InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Your mom goes to college."

Tarim Vasquez (halfpinthero) wrote in avalonis,
@ 2010-07-18 20:00:00

Entry tags:

marco vasquez, tarim vasquez

Lazy Sunday
Who: Marco and Tarim Vasquez
When: Sunday Evening
Where: The Vasquez apartment, South-East Quarter
What: Brothers bonding over video games
Rating: PG for safety, will update if content changes unexpectedly
Status: In Progress

The Vasquez brothers weren't very sentimental, but like any family, they had their traditions. Two years ago, Tarim had bought an old Super Nintendo from a kid at a garage sale, including several games. Ever since, the brothers had held Sunday evening as a holy night: Marco had several hours off of work, and Tarim was usually finished with all his homework. So, for nearly two years now, the boys had a weekly video game brawl to top of their week.

For Tarim, he was grateful for an excuse to take a night off from his "job" in Downtown. He had lost his focus the night before, and earned a nasty cut along his right arm for his efforts. Luckily, Marco had been off at a job all day, so he could clean and bandage it properly. Now that Marco's shift is nearly over, he wears a long-sleeved shirt; he might be sweating, but it's better than having to lie to Marco about yet another beating.

It's a little after seven, around the time Marco is due home. After a day of homework, first aid and cooking, Tarim places a bowl of chips and dip on the coffee table, before taking a seat. Holding a controller loosely in his hands, Tarim watches as Mario and Luigi bounce along the screen until he hears the door open. "Marco!" He shouts, grinning to himself as he holds up another controller. "It's game time!"

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halfpinthero
2010-07-20 02:19 am UTC (link)

Tarim shivers; it feels like someone dropped an ice cube in his stomach, and the cold is now spreading throughout his body as he listens to Marco. In truth, Tarim would love to go to the academy. Although some of his peers have warmed up to him, he has no real friends, and plenty of kids still remember him as the freak who always fell apart until he was thirteen. On top of that, he's nearly been caught; he once accidentally shielded himself when a teammate kicked a ball at him unexpectedly. Luckily, they just thought Tarim had great reflexes, they hadn't noticed the shield. He has a bad feeling, though, that it is only a matter of time...

However, as much as Tarim wants to go, he doesn't know if he can. Marco already works his ass off, could he really make Marco take on even more shifts? On top of that, going to the Academy would mean a longer commute, and less time to spend on his own superheroics. "Maybe next school year?" Tarim mutters, staring intently at his sneakers, and subconsciously rubbing his sore arm. "I've been needing to get a job for awhile. If I get a part-time job, and work during the school year, I might be able to save up enough for tuition, right?" He smiles shyly. "Besides, I'm doing really good in soccer, we beat the Academy last time..."

	aboutaverage 2010-07-20 04:36 am UTC (link)
	"Don't call yourself a freak." Marco rolled his eyes, despite the twitching. He paused the game, since Tarim was yelling, and he honestly wasn't sure why. "I'm just having trouble understanding how you have no memory of any of it, and there was no evidence at all! You were gone for weeks, it makes no sense!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	aboutaverage 2010-07-20 05:15 am UTC (link)
	Marco shook his head. "Yeah, I'm glad you chose soccer and not football. Though I'm not sure you could actually be on the football team. But... Couldn't you wear wrist guards or something? I don't want you to get hurt. More." He paused, not wanting to sound too sappy. "Our, uh, insurance only covers so much. Broken bones are expensive." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	halfpinthero 2010-07-20 05:17 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, I'll be more careful." Tarim swears, holding up a pair of fingers: Scout's honor. "But what happens if... well, you get shot? We're covered for stuff like that, right?" So far, Tarim had encountered very few bludgeons, and he could shield those well. Pistols packed a punch though, and he could only block a few bullets before those became a problem. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	halfpinthero 2010-07-20 06:06 am UTC (link)
	Tarim grins, despite his rather grim demeanor. "Promise. I'll use all my powers to keep her away from our two months of rent and two weeks of groceries. And the Super Nintendo." He adds significantly. "...seriously, just promise me you'll never die, okay? I really can't go back with mom." There's a slight whimper to his voice as he finishes off the chips. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)