In Trouble, part 4
Title: In Trouble, part 4
Series: Wizard's familiars
Length: 1.35k
JD tossed his school bag on his bed. Homework. Maybe he shouldn't put off moving to the dorms. If he called the dean and said he changed his mind, would the dean call his mothers? JD wanted a clean break. Once he was at the university, his mothers would have a harder time making him quit and move home.
What was this? Right inside the top of his bag was a paper. It hadn't been there when he'd left the committee.
It read JDA and a phone number. JD sent a text: My moms don't want me to go back to class. JD
A moment later the text was returned: I want you here
Good. They're scared of you
You aren't?
JD wanted J Danyal's hands on him again. No. If I showed up, would the dean let me stay?
Let me check
What should JD take with him? He didn't need too many clothes. He's outgrow these soon enough. His pants were too tight as it was. But he'd need a few outfits. And the jeans he'd just bought with a larger waist. His over-sized t-shirts? He'd probably want those. Were they clean?
He started a load of comfy clothes and opened his text book. He made himself do a line of math problems between checking his phone. He needed to charge it too. Now, so it wouldn't be plugged in tonight when he left.
He finished his English and literature homework. Before he checked his phone. Seventy-nine percent would last him all night. He slipped it into his pocket and checked the dryer. Not quite dry.
He took the high school text books out of his bag and hid them under his desk. Why had he wasted time on that homework? He wasn't going back. J Danyal still hadn't replied. Keep busy.
He emptied his gym bag into the washer. He wouldn't need these clothes. Or fit them for months to come.
Mumsey smiled. "It's nice to see you helping around the house."
He used to all the time. Before four little brothers made completing anything impossible.
"Help us get your brothers ready for bed."
Yuck.
But he followed her upstairs, left his clothes in his room, and held down his littlest brother. This one tried to get away more than the other three, but he was better at grooming himself. Plus the extra time meant someone else would have to do two. He went into the bathroom and hacked up hairballs. He preferred showers. He took one. It was longer than he planned because his brothers all decided they needed the bathroom and if he kept the door locked, they'd make the mess in their mothers' bathroom. But then if he left tonight, he wouldn't have to clean this bathroom.
He wrapped in a towel, got his clothes out of the dryer, and carried them to his bed before he checked his phone. The message was less than five minutes old. I've got you covered. So tonight?
Yes. He gave his address.
Found it. Anything else you need?
Just to pack.
Text me when you're ready.
That would depend on when his brothers fell asleep. It might be late.
I'll be waiting.
JD rolled his clothes up tightly and stuffed them into the bags. He kept the door partly open. His mothers were reading his brothers good night stories. That would keep them busy for a while. He opened his window and lowered one bag down to the edge of the roof. The second bag was heavier. Maybe he should just let it fall. No. That would make noise and Mom would investigate.
He closed the window and looked around his room. What was he missing? He filled his jacket pockets with extra pencils and bus tickets and other things that would ease his way. Then he hung his jacket on the far corner of his bed so Mumsey wouldn't take it downstairs and hang it in the closet. She was sure to notice how heavy it was.
Kittens mewed. He turned out the light and climbed into bed. The kitten's night light was bright enough to see by. They came rushing in. He groaned and covered his head.
"You're tired tonight?"
JD pulled back the covers and yawned loudly at Mom. "Yes I'm tired. Do you know how long they take to settle down?"
"Maybe we should let you have your own room. I'm not sure I trust your brothers with a new kitten."
Neither did JD. If he stayed, he'd probably lose the room he had since he was born and have to sleep in Mom's office. Why hadn't they bought a bigger house when they knew they were bringing four more kittens into the world?
Mom pursed her lips. JD knew what that face meant. He turned away and yawned. No, he wasn't going to go downstairs and talk to her and Mumsey and be forced to promise to stay away from J Danyal and the university. He was running away, but he wasn't breaking promised he hadn't made.
Mom finally left.
The boys refused to settle down. They were very cat-like in their sleeping habits. Once they started school, they might be tired at night, but JD wouldn't put it past them to stay up all night even then.
Mumsey came in. The boys asked to sleep with her. She kissed them all, but said no, Mom had to get up in the morning. JD had to get up too.
What seemed hours later, Mom came in and told the last two awake to behave. They quelled until she was downstairs again.
Mumsey returned. His littlest brother mewed plaintively at her. He wanted to sleep with his Mumsey. Mumsey wavered, but if she gave in, Mom would bring him back after he fell asleep, maybe when JD was trying to sneak out.
"I'll take him." He tucked his brother under his chin.
Mumsey smiled. "If you did that every night, they'd fall asleep faster."
And who would get woken up with a kick to the face? Not Mom or Mumsey.
His brother was sleep before Mom did her nightly rounds to make sure the house was locked. When the last of the noises died down, JD sent a text: Ready when you are
The car is on its way. ETA 5 minutes
You're not coming?
Your mom would feel me from the street. I'm sending a friend.
The white-haired guy? Sapulvado?
JD got up slowly. His brother shifted, but didn't wake up. He got dressed then opened the window quietly. One of his brothers meowed in his sleep. JD put the other three on his bed. With luck his mothers wouldn't know he was missing until everyone was up. He and his brothers all had the same color fur.
He slipped out and closed the window behind him.
A car pulled up with three people inside. Nacio waved. One of the other men covered Nacio's mouth. His boyfriend?
The other two guys were tall. They just reached up and grabbed the bags from the roof. "This is it?" one guy mouthed. JD nodded and passed down his jacket to Nacio. Jumping down would be easier as a cat, but it wasn't practical to waste time getting redressed on the lawn.
They all ran to the car and the driver pulled away before they got their doors closed. As they drove around the corner JD sighed with relief.
Nacio grinned. "We made it. You'll be in my room tonight. My boyfriends will just have to suffer without me."
The driver snorted. The other guy laughed. "I, for one, have class tomorrow."
"Hush," Nacio patted the guy's shoulder. "JD doesn't need to hear of our exploits."
"Or how most of the time it took us to get there after his text was putting our clothes back on?"
Nacio bopped the driver's cheek. "None of that. He'll learn in time."
The guy in the passenger seat grabbed Nacio's hand and kissed it.
Nacio sat back with a sigh.
JD wanted to be that happy.
Series: Wizard's familiars
Length: 1.35k
JD tossed his school bag on his bed. Homework. Maybe he shouldn't put off moving to the dorms. If he called the dean and said he changed his mind, would the dean call his mothers? JD wanted a clean break. Once he was at the university, his mothers would have a harder time making him quit and move home.
What was this? Right inside the top of his bag was a paper. It hadn't been there when he'd left the committee.
It read JDA and a phone number. JD sent a text: My moms don't want me to go back to class. JD
A moment later the text was returned: I want you here
Good. They're scared of you
You aren't?
JD wanted J Danyal's hands on him again. No. If I showed up, would the dean let me stay?
Let me check
What should JD take with him? He didn't need too many clothes. He's outgrow these soon enough. His pants were too tight as it was. But he'd need a few outfits. And the jeans he'd just bought with a larger waist. His over-sized t-shirts? He'd probably want those. Were they clean?
He started a load of comfy clothes and opened his text book. He made himself do a line of math problems between checking his phone. He needed to charge it too. Now, so it wouldn't be plugged in tonight when he left.
He finished his English and literature homework. Before he checked his phone. Seventy-nine percent would last him all night. He slipped it into his pocket and checked the dryer. Not quite dry.
He took the high school text books out of his bag and hid them under his desk. Why had he wasted time on that homework? He wasn't going back. J Danyal still hadn't replied. Keep busy.
He emptied his gym bag into the washer. He wouldn't need these clothes. Or fit them for months to come.
Mumsey smiled. "It's nice to see you helping around the house."
He used to all the time. Before four little brothers made completing anything impossible.
"Help us get your brothers ready for bed."
Yuck.
But he followed her upstairs, left his clothes in his room, and held down his littlest brother. This one tried to get away more than the other three, but he was better at grooming himself. Plus the extra time meant someone else would have to do two. He went into the bathroom and hacked up hairballs. He preferred showers. He took one. It was longer than he planned because his brothers all decided they needed the bathroom and if he kept the door locked, they'd make the mess in their mothers' bathroom. But then if he left tonight, he wouldn't have to clean this bathroom.
He wrapped in a towel, got his clothes out of the dryer, and carried them to his bed before he checked his phone. The message was less than five minutes old. I've got you covered. So tonight?
Yes. He gave his address.
Found it. Anything else you need?
Just to pack.
Text me when you're ready.
That would depend on when his brothers fell asleep. It might be late.
I'll be waiting.
JD rolled his clothes up tightly and stuffed them into the bags. He kept the door partly open. His mothers were reading his brothers good night stories. That would keep them busy for a while. He opened his window and lowered one bag down to the edge of the roof. The second bag was heavier. Maybe he should just let it fall. No. That would make noise and Mom would investigate.
He closed the window and looked around his room. What was he missing? He filled his jacket pockets with extra pencils and bus tickets and other things that would ease his way. Then he hung his jacket on the far corner of his bed so Mumsey wouldn't take it downstairs and hang it in the closet. She was sure to notice how heavy it was.
Kittens mewed. He turned out the light and climbed into bed. The kitten's night light was bright enough to see by. They came rushing in. He groaned and covered his head.
"You're tired tonight?"
JD pulled back the covers and yawned loudly at Mom. "Yes I'm tired. Do you know how long they take to settle down?"
"Maybe we should let you have your own room. I'm not sure I trust your brothers with a new kitten."
Neither did JD. If he stayed, he'd probably lose the room he had since he was born and have to sleep in Mom's office. Why hadn't they bought a bigger house when they knew they were bringing four more kittens into the world?
Mom pursed her lips. JD knew what that face meant. He turned away and yawned. No, he wasn't going to go downstairs and talk to her and Mumsey and be forced to promise to stay away from J Danyal and the university. He was running away, but he wasn't breaking promised he hadn't made.
Mom finally left.
The boys refused to settle down. They were very cat-like in their sleeping habits. Once they started school, they might be tired at night, but JD wouldn't put it past them to stay up all night even then.
Mumsey came in. The boys asked to sleep with her. She kissed them all, but said no, Mom had to get up in the morning. JD had to get up too.
What seemed hours later, Mom came in and told the last two awake to behave. They quelled until she was downstairs again.
Mumsey returned. His littlest brother mewed plaintively at her. He wanted to sleep with his Mumsey. Mumsey wavered, but if she gave in, Mom would bring him back after he fell asleep, maybe when JD was trying to sneak out.
"I'll take him." He tucked his brother under his chin.
Mumsey smiled. "If you did that every night, they'd fall asleep faster."
And who would get woken up with a kick to the face? Not Mom or Mumsey.
His brother was sleep before Mom did her nightly rounds to make sure the house was locked. When the last of the noises died down, JD sent a text: Ready when you are
The car is on its way. ETA 5 minutes
You're not coming?
Your mom would feel me from the street. I'm sending a friend.
The white-haired guy? Sapulvado?
JD got up slowly. His brother shifted, but didn't wake up. He got dressed then opened the window quietly. One of his brothers meowed in his sleep. JD put the other three on his bed. With luck his mothers wouldn't know he was missing until everyone was up. He and his brothers all had the same color fur.
He slipped out and closed the window behind him.
A car pulled up with three people inside. Nacio waved. One of the other men covered Nacio's mouth. His boyfriend?
The other two guys were tall. They just reached up and grabbed the bags from the roof. "This is it?" one guy mouthed. JD nodded and passed down his jacket to Nacio. Jumping down would be easier as a cat, but it wasn't practical to waste time getting redressed on the lawn.
They all ran to the car and the driver pulled away before they got their doors closed. As they drove around the corner JD sighed with relief.
Nacio grinned. "We made it. You'll be in my room tonight. My boyfriends will just have to suffer without me."
The driver snorted. The other guy laughed. "I, for one, have class tomorrow."
"Hush," Nacio patted the guy's shoulder. "JD doesn't need to hear of our exploits."
"Or how most of the time it took us to get there after his text was putting our clothes back on?"
Nacio bopped the driver's cheek. "None of that. He'll learn in time."
The guy in the passenger seat grabbed Nacio's hand and kissed it.
Nacio sat back with a sigh.
JD wanted to be that happy.