Chapter Text
"You're tall," the little kid with a pair of oversized glasses said tapping the window of the store lightly. He looks up at Rue and she looks at him oddly.
"Thanks," She scratches the back of her neck and wrinkles her brow. His mom was running into the store that was next to starbucks. He seemed to be dragging his feet on entering and his mom kept saying it's just gonna take a second. Rue just suggested to her that she could watch him while he stood outside with her. She was already waiting for Jules to come out of starbucks, the length of the line just was kinda claustrophobic. It was a win win if his mom was really only going to be a few minutes. For some reason his mom after looking her up and down and taking a photo of her license said it was okay.
Rue watches him walking around in circles humming to himself. Makes sure he's not in the way of passers who side step him. She doesn't want to look away in case she does and he is gone. But, she knows how awkward this must seem a grown woman, kind of; wearing an oversized denim jacket, cargo pants, and a cropped button up flannel.
The shirt was something Jules found but knew Rue was not really the typical flannel type. It was comfy though. Rue heard birds chirp loudly as they flew past her and the kid. Jetson or something was his name and he jumped at the sight of the birds swooping close to them. He looked scared. Not like regularly scared but scared as if the bird was about to attack him like mothra. It looked like panic and Rue kind of knew how to deal with panic when it wasn't her own.
"Hey I got you, so like you don't like birds," Rue asks him leaning against the brick wall. He moves further towards the store window and away from the birds that could start flying from the telephone lines at any moment.
He shakes his small little afro back and forth even though it doesn't move too much before looking up at her shielding his eyes. "I'm afraid of a lot of things."
Rue nibbles on the inside of her lip, "Me too." Oh the cruel irony coming from some humorous god. Jake smiles up at her his eyes saying something like oh I'm not alone and goes back to kicking the dust on the ground. Rue rolls her eyes and pushes away that though of cruel irony. He saw someone who understood his fear whether it was rational or not. That wasn't cruel, her brain ruminates, that was a bit nice and hopefully he turned out better than she did.
"The kids at school sometimes make fun of me for it," he looks at his shoes and nervously moves around. God does it suck that kid's can still be such little assholes Rue thinks to herself. They were dicks to her too for all her intracacies and nuances. He probably had the same problem.
"Hey, babe I grabbed your coffee," Jules spoke loudly from behind Rue and she almost jumped. Her eyes went wide for a second she was just focused on her thoughts and making sure no one was a kidnapper. When she looked down Jaden, drawing swirls at his feet was now looking up at her giggling. She mumbles thanks to Jules and takes the paper cup from her hands.
"Wowwwww you're both tall, " Jason tilted his head back and his glasses almost fell off along with his balance. Jules reaches out and holds his little arm before he can give himself a concussion. Jules raises her brow at Rue and recieves a mouthed I'm babysitting while pointing to the store door.
"Thanks again," Rue snorts and sips her drink when Jules and this random kid both side eye her.
" Hi," Jules squats down and let's go of his arm and holds her hand out. Rue watches her girlfriend and this kid shake hands. His small brown hand gripping Jules as if he was a wise old man. Jules was good with people like that, ya" know meeting them on their level whether that was physical, mental, or threat wise. She was gonna make a good like aunt or something one day to someone. Maybe even a mom, if that's what she wanted, they never talked about that though.
Rue watches the loose pieces of thread rock from the woven bracelet on Jules wrist. Yellow and green beads fastened on to each strand. The bracelet was from a workshop that Jules went to with Kat and Lexi. Rue got to hang out with Maddie and Cassie which was not as awful as it sounds. They actually kinda vibed in a weird when worlds collide moment. But the bracelet had her name threaded into the middle and she teased Jules everytime she could about it.
"Hello, I'm Jackson." The kid nodded letting go of Jules's hand. Oh shit Jackson that makes so much more sense she sips her coffee again.
Jules grins and responds, "I'm Jules nice to meet you."
Jackson's smile grew wider, "We both have j names I like your name."
"Thankyou I like your name too," Jules stands back up and smiles at Rue who feels herself blush a little. Why was seeing her girlfriend be so nice to a kid making her stomach feel so fucking fluttery. Ugh.
Jackson swings his arms in the air for a second looking between them both as they stare at eachother and then look awkwardly at him. "Um Mrs. Rue ?"
Rue almost stiff armed this child for him thinking she was old enough for mrs but nodded. Jules felt her heart twinge a bit and couldn't help the aww that quietly came out. She knew Rue's eyes were rolling without even looking.
"Is she your girlfriend ?," Jackson asks flapping his arms like a bird. Jules almost gags on her metal straw and Rue bites the lid of her cup hard.
Rue looks at Jules eyes wide and mouths, how the fuck...."Um yes," she says after he clears his little throat.
He's quiet and walking in that same swirl while glancing at the sky. They can both hear him humming and Jules instinctively moves a bit away from Rue. Rue glances at her sadly and then back at the little boy in front of them. Jules moves closer to Rue and presses her arm against her girlfriend's. She didn't do it on purpose but she forgot that they lived so comfortably and sometimes so outly within their circles that not everyone was cool with that. Not everyone was cool with who they each were, who they loved, and how beautifully happy they were. Their bubble was their world but the world was not their bubble. Jules holds the cold metal tube in between her teeth.
"That's nice I have two mommies, they love me a lot," Jackson swings around again and smiles at them.
Rue relaxes and returns his smile with a small one. Jules is close and not as tense and it's nice. The door from the shop opens and a the bell on the door jingles. Jackson yells out mom and runs towards the woman.
"Thankyou so much for watching him," the woman smiles at Rue and pats her son on the back.
"It's okay ," Rue nods.
The woman glances at Jules and smiles wildly, "Oh hello."
"Hi nice to meet you I'm Jules ," Jules grins and feels Rue adjust her weight.
"He is a chatter," Jackson's mom watches him as he bounces and hangs off of her arm.
"Yea we could tell, " Rue says quickly and Jules has to laugh awkwardly over her comment. Rue holds her laughter and tilts her head a bit. It wasn't an insult it was just the truth.
"Haha well then thankyou again. Also you two are so cute together," Rue feels her cheeks warm up as she looks away from the girl her eyes drifted to so often. " Come on Jack."
Jackson holds his moms hand and bounces on his heel, "Okay byeeee."
"Bye Jackson, " Jules said waving to the little boy. Rue waved goodbye as well.
"Bye Julessss," the boy waves and pulls his mom slightly as she waves goodbye to the young women.
"Don't listen to those kids, " Rue speaks out loudly. Jules watches the small furrow in Rue brow and nibbles on the inside of her jaw. She thinks about the baby pictures Leslie has shared with her. The one that shares that same furrow on Rue's brow as if to say "did I say something wrong ?". It is endearing to look at.
Jackson laughs loudly holding his moms hand, "I won't !."
When they are far enough away Jules turns to her girlfriend and raises her brow. She sips her drink and watches brown eyes roll over. Jules pokes Rue's arm and Rue shrugs it off and loops her arm around her. They start to walk in the direction they need to and Jules slips her hand down until it interlocks with Rue's.
"So kid's hmm, " Jules says when they cross onto the less busy walkway. She glances at her girlfriend and then further on down the road.
Rue exhales, " maybe.....maybe...."