WHO: Grace Jordan & Lee Jordan. WHAT: Chatting. Hanging out. WHEN: BACKDATED to Saturday, April 28. WHERE: Grace's flat. WARNINGS: None.
Grace stared out over the city, perched on one of the dilapidated lawn chairs she and Lee had dragged up here once Grace had told him she had access to the roof of their building, one of Cai’s cats fat and content in her arms. The other was investigating the small garden that belonged to one of the other tenants, swatting at the overgrown greenery brushing the concrete.
They were good company, had been for the last week, though she wondered if it had been selfish of her to keep them. Surely Gwen or Angelina would want them, they were Cai’s family and the cats had belonged to him. She still had pieces of him everywhere in her apartment and it felt selfish.
The cat in her arms tensed suddenly, darting its head to peer suspiciously at the sound of the door slamming just behind them.
"I tried to make soup and it didn't turn out so bad," Lee stated, as he brought over two bowls of soup, handing one over to Grace. "See?" he pointed towards the bowl and had a semi-proud look on his face. He took a seat next to her, in one of the other lawn chairs, and dug his spoon in the thick soup, taking in the smell. Maybe he was hungry, but it really did smell pretty great.
A few seconds of silence later, Lee glanced at Grace and raised one brow. "You haven't really talked about it, you know." He knew he didn't have to explain what 'it' meant.
“And say what exactly?” the small grateful smile she had for her brother faded as she took the bowl from him. “This is what happens isn’t it?”
"Maybe, but —" Lee exhaled loudly. There wasn't anything he could say or do right now that would make any of this better, he knew, but still, he had to try. "That doesn't mean you have to go through any of it alone. I'm here for you, Grace," he further explained, gently bumping his shoulder against hers. "You know that, right?"
“I do,” she turned, pressing her shoulder back, even as the cat protested. “Of course I do. I’m not really sure what I’d be doing without you.”
Grace was used to being alone at home, but had grown used to having Lee there, Cai there. It had been some suggestion of a future she’d found she desperately wanted once it had been taken away.
“You know, he’s—he’d been one of my best friends for so long and when we finally got together it hadn’t felt different, just...more. And—“ she gave a tremulous smile, wet eyes intent on the soup in front of her. She had no appetite. “That’s what it’s supposed to be like, right? Being in love with your best friend.”
Lee couldn't bring himself to respond; he didn't really know much about being in love, and even if he did, he wasn't sure that this was the time to say anything regarding that. Instead, he offered her a meek smile, something between uncertainty and wariness. He let his free hand reach for Grace's shoulder, giving the briefest of squeezes.
Finally, he spoke. "That's what I'm told," he managed to say, chuckling just a tad. The smile disappeared and instead was replaced with a frown. "I'm so sorry, Grace."
Grace shook her head. There was nothing to say, no reason to apologize. She’d had Cai, even if for a brief period of time and they’d been happy. He’d loved her. It would have to be enough, she had no other choice.
She was tired of crying. Lee was probably tired of her crying. She was just tired.
She wiped at her eyes, disturbing both the cat settled in her lap and the bowl of soup, which she almost spilled all over the poor thing.
“I didn’t think this through,” she sniffed, laughing slightly. “How am I supposed to hug you like this? Unless that was your evil plan.”
"You know me, always avoiding hugs," Lee smiled, though he set his own soup down on the ground beside his chair, before letting his arms wrap around his older sister, ignoring the cat's protests. It still didn't make anything better, this hug, but at least it was something. It was Lee saying he was here for his sister, no matter what.
He kissed her cheek momentarily and smiled again, patting her back. "I love you."
Grace closed her eyes, her grip on her brother tight. Cai had loved his sister so much, he would do anything, risk anything for her. It was the same for Grace. Without question.
“I love you too. I’d do anything for you, you know that?”
"I do, actually!" Lee exclaimed, with faux enthusiasm, more so because he wanted to make it seem like it would be okay and he didn't want to give Grace any extra reason to be worried right now. "Which I appreciate, obviously."
He pulled back from the hug and affectionately ruffled her hair, chuckling as the cat whined in protest for a moment. "Oi, I'm not bothering you," he directed at the cat.
Grace scratched the cat behind the ears, giving it the attention she obviously felt she had been cheated with Lee’s presence. “I know, he’s the worst isn’t he? Like a black hole for food and attention.”
"Rude," Lee replied, sticking out his tongue momentarily. "Want to go inside, though? It's getting a bit chilly again and you don't want to be out here all the while."
Grace smiled slightly; when had her brother become such a fussy old mum? “Well maybe don’t wear shorts in April yeah?”
She stuck her tongue out at him too, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. She had Lee, focusing on keeping it that way would direct all the pain she was otherwise languishing in, turning it into something proactive.
When she stood, cat unhappy in her arms, she laid another smacking kiss against his forehead. “Thanks, Lee,” she said softly.
Lee smiled, though in a true younger brother protest, he wrinkled his nose and playfully pushed Grace away. "Anytime."