(no subject)

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ it's after his meet-up with his supervisor that he gets a call from robin to babysit alice. of course he says 'yes' -- he has nothing planned for the day & would never consciously turn down time with his niece. & like he told robin before, more free air should do him some good; who knows, if he's feeling better in mind, the body might follow. (he didn't really believe that since the damage from the accident has been said to be absolute, but a little bit of feigned hope wasn't too heavy to carry around.)

that's the context to their current scenario: at the park with alice, doing whatever she wants until it's time for lunch & ice cream. time with uncle nick is the time to get spoiled, so he doesn't worry too much about feeding her nutritional things; he's pretty sure his mom sis has that covered anyway. ]

Comments

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ and she's happy to be spoiled, even if she's not very aware of it at this moment in time. in fact, she's so focused on a butterfly that landed on the swing next to her that she forgets about being hungry and wanting to tug uncle nick to play with her. it's a pretty butterfly. nice butterfly. she should draw it...

when it flutters away five minutes later her attention is focused on the (smaller) jungle gym, scurrying on over to it to begin climbing it while humming a song about her butterfly friend. gets to the top after a few struggles, planting herself there while looking straight at nick.

raises her arms up in a victory fashion, trying to get his full attention. ]

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ strolls on over to her when she lifts her hands, looking amused while keeping himself close enough so that he can catch her if she looks off-balance. ]

Now you're almost as tall as I am.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ raises her arms up more to show her delight. ]

Good! I want to be just like uncle.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ reaches over to carefully give her a pat on the head. ]

Yeah? I think you're pretty close already.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ wiggles her fingers at him, trying to stretch out so he can help her down. ]

So I can be an archi-- arcee-- [ stops wiggling her fingers, thinking. when she thinks she's got it: ] Arch-ee-tectur?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

Very good. [ loops his arms around her so he can tuck her close to his chest (not really trust his hands to carry someone so precious properly--) so that he can get her down as requested. bends down to a knee so that he can set her down properly. ]

And sure. If that's what you want to do when you grow up.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

I want to be just like uncle! But I am only five years old! [ pauses. thinks about it... ] When can I be an arch-ee-tectur?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ gives her hair a ruffle & then pulls away to look like he's thinking. ]

Hm. Probably when you're as old as your uncle is. So you have a long time to prepare.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ reaches for his hand. ]

How old is uncle?

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ while turning eighteen was quite a big deal (and cause for a huge celebration, considering how his family operated) there was another thing of importance that he needed to do. this is why he's on his way to nick's apartment complex, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel while humming a familiar tune (from the radio? he's not sure). as usual he's there pretty quickly, parking in his usual spot before stepping out of the car for a leisurely stroll to the entrance.

it seems like only a few seconds before he's in front of nick's apartment's door, taking a moment to himself to look at it a little fondly. (it'll probably be the last time he sees it, after all. even he felt sentimental sometimes.) lifts a hand to knock his usual three times, a smile coming to his face when he thinks of what he wants to say. ]

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ at the customary three knocks, he glances up in slight surprise. after a moment of staring, he puts his book aside & gets to his feet to move toward the door. he's always caught off guard a little to hear the knocks these days, always expecting those visit(s) to be the last -- to part without ceremony would fit them, after all.

unlocks the door & lets it swing open, stepping back in wordless invitation. moves back to the couch, though he doesn't sit back down to read again. instead, he marks his spot & puts it aside to face the boy. pauses briefly before he speaks, considering several answers & then seems to decide to settle on a neutral one. ]

How's college? Living up to your expectations?

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ droops a little when nick's words get to him first, but that smile is there in another second when he's asked the question. moves further inside after shutting the door behind him, wandering towards nick until he circles the man to plop himself down on the couch. ]

Yeah, I'm actually having a lot of fun! I didn't expect much, but I have nice professors. Plus I have my muse there, so everything is going along smoothly.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ settles himself down on the couch as well, leaning back against the cushions. ]

Joined any clubs yet?

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

Not yet, I'm still deciding. [ scoots closer to him, if only because he's curious. ] Did you join any when you were in college?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ glances at him briefly & then considers the question. ]

Other than the student art club, a couple of charity-based ones. And basketball for a year.

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ looks surprised, blinking a few times. ]

Basketball? Really?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ looks amused. ]

Yeah, really. I didn't do just art.

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ well. that shopping trip went well. there was just one, tiny little problem: he seems to have bought too much, though that particular thought didn't even cross his mind when shopping. in fact, he really didn't think very hard on how in the world he was supposed to get all of those grocery bags to nick's apartment, only considering it once he's staring at the pile in the trunk of his car.

just shrugs, thinking that it'll be easy to carry them all if he hooks an even amount on both arms. that should work, right?

unfortunately, it proves to be rather difficult. so difficult that he's running ten minutes late, stopping when he gets to the elevator to take some time to breathe. (he didn't think they'd be so heavy... then again, he's not very heavy himself. should have thought about that before, huh.) smiles a little to his companion (a little old lady, who is currently looking him up and down) once he's inside the elevator, taking a hold of the plastic bags to hoist them all up again when they get to his floor, making his way out while awkwardly wobbling on down the hallway.

once he's in front of nick's doorway, he reaches out to knock once. ... twice. ... ... three times. slow, sluggish movements. he needs a minute, clearly. ]

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ he's actually a little confused as to who could be at the door -- the knocks sounded pretty hesitant, as if unsure if his apartment was the right one. he's actually in the middle of finally getting around to (finally) doing his dishes (read: load them in the dishwasher) when the knocks sound & so his hands are wiped hastily on his pants as he approaches the door.

... & then blinks upon realizing who's on the other side after opening said door. leans against the doorway. ]

I'm not looking for a roommate.

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ smiles up at him once he feels okay to talk, lifting a hand in greeting. ]

Not forever, just for tonight!

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ glances down at the bags. ]

It still would've been easier to bring pre-made food.

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

[ the bags which he tries to pick up again, coincidentally. ]

But then my love and devotion wouldn't have been put into it.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ bends to take two of the bags himself, awkwardly hooking them onto his hands before stepping back into the apartment. doesn't answer 'til he gets the bags over to the kitchen area. stares down at the contents peeking through the plastic in dubiously. ]

You plan on cooking?

[fashionmajor.livejournal.com]

Yep! [ shuts the door and kicks off his shoes, wandering on over to the kitchen to put the bags down on the counter. shrugs off his coat, placing it elsewhere before rolling up his sleeves. ] I've got some experience in the kitchen, after all.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ leans his hip against the table, arms crossing across his chest. ]

Making what?