Close Your Eyes, Come With Me

IV

Crutchie was laughing so hard he had to stop walking. Jack couldn't help but grin, but he manged to keep from laughing at his own joke.

"Where do ya get this stuff from?" Crutchie leaned forward and held his side. "I can't breathe."

"C'mon, Crutch, in and out," Jack jostled him playfully, accidentally almost toppling him over.

Crutchie scrambled for Jack's arm to hold himself up. In the same moment Jack reached out to hang onto him. They only succeeding in tangling limbs and knocking the crutch to the ground. Both boys laughed harder, and Jack bent down to pick it up as Crutchie used his back as a stabilizer.

"Why are ya always tryin' ta bust me up, Jack?" Crutchie said, starting to walk again.

"For the same reason you's always in my way, that's why," Jack teased back.

"Maybe 'cause ya always follow me around. I'm bound to end up in front of ya a time or two."

At that, Jack turned and headed in the opposite direction. "I ain't followin' nobody."

Jack walked a few feet before Crutchie let out a "woah!" behind him. Jack whipped around quickly, expecting to see Crutchie fallen. Instead he was met with a devious smile and a perfectly upright Crutchie.

"Aw, Jack, you's gonna make a great mother," Crutchie teased. "All it takes is a little cryin' and ya come runnin'."

Jack scrambled for a careless remark to mask his genuine embarrassment. "Yeah, well ya oughta watch it with all that, 'cause one of these days I'll get fed up and think you's jokin' and not respond when ya actually need me."

"Oh, yeah, and that's gonna be on the same day that Hell below gets cold," Crutchie rolled his eyes.

"Don't believe me then. Keep testin' me. You'll miss me when I'm gone," Jack said indignantly, joining Crutchie in their walk home again.

"Tsh, and where are ya goin'?" Crutchie laughed out before realizing what he said. "No, no, no, don't answer that. Wasn't a real question."

"Where am I goin'?"

"Jack, no-"

"Where am I goin'?"

"Not again."

Jack laughed. "I'll spare ya."

Crutchie sighed a dramatic sigh of relief. "Thank ya God."

"Wow, alright," Jack held up his hands. "I'm gettin' the picture. I'm a bother now."

"Not a bother," Crutchie replied. "Just a bore."

"Damn. That hurts me deep," Jack put a hand to his heart.

Crutchie chuckled, and they walked on quietly for a while. They had an easy way between them. Jack appreciated it. He of course loved taking every chance to prove himself and come out on top as much as the next guy. But this was great, too, if in a different way. It was a chance to relax at the end of the day. Good and bad days were equally chaotic and full of stress. The only place Jack had ever found any real peace had been in Medda's theater by himself after hours. He didn't know it was possible to find peace in a person. He caught himself smiling as he looked at Crutchie and turned his head back to the front. Jeez. When did he become so soft?

They soon arrived at Jack's penthouse and made their way up per usual. As the sun began to set and the stars came out, they sat there and talked. Mostly Jack talked and Crutchie just listened, asking a few questions here and there.

"Hey, Jack, how come I never seen none of those paintin's thatcha make?" Crutchie asked during one quiet moment.

Jack just shrugged. "No one's stoppin' ya. They ain't very excitin' though. That's why I don't mention 'em much."