Day 328, Friday, November 28th

[papalobo]

[It's weird, to end up at a home that's not home. He's spent more time there than anywhere else this year, but that says more about his transience than anything. If told five years ago he would live such a lifestyle, he'd have believed that, but not the part about most of those multiple places being not just six but seven, eight figure abodes.

And yet it's Jessica's home (still probably the nicest one he'd lived in as an adult, before Ash swept in) they're doing Thanksgiving in. Maybe it's a fear of being upstaged on her part if it's in such a house; such a naive thought is, while unvoiced, just more proof of Ash's suspicions, that Max's mind is on something, something Ash had likely been trying to put his mind on for months. Because with even half of his braincells to put to it, he'd suspect the worst sooner.

It's not until they're pulling up to the house and there are two other cars there that he remembers the hell of Thanksgiving is not only family, but family you don't normally have to see. And thanks to Michael, Jessica's family is still his family.


And their ride is a taxi. It's not like they can turn around. Though Michael coming out to greet them right away in a hurried excitement would've made it impossible in anything.]

...Maybe she decided to start investing in cars. But not especially good ones. To be more undercover. As a journalist.

Day 375, Friday, December 14th

Comments

[jadedlynx]

He's got the hang of it.

[ Passing along something lighter, he offers Max something, too. ]

Being able to pilot your own plane saves a lot of time.

[papalobo]

[Max takes whatever he's handed without much thought, and Jessica moves to see if there's anything she could also take to save it from being multiple trips; as Michael takes his box towards the door (Max waits, there's a reason for that), the door props open as an adult man probably near Max and Jessica's age (and probably one of those afforementioned 'reasons') with red hair pops open the door and watches. He says something to Michael as the boy comes in the door he opens for him, probably checking if they need more help. Whatever answer he got doesn't seem to prompt him to head out to greet them right away.]

[jadedlynx]

[ A second car means more people. A second car means it won't be a small dinner of four. Ash isn't stupid; he can do basic math. It's also easy to reason that they're close family.

Fear creates adrenaline, but what does nervousness create? A headache? Social situations are something he was trained for, but it's not something he experienced naturally with enough care to try.

Is this one of them?

Should he just be himself? Ash is honestly fine being himself on a very basic level, but this isn't basic.

He tries to buy time by focusing on Jessica as they walk. ]

Is Michael going for anything besides baseball this year?

[ Thanks to an ex-teacher with an obsession, Jessica knows a little of what happened to Ash -- though not necessarily that it happened by his baseball coach. But, that isn't why he asks.

It may also be the quietest conversation they have for the entire night. Once they get in closed quarters, Ash may even seem like the nice one in comparison. ]

[banananpc]

This year we're having them try more instruments and art tools in school. I'm having him come to a few book clubs and looking over photography details. We're seeing if there are non-sports that interest him, too.

[Jessica actually sounds pretty excited and pleased about it.]

He can do those in his own time, you only get to do a team sport when you're in school unless you go pro! You should be havin' him do a sit-in try of all them!

Oh? I thought despite the court matters I've been pretty generous when you're around, nothing's been stopping you from taking him around to those things...

Nothing but getting crippled and getting tied up in court cases.

You're his only busy parent, you wanna say?

[If Ash allows it, Michael is going to take his hand as if to pull him to introduce him to the other adults. His parents are embarrassing.

The man in the doorway does look smugly amused at the entire affair, as if he's just as familiar with it, but unlike Michael, finds it as entertaining as he would if it wee on a sitcom, safely beyond a screen with a guaranteed happy ending.]

[jadedlynx]

[ The bigger surprise was that there were a line or two before their arguments started. Ash has no intention to try and hold the two of them back unless it escalates a little too far.

Michael can take Ash's hand with ease. ]

Photography, huh?

[ It's an idle question as Ash tries to pretend that there are no other adults. ]

[banananpc]

Momma says she and Dad both did it so I might end up a natural. And that it'll be better than being "selfie social media addicted" if I get into it as an art.

[The other adult looks bemused at Ash's ignoring him, but Michael stops and gestures to him.]

This is my uncle Ty. He's mom's sister's husband.

So you're the little homewrecker, eh?

[Michael makes a face and glances towards his mom; if she weren't so close, he might try kicking him. Just a little. For being bad. But she is. Instead he pouts up at him, as if to accuse him of making things awkward on purpose.

Maybe he should've followed Ash's cue and pretended there were no adults. (Ash is not an adult, adults are bad and Ash is good.)]

[jadedlynx]

[ In private, the idea bothers Ash. The concept of ruining a home - for Michael; Jessica and Max are sincerely better off with other people - eats at him. In public? He's very good at being unbothered by criticism. It helps that he sincerely doesn't care about the opinions of others very often.

Instead of shrinking back or looking offended, he keeps a default, positive express - the positive part is for Michael, too. ]

That's a pretty weird way to say 'Ash', Jessica's sister's husband.

[banananpc]

"Ash" is a lot shorter. Wonder why everyone uses the other name and I never heard that one 'till now...

Don't pick on Ash. He's smarter than you.

[Michael says it in the same tone someone would casually warn that a dog they're about to try to pet bites, as if it's really for his sake.]

[jadedlynx]

[ If anything, Ash is relieved. He doesn't have to play nice if they won't. ]

You know what they say about people always talking about the stuff they find interesting. Weird I've never heard of you.

[ Placing a hand on Michael's back, his attention shifts. ]

Let's get this stuff inside.

[banananpc]

Glad to hear it.

[He can think of worse things than going unmentioned by his sister-in-law's ex, after all. As Michael leads inside, a red headed woman moves to help take the boxes; the living room table can easily fit 7, as it did when Ash and his group had stopped by the first time, so a small gathering of six requires no major adjustments.]

And you must be Ash. Oh, it's so good to meet you. You've really charmed the whole household, it sounds like!

[jadedlynx]

I might've missed a person or two.

[ Ash is good enough at interacting with people his own age; it's usually those older that get such a cold attitude upon first meeting, but that's in a different setting. He has to adjust.

Still, his hands are too full for a shake or anything of the like. ]

[banananpc]

[But soon the boxes will be down, and Max and Jessica are not in immediately after them. Likely, an argument has held them up. Ash can either make small talk with the smiling redhead whom Michael has not yet introduced, for instead he is frowning in the direction his parents would be coming from if they were remotely decent parents, or decide to go insert himself into... all that.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash has other options. Michael shouldn't be worrying about them. ]

Guess it's up to us while they make up for lost time. You're allowed to use shape, heavy knives and open fire, right?

[ Ash jokes as he begins pulling some of the pre-made food from the bags. His words are clearly aimed at Michael. ]

[banananpc]

Not open. It's gotta be a blow torch. But you're adult supervision so it's okay. Or Aunt Natalie is an adult if you don't count.

Oh, I'm sure there'll be enough blame for all three of us if the house burns down.

[jadedlynx]

I wasn't serious. We just picked it up so everything is still warm. You can get the plates.

A blowtorch? Really?

[banananpc]

No. Not really.[He heads to get the plates; As is being silly taking him seriously..]

But I don't know what open flame means.

[He assumes as opposed to flame throwing. Which is directed flame, maybe?]

[jadedlynx]

[ He didn't think so, but then considering Jessica... She might decide to make that his weapon of choice. ]

Direct fire, when you can see the flame like with gas stoves.

[ Assuming the group was tired of turkey, Ash chose to bring a steak meal instead. Some are smaller, for Michael. ]

A blow torch would qualify.

[banananpc]

Hey.

[As Max and Jessica are coming back in the entryway, it sounds like bickering is still happening.]

How come him saying it's fine?!

He's not serious!

You'd be surprised how many people're serious about Ash. I remember someone offering him a contract to show his butthole to the camera within about 6 minutes of meeting him...

You're the one whose mind went right to that! I'd ask how long you were being a pervert but I don't know if you can count that high!

[Michael continues as if it's just a radio commercial in the background.]

Why do you need to wear eye gear when you use a blow torch but not a gas stove?

[jadedlynx]

[ That would have most people curious. It seems that Jessica's sister's husband had said something about the homewrecker after he came inside. While the interaction suggested it'd have been disrespectful, Jessica wouldn't have allowed it to be too crude. Either way, it's a common enough occurrence that Ash has long decided that whatever people are saying behind his back, if is not dangerous, it's none of his business. ]

It's mostly used for wielding, and when you're wielding stuff, debris kicks back at you. The masks are tinted because of the intensity of the flame. It's not going to do anything right away, but it's bright enough that it could eventually burn your cornea.

Some cooks use them in the kitchen for finishing touches without needing any kind of eyewear. Maybe that starts at ten and a half.

[banananpc]

I'm ten and three quarters. I'll go get the blowtorch.

[He does move to go somewhere, but it's only to the kitchen to get silverware out and set them at the plates. Meanwhile, his aunt stands with a strained smile, finding it harder to Stepford smile as the drama comes to the main stage.]

Well I can count to six! That whole six minutes you waited to jump on him and Eiji!

So there were two? You could've both upgraded?

Don't you bring that sweet boy into this!

You tried to bring him into your business!

[jadedlynx]

Eiji's not her type.

[ Ash decides to try to reign it in a little before Michael returns with the silverware; he assumes there'll be no blowtorch handy. ]

You guys ready to put your big boy pants on? We didn't want to arrange this so that Michael gets to see more fighting.

[banananpc]

You were asking if he was going out for anything besides baseball out there, right? It's a set up for pro-wrestling.

I'm afraid he's already been talked into another hobby. He's gone to get the blowtorch already.

[Only when she says it, besides resigned, she sounds serious, though unflapped. It's enough that Max and Jessica both pause. Jessica looks to her in confusion. Max looks to Ash. After all, Michael's not there, so.]

[jadedlynx]

[ And Ash, being Ash, is a good actor. After a moment of what seems like delayed confusion, doubt creeps into his voice. ]

That's okay, right? He's almost 11.

[banananpc]

[And Michael's still not back from the kitchen, which is *right* there... Max can't bring himself to even pretend to be anything but curious where the joke is doing. Jessica... can't actually make herself worried, but she doesn't think Ash is cute.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Odd; he thought he was being adorable.

When no one takes his bait - his own fault for being so dependable - he turns his attention back to the bags. After only a second a digging, he pulls out a bottle of 1949 Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru wine and passes it over to Jessica. If she knows her wine, she'll know it's worth over $5,000. ]

Housewarming.