Bobby and Jay, Friday afternoon

[x-coldhands.livejournal.com]

Jay runs into Bobby in the kitchen. Bobby finds out that Terry's been hiding something from him. He's a bit...shocked.


Bobby punched the buttons on the microwave and went to retrieve a rootbeer as his bag of popcorn kernels began revolving. In less than three minutes, he'd have yummy, buttery popcorn with no effort. Isn't technology great, he though absently as he removed the cap and chilled his soda, leaning against the counter.

"Smells like movies," Jay announced as he walked into the kitchen to get himself a quick post-flight class snack. When he saw Bobby, he suppressed a flinch and just walked by him to the fridge as if everything were normal. Because they were. Nothing was wrong. And if anything was wrong, then Bobby would know, right?

"Ooo. Movies is a good idea," Bobby replied cheerfully. "I was just craving popcorn, but you've got a point." He straightened and pulled open a cupboard, getting a bowl down for the popcorn. "Any suggestions?"

Way too happy for Terry to have told him anything. Jay couldn't help but frown. "Ray?" he suggested as he pondered over what he ought to do. And figures that Jay Guthrie would posit a biographical film about a musician.

"Haven't seen that one. Is it any good?" The microwave beeped, interrupting them, and Bobby hurried to it, pulling the bag out and opening it carefully to avoid steam burns, just as it instructed, and pouring the hot buttery popcorn into the bowl.

"Yeah, it's great." Jay rummaged through the fridge, half his body pretty much inside the box, looking for something sweet and full of empty calories. "Jamie Foxx is just amazin'. Ah'd have his babies." D'oh.

Bobby laughed and tossed a piece of popcorn into the air, missing it completely and catching it in his hand again. He shrugged and popped it into his mouth the old fashioned way. "That'd give the docs something to talk about, if you did," he teased, grinning.

Bobby had no clue, and Jay couldn't in good conscience just keep something like this from him. It was wrong of Terry to do so. And besides, Bobby was cool. He'd offered Jay his support back when he and Terry first fought, after all. It wouldn't pay him back if Jay kept silent.

So he decided to play it subtly, even though that's so not his game. "Yeah, can you imagine any of us gettin' pregnant 'round here?" he asked.

"I think there's been enough of that," Bobby pointed out, rolling his eyes. "Between Rachel and Billy, while he was here...I mean, we have enough trouble around this place without droolers underfoot all the time..." He gave Jay a conspiratorial grin. Surely he'd be on the same side.

Jay snorted. "You've got, what, one brother? Try growin' up the third of nine. Other people's kids are fine, but if they're related to me? Hoo boy do we got some problems here." He emerged from the fridge victorious, taking out half a chocolate cake. He'd leave a small slice for someone else.

"Yeah, and Ronnie and I are close enough, I don't even remember him as a baby." Bobby eyed the cake and added helpfully, "There's ice cream in the freezer. Drake brand."

"Lord knows how much Ah'd screw up a kid if Ah had one. Thank God for the gay." He grinned, putting the plate down on the counter so he could open the freezer to get some ice cream.

"Yeah. And thank god for the pill, for me," Bobby replied, nabbing a handful of popcorn and tossing a few pieces into his mouth.

"Well, it ain't like those're fool-proof," Jay said. What, was Bobby setting up Jay with these comments? "Like what happens iffn ya miss a day? It's all gone."

Bobby scoffed. "Terry? Miss a day? Not likely." He grabbed a spoon out of the drawer to steal a bite of ice cream.

After cutting himself a slice of cake, Jay scooped himself a bit of ice cream and passed the carton to Bobby so he didn't have to mooch. "Ah forgot Rufus Wainwright's birthday last summer," he said. "No one's got a perfect memory."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Not quite the same thing, Jay." He shrugged and scooped up a bite of ice cream, staring into the carton. "Besides, condoms suck, and the pill's pretty reliable. And much more spontaneous." He looked up and winked at Jay, not a care in the world. "I'm not worried."

Jay looked pointedly at Bobby, trying to nonverbally tell him that yes, he damn well should be worried.

Bobby looked back at him for a few seconds, then swallowed the mouthful of ice cream he'd just eaten. "...What?"

"Have you talked to Terry lately?" he asked, abandoning his snack. "Because Ah reckon this is a conversation you oughtta have together."

"Of course I've talked to her. We went out for Valentine's day, and...well. That was the last time I saw her, but she's been busy at work." This was very strange. Why was Jay telling him to have a talk about birth control with Terry? ...He paled a bit. "Did she say something to you? Did she miss a pill?" Crap crap crap...he'd better make sure he had some condoms around, just in case.

Jay picked at his cake with his fork. "Just don't tell her Ah told you," he requested. "It's the first conversation we've had in months."

Bobby paled even more. "...Holy shit, she did. But she's not..." He moved around the island, gripping Jay's shoulder. "Jay, she's not--?" He sent up a silent prayer, something along the lines of Please god, please please please no, please...

Jay gently removed Bobby's hand from his shoulder but held it, an offer of support. "She's scared of what you'll say."

Bobby's stomach plummeted to somewhere near his ankles. "Jay...she's pregnant?" he whispered. This couldn't be happening. He was misunderstanding. JAY had misunderstood. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING SOMEWHERE, RIGHT??

Maybe Terry's fears were spot on. Jay's chest felt tight, his heart pounding. And maybe he shouldn't have told Bobby either. But it was the right thing to do, right? Bobby's the father, after all, he had the right to know the truth.

"Congratulations?" Jay offered.

Bobby whimpered and took a step back, shuffling toward a barstool. He had to sit down. There was a buzzing in his ears and his vision was doing weird stuff. "...Holy shit," he mumbled, and sat down hard. "...I'm gonna be a father."