Stranger Danger

19

Wow it's been a while since I updated this one. Sorry about that! Hope you haven't forgotten about it! 

Trigger Warning: Brief mention of self harm 

It was early, before seven, and Andy was in the kitchen making coffee and toast before leaving for the studio when Remington walked into the room and sat, head down, in a chair.

Andy hadn't expected to see him - he usually slept until at least ten unless he had to be somewhere like a hospital appointment. "Good morning," he said, spreading butter on his toast. "You're up early." 

There was a long pause, and then Remington said, "Yes." 

"You want some tea? I'll make you a cup." 

Remington gave no answer but Andy made him a drink anyway, putting it before him on the table and sitting down to eat. 

"Everything okay?" He asked. 

"Everything?" 

"I mean, are you okay? Is something wrong?" 

"Oh." Remington looked at the tea. "No." 

"No, something's not wrong? Or no, you're not okay?" 

Shrugging, the younger dropped his eyes to the table. The slamming of a car door outside caused him to look towards the window, and he stared at the street for a few seconds before returning his gaze to the table. "I hear Juliet before sleep." 

Andy sliced the toast down the middle and offered a piece to Remington, who took it between his fingers and observed it as though checking for dangers. "What did you hear?" 

The toast in his hand, Remington shrugged again. "She say things." 

"What things? I'm sure she was just talking to someone on the phone. Her sister, probably."

Remington bit into the toast and found Andy with his eyes, held his gaze. "She say all about you. And I not like her no more." 

Brows furrowing, Andy asked, "Oh. Why's that? I thought you two were getting on well."

"Yes. But now I not like her. Because she say all about you. She say you very-uh-uh 'suffocating'. I think is that word she use. Is a bad thing? She says it like is a bad thing." 

"Well, it's not a compliment, to call someone suffocating. But that doesn't mean she's being rude about me. She's known me a very long time and now we're divorced, she'll have a different perspective. And she's right. I can be suffocating at times." 

"I not think anything bad about you like that." 

"That's very nice of you, but nobody is without fault. You're allowed to have negative thoughts about someone, as is Juliet. It doesn't make you a bad person." 

Remington shook his head. "I not like her no more." 

"I'm sorry to hear that." 

"So I not be here when is just her." 

"Wouldn't you rather stay here than sit in the same room all day at the studio?" 

"Yes, but I not be here when is just her." 

Andy sighed. "Then you'll have to come with me. Is that why you're up so early?" He sipped his coffee. 

"I not sleep." 

"At all?" 

"Yes, because I hear Juliet and then I not like her no more." 

"Okay. She's staying here until next week, though, so can you try and see past this?"