orangetoughguy | log post II

It had a dog's face to me. [The kid smiles, knowing the old man appreciated the gesture too. Oh wait what? Fff he hooks his arm securely around the ape so it doesn't drop to the ground.] So where's your prize?

[He's not fishing for compliments, not really...]

My prize?

[He wets his lips, they're feeling dry though he intentionally keeps the action slow nodding to the gorilla and the funny dog holding it.]

Right there. Can't you see?

[The lip wetting does not go unnoticed one bit.]

Light me a smoke will you?

[Point of the exercise, champ. Is it strange that Larry's still just as attracted to him after stepping out of some teenager's paradise?]

No problem.

[Larry takes the liberty of removing the box of smokes from the other man's coat, since his arms are full. He puts it to his mouth first though. Flick. Flick goes his lighter.]

[It shouldn't be strange and anyone who tells Larry otherwise is the real chump.]

Thanks.

[Green eyes are watching, much more earthen and caramel in color than the blue and teal of his new toy.]

[There are a lotta chumps around, more than the champs and chimps.]

Sure.

[Since he's lighting up, the old man gets a first drag. Inhale holding the smoke and getting the full heady feeling of nicotine. Brown eyes meet those green eyes as he exhales, slowly. Larry's not the kind to make smoke rings.]

Like this.

[The kid shapes his mouth just right for smoke ring formation, rounded with pursed lips. He makes a soft quick blowing noise, like a puff.]

[Watching, first for the joy of watching the way his lips move. Then for technique. Okay then. One more puff and he tries it again. Not quite so well, but something rounded comes out at least once.]

Close enough.

[Here, fella. Larry hands over the kid's smoke.]

Keep trying.

[Does that sound familiar? Maybe if ice skates, a stick, and puck were involved. He adjusts his armful to take the cigarette and blow those rings to one side.]

See? [He smiles.]

'Course you gotta make it look so damn easy.

[That sound familiar too? Maybe, maybe not. But hell, looks nice having all that smoke roll out in uniformed formation from the careful set of Freddy's mouth.]

Where'd you pick that up?

[Smoking or his signature trick, pick one.]

I think you'd have a lot more experience in this kinda thing.

[Freddy says in his own--and Larry's own?--defense. Again that mouth purses to form another set of rings.]

School. Someone's brother taught me, said only upperclassmen could do it though. [Obviously this comic book loving kid showed them a thing or two.]

I think it's more of a some people got it, some people don't deal. I can do it once and awhile.

[Though he might be bias, Larry believes that Freddy has the more skilled mouth. The other rings float in the air, real Alice in Wonderland shit. He's great at it.]

Oh yeah? And lemme guess, you were an underclassmen.

Maybe you just gotta practice more, you don't need a cigarette the whole time either. [Yep. That's what the kid says, though he doesn't suggest what else the old man could use.]

Yep. Fuck those playground rules though. I figured it out and did it whenever I wanted to.

I'll practice at home until I know I can show it off for all it's worth. [Not saying how at home either. Though come on, hard not to jump to mental conclusions.]

Your folks didn't know you smoked in high school?

I'll let you know how you're doin' cause it sounds like I'm the expert. [Another green eyed look, the boy is a monster.]

They knew, they could smell it. Never caught me though. [Actually that's a lie but siblings and trace evidence don't count. Look Freddy didn't say they didn't whip him for smelling like cigarettes either....but after the weed incident cigarettes were the lesser of two evils.] And when I was of age it kinda didn't matter anymore you know?

[He shrugs.] My parents weren't squeaky clean role models either.

[He ate Larry's heart, brains...everything, this monster.]

With regular, scheduled practice I hope I should get it easy working with a pro like you.

[Stretching out the ambiguity for all it's worth? Why the fuck not. The old man plucks back the cigarette for a brief inhale. Nothing fancy, just wanted a little more. Or an excuse to put something in his mouth of Freddy's again.]

Lucky break for not gettin' caught. I got caught a few times. Stopped caring though. What's the worst they could do? [After a while all threats sound the same unless they really wail on you.] TV families are, and they make everyone feel like the Cunninghams are right down the block.

[Again green eyes are looking but they're content to save the stretching and yawning and hooding and sucking for home.]

Yeah? What'd you do? Tell'em you didn't give a fuck, tough guy? [He says it like it's a joke but Freddy knows the likelihood is very high.] They sure as hell weren't anything like the Cunninghams.

[The very thought makes Freddy laugh. His family? No way, no matter how small town average kid he might seem.]

[No rush, no rush. They'll get there. Don't want to disappoint those handsome eyes.]

Fuck was a major offense, like the cherry on top of finding you smoking. It's like writing a formal invite. Not to say I didn't ever do it.

[Shrug.]

Your folks though, they seem okay. [Perfectly imperfect.]

[He's looking at Larry less ravenous and more just...dumbfounded. Look he hasn't forgotten the whole teenager between them but seriously? The F-bomb? Come on now, that's just TV Land myth...right?]

Really? So you got your ass handed to you if you said it?

[Not the same as getting beat but for a kid who never had to live through that kind of thing he calls all punishment by the same name. And okay, his folks are okay, but Freddy's less interested in talking about them and more interested in talking about Larry.]

Kind of. It's about proving something. There's a double standard don't you know.

[Surely, Freddy the kid knows what he's talking about.]

Adults can say fuck to one another and to kids. Kids can say it to one another. When kids say it to adults, then it starts a fuss. You don't learn it from no where. Folks say shit.

[Larry waves it off as though he smells something that stinks.]

It all boils down to be the parent's gotta prove they're the law.

My dad would tell me to cut the crap but it's my mom who really threatened to jam the soap in my mouth.

[He gives a humorously solemn nod. before looking at Larry.]

Yeah, I get that.

[They may come from different backgrounds but any kid with parents (at one point or another) can empathize with Mom and Pop Being The Law. Freddy gives Larry a smile and a nudge. No need to get into anything he'd rather not talk about.]

You too? [He sticks out his tongue remembering the taste.] Nasty.

[No matter how old or young you are, you got parents. Larry nudges back.]

Now you gotta watch yourself. [Until he gets kids of his own... more like if. Larry wagers that Freddy would make a great father. The fun kind with comics, games and teaching them right from wrong. There's another nudge of admiration.]

Yeah, me too. [He sways gently with the nudge.] Are you threatening me?

[Freddy puffs cigarette smoke at Larry.]

No. Warnin' you. Don't fall in with a bad crowd. Watch your mouth.

[Now he's got something to wave away from his face. Shit kid. Though he is reaching for a smoke of his very own.]

Then you're really gonna get in trouble.

You like my mouth.

[He says around his cigarette with complete confidence...and a tip of his Iron Man cap.]

log post II

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