lost_boy | (no subject)

Lisbeth was coming to visit me at the Home today.

I had told her weeks ago that she could and I was excited that she was coming, not because I thought the Home was anything particularly special, but because I knew it would make her feel better about the fact that I had to live here. I didn't mind it, but I liked being around my friends and so close to Eddie, even if they had made us move into separate rooms now. I knew Lisbeth had bad associations with places like this, though, and I wanted to make it easier for her.

Truthfully, I liked that she was worried. It meant she cared and for such a long time, I had been the one taking care of everyone else, so it was nice that now someone wanted to look after me.

I spent the morning tidying up my area of the shared bedroom, making sure my bed was made neatly, the lion Eddie had given me for Valentine's Day sitting proudly on the pillow. My books were stacked on my bedside table, my clothes and shoes stored away where they were meant to. I couldn't make the other boys clean up if they didn't want to, but I was pleased with how my space looked.

More than anything, I wanted for her to be comfortable that I was here. No, that wasn't entirely true. More than anything else, I wanted her and Eddie to like each other. I had promised Eddie she was really cool, although he had looked skeptical when I told him about her motorcycle, and so I had just kissed him and promised he would like her.

I was waiting for her now, sitting on the steps in front of the Home with my phone in my hands, wondering what we would do today. Maybe I could convince Eddie to take a ride on her motorcycle. I laughed as I thought about that, knowing it wasn't likely, but that didn't mean I wouldn't try.

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"Adults are assholes," Eddie said easily, gripping Jamie's hand and hauling him to his feet.

"I mean, not all of them, I guess," he was quick to amend, because she was definitely a grownup, but maybe just young enough that she still remembered what it was like to be a kid.

"I'm not humouring you," I protested as we went inside, laughing when Eddie claimed adults were assholes. They weren't all that way, especially not Lisbeth and Magnus, but a lot of them could be. I just wasn't as likely to use a word like that to describe them.

"I like that you're worried," I told her. It was kind of like having a big sister, although I was a little afraid to say that, worrying she might not like me the same way.

"They do make me and Eddie sleep in different rooms now," I said. "I don't like that."

Edited 2019-05-16 18:59 (UTC)

"Adults are usually assholes," Lisbeth assures Eddie. "Not always for trying."

She tries to look like she's not a bundle of nerves as she follows them inside, though Jamie's words help, prompting the rare (though not so rare these days) genuine smile. "You don't need me to look out for you, maybe, but I'd still-- I will." She takes in every inch of the place, her eyes moving systematically, memorizing.

"I doubt they'll change their minds on that," she says, with some amusement.

"Everybody needs somebody looking out for them," Eddie pointed out with a shrug. Maybe a big sister, maybe a group of friends, or maybe even a parent, though Eddie didn't really remember what that was like.

The more people looking out for Jamie, the better, and while he didn't know Lisbeth, Eddie hoped she had someone to look out for her, too.

"We weren't doing anything," he insisted, red-faced. "I mean, not much."

That wasn't strictly the truth, we had been doing some things, and I tried to hide a grin when Eddie corrected himself. His cheeks were pink and I wrinkled my nose a little, looking pleased with myself.

"Mostly just sleeping," I agreed. "I'm used to sleeping with a bunch of other boys. I mean- not like that. Eddie's different, you're different," I said directly to him. Now it was my turn to go a little pink and I looked at the stairs.

"Come up here," I said to Lisbeth. "I can show you our rooms. When I first got here, it was just me and Eddie in our room and I would sleep on the floor."

Lisbeth looks between them, and after the sort of veiled check of who else is around that indicates she's very used to hiding her activities, she asks, "Is this a situation where I need to ask if you are using condoms?" She considers it. "It wouldn't be a good idea for me to bring them, but if you need them." She shrugs, and moves along with them.

"They didn't have a bed for you?"

She bites a bit at her lip ring. "Does this place have enough money to keep you all as it should?"