We Believed Like Dogs Believe
Title: We Believed Like Dogs Believe
Author: inabasket
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This has never happened.
Character(s): Jesse Lacey, John Nolan
Word Count: 616
Prompt: saturn (for spittingink )
Summary: Jesse gets lost somewhere upstate New York with John, so they park at the side of a road, enjoying the nighttime before carrying on to a hotel.
Notes: Title taken from poem by Bukowski I read today. It's pretty short and nothing really happens.
“That,” Jesse declares, slowly, taking his time, as he gestures with his beer in the direction of a cluster of stars. “That is the Big Dipper.”
John sighs and stretches his limbs out across the grass, accidentally punching Jesse in the thigh. Jesse’s hands are clutching the grass beneath him; he clings to the earth and sways, unable to sit up securely. “Yeah,” John agrees after a pause.
“That,” Jesse informs John, tilting his head to look at the man below him. “That right there,” he gesticulates towards a different grouping and John obediently directs his gaze towards it. “That’s… that’s a planet.”
The star is large and bright, a little blotch in the sky. John squints at it before asking, “Which planet?”
Jesse doesn’t know, so he lies. “It’s fucking… Saturn.”
“Right,” John agrees, too drowsy to find anything illogical. His eyes are slipping closed before he realizes it. The air of upstate New York rushes over him, a warm summer wind. Jesse picks up John’s hand and pinches John’s wedding ring between his thumb and pointer finger. He begins rubbing his two fingers back and forth. Not sure what to say, John opens his eyes, wide, trying to stay awake, and stares at Jesse’s silhouette.
It’s too dark to really see but John has the impression that Jesse’s lips are pulled tight, his brow is furrowed thoughtfully, and his eyes are slits. Jesse breathes out after a moment, dragging it out the same way he drags out his speech, and says, “I’ll make sure we find a hotel nearby. Sorry I got us lost.”
“It’s okay. We get to spend time together.”
“I don’t know where we are.”
“It’s okay.”
“You’re falling asleep right now.”
John blinks heavily and attempts to sit up, pulling his hand out of Jesse’s warm fingers. Once he is upright, he immediately begins picking at his ring self-consciously, twisting it back and forth, pulling it up the knuckle and then down as far as it goes, to the palm. “I am not,” he objects, and a disobedient yawn seizes him. “I’m simply experiencing this grass.”
“You’re drunk,” Jesse laughs, and ducks his head down. He draws his knees up to his chest and glances back up at the bespeckled sky. “That right there,” he points to a blinking red dot. “That’s an airplane going to the JFK airport, I bet.”
Yawning again, John politely covers his hand over his mouth even though he doesn’t have to, and regards the plane. “Hm, it’s hard to tell if that’s actually the truth.”
Taking the initiative to stand up, Jesse’s joints crackle as he uncurls, and he puts his hands on his back, begins squinting at his car that’s parked on the side of the road. He sees the first car of the night pass him by and he finds himself blinking blearily. “How long ago did we pass Buffalo?”
“I’m not sure,” John replies; lying down again, grass entering his ears. He contentedly starts closing his eyes again, and Jesse moves three paces forwards, still frowning at his automobile. The automobile is apathetic and still.
“Alright, let’s go.” Jesse decisively walks over to John and offers him a hand. He doesn’t get a response; it takes a few seconds for him to realize that John passed out. He sighs and bends down in front of John, unsure of what to do, and eventually shakes him, gripping his friend’s bony shoulder, attempting to awaken him. “John.”
John doesn’t stir and Jesse half-smiles, grieving, and sits down next to his friend. It’s been months since he’d gotten to properly spend time with John, but he settles for this being exactly what he wants.
Author: inabasket
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This has never happened.
Character(s): Jesse Lacey, John Nolan
Word Count: 616
Prompt: saturn (for spittingink )
Summary: Jesse gets lost somewhere upstate New York with John, so they park at the side of a road, enjoying the nighttime before carrying on to a hotel.
Notes: Title taken from poem by Bukowski I read today. It's pretty short and nothing really happens.
“That,” Jesse declares, slowly, taking his time, as he gestures with his beer in the direction of a cluster of stars. “That is the Big Dipper.”
John sighs and stretches his limbs out across the grass, accidentally punching Jesse in the thigh. Jesse’s hands are clutching the grass beneath him; he clings to the earth and sways, unable to sit up securely. “Yeah,” John agrees after a pause.
“That,” Jesse informs John, tilting his head to look at the man below him. “That right there,” he gesticulates towards a different grouping and John obediently directs his gaze towards it. “That’s… that’s a planet.”
The star is large and bright, a little blotch in the sky. John squints at it before asking, “Which planet?”
Jesse doesn’t know, so he lies. “It’s fucking… Saturn.”
“Right,” John agrees, too drowsy to find anything illogical. His eyes are slipping closed before he realizes it. The air of upstate New York rushes over him, a warm summer wind. Jesse picks up John’s hand and pinches John’s wedding ring between his thumb and pointer finger. He begins rubbing his two fingers back and forth. Not sure what to say, John opens his eyes, wide, trying to stay awake, and stares at Jesse’s silhouette.
It’s too dark to really see but John has the impression that Jesse’s lips are pulled tight, his brow is furrowed thoughtfully, and his eyes are slits. Jesse breathes out after a moment, dragging it out the same way he drags out his speech, and says, “I’ll make sure we find a hotel nearby. Sorry I got us lost.”
“It’s okay. We get to spend time together.”
“I don’t know where we are.”
“It’s okay.”
“You’re falling asleep right now.”
John blinks heavily and attempts to sit up, pulling his hand out of Jesse’s warm fingers. Once he is upright, he immediately begins picking at his ring self-consciously, twisting it back and forth, pulling it up the knuckle and then down as far as it goes, to the palm. “I am not,” he objects, and a disobedient yawn seizes him. “I’m simply experiencing this grass.”
“You’re drunk,” Jesse laughs, and ducks his head down. He draws his knees up to his chest and glances back up at the bespeckled sky. “That right there,” he points to a blinking red dot. “That’s an airplane going to the JFK airport, I bet.”
Yawning again, John politely covers his hand over his mouth even though he doesn’t have to, and regards the plane. “Hm, it’s hard to tell if that’s actually the truth.”
Taking the initiative to stand up, Jesse’s joints crackle as he uncurls, and he puts his hands on his back, begins squinting at his car that’s parked on the side of the road. He sees the first car of the night pass him by and he finds himself blinking blearily. “How long ago did we pass Buffalo?”
“I’m not sure,” John replies; lying down again, grass entering his ears. He contentedly starts closing his eyes again, and Jesse moves three paces forwards, still frowning at his automobile. The automobile is apathetic and still.
“Alright, let’s go.” Jesse decisively walks over to John and offers him a hand. He doesn’t get a response; it takes a few seconds for him to realize that John passed out. He sighs and bends down in front of John, unsure of what to do, and eventually shakes him, gripping his friend’s bony shoulder, attempting to awaken him. “John.”
John doesn’t stir and Jesse half-smiles, grieving, and sits down next to his friend. It’s been months since he’d gotten to properly spend time with John, but he settles for this being exactly what he wants.