nanowrenlet (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nanowrenlet) wrote2003-11-23 12:09 am
nanowrenlet) wrote2003-11-23 12:09 am
(no subject)
Justin and Rube didn't reap souls together very often, but Justin kind of liked it when they did. It reminded him of his early days, when the whole reaper thing was so new and so weird to him and every little thing he did right made him want to swell up with pride. He knew he had looked to Rube much like a father, needing to be taught and told and occasionally yelled at, and he guessed in a way he still did. Only now that he knew what he was doing, Rube was a little less like a father and more like... an uncle, maybe. One who could still yell at him plenty, though.
But it was still nice, walking back after another job completed, just sort of quietly taking in the late fall air. Rube's absurd fondness for walking bothered Justin less than it had before, now that he'd gotten used to the idea that reapers had, if anything, an excess of time on their hands. If you had commitments, you hurried to those, but anything else? Could probably wait.
Which sometimes meant that life kind of went on -around- them while they watched. It was happening at work, Justin knew; Knox and Eric had changed. Well... not so much Eric, he was pretty much the same in and of himself. But something in Knox was changing, shifting in ways that Justin couldn't quite put his finger on. They weren't -bad- ways, just different. Unexpected. It was as if there had been a certain... edge to Knox, that Justin hadn't recognized as feeling brittle until one day it wasn't there anymore. His laughter was a little less urgent, his smiles a little calmer. Justin would see him watching Eric sometimes, and remember things Knox had said about stories, and secrets. Everybody has stories, Knox told him, happy ones, sad ones. There are some you share with your friends, some you share with your lovers, and some you only tell to the people you love.
Justin may not know exactly what had changed for Knox, but he had a pretty good idea why.
He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. It was going to be a bitch of a winter, he could tell, he should think about buying a warmer coat. Maybe one with fur around the neck like Brian was wearing....
Fucking hell.
Justin stopped on the sidewalk and stared. After a couple more steps Rube noticed and turned back towards him. "Something wrong, kiddo?"
"Brian just went into that church."
Rube's eyebrows went up, and he got that familiar not-this-again look. "So, it's Saturday. Maybe he thinks he's got something to confess."
Justin thought if his jaw dropped any further it'd fall clean off his face. "Brian Kinney does -not- confess. There's got to be something wrong." He knew his voice was rising annoyingly, pleading with Rube already, but he didn't care.
"For the love of... no, Justin. You are not following him into that church. Have you learned -nothing-?"
Only Justin was already edging towards the street. "Yeah, I've learned not to talk to him, and I won't. Promise." He craned his neck around, checking for traffic. "Look, I'm going. If you're so worried, come with me and make sure I don't misbehave."
The traffic cleared, and Justin darted across the street. With Rube, he noted smugly, about a half-step behind him, muttering darkly. "I should just let you stew in your own juices."
"You like me too much."
The church was actually more of a cathedral, though not the same one Jack Kinney's funeral had been held at. The interior was a bit dimmer than outdoors but warmer, and Justin stood in the entry unwinding his scarf and opening his jacket while he scanned the church for Brian. He wasn't in any of the pews, and Justin would have bet the entire rest of his undead life that he wasn't in one of the confessionals, either.
Justin finally spotted him off to one side, standing in front of what looked like a smaller version of an altar, fronted by a bank of half-lit votives and a kneeler. Brian wasn't kneeling, just standing there slightly to one side watching the flames flicker. His coat was still on and buttoned, and the collar was turned up against the cold outside. One hand was in his pocket, and the other held a slim, white taper, unlit.
"What's he doing?" Justin knew he didn't need to whisper, no one would notice them there anyway, but it was sort of a reflex.
"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he's thinking about lighting one of those candles." Rube just chuckled at the dirty look Justin shot him. "Have to admit I'm surprised, I wouldn't have figured him for a religious man."
"He's... not, really. His parents were Catholic and I guess they raised him the same, but he never goes to church or anything." Justin watched as a priest did... something priestly in the alcove near Brian. The priest didn't acknowledge the other man, but still seemed somehow present to him. If this was where Brian had been spending his Saturdays, Justin imagined the priest already knew that Brian preferred to be left alone. "He says he doesn't believe in God."
"He may not believe in God, kiddo, but I think he believes in you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Rube shrugged. "People remember their dead in many ways. That's what most religions are about, in the end, a human response to the mysteries and realities of death. Lighting candles is fairly common, usually part of a ritual on behalf of the departed soul. In your case, though, what with your little mishap and his confusion... I'd say it means he believes you're watching over him."
Justin sniffed and swiped at his nose. Churches were always so loaded with incense. "Pretty piss poor job I'm doing of it."
"I wouldn't say that, kiddo. You may not be perfect, but I think you're doing just fine." Rube laid his hand on Justin's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. They stood there watching for a little while longer before they moved on, but not long enough for Brian to decide whether to light a candle or not.
[1048/2317/41120]
But it was still nice, walking back after another job completed, just sort of quietly taking in the late fall air. Rube's absurd fondness for walking bothered Justin less than it had before, now that he'd gotten used to the idea that reapers had, if anything, an excess of time on their hands. If you had commitments, you hurried to those, but anything else? Could probably wait.
Which sometimes meant that life kind of went on -around- them while they watched. It was happening at work, Justin knew; Knox and Eric had changed. Well... not so much Eric, he was pretty much the same in and of himself. But something in Knox was changing, shifting in ways that Justin couldn't quite put his finger on. They weren't -bad- ways, just different. Unexpected. It was as if there had been a certain... edge to Knox, that Justin hadn't recognized as feeling brittle until one day it wasn't there anymore. His laughter was a little less urgent, his smiles a little calmer. Justin would see him watching Eric sometimes, and remember things Knox had said about stories, and secrets. Everybody has stories, Knox told him, happy ones, sad ones. There are some you share with your friends, some you share with your lovers, and some you only tell to the people you love.
Justin may not know exactly what had changed for Knox, but he had a pretty good idea why.
He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. It was going to be a bitch of a winter, he could tell, he should think about buying a warmer coat. Maybe one with fur around the neck like Brian was wearing....
Fucking hell.
Justin stopped on the sidewalk and stared. After a couple more steps Rube noticed and turned back towards him. "Something wrong, kiddo?"
"Brian just went into that church."
Rube's eyebrows went up, and he got that familiar not-this-again look. "So, it's Saturday. Maybe he thinks he's got something to confess."
Justin thought if his jaw dropped any further it'd fall clean off his face. "Brian Kinney does -not- confess. There's got to be something wrong." He knew his voice was rising annoyingly, pleading with Rube already, but he didn't care.
"For the love of... no, Justin. You are not following him into that church. Have you learned -nothing-?"
Only Justin was already edging towards the street. "Yeah, I've learned not to talk to him, and I won't. Promise." He craned his neck around, checking for traffic. "Look, I'm going. If you're so worried, come with me and make sure I don't misbehave."
The traffic cleared, and Justin darted across the street. With Rube, he noted smugly, about a half-step behind him, muttering darkly. "I should just let you stew in your own juices."
"You like me too much."
The church was actually more of a cathedral, though not the same one Jack Kinney's funeral had been held at. The interior was a bit dimmer than outdoors but warmer, and Justin stood in the entry unwinding his scarf and opening his jacket while he scanned the church for Brian. He wasn't in any of the pews, and Justin would have bet the entire rest of his undead life that he wasn't in one of the confessionals, either.
Justin finally spotted him off to one side, standing in front of what looked like a smaller version of an altar, fronted by a bank of half-lit votives and a kneeler. Brian wasn't kneeling, just standing there slightly to one side watching the flames flicker. His coat was still on and buttoned, and the collar was turned up against the cold outside. One hand was in his pocket, and the other held a slim, white taper, unlit.
"What's he doing?" Justin knew he didn't need to whisper, no one would notice them there anyway, but it was sort of a reflex.
"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say he's thinking about lighting one of those candles." Rube just chuckled at the dirty look Justin shot him. "Have to admit I'm surprised, I wouldn't have figured him for a religious man."
"He's... not, really. His parents were Catholic and I guess they raised him the same, but he never goes to church or anything." Justin watched as a priest did... something priestly in the alcove near Brian. The priest didn't acknowledge the other man, but still seemed somehow present to him. If this was where Brian had been spending his Saturdays, Justin imagined the priest already knew that Brian preferred to be left alone. "He says he doesn't believe in God."
"He may not believe in God, kiddo, but I think he believes in you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Rube shrugged. "People remember their dead in many ways. That's what most religions are about, in the end, a human response to the mysteries and realities of death. Lighting candles is fairly common, usually part of a ritual on behalf of the departed soul. In your case, though, what with your little mishap and his confusion... I'd say it means he believes you're watching over him."
Justin sniffed and swiped at his nose. Churches were always so loaded with incense. "Pretty piss poor job I'm doing of it."
"I wouldn't say that, kiddo. You may not be perfect, but I think you're doing just fine." Rube laid his hand on Justin's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. They stood there watching for a little while longer before they moved on, but not long enough for Brian to decide whether to light a candle or not.
[1048/2317/41120]