Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) [Odion]

[Rhett Goddard]

Rhett had been awfully cryptic to Odion that morning. He sent very short text message to his cellphone, only including an address in Pilot Ridge and a time in the afternoon. Four o'clock. He would have written something like "meet me there", but to him it was pretty obvious that the message meant that. He considered adding a "don't be late", but he didn't want to hurt the time controller's feelings by reminding him how bothersome the secondary effects of his abilities could be. He could have called to make sure the ginger wasn't going to be busy at that time, but Rhett knew beforehand that Odion didn't have any class at that time, and he trusted, or hoped, maybe, that any other appointment the ginger had at the time would be postponed by Rhett's sudden request. He didn't really had too much ground on why he was so sure that Odion would do this for him, but one of the perks of having extrasensory perceptions is that you don't always need to know the why, you just need to know, or feel like you know, and period. In other words, trusting your gut, which in Rhett's case, was right pretty much most of the time, thanks to the services of his metahuman ability.

The direction was near Pilot Ridge's downtown, in a quiet residential area. Exactly, the direction was that of a small family-run cafe in a corner, where Rhett was sitting and drinking a cold frappé coffee while waiting for Odion. He had been sitting there for just a few minutes, but he was about to finish his frappé already, not because he had drunk it fast, but because he had bought it about twenty minutes ago or so as he finished some errands in a neighboring building, which he wanted to have finished before Odion arrived, and luckily he did just in time. Now it was just about waiting the red-haired.

[Odion Martins]

“What the hell?” Odion asked himself, sitting on the small bed in his dorm room. Rhett had been the last person he texted in the middle of the night, saying sweet nothings, and now he decided to be all cryptic. The redhead sighed, throwing the phone onto the bed and falling back into the pillows. Things were complicated, but they couldn’t be more right. Odi just wasn’t used to having feelings for someone who he had worked so hard to stay at bay with, not wanting things to get personal. He just didn’t want to be hurt, but that happened anyways when Rhett left for America.

Odion smiled, his hands behind his head. The blonde had apologized for that and he would forever remember it, something he had been waiting years to hear. Odi couldn’t concentrate in his classes, he was looking forward to whatever Rhett had in mind for them that afternoon. He checked his phone again, both to make sure he was on track with time, and to see if his friend had said anything else. Was Rhett still his friend? Odion sighed, putting his phone away. Nothing was official or anything, he only knew how he felt about the blonde.

During his spare, Mr. Martins slipped on his sweater (or was it Rhett’s?) over a navy blue shirt that brought out his dark blue eyes. He wasn’t sure what the occasion called for, so he opted for a more casual comfy look, jeans and a pair of black converse as he strolled through Pilot Ridge. America had its surprises, but what was special about it was the familiarity of the blonde Odi was now searching for.

Fashionably late, Odion easily found the location specified in the text, five minutes after four. People were just getting off work, and the redhead smiled at all of them. He was happy, had been for about a month now. Rounding the corner, Odi spotted a familiar face shielded by a coffee cup. “Hey,” he said, sitting across from Rhett at the small table, not apologizing for being late. In fact, the older boy should be glad Odion hadn’t completely lost track of time. His being here would speak for itself – the ginger was excited for this mystery date.

“Why didn’t you get me one?” He teased. Some things never change.

[Rhett Goddard]

From the second Odion stepped in the hundred meters radius around Rhett, he knew the ginger had arrived. Rhett had been wondering why his ESP activity seemed to spike whenever Odion was around. It just seemed odd, but after giving it careful thought, it wasn't that out of nowhere since the first time his ability appeared, he was with Odion, back in Italy. The next two following weeks, he had spent them with Odion too, and it was during that time that his ability also got worse to the point where the secondary effects became unbearable and he passed out, curiously, next to the ginger as well. Coincidence? Rhett had been started to think that, maybe, it was not, but he lacked knowledge as to why this happened, to why Odion was apparently a trigger to his Extrasensory Perception, so he just let it aside to think again, and maybe research, later.

"Because I knew you'd be late." Rhett answered as soon as the other boy sat down. He looked at his watch. "Five minutes, but you're forgive just this time." He sucked through the straw what remained of his frappe and after placing it strongly in the table, he stood up. "Come'on, let's go."

He beckoned Odion to follow him and started walking on the sidewalk. It was weird like most of the time they seemed to behave like they always did even if they had been "dating" for a little less than a month now or so. It seemed like months ago, though, specially since after the whole Trouble ordeal he had to spent two weeks on detention, but they were over now. They had never defined if they were friends or something more, though, but the dating part was at least clear to both of them, even if it only surfaced when they were alone or at least within decent privacy, unlike their first kiss. Rhett didn't think, though, that Odion wanted that last part to change, even if homosexuality seemed to be respected enough on Pilot Ridge, Rhett just didn't feel like being the center of attention and he had somehow decided that Odion agreed with him.

"Had you been in this area before?" The question became useless just after he asked it, as the answer appeared in his mind immediately. He said nothing about it, nonetheless, and instead waiting for Odion's answer as they walked. "I hadn't, honestly, until a few days ago. It's so boring and quiet. Most of these buildings are residential, but apparently everyone has a car, so few to no pedestrians and even in rush hour, there are not that many cars in the street. The nearest bus route is two streets away." He pointed in one direction, and then in another one. "And over there, a small park. Quite cute and green and such."

[Odion Martins]

Odion pulled the small golden ‘girly’ watch from the sweater’s pocket, looking at it suspiciously. He couldn’t have been that late, and he was about to retort to Rhett’s being snarky, but the blonde beat him to it. The younger boy looked up at the blonde as he stood, confused. “This isn’t the destination?” He asked, rising as Rhett had, following him closely. He grinned, “Why do I always follow you?” He asked with good intentions, feeling a little flirtatious as he usually did when around Rhett. Odion was unaware of the effect he had one the blonde’s powers – there were a lot of things that hadn’t been shared between the two.

Rhett hadn’t been happy for some time now, and he hadn’t seen Odion in a while. Unless the stolen glances between the two of them during detention could count. In his mind, Odi didn’t see that as quality time, but the blonde knew he was there should he ever need anything. He was thinking about stealing Trouble back somehow, but that was still in the making.

Nodding a couple times, Odion glanced around the small townhouses. “Not much to do at school, I’ve seen most of the town already,” he said simply, a little disappointed. This was Rhett’s plan? It seemed odd to the redhead, especially from Rhett. The blonde just didn’t seem like the sentimental type. Odion was a patient boy though, especially when time wasn’t an issue. Awkward silence was nonexistent in his world, and he simply paid all the more attention to Rhett, trying to figure out what the point to all this was.

They walked side by side, Odion’s hands in his sweater’s pockets, touching the tiny clock. “If it’s so boring, why did you bring me here?” He asked trying to see what was special about the area. His curiosity was getting the best of him. “You’re not going to kill me and try to get away with it are you?” He asked, a crooked smile on his face. Okay, so he wasn’t the most suave guy on the block, but he was charming. In that strange, Odion way.

[Rhett Goddard]

"You probably like eating my dust? Or you just probably like my backside." For the smallest of seconds Rhett smirked as he said that.

Kill you? He almost laughed. It was a weird thought. It was an obvious joke, but he thought about it for a bit. Rhett didn't picture himself killing someone, even if he had actually thought that he would make a very good super-villain in a comic version of the real world, which actually wasn't too far from reality, and metahumanity was the proof of this. Still, he shook the thought off, a long time would have to pass first before he could become a super-villain, if such destiny awaited him, anyway.

"Not yet." He said softly as they approached some tall buildings.

In one corner, a tall building towered among the all other ones. Perhaps the taller in the vicinity with ten floors. Rhett beckoned Odion once again and they both crossed the street. Taking some keys from his pocket, he unlocked and opened the front door, letting Odion enter first. The lobby was simple, a sofa, a coffee table and the elevator in the opposite end. The place seemed rather grim, but Rhett was notoriously excited, even exhibiting a broad smile as they walked through it, and yelling "anxiety" in his body language. He didn't remember how the ginger had told him to not hide himself from him the night Trouble was taken away, but apparently, Rhett's subconscious did remember.

"Come'on. Top floor." He said as he entered the elevator and pushed the button numbered 11.

Rhett had always thought elevator waiting time was rather soothing and peaceful, but his anxiety at the moment had transformed into hyperactivity and he started playing with his fingers while they waited. He glanced at Odion besides him. A combination of the dim elevator lights and his restlessness somehow made him conclude that the time controller looked more handsome than usual. Turning his body towards him, Rhett let out a quick smile, approached him and gave the younger boy a soft kiss in the lips just before the doors opened with a bell-like sound in the eleventh floor. Quickly grabbing Odion's hand, he led them outside and into the small hallway. Not too many steps later, the blonde opened the door labeled 11C with another key taken from his pocket and closed the door after they both were inside.

Dropping Odion's hand he took some steps deeper into the area. It was a small empty loft with a small kitchenette on one side, a laundry area next to it and an open door with a small bathroom in the opposite end, just next to two large windows that went from floor to ceiling and led into a balcony.

"So? What you think?" Rhett finally asked after letting Odion take a good look at the place.

[Odion Martins]

Odion laughed quietly, unsure of what to say. He would sooner agree with the latter, dust didn’t taste very good. Rhett stifled laughter and the redhead sighed. Only once in a blue moon did the blonde laugh, which was a pity. The two of them had been through some pretty rough times: lack of food, shelter, and running into some bad people just to name a few, but they had managed to survive. It seemed a little anticlimactic to die at Rhett’s hands. “You wouldn’t get away with it,” Odion said, repeating what he said earlier. “Besides, you’d miss me too damn much.”

There was nothing that spectacular about the building they were approaching, both of them had seen far better. It look almost like an apartment, but Odion couldn’t be sure. He smiled as he passed Rhett, holding the door open for him. How gentlemanly the ginger thought to himself, his hands still in his pockets as he surveyed the interior decorations. How had Rhett managed to steal the keys to this place anyways? He glanced over at the older boy, who was grinning like an idiot. “What is with your face?” He teased, a small grin on his own. He couldn’t help it; seeing the other boy smile was contagious.

Odion stepped into the elevator with Rhett, watching as the number eleven lit up, and then promptly died. At least the elevator was moving in the direction it was supposed to. The blonde had never been this nervous, Odi didn’t need to be an empath or be able to read people really well in order to know that. He just knew Rhett really well, at least he thought he did. His old mate kept throwing new things into the mix that were only serving to confuse and intrigue Odion. Today would be a prime example of that. Rhett was usually calm, cool, and collected, not jittery and smiling. The ginger looked at him from the corner of his eye, catching his eye, a subtle smile passing over his face. He had a feeling today was going to be a good one.

A moment later and a tender kiss was placed over his lips, and Odi didn’t have time to respond as he jumped from the elevator noise. Damn thing. Someone could have been standing right there, and the redhead let himself be dragged out of the elevator, his heart in his throat. A pause, another door and another set of keys – Odion was starting to assume a lot of things. Rhett released his hand and the younger boy tried to grab it back, but the blonde was too excited to show him around the small apartment. So Odi had been right at least, maybe he would be right again.

Odion wandered around, letting his hands trail against the barren wall until he reached one of the picturesque windows. Instead of answering Rhett he unlatched the door that lead to the balcony, resting his forearms on the wooden ledge. The view was lovely, spanning other houses – quaint. A happy smile was on his face and he turned to see Rhett standing there, watching him. Odion leaned towards him and pulled him outside, onto the balcony, his face mere inches away from the others. “I like it,” he said simply, “I like it a lot.”

“But what’s the occasion?” He asked, a knowing grin on his face. Odion knew what was going on, but he wanted Rhett to say it. “Spell it out for me.”

[Rhett Goddard]

"What for?" Rhett said after he was pulled into the balcony, looking at the ginger's blue eyes from just a couple of centimeters away. "A word to the wise is sufficient."

Passing his arms around the younger boy, latching fingers behind him, with the town as background from an eleventh floor, it finally hit him. There was a knot in Rhett's throat, a tickling feeling his stomach and a bliss-like feeling in his chest. He really liked Odion. Even if he didn't know why, even if he wasn't sure where the feelings were coming from. But did it matter? At the moment, it didn't. He quickly remembered life before Odion, he quickly remembered Talen, and then quickly remembered life before Hammel. How was it this had never happened before? Somehow he and Odion seemed so natural and obvious, that all the time where they were just partners/rivals/friends/whatever looked... strange. Illogical.

"I did some research, and Hammel students over the age of eighteen can move out." Rhett made sure his nose touched that of other boy's. "So this, as obvious as it is, is mine." Without removing his grip on the ginger, or pulling the slightest away from him, Rhett pushed Odion back until the wooden ledge stopped them softly. "Well it's a rent. Had enough to pay for the following months already, so I did. Long term, though, I'll, most likely, have to figure it out. And I will." Rhett now made sure it was his forehead touching Odion's. "As a matter of fact, I will actually have to get a job so Hammel knows where the money comes from."

The thought of getting a job didn't bother him much, though. He had concluded if it was for this, it was worth it. A big mattress on the floor in one side of the room, a rug, a small table, some chairs. And Trouble. He didn't really wanted more than that. It was all he needed, and more importantly, all he wanted. In his head, it was as perfect as perfect could get.

And yet, this particular moment too, also felt perfect too.

And it was.

"Je te veux avec moi, Martin." The words flowed softly from his mouth in his natural accent. "Sois mon petit ami."

[Odion Martins]

Odion smiled brightly as Rhett held him, waist to waist. The blonde was giving him a look the redhead had never seen before, and he had to admit he would give just about anything to read the older boy’s mind. Odion’s eyes searched the others carefully, as though egging him on to say something, anything. The ginger had a thing, a fetish almost, for trying to figure people out, and if there was anyone he wanted to know inside and out, it was Rhett. Unlike his long time friend though, he wasn’t thinking about the past. He was embracing the moment, another side effect of his powers, but at least he could live life to the fullest.

Their noses touched perfectly and despite their age difference, both teens were of the same height. Listening contentedly, Odion let the information sink in, becoming a bit anxious as Rhett took control, his breath caught in his throat as he hit the edge of the balcony. Odi didn’t know what to say. Rhett was getting a job to keep this place legally, and the younger boy was hoping that whatever plans the blonde had, that they included him. Their foreheads pressed and Odion swore he could tell what was coming next, an electric connection happened between the two.

His hopes having been confirmed, Odion bit his bottom lip as he lit up like a Christmas tree, the excitement ripping through his body like jolts of lightning. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what to do, and a rush of emotion left tears in his eyes. He smirked upon thinking he really was girly. He also wondered if this is what he had wanted all along from Rhett. Maybe not this relationship exactly, but something meaningful and real, something more than simply pickpocketing and keeping each other at arms length. Still, he wouldn’t change this moment for any other, and the same went for Rhett. “Je me veux avec soi, Rhett,” Odion said easily, tenderly, like he had been waiting a lifetime to say it.

The next set of words and actions were rushed, Odion wrapping his arms around Rhett, sealing the space between their lips with a passionate kiss, pulling away slightly to say, “Je suis ton petit ami, si tu veux que je sois.” He quickly kissed Rhett again, and again. Suddenly the world around them didn’t matter, and Odi couldn’t be happier. He hoped the blonde felt the same way.

[Rhett Goddard]

So now they were boyfriends. Petits amis... It sounded so weird in Rhett's mind. Not in a million years he could have imagined he would be in a steady relationship. Not in two million years he would have thought it was going to be with Odion. The world had turned upside down. His world had turned upside down, and the prove of this was the fact that he liked it. He was not uncomfortable at all with all these changes, he liked them. He liked Odion. And he liked the way he was suddenly giving him a shower of random kisses. If he could look at himself, he would see how blushed he was because of this, and he would also see that automatic smile that had formed in his face due to Odion.

"Ok. Guess it's official then." He finally said after Odion was done kissing him, which felt like it lasted for ages. "I... eh..." He unlatched his hands behind his boyfriend's back and instead searched for his hands to grab them. "I also asked around and..." Rhett looked away for a small fraction of second, but looked at the blue eyes in front of him quick enough. He was hesitating on whether or not to continue this sentence. "Students are also allowed to have sleepovers. I'm only getting one bed, though."

There. Subtlety. Odion had to understand that, right? Dieu, I shouldn't have said that! Rhett was already regretting saying that. He was subtle, yes, but it was just too straightforward at the same time. Not some minutes being boyfriends and he was already hinting sleeping together? Maybe he shouldn't let this new Rhett take control of everything all the time. Old Rhett would have never said or hinted something like that, old Rhett wouldn't have wanted something like that even when hormones got the best of him. He shrugged mentally, it was done and there was nothing to do about.

"Well anyway, I was going to take advantage of the afternoon and go downtown to buy a bed and whatnot" Rhett dropped Odion's hand and walked back into the indoors area. "So everything here's ready for when Hammel paperwork is done and I move out." He stopped midway towards the exit while taking his keys out of his pocket, playing with them. "Want to go with me?"

[Odion Martins]

Odion was truly happy that Rhett hadn’t shied away from his affection, and was also pleased at the blush on the tops of his cheeks as he became flustered with his words. It was sweet, he was sweet, this whole thing was and the ginger was truly enjoying himself and his company. Rhett, his boyfriend – wow. Odi nodded once when Rhett said they were official, a goofy grin spread across his face and made his freckles stretch. Not like there was anyone to share the news with, but that was alright with him. Odion had never been big on spreading news anyways.

His hands left the blonde’s waist and entered into his, and Odi grasped them gently. Odion waited expectantly for what the other boy had to say, his eyes never straying although the older boy’s had. It was strange, he had never noticed the various flecks of grey dancing around that made up Rhett’s eyes. They were mesmerizing, and he liked them even better when they were looking back at him. A crooked smile popped onto Odion’s face, a knowing look in his deep blue eyes. “I guess we’ll be snuggling on said sleepovers then,” he said, licking his lips.

A look of regret passed over Rhett’s face, and Odion watched him walk back into the loft. He went inside as well, shutting the door behind him, locking it. Odi approached his boyfriend and took the keys, putting them in his own pocket, the necklace and keys clinking together. “Thank you for asking this time, instead of assuming I’d follow,” he lifted the others hands to his lips, kissing the finger joints, his eyes never leaving the blonde’s. “You were never one for subtlety though, Goddard, you and I have always simply spoken our minds, and you can’t think I’m stupid enough not to catch on to your wanting to fuck me.

“But I think the whole, ‘let’s get a bed’ together is cute, so let’s go,” he said, releasing Rhett so he could process what he just said. Hormones played only a small part of his speech, the rest was simply truth. Odion was a virgin, in every sense of the word, but he always acted like he knew what he was doing, and this was no different. He liked Rhett, more than the older boy knew, and he was enjoying getting to know the young man, who was now his. Odion reached the door which lead to the hallway and opened it for the blonde, waiting for him patiently, a devilish smile on his face. “I’ll lock up.”

[Rhett Goddard]

At first Rhett was slightly glad Odion didn't took the opportunity to throw some snarky comment at his "proposal", which reflected in the way he sighed. But Rhett had to know it just couldn't be that easy with him, and his following words made Rhett clearly facepalm himself. Yes, even if Odion had agreed, he was totally regretting saying anything about it.

"It's not like that!" It wasn't. "I don't want to fuck you." Actually, the initial proposal, how it sounded in Rhett's head first, was about sleeping and spending the time together. "I mean. I don't not want to either, I'd..." Maybe it was time to stop talking. "You know, I'll just shut up. You're not getting sleepovers here."

He was kidding, of course, which Odion probably knew. Noticing his keys were no longer in his position, he silently complied to Odion and walked out of the apartment. After the ginger was done closing the door, Rhett snatched his keys back and placed them safely back in his pocket.

"Trouble will keep me company anyway." Rhett said as they walked towards the elevator, pushing the button as soon as he arrived. "He's a night farter but he is still probably better company than any ginger..." He knew it was going to sound weird, but he carried on anyway. "...boyfriend."

[Odion Martins]

”It’s not like that!” Odion grinned, “Right.” Rhett still tried to explain himself, but he was only digging himself a deeper hole. He chuckled as the blonde gave up and went through the door, Odi checking him out as he passed. He shrugged, locking the door. “Suit yourself,” he said, still laughing to himself. He liked seeing Rhett so flustered and rendered speechless, it didn’t happen often, but it was something the ginger was looking forward to doing again. Sometimes he could be such an ass.

The keys were snatched away again and Odion held his smile, giving Rhett a sideways glance as they waited for the elevator. He knew he had been bugging Rhett a lot, but if sex wasn’t on the blonde’s mind, then what was? Maybe he liked Odion more than the ginger knew as well. He raised an eyebrow, laughing now as the elevator dinged to life and slid open with some effort.

“You’d pick a farting dog over me? How insulting,” he said as they entered the elevator, Odion pushing ‘M’ for main floor. The ginger looked at Rhett, and smiled, feeling proud for some reason. Proud to have him in his life again, proud to be here standing with him, and proud that he had been asked out, not the other way around. “I’d pick you over anything,” he said as the elevator reached their floor. He meant what he said, and had proved it many times over. He was trying to be sweet, but he wasn’t going to apologize for being blunt before.

Stepping out of the elevator, Odion held the doors open for Rhett once more and waited for the both of them to be outside before speaking again. “I didn’t think you’d get so flustered, despite how adorable it was. I thought I was the one without experience,” he said, wondering if Rhett was going to change the subject again as they set foot once more into Pilot Ridge.

[Rhett Goddard]

Rhett entered the elevator behind Odion, nodding at the fact that Trouble was over the ginger in this matter. At least Trouble's not being too snarky. The time controller's next words, though, brought back the fluffy environment of before, that one Rhett kept trying to deny to himself that he was starting to enjoy like if it were an addictive drug. Then again, a little red devil in Rhett's right shoulder kept telling him that Odion should not be left alone. Even if he's just so... Rhett bit his lip and refrained himself from continuing that thought.

"God, Martin." He said leaning to the elevator's wall after Odion was done talking. "Really? You're such a girl, you know." He raised an eyebrow at the ginger as he let out a soft smile. "Should I have said girlfriend instead back there?"

Ok, maybe he couldn't be this bad on purpose anymore. Not with Odion. He liked that Odion could be so... what was the word, anyway? sensitive? adorable? cute? He liked what the ginger had said anyway, and the smile in his face was proof of it, so Rhett grabbed his boyfriend's hand.

"It's fine, I guess I like you like that." He blew a kiss into the air towards Odion just before the elevators doors opened. "Come'on, sweetie." He led the way out, empathizing that last word. "A long afternoon awaits."

[Odion Martins]

Odion didn’t really appreciate Rhett’s reply to his being sweet, his eyebrows furrowing. “Really?” He said, half mocking his friend. "I don’t make fun of your being romantic with me, so shut the hell up about me being a girl.” He warned, that special temper of his flaring up when he was only around the blonde. He didn’t need to spell it out for Rhett did he? Odi could simply leave, or perhaps remind his boyfriend that he had a dick between his legs.

It was like Rhett couldn’t choose between liking the tender Odion, and the more abrupt version.

The doors to the elevators opened and Odi took his hand away from the blonde. “Don’t call me that,” he said bitterly, feeling confused as to how Rhett really felt about him. “You don’t even mean it,” his dark blue eyes had turned an almost black, his face a little red. If there was one person he didn’t want to dance circles around, it was Rhett. It was torture, trying to be himself without being ridiculed, and it seemed as soon as the ginger had spoke his mind, the older boy reverted back into how they used to interact.

Feeling double crossed in a way, maybe he should’ve given Rhett a chance. After all, he had been nice upstairs on the balcony, had asked him out and caused Odion to fall even more helplessly in love with him, but as soon as the younger teen had a bit of an upper hand in the situation, Rhett backed off. And when Odi went after him in the elevator, trying to be equally vulnerable, the blonde took a stab at him.

Our first fight as a couple, how romantic... The redhead glared at Rhett, passing by him and leaving the complex with or without him.

[Rhett Goddard]

No. It was a definite truth that no matter what, the rivalry that was the backbone of Rhett and Odion's so called "frienemy" relationship was never going to go away. It was like they had been engineered from birth to behave like that next to each other. Suddenly, that old saying that opposites attract make sense to Rhett. He and the ginger were not opposites, but the way this constant bickers happened to occur between them, it was like they were just that. Maybe it was not about being opposites like in the saying, it was about the passion and adrenaline that heated their relationship. Rhett couldn't say he liked it, because he didn't, but he just couldn't say he completely hated the thing. It was who they were, after all.

"I know what you said that day." He yelled at the fast-walking Odion after they were both out of the building, not caring if any passerby was listening. "When Trouble got taken." Rhett ran towards the time controller and stood in front of him. "You stopped time. I know what you said." He also knew that Odion had done that trick with him before. "My... my power. It acts much more frequent when about you. When you're around. I've known about that day for some time now." He swallowed saliva. "And I do too." It was true, but he just couldn't say the proper words, the same way Odion couldn't say it properly to Rhett. "You can, very obviously, stay here with me whenever you can. I was only kidding."