(Untitled)

[fatboyrun]

In the late afternoon, there is laughter down by the lake

Comments

[littlehobbitfan]

Laughing rather breathlessly, he manages to evade the fatherly onslaught long enough to get himself and the boat back under control.

Relatively speaking, anyway.

[fatboyrun]

Dennis leaves him be for now, grinning, resting his weight on his forearms beside him. "Yaharrr," he says, cheerfully. "Who's sailing today, Jake 'n Bake? Pirates? Vikings? Insurance salesmen?"

[littlehobbitfan]

"Elves."

... What?

[fatboyrun]

"Aha," says Dennis, after a momentary thinky face. "Sailing to the Grey -- Thing? Or are they off to war?"

[littlehobbitfan]

He had not considered this.

"... I dunno."

[fatboyrun]

Dennis considers another minute.

"How about both?"

[littlehobbitfan]

"Can they do that?"

[fatboyrun]

"Oh, absolutely," says Dennis, decisively.

[littlehobbitfan]

"Okay."

Elves are cool. But not as cool as hobbits.

[fatboyrun]

Dennis nods. He watches the determined little boat bob on the waves, for a minute or two.

"Ah -- Jake," he says. "What would you say to taking a sort of field trip?" He glances at him.

[littlehobbitfan]

The boat idles lazily, controls momentarily forgotten as Jake peers up at Dennis.

"To where?"

[fatboyrun]

"Well," says Dennis, and he scratches his head. "I met a man who works for a natural history museum in New York City, where," and this is the good part, "the exhibits all come alive at night. Animals, statues, little men from dioramas, a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton that acts like a puppy...

"He says we can come and see, if we want to."

[littlehobbitfan]

He's still grinning, though there's a hint of skepticism mixed in now.

"Are you joking?"

[fatboyrun]

"Surprisingly, no," says Dennis, a little dryly. "The way that I figure it, if he's telling the truth, that's fine, and if he isn't -- well, we can still see things in New York." Beat. "You know, if you want to. We don't have to."

Dennis doesn't exactly have the funds or the legal custody to take Jake on holiday or on trips. This is an awfully appealing prospect.

[littlehobbitfan]

And if they leave from here, no one has to know. Jake is liking the sound of this.

"Really?

[fatboyrun]

"Yeah, mate," he says, and he's starting to smile. "Really. What do you think?"