As Julian’s playful banter quieted to a tone more sincere, Chester couldn’t help but feel great foreboding as he set aside the new clippings, ears perked and listening intently as he scribbled away.
“I’m glad to hear that though, that you have other friends. Part of me worried that ‘this’”
“I was worried, that perhaps you just needed someone that gave a damn and honestly, I’m entirely that kind of person… but…”
His cautious desperate gaze slowly glancing over his shoulder, staring at Harrison’s shoes, it was as if someone decided to reach into his chest and grasp his lungs.
“B-But?...” He pressed in a whisper, bated breath and dreading whatever this open ended inquiry was suggesting.
Was it so bad to need someone? Did Julian think Chester was just using him? It was sort of a desperation for emotional support. He was very socially starved…but maybe the druid was already seeing the underlying issues from Chester latching on so quickly…. So maybe he did need a therapist… Maybe this shaky friendship was moving too fast… maybe this whole thing was-—
His body was tense and he hardly noticed that he was almost crushing the juices out of one of one of the root samples, but thankfully Julian interrupted the entire mental nosedive.
“but… but nothing, if you just need a friend, I’d be okay with that”
His gaze rose from the shoes to Julian’s face, eyeing him calculating, he wasn’t sure how to feel and felt suspended in time. “uh….okay…”
He returned to their project, making every move with every little bit of care and precision. Stuck in his tumbled thoughts as he rubbed his damp hand on his apron, and discarded the crushed root.
“So, What’cha got in mind for lunch?”
Chester brewed in silence for a few minutes, already having the next plant up and working through the motions.
“Thai.” The words seemed to just spill out robotically, his hands already rooting through gravel for the next sample. Then clearing his throat he reiterated since he knew he hadn’t exactly spoken at a proper decibel.
“EHERM. Thai. Tuesdays, I order Thai food. Long standing tradition.” He gurgled something in his throat, finishing up the ginger rather quickly and already having the Ginseng pulled up.
“Took a few tries but I found a place that makes it authentic. I usually eat and listen to some podcasts. When I was home schooled, Tuesday’s were my movie nights. So…. Yea. You like Thai?”
“I’m glad to hear that though, that you have other friends. Part of me worried that ‘this’”
“I was worried, that perhaps you just needed someone that gave a damn and honestly, I’m entirely that kind of person… but…”
His cautious desperate gaze slowly glancing over his shoulder, staring at Harrison’s shoes, it was as if someone decided to reach into his chest and grasp his lungs.
“B-But?...” He pressed in a whisper, bated breath and dreading whatever this open ended inquiry was suggesting.
Was it so bad to need someone? Did Julian think Chester was just using him? It was sort of a desperation for emotional support. He was very socially starved…but maybe the druid was already seeing the underlying issues from Chester latching on so quickly…. So maybe he did need a therapist… Maybe this shaky friendship was moving too fast… maybe this whole thing was-—
His body was tense and he hardly noticed that he was almost crushing the juices out of one of one of the root samples, but thankfully Julian interrupted the entire mental nosedive.
“but… but nothing, if you just need a friend, I’d be okay with that”
His gaze rose from the shoes to Julian’s face, eyeing him calculating, he wasn’t sure how to feel and felt suspended in time. “uh….okay…”
He returned to their project, making every move with every little bit of care and precision. Stuck in his tumbled thoughts as he rubbed his damp hand on his apron, and discarded the crushed root.
“So, What’cha got in mind for lunch?”
Chester brewed in silence for a few minutes, already having the next plant up and working through the motions.
“Thai.” The words seemed to just spill out robotically, his hands already rooting through gravel for the next sample. Then clearing his throat he reiterated since he knew he hadn’t exactly spoken at a proper decibel.
“EHERM. Thai. Tuesdays, I order Thai food. Long standing tradition.” He gurgled something in his throat, finishing up the ginger rather quickly and already having the Ginseng pulled up.
“Took a few tries but I found a place that makes it authentic. I usually eat and listen to some podcasts. When I was home schooled, Tuesday’s were my movie nights. So…. Yea. You like Thai?”