Echolls Res. a little while after parental check-in
"And this," Jake said, finishing the tour of the Echolls house and ending up in his room. "Is my room, and that's Krycek." He beamed at his dad and his boyfriend, happy that they'd got this chance to meet.
Jacob senior smiled to his son's boyfriend. It was a wide, friendly smile. The eyes, however, were hard as flint when he met Krycek's gaze. "Pleased to meet you."
Krycek had the urge to straighten up and lift his chin when Mr Gavin looked at him, but he'd already decided he'd be going with "comfortable" rather than "completely unnerved" or "frightened like a guilty puppy". He stepped forward, offering his hand politely, and even smiled a little in return... Even if, when he looked back at those eyes, he wanted nothing more than to back up against the wall and stay very very still. "Nice to meet you, Mr Gavin. I'm glad you could make it; Jake was very happy to know you'd be coming."
Jacob shook his hand politely, smiling again at Krycek's words. "Glad to hear it." He ruffled Jake's hair, ignoring Jake's embarrassed "daaad". "I do try to attend all of my son's school events." There might have been stressing of the words 'my' and 'son'.
Krycek nodded, managing not to tense up too obviously; this wasn't quite so bad, so far. "Jake speaks very highly of you, sir. I was glad we could have this chance to meet." Just be polite and don't act afraid. They can smell your fear.
"And I want coffee," Jake said firmly. "Dad, you sit down somewhere..." he waved his hand, taking in the entire room in the gesture. The room was for once almost up to Krycek's standard. Almost. "And I'll go make some."
Krycek watched Jake go with a slight feeling of panic. Turning to look at Mr Gavin, he had the feeling of a rat being watched by a very playfully cruel mountain lion. He waited for the senior Gavin to sit, if he was going to, and he took the next open spot, though he wanted to avoid the bed unless there was no alternative. "How was your trip, sir?" Polite chatter might be the way to go - it was better than meaningful silence anyway
"It went very well indeed," Jacob said, sitting down in Jake's office chair and absently picking up the post-it pad. He gave Krycek a thorough and not at all subtle once over, apparently taking in every detail. "You know my son very well by now, don't you?"
Krycek nodded, sitting comfortably but not sloppily - good posture, but not stiff. "I think so, sir. Fairly well."
"Good. You've probably discovered his uncanny ability to land himself in deep trouble then?" An eyebrow was cocked in question.
Krycek smirked faintly and nodded again. "Yes, sir."
Jacob's eyes narrowed a little at the smirk, but he went on without commenting. "Of course, you realize that I expect you to get him out of said trouble? Otherwise, well..." he trailed off, looking down at the post-it pad. He pulled a note of the pad and ripped it leisurely apart. "I do hope we understand each other."
Krycek found his gaze glued to the ripped post-it for far longer than was probably advisable. This was going about as badly as he could have hoped. Anger he could have dealt with, or indignation. This cool, calm threat against his life was a little disheartening. "...Yes, sir." He looked up finally, swallowing hard, but he wasn't broken yet. "Except that... If the punishment fits the crime and is not more than he can handle, I believe he should be allowed to own up to his own mistakes."
"...I see you do not understand," Jacob said calmly. "Would you perhaps like me to explain further? I would not like there to be any misunderstandings between us. That could prove... unfortunate."
Krycek stiffened slightly. "Please explain, sir. There may be something I'm misunderstanding." He didn't think so, but, well, Gavin sr didn't seem to be a person you didn't listen to if he insisted otherwise
Jacob sighed. "There are very few things Jake is unable to survive. Unfortunately, he knows this, and this makes him act rather impulsively at times, without thinking about possible outcomes. While I hope this is something he will eventually grow out of, until he does? I expect you to be right by his side to haul him out. Regardless of the danger to yourself."
"I intend to be by his side, sir," Krycek said, stepping as carefully as possible through this minefield of a conversation. "I hope not to find ourselves in circumstances as you've described, but." He paused, apparently trying to think of a way to phrase it. "...Jake will not be hurt for my lack of trying to stop it."
The older man seemed satisfied by this reply, leaning back in his chair a little and going back to playing with the post-it pad. "Good." For the first time he looked a little uncertain as he changed the topic. Slightly. "I do believe you're the first boy my son's been with? Why, do you think, is that?"
Krycek felt a little pole-axed. He'd maybe expected an accusation or anger of some sort on that topic, not uncertainty (he thought that was uncertainty anyway, feeling a little bit of that himself at the moment). He took a deep breath, thinking fast, but even then he shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure. But he seems to think I'm interesting enough to merit his attention."
"Really? He's said that?" The maybe-uncertainty turned into obvious surprise. "Outside of new coffee combinations, I didn't think he found much of anything interesting." Jacob gave him a long look. "You must be special indeed." His voice didn't reveal whether he thought that was a good thing or not.
Krycek looked back at him, unsure how to take that statement. He was sometimes rather bemused at Jake's apparent interest in him, but he wasn't going to question it. Obviously, Gavin sr thought that it was a question worth pulling apart to find out -- Krycek hoped that didn't mean that he would be the one pulled apart in the end to answer it.
He took a slow, deep breath and nodded once. "Jake's been finding a few things that he seems to find interesting, outside of coffee."
"I've been getting that impression, yes."
"Is there a problem, sir?" Krycek swallowed, feeling faintly uncertain again; Gavin sr's statement had been rather ambiguous.
Jacob arched an eyebrow again. "Not as long as he remembers where his loyalties lie." He tilted his head to the side, thoughtful. "Too bad this journalism teacher of yours is out of town. I would have liked to meet him."
"Professor Jerusalem is a very interesting teacher," Krycek said slowly. He had a feeling about Gavin sr finding out about what Jake's internship actually entailed, and that feeling wasn't particularly optimistic.
"Jake seems to admire him very much," Jacob said, watching Krycek for his reaction to those words. "Not that he's told me so in those words precisely, but reading between the lines... Apparently he ended up working for him due to a mocha bribe I think you know something about." Yet another reason for me to dislike you, he didn't say.
At that, Krycek's expression brightened somewhat. "I admire him as well, sir. He's a highly intelligent man and working for him is a challenge, but very worth it." He paused before continuing, bringing his shoulders up slightly in a half-shrug. "The mocha bribe is how Jake preferred to be paid. Skipping the middle man, so to speak." Krycek met Gavin sr's eyes, hiding well his feelings of discomfort, but feeling a little like this weekend would be spent not sleeping at all if he could help it.
Jacob sighed. "I don't doubt it at all."
An awkward silence descended until Jake returned with three coffee mugs, smiling happily to them both.
Krycek looked up and visibly brightened when Jake came back - not just relieved, but obviously glad to see him. He waited for Jake to pass out the mugs in whatever order, sipping his as he looked from Jake to Gavin sr, as if trying to figure out where the resemblance was strongest.
"Did you put anything in it?" Jacob studied the contents of his sailboat mug suspiciously.
Jake sighed and rolled his eyes. "No. I didn't put anything in either of your cups. Heathens."
Krycek smirked and sipped his coffee, watching Jake still. "Took you long enough," he said, much more comfortably. Jake might not agree with having ones coffee straight if he could help it, but he certainly made it well enough.
"Mine, however, has chocolate, cream and sugar," Jake continued, pleased. He grinned at Krycek. "You can't rush a good cup of coffee. That makes it not good."
"You're obsessed," Jacob noted, shaking his head fondly.
Jake shrugged. "Coffee is yummy."
Jacob senior smiled to his son's boyfriend. It was a wide, friendly smile. The eyes, however, were hard as flint when he met Krycek's gaze. "Pleased to meet you."
Krycek had the urge to straighten up and lift his chin when Mr Gavin looked at him, but he'd already decided he'd be going with "comfortable" rather than "completely unnerved" or "frightened like a guilty puppy". He stepped forward, offering his hand politely, and even smiled a little in return... Even if, when he looked back at those eyes, he wanted nothing more than to back up against the wall and stay very very still. "Nice to meet you, Mr Gavin. I'm glad you could make it; Jake was very happy to know you'd be coming."
Jacob shook his hand politely, smiling again at Krycek's words. "Glad to hear it." He ruffled Jake's hair, ignoring Jake's embarrassed "daaad". "I do try to attend all of my son's school events." There might have been stressing of the words 'my' and 'son'.
Krycek nodded, managing not to tense up too obviously; this wasn't quite so bad, so far. "Jake speaks very highly of you, sir. I was glad we could have this chance to meet." Just be polite and don't act afraid. They can smell your fear.
"And I want coffee," Jake said firmly. "Dad, you sit down somewhere..." he waved his hand, taking in the entire room in the gesture. The room was for once almost up to Krycek's standard. Almost. "And I'll go make some."
Krycek watched Jake go with a slight feeling of panic. Turning to look at Mr Gavin, he had the feeling of a rat being watched by a very playfully cruel mountain lion. He waited for the senior Gavin to sit, if he was going to, and he took the next open spot, though he wanted to avoid the bed unless there was no alternative. "How was your trip, sir?" Polite chatter might be the way to go - it was better than meaningful silence anyway
"It went very well indeed," Jacob said, sitting down in Jake's office chair and absently picking up the post-it pad. He gave Krycek a thorough and not at all subtle once over, apparently taking in every detail. "You know my son very well by now, don't you?"
Krycek nodded, sitting comfortably but not sloppily - good posture, but not stiff. "I think so, sir. Fairly well."
"Good. You've probably discovered his uncanny ability to land himself in deep trouble then?" An eyebrow was cocked in question.
Krycek smirked faintly and nodded again. "Yes, sir."
Jacob's eyes narrowed a little at the smirk, but he went on without commenting. "Of course, you realize that I expect you to get him out of said trouble? Otherwise, well..." he trailed off, looking down at the post-it pad. He pulled a note of the pad and ripped it leisurely apart. "I do hope we understand each other."
Krycek found his gaze glued to the ripped post-it for far longer than was probably advisable. This was going about as badly as he could have hoped. Anger he could have dealt with, or indignation. This cool, calm threat against his life was a little disheartening. "...Yes, sir." He looked up finally, swallowing hard, but he wasn't broken yet. "Except that... If the punishment fits the crime and is not more than he can handle, I believe he should be allowed to own up to his own mistakes."
"...I see you do not understand," Jacob said calmly. "Would you perhaps like me to explain further? I would not like there to be any misunderstandings between us. That could prove... unfortunate."
Krycek stiffened slightly. "Please explain, sir. There may be something I'm misunderstanding." He didn't think so, but, well, Gavin sr didn't seem to be a person you didn't listen to if he insisted otherwise
Jacob sighed. "There are very few things Jake is unable to survive. Unfortunately, he knows this, and this makes him act rather impulsively at times, without thinking about possible outcomes. While I hope this is something he will eventually grow out of, until he does? I expect you to be right by his side to haul him out. Regardless of the danger to yourself."
"I intend to be by his side, sir," Krycek said, stepping as carefully as possible through this minefield of a conversation. "I hope not to find ourselves in circumstances as you've described, but." He paused, apparently trying to think of a way to phrase it. "...Jake will not be hurt for my lack of trying to stop it."
The older man seemed satisfied by this reply, leaning back in his chair a little and going back to playing with the post-it pad. "Good." For the first time he looked a little uncertain as he changed the topic. Slightly. "I do believe you're the first boy my son's been with? Why, do you think, is that?"
Krycek felt a little pole-axed. He'd maybe expected an accusation or anger of some sort on that topic, not uncertainty (he thought that was uncertainty anyway, feeling a little bit of that himself at the moment). He took a deep breath, thinking fast, but even then he shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure. But he seems to think I'm interesting enough to merit his attention."
"Really? He's said that?" The maybe-uncertainty turned into obvious surprise. "Outside of new coffee combinations, I didn't think he found much of anything interesting." Jacob gave him a long look. "You must be special indeed." His voice didn't reveal whether he thought that was a good thing or not.
Krycek looked back at him, unsure how to take that statement. He was sometimes rather bemused at Jake's apparent interest in him, but he wasn't going to question it. Obviously, Gavin sr thought that it was a question worth pulling apart to find out -- Krycek hoped that didn't mean that he would be the one pulled apart in the end to answer it.
He took a slow, deep breath and nodded once. "Jake's been finding a few things that he seems to find interesting, outside of coffee."
"I've been getting that impression, yes."
"Is there a problem, sir?" Krycek swallowed, feeling faintly uncertain again; Gavin sr's statement had been rather ambiguous.
Jacob arched an eyebrow again. "Not as long as he remembers where his loyalties lie." He tilted his head to the side, thoughtful. "Too bad this journalism teacher of yours is out of town. I would have liked to meet him."
"Professor Jerusalem is a very interesting teacher," Krycek said slowly. He had a feeling about Gavin sr finding out about what Jake's internship actually entailed, and that feeling wasn't particularly optimistic.
"Jake seems to admire him very much," Jacob said, watching Krycek for his reaction to those words. "Not that he's told me so in those words precisely, but reading between the lines... Apparently he ended up working for him due to a mocha bribe I think you know something about." Yet another reason for me to dislike you, he didn't say.
At that, Krycek's expression brightened somewhat. "I admire him as well, sir. He's a highly intelligent man and working for him is a challenge, but very worth it." He paused before continuing, bringing his shoulders up slightly in a half-shrug. "The mocha bribe is how Jake preferred to be paid. Skipping the middle man, so to speak." Krycek met Gavin sr's eyes, hiding well his feelings of discomfort, but feeling a little like this weekend would be spent not sleeping at all if he could help it.
Jacob sighed. "I don't doubt it at all."
An awkward silence descended until Jake returned with three coffee mugs, smiling happily to them both.
Krycek looked up and visibly brightened when Jake came back - not just relieved, but obviously glad to see him. He waited for Jake to pass out the mugs in whatever order, sipping his as he looked from Jake to Gavin sr, as if trying to figure out where the resemblance was strongest.
"Did you put anything in it?" Jacob studied the contents of his sailboat mug suspiciously.
Jake sighed and rolled his eyes. "No. I didn't put anything in either of your cups. Heathens."
Krycek smirked and sipped his coffee, watching Jake still. "Took you long enough," he said, much more comfortably. Jake might not agree with having ones coffee straight if he could help it, but he certainly made it well enough.
"Mine, however, has chocolate, cream and sugar," Jake continued, pleased. He grinned at Krycek. "You can't rush a good cup of coffee. That makes it not good."
"You're obsessed," Jacob noted, shaking his head fondly.
Jake shrugged. "Coffee is yummy."