[008]

[bloodsugar]

A): phone - mid-morning.

[OPEN;]

[one hazard of spending a good deal of your time lurking on the phone lines is that one might become prone to forgetting that people can HEAR you while you listen. so, it's entirely innocent, of course, when the half-absent and somewhat petulant mumble comes across the phone lines sometime this morning.]

...all this talk of Valentines Day... honestly! As if they're rubbing it in some of us are destined to be forever alone. 'Vow of celibacy'? More like vow of perpetual and ongoing boredom.

[...a pause.]

It's not like I wanted to find out what a romantic holiday with another human being is like, regardless... eh? I'm sure edible underwear isn't all it's cracked up to be, anywa--

[...]

Eh? [wait for it.]

AH--

[...there's a rather flustered squawk, and a hasty CLICK of the phone into the cradle.]

[filter to Charles Fei-Ong]

Alright, so maybe I'm a little late in checking in. You'll forgive me, right? After all, I'm sure you've been busy collecting recipes and taste testing! [no really are you okay... :| last time he saw you, after all, was... uh, colorful, to say the least.]

...I don't suppose you'd be up for a cup of tea, Charles? [he has a feeling you'll just bs him even if you weren't alright over the phone, anyway. CLEARLY HE MUST BE NOSY IN PERSON.]

[filter to Esther Blanchett]

Esther-- do you have a minute? There's... ah, something I wanted to ask you. [AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EDIBLE UNDERWEAR HE SWEARS DEAR GOD.]

[filter to Django]

How are you holding up, partner? I hope the radio silence is because you've been gloriously enjoying the sunshine, hm? Making up for lost time and all that...! [are you okay partner? :(]

B): action; 1648 Albright Lane - lunchtime.

[there's the smell of something burning, late in the morning approaching lunchtime -- and if Rachel or Cain follows their nose, they might find the source in the form of one (1) Abel Nightroad with his drone wife's FRILLY PINK APRON several sizes too small draped around his neck and haphazardly tied back in the process of butchering... grilled cheese. yes, he is a total failure.

...somehow, he's gotten butter all over the counter and is trying to catch an overturned bottle of orange juice that is apparently spilling its contents over and onto the floor. the pan is burning and he's jostling cups and plates, trying not to drop EVERYTHING EVER as he fumbles to cease the spill of juice fruitlessly.

NO ONE SAID YOUR DAD WAS GOOD AT BEING DOMESTIC. this is why.]

C): action; around town - afternoon.

[the tall, lanky, and often times clumsy priest is among your streets today, Mayfield! anyone similarly prone to hitting up the bakery quite often might recognize his face, or simply wish to gape at the way he's leaving cheerily with a bag under his arm and so engrossed in the effort of inhaling the vanilla frosted doughnut in his hand he is clearly not paying attention to anything else. ...like the sidewalk. which, he may or may not inevitably trip over at an uneven crack and WOEFULLY lose his doubtlessly precious bounty as the bag tumbles to spill the fruits of his labor everywhere...

...and maybe his doughnut might happen to ah. misplace... itself from his hand and end up on your face. WHAT DO?]

D): action; church - evening.

[Abel's day eventually brings him to someplace to seek solace, to rest a weary soul... or something of that effect. one who enters might be hard pressed to FIND said priest who should be more or less easy to spot on the regular, right? how many 6'4 lanky bastards in cassock ARE there in here?

...but if one is apt enough, they might notice that the Father's side of the confessional is occupied. do you care to confess? ...or notice that said Father might just be lightly snoring if you listen hard enough...]

Comments

[kinship]

Because the rest... is already perfect.

[That's the future he wants too. Together, free, safe.]

[bloodsugar]

We'll get there, one day.

[kinship]

[A shaky exhalation, but a more steady look in his eyes as he nods.]

I know.

[bloodsugar]

Just hold on. Hold out, and lean on me.

I am a big fathead, right? I can hold your weight, Cain. Don't forget that on the way.

[kinship]

I want you to lean on me too.

[Not about the future, he knows he won't get an answer there, but he doesn't want to be completely useless. He wants to be Abel's rock too.]

[bloodsugar]

...Well, if you keep poisoning me, I won't really have a choice...

[kinship]

[Haha... that earns a snotty chuckle, silly brother.]

You poisoned yourself.

[bloodsugar]

[he chuckles again, leaning down to kiss his forehead and digging into his pocket for his handkerchief, holding it out.]

[kinship]

[Wow, so useful big-little brother. He takes it and blows his nose... before handing it back.]

[bloodsugar]

...

[thanks, bro. he makes a face as he puts it away alskjdf]

[kinship]

[He rubs itchy and red eyes with the back of his hand, before giving Abel a wan smile.]

Is Miss Esther okay?

[bloodsugar]

...Yes. Esther's just fine... but she's worried about you.

[he smooths the hair from his brow fondly.]

She really loves you. She was crying.

[kinship]

[She was... crying? A human crying over one of them? This is... bizarre and wonderful, just like it had been to see Beast Boy's anger on his behalf.]

Ah...

[bloodsugar]

...Esther is... special, Cain. I think... even if you told her about what we are...

[she wouldn't bat an eyelid, and probably smack Cain over the head for thinking she'd care or it would change the way she felt about him.]

[kinship]

I won't.

[Not because he's afraid of what she'll think, but because it would make things very awkward for Abel and he doesn't want to do that.]

[bloodsugar]

Because of me?

[he had given him permission... not that he isn't EXTREMELY GRATEFUL that he hadn't gone ahead and said anything, anyway......]

[kinship]

[He knows Abel has given him permission, and he's used that with Beast Boy already. But he wasn't about to go blurting it to Esther, not for what she meant to Abel.]

It's not just my secret with Miss Esther.

[bloodsugar]

It's true, but...

[he doesn't know. everything is very strange right now -- maybe it's a conversation for another time.]

...As long as you know she'd love you anyway, that's all that matters.

[kinship]

[Love. It's a strange thing, he's still not ready to use that for anyone but his family, but he is starting to properly care about people here now.]

I know, I do.

[bloodsugar]

[she has Lilith's heart in there... he knows she does. he can use the 'l' word and mean it. he knows she really cares for him.... those tears could not be faked. the pain was real.]

Then I'm glad.

[kinship]

Abel..?

[He's going to pretend this question isn't childish and because he needs his brother close, nope.]

...can I sleep with you tonight?

[bloodsugar]

...ah. Well... as it happens, I think your sheets need washing tonight, anyway...

[as if he could say no.]

[kinship]

...No, your sheets need washing.

[They can hunker down in his room, or else the drone Astha would keep trying to get in with them... not to mention Abel's room is open to the elements at the moment.]

[bloodsugar]

...

[........................]

Right. My sheets. [gdi Cain.]

[kinship]

[It was Haruko's fault, OKAY?]

Maybe... the need to be washed most nights?