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: 2013-05-18 08:57 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I don't mean the fun kind of weird. Not like how I'm weird when I'm fixing radio out of bubblegum or whatever. I mean like the weird hours I keep, or the panic fits, or the food stuff, or you know. The not-fun weird stuff." He shrugs. The idea of John bringing friends over to gawk at him like some sort of zoo animal is far from appealing. "I did alright with the food stuff tonight though, I think. Mostly."

Date: 2013-05-18 11:05 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - For Real?)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I don't really want me freaking out when I wake up dreaming of you guys dead to be 'fascinating'." He gets a dry-cloth out, so he and Barbara can do the routine they did when they lived together as three of them - she rinses, he dries and puts away.

"I promise not to eat nothing but candy around him, too."

Date: 2013-05-18 11:41 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - For Real?)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Of course I am. It's in the greatest hits collection, along with 'starving to death', 'eaten alive', 'everyone leaves me' and 'forgot my pants to work'." He forces a little laugh. "But yeah, maybe living back here will help."

Or maybe it won't. Maybe being around a kid will make it worse, those issues with jealousy and insecurity. He thought he got over them and grew up a few years ago, but they still ping him, sometimes.

"John seems to like the cats, at least."

Date: 2013-05-19 12:03 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Listening)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"They're used to me. They'll love anyone who doesn't squeeze them until their eyes bug out. Especially Sushi, he probably still remembers the days when I turned him into a teddy bear some nights." It's a cute image, John riding the Great Dane. Howard reaches over and turns on the faucet so they can get working.

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to get it all figured out, you know? I started going to another shrink and they diagnosed me as a delusional psychotic when I tried to tell them about most of the stuff that happened."

Date: 2013-05-19 12:27 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Hel- I mean, heck no. They lock people up for stuff like that and I don't want to spend time with padded walls, getting told everything's all in my head. It was way easier to say I was lying and just never come back."

He takes a clean dish and starts to dry it off. The step-stool he used to use to get to the top shelves is still here, dusty but leaning against the wall. He's touched that they kept it, as if they knew he'd be back eventually. He opens it, hops up and sets the plate away.

Date: 2013-05-19 01:29 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Still got no friends. Just me and the cats." He tries not to sound bitter about that, but it's really clear he's lonely. "I'm still not good at that people thing. There's no aliens or wizards for me to befriend, so I'm out of luck."

He doesn't even want to touch on his love life.

Date: 2013-05-19 03:21 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Listening)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I don't really have good luck with girls. I guess the spark isn't there." He tilts his head at the kitchen. "You might just have to wait on John for grandkids."

Date: 2013-05-29 09:22 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
He sighs and puts away another dish. "I'm twenty-seven years old and have never even kissed a girl. Never even held hands. I think the boat s done sailed."

Date: 2013-06-02 03:07 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Oof)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"Don't get your hopes up." He sighs and dries off another dish. "So do you make friends with the other moms at John's school?"

Date: 2013-06-04 04:04 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - For Real?)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"John stacks up though, right? I mean, he seems like an okay kid. Just needs to eat his veggies." They finish the dishes and Howard start to rinse and dry out the sink. Naturally, he's envious of John, because he doubts he'd ever be able to compete with anyone comparing their kids' accomplishments, and yes, he does realize how pathetic it is to be competing with elementary schoolers.

Primary school. Whatever they call it here.

"You know, when I was little, I was the first in my kindergarten to finish reading a whole book." His mom had bragged about it a lot. "I got great grades up until I was like, ten."

Date: 2013-06-07 05:35 pm (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Basic - Oof)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
"I like to sing. Maybe we could like. Do that sometime. I can nark on his pitch."

Howard shrugs. "I started getting beat up a lot for being short and black. I didn't need being a nerd or a teacher's pet on top of it."

Date: 2013-06-09 12:02 am (UTC)
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Scared - Nervous)
From: [personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity
Howard feels like he's been struck by a small bolt of lightning when John shrieks, even in play, but he keeps his cool. He just bites down on his tongue and winces.

The idea of joking about leaving John behind doesn't help.

"I'll sleep on the couch, right? I'll uh. I'll go unpack my stuff." He hurriedly escapes the kitchen.

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new layout? it's pretty!

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i like it very much XD

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Re: <3

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