Hector nodded in agreement, glad the kid got it. He smiled a little, head shaking. He had a hard time understanding cheating anymore. When he was a teenager, he’d admit, he’d had slept around more than a little, but most of the girls he hooked up with knew the deal, knew how it all worked. Odessa hadn’t signed on for that. “Oh, I try to. My sister would tell you b rains were never my strength.” He laughed, looking at at Bryan.
“If you ever want to do something nair related to them, I’d be glad to act as a look out.” Hector picked up another cookie, thinking over what all the younger man had said. He squinted at Bryan, head tilting. “You’ve never been in a relationship?” He asked. “Dude, how? You’re a catch! You’re easy to live with and you bake!”
“Nah, I think you seem pretty smart,” Bryan chuckled out, “Smarter than some of the people I know, at least, and that counts for a lot.” He couldn’t help but grin at hearing the other’s words, looking thoughtful. “It’s really tempting,” He admitted, “But I feel like if we did that, they’d think of something even worse, and I’m not about to get into a war with them, even if I think we’d eventually win. There’s enough crazy going on around here as it is, sadly.”
At Hector’s words about dating, he laughed and looked sheepish. “Growing up gay in a small farm town will do that,” He started, rubbing the back of his neck, “Not so many accepting people, and I mean… I got some guys numbers and stuff when I moved here, but it hasn’t amounted to much yet, that’s all.”
Hector smiled, looking down at the plate. “Dude.” He said, voice low, almost reverent. He looked up at Bryan, nodding along with what he was talking about. He smiled a little, dropping his eyes to the cookies. He picked one up and bit into it, smiling at the mention of Odessa. He nodded a little, swallowing it. He shrugged a little, shaking his head.
“Nah, man, it’s just the right thing to do. Odessa deserves better. She’s wonderful, she shouldn’t have anything less than the same, you know? What Jasper was doing wasn’t right. Like I know he’s only 20, right? But if you’re going to commit to being in an adult relationship, act like an adult. Don’t talk with other girls. when they try and talk at you like that, politely tell them not to. It’s not that hard. I don’t know man it just pissed me of. Odessa deserves better.” Hector shook his head, realizing he was rambling, “But, yeah, of course man. We’re friends. The fact that you see the right side of things here already makes us good.”
Bryan was hopeful, and couldn’t help but grin when Hector ate one of the cookies. He’d used his favorite recipe for them, so he hoped that the older boy liked them. Hearing what he said, he nodded his head quickly in agreement. “She does. She’s amazing, and one of my very best friends here,” He spoke, “She deserves the best of the best. And like… I know Jasper’s my age and we’re still young but… over eighteen, and adults. And while acting like a kid is fun, there’s a line, especially in a relationship.”
He leaned back on the counter, taking a deep breath. “The fact that he’s talking to that… other girl,” He continued, pausing for a second as if he were going to say something else, but deciding to be nice, “And acting like that is crazy. I’ve never even been in a relationship and I know better than that. I told ‘dessa I’m tempted to put some nair in their shampoo or something.” He chuckled softly then, clear it was just a thought and he wasn’t actually going to attempt it, as funny as it would be. When Hector said that they were friends, Bryan lit up. “Awesome,” He chirped out, “And totally. Good to see some of us have some brains on this floor, huh?”
The universe had decided to make Hector’s day shit, it seemed. First, getting up before 5 to be at the hospital for the internship. Finding the groupchat a mess on his lunch break, (and maybe losing his cool a little trying to come to Odessa’s defense.)
Getting the message from Odessa about her breaking things off with Jasper. And then a major wreck, that, somehow, didn’t lengthen his day, but did complicate it. They managed to get all parties into surgery in best possible condition, and he was glad that he wasn’t doing his surgical rounds for that case, but it weighed on him, seeing something like that.
When he’d gotten home he’d sprinted right up to shower and change, before heading over to Mandy’s wanting to see and comfort Odessa the best he could. But eventually he had to head back to his place, had to shake off the day and try and get to sleep early. He opened the door to the apartment, taking a deep sigh in, and finding himself enveloped in the comforting scent of baked goods.
“Hey.” He greeted, crossing over to lean against the island. He wasn’t sure if Bryan didn’t like him, or if the guy was just quiet, but it seemed the perfect opportunity to get to know him, and maybe get something to eat out of it. “What you making? Smells incredible.”
Bryan smiled softly as Hector entered the kitchen. “Hey,” He returned, “Chocolate chip cookies, and uh, actually, they’re for you.” He took a deep breath then, putting the last cookie on the cooling rack and then turning to face the older man. “I haven’t been the nicest roommate towards you, and I apologize. Normally I’m not so… well, rude, I guess,” He stated, reaching up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly, “I should have spoken to you instead of being so quiet. I guess I was just a little nervous about things.”
“But,” He continued after a pause, “I realized that today, and when I saw you sticking up for ‘Dessa in the group chat, I knew you had to be a great guy and I wasn’t giving you enough credit. So, I made these, in apology and in hopes of us becoming friends, if that’s okay.” He gave him a soft, nervous smile then.
Bryan hadn’t been so sure about things when he heard Monroe was subletting her place to a guy named Hector. Maybe it was the fact that it felt weird having another guy in the apartment, or that he just really missed Monroe and was feeling that fear of her leaving and not coming back. Whatever it was, he’d tried to stay away from the man; not actively ignoring him, but quiet and reserved, which was rather unusual for Bryan.
However, when the man spoke up and defended Odessa in the group chat, Bryan’s respect for him skyrocketed and he felt awful that he’d probably been kinda rude to the man instead of a welcoming roommate. To make up for it, and to thank him for being there for one of his girls, Bryan was now in the kitchen, baking up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. That and focusing on the cookies also kept him from going and fighting the three that had him angry.
He hummed softly as he moved, pulling the baking tray out of the oven and sitting it on the stove so he could put the cookies on the cooling rack. He hoped that the other would like them; or at least it’d be a nice conversation starter or something.
Hektor nodded. lowering his hands to his side. “Oh.” He shrugged. “I- uh, I am not of Trikru. Boudakru. I…” He though a moment, the closest place to where he knew the boy- man really, his own age, would be headed. “Headed to Polis. I… wouldn’t mind pointing you the right way. You just have to follow. Keep your weapon on me if you want.” He shrugged, figuring if he could get him going in the right direction, it was something.
“I don’t care what clan you’re from,” Bryan snapped out quickly, “All of the grounders are the same. Ice Nation is the worst, but the rest of you are just as bad. I wouldn’t trust you farther than I could throw you.” He didn’t put the gun down at all, keeping it up and trained on Hektor, though his hands seemed to be a little shaky. He paused though at hearing the other’s words, seeming to consider it for a moment. “Fine,” He stated then, “As long as you don’t try anything and I can keep the gun up.”
Hektor eyed the weapon, hands lifting, showing he wasn’t holding anything. “I- uh… don’t know much.” He admitted. He wasn’t a warrior. Never had wanted to be. That wasn’t a common ambition among Boudakru. What little Gonasleng he’d learned was functional. What was needed for trade and some things he’d picked up along the way. He gestured to the skaikru boy. “You lost?”
Bryan didn’t lower his weapon, even at seeing that the boy wasn’t holding anything; he was still a grounder, after all. “I’m not lost,” He snapped out at him, “And even if I was, I wouldn’t trust a grounder to get me back to Arkadia.” He paused, looking the boy over nervously, still unsure about this. But, he was lost; he just wasn’t going to admit it.
Bryan stopped from where he was looking around lost and quickly raised his gun at seeing the grounder, narrowing his eyes at him. “I don’t speak grounder,” He snapped lightly, “Speak english.”
indiebryan 