Leon Orcot (under_arrest) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2018-02-03 11:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, jessica moore, leon orcot |
Who: Leon and Jessica
What: Leon picks up Chris from Jessica
When: Early January
Where: Jess's house
Rating/Warning: Low/None
Status Complete
There were some things being raised by a cop just made you understand without needing to be told. Like late hours would be a thing without warning and there might not be a chance to call the babysitter which was why when Leon hadn’t come by to pick up Chris by bedtime Jess had gone ahead and tucked him in her guest room, the cat curled up on the pillow beside him. She left the door cracked so that she’d hear any sounds from in there as she settled down on the couch to start reading over the pages she was supposed to have ready before meeting with the author next week.
***
Leon hadn’t meant to stay at work so late. In fact, he’d actually meant to leave work early. Before he left, he decided to listen again to the witness interviews, jotting down any notes or questions that sprang to mind, and by the time he finally looked at the clock, it was after ten.
“Shit,” Leon swore. He locked up his case notes in his desk, and rushed over to Jessica’s place. He’d meant to spend some time with Chris before the kid had had to go to sleep, but he was sure that he’d probably missed that. At least, he told himself, Chris was used Leon working until after his bedtime. Hell, at this point he was probably used to Leon working the whole night through. He’d never complained about it, which meant that he must have been okay with it. He might have only been seven, but police work was in his blood and he obviously understood that the job came first.
When Leon got to Jessica’s place, he knocked on the door, not wanting to ring the bell in case it woke Chris up.
***
Jess heard that knock on the door and glanced back to the bedroom as if to check for movement but the only thing she saw was Leo sticking his head out the door as if to investigate what was going on and she laughed quietly as she went to the door. “Silly cat,” she said, looking through the keyhole and then opening the door when she saw it was Leon.
“Hey. Come on in,” she said quietly. “I put Chris to bed because he was falling asleep on the couch.”
***
“Sorry,” Leon apologized, stepping into the house. He immediately began to move toward the guest bedroom, just to peak in on his little brother. “I didn’t mean to be at work so late. Lost track of time.”
He pushed the bedroom door open a little more, the sliver of light from the hallway falling on the sleeping form. Chris was laid sprawled out, his legs and arms splayed out, and Leon turned from the door and headed back toward Jess. “He been out for long?” he asked, wondering if he’d be able to get him home without waking him up.
***
“It’s okay.” Jess told him, giving him his space as he went to check on Chris and she shifted Whit off the couch so she could sit back down. “Greedy thing,” she muttered, settling the dog back down beside her.
She looked at the clock, eyes widening as she realized how long she’d been going over those pages. “A couple hours. I didn’t realize I’d gotten that wrapped up in work myself.” She stretched slightly, watching Leon out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not going to ask what you’re working on but - when was the last time you actually got a good night’s sleep?”
***
A couple of hours was good. It probably meant that Leon would be able to carry Chris to the car and up the stairs to his apartment without waking him up. At Jess’s question, he shrugged. “I haven’t really thought about it,” he admitted. His father had always drilled into his head that if he was going to be a successful police officer, he had to take care of himself first. To make time to shave and shower every morning before he left, whether he felt like it or not. To go to bed early and wake up late.
Since Chris had come into his life, Leon had been going to bed later, though still waking up at the same time. It was easier to get work done when Chris was asleep, when he didn’t have to worry about his little brother stumbling upon crime scene photos. And since he’d shot and killed Diggs, well… He still saw him every time he closed his eyes for sleep. There’d been a few nights sleeping next to Alex that had helped quiet his mind, and he generally slept okay if Chris had had a nightmare and crawled into bed with him. But it wasn’t like he could just show up at Alex’s house whenever he felt like it. He had his brother to think of, and anyway it was kind of weird for a grown man to need sleepovers with his friends in order to sleep.
“I’ve been doing pretty good though.” The bags under his eyes probably didn’t mean anything.
***
Jess rolled her eyes at Leon’s insistence that he was doing pretty good. “Try that on someone who didn’t get raised by a cop next time. I might not have followed in his footsteps but I still remember what he taught me about being observant. And you - look like shit. I’m saying it as a friend. Leon - you look exhausted and I’m worried about you.”
***
“Gee thanks,” Leon deadpanned. He collapsed into a chair, sinking into the seat. “I am getting enough sleep though, really. It’s just… I’m not cut out for this shit. Police work, yeah, that’s fine. That’s what I’m good at. But all this magic bullshit, and taking care of a kid. Especially a kid with special needs…” He ran his hand down his face. Sometimes he wondered if he shouldn’t have sent Chris to that school in LA after all. Chris deserved better than spending nearly every night with a sitter.
***
Jess sighed and moved to sit on the end of the coffee table in front of him. “You’re right Leon. You aren’t. At least you aren’t as long as you keep thinking you’re in this by yourself. You’ve got friends who are here to help you out. That care about both you and Chris.” She said quietly, reaching out with one hand to touch his arm. “We might not be able to do much about the magic bullshit other than laugh with you about it and make sure everybody’s still alive when it passes but Chris is entirely different situation. You aren’t alone in taking care of him except by choice.”
***
Leon started when Jess touched him, but he didn’t pull away. He rubbed his hand on the side of his head, stray hairs coming loose from his ponytail. “And by budget,” he said wryly, smiling a little.
Leon hadn’t made a whole lot even when he was alone, but paying for babysitters constantly had really started taking a toll on his wallet. Sure, he had friends who he trusted with his life, who he could talk to about things and who he spent time with. But he’d never ask their help with anything, except maybe to borrow someone’s truck to move furniture. He’d been alone his entire life, and he didn’t ask for anything that he didn’t pay back. He couldn’t just ask someone to watch Chris without compensating them somehow.
He needed a cigarette, but he knew better than to smoke in Jess’s place, especially not with Chris in the other room. “You got a beer?” he asked. “Then I’ll go get Chris and get out of your hair for the night.”
***
Jess grinned at him. “Yeah well - budget kicks all of our asses about things. It’s why you alternate getting people to buy the beers for parties or whatever.” She said standing up and heading towards the kitchen.
“When have you ever known me not to have beer Leon?” She told him, coming back with one for each of them. “Want to come sit outside? It’s time for Whit’s walk. Which is him walking while I sit and play a game on my phone.”
She knew her friend well enough to guess he probably wanted to smoke but they’d had a deal for a long time that he wouldn’t smoke in her house. Outside on the steps though was a different story.
***
“Thanks,” Leon said, taking the beer. “Yeah, it’s a nice night out. Sitting out on the porch seems like a good idea.” And, well, he could smoke on the porch. He followed Jess out on the porch, already digging through his pocket for his cigarettes. He stuck it in his mouth and lit it almost as soon as they were outside.
“So,” he asked, exhaling. “How was he tonight?”
***
Normally Jess would call for Whit when it was time for his walk but tonight she picked him up so that she wouldn’t risk waking Chris up, setting the little bulldog down outside the door and watching him run down the stairs with a smile. “He’s one little guy that’s glad the snow is gone.” She said softly as she sat down, opening her beer.
“He was great. Helped me with dinner when I asked. We watched a movie after going over his spelling list and then bedtime was easy. Leo followed him in and curled up by him.” She said, watching Whit carefully to make sure he didn’t go too far.
***
“Something we have in common then, isn't it, Whit?” Leon said, grinning a bit. If he'd wanted to live in a place where it snowed every winter, he'd move to fucking Canada. But he’d been dealing with White Christmases ever since he'd become an adult, and he was kind of almost getting used to it.
“I'm glad to hear it. He's the most helpful kid I've ever met. Will do anything you ask him. Reminds me of our mom sometimes. He's definitely got more of her in him than I do.”
***
Jess grinned at him. “Between the snow and the decorations trying to attack again I’m glad that the holidays are over. Maybe next Christmas I’ll take a trip to someplace sane.” She knew chances were good she might not actually follow through with it because she would miss spending Christmas with her parents. “Or just remember not to put up so many decorations. At least this year I remembered no garlands so no one had to come cut me out of them.” That was a phone call to her parents that she never wanted to have to repeat.
“He’s definitely one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met.” She took a sip of her drink, just enjoying the quietness of the night around them.
***
Leon raised an eyebrow. “You mean your decorations actually attacked you?” Leon asked. The last few years the precinct had received a few calls of people complaining of their decorations attacking them, but for the most part those calls were laughed quietly at. Just someone getting tangled up in their tinsel trying to blame anyone but themselves.
He took his cue from Jess, sinking a little deeper into the bench as he finished his smoke. He was tired, now that he’d had some time to sit back and relax. But once he butted it out, he stood up. “Well, thanks for watching him,” he said. “I should really go take him back home.”
***
“Yep. It was like a scene out of some demented Christmas movie. Not a phone call I ever want to have to make home again.” Jess said looking up at the stars.
“You could always just crash here tonight. I mean - Chris is sound asleep and you're tired. The couch pulls out.” She didn't even think twice about making the offer.
***
Leon looked at her in surprise, and then frowned thoughtfully. On one hand, he really didn’t want to make the drive back to his apartment. But on the other hand… “I couldn’t impose on you like that,” he said after a moment.
***
“It’s not imposing. It’s partly selfish. I don’t want to deal with the cat’s bed thievery tonight.” Jess told him with a shrug.
***
“Oh what, you think I want to sleep with some obnoxious furball?” Leon asked, and then sighed. Now that he wasn't working, his tiredness had hit him like a sledgehammer. “But I guess that it beats the alternative. Alright fine, I'll stay.”
***
“Please. He’s curled up happily beside Chris and will probably be there all night. If he does come out to bug you just...shove him off. He’s a cat. He’ll land on his feet.” Jess said with a grin.
“Finish your cigarette. I’ll go get blankets and stuff for you.”