Chase Kilbourne's Journal

[Chase Campbell]

Chase Kilbourne’s Journal

(I will make a more interesting header. ... Eventually. ... Maybe.)

The Morning After

The first thing that Chase noticed was that this wasn’t his bed. The second was that he was currently curled against someone warm. Despite his confusion, he cuddled closer, his arm pulling the other person against him. Slowly, the previous night came back to him. He hadn’t been so drunk he didn’t remember. Meeting James in the bar, being impressed, and baffled, by his bold move. Talking, drinking, and finally coming back to James’ hotel. It wasn’t uncommon for him to do this every so often. Meaningless sex with strangers. But it had been good. Incredible, really.

Beside him, James shifted, slowly coming around. Chase smirked and let go, letting the older man stretch. “Hey. G’mornin’.”

“Mm. Hi.” James turned to face the blonde. A part of him had dreaded the morning. He’d half feared waking alone, or seeing the potential regard on Chase’s face. But he wasn’t alone, and he didn’t see regret. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, running his fingers through his hair. After a moment, Chase joined him, smirking.

“Nice hair, James.” The older man blinked.

“What?”

“Bedhead. ... It’s actually kinda sexy. On you.” James considered that for a moment.

“... Sexy?” The blonde nodded.

“Yep.”

James’ trademark smirk came out, and he pulled the blonde into a quick kiss.

This was the start of something good.

[Chase Campbell]

The Law of Large Numbers

Not much tended to freak out Chase Kilbourne anymore. Not even getting his license to train teenage meta-humans. But this... this was scaring him.

“Relax, Love. They’re going to love you.” James reached over and squeezed his lover’s hand. Chase wasn’t so easily convinced. Back home, though his parents had come to terms with it, people weren’t so tolerant of same sex couples. It still made him uneasy, sometimes. He’d had the entire drive to think about it. James had tried his best to prep him for this. He was determined for this to work. It was why he was bringing Chase to meet his family. They’d just marked an entire year together on the calendar, and James had brought up meeting his family. Though it made all the sense in the world, the blonde was still a little nervous.

“Jamie, I’m going to forget names.” Though his partner (boyfriend sounded too... childish) had already given him a rundown (several times), he didn’t remember a damned thing.

“You won’t. You’ll be fine, I promise. It’s not difficult.” Chase rolled his eyes. Not that difficult. Jamie didn’t have eighty names to memorize. (He had a tendency to exaggerate under duress.) The blonde had grown up with a relatively small family. He didn’t have siblings, just a few scattered cousins he didn’t really talk to. This was going to be a shock to the system. “It’s easy. Just start with my siblings. Mike, Harriet, and Laura. Then you have Deb, Mike’s wife, Ben is Harriet’s husband, and Dave is Laura’s.” Beside him, Chase nodded. He remembered the siblings easy enough, but Ben and Dave seemed interchangeable in his mind. Somehow. And then there were the kids.

“... And the kids?” Beside him, James smiled.

“Jordan and Joshua are Laura’s. Natalia, Aaron, and Adam are Mike’s. And Harriet has Crystal, Josie, Martin, Dennis, and Spencer. There’s only ten of them.” Chase resisted the urge to scoff. Only ten. “You’ll be fine.”

“Stop saying that.”

“But it’s true.”

“Whatever.”

The rest of the drive was relatively peaceful. They made a quick stop, picking up Ginny, who hugged her father and then scrambled into the backseat of the car, jamming her earbuds in for her iPod. Forty five minutes later, they were pulling up in front of the house. James was grinning a bit manically as he cut the engine. “Well, here we are. Ginny.” He reached back to prod her. “We’re here.”

Ginny scrambled out of the vehicle, grinning at the sight of her favourite cousin, Natalia, running from the house. “Ginny!”

“Natalia!” The girls hugged, giggling. James went around and got his bag from the trunk. Chase left the car with a little bit of reluctance. James glanced at him, handing him his bag.

“It’s going to be fine. They all know we’re together.”

“I know.” The blonde shouldered his bag. He didn’t get anything else in, however. At that moment, Natalia came running over and latched onto James, grinning.

“Hi Uncle James!” James smiled fondly and hugged her back.

“Hello, Natalia! Where is everyone?” She shrugged.

“All the kids are in the yard, Josie’s trying to play wiffle ball. And Dad’s making sure we don’t kill each other... and Grandma and Grandpa and Mom and everyone is inside.” She let go in favour of tugging his hand. “Everyone’s waiting for you!” Her gaze flittered to Chase for a moment, and she giggled softly.

“All right, all right. Chase, come on.” He beckoned his partner forward. Chase looked dubious for a moment, before falling into step beside James. The blonde was far from shy, but this had him rattled. There was going to be a lot of people here, and he knew he was going to end up feeling like a fish out of water.

And he did.

There were too many names to remember. Never mind the kids, who had come in from the yard long enough to cling to their, quote, “favourite” uncle, and stampede back outside again. It was the flood of adults that Chase had to contend with. Laura, Mike, Harriet, he knew from photos. And he could recognize James’ parents. But there still seemed far too many people for him to actually remember. At least they were mostly friendly.

James got roped into helping with making dinner, leaving Chase standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking somewhat lost. Maeve Campbell turned to eye the blonde. “How are you in the kitchen?” Beside her, James stiffened, biting back a laugh.

“It’s best he stays away from the food, Ma. Really.” She smiled.

“He’s can be that bad. Here.” She set a bowl of washed potatoes on the table, and handed Chase a peeler. “You can start on those. And could you keep an eye on Spencer?” She smiled fondly at her youngest grandchild, who had been having more fun dropping Cheerios on the floor for Basky, who was eagerly acting as a vacuum. Chase blinked.

“Uh. Sure?” He sat down cautiously beside the baby’s high chair, starting to peel potatoes while trying to discourage a) Spencer dropping food on the floor, and b) Basky from hovering under the table. This was like nothing he’d experienced with his own family. The house was busy, and loud. The kids were thundering in and out, attempting to steal snacks before dinner, politics were being argued in the other room, and James was being harassed by Laura, as well as Deb and Dave.

The afternoon seemed to pass in a blur. Between confusing conversations, often overlapping, and screaming kids, Chase was mentally exhausted. All he wanted was to crawl into bed. Though he was excited to be near his family again, James was feeling the same way. The long drive had taken its’ toll. They had the barbeque tomorrow, and fireworks. If Chase had thought that this was chaos, he was going to be in for a bit of a surprise.

“Come on, Love.” James gently tugged on his arm, leading him upstairs. “Have you seen where we’re staying?” In all honesty, Chase had just dumped his bag where he’d been instructed to, and that was all. He hadn’t gotten much further than figuring out that they were staying in separate rooms. But James had already explained that.

“Kinda?” James smiled, tugging him forward before pushing open one of the doors.

“This is where I spent my teenage years.” Chase peered in, copping a little grin. He could picture James as a teenager, in here. It was orderly, and probably very much unchanged. Parents were funny that way.

“I was half expecting Lord of the Rings sheets,” he ribbed his boyfriend gently. James scoffed, rolling his eyes and giving the blonde a little nudge across the hall.

“That’s Mike’s old room. Enjoy.” Chase laughed and turned around, stealing a quick kiss.

“G’night Jamie.”

[Chase Campbell]

A Very Difficult Conversation

“Dad. Hi.”
“Chase! How have you been? Have you got that teaching license yet?”
“Um, I’ve been good. I’ve been teaching for a while now.”
“Do you like it? I thought you have no patience for kids.”
“... I’m getting used to it. My students are all pretty good. Listen, um... is Mom around?”
“Sure. Just a second.”
“’Kay.”
...
“Chase!”
“Hi, Mom.”
“You haven’t called in ages. What’s wrong with you?”
“... Nothing. Just been busy.”
“’Too busy to talk to your mother?”
“... You could say that.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Your father said you’ve started teaching.”
“Training. Yeah. I have.”
“I never thought you’d be one to work with children.”
“I like it. Most of them are pretty good.”
“And your... ability helps, does it?”
“I guess. I don’t have to use it all that often. But that’s not really why I was calling.”
“Oh?”
“Um, Mom? I’m... seeing someone. And it’s pretty serious.”
“Oh, Chase! Tell me all about her! What’s her name? Is she pretty? Smart? Did you meet through the school? Come on, tell me.”
“... Mom. Calm down. The thing is... I’m not seeing a woman.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m... seeing another man, Mom. His name is James. He’s a recruiter for Hammel, and... the reason I came to Vermont in the first place.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not.”
“But you never...”
“Not that you knew of. Think about it, Mom. Would I really want to broadcast that around town? It was only a few times, anyway. Until now.”
“So you’re... gay?”
“Not exactly.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not that I don’t like women, because I do. I just happen to like men, too. James, specifically.”
“Chase...”
“Mom, I know it’s not really... y’know... the thing to do back home. But I love James. He makes me happy.”
“I’m sure he does.”
“Aw, Mom. You’re not mad are you?”
“No. I’m just... taking it in.”
“I know, Mom. But... I thought you should know. And when you’re ready... I’d really like for you to meet James.”
“... Do you really love him?”
“I think so, yeah.”
“And he loves you.”
“Pretty sure.”
“... All right. If you’re happy...”
“Mom, it’s okay if you’re, y’know, weirded out. It’s not like we’re eloping, or anything. We’re just together, and we’re happy. Promise.”

The key in the lock caught Chase’s attention just then. He glanced over his shoulder and sighed. “Look, Mom. I have to go. But just... think about what I said, okay? I really do want you to meet him.”

“I’ll try, Chase. I’ll really try.”
“Thanks. ... I love you.”
“I know. I love you too.”
“Bye, Mom.”

Chase glanced up at James, who was leaning with his elbows on the countertop, grinning much like the Cheshire cat. “That was sweet.” The blonde scowled slightly and dropped the phone back onto its base before playfully swatting at his boyfriend.

“You weren’t supposed to hear any of that.”

“Oh, I heard enough.” He grinned. “You just told your mother about us, didn’t you?” Chase couldn’t tell if it was just a lucky guess, or James’ perception. Either way, he was right. He nodded. “Well? How did she take it?” Chase shrugged, coming around to slip his arms around James’ shoulders.

“About as well as I figured she would. She’s thinking about it.”

“Ah.” James turned so that he could return the little hug. “She’ll come around, Love. Eventually.”

“Yeah..” Chase nuzzled against James’ collarbone. Things would work out. Somehow.

[Chase Campbell]

Warm Feet

"Chase, did you see the news today?"

"Yeah." Chase smiled and kissed James lightly, "Feels like a victory, doesn't it? Even though we didn't really do anything."

James smirked and returned the kiss, "Do you want to?"

"Get married?"

"Yeah."

"That...sounds pretty good, actually."

“I can’t believe we finally did it.” Chase couldn’t stop grinning. The ceremony had been small, yes, and completely informal. But that was how they’d wanted it. For now, it was their little secret. Well, a secret they shared with Ginny, Sean, and several friends from Hammel. Their time at city hall had been short and sweet, but utterly perfect.

And now, it was party time.

“Keep making that face and it’ll freeze that way.” Ginny flashed a little grin at Chase from beside her father. “Right Dad?” James laughed, trailing his fingers through her blonde hair.

“It might. But I wouldn’t complain.” He glanced at his new husband, the same grin mirrored on his own face. He couldn’t help being happy. He was in love, and they were married. How could life get much better? Well, he had Ginny here with him, for a little while. And he was surrounded not by family that would hound and tease him relentlessly, but his and Chase’s closest friends from Hammel.

“Does this count as a reception?” Chase glanced curiously at James, not entirely sure what to call their little after party. James just shrugged.

“Why not?” It seemed as good as anything. They had their friends, Ginny, drinks, and food. Who really needed the embarrassing speeches and the dancing? That was part of what they were avoiding, by doing things this way. Yes, their mothers were likely going to kill them for this, especially James’, but it was easy to forget about that right now. Right now, they were too happy to care.

The night wore on. The adults talked, Ginny tried to charm her way into getting a sip of wine (it didn’t fly with her father), and by the time eleven hit, they were all talked out. The group went their separate ways, well wishes given to the newlyweds. Chase and James walked home hand in hand, Ginny trotting ahead of them in the cool night air. She’d been excited when her dad had told her what was happening. She liked Chase. But more importantly, her dad liked him. Loved him, really. He was good for him. And if her dad was happy, she was happy.

As they headed inside, James suddenly looked slightly uncomfortable. Chase caught the look quickly, and he was about to question it. But before he could ask, Ginny looked up at her father. “’Kay, Dad. I’m going to bed.” She slipped her iPod out from her pocket to show him. “And I’ll be listening to this for a long time.” She winked at Chase before getting up on her toes and giving her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Night, Dad. Love you. And congratulations. Again.” She let go and turned to Chase, giving him the same treatment. “G’night, Dad.” Chase blushed, looking faintly flustered.

“N-night, Gin.” Ginny flashed a grin and headed to the spare room that she so often claimed as her own when she came to visit, shutting the door firmly enough to send the message ‘I’m staying right here.’ Chase glanced at James, trying to shed the blush Ginny had inspired. James cracked a grin.

“Well, Love?” He gently took his hand and pulled him towards the stairs. “Shall we?” After a moment, Chase followed him.

“Yeah. ... Jamie?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

[Chase Campbell]

Meet The Daughter

There was something innately awkward about the meeting Chase was about to face. James had left fifteen minutes ago to pick up his daughter, Ginny. He was going to tell her on the way back home. While he was glad he wasn’t in on that conversation, the blond was still a little on edge. He hadn’t ever had to do this before. Heck, he’d rarely met parents with his former partners. But this was so entirely different to any relationship he’d ever managed to sustain, in so many ways.

He couldn’t sit still. He’d tried watching one of James’ crime dramas. He’d tried checking his email on his laptop. He’d tried looking at a few student files, but he couldn’t concentrate. All he could think about was the impending meeting. He knew a great deal about Ginny, just from things James had told him. But it wasn’t the same. And she’d probably be a little leery already, considering what her father was going to tell her on the way over. Or perhaps that was just his conservative Southern upbringing talking. He didn’t know for sure.

When he heard James’ car pull up, Chase wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He settled for getting off the couch, and making his way near the front door. James came in first, and trailing only slightly behind him was a familiar blonde girl. Ginny. Chase smiled, trying not to look desperate for her approval. “Hey, guys.” James returned the smile, closing the door behind his daughter.

“Hi. Ginny, this is Chase. And Chase, well, this is Ginny. Obviously.” Ginny appraised her father’s boyfriend, her eyebrow arched slightly.

“Um, hi Ginny. It’s nice to meet you.” The teenager smiled, but it was an expression Chase had seen many, many times on James’ own face. She was up to something.

“Hi.” She stepped a little closer, partway between her father and Chase. “Just so you know, you hurt him, I’ll have to kill you.” Though it surprised Chase, just for a moment, he allowed himself a little smirk, and gave her a tiny salute.

“Yes ma’am.” Ginny blinked, then smiled and shook her head, heading to put her things in her room. James just stared after her, just a little embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Chase.” The blond just shrugged, smiling.

“Naw. It was kinda cute. She’s protecting you. I can respect that.” He met James’ eyes. “She doesn’t have to worry. I’m not gonna hurt you.” He pulled James into a tight hug. “Let’s take her out to dinner.”

~

By the time Ginny was ready to go back, any doubts she might have had about Chase were long gone. He was fun, he didn’t treat her like a kid, and he made her father happier than she could ever remember. He was good for him, and that was good enough for her.

[Chase Campbell]

There’s A First Time For Everything

“Dude, we’re ditching last period. Hittin’ the mall.”

“I’m in.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Aw guys! You fuckin’ suck. I can’t. Mackay’ll kick my ass if I skip.”

“Ry, you’re such a baby.”

“Yeah. Suck it up, princess.”

“Shut up.” Ryan nursed his root beer, scowling across the cafeteria table. Bastards, his friends. All of them. If he skipped one more History class, he was a dead man. And they all knew it, too.

“Oh come on. What’s the worst that’ll happen? You’re not gonna die, Ry.” Chase reached over and punched his best friend’s shoulder. “Come with.”

“Go to hell,” Ryan retorted. He was going to his final class. If he didn’t, his parents would be called, and he could kiss his social life goodbye. It wasn’t worth it for a few hours of goofing off. Not by a long shot.

~

It was in gym class, the second last class of the day, that Chase tried again to convince Ryan. They were outside, meant to be playing soccer. But the jocks had taken over the game, which was just fine with the not so athletically inclined. “Ry, come on. It’ll be fun.”

“I told you. I can’t.” He looked away. “If my parents get a phone call, I’m in deep shit.” Chase shrugged.

“So fake sick. Fake an injury. I’ll kick ya, if ya want.” He grinned. Ryan rolled his eyes.

“It’s not like I don’t wanna go. I just can’t.”

Something happened just then. Something neither boy could explain. Chase was standing there, willing Ryan to change his mind. Somehow. Ryan blinked, confusion settling in on his face. “Y’know what? Yeah. I’ll go.” He didn’t sound so sure of himself, but he said it all the same. Then he looked at Chase, the confusion on his face deepening. “What the fuck?” Chase blinked.

“What do you mean, what the fuck? You just agreed, didn’t you?” Ryan looked unsure.

“Yeah, but... I didn’t wanna.” He was starting to look a little freaked out. “What were you thinking, just now?” Chase looked surprised.

“What? Why?”

“Just tell me!”

“... That I wanted you to come with us.” Ryan’s eyes widened just a little bit.

“You made me say I’d go.”

“What? How the hell do you think I did that?”

“I dunno! But you did!”

“I didn’t!”

“Prove it!”

“Ry! Chill! I don’t know how!” Ryan just shook his head, backing away slightly. “Ryan!”

“I don’t know what you just did, but don’t do it again!” Ryan took off running, throwing himself back into the game. Chase stood near the sidelines, staring at his feet. He had no idea what the hell had just happened. He couldn’t explain it. But something had happened.

As planned, he hit the mall during last period with his friends. Ryan had stayed behind, to attend History. But that night, Chase had a terrible headache, to the point he wanted to be sick. His mother fussed over him, but he simply hid away in his bedroom, in the dark, willing it to be over.

That was the first time his power ever surfaced.

[Chase Campbell]

A Battle of Wills

It was the little things that Chase could normally let slide. But by the third time James took his hand in the middle of town, the blond was starting to fixate. He was always looking around, taking note of who was looking at them. Usually, nobody took much notice of the two men. But Chase was just waiting for the wrong person to see, and say something. It was why he gently pulled his hand away again.

Growing up in the South had given Chase a very limited view on the world. Namely, same sex relationships just weren’t done. If they were, it wasn’t widely tolerated. Which had made it all the more difficult for a teenager growing up with the idea of being bisexual. Oh, Chase had dated women. But he’d tried being with other men. Just once or twice, before James, and always with the utmost discretion. The last thing he’d wanted, or needed, was to attract attention in that manner.

But James, being James, had shot all that to Hell. Sending him a drink the bar that night, Chase had been a little surprised. But now, just a few months later, he was still trying to adjust. Life in Vermont was different than in Arizona. But he was still just that slightest bit paranoid. And James knew it. Without a word, he reached out and gently took his boyfriend’s hand again. Chase sighed. “Jamie...”

“Love, holding hands is not a crime.” He looked amused. “You can relax. I’ve told you that before.” As if to prove his point, he paused and pulled Chase closer to him, giving him a little kiss. It was innocent enough, but Chase still looked distinctly awkward.

“I know. It’s just...” He looked away. “Jamie, you know I didn’t grow up like you. Where I come from, it’s all behind closed doors, y’know? And this is still kinda new to me. Bein’... out, like this.” He cast a glance down at their hands, still entwined. He didn’t pull away this time. “Just give me time to get used to it, ‘kay?” James let a tiny scowl appear, but for once, he didn’t argue. Just because he was stubborn didn’t mean he didn’t see a little bit of truth to what his partner was saying. His ability just made Chase’s discomfort all the more obvious. “Please, Jamie? Just tone it down a little?” Just in public, where Chase felt somewhat exposed.

It was James’ turn to sigh. Gently, he rested his forehead against Chase’s shoulder. He couldn’t deny Chase this. It was impossible. “All right, Love. Just until you realize that it’s all right for us to be out. And I promise you, it is.” Chase smiled, just a bit, and gave James’ hand a squeeze before gently sliding it out of his grip again.

He didn’t get far. James held that slightest bit tighter. “James?” The taller man flashed his trademark smirk.

“I agreed to tone it down, Love. But I still get to hold your hand.” Chase stared at him for a moment, before shaking his head.

“You’re impossible.”

[Chase Campbell]

The In-Laws Club

“James! Knock it off!”

“I’m not doing anything!”

“I can tell you’re helping Harri!” Mike scowled at his older brother. “Just wait your turn.” He rearranged the tiles on his bar. Why was it that family gatherings always, always turned into World War Three?

Chase was just leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. When James was kidnapped by his siblings to play board games, he was never sure what to do. Things had gotten easier since they’d been married, but James’ family still felt a little... well... big sometimes. It was usually chaos, though the chaotic factor had been turned down ever since the kids had been corralled into the den to watch Finding Nemo. Now the adults were spread out. Chase found himself most comfortable near James, even when his siblings began to argue. If nothing else, they were cheap entertainment.

But tonight, that wasn’t in the cards. The blonde was about to settle in to watch a long drawn out sibling war when he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned to see Dave holding out a beer. “This could take a while. Come with me.” He nodded his head towards the deck, where Deb and Ben were already settled.

“Uh, sure?” Chase took the bottle and followed after him. The small group had dragged out the deck chairs. Dave settled back into one, and gestured to the remaining empty one. Ben smirked a little and raised his bottle.

“Welcome to the In Law Club.” Chase arched an eyebrow as he look the seat between Deb and Dave.

“... Thanks?” Deb smiled and reached over to cuff him gently on the shoulder.

“You’re one of us, now.” When she received a blank look, she rolled her eyes. “You know. We were all... what’s the word?”

“Crazy,” Ben offered.

“... Yeah. We were all crazy enough to marry into this family.” That made Chase laugh.

“Aw, come on now. Mike’s not so bad. And Laura and Harriet are pretty cool.” He liked the girls. And Mike was usually pretty good. Dave held up his hand.

“Don’t get us wrong. We love them all. But seriously, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it?”

“... What?”

“The Campbells are insane. I mean, they’re in there right now, fighting over Scrabble.” Deb had to laugh.

“Mike is going to kill James if he keeps helping Harri.”

“Laura will probably help.”

“How long before they forget about the game and just start arguing?” Ben glanced at his watch.

“I give them fifteen minutes.”

“I swear, they’re as bad at the kids.”

Chase fell relatively silent. Though it was nice to be included in the “in-laws” group, he didn’t have a huge amount of experience with James’ siblings. Sure, he’d heard stories, but stories only helped so much. The others had been around the Campbell family for a lot longer. Dave nudged him. “Chase?”

“Sorry. What?” The others were grinning.

“We just wanted to know what James was like to live with. You know, we see him at these family things, but we don’t have to go home with him.” Ben was looking into the backyard, studying the tire swing. Chase traced his finger around the neck of his bottle.

“Uh...” What could he say? “He’s... James. Neurotic, excitable, yeah. And he gets hung up on things, but that’s easy to fix.” One of the best things about being married to another meta-human was that explaining abilities to their families was much, much easier. “I don’t know what to tell you. He might be crazy, but I still love him.”

“James!” Mike could be heard all the way out on the deck. The in-laws exchanged glances before Deb stood up.

“World War Three. C’mon, Chase.” She tugged him up and pulled him into the house. Dave and Ben followed, more out of curiosity than necessity. A Campbell sibling squabble was always worth watching. Tonight was no exception. Harriet was still sitting opposite Mike, looking pleased with herself. Mike looked exasperated, and James... looked reasonably calm. Beside his uncle, Spencer was giggling like mad, a little plastic bowl of dry Cheerios in his lap. Laura looked equally irritated.

“I don’t know why you’re upset with me. I didn’t do anything.”

“You were giving Harri words again!”

“I wasn’t.”

“You were.”

“Mike, it's a game. Just because you’re a sore loser...” That did it. Mike reached over and plucked a Cheerio from Spencer’s bowl and flicked at his older brother. Spencer giggled harder, the girls tried not to laugh, and James just eyed his brother. “Very mature, Mike. Put them down.” The look in his brother’s eyes was not what he wanted to see. He knew what was about to happen. “I mean it.” Mike wasn’t listening. He just grinned and picked up a few more pieces of cereal. James held up his hands. “Don’t.”

Laura beat him to it. She leaned in and scooped up a few, then let them fly. Chase had to bite back a laugh. He’d never had siblings to fight with like this. A part of him was glad he wasn’t in the crossfire, but on the other hand, it might be fun. As the miniature war got louder and louder, Deb just shook her head. “I was wrong. They’re worse than the kids.”

Maeve had had enough of her children arguing. In minutes, a ceasefire was called, and they were instructed to be quiet, put the game away if they couldn’t be civil, and clean up their mess. They were surprisingly obedient. Chase admired his mother-in-law for that. She never raised her voice, yet all four of her grown children did what was asked of them. It was pretty cool.

That night, when they went to bed, Chase cuddled closer to his husband. James turned to look at him, a curious expression on his face. “I forgot to ask you, Love. What did Dave want earlier?” Chase smirked before nuzzling into James’ shoulder, pressing a kiss to his collar bone.

“Nothin’ much. Welcome to the family, all that.”

“Oh. That was nice of him.”

“Yeah.” He pressed another kiss to James’ skin. “G’night, Jamie. Love you.”

[Chase Campbell]

Relax

Holy fucking shit.

It had been a long time since Chase had had to deal with anything like this. It had started off just fine. He’d gone to visit with James for a few minutes, before his next class began. But then the alarm went off. It made the blond jump and clamp his hands over his ears. “What the fuck is that?” No, he wasn’t watching his mouth, because his heart was racing and he was more than a little surprised. James just rose from behind his desk, his fingers rubbing at his temple.

“Lockdown drill.” James’ voice was terse as he shut the door to his office and flipped off the lights. He hated these things. “Come on, away from the door.” He nudged his partner off of the desk he was perched on. Though they’d only been together a few months, Chase could tell something was off with James. His voice was strained, and his eyes told the blond that he was anxious.

He tucked himself into the corner, and once James was beside him, Chase wrapped one arm securely around his shoulders. “It’s okay, Jamie. It’s just a drill, right?” That meant they’d just have a little downtime. … In the dark. … In a locked room. If the situation wasn’t so serious, he might have thought about taking advantage of it. But with James looking as anxious as he did, all Chase wanted for the moment was to keep him calm.

While they both knew why these drills were necessary, that didn’t mean James had to like them. He was trying to focus on something, anything, to keep his mind from what was going on. It was helping that Chase was there, on some levels. Other parts of his mind were working against him. Little insecurities were arising, and he was well aware that he looked ridiculously weak. A little anxiety attack over a routine drill. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he was aware that it was silly. But the more he gave thought to it, the more tightly wound he became.

And Chase didn’t like this. He could see the apprehension on James’ face, clear as day. And he wanted to do something to fix it. Anything. It seemed his mere presence alone wasn’t calming James down. He had to think of something else, but only one thing came to mind. “James?”

“What?” James’ gaze darted from the point on the wall he’d chosen to fixate on, to the blond. Chase gave his shoulder a little squeeze.

“I can tell you’re stressed. I can help you. If you want me to.” It took a moment for that to really sink in for James. Oh. He thought about that. It would certainly make the drill more bearable. And that was more than a little appealing. Perhaps worth a try.

“If you really think it will help.” James had never been under someone else’s control, before. He didn’t know what to expect. But he trusted Chase. If he thought he might be able to help, he would let him. If nothing else, it gave him something else to think about. The blond shrugged.

“I don’t know for sure if it will, but it’s worth me trying, isn’t it?” James couldn’t deny that, so he nodded.

“All right.” James looked up to meet Chase’s eyes. Chase just smiled affectionately and kissed James’ cheek gently before reaching out mentally. It wasn’t much. Just a little nudge to bring his partner back into a calmer state of mind. And it worked. It was like a weight had just been lifted off of James’ chest. The drill wasn’t triggering an anxiety attack anymore. The stress of the situation was just… gone. Sure, he didn’t like the drill any more than he had a few moments ago, but he was calmer about it. Chase smiled.

“Better?” James nodded, threading his fingers with Chase’s. He had his blond. The drill wouldn’t be so bad.

“Much.”

[Chase Campbell]

Questionable

It was official. Chase and James were going to foster Niko. And, if things worked out really well, well... adoption wasn’t a stretch.

However, the blond was fast realizing that anything he though he knew about parenting had left his system. Gone. And drawing on his experiences with Ginny really didn’t help him much. She was a teenager. And even his experience with James’ nieces and nephews didn’t help when Niko would be around all the time. He didn’t know how to set rules like bedtime, and homework time, and what you were supposed to do.

And he was a bit too much of a coward to go snivelling to James. Yes, his husband knew he was concerned, but he usually countered that concern with reminding him how good he was with the hoards of nieces and nephews. Sure, it helped with anxiety at the time, but now he was alone, he was back to thinking about how much he didn’t know.

During his free period, he decided to man up and head down the library. There had to be something there to help him out. Even if there was nothing in their library, surely Eli could tell him where to go to find the information he needed. He liked the kid well enough. He was sure as hell a good resource when he needed information on an obscure power, or reports on powers manifesting in younger than usual metas.

Eli was at the front desk, leaning back in his chair with a thick book in his lap. It wasn’t unusual to find him like that. “Hey. Eli. Question for you.” Eli glanced up.

“What do you need?”

“Stuff on parenting. Do we have any?” Eli was silent for a beat. Chase assumed he was thinking. The younger man blinked.

“Are you sure you don’t want something on biology?” It took Chase to process that. Why the hell would he want biology books over parenting books?

“What? Why?” It hit him about two seconds later. “No! I know how that works.” He glared at the librarian, who had a tiny smile on his face now. “We’re adopting, smartass.” Lesson one of parenting – Chase really needed to start watching his mouth. Eli just flashed a little smile and got up, putting his book on the desk.

“Come on, I’ll show you where they are.”

[Chase Campbell]

Snow Day

“Jamie?” Chase hugged himself as he stared out the window. He was watching the snow fall dubiously. He’d seen snow before, yeah. But back home, he was lucky if it stuck around for more than a day or so. But there were already a good few inches on the ground, and it wasn’t letting up.

“Mm? What, Love?” James looked up, a half smirk on his face as he watched his partner at the window.

“... How much snow does Pilot Ridge get?” He didn’t want to look back at James. He wasn’t sure he really wanted an answer. The brunette shrugged.

“This time of year, a few inches isn’t uncommon. But we’ve got a winter storm warning in effect, so chances are it will be more like a few feet.” Chase flinched. A few feet? He shivered and stepped away from the window, flopping down on the loveseat in the living room.

“Great.” At least tomorrow was Saturday. Neither of them had to go to the school. From the couch, James dropped the book he’d been reading on his chest, smiling.

“It is great. I love snow. It’s pretty.”

“It’s cold.”

“Yes, but it’s pretty. Like it or not, the blizzard is coming.” He picked up his book, finding his place again. “You’ll see, Love. You’ll like it.”

Chase just rolled his eyes and changed the channel.

~

Let it stand that Chase had never been fond of mornings. In particular, cold mornings. The moment he opened his eyes, he could tell he wasn’t going to like getting up. From where he lay, he could see out the window. Everything in sight was covered in thick white stuff. He would have tried to burrow back under the blanket and pretend James couldn’t see him (childish as that sounded, he did not want to go out there), but he knew it wasn’t going to work. Especially when he heard James coming up the stairs. He looked exhilarated.

“Have you seen it, Love?” Chase scowled and pulled the blanket back over his head.

“You better not mean the snow.” James grinned and perched on the edge of the bed, his hand on his lover’s shoulder.

“Of course I mean the snow. Come on. Get up, get dressed. We’re going outside.”

“Why?” The blond could see absolutely no reason to go out there in the cold. James rolled his eyes.

“We need to shovel the sidewalk, and the driveway.”

“... I have a better idea. You come back to bed with me.” Chase tried to grab for James, but the other man was faster. He got up and moved away, leaving the blond grasping at thin air.

“Absolutely not. Come on. We can make it fun.”

“How?”

“Get dressed and find out.” James left the bedroom, heading back down the stairs. Chase lay in bed for another minute, before resigning himself to the cold. He pulled on his warmest clothing (ratty sweatpants and a thick Arizona Diamondbacks hoodie, for the record), a pair of James’ warm socks, and thumped down the stairs. James was by the door, pulling on his winter boots. He’d warned Chase when he’d first moved here that he wouldn’t like the winters. Obviously, he hadn’t been lying. “Get your coat, Love. I’ll see you outside.”

“Okay.” A part of him was curious as to how, exactly, James was planning to make this ‘fun.’ He pulled on his coat and yanked the gloves out of the pockets before venturing out the front door.

He very nearly turned around and went back in.

There was snow everywhere. And he wasn’t impressed. “What the hell, James?” His partner was pulling two shovels out from the garage. He still looked a little too happy.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Chase snatched a shovel and shivered a little. “They sooner this is done, the sooner I’m going inside.” It was his only motivation to get moving. It was hard work, too. The snow was wet, sticky, and heavy, and there were places he had to really dig to get it all off the pathway. James didn’t seem to have any issues with it. He didn’t even seem cold.

They were almost done when Chase heard James call his name. He turned to see where he was, only to get smacked in the shoulder with a snowball. “James!” Chase dropped his shovel on the snow covered lawn in favour of scooping up some ammunition of his own. James was already running. In the time it took for Chase to realize what was happening and moved to get his own snowball, James was too close. Using speed, and the element of surprise in his favour, he managed to get the blonde flat on his back in the snow. But Chase wasn’t taking that lying down (ha ha, shut up). As he fell, he grabbed onto James and pulled him down into the snow with him.

The playful wrestling didn’t last long, and ended with a gentle kiss, with the promise of hot chocolate after they finished.

But it didn’t improve Chase’s impression of Vermont winters.

[Chase Campbell]

Kitchen Chaos

There were certain things that Chase really, really needed to stay away from.

The kitchen was one of those things.

But with James coming home from a recent recruitment, and one too many Christmas cartoons on television, the trainer had come up with an idea.

His husband always did a lot of baking around the holidays. An obscene amount. They’d end up with a fuckton of cookies, most of which were given away to other members of the faculty (much to Chase’s dismay, he liked cookies). Why not attempt to get a head start on things? Cookies weren’t that difficult. He’d hung around the kitchen in previous years, watching, helping James mix the doughs and batters, and usually doing the dishes at the end of it. And sometimes, if he was lucky, he’d get to swipe a few.

Cookies came with instructions. As long as he followed them to the letter, things wouldn’t turn out disastrously, right? So, he’d recruited Nikki into the kitchen, and turned on the worn Christmas CD James always played when he was cooking at this time of year. It made the lonely feeling dull just a little bit. Even though he had Niko and Milo for company, the house was just... empty, without James.

“Okay, Nikki. Stir this for me, okay?” Chase handed the little boy a mixing bowl and a spoon. “If James was here, he’d tell you not to eat it, because it’s got egg in it. But you can eat the chocolate chips from the bag., ‘s long as you don’t tell him.” He had things under control, really. The oven was heating up, the cookie trays were ready to go as soon as the dough was, and they hadn’t made too big of a mess.

Of course, Chase’s definition of a big mess, and James’ definition were two very, very different things. There was flour all over the counter, sticky patches where spoons had been laid, or batter spilled, and more than enough egg shells in the sink. Chocolate chip was first on the list. After that would come the gingerbread (mostly because they were the most fun to decorate). He was going to avoid the hell out of making those stupid fingery jam ones. (He’d avoided them ever since he’d been told not to swipe one fresh from the oven, and he’d done it anyway. A burned mouth later, he’d been leery of them ever since.)

“Is this okay?” Niko held out the bowl to Chase. “Is it done?” The blond gently took the bowl and checked out the contents before grinning and mussing Niko’s hair.

“Perfect, Kiddo. Good job.” He set the bowl by the cookie sheets before picking his foster son up off the counter and set him on the ground. “You can put them on the cookie sheets. Just take a little handful of this stuff, make a ball, and squish it on the tray.” He showed him how to do one, and then let Nikki take over. Even when the little boy got the idea in his head to make a giant cookie. Chase just went with it, because it was fun. And it was. He liked spending time with Nikki like this. He didn’t care about the growing disaster in the kitchen, or that letting the kid have sugar all afternoon might not be the best idea he’d ever had. This was fun.

While the chocolate chips were baking, Chase got the things together for the gingerbread while Niko went back to half watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, perched back up on the counter. The trainer adhered to the recommended baking time, and took the cookies out as soon as the timer buzzed at him. He managed to slide them out without burning himself, or dropping anything, and set the sheets on top of the oven. … Well, they looked okay. Maybe they weren’t perfectly round, or all the same size. But they looked edible. Niko slid down from the counter and peeked up at the sheets hopefully. “Can we eat them now?” Chase smiled and held out his arm, to keep the boy a safe distance from the heat.

“Not yet. They’re too hot. You can help me with the gingerbread, though.” He’d found James’ stash of cookie cutters, and had pulled them all out. Leaving the chocolate chip cookies to cool, he managed to flatten the dough across the counter (forgetting to put down the flour) and flattened it with his hands (because damned if he was going to use something as dumb as a rolling pin). Then he turned Niko loose with the cookie cutters and went back to the trays of chocolate chip cookies. He didn’t know how long they really took to cool, so he went at them with the only tool he could think of using. A knife from the silverware drawer. Most of the cookies seemed to want to cooperate. But others cracked and fell apart and generally looked… awful.

“I’m all finished, Chase!” Niko grinned proudly from his perch on the stool, swinging his legs a little. He’d stamped the layer of dough into all kinds of shapes. Stars, trees, and a few actual gingerbread men were scattered over the counter. Chase grinned.

“Awesome. Give me a second.” He finished transferring the cookies from the tray, and reloaded them with the gingerbread. The leftover dough was simply squished into small cookies, and they were slid into the oven.

While they waited for the gingerbread, Chase piggybacked Niko from the stool in the kitchen to the living room, and watched the last bit of Rudolph with him. He was still missing James like crazy, but this was helping, big time. He was eager for his husband to come home, to see the house still standing, Niko with his homework done, and the house smelling like cookies.

Icing the gingerbread was another adventure entirely. Almost half of the cookies broke apart, but once the icing was out, Chase had a brilliant idea. He showed Niko how to “glue” them together with the sticky icing, and soon the counter was covered in iced cookies. Niko had colored icing all over his hands (and some on his face), and Chase was no better off. They were laughing over a miniature icing “war” when they both heard the key in the lock.

Chase froze, listening for the door to actually swing open before he moved away from the cookies. Trying his best not to look guilty, he came to greet his husband. The fact that he had flour and icing all over him was apparently lost on him. “Hey, Jamie. I missed you.”

James paused. The house smelled good. But if the look of his husband was any indication… “I missed you too.” He set his briefcase down by the door and toed off his shoes before coming into the house. Chase glanced at the kitchen and held out his hands. “… Jamie… I wouldn’t come in here if I was y – “

“James! We made cookies!” Okay, his fears were confirmed. James moved closer to the kitchen, and the surprise on his face was evident.

“What did you do to the kitchen?”

”… Redecorated?” Chase offered a guilty smile. “Seriously, Jamie. We were just about to start cleaning up.” James just smirked and shook his head.

“I’m sure you were.” Chase grinned and moved beside Nikki. Sticking his finger into one of the cookies, he shifted so he was standing closer to his husband.

“We wanted to surprise you. Did it work?”

“Well, of course it worked. I didn’t expect thi - !” James broke off when he felt the smear of bright blue icing on his cheek. He just stared at Chase. Chase looked back, and for a moment, the house was dead silent. Then Nikki began to giggle. A moment later, Chase started, and James just couldn’t help himself. He had to laugh. His kitchen was a mess, his husband had made cookies without burning them, and he had icing on his face.

“We missed you, Jamie. Welcome home.” Chase grinned and kissed the icing away. James laughed and hugged his husband.

“Thank you. But you’re going to help me clean this up.”

“I know.” He kissed him again. “Love you.”

[Chase Campbell]

A Series of Questionnaires, Courtesy of James. Or, Wasting Time

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



If You...


Visit any place in the world, where would you go?
I want to take the kids to Disneyland, or something like that. I’d also like to see the Mayan temples in Mexico.

Change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
… I wish I could take back using my power against another human being.

Fly, where would you go and why?
Disneyland with the family. We could all use a vacation.

Make three wishes, what would you wish for?
1. I wish my family stays safe and happy.
2. I wish Milo would stop leaving dead things at the back door.
3. I wish Nikki and Ginny will grow up well.

Meet someone from the past, who would you meet?
I’d also like to meet the guy who invented calamari. So I can deck them. Squid is not food, Jamie.

Honestly… I’d want to meet Einstein. He was a pretty cool guy.

Have any pet what would you have?
I like Mirage and Milo. But if we could have anything… a snake would be cool.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Beliefs


Magic?
Nope.

Karma?
Kind of. We’ll have to see.

Love at first sight?
Yeah, because I fell in love with Jamie as fast as I did.

Life on other planets?
Yeah. There has to be.

Miracles?
Yeah.

Ghosts?
I really hope not.

Luck?
Yep.

Believe there’s a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?
No, but now I want to try that with Nikki.

Do you wish on stars?
If I’m desperate, yes.

Do you believe in the traditional view of Heaven and Hell?
… Yes. And I’m kind of afraid of that.

Divorce?
Yeah. I just don’t want to have to experience it.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Questions For Freaks
… Who are you calling a freak?


If the sky wasn’t blue and the grass wasn’t green… What colors would they be?
Orange sky and blue grass.

Which end of the worm is the head?
The smart one.

Why don’t boys have boobs?
Because we’d spend all day groping ourselves?

What languages does hippos speak?
Hipponese.

If you run in the rain do you get less wet?
I still say yes. Mythbusters were wrong.

What shape was the last cloud you saw?
A fish.

Why do sprouts taste so bad?
Because sprouts are the epitome of evil.

Where does that other sock end up?
For the last time Jamie, I checked there. It’s got to be another universe.

Is Santa real?
Niko doesn’t believe in Santa? D:

Is a dog man's best friend?
Supposedly. Mirage is definitely Nikki’s best friend.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Personal Survey


Do you go to the bathroom with the door open or closed?
Closed.

Are your underwear and socks folded in your drawer or just thrown in?
Folded if Jamie puts them away. Thrown in if I did it.

Sleep on your back or stomach?
Stomach.

Are you a cuddler?
Definitely. … Why was Ginny asking you this in the first place?

What would I find if I looked UNDER your bed?
Jamie’s sweaters in bins. … Or those missing socks. >.>

Something that happened today that made you angry?
Vincent drew provocative pictures on the whiteboard. … In permanent marker.

What were you doing before this survey?
Helping Jamie cook dinner. … Okay, watching Jamie cook dinner. And doing the dishes afterwards.

What will you do after the survey?
Probably watch some TV with Jamie and Nikki before bed.

Marriage or living together?
Both are good, but I like being married.

What shirt are you wearing now?
A grey polo shirt.

Do you sing?
Not well.

Do you de-label your beer bottles?
If I’m bored and fidgety, yeah.

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
Hide them. Mostly.

Is there something you regret and wish you could take back?
Yeah. Big time.

First thing you do when you wake up?
Pretend I didn’t hear the alarm and try to go back to sleep.

Ever had surgery?
Nope.

Last argument you got into with?
I called the lobster tie ugly. It is ugly. Everyone knows it’s ugly.

Do you tend to rip the paper off water bottles?
If I’m bored, yeah.

What's one good thing about your best friend?
He was cool with me getting married to another man.

How long does it take for you to fall asleep at night?
Depends on the night. Sometimes five minutes, sometimes a few hours.

When you shut off your alarm clock, do you tend to fall back asleep?
Yeah.

If you were given the chance to take care of a monkey for a weekend, would you?
Heck yes.

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?
Wedding anniversary.

It's midnight. Who are you texting?
Possibly Ryan, if I can’t sleep.

It's Wednesday afternoon, where are you usually?
Work.

Honestly, if you could have ANYONE in the world, who would it be?
Jamie.

Your Christmas list consists of?
… Jamie, I don’t think you got the question. And all I need for Christmas is my family. … And maybe a new Diamondbacks hoodie. >.>

You're going to New York for school shopping, where do you go first?
Why New York?

You need a new pair of jeans, what store do you go to first?
Old Navy. Or wherever they sell Levis.

How do you feel about your hair?
People assume I’m dumb because it’s blond. Not that I care.

What movie is in your DVD player?
The Princess Bride, because we haven’t taken it out yet.

If you could move away, no questions asked, where would you move?
Sedona or New York. But I like Pilot Ridge.

How much do looks matter to you in a guy/girl?
Looks are important, I guess. James is sexy. But I was first attracted to his personality. (And the fact he tried to pick me up in Sedona of all places.)

What's the greatest thing that happened to you today?
I found out one of my students was accepted to the University of Vermont.

How many TRUE best friends do you have?
Two. Jamie and Ryan.

What would you change about your life right now?
Just one thing. Jamie knows what it is.

What’s the best feeling in the world?
Knowing your family is safe, and is going to stay safe. That, and the feeling after you just got married.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Do You...


Sing Well?
Not even close.

Believe In Yourself?
I used to. Now I’m not sure.

Get Motion Sickness?
Nope.

Think You Are Attractive?
Sure.

Like Thunderstorms?
Yes, and Nikki’s better trained that that. And of course you’re attractive.

Own An iPod?
Yes, and if you’d tried it more than once, you’d learn to like it, Jamie.

Pray?
Recently, yes.

Keep A Journal/Diary?
Nope.

Sing In The Shower?
Nope.

Chew on your pencils?
If I’m bored, yes.

Like your handwriting?
Yeah, even if James calls it scribbling.

Cry at weddings?
Nope.

Like Camping?
Yep!

Wear nail polish?
Never, and Ginny’s never allowed to outgrow painting James’ nails.

Do you trust anyone with your life. If so, who?
James.

Do you like to watch storms pass by?
Yeah, and I told you, he’s too well trained.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Either Or


Sparking or still water: Still

Kisses or hugs: Hugs

Piercings or tattoos: Tattoos

Hot or cold: Hot

Nike or Adidas: Nike

Cats or dogs: Dogs

The US or the UK: US

McDonalds or Burger King: McDonalds

Church or nightclub: Nightclub

Mariah or Madonna: Madonna

Beer or soda: Beer

Rock or rap: Rock

Winter or summer: Summer

Sun or rain: Sun. Jamie, stop saying snow.

Love or lust: Love

Pepsi or Coke: Coke

Love or money: Mon Love

Indiana Jones or James Bond: Indiana Jones

Sweet or sour: Sour

Night or day: Night

Originality or acceptance: Acceptance

Independence or Companionship: Companionship

Stability or Freedom: Freedom

Introvert or Extrovert: Extrovert

Wicked or RENT: Wicked. I liked the dragon. And you were too, Jamie.

Music or Television: Television

Blondes or Brunettes: Brunettes

Birds or Squirrels: Squirrels

Car or Truck: Jeep

Driving or Riding: Driving

Mexican or Chinese food: Mexican

Pie or cake? Both

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

Smile or frown? Smile

Tears of joy or tears of sorrow? Joy. What was Gin’s answer?

Past or present? Stop cheating, Jamie. Past.

Science fiction or fantasy? Science Fiction

[d]Dull or sharp?

[/b] Dull – less chance of killing myself in the kitchen.

Live forever or die young? Live forever.

Books or television? Television

Jump or skip? >_> Jump

Fast or slow? Fast

Run or walk? Run. I still say you’d like it if you tried it, Jamie.

Disney or Warner Brothers? Warner Brothers

Belle or Jasmine? Jasmine. She was hotter. … What?

Gaston or Cruella Deville? Gaston. He was a dick, but Cruella was evil

Colors or black and white? Colors

Cute or pretty? Cute

Good or evil? Good

Fruits or vegetables? Fruits.

Milk or juice? Milk

Hot chocolate or gingerale? Hot Chocolate

Beer or wine? Beer

Movies or cartoons? Depends on what cartoons.

Moon or stars? Moon

Sky or sea? Sea

Vision or hearing? Vision[/justify]

[Chase Campbell]

More Questions, More Time Wasting

How old were you when you had your first relationship? Fifteen. But it was just kid’s stuff. Nothing that serious.

Are you taken/single? Happily married.

How old were you when you had your first kiss? Fifteen.

What color is your underwear? Black

Do you like anyone right now? I like lots of people. ;D

Ever had your heartbroken? Not really.

Miss anyone right now? Yeah… my parents, to a degree. And my best friend, Ryan.

Who was the last person you sent a text to? James, asking what he wanted to do for dinner.

Last person to text you? Sean, wanting to know how things were going at home.

Last person you saw? Milo. (Ask James, he’s a person.)

What was the last thing you said to someone? "Milo, get off the counter."

Who do you trust the most in your life? James and Ryan.

Who do you love most? James and the kids.

Ever been in love? Yeah.

Who has hurt you the most? … Skip.

Has a tragedy ever happened in your life? Yeah.

Are you happy? Yeah.

How many good friends do you have? A few. James and Ryan are the closest.

Are there some songs you can't listen to because they remind you of someone? Yeah.

Have you ever cheated on a partner? Nope.

Ever been cheated on? Not exactly.

Ever been told someone loved you? Yeah.

Ever told someone you loved them and meant it? Of course.

Not meant it? Yeah… it got me what I wanted at the time. Ginny, don’t read this. >_>

Ever had your heart broken? Nope. Didn’t I answer this one already?

Are you happy with where you are relationship-wise now? Almost. We’ll get there.

What is your idea of true love? What I have now. That no matter what happens, we get through it.

When they slip, do you think you can let go the small stuff? Of course. I never really get caught up on the small stuff anyway.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Yeah.

Why or why not? I pretty much fell in love with James at first sight. … When I stopped thinking he was a) crazy, and b) a government agent.

Do you believe that it is best to have a friendship first then love? Maybe? Sometimes?

Do you believe that love can be found in bars or is that too much of a risk? I have to. It’s where I met James. Not that I went to bars to find love…

Should people go to bars to find love? Not generally a good idea, in my experience.

Or should they go to places where people who like what they like hang out? Probably better to go somewhere they like. … Jamie, was Ginny looking for dating advice?

Should men and women be expecting the other to buy the other gifts? Gifts are nice either way, doesn’t matter who bought for who. Expecting them takes the fun out of spontaneity, though.

Who should wear the pants in the relationship or should it be a mutual give and take? Well, I don’t look that good in a skirt, so… KIDDING. Mutual all the way. … Seriously, Jamie. Was she asking for advice or something?

Should chauvinists of either gender be in a relationship? … If Jamie didn’t get it, I have no hope. SKIP.

Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? After she has a bath, maybe. Mirage rolled in something nasty.

How many girlfriends/ boyfriends have told you they love you? And meant it? Two or three.

Have you ever thought that you were going to marry a person? Yeah.

Are you crushing on someone? No one I’m going to admit to. xP

Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurt? Yeah.

Have you ever made a boyfriend or girlfriend cry? Yeah.

Are you happier single or in a relationship? In a relationship.

Have you ever told someone you loved them and didn't mean it? Yeah… I wasn’t the most noble guy in high school.

Have you ever had your heart broken? I already said no. Quit it.

Have you ever broken someone's heart? Probably a couple.

If you could go back in time and change things, would you? It’s probably a good idea.

Think any of your exes feel the same? I’m sure they do.

Do you believe that you are a good boyfriend or girlfriend? I want to think so.

Have you dated people who were not good to you? Not really. If they were, we weren’t together long.

Have you dated someone older than you? Yeah. Then I married him.

Younger? Yeah.

Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? Not everyone.

Do you Believe in love at first sight? Yeah. And I answered this before.

Ever been given an engagement ring? Nope.

Do you want to get married? I’m already there.

Has anyone ever told you they wanted to marry you? Yeah.

Ever liked someone else's boyfriend or girlfriend? >.> Yep.

Does heartbreak really feel as bad as it sounds? I don’t know.

Have any of your exes told you they regret breaking up with you? Maybe when I was younger. Not recently.

Have you ever flirted with a friends crush? As a teenager, yes. And Jamie, that wasn’t nice.

Would you believe your ex if she/he said they love you? Nope.

Would you ever date your best male/female friend? Male – no. Definitely not. (Sorry, Ry.) Female… I don’t think I even have a female best friend.

Have any of your exes called you by a nickname after the break up? I don’t really have many nicknames, so no.

If your best friend of the opposite sex went out with someone you knew was wrong for them would you speak up? Yeah, I would.

Do you regret any of your relationships? Maybe a few.