Too many two people (Jude)

[Oberon Sparks]

It wasn't often that Oberon was this excited to get home. Despite their re-purposed firehouse technically only housing two people, it was sometimes far too crowded. On the days that he had all of his duplicates out (He got antsy if he was just him for too long.) and Jude mimicked his ability and had duplicates of his own running around, well.... their couch wasn't meant to hold more than five bodies, and though they had very little boundaries (all fourteen of them--max--were two guys who'd been close since they'd started at Hammel, within months of each other) it did eventually get crowded in there. At the moment, only two of his duplicates were out. He slammed the front door and called out, "Ronnie! I need help!"

Within seconds, the tall, thin clone of him came sliding down the pole from upstairs. (That and the enormous loft upstairs had been the two biggest draws for him and Jude when they'd been looking for a place to rent.) The other man would have been a mirror image, if it wasn't for the fact that she was wearing girls clothing and had done her makeup nicely, even though she rarely ever left the firehouse, and never when she was dressed up. "What's up, Oberon? You need me to talk you out of something again? What'd you do now?"

Oberon, long since used to seeing what he'd look like if he was a transvestite and no longer phased by it, presented his hand to her. "I've got a date on Saturday."

"A date?" A third voice, higher than Oberon's but lower than Ronnie's (barely) called out from upstairs, before another duplicate came sliding down. Benny grinned and took Oberon's hand in his, inspecting it. "Who?"

"Rose. She works at the tattoo parlor in town. She's the goth woman with the pigtails. And she's coming on Saturday to watch Monty Python and have pancakes. So you can't be around." He put down his bag and went to the refrigerator to get some water.

Ronnie cocked up one eyebrow and asked, "Are you going to be the one on this date, or are you sending Ben in?"

"I managed to get her number without his help. I think you severely underestimate my ability to woo women."

"I think you severely overestimate your understanding of the word woo."

"Shut up."

Ronnie shook her head. "Whatever. I got the work done. Have you told Jude you actually have a date coming over yet?"

"No, not yet."

Benny laughed and perched himself on the counter. "Oh, this should be good."

[Jude Wilde]

"What should be good?" The boyish looking man rounded the corner from the living room, munching on a bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios, his eyes bright and excited per usual. He looked from the original Oberon, over to the feminine copy of him holding himself in a very dainty way in front of the twisting stairs. This was regular life. "Is something going on?" An almost innocent sort of enthusiasm to his voice, speaking with his mouth filled with half chewed Cheerios. Generally, things weren't dull around the firehouse that was converted to a home for the two men; with the gaming system, plenty of snacks, and a pole to slide down, rarely did things seem menial. But any mention of something new would spark an interest in the brunette.

Eyes brightening, "Oh, oh, lemme guess!" He said, spooning another bite of cereal into his mouth as he paced through the middle of them. "Hm, let's see... What's good... Popcorn's good. Did you go see a movie?" He inquired, tapping the end of the spoon against his chin in thought. "Er.. Nah, probably not... How about," He paused, drawing out the vowels in 'about' to make it sound more like "abooooooooout" instead of an actual word, "You finally got us a trampoline!?" He shouted excitedly. Jude had been wanting one for a few months by this point, but the ruling was generally 'No' from the majority of the multiples.

Pausing in his excitement, he looked back at his friend, scrunching his nose in thought. "No, wait, you're mean. You wouldn't do that," Playfully, of course. Humming momentarily, still munching on the soggy breakfast food, he attempted to find something else semi-plausible that his roommate(s) would be talking about. "You found a puppy?" He offered hopefully, wanting to give his puli, Staples, a little brother or sister.

[Oberon Sparks]

Oberon shot a glare at Benny, then turned to his housemate. They'd been best friends since their days at Hammel, when he'd been placed as the fourth person in Jude's dorm room. They were long-since used to each other's eccentricities, and he suspected some of what was coming. "Yeah, something happened today..." but the other man was already off and running, and Oberon knew better than to try to interrupt.

Besides, Jude's "guesses" were always entertaining.

The first guess actually surprised him; he thought Jude knew he wouldn't go to the movies unless it was two-dollar classics night. Apparently he did, as that one was dismissed pretty quickly. As the next one should have been.

In theory, Oberon didn't have a problem with a trampoline. He just didn't know where they would put it (small yard, though that was a small trade-off for such a great house) and he suspected that it would be his job to drive Jude to the hospital when he inevitably fell off the damn thing. "And if I wasn't too mean, you would have seen it already, and wouldn't have to ask." It was no use rejecting the premise of the statement; this was something he was mean about. Had Jude even read the statistics on trampoline-related neck injuries?

(Of course, Benny agreed with the other man. Benny always agreed with him.)

By the time Jude reached the end of his guessing, Oberon was more than ready to just spill the beans. "No, not a puppy. Staples is the only dog I trust around Ellie." He didn't even have to say anything, and Ronnie left, heading upstairs to feed the rabbit. "I've got a date coming over on Saturday. I'm making apple pancakes and we're going to be watching Monty Python. She doesn't know anything about Hammel, so please, no powers."

[Jude Wilde]

A look of slow discouragement came over his boyish features as the idea of another puppy was rejected. He made a small whining noise - Jude really, really liked animals. If one took him to the zoo, he'd be entertained for hours. Actually, that was a great idea, "Can we go to the zoo?" He asked, his eyes brightening again, voice loud with enthusiasm.

Suddenly, Jude stopped bouncing around excitedly as he usually did. He whipped around, looking at the brunette with a tilted head. "A date?" He asked, eyes twinkling with mischief. "With who!? What's her name? Or his name, I'm not prejudice. Or just... them. Actually, what do you call a transsexual person? Whatever gender they want to be? Or is there a word for it? Oh, where'd you meet them? Are they nice? Do they like pulis?" His words jumbled together as he questioned with energy, only pausing momentarily for air at one point. This was exciting! A new person in the house - and, apple pancakes! How frickin' awesome was that?

The whole warning of no powers sort of went straight over his head as he turned swiftly and jumped into the living room where copies of both Oberon and himself were competing on Mariocart. Occasionally, Jude completely forgot which names any of them even went by. So he pretty much would just yell something spontaneous and point until he got the right one's attention. "We're going to have a guest!" He yelled, shoving the bowl onto the nearby table and jumping onto the couch, in between the multiple, identical grown men being a little bit too enthusiastic about the video game. "And watch Monty Python, and eat pancakes. Apple pancakes!"

[Oberon Sparks]

The whining noise was just unnecessary. Oberon crossed his arms, suddenly feeling like a jerk for his very valid opinion that they shouldn't get another dog, since they already had a house rabbit and he didn't want Ellie to have a heart attack. Or, you know, be eaten. "Come on, don't do that." But Jude seemed to be over it fast enough, so Oberon just shrugged and said "Sure. Maybe on Sunday."

The torrent of questions that spewed forth about his date was expected, and it was all he could do to keep up with them in his head. Nine questions, lets see how well he could do. "Rose. Her name is Rose, and she works in the tattoo parlor in town." Though he hadn't had a date in a long time, Jude had known about his previous girlfriend, and in fact, Oberon had insisted at that point that he was only interested in women, but if Jude didn't remember, or neglected to care, whatever. "You call them whatever they want to be called. I mean, you don't refer to Ronnie as he, right?"

From upstairs, the same voice at a higher pitch called down, "Thank you!"

Oberon called up, "You're welcome, and if you're going to eavesdrop, you might as well come down here."

The rest of the questions went unanswered, as Jude went off into the next room. Just great. Oberon jogged in after him, exasperated, and already feeling like a jerk because of it. "No, there is no we. I am having a guest over. It is a date. Rose and I are going to watch Monty Python and....well, yeah, I'll make apple pancakes for you too, but you can't be in here hanging out the whole time. It's a date." Man, why did he feel like such a dick for this?

[Jude Wilde]

Jude was forced to stop his antics when Oberon seemed to actually try to make a valid point. It was sort of a lost cause around the other man most of the time, but when his close friend seemed sort of exasperated, Jude made it a point to try and pay attention. And what he said made the mime halt. Aww, he wasn't included in fun, new friend plans? He pouted, but actually knew where his friend was coming from. Who wants an eccentric, seven-year-old-at-heart running around when trying to impress a girl?

Controllers dropped to the floor gracelessly as Jude retracted his own copies and swirled so he sat on the couch backwards, facing Oberon. They were silent for a moment as the brunette studied him, an odd expression on his face. "Sooo..." He said, dragging out the vowel in the word. "What's she like? Y'know, besides working in a tattoo parlour, because that really doesn't offer much for me to assume about her. I mean, for all I know, she can be some insane drug addict. Or Kat Von D. Which there really isn't much of a different between those two." He babbled again, cocking his head to the side as he spoke. "Rose. Rose.... Roooose... Works in a tattoo parlour. And like Monty Pythooon." He sang oddly, covering up that he felt a little left out.

Jumping off the couch, he was next to his roommate in a matter of seconds, nearly smashing into him from sliding on the hardwood floors in his socks. Staring at him intensely for a long stretch of silence, he finally said in an obviously comical attempt at an intimidating voice, "You'd better make me apple pancakes." The smile returned as he slid off toward the kitchen to get more Cheerios.

[Oberon Sparks]

Oh god. Not that look. Jude and Oberon had been friends for years now, since the day that Oberon, with newly-spawned Benny tagging along behind him, had moved into Jude's dorm. Instantly, the duplicate and the roommate hit it off, and before too long, Oberon felt like the older brother to both of them. The only time when they hadn't been roommates was during college. So when Jude looked at him, Oberon instantly had the sinking suspicious that he was, in fact, an asshole. It didn't help that the other man immediately retracted his duplicates. This wasn't fair; he shouldn't feel so guilty about wanting to have a date over and, you know, not have her freaked out by a multiplied roommate who was as likely chatter all the way through a movie as not.

He was marginally more comfortable when Jude began to talk again, because him being silent was just so...weird. "She's really sweet, and she thinks I'm cute. Uh, she has a dog.... And she agreed to a date with me." That was really the only things that had been covered in their brief conversation, except his avoidence of discussing his job and their little conversation about needles and body art that he really didn't want to remember, because it was still making him a bit uncomfortable. And he didn't feel like having to explain about seeing her tattoo up close, because there was no way he could describe it without feeling like he was some kind of creeper oogling a girl's neck.

Oberon jumped when Jude nearly crashed into him. It was an often enough occurrence at their house anyway, someone was always sliding around in socks. So while the tall, skinny mad was glad his friend wasn't too mad, he still felt guilty. "Of course I will, Jude." He always would.

[Jude Wilde]

The curly haired adult tilted his head back in order to listen to Oberon's words as he skidded into the next room, nearly tripping into the refrigerator in the process. This was the only reason he owned socks in the first place, to slide on the wooden floors in the firehouse. Otherwise, people rarely found Jude with shoes on - they were just... annoying and... his toes felt weird when he wore them. Ickk. Jumping over to the pantry, he pulled out the half full box of Cheerios and was back at the counter in seconds. He glanced back at Oberon as he trailed into the room, with a look of forlorn guilt on his face. Aww, he hadn't made him feel that bad, had he? Jude pushed his bottom lip out in a pout as he jumped up and sat on the counter, resting his elbows on his knees, and his chin in the heels of his hands. He grinned suddenly, reaching out and pinching the other man's cheek like a sweet, but deranged grandmother would do. "Aww, but you are cute." He smiled almost painfully large.

Leaning back, he took a large bite of breakfast cereal and munched happily. "Mmkay, so, Rose. Works in a tattoo parlour. Likes Monty Python. And... apples? And Oberon! Cool, she has to be nice!" He concluded - that logic probably wouldn't work in anyone else's mind except his. Pausing, he nearly dropped the metal spoon from his mouth.

Scrambling, he jumped off the counter and abandoned the bowl as he rushed out of the room. He paused, turning back to his roommate to hold up one finger, symbolizing that he should wait there for a moment. The adult rushed across the hallway, jumping over the couch and shifting through the random items on the coffee table in front of their television. Cork screw, sharpie, ladle, HAH! He did a momentary victory dance before hurtling back over the couch and sliding into the kitchen again with the retrieved piece of paper. He momentarily forgot there was a spoon still in his mouth, and attempted to speak, but only resulted in illegible garble. Removing the utensil, the man spoke in a rushed tone, "So I designed this a while ago, and I've been wanting to get it, but I didn't know if there was a place in town that could do it. But now that this Rose Monty Python has proved to be alive, well, I hope so anyways, do you think she could help me out?" He pushed the tattoo design forward toward his roommate. Contrary to common belief, Jude was actually good at a few particular things - including drawing. On the paper, the detailed sketch of an octopus stared up at the brunette. "'Cause I really, really want it." He said in an almost asking tone - actually, he was quite nervous to think of what his oldest friend though of that tattoo design in general. Almost sheepishly, "... I like octopi."

[Oberon Sparks]

Oberon had to follow Jude into the next room. The two had been friends for so long, he had gone through the "pouting won't work on me" phase, right out to the other side, where he felt even more guilty disappointing him. But it was hard to keep even that up, as he twisted away, pulling his face out of Jude's grasp and rubbing his cheek. "Thanks, but I like it better when she says it, thank you very much."

Jude managed to both guilt and annoy Oberon more than even his cousins could. He'd used to think that was impossible.

It was pretty frightening that his roommate's summary of what he knew of Rose pretty much covered everything Oberon knew of his date as well. And he'd invited her over to his house for pancakes and Monty Python. He glanced at his reflection in the oven door, as if that would indicate he had suddenly switched consciousnesses with Ben on accident. Though it would explain a lot, he knew he hadn't. And he had to talk to someone a bit less, well, Jude. (And Jude had run off suddenly, as well.)

Closing his eyes, Oberon pushed the personality he knew was lurking in his head out, not opening them again until the duplicate had materialized next to him.

"Oberon, you can't do this in your room?" Ben, who had solidified nicely, crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, utterly unfazed at having been willed into existence without clothes on. "It's chilly down here."

"Ronnie!" Oberon called up to the second floor, "Can you bring some stuff down for Ben please?"

"Let him get them himself," came the response, but it was followed by the soft whump of a pile of clothing being dropped down by the firepole. Ben went off to get them, though he threw back over his shoulder, "You want tips for your date, right?"

"Yeah." Oberon nodded, with only a faint of feeling that it was weird, watching himself walk away. He just frowned and turned his attention to Jude, who had returned.

With a picture of an octopus.

Eventually, Oberon was going to realize that his life was weird.

"She can probably help. I dunno though. She said she likes to just come up with designs for her own stuff, and then she gets the other people at the shop to do it." He smiled slightly, then added, "All of her tattoos looked pretty good. The ones I saw, at least."

[Jude Wilde]

Jude hadn't thought anything of the oddity that was a replica of his roommate, walking through the doorway naked at the same time he slid back in with excitement. He had long ago gotten used to his friend's ability, even coming to enjoy the multiple different personalities that lurked around the house. It was pretty fun back in school when they had been roommates and Jude first figured out what Oberon's ability was. What an interesting day that was. Great fun figuring out all of the boy's nicknames, amazingly he had one for each of his forms. "Mornin' Ben." He called to the copy, slipping on his socks into the kitchen.

As his roommate studied the picture in his hands, Jude gnawed at his lip, watching him intently. It wasn't unknown that Jude liked art - it was one of his strong points. Drawing, acting, dancing (in his own mind), he could do those things. But he was still always nervous when it came to his work being judged. Just like he had nearly had an aneurysm the night of his first performance - A Midsummer Night's Dream... Ironically, that's where his friend's name came from. Odd connection. When the copier finally spoke with mild amusement, Jude grinned suggestively.

"Oh, and what tattoos did you see?" The lewdness in his voice was hard to overlook. Grinning, he hopped back up on the counter, studying the picture for himself. It would be on his upper left arm, a half sleeve. On his upper right arm he had the Rubix cube that he had gotten when he turned 18. It took a while for him to decide on tattoos - he wanted them to mean something. Looking back up at Oberon, the mime smirked, "So, asking Ben for some advice, are you?" He laughed. How odd that he requested another part of his own mind for information. Still kinda cool though.

---

I honestly had no idea what to write for this. Jude-muse is being difficult.

[Oberon Sparks]

"Afternoon, Jude." Ben didn't flinch either. This was a regular enough event around the firehouse that they were not phased by it at all, or at least the more outgoing personalities were not. If Oberon had been naked, he would have been blushing fiercely and hiding behind just about anything.

Oberon glared at his roommate. His encounter with Rose had been completely innocent. She hadn't shown off any of her tattoos that weren't visible to anyone with decent eyesight. "Stars, for your information. On her neck." He grumbled and looked away, before tacking on an irritated, "Pervert." Why did he have to have a roommate at all? It was bad enough that their house always seemed to look like a herd of twenty-something guys lived there (which was pretty much true) but he was going to have to clean it up before Rose got there.

With a sigh, he responded, blushing a little and shrugging. It wasn't his fault that he'd never actually had a girlfriend, or that 60% of the times he'd kissed someone, it had been one of his own duplicates. (Just as practice, mind you. For when he got a girlfriend. Really.) "Yeah, I was talking to Ben. He somehow absorbed that kind of stuff without me noticing."

It was a little disheartening that he hadn't managed to pick up what Ben had.