Yesterday's Feelings

John set some eggs on the plate for Eric and some on the plate for himself. He was totally stoked, even though it had been almost a month since Ari had called him back and had agreed to move in, her and Dani. He hadn't yet told Eric but he figured now was as good a time as ever. Well, he knew he had to do it soon. He'd explained the situation to his roommates in the house and one had agreed to move to the guest room so Dani could have an upstairs room. John knew how awkward it would be for Eric to just come home and one day find a moving truck in the drive.

"Who's hungry?" John called as he sat a small bite of toast and fruit on Eli's high chair for the toddler to eat.

Eric headed in to the kitchen to grab the plate John had set out for him.

John met the younger Jackson in the kitchen and grabbed some silverware for each of them.John cleared his throat a little as he watched Eric, "Hey, Look, I just want to throw you a little heads up." John said as he headed to the table with breakfast.

Eric sat with a half-cocked eyebrow, "What do you mean?" Eric asked as he dug in to the pile of eggs and toast with fruit before him. Eric never liked the whole, 'I just want to give you a heads up' talk. It was really akin to the whole 'Honey we need to talk' and usually meant that something bad or just generally not preferred was about to happen.

John scratched at his scalp that was tucked under his Redbull beanie, "First of all, We're getting another couple of roommates." John was cut off as Eli banged his sippy cup against his high chair, smashed fruit on his cheek. John cast a sideways glance at the toddler, "Uh, Ari and Dani are coming back."

Eric nodded, chuckling, "So new roomies and Ari is coming for another visit." Eric chuckled, "You really like her and that's cool." Eric was cool with John and Ari, as long as it wasn't serious. He wasn't sure he could handle knowing that she was the one who got away.

John smiled slightly, "No, not.. You're kind of overshooting baby bro." John said, shoveling some eggs in his mouth. "I was thinking more along the lines of Ari and Danielle are our new roommates." John carefully broached the subject, not a hundred percent sure that Eric would be okay with it. He just wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.

Eric's demeanor changed. How could he even think about it and make that decision without asking him first. "Think all you want, it's not a good idea." Eric said, his arms resting on the table, "You hardly know her."

John shook his head, "I sort of already told her that her and Ari could move in." John admitted, "I know her Eric, I wouldn't have made the choice if I wasn't sure."

Eric shook his head, "So you basically told her she could move in without asking me or anyone else? Awesome."

John grimaced, just slightly, "That.. isn't exactly true either." John paused, "One of the guys is taking the guest room downstairs so Danielle can be on the main floor with Ari and I."

"Oh," Eric threw his hands up in the air. John couldn't blame him for being upset, "I see I'm the last to know." He said angrily. "John. You really hardly know her."

John shook his head, "Oh, and you know her any better?" the older Jackson shot back at the younger. "Quiz me."

Eric chuckled, "Name her guitar." Eric was about to prove his brother how very much he did not know Ari. Eric knew a lot of things about Ari, he knew where she came from, why she ran away.

John smirked, "Ruby." How could he forget? Ruby was gorgeous and while Ari never really played her in front of John so much, he did remember her asking once if they could go get her.

Eric nodded, "Alright, you got that one, but that was easy." Eric pushed his plate aside and leaned forward toward the table, "True or False, She has a scar near her eyebrow."

John narrowed his eyes a little at Eric. That was was harder, "True." but he still remembered that scar and it was pecuiliar.

"How'd she get it?" Eric said no sooner than the words had left his older brother's lips.

John gave a little shrug, "I don't know." He admitted, but it wasn't going to deter him. But if they were going down the whole, who knows her better route, two could play at that. "Favorite Movie?"

Eric smirked but was a little taken aback when John shot him a question, "Uhh, I.. Don't know." Eric admitted, a question about Ari he didn't know the answer to? It was a little surprising.

"Beauty and The Beast." John smirked, "Two can play at this Eric. I was there for things when you weren't. I'm not worried about her background, she'll tell me what she wants, when she wants." John shrugged, "And if she never tells me, it's not the end of the world. Yeah, she was a run away and Pastor Reyes put her with you and that's all I need to know Eric." He sighed, "She's a good person. She's smart, funny, and strong." John paused, "She makes me a better person when I'm around her and I miss her. I miss Dani playing with Sensi and Gwen." John shut himself up before he kept on.

John saw a future with Ari and while he wasn't sure if she saw the same, watching Dani play with the dogs, watching Ari with Dani. He wanted to have kids with her, a family. A little dreadlocked, snowboarding, ginger family. It was honestly something he'd thought about ever since that night by the fire roasting, or rather, burning Marshmallows. He knew that it would take a long time before he even got far enough with Ari to even consider asking her.

John wasn't getting any younger. He was in his 30s now and he was still single. He was tired of going alone to the parties and a different girl every night. He wanted someone to go with him, to come home to, to wake up next to without the awkward 'I'll call you' and 'goodbye's. He wanted someone to spend the rest of his life with and he liked Ari. Ari was always nice to him, comfortable with him, she seemed to care about John Jackson the person not, John Jackson the snowboarder.

"Fine." Eric said, throwing his arms up, "Have it your way. Let her and Dani move in." Eric picked his plate up, shaking his head, "Just don't come crying to me when she up and leaves." Eric's tone was one that sounded bitter, hurt. He continued in to the kitchen and set his plate in the sink, hands gripping at the counter.

Eric was angry, hurt, and yeah, a little bitter. His brother had gone behind his back to ask her to move in without asking him first. He was a roommate too, him and Eli. He wanted to win Ari back, now he was sure his hopes were dashed. Not only did he feel like his hopes were dashed from her just saying they wanted to work on being friends, which they had been, but he felt duped by John. He felt that all those 'Oh it's not serious, we're just doing a couple of dates and hanging out.' were all just flat out lies. This felt like things had just been upgraded from 'not serious' to 'we're serious'. It didn't feel fair.