02-12-2024, 05:59 PM
You.
Ping pong volley-fast. How could he not? The question begs for it. But he’s good: keeps it confined to his head to maintain the current détente for a bit. One of them will do something that breaks it eventually, and Near would prefer it not be him. How far he already strayed from his original goal of being the adult between them … But if they’re keeping points, he still has the lead, what with his not having hurled anything at Jude’s head.
Yet.
Out loud, he offers a non-committal grunt. With no new insight to be had into Jude’s taste in movies, wall-staring remains the prevailing theory. There is plenty of stuff Near would rather not subject himself to watching. The real question becomes: can he stand watching anything less than having shoes thrown at him? Never was there a better time to find out! (Flashback: The way Isa used to crank up that weird local access channel and pretend it canceled out whatever Near was saying, asking, begging.)
The knock comes a few seconds after. A sharp, serious knuckle-rap. Onetwothree. This combined with an instinctive certainty that Jude will not offer to get off his ass to answer the door is what at last convinces Near to abandon his post and leave Jude’s shoes unguarded. Those he’ll probably get up for.
He’s within spitting distance of the door when Guthrie’s voice slices through the painted steel: “You in there?”
Near is immediately scrambled. He pauses. Glances back at Jude who is like an ill-conceived tattoo that he would rather not have to explain to anyone.
Ping pong volley-fast. How could he not? The question begs for it. But he’s good: keeps it confined to his head to maintain the current détente for a bit. One of them will do something that breaks it eventually, and Near would prefer it not be him. How far he already strayed from his original goal of being the adult between them … But if they’re keeping points, he still has the lead, what with his not having hurled anything at Jude’s head.
Yet.
Out loud, he offers a non-committal grunt. With no new insight to be had into Jude’s taste in movies, wall-staring remains the prevailing theory. There is plenty of stuff Near would rather not subject himself to watching. The real question becomes: can he stand watching anything less than having shoes thrown at him? Never was there a better time to find out! (Flashback: The way Isa used to crank up that weird local access channel and pretend it canceled out whatever Near was saying, asking, begging.)
The knock comes a few seconds after. A sharp, serious knuckle-rap. Onetwothree. This combined with an instinctive certainty that Jude will not offer to get off his ass to answer the door is what at last convinces Near to abandon his post and leave Jude’s shoes unguarded. Those he’ll probably get up for.
He’s within spitting distance of the door when Guthrie’s voice slices through the painted steel: “You in there?”
Near is immediately scrambled. He pauses. Glances back at Jude who is like an ill-conceived tattoo that he would rather not have to explain to anyone.