(no subject)
That's... the last window fixed and fuck if he ever thought he'd get to be such an expert at window glazing, but so it goes. At least he hasn't had to replace whole fucking frames, and that's something. The lock on the door isn't new and shiny but it works and it has keys -- how 'bout that, it was a real find -- and they're far enough off the beaten path that he can wander around the place without Tom's invisibility cloak. One of these days he'll give it back with one hell of a lot of appreciation: Paris isn't so bad. He just doesn't need to become the local curiosity yet. Not until Beth's ready for that, and she won't be ready for it until she's ready for it.
Plus, that cloak lets him go places with them he wouldn't necessarily be able to otherwise. Like everywhere, for instance. But here in the house it's all good and he doesn't wear it and if anyone gets close enough to look in the damn windows, so be it. It isn't like they'll be getting much of an eyeful and given time, things will normalize.
Yeah, like... twenty years. Oh well. He can wait.
There's one little detail about this house he likes more than all the other little details, and that's the closet with the little door tucked away at the back. He's checked it every day just like he's doing now. The hidden door's barely big enough for him to fit through if he crawled, he bets -- he hasn't tried it yet -- but he has opened it again. And every time he opens it, the bar's on the other side.
One of these days curiosity's going to win out and hell, if it was just him he'd have been through that door already. But it's not just him any more and maybe it's all about growing up or being a grownup, or maybe it's because it's no longer a case of having nothing to lose. He knows what it's like to be without Beth; he knows what it's like to be without her and Junior both. It's not a position he's going to put himself in willingly any more.
And he doesn't even miss the old days, not really, although he does wonder about the people there he knows. Knew. Closing that little door -- wondering if anyone on the other side of the door at the bar sees him -- he straightens up, rolls his neck from side to side until he hears a couple satisfying pops: that's better. Deciding to risk it, he heads out to the garden where Beth and Junior are and do a little work without the cloak because fuck it, why not? To anyone passing by, he'll just have to look like the ugliest damn girl in Paris. They won't be expecting a guy.
"Hey." He can't help but smile at the sight before him. It's so sweet with Junior toddling around pulling weeds and Beth, tall and muscular and slim, her smile all for the little girl who's finally able to stumble around the yard freely. Yeah, time to fix that rock wall and... no time like the present. In his wildest dreams he never actually imagined a guy could get used to this kind of thing. Especially not a guy like him but fuck it: he likes it.
A lot.
(For now.)
Plus, that cloak lets him go places with them he wouldn't necessarily be able to otherwise. Like everywhere, for instance. But here in the house it's all good and he doesn't wear it and if anyone gets close enough to look in the damn windows, so be it. It isn't like they'll be getting much of an eyeful and given time, things will normalize.
Yeah, like... twenty years. Oh well. He can wait.
There's one little detail about this house he likes more than all the other little details, and that's the closet with the little door tucked away at the back. He's checked it every day just like he's doing now. The hidden door's barely big enough for him to fit through if he crawled, he bets -- he hasn't tried it yet -- but he has opened it again. And every time he opens it, the bar's on the other side.
One of these days curiosity's going to win out and hell, if it was just him he'd have been through that door already. But it's not just him any more and maybe it's all about growing up or being a grownup, or maybe it's because it's no longer a case of having nothing to lose. He knows what it's like to be without Beth; he knows what it's like to be without her and Junior both. It's not a position he's going to put himself in willingly any more.
And he doesn't even miss the old days, not really, although he does wonder about the people there he knows. Knew. Closing that little door -- wondering if anyone on the other side of the door at the bar sees him -- he straightens up, rolls his neck from side to side until he hears a couple satisfying pops: that's better. Deciding to risk it, he heads out to the garden where Beth and Junior are and do a little work without the cloak because fuck it, why not? To anyone passing by, he'll just have to look like the ugliest damn girl in Paris. They won't be expecting a guy.
"Hey." He can't help but smile at the sight before him. It's so sweet with Junior toddling around pulling weeds and Beth, tall and muscular and slim, her smile all for the little girl who's finally able to stumble around the yard freely. Yeah, time to fix that rock wall and... no time like the present. In his wildest dreams he never actually imagined a guy could get used to this kind of thing. Especially not a guy like him but fuck it: he likes it.
A lot.
(For now.)