forum Glitches // OxO // Closed

Started November 27, 2019 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

"Well, maybe I'll teach you." Jude shrugged, "You're a fast learner, so maybe it won't be so bad." He sighed, thinking about the night they danced, how fast Nyx learned the patterned steps against the soft piano music.

Nyx bit his lip. The dancing, the… everything. "I have to be a fast learner. It's programmed into my head." He replied with a shrug. "If I wasn't…" He ran his hands through his hair again.

Jude smiled but shook his head. Nyx always did this. He would say something nice about him– like when they first met, and he would return it with something dismal and almost self-deprecating, because he hated the fact he was like this.
"I'm just sayin," Jude gestured, "We could work something out, I think. –I think you're gonna want to do everything you can, once you…leave."

Nyx shrugged a little bit. "Maybe. I just…I don't know." He still wasn't sure he would ever be able to leave. Ever be able to truly fit in in the world. And maybe he wouldn't. He didn't know.

Jude saw the banners for the museum coming up ahead, "Things'll work out, you'll see." He smiled, though his eyes were solemn underneath the sunglasses. "We just need ti– tell me if you see any spots." Jude's thoughts interrupted, his eyes scanning for a parking space nearby.

Nyx blinked, and nodded. His eyes scanned the parking lot for parking spots. "There are some over there." He pointed with a finger, sitting up straight in the seat.

"Hm." Jude nodded, pulling into the nearest one and getting ready to hop out, "C'mon." He thought back to a distant memory of his first visit when he was eight and his father brought him there. They were mostly silent, not knowing what to say to each other at that time.

Nyx climbed out of the car, and adjusted the clothes nervously, hoping they wouldn't give him away somehow. "Alright." He replied slowly. "Let's go." He bounced on his heels for a moment, studying the building.

Jude nodded in agreement, almost forgetting himself when he almost reached for Nyx's hand. He pushed the thought away, gesturing for Nyx to follow him across the street and breathing in its grandeur. The huge pillars stood tall and the archway welcomed the trickling stream of tourists as they moved forward with the crowd. He turned to Nyx, hoping all the people wouldn't overwhelm him, "Hey, don't be nervous," Jude smiled reassuringly, moving past the line of taxies at the sidewalk.

Nyx crossed his arms, eyes flickering nervously around the crowd. He shifted closer to Jude almost fearfully, biting his lip. "There's…a lot of people." He breathed, swallowing.

"Tourists." Jude said in a bitter, sarcastic tone. He sighed, slowly moving forward into the line for the ticket booth. Fuck it. Jude bit his lip, reaching for Nyx's 'new' hand and holding it reassuringly, still looking straight ahead as if nothing was making his heart skyrocket.

Nyx blinked at the handhold, then laced his fingers through Jude's, swallowing again. His blue eyes flicked around the crowd again, unable to stop. He hadn't seen this many people in his life, much less all at once.

He glanced around the tightly packed room, seeing all the different people who were coming to see the masterpieces that lived here. "Just breathe," Jude told him over the loud buzz of people talking,
"It's like this all the time; it's an attraction, and they'll spread out eventually."

Nyx nodded a little, taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down. He focused on the feeling of Jude's hand in his, focused on the male next to him, instead of the crowd around them.

"Hi, two tickets, please." Jude asked with a curt nod as he abandoned Nyx's hand as thumbed through his wallet and traded in a few bills. They were given two programs and maps in return, detailing the museum's main attractions and layout. Jude looked back to see if Nyx was still following him as he moved through the main entry, quickly admiring the high arches and the partially domed ceiling.

Nyx took a program, and followed closely after Jude, eyes flicking around, wide. He caught his breath slightly, studying everything. A smile spread over his face, and he slowed down a little bit to take in everything, those blue eyes wide and studying as if he couldn't stop.

The crowd had broken off into smaller groups, with little gatherings of families on vacation and art students being given a tour. Jude sighed, propping his sunglasses on top of his head and surveying their surroundings,
"Where do you wanna go first?" He asked, unfolding a program and seeing the different sections of the museum.

Nyx stayed close to him, not wanting to get lost in the crowds. "I uhm…I don't know." he replied slowly. "Where do you like it best, here?" he asked, giving Jude a curious glance. His hand almost itched to take Jude's again, wanting that contact again, wanting to actually feel Jude's hand in his.

"This one's near," Jude smiled, looking from the map to an arched entryway, "Dutch Masterpieces of the Met?" He suggested, sighing at the sight of Nyx's curiosity and wishing he could rediscover life like he was.

Nyx smiled back, bouncing on his heels. "Okay." he agreed, looking at Jude and smiling happily. He wanted to see as much of this place as he possibly could.

Jude weaved through the scattered crowd, glancing at the artwork that surrounded them as they walked. He wished and he pictured a bittersweet scene of his hand around Nyx's waist as they moved through the museum, and Jude would point at something and whisper in his ear and Nyx would smile his smile and look at the ground shyly. They'd kiss between the exhibitions and get lost trying to find the gift shop. No. He groaned internally, wanting to have more of his split-second daydream. "This is all seventeenth-century." Jude commented, silently thanking himself for that art history course in college, "The Protestants had destroyed almost ninety-percent of the art in the Netherlands, so in their revolt, they kind of played with a new idea..or way of painting."

Nyx swallowed, wishing he could take Jude's hand again. But he stuffed his hands in his pockets instead. He stared around the exhibition with wide eyes, drinking it all in. His eyes flicked to Jude for a moment, and he nodded, studying the paintings. "Oh." he kept looking around, stepping closer to the paintings.

"Mh– you know not to touch them, right?" Jude asked quietly, smiling, at Nyx's curious gaze. "Oh–" Jude marvelled, his smile faltering and twisting into awe. "This is a Rembrandt. It-" He said quietly, feeling a little starstruck.
"It's called The Goldfinch." Jude sighed, his eyes flickering over the painting.

Nyx nodded. "I know." he replied. He followed Jude's gaze, raising his eyebrows a little. "Oh. It's beautiful." he said with a smile, examining the painting.

"Yeah, but to think–" Jude sighed, "To think that that bird was alive and moving while he painted it, and yet..the colours are balanced and everything is right." He smiled glancing at Nyx, subconsciously picking up on it's parallel to their situation, "He must have been pretty dedicated."