Oh My!
By Kay
Disclaimer: I don't own Everworld. I own Jalil's pillowcases. That is all. Mwahaha.
Author's Notes: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews:shines: You're all the greatest, and I really appreciate your comments, they mean so much! (tackles everyone)
You make me happy. Therefore, I had to write more! And... judging by the wicked ideas going about my head, there will be more chapters, also. Heh. With MARK. (Thanks for all those who remembered the name, I've been going insane trying to get back Book #2 from my friend.) Anyway... as always, WARNING: THERE IS SLASH IMPLICATIONS. M/M. Mainly for humor's sake, mind you, but... hey. How do we know Mark's not on the right track? And again, I hope you've read Book #2, to see the "For your information, I'm in hell with a black man! I'm sleeping with him right now!" scene of Christopher's "confession" to his brother. XD
Let us go on!
"So... what's your name?"
The boy looked up at the sound of Jalil's voice, and flashed a grin. "The name's Mark, actually. What's yours? I mean, Christopher, man... he didn't tell me much about you."
"I don't know why he would. He doesn't exactly take pride in the fact we even know each other," Jalil answered dryly, clutching his backpack strap and glancing around at the interior of the Hitchcock household. It looked fairly normal, like the typical home he expected someone like Christopher would live in, all the furniture good but not all matched. Framed pictures on the wall, white carpet in the living room... it was very nice. Relaxed and casual.
The dark eyed teenager shook his head for a second, loosing his train of thought. He turned back to... Mark, that was it... and nodded. "My name's Jalil."
Mark raised an eyebrow and threw his backpack on the floor offhandedly. "Jalil, huh?"
"Yes..." Jalil stared at him warily. "Is that a problem?"
"What! Oh... no, not at all, I like it, it sounds nice," the boy stammered, a red tint appearing in his cheeks. He mumbled something and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "I mean... I just wondered..."
"Yeah?" 'If he asks me if it's African, I'm going to run screaming,' Jalil told himself silently.
"Um... isn't that Hindu?"
Jalil resisted the urge to throw his arms to the ceiling and praise the Lord, especially since he didn't believe in that sort of bull. Instead he settled on a nice, loud, screaming shout of, 'YES' to filter through his head. However, to avoid stares and visits to a therapist, he didn't say anything aloud, just grinned widely at Mark.
"Yeah, it is. It means 'godlike,'" he answered.
Mark nodded, and asked abruptly, "Hey, homes... you want somethin' to eat? I mean, usually I have a snack after school, and since we're just, like, waiting around..."
"Sure," Jalil replied, relaxing. He was taking a warming to this kid. God, he didn't ask about his name. This really couldn't be Christopher's brother could it? Probably some sort of adoption, maybe cloning or egg cells from some better being or something... blood transfusion at an early age. Alien child incorporated into the family. (Human child incorporated into Christopher's alien family?)
Then, aware that his thoughts were giddy and somewhat insane, Jalil decided it was probably best to just follow Mark to the kitchen and consider this a stroke of luck. Maybe when Christopher got here, they'd actually do some Chemistry and he'd leave perfectly fine.
Meanwhile, showing Jalil the way to the kitchen, all Mark could think was--
'Godlike?' Mental snickering ensued. 'I wonder if bro worships or coverts him?'
And then, a quickly fleeting thought-- '... virgin sacrifice?' -- that made Mark choke on his breath and start giggling hysterically at the image of Jalil in white, laying on an altar, with his brother yelling strange incantations.
Jalil only stared warily at the giggling, disturbed once again. He was seriously doubting the mental state of Christopher's brother now... even if he did know "Jalil" wasn't an African name. Jesus, the whole family was wacko-- he knew it was to good to be true.
"So, um, do you know what Christopher will be home? At all?" he asked slowly.
"Umm... well, knowing my bro, it'll only be a little bit." Mark shrugged, before pushing open a door. "Oh, this is the kitchen. It's kinda messy because Mom hasn't cleaned the house for a while, but there's room to sit down."
Jalil peered inside the brightly lit room, decorated in warm yellows and wooden tones, more or less clean except for the dishes heaped in the sink and papers on the main table. It looked... almost like his own, except more untidy. His own parents had a slight cleaning, fixing fascination.
"It looks like ours," Jalil remarked, and then rolled his eyes mentally. Was there any real reason he had to say that? He'd been in the sun to long, obviously, if he was attempting to make "small talk" with Christopher's little brother.
"Really? Cool." Mark was already opening the refrigerator, rummaging around in its contents quickly. "Um, you like Cola or what? We have juice and milk, too... orange juice! Good stuff. Er..."
"Soda is fine with me," Jalil said slowly, sitting down awkwardly at the table and leaning his backpack carefully against the table legs. The younger blonde watched him over the refrigerator door for a moment before coming up with two cans of pop, and quickly shutting it to join his new friend at the table.
They opened the cans, Jalil taking a cautious sip and Mark gulping done half the caffeine in five seconds.
"So... how'd it start? This thing with you and Christopher, I mean," Mark ventured finally, shifting anxiously on the chair. His blue eyes widened slightly. "He didn't exactly explain, y'know?"
"I'm not sure there's an explanation for it," Jalil replied darkly, staring glumly at the Cola can gripped between his hands. "It just... happened. We're not even really sure how it occurred-- the person who was responsible for the entire mess keeps disappearing on us."
So there was a matchmaker involved. Mark grinned quietly to himself, feeling triumphant at the knowledge that he was finally going to find out more about his brother's "lover." Although there was a definite bitter edge to the older teen's voice. "You don't sound really happy about it, man."
"I'm not."
Mark stared at him oddly. "... why not?"
It was Jalil's turn to look at him funny, confusion and disbelief flashing in his dark eyes. "Why should I be happy about it? We're in hell! And we can't get out of it either, not really. I can't count how many times I've come close to getting killed."
Mark's head was spinning. Killed was not a general word associated with dating his brother. Although, considering his brother and his obvious denial problem, he could see why Jalil would definitely get on Christopher's nerves. The boy had a no nonsense, take it for the truth air about him that would generally tick his brother off. Majorly. "You know, Christopher said the same thing... said it was hell. Is it really that bad, dude?"
"Yes, yes it is." Taking a violent swig of soda, Jalil sighed at the table in discontent. "I'd go back to the way things were before, if I could."
"So it was okay in the beginning? Did it just get bad later?"
"I meant, before it even happened," Jalil said dryly. "Maybe you think it would be cool, but I wasn't exactly pleased from the start. And your brother isn't exactly the best person to get stuck with, you realize. He's not exactly... open to different sorts of people." The racial bastard, he thought darkly in his head. It was surprising they hadn't killed each other yet, the stupid idiot.
"I feel your pain, homes." And Mark did. He looked sadly down at his drink, frowning at it in contemplation. His brother must suck to be with-- this poor guy sounded just plain worn out and angry at the situation. He was right-- Christopher wouldn't be open to the idea of being gay, much less with someone like Jalil.
Poor guy. It must suck.
"Well," he said bravely to Jalil, startling even him with the abrupt statement. "I think Christopher's stupid. I think you're great, and he should appreciate you."
Jalil blinked. And looked at the boy in surprise. Then, feeling an oddly amused and pleased feeling from within, he said with a slight smile, "Thanks. You're really different from him."
"If I was in Christopher's shoes, I wouldn't fight with you and stuff! He's just a jerk sometimes, man." Mark said loudly, announcing it now that he was on a roll. Getting approval from brother's boyfriend-- highest priority! And then he'd have to have a "discussion" with Christopher later on being nicer. Idiot bro.
"Thanks," Jalil chuckled lowly, a small grin appearing on his face at the obvious indignation on Mark's face. "But he's getting better. And I can outfight him any day."
"You have to fight him? Like, physically?" Mark stared in horror. Obviously his brother's relationship with Jalil was a lot tougher than it looked.
"He didn't tell you that?" Jalil snorted contemptuously, and took another drink of Cola. His hands folded on the table calmly. "We don't get along, you should know that."
"But... man, homes, that's like intense. It's wrong," Mark protested worriedly. "No one should, I mean, but y'know... especially you two."
It was true, the dark eyed boy thought to himself. In Everworld, fighting only tore what few allies they had apart. And they'd gotten into bad company before because of their loud and violent sprawls.
"Trust me, in our situation? It's got us in a lot of trouble before," Jalil muttered under his breath. "Once we got caught by... unsavory characters... while messing around."
"Oh god, really? Did you get hurt?" Mark over imaginative mind was already whipping out images -- his brother and Jalil trading an innocent kiss in an alley, only to be seen by homophobic thugs who were passing by and--
"Eh, not really." Jalil's calm voice subsided those fears. "We could have died, probably, but we escaped in the end. The drunken god helped, to be exact. And some pretty boy in a loincloth. Long story, don't really want to go into it. God, that was a bad time..."
Mark stared with wide, oceanic blue eyes in something akin to wonder. So someone must have come by, then helped them out and got rid of the stupid thugs. Nice to know there were some good people in the world. "That was good luck, man... getting out of it, I mean. It wouldn't have been cool if the bad guys got their way in the end."
"Yeah, it wouldn't have been cool, so to speak." Jalil grinned at that. "But we made it out okay."
"Didn't something like that help you and Christopher to get along better?" the youth inquired curiously.
"Well... kinda. Maybe. I don't know." He thought hard for a moment. "Yeah, I guess we were closer after that... not a lot, but more. It wasn't that long ago, actually."
"Huh. That's good. Less fighting an' stuff, I hope."
"Uh-huh." Jalil finished off his drink, and then glanced at the clock above the sink, a small wooden one with simple roman numerals on it. "Um... it's been a while, isn't your brother coming home soon? I mean, he promised to meet me and everything..."
Mark grinned sheepishly, running a hand through his wild strands of blond hair. "Eheh... well, I bet he'll be here soon. It's been nice talking, though, right? Man, I wanted to meet you."
"Why did you want to meet me?" Jalil asked incredulously. He glanced at the boy in confusion, tilting his head to the left.
"Um, cause, you know... I was curious about you both 'cause Christopher never really talks about you."
"Probably not. We don't really like each other." At that, Mark blinked and thought to himself, 'Freaky freaky relationship. The sex must rock, that's all.'
Still... he liked Jalil. So maybe his brother did... but was having trouble expressing his true feelings! That was just like him!
Newly inspired, Mark grinned happily at the boy sitting across from him at the kitchen table, and announced, "Don't worry! I'm sure he really likes you more than he shows, he's just shy!"
"... Christopher? Shy?" Jalil suddenly coughed, trying to stop the shaking laughter that rumbled through him. "Mark, you have the wrong brother, I think."
"Well, I bet he does. Don't give up on him yet."
Gently shaking his head, Jalil replied softly, "I don't really care. Christopher can think whatever he wants to about me, I really don't give a damn. So it doesn't matter, you realize that? You're thinking a lot about this for something that's not even happening to you."
"Weeeell... I just think it's not fair to you." Mark sighed and tapped his hand on the wooden table surface with frustration. "My brother can be an idiot, man."
"Yeah, well, not your fault." Taking another quick glance at the clock, Jalil finally stood up, reaching down quickly to pick up his backpack at the same moment. "Well, I really have to get going here--"
"Wait! Um, don't you want to see my brother?"
Jalil raised an eyebrow, already shouldering the backpack. "Mark... I can tutor him in Chemistry any time after school. Even during school, probably, if we can find the time."
Mark tried not to think about that. Definitely not. Somehow, even though he didn't mind his brother and Jalil together… The faintest mention or idea of them making out in locker rooms or bathroom stalls or supply closets or god knows where-- no, no, that didn't sit well with his mind at all. Although it was kind of funny. God yes.
Love must really be worth it, if you were going to make out in a school closet.
"Well... okay, if you're sure. I'm sorry he wasn't home," he finally said apologetically. "Nice to meetcha, though, y'know?"
"Same here," Jalil said warmly, nodding with a rare smile aimed at the young boy. "You're a lot nicer than your big brother, Mark. Tell him he'd better show up next time, or I'll just give the whole deal up, okay?"
"Definitely," Mark said hurriedly, his face falling. They couldn't break up! Not this time. "I mean, I'm sure he didn't mean to be late, I know he must've remembered..."
"S'okay. Bye!" With a quick wave, Jalil exited the room and left. Leaving a worried and still giddy boy behind in his wake, staring after him.
'... well. I'm going to give Bro a talking to when he gets home. Doesn't he know how to treat his boyfriends right?'
Jalil would also find a pamphlet for "Date Abuse" stuck inside his mailbox about two days later.
End of Part TWO-- and yes, there will be more. XD I'm far from through with these boys... next! Mark scolds Christopher, who gets completely confused, and Jalil has another ill fated meeting with his new protector! Eeee, Mark, your love advice sucks. And yes, April and David finally enter the conversation-- but not in the way things seem...
... yes, I suck. But I am amused. It is 2:43 in the morning. I HAVE ORANGE JUICE.
... did I mention I love you all? (grins) Quimby is nice. (Didn't you write that awesome, stunning Animorphs Tobias slash? Or am I thinking someone else?) You ALL are nice.
