Warning: The following contains violence, coarse language, and excessive amounts of awesomeness. Please prepare your mind for blowing.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It's a slow day in Café Latte. Probably because it's eleven o'clock on a Monday. All of the regulars are at school or work; it's too late breakfast and too early for lunch. Currently there are only three customers in the restaurant and two of them were dragged here so Devi could keep an eye on them, even on her first day back to work.
It's been over a week since the battle with the Nightmare ended, and Johnny's head wound has healed up nicely. He's still got a bit of gash so Squee insisted he wear a Band-Aid over it so it won't get infected. It's obviously gonna scar, but he doesn't mind. It'll match the one over his left eye.
Johnny's eyes trail over the table to the boy sitting across from him before quickly look away. There's an awkward air surrounding the two of them as they both focus on their incredibly interesting meals, even though neither of has taken a single bite.
Meanwhile a gaggle of females are clustered by the pick-up window, quietly judging their actions like they're watching a soup opera.
"One of them has gotta do it," Tenna says.
"They're both too cowardly," Jade scoffs.
"She's right. They're not gonna do it," Payton agrees.
"They have to," Piper argues.
"Maybe we can help them," Samantha suggests.
"No," Devi says curtly, "helping them will defeat the purpose. They need each other; they just don't know it because they're both emotionally unstable. If we help them then it won't make them any stronger."
"Devi's right," Nana nods, "they have to do this on their own."
"But they won't do it," Jade snaps.
"Shut up," Tenna hisses, "he'll hear us."
Johnny's ears prick up at the girls' chirping but he can't quite make it out because of the music playing over the radio. Oh, well. It's probably better he doesn't hear it.
Squee subtly looks up at Johnny before looking back down at his food. He glances at Shmee, who's sitting in his lap. He looks up at him with his big, white eyes and smiles reassuringly. Squee sighs and scratches his head.
Both he and Johnny agreed that they would stop living together after they beat the Nightmare. It's been a week already. If Johnny was going to kick him out, he probably would've done it already. Nevertheless, Squee still needs to be sure. All he has to do is gather up enough courage.
He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Um... Johnny?"
Johnny looks up at him questionably.
"Er... I was just thinking... um I know we agreed my living with you would be temporary," Squee stammers, "but uh but I don't really have anywhere else to go and I can't exactly live on my own. So... could-could I maybe stay with you a little while longer? At least until I can live on my own?"
Johnny blinks with surprise but quickly composes his apathetic self. But he is surprised: surprised at the question, surprised that Squee brought it up, and surprised that he was thinking the exact same thing.
"There will be a few rules," Johnny replies. Squee looks up at him with astonishment.
"First: this will not be a guardian relationship. We are roommates, nothing more," Johnny explains, "so you will take care of yourself, clean up after yourself, feed yourself, all that stuff. Second: the basement is still off limits. I would say you can't throw any parties or anything, but you're not really the type to do that so it doesn't matter."
"You can stay in the room you're in now. I'll set myself up in the other room," he concludes as he puts his focus back on his food.
Is this really the best idea? I just want to protect him, and in practice it seems the best way to do that is to keep him close. But what if I just cause him more trouble? I am incredibly dangerous. What if the best way to protect him is to keep him as far away as possible? What if I end up hurting him?
Thoughts like these constantly swim around Johnny's head until he happens to glance up and notices Squee staring at him. He sees those big, sparkling brown eyes and wide, shining smile and all of his worries wash away like rain water.
Johnny looks away, completely overwhelmed by the amount of pure happiness radiating from the boy's face. "Quit staring at me like that," he grunts. Squee looks back at his food, but the smile doesn't leave his face.
Johnny looks at him and swallows hard. He hugged him during his fight with Zoli, but he was pretty delirious and everything was happening so fast. He barely remembers what happened during the whole fight.
He slowly lifts his trembling hand and reaches across the table. His arm suddenly stops and his fingers curl in, like they're hitting an invisible wall. He squeezes his eyes shut and stays frozen there for a few seconds.
Oh, just touch the damn kid!
His arm lashes forward and he plants his hand on Squee's head before quickly withdrawing. It was only there for a split second and could barely be considered a full pat, and yet it fills Squee with absolute elation.
He looks up at Johnny and smiles brightly. Johnny looks down so no one will see the light blush dusting his cheeks.
Across the room, the girls burst with 'aaaawwww' and giggle incessantly, earning a harsh glare from Johnny.
"Alright, show's over," Nana snaps, "everyone back to work. The lunch rush is gonna start soon. I want everyone to give their A-game."
"Right," the waitresses salute before splitting up. Tenna returns to the table and sits next to Squee, wrapping her arm around the boy's shoulders.
"Now that the room's officially yours, we oughta spruce it up a bit, don't you think?" she asks.
"Huh?" Johnny grunts.
"It's so boring the way it is now," Tenna insists, "he needs things. Like... toys, clothes, posters. Oh! A giant stereo! And a huge bay window!"
"No fucking way," Johnny snaps. She just laughs.
Devi appears at his side and smirks as she steals a couple of his fries. "Tenna's right. He could use a window. Or some cool accent lights. And a new bed."
Johnny glares at her. Devi just winks as she walks to the front door.
He snarls and glances at Squee. Tenna's blabbering on to him about multiple things he can put in his new bedroom, but he's barely listening. He looks at Johnny and smiles. Johnny's heart lurches and he quickly looks away.
These three are so weird. They no longer seem bothered by Johnny's glare or snarls, which usually sends most people running. But that boy sitting across from him is the weirdest. That boy, who can ruin a perfectly good bad mood; who can read Johnny like a picture book; who freed all of his previously locked up emotions. That boy, who burst through his unbreakable wall and made himself at home.
Nana suddenly appears beside Johnny and looks at him sceptically. Johnny meets her glare head-on.
"Having a kid around will change things, whether you like it or not," she warns, "do you think you can handle it? You won't regret it later, will you?"
Johnny blinks and looks at Squee. Squee looks back, a slight look of anxiety in his eyes.
"No," he replies, "it's not a bad thing."
"Good then," Nana nods and walks away.
Squee smiles at him. Johnny has to take a bite of his fries to hide the small smile creeping its way onto his face.
Yeah. It's not a bad thing.
