Épousez-moi, Restez la Même Chose
Take What You Need
In the glow of the light from the TV, the family--the Ways, Gerard supposed they could be called at this point because it was all inevitable--all wound down from the day. Gerard, from his trip, Mikey from using the morning to assure Gerard that he should be here, and Alicia and wiL from shopping. Their spoils were sitting in the living room near the door, dropped when wiL had realized that Gerard was here for him.
Alicia sat tame and oddly domestic--huh, Gerard guessed that term could apply to humans, after all--on the armchair of the big squishy recliner Mikey's small body sunk into, her arms looped through one of his. And they looked like a couple, as much as two people could. Couple in the sense that they belonged together to make a set, not just two things set beside each other. It's how Gerard has always wanted to look-- part of a set.
*
The sun cut across his eyes first thing in the morning, with yellow-pink warmth all around him. Not, not that he actually peeked his eyes open and saw pink and yellow surrounding him instead of his brother's living room. That would have scared the hell out of him. No, it was the feeling of pink and yellow. Soothing but with a taste of shock from being pulled back into the waking world.
"WiL?.." Of course it was the first thing out of his mouth. WiL was his other half, they fell asleep intertwined together, and Gerard thought it was kind of important that they be together when he woke up. Just in case, you know, wiL decided sometime during the night he didn't appreciate being in a set. Gerard got up, running a hand through the black forest nestling on top of his head, slumping over himself.
His back hurt. It was a throbbing sensation in his lower back, almost like a headcold trapped in his spine. He closed his eyes again, and listened.
"Cette couleur… les nuages. Ils brillent comme vos cheveux fait dans la lumière." WiL's breath was hushed but full of admiration. Gerard had no idea what most of the words meant, but he didn't have to. It was all in the soft-spoken voice and smile. He sat up a little more and twisted his head around to the window, to wiL leaned up against the window frame.
"We should go home soon," wiL said almost conversationally, pushing himself from the window and setting gingerly on the pull out couch beside Gerard. "My flowers will wilt soon if I'm not there..."
Gerard smiled and leaned up to press his cheek into wiL's hair. "I'm sure they are getting plenty of rain water and sun."
"But there's no one there to speak with them."
Gerard let his eyes laze halfway closed and a smile to start forming itself on his lips. "Vrai."
He had heard somewhere that talking to plants helped them grow, after all. And what living, growing being on earth wouldn't want to grow, to reach towards a fountain spewing with good-natured stories and love? Wasn't it a natural instinct to lean towards the things that give off exactly what you need?
"When do you want to go back?"
It didn't matter to him, really. Here or there, he was with what he needed.
"Demain."
*
"...are you sure you don't need a scarf? It's almost 60 degrees out there, and I don't want you catching a cold, sweetie." Alicia was clinging to wiL at the door, giving her best worried smile. WiL just stood and smiled back at her sweetly.
"Don't worry, 'Licia, I will be okay."
"You sure? I can totally tag along to Maine, I don't have too many connections here!"
Mikey huffed and grabbed her arm, cocking an eye at Gerard. Kind of a 'here, see what you did to my wife' sort of look. It was a pretty wide range of emotion for Mikey, in Gerard's opinion. Which told Gerard a lot, actually.
"Alicia, don't worry. I will take care of him." And though Gerard could barely take care of himself, he knew it was true. WiL was in good hands. He trusted himself enough when he had to. He thought it was sort of like those stories when a mother gains terrific strength to protect her child. "You know he will be okay."
A smile from wiL then he was fitted into Gerard's arms, wiggling his shoulders and getting settled. "Gerard loves me," he said, and that was it.
Alicia sat tame and oddly domestic--huh, Gerard guessed that term could apply to humans, after all--on the armchair of the big squishy recliner Mikey's small body sunk into, her arms looped through one of his. And they looked like a couple, as much as two people could. Couple in the sense that they belonged together to make a set, not just two things set beside each other. It's how Gerard has always wanted to look-- part of a set.
*
The sun cut across his eyes first thing in the morning, with yellow-pink warmth all around him. Not, not that he actually peeked his eyes open and saw pink and yellow surrounding him instead of his brother's living room. That would have scared the hell out of him. No, it was the feeling of pink and yellow. Soothing but with a taste of shock from being pulled back into the waking world.
"WiL?.." Of course it was the first thing out of his mouth. WiL was his other half, they fell asleep intertwined together, and Gerard thought it was kind of important that they be together when he woke up. Just in case, you know, wiL decided sometime during the night he didn't appreciate being in a set. Gerard got up, running a hand through the black forest nestling on top of his head, slumping over himself.
His back hurt. It was a throbbing sensation in his lower back, almost like a headcold trapped in his spine. He closed his eyes again, and listened.
"Cette couleur… les nuages. Ils brillent comme vos cheveux fait dans la lumière." WiL's breath was hushed but full of admiration. Gerard had no idea what most of the words meant, but he didn't have to. It was all in the soft-spoken voice and smile. He sat up a little more and twisted his head around to the window, to wiL leaned up against the window frame.
"We should go home soon," wiL said almost conversationally, pushing himself from the window and setting gingerly on the pull out couch beside Gerard. "My flowers will wilt soon if I'm not there..."
Gerard smiled and leaned up to press his cheek into wiL's hair. "I'm sure they are getting plenty of rain water and sun."
"But there's no one there to speak with them."
Gerard let his eyes laze halfway closed and a smile to start forming itself on his lips. "Vrai."
He had heard somewhere that talking to plants helped them grow, after all. And what living, growing being on earth wouldn't want to grow, to reach towards a fountain spewing with good-natured stories and love? Wasn't it a natural instinct to lean towards the things that give off exactly what you need?
"When do you want to go back?"
It didn't matter to him, really. Here or there, he was with what he needed.
"Demain."
*
"...are you sure you don't need a scarf? It's almost 60 degrees out there, and I don't want you catching a cold, sweetie." Alicia was clinging to wiL at the door, giving her best worried smile. WiL just stood and smiled back at her sweetly.
"Don't worry, 'Licia, I will be okay."
"You sure? I can totally tag along to Maine, I don't have too many connections here!"
Mikey huffed and grabbed her arm, cocking an eye at Gerard. Kind of a 'here, see what you did to my wife' sort of look. It was a pretty wide range of emotion for Mikey, in Gerard's opinion. Which told Gerard a lot, actually.
"Alicia, don't worry. I will take care of him." And though Gerard could barely take care of himself, he knew it was true. WiL was in good hands. He trusted himself enough when he had to. He thought it was sort of like those stories when a mother gains terrific strength to protect her child. "You know he will be okay."
A smile from wiL then he was fitted into Gerard's arms, wiggling his shoulders and getting settled. "Gerard loves me," he said, and that was it.
♠ ♠ ♠
Mkay, this chapter is definitely a filler. But there's more plot coming, I promise.Also, this is dedicated to Unapologetic Apathy for kicking my butt into gear.