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It was raining. This wouldn't be such a problem if the skylights didn't leak so now instead of a nice quiet evening chilling to teh whine of a tablesaw and sander it was Handel's Water Music, New York City Ed. Glorious. JP wasn't cooking anything because every pilfered pot and pan was being used to catch drips. It didn't stop him from calling the guys to see if someone could bring a gyro and a dry blanket. That'd be swell.
You should never ever tell Vitale to bring you anything if you don't want him to go overboard. He had the money, he wanted to spend it on his friends. He hadn't really had any before he'd met Jay and JP. They were what ushered in friendship into his life. So when JP was in need of some food and a warm blanket, JP was going to get so much more than what he asked for.
He calls Elmo after, tells the sparky mutant that he'll pick him up on the way. On the way after he picks up enough Greek food to feed an entire family… an entire Bonaventure family to be specific, and a wide array of blankets and pillows, enough to make a nice little nest for JP. And, while he was at it, buckets. To collect the drips instead of JP's pots and pans.
He picks up Elmo on the way, the back seat of his car teeming with gifts and when Elmo gets in, he's covered in takeout bags. "Can you hold that for me?" He asks but doesn't wait for an answer before he starts driving. JP WAS IN DIRE DANGER OF STARVATION. THEY NEEDED TO GO PRONTO.
"Oy gevalt, Vitya," Elmo complains, getting loaded down with bags. "You got enough to feed the entire M.T. Even JP can't eat this much." So they show up to the garage with a ludicrous amount of food, plus enough blankets and pillows to outfit a battalion. "I tried to stop him," he says as they come in, bringing in all the stuff.
JP blinked and wasn't expecting that "Uhhh bonjour?" He was tired as hell but this was interesting. "Gidget makin a new film?" His hand splayed acorss his t-shirt as he peeked around the guys, "There'a whole slumber party in tow or some'in?" Still his arms weren't broken and he helped bring things in looking not concerned but impressed, "Merde this' almost enough for' Severin. I was thinkin sammich. C'mon in"
"You said you were hungry, I brought you food. I didn't know how hungry you were. Also, brought you buckets so you don't need to use your pots. You said you wanted a blanket too. I wanted to bring you enough in case you were sleeping on the ground because I couldn't fit a mattress in my car and it certainly wouldn't do no good to strap it to the roof in the rain." Vitale explains simply, like this is just how you friendship at someone. Duh, JP. Of course I brought you too much of everything.
Elmo opportunistically slings an arm around JP's waist for a side-hug, grinning at him in resignation. Vitko wants to help and will let nothing stand in his way. Well, he can't argue with JP getting comforts and victuals. "How ya doin, tateleh? We gotta get to those skylights with spring coming in."
JP slung his arm round Elmo's back and took one last look in case. He gave the shoulder an encouraging squeeze, "Don' worry. They show up? I won' be stingy. V, you ou'did youself, mon ami. an' mostly I been sleep in Jeanne d'Arc. but yeah, no' doin' too bad. no' too bad. Ummmm kitchen' mostly clean. We can set up there or on th' pool table. How you guys you a'ight?"
"Well, I wasn't gonna have you be cold or starve." Vitale says with a small smile at the praise. He had money and JP had given him permission to use it this time so he took advantage of that opportunity. As for how he's doing? That's an easy lie to tell. "Everything's been good at home. Severin has been pretending to be my dog so I'm almost never alone now." He says, that part isn't a lie at all, bu everything being good wouldn't have gotten him a passing grade on a lie detector. "You? Besides hungry and cold?"
Elmo snorts, about Severin. "Sneaky, that guy. But hey, glad you're not alone." Although he's a little reluctant to unwind from JP, he does, and helps move bags and boxes of food to the kitchen. "Purim was last Saturday. I took Jay. He made quite a splash. Next time I gotta take the team, you guys would have a blast. We drink a lot, eat a lot, dance a lot." Jews know how to party.
JP eyed the window by the fire escape and wonderedout loud, "If Sev's been with you… then why was I feedin a possum?" The Cajun in the room squint thoughtfully. "Merde, Sparkplug, that soun' like e'ry night here, hmm? Sure, they got them things you' auntie won' teach me t'make?"
That question makes Vitale laugh and laugh hard. He doesn't even think that JP meant it as a joke but the idea of it drives Vitale to tears. "I.. I don't.. I don't know. J..JP.. I.." He can barely get the words out before another peal of laughter hits him hard.
"Is this like that time you thought the alligator was Sevele?" Elmo asks JP, dry as good sherry. "I guess it gets confusin', when any animal could be your brother. Latkes are traditional for Hanukkah, that's in November. Usually. We'll get this kitchen running and I'll teach you," he promises, for what may be the hundredth time, after as many asks by JP. He doesn't mind, though.
JP was tauted with a food to learn to make dammit! That mad mechanic was nothing if not tenatious and a man of principle. Stilla t the reminder of the time he fought a live gator thinking it was Sev? Eeeeh JP looked a lil chagrinned but openly admitted, "Yeah kinda exactly like that only this one more interested in eatin a pizza box than me." He sauntered over to Vitale and gave him a bear hug, "Eeeh ya came through. I don' f'get this. Oh, V you free t'morrow I could use you help movin a thing if you free?" And to that extent JP found the spinich pita and stuffed the molten veggie pastery into his face immediately regretting and savoring it. So hungry you're willing to burn the roof of your mouth? So much yes. And breathing around that shit was an artform! "I'm a move th' rest of this stuff. But, I wan' go pick up the chairs t'morrow so wes got someplace t'sit."
Vitale hugs JP back with a tight squeeze. "We gotta take care of each other, J. That's what we do. We're a family, you said." He repeats JP's words back to him before he's released. "I can be free, yeah. Absolutely." He smiles a little when JP breathes around the food he's eating, indicating that he'd probably burned his mouth. "I'm not taking that away from you until the food cools down because I know you're just gonna do it again." He teases, watching as JP fills his stomach and then afterwards makes a nest of his new blankets. Vitale had made a good choice then.