OOC: This was originally meant to be for the supercard, but agreed to a one RP limit after this was written. As this links in with Melody's roleplay, I thought I'd post it here.
Well the big question was asked in Sardinia, maybe not the question Melody Grace was hoping for, but the question of moving in. The two have taken it more than slow as of late, maybe to suit J2H more than Melody, yet progress is progress, and Melody learned a long time ago that if you hold something too tight, you'll crush it. Her patience was likened to a saint at times when it came to J2H, but the question was finally asked and Melody was moving in.
It was a brave mood from a man who, regardless of riches and endless fake friends, has always found comfort in being alone. While your typical rich kid was throwing parties every night of the week and buying things for the sake of out spending their other rich friend, J2H prefered not to waste money just like that, and he didn't move in just anyone for the sake of it.
In fact, he'd never done it, he'd never took this step before to bring someone in to his world this much. Melody's excitement was natural, she'd got what she'd always wanted, she'd got her dream guy, and that excited J2H. He knew the stress is yet to come with things being moved around and his world was to become mixed in with Melody's, but the excitement was there.
But then she was gone again.
Not by choice but this movie she was filming was indeed holding a slow down sign up in front of their relationship, and Melody was off to shoot her scenes again after some time over the weekend moving some stuff in, but once more, he was alone in a big house.
Simpson had gone to visit family for a couple of days, and the house was under his ultimate control, no one to lean on and just a duck for company.
Yes, just a duck. James and Dexter, nothing more, nothing less for a few days.
Still the thoughts of Dmitri posing a threat on Sunday wasn't in the champions mind. He was calm and confident as usual, even if weary that a referee will screw him over like she did do to his girlfriend not too long ago. He has said he wouldn't be wrestling if she was the referee and was confident he could change the referee before the match. He didn't care who it was, just as long as it wasn't her.
Still that wasn't the overwhelmining feeling today...
No Melody... No Simpson... Just him... and a duck...
Loneliness, it's something we all feel. It doesn't matter if you're the prince or the pauper, the king of the castle or the butler, it's an emotion we all share at some point and today is a day where J2H can relate as he sits on the roof of his mansion in Beverly Hills. Behind him is an open bay window, which leads to his seated place - a flat area protruding out high above the grounds of his estate. Next to him, in his cross legged position sits a cooler full of beer, the house behind him empty and quiet, as Melody continues to shoot her movie in Canada and Simpson has gone to visit family. His eyes peer around the front of his house, looking down at the car in his driveway, the fountain that sit randomly shooting water in to the air and the gravel path. Turning his head to the left, he gazes upon the row of mansions, super cars parked outside the doors of many, and limousines, waiting to pick up people who live inside. He looks to the front of him, seeing a row of tall trees cutting in to the skyline as they blow gently in the breeze along a quiet road. He sighs deeply as he talks to himself.
J2H: I guess this is what I always expected.
For a man who looks at the world below him, deep down, he knew that he would be this way someday, a man with money yet not a lot else. Money is one kind of riches, but friends, family and genuine people are the kind of riches most people have. He wanted it all but knew that he would spend his life like this. He had money, he had possessions, he had Melody, but when she was away, he felt like he had very little. He has people tuning in week after week to see him verbal destroy the SCW roster, he is adored by many, but when it comes to real people in his life, he didn't have much.
J2H: This is what my life is when Melody isn't around, or when I'm not out there being fake as fuck to people to make them put money in the pocket of my bosses.
He didn't have many, if any, people he would call or consider a friend. Melody has tried, but the truth is, he hated most of her friends, one in particular, in fact he probably only liked one. Despayre thinks he's a friend, and although loveable to some, not so much to J2H, regardless of the pictures that are out there of the two together. Mikah, she was a strange case, she wanted to be his friend, but the fact that she's married to someone he would never get on with, would always keep him one step away from her.
He reaches for a beer in the bucket, popping the cap off with his thumb and pulling the tinted bottle to his lips, taking a gulp as the breeze blows his hair to the left side.
J2H: I'm better than this. I'm better than sitting on a rooftop, drinking beer at ten in the morning on a Monday.
He shrugs his shoulders, his tattooed arms feeling the warmth of the morning sun as his mind drifted.
What if this is what it's meant to be? He knew his life was eighty percent Melody, and twenty percent work? Is this the perfect balance? He's seen people rush off to be with their friends more than concentrate on what's going on around them. He's seen Melody head off and party with her friends on some island, before bouncing towards another friend. Did the fact that he has no one that close make him a better champion? Maybe being friendless was best for his career, because he could focus on what needed to be done in the ring. Maybe this is why he is unstoppable.
J2H: Maybe it is.
A smile passes over his face as he thinks back through his past. He never did have any close friends, probably because of the ways of a rich kid. Rich kids would always stab each other in the back, buy more expensive things just to spend more than someone else. The distraction of friends held back many, but lack of friends may have played a big part in why he has excelled at everything he has done.
QUACK!
Before his train of thought can continue, the noise distracts him and he looks to his right to see Dexter the duck sitting next to him on the ledge, just looking out at the area in front of him.
J2H: Now I know you didn't fly your lazy ass up here.
Dexter: QUACK!
Dexter waddles around in a circle moving his head towards the cooler of beer and hitting his beak on a cold bottle.
J2H: You can't even pick up a bottle.
J2H looks at the duck with his eyebrow raised as Dexter continue to peck at the bottle, a small sound of beak on glass coming from the cooler.
J2H: Plus is I opened that and gave you a chance to drink it, and Melody found out, we'd both end up grounded.
J2H turns away from the duck, looking at the trees once more as he lifts his beer to his lips, taking another sip.
J2H: You turning up at random times I should expect now, huh? I mean I asked Melody to move in and you and whatever else she decides to bring is part of the deal. Those few boxes of essentials she brought over in the couple of hours she flew back for over the weekend, I'm guessing that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Dexter: QUACK!
He rolls his eyes as he keeps the beer close to his lips.
J2H: I thought as much. When she next gets home and starts to move things in, which could be God knows when considering they're trying to tie up this shitty movie.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H raises a hand up to the duck as he shakes his head.
J2H: Not shitty because Melody is in it, because Drake Green is in it. He couldn't act wet if he was standing in the rain.
Dexter: QUACK!
A smile crosses J2H's lips as he puts his thumb up to the duck and smiles.
J2H: Glad you agree on that one. I just have no clue when Melody is even gonna get back. I mean I moved some stuff to the spare room behind us, put it all away neatly so that Melody can get the bulk of her stuff and move it in to our room when she gets back, but not even I know when she's gonna get back. I don't even think she knows when she's gonna get back. With Simpson away too, I'm stuck with just you, cause it feels like you moved in months before Melody is.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H: Don't take that tone with me. You spent more time fucking around in my pool than I do. Don't think I don't know you come over when I'm not here and spend ya time nose diving off my diving board. I'm on to you.
J2H waves a finger at Dexter, as Dexter turns his head away from him, as if he's ignoring him.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H: I know you do come over and do that so time for some ground rules duck face.
J2H shakes his head, looking towards the sky.
J2H: Fuck, I sound just like Melody.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H: No one asked you, now are you listening?
Dexter turns his head towards J2H as if he's listening to him.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H: Number one, stay out of my bedroom, I don't want to go in there and there's you jumping on my bed. Two, no parties when I'm away, you lot are messy little birds and I'm not dealing with cleaning up after you and neither is Simpson. Three, no bringing female ducks in to my house. I have enough dealing with you, but if you go knocking up other ducks and someone turns up here with a whole bunch of them, sending you to the garden shed. It's what you'd deserve. Also, no doing shit and running to Melody to hide, because that is not cool Dexter. I know you do it and she thinks you can do no wrong, but I'm on to you ya feathery little fucker.
Dexter turns his head away from J2H.
J2H: Don't play innocent with me duck. I know what you're like even if Melody doesn't see it, I do.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H: You can say that all you want, I know what you're like and I know what to expect from you. If ever there was rebel duck, it would be you.
Dexter: QUACK!
A realisation crosses J2H's mind as he scratches the side of his cheek, looking out around the area surrounding him before looking back at the duck waddling around the ledge.
J2H: Why the fuck am I talking to a duck like he's a person. He's a damn duck!
He looks towards Dexter, slowly shaking his head.
J2H: Right you ball of feathers, let's go back inside, so I can actually get ready and go out and have a life and talk to some real people.
Dexter: QUACK!
J2H pulls himself towards the window of the spare bedroom, pulling himself inside and swinging his legs around and forcing them towards the floor. He turns around and grabs the beer cooler and slides it in the window and Dexter follows him in, jumping to the floor. J2H turns around, looking at the bed in the spare room as eyes widen. Muddy duck shaped footprints cover the usually white crisp sheets.
J2H: DEXTER!
J2H turns around towards the duck who looks at him, with his bill in the air for a few seconds before turning his head away and waddling towards the door.
J2H: Get here!
Dexter stops, raising his bill again before turning away sharply with an expression that can only be described as if someone was to say "I said good day, sir!"
Dexter: QUACK!
Dexter waddles off out of the room, as J2H stands looking at the door, his eyes narrowed as he growls softly under his breath.
J2H: That fucking duck!
The scene fades out.
Melody was home sooner than we thought. Her surprise appearance (Melody's promo, it's all there) got more than a smile out of the SCW World Champion. He did miss her when she was away, even if sometimes, the words wouldn't pass his lips all the time. It was that time he was partly looking forward to, the day Melody Grace moved in to his family home, a place that was given to him by his illusive and yet unseen parents. This was a brave step for the young man, who has lived alone, with just the aide of Simpson from when he was sixteen, where his parents are is a story for another day, but he had got used to not having the closeness of one person with him in a relationship sense, but he wasn't nervous as he laid on his bed.
In his hand was a magazine, the very same wrestling magazine that he wrote for last week. He laid in just shorts, as sounds can be heard from a room just off his bedroom. Boxes sit outside the door of this room, stacked to waist height. Melody moves out of the room, her eyes tired yet bright. J2H lowers the magazine to look at her.
J2H: Are you sure you don't need any help there? You've been running in and out of there for an hour.
Melody shakes her head as she smiles towards him.
Melody: No, I'm fine, I know where I want my clothes to go and you don't so ner.
She playfully pokes her tongue out at J2H, who smiles back towards her.
J2H: Well I cleared out half the space in there while you was away, moved a lot of my stuff to the spare room for now, so you can put what you needed in there.
Melody: Thank you babe.
A bright smile crosses her face as she blows him a kiss, picking up the nearest box and taking it in to the walk in wardrobe.
J2H: Are you sure you don't need help?
Melody: I'm sure.
Her voice leaves the walk in wardrobe to travel through the bedroom as he raises the magazine to his eyes again.
J2H: If you're sure.
Melody: I am. I will start putting these away soon, once I line them all up and put them in order.
He raises an eyebrow as he lowers the magazine down to his chest.
J2H: Put what in order babe?
Melody: My shoes. I mean you can't put heels next to running shoes, or mix them in, you can't put casual shoes in with heels. Plus you need to put your outfits that could go with them above them, so you don't have to run around the place and get confused.
J2H: I'm already confused. How many pairs of shoes do you have?
Melody: Ummmm, a few.
J2H sits up straight as he looks towards the door of the walk in wardrobe, biting his lip with curiosity.
J2H: How many is a few?
Melody: Well, all those boxes I've brought in over the last hour, they've all been shoes, and you see the boxes outside the door? They're all shoes too.
J2H runs his fingers through his hair as he looks in disbelief at the boxes that sit towards the end of the bed, already knowing that at least four boxes have already crossed over the threshold of the room. Simpson enters the room, carrying another box and places it down next to the other boxes.
J2H: More shoes?
Simpson: I believe so sir.
J2H places his hands on his head, running his fingers through his hair as he slowly shakes his head.
Simpson: Also sir, don't forget in two hours, we have that meeting.
J2H: I won't Simpson. It's very important to me that this meeting takes place today. The sooner it's done, the better.
Simpson nods as he looks towards J2H.
Simpson: I should have the car ready to go in ninety minutes sir.
J2H: Thank you Simpson. I should probably tell Melody about this.
Simpson leaves the room, in search for more boxes as J2H swings his legs around, planting them on the floor and stands up, throwing the magazine on the bed and moves towards the door of the walk in wardrobe, picking up a box as he reaches them and shuffling around them and moving in the door. His face turns to unsurity as he sees Melody sitting on the floor, no clothes on the hangers, no shoes on the racks, just Melody on the floor with neat piles of shoes everywhere. J2H puts the box down in the room next to her, the thudding sound causing her to turn her head and look up at him with a warm smile.
J2H: So you've been in here an hour and you haven't actually put shoes on the shelf or anything like that?
Melody shakes her head with lowered eyebrows, as if he'd asked a stupid question.
J2H: Like not one pair on a rack?
Melody: You can't do that. You need to work out how many pairs of what you have, so you don't run out of space. I mean if I started putting my heels on there first, and then running shoes next to them, and I run out of space for my heels and I have more heels, than I have to take the running shoes off and start all over again. It's called being smart Jam.
J2H: It's called having too many pairs of shoes Mel, there's hundreds of pairs of shoes. Why does anyone need so many shoes?
Melody: Because us women need so many outfits, especially when we are in public J. No one likes getting photographed wearing the same thing within a month.
J2H: I couldn't give a fuck what people catch me wearing.
Melody: That's because you're a man J. Men don't care about these things, women do care about these things.
J2H: Still doesn't explain why I'm drowning in a sea of shoes. Do photographers photograph feet much?
Melody: No, but why do you have all these shoes?
Melody points behind her to his side of the room, where all different styles of shoes run along the length of the room on four shelves coming up from the floor.
Melody: And I don't have that many baseball caps either.
The camera moves along to the next shelf up, filled from one end of the room to the other with baseball caps of various colours and designs. J2H shrugs at Melody.
J2H: I'm a collector.
He sits on the floor behind Melody, wrapping his arms around her from behind and putting his chin on her shoulder.
Melody: So am I, I collect shoes that go with the outfits I collect.
She runs her hand up his cheek, moving it around to his neck, running her slender fingers back around to his cheek.
Melody: Did you come in here just to be nosey about how many pairs of shoes I have? I mean I can probably give some away if you think there's too many to move in?
J2H: Don't be stupid Mel. There's lots of space here for them and around the house. I was however being very nosey about what was going on in here. You've been here for an hour or so without needing help from me, so I got curious.
Melody: You missed me, didn't you?
J2H looks away from Melody as he smiles uncontrollably. Melody pulls his face back towards her with her forefinger.
Melody: Go on, admit it.
She smiles, as he pokes his lower lip out.
J2H: Maybe just a little bit. Also, I needed to actually tell you something.
Melody: Oh?
Melody shuffles away from J2H, spinning on the spot as she pulls her legs in to avoid making contact with J2H, using her hands to spin and moving closer, her arms wrapping around his neck.
J2H: Yeah, I think we kinda need to make this whole moving in thing official now, because it's really, really happening. It's happening right at this moment in time. Well, sort of when you put these shoes away instead of making neat piles.
Melody playfully pushes J2H in the chest as he smiles back at her.
J2H: So I kinda make this appointment with someone so we can go and make it all official that you live here and stuff.
Melody: Oh I already send out change of address cards when I got back to Canada. I started sending them out when I had a break from filming, so everyone knows I already live here. Dexter told me he's already done the same thing.
J2H: How many friends can that duck even have? He has no fingers, he can't write.
Melody shrugs her shoulders at J2H as the young man looks confused.
Melody: Beats me, but he told me he did it and I believe him.
J2H rolls his eyes at Melody as he quickly shakes his head at her.
J2H: Anyway, in just under ninety minutes, a car will be here and we need to go deal with some stuff, make everything official.
Melody: Are we gonna go get married?
Her eyes widen with excitement as she considers the thought, but her look quickly changes to disappointment as he shakes his head towards her.
J2H: God no, where did that come from? We're not getting married today, we're just gonna go and get everything above board now because we live together.
Melody smiles at him as she locks her fingers around his neck and shuffles in closer.
Melody: I'm never gonna get tired of saying or hearing that we live together. Maybe we should have a party for that.
His mind instantly thinks back to the friends of hers that he doesn't like, knowing she'll be more than disappointed if they wasn't invited and quickly chooses to brush off the suggestion.
J2H: We can talk about that later babe, but for now, we need to get ready for this thing. Need you to dress smart, business like, not like going out evening wear or classy party thing. Just business.
Her curiosity deepens, but he quickly moves forward and plants a quick kiss on her lips before pulling away.
J2H: All this stuff can wait till later. We need to get ready.
J2H smiles at Melody as she continues to look curious and the scene fades to black.
Let's fade in to an office block in Los Angeles. J2H, dressed smartly in a business suit, black and well fitting, with a white shirt and black shoes, looks out over the bustling streets below. Cars shoot by as his eyes follow them as Melody joins him by the window of the building. Melody, wearing a grey business suit, the skirt just hanging below her knee, turns and looks toward J2H.
Melody: What are we doing here Jam?
He turns his attention towards Melody, his hand sliding down to meet hers as he wraps his fingers around her smaller hand.
J2H: We need to sign a few papers babe. Nothing major, it just needs to be done.
Melody raises her eyebrow at J2H, confused by his demeanour as he watches the cars drive past, his eyes moving but his head staying in the same position.
Melody: I get worried when you get like this babe, can you just tell me why we're half way up in the sky.
He turns to Melody, looking at her with a blank expression on his face. He clears his throat.
J2H: Alright. Well we now live together so I figured it was time to go all in with that and
Before he can continue, a secretary opens a light wooden door to the side of the two, catching their attention.
Secretary: Mr Swanson will see you now.
J2H nods towards her as he looks towards Melody, jerking his head towards the door and he and Melody make a move towards it. The walk through the door where a man sits behind a desk, with two chairs opposite.
Melody: Um, hi.
J2H: Melody this is Steven Swanson, my attorney.
Melody: Nice to meet you.
Steven: You too, I've heard so much about you.
Melody looks towards J2H as the two take seats opposite Steven.
Steven: I was surprised at your request James, but I do have the papers all written up for you.
Melody looks confused as Steven hands J2H a folder, with a pen. He quickly glances his eyes over the papers before signing his name at the bottom. He slides them in front of Melody.
J2H: Basically Mel, these papers are signing over half the house to you. It stops being mine, it becomes ours in case anything ever happens to me. It all becomes yours.
Melody's eyes widen as she looks at him with surprise.
Melody: But James, this is your family house. It has been in your family for years.
J2H: Yes, and it was handed to me by my parents and then they fucked off, now it's mine to do what I want for it. It was my family home, it now becomes our family home.
Melody looks surprised as she takes the pen in her hand, but Steven's voice pulls away her attention.
Steven: I also took the liberty of writing this up James.
He reaches for another folder and places it in front of J2H.
J2H: What is it?
Steven: It's an agreement to say that if you two ever split up, Melody can not lay claim to your personal property and the house reverts back to you.
J2H looks over the document, his eyes reading down the words.
J2H: I don't know about this. I mean it could protect me but...
Melody takes the folder from him and looks at it.
Melody: It's ok, if this is what you want.
J2H stares silently at Melody before looking uneasily at Steven behind his desk and Melody moves her eyes over the pages.
Melody: If I sign this can I get a puppy?
J2H scratches his blonde hair as he looks towards Melody.
J2H: No...
Melody: But it will be my puppy and this says everything that is mine will stay mine sooo I could legally get a puppy...
J2H: That's not what it means Melody.
Melody: I have a question, if I sign this does that mean I'm not allowed to eat your candies because I'm already in violation of that...
J2H: Seriously Mel?
Melody: What?
J2H: It's for if we ever break up, at the moment what's mine is yours and what's yours in mine...
Melody: But I don't want to break up.
J2H: I'm not saying we are going to, I'm saying this is important for us in case anything happens to us.
Melody: Okay fine...
Melody holds her hand over the page, about to put pen to paper.
Melody: Hang on, what if we break up and you try and take my stuff.
J2H: Highly unlikely...
Melody: I have better design and fashion sense than you so I wouldn't highly doubt that.
J2H: Trust me you and your unicorns are safe.
Melody: Well if you say so.
Melody signs her name on the page and hands the paper back to J2H. He hovers the pen above the paper before looking back at Melody. Unsure of his actions, he bites his lip before turning back and signing the paper. As if a lightning bolt of knowledge hits him, he turns his head back to Melody.
J2H: Wait a sec, you didn't even read all of it.
Melody: I don't have to, I don't want your stuff James I just want you.
A smile breaks out on J2H's face as he looks at his girlfriend.
J2H: This is all meaningless anyway, because I kinda like having you around so don't think I'll be getting rid of you.
Melody smiles as she squeezes his knee.
J2H: But signing the other paper is important. It stops things from being my house and becomes our house. Everything stops being my choice only and becomes our choice.
He slides the other document in front of Melody and places the pen on top of it.
Melody: Are you sure?
J2H: A million percent.
Melody jolts her head back as she looks at J2H.
Melody: That's a lot of percent.
J2H: But not nearly enough.
Melody grins as she picks up the pen and signs her name on it, instantly becoming half owner of J2H's entire estate. She closes the folder and puts the pen on top of it before placing it on top of the other folder. J2H picks up the folders, and places them in front of Steven. He opens the folders and scans the legal documents with his eyes before closing the folder and nodding towards J2H before turning towards Melody.
Steven: Congratulations young lady, you're now a homeowner.
A smile passes over her face as she squeezes J2H's knee in excitement.
J2H: Thanks Steven.
He turns to Melody with a smile on his face.
J2H: Celebrate or back to our house?
Melody: Our house.
The scene fades out as the two stand up, J2H reaching over the desk to shake hands with Steven.
