and there was the whole… making sure the Negaverse didn’t try to hurt Julian on his way home.
And while they were chatting about the clubs that Azure had, and Riker tried explaining more about baseball, he suddenly realized--
“s**t-- I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where we were going,” he groaned, looking up at the house where Evan lived. He could tell Evan was home, since the food truck was parked in its usual spot at the house, but he felt pretty embarrassed for walking there out of habit instead of paying attention to the direction Julian was trying to go.
“Uh… sorry, I didn’t take us too far away from your new home, did I?”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 8:10 am
Julian blinked and looked at the house while Riker groaned. He wasn’t sure if it was just the unfortunate house Riker randomly selected or if it had some meaning, but Julian was instantly suspicious.
He didn’t know what Riker was apologizing for.
“Um…” he slowed his walking significantly but didn’t really stop. “Do you know this area?”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:25 pm
He felt so stupid. Part of him wanted to text Evan like ‘lol guess what dumb thing I did when walking a friend home,’ but he was already too embarrassed about apparently walking there without even thinking about it.
“Yeah, my friend lives there,” he nodded to the house they were approaching, although he wasn’t sure why Julian was still walking. Oh, maybe his house was down the street some more and they actually were walking the right way?
“So, uh… if you ever need anything, and I’m not around. Or, I mean, anyone else you usually go to for help. Evan’s great. He’s got the food truck that I help out on,” he explained and nodded to the food truck in question.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:30 pm
Now, Julian stopped. He seemed surprised–not unhappy, but certainly like he’d been briefly stunned. “Oh. Well in that case, do you want to come in?”
He started walking again, this time with a little more bounce in his step.
“We can surprise him. I’m allowed to bring over friends. I didn’t know he was your friend!” Oh, he should have asked for the name of the food truck Riker worked at. It had just been so easy to assume it was a bloated market, it hadn’t occurred to him that it was just a small world.
“I’m still kind of getting to know everything, but Evan’s been nice to me. And Maxim, too.”
Julian was shy, and Evan seemed like he was still trying to figure him out anyway, so for now they were just navigating how to share the same space and were taking small steps to do so. Julian instantly felt more friendly knowing that Riker already knew Evan.
“And you’ve been here before? Have you been to the attic? That’s where I’m staying. I’m still getting settled in, but you can come up and see it!”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:30 pm
This time, Riker froze as well. And he stared at Julian in surprise.
“You live here??” he gaped, incredulous of the discovery. But seeing how chatty Julian was, and how he looked like he had some more spring in his step, then it must have been true.
Especially since he knew Maxim.
Riker felt completely floored. How did he not know this was where Talia lived? Probably because he didn’t ever ask about Evan’s other roommates. He knew Zac, but that was it.
“What? Oh. I’ve been mostly in the kitchen and the living room but-- wait, they put you in the attic? Seriously??” he made a face, expression mixed with disappointment and disgust. Surely there was a misunderstanding. Evan wouldn’t have allowed that. Surely Zac wouldn’t have, either.
So of course he picked up the pace and followed after Julian to the house he’d been at a number of times before to visit with Evan. And Maxim.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:30 pm
“No, you have to see it! It’s so cool, Riker. I don’t know what it looked like before but they used to use it for storage and then they cleared it out for me. I know Zac did most of the renovations, and the Mauvian–oh, but it’s Soleiyu, he lives here too!–he helped set it up so there’s air conditioning and everything! There’s a window–I have the shutters closed right now, but we can open them. It’s really nice. And quiet. You have to go through the garage but I don’t know if you’ve been in there before? It’s not what I think of for a garage. I’ve never even seen a car in there, it looks more like an empty room. And they have a basement but that’s where Talia and Zac stay. It sounds creepy when I say it like that so you have to trust me. Um, the attic is just like a normal room, though? Except it’s shaped like a triangle. So you lose some space where the ceiling is low but there’s lots of room.”
He was chattering excitedly, and when he reached the door he held up his hand to knock, stopped himself, and then pulled out a single key. It didn’t occur to him to see if the door was unlocked first–it wasn’t, Evan was home–but he seemed like he was still getting used to opening the door himself.
Maxim was already at the door when he pushed it open, and he was excited enough to see Julian but he seemed gentle with him. Then he spotted Riker and seemed to snap into play mode. Maxim ran from the front door to the kitchen, looked at someone–Evan, probably–expectantly, ran in a circle, and then ran back to the door while he waited for the boys to come inside.
“I know that’s not a robber or my attack dog would have gotten you,” Evan called from the kitchen. He was frying something, judging by the sound and smell.
“Um, no,” Julian called back. He didn’t sound confident when speaking loudly and was obviously pushing himself just to get to that volume. “It’s just me. I brought a friend with me, I hope that’s okay.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:33 pm
Riker followed in quiet shock and awe that Julian lived here. He’d been worried about whatever it was that Julian had to put up with, but knowing he’d at least have Evan -- and Zac, if Riker would allow himself to be honest -- if anything happened, was such a relief.
He didn’t have time to rub Maxim’s belly or ears before he wiggled his way back to the kitchen. But he stepped inside and made sure Julian didn’t need help locking up.
And while he refrained from saying how Evan was practically his mom -- an actual mom, not the one he currently had -- he couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips as he poked his head around the corner.
“Attack dog -- maybe if someone was covered in bacon,” he teasingly suggested, and then after making sure Evan saw him and Julian, he knelt down to hold his arms out for Maxim.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:37 pm
Evan gasped in surprise and fumbled the spatula he was holding. “Riker! Oh you startled me! I thought that was Julian’s voice!” Confusion washed over him because he seemed to realize it had been Julian’s voice, and his perplexed expression then focused entirely on Riker as if there was an explanation written across his face.
Maxim was already happily dancing in Riker’s arms, licking his face and then swiftly moving to investigate his pockets like he might still have treats hidden there for him.
“Maxim, you’re being so rude,” Evan scolded. As if there was any bite to his voice.
Julian had just finished locking up the door and sliding off his shoes when he followed Riker. He waved somewhat sheepishly to Evan, who looked relieved to know he wasn’t losing his mind.
“I was just making something to eat. Well, it’s some crab fritters. I didn’t know if you’d like that, Julian, but I feel better now that Riker’s here because I know you’ll eat some. I think I put a little too much corn in, but–well, you need your vegetables. You’re staying for dinner, aren’t you, Riker? I mean, you’re here, so–”
Evan rapidly flipped the fritters and kept looking between them and the boys. “Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. How long have you two known each other?”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:52 pm
“No~! Maxim is perfect, aren’t you? Yes you are!” Riker baby-talked and laughed as he gently wrestled with Evan’s dog. Nothing that would cause injury to either of them! Or damage anything in the house! But Maxim was a good dog and deserved all of the attention in the world.
After catching him under his arms to keep him from licking his face for a moment, Riker glanced up at Julian with a thoughtful grin.
“How long…? At least a year.” There was that bank incident where they’d met, but they’d gotten to know each other in the days after as they tried to help get Julian’s friend’s starseed back. He didn’t want to come out and say that, since he didn’t want to upset Julian any, but he would have to tell Evan more about it later.
“You know I can’t say no, but I don’t want to intrude,” he returned his gaze over at Evan at the stove, rolling his eyes about needing vegetables. “Okay, mom,” he muttered under his breath, but definitely loud enough for Evan to hear.
“I didn’t know Julian would be living here. How long have you known? You’re keeping secrets from me now?” he teased, but released Maxim and pushed himself back up so Julian could ‘hide’ in the hierarchy of attention that was set by Riker’s height.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 1:55 pm
Julian might have been shy in front of Evan still but having Riker here made it feel like he was with any of their other friends, too. Evan had been kind to him, but aside from sharing a love for Maxim and being connected through Talia, they hadn’t really had much to bond over. He hadn’t stopped smiling since Riker showed up.
He’d been standing off to the side but once Maxim had been freed, he rolled onto his back to expose his belly while laying on Julian’s lap, so he crouched down to pet him.
Evan laughed and brushed his hands off on the sides of his pants. “I’m not keeping secrets from you! I told you Zac was doing renovations in the attic so a friend could move in! I didn’t know it was someone you knew! And it’s a good thing, too, because if Zac knew he probably would have roped you in to help out.”
The fritters would be fine if left alone for a moment, so even though Evan had just seen Riker a short while ago he still came over to give him a little hug. It wasn't fair if Maxim was the only one getting all the attention, anyway.
“As if you could intrude.” Especially now, when Julian looked so happy to have his friend over. “You want some brussels sprouts, too? Wow, not like you need more vegetables to grow big and tall. If you keep this up, you won’t fit in the truck!”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:03 pm
“I wouldn’t have minded helping out. Whatever you need done, I can help with,” Riker promised. And while Evan only gave him a little hug, Riker made sure to wrap his arms fully around him to give him a big one. If he lifted Evan off the floor just a little, well… that was because he was so short.
But he also let the hug linger for a moment longer than was probably necessary for a greeting. A silent thanks maybe. Or maybe Riker was really just that excited to know that Julian was in good hands.
“You’ll just have to move up your schedule on getting your restaurant,” he grinned. “Won’t have to worry about me not fitting, then!” Because if Evan was going to be running a restaurant, then maybe Riker would just have to learn more about culinary so he could help him.
“We had a snack before coming over, but I don’t think a greasy corn dog could ever compare to what you can make, Evan,” he hummed, making sure to stay close to Julian as they caught up on things. Not that he hadn’t just seen Evan, but still.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:04 pm
Riker was just showing off how strong he was in front of his friend probably but Evan didn’t mind and even laughed when he was lifted up. “No, a corn dog can not compare what I’m about to feed you. This is real crab, too. Oh–no allergies, right?”
He looked between the two, but Julian quickly shook his head and said, “No, that sounds good, thank you. Is there such a thing as fake crab?”
“Imitation crab, yeah. It’s just fish. It’s not bad, I’ve cooked with it before. But you can tell,” Evan promised. “You’ll see, we’ll get imitation crab sometime so you can compare them.”
“Oh, okay,” Julian said; ordinarily he might have just nodded, but with Riker and Evan being so lively–and Maxim, too–it was a little contagious. He didn’t bother trying to stand up just yet, he was glad to be the tiny and out of the way. It helped that Maxim seemed to be a willing accomplice; his tail had been wagging the whole time and he wriggled closer encouragingly.
“I was hoping you’d be home for dinner, Julian, I have so many things I want you to try. We have to figure out what your favorites are. And Riker! You’ll come over more often now, won’t you? You have three excuses, now. Between me, Maxim, and Julian.”
Julian’s face was warm and his cheeks felt sore from smiling but he didn’t stop. He really wasn’t used to having friends come over elsewhere. Living with Luke was probably the closest thing he had to ‘having a friend spend the night’. But Riker was already familiar with this place–and more than that, he and Evan seemed like they got along well. There wouldn’t be awkward introductions, or trying to figure out how much space he and his friends were allowed to occupy, or anything weird. He hadn’t realized he’d had so much pressure built up in his chest already but it felt like it had evaporated. He wanted to hug Riker. And Evan, too. He was probably just feeling a lot of emotions and didn’t want to make anything weird so he lavished affection on Maxim.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:04 pm
Riker laughed, amused by Evan’s enthusiasm, and also by how bright Julian seemed to be. Well, he wasn’t really sure how else to describe it, but Julian had a glow that made Riker even more relieved that he was going to be living somewhere safe and good. And not anywhere like Hillworth.
“Oh, you won’t get tired of me hanging out for dinner and helping with the truck?” he teased, and then nodded towards Julian as he casually shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
“We were gonna check out Julian’s room. I want to make sure Zac did an acceptable job, especially since they put him in the attic,” he huffed, but there was no way he could hide his grin.
“Do you need help with dinner? We could run up and then come back down,” he offered, not wanting to just leave Evan there, but also wanting to get a chance to see what Julian was excited about. And to make sure he really was being taken care of. Not that he thought Evan wouldn’t! But he didn’t really know the others in the house.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:07 pm
“How could I get tired of you being around? Maxim’s stopped begging me for food since you two got back in. Honestly, I don’t know how he’s gotten so round. Everybody says they’re not giving him too much to eat. I don’t know. No, you two go have fun. I’ve got dinner under control, I’ll get you both plates made up and call you when it’s ready. Thank you, though, Riker. You’re such a thoughtful young man. I won’t even tell Zac what you said about the attic.”
Evan grinned at them and nodded towards the garage door. “If you like it, tell me. Maybe I can convince Zac to renovate another room for you.”
“Really?” Julian asked. He pet Maxim one last time before he stood up and absently brushed his hand on his pants.
“Zac loves projects. And I never ask him for anything. He won’t say it but he likes being useful. But go on to your room, dinner doesn’t have long to go so come back soon.”
“Okay, thank you. We’ll be back soon,” Julian promised. He took Riker’s hand and gave him an eager half-tug towards the garage. Maxim rolled onto his feet and shook off, and though he looked after the boys, he seemed more tempted by the smells coming out of the kitchen.
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