By The Pond - A Lams Story

Chapter 7

-John's Perspective-

   John yeets himself to his apartment to work on commissions and feels his phone PING! In his pocket. He gets it out and looks at the screen.
   HERCULESMULLIGAN!!!: We still up for family night?
   LiteralGoldenRetriever: Yep. As far as I know.
   YEET!: Yeet.
   Momfayette: I'm in.
   HERCULESMULLIGAN!!!: Jack, you in?
   John swears under his breath. I'd completely forgotten.
   Turtleboi: Yeah. Sorry. I completely forgot.
   LiteralGoldenRetriever: That's weird. You never forget.
   Momfayette: Get distracted? ;)
   John shakes his head.
   YEET!: Laf, whadya mean?
   Momfayette: John knows what I mean.
   HERCULESMULLIGAN!!!: Wait-
   Momfayette: Shhhhhh, amour. Let John explain.
   And now John is rolling his eyes.
   Turtleboi: You told Dad?
   HERCULESMULLIGAN!!!: Of course he told me.
   Momfayette: Mhm.
   YEET!: I'm missing something.
   LiteralGoldenRetriever: We are both are, sis.
   Turtleboi: And you'll find out when y'all get here. Just give me time to clean up.
   YEET!: Kay.
   John shuts off his phone and gets to cleaning. He puts his drawing tablet, sketchbook, and other supplies up in his room and clears off the island. The doorbell rings, and John heads over to answer it. He opens the door.
   On the other side is Peggy and Eliza. He smiles at them and lets them in. "Y'all go ahead and sit down. Who's turn is it to choose the game?"
   The golden retriever in human form speaks. "I think it's Laf's turn."
   John groans. "Great."
   Peggy looks at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
   The doorbell rings before John can answer her. He goes to open it and is greeted with Laf and Herc. Laf is is smiling suggestively at John. John rolls his eyes and lets them in. "Loveseat's all yours."
   Herc, of course, makes a beeway for the loveseat. Lafayette follows Herc and curls up next to him, leaning on his boyfriend.
   "So." Laf grins. "You were distracted, non?"
   John rolls his eyes. I swear to the gay gods... I told you, I don't like him."
   Eliza is listening intently. So is Peggy, although she's sitting on the edge of her seat. "Who's this him?"
   "Alexandre." Lafayette answers for him. "He's a nice guy and seems to care for you, even if he hasn't realized it yet."
   "Laf!" John feels his cheeks grow hot. "He's just a friend. And yes, I may have run into him earlier, but that's not the point." He regrets the words as soon as they come out of his mouth. Shit. You ran your mouth, and now they have ammo. Great.
   Herc raises his eyebrows. "But that is the point, Jack."
   Eliza sighs and interjects. "Can we please have the whole story?"
   John starts to ramble so no-one else can tell it. "About two and a half weeks ago, this guy sat next to me in the park, and he looked upset, so I asked him why he was upset, and he was upset because his boss slash adopted father figure was making him go outside, and he just wanted to work, and we had a whole conversation that obviously had some effect on him because two weeks later he walks into The Rev, sees that it's me, and thanks me for the advice, along with asking for my number. So then he leaves because he's late for work, and we meet up at the park the next day, which is really awkward because I end up rambling about turtles, and then he asks about my father and right afterward mentions my hair, in which I curl into my ball that y'all have seen multiple times, and he's trying to get me to talk, so he asks me about my art stuff, and then I leave and it's awkward. And then he comes into the coffee shop this afternoon to make sure I'm alright and leaves me a tip that's almost fifty percent, which he did the first time, and then I ran into him at the park, and our friendship almost ended because I don't like coffee, but we made a compromise and pinky promised, and now, I owe him a favor. And then I came here." He is remarkably not out of breath. "He didn't specify what type of favor and told me that I had to trust him, which I'm reluctant to do, but also he's a cool dude, and I like being his friend. That's it."
   His four friends sit there wide-eyed and blinking even though they are used to his rambles.
   "How do you have asthma and still not run out of breath?" Herc asks, running one of his hands through his hair.
   "Magic." John deadpans. "But seriously, Laf, I don't need a boyfriend right now. I'm fine." He emphasizes the word 'fine'. "Please, stop trying to play matchmaker."
   "But, Jackie, that's no fun." Laf whines. "You deserve to find a man who will treat you with the respect you deserve, and Alexandre obviously does."
   "Maybe. But I don't want a boyfriend." John repeats.
   "Laf, hun, maybe we should leave Jack be for the moment." Herc suggests, kissing his boyfriend on the forehead.
   "Perhaps." But John sees a twinkle in his eyes and internally groans. He's not gonna stop.
   "ANYWAYS," Peggy interjects, waving her arms about wildy. "Let's just get to the game! Laf, I believe it's your turn to choose what we play."
   Laf grins. "Oh, is it?" John hears the tone in his voice and groans a little. Lafayette ignores John. "How about Truth or Dare?"
   John hears everyone else agree and buries his face in his hands. This can only end badly...