John Baptiste. [powered_otaku]

[sweetsalome]

        It's one of those perfect summer days, one that isn't too hot, too humid. Right after a hard, cold rain, that cools everything down and leaves just enough moisture in the reserves for when the sun shines high over head. Salome's Grandparent's house sits on three acres of land, enough for a great back and front yard, but not enough to be considered country. Far back away from the road, it rests on top of a slight incline, that is just right for sledding when the snow falls in the winter. Two stories tall, it's painted white with blue shutters, that get repainted every two years, a task that her grandfather complains about, but always does proudly. There is a front porch and a back porch, maybe some years ago they were connected, but it seems someone had gotten rid of it years before.

On the back porch there is a swing, it's chain rusted and when it rocks back and forth it squeaks. Not an annoying squeak, but steady and simple, it's sound changing with the back and forth movements. It's one of the things on grandpa's to do list, but never seems to get done. There are four old apple trees a few feet away from the back porch, in the spring their leaves turn dark and about mid-summer the married couple talk at great length over what is the perfect time to pick the fruit. In the end, their largest issue is what to do with the apples they don't eat, turn into preserves, or bake into pies. The setting is idyllic, and for the most part, so is life in the Snyder house.

But like most things the exterior does not match the interior.  The Snyder's have an almost rabid hatred for anything to do with Liam Collins, and who can blame them?  The man took away their daughter, and through lengthy court custody battles, have left them with very little money to survive.  Despite the fact that they can't get a third year law student to look at their case, they still hold out hope that they will one day have their daughter back.  It's painfully obvious, and a weakness that is easily exploited.

       This morning, Salome and Jonba sit on the back porch with finger paints and large sheets of paper.  An old book with pictures of paintings sits propped up on the railing.  Salome is trying to convince the boy to make a painting like the vase of flowers in the book.  The boy needless to say is having none of it.  He is much happier smacking his multi-colored hands down on the paper, or just rubbing his chubby fingers around in circles in globs of paint.  Painting is just not a talent that the Collins possess, clearly.  It doesn't seem to matter, the boy is laughing and having a great time of it.

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[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro appears at the front door of the house. He fidgets a bit, holding a big bunch of flowers. It's traditional, after all. The beau brings flowers to his...beauess? He rings the doorbell, smiling nervously. He knows this is her grandparents' house, but he is not quite sure what to expect.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

There is silence, and then the sound of feet before the door opens. A small round blond woman opens the door. She has almost white blond hair and Salome's blue eyes. When she sees him, she smiles brightly and opens the door. "Hallo, you must be Hiro," she speaks with a bit of an accent. "Please, come in, Salome is out back."

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I am Hiro. I am very pleased to meet you." Hiro bows, then holds out the hand not filled with flowers. He walks into the house, trying not to be too obvious with his curiosity. "You have a lovely home, ma'am."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

The woman takes his hand and shakes it, as small she is, she certainly isn't weak and it shows in her hands. "Oh, thank you, you are very kind," she chuckles walking deeper into the house. "Please, call me Gretchen." Standing in the door way that leads to the kitchen, she studies him as curiously as he studies the house.

The interior is nice, well taken care of, with wooden floors and furniture that has probably been around as long as the house. A flight upstairs is to the right while the living room is too the left, straight ahead is kitchen. It's clear that the living room is largely decorative, not much time is spent in there. It's the kitchen that is the focal point with it's well worn floors, wonderful smells and table that is usually in the process of being set or cleared. No matter what time of the day.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Ok, Gretchen." It feels odd to him. He is not used to calling older women by their names, but this is America. He takes in the rooms they walk by which look homey to him. He's reminded of a few houses he was invited to in Texas - the tasteful ones, that is. Even before they get to the kitchen, Hiro is quietly sniffing in the cooking smells and realizing he hasn't eaten in a while.

"This is very pretty countryside. I have not been to this part of New York before."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no?!" She sounds a bit like an owl when she speaks, and turns to him with a smile. "We tend to keep to ourselves, we don't get many visitors, it's a small community." While she talks she collects the dishes off the table and sets them by the sink before wiping her hands off.

"Excuse my manners, Mr. Hiro, would you like something to drink, to eat? We still have some biscuits and gravy from this morning." It's almost a rhetorical question since she's already making a plate, no one goes without food if Grandma can help it.

As she's making a plate, Salome opens the back screen door and steps inside the kitchen, hearing the voices from inside. Her bare legs and arms are covered with finger paint and she grins wildly, blinking as her eyes adjust to the change of light. "Hiro-kun?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Small communities are the best, though I live in one of the biggest cities on Earth. We have a house near Kaneyama which is a small town. It is very pretty there in the mountains."

Hiro bows when she asks him about food and is about to say no when she fixes the plate. "That looks excellent, Gretchen. Thank you."

When Salome comes in, he holds up the bouquet of flowers. They are a riot of colors and types of flowers, including a number of Shasta daisies. "For you." He's blushing again.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Whatever Gretchen was going to say was drown out by Salome, who squealed and tackled him over the flowers. She has just enough self control not to totally crush them when she kisses him quickly. It doesn't matter that her grandmother is right there, she's just so excited to see him, she's always excited to see him, he really lights up her day. Taking the flowers, she presses her nose into the blooms and inhales deeply. "Oh, Hiro, they are beautiful! And Daisies! Thank you, oh Thank you!"

Pulling back she offers the bouquet of flowers to her grandmother who is looking rather amused at their reactions to each other. She takes the flowers and puts them in a vase of water. "Yes, child, they are beautiful. Don't tackle the poor man, let him sit."

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"They are your favorites. I thought these were particularly pretty with all their colors." He hugs her close, smiling broadly. He sees her covered in finger paint. "You look like you were having fun."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"You are so thoughtful, thank you for remembering me, and my favorite flowers." Grinning, she nods and takes his hands pulling him out the screen door and to the porch where Jonba is sitting. "Come play with us, we are having fun with paints."

The blond haired boy looks up at the two of them and smiles, wiggling paint stained fingers in a greeting.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Jonba. Do you remember me?" He kneels down where Jonba is. "Where is Elmo?"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

The boy screws up his face in concentration, and his mother prompts him, "He-woo?!" It's an attempt, and the only reason he got so close is because Salome has been telling him about him. Elmo he knows better, "Elmo go bye-bye!" He holds up the picture that he was . . .making, clearly proud of his efforts.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"That is very good! You are a true artist," he says seriously, looking very closely at his masterpiece. "Elmo go bye-bye? Is he sleeping?"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Jonba smiles proudly, and then gets a relatively clean sheet of paper. Taking Hiro's hand he put it in yellow paint and then on the paper, so Hiro knew what to do. "Uh-huh, sleepy. Elmo tired."

Salome draped herself on the porch swing, watching them happily. "Elmo can't get dirty."

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"It is a good thing that Elmo is asleep then if he is tired." He starts to draw a big sun with rays shooting out of it. "Do you like the sun?"

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Sun?" He pointed to what Hiro was drawing, and follows the older man's finger with his own smearing the yellow with the red of his hand. His head cocked to the side, watching intently.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro's finger mixes the red with the yellow. With the orange he puts a smiley face in the sun. "He is a happy sun. He likes shining down on everyone and all the plants, too."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Sun smile!" Jonba points to the smile in the sun and then turned to smile at Hiro. "He-woo smiles?" His sticky fingers point to Hiro, seeing if he could do the same thing.

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro gives him a big grin. "Yes, I can. Just like the sun."

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"Yay!" Clapping happily he waved his arms about before putting his hand on the paper they drew on. "He-woo come play wif Jonba and 'ome?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro nods. "Yes, I have come to play. It is a beautiful day to play." He dips his fingers into some green and begins painting grass on the picture.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

Jonba nods wisely, anyone who wants to play is okay in his book. He watches Hiro for awhile before turning back to his own sheet of paper. Leaning against the older man he starts to paint, trying to mimic what he sees Hiro doing.

Salome watched them both from the side lines, remaining quiet yet watchful. Jonba had just started being social and she wasn't sure how he would handle it. "How have you been, Hiro?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

Hiro looks up from his picture, still with the grin on his face. "I have been fine. I told Chuck about us. He was very happy for us." He dips his fingers into water that Jonba has probably not bothered rinsing his fingers in and goes back to yellow. He starts drawing stick figures in yellow. He doesn't know how to really draw human. He makes an obvious girl holding hands with a little yellow figure and another stick figure holding hands with the girl.

[sweetsalome.livejournal.com]

"You did, really?!" She sounds a little surprised, she's use to being kept a secret and she hasn't told anyone yet. The reason why is simply her age, anyone she would tell would roll their eyes and lecture her on the fact that she's too young to make a decision like this. As far as they are concerned, they can go pound sand.

Getting off the swing, she walks to both of them and kneels down next to Jonba. The boy looks up and smiles before pointing to the picture Hiro is working on. "Who dat?"

[powered-otaku.livejournal.com]

"I told Katsumi first, then Chuck." He's not really sure he should tell her who Katsumi is. He doesn't want to scare her after all. "I invited them both to come."

He points to the yellow little figure. "That's you. And this is Salome." He points to the girl figure. "And that is me." He points to the last figure.