honey molasses

-

“aha–so you’ve finally just arrived!” he’d been mostly sitting around, waiting since their phone call. junior’s gaze follows omarr’s to the lake. he sucks his teeth, shrugging. “surely not too deep toward the shore,” he says, reading his body. a hand comes up, fingers delicately nudging against his chin to move his focus from the water to junior once more. “do you not like deep water?”

xxx

Junior hadn’t needed to wait for him, but it did make Omarr feel special.

His eyes stayed locked on the shore, worrying his bottom lip until he felt fingers at his chin. A little shiver ran down his spine. When people did this back home Omarr never liked it but Junior was different; He liked when Junior touched him. He didn’t make Omarr feel small, or like a child, or like an object... 

“...I can’t swim...” the hybrid admitted, “At least not... Not like this.” he motioned to his body. “-- But as long as my head stays above water I’ll be ok!” He wanted to go into the water, even if he was a little scared to.

Lizzie’s eyes shined with competition.  “Oh hell yeah!  Let’s go,” she cheered.

She nodded in affirmation, expression turned more serious as her eyes scanned across the ropes to find the best route.  She gapped as Omarr took off suddenly, scrambling to chase after him.  “Cheating dickhole.”  

It didn’t help that her legs were shorter, but Lizzie pumped her arms to try to speed herself up, full body launching herself onto the rope course to gain momentum.

xxx

It was fun, the rope course, and Lizzie's company. He woulda won too if he hadn’t tripped at the last obstacle. His slides were his downfall.

“So where are you from?” he asked as they laid back cloud gazing. His hands worked to braid her a grass bracelet. Lizzie reminded Omarr of sneaking off with pack members and climbing trees or romping through gardens as a kid. Maybe he felt a connection to her. They didn’t know it yet but they shared something in common: people threw rumors and rocks at Omarr too.

“Did you always know how to do magic? My brother’s trying to teach me. ‘parently, I should be able to but... I haven’t figured it out yet.” He handed her the finished bracelet, “Guess it just doesn’t come as easily for because I’m only half witch.”

x

“I mean, I’ve never had a dad, and he’s never really been one, so it’s… interesting.” Teddy observes with a shrug, legs hardly long enough to reach the water, painted toes in the cool depths below. “He’s doing his best, I think. He apologizes to me a lot.” He admits. “I think because he can? He doesn’t talk to my brother Connor a lot and we were in a similar boat, I guess. Trying to make up for it, or something.” Teddy’s not well versed in the complexities that come from having a father like October, and he’s well aware of that fact. He’s chosen to play it by ear, and come what may, good or bad, be grateful for the experience.

He smiles and takes the other half of the sandwich, biting into it and chewing carefully as Omarr informs him of his own troubles with his father. He’d been told not to bother- but hadn’t Teddy been told the same thing? He wonders if it’s different, somehow. “I knew my dad wasn’t… as bad as he wanted everyone to think.” He starts.

“He donates most of his mortal world income to people in need, outreach programs, rehab centers, the music programs at like, six schools are named after him in the western states because he funds them almost entirely himself. Nobody that… giving, could be terrible all the way down.” He reasons, frowning softly. “I’m sorry about your dad. I do think mine’s trying, yeah.” he nudges Omarr lightly. “But you found your other family, right? Your brother Percy is friends with my dad and all that, and Mr. Len seems nice from what I’ve seen of him. That’s more than nothing. It’s a positive swing.”

xxx

Omarr nodded.

“I understand.”

He enjoyed listening to Teddy speak about his family.

“Well, if he’s ever in Georgia...” Omarr chuckled. It was a joke but also... “My pack back home... We don’t have a lot. But I have my mom and she has me so...” He worried his bottom lip, “We’ve been writin’ letters to each other. She told me our alpha would take care of her but up until now I was supportin’ her financially and... I can’t send her money from here. So I worry even though she tells me not to and that our alpha is taking care of her.” Omarr wasn’t 100% convinced. Their Alpha didn’t go out of their way for his pack all that often; his mother was most likely lying to make Omarr feel better. It wasn’t that Omarr thought his mom couldn’t take care of herself -- that wasn’t it at all. It was just that she deserved nicer things than she had. He offered a shrug at the apology, “Apparently he’s mean and nasty to everyone and has been that way since he was a kid. It’s kinda crazy... How y’can grow up with everythin’ and care so little about nothin’ at all.” 

When you grow up with nothing, like Omarr did, you appreciated everything you had.

Omarr’s face brightened at the mention of Len.

~

Peter still wasn’t sure why he was here or how exactly a 4 foot something girl he barely knew had convinced him that this would be fun, but here he was. He watched as the frisbee went soaring into a tree and the person who had thrown it come over. “I wouldn’t know” he said as he stood and walked over to the tree that had eaten the frisbee to grab onto the lowest branch and pull himself up with ease. He grabbed the stuck frisbee and tossed it back down so that it landed at Omarr’s feet. “I’m not from here.”

xxx

Omarr picked up the frisbee timidly.

“Thank you. -- I’m not from here either. I’m from Georgia. So a long way from home I ‘pose.” He looked up at the man in the tree, attempting to suss out if he was open to continuing this conversation or not. Omarr couldn’t quite tell. “Where are you from?”

-

junior was sitting and playing his instrument when his phone started vibrating, quickly pausing to retrieve it. he’s happy to see omarr calling, and answers, the other man’s face filling his screen. “hello, omarr!” he listens, arching a brow at the situation. “if he simply does not wish to go, i cannot see why he simply couldn’t say that,” he replies with a shrug, “i don’t see anything wrong with being honest.” he glances up to people in the distance, squinting into the sunlight that hits his face. “it’s rather quiet here for now, but the day is still early. the guards at the entrance are rather pleasant. i was lucky that all i brought was my zanfona.” he holds it up to the camera. “some had a lot to look through.”

xxx

“I don’t either.” Omarr shook his head, resting his cheek in a hand. He listened contently as Junior spoke, “Your what? -- Oh.” Omarr laughed when the instrument came into frame. He’d never heard the proper name for it before.

“......Let’s make a pact: if we’re ever upset with each other we gotta talk through it. And not over text or nothin’ like that. -- And t’never go to sleep angry with each other either. I heard that somewhere.”

“So how’s livin’ with your dad?” Omarr asked, sat next to Teddy on one of the docks. He swung his legs, feet kicking gently through the water. “That’s cool you found him.”

They both had found their families, he felt connected to Teddy in that way.

He broke a pb and j sandwich down the middle, offering one half to his new friend.

“I was told not to bother lookin’ for mine. ‘Parently he’s not a good person... My mom always told me to never judge a book by it’s cover except when it came to him. And everyone here seems to think the same way.” a shrug, “You’re dad’s kinda intimidating but he’s a good guy deep down, I think.” October was trying at the very least. Omarr and Percy’s father was not.

His jog slowed to a stop next to the stranger, “Aw, man...” He supposed he could go climb and get it, that wasn’t the issue, “Is this how all y’all’s events are..? S’almost like they’re waitin’ for somethin’ bad to happen...”

“Betchu can’t beat me to the end. We could race!” a smirk, “I’m gonna warn you though, I’m a beast at obstacle courses. Matter fact, actions speak louder than words -- ONETWOTHREEGO.” and off like lightning (and like a little cheater) he sprinted towards the ropes.

They had stuff they needed to work out; Omarr didn’t want to intrude.

Still he sighed, chewing on his bottom lip for a moment before caving and pulling out his phone.

He waited patiently for Junior’s face to appear on his screen. Since he’d taught the man how to use facetime it was Omarr’s preferred way to communicate with him. He liked the lil’ gap between Junior’s teeth.

“Hey.” If his lip jutted out ever so he didn’t notice, pulling off his sun glasses he tossed them onto the dash. He pulled his legs up to his chest in the passenger seat, leaning his head against the headrest. “I might be a lil’ late. My brother and his... friend... are goin’ at it. Cause’ he said he would come with us to the lake but then just... left Percy on read. They’re more than friends. But also not. I dunno.” His gaze finally met Junior’s now, “We really jus’ met and our communication is better than theirs. An’ they’ve known each other for forever-ever.”