Chapter Text
Cody was walking through the streets, his shoes encountered the pavement with each step he took.
It was early January, the people were excited for the new year. But it wasn't Cody's case; he was worried, almost anxious. He hasn't sell a single paint in almost half a year, mostly because he didn't even paint since September.
He needed inspiration quickly because his money was becoming less and less with each day. But the so needed inspiration had abandoned him like a father to his son… Funny, that also had happened to him. Not last year but it had been a thing when he was a just a little boy.
His younger brothers and sisters kind of depended from Bly, Wolffe and him. However, he'd been the only one from the elders that hadn't bring money to the house in the latest months.
On his walk, his brain started to remember the last holidays, those had been the worst ever, well the worst just after the Christmas of the year were his father died. In his mind could clearly see Boba and Omega crying the whole night; Bly irritated and talking to someone on the phone, most likely his girlfriend Aylaa; Fives and Jesse burning the dinner; Boil, Waxer and Wooley just locked themselves on their rooms, and how could he forget Rex trying to cheer everyone up just to end up giving up and locking himself with Boba the rest of the night. But he couldn't blame any of his brothers or sisters, they just were young adults, teens or kids, they shouldn't be all on their own and trying to survive with only the memories of a father.
Now, he just wanted some time alone, find the inspiration he needed and try to work again… or he had to look for another work. Another work that would destroy the lasts traces of imagination and time that he had left, not to mention the time for his studies.
Cody didn't really know where he was going, he was just walking through the city, watching the cars pass while the sun started to hide itself in the horizon. He was just pretending to have something to do, until he looked at one shop. One with square windows, wooden facade and a cream sing on top with olive green letters. The establishment looked quite old-fashioned, but it was kind of normal on that area of Birmingham that was why Cody couldn't help but wonder why it had caught his eye. He decided to go inside and see if he could find any scenery that might inspire him to paint.
Upon entering he was enveloped in warmth; a stark contrast with the cold outside. He could smell the sweet of syrups and the combination of flowers with fruits, that's when he realized what the establishment was, it was a tea shop.
The atmosphere inside of the four walls that constituted the store was cozy, almost homely.
He decided to take a sit in the corner, feeling dizzy with the atmosphere, not because it was bad, but because he was so used to chaos and noise that calm felt uncanny.
The warm light reminded him of his home and family before Jango's death.
He was so absorbed on his own thoughts that didn't even noticed the pair of eyes looking in his direction, watching and examining his state. Watching how his trembling faded away with the warmth of the place, how his eyes showed nights without sleep and how stressed he looked.
The moments passed, Cody fell on the spiral of his own mind when all of the sudden the image of an orange tree was painted on his mind when the smell of the oranges filled his nose cavities. The soft and sweet smell made him lift his head along with his eyes from the table. He found himself with a pair of eyes that looked at him with compassion. Those same eyes opened wide by the surprise of the sudden rise of Cody's head.
—Hello there—the man said, smiling soft at Cody while putting a woven coaster on the wooden table.
It seemed like the man irradiated light. Not like the one that comes from the sun, that one that makes you feel full of energy and like you could run forever and never be tired while it is there, but like the one that the moon gives to us, that one that feels like cold water on the hottest day on summer, like you could rest in it and no chaos would matter if it is there. And Cody was trapped in that, feeling like a cat with a laser, he couldn't stop seeing him.
—Are you alright?— His accent was Scottish, strong, but kind and soft at the same time.
—I… I am—Cody muttered the words tryingto sound convinced, not even structuring the sentence on his mind before externalizing it. He didn't even believe that lie, neither the stranger in front of him.
The other man took a sit beside him, putting the cup on the coaster and bringing it close to Cody who notice the man was wearing and apron with the same design he saw on the sign outside, so he assumed the man worked there and clearly noticed that the man was offering the tea to him. But evaluating his situation he knew he could not indulge in the luxury of accepting the tea, he needed to pay Omega's costume for her recital and give Wooley some money for the materials of his next project in school.
— I didn't order this… and I don't think I can pay it.— Cody looked the man in the eye, hoping he would understand the situation and not try to trick him into buying something.
— Don't worry, it's on the house.— The man reassured Cody, but his words didn't make too much to calm Cody, his brain was telling him not to trust in this stranger, but his heart was trying to convince him that the man's intentions were pure.
He finally give up and brought the warm mug close to his lips, feeling the steam on his nostrils and the smell being interpreted by his brain. He took one sip of the warm beverage and the liquid flavor made his taste buds vibrate in exquisite pleasure.
—This is amazing—Cody said with a genuine smile printed on his face, letting himself be wrapped in the warmth.The stranger smiled.
—It is an orange blossom tea, helps with stress and you seemed to have a lot of that—The man explained, still showing that soft expression. His words make Cody chuckled and smile as well. —You're certainly right, I have a tons of stress.— Cody confirmed the information.
Cody left his cup on the coaster again and looked at the man sitting in front of him. —Why would you give me tea for free? It's not very common for someone to just give gifts to strangers—he questioned the barista, still feeling kind of suspicious.
—Because you seemed like you needed something to cheer up and I wanted to help.— His words made Cody's chest feel warm, he couldn't recognize if it was for the words themselves or the tea, but it was a good feeling. —In that case, thank you. I indeed needed it— Cody thanked the man and took another sip.
—And, if you don't mind me asking, why are you like this? Is something bothering you?—the man asked, tilting his head a little to search for Cody's eyes. Said brunette man looked at him, connecting his amber eyes to the blue ones for a few moments.
—I… well, there is a lot happening in my life right now…— His voice was low, not wanting to anyone else to hear it. The man facing him leaned on the chair's back making himself comfortable.
—I'm all ears and I have all the time in the world.— He smiled but then it seemed like he remembered something. He sat up again, bringing his hand to the back of his neck. —Well, if you want…—
Cody couldn't help but smile, the warm feeling returning to his chest and making him feel like he really mattered to the man even if they were just two strangers who barely known each other. He nodded and swallowed the tea.
—If it doesn't bother you…— He tried to look nonchalant, as if talking about all the chaos around him didn't matter to him. —It doesn't, I really want to help.— The man insisted.
Cody took a breath and sighed. He started were all of it had begin. When he was just a 12 year old boy his father died, leaving the 19 of his brothers and him all alone. And they survived thanks to the few money Jango left behind on his will.
—You have nineteen brothers?—the man asked, his eyes opened wide out of surprise. Cody nodded. —Well, I have seventeen brothers and two sisters.— Cody took the advantage to talk about his family and how life was before his father's death. The man in front of him just listened peacefully, happily and made some comments when needed.
—On his first marriage, my father had Bly, he's the oldest, then he had Wolffee who I had a bit of trouble while growing up because my father had an affair with my mother when he was married to Wolffee's mother.— The man in front of him looked quite interested in all of the family drama which make Cody laugh a bit.
—Quite the interesting family aren't we?— The both of them laughed and Cody resumed his story. Passing through every single one of his brothers until Omega.
—... and well, the little one, Omega, didn't get to meet our father.— He tried to swallow with the tea the lump on his throat that appeared at the memory of Omega asking how was their father or her mother, speaking of how much she wished she had met them.
—I'm so sorry…— The man showed him real compassion, not the empty words he had heard on his mother's or father's funeral. Cody smiled and shook his head. —It's alright.—
Then, he continued, not even worrying himself with hiding details or facts, which was really unusual for him. Unusual for a man who learned that emotional barriers and self-preservation were more important than connection. But for some reason, this man just made him feel safe; and maybe it was because he was a stranger, someone he wouldn't see again in his entire life.
That was what he had thought.
—That sounds really rough. I'm deeply sorry you had to go through all of this… Look, I don't think I can help a lot, but if you want to talk or escape that chaos, you can always come here.— Cody's eyes opened wide. —At this time of the day I don't have to many costumers, we can sit here and talk, I would be here to listen to you.— The words were not just spilled like they meant nothing, they were spoken with truly concern and the wish to be of some kind of help. That was the main reason of why Cody ended up agreeing with the man.
Cody smiled, feeling his eyes start to water but he just disguised it as if he was just sleepy. —Thank you so much.— He bowed his head a bit, taking advantage to clean the tears a bit.
—But maybe we should talk about more cheerful subjects.— The man with the blue eyes suggested, trying to take Cody away from the sadness that had him in between its claws.
They accorded to talk about another subjects. Their voices synchronized each other, following the chat like a river they, somehow, always known its channel. Their words sounded like a symphony of which they didn't even needed a score, it just flowed. The subjects changed like a third-world country's economy, unstable and could jump from one to another in one second.
But then, the time to ending came. It was already late, so Cody needed to return because his family would be worried about him.
—I don't really want this to end here, but if I don't go home my oldest brother is going to organize the entire British police force to find me.— Cody joked and by consequence made the man laugh.
—It's fine, don't worry. Shall I made your tea on the same hour?—the guy asked with a bright smile. Cody nodded. —Sure thing.—
And with that, Cody started his way home, enjoying the cold and the lights of the streets. Somehow, the things that didn't even noticed before just started to greet him with the most splendid ideas for new things, for new poems, for new drawings, for new paintings.
For the first time in months he felt alive.
Near his home, he took out his keys and opened the door, finding himself with Omega running from Hunter in a bath robe and bubbles on her hair.
—He's going to drown me!—the little girl screamed while laughing, finding make Hunter mad really fun. —Omega! You can't just run away in the middle of a bath!—Hunter screamed in return.
Cody laughed to himself, this wasn't as calm as the stranger's tea shop, but it was his home, they were a family who will always going to be for the other.
—Welcome home, brother—Rex greeted him from the couch in the living room.
—Hi.— Cody put his jacket on the rack and walked towards the couch were Rex was sitting and sat on top of him on purpose. —Hey!—Rex protested.
—Oh my bad, I didn't see you since you're so small—Cody teased him and the two brothers laughed while Cody sat properly on the couch.
While they were sitting on the couch Hunter manage to catch Omega and took her back to the bath so Charlotte could rinse her hair. Boba make fun of Omega while Boil dragged him into their room so he could put on his pajamas. Fives and Echo were playing on the Nintendo and Wooley was making his math homework along with Tech.
It was just a normal evening.
While all of that happened, Cody started to think a lot of the man he met, how sweet he sounded and the genuine concern about his situation, his hands, his blue eyes, his…
…HE DIDN'T ASKED HIM HIS NAME.
His eyes opened wide as the realization hit him. He didn't asked his name, didn't even know anything about him and, wait… how was his face again? Oh god. This was bad, he couldn't remember the face and didn't have a name, but he couldn't forget his voice and the feelings he got from all the noon with him.
He suddenly stood up and go up to his room, making Rex and the rest of his brothers a little confused.
—What happened to him?— Fives asked Rex. Rex just shrugged with a confuse expression.
Cody, already in his room, tried to remember the name or the face. He didn't even realize when he had started to make sketches, not even when the brush ended on his hand. But when he came conscious again he had a beautiful paint on his canvas.
It was a landscape with an orange tree surrounded by flowers, with a pair of orange blossoms sprouting from the branches, the sky was blue but a little cloudy, he added a pair of lights… and the main element was a man just looking at the tree with a brown formal attire, his back at the point of view and his hair looked like was being moved by the air.
It was really good paint, it couldn't be compared to the ones he made in the past. He never had made something so colorful, all of his paintings were black and white or in a monochromatic scale, but never with all the color he added. This was new, this felt real and with a soul.
He surprised himself with the news…
It was more than clear that… He had A New Muse.