mountains beyond mountains,

[hungrylike]

So, yeah, like, this place has all sorts of things, more'n I thought there'd be of what I was looking for, but there ain't any people I seen yet. Anybody around out there? Me, I'll be in the cafe, I guess. I'm brilliant with burgers.

Comments

[sebastard]

"Brilliant." They get off at Sebastian's floor, and his room is just around the corner. When he unlocks it and opens the door, the scent of lavender wafts out. One more door unlocked, and they're in his flat at home, where evening gowns poke out of the clothes cupboard and brightly coloured wigs sit atop his dresser. It's not exactly neat, but it doesn't have the look of a war zone at the moment, which is a triumph for Sebastian. "Well, this is it. Nothing too impressive."

[hungrylike]

"It's nice," Tom says, smiling. He's never lived alone-- except for the one time. But sleeping in a forest isn't the same, he figures. "You got a lot of dresses," he says, slightly awed.

[sebastard]

Sleeping in a forest and in a flat in London are rather different things, yes. "Yeah," Sebastian says happily, going over to pull the door of the clothes cupboard open for Tom's edification. "I mean, this is all of them. But never mind that, we're going in mufti tonight."

[hungrylike]

Tom looks on, clearly a bit awed. So many colors! He mutters a muted 'wow'-- he's never seen so many dresses before. Sebastian must be very accomplished. He looks up, distracted and confused, when Sebastian speaks. "Mufty?"

[sebastard]

"Normal clothes," he explains, sliding the clothes cupboard door shut again. "I'm not going to dress up. I'd rather grab something to eat. And since I'm a bloody awful cook, out for pasta it is."

[hungrylike]

Tom smiles in understanding. "Brilliant. It'd be weird if you were all decked out and I wasn't, anyway..." At least, he assumes it'd be. He wouldn't know. "Well, you lead the way."

[sebastard]

You call it weird, Sebastian calls it Friday. But whatever. He does as told and leads Tom out of his bedroom, flat, and building, chatting the entire way. "Remind me when we go back to the hotel that I've got to pick up some books, that's what I was there for in the first place. I don't need 'em right away, but I should probably get them eventually..."

[hungrylike]

"Will do," Tom says, making a mental note. "What kinda books?"

[sebastard]

"Plays. I've got to read 'em for class." It's still light out and will be for some time--that's summer for you--and everything's got a sort of golden glow to it. Sebastian's part of town is safe enough, if not the world's nicest. Better than he should be able to afford on his salary, thanks to Dad. "And one on the history of theater. Are you in school?"

[hungrylike]

"Oh, right." It sounds so obvious, Tom wonders if Sebastian's said it before. "Sounds interesting," it really does. "Nah, not right now. Might start going soon, but," he shrugs. "Dunno what I'd study."

[sebastard]

"It's okay. We're reading a bunch of old French plays--not my favourite, but they're all right." They turn a corner. "I guess what you'd study'd depend on what you're interested in. What d'you want to do for a living?"

[hungrylike]

"Y'know French?" Tom says, looking a little surprised. The only person he knows who knows French is Hal, and Hal is a dickhead about it. "Oh, I dunno," he says, answering Sebastian's question. "I never thought about it."

[sebastard]

"Oh, they've been translated. I can't read French worth shite." Sebastian grins. "I took Spanish in school, actually. My dad speaks it, so I figured I'd be better off if I could get help on my schoolwork."

And then they're just about there, and Sebastian shrugs. "Well, what d'you like to do? That's how I picked, anyway."

[hungrylike]

"Oh, right clever." Tom says, trying to figure how all this works in his head. He realizes, perhaps a bit belatedly, that he's never been to a proper school, and doesn't really know how they work. "And they test you on 'em?"

"Dunno." Without the slightest hint of depression or concern, he says, "Friend says we mostly end up in low-pay shift-work, so..." He shrugs.

[sebastard]

"Yeah. I read 'em, and then they make me write about what I thought about them." It's not particularly labor-intensive. Mostly just a pain. He frowns at Tom. "Who's 'we'?" Skinheads? But he's not one, so...

[hungrylike]

"Huh," Tom says, thinking about what that'd be like. He's taken out of his reprieve by the realization that he's yet again said too much, and scrambles to cover his tracks. "Uh, us. My, uh-" Pack. He thinks of Alison and Nina and George and McNair. His father. "My family."

[sebastard]

"Oh. Sorry to hear it." Sebastian leads them into a restaurant with an awning that says Gioachino's in a fancy script. Anthony, whom Sebastian knows from school, seats them at a little table near a window and raises his eyebrows suggestively at Sebastian. He replies with rolled eyes before turning his attention back to Tom. "No reason not to do what you like, though."

[hungrylike]

Tom misses any suggestive eyebrows or eye-rolling, being too distracted by the restaurant, very spacious and fancy. He hopes he's well-dressed enough for it. He looks to Sebastian, nodding. "Guess so. Dunno really what I like." He shrugs. He's really never thought of it at all.

[sebastard]

It's not that fancy, Tom, don't worry. Sebastian's in jeans, after all. "I guess you have to figure that out first. I had it easy--I grew up 'round theater, so I always knew I wanted to act."

[hungrylike]

"Oh, really?" Tom says, faintly happy to have the subject back off him. With normal people, he realizes, you always have to watch yourself. Like vampires, in a way. "Your mum was an actor, or something?"

[sebastard]

"Well, uh. My dad's a stage manager--he's the bloke who makes sure everything works backstage." Sebastian's had good luck so far, so he figures he might as well press it a little further. "And my father's a carpenter. But I'm not all that great at carpentry, so..." He shrugs.

[hungrylike]

Tom frowns. He thinks he's missing something. "So- so your dad's both?"

[sebastard]

"Oh," Sebastian says, shaking his head. Usually people get what he means when he refers to Father and Dad. "My dads're gay."

[hungrylike]

This takes Tom a moment, but eventually understanding blossoms across the landscape of his face. "Oh! Took me a minute, there." He chuckles. "Heard that could happen. Once-" And then he stops. If he told that story, he'd have to explain baby Eve, and Annie, and Eve's parents, and everything-- no, better to skip it. "Well, never met anybody who did that, though. I mean- you know."

[sebastard]

"Well, Sebastian Bush-Kennedy, nice to meet you," he says with a laugh, holding out his hand to shake. And then, before Tom can stare blankly at him again, "I'm gay, too. So I guess I'm your first."