first_in_time: (whatwhat?/curious)
[personal profile] first_in_time
A seven year old John Chesterton shared the task of setting the table with his father. Unfortunately, a child with a love of games should probably not be given any kind of responsibility which involved sharp objects. And neither should their father.

"Avarst! Ye matey!" Ian Chesterton cried at his son, brandishing a butter knife like a sword.

"Arrrr!!" John replied with one eye closed as though he were wearing an eye patch.

"Submit to me, matey, or I'll gut yer through!"

"NEVAAR!!"

The butter knives clinked once before Barbara managed to catch them at it; "boys!" she called from the doorway into the dining room. "That's quite enough. One of you will literally skin the other and I am not in the mood to drive over to the emergency ward."

Unfortunately, neither boy was paying much attention. To begin with they looked suitably shamed, but all it took was a quick exchange of looks and they lunged at Barbara, who screamed. And then giggled as the tickling fingers of John and Ian found her most ticklish spots. She managed to wriggle away, and ran for the kitchen, the hall and finally the lounge where they tackled her onto the sofa and tickled her until she managed to cry for mercy between fits of laughter.

Now breathing heavy, all three Chestertons sat on the sofa a moment, contemplating who to tickle next when the doorbell rung.

"I'll get it," Barbara said and pushed herself up to walk to the front door. Her hand reflexively went to her hair, double checking that everything was still in place. When she opened the door, flushed in the face from the giggling, hair didn't matter. Even dinner didn't matter. Nor sword fighting, or anything else.

"...Howard," she gasped.

Date: 2013-06-19 05:05 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Well damn.)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Right. I'll start that." He gets a pot out to get water boiling, tensing again when Ian asks the question Howard knows has been coming and still hasn't found an answer for.

"No. I, um. I have the day off." He starts getting coffee grounds together too. "Whole week off, actually, so you don't really have to ask. I needed personal time."

Date: 2013-06-21 05:40 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Run?)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just taking some time off, you know, to get my head on right." Howard tries to stay preoccupied with the oatmeal so he doesn't have to meet Ian's eyes, but unfortunately oatmeal tends to make itself. "I was getting tired of constantly getting jerked around there, anyway. I worked there what, six years without a raise or getting taken off apprenticeship? Meanwhile all these white guys get hired in front of me and make twice what I do six months after their start date."

He takes a breath. "Did, uh. Did Barbara tell you I'm staying for a while?"

Date: 2013-06-22 02:28 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - /Peeks)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I'm always having difficulties somewhere," Howard says, to brush the whole thing off. He perks up a bit when Barbara enters - he loves Ian, but he's always been closer to her, and the last few weeks have left him feeling particularly vulnerable.

"Same as usual. Could've slept worse." He's sure she knows what he means - he's not about to say the night was good when he woke up panicky, but that seems to be becoming the norm lately. He always seems to just unwind towards the end of the year, as if his meticulous spiderweb is being plucked apart strand by strand. "I got a lot of writing done, at least."

Date: 2013-06-22 02:55 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Attention)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Cutting people up for their parts," Howard responds bluntly, then realizes a moment too late that while he's allowed to be morbid and sour around Ian and Barbara, it's probably best not to say such things around a seven year-old. He corrects himself a second too late. "It's just a rough draft about immortality."

But the damage is already done; John's looking at him with an expression between fascination and horror.

Date: 2013-06-22 03:12 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Oof)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Just a story, John. I told you I write scary stories." Howard's cheeks darken a shade, though. He clears his throat and stirs the oatmeal. "Um, Barbara, I made breakfast for you and Ian, hope you wanted oatmeal with apples and nuts in it..."

It's clear he's trying to overcompensate for misstepping.

Date: 2013-06-22 04:46 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Sad - Uncertain)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
Howard spoons some oatmeal into a bowl and artlessly sprinkles nuts and chopped apple into it.

He cringes a bit at the joke - he finds it okay when he makes awful comments, but coming from an adult figure makes him queasy. Always has since getting here. He once spent a trip out to the pier with Barbara and Ian vomiting in a bathroom stall after the couple standing near them had joked about eating up their infant's teeny little toes up (he told Ian and Barbara he'd probably eaten something bad).

"It was for organ donation..." he says weakly, not sure if he should follow Ian and John. He looks to Barbara to see if she's going. Maybe he can volunteer to go feed the cats instead.

Date: 2013-06-23 04:30 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Whaaaaaat)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
His shoulders untense a little as John and Ian go to eat in front of the TV, as he is permitted to stay here. "Yeah. I mean, the dream was about cannibalism, but I decided organ donation was a more interesting twist on it."

He would offer to let her see it, but he's seen the results of writing late at night. Good ideas, terrible execution.

"They're getting more frequent again. The nightmares. It's almost every night now."

Date: 2013-06-24 09:34 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Observing)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Who would I even talk to?" At Ian and Barbara's insistence, he's halfheartedly sought help a handful of times in the past. It never sticks. "Nobody specializes in refugees from a spaceship at war with the Ohm."

Date: 2013-06-25 06:54 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I know, but there isn't anyone. No one who'll just take me at my word, at least." He exhales deep, clearly frustrated - and ashamed. "Forget it. Whatever. Forget I brought it up. I won't bother you with it anymore."

Date: 2013-06-26 04:42 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Sad - Sadface)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
Howard doesn't go for the hug. He just stands there.

"That's not what my boss said."

new layout? it's pretty!

Date: 2013-06-28 04:40 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Um ew?)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Yeah, well, ex-boss. And whatever. I'll eat outside." He wants a cigarette anyway. It's a bad habit he's taken up, but it goes well with the temper fits, unfortunately. He slams the door behind him.

He knows it's not Barbara's fault at all, and that he's angry at a lot of things and taking it out on her just for mentioning the idea of seeing a professional for the umpteenth time. He's sure in a few minutes, he'll care.

i like it very much XD

Date: 2013-06-28 05:57 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Srs Face)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
The cats choose to spend time with the rest of the family while Howard stays outside. While he sits on the edge of the sidewalk and glares at the neighbor's house for no good reason other than that it exists.

He wonders if he could walk away and just keep walking. Maybe he could walk out of this body, out of this life that seems boobytrapped with things that hurt and irritate and panic. Out of drowning and out of dragging people with him like a human whirlpool.

But he can't do that, so instead he goes back inside and sits down in the lounge with them without an explanation or a forthcoming apology.

Re: <3

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