Tw: Smoking
Jedediah waited for Octavius to finish locking up the library doors, both of them were going to walk home like usual, “Jedediah! Is that you?” he heard an old yet familiar voice call put his name.
He turns around to see Julius walking up to him, a friendly smile on his face. Jedediah came up to Julius, “Oh hey Julius! What're you doin’ here?” the blonde asked, the older man looked at Octavius who was still locking up “I wanted to pick Octavius up, I wanted to talk to him about some things.”
“But can't y'all just talk about it at home?” Jedediah asked to where Julius shook his head “No, this is an important matter. It also involves you and your brothers.”
Jedediah's eyes widened in surprise, “What? What's it gotta do with me an’ my brothers?” Julius only smiled and chuckled “Don't worry, it isn't something serious.”
The Texan put a hand to his chest and sighed in relief, “That's good... Well uh, what is it?”
“I wanted to–”
“Father! What are you doing here?” before Julius could finish his sentence, Octavius–who's now finished locking up– runs up to them, panicked that his father might have said something embarrassing about Octavius to Jedediah.
“Ah, Octavius, I wanted to talk to you.” the old man smiled, Octavius led his father a bit away from Jedediah to talk to his father.
The blonde just stood there, looking at Octavius and his father before looking away. The wind slightly blew his hair, making it more messier than it was before.
After a few minutes, Octavius and his father walk back to Jedediah, an embarrassed and flustered look on the brunette's face.
“Jedediah, let's walk home now..” the brunette mumbled, as he rested his head on the blonde's shoulder. Jedediah only chuckled and smiled before patting Octavius’ back “Alright..Are you comin’ with us Julius?” he asked the older man.
Julius shakes his head, “I have to buy some things at the shop so you two head home now..” Jedediah nod, “Alright then, bye Julius! C'mon Octy, let's go.” he said, pulling the brunette while smiling.
“Bye father, take care when you get home..” Octavius waved goodbye to his father, Julius waved goodbye as well.
––––
They were in front of Jedediah's house now, Octavius stares in amazement as he looked at the small house with big and tall trees surrounding it “I never knew your house was near the forest. We'd usually just part ways after we get out of the park..”
Jedediah giggled, and looked at Octavius with complete adoration, the look of amazement on his friend's face was something else, it made Jed feel happy to see Octavius like that.
“So..what did you an’ your father talk about?” the blonde asked, Octavius looks at his friend with a surprised expression. “Oh! Yes...well my father said that I should invite you and your brothers for dinner tomorrow, he wants to get to know you and your family better..”
Octavius takes Jedediah's hand with both his hands and holds it “But you don't have to if you don't want to, I just wanted to tell you that..” he uttered, rubbing the hand gently with his thumbs.
Jedediah slightly blushed at this, “No! We'd love to go to your house...When though?”
“Come again?” Octavius asked, not hearing the blonde correctly.
“When are we havin’ a dinner?..” Jed asked, looking at Octavius’ brown mellow eyes. The brunette smiled “Tomorrow by 8:20 pm, if you're all free that is..”
“I'll make sure we'll be there!” the blonde said excitedly before smiling. Octavius couldn't help but smile as well, “I'll tell my father! See you tomorrow.”
Octavius lets go of Jedediah's hand, and walks off “See you Octy!” the blonde exclaimed, waving goodbye before heading in his house.
As he opened the door, he sees his brothers all cramped up by the window, just staring at him. The blonde got the idea that his brothers were watching him and Octavius, the idea made his face flush bright red.
“Dude..you like him so much..” Peter mumbled, giving him a deadpanned expression. Jedediah shakes his head as he walks over to the kitchen to try and prepare dinner “I dunno what you're yappin’ about Peter.. he's just a friend..”
Austin smirks as he leans by the door frame of the kitchen “Yeah right, a "friend" I totally believe ya.” the oldest said, making air quotes.
“I told y'all that me an’ Octavius are just friends! There's nothing going on between us..” he muttered, the blonde felt someone tug on his shirt, he looks down to see Ira holding his favorite toy named Ruby.
“What is it lil’ man?” Jed smiled as he crouched down to pick up Ira, the little boy embraces his older brother “I think you like mister Octavius too..”
Jedediah sighed, as he stood up and walked out of the kitchen, passing by his brothers. The blonde sits on their small and old couch in their living room.“I don't like mister Octavius Ira!” the blonde exclaimed, his face blushing as he furrowed his eyebrows. Ira only giggles at this.
“Whatever dude, you're just in denial.” Peter says, putting his hands in his pockets as he walks away to retreat back in his room, leaving his three other brothers in the living room.
“Oh yeah, we're gonna have dinner tomorrow at Octavius’ place!”
They hear Peter make a loud groan, as he closes his door. Austin chuckles as he sits down the couch next to Jedediah and Ira, “Why're we goin’ to his place tomorrow?” the oldest asked.
“Ah well..he said that his father wanted to get to know us all better.” the blonde looks at Ira and smiles, “So that means none of y'all are allowed to do mischief or chaos.” he said, booping Ira's little nose which earned a giggle from the little boy.
“Yeah I guess you're right, I've never really met Octavius formally so this is a good opportunity.” Jed smiles as he gently rocks Ira back and forth.
“Bubba?” Ira called out, “Yeah Ira?” the little boy hugs his toy tightly “What was ma like?”
Jedediah paused, and Austin's smile drops and turns into a thin line. “Well..Ma was... Heck she was the most greatest mom we had.” Jedediah said, as he smiled sadly.
“Ma was gentle, she knew what to do whenever we got hurt or whenever we had a fight..” Jed paused, before Austin continued “She was strict at times, but she still tried her best. She made us delicious sweets and did her best at work.”
Ira listened carefully, as he smiled while hugging Ruby. The tales he'd been hearing from his brothers felt like bedtime stories he can always listen to without ever getting bored. “Bubba, will I ever meet ma?” he asked.
Jedediah frowned slightly, so did Austin “I dunno lil’ man...maybe not now..”
––––
Peter and Ira were already sleeping in Peter's room, Ira requested to sleep next to his older brother and Peter was nice enough to let him.
Austin and Jedediah stood outside, enjoying the wind that was blowing both of their hairs. Austin was smoking a cigarette while Jedediah stayed a bit far away. “Y'know, I saw the way you looked at your friend Octavius.”
Jedediah looks at Austin, curiousness filled in his eyes “What'd you mean?” he asked, Austin chuckles, as he inhaled smoke once more before exhaling. “I mean, you look at ‘im the way our parents looked at each other.”
Jedediah remembered the way their mother looked at their father, she looked like the happiest woman in the world, and the way their father looked at her was like he was so lucky to marry a woman like her.
“I don't know...I just like Octavius as a friend, nothin’ else..” he muttered, completely oblivious that his face was heating up, even just by mentioning his friend's name.
Austin chuckled “Yeah yeah, whatever you say. You're gonna have to acknowledge the corn one day Jed.”, there was a comfortable silence amongst them, before Austin asked something “What time are we goin’ to your friend's house?”
“We're gonna go at 8:20, are you already off work that time?” Jed replied, Austin nods as he inhales the smoke from the cigarette once more. “You should go to sleep now, I'll go back in after a few minutes.”
Jed rolled his eyes, but he still had a smile on his face “Alright then, goodnight Tin.” he walked in the house and made his way to his bedroom, the blonde passed by Peter's room, the door was left slightly open.
Jedediah peaked inside, as he saw Peter hugging Ira tightly, while the little hoy hugged his sheep. The both of them sleeping peacefully, while the blanket that was supposed to be covering them was on the ground.
Jed walked in the room, trying his best to walk quietly, he makes his way to the bed and takes the blanket from the ground, before pulling it above Peter and Ira, making sure that they were warm and tucked in.
“Goodnight you two.” he whispered before kissing both their foreheads and walking out the bedroom.
As he entered his room, he quickly slipped in his pajamas and into his bed. Jedediah tried his best to fall asleep, but no matter how hard he tries, he couldn't close his eyes and sleep. Jedediah knew why, what his brothers said to him was stuck in the blonde's head.
‘Well shit.’ he thought to himself, as he tossed and turned in his small bed. ‘Crap, this ain't good..do I really have feelings for Octavius?..’
The blonde just laid there on the bed, arms and legs stretched out, making him look like a starfish. His face was flushing bright red with the thought of liking Octavius that way.
“Crap, crap crap!..I don't know how to tell if I have romantic feelings for someone..” he grabbed his blanket and wrapped himself in it, trying to stop his face from flushing bright red.
The blonde then remembered what Peter said to him, the most obvious signs you may have a crush on someone, ‘What was it again?.. oh yeah.’ he paused and breathed in before continuing ‘My heart beats fast whenever I'm around him, I do everything I can to make ‘im happy, he also said that some people become really overprotective over their crushes and...’
Jedediah felt his face flush once more, as he remembered the last one which was always thinking about that person and considering them special from others.
“For Pete's sake! I'm actin’ like a teenager who's got a crush!..not that I have a crush..”
Jed just tucked himself in his blanket once again and tried to fall asleep, he wanted to look nice for tomorrow's dinner.
––––
“Ira, are you sure you want to bring Ruby to the dinner?” Austin asked, he was wearing a midnight blue button up long sleeve polo, with nice jeans.
Ira nods, hugging his toy sheep tightly whilst having a big and bright smile on his face “I'll make sure to take good care of Ruby while we're there!”
The little boy wore a white polo with orange suspender shorts, while he also wore yellow and white striped socks. It made him look really cute.
“Hey, when are we gonna leave? It's already 8:10 pm..” Peter asked, walking out his room. He wore a juniper green varsity jacket– that Austin used to own when he was still in high school– and a white shirt, he also wore a pair of cargo pants.
“Oh well Jed's still gettin’ ready.” Austin said, rubbing the back of his neck. Peter only sighed “I guess he's trying to look his best for his crush.” Peter muttered.
Inside his room, Jedediah tied his hair into a pony tail, and put a hair clip on the side of his hair. Jedediah wore a white shirt with a grey plaid jacket and some jeans, he wanted to look his best for this dinner.
Gloom comes into his room, in the form of their shadow, just sitting by the shadow of his bedside table “You really wanna look good, don't you?” the blonde gets startled by her, Jedediah didn't think she'd be here right now.
“Kid!..what are you doing here..?” he said, trying to maintain a low voice so his brothers won't suspect anything. Gloom just rolled their eyes “I'm booored...can I go with you?” she asked, as they went to the different shadows in the bedroom, making it obvious that the poor teenager was bored.
“NO, you can't.” Gloom groaned, “And why noot..?” they whined, Jedediah chuckled slightly as he remembered that Peter was somewhat like this “Cause, you're cracked. I can't have you causin’ chaos tonight”, the teenager turned into her physical form and stood behind Jed.
Gloom rolled her eyes “I won't be "cracked" I'll behave myself, I promise!” they said, making air quotes. Jedediah still shook his head “Naw, you still can't come with us.” Gloom just deadpanned “You're a real stick in the mud.” they pouted. Jedediah just rolled his eyes “Whatever, now get outta my room Gloom.”
Gloom just walked to his drawers and took a jacket “Whatever, I'm taking this jacket since it's cold as hell tonight. Goodluck on your date.” they giggled, before turning back into a shadow and leaving the room.
Jedediah just furrowed his eyebrows and blushed slightly, he sighs to himself as he opens his bedroom door and walked out the hallway. “Alright! Let's get a move on now!” he exclaimed, as he saw his brothers sitting by the couch.
“You're finally done.”, the gingers all said in unison, as Austin carries Ira in his arms as Peter stands up and fixed his jacket. “Let's go.”
The brothers all head to the door, one by one, Peter making sure that the door's locked before him and his brother's all leave.
“Crap, crap crap!..I don't know how to tell if I have romantic feelings for someone..”
Same Jed, same.
Sorry I haven't been updating weekly, been very busy with school and stuff (-_-;)
Anyways, after the next chapter, I'll start uploading chapters about the other characters since they really need time to shine (☆▽☆)