Thread: ugh

RE Lights in the North Nova's drabble Part one of some Jatin for Juno. ---------- The weather was miserable. Summer had finally turned to fall, and the change of the seasons brought a good deal of rain. Then again, in San Francisco, that was hardly unusual. However, that didnt make the weather any less miserable for Jon, and on days like this he really started to miss New York. But he couldnt have stayed, there was too much guilt and pain after Ned died and Robb had asked him to take a position in Starks legal department. He wanted to very badly, and that was the problem. He had already been working for the DAs office for a year when his father died, and he couldnt move to the private sector after that. It was obvious to him that his calling was to prosecute, to serve what he saw as the greater good. So he took the job that was clear across the country away from the Starks, the Lannisters, and the oppressive memory of Neds legacy and Catelyns disapproving stare. It was away from his family and friends too, and that was where the only real regret came in. San Francisco was lonely for Jon, even though he did make friends with some of the other ADAs in the office. He ended up getting a dog, some gigantic white mutt that followed him home after jogging one morning and never made a sound that Jon found himself getting particularly fond of. There was a plus side, however. He had only been in the new city for a year and he was already moving up the chain, the DA had seen fit to give him his own legal assistant, to help with the legwork on his cases. This was his last interview after a week of them, though Jon didnt see this one ending that well. The kid claimed to be twenty-two, but Jon thought he was a good deal younger. It wasnt his eyes they were dark and filled with experience that made him look older than Jon. The dark-haired youth was thin and tall, and his hair actually curled in ringlets which Jon could only assume was natural that framed a surprisingly pretty face. He had his name listed only as Satin, and he wore dark jeans and a button-up shirt that had obviously seen better days. And to top it all off, a cursory background check had revealed that Satin had never been to college, much less graduated as a legal assistant. But the kid was trying, and Jon didnt have it in him to throw him out on the street. For the first time in his life he was seeing the people that were not part of the society he grew up in. Five years ago Satin would have been a one-dimensional person to Jon, just a hooker from Polk Street trying to pull some scam. And if he ever saw him again he wouldnt have really seen him, Satin would have just blended into the streets like the other lost people used to. It was his pride that impressed Jon the most he held his chin high and never shied away from making eye contact. He stayed calm and his voice never wavered, even when it was clear that he didnt know how to answer Jons questions. Snow couldnt give him the job in the end, but he couldnt just let him walk out either. Collecting strays was a passion of his, and something about Satin called to him. And where would he go if Jon just let him walk away? Would the kid keep trying to get out of the life or would he just go back to Polk Street to pick up a habit, or worse, a pimp? Ned Starks bastard always had trouble with the concept of people surviving without his help or interference. Jon didnt miss the flash of distrust in the kids eyes when he invited him to dinner, and he shrugged off his decline of the invitation with a soft smile. If you change your mind, Ill be at the diner thats two blocks south from here from five to say Seven? Satin didnt show up until seven-thirty. He approached Jon warily, like a dog that had been kicked too many times. He knew that he was being sized up, so the lawyer did his best to appear completely non-threatening. I thought you said you were only staying until seven. Jon shrugged, Service is always slow here. He wouldnt say that he would have waited all night if he had to the point was not to spook the kid. He also managed to resist the urge to order him something more substantial than the grilled cheese, and to keep his mouth shut while Satin ate. When he finished, Jon would do his best to coax some more information out of him. Satin, why did you apply for that job? Youve already asked me that. His tone was calm and almost cold, and Jon knew he was being assessed once more. I know, but Im not asking you as an interviewer now. What are you asking me as, then? He would consider this for a few moments before answering with a shrug. A concerned citizen, I guess. It was Satins turn to consider things before answering. Why does anyone apply for a job? I need a job I looked in the classifieds and saw that one. It looked like something I could do, so I applied. I see. They were both quiet then Jon sipping at his coffee while Satin traced the bottom of his own glass with one well-chewed fingernail. I cant give you the legal assistant job, his tone was entirely apologetic, But I do want to help. Where are you living now? Does it matter? No, I suppose not. I live near Pacific Heights, Jon ignored Satins eye roll Pacific Heights was a neighborhood known for its affluence, And Ive been thinking of getting a Live in assistant. That was a lie, but if he talked his boss into giving him a raise instead of an assistant he could probably swing it. He knew how it sounded the second he said it, but he also knew that trying to explain himself would just make it sound worse. Satin did not respond immediately, and instead chose to study Jon through narrowed eyes. He knew that the kid was trying to figure out what his angle was, but the dark-haired young lawyer didnt really have an answer for him. He wasnt even sure what he was trying to accomplish. ------ It took a few weeks, but eventually the kid settled on the futon in his spare room. Things were going well, Satin took care of the house and dog during the day, and Jon could usually count on him to have something to eat ready when he came home. The other man also took care of the other meaningless tasks that Jon hated, like grocery shopping and going to the dry cleaners. All in all, it meant he had more time to spend at the office, and that had been the point. Eventually he fond out more about Satin, like that the kid was barely twenty instead of twenty-two, and that he hadnt finished high school. He had run away from his parents house when he was sixteen, though he refused to talk about where that had been or why he had left. The only other things he refused to discuss were his real name he had been Satin since leaving home, and he had told Jon he could guess where he had gotten it from, which made the older man blush, and any of the specifics about why he wanted to stop whoring. And in return, Jon did his best to answer every question Satin asked him. He told him about growing up as Ned Starks bastard, and in his brother Robbs shadow. They talked about law school, and why he had decided to move out to the West Coast when Ned died. That evening, they had talked about getting Satin his GED, and Jon was relieved to notice that some of the distrust that the younger man had used to show when Jon tried to help him was leaving. It seemed he was accepting that Jon just wanted to help, and nothing else, or so Snow thought. The lawyer also that he was successfully hiding his attraction to the other man. It didnt bother him that he was attracted to a man especially one as pretty as Satin, he had known for a while that he preferred men. That just wasnt what he wanted from the kid, sex for room and board. Satin had wanted out of that life, and in Jons mind having a relationship with him could only be that sort of relationship. He had gone to bed early, he had to be in court in the morning. Jon had been at the point that was half way between asleep and awake when he heard his door creak open. Bleary with sleep, he rolled over to face the door, surprised to see Satin standing there naked. Doing his best to ignore that, Jon would attempt to focus his eyes on the younger mans. Hey, did you need something? No. With that, the younger man was crawling into Jons bed, moving under the covers and pressing his lanky body to the lawyers. Satin pulled his arms around his body, and before Jon could think to protest they were kissing. It was only when he felt the younger man pulling at his pajama pants that he had the presence of mind to put a stop to it. He pulled his hands down to Satins, grasping them firmly before pulling them away. Satin, no . Jon regretted his tone the moment he heard it, it was entirely condescending, he sounded as if he were scolding the dog. The younger man froze, and then pulled away completely and left the room quickly. Jon couldnt read his expression, but he could take a guess at Satins feelings about the manner when he heard him storm out of the house a few minutes later. Sighing when Ghost trotted into his room to see what all the fuss had been about, Jon would hold out a hand for the mutt to lick. You still like me, dont you? Ghosts only response would be to huff once before jumping up on Jons bed to sleep.