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

[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."

[hungrylike]

"Oh!" It makes sense, now that Tom pieces it together. He wonders is Sebastian is gay because he wears women's clothes, or if he wears women's clothes because he's gay. Do straight men do that, too? Good question, he'll have to ask later. "Huh. Got lost in a- a pride parade? Got lost in one, once. Didn't talk to anybody, though."

[sebastard]

"That must've been fun to walk into. Pride parades're always great." Sebastian grins. "Where'd you live that there aren't any gay people?"

[hungrylike]

"It was pretty weird." Tom says, and then his brain catches up with his mouth. "I mean- not in a bad way. I wasn't expecting it." He thinks a bit before answering Sebastian's question. "It was just me and my dad for a long time. Didn't see a lot of other people." Shrug.

[sebastard]

Sebastian shrugs, smiling, in that sort of 'don't worry, I know what you mean' way. And then he nods, trying to look properly serious. "That was back when you lived in a van?"

[hungrylike]

"Yeah," Tom says, oblivious to any potential levity to the situation. "Just me and my dad. And my dad wasn't gay-- least, I think he wasn't." He certainly didn't chat up girls, but that was because he was too busy respecting them.

[sebastard]

"Most people's dads aren't, I hear." Sebastian grins again. "I didn't know that for a really long time, though."

[hungrylike]

"Oh, really?" Tom can't imagine that. Wait, no. He can. "I- I guess I'm kinda the same. But, you know. Without the dresses." And a lot more howling.