(Untitled)

[lionelthayer]

It starts out as a perfectly fine day, which Lionel is used to by now. He's been happy lately; most of his problems just involve whether to choose between four by six or eight by eleven photo paper, or the 'your room or mine?' question with Peter. He's almost as content as he can be

Comments

[new_ophelia]

Kate thinks that it's more than likely that she and Geoffrey have pilfered most all of the Shakespeare books at this point, but it's always worth another try. She's so hell bent on this task that she doesn't even notice Lionel for a second before she skids to a halt.

"Lionel?" she whispers, immediately crouching down in front of him. "Hey. What's going on?"

[lionelthayer]

Not having really noticed anything except what's right in front of him, Lionel blinks up at Kate in surprise and leans back a bit. He gives himself a moment to make sure he can actually speak before saying anything.

"One of those days," he finally manages, and the way he feels right now, Lionel's far from joking.

[new_ophelia]

"That's a pretty bad day," she murmurs, sitting down with her legs on either side of him. She reaches out to carefully stroke his hair.

[lionelthayer]

Lionel sits for a moment, just glad that Kate is there, because he doesn't want to think of dealing with this alone. He doesn't want to lay it all out, either - there's so much there he still can't even take himself - but the comfort helps, a least a little.

Wiping his palms over his thighs carefully, Lionel wonders if there's anyway he can put any of this into words someone else will understand. "That was my first," he says quietly. "After the accident."

[onabutton]

Arthur, after eating, had decided to check out the rec room. He hadn't attempted to get a book from the bookshelf for a while and figured it must be safe enough by now.

He at first notices the pictures on the pool table then his eyes glance over to the young man and the image that he is looking at. He stood there for a moment his hand on the edge of the pool table and finally asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

[lionelthayer]

Lionel looks up slowly, almost like he can't tear his eyes away from the canvas despite the way it makes him feel. He can't stand it, but at the same time, it's part of him in a way nothing else really has been since.

"No," he finally says, shaking his head slowly. "Thanks."

[onabutton]

Arthur couldn't be completely sure, but he found himself asking anyway. "It just appeared didn't it?" Strangely in the same room his record had shown up.

[lionelthayer]

"Yes," Lionel answers, and he knows without even trying that right now, he still can't look back at it. Not when there's a distraction standing right there. "It's not the first."

[jack_crew]

Jack's never really understood art or anything like that, but when he approaches Lionel from behind and sees the picture, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what it means. By this point he's heard the story and although they don't talk about it much, he knows it's a huge part of Lionel's past.

"Hey," he says quietly, dropping into a crouch beside Lionel, his hand resting on his shoulder. There's not much more he can say.

[lionelthayer]

Knowing Jack's there doesn't calm Lionel so much as it makes him feel almost okay about silentely freaking out, because of anyone, Jack understands. He knows Jack isn't going to mind if he just sits there, staring dumbly at the canvas as he feels himself just try to breathe.

[jack_crew]

After a moment, Jack sits down on the floor beside Lionel and looks at the canvas as well, wondering when this showed up. It looks like it's new, but he doesn't ask any questions yet. All he does it rub Lionel's shoulder in concern.

"Did you just find this?" he asks after he's been silent for awhile.

[lionelthayer]

"I turned around," Lionel says, and he's gathered himself enough that he's up to talking. Except the question, coming from Jack, is almost enough that he doesn't know what to say first. "I turned around for one second, and it was just there."

[sommer_tobi]

The jukebox had been playing the same damn song for what felt like hours now and Tobi had had enough. The kitchen hadn't even been a haven from it and, with a glass of juice in one hand, Tobi marched through the rec room and gave the annoying machine a hard kick.

It didn't seem to even miss a beat and Tobi scowled, smacking it with flat of one hand and kicking it again as he cursed loudly in German.

After a minute or so, he gave up, breathing hard and his shirt lightly damp from spilled juice. Giving it one last smack, he looked over to finally notice that he wasn't completely alone.

"Oh," he said, feeling slightly embarrassed, his hand stinging. "I am sorry."

The jukebox continued to sing obnoxiously.

[lionelthayer]

Lionel's got just enough of himself pulled together at the moment to finally look away and up at the kid. He knows how he must look, and it's just the fact that there's a stranger there enough to remind Lionel that he isn't alone, and that anyone can walk in and see him like this.

"It's been doing that all morning," he says, his voice only just loud enough to reach him. "Playing the same song."

[sommer_tobi]

"Yes," Tobi replied, shaking his hand to try and making the pain dissipate some as he nodded and gave it one last scowl. He hadn't been there all morning, but more than long enough; frankly he was surprised that this man hadn't already tried to beat the thing into firewood.

Something seemed strange though, something just a little off in the tone of the man's voice and Tobi's brow furrowed slightly. "Are you okay?" he asked, suddenly afraid that maybe the man had wanted the music, that maybe he'd liked it just fine before Tobi had tried to beat the shit out of it.

[lionelthayer]

"No, not really," Lionel answers honestly, his voice a little stronger. He has the presence of mind to get to his feet, just so he's not staring right at the canvas again. Out of sight, out of mind never worked for him, but it helps a little. He's not about to sit down and fall into pieces, at the very least.

With a tentative hand, Lionel turns the canvas around again and stares at the milky white blankness of the back. "This place can really get to you."

[aminorkey]

Peter's watched him for only moments, but he makes his way into the room and crouches gracefully down behind Lionel without a single sound, though his clothes ought to make some sort of movement. He rests barely-there fingers upon his shoulder and makes himself comfortable, not saying a word as he gently coaxes Lionel back into his arms.

[lionelthayer]

Lionel closes his eyes and relaxes back into Peter, or at least tries to. He can't stand to see the canvas, not when Peter's there, a reminder that he is better, that he has moved not. But even so, he can't help the slight feeling of guilt he thought long gone.

[aminorkey]

Peter's hand rubs the gentlest of small circles against Lionel's shirt and he leans in just an infinitesimal amount to press his lips to Lionel's jaw, to kiss him gently and look at the offending art. "May I ask what it is?"

[lionelthayer]

Lionel sucks in a deep breath with Peter's touch and lets it out slowly. He shouldn't feel guilty to have this, to be at least somewhat happy. There's no way he'll ever be completely over John, but he doesn't need the reminder. Not one like this.

"It's..." Lionel shakes his head, opens his eyes again, and just looks. "It's me," he finally says, knowing that on some level, Peter will get it. "My first piece after the accident."