Who: Herbert and Geo
Where: Helen and Marek's house
When: Early afternoon

When Herbert got no Geo-call by 1:30, and he did get a confirming text with an address in response to a quick query, he resolutely tossed a few things into his backpack, plucked up Elda and settled her into the pocket of his single light "coat" where she couldn't get out but she could still peek her little beak out, and went out to retrieve his bicycle. It was a leisurely ride, not wanting to jostle the duckling, but he was impatient the whole way. He wanted to see his friends, ensure that they were all right, and see for himself what this Helen person smelled like, whether she smelled "safe" to him. Or at least if her house smelled "safe".

He'd spent most of the morning trying hard to work on his homework, but he hadn't made much headway. He was too restless. In the end, he'd wound up going out and wandering around, bicycle-less and shoe-less, in the park across the street. The thought had crossed his mind to go out to the woods and shift and roll around in the wet leaves, looking for new smells, but the minute it did, the taste of blood welled up in his mouth and he'd had to run to the nearest drinking fountain in a vain attempt to wash it out. He hadn't shifted since that night, and apparently today wasn't going to be the day he did, either.

Today was, instead, the day to fret about friends. He pulled up at the house in question and looked up at it with a frown, wondering what, exactly, it was like inside.

Geo sat on the front porch, rolling one of Helen's cigarette stubs between his fingers, hair still dripping from his third shower. It seemed like the smell of smoke was never going to go away, and he felt a deeper pang of sympathy for Herbert with the vampires, and for Sammy - Sammy smelled everything so much stronger.

...the fact that Marek's shirt smelled like salt and dirt didn't help in the least, somehow.

It came as a strange relieved-yet-anxious feeling when Herbert pulled up. Geo stood from where he'd been sitting, out-of-sight from the road, and gave a small, shy wave. Somehow, he didn't think video games were going to solve this one.

Herbert gave up on trying to find someplace to lock his bicycle when Geo standing up and waving caught his eye. Instead, he just walked it up the driveway and leaned it against the porch railing, then climbed the steps so he could fold Geo in a nice, big hug. He figured that now, more than ever, he'd need something like that. Even if it meant being cried on, which freaked him out a little, he could deal.

He didn't cry - didn't think he could cry right now, with the numb feeling in his chest - but he leaned into the hug, face pressed to Herbert's broad, warm shoulder. It felt good just to be held - Helen sure as hell hadn't hugged, other than the initial hug back at the house. His mind skittered sideways from that train of thought again - just to be comforted. "s'good to see you." He muttered into the other boy's shoulder. "Startin' to think I was gonna go nuts."

The lack of tears was more of a relief than it should have been, but Herbert was perfectly content to hug Geo as long as he liked, like this. He even rubbed Geo's back a little with one big hand. Elda shifted around in his pocket, but didn't make any noise yet. "It's good to smell you," he agreed, because while Geo's scent was very... cigarette-y and more than a little blood-y, it was still his, and it wasn't his blood, and he, personally, smelled okay. Just a little over-stressed. "And you're not gonna go nuts." He could be firm in that, at least, if just from the strength of his own belief.

"Hate this house." Geo muttered, backing off a step. "'s too quiet, and Sammy's all upset an' I don't want to make him talk, and Helen's at work so that leaves Marek who..." Scares me half to death "I don't like talking to and doesn't like talking to me." He sat down next to the front door, patting the floor next to him before his arms crossed over his knees. "I just feel so confused right now."

Letting him go and sitting beside him, close enough so that their shoulders brushed and careful about his light coat pocket with Elda in it, Herbert frowned. "Can you turn on some music to make it less quiet? Or will... Marek not let you?" He didn't like the idea of Geo and Sammy being someplace they didn't like, with people they were uncomfortable with. Geo's unsteady heartbeat and tension spoke worlds about what he thought of this "Marek" person, and Herbert really didn't like the sound of that. "And where's Sammy? Is he here?"

"He doesn't have a stereo." Geo rolled his eyes, like it was unbelievable. Which it was, to him anyways. "And my iPod..." He let that thought fade rather quickly, shaking his head. "And Sammy...well." He waved a hand upward. "Sammy's on the roof." He'd been there for the last three hours; Geo'd gone up and checked on him a couple of times already. "Just...watchin' the sky, thinking..." Probably too much thinking. "He'll come down when he's ready."

Well, considering Herbert didn't have a stereo, either-- or any kind of music-playing system, except for what Peyton had given him-- it didn't strike him as all that odd. But he nodded in agreement, anyway, seeing as all he wanted to do here was make Geo feel more comfortable, and you couldn't be friends with Geo for very long without figuring out how much he liked music. "Whenever he comes down, tell him I'd like to see him, too," he said. "But until then, I brought you stuff." He pulled the backpack around and set it on one of the lower steps, cupping a hand around Elda's pocket so it didn't bump her. The duckling peeped a little at the jostling.

"Stuff?" Geo blinked over at his friend, smiling slightly at the peeping. "Hey, you brought the ducky, too..." He sat up straighter, curiosity awakened. "How is she doing, is she ok an' everything? Sammy's...Sammy's are at the vet, guess that's something good to come of this..." He didn't think he'd be able to handle dead ducklings on top of everything else; that'd be the last straw. "That they're...alright, I mean."

"She's doin' fine. Though I keep doing things wrong, according to the duckling stuff Stacey looked up for me." Herbert reached into his pocket to scoop her out, and deposited her on Geo's lap. "Hold her for a second?" was all he said about that, while the unsteady-looking duckling sat on Geo's knees and blinked up at him. Herbert left it at that and set about opening up his backpack and fishing around inside. "I'm glad to hear the other two are okay." That hadn't actually even crossed his mind, to be honest; his concern for Sammy and Geo themselves had kind of eclipsed that.

Geo blinked right back at the duckling before scooping her up gently to nuzzle the down on the top of her head. "Hello little one..." She was so tiny and fragile, and looked so small in his hands that he had to set her back down, worried that she'd break. "They were at the vet," He said, softly, rubbing his fingers down the little wings. "Sam took them down Thursday afternoon..." He blinked again, shaking his head. "I'm repeatin' myself."

Elda flapped her little wings and made an attempt at nibbling on his nose, but he put her down before she really had the chance. "Should go pick them up," Herbert suggested, pulling an older-looking discman and several burned cds out of his backpack and setting them on his lap. "I bet it'd make Sammy feel better, having them around." He smiled over at Geo, petting his little duckling-- who was settling herself comfortably in the crease between his thighs, blinking a bit sleepily-- and added, "Maybe you, too."

"Maybe we should," Geo agreed, fingers tracings tiny circles around the duck's back, gently. "Like service dogs, only ducks." The duckling was soft and warm against his fingertips, relaxing, in an odd way. "Make y'feel better..." He added, softly. "All little and fuzzy and warm...better'n a puppy." He watched for a second before shaking his head and nodding at the cds with a quizzical look in his eyes. "Wha's that?"

Under ministrations like that, Elda was already on her way to a nap, little head tucking down against her side. Herbert watched with a little grin until Geo looked up, and then the grin got bigger. "These are for you. Peyton made me these cds, I don't know if you'll like them, but I think they're pretty okay. Since you don't have music right now, and all, and I know you like it so much...." He looked between Geo's face and his lap and added, "I'll give 'em to you for reals in a few minutes. Wouldn't wanna disturb anybody."

"No, don't think we would," Geo answered, voice still soft. The duckling's eyes were drifting closed, so he kept up his rubbing, intent on lulling the critter to sleep - at least he could help somebody. He eyed the cds as he did so. "An'...if Peyton made 'em I'm pretty sure I'll like 'em."

"Well, it's my taste from Peyton's music," Herbert admitted with a lop-sided little grin. "She made me borrow her music player-- her ipod," he remembered the name a bit belatedly. "--and pick out what all I liked. I didn't have any music, and she was appalled." It'd been kind of cute, in a funny way; certainly sweet of her. "So I don't know if your taste is like mine, but I figure anything is better than nothing, eh?"

Elda was definitely falling asleep, over there. Herbert kept his voice relatively low, too, so as not to disturb her. He kind of doubted there'd be a problem, but still.

"Shoulda been appalled!" Geo looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Can't imagine bein' without music, but that's just me..." Hell, my records... The thought kept coming to mind, and he kept shoving it off, knowing it wouldn't help and would take over if he let it. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with not really being into it." What is wrong with me, my parents just died and I am babbling about music? He was praying it was shock. The alternatives terrified him.

"Well, it doesn't bother me, being without, and you can always give them back later," Herbert said mildly. He, on the other paw, had no qualms at all talking about things that were light and easy, because that's what Geo said he'd wanted-- to talk-- and if he were going to talk about his parents, it would probably be better to do it with family. "There's a whole bunch of random stuff in there, with some really odd names. Have you ever heard of, erm, the Bare Naked Ladies?" He felt bad for liking them, but their lyrics weren't bad at all. Just the name.

"Yeh." Geo checked on Elda again, fingertips still massaging. "Have all their...had all their albums. They're fun." He'd even seen them in concert once - with Fred and Sammy and Yu. Happy memory, at least. "The name used t'spazz mom out, it was funny when she didn't know who they were..." He actually chuckled at that.

Smiling some, Herbert said, "I kind of did, too, when I found out the music in Peyton's collection I liked most was named that. But that's what there's the most of, on these." He tapped the jewel cases gently. "There's also Panic at the Disco, Anberlin, Death Cab for Cutie, Ani DiFranco, uh... a few more. I don't remember off the top of my head. There's some country, I don't know if you like that."

Geo just nodded, leaning back against the wall. "Some I do, some I don't...'t all depends on the words an' the music itself, not the style." Ok, that tore it - he really needed to get to the vet's and get the other ducklings. Soothing Elda to sleep was helping his brain feel less like it was burning around the edges. Maybe he could get a puppy...he tried to imagine Marek dealing with a puppy, and his brain promptly rejected the idea. "...I think she's asleep."

"Yeah, I think so, too." Watching, Herbert had to smile again, and agree with Geo's way of thinking, for all he didn't know he was. "You oughta to get the other two." He cocked his head and suggested, "We could go now, if you wanted. I'll walk my bicycle and I bet we could do it without jostling Elda too much." It was something to do, and maybe Geo would appreciate something to do? And then there would be ducklings even after Herbert left who Geo and Sammy both could look after and pet. Petting baby animals, he was pretty sure, was good for you.

"...Helen doesn't, ah. She doesn't know about the ducks." And he trusted Marek about as far as he could throw him around tiny animals. "We'll have to explain about them..." And he didn't want to leave Sammy here by himself. "I don't think she'll mind them, I just...want to make sure, yanno?" She was so soft and so warm, and she smelled like Herbert was letting her bathe often - just young and feathery. "Does she like your house?" Maybe they could have the other ducks stay there a few days? Ah, probably not. But the mental image of little duckies padding around the apartment made him snicker.

"I think so," Herbert said warmly, though he was a bit disappointed that they couldn't get the ducklings for Sammy-- he expected both the brothers would've liked that. The thought that they might be in danger in the house never crossed his mind, though he could hear and smell Geo's general uneasiness about the subject. "Kinda have to be careful not to let her bother Olivia too much, she worries about things too much, and Elda's one of those things she worries about. But she's been good. Likes to sit in my yarn," he added, remembering that adorable little image and grinning. Had he told Geo he knitted? He couldn't remember.

"Yarn?" That was an amusingly adorable mental image. "Like...balls of yarn? Like kittens play with?" He could just see the bitty baby duck toddling through a pile of yarn, and he had to smile, nuzzling the little duck. "That's a good lil' girl, yeah..." Then realization caught up with his thoughts and he blinked - rather owlishly - at Herbert. "Wait. Yarn? Why...?"

Apparently he hadn't. "I knit," Herbert explained, grinning. "Hats and scarves and sweaters and things. I'm actually pretty good. I, uh, spent a lot of time doing it during the whole... vampire week." It helped keep his mind off things, focusing on counting stitches and trying to guess what colors he was using at any given time. "I've got a lot kind of sitting around the apartment, I need to find someplace to sell it or something." ... hey, maybe he should've brought some for Geo and Sammy. They might've appreciated it. Hmm, maybe later once he was sure what colors things were in and that they matched, and things.

"That's...actually pretty awesome." Geo sat back again, wincing when his back cracked. "My grandma knits, but she's not very good at it." Her sweaters always reminded him of something out of Harry Potter - all lumpy and misshapen. "I don't tell her that, of course, 'cuz she means best an' all..." He really wanted to see her now - this morning's round of phone calls had been absolutely horrible.

That was a pretty unusual reaction. Herbert found that he liked it, and beamed a bit at Geo for not thinking it was stupid or strange. "Takes a while to get really good at it-- you should've seen my stuff two years ago. Ugh. At least she tries. Does she make you things all the time, even if they aren't all that good?"

"Just 'round Christmas." Geo shook his head. "Usually sweaters, though the scarves she's given me work ok. Until they unravel. Which, uh, happens often 'cuz they get these loose threads that I can't help but pull at." Like my sanity right now...pull the wrong thing and it all unravels aga- His fingers twitched - he turned the motion into another round of pet the duckie. Just focus on the duck and the friend...

"Aww, yeah, sweaters're harder than scarves, and if you have loose stitching it's easy to pull it apart...." It reminded Herbert, randomly, of one of the songs he'd heard on Peyton's iPod, about someone's sweater unraveling. He didn't think he'd asked for that one. "I keep thinking I ought to make things for my friends-- Peyton has a scarf I made. Mostly because no one else wanted it, but she liked it. Apparently the colors I picked don't match." He grinned sheepishly.

"Colorblind, right?" Geo couldn't remember if he'd been told, or if it were a not-so-wild guess. It just seemed to make sense, and this form of conversation didn't really seem to need thinking, which was a plus on all levels. "I never really got the point of matchin' colors, the point of clothes and stuff is t'keep you warm and protected from the elements and stuff like that..." He shrugged. "I think it makes things more interesting when the colors are all screwy."

Herbert had to laugh, quietly. "Yes, colorblind-- everything's gray except for blue-- and I wish Olivia thought more like you. She makes sure I never leave the apartment mismatched, if she's there to catch me before I do. I'll remember that and not pay any attention to what colors I pick when I knit you and Sammy things, then." He was perfectly happy chatting about nonsense stuff, if that's what Geo needed. It saved him having to come up with anything useful or profound. Or, better to say, try to come up with anything.

Geo leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes with a small smile. "Sounds awesome. Really." His fingers stayed fluffing the ducky's feathers, almost as hypnotized by the motions as she seemed to be.

That just cemented in Herbert's mind that Geo and Sammy needed the other ducklings. If only he could just leave Elda here for a while... but he didn't think she'd like that much. He shifted so his shoulder was touching Geo's and, for lack of anything better to say, said, "It'll be okay. All of it."

"Yeah..." Geo shifted slightly, resting his head against Herbert's broad, warm shoulder. "I...I hope so, anyways..." He didn't let himself think about it being not okay - he focused, instead, on the fact that Herbert didn't smell like smoke.

And that was a start, wasn't it?