by Rue Volley
The boy set the bowl down and Theo smiled at him and he looked up at Theo and grinned, for the first time since he had arrived. Gracie picked up her spoon and climbed up on her chair; she dipped it in the bowl in front of her and then held the spoon out, right in front of the boy’s mouth. He placed his mouth on the spoon slowly and she watched him, faint color rising up on her hand as he did.
“Oh my.” Theo said as he watched the two of them and realized that Gracie liked him, maybe a little too much.
The boy swallowed and Gracie smiled, showing her little teeth and then Theo cleared his throat.
“Gracie, I am certain that he is able to eat on his own.”
Gracie looked at him and crinkled her eyebrows and Theo knew at that moment that she had claimed him, as her own. She looked back at the boy and he looked at the spoon and she dipped it in her soup again and placed it to his mouth. Blue and black swirled on her skin and the boy looked at it and then at her face.
“Thank you.” He said in a small voice. Gracie smiled and looked at Theo, giving him the “I told you so’ face and Theo stood up and grabbed the boys bowl.
“I will get you some more; it looks as if you are starving.”
“I...” The boy started to say. Gracie leaned down and placed her face on her hands, listening to him. He looked at her and then at Theo.
“My name is Alexander.” He said.
Gracie smiled and looked at Theo.
“His name is Alexander.” She yelled out.
Theo blinked and then grinned at her.
“Inside voice, love.” He said.
Gracie frowned and looked back at the boy.
“I will call you Alex.” She said.
Theo shook his head and looked at her and then to the boy.
“Perhaps he prefers Alexander little one.” Theo said.
Gracie looked at the boy and grinned.
“He looks like an Alex.” She said.
The boy grinned and nodded to her, giving Gracie her first win.
Alex stared at her and Theo cleared his throat, feeling their little humming bodies at the table. The last thing he needs is for Gracie to collect a boyfriend before Josh returns, which would be a mess beyond messes.
“Alexander, where are you from?” Theo asked him.
Gracie sat down in her chair and crooned out “Alex” loudly and Theo placed his hand on her head and rubbed her hair.
The boy looked at him and then down at his hands.
“Valon.” He said almost too quiet to hear.
Theo stopped and tilted his head.
“Oh my.” He said as he stared at Alex and he looked up and glanced at Gracie.
“My Mom is human.” He said. “Was human.” He added.
“And your Father?” Theo asked him.
Alex shrugged his shoulders and looked at the new bowl of soup in front of him.
“Do you have any siblings?” Theo asked.
Alex shook his head and picked up the spoon and dipped it in the bowl.
“I am the only one, but I had friends.” Alex said as he placed the spoon in his mouth and then dropped it. He obviously wasn’t used to eating with a spoon. Gracie jumped down and picked it up, she handed it to him and he took it, she stood there for a moment, while Alex held onto her hand.
Theo cleared his throat again.
“How old are you Alexander?” Theo asked.
“I don’t know.” Alex said as he looked at him and Gracie let the spoon go and looked at Theo.
“He is seven.” Gracie said as she popped back up in her chair and looked at the bowl in front of her.
“How do you know, love?” Theo asked.
“I can feel it.” Gracie said as she ate again, suddenly hungry.
Theo looked at Alex and grinned.
“Do you remember anything?”
Alex opened his mouth and then he doubled over, falling from the chair to the floor. Gracie flashed from her chair and leaned over him, moving his hair out of his face. Alex looked at her, but he started to sweat badly and moaned as he held onto his stomach. He suddenly lunged at Gracie and tried to bite her hand. Theo flashed to him and slammed him to the floor and pushed Gracie behind him. Alex moaned again and Theo took a breath and closed his eyes, white light started to glow in his palms and he held them to Alex as he squirmed and then stopped, with a sigh and fell to sleep. Gracie leaned around Theo’s legs and stared at him.
“He is just hungwy.” Gracie said.
Theo looked down at her and shook his head.
“For you love, for you.” He said as he glanced at Alex who lay still on the floor.
***
The airship dropped in altitude, enough that the entire crew and all the passengers felt it like a small drop on a roller coaster. Johnathan sat at the bar and drank as everyone around him ‘oh’d’ and ‘ah’d’, but he knew what had happened. It was the sudden release of energy that Josh and Rue had let loose in the cabin. It messed with the electronics and dropped the ship for a moment. Johnathan looked at his drink and grinned as he picked it up, not allowing it to slide on the bar.
“Way to go Josh.” He muttered to himself as he drank and then placed the glass back on the bar and it vibrated a little. He stood up and the airship tilted slightly, people making noises all around him, like the end of the world may be near, but Johnathan steadied himself and started to walk back towards the cabin, as he leaned to adjust to the tilting. The airship shivered and Johnathan stopped and placed his hand on the wall and quickly took his hand away from it as he felt a vibration come through and run up his arm.
“Gross.” He whispered as he continued to walk, ignoring everyone else who was hanging on for dear life. A crewmember ran by him and he reached out and caught her arm as she tripped and almost fell. He pulled her up and she looked at him and grinned and then she remembered why she was running to begin with. Johnathan let her go and continued to walk until he rounded the corner and the airship had one last drop in the air, this one making his feet feel as if the floor left him. He stood there and waited for the drop to end and then all was calm.
“Nice.” He said as he walked to the cabin door and knocked on it, he grinned and looked down at his hand and rubbed it until the orange color swirling on it disappeared. Josh came to the door and opened it up, grinning as he stared at Johnathan.
“Do you think that you could stop scaring the hell out of everyone on the airship?” Johnathan asked as he looked at him.
Josh smiled and stood there all wet and vibrating.
Johnathan glanced down and sighed as he realized that Josh was indeed naked.
“Oh for Christ sake put some clothes on already.” He said as he moved past him and into the cabin. I walked out of the bathroom, rubbing the towel on my head and stopped when I saw him.
“Hi.” I said as I tried to not grin, although I find it hard to do after Josh and I, you know.
“Uh huh.” Johnathan said as he walked to the refrigerator and opened it up, pulling out the bottle of wine and popping the cork on it. He placed it to his lips and drank it down like a pro and I stared at him and then at Josh who stood there all naked.
“Josh.” I said.
Josh looked at me and grinned.
“Clothes?” I said.
Josh looked down and glanced at Johnathan.
“Oh yea.” Josh said as he walked to the fridge and took the bottle from Johnathan, almost causing him to spill it. He took a huge drink from it and handed it back to him. I rolled my eyes as Josh walked to the bathroom and shut the door. I looked at Johnathan and wanted to say something, but awkward moments cause me to second guess what to say. Johnathan looked at me and grinned.
“You look pretty, with no make-up and your hair all wet.” He said.
I continued to rub the towel on my head and walked to him.
“I am sorry.” I said.
“Why? I mean, you guys are pros at this right?” Johnathan said as he walked to the fisheye window and looked out, inspecting
the clouds.
“No, I mean…we shouldn’t…I just…” I started to say.
Johnathan looked at me and drank from the wine bottle again.
“I would do the same thing.” He said as he looked back out the window and I looked at him, as the sunlight lit up his blonde hair and cast a shimmer on his face.
“Okay.” I said as I turned and walked to the bed and grabbed my clothes.
Johnathan turned and looked at me, his eyes wandered down my body and settled on my legs, I felt him across the room…a feeling that I hadn’t picked up from him since we were younger. I turned and looked at him.
“Johnathan.” I said.
He grinned and drank from the bottle again.
“Sorry, I have drunk too much.” He said as he placed the bottle on the table and turned to face me.
Josh stepped out of the bathroom, conveniently missing his shirt. I looked at him and tilted my head. He looked at Johnathan and then at me.
“You making a move?” Josh asked him.
Johnathan laughed and walked towards the bed and dropped down on it.
“I lost that battle long ago.” He said as he winked at me. I felt a rush of blood in my cheeks and Josh grinned and walked to the fridge and pulled out the second bottle.
“I think that we should all have a drink, together…I don’t think that we ever have.” He said.
I looked at him and back at Johnathan, who placed his hands behind his head and sighed.
“Oh yea, sounds like fun.” He said.
Josh laughed and walked to us; he looked at me and smiled.
“You might want to trade up the towel for clothes.” He said.
I looked down and smiled as I totally forgot that I was standing there in a towel.
“Oh crap.” I said as I picked up my clothes and walked to the bathroom. I stopped and looked back at the two of them.
“Behave.” I said before I closed the door and turned to look in the mirror. I grinned when I realized that I did look pretty, I mean I guess I do. My hair all wet and black and my skin pale, lips a pinkish color. I sighed and took my towel off and started to get dressed and I guess ready, to go out there and drink with my two boy’s one my mate and the other my best friend.
***
Josh grinned as he placed the bottle to his mouth and looked at Johnathan who lay on the bed, all relaxed. Johnathan stared at him and pushed himself up, leaning against the headboard.
“Tell me, how did you win her?” Johnathan said.
Josh looked at him and then glanced at the door.
“I wore her down.” He said as he drank from the bottle again.
“Yea.” Johnathan said as he laughed and held out his hand. Josh handed him the bottle and he drank from it too. He swallowed and placed the bottle in between his legs and sighed.
“I won’t lie, I have always loved her.”
Josh grinned and sat down on the bed.
“You don’t have to tell me.” He said as he grabbed the bottle.
Johnathan looked at him and took a breath. “I find her…”
Josh cut him off, holding up his hand.
“Don’t do this.” He said.
Johnathan laughed.
“Oh I thought we were having a moment.”
Josh looked at him.
“Dude, this is old news. Rue loves you, you should be happy with that.” Josh said as he shook the bottle and the wine sloshed around in it.
“I am happy to be a part of her life, and alive… for that matter.” Johnathan said.
“I guess you are welcome then.” Josh said as he took another drink and Johnathan held out his hand.
“What? Like it was up to you?” Johnathan asked.
Josh looked at him and grinned as he tilted his head down.
“I would have killed you at your house that night, if it wasn’t for her. You being all demoned out and shit.” Josh said.
“Yea, about that.” Johnathan said.
“Listen, I still don’t know exactly what you are… so don’t press your luck.” Josh said as he smiled.
“I am your friend.” Johnathan said as he took a drink and stared at Josh, who suddenly felt like they were having a moment, one he never considered until now to be real.
“Yea, okay…are you going to try to kiss me now?” Josh said as he laughed.
“Shut up, you dick.” Johnathan said as he grinned and looked at his hands.
I stepped out of the bathroom and saw the two of them on the bed and grinned.
“I leave for one minute and you are both making out.” I said as I smiled.
Josh looked at me and grinned, Johnathan did too. I guess I expected some smart-ass comment to come, but it didn’t. Whatever they talked about had shifted the energy in the room to pleasant and I walked to the window and looked out as the clouds went by, looking all goofy from the fisheye affect.
“You wanna drink with us or what?” Josh asked from behind me. I turned and grinned.
“Oh yea, I drink really well.” I said.
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun.” Johnathan said.
I took a breath and walked to the fridge; I opened it up and looked in.
“Well, looks like we need more now.” I said as I stood back up and looked at the two of them.
“I’ll go and get more.” I said.
Johnathan pushed himself up and swayed a little.
“I will go with you.” He said.
Josh looked up at him and then fell back on the bed and looked at the ceiling.
“You do that; this whole drinking thing at high altitude is funky.” He said.
Johnathan looked down at him and laughed.
“Lightweight.”
“Shut up.” Josh said as he laughed.
Johnathan walked to me and his hair fell in his face. I smiled, knowing that they both were on the verge of being drunk and not arguing… so let’s keep it going.
“Okay, lets raid the bar then.” Johnathan said as he held his hand out to me and I took it. We left the room and started to walk down the hallway, I let him lead because I had no idea where I was going. We walked to the end. A woman came out of her cabin and smiled at the two of us, she had a robe on that was half open… exposing herself a little. She pulled it closed and smiled then looked at our hands and grinned.
“On your honeymoon?”
Johnathan and I laughed and shook our heads.
“Friends.” I said as I let his hand go and crossed my arms on my chest.
“Uh huh.” The woman said as she winked at Johnathan and I opened my mouth but a call came out from behind the door. She looked back and smiled.
“I swear to God, he is going to fuck me to death.” She said.
Johnathan smiled and looked at me and then back at her.
“Not a bad way to go.” He said.
I giggled and the woman opened the door back up and started to talk to whomever she had in her bed.
“Alright… I am coming.” She said.
“Oh yes you are.” The anonymous man said as she closed the door behind her.
We heard her laugh and then heard another girls voice yell out too. I opened my eyes wide and glanced at Johnathan.
“Okay.” I said.
Johnathan smiled and took my hand and led me down the hallway, to the door at the end and he swayed a little. I placed my hand on his arm and he looked at me and smiled.
“Why do you have to be so nice?” he asked me.
I bit my lip and smiled at him.
“I love you.” I said.
Johnathan stared at me for a moment, and then slowly lifted his hand up… as if to touch my face. The door opened and a group came out, three oriental business men, singing some weird 80’s song, obviously drunk as shit and I had to back away from Johnathan as they passed in between us. One of the men stopped and looked at me, he started to sing louder, holding out his arms and the other two laughed and clapped. I stood there accepting the serenade and then they moved on down the hallway
…still singing loudly and hanging onto each other as they all swayed back and forth. I looked at the door and grinned.
“We have found the bar.” I said.
Johnathan reached out to me as I stepped through the door and he followed me in. I stood there, looking in. It was decked out, like some old hotel… all lavish and paintings adorned the walls. The bar itself was very cool, old wood and mirrored heavily behind it and above it. The lights were dimmer in there, causing it to feel very comfortable right away. I would have guessed that anyone getting themselves all snookered would not want fluorescent light to ruin it. I looked up and watched the chandelier sway a little. I grinned, thinking about the fact that someone would put a chandelier on an airship to begin with… humans. I thought I understood them at one point, I guess because I thought that I was human too… but the more I see, the more I don’t really understand them at all. I felt Johnathan slip his hand back into mine and I let him. He felt lonely and I, being his friend, didn’t want him to be. We walked up to the bar and the girl behind it smiled at the two of us.
“What is your poison?” she asked.
Johnathan smiled and looked at me.
“Oh, I see.” She said, like she was psychic or something and Johnathan had given her the ‘word’.
“Here.” She said as she placed two bottles of very expensive looking wine on the bar. I looked at them and Johnathan grinned.
“That is exactly what we need.” He said.
Johnathan handed her his card, not even asking what they cost, but truth is he doesn’t have to ask. The money left behind for him could and would last forever. I guessed that was one good thing about being placed with the Graphs… the money tree, which was their bloodline. I never thought about money, I didn’t have too. Josh and I have never talked about it, but we had no money issues, ever. It’s like we don’t even have to think about it. Whatever he has done, for however long he has lived, he has the same as Johnathan. We just don’t live in a huge house and take trips like Johnathan does, mainly due to the fact that we have Gracie to think about. Johnathan picked up the two bottles and he almost dropped one of them. I grinned and grabbed one of the bottles from him and the girl winked at me.