Characters: Apple Evans and Brian Redd Setting: The new book store! Rating: SFW Summary: Brian goes to the book store to buy supplies, Apple is investigating the book store
Apple was interested in investigating this new book store so with his ukulele slung over his shoulder he walked through the aisles checking out some of the new merchandise. He wanted to check out the magical creatures section first and foremost, unfortunately for Apple his short attention span backfired on him again and he was distracted by self-stirring cauldrons.
Not paying attention to the people around him he bumped into a freshman he didn't quite recognize. "Whoa, sorry bro," he laughed taking a step back and brushing the other kid's shoulder. "I gotta start paying better attention or something," he grinned.
three box of gloves, three bottle of cleaning solution, three little bottles of hand sanitizer...Frankly it was all getting rather hard to juggle. His attention focused so entirely on this task that he wasn't aware that Apple was there until someone bumped into him, and his collect tumbled out of his hands.
Staring at the mess, he wasn't even sure what to say to the other kid. Particularly when he touched him.
Opening his mouth he turned to look at Apple, words escaping his grasp as he tried to think of how to speak to this stranger. He'd just patted him on the shoulder, and was smiling like there was nothing wrong...
"Oh, sorry bro," he bent down and put his uke on the floor to collected the things that Brian had dropped. "You might need a basket or something little man," he said handing over the gloves and cleaning solution. "You got some heavy duty cleaning to do man?" he asked with a silly grin.
"Uh, I...Uh..." He had words, he knew he had words. And yet they wouldn't come to his mind. He wanted protest, to tell the kid not to touch him, anything. Except he couldn't because he was trying so very hard to not let the boxes the boy had touched fall against his face.
"Chill little bro," Apple said easily. "Let me help you carry these to the register at least. You in a hurry?" he asked straighting out with the rest of Brian's spilled merchandise and his own ukulele.
"Brian." He corrected, before turning toward the register. He didn't really have anywhere to go, but he wanted to at least get a chance to wipe down the other items before he carried them back to his room. After all, who knew what sort of illnesses this other boy was carrying.
"Brian," he repeated the boy's name. "I'm Apple," he said following him to the register and carefully putting his things on the register. This kid needs to chill. Wonder if he smokes...
Apple laughed easily. He had heard that plenty of times. "Yeah, I know," he said rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm kind of a funny kid though, I guess," he grinned. "I spent half my life on a commune so it comes along with the territory," he grinned.
"Rienzi house man," he answered. "Place is off the hook, you should stop by sometime. Rager parties like every weekend."
"....A commune? Like...cult things?" Brian stared, hands rubbing the sanitary cloth between them vigorously. He didn't know you could grow up in cults! That sounded terrible!
"P-parties? I, I don't do...I don't do well with parties. I...I only go if, if someone...someone special is there." It wasn't as if Alex would try to drag him there, after all.
"Nah man, it's not a cult thing at all. It's just people living together and helping each other out. It's like getting raised by a village," he explained. "Hippies and no electricity," he grinned.
"Ahh little bro it's not so bad, you just gotta get out and give it a shot you know? It's not so bad once you get used to it."
"Course I bathed! Out door showers man, very eco friendly," he nodded.
Apple tried to fight the little grin sneaking up on him but he couldn't help it. "Nah, nah, that's not quite how it works. Everyone gets a little cold every once and again, it's healthier for you if you do," he laughed. "Have you checked out those little pocket sanitizers?" he asked.
"....That isn't very safe. Some fungus could start to eat your skin!" He'd seen a documentary about that sort of thing once. Wasn't very good at all.
"I know...about sanitizers. I have plenty." Ug, was if he wouldn't have it. What did this Apple think he was doing right now? "I...I don't like people though. And I don't like colds. Germs are bad."
"It's perfectly safe! And sanitary! Just gotta wash it up to make sure no fungus starts growing," he shrugged. "I've never even had athlete's foot," he said proudly.
"Yeah, I mean... these are cool but there are these little tiny ones that you can clip to your jeans or your key ring," he tried to explain. "Germs are completely natural man," Apple said shaking his head. "Why don't you like people though?"
He disagreed, but it was clear that there would be no changing of Apple's mind. Better to let it go as he reached for his wallet to pay for his goods.
"People....they, they don't understand me." And that was all there was to say about that, as he got his change. Carefully he wiped down ever coin before slipping into his pocket, long beyond caring what Apple thought.
"You're just very... unique," Apple said shoving his free hand into his pocket. He wasn't very good at picking up on social cues at all. "We all have our little things, you know?"
"...yeah. Sure, that's what everyone says." Before they play a game with harassing him. Seeing how many times they can get him to restack something they knocked over. Timing how long it takes him to get through a door. Heh. Funny, all that. "What is your little thing?"
"Everyone is different though," he replied with a little grin. Sure Brian seemed like an odd kid, but he seemed like a nice odd kid who probably had to deal with a lot of shit from asshole kids.
"I have a ton of little things," he said thoughtfully. "Like... I count stuff, like ceiling tiles, floor tiles, patterns or textures, paper clips," he shook his head a little. "I can't help myself," he admitted a bit ruefully.
"...Different. But not like me." He fidgeted in the place he stood, looking one way and then the other before focusing on Apple again. "Why are you so nice?" Alex was nice, but even that wasn't as nice as it could be. It was more like his roommate...put up with him.
"I count stuff. I like to have things in threes. Nine is the best number though. Three sets of three." And though he didn't think that Apple's 'can't help myself' was quite the same, it was nice to hear.
"I just don't get mean, you know what I mean? I've never been mean, I just don't think I have it in me," he shrugged it off.
"I like evens," he admitted. "If something isn't even it damn near kills me," he laughed lightly. "Threes is a good number too though," he nodded. "It's got historical, religious, and magical significance. Pretty cool shit."
"Everyone has that in them," Brian suggested, gathering up his things from the counter and looking at Apple curiously.
"Three is a good number." He said with a nod as he started to walk. "Triangles have three sides, and they are strong. They hold up bridges. Can't build a bridge without a triangle." At least, he didn't think you could. Not a very good one, at least.
"...why do you call be 'little bro'?" He asked, stopping at the door to look at Apple in all seriousness. It was like a weird mix of the other names he'd been given over the years, but strange to have acquired it so quickly. "It...isn't because I'm short, is it?"
Pausing for a moment, again, he spoke more in a more curious tone than he had before. "What...do you do for fun?"
"Oh no!" he said quickly. "It's not that at all, I used to be short when I was a fresher so I know it sucks. I just call everyone bro and you're younger so like... little bro. I even call my lady friends bro," he laughed lightly.
"Tons of things," he said brightly. "I play my ukulele, I do yoga, I hike, swim, and do martial arts. I could probably get into anything. What do you do for fun?" he asked enthusiastically.
"I...like to clean." It was rather simple and straight forward. And the abundant supplies in his bags was proof he did it often enough. "It makes me feel good. Sort of." It didn't really make anything better, and it was more effort to not clean than to clean...
But that was all more complicated than Apple needed to hear.
Apple nodded. He wasn't sure what to say to that but he figured with all the cleaning materials it made sense. "That makes sense," he nodded slowly. Sure it was probably far more complicated but no matter.
"There's probably plenty of cleaning to do in a freshman boys dorm, huh?" he asked.
"Yeah. In any dorm. Can't let people get sick." He was repeating himself in a way, but it was true. "I don't like germs. It is terrible, and all sorts of things could happen. You could get the black plague."
"That's very noble of you," he said smiling warmly. "Kids can be assholes, not cleaning up after themselves and stuff."
He rubbed the back of his neck and looked over at Brian. "The black plague eh? I didn't know you could still get that. I thought it died out with like... the Knights Templar," he grinned.
"Someone has to clean." He said with an assured nod. If no one did it, then dust would collect. And then they would be sick, from who knew what!
"No, it is still here. Last year it was reported in Oregon, and there had been several documented cases of the bubonic plague in Peru. Because fleas carry the plague the only way to wipe it out is to kill every flea! And if you get it, it kills 2 out 3 people in a matter of four days if left untreated." Which, really, how many people would figure out what it was in time? It was a dangerous illness, without doubt.
"That's true," he nodded. Actually... he was probably guilty of not cleaning up after himself occasionally. He also figured his organic and "green" cleaning supplies would just freak the kid out, so he let it drop.
"Wow," Apple said, his eyes going wide. "That's some crazy shit," he shook his head. "Though getting rid of fleas would be pretty beneficial," he shrugged. "All they do is bother cats and dogs and spread the bubonic plague." There were some creatures on the planet that he would never understand.
"You like to do anything else though? Other than clean?"
"Uh, I like those pick your adventure books! And...video games. I have all the Assassin Creed ones, and the Dragon Age games." He looked at Apple curiously. "Do you like video games? I mean...maybe we could play together. Sometime."
After he showered properly, and promised to not touch things. He could use more friends, really.
"If you wanted t-to, I...I...I don't know how good of company I-I am."
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