OOM: Another visit

[latino_menace]

Ramon's a bit nervous about this visit. Not only because of the conversation with Dworkin, but the 'little visitor' that had been promised in the last letter. Still, he gets to see Random again and that's worth anything.

So, here he his. Late at night, tired but happy with anticipation. He can't keep his mind off the Trump in his pocket.

Comments

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Because he likes you?"

Martin's cheek is traced, with a forefinger.

"You haven't spent much time with him awake. But he watches. Smart little bug."

[latino_menace]

'True.'

He pulls his eyes away and starts trying to extract his finger.

'Is he going to sleep soon?'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Probably in an hour or so."

He smiles indulgently at the baby, then over at Ramon.

"We need to remember to keep everything off the floor. He practically inhales things."

[latino_menace]

Well, that's a frightening thought.

'What do you mean? He eats things on the floor?'

What?

'You're putting him down there to sleep?'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"No, I don't put him on the floor."

He rolls his eyes and offers Martin his finger.

"I mean, I haven't given him a single object that he hasn't tried to chew, and he's already growing, won't be long before he's crawling. And then, we have to keep everything up. I've pretty much child-proofed all of it, though."

[latino_menace]

'Yeah, I saw. You're being careful with him, it's good.'

He watches them together and it's nice, seeing Random's obvious happiness with his boy. He doesn't know how to respond to it but it's OK, it's theirs and that's no problem.

At least he tries to tell himself he's not jealous. He is, a little. But not tonight because too tired for all that stress, and it's just nice to see him again.

'Well, kids chew things. Wait 'til he's teething - it'll be worse then and he'll cry a hell of a lot more than he does now.'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Don't want to think about it."

He hides his face in Ramon's shoulder, with a long groan.

"Like, at all. I think the rat's here with the food."

Or so says the polite knocking at the door.

[latino_menace]

Ramon smirks and runs a hand through his hair. 'It'll be joyous. Joyous. Screaming all night, you wait and see.'

He's not even exaggerating, he thinks.

'K, I'll go. What did you even order?' He gets up and finds a couple of bills to tip the rat with. Not that he knows if they need tipping, but still.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Souvlaki."

He smiles, stands, and moves to yank the crib (left over from their brief stint with Kelly) out from the closet, settling Martin inside it gently. This is not received with all the grace in the world, but then Random's fishing with a bottle, and returning with it, warming in his hands.

"Here you go, Bug."

[latino_menace]

Ramon returns with the tray and sets it on the dresser, then goes to lounge on the bed and smoke.

'What have you been up to with Gorlim? Bored yet?'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"He taught me a fair amount of cooking. Helpful. Very helpful."

He nods, picking up the baby, then beginning to offer him his supper before returning for his own.

"Just be a minute."

Martin eats fast. And Random doesn't answer. Lonely isn't the same thing as bored.

[latino_menace]

Ramon watches for a minute, then sighs and stubs his cigarette out.

'Give him to me, I'll feed him. Eat your dinner before it gets cold.'

Judgement is reserved on Random's new cooking skills. He'll keep an open mind until he's tried it.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

The smile Random gives him probably makes it worth it.

As should the faint sound of pleasure in the back of his throat as he starts in on the food, after having handed the baby to Ramon.

Food. Souvlaki. So good.

[latino_menace]

It does. And he takes the time too, to remind himself that feeding a baby is easy and nothing to panic about and he really is acting stupidly about the child, he thinks. Not about him being here, but about the flinching when being near him. He resolves to get over himself as Martin hoovers down the milk in record time.

Right. He remembers something about winding them after eating. He also remembers the joys of projectile vomit when said activity occurs. There is hesitation - then he just sighs again, holds him to his shoulder and starts rubbing over his back.

'I want you to know Random,' he says in a conversational tone, 'that if he throws up on my only clean T-shirt, I am not going to be impressed.'

So there.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Mmmm."

Random not-so-surreptitiously finds the camera again. And snap snap snap between bites of food. Too pretty a sight for words.

"It's not been a problem."

[latino_menace]

Ramon glares at him again but his heart isn't in it.

'Bastard.' Martin is refusing to cooperate, so he keeps going. 'I'll have to take some of the two of you together.'

And Random's dinner is eyed for a moment, then he laughs. 'He obviusly gets his hoovering skills from you. Hungry are you?'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Starving, and you can, if you like. But you have no idea how perfect you two look, and not a chance I'm letting go of that."

He takes a few more photos before setting the camera down and settling in to use two hands to eat.

"I need to eat more anyways... but he might, mightn't he? We look alike. It's nice."

He values the connection.

[latino_menace]

'Well, I think you're biased. Love us both, of course you're going to think we look good together.'

Martin burps finally, sans vomit luckily. He considers holding on to him, then decides he won't be safe from more photos and anyway, he doesn't want to be stuck holding him when changing time comes round.

So, baby in the crib. Ramon flops back onto the bed and steals some of the remaining food. 'Yeah, you look alike. It'll be strange when he's a bit older, I think.'

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"No. It won't be. It'll be perfect."

He pushes the plate towards Ramon.

"You'll see. Short but perfect. Gonna need a lot of film. Now. Tell me what's been happening?"

[latino_menace]

'Yeah.'

He'll reserve judgement on 'perfect' until the time. But it doesn't seem so bad right now. Maybe it's the good food - whatever Random doesn't want is quickly polished off and then he leans back on the bed and lights another smoke.

'What's been happening? I've been trying to persuade Arithon not to deliberately make himself a target, which is like talking to a brick wall. Talking to people from my world and trying to work out how to fix things. Keeping an eye on cursed people and trying to find more, which is more difficult than it sounds. And the rest of time, either being bored or missing you or trying to find time to sleep. So.'

He'll be so glad when this is over.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"Dworkin. My... grandfather."

He hesitates on the word.

Because holyfuckingshit.

But holds his tongue. Baby in the room, after all. Baby who, apparently, needs to be changed. Random moves away to do so, with a look at Ramon to tell him to go ahead.

[latino_menace]

'Ah. Yeah, Dworkin. Crazy old bastard.'

He's trying not to let on how much the conversation bothered him. And not looking at the changing going on, although he does wrinkle his nose at the smell.

'Well, he was adamant about who he is in relation to you. Strange guy.'

Doesn't know where to begin really.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"What worried you the most?"

That's a pretty damned good place to start.

"You got my letter about us kissing in the bar? He might have seen that."

[latino_menace]

'Yeah I did. And no, that doesn't bother me.' He smirks. 'He descended on me and called me an in-law. Hell of an introduction.'

Not an altogether unwelcome one though. People talking as though he and Random are married amuses him greatly.

'No, he just...had some things to say. I don't know.'

He trails off lamely because he doesn't want to be the one to tell Random that fuck, he might end up like Dworkin one day. He's not sure he believes it himself. Certainly doesn't want to.

[underwater-owl.livejournal.com]

"If it bothered you, then he was lying."

He says it blandly, before folding the diaper and niftily tucking it into a completely seperate shadow. One with a garbage heap. Before beginning to re-dress Martin.

"Simple as that. What did he say?"