Morningstar Manor

Gavin wasn't as nervous as he used to be.

He counted this as a good thing; the Manor had been strange and maybe not the best place for him, all things considered, but he was here now and the Mocha had become a place he could sit and read and drink coffee without jumping or blushing or otherwise feeling like he didn't belong.

This was good.

He was doing that now -- sitting, drinking coffee, reading a magazine...thinking about writing. He hadn't written anything in a long time. His notebook, leatherbound and worn, sat in front of him with his favorite fountain pen clipped to the front. Maybe he'd write something soon.

After chasing Gavin around most of the night, the little tyke finally tuckered out and Alec found him fast asleep in Faith's dog bed. The dog sat nearby, watching with what Alec could only assume qualified as the doggie equivalent of a bemused expression.

She looked up at Alec, upper lip hooked back by her one of her lower canine's and made a gruff, whining noise.

But that's my bed, Alec imagined her saying.

He chuckled softly and reached down to rub her ears, "I know, I know." Over his shoulder he called out to Ang. "Hey, Ang, come in here for a second."

Technically they shouldn't have put it in the pool, but the Manor could afford to replace it if necessary and it had to be admitted that a genuine floating pirate ship was a lot more fun than one on the grass.

Nick tied it off securely at one side of the pool so the prow was in the shallow end and the stern over deep water for jumping in, and wondered who would be the first to find it. There were plenty of posters up, that was for sure.

{Standard party post - get your pups' scantiest swimmers on and come and say 'Aaaaar'}

"Okay, now pout at me!" Anastasia said to Gavin as she snapped photo after photo of him in their living room. It was a silly evening. Trevor had called to say he'd be out late, which left her and Gavin alone for the evening and for a dinner that had involved a little too much wine, she was starting to think.

Anastasia sat in the garden, a content smile upon her face as she snapped pictures of random flowers and summer foilage before it was all gone. Her anniversary getaway with Trevor had went extremely well, and she was starting to feel good about her life again.

Niles was in the garage with Piglet in a dirty grey t-shirt and a pair of battered jeans with grease up to his elbows as he looked at the cars innards. Something just wasn't right, and he had to figure out what it was. He worried about that car like it was his child. 

Isabella sat down in the laundry room, dressed casually for once in a plain white tank top and a pair of short black shorts. Her flip flops lay on the floor discarded from where she sat on top of the washer, reading through the New York Times. 

Smith sat alone in the Mocha in a pair of black work out pants and a white tank top, hiding a very uncharacteristic bout of chuckles behind a Chuck Palahniuk novel as he watched someone that had been sent to watch him tuck and roll across the lobby, as if he wouldn't notice it. 

Bea was up at the pool again in her silver bikini, her iPod on but turned down just incase anyone talked to her. Before her sat a to-do list where she lay on her stomach, her feet crossed at the ankles behind her.

On the way home Cleo had called to say she was missing some crucial ingredient - some kind of spice Jazz had never even heard of - for the dinner she was making and was going out to find some. So, seeing as how the apartment would be empty anyway, Jazz turned into the Mocha upon returning back to the Manor and settled herself near the window, enjoying a cup of something frothy and picking at a muffin.

~.~

Mommy had mentioned wanting to check out the new spa, so today Alec provided, changing into a pair of board shorts and a cut off shirt - his scar was well and hidden, but the black edges of the tattoo on his chest could be seen. After gathering up some necessities and his son, he headed up to the roof.

He set down several thick and fluffy towels on a lounger and a diaper bag, then went to sit on the steps in the shallow end of the pool, holding Gavin in his lap. The boy squealed and splashed, making Alec smile as the sound echoed through the pool house.

~.~

Riley was in the hallway off the ballroom, pausing on his way back from the bathroom, frowning at his reflection in the funny gilded mirror there. He had some, stupid, dinner party thing tonight and his bow tie was refusing to cooperate.

Trevor was working late again, or so he said, and this time, Gavin sort of believed him. He didn't think Anastasia did, though, so he'd bitten the bullet and asked her if she wanted to go...

bowling.

Yes, bowling.

Gavin hadn't actually been bowling in years, not since the seventh grade. But here they were, and he was determined to see her smile.

Sscrunch, sscrunch, sscrunch - the tell-tale sound of diapered movement.

Faith whined and Alec looked up from the envelope in his hand just in time to see his son disappear around the sorting counter. This wasn't the first time this had happened so Alec knew enough now to go around the opposite way, meeting Gavin at the end, rather than trying to chase him.

Gavin popped around the end of the counter, intent on the door, saw Alec and gave a mighty holler. He tried quick to turn back and keep crawling away but Alec was prepared for that too and swooped down, scooping the squirming child up.

"One of these times somebody's gonna come in and step on you," Alec warned as Gavin wriggled in his arms and braced himself on Alec's chest, reaching with one hand to pull on Alec's necklace, momentarily distracted by the shiny bit of metal. "Or bonk you on the noggin with the door and then, trust me, you won't be happy."

Gavin just looked at him, tugging on the chain and huffing out a breath.

Gavin was drinking slowly but surely, and pondering the state of life.

He was in love with his brother's wife; he knew this for sure.

He was possibly crazy; that had never been in dispute.

His brother was an asshole -- that he'd never questioned, but he loved his brother, too.

Heavy sigh.

Another drink.

Anastasia had pondered many things while standing in line at the Mocha and then some more at the grocery store, the least of which being her husband's odd actions the past few days. He showered all the time, stayed gone later and later, and was back to ignoring her again.
There was a thick inkling of dread in her gut, a twist of certainty that told her subconcious exactly what was going on, but she couldn't bring herself to listen to it. Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, she wondered if he'd be there when she got home.

Gavin had to get out of the apartment, so journal in hand, with his favorite pen, he'd settled in at the Mocha to do some writing and just...sort of...well, to think about what the hell had been going on lately.

Gavin had made popcorn. Trevor had gone out hours ago, claiming work. If that bothered Anastasia, she hadn't said, but Gavin had grown sensitive to his brother's frequent absences. He'd suggested movies and popcorn, hoping to distract her from anything that might be going on.

And himself, too.

"Ready?"

Anastasia was already awake and laying on her side facing away from Trevor  when his alarm went off Tuesday morning. Much to her surprise he didn't climb out of bed without a word as he had been lately. Instead she felt his moment of hesitation before he turned and wrapped an arm around her waist, snuggling himself into her back as he always had before this mess had started.

She couldn't stop the broad smile that broke out across her face at his familiar touch. She had hoped things would be better today. It was her birthday after all...

"...I don't want to talk about it any more!" Trevor hollered, grabbed his coat and flung open the door. "Christ, just let it fucking REST."

Gavin, listening from his room, felt his stomach turn over and made a fist around his pen as the front door slammed. He'd been trying to write but the shouting had distracted him.

He waited, listening still, but Trevor appeared to have gone.

Sure, he had a maid now, but he liked doing his own laundry some times. It was soothing to sit in an almost quiet room and just watch his clothes flip around in the dryer.
Plus, there had to be lots of hot chicks coming down here, right?

Niles got off the elevator at the lobby, determined to find someone to give him some directions. He had a date tonight and he wanted to make a good impression, so he needed to find himself a florist. Surely there had to be some sort of directory of the city, or a familiar face in this crowd of people that could help him out? He took a few steps into the lobby, looking around.

***********

Anastasia stared at herself in the mirror. Right there, where her neck connected to her shoulder, were teeth marks. They'd been there when she woke up Monday morning from her dream about Gavin.
They hadn't been there when she went to sleep Sunday night.
She stared. Trevor must have turned to her while they were both asleep, as he did sometimes. So that meant not only had she had a dream about her brother in law, she'd had the dream while it was her husband she was having sex with.
Stomach feeling hollow, she walked out of her bathroom into her bedroom and then down the hall.

Thursday night, nearly the weekend, and the place was hopping. Not so crowded and loud that you couldn't hear yourself like some other places but the nice comforting noise of a busy pub filled with good people, good food and good drinks - and some good music as well with a nice little acoustic set playing off and on throughout the night.

Behind the bar Kara polished glasses and smiled around the place. She loved the Lamb and everyone in it. And she couldn't help but wonder who might come through her door tonight.

Spending time with Gavin was one of the best parts of Anastasia's day anymore. She cooked, he cleaned up her mess. She painted, he sat quietly close by and scribbled in his notebook. He helped her grade papers and art projects and taught her how to do things like waltz and make oragami swans. Sometimes they talked and laughed and teased, sometimes they didn't, but either way there was no doubt that it was...comfortable. Enjoyable. He'd been with them for only three months and already she couldn't imagine not having Gavin around.

So now she sat in her car, looking at Gavin as he looked at the large department store that loomed in front of them. She'd brought him here in the hopes of getting him some more summer clothes. He hadn't shown up with much, and most of what he'd brought were winter clothes he'd bought that same day. She knew he wasn't always comfortable in public places and that was okay. She'd help him out in any way she could and if it got to be too much, they'd leave.

He never questioned her quirks, and she'd never question his.

Dinner with his brother's wife had become a habit. A good one. She cooked, he ate; they laughed and joked and talked and it was all copacetic. It was better when Trevor wasn't there, because when he was he didn't get the same jokes they did when Gavin and Anastasia were alone. But that was okay.

It was nice having a friend.

So now, glass of wine in hand, leaning against the counter while she chopped something that smelled good, Gavin thought about how long it would be until his brother came home and he had to pretend he was...well, not stupid -- Trevor knew he wasn't dumb -- but just...quiet. He had to be quiet around his brother, so as not to worry him.

Gavin never had to worry he was freaking Anastasia out when he laughed. She liked it. He liked it, too.

Things had been weird between Anastasia and Gavin ever since the incident the other night. They hadn't spoken or even been around each other without Trevor being in the room and Anastasia didn't like it. She actually sort of...missed him. They'd just started being friends, and she'd screwed it up. It didn't matter that she had no memory of her actions, it was all her fault and she was tired of missing him while he was in the same f-ing house.
She grabbed the gift bag up from where she'd left it on the table, and knocked on his bedroom door.