rabid dog

The dog on screen is a sight to behold, foam at the mouth, blood from its previous victim as he rounds up the car, the woman sitting inside looking absolutely terrified as she know she has no where else to go, the movie is an old one but it is a classic for anyone who might appreciate the author behind the book that led to this movie.

“He’s rabid.” One little voice whispers in the dark movie room. There are eight people in this room, sitting in two rows of movie-theatre comfortable seats with leg-rest, arm rest and cup holder.

The movie is projected onto the wide wall, the image clear as can be in the pitch black (except for the slight light telling folks where the door leading to the rest of the apartment is) room. There is room for a dozen or so people in this homemade movie theatre room. The sound is all around them and movies could be played in 3D if it was required or requested by the viewers.

“Rabid dogs don’t go on that kind of rampage.” Another soft voice answers from the back row. “Now shush.”

There is a soft chuckle to the left of the shushing person and Eoghan, who had shushed either one of the twins, he couldn’t tell which, swatted lightly, playfully really, at Alexis’s hand.

Their routine had changed just barely over the last two weeks. Dinner was still shared one night a week, a new theme every time but now that the movie room was ready with its comfortable seats, its speaker set up and the rest, they had decided that dinner night would end with a movie. It wasn’t such a bad idea. All but two of the souls seated within these plush seats lived in the building, it only meant going down one floor or two before they were home. The last two were just in the building across so it really didn’t require much more effort to get home.

Deciding on which movie it was going to be had been an interesting sort of moment. Eoghan’s collection of movies was ever growing, he tended to get new ones as they came out and ripped them onto one of his hard drives. He had one specially set up for movies and it stayed in the movie room. It wasn’t connected to anything other than the player.

“You’re going to give them nightmares and I’m the one who’s going to have to stay awake all night while they toss and turn, waking up screaming.”

“Zora, if they’ve never seen horror movies before, there’s a start to everything and this isn’t the worst one of them all. Plus, it’s the one they picked, I figured they deserve to at least get to decide once. It’s what they want.”

“If they have nightmares I’m blaming you. I have to be up early tomorrow morning!”

“Look, if it makes you feel any better we can set out mattresses here in this room, there’s plenty of space and they can sleep here tonight and you’ll have some peace.”

“Hmph! You’re just looking to scare them, that’s all you’re doing.”

“Zora, this movie is the one they picked, they looked at the preview, they read the description and it’s what they wanted. Personally I would have started with The Langoliers but they preferred Cujo.”

Huffing, she’d thrown her hands in the air and stalked back out of the movie room and into the living room then the dining room. She disappeared out of the apartment together, almost slamming the door but she came back fifteen minutes later with two sleep over bags. Alexis had looked confused as can be but Eoghan had only shaken his head with a shrug. The woman still didn’t fully trust them. He supposed he didn’t really blame her for it. Still.

Just outside the room, two air mattresses are still rolled securely closed, beside them two pillows and two overnight bags. Her brother’s first sleep over, they are just a floor up but it will be interesting and she can’t help but wonder just how well she will actually sleep without them about. Not that she’s worried. Usually they sleep with their doors mostly closed and it is silent in the apartment, she can’t even really hear them breathing. It won’t be all that different.

“Oh wow, that poor dog.” Still just a little voice speaking from somewhere up in the front row. There is a snicker from the back row, Alexis more than likely and another little swat and a mock-hurt ‘ow!’ breathed before the room is silence once more as the movie moves on towards its climax.

“Now you two behave, don’t cause them any trouble. The door is going to be unlocked in the morning. I have to work early so I won’t be about when you both come back down.” Zora’s words steady as she looks at her two brothers. They look at her a moment then look down to the overnight bags that had been brought up. This is not something they had discussed and they are somewhat confused by the idea but they have no reason to complain and simply nod with a smile.

Rolling her eyes again, she turns and heads out of the apartment and down one floor to her own where she prepares to sleep. This was a new experience for her, a movie, any kind of movie but she knows that following the horrors she has seen growing up, this will hardly be an issue and won’t really keep her awake, there are no reasons for it to keep her away.

Back one floor up, the twins look down to the overnight bags once more and then blink up to Eoghan who chuckles gently.

“Zora was afraid that the movie might give you both nightmares. She didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of having to stay awake all night to watch over you both since she had to be up early. I offered to let you both sleep here. Now we have one guest room and I’ve heard that you’ve started to sleep in your own rooms so I thought it might not do. So we have air mattresses and we’ll set them up in the movie room. It’s where you’ll have the most floor space and where you’ll be most comfortable. I promise the mattresses are very comfortable.”

Nodding, the twins set themselves up in the movie room, better able to see things now that the lights were on. They each set up their mattress and make their beds with the offered bedding. Thick flannel sheets and blankets. For the sake of comfort, they set themselves on either end of the room, not quite aware yet that morning would find them with the mattresses pushed together.

Of course, after a first ever horror movie of the sort, nightmares were bound to pop up and it always is easier to find comfort and better sleep with someone close, someone to keep them safe from the little sounds that can be heard in a house at night.

At least they have made up enough to share this kind of sleep. They may now have their own room but Agni seems to have forgiven Mira for what he had seen as betrayal. They share books, have discussions about things that fascinate them both. They are growing up and adapting to the world that surrounds them.

child of mine

Lounging in bed is a rare opportunity for us. We’re both early risers and we tend to believe that we get the most out of our days if we don’t lazy about too much in the earlier hours. We tend to catch up in the evenings, when we go to bed. Today is different and I’m not sure why, else than he’s finally done putting away all of the books in our private little (not so little!) library just out back, I’ve done all the paperwork I needed for the next couple of weeks. There are no commissions waiting for him and no work for either of us if we look at the grand scheme of life. It’s good enough.

I know he’s not asleep. His breathing is almost regular, slow paced, even but it isn’t quite. I can tell when he’s deeply lost in his thoughts and this is one of those moments. I don’t mind, I can appreciate just spending time nestled up against him, resting, not quite asleep myself. It’s beautifully peaceful and I couldn’t really ask for anything else. I sigh softly and he finally blinks, looking away from the ceiling where he was staring off and partly down to me.

“Have you ever wanted children?”

His words startle the peacefulness out of my veins and I blink up at him, shifting to actually lean partly away from him, resting on my elbow. I study his face for a moment as I try to make sense of what he’s asked me and why now at all.

“I don’t think it ever really crossed my mind, Lex. I mean, I know with a good teacher, my gift can be controlled but I don’t know that I could bring myself to bring a child into this world knowing I would have to teach him or her the controls, that I would have to see them suffer for a while until they did learn to control this gift.”

He cants his head, looks back up towards the ceiling and nods, as if to confirm what he’d been thinking about. I’m not sure honestly. I’m a little surprised by this conversation.

“So you have thought about children and what it might be like, you’re just not sure you’d be able to handle them suffering to a point and honestly that’s true for most of us with destructive or very powerful gifts. I don’t know why it crossed my mind today. I guess it’s that woman I delivered the commission piece to yesterday. She had at least three kids running around her house and she was big, I’m pretty sure she’ll manage that birthday party she had scheduled for today but then she’s going to pop and I’m pretty sure there wasn’t just one bun in her oven.”

I blink again at him and I can’t help a soft laugh. I suppose that dealing with a heavily pregnant woman who already had kids around could bring the thought of kids to anyone’s mind, even if just to speculate about. I flop down, going nearly limp against him with another soft laugh and I shake my head.

“Lex, you’re it for me. I know that we’re not eternal but we’re just about. I’m sure I’d love the chance to raise kids one of these days if I wasn’t absolutely terrified of seeing them suffer because of the gift I’d hand down to them-“

“You don’t know for a fact it’s your gift they would have, you have to consider the gift of whoever would be carrying these kids, they might have hers, instead.”

“Don’t get my started on that. What little memories I have of my parents are fights about how gifts had to stay in the family. They would have turned their nose at the Bachchan trio. Though they’re all elemental so it might have slipped but imagine for all of a second if you were a woman, they wouldn’t have let me be with you. You would have left a huge taint on our gift and they didn’t want that.” I roll my eyes, nuzzling against his shoulder as I do so.

“Well your parents are, or were in any case, bigots. I don’t remember what mind might have said and it doesn’t matter. I don’t know why the idea of kids is stuck in my brain right now but think about it. Maybe, just maybe one of these days we might find a surrogate. We both could donate a little of ourselves. It would be one very chaotic gift but I think we could handle it.”

I suck in a breath, straight again and look down at him once more. His eyes are serious, there’s not a hint of teasing in his eyes and my heart speeds up a little. He’s actually given this a lot more thought than I first had imagined. A little us running about? Maybe, I don’t know. The idea honestly scares the hell out of me.

“Even if we found a surrogate, there are chances neither one of our gift would take and hers would.”

“There always are those of us who aren’t gifted. Demons without any of the extra power. It might not be a bad thing. Or we could find a human surrogate.”

“That would dilute out blood, I don’t know what the lifespans of half-blood are.” As I utter those words, all I see is Armin, there is more than likely no more than a quarter of demon blood in his veins. I honestly really like the guy. He’s honest and all he wants is to be appreciated, to be seen as a normal human being. I don’t know when he’ll die but I know it will hurt when it happens. I want him to stay with us. We might find means to enhance his life a bit.

“Thinking about Armin?”

His words startle me out of my half-daze and I smile at him somewhat sheepishly. I shrug, sigh and settle back down against his shoulder. He pulls me up against his side and I’m aware that things are about to go to a very, very different direction. I don’t mind. He’s now planted the seed of having children in my mind and it’s not going to be forgotten. I’m in no rush but I admit that it might not honestly be a bad idea.

Finally getting out of bed, he swats playfully at my ass and I laugh, swatting his hand away. The thought of children has faded, not enough to be forgotten but I’ve put it into a box. Now and again I open different boxes, revisit them and check to see what my thought is on the subject that was put in there by then.

We shower together, not so much to conserve water, just because we can and it leads to even more time spent together and even more pleasure shared. We dry up, dress and head into the kitchen to see about getting ourselves something to eat. I know Adela will be fine without us looking in on her today, she’s had her meal last night before we went to bed.

I think we’re going to go out. Take a long walk, or even take the car and head off out of the city for a few hours. Maybe even just out to port where we’ll slip onto the yacht and take to the waters for most of the day. I know Armin isn’t expecting me so I really have all of my day to myself. I can’t say no to something like that.

We’ve both been so busy lately with the new house, the new set up, commissions, work and friends that we haven’t really had a whole day of just us together with no one else to really bother us. I know we’ll make the most of it. We very well could have made the most of it by not getting out of bed at all but at times a little outside fun is just as pleasant.

Today is going to be a good day.

at the top

“First one who reaches the top decides what we eat for dinner!” Zora offered the words to her brothers who were looking the semi-steep hill over. “I’m heading up and I’ll call out, when I do, you two start going.”

It was something of a mock obstacle course, it was outside, all nature-made and the weather was nice enough to afford this friendly sort of race. Her brothers had just barely begun to spend time together again after Mira had decided that it was time for them to stop sharing a room. She knew they needed the exercise. Since they had found—though it had been offered more than they had found it—a way to have a permanent roof over their heads, they had stopped their almost constant wandering.

While on the streets, they had always gone from one place to the other, energy had been spent walking and at times jogging to get to places before they closed. She had a feeling that exercise was one of those things that was necessary now. The extra energy her brothers had seemed to leave them antsy, it wasn’t a good thing. She couldn’t help but wonder if that wasn’t at the source of their disagreement and subsequent ignoring of one another after the room change.

Once at the top, she looked down to her brothers. They still were looking the area over and her lips quirked slightly. This brought back memories. On hot summer days she did bring them to parks and to the hills for much needed outings, exercises, running around like the kids they had been. She waved her arms and their attention turned to her. She nodded to herself.

“THREE!” She had to scream to be sure they heard her, they were quite a distance off.

“TWO!” They were changing their position, moving just so, getting ready for the run. This would do them good.

“ONE!” Almost now, they looked at one another and she wondered if they weren’t playfully teasing one another. Agni had always been the one to win these races before but it had been some time since the last one so maybe things had changed.

“GO!” She called out, waving her arms to get them going and they started on their way up the hill.

What she was glad about, was that there was no shoving, no pushing. She had seen kids run up this hill before, they always pushed and shoved, tried to get to the top in ways that seemed absolutely unfair to her. Not her brothers though, no, they just focused on the run, barely even noticing one another.

Halfway up however, Mira tripped and she was certain Agni would ignore him, keep on going. Much to her surprise and pleasure, the eldest stopped, helped his brother back up and checked him over briefly. They ran side by side for a few moments before Agni was pushing harder once more and he took the lead. It only lasted moments before Mira was gaining back on his brother. He was still holding back, as if waiting for the last moment before he really pushed himself hard.

Zora wasn’t much worried about which of her brothers would win. In either case, dinner was bound to either be pizza or maybe Thai. Sushi maybe depending if they felt adventurous. Agni was more likely to ask for pizza or even Thai if he really felt like it. Mira seemed to be more curious about learning from other cultures, sushi was not uncommon in his discussions, as well as foods from different places around the world. It wasn’t always easy to find a place that sold what he wanted to eat. Most of the times they had to hit the market to find the necessary ingredients and made it at home. It was easier.

As they came to the last stretch, as she had suspected, Mira pushed harder, he had fallen behind a slight distance from his brother but now he gained back, settled shoulder to shoulder and pushed even harder on that last length and made it ahead of Agni. It was Mira who came to the tree at the top of the hill first. He collapsed against it with a tired but pleased laugh. Just seconds later, Agni almost collapsed over his brother and Zora could only smile down at them both.

Out of her pack, she pulled two bottles of water and handed them over to her almost tangled siblings. Both were chuckling softly but not moving to free themselves. This was a good sign and she could only hope that things would continue going this way.

“So what are we having for dinner tonight, Mira?”

The brothers went quiet, Agni looking down to his sibling briefly before he was working on untangling himself carefully. He flopped down next to his sibling and took a long sip of his water as Mira grew thoughtful. He canted his head this way and that before his face brightened and he looked up towards his sister with a grin.

“Cajun!”

“Cajun it is. Whenever you two feel ready to head back down the hill.”

Both brothers groaned as they looked down the way they’d come and shook their heads. Zora laughed and rolled her eyes slightly. “You two are absolutely out of shape, I’m going to have to get you both to run more from today on. We’ll go for walks every day, just around a couple of blocks to start with. We’ve been stationary for a while, I think it’s time to start walking again. At least now we have somewhere to call home and I have a job and money, life is settling.”

It took an hour more before the twins found it in themselves to get back up and start the trek down the hill. Not so much that they had needed that long but the view from the top still was beautiful, nothing could really take away from that. Finally however, each with a small snack in hand, they started on the way back down. It was a slow descent with little talking but the air was clear, there was no tension between the twins. Zora could only breathe a soft sigh of relief.

“Now, you said Cajun, that’s a wide enough range of things, have any detailed idea in mind?” She broke the peaceful silence, figuring that getting the details out of he brother now was best. At least that way it would be easier to head out and get the missing ingredients instead of heading home, finding out what those ingredients were and heading back out again.

Shrugging, Mira cants his head again, thoughtful. Agni, much to Zora’s delight, takes his brother’s hand, mostly to lead him down the safe path since thinking Miras tended to not really look where they were going.

“I guess we could try to make some fried crawfish remoulade and some fried oyster po’ boys and maybe have ourselves some New Orleans banana split for dessert?”

Zora could only quirk a brow, this was more detailed than she’d figured, really. Still she chuckled softly and nodded. “I guess we can do all that. I bet those are all recipes you’ve found recently and you don’t know the ingredients by heart, mm?”
Blushing, Mira shrugs and eases a step closer to his sibling. “Did find them recently, I got them printed out and put in my book of recipes. Sorry we have to go back home. I know you probably wanted to get the missing ingredients out here before heading home.”

Laughing softly, Zora shook her head and shrugged herself. “I think we have most of the main ingredient home, what we don’t have we can substitute. So let’s get these crawfish and oysters and the rest. You can fill me in on what you recall of your recipes so we can find what we might be missing, okay?”

Brightening, Mira nodded. This was going to be a wonderful dinner of discovery. He had honestly gotten the idea from the weekly dinner they all shared, now at Alexis’s and Eoghan’s place. It was fun to discover new places in the world through their foods.

more than expected

His container-library was finally completed. That and the pool had been the last two bits of undone work that still had been about their perfect—at least to him—home. He had told Eoghan about it just a couple of weeks back after the workers had been working on placing the containers just so, had cut out openings, polished things, began to stack them and the right. The younger demon had been curious and Alexis had felt no need to keep the truth from him any longer.

Now, as he stood in the entrance of the final home for his books, at least for now, until they moved back into the realm, he looked at all the boxes sitting along rows upon rows of shelves and he tried to recall just how many books were in his collection. The small pathway between the boxes was slight at this point, he barely fit and he knew he couldn’t really ask for help from the others just then. Though perhaps Armin could be of some help, the man had knowledge of books that was more in-depth than anyone else in the household. He worried somewhat that the man might not be able to manoeuvre his way around with the way the boxes were set up, however.

Shaking his head, Alexis slowly made his way up to the third floor of the little library. There really were more boxes of books than he recalled or had expected. He knew he hadn’t been in some of his summer homes in some time, he just hadn’t recalled the sheer number of books there were in all. He hoped the current setup would be enough.

Up on the third floor, as he had requested, there was a little reading nook. The three walls of the nook were glass with integrated blinds so it would only take the press of a button to block out the sun just so, to be able to read comfortable. Several thickly cushioned chairs were settled near the ‘walls’ and he smiled, pleased with the way things were set up.

He turned around, looked at the boxes and breathed a slight sigh. This would be a lot of work but he knew it would be worth it. So many books to rediscover.

The sun had been just rising above the horizon when he first had set foot into his new, remodelled world. Now, as it began to dip over the horizon once more, he heard someone step into his little—not so little, really as it was three containers wide at the bottom, two on the second floor and one at the top—library. About half of his books were unpacked and he was glad for his sense of organization and the fact that he kept his books in collections. From one summer home he found nearly all of his fantasy themed books, in from another his science fiction and another the essays. He didn’t have to go back and forth between the floors to place things in certain places, it was wonderful.

“Lex?” Eoghan’s voice echoed softly from the first floor and Alexis put away the final books in the boxes that had been on the second floor. The second and third floor were done, the hallways were clear, the shelves were packed.

“Up on the second floor, be careful, there’s not much room to wander by, I’ll be down in a second.” He didn’t hear any other sounds then, no sounds of steps coming his way and he was thankful. He didn’t want to chance boxes tumbling and hurting anyone.

Slowly he started his way back down. Every box as it had been unpacked had been taken apart, flattened and those he brought with him. He had a slight shed at the back of the library where those would go, in case. After all, they would need packed again before they moved into the realm, most likely.

“I think I might not have enough room, this is insane. I thought with six containers I’d have enough room but I have more boxes down here than I did up the other two floors and those are filled, there’s no more room in these shelves.” He shook his head, really surprised at just how many books he had acquired over the span of his life at that point.

Eoghan, laughing softly, looked at the boxes that he could see and carefully stepped out to allow his lover to step back outside with the flattened ones. “Well my home in the realm has this huge library with all the room you will ever want. It’s essentially empty just now and it makes me sad when I think about it. Every book the family has ever owned was burned. I promise this will not happen with yours.”

Alexis, stepping outside and rounding to the back of the building to the shed, put the boxes away and closed the door, clicking it locked for its own safety. “I know all of these books deserve to be in a real library but I’d like to think I’ve honestly done a really nice job of this place.”

It did look like a modern sort of library though he preferred the old fashioned kind with its ladders to get to upper-shelved books and murals and antique look. This did the job for the time being, for however long they would be staying in this realm. Plus it was solid and comfortable.

“I think it looks beautiful, Lex. This is gorgeous and I’m sure that once all the books are away and Armin discovers this place, he might never want to go back to work.” Laughing, Eoghan sets his arm through his lover’s own and leads him back towards their own home, just a few yards away. Into the building itself and then towards the staircase. He could have taken the elevator but he still was young and more than healthy, it felt good to take the stairs.

“I was thinking about him, how I could have asked him for help in making sure the books were all set out properly but then I looked at the mess of boxes and how they were stacked and I told myself I didn’t want to chance his getting hurt so I’ve done it myself. Thankfully the boxes are by genre at this point with a few rare exception, it helps. Tomorrow I’ll get back to it, I should be done for the day after, I think.”

Once inside their home, Alexis stretched, his arms high above his head and he sighed as something popped along his back.

“I bet you haven’t eaten anything all day.” Eoghan’s voice a mock-reprimand as he disappeared into the kitchen. Alexis smiled sheepishly and shrugged as he followed, knowing he should have stopped and eaten something during his day. At least he had had water on hand so it was better than nothing.

“I was so focused on unpacking and making sure the books were all right that it slipped my mind, I’m sorry.” Honestly apologetic, he settled at the counter, a sheepish smile still to his lips as Eoghan put a bowl of steaming soup in front of him.

“Appetizer, then we eat dinner and then I get my breakfast and you better not disappoint.”

Alexis laughed but nodded, lips settled into a pleased smile. Of course he wouldn’t disappoint, he never disappointed when it came to dessert. “I solemnly swear to not disappoint you, love of my life and keeper of my sun.”

Eoghan, blushing deeply, stuck out his tongue and set out another bowl of steaming soup before he was rounding the counter to settle next to his life partner, his lover. He bumped elbows gently and sat with a sigh. His life still was going absolutely well. He couldn’t complain.

jewellery

“Jewellery?”

I nod and he looks me over, as if he’s trying to make sure I’m not ill or coming down with something. I smile wryly and shrug. It’s been on my mind for a while, since that one last portrait that made me so uncomfortable to work with.

“I know you probably think it’s sudden, Quentin, but I swear it’s not. With jewellery, I don’t have to look at anyone’s portrait and feel uncomfortable while I work. I know I have no prior experience but it is art in its own way, I bet I can try my hand at a few different things and see how it all comes out. I mean, we did essentially work on jewellery while we were preparing Alexis’s gift for Eoghan.”

He knows I have a point. It’s not quite the same thing but he nods and finally he hugs me. I laugh and close my eyes, pressing against him for a few moments before I straighten with a sigh. This is a good idea, I’m sure it is.

My paintings still sell but it takes forever for me to get into the mood to do them. I’ve closed down commissions nearly a week ago already because I couldn’t manage anything without feeling like I was forcing it and forcing art does not result in beautiful art. At least not with me. The last piece I painted looked like garbage and I refunded my commissioner because I didn’t want her to have this in her home, it didn’t feel right.

Making jewellery is just one of those things, I know there is a world of discovery out there for me to make. I could be making things with metal wire and stones, like trees of life, I could be making rings, bracelets, earrings. I could be making things with chain maille. There is a world out there for things like these. Jewellery is just one thing, I thought maybe if I didn’t do so well with that I could make other things. I could sculpt. Little or larger fantasy pieces out of clay, I think I might like to work with clay. Dragons and faeries and unicorns and a whole world of ‘beasties’ that don’t exist in this world.

Quentin supports me no matter my choices in life. He knows I’m just trying to find myself. Trying to find something for me to do that will not lose its charm after a little while. I can’t really get my name out there, so to speak, if I keep on starting up businesses and then closing down because I lose interest in what I’m doing. I still love doing art, this is just different.

Considering how many different type of things the term jewellery entails, we wander about, buying magazines, looking at things and taking notes. There is a sort of fair, a ‘con’ they call it and I’m not sure what it stands for, where folks who make jewellery from nearly all over the place will be. I think it’s the best place to start to discover if I might have a knack for this kind of thing.

It takes a lot of work to persuade Quentin to come with me. I know he doesn’t like to be surrounded by too many folks and this ‘con’ thing sounds like it will have many, many people. Still, a bit of puppy-eyes and some arguing about how it will help me find my way in life and he grudgingly accepts to come with me.

It seems that ‘con’ is short for convention. It makes sense, people come from far away to be here. They set up booths, they sell things, they discuss their skills. People wander around, ooh’ing and aah’ing at everything they see. This is so strange, it’s so different. There is so much to look at that I don’t even know where to start. Quentin keeps close to my side and I keep a strong, steady hold over his hand. I think it’s the only thing keeping him from trying to rip people’s heads off, especially the folks who keep on bumping into him.

I gently remind him that this is inevitable, there is a lot of people and we just have to focus on what we’re looking at. He makes me blush deeply as he tells me all he’s looking at is me.

It has been a few hours of wandering already and I suppose we deserve a break so I try to find ourselves a quiet little spot so that we can share some quiet affection and just stay away from the crowds for a bit of time. We settle out of the way just out of the large building. We have our jackets with us but the sun is almost hot and the day is warm. Not enough to go without but that’s just a detail. We settle near the nook of a tree and rest for almost an hour.

I know it’s better to not push too hard too fast, he’s doing all he can to make sure I can enjoy my day and I don’t want him to ‘burn out’ in the presence of all these people. He’s more important to me than the idea of starting up with a new sort of passion, after all.

After the almost hour spent just settled side by side by the tree, we go back inside. We look through several more booths, I pick up little bits of this and that, more curious to figure out how they’re made than because I want to wear any of it.

The idea is not to copy these artists, of course. I have no better way of learning than by looking and taking apart, however. That way, my own personal muse can pipe up and show me something I can do with my hands that will be interesting and might be of interest to the general populace.

On the walk home, Quentin breathes calmly, he sighs and I know this has been a stressful sort of day for him. At least I didn’t ask him to come by again the following day since this is something of a two or three day ‘con’. One day is enough for me. I have a small bag of goodies to look through and discover more about.

I squeeze his hand as he climb into the bus and settle near the back where it’s quieter at that point. He sits next to me and we merely settle into peaceful silence once more. We hold hand, watch building drift on by and I know I’m thinking about how the day has been more than interesting, it has been a learning experience. I don’t know what’s going on in his mind but he doesn’t look too stressed out, he doesn’t look like he wants to maim anyone so I breathe a quiet little sigh of contentment.

Today has been a good day. A day of discovery and a day of being out and about in the public. I suppose I’m a bit of a people’s person though just slightly. I like my quiet and my peace, it’s just that at times, being out and about, surrounded by others, isn’t such a bad thing.