milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Faith's not certain what Kitty's plans for Edmund entail, but the phrase Won't be back for a while probably means it's gonna be good fun for both of them.

Never one to stand in the way of romance or intercourse, she has agreed to take Ed's bartending shift for the night.

Which is why she's behind the bar, clad in a very short red leather miniskirt and matching (backless) halter top, nervous and trying to hide it.

The specials board reads as follows:

Pyro

Nitro

Mad Bomber

Absent Friend

Non-alcoholic Special: Hot chocolate

What'll it be?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well, that's a good thing. Lot of people don't have that."

Faith studies him for a second, head cocked to the side. "You OK, kid?"

Todd nodded, "I-I'm fine. Just been thinking. I'm really close with one of them, but um, I think there's something else there. B-But it shouldn't be, or it's not normal."

....oh. Oh dear.

Faith's expression softens. "What year are you from, honey?"

"Uh, it's 1960 now where I'm from. I go to Welton Academy in Vermont." He replied, and then said, "But what does that have to do with this?"

"Kind of a lot."

Faith smiles at him, faintly. "Your friend's a guy?"

He stared at her in wonderment about that.

Todd blinked, "Uh, yes... how did you know?"

Faith sighs.

"Because people in general are stupid, and tend to think there's something wrong with two members of the same sex liking each other, when it's perfectly natural - it happens with penguins for goodness' sake."

Todd blinked a few times with disbelief at that.

"Uh, really? Penguins?"

He then shook his head, "There is something wrong. My parents have a plan for me, and it includes marrying a nice girl, and raising a family." Then again, their plans included him becoming another businessman like them, and not a writer and poet like he now wanted. So how is this that much different?

But it's strange, and not right. It's men and women. Not men and men.

He sighed, and admitted, "I'm really confused."

Faith tilts her head to the side. "...what's your name?"

Todd then blinked, realizing his rudeness.

"Oh, forgive me, miss. Uh, it's Todd, Todd Anderson. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Todd. I'm gonna give you a little advice. You can feel free to take it or ignore it, it's up to you. You ready?"

Todd simply nodded, listening intently.

Faith leans over, her expression serious.

"Fuck your parents."

Todd blinked and stammered, "Wh-what?"

"Fuck. Your. Parents," Faith says, enunciating each word carefully. "Bringing you into the world does not give them to right to dictate to you what you do once you're in it. Legally, maybe it does, to a certain point, but once you're of age, what they have planned for you matters about as much as a fart in a tornado. It's your life, Todd. Not theirs. Do what you want with it, even if what you want includes running way to Paris and taking up with a hairdresser named Phillipe."

Todd shook his head, "No, you don't understand. Things are different. My parents expect me to be as great as my brother, as them. I'm supposed to be like every other Anderson, and follow their footsteps. My friends are the same way. We're supposed to be bankers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen and so on. They plan out our entire lives."

He added fiercely, getting fired up as he does when he's passionate about something, "But it doesn't matter now. I'm here, and I'm not ever going back there. The door doesn't exist for me. So I don't have to follow their plan. I can write stories and poetry."

Faith grins at him.

"Writer, huh? Good for you! I bet you're good at it. I never was. Play piano though."

Todd stammered and blushed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, I'm just starting out. People have liked my stuff so far."

He added, "Oh, you do? My parents had me take lessons, but I wasn't very good."

"I'd like to read it sometime, if you don't mind?"

She shrugs, faintly. "Yeah, my mother mostly let me take lessons to keep me out of her hair. She...she didn't...she drank a lot. Didn't have much time for anything else, including me."

Todd nodded, "Oh, right. Yes. Sure. When I get better with it, I, I'll do that."

He then listened to her quietly. It sounded horrible.

He then quietly said, "My parents weren't exactly like that, but they, they ignore me mostly. Except to give me instructions. Expect me to be more like my brother. He did well in school, and he's a successful businessman now in my father's company. So I've had a lot to live up to."

Faith snorts softly.

"I never met my father. Don't know if I have any relatives left - mother drank herself to death when I was 11. Sounds to me, though, like your parents expect you to give up your happiness to suit them. And, well, as I said, fuck that. Upside down and backwards. With a rusty trowel."

"Uh, right... Sorry about your family though," Todd stared at her. Strange young woman with a strange way of talking. Again the few girls he saw wouldn't talk like that either.

Faith shrugs.

"That woman was not family. She was a relative. There's a difference."

Todd nodded, "I see. Sorry."

He still fretted a bit, "But you said before that, what I'm feeling. It's not strange or weird? I mean, what if I tell him, and he gets upset, or he likes me too, what then?"

"It's not strange. Or weird," Faith repeats, calmly and firmly. "You're friends, at the very least, you care about him. If he doesn't feel the same, I'll be...somewhat surprised, actually, as you strike me as somebody it's pretty easy to care about. He might not, it's possible, and if he doesn't...if you're really good friends, you'll deal with it. And if he likes you too, you'll have something pretty damn good."