04-02-2019, 03:02 AM
They both sat at the table, though he moved the books off to one side. The vase he left with the plastic flowers. They really did do a nice job. The leaves felt cool and soft, the stems firm but delicate enough you were afraid to break 'em. And the petals....well nah, they weren't real silk. But actually, they felt better. Soft and alive and tenderly firm and smooth.
He stared at them, at Nina's question. "You know, I'm not sure. Something-dragons. No. Snap dragons. Yeah, that's it." He rifled his hands through them carefully. His voice was absentminded. "I was just walking home one day. And I saw a mom haggling with the guy for an athletic jacket. You know, like the ones we all wear. So....she's trying to bring him down, you know? It's her boy's birthday tomorrow and she wants to get it for him. But he won't budge."
He looked from flowers to her. "I coulda been a dick about it...but he wasn't bein a jerk. And I had scored not long ago. So...I covered the difference." It had felt good, actually. She'd be appreciative. "She was so happy she'd give her son something special. And....I guess I realized how much moms love their kids and I wondered what ma had done to get me my own jacket." He nodded at the bedroom door. "Still have it you know." Yeah, one guy was half blinded, but he had gotten it back. "I had a bit left and got her these. Not much, but it's something."
The room was quiet. "But yeah, I do cook. If ma's at work or Arkady hasn't eaten. And the cleaning. I don't mind."
He looked down at the pastry and leaned forward, sliding it to her. He smiled. "Please. Take it. I need to do something." He laughed. "You're the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. An angel deserves something from her worshippers."
And then, stomach settled, he did feel tired. He eyed the door. "Can you give me a hand?" he said as he carefully stood, though he swayed a bit. With her help he went to the door and opened the room. There might have been tape down the center, the contrast was night and day. His side was fairly neat, bed made, nightstand and table clear of junk. He liked it that way. Less clutter. And it was easier to find things. On his wall was a display screen cycling through scantily clad women, motoGP bikes, sports teams, and bands.
Arkady's side was just a big ole mess. Fucking prick. Kid needed to get his shit together.
He sat on his bed, struggling to remove his combat boots without busting a lung. "Maybe just a bit more?" And stripping down to his boxers was tough too. But eventually, he could crawl into his covers.
His eyes were open but he was tired. "You don't have to leave. I can put something on the TV." He motioned toward the pastry. "You might get to wanting that." He looked at her, stared at those deep blue eyes. "Stay?"
He stared at them, at Nina's question. "You know, I'm not sure. Something-dragons. No. Snap dragons. Yeah, that's it." He rifled his hands through them carefully. His voice was absentminded. "I was just walking home one day. And I saw a mom haggling with the guy for an athletic jacket. You know, like the ones we all wear. So....she's trying to bring him down, you know? It's her boy's birthday tomorrow and she wants to get it for him. But he won't budge."
He looked from flowers to her. "I coulda been a dick about it...but he wasn't bein a jerk. And I had scored not long ago. So...I covered the difference." It had felt good, actually. She'd be appreciative. "She was so happy she'd give her son something special. And....I guess I realized how much moms love their kids and I wondered what ma had done to get me my own jacket." He nodded at the bedroom door. "Still have it you know." Yeah, one guy was half blinded, but he had gotten it back. "I had a bit left and got her these. Not much, but it's something."
The room was quiet. "But yeah, I do cook. If ma's at work or Arkady hasn't eaten. And the cleaning. I don't mind."
He looked down at the pastry and leaned forward, sliding it to her. He smiled. "Please. Take it. I need to do something." He laughed. "You're the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. An angel deserves something from her worshippers."
And then, stomach settled, he did feel tired. He eyed the door. "Can you give me a hand?" he said as he carefully stood, though he swayed a bit. With her help he went to the door and opened the room. There might have been tape down the center, the contrast was night and day. His side was fairly neat, bed made, nightstand and table clear of junk. He liked it that way. Less clutter. And it was easier to find things. On his wall was a display screen cycling through scantily clad women, motoGP bikes, sports teams, and bands.
Arkady's side was just a big ole mess. Fucking prick. Kid needed to get his shit together.
He sat on his bed, struggling to remove his combat boots without busting a lung. "Maybe just a bit more?" And stripping down to his boxers was tough too. But eventually, he could crawl into his covers.
His eyes were open but he was tired. "You don't have to leave. I can put something on the TV." He motioned toward the pastry. "You might get to wanting that." He looked at her, stared at those deep blue eyes. "Stay?"