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@thesilentmedium from here:
[pm] Oh! I'm so sorry Emilio my phone seems to be sending the wrong messages to a lot of people today. I well it was his first try and it is very good for a first try!
[pm] Lot of that going around lately. Doesn't matter. I want to see Kevin's shitty cake.
LOCATION: Bread Cemetery TIMING: Current PARTIES: Alistair & Jonas (@thesilentmedium) SUMMARY: Jonas has a bad day, Alistair is around to comfort. CONTENT WARNINGS: Parental death, Sibling death, Partner death, General grief
“But even if it feels like your world is crashing down around you, you will get through this.”
It had been a horrible day. Really he should have seen it coming when he broke his favorite cat mug this morning while making coffee. It only went downhill from there. He had a new hire, named Kevin, manage to set a loaf of bread on fire as well as take the wrong addresses for orders causing Jonas to have to call everyone back to make sure everything was fixed. Then Blue ended up knocking over an old woman in an accident who was now threatening to sue him for hurting her hip, a couple was mad at him for not understanding their unique design for a wedding cake then tried to get him to give it to them for free, he banged his knee against the counter and to top it all off he was now standing over a dropped cake that he had spent hours decorating.
That seemed to be the final straw, there was a small gasp before the tears began to pour from his eyes. Jonas had been talking to Alistair about something or the other before bumping into the same counter that took out his knee earlier. Maybe that made it worse. “I am um sorry I did not mean to um..” It was hard to form a coherent sentence between sobs. Maybe it was just his body finally releasing the tension from the day but it was an ugly amount of tears currently leaving his eyes as he stared down at the now destroyed cake.
—
Ever since Jonas came back, Alistair had been meaning to go over to the bakery and catch up, truly they had. It just took some time to finally get over there with the whole Winnifred of it all. That damnable woman, Alistair just wanted to– never mind what they wanted to do, that wasn’t the goal of today. Today was about catching up with young Jonas and ensuring he was doing alright. They were sitting and talking about this that and the other, but Alistair could tell by Jonas’s tone that today was an off day, which made Alistair all the more thankful that he had shown up.
Alistair heard Jonas bump into something, and then the sound of muffled sobs. Great, he was crying and Alistair hadn’t a clue how to comfort someone. Tommy was one thing, but a grown adult? Someone outside the circle of people he knew how to actually comfort? It was different and uncharted territory. Slowly, Alistair got up from their seat and made their way over to Jonas, and simply put a hand on his shoulder, brows pinched together in worry. “You can cry, gods know you probably need it.” Alistair spoke in a soft voice, just trying to be a solid presence for the young man.
__
Jonas sniffled, feeling touched when Alistair put their hand on his shoulder. He knew the older person had an aversion to touch if their reaction to anytime he touched them was to go by. Though being touched by the affection Alistair was showing just made the tears worse as they forced themselves out of his eyes. Really it was a miracle this man even had tears left to shed, if there was a limit to how many tears the human body could shed Jonas would have surely hit it by now. It was embarrassing how easy it was to start and how hard it was to stop. He had always been like this even as a child, maybe it was because Lil cried so little that Jonas’ body was simply making up for his twin as well.
“I am um… I appreciate it.” Jonas managed to mumble out as he rubbed at his eyes. “Today has been hard.” His voice was trembling as he spoke and he felt bad for unloading on Alistair when they had just popped over for a short chat that Jonas had invited them to. He hadn’t even gotten to inviting them in the back for some coffee, he had gotten a new blend while out in Michigan that he was waiting to share with the other person. The mug Jonas had bought for them was also lingering in the back, he had picked it up thinking they might feel more comfortable having a mug that was specifically for them and that his staff hadn’t been using. Not that Alistair had ever voiced opposition to using the mugs Jonas had on hand, he didn’t think the older of the two would ever do such a thing but it was their dislike of being touched that made Jonas think of it. It just seemed to make sense they would prefer something others hadn’t been using. Perhaps he was overthinking but it was always better to be cautious with people’s comfort lines than not in case he overstepped. Jonas never aimed to push someone’s limits, he had been taught not to and to always be considerate of others before himself. Though maybe that was why he always ended up so exhausted by the end of the day.
—
Grief was a funny thing that Alistair knew intimately. Some days were hard, others were easy. Well, there was no such thing as an easy day when grief was involved. It had been eight years since losing their partner and Alistair still had experiences that they couldn’t wait to tell Mikael about until they realized that they couldn’t only a split second later. Grief was a monster that lurked in the corner of every interaction that they had, grief was the motivator that kept Alistair buried in their work instead of actively trying to seek out positive human connections. Grief was the reason they kept telling themselves that all they needed was Melody and Tommy and no one else, nothing more. Grief was the reason they told themselves that they didn’t deserve anything good, not after the death of Mikael. After all, they had the power to reverse Mikael’s death, and they didn’t. They never would. It was Mikael’s wish, and they had to respect it, but that didn’t stop them from spending each moment wishing that their partner was back at their side.
“I understand,” Alistair said softly, the hand on Jonas’s shoulder gripping tighter, no longer afraid to show how they truly felt with another human being. Mikael had told them that they wanted them to move on, and Alistair had to respect their wishes, even if it hurt. Even if it felt like they were stuck in that warehouse from eight years ago. Alistair took a deep breath, and let out a sigh. “I know what it’s like to lose someone important to you.” Was all they said before letting their hand drop back down to their side. “And I’m sorry that you can relate,” they then added, idly brushing the stray hair out of their face and behind their ear. “But if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you. Don’t keep it bottled up like I did. It won’t serve you any purpose except make you a bitter old man like me.”
__
Jonas hadn’t even been thinking of his family, eyes widening when Alistair brought up grieving over a loved one. He could feel his hands shaking against the counter as a door he had firmly closed in Michigan was forcibly ripped from the hinges allowing everything locked behind it to come flooding in, adding to the muck of the day that was already clogging the thoughts of his brain. His chest tightened, his breath caught in his throat as the sensation of being overwhelmed consumed him. This was too much far too much. He had to get out, he couldn’t breathe in here. “I um I-” His voice trembled as he scrambled towards the back, stumbling as his mind seemed to race in every direction. He wasn’t sure if Alistair would be able to follow or not but right now his brain was more concerned with getting out of the bakery. He needed air, he needed space to see the sky to know he was not trapped. It felt like he was dying all over again.
The back door was shoved open, Jonas couldn’t stop the shaking his body was experiencing. His hands went from his chest to his face and back again as he tried to find something. anything to calm his racing heart. He was pacing in the small alleyway behind the store, Blue had chased after her boy unsure of how to help she was stuck watching him as he cycled through crying and gasping for air. Finally he stopped, hand pressed over his heart as the other came to cover his eyes. “I am fine… No I am not. None of this is fine. But I…” He crumpled, squatting and burying his face in his arms, “They are never coming home.” He hadn’t admitted to himself yet that all those empty rooms were going to remain that way. There would be no more family dinners, no more squabbling between his older siblings, no more baked treats made with love from his mother’s hands, nothing in that house had owners anymore. It was his home but it felt more like a grave of memories. He and Lil were the last Ballards to live in Wicked’s Rest and that would never change. He wept, broken and tired from it all.
—
Alistair didn’t need to be able to see to know that Jonas was finally starting to deal with the pain that was losing someone. Sometimes, it took time for the grief to properly hit. Sometimes, it took days, weeks, and even months. Accepting that someone was never going to come back, was hard. Even harder when that person could bring them back, but they knew that it was the last thing a person who had died would want. Then, Jonas was rushing out the door, and Alistair found themselves fumbling to follow after, grateful that Brutus caught on and fell in stride with them, helping guide them out the back door after Jonas.
They made no move to comfort them, allowing Jonas to let it all out, to say what they needed to say. “It’s not fine,” Alistair finally agreed after an extended silence. “And it will take some time to begin to cope with it better.” Alistair stared down at the ground, a frown forming on their features as they remembered Mikael, remembered how full of life they’d been with them at their side. They remembered how it felt like their world was ending, but it didn’t, despite how much they wanted it to.
“With time comes the ability to cope with it better,” they began as they leaned against the wall behind them, turning their head in the direction of Jonas’s labored breathing. “But even if it feels like your world is crashing down around you, you will get through this.” Alistair took their sunglasses off their face and revealed the burn scar that covered their face. “I know what it’s like to lose someone to violence,” they spoke in a soft voice, careful not to let themselves relive the moment too intensely. “My partner, they were killed because of what I am, because of knowledge the spellcaster thought I had.” Alistair took a deep breath, grounding themselves. “You aren’t alone in your grief, you are never alone, do you understand?” Alistair fidgeted with the enchanted sunglasses in their hands, brows pulling together as they remembered Mikael taking their last breath in Alistair’s arms.
“There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t miss my spouse,” Alistair admitted. “But they wouldn’t want me to give up. They wouldn’t want you to give up. You have to live for them now because they can’t do it anymore. More than anything, know that you have your sister. Cherish what you have while you have it. Understand? Be there for each other, because you know what each other is going through.” Alistair finally laid a hand on Jonas’s shoulder. “And know that no matter how bad it feels, I will always be there for a shoulder to cry on should you need it.”
__
Jonas stayed in his little huddled form for a few minutes before finally looking up and noticing Alistair was talking. He wiped his tears and did his best to follow along. It was hard to read lips in his current state but he caught the gist of what had happened to the older person. A hand went to cover his mouth at the reveal of Alistair’s scar, he was glad the other couldn’t see the way his face scrunched up in pity. He didn’t think they would enjoy it, even in a vulnerable moment like this. Still once the hand landed on his shoulder Jonas couldn’t help standing up and hugging them. His arms tighten around their back as he softly forced the words out of his throat, “I am sorry. I am so so sorry.” No one deserved the horrible things that had happened to them both.
He stayed there glued to Alistair for a time before finally pulling back. He was developing a headache from so much crying it didn’t help that ghosts were starting to linger in the alleyway. He sniffled, drying his face with the cloth on his apron before attempting to speak. “I um… Well I think I needed that.” His voice was properly husky by now, but there was always something magical about a good cry and the relief that came after. Jonas frowned at the wet spots on Alistair’s shirt. It was obvious what the stains on their shoulder were. “Oh I am sorry, I um I did not mean to hug you without asking. I will um I will pay to have that cleaned.” Really his father was right about some things, Jonas was horrible at keeping his emotions in check, surely it was beginning to bother those around him. “I would um lend you my cardigan to cover it but you are quite bigger than me.”
Most people in this world were. At least it made having to borrow clothes from others a breeze, they never had to worry about if they would fit him. “Oh! Um Sai gave me shirts from the bat society he runs. One is too large for me but I am sure it will fit you.” His sniffles were starting to stop now that he had a new goal in mind. “I also um meant to tell you but I have a mug for you. You can um enjoy some coffee while I clean up the cake.” Jonas was sure he was back to deflecting now but sitting in his own grief was never something Jonas could do easily. It would take time like Alistair had said, for now he wanted things to do to keep the release that had come with the tears going.
—
Alistair frowned as Jonas felt a need to apologize, then stiffened as arms were suddenly wrapped around him. He hated being touched without warning, he hated hugs. The only people who were allowed to hug him were Tommy and Melody, and they always did so with permission first. The necromancer quickly shook their head and waved a hand at the boy. “Things happen, and it’s how we learn to cope with these sudden changes that help us through.” Was all he said before putting his sunglasses back onto his face.
Even though he was uncomfortable at first, he knew the boy needed it, so he hugged him in return after recovering from the initial shock. “It’s alright.” He spoke, straightening out his shirt. “Please, it’s just fabric. You don’t need to pay for anything. Tears are just water and salt, it’ll be okay.” Alistair was quick to say, not wanting Jonas to stress over crying on someone.
Then, Sai was mentioned. Bat shirts? He wouldn’t be caught dead. “No,” Alistair nearly shouted. “I mean. No, no thanks.” He pulled a face at the idea of Sai seeing him in it. He’d probably spit more bat facts at him, not that he minded… but the reputation of it all, right? Right.
Alistair then blinked, realizing Jonas had something for him. “Oh, you didn’t need to do all that,” he said before letting out a sigh. “What you need to do is allow yourself to be not okay.” Alistair found himself telling the other, putting a hand out until it reached Jonas’s shoulder, then rested on it. “You need to allow yourself to hurt, because if you don’t? You end up like me. Angry, bitter, and completely alone.”
__
Jonas was a little taken aback by Alistair’s hard refusal to wear the bat shirt, he hadn’t thought they looked that bad and they were comfortable pajamas! “Are you um sure? The shirt is quite soft. It um might feel nice.” At least better than wearing a shirt that was partly soaked from bodily fluids. “I would still like to um pay for it, or um perhaps I can give you a cake for your shop and its um employees.” Jonas never could just leave things like this be. He felt like he would be wronging the other in some way if he didn’t make up for it.
He was about to move back inside just as Alistair’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. “I um… I wanted to.” He said gently to the other, before they continued. He took in their words, thinking on it seriously. “I do not think I could ever be bitter.” It was something his mother had always said, she was filling him with so much love that he would be as sweet as sugar no matter what happened. “I um understand what you are saying and I am not saying you are wrong. It would do me good to um sit with it, but I will need time to get there and you are not alone. You are also not bitter. You are very kind and I am here, Melody is too.” Jonas wasn’t sure of who else was in Alistair’s life but he was sure there were others and that they would agree with what he said.
—
The more Jonas insisted that Alistair let him pay them back in some way, the more annoyed Alistair became, though they hid it as well as they could. “Jonas, no. You didn’t ruin anything I didn’t let you ruin. Besides, it’s water.” He raised a brow in their direction rather pointedly. “You don’t owe me anything because I want to be there for you if you need it. You are not a burden to me. You don’t need to prove yourself because you already have.” Alistair shook their head, annoyance bubbling to the surface before it was quickly buried once again.
Alistair huffed absentmindedly as Jonas insisted that Alistair wasn’t alone. It was one thing to not be physically alone, but another thing entirely to let themselves feel as if they were. They could be in a room full of people and still feel like the most isolated person on the planet. “I don’t think you have a bitter bone in your body, no,” Alistair murmured in response, but still, the point stood. “Still, you can’t let things fester like this. No good comes of it.” With that, the spellcaster pushed themselves off the side of the building and nodded their head. “I should head back,” they decided, knowing that Jonas needed some time alone, and they had exhausted their ability to be kind for the day.
__
“I…” Jonas realized he had insisted too much when Alistair was forced to reassure him he had done nothing wrong. “I understand, I um will not bring it up again.” Perhaps he was still feeling the emotions from before more than he thought. He wondered when he did begin to feel like such a dead weight to those around him. How many times had he needed to ask for help? There never seemed to be a situation Jonas could tackle all on his own, outside of baking and maybe some seances. “I will do my best um not to let it.” Jonas offered a smile the other couldn’t see before moving out of their way, “Of course, I do um hope you stop by again when I am um in a better mood. Then we can simply sit and chat.” He also had a cake to clean up which reminded him he needed to make sure Brutus and Alistair didn’t walk through it. “Oh um let me um clean the path a little first it would be bad if you slipped on icing!” Alistair was older than he was and a fall could hurt the elderly it was only common courtesy that he make it a slip free zone for them.
@thesilentmedium from here:
I am sure that is not true, everyone has something they are good at even if they are not aware of it
I'm good at [...] recognizing my limitations, I guess!
@thesilentmedium replied to your post “[pm] I am sorry I had to leave so early in the...”:
[pm] It hurts a little but it will be alright. I am staying in the front today. Blue can show you where everything in the house is, or fetch it for you if you still cannot get up. She will only leave you for a little bit to come walk me home.
[pm] I'm sorry If you manage a trip to the pharmacy after work, I might ask you to pick up some things? If that's okay. I want to check on your bandages.
Having Blue around is definitely nice. I kinda feel like she might be a little grumpy towards me, which I... totally get. She's way too smart for a dog, honestly.
Timing: Current (this morning probably) Location: Ballard family home Feat: @thesilentmedium & @eldritchaccident Warnings: slight emotional abuse mention tw Summary: Jonas hires Teddy to help fix up the family home
Jonas had been conflicted. This house wasn’t his, sure it belonged to the Ballard family but not to him. Still he was living here now and it had been a few weeks since they all went missing. He was trying to stay positive but he knew the odds of them returning were slim to none at this point. He reasoned with himself that if they did come back they would probably appreciate having the family home fixed and looking like it had when they first moved in. His grandmother had put a lot of effort into making sure the ancestral home was still as beautiful as it was in its prime. Though now it looked as if June and Jacob just couldn’t be bothered with it, it was a mess much like their marriage. It made Jonas sad and as much as he wanted to wait for permission to get it fixed he found he just couldn't wait anymore.
He was glad when his ad got responded to so quickly. It took a lot of the anxiety off of having to wait for someone to get in touch and the young man seemed good at his job so far. At the current moment he was fixing one of the gutters that had come loose from the covered front porch. Jonas carefully pushed the screen door open, setting a tray down on one of the side tables before walking over to the man sitting at the top of his ladder. He made sure to grab the bottom before reaching up to tap Teddy’s leg. “I brought you some lunch, something to warm you up out here.” He signed once he was sure he had the other’s attention. There was currently a warm chocolate muffin fresh from the oven sitting next to a cup of coffee on the tray.
—
Somewhere along the long road to Wicked’s Rest, Teddy had picked up a whole roster of useful skills. Levi didn’t force the kid to go to school, and more often than not the demonling spent their time learning trades, or trying to find practical means of spending their time. They just had a thirst for knowledge that couldn’t ever be quenched. Teddy loved learning, and most of the time it came in handy.
The houses they picked weren’t always the most glamorous. Not like the one Levi found for itself on World’s End Isle. And while the greater demon had a breadth of experience and all the insight in the universe to go off of, it was still just learning how to be a human. All the little details that made up human life. And that included maintenance on things like gutters and painting, and appliances. Teddy became pretty handy with that kind of thing. And now they liked to help others with it.
Often charging ‘favors’ instead of actual currency.
“Appreciate it! That’s so sweet dude.” They signed right back, perks of being fluent in just about everything? You get to talk to just about everyone. Meet them wherever they are. “Almost done here. What’s next on the docket?”
—
Jonas paused, pulling a piece of paper he had prepared in case Teddy had been unable to sign. He did not expect Teddy to be able to do most of what was on it, but he figured it was better to ask given that he hadn’t gone directly to a business. Most places wanted phone calls which wasn’t possible for him unless it was a video call. He rubbed at the back of his neck and offered the slip of paper to Teddy, “Maybe the back porch? None of the steps on it are uh particularly on very well.” That seemed to be a running theme with the stairs in the house and he wasn’t sure just what his parents were doing to cause such things to happen. Were they stealing the iron nails for something? It didn’t make much sense considering they could buy the nails if they needed it. He was so confused as to how his parents could miss all of this then again his neighbors had been mentioning that the Ballards were spending less and less time at home recently.
Perhaps it had to do with the divorce papers he had found while looking through files in his mom’s study. Jonas frowned a little at the thought before looking back up at Teddy, “You should take a break first. No need to push yourself. We can take this time to properly discuss your pay.” If there was one thing Jonas wasn’t lacking it was money. The benefits of having a long and well established family business he supposed. Though now that the business was relying on him to keep it going he wasn’t sure just how beneficial it was.
—
The paper had a whole lot of projects, and Teddy couldn’t help but grin. They clicked their tongue as they skimmed it, figuring out which were doable with the things they had brought today, and which would require a trip to the local hardware store. A pretty even split. But more than enough tasks to keep the demon busy until it was time to go home. A normally enticing notion, held a little less weight lately. They were still recovering from the incident and stopping long enough to rest meant actually feeling the pain. Which was less fun than, say, fixing stairs.
“Nahhhh–” Teddy laughed as they shook the sign, adding emphasis to it with a stanky facial expression. “I don’t tire easy. But we can chat on the porch while I inspect!” Already making their way towards the next thing to hold their attention, the demon was happy to have a companion while working. Wasn’t often that they did on these little jaunty jobs. It was nice. Refreshing. Plus Jonas was kind. A rarity in this town. Well. Somewhat. There were plenty of people who were nice, or attempted to be. But real actual kindness was a much more elusive trait.
“How old is this place?” A pretty standard question the demon should have maybe asked a bit earlier. But it was less necessary and more intriguing. Houses like this had history. And Teddy loved stories.
—
The steps creaked as Jonas made his way back onto the front porch, sitting down on one of the wicker chairs. They were new, unlike the house behind them, bought only a week ago to replace the ones that had sat here before. Jonas had never claimed to be good at decorating, cars and hotel rooms were hardly places that would allow it, but he did hope the chairs went well with the small glass table sitting between them. In front of his chair was an easel with a painting that had barely begun sitting atop it. “You will have to tell me some of the snacks you prefer so I can have them on hand when you work.” Jonas had been raised to be a good host and he knew not everyone was fond of muffins, even homemade ones. “I am amazed you were able to come out here so early in the morning.” He patted the seat next to him indicating Teddy should sit down.
“Let me know if you need anything, I can always run out to get supplies.” The young man would have gone earlier if he knew anything at all about fixing homes. At least the paint was easy enough to get, it was sitting in the basement waiting for use but that was something Jonas was particularly familiar with and wouldn’t force on Teddy. “Oh um… well I am not sure. It has been here since my grandmother at least. I think it was passed onto her from her mother, then she gave it to mine. It has a lot of history in it. I am a little sad to see it so worn out.”
Jonas fiddled with a loose piece of thread on the end of his cardigan’s sleeve. He knew the house was well loved by his family, or he liked to think so, but that made it even more alarming that it had been left to rot. How bad were things in this house when he left? Why had no one mentioned it to him? Then again Jonas being left out of the loop for most things was expected. No one seemed to want to bother him with such matters even if he would be glad to help. He wasn’t sure why, perhaps they saw him as weak? He frowned a little at the thought. He decided to change the topic in his head by addressing Teddy instead, “Have you been in Wicked’s Rest long?”
—
Out here it was a little easier to tell just how aged the house had gotten. Not that Teddy had been around to see it in its heyday, but the weather in the north east had that effect on most buildings. Stop looking after it for just one year and it looks like the apocalypse strolled through. (In a town like Wicked’s Rest, that might even be literal. Who knows if alternate timelines exist? Maybe there’s another Teddy out there, running around with a lot less fashion sense and self confidence.) As far as they could tell though, the place had good bones. The foundation was solid, the support beams were in place, no rotting. Just needed some tender love and care.
It was a bit hard to sign and measure at the same time, if you wanted to do either with any amount of skill. So Teds opted to wait on pulling out the snappy little tape thing. Taking a moment to sit where instructed, leaning up against the railing and just observing. The painting on the easel was just starting to take shape, but it had a motion to it that captivated the demon, made a soft smile split their lips.
“I’ll eat almost anything, but have you ever tried those little cosmic brownies?” Sure, maybe they weren’t as good now as when the demon was in school (whenever they actually went to school) back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. But Teddy sure had gotten a craving for them back then. Or maybe it was the feeling of being able to trade them away for… things. You’d be surprised how much a kid would give for a dessert. And how proud that could make your demon dad. “Ooh, and clementines. Sometimes together.” They could practically smell it, bright citrus against fudgy chocolate. A perfect combo, and honestly one of the more tame ones to come from the Jones repertoire.
“I’ve never been good at keeping a regular schedule.” In truth, the demon hadn’t even slept in a few days. Running on a mix of energy drinks and endless reservoirs of competitiveness. With themself, of course. See how long they could go, see what they could accomplish. Normal things. Right? “And if I’m up, why not come right away, right?” Teddy nodded along to the next part, putting their very best listening eyes on. Wilting slightly as they watched Jonas’ expression. It was clear he cared very much for the place. Without much time spent between the demon, the boy, and the house, Ted shared the sentiment.
“Well, you and me together. We’ll get her looking pretty as the day she was built.” They hoped it would offer some comfort. Some manner of reassurance to whatever had left this place in such disrepair. That was a story too, Teddy thought. One they’d love to crack into, but only when the time was right. “Oh me? About” A beat, then their nose wrinkled slightly. “Two years now? Maybe a little more?” Had it really been that long?
—
“Cosmic brownies?” Jonas really did not eat a lot of food that wasn’t homemade as a kid, especially if it was something baked. It took him a while to think of what Teddy was talking about before it clicked, “Oh! The little brownies with the rainbow colored chocolate chips on it. I can certainly see if the store has those.” Clementines, he knew those, and mixing them together did not seem all that odd to Jonas. Chocolate and oranges had been paired together before so it made sense to him. “Those will not be hard to find, I do not think. I can even probably look up a recipe to bake some, or make you chocolate oranges. If you would like that.” The young man really did not have much to do while Teddy was fixing up the house other than to bake.
The thought of sitting outside and painting while Teddy was hard at work seemed rude. They had come here to help Jonas; he felt he could at least make them something delicious to snack on while they were busy. Living out of a car had its disadvantages and one was learning home repair. To be honest he was not much of a car man either, sure he could fix a tire if it went flat but if the car started having problems he always just brought it to someone who was an expert in that field. Jonas was a little sad that he and Lil had never found a place to settle in all their years away.
It certainly made staying put feel odd. Even now Jonas was making plans for when he and Lil would have to leave if their family came back. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to leave but something in him made it feel like he wasn’t allowed to stay. The looming threat of Jacob returning was certainly a part of it but something else was still there, something that said he didn’t belong in this town anymore. There was hardly anything here to keep him once his parents returned. They would take over their respective businesses and Jonas wouldn’t be involved anymore just like before. It was a sad thought but he knew this was the price to pay for running away all those years ago.
He didn’t regret it though, if he had stayed he likely wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Jacob had the horrible ability to wear away at one’s soul. Tearing it bit by bit and amplifying all your flaws. Making sure you felt as insignificant as you feared you were. Something about Jonas just sparked a hatred deep within his father. So much so that when the young man received his last text he couldn’t believe a word of it even if he wanted to try and see the better side of his father. How could he believe the man who berated him at every turn would suddenly admit to being proud of him? When they left his father had stopped talking to him all together unless it was to get him to tell Lil to check her texts.
Now wasn’t the time to get lost in thought though, Jonas had a guest who was signing something and his mind needed to focus on that. “I suppose that is true but I do hope you are not pushing yourself. That is not good for your body and can hurt more than it helps.” He should know if his cry in the kitchen was anything to go by. Overwork and stress could be as hard to handle as an unloving father sometimes. “I am grateful you were free to help, I would love to see her looking like her former self.” Two years was a good amount of time to start building up a business yet Teddy seemed more like a jack of all trades rather than someone who had a single business running. “Two years? That is quite a long time. Do you like it here in Wicked’s Rest?”
—
“Yes yes yes!!” Teddy vigorously bobbed their fist in agreement, lighting up at the acknowledgement of one of their favorite childhood snacks. “A homemade version would be so interesting, trying to get that fudgy consistency? And the little crunchies on top? If you ever attempt it you gotta call me over cause I need to be there for that.” If the demon’s smile got any brighter they’d be able to use it as a flashlight while inspecting the damage below the deck.
Teddy loved cooking. Especially baking. If the muffins Jonas had brought by earlier were any indication, he was pretty fantastic at it too. Of course, there was something to be enjoyed by the simple confections that came in a plastic package. Maybe it was the consistency in flavor, texture, and the overall event of eating one. But that didn’t mean they held a candle to things made by hand at home by someone who loved what they were doing.
Maybe that sentiment carried to just about everything else though too. If someone really enjoyed their craft, no matter what it was, it would show. Teddy might have been a jack of all trades, master of like… two, but that didn’t ever stop them from putting their whole heart into every task. Each carried a different piece of them, a different story. Tales of when and how and why they had learned to do it in the first place. Some, of course, fared better than others. And those ended up being the skills Teds put to use for other folks.
The stairs were in rough shape, but it was nothing a few supports and a replaced step couldn’t fix. The temporary carpenter wanted nothing more than to reflect the homeowner’s affection (or whatever sentiment they clearly held for this house) in their work. Return the edifice to its former glory or something like that. It really was a lovely place.
“I think I do.” Wicked’s Rest was a rush of sighs amongst a cloud of smog. It wasn’t in Teddy’s nature to settle but this town actually gave them the space to try. Leviathan seemed to be doing just that. Setting up an actual brick and mortar business (well, two of them) and acquiring an actual honest to goodness home on World’s End Isle. No more shitty apartments, no cars, no tents, motels, hotels, or abandoned shacks. It was gorgeous and fitted the nature of the ancient sea beast. Commanding a level of respect.
“It’s been a weird adjustment, but this might be one of the most welcoming towns I’ve ever been in.” Did that perhaps shed a little light on the less than human nature of the Joneses? Maybe. Oh well. That was the sort of thing that really only clicked if the other person was also in the supernatural know-how. “What about you? Do you like it?”
—
“I will buy some to try and see if I can get the fudge to the right texture. You are more than welcome to come bake with me.” Jonas was a people person and he loved it when others took an interest in baking. “If you do not want to bake you can be the taste tester. “ He smiled at how Teddy’s face seemed to light up at the mere thought of their little idea. “The rainbow chocolate chips might need to be bought online.” He doubted the store had the little candy coated chocolate sprinkles and the homemade cosmic brownies just wouldn’t be the same without them. They were the staple of the little treats after all.
Did he? That was a rather hard question to answer. Jonas knew he adored the people he had met so far but the town itself always carried the mark of his father which made actually enjoying it hard. He wanted to move past his father but being in the place where the man had had absolute control over him made it almost impossible. “I would very much like to. The people have been nothing but kind.” Well the majority of them. There was one incident with Regan but he blamed that more on the possessed bagel than the woman herself. He did feel bad that Blue had kicked them both out. He really should have checked in to make sure she was alright after all of that but the awkward encounter was keeping him from reaching out in case she was still mad.
“It is hard to feel welcomed after being gone for so long.” Jonas felt as if the town didn’t recognize him anymore just as much as he didn’t recognize it. “But I am glad I got to meet you. You are a joy to be talking with.” It was true, Teddy’s bubbly personality made it hard to sit with the bad feelings that cultivated when he was alone.
—
Oh this was all too good. Teddy was so happy they’d taken this job, and they silently thanked the universe for grabbing their attention with that flier. Not only was this a big enough challenge to be fun, Jonas was turning out to be a wonderful addition to their collective group of cool folks in Wicked’s Rest. It was still a teensy bit hard to put a proper title on that. Friends seemed too… attached of a moniker. What if they didn’t think about the demon the way they did? Too many disappointments and you stop assuming your importance in other people’s lives. It was easier to wait it out and see what they said for themselves. After all, Teddy had forever.
“I would love to bake with you, any time.” They responded enthusiastically. Something about sign language always captivated Teddy more than almost any of the hundreds of languages they’d studied. There was so much life to it. It was so animated. “But I would be honored to be your taste-tester.” The demon hummed a self satisfied little laugh, making sure to move his hands appropriately so that the sound was translated for Jonas.
Jonas, who seemed to drift a little from the conversation. Wistful thoughts, or perhaps something darker, whisked away the boy’s attention as he thought of an answer to the demon’s query. An understandable thing, Teddy knew just how hard a topic home could be. “Well I’m glad you’re here at the same time as me. Not just for your baking skills.” They winked, and leaned back to let the sun bathe them a bit as they just sat and stared for a moment. Reflecting on how much things had changed since moving to this town. “I gotta get to work, but this has been nice.”
—
The enthusiasm for baking Teddy seemed to display, drew Jonas out of his thoughts. There were more cheerful things to focus on than his past and he would have to do his best to remember that. “We will have to schedule it before you leave for the day!” He couldn’t help but grin as the person in front of him seemed so excited to even get to taste test his work. It was a wonderful feeling and made Jonas more confident in his baking skills. It also reminded him why he enjoyed baking in the first place; what was the point of making food if you could not share it? It was similar to how he adored having big dinners with as many friends and family around as possible. He supposed it was a side effect of always having a large family with him.
Jonas’ reached over and took the empty tray on the end table, careful to make sure the cup stayed in place. He spoke with his hands now busy. “I will leave you to it then. If you need me I will be in the living room or the kitchen, Blue may come out to check on you while I finish up some chores inside. If you um want another break I will be happy to sit and chat again. It is always nice to make a new friend.” His words came out slower and less confident than when he had been signing but he meant them all the same. Teddy was already counted as a friend even if they themselves had yet to reach that decision. He offered one last smile before making his way inside.
[pm] Kevin, please do not be upset. I did not mean to laugh at your cake! It was wonderful, please come back to the bakery you did a fine job for your first time at decorating.
[pm] I am not Kevin. Was his cake bad? Show me his cake.
@thesilentmedium from here:
It is short for Valentine's Day
I don't know what that is.
@thesilentmedium replied to your post “What is your opinion on second chances?”:
Has something happened to make you feel that way?
Now if I shared that with the class I wouldn't have a mysterious charm to me, would I?
