Edgy

Date/Timing: 27 November 2012
Setting: Mile End and Battersea, London, England, United Kingdom
.
Bastien sighs into his palm, taps the side of his foot against the duvet.
Manny's raised voice through the wall.
Edan's, just as loud, answers.
Bastien chews his lip.
More arguing.
Bastien's stomach turns.
More.
He slides off the bed, pads along the hall, peeks into the big room.
No Kris.
Bastien frowns, tiptoes to the other end of the flat.
No Kris in the washroom or W.C. or office or kitchen, which leaves .... 
He sneaks across the kitchen, eases onto the balcony.
Kris leans against the mesh at the far end, looking absently across the back garden, cigarette in hand.
"You smoke?" Bastien perches on one of the chairs, tucks his knees to his chest.
Kris shrugs, exhales a lungful into the humid air. "Only when I'm edgy."
"You heard 'em, too?"
"Sounded almost like ho—the place I grew up."
Bastien winces. 
Kris takes another drag.
"If it helps, this's the first time I've heard Edan yell."
"Great. I'm wrecking a happy home."
"He's standing up for you."
"No idea why he bothers."
"Great. You've cut back from hating everyone to hating yourself."
"Not enough energy to keep it up."
Bastien rolls his eyes, sighs.
Kris knocks ash into a tin balanced on the rail.
"There must be /something we can do so you can stay."
"Like what? Your brother hates me, Edan loves /him, so—" Shrugs. "—tomorrow I go find a shit job, and, if I'm /really lucky, a hostel or bedsit where I won't get robbed or knifed the first night."
"How can you be so /calm about it?"
"I'm not." Takes another drag, exhales. "I'm fuckin' terrified." Sags. "But it's taking a shot and maybe living here or dying for sure back there, so I'm going."
"Holy /shit, you're brave."
"'s'not brave if ye've got no choice."
"I'd just freeze."
"Like a bunny, ay, Bunny?"
"Oh, fuck you, Swan."
Kris smirks, puffs again.
"So ... what're we gonna do?"
"Go back to sleep 'fore we pass out?"
Bastien scoffs.
"Kids," sighs Kris.
"Hey! I'm older than you!"
"By six months."
"Still older~!"
Kris grinds out what's left of the cigarette, and closes up his tin. A flip and he tucks it in a pocket. "Then, what do /you propose we do, 'big brother'?"
Bastien puts his feet on the floor, sits straighter. "We—" Sags. "I have no idea. Manny's the /stubbornnest guy I know."
"And Edan's a pushover."
"Pretty much. Except for tonight."
Kris grunts.
"We could pretend to be boyfriends?"
"Dear /God no, that'll just piss your brother off /more." Snorks. "Edan'd throw a party, though."
"Might be worth it to see him drunk again."
"Get back on point, Bunny."
"Uhhhh ... how much money do you have?"
"Couple hundred pounds."
"Could we say that's not enough for a deposit on a place?"
"Hostels are cheaper, first. Second, they'd just give me the money."
Bastien growls. "Can you cook?"
"Do cup noodles count?"
"Okaaaay ... 'housekeeper's out."
"Good. I'd look stupid in the little outfit anyway."
"AAAH! I don't want that in my head!"
"Too late, 'pparently." Kris pushes off the wall. "'s also too late to be thinking. Maybe we'll come up with something if we sleep on it."
"/I'm definitely not coming up with anything useful after that image," grumbles Bastien, sliding to his feet.
"I'm actually kinda surprised. You /did just offer to be my boyfriend, after all." Opens the door, bows Bastien through.
He steps inside, throws the bolt. "That was before I knew you were a kinky bastard."
"A li'l role play's enough to put ye off? Never picked you for a prude."
"Fuck you, Kris."
"Keep offering and I might take ye up on it."
Bastien rolls his eyes.
Category:Ficlet
Category:London (setting)
Category:Bastien
Category:Bastien's POV
Category:Bastien (ficlet)
Category:Kris
Category:Kris (ficlet)
Category:Hermann (mention)
Category:Edan (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images