Justin Taylor (sunshine_taylor) wrote in colligo_threads, @ 2012-12-30 17:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | claude crane, justin taylor |
WHO: Justin Taylor and Claude Crane
WHAT: They’re roommates who barely see one another
WHEN: Backdated to Friday, November 9th. Early Evening
WHERE: Their apartment
RATING: PG
STATUS: Complete
Justin had gone over a year without a roommate and even now with Claude, sometimes it still felt like he didn’t have one, because with the both of them working nights and Justin taking classes during the day and hanging out with Buffy and/or Sookie on occasion, their paths rarely crossed. Of course there were the tell tale signs that someone else lived in the apartment such as food in the cabinets and fridge, which Claude had bought and other things left around the apartment, but Justin couldn’t quite remember the last time he’d actually said more than a few quick words to his roommate, which had left Justin still wondering exactly what Claude had meant by one of the comments he’d made when he’d had his age reversed a few weeks back. Justin suspected that there was possibly something supernatural about his roommate, which wouldn’t really shock him, considering he was friends with Ashley, who was a vampire and he knew there were witches and wizards and werewolves in the city, so he didn’t think that anything Claude said would really surprise him. Of course, if he was going to ask Claude about it, he would need to actually see his roommate. He had been tempted a few nights to go over to the club he worked at, but Justin was pretty sure that watching Claude dance wouldn’t exactly help, because he’d be too preoccupied with watching his roommate then actually talking to him.
Having gotten out of class early, Justin had decided to head back to the apartment to check on Escher and grab something for lunch. Even after a few months, the fact that he now had a dog was something that Justin was still getting used to. He had to get up earlier every morning to walk him, even when he had worked late and he couldn’t leave him all day. He was unsure of how Claude got along with Escher, but the dog was extremely lovable, so he didn’t think he had too much to worry about when it came to Escher and Claude. Reaching the apartment, Justin let himself in and dropped his bag onto the floor by the couch as Escher came running over, looking for attention, “Hey, Escher. Miss me?”
Claude almost felt as if he were living on his own. If not for the dog he probably would have tried to find another roommate. It was way too quiet for him. He was used to a full house but at times it was nice to have the quiet. He didn’t know if his sisters would arrive or he would be sent back to them.
There was still things about Colligo that Claude was getting used to. Sharing a house with a man, what affected them, people being taken and brought back on a whim.
It wasn’t as if his life was normal before which made it easier. He wasn’t as caught off guard by the supernatural and the magic in the world. He knew that these things didn’t exist in Justin’s world but he seemed to have a better handle on it. He could always blame it on the fact that the worst he’d taken it was when he was turned back into a child. There was no way to be used to what the Collector through at them.
Claude leaned his head back against the couch as he turned on the television. His hand automatically moved to petting the dog that rested it’s head on his leg. It might not have been his dog but he had grow to like it. On those rare days off he enjoyed relaxing with the goofy bugger. He was just starting to get comfortable when the door opened. Escher.jumped up, the dog’s hind legs pushing off Claude’s lap, and ran to his returning master. He groaned as he recoiled from the friendly ‘attack’.
“Welcome home,” he smiled.
Justin smiled as he scratched Escher’s head, turning his head towards Claude, “Hey. Feels like for-fucking-ever since we’ve been in the same room together.” Escher barked at Justin before returning to Claude and jumping up onto the couch, “Looks like I didn’t have to rush back after class.” Justin hadn’t intended to take classes this semester, considering he’d only enrolled in the art classes at the University because Eames taught them and since he was gone, he hadn’t seen a reason to continue at first, but considering the possibility that he might wind up owning his own art studio in the future and the fact that his degree from back home meant nothing in Colligo, he had finally decided that continuing his classes in Colligo was probably the best thing he could do if he wanted to actually do something in art while he was there. “I’m glad I did though, since we're hardly ever here at the same time.”
Removing his jacket, Justin laid it over the back of the couch before perching himself on the arm of the couch on the opposite end from where Claude was sitting, “So, what have you been up to?” He ran a hand through his hair as he watched his roommate and Escher, who had laid his head back down on Claude’s lap. He was glad that Claude and Escher appeared to get along, because it put Justin’s mind at ease for when he wasn’t home.
Claude thought that he was the only one to notice basically living in alone. If they both realized it maybe they could do something to change it. Well, to the point that they actually saw each other during the week.
Okay, maybe not but they could try.
“We’re here in the morning,” while they were both sleeping but it counted. It was a couple hours of being in the apartment at the same time. “We don’t see each other but we’re here.”
Claude looked down at Escher as the dog returned to him then back at his friend. “There’s a chicken in the oven. I don’t work tonight. I switched to have a day off,” he said as he kept his eyes on the blonde.
“True, but before you became my roommate, I had been living along for the last year, so now that I finally have a roommate, I wouldn’t mind actually getting the chance to see you every now and then,” Back when Eames, Arthur and Ariadne had been in Colligo, Justin hadn’t actually spent too much time in his apartment, because he had usually been at their house, hanging out with one or all three of them, so he hadn’t exactly been lonely, but having a roommate was completely different than just having friends in the city.
As Claude mentioned dinner, Justin glanced towards the kitchen then back at the other, “I’m off tonight too. Anything I can do to help?” Justin was glad that his mother had taught him to cook, so that he hadn’t had to get too much take out during his time in Colligo and if Claude had already begun making dinner, he was going to offer to help. “What were you planning on making to go with it?”
Justin wanted to see him more? It would be nice to have a roommate that they could actually hang out with each other. Claude smiled as he finally turned his head back to the television. “It’s been nice actually,” he said as he placed his hand between Escher’s ear. “I’m used to sharing space with seventeen sisters. I’ve been enjoying the quiet.” It didn’t mean that he didn’t want to spend time with Justin. He was just enjoying having time to himself without wondering how long it was going to last.
“I just have the green beans to cook but not until the chicken’s almost done,” otherwise the green beans would get cold. “There’s also a fresh cranberries in the fridge.” He wouldn’t mind if Justin wanted to cook the vegetables.
It would be another half hour before the chicken would be done. He was glad that he didn’t have to put any in the fridge for Justin. He didn’t think food tasted right when it was reheated.
“I can take care of the green beans, if you want,” Justin said as he slid off of the arm of the couch and settled onto the cushion, one arm stretched out across the back of the couch so his body was angled towards Claude, “I mean, if we’re both home then you shouldn’t have to do it all on you own.” He smiled and reached out with his other hand to scratch Escher’s back. “Seventeen sisters? Shit. I only have one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Molly, but I couldn’t imagine having more than one of her around.” The age difference between him and Molly was one of the things that had led to him being comfortable on his own, because he’d spent so many years as an only child that he had always been able to find things to do to entertain himself.
“How’s work going?” Justin hadn’t been back to the club since that first night when he’d surprised Claude, but that was mostly due to the fact that Asaph kept throwing things at them that prevented him from either remembering that he wanted to go watch his roommate dance or threw horror movie monsters at them and after being chased into the boiler room by the killer from Scream a few months earlier, Justin had only ventured out when he had to during the last two weeks.
Claude flashed a smile at Justin as he nodded.
"If you want. They aren't canned," he said not knowing if Justin ever cooked fresh green beans before. It wasn't that hard to do and figured Justin wouldn't have a problem even if it was his first time. He could take Justin through it from the couch.
He was sure that it was an unusual number for humans. "I liked it. Some times I needed my own space but it's sad not to have them here with me," he couldn't believe how much he missed them. "How old was Molly?" He was commenting on the age difference.. which Justin hadn't really mentioned.
Work?
It reminded him of the time that Justin came to visit. People commented on that. They didn't really have friends that wanted to come see the show. "It's going alright. I'm still dancing with the group you saw but I'm still new," they hadn't hired anyone since that time. "And your work?"
“That shouldn’t be too difficult.” All Justin would have to do was cut off the ends of the beans and wash them then put them in a container that he could put in the microwave. Didn’t seem that difficult. As he listened to Claude talk about his sisters, he thought about how old exactly his sister would be now. He’d been in Colligo for well over a year now, “She’s fifteen now, I think. Being here has thrown off my concept of time as far as time back home goes. We’re about ten years apart.” He often wondered how his mother and Molly were getting on and even though he knew that technically he was still also in New York, or even possibly back in Pittsburgh, it didn’t change the fact that he didn’t know what was going on back home. “So, I’m gonna guess that you’re not exactly human. I mean, when you were deaged, you said something about already being in your twenties or something like that,” Justin didn’t remember exactly what Claude had said, but it had definitely tipped him off that Claude was more than just human.
When Claude started talking about work, Justin smirked and ran a hand through his hair, “I’ve been meaning to come by again, but with everything that Asaph has thrown at us the last few weeks, it’s kind of pushed it to the back burner.”
What?
Claude didn't remember that happening. Although he was told about people being shifted into different ages. He just didn't remember what happened during that time.
It wasn't surprising that it hadn't come up in conversation. It was something that he didn't really broadcast. It wasn't that he didn't trust Justin, it was just he was raised to be kept from humans. He didn't get how people there just outed themselves. Being captured didn't mean being safe then again this wasn't like home. There were things here that he wouldn't have seen back home.
"No, I'm not human," he said confirming Justin's thought. "I'm a faerie and actually about one hundred thirty." He smiled thinking how old that is to a human. He wondered what Justin would think of this news.
Justin’s brow rose slightly as Claude confirmed that he wasn’t human, but he wasn’t as surprised as he would have been, had Claude told him that a year and a half ago. “Really? Haven’t met a faerie yet.” Claude had told him before that he didn’t like vampires and not that it made more sense now, but at least it made sense as to how Claude knew about vampires. “I never would have thought that. I mean, you don’t have wings or anything.” From living in Colligo for almost two years, Justin knew that not all supernatural creatures were the same even if they were the technically the same species. After all; there were at least four different kinds of vampires in town, at last count, and there had been different kinds of werewolves plus gods and demons. So, Claude being a faerie was just one more kind of supernatural creature.
As he thought about it a bit more, Justin couldn’t stop the smirk that spread across his lips, “My friends back home would have a field day with this,” Not only was Claude an honest to God faerie, but as far as Justin knew, his roommate was bisexual and he, himself, was gay. He could only imagine what Brian would say if he were there. “I mean, technically we’re both faeries.” His smirk spread into a grin as he ran his fingers through Escher’s fur, blue eyes on Claude as he spoke. “So, do you have any special abilities?” He was extremely curious about what his roommate could do.
Claude wasn’t entirely surprised about that. Faeries usually kept their identities secret because they were desired by other supernaturals and it wasn’t proper to tell humans. Most humans probably wouldn’t believe them in anyway but the humans in Colligo were different. They were used to supernatural creatures and the supernatural happening to them. It put them above normal humans. Hell, even ones that knew about vampires in his world were nowhere near ready to learn about faeries. Not that they would be stupid enough to out themselves to the public.
“I’m a faeire, not Tinkerbell,” he wondered what Justin would think of his appearance in Faery. It wouldn’t be considered attractive in this world. “We don’t really look like that, obviously.” It would have been nice and funny to pop out some wings for Justin to gawk at.
A smile grew on Claude’s face as Justin made the fairy and faerie connection. It was strange that people found words like that for it. Most faerie were naturally open with their sexuality. It was almost odd not to be. “I do,” he answered and thought about showing Justin his light. It wasn’t like Sookie’s since he had more control over it. “I have my light,” he said knowing that wouldn’t mean a lick of sense.
Without saying more he simply allowed his light to show. It caused his hands to glow and he was able to shoot out a harmless light at Justin.
“A light?” Justin asked just before Claude shot a beam of light out of his hand, causing Justin to shut his eyes for a moment, “That was pretty fucking cool. Does it do anything though?” He wondered what the point of being able to produce light from your hand would be if it didn’t actually do something, “That’s not going to do any lasting damage, is it?” He didn’t feel any different, but Justin didn’t know how he was supposed to feel if he had a beam of light shot at him by a faerie. “Can you do anything else?” Now that Justin knew for sure that Claude wasn’t human, he was fascinated and wanted to know as much as Claude would tell him. It had been more or less the same when he’d learned that Ashley was a vampire.
Claude's light, without controlling it, would have sent Justin flying away or knocked him out. He was able to control it to simply show Justin what he could do. As a way of answering the question of what abilities he had. It was only of a few things he could do.
"It can be very dangerous," he said as the light faded away. "It was harmless this time. I just chose to show you something I can do."
He smiled at Justin. "I'm telepathic, all of my species are," he said hoping Justin would ask if he had taken a peek into his mind. Thankfully just after he spoke the oven beeped. "It's time to put on the green beans," he pointed out since they only took about five minutes to make.
“At least you’ll be good to have around if we ever have another zombie invasion or anything like that,” Justin’s brows rose and he was just about to ask about the whole telepathy thing when the timer went off on the stove. Glancing towards the kitchen, Justin gave Escher’s fur another stroke before getting to his feet, stretching out his back and arms as he did so, “I’ll get right on that then,” Since they were going to be eating dinner together there would be plenty of time for Justin to ask Claude if he’d ever read his mind and for them to continue to talk about anything else that came to mind.