"Mama Knight called." James is sitting at the kitchen table with a crossword puzzle, the same one he's been working on for months now, when Kendall shuffles in looking for something to eat. He runs a hand through his hair and yawns widely, choosing to ignore James' look (the one that totally says "I rise at dawn so you are inferior").
"What did she want?" He opens the fridge and frowns at the lack of good food, "Besides a complete breakdown of the past three weeks events."
"She wanted to know if you have a job yet." James looks at him over the crossword puzzle, "Which you don't." The way he says it has Kendall scowling at him over the fridge door. James barely notices the look before he's back to his crossword puzzle. Kendall can see him mouthing letters and counting spaces.
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her you were looking into being a gigolo, but when she called me on my clever ruse I lied and said you were looking for a job at some of the stores near our apartment." Again, his eyes find Kendall's over the top of the crossword puzzle, "Which you aren't." Kendall doesn't scowl at him this time, mostly because he's got a mouth full of cinnamon Poptart. He plants himself in the chair across the table from James and considers the accusation as he chews.
"How do you know?" He finally responds and James tosses the puzzle onto the table, looking frustrated at Kendall's lack of fucks. He chucks his pencil at Kendall's face (which Kendall only barely avoids). Only then does he deign to reply.
"I fucking know you, Kendall. If you were actually looking you'd be with job by now." He ducks as Kendall throws the pencil back and glares at Kendall when it hits the (newly painted) wall, "That better not leave a mark." He warns, eyes narrowed dangerously. Kendall pushes back his chair and goes over to inspect the wall. It comes back clean, which he relates to James with a smirk. James merely scowls at him.
"You make me sound like I'm trying to get pregnant."
"Finding a job isn't nearly as fun." James deadpans, "And besides, men can't get pregnant. At least, thus far they cannot." He scrunches his nose at the thought of men being pregnant and Kendall laughs at the expression, although his own nose scrunches just a little as well. It's kind of a weird thing to think about. He shakes the thought from his head and clears his throat so James will do the same.
"Right. Well, you seem to have so much fun at your job, I was thinking maybe you could get me something there." Kendall smiles sweetly, but James only rolls his eyes.
"Too rugged." James says easily, "I hear the bookstore a few blocks over is in need of a strapping, young male such as yourself." He grins at Kendall who merely frowns, "Oh, come on! It's a fucking bookstore! All you have to do is work the cash register or shelve things! Would you rather be a gigolo?"
"Yes." Kendall says seriously and James looks like he's about to implode, "Seriously, James? I want a job that's interesting. Not one that requires-"
"A reading level above that of a ninth grader?" James quips.
"Surprisingly, yes." Kendall responds and James' face is worth the twinge of embarrassment. He takes another bite of Poptart to avoid explaining himself as James picks up his pencil, looking thoughtful. The crossword remains forgotten as he taps the eraser against his lip and studies Kendall. Kendall lets him without protest, because he knows James will do it anyway. It's the silence that bothers him, anyway, not the borderline ogling.
"You know, you might actually gain something from working in a bookstore." James finally finishes his thinking and grabs for his crossword, "Like, knowledge."
"I'm pretty sure reading the books isn't a requirement to work there." Kendall argues, "So I wouldn't learn anything. I mean, I might learn the best way to flip someone off without them seeing, but that's not something I could put on a resume." He considers the thought as James gives him what amounts to a bitch face, "Could I?"
The bitch face intensifies, "No."
"Not even, like, on a spy resume?" Kendall presses, just to see James' face.
"Why would a spy need to flip someone off?" James demands, taking the whole thing way too seriously, "Spies are contracted killers and secret stealers. They are above childish gestures." He fumes and Kendall leans back in his seat, pulling the front legs of his chair off the floor. James hates when he does that (so he continues to do it). It feels good to get under James' skin sometimes. God knows, James does the same thing to him all the time.
"Because." Kendall finalizes the argument, "Anyway, how is your job going?"
"Wonderful." James says with a pleased smirk, "I'm getting an ad job this week." Ad job meaning he'll be shoved in some men's catalogue that only women ever look at. Still, it's something, and god knows it's better than what Kendall has, which is nothing. It's not that Kendall doesn't envy James his with job status, just that he's too lazy to go out and find his own. And he's not going to work in a bookstore.
"Come on, get me a job there!" Kendall whines, "Please?"
"No." James says curtly, "You need to go talk to the bookstore people." With a frustrated sigh that's almost a growl he tosses his crossword puzzle back on the table, "Fuck that." He says sulkily, "Do you think any of those people would know what an alternative word for energy is?"
"Why don't you go ask?" Kendall mocks James and doesn't manage to avoid the pencil this time, which hits him square in the nose, "Asshole!"
"If I ask about my crossword, I'm going to ask about job openings."
"Why? Are you looking for a second job?"
"You're not cute." James pushes his chair back and stands, stretching so that his back pops, "We ride at dawn. And by dawn I mean 12:30, so you better get your ass in gear."
"Ugh."
"Ugh yourself."
James looks at Kendall, gesturing towards the door, "Well, go on." He says and pulls his crossword puzzle from under his arm, "We don't have all day."
"What are you doing?" Kendall asks, more to avoid going in the store than for any real interest, as James scans the puzzle and, once again, counts spaces.
"Making sure I'm not about to have a burst of inspiration."
"You're not."
"Fuck you, Knight." James responds without looking up, but it's apparent he's having no inspirational bursts. Looking frustrated he shoves Kendall in the back, "Go, Kendall. We look dumb just standing out here." Of course, he's the only one holding a crossword puzzle and occasionally swearing at it.
Kendall looks at the door, "How much does it pay?"
"How the hell would I know?"
"You seem to know everything."
"Go ask." James shoves him again, but not as hard, "They have to pay you minimum wage."
"That's comforting." Kendall says sarcastically, reaching for the door handle, "Really, James. Minimum wage is definitely worth my time and my sanity."
"Minimum wage is a beautiful thing."
"Whatever." Kendall pulls the door open and is immediately hit with the smell of paper and ink, the one that's a part of all bookstores, and looks back at James, "You ask first. And if it's a creepy, old lady we ditch." This is a serious concern of his. He doesn't want to be molested by some old lady every day. James shudders, as if considering the fact that it could be a overly sexual old woman. Unfortunately, he doesn't give Kendall the option of leaving while they still have the chance. Instead, he links arms with Kendall and pulls him through the door.
"Maybe she's a nice old lady." He says hopefully, "He bakes cakes in her spare time."
"Or maybe she's a witch." Kendall suggests, "Who bakes children and unsuspecting, minimum wage workers in her spare time." He can see this happening.
"Or maybe she's a-" James stops mid-sentence, "Well, it's not an old lady."
Kendall who was busy looking at the stacks and stacks of books, turns to face the counter and practically does a double take, because the guy standing at the counter is no old lady. He's currently absorbed in a novel, although he looks up when James clears his throat and marches towards the counter.
"Can I help you?"
He's got black, rectangular glasses and wide, brown eyes.
"Yes," James says officially, "What's an alternative, four letter word for energy?"
His skin is pale, pale in that way that Kendall always claims to hate, but doesn't anymore. When he concentrates, he bites his bottom lip.
"Fuel."
"Really?" James looks at the guy, then back at his crossword puzzle, "I knew a bookstore guy would know!" He says triumphantly and quickly scribbles it in. The guy turns pink, but doesn't look upset. Instead, he looks vaguely pleased. Kendall thinks this is adorable and wishes he could make the guy look like that.
"Is that all?" The guy looks curious, "I mean, are you going to buy anything?"
"No," James answers immediately, "Kendall here wants a job." He jerks his thumb at Kendall who meets the guy's eye with what he hopes is a job winning smile. Not that there's any competition, or at least none that he can see. The guy smiles back and Kendall's heart beat picks up. He might not be able to work with this guy, at least not if he turns out to be as good of a person as he is looking. Because then Kendall will end up falling hard for him. And that could get messy. He doesn't even know if this guy is gay, much less into people like Kendall.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
The guy holds out a hand, "I'm Logan."
"Kendall." Kendall repeats and James looks from Logan, to Kendall, and then back to Logan. His face is mischievous, and he subtly begins backing towards the door. Kendall glares at him, turning back to Logan with a smile, "When do I start?" He jokes as the bell above the shop dings and James disappears.
"Tomorrow at nine."
"At night?" Kendall asks, thinking it's an odd time to start, and Logan gives him an odd look, "Wait, in the morning?" It's rare he ever gets out of bed before ten. This job just might be the death of him. Logan smirks and doesn't seem sorry in the least that he's getting Kendall out of bed at such an ungodly hour.
"See you then?"
Kendall considers his options; get up early and see Logan, or sleep in and miss the chance of a lifetime. Cursing James he forces a smile, "See you then."
"Perfect." Logan seems genuinely happy and Kendall's heart stops, momentarily, before going way too fast to be healthy. If waking up early isn't the death of him, Logan's happiness will be.
Really, this job is looking a lot like suicide.