[Closed] Everybody has, needs, wants a cold gun.

[immigrantpunk]

WHO: Jayden Zharkov and Saul Goodman
WHERE: Heropa #012
WHEN: February 2nd, after afternoon till who knows.
WHAT: Jayden makes horrible decisions. He should have called Saul.
WARNINGS: IDEK.



[After Jayden saw Annie's post about Yuri's capture, he decided to act. He'd been making plans the last few days, weighing possibilities in his mind. This one seems to be the best option. So when he gets home from school, he calmly puts everything away in his room and carefully makes sure no one is home so that he can sneak into Freddie's room. He knows she has a gun; it's all just a matter of finding it. He leaves the door slightly ajar when he enters, so that he can listen for anyone coming home in the meantime.

It doesn't even take that long to find it. The gun is under the bed, behind a frilly bra that he, to his credit, does not inspect in a prolonged manner. He sits crosslegged on the floor and pulls it out. It's heavier than he expected, but already makes him feel better, more in control of the situation. He looks it over, searching for a way to eject the magazine to see if it's loaded. The longer he holds it, the better he feels. He should have gotten one of these a long time ago. So much could have been avoided.]

Comments

[5055034455]

It's okay.

[He means that.

What might be weird to Jayden is that Saul sounds like he's done this before.]

You want some water?

[immigrantpunk]

[He blows his nose and wipes his at eyes with the back of his palm.]

I guess.

[5055034455]

Okay.

[His reason for getting water is two-fold: Jayden needs water, of course — crying can be awfully dehydrating — and Saul needs to check and make sure Freddie's not about to walk in on this mess.

When he returns, he's holding a glass of water for Jayden and a mug of coffee for himself. He passes it Jayden's way once he sits back down.]

I meant it, by the way. If having a gun is gonna make you feel better, and I don't blame you for thinking it will, I'll get you one. But we're gonna do it the legal way. Deal?

[immigrantpunk]

[The tissue is knotted up in his fist by the time Saul comes back. He takes the glass from him and gulps it down quickly; as predicted, he is really thirsty. He laughs a little, half-heartedly.]

Really? Don't I have to be eighteen for that?

[5055034455]

Technically, yes.

["Technically."]

But if you put down a responsible adult as your guardian...

[but he's not hinting at anything

nope]

[immigrantpunk]

[Jayden gives him a skeptical look.]

You're not just saying that?

[5055034455]

I'm not.

[He smirks a little.]

I'm willing to accept legal responsibility for your boneheadedness.

[immigrantpunk]

[He lets out a small, exhausted laugh.]

Thanks.

[He drinks some more water and puts the glass on the bedside table, as well as the crumpled up tissue. He lowers his head, raking fingers through his messy hair and tugging at the curls.]

Can I ask you a question?

[5055034455]

No problem.

[Saul takes a sip from his own mug, glancing thoughtfully into it while Jayden is silent. Then he peers over, head tilted slightly.]

Sure. Shoot.

[...]

Poor word choice.

[immigrantpunk]

[He tries not to roll his eyes at the ultra lame joke. Then he hesitates, biting his lower lip.]

Why'd you change your name?

[5055034455]

[Saul shifts around uncomfortably, considering the question. He figured Jayden would ask sooner or later — everyone who finds out does, eventually — but he's not sure how to answer. Never is. It's complicated.]

I'm gonna do the lawyer thing and answer your question with a question. Do I look like a "Jimmy" to you?

[His tone suggests there's only one correct response.]

[immigrantpunk]

[Jayden looks him over, brow furrowed in concentration, seriously considering the question despite his tone.]

I could see it.

[He shrugs.]

Do I look like a Jayden to you?

[5055034455]

[Since Jayden asked, Saul studies him for a moment.

A long moment.

Just to make him uncomfortable.

This is what the kid gets for asking questions.]

Well, I can tell you you definitely don't look like a Ralph. Or a George. Or Nelson. Or...

[Should he go on?]

[immigrantpunk]

Or a Dmitri? Because that's the name I was born with. My parents changed it when we came to America.

[He looks away, grabbing another tissue to twist around in his hands.]

Names aren't that big a deal. If I can be Jayden, you can be Saul.

[He shrugs.]

I just wondered why. Jayden sounds more American than Dmitri. Does Saul sound more like a lawyer than Jimmy?

[5055034455]

I can see that. Dmitri. You've got the eyebrows of a Dmitri.

[Whatever that means.]

You don't see many lawyers running around calling themselves Jimmy, do you? Saul works. Saul Goodman works even better. Anyway, it was stupid. Complicated and stupid. My brother was a lawyer, too, part of this big firm. So when people heard our last name, McGill, that was who came to mind: my brother. Not me. So trying to start a business as a lawyer with the same name... [He shrugs.] You can see how I ran into some problems.