Big Damn Project

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The table cleared as the night wound down, the rest of the group drifting away from the dining room to the kitchen for coffee and pie. Farly stayed, slouched happily across the table from his guest, content and warm, a drowsy smirk on his muzzle. It had been a good night; there had never been so many people at their Thanksgiving dinner before, not even family. Of course, their family didn’t quite speak to them. They seemed to blame TJ for his parents’ death. TJ didn’t really let it show that it got to him, but Farly could tell. TJ got quiet around the holidays.

Ms. Davis was very much welcome at the table, and TJ did everything he could to make her feel at home. While they prepared for dinner, they both talked about their family; hers was out of town, reluctant to travel across the country. TJ shrugged it off, a kind smile to help the thought disappear.

It was nice having Bourbon at the table, too, even if Bourbon was a little skiddish and tired. He was quiet. Farly figured it was because he was never welcomed to dinners like this before.

Bryan didn’t stay. He came to drop off the guest, and then walked home. Ty said the soup kitchen shook him up a bit, but the guest must have canceled it all out. He couldn’t stop smiling. And the guest… well, that was the best part.

Jon looked up from his plate. He took his time eating, although Farly could tell by the way he moved it was because he was tired. Melting snow still dripped from his dreadlocks and his big, heavy ears. He wouldn’t say how long he had been walking, but it had to have been far. Jon blushed when his eyes met Farly’s, and he dropped them again, letting his dreads fall in front of his eyes.

“You took the train all the way back?” Farly asked.

Jon nodded.

“The whole way?”

“All four days.”

“That’s a lot of time.”

Jon put down his fork, and looked more fragile than Farly could stand. He suddenly found other things to be interested in; it only seemed polite.

“It’s what I could get.”

“Are you going back to school?”

Jon shrugged. “Not this semester. I guess I’ll make everything up over the summer.”

Farly nodded.

Jon stared at the food on his plate, but didn’t look interested in finishing it.

“What are you going to tell the school?”

Jon rolled his eyes up, looking out through his dreads. “It doesn’t really matter.”

“Sure it does.” Farly almost choked on his words. He didn’t want to believe Jon was right.

“They’re not going to listen. It doesn’t matter what I learned from this or how much I did, because they won’t care.”

“That’s not-”

“Whatever I say, they can write off, because I’m sixteen and they’re not. It doesn’t matter. They wouldn’t listen to us until some kids in Colorado went to school with automatics, and that only made them scared. They still wouldn’t listen to us, unless it would cover their asses.”

“You’ve been thinking about this a lot,” Farly said, leaning forward and propping his head in his hands.

“Four days.” Jon played with his hands, keeping his eyes on the table.

“So,” Farly said, “why Seattle?”

“Because,” Jon said, still fidgiting, “for a long time, that’s where the music came from. Two bands that destroyed the reign of hairbands, and Hendrix, and The Gits.” He sighed. “Also, I was listening to a lot of Everclear at the time, so it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“That’s Santa Monica.”

“Yeah, but… Seattle’s cooler.”

Farly waved Santa Monica away with the back of his hand.

Jon looked back up at Farly, at the swelling around his eye.

“You don’t look so good.”

Farly shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

“When did it happen?”

“Tuesday.”

Jon leaned forward, cradling his head in his hands. “I’m sorry. I should have been there.”

Farly shrugged again. “Seattle was something that needed to happen.”

Jon nodded.

“You’re tired.”

Jon didn’t move, but he didn’t fight what Farly said.

Farly stood, moved around the table, and tugged at Jon’s arm. “You should go lie down.”

Jon let Farly help him up. Farly took him by the hand and led him to his room. He hugged Jon. “I’m glad you’re back.”

Jon let himself smile. He laid down on Farly’s bed.

Farly turned off the lights and started to close the door. “Hey,” he said. “What happened to taking care of each other?”

Jon sighed. “It wasn’t something you could have helped with.”

Farly watched him from the doorway, his ears slowly dropping. “Next time, you come to me.” He closed the door, and stood in the hallway a moment, before joining the others in the kitchen.

[g]

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Tags: 7 days, 7days, anthro, commentary, farly, fiction, furry, glbt, high school, jon, lgbt, serial, teen, teenagers, TJ, web fiction, YA