Pleasantries - Chapter 3, Part 5
Nov. 10th, 2010 08:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
genlisae
Continued from Part 4
Advisories from Part 1 remain in effect, emphasis on Verbal Slurs. Really.
Pleasantries - Chapter 3 - Grunt Work- Part 5
11:00 AM Saturday, April 19
Lilith staggered sleepily into the kitchen. It had been a very long night with Dirk and right now all she could think of was coffee.
Ignoring the disapproving glare from her mother as she passed the older woman Lilith made her way to the coffee machine and poured a cup.
A moment later she breathed a content sigh as the cold murky liquid washed over her tongue.
“How can you drink that?” Mary-sue demanded scowling.
Lilith fought down the scathing retort that immediately came to mind as the caffeine kicked in and her brain began functioning on a more normal level. She had a purpose today. It would not be good to pick a fight with her mother first thing.
“Needed the wake-up” Lilith shrugged.
Mary-sue scowled, “Lilith that pot has been cold for hours, that can’t be good for you.”
“Lots of things aren’t good for me,” Lilith put in, setting her cup down, “but if it will help you stop worrying I’ll make a fresh pot.”
“Please,” Mary-sue frowned suspiciously, “before you poison yourself.”
The next few minutes passed in relative silence as Lilith prepared a fresh pot of coffee.
Once it was finished brewing she poured two cups and set one before her mother.
Mary-sue arched a brow, “What did you do?”
“I can’t get you a cup of coffee without having done something?” Lilith asked.
“Not usually. That is something I would expect from Angela, not you.”
Lilith gritted her teeth determined not to argue with her mother today, “I didn’t do anything, Mom.”
“Who was in your room last night?” Mary-sue asked still not touching the cup before her.
Lilith sighed, “Dirk. His Dad is seeing someone and didn’t tell Dirk about it. Dirk kind of walked in on an awkward moment when he got home last night. He needed to talk.”
Flinching Mary-sue reached for her cup, “That poor boy. Will he be okay?”
“I think so,” Lilith nodded, “I’m going to bake him some cookies to cheer him up.”
Mary-sue blanched, “Lilith, I can understand why you want to do something nice for your friend, but you don’t know how to cook.”
Flashing her mother an innocent smile, Lilith leaned against the counter, “Would you teach me?”
“I don’t know …”
“Please, Mom?”
“I can’t today Lilith, I’m sorry,” Mary-sue sighed.
“Okay,” Lilith nodded, “I’m going out with Damon and Tybalt anyway today. How about next Saturday? Are you free then?”
“Well yes, but …”
“Awesome!” Lilith grinned excitedly, “We’ll make it a girl’s day. How does that sound? You can help me bake Dirk some cookies, then we will go hole up in the living room and watch sappy movies and eat ice-cream straight out of the tub.”
Mary-sue started at her for a moment, puzzled, “You want to have a girl’s day with me?”
Lilith nodded.
“Well alright then,” Mary-sue agreed at last, “Saturday it is.”
“Thanks, Mom!” Lilith forced herself to smile cheerfully. Dustin really owed her for this.
* * *
1:00 PM Saturday, April 19
“Sorry about yesterday,” Ripp sighed.
Telesto shrugged, “Don’t worry about it. If you were that tired we wouldn’t have gotten very far anyway.”
Ripp supposed that was true. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep. It had just kind of happened. He’d been sitting there thinking and then his eyes just wouldn’t stay open anymore.
It had been the best sleep he’d had in months though. Maybe years. He still felt awful about it. He felt awful about a lot of things where Tel was concerned. Here Tel was doing this huge favour for him and he repaid that by asking for more help and then going practically comatose in Tel’s bed.
Not that he was really all that upset about sleeping in Tel’s bed. Under different circumstances, preferably those involving Telesto there with him and a lack of clothing, he could really get behind the idea of sleeping in Tel’s bed. A lot. As often as humanly possible and then some more just for good measure.
Fun as thoughts like that were though, Ripp knew nothing like that would ever happen. First there was the minor problem of Telesto having a girlfriend, emphasis on girl, but even more than that, he really liked the Alien. Not in the ‘hey nice ass’ and ‘wow, he’s hot’ sort of way. That was certainly in there, but that wasn’t all of it.
The more he got to know Telesto the more he genuinely liked the person he was. So Tel was cocky and maybe a little obnoxious and he could see how that might annoy a lot of people. Ripp wasn’t one of those people. To him it was kind of cute.
Cute?
His train of thought derailed on the word. He’d actually just used that word. More importantly he’d felt something when he used it. Something big, heavy, warm and not completely uncomfortable. It had started somewhere around his stomach and spread up through his chest until he could feel himself almost choking on it. Constricting his throat in a way that he could only describe as … wonderful?
That couldn’t possibly be good.
“Would you stop worrying about it!” Telesto sighed slightly amused, mistaking Ripp’s silence for still feeling bad about the day before, “You are welcome to my bed anytime, okay?”
Ripp let out a mental groan. Again with the innuendo, but oh how he would love to take the Alien up on that offer.
“That’s not it,” Ripp hurried to correct the misperception.
“No? What is then?”
Shit. Ripp’s mind raced to come up with something, anything that would sound plausible because he really couldn’t tell Telesto what he had been thinking.
“I … ummm,” he swallowed audibly, “Do you really think that you … I mean we … Is this even going to work?”
“Teaching you to dance?” Telesto asked over his shoulder as they made their way into the pool house.
Ripp nodded.
“Donno,” Telesto shrugged, “I’ve never tried to teach anyone before but it isn’t like it’s hard.”
Ripp fidgeted. It was hard, horribly, ridiculously, nerve-wrackingly difficult even.
Telesto shook his head, “Would you relax.”
“I just …”
“You’re nervous,” Telesto finished for him, “I know. That is sort of obvious, but what have you got to be nervous about?”
Ripp snorted, that was possibly the easiest question in the world to answer, “Making an ass of myself.”
Telesto chuckled, “That’s the whole point! The trick is to do it with style and rhythm.”
“I am definitely screwed then,” Ripp grimaced. Style and rhythm, neither of which he had even a nodding acquaintance with.
His internal misery occupying most of his thoughts, it took Ripp a moment to realize the Alien hadn’t responded.
Glancing up he barely managed to stifle a gasp. Telesto’s eyes had shifted colour again back to that mix of blue-green he’d seen at the mall. Tel really did have the most amazing eyes …
“Not yet,” Telesto replied at last, “We’ll see how things go.
* * *
3:00 PM Sunday, April 20
Tybalt leaned his forehead against the wall heaving a heavy sigh.
Summoned.
For half a heartbeat he entertained the thought of turning around and walking down the stairs, out the front door and never looking back.
The hand gently brushing against his shoulder erased all thoughts of fleeing from his mind.
“Sorry I’m late,” Juliet murmured apologetically, “I will take the blame for it, but we better get in there before it gets any worse.”
Tybalt nodded, straightening his shoulders.
With deep fortifying breaths, they stepped through the door.
“You are late.”
“It is my fault, Grandpa,” Juliet hurried to explain, “I was delayed talking to Telesto.”
Consort Capp turned slowly in his chair, grey eyes settling on his granddaughter, “How is young Mr. Villega?”
“Well, Sir,” Juliet responded politely, “Thank you for asking.”
“Good,” Consort nodded, “Very good. He is the reason I asked to speak with you today, Juliet.”
Tybalt felt his sister tense beside him. If he dared he would have reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. He didn’t dare.
“You will be seventeen soon,” Consort continued, “As you know, according to tradition, given that you are a girl …”
He paused to shoot Tybalt a disapproving look, “And stepping up to fill the role your older brother was unable to, you are well past the age when your betrothal should have been announced.”
Juliet nodded but remained silent.
“You seem to be very fond of young Mr. Villega. Is that correct?” Consort asked.
Tybalt groaned inwardly. This had just gone from bad to worse.
Staring forlornly down at the floor Juliet nodded, “I am.”
“Good,” Consort nodded again rising to his feet to pace toward the window, “Then you have my approval to make the match. You will discuss it with Mr. Villega and it will be formally announced on your birthday.”
Juliet snapped her head up, “But, Grandpa …”
Tybalt shook his head, warningly.
Juliet’s eyes went wide but she fell silent.
“Is there a problem?” Consort asked turning back toward them.
“No, Sir,” Juliet shook her head, her eyes dropping to the floor once more.
“I am aware of his age, Juliet,” Consort almost smiled at that, “I do not expect the marriage to take place immediately. The matter of succession has been left far too long and as you know I am not getting any younger. I would like to see it settled before I go.”
“Of course,” Juliet nodded.
Tybalt could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.
Consort turned his attention to Tybalt, “As for you …” he let the sentence trail off.
Tybalt swallowed, “Sir?”
“Is there a reason you delight in defying me?”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa, I am not sure what I have done …” Tybalt didn’t get to finish the sentence.
“When you failed a grade,” Consort interrupted, his voice taking on the hard edge of barely contained rage, “I was lenient. Your parents, may they rest in peace, had just died after all. It is understandable that there would be some sort of repercussion.”
Tybalt dropped his head. The dredging up of what amounted to ancient history was a sure sign that whatever he had done was practically unforgivable.
Juliet shifted uncomfortably beside him.
“I was beyond lenient when you came forth with this homosexual nonsense as well, was I not?” Consort demanded.
“Yes, Sir.”
“I went so far as to release you from your responsibilities as heir to this family, a burden that now falls to your sister. I did not have to, yet for the sake of your happiness, knowing that is what your dear parents would have wanted, I did so. Did I not?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“All I asked in return was that you endeavour to do something productive with your life,” Consort reached out turning the notebook computer around on his desk, “That you ensure that your support will not be one of the burdens that will fall on your sister’s shoulders when I am no longer here to take care of you.”
Tybalt failed to stifle the groan that escaped him upon seeing what was displayed on the screen his grandfather held between his hands.
“You presented me with this?” Consort hissed, pushing the computer across the desk.
It slid across the smooth, polished surface, stopping just short of toppling to the floor.
Tybalt squeezed his eyes shut. He had known it was a bad idea.
Consort sat, “Explain yourself.”
“I …” Tybalt paused, taking a steadying breath. It wasn’t the written proposal his grandfather was having issue with. That he present his plans in written form had been very clearly stipulated and like any true Capp, he could write a business proposal practically in his sleep. Which meant the only thing his grandfather could possibly be having an issue with was the idea. He did not approve.
“You asked that I find something productive to do with my life,” Tybalt explained, “I did, and I believe it will also be something I would enjoy.”
“I am expected to accept this?” Consort demanded, “Are you trying to insult the family? Is it your intention to make a mockery of our name?”
“No, Sir”
“You merely happened to settle on this?” Consort snapped rising to his feet, his fists coming down hard against the surface of the desk, “Do you also intend to parade around with your boyfriend wearing silk scarves? Shall I hire you a speech therapist so you may learn to speak with a lisp? Will that help complete your image as a faggot artist?”
Juliet’s sharp hiss of breath between her teeth stopped any retort Tybalt might have made.
Consort swung his head around glaring at her, “You disagree?”
“I do,” she replied firmly and without hesitation.
“I see,” some of the fight drained out of Consort as he sank down into his chair, “Explain.”
Juliet, took a steadying breath, her determination wavering.
Tybalt watched awestruck. This was the first he had been aware of any disagreement between Juliet and their grandfather where he was concerned.
“I also disagreed with your decision to remove Tybalt as heir,” Juliet began, “What he chooses to do with his private life is exactly that. Private. It has no bearing on you, or the family image. Nor does it at all affect his ability to …”
Consort cut her off, “Yes, yes. So you have said, many times.”
Silence settled over the room.
Tybalt stood in a sort of daze staring in disbelief at his sister. What happened to the Juliet he knew and loved? The fun loving, occasionally flighty, gossiping, spoiled little heiress who pouted when she didn’t get her way? When had she become so well spoken? So … grown up?
“It seems,” Consort spoke breaking the tense silence, “I am behind the times.”
Neither Juliet nor Tybalt made any reply.
“Very well,” he nodded, “I expected as much.”
Tybalt blinked.
“I still do not approve,” Consort continued, “However, it seems the only point left for me to disapprove of is the proposed budget. I will not hand over that sum of money to an armature for equipment that you are not even sure you will make use of.”
He gestured to something in the corner.
Tybalt stared at the object that he had originally taken to be some sort of sculpture.
“You will use that,” Consort stated, “It is old yes, however, I have had it completely checked over and I assure you it is in perfect working order. Prove to me you are dedicated to this hobby of yours and we will discuss your proposed budget and digital cameras. You are both dismissed.”
Without another word they turned and made their way from the room.
Tybalt’s mind was reeling. He was expected to prove himself with that antique piece of crap? He didn’t really know the first thing about photography as it was and now he had to learn ancient technology as well? Once again it struck him just how colossally bad this idea had been.
A quiet sniffle beside him pulled his attention away from his own misery.
Juliet sagged against the wall, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Thanks for sticking up for me Jules,” he murmured, not sure what else to say.
Flashing him a weak smile she nodded, “No problem.”
Heaving a heavy sigh Tybalt ran a hand through his hair. He would figure out how to prove to his grandfather he was serious. One way or another. Right now Juliet had bigger problems.
“Do you want me to talk to Rythe?” he asked, “Explain what is going on?”
Juliet shook her head, “Not even the issue, you know that.”
“Yeah,” Tybalt frowned, “I know.”
Unable to hold back anymore Juliet slowly sank to the floor, curling in on herself.
Tybalt sank down beside her, draping an arm around her shoulders, “We will figure something out.”
Leaning into him she cried harder, “It just isn’t fair.”
* * *
On to Part 6
