How These Floorboards Creak

6

Morning came quick in the house and Alfred was already wide awake, with a cigarette in his mouth and a phone in the other. He was simply confirming the basic plans for the day. It didn't matter how little sleep he ended up getting, he had things to do. Coffee and cigarettes could ease that tired feeling though. The taste wasn't very good but he couldn't judge. He was the one who decided to play drunk scrabble last night. 

It would be an absolutely dreadful ride. He'd only really get through it because of Toris. But Toris could only do so much. Alfred would be lucky if one of the others didn't piss him off during the trip through the capital. You know, clashing histories and all that. 

He hung up the phone and placed it on the table. He crossed his legs and leaned back comfortably into the seat and watched as the nature of the woods behind his house scurried and hopped around. A puff of smoke filled his vision and he shot it out of his mouth. He took the cigarette and held it with two fingers. He eyed it for a moment, contemplating whether burning himself with it would be worth it or not. It would just be a moment of distraction that would leave a scar that would fade quickly. A small moment of masochism to relieve the building anxiety of being in this damn house with these people. 

The thought was interjected and promptly stopped by Toris walking out. He had a funny kind of bed head, with tired eyes and pajamas still on. He gave Al a bit of a smile and went to sit in the chair on the opposite end of the round table. He looked at the pack of cigarettes and the lighter on the table. He quickly pulled on out and lit it. 

"I thought you didn't smoke anymore?" Alfred raised a brow. 

"On occasions like this, I tend to."

"I can get that." Alfred half chuckled. "What do you think today's going to be like?"

"Who knows." Toris shook his head, letting smoke slip through his lips. He lightly chuckled. "It could either be disastrously irritating or nicely educational. There's only ever ultimatums with them."

"I have large doubts about 'nicely educational'."

"What? Are you just going to praise yourself and all your fathers?"

"That's kind of a natural instinct, hon', there's no stopping that." 

"Then I can only hope that none of them decide to ruin that for you."

"Chances are..." Alfred closed his eyes for a few seconds of contemplation. They flicked back open, showing off his blue jewels once again. "they will." 

"So, what's your job?"

"Not to get mad." Alfred chuckled again. "You don't have to mother me, darlin'. I know all these things."

"Chances are..." Toris mimicked Alfred's earlier actions. "you're going to get angry."

"Have some faith in me, geez." Both playfully smiled at each other and went back to looking at the forestry behind the house. 

"You know," Toris began. "Sometimes I wish that they would understand who you actually are but other times I find myself being selfish because I like being the only one to understand you."

"It's like you have a spoiler that could ruin the movie for everyone, right?" Toris nodded at that, with a smile, his cigarette preventing him from being able to answer. Alfred took on a contemplative look. His legs were crossed and he leaned his arm holding the cigarette on the metal table. "I can see why, it's like having the ultimate power. But everyone ends up seeing the movie at one point, some on DVD like psychopaths, but they still see it." 

"What do you have against DVDs?" Toris giggled, smoke blowing from his mouth.

"They're just inferior to projectors." Alfred shook his head, placing the cigarette back in his mouth. "It's like asking why you hate smoking. It's bad for the environment just as DVDs are bad for quality."