InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "A word which here means..."

Thomas Julian Kemp (asterismos) wrote in nevermore_past,
@ 2014-08-21 21:03:00

Current mood:	hungry
Entry tags:	jameson kemp, thomas kemp

WHO: Thomas and Jamie
WHAT: I'm a terrible person. There's no food in the house and it's cold. MUAHAHHAA
WHEN: Late December, whatever year means Jamie is five and a half
WHERE: Their tiny apartment
WARNINGS: Poverty, hunger, swearing

The sound of his sister's phone ringing and ringing and ringing was mocking him. She wouldn't pick up (he would find out later she and her boyfriend had skipped town for a spur of the moment Christmas together) and his parents were out of town.

Everyone was out of town or busy.

"Dammit!" Thomas yelled, throwing the phone onto his bed with force because it was an outlet for his aggression that wouldn't actually harm the phone. He needed that, dammit. He needed his sister to pick up.

He needed someone to help.

There in the middle of his room, Thomas bent his face down into his hands and he rubbed at his forehead. There was no money and hardly any food and he had no idea what to do. Jamie would eventually realise it was several hours past lunch time and Thomas was going to have to figure out something to tell his son.

Oh god, what was he going to tell his son?

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	flare_star 2014-08-25 09:24 am UTC (link)
	Jamie looked up at him curiously, but his dad looked tired and sad, and, in that way that children have, he knew not to ask questions. Instead, he just nodded and said, "I promise. And if anything happens, I call 911." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

asterismos
2014-08-25 09:43 am UTC (link)

"That's my good, brave boy," Thomas said with a wide smile. He kissed Jamie again and then stood to retrieve the last cracker from the kitchen so he could give that to Jamie too. "Here, eat this in the meantime and I'll bring back something, okay?" If his plan didn't pan out he was going to steal something and fuck the consequences. Jamie needed to eat. "Draw me a picture while I'm gone and stay cuddled in the fort. I'll try to hurry."

Thomas bundled up and headed out into the hallway, waiting until he heard Jamie chain the door before he left the building. He hadn't worked at the bar in months now, since he was attending night school so he could eventually go to teacher's college. He still knew most of the clientele though, and there was someone in particular he was looking for. Someone who would, in fact, be in a gay bar at 11 in the morning.

The bar was nearly empty, but on a stool near the far end was the man Thomas was looking for. Hope rose in his chest as he neared the man, a small smile on his face. "Hey, Brent. How's things?"

"Thomas? Haven't seen you in a while," Brent said, smirking a little, as if no one had taught him how to smile. "You quit?"

"Yeah. Going to night school, so working at night- Well you can put two and two together. Uhm...you can tell me to fuck off, but-" Thomas licked his lips and tried to ignore the fact that he felt dizzy and queasy and disgusting, "I was wondering if I could do anything for you? For uhm...for money?"

There was that smirk again. "How much?"

"Forty?" Thomas asked, trying not to wince.

"Could get a pro for that," Brent said with a scoff. "Twenty."

"Thirty."

"Twenty-five, kid, and you're lucky to be getting that." Then Brent slipped off his stool and headed towards the bathrooms without another word and Thomas followed him, willing his ears to stop burning bright red.

When it was all said and done, Brent zipped up his jeans and handed Thomas the money. Thomas stumbled out through the back door of the bar and he leaned there against the wall for a moment, shaky and horrified. Without warning he felt his empty stomach twist and he went to his knees again, this time vomiting bile and semen onto the pavement of the alleyway.

"Jesus," Thomas whispered, wiping his mouth with a gloved hand. "Oh, Jesus-" And there, in the alley behind his former work place, he let himself cry. He was starving and traumatised over watching his son go hungry, and now he'd sacrificed his dignity again. His hand balled into a fist over his chest and he sobbed until his head hurt.

God, nothing was fair about this. Nothing.

Finally he rose, wiping at his eyes furiously. He was an adult and a father and he should be home with his kid, not weeping in the middle of the city over things he couldn't control. On his way home he purchased a bunch of mac and cheese and ramen noodles to last them until he got paid. Then, because he didn't want Jamie to have ti wait for him to cook something, he got a cooked chicken and some mashed potatoes from a deli. It would be a nice treat, which was something they both deserved.

Once he reached the apartment again, Thomas knocked on the door. "Jamie, it's Daddy. I'm back, sweetheart. Let me in?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

OUCH, MAN. OUCH. D: D: D:

flare_star
2014-08-25 09:57 am UTC (link)

While his father was gone, Jamie had dragged his paper and crayons into the fort, drawing different, random things to keep himself occupied. He tried to draw the Oogie Boogie Man, but it sort of ended up looking like a green, vaguely humanoid-looking, huge Hershey's Kiss with a face. But he kept it anyway.

When he heard the knock, he got up, pulled his coat tighter around him, and trotted over to the door. He opened the door a crack without taking off the chain, and upon seeing it really was his father, he closed it again, removed the chain, and let him inside.

He grabbed his father around the knees in a hug, which put him right about the level of the deli bag. "I smell chicken," he said, looking hopeful. "Did you get lunch?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

WON'T THAT BE FUN FOR JAMIE TO LEARN ABOUT NOW!

asterismos
2014-08-25 10:03 am UTC (link)

The moment Jamie grabbed his legs and looked up at him all hopeful, Thomas knew what he had done was worth it. "Ooof, hi there, Munchkin! I did get chicken, and mashed potatoes and gravy from the place you like. Get some bowls, okay, we'll eat in the fort because it's warmer. I'm going to wheel the TV over too so we can watch something. Are you okay, did anything happen while I was out?"

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	JAMIE MIGHT CRY A LITTLE flare_star 2014-08-28 02:56 am UTC (link)
	Jamie bounced happily in place a couple of times. "Yay!" he said, clapping his hands and running off to get bowls and forks. He trotted back to the fort and curled himself inside. "Nu-uh, nothing happened," he answered. "I just stayed in the fort and read my books." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

I CERTAINLY WOULD

asterismos
2014-08-28 03:32 am UTC (link)

Jamie was grinning and clapping and Thomas could feel his heart lighten. It was going to be okay. He had done what he had to for his son and it was going to be okay.

"You're such a good boy," Thomas said to Jamie, and he went to the kitchen to cut the chicken off the bone. Once it was done, he carried the plate to the fort, along with the potatoes. "Eat as much as you want, kiddo, but eat it slowly, okay? Otherwise you might get sick. I'm going to go take a shower." And brush his teeth. Probably several times. God, he was going to have to get tested in a few weeks down at the free clinic and just hope he hadn't sacrificed his health for twenty five dollars.

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flare_star
2014-08-28 04:57 am UTC (link)

Jamie beamed at his father. "Thank you, Dad," he said, taking his plate of chicken. It smelled really good, especially after a day of next to nothing. He ate a few bites pretty quickly, but then he made himself slow down like his father had said. He scooped some potatoes out of the container and into his bowl, relishing in the feeling of hot food warming him from the inside out.

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	asterismos 2014-08-28 05:00 am UTC (link)
	"You're very welcome, Jamie," Thomas said warmly before heading off to shower. He would eat when he was finished, but this would give Jamie enough time to eat his own fill. And, Thomas hoped, he might feel clean afterwards. Somehow, though, he doubted it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

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