The Eagle Has Landed

“Projec-Projecting? I am not projecting” whatever the fuck that meant. “I’m just giving you some advice. Don’t ever think you’re safe from someone deciding you’re not worth keeping. Trust me, it makes it a lot easier when it happens.”  Maybe it won’t be your moms, but it’ll be someone” Just add pasta. That sounded easy. “do you make this stuff a lot?”

Cody paused mulling over the older guy’s words before holding out the jar, “I mean you’re making pasta for somebody, so..someone has to have kept you around at least a while. You can worry about when people are gonna leave or just enjoy the time you got.” He shrugged, “Sometimes, it’s not hard and it feeds everybody. The hard part is just making sure the water doesn’t boil over when the pasta is in the pot. If you’re going fancy garlic bread helps, and they got it in the freezer section.” 

Bianca’s jaw dropped dramatically at his comment about the fire alarm in her kitchen, affecting a look of mock offence on her face before it quickly shifted into one of amusement, and she went right back to smiling at him. For a brief moment, she thought about how she was going to hit Bernard in the arm and jokingly blame him for all of Cody’s sass when she caught up with him about this later, before remembering that they weren’t really making those kinds of jokes at the moment. Which was entirely on her, but still.

“He’s definitely not going to think that you’re lame,” she reassured him, her brain now working on overtime to keep the enthusiasm in her voice up in spite of the fact that the last thing that she wanted to talk about right now was Bernard. But then again, both her and Cody loved Bernard to death, so it really shouldn’t be that surprising that he came up in conversation between them a lot. “If anything, he’s worried that you’re going to grow up to think that he’s lame. What are you getting him a thank you gift for?”

“He might, you don’t know, you’re both,” he trailed off making a vague motion with his hand, “You’re both like super cops and stuff..like you’re cool and have cool friends.” It wasn’t like Cody didn’t think his friends were cool, but like, they were all just regular high school kids. Bianca and Bernard were basically superheroes. “Why would he be worried about that? He schooled everyone in archery at the last campout, though he said you’re even better.” 

He felt his face flush again finishing off his smoothie, “He um..he talked to Mr.Fix from Handy Felix’s. He set up a meeting for us to talk about supplies for my eagle scout project. Which was really productive, we found the proper equipment to get the job done.” He threw in buzz words he’d heard the two use before trying to make himself sound better than he felt. “So like, do you know what he likes, I don’t want to just get him something generic you know?”

Felix’s smile widened a bit as Cody returned the salute. His eyebrows raised as the binder emerged from his backpack. “Ooh, you came prepared!” Cody had done a lot more than most of customers that came to the store, which Felix definitely appreciated. He examined the blueprints, doing some mental math as Cody explained the situation. “Yeah, of course. For this kind of project, hm…” He adjusted his hat as he thought.

He straightened up and shifted into salesman mode as he outlined some options. “Well for materials, cypress is the main go-to for outdoor projects, at least in this part of the country. It’s economically priced, and has some beautiful grain patterns. Ipe is really nice and hardy if you have the budget, but it is expensive. If it’s for a playground garden, plastic-wood composite might be good as it doesn’t splinter, but it’s about the same price as the ipe, and you can’t stain it a different color. Do you wanna go take a look at ‘em?” He pointed a thumb over to the lumber aisles.

“Part of being a Thunder Scout right? Always be prepared,” he joked feeling a bit more at ease around the older man. So far what Bernard had said seemed to be right, Felix came off as nice enough and was taking him seriously which he appreciated. Though Cody soon found his eyes glazing over a bit as the man started listing off various wood types, he tried to keep up but it was a lot of information for him to process. 

Leaving the blueprint out he also grabbed a sheet that had his current budget written out. The rest of the binder he slid back into his backpack and tossed it back over his shoulders. “Uh..yea can we go look? Honestly leaning more towards not splintering, some of the older kids are gonna be part of the build team. Pretty sure splinters are number one nightmare for teachers.” 

Hiro smiled at the reaction he received. Guess he was a bit desperate in finding his way. “Oh I’m a junior as well I actually only go here for a month,” Hiro admitted. “Campus is big so I can understand you getting lost, I’m a bit of a different case.” He had a photographic memory and a high IQ which made everything seem dull and boring. “I met a girl that’s in the same major maybe you know her, her name is Fawn?”

@thefreedeagle​

“Only for a month, how does that work?” Cody asked curiosity getting the better of him. He didn’t really know of anyone else who did that, maybe this guy was Chip smart? He racked his brain trying to think if he knew anybody by that name before shaking his head, “Doesn’t ring a bell, honestly I mostly hang out with like two people, Chip and Penny.”

CODY

Taking in Cody’s ease, her smile widened. Her hands reached down to begin rummaging through her bag, face still tilted towards the younger boy. “Don’t worry for even a second. I spent most of my childhood running around outdoors. Doesn’t take much to convince me to meet outside.” Her smiled turned the slightest bit wistful. “I used to think sunshine and nature could cure any problem.” Wouldn’t it be nice if that was still true.

“Victory!” Finding what she searched for, she pulled out a bright blue plastic container. “You like grapes, don’t you? Everything is better with a snack.” Older sister habits were hard to break. Popping off the lid revealed the deep red color inside, and she extended the box towards him. “I’m grateful for the break. Besides, your teachers are exaggerating. College is all about balance. And you don’t strike me as the type to waste all your time partying,” she teased before pausing to think. She didn’t want to pry but also wanted to be an outlet if Cody needed one. “How has this year at school been for you? Not too stressful?”

“Honestly wasn’t sure how you felt about the outdoors, I only ever see you around Mr. Newhart and Miss Gabor. Usually you’re all dressed up like her,” he explained. Bianca almost always looked fancy to him, which was why seeing her in jeans at one of his games had thrown him, that and Bernard not having a tie on. “Where any of your friends in the scouts?” he asked curiously. 

Cody jumped a bit at her exclamation, more of out of surprise than anything but he still had a small grin at how excited she seemed. At the mention of grapes he nodded a bit more eager than he meant to. “Can’t argue with that logic,” he said as he reached forward and grabbed a few. Leaning back against the bench as they snacked he felt a bit relieved to hear that college wasn’t as bad as his teachers made it out to be. At her teasing he felt his face flush and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “I’m not even sure I know how to party, prom is next year and I don’t even know how that’ll go.” Pausing he chewed on some grapes as he thought over his school year, “Penny has a tutor named Chip who started tutoring me, algebra got a lot harder this year with all the letters,” he complained. 

Chip: really? you sure that will be okay?

Chip: maybe i can tell her we have no room in the fridge for tupperware

Cody: dude my moms are like obsessed with you since the valedictorian thing came out

Happy Pride Month:🖤🤎❤️️🧡💛💚💙💜

Probably treat him to a fancy dinner, you know like thanks for all the tutoring? I’m not sure what counts as fancy tho...oh! And Penny has to come too, we could dress fancy too. Bianca is fancy! I can ask her where we should go. 

🖤- For something they secretly wish they could do with your muse

He doesn’t really know who Posey is other than a bookstore employee.

👁‍🗨- Talk about someone/something you like, but pretend to dislike

He does get a little embarrassed over Bianca and Bernard showing up at his baseball games with face paint and signs. As much as he might jokingly whine at them for being extra he does really love much they care. 

@detectivenewhart @detectivenewhart

☢️- For a controversy or scandal they have been able to keep mostly under wraps

kidnapping tw

🌟- For a secret wish or desire of theirs

For the club to expand successfully, he really wants this to go well. Also for Penny to end up being a detective. He thinks it be really cool if she ended up working with Bernard and Bianca. 

@littledetectivepenny

🍎- For something they secretly wish did exist

So after he escaped and was at the police station, the only two officers on duty who listened to him were Bernard and Bianca. During that night Bernard gave Cody his police jacket, he grew into it as he got older and still has it. It reminds him he has people who look out for him. 

“I’m great. You’re the one who doesn’t seem to understand that they could decide to give you back at any moment. I’m just trying to prepare you for that.” Tobias took the jar from him, “and do I add things to it?”

Glancing at him Cody shrugged, “I mean...yea they could. But if they really wanted to just give me up they woulda when I was like 13.” Biting his lip he gave another shrug, “Sounds more like you’re...” what was that word he learned in therapy, “Projecting?” Shaking his head he turned the jar in his hand, “Not with this one, all the spices are in there. So just add pasta and you’re good.”

“you’re never past the warranty” he shook his head a little, “the red kind, maybe. That’s the standard one right?” 

Cody frowned debating taking the bait on that one, this didn’t feel like a joke anymore. “Are...are you ok?” he asked. Nodding he grabbed a jar of traditional sauce, “Yup, can’t go wrong with the classics.” 

“you mean your place had a no returns policy? interesting” he reached to grab a box of pasta off the shelf, turning it over, investigating it. The pasta on it looked like a bowtie. He said the words so casually one might mistake him for talking about something as mundane as the weather. “You’re right that would be less fun” 

“I’m pretty sure I’m past the warranty at this point,” he replied rubbing the back of his neck. From what little he’d gathered he doubted this guy was cooking for his folks, maybe a partner or something. “So yea, once the pasta is ready you can add on the sauce,” he finished off, “Do you know what kind of sauce the people you’re cooking for usually like?”

“Oh you have one of those that wanted to keep you. Lucky you” he muttered a little, though loud enough for Cody to hear if he wanted to. “Pot, boiling water. Got it.’ he nodded, raising a brow though at the last thing he’d said “Really? You throw noodles?” he wondered if Peter would want to do that. Knowing the older boy he’d probably turn it into a game.

Cody blinked in surprise at the change in tone, “Um yea...technically two moms actually. Perks of being adopted I guess, too much work not to keep me,” he added in going for a joke towards the end. “Yea so like, if it doesn’t stick it’s still not cooked all the way so it just flops to the floor,” pausing he gave a shrug, “You could also just eat the noodle and see if it tastes right, but that’s less fun.” 

“leftovers” he repeated the word, thinking it over in his head. “okay, that’s not a bad idea. leftovers, fantastic.” he repeated the word this time giving a nod along with it as if to say ‘that was that.’ With the plan for making for maybe four there was still one very crucial step left, “but how do I make the pasta?”

“Honestly leftovers somehow always happen with pasta, my mom always makes too much,” he said. Pausing he messed with the pasta in his hands, “Uh so you would need to boil water in a pot, and put the pasta in till it’s ready. You can test it by throwing a noodle at the wall, if it sticks it’s ready.”