Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter! Resuming uploading stories featuring Justin and Eli, and telling their story, this one does indeed focus on the two of them. But it's going back a bit. Because this one takes place long before they were romantically involved at all, and very soon after they first even met. And as well as this, it goes into a fair few of Justin's relations as well. His one with his littlest brother and sister, Johnny and Jorgie. Misty too really! James as well. But yes, Eli too. And perhaps you can see why a spark developed between them both. I hope you enjoy :3
Ages:
Justin: 21
Johnny Jinn: 4 Months Old
Jorgie: 2
Eli: 34
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned!
"And that's exactly how that song came to be! How incredible is that? Such artistry." The deep purple haired male mused aloud as he continued reading the lavender haired baby boy a book. And despite the fact that he was in awe at what he was looking at and reading on the page, most of his attention was taken up by smiling at his little brother. He drew him closer to him, exhaling in agreement at the younger male's wide eyed expression. "No, no, I know what you're thinking. That didn't happen until the year after. Still, yet another incredible moment though, I agree."
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I continued observing all of this, sitting on my bottom and with the lavender haired baby boy's orange haired sister as she played with her dollhouse. I had seen many different ways to occupy infants over the years but I could always be discovered laughing out loud at the variations I came up against!
Needless to say, it was Justin who understood the book most and enjoyed it even more so but paired with the older Morgan's comments and the fact that Johnny Jinn was looking rather wide eyed and inquisitive while gurgling approvingly, one couldn't help but wonder if he really was absorbing each and every word.
At that exact moment and while Jorgie clutched two little wooden doll toys in her hands and made them interact with each other, murmuring to herself, Johnny Jinn gurgled all over. He spluttered! Justin believed that he was spluttering out of impatience.
The deep purple haired male smirked slightly and tugged the little boy even closer in the crook of his arm, shaking his head fondly.
"Alright, alright. We'll get there now. Enthusiasm, I like it." Justin continued uttering in the same tone of voice – the one that was acting like the nearly four month old baby was accustomed to an adult kind of chat – furrowing his brow in concentration as he flicked through pages, trying to find the correct one. That smirk returned all over when he discovered what he was looking for. He jiggled Johnny Jinn with his elbow. "You see it? That was an incredible creation. Look at all these geniuses. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that room!"
I listened to Justin's rhythmic tapping on the rock star autobiography that he was reading for the benefit of his little brother (and himself of course) and listened to the cooing sounds that Johnny made in return. Glancing over, I saw that his long legs were kicking and padding against the page. The deep purple haired male believed that that was his way of proving that he really was taking it all in.
The eldest Morgan's son's light-hearted smirk changed to quite the gentle and sincere smile.
"I can only dream of doing things as great as those guys…" Justin murmured to himself and as I decided to go back to watching Jorgie while just listening to the conversation instead, I heard various kinds of noises and knew that the deep purple haired male was putting the book down at last. And when I looked over all over, I saw that he had picked Johnny up under the armpits and was half bouncing him in front of his face instead. "But I know you're going to grow up and do things as great as those guys. Oh, the things you'll do!"
And as I continued observing and with a smile on my own face, I found it very telling how when Justin leaned his face in, he didn't plant a kiss of any sort to his brother's face. Instead, he puckered out his chin and rubbed it against the top of his head, feeling his tufty and sparse lavender locks.
Needless to say, the baby boy gurgled all over. And then he smiled! He smiled and smiled and he positively beamed. His toes curled in his navy socks. He looked right over at his biggest brother with all of the adoration and admiration in the world.
I couldn't help but feel like there and then that Johnny was already disagreeing with the eldest Morgan son's words. He too would absolutely go on to do as great things as the people that he was admiring. He had already been shown such greatness and eagerness and kindness in the first four months of his life.
Despite the fact that Justin didn't plant any kisses on his youngest brother's cheeks or head or nose, he did then pull him in for an embrace. I observed as the deep purple haired male clumsily but caringly nevertheless pulled him closer and continued half-jiggling him. I wondered if he was going to break out in song with the absentminded humming noises that started escaping his lips.
"You are such a big boy, aren't you? Blimey, you're going to do greater things than I and you're probably going to outgrow me!" Justin exclaimed as he chuckled to himself, ending that brief hug to hold his little brother in front of his face once again. He couldn't stop looking at him and he couldn't stop looking at him in awe. Johnny Jinn felt the same way and for that reason, looked right back at him with those oceanic blue orbs of him. "Such a little star."
And now, it shouldn't be a surprise to you that as I continued watching the sweet interactions between the two brothers, I wasn't the only one looking on. I didn't catch on to it when it happened and couldn't tell you when it happened but during some point of the brotherly love, Jorgie had dropped her little wooden dollhouse friends on the floor and placed her thumb in between her lips instead.
And as she did this, her own wide green orbs travelled to where her brothers were and she stared. She stared and she stared. She saw how much love and affection and kindness that Justin was offering to Johnny and she wanted some of that!
So like how it often went when it came to toddlers of that age and especially of the orange haired little girl who seemingly always knew exactly what she wanted, she didn't hesitate to go and get it. She abandoned me by her dollhouse without a second thought and waddled right over to Johnny and Justin, her thumb still in between her lips.
I was certain that the deep purple haired male sensed his little sister approaching as soon as she took just a couple of steps but he pretended not to notice. And he continued doting on his little brother, stroking his cheek before tucking him back down in the crook of his arm. He was intending to read to him all over.
"Let's learn all the more about another kind of star man." Justin began and he lowered his body closer to the ground, propping himself up with his elbow and the lavender haired baby boy comfortably pressed up against that same elbow.
However, before he could get comfier or even reach for his book all over, Jorgie finally made her tiny trek over them both. Her thumb flew out of her mouth with a popping noise and although she blinked, at first she didn't do much else.
It was like she was thinking. It was like she was thinking hard about how was the best way to get the attention on to her and do it well enough that the attention remained on her! I was very nearly about to get up off the carpet myself and toddle over to her as well, intending on directing her thoughts elsewhere before she went about her toddler ways in quite over the top ones.
But I didn't need to do that. In fact, I didn't need to move much at all. All the orange haired little girl did was stare at her eldest brother for a couple more moments with unblinking eyes and then her thumb went into her mouth all over. She sat her bottom right down next to him and just wordlessly rested her cheek against his shoulder instead of making a massive scene.
And as I held my breath at the surprising sweetness of it all, I knew that it was because she didn't make a massive deal about anything that Justin finally looked at her and gave her a fraction of a welcoming look. I could have sworn that he even edged a little closer to her! And I believed that it wasn't only because Jorgie reached for his rock star compendium book to hand right over to Justin.
"Chapter twelve now." The deep purple haired male started all over again after he accepted the book from his littlest sister and glanced left and right, making sure that the two little ones were paying attention. They were and I was as well. I plonked my bottom next to them on the carpet, secretly welcoming the idea of having a bit of story time. "Onto chapter twelve. The rise and fall of the-"
From my position on the carpet I could see that both of lavender haired little boy and the orange haired little boy were being very quiet indeed and their wide eyes were fixed on the book in Justin's hand so I couldn't exactly tell why he stopped. I furrowed my brow soon enough.
All I could observe that was different was Johnny Jinn was absentmindedly blowing a bubble from his lips and Jorgie had outstretched her legs over and onto her eldest brother's long and lanky ones. The latter couldn't have been a problem… Could it?
In the next few seconds, I got the impression that it was! And not because of the extra bit of contact.
"Oh… Ugh, goodness, Jorgie. Is that you? That's gotta be you, right? Why are your feet so stinky?" the deep purple haired male blurted out and he quickly dropped his book down onto his lap, his face screwing up to only prove his point further.
At first, the four month old baby boy was the one to respond and he hiccupped!
And then the orange haired little girl caught on to what was being said. Initially and just for a split second, her meadow green orbs widened even further. But then they lit up! She laughed. She laughed and laughed, her own face screwing up but in a delighted, mischievous sort of way. She evidently knew exactly what her eldest brother was getting at.
Jorgie giggled all the more heartily as Justin made his nose quiver and he tried to move his legs out from underneath his little sister.
"Seriously? You belong in the back of the fridge with such cheesy stinkers as those!" Justin announced but at the same moment that I found myself snickering alongside the gleeful Jorgie, I noticed that even the deep purple haired male had a bit of a smirk oncoming. Though of course, he tried to hide it. He cleared his throat for a mixture of trying to get the smell away from him as well as compose his amusement. "Cheesy chops."
And naturally, Jorgie howled all the more at Justin's words. She probably didn't understand what half of the words meant but understood where he was coming from and could perhaps sense the playfulness even within him.
So while the deep purple haired male continued screwing his face up and Johnny Jinn burbled with amusement himself, the orange haired little girl slid down and twisted her body round so she was facing her eldest brother instead.
That deep purple haired male didn't catch on until he had picked his book up all over and was intending on continuing reading, ignoring the smell that I truthfully couldn't really pick up on myself.
"As I was saying, chapter twelve; the- Oh no, Jorgie don't do that!" the eldest Morgan gasped as he really believed that he might be able to continue reading after all but was proved otherwise when Jorgie started planting those cheesy feet of hers right on Justin's face instead! He tried to turn his head away fiercely but almost ended up with it even closer to his mouth. "You're evil!"
And because the deep purple haired male really enunciated this word, the orange haired little girl for a split second wondered if she'd finally gone too far. And that she'd made her eldest brother properly furious.
Jorgie's eyes widened with regret for a split second but then they softened and eventually twinkled all over when Justin abandoned his book once more, intending to make a lunge for the little girl.
"Right that's it! You're not ever putting your stinky flippers near me ever again!" the eldest Morgan son exclaimed and to the little girl's both horror and glee, Justin picked her up by the ankles and held her upside down!
The orange haired little girl cackled all the more and whooped and shrieked and after she found her voice, she started speaking to Justin in return. She tried to repeat his words to the best of her ability at the age of two years old, her eyes screwed up tightly with the sheer joy of the antics that she was participating in.
"Stinky flippers, stinky flippers, stinky flippers!" Jorgie called out and she tried to open her eyes all open again but I could see from my position on the carpet that that was pretty difficult with the way that Justin had started swinging her by the ankles.
The little girl's pink skirt that she had been wearing billowed out around her stomach while her leggings remained stuck to her legs. Justin started swinging her all the more so from side to side, intending on turning her into a bit of a flag. And after the orange haired toddler repeated her gleeful words all over, the deep purple haired male started finding it hard to keep his smirk hidden. His own eyes twinkled with amusement, though he was a little appalled by the stench that I still couldn't smell.
"Yes, so smelly and I'm even closer to them now!" he gasped out all over again and acted out all the more sheer horror and naturally, this just made Jorgie laugh harder and harder. The deep purple haired male stopped swinging her, attempting to hold her in just the one arm instead and the right way up while pinching his nose with the other hand. He had to hold her with both when he almost dropped her! "Cheesy, cheesy, cheesy!"
As well as being highly amused by the antics myself and enjoying observing from the carpet and along with baby Johnny Jinn, another thing that I noticed was how light-hearted that Justin was being about the whole thing. It was true that he was a very playful and mischievous human being but sometimes he had a hugely lack of sense of humour when it came to his toddler sister.
He put on an act and tried to keep her at arm's length. So it really was wonderful to see him relax and interact even if he was in the midst of an unpleasant smell! I didn't know the reason for his new-discovered easy going nature when it came to even Jorgie but I welcomed it nevertheless.
And I certainly welcomed my own laughter in my belly when the orange haired little girl tried to twist her body for a second time and plant her feet on her eldest brother's cheeks in time to the words that he was saying.
"I don't like you one bit!" Justin wheezed in between attempting to turn his face away from what his little sister was trying to do as well as trying not to get a toe up his nostril or in his mouth in the process.
And in between Jorgie laughing, the way that her eyes twinkled and sparkled with happiness of torturing her eldest brother made it perfectly clear that she didn't believe his words one bit. And the people who entered the living room of the Morgan household there and then didn't believe them either.
Poor Justin really did almost have one of Jorgie's tiny toes up his nostrils and the lavender haired little boy was beginning to grizzle at being excluded at the moment that two more adults entered the scene.
"Awww, Justin, don't say things you don't mean." Misty entered the room breezily and with her father's deep violet haired cousin by her side and she instantly came to Jorgie's defence airily before she properly had a look at what was going on. That teasing smirk soon changed to an eyebrow raise when she saw the orange haired toddler trying to poke a finger in Justin's ear as well as a toe. "…What kind of game is this?"
The deep purple haired male really was known for his playful nature but being caught in the middle of a strange act paired with Misty's jokingly telling off words caused Justin to turn rosy pink a little bit!
He cleared his throat and that time it wasn't to rid himself of the smell wafting from Jorgie. He tried to begin to put their little sister on the ground while she of course quickly began whining and trying to cling to him.
"A game that's coming to an end." Justin responded quickly but not rudely all the same and while Misty and Eli exchanged looks in the middle of placing their shopping bags on the sofa, with Jorgie off him for good, the deep purple haired male sidled up to his little brother all over. And after the baby boy's unimpressed gurgling died down, Justin lightened up all over again. He mocked widening his eyes and sticking his bottom lip out, pointing accusingly at Jorgie. "She kept trying to put her feet all over my face!"
I smirked to myself when Jorgie finally stopped prattling to be picked up by Justin all over again and she thumped down on the ground in her pull-up covered bottom. She widened her eyes herself but her reasons were of course to deny any sort of antics.
And after sharing a look all over again and ridding themselves of the last of their shopping bags, the deep violet haired male shrugged and smiled in an airy sort of way and gave his two cents on the situation.
"She's just a considerate little madam, that's all. She was trying to put her little feet over your eyes like an eye mask. You've been burning the candle at both ends." Eli suggested and shrugged with a smile all over again and then absentmindedly started rooting around in he and the orange haired woman's shopping backs for something or other.
Justin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard this and ran a hand through his new, shorter locks. However, he didn't say anything in response, disagreeing or otherwise. Perhaps even he didn't have the heart to burst Eli's bubble and make the point that she was a little madam but not the considerate kind!
Misty and I caught each other's eye not long after and shared a smirk of amusement. And then the orange haired woman ran a hand through her own hair before planting both of her hands on her hips. She pretended to let out a mock sigh. She smiled at Justin.
"I'm sure that she was trying to do something for you but it most likely wasn't as angelic as Eli thinks." Misty began and to contrast her level and fair voice, her words were articulated with a great deal of knowing! She could see very plainly how Jorgie often went round purposely getting reactions from Justin, whether they were smiles or otherwise. After the deep purple haired male made a point of curling his lip towards Jorgie and Jorgie looked innocently at Eli, Misty continued, unable to hide her chuckles. "Well, I'm here now to get that little madam out of your hair. Come on Jorgie, shall we go next door? Your Uncle Jordan has some more things for you – the wooden kind."
I smiled to myself and shut my eyes very momentarily when Misty's soft and soothing tone of voice for Jorgie then bought me back to when the eldest Ketchum daughter, Katie was much younger than Jorgie was at that point. And going back even further, it reminded me of my best friend's wife's ten year old self with Togepi!
I huge wave of nostalgia washed over my heart and stomach too. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. I was glad that Misty's nurturing side had always stayed the same.
And after my eyes fluttered open all over, it was obvious that Jorgie felt the same way with the way that she responded to one of her eldest sisters.
She seemingly altogether forgot about clamouring for Justin's attention all over and she didn't hesitate to toddle over to and be picked up by Misty when she held out her arms for her!
Eli smiled as well and he stopped rustling with the shopping bags and while Justin breathed out, occupying himself by placing a bookmark in between the pages of his latest read, the deep violet haired male gestured towards Johnny Jinn on the carpet.
"Shall we bring the little man too?" the Unovan male uttered simply and he glanced over at Misty, absentmindedly running a hand over the very closely shaved parts of his hair.
However, it was the deep purple haired male who responded to him, going back to lounging on the carpet and propping himself up with his elbow. He smiled airily towards Eli's suggestion but didn't smile directly at him.
"Nah, he's cool with me. He's just chilling." Justin spoke and then after he'd said these words and played with the material of his own t shirt for a couple of seconds, he turned his head to half squint and smile at Misty instead.
Before the orange haired woman could notice this like I had or she could smile or shrug, the deep violet haired male piped up all over again. And he piped up towards Justin's words. Unlike the younger male, his sunken and beady yet kind-hearted eyes were prominently fixed right on him.
"Well, then I guess I'll stay here too. I'll stay and chill with the guys." Eli stated and I tried not to smirk too much at the way that Jordan's cousin said the word "chill". He seemed like he was very alien to that concept and even more uncomfortable with saying the actual word.
Nevertheless, to completely contrast this endearing uneasiness and while Justin finally looked over at him, still playing with the material of his t-shirt; Eli shuffled closer to the orange haired female's side. He shuffled closer to Misty and with a swift gesture of cupping her loosely about the cheek; he planted a kiss to the side of her head.
And after (awkwardly once again) patting Jorgie on the top of the head too, the orange haired woman that was Misty knew he was certain about his decision and knew that was a momentary goodbye. She prepared to head off to the other part of the house with the orange haired toddler right by her side – literally.
And like Eli showed off affection for his newly reunited relative there and then, Justin showed off gratitude for the way that Misty was very subtly yet highly sincerely helping him out. He called after her before she left.
"Give her a bath or something, yeah? I think she's been in the garden. She must have been with the smell of those feet of hers!" Justin called out and he called out in a humorous way but all the same, it amused me even more than Justin's words to see the way that Eli's face screwed up and his nose wrinkled!
After Jorgie very plainly whined and Misty too heard these words, she turned on her heel before exiting completely. She didn't seem very surprised by what the deep purple haired male had said or fazed either. In fact, she very quickly just grabbed hold of Jorgie's little foot in her hand and started nuzzling her nose against her cheek. She playfully pretended to gasp.
"Oh no! Are you a cheesy girl?" the orange haired woman questioned and straight away, Jorgie gave her a very cheesy grin! While I laughed, Eli continued looking a bit alarmed and Justin pretended to roll his eyes. Misty dropped Jorgie's foot light-heartedly and intended on teasing her best friend's son before she went. "I'll be sure to get her squeaky clean, Justin. Are you sure she didn't step in something?"
And it was lucky for me because I caught on to the extremely low-key twinkle in Misty's eye and knew the jokiness of the deadpan in her voice. I assumed that Justin was the same. Evidently not from the way that he reacted next.
The deep purple haired male sat bolt upright and he looked very appalled indeed.
"God, I hope not! She better not have! She was rubbing those feet of hers all over my face!" Justin shuddered and then he quickly began rubbing his cheeks, as if that would rid himself of any trace of Jorgie's feet.
All Misty did in response was grin that she'd succeeded in getting a reaction from Justin and she cackled a very similar cackle to that that Jorgie could be known for! And then those two girls finally headed out of the room for good.
At last, the deep violet haired male's own uneasy expression died down while Justin's one continued for a little while longer, still fiercely trying to rub all over his face. But he soon enough gave it up and he gave it up with a sigh. And he especially gave it up when Eli decided to come and sit down right beside where Johnny Jinn was "chilling".
To be honest, he did look very chilled in his little star patterned baby romper and his nautical colour themed blanket that Josie had knitted for him before she passed on. So no wonder Eli wanted to stay and hang out with him.
The deep purple haired male let out another sigh and he finally stopped his horrified antics. He started fiddling with the bookmark bestowed upon him by Katie hanging out the top of his book and then, along with the deep violet haired male, he focused his attention on Johnny Jinn.
The lavender haired little boy was continuing to kick his legs and gurgle and smile to himself, looking up at the ceiling in wonder. For once, Justin didn't smile back and I noticed that he almost seemed to drift off in thought as he looked at his little brother.
I looked over at Eli instead. And as I looked over at him, I noticed a bit of a spark in his own eyes that were also known for naturally being very wide. I watched Jordan's cousin glance at Johnny Jinn for a couple of seconds with a smile in his eyes and on his face and then look over at Justin. Then he looked back at Johnny. Then he looked at Justin!
He looked between those two brothers. Eli sat on the carpet closest to the lavender haired baby and me most of all, pulling his legs to his chest and rocking ever so gently in a subconscious way. He then blurted out some of the things that he'd observed.
"You like running around after these two, then?" he questioned and because Eli spoke in such a low tone and his eyes continued darting between the two brothers, the eldest of them didn't know that it was him being spoken to. In fact, it took the deep violet haired male's eye flickering slowing down and locking right on Justin for him to finally realise. He observed further. "You seem like a good big brother."
It was the deep purple haired male's turn to have a flickering gaze though I was certain he'd have liked it to stay more fixed. Justin looked a little puzzled initially, as if he still wasn't sure if he was the one being spoken to. In addition to this, I believe that he'd grown a little lost in thought when he had been looking over at Johnny Jinn.
"What? Oh. Oh yeah. Yeah, I suppose I do like it somewhat. Otherwise I wouldn't do it." Justin rambled a little uncertainly and then as if addressing that it was strange for him how his sentences came out, a slight shy grin took over his face. He managed to look right at Eli then, realising the second part of what he'd put forth. The deep purple haired male paused. "I try to be. I don't know. Being a big brother to those two wasn't something I expected but now I sort of can't imagine my life without them."
Eli stared quite a lot with an unreadable expression on his face and it caused Justin to fiddle with the front of his t-shirt all over. And then out of nowhere, the deep violet haired male's expression softened and creases of gentleness formed on either side of his eyes. He nodded.
"I think it would be hard for anyone to imagine their life without Jorgie. She certainly knows how to make an impression." Eli started to grin and I did too while Justin tilted his head back and forth, unsure what to say to that and figuring that his silence was more telling than any words could have been. As the deep purple haired male pushed his hair from his eyes, Eli added. "She's such a… little madam."
The Unovan male spoke aloud his quirky nickname for the orange haired little girl but the way he said it that time was almost like he was agreeing to some of Justin's prior words. In response, the younger male pressed his lips together in silent agreement, just one of his dimples appearing.
And then after Eli had spent a couple of moments unsurely but winsomely poking the buttons on the front of Johnny Jinn's romper, the deep violet haired male uttered some more words. It was quickly quite plain to see that it was things that he wanted to talk about before. But didn't really have any idea how he was going to get there. Let alone, if he was going to get there.
"And Johnny, he's such a… little man. He's very lucky to have you around right now." Eli began to say and Justin was really giving his hair a proper sort out and ducking his head so after hearing these words, he looked up and made a point of smiling at the older male to prove that he was listening. Nevertheless, Justin didn't really understand what he was getting at with them. It would soon all be revealed in a way that was very Eli-centric. "Because your dad, you know. Your dad and he… Your dad and he are kind of-"
Justin looked up all over again at the same time that the Unovan male stopped trying to formulate with words and concluded with a gesture instead. I watched as that gesture was with his hands and he curled his fingers slightly before pulling his hands away from each other.
Surprising me, the deep purple haired eldest Morgan son caught on to that straight away rather than Eli's other words. A little bit of a frown started to take over his face but he gathered that it was well-intentioned coming from Eli and so took it that way.
In actuality, I believed that there was a part of him in the pit of his stomach that wondered why he wasn't taking it badly from Eli.
Justin nodded after being loyally silent; pushing his hair from his eyes all over again. And then after he glanced over to where Johnny Jinn had managed to latch onto Eli's thumb with his hand, he replied.
"Yeah… Yeah, my dad was overjoyed to be having another son. But then with everything that happened… With everything that happened… Jinn and he – he and Jinn… It's kind of like-"
And there and then and in that moment, as well as thinking of good many other things, I thought it interesting how Justin and Eli's gestures were in reverse. As the deep purple haired male in response tried to articulate things that had been going on, he curled his fingers and bought his hands together.
Then, he nodded. And then Eli nodded as well. I did too but I didn't think that anybody was glancing in my direction. Well, maybe Johnny was.
Either way, the deep purple haired male and the deep violet haired male remained silent for a good couple of minutes and just nodding their heads.
And then Eli surprised me by clearing his throat rather loudly and coming out with words effortlessly, his eyes widening to try and show an empathy that was natural for him.
"I get it, you know? I kind of get it. I mean, some dads are like that, aren't they? For example, me and my father-" Eli's eyes continued widening and I observed a bit of a smirk that was brewing. I heard the start of a scoff. I heard the start of a scoff from the Unovan male.
However, before he could add anything even further, Justin started to sit up all over and he furrowed his brow. He furrowed his brow for the first proper time towards Eli and he looked as though he was preparing to put him in his place. I craned my neck and listened as he stated.
"No. No, correct me if I'm wrong but I think I know what you're getting, and no. My dad is brilliant. Our dad is brilliant. He's always been there for all of us and I can't fault him for anything. I can't fault him for anything at all, really." The deep purple haired male continued frowning all the more so as he got into his words and naturally, his eyes had fixed onto Eli's for good.
And in return, the deep violet haired male's eyes widened further and further as he listened and the whites became so very visible. I shuffled nearer. I shuffled nearer to Eli as Justin's frown became all the more prominent yet meaningless in one and his jaw started to clench.
Like myself, the Unovan male's head slowly started to tilt and in the same way that he had effortlessly moved onto expressing things that he had taken note of, he clarified what he meant in the exact same way. He could very much tell that Justin had got the wrong end of the stick and he wanted to correct that.
He edged to him a little further himself, gently prying his thumb away from the four month old baby boy.
"Oh, I didn't mean to offend. I didn't mean to offend you. I think that you think- I think that you think that I mean…" Eli started to stammer with sincerity as Justin's teal orbs mixed with green switched in between flickering and fixed. Moving his hands into his lap, Eli corrected the situation for good. "Just… Just tell me what you mean. Tell me what it's really like. I'm listening."
I don't know about anybody else in the room but I held my breath there and then. I held my breath as Eli stared and Justin stared and Johnny Jinn stared at the ceiling – unaware of the fact that he was partially the subject of conversation.
The deep purple haired male continued not saying anything for a few moments and he continued just looking and then all of a sudden, he exhaled. He exhaled and Eli did too.
With Justin's exhalation out of his parted lips and his slight eyelash fluttering, it became obvious that he didn't feel wholeheartedly threatened by Eli's words or hostile towards him.
Hearing the way that the deep violet haired male backed down and carefully explained what he was getting at – and asked the deep purple haired male to put it right – made the deep purple haired male who had far more of a front row seat during that whole experience feel like a bit of a weight off his back in a way.
Even so, the eldest Morgan son took a couple more moments before he said anything in return. His eyes wandered over to his little brother trying to roll himself over on his knitted blanket. His eyes wandered and they focused and then they dropped down. He ran a hand through his hair. That hand travelled to the side of his own neck, lightly scratching it.
Then finally, he uttered. It was clear that he wasn't really sure what he was going to utter.
"We… We don't really talk about it that much. I mean, my dad has only just admitted that he's been having these problems feeling so close to Johnny so I don't want to talk to him about it too much. Especially because I understand in a way, you know…? When you're living through something, you don't want to talk about it every second of the day."
It was my turn to exhale. I felt my feet falling away from me and my behind pressing further against the carpet. All the same, I didn't make a massive point about it. Instead, I just listened. Eli was doing the exact same thing as me. With his arms folding over each other and resting on his knees as they were pulled to his chest, he listened. And then he responded.
"That's… You're rather wise, aren't you, Justin?" Eli murmured with a huge level of innocent honesty and despite the fact that Justin softly blinked and his brow threatened to furrow all over again as if he wasn't expecting that observation of all things, I could see the way that his jaw turned rosy pink all the same. The deep violet haired male quickly but not hurriedly added when Justin didn't respond to his former words. "Why do you think that is?"
And from looking into the older male's enticing eyes for just half a second, I knew that Justin knew the true sentiment of these words. Unlike before. They were slowly but surely beginning to understand each other's intentions and cues.
Justin realised that these words were about the lavender haired male all over again, and not the deep purple haired male instead. The eldest Morgan son let out another sigh out of his lips but shrugged, that being his answer for the Unovan one until a proper worded one followed.
"It's utterly conflicting is what it is. Why that is, is because it's all so conflicting… He lost his Nanny the day that Jinn came into the world. He spent that whole pregnancy thinking – or believing – that she would meet another of her great-grandchildren… And she just didn't." Justin's words quietened towards the end and needless to say, his jaw clenched quite prominently all over again and he looked very serious. To contract this, I noticed the way that Eli's expression hardly changed at all. He hardly moved at all. I hoped that he was still listening. He was, and that became clear after Justin added quietly. "He has her eyes, does Johnny Jinn… That's gotta hurt. She's there. And she's not there. All in one."
Pain and memories and all sorts of things floated through my body and mind there and then and lots of images as the woman known as Josie. It still felt like yesterday that she was with us but that wasn't the case. It still felt like yesterday that she was with us but that of course wasn't the case either. Looking over at Johnny Jinn – looking over at the little boy who had quietened down – it put a lump in my own throat to realise how long it had been.
He had grown so much. He had arrived on the day that she departed. He would always be a timekeeper to how long it had been since James and Josie had locked eyes, as well as many other people. No wonder the lavender haired male was going through what he was going through. And no wonder the deep purple haired male felt it as well.
In between thinking of lots of those other things, my attention then softly flickered to the way that Eli and Justin had both been looking down at the ground during the younger male's words and for a couple of seconds after. And then at the same exact time, their eyes wandered outwards each other and latched on, expression seriousness but almost tenderness too.
I watched as the deep violet haired male shuffled closer to the deep purple haired male all over again. It was very much without thinking. But it was very much intentional too. Then as Eli uttered some of his own words, his eyes twinkled with something that I had known to be delicate enthusiasm.
"Your dad speaks very remarkably of that wonderful woman; I have heard it myself…" Eli began and straight away, Justin nodded in agreement. I could almost see the deep purple haired male's own memories that his mind flickered towards but I tried to focus on what was happening externally rather than that. Soon enough, the Unovan male added. "But I would like to hear of it from you. I don't think I've really heard it from you."
The eldest Morgan son's mind took a little while to catch up in that moment as if it truly was occupied with so many thoughts and memories of his deceased great-grandmother, as I'm certain that it was. But it was when he came back to the earth where Josie no longer was and he lifted his chin from tilting towards the ground, he noticed that Eli was sitting right opposite him.
And he had a bit of an… eager expression? Granted, it was earnest and it was gentle and it wasn't pushy in any way. But he couldn't deny himself of the fact that he was seeing a sparkle of intrigue in the quirky looking male's eyes.
So although the deep purple haired male was allowing himself to feel the heaviness of the loss rather than channelling it in other ways like usual, his lip couldn't help but quirk up in a bit of a smile. And as his eyes locked on to Eli's before looking away again, he ran a hand through his hair. He ran a hand through his hair and he nodded.
It was evident that he was going to grant the Unovan male's wish without saying any words of compliance at all. The deep purple haired male didn't have to think very hard at all to begin trying to paint Eli the picture of who his great-grandmother was – and still is, he hoped.
"Well… She really was the most wonderful woman, you're right there. God, she was truly like nobody else I've ever met and I don't say that lightly. Jorgie kind of reminds me of her in some ways. Small. But mighty. Always wanting to help. But getting into a lot of trouble too." The eldest Morgan son began talking of his father's grandmother and I was the one to smile. Eli just listened. I wondered if memories and images were filling his mind from the words Justin was saying paired with the photographs he had seen. "I remember how excited she always was about everything. Especially… me. My music. What I was working on. What I was writing. What I was drawing… She was excited when I… came out. I think she was really glad she could have something else to talk about me with."
Justin's cheeks got a little pinker as he described more anecdotes of his relative and they got very rosy and shy looking towards the end of his words. But instead of focusing on that, I discovered myself to be focusing on Eli instead and I saw the way that his eyelashes twitched and he looked down for the first time.
However, I believed he soon couldn't help but look up all over again when Justin continued and even though the younger male didn't edge towards him, he lured him and engaged him with his eyes as he reminisced of his grandmother.
"She was like a mother to my dad. She was like a mother to everyone really but especially my dad. I know that her kindness was passed onto him. Her cool old records, too. But her heart, definitely. I miss her… I miss that. But I'm different to my dad in that way. It comforts me that Jinn reminds me so much of her, and that bond. I wish that he could feel the same way…"
I watched and I put my head on my hand as the deep purple haired male's voice quietened down all over again. I understood that it was really rare for him to wish that other people felt differently because after experiencing that emotion towards himself, he really didn't want to subject other people to that frame of mind.
Justin really didn't want to wish other people's feelings away. But there and then and thinking about how his father was struggling with a good few things as well as the mourning of his grandmother and the lack of closeness with his son made him wish that the benefits were clearer.
Of course, one of the benefits and the things that benefited him was the way that he had become a bit of a caregiver to Johnny Jinn was something that he held very dear. He probably even held the memories he'd made with Jorgie dear too. But he really did wish for things not to burden his dad, who was also his hero, too.
And speaking of the lavender haired male that was James – it was the deep violet haired male's turn to speak of him.
"I understand that he is a wonderful person as well, Justin. And I know that for myself and not because of the way that Jordan speaks of him… He's been through more than this. It just takes time. It just takes time to come out on the other side… But he's going to be fine. He has you. Who could have you by their side and not be a little more fine?"
"But that's something that I worry about, Eli." The deep purple haired male surprised us both by answering promptly and I knew that the lavender haired baby felt taken aback too by the way that he bumped his foot against my spine.
It was the quickness of the response and being addressed by name by the younger male that did it for Eli. Without a moment of hesitation, his expression showed what he was thinking and he blinked. He blinked and then he furrowed his brow. He didn't understand. He didn't understand.
Justin was beginning to feel rather caught up in his emotions and so he expressed them. He continued, bordering on breathlessly.
"What if… What if things get even harder for him when I go away again? I know it's mighty big headed of me to think that way but I don't think it's too bold to say I've really stepped up, especially for the two little ones… What if it just gets harder for him?" the deep purple haired male expressed his concerns breathlessly and then his voice quietened down very much so. As Eli continued listening, Justin almost whispered. "That's something I secretly worry about a lot…"
The eldest Morgan son of course didn't need to back his words up even further with gestures at that point but his hurt and his innermost feelings and worries were completely sincere so they naturally appeared on the surface. Justin's eyes fluttered shut and he swallowed. To recover from the silent surprise that he'd opened up about that, he leaned his forehead forward on his kneecaps.
It wasn't a pitiful thing. It wasn't a helpless one. It was just really surprised that he'd said something. To Eli of all people.
I look between the two adults and I looked between the two adults and Johnny Jinn. Biting my lip, I wondered about moving closer to Justin and showing that I was there for him. Of course I intended on doing that and would do so eventually but for the time being, I grew distracted by watching his reactions.
To tell you the truth, he looked rather startled by Justin's words and things that he had admitted and his introverted actions as well. But he looked startled in the purest way. He looked startled in a concerned way. I could almost see his brain ticking. I could almost see his brain ticking of how he was going to comfort him.
And then almost as soon as I had observed that, the deep violet haired male showed that he could be as free-flowing and intuitive as his aquatic loving cousin. In addition to this, it was clear that a huge level of natural empathy was there also.
Before Eli could stop himself and before he could want to stop himself, the Unovan male stood up and moved himself to stand over Justin's side and then he sat himself by Justin's side. He moved so close to him that their shoulders bumped together and he threatened to shove the younger male a bit who hadn't really been expecting that sort of gesture.
Even so, at first the deep violet haired male didn't do much at all apart from sit there. And recovering from the slight clumsily yet accidental shove and bump, Justin went back to resting against his knees. But he rested his chin against them that time. And his eyes stayed open.
I tilted my head silently as Eli reacted to all of this. He continued getting comfier as he seated himself next to Justin and his own head tilted. It tilted down towards his shoulder and his ear almost stumblingly brushed against his as he settled down for good. Then when the deep violet haired male was planted next to the younger male, he folded his arms back over his own knees and his cheek turned towards his.
The Unovan male didn't look at the eldest Morgan son with his eyes but it seemed as though he was sensing things from him all the same. And I wondered if he was anticipating things because the deep purple haired male let out a sigh following that and he began to try and compose himself, inwardly cursing himself for the vulnerable display in front of Jordan's cousin.
But of course, he was unfazed. For quite a very rare time he was unfazed in an entirely new situation and to prove this even further, while Justin continued silently thinking and not looking at Eli in return and trying to sort himself out, Eli bumped his shoulder and arm against his all over again. And purposefully that time.
As well as this, not too long after that wordless gesture had been exchanged between the two of them and Justin started to catch on that what he had said and what he was doing was perfectly okay – as well as what he was feeling – the Unovan male had words for the eldest Morgan son. Quiet ones. In fact, they were almost as quiet as Justin's heartfelt whisperings.
"Thank you for telling me that…" the deep violet haired male uttered very simply indeed and didn't do much else but even so, I couldn't help but notice the surprise that took over Justin's face. The hidden surprise. His eyes widened just a fraction. And he swallowed.
But then, he couldn't deny himself of the genuineness of those words that came. He was a little caught between grief of his great-grandmother and uncomfortableness of a vulnerable display but even he couldn't deny himself of how subtly reassured he felt by those words.
And because of this, he found himself uttering in the same exact voice as Eli. And he was the one to begin to turn and properly look at the older male.
"I didn't imagine I'd ever tell someone that…" he admitted just one more thing with a bit of light beginning to bounce in his eye at the shy truthfulness of his words and then as his mouth pressed together and his dimple appeared, it became evident how true what he was saying was.
And because even the deep violet haired male who could get a little mixed up at times and caught up all the same could hear the genuineness in Justin's own words in return, he found himself reacting all the more on his own accord.
It surprised me in a strange sort of way but filled me with sweetness when Eli's arm started to awkwardly stretch itself out before it wrapped around Justin's shoulder. In addition to this (it was pretty effortless thanks to the height difference) the deep violet haired male leaned his head down and pressed it against the younger male's shoulder.
Justin gasped a little in surprise and he didn't know why. I did! It was because he could sense that it wasn't exactly natural for him but he did it anyway. To be there for him. To be a friend. And to show support.
So for that exact reason, Justin's own arm extended in a much less uneasy way to Eli but still in a new sort of way all the same. He wrapped his own arm around the other male. The two male's embraced side to side. The deep violet haired male and the deep purple haired one. And after they held each other for a couple of seconds and not saying a word, the Unovan male mumbled against Justin's shoulder.
"Now tell me about this book that you've been reading. I know that you've been enlightening your little brother." The deep violet haired male uttered and he didn't have to look over at the younger male for him to sense the oncoming twinkle in his eye!
From holding onto the older male, the deep purple haired male ducked his head and his jaw turned rosy pink but he grinned. He scrunched his nose up a little bit. He scrunched his nose up because Eli had observed something else and was exactly right. He felt a little on the spot and under a magnifying glass – especially when he was under those eyes at last all over again. But he sort of liked it all the same.
And so, of course, the deep purple haired male complied. And what transpired between the two of them was another sense of knowing. They could share anything with each other. Their likes. Their dislikes. Their interests. Their hopes. Their dreams. Their fears too.
What they didn't expect was that in the not too distant future, they would also share all the more than that. But those things would continue. They felt a kinship in one and other from the moment that they met and also a mirror reflecting right back at them also as well as an understanding.
And one thing that Eli understood was that he was right when he said that James would be okay as long as he had Justin by his side. But another thing that he didn't anticipate was that that would also be the same for him. They would crack each other open. They would go on to tear one and other down. But they would hold each other up as well. And those are some stories that are just around the corner.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 It's almost ironic really how easy Justin finds it to confide in Eli before they were romantically involved but it's the lack of communication between them (as well as many other things) that leads to the explosive end of their romantic relationship. I'm sure it's something that they will need to work hard on to get back if they do want to ever be friends again. I think Justin reacts well to how even though Eli does observe some things and state them, he doesn't for a minute believes he knows everything and is willing to listen. And at a time when Justin has had to step up and is watching his dad struggle emotionally, that's something Justin really needs. And of course, Justin really needs Jorgie too! Jorgie with her mischievous antics and Johnny with his placid presence. And Misty as well - coming to rescue him from the little ones :P Thanks again for reading and I will be back next Wednesday with a bit more of a romantic thing between Justin and Eli so see you then!
AmyBieberKetchum signing out :)