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Everything You Heard Is True

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Everything You Heard Is True

by Moonbeam

 

When a Blutbad rocks up at your house you know that you are in trouble. Not as much trouble as when a Grimm rocks up but…actually they are both about the same level of trouble, only difference is that Grimms very rarely eat what they kill.

 

Roddy knew he was in trouble the second she rocked up, okay for a second he was distracted by her breasts but after that when he caught the scent of Blutbad he just knew he was in trouble, she was probably going to do even more damage since he’d been checking out her breasts. Then she’d started talking and he caught most of it, at least he thinks he did because honestly the terror and the strain of not getting up and running as far and as fast as he could was a little distracting. She’d told him not to do anything silly and he’d planned to do exactly what she had said right up until the moment when he got the call about his dad.

 

He never intended to hurt them, he just wanted them to admit what they had done, more than that he wanted them to feel the fear they had subjected Mr Lawson to. He had known Sarah wasn’t involved with the rats but he knew she was willing to ignore their behaviour just because they were popular and her mother approved. He was angry that she was never willing to admit that she cared for him even if she said she loved him. He knew he should have stopped before that but he was lost in the music, in the thought of her being made to pay for helping make him feel like he wasn’t worth anything. Later he realised that he was really more angry at himself because he let her treat him like that.

 

Then he had a Grimm appearing at his house, Blutbad at his back telling him off, lecturing him for his bad decisions. Honestly though they couldn’t make him feel worse than he already did, he had always thought he was better than those people but when things got hard he sunk down to their level so easily.

 

His dad got out of hospital and he went back to school and he thought things are going to just return to normal, he sure as hell was not going to do anything that would bring the Grimm to his door again. He had a month off before he set up another rave and he practiced the violin as much as he could, even without the trio of dickheads that are now in a teen correctional facility, school was still horrible and he ignored everyone he could. He knew that he just needed to keep his head down in class, play the violin as well as he could until he could get out of Portland on a scholarship somewhere else. He doesn’t want to leave his dad but he wanted to be someone other than rat-boy for a while.

 

It took three weeks, the night of his first concert since coming back from suspension, for him to realise that life isn’t going to be normal again. He stepped out on stage first because they have given him a solo, there were some people from further music education facilities there and Roddy was nervous but then he smelled it on the air; Blutbad…and Grimm. His eyes went to the back of the room and there she is, taller than most of the people around her, wearing a bulky cream sweater and a wide grin and next to her wearing a casual top and a jacket was the Grimm. Roddy wanted to scurry off the stage, he wasn’t sure what he did wrong to make them come back but it must have been something horrible.

 

He stood on his mark but twisted a little to make sure he couldn’t see the Blutbad or the Grimm and lifted his violin to his chin then the world fell away and he wasn’t aware of anyone, only the sharp press of the strings beneath his fingers and the warm smoothness of wood at his chin, the tension in his arm and the feel of the bow taut and working to his will. He heard the notes before he played them knowing that he was right at every step until the final note played out in the silence and Roddy had to open his eyes, the world rushing back in suddenly and making him feel disconnected for a second before the applause started. When Roddy looked out his father was standing as were a few random members of the audience and one very tall Blutbad and one very misguided Grimm. Roddy smiled and bowed before walking off the stage.

 

He came back on after some more solo performances with the school’s string quartet and they ended the night’s performances everything feeling right in Roddy’s hands even when one of his companions made errors. When they stopped and bowed everyone in the crowd stood as all the performers for the night returned to the stage.

 

Roddy knew what was expected of him, he was to stow his violin and then mingle with the guests. He managed to avoid the Grimm and the Blutbad for all of ten minutes before they found him.

 

“That was excellent Roddy,” the Grimm said holding his hand out. Roddy stared at him for a moment. “I’m Nick, do you remember me?”

 

“You’re the Grimm,” Roddy said incredulously. “Of course I remember you.”

 

Nick pulled his hand in with a shake of his head. “Of course, sorry.”

 

“That was quite rude,” the Blutbad said pressing her shoulder into the Grimm…Nick’s.

 

“Sorry,” Roddy said holding his hand out to Nick who shook it and was nice enough to pretend he hadn’t flinched at the touch of the Grimm’s hand. “Hello Nick…”

 

“Elly,” the Blutbad offered realising he’d forgotten her name, Roddy was able to force out a half-smile.

 

“Why are you here?” Roddy blurted out suddenly after they had been silent for a few heartbeats, he couldn’t handle waiting to find out what he’d done wrong.

 

“We wanted to see you play,” Nick said. “I was impressed in the factory even as I was trying to stop you; I wanted to hear you when you were just playing for you.”

 

Roddy didn’t know what to do with that so he just stared at the Grimm for a few moments before stammering out his thanks.

“You were very good,” Nick said with a smile. “Which is saying something I’m not really into classical music.”

 

“I just gave him a Vivaldi CD,” the Blutbad said with a grin.

 

“He’s good, I like playing Spring,” Roddy said. “But only at home.”

 

“Roddy,” the Blutbad…Elly…said shyly. “You can say no, but would you like to get together and play sometime? I play the cello, not as well as you but…”

 

“She is amazing,” Nick said jumping in when Elly stopped speaking causing the-Elly to blush a little and Roddy wanted to bash his head against a wall because not only did they both not understand that they were supposed to be trying to kill each other and him but they also seemed to be so deluded they thought they could knock boots without things turning to crap.

 

Elly looked so hopefully and proud that Roddy found himself nodding with no idea what they hell he was agreeing to.

 

“Roderick,” Mrs Johnson said coming to stand next to him. “I would like to introduce you to someone.”

 

“It really was very good,” Elly said with a smile, Nick nodded behind her.

 

“Goodbye Roddy,” Nick said.

 

“I will give you a call and set up a time?” Elly asked and Roddy nodded before Mrs Johnson dragged him away.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

The concert was repeated the next night and Elly didn’t come but Nick was there again; a red headed woman at his side. After the performance Roddy wandered over to Nick assuming that he was going to have to speak to the man at some point, he sniffed the air delicately but the woman at his side appeared to be completely human.

 

“Roddy,” Nick said one hand on the back of his companion. “This is Juliette my girlfriend.”

 

“What?” Roddy asked staring at the red head.

 

“Juliette,” Nick said ignoring Roddy’s question and looking at the woman at his side. “This is Roddy, he was part of a case a while ago and I heard him play.”

 

“Hello Roddy,” Juliette said holding out her hand.

 

Roddy shook it trying to work out why Nick was introducing this woman as he girlfriend he’d been certain the Grimm was dating Elly from the fact they were always together to the sickly sweet way they flirted.

 

“Nice to meet you,” Roddy said.

 

“You were excellent tonight,” Juliette said politely.

 

Roddy thanked her and then made his excuses and disappeared trying to work out how Nick could be so completely blind and how Roddy had read the situation so badly.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

The first time he went to Elly’s house for a session he was beyond scared, he could feel his hands shaking on the violin case but the Blutbad answered the door with a huge smile and ushered him into her house. Roddy wondered how stupid he had to be to walk into a Blutbad’s den willingly; he was just asking for death and torture.

 

“Roddy,” Elly said moving him into the lounge room. “Have a seat, do you want a drink?”

 

“Thanks,” Roddy said eying the plate of chocolate chip biscuits on the table.

 

“Have one, I have juice or milk.”

 

“Water is fine,” Roddy said picking up a biscuit slowly while Elly left the room, the first bite of biscuit crumbled and then melted on his tongue and Roddy couldn’t bite back the moan of appreciation.

 

“Yeah,” Elly said with a smile. “Those are Nick’s favourites too.”

 

Roddy stopped eating and collected every ounce of courage he had around him like a blanket before he opened his mouth. “How on Earth did you start dating a Grimm?”

 

Elly laughed. “Nick and I aren’t dating. He has a girlfriend, when I met Nick he was trying to stop a Wesen who was killing young girls; he is different to the Grimm’s my parents told me about. He never tries to hunt us if we don’t do things wrong so I help him out with information and the occasional Blutbad scent tracking.”

 

Roddy nodded, he could deal with that. Elly didn’t seem jealous or anything about Nick and Juliette so Roddy figured he’d just read the whole situation wrong. Roddy ate about a dozen biscuits before Elly encouraged him to get his violin out, Elly pulled the cello out of its case and get into position, she had emailed him the sheet music when they agreed on meeting today and they tuned their instruments in silence before they start to play.

 

The first session went well, they made mistakes but Elly was quick to help him and regardless of what she said at his concert she is excellent and knows more about playing the violin than he would have thought, by the time he’s packing up to go home Roddy was even looking forward to their next session.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

They are halfway through their third session; Roddy had eaten a piece of apple and blueberry pie and had been promised another after they’d finished when Elly called out not pausing in her playing. “Come in Nick.”

 

The door opened and Nick came in quietly, he sat down in the remaining chair and just watched them until they had finished the piece, then he beamed at them both and Roddy felt it right down to his bones.

 

“That was amazing.”

 

Elly blushed a little. “You say that all the time.”

 

“I love listening to you play the cello,” Nick said looking at Elly with wide grey eyes, Roddy shook his head to remind himself that they are not flirting they were just both…something that Roddy doesn’t understand. “It’s different with both of you though, I like it.”

 

“Thanks, I made pie do you want a piece before you launch into Wesen questions?”

 

“I don’t have any questions but I would love some pie,” Nick looked down at his hands for a moment. “Honestly I just wanted to hear you both play, I was just going to sit outside but you smelled me.”

 

Elly put her cello down carefully and disappeared coming back with three pieces of pie and a smile. The second piece of pie was somehow better than the first and Roddy was happy to sit there and savour it while the Grimm and the Blutbad sat on the couch and chatted about Elly’s work and the latest case Nick is working. Roddy didn’t turn down the third piece of pie but it came with Nick turning his eyes to the teenager.

 

“How is school going?”

 

Roddy had his usual answer on the tip of his tongue but something about the way the Grimm was looking at him made him change his mind suddenly. “Crap.”

 

“Why?” Elly asked turning her deep brown eyes on him.

 

Roddy shrugged wishing he’d just told them the lie like he normally did. “They know what my dad does and most of the kids at school are utter snobs because the only people who can afford to play are rich and they only think that rich people should be there. Most of the people completely ignore me,” Roddy desperately wanted to shut up but with Nicks’ grey eyes were encouraging him and the sheer compassion in Elly’s expression made him keep going. “A few make it their mission to make me feel like crap, though the worst ones were the guys who killed Mr Lawson and they aren’t there anymore obviously.”

 

“What do they do?” Elly asked.

 

“Nothing illegal, name calling that type of thing, it’s really no big deal I will be out of there soon anyway.”

 

“If it ever becomes anything more I can talk to them,” Nick said his face set.

 

Roddy stared down at his piece of pie, he dad knew things were hard but they were Reinigen and his instincts screamed at him to run and hide but Roddy had never been comfortable hiding or walking away, he’d always wanted to stand up and hold his ground something his dad never really understood but his mum had, she wasn’t the type to do it but she had always encouraged him to be strong and sure and to do what he felt was best, she was the reason he’d felt confident enough to stand alone on a stage being watched by everyone and playing his violin. Roddy was surprised anyone was willing to go into bat for him, his dad would protect him but he would never go out looking for the fight, looking to have a confrontation to make things better and this insane Grimm had just offered to do that for him.

 

Roddy nodded not looking up and took another bite of his pie.

 

“When is the next concert?” Nick asked changing the topic.

 

“About six weeks,” Roddy said.

 

“Tell me when the tickets are on sale and we’ll come,” Elly said.

 

“You really don’t need to,” Roddy said tucking his violin back into the case.

 

“You’re not going to play anymore?” Nick asked just as Elly started talking.

 

“We want to, you are amazing Roddy.”

 

“Elly’s right, we like seeing you play, can I convince you two to play some more?”

 

“I really should get home; I still have some homework to do.”

 

“Would you like a ride?” Nick offered setting his plate down.

 

“No, it’s fine I will get the bus.”

 

“Nonsense,” Nick said standing and pulling his keys from his pocket. “Elly, I will see you later.”

 

Elly nodded and stood. “I’ll see you in two weeks Roddy.”

 

“Thanks for the pie Elly, I will see you then.”

 

Roddy took a deep breath before climbing into Nick’s car, he didn’t honestly think the Grimm was going to kill him anymore but there was still an instinctual desire to run and hide from the man. He didn’t know what to say, he was comfortable with Elly and found talking to Nick when she was there easier.

 

“Roddy,” Nick said finally when they were almost at his home. “I know I make you uncomfortable but I also know that there aren’t a lot of people in your life and I want to help so if you ever need anything you can call me, okay?”

 

“Thanks Nick and thanks for the ride,” Roddy said with a shy grin as he got out of the car.

 

“Anytime, night Roddy,” and the Grimm was gone.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

After that Nick appeared about halfway through all of their practice sessions and would then drive Roddy home.

 

The night before his next concert Roddy received a call from his teacher, Mrs Johnson, about a man from Julliard was coming to see him, his greatest wish was going to Jacobs but he didn’t think he could get there. He was always a little nervous before a performance but this was added pressure he really didn’t want. Every other time people from universities had come out and seen him it was never just to see him, it was more the fact they went around to all the specialist high schools and saw what was around but Mrs Johnson had been very clear when she said that this man was coming for him.

 

His dad was out with some friends that night and Roddy just needed someone to talk to, he didn’t think to call just hopped on the bus and walked to Elly’s house, he caught a sight of Nick and Elly through the window as he passed, Nick and Elly sitting on the couch close together both looking at the same sheet of paper, Elly threw her head back and laughed at something Elly said, Nick turned to watch her laugh his expression soft and his eyes were glued to her. Roddy stopped walking to watch them, he was about to turn around when Elly stopped laughing sniffed the air one and then looked directly at Roddy. She stood and walked to the door, Nick stood as soon as she did his hand dropping to the gun on his hip but when he saw Roddy he dropped it with a smile.

 

“Sorry,” Roddy said stepping back to leave. “I shouldn’t have just dropped by, it’s not important.”

 

Elly stepped down into the garden and grabbed his arm. “Nonsense, come inside, I am making pasta.”

 

“Is everything okay?” Nick asked still standing above them on the verandah.

 

“I got a call from my teacher, she has someone coming out to see me tomorrow, I just wanted to talk. I should have called.”

 

Elly pushed him down onto the couch. “Nonsense,” Elly sent Nick in to get some water. “I am glad you came, where are they coming from?”

 

“Julliard.”

 

Elly whistled. “That is impressive, how exciting.”

 

“Thanks,” Roddy said taking the glass of water from Nick.

 

“We’ll be there,” Nick said. “Are they coming to see you specifically?”

 

Roddy nodded. “It’s a really good program, apparently if they like what they see I will be invited to audition for the violin program.”

 

“Do you want to go there?” Elly asked.

 

“I would love to go there,” Roddy said after a long pause, he didn’t normally like to talk about his playing or what he hoped would happen with it in the future but Elly was different they had already spent so much time talking about playing he felt like she already knew he ever wanted to stop playing.

 

“Then what can we do to help?” Nick said with a quick smile.

 

Nick’s phone rang and he stood with an apologetic smile to go and answer it on the front verandah.

 

Elly placed her hand on his shoulder. “You will do amazingly.” With nothing but those words Roddy felt the sick feeling in his stomach lighten just a little, he offered her a small smile.

 

“Sorry,” Nick said coming back inside.

 

“Case?”

 

“No,” Nick said. “Juliette came back from her sister’s early; I will have to miss dinner.”

 

Elly nodded with a smile and even thought Roddy was watching her carefully he couldn’t see anything but the twinge of disappointment that he would be missing dinner. Roddy could not understand how they could not be in love with one another; every time they were together he could easily forget about Juliette, he could forget that they hadn’t been together forever.

 

Nick left and Roddy helped Elly finish making dinner; he didn’t know if she worried he didn’t eat enough or if she simply enjoyed feeding everyone.

 

They were both at his next concert and he kept his eyes on Elly ignoring everyone else except the Blutbad who watched him with wide, brown eyes and an encouraging smile. She was the first out of her seat when he’d finished though his father was basically her shadow.

 

Everything had gone well, the smile his father gave him was the largest Roddy had ever seen and he knew he’d done well.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

The first time they had Holly over at the same time as him Roddy wanted to hit himself in the head because there was another Blutbad in the room and this one just kept sniffing him but he definitely wasn’t hurt because it seemed that the Grimm and his Blutbad…or should that be the Blutbad and her Grimm…just collected any Wesen teens that crossed their path.

 

After Holly had sniffed him for a good twenty minutes and Elly had encouraged him to change so Holly had been able to connect his scent to his Wesen form as well Holly sat too close to him on the couch. It took him a while to relax but finally he rested back against the back of the couch with her pressed tightly against his arm, she didn’t speak much but she kept looking at him and mimicking movements he made.

 

Eventually Eddy and Nick disappeared into the kitchen to get lunch and Holly pulled away from him and turned to look him in the eye. Her words were stilted and Roddy could tell how much thought she put into each word to make sure it was right. “El…ly. N…i…ck.” She made some motions with her hands that Roddy was just starting to get when she found the word she was looking for. “To…go,” Holly shook her head. “To…get…er?”

 

Roddy repeated her words back to her automatically having seen Elly and Nick do it, she seemed to understand more than she was able to say and it appeared to be the way to check meaning though Holly was being a lot more precise with her language than she had been up until now. “Are Nick and Elly together?”

 

Holly nodded with a large grin.

 

“As in dating?” Holly looked confused.

 

Holly frowned at him then and opened her mouth to try another word. “S…e…x?”

 

Roddy felt his eyebrows shoot up his face, Elly had pulled him aside when he’d arrived and explained what Holly had gone through, where they had found her that she was spending time with Elly because Holly felt comfortable with her and Holly’s mother had been told about Wesen because Holly was half wild. Elly was helping Holly deal with Blutbad instincts while her mum was helping her learn everything she would need to exist in the human world. For some reason Roddy had just assumed she wouldn’t know about sex.

 

“Are Nick and Elly having sex?” Roddy asked his voice dropping down to a whisper at the end. God, he hoped Elly and her Blutbad hearing wouldn’t be picking up their conversation.

 

Holly nodded emphatically.

 

“No,” Roddy said watching as Holly’s face scrunched up her confusion evident on her face and Roddy completely understood where she was coming from, he still couldn’t work it out. “Nick is,” Roddy cringed at the next part but then realised an easier way of saying it. “Together with Juliette.” Roddy watched her carefully to see if she would understand. She screwed up her face further as though she had tasted something unpleasant and Roddy smiled at the fact she was so open in how she felt because that was the exact face he’d wanted to make when he met Juliette.

 

/ / / This is where ‘You Made A Fool Outta Me’ fits into this story / / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

The first time Roddy went to Nick’s house the entire place was full of food, Juliette was gone and Roddy could see the sadness in his eyes, the evidence of the fact he wasn’t sleeping but if the copious amounts of food everywhere were any indication then he was a least eating well.

 

“Where on Earth did you get all this food,” Elly asked when they caught sight of the baskets and boxes covering the floor of Nick’s now empty dining room. “Hey is that homemade chilli jam, excellent.”

 

“Apparently this is how Eisbiber show their appreciation,” Nick pointed to the stuff in the kitchen. “The rest of it came when Bud found out Juliette had left.”

 

Elly laughed. “Eisbiber women are known for their amazing baking skills.”

 

“You all have to take some home,” Nick said. “Roddy, you have to try the rhubarb pie they sent over and there are triple chocolate brownies that I am thinking of asking to be my last meal.”

 

Roddy followed Nick into his kitchen. “Juliette’s gone?”

 

“Yeah,” Nick said cutting the pie and keeping his back to Roddy. “She left last weekend, probably for the best with all the Grimm stuff, she could never know and that just put her in danger.”

 

Roddy nodded, he knew being dumped was horrible, he could still remember that hollow feeling of pain when Sarah had dumped him so easily and they’d only been dating a couple of months. “I’m sorry.”

 

Nick turned and handed him the pie, his eyes were sad but he had a small smile on his face. "Thank you."

 

They went back into the dining room to find Elly in the middle of the baskets and boxes looking through all of the goodies with glee. “We should separate out the food from the other stuff, that blanket I found is so cute.”

 

“Take it,” Nick said. “I’m not really that worried about cute blankets.”

 

Elly beamed at him like that was the reason she had mentioned it and Nick smiled for the first time that night and Roddy had to wonder if this in front of him, between Nick and Elly was also part of the reason Juliette left him because if someone Roddy was dating ever looked at someone else like Nick looked at Elly he’d have to think she was cheating on him.

 

Elly and Nick waded into the stack of gifts and Roddy sat back eating whatever looked good and was near him while Elly told him to leave room for dinner.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / / Companion to ‘Unavoidable Instinct’ / / /

 

Nick called him one afternoon waking Roddy up on the couch, the show he’d been watching had been replaced by Dr Phil but at least he was being drowned out by John Williams for now. “Nick?”

 

“Roddy, you okay?”

 

“I was asleep,” Roddy said rubbing a hand over his face.

 

“Elly was hurt earlier, she is in surgery. I wanted to let you know, I will call again as soon as I know anything more.” Nick’s voice choppy and forced.

 

“Nick,” Roddy said completely awake now.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, just some stitches,” Nick said obviously ignoring Roddy’s real question.

 

“You were hurt too?”

 

“Yeah, but nothing much. Elly is worse; she was fighting with a Jägerbar.”

 

“Is there someone with you?”

 

“Hank’s here,” Roddy smiled, even if Nick’s partner didn’t know about Wesen at least he knew about how Nick felt about Elly. Roddy had only met the man once, at a barbeque at Nick’s house Nick and Elly had been doing their usual things, watching one another, talking as though they had a secret language and Roddy had been standing with Holly and her mother watching them and had caught Hank’s eye as the cop watched them as well. In that moment he knew that the older man could see it, that Roddy was not alone in thinking that the Grimm and the Blutbad needed to yank their heads out of their arses and do something about how they felt.

 

“Okay, good.” Roddy said. “If you need anything call yeah?”

 

“Of course, she’ll be fine.”

 

Roddy nodded even though Nick couldn’t see it because those words weren’t for him they were for Nick who desperately needed to believe them. “She will, Elly’s tough, she’ll get through this.”

 

“She is tough,” Nick’s voice was just a little lighter and Roddy smiled at the thought that he had made Nick feel even a little better, even not knowing the story Roddy knew that Nick felt guilty and would be beating himself up for allowing Elly to get hurt regardless of the fact the Blutbad was more than capable of looking after herself.

 

/ \ / \ / \ / \

 

The next day Roddy went in to see Elly, Nick had called last night to tell him that she was out of surgery and okay but that she wasn’t allowed visitors yet. He’d called this morning and been told he could come and see her between nine and eleven. He’d taken two buses and walked for almost twenty minutes but it wasn’t quite ten yet so he didn’t mind. He walked into her room to find Nick sprawled on the only chair snoring quietly and Elly asleep, she was pale and bruised with cuts and machines hooked all around her but the monitor attached to her heart was steady and reassuring.

 

Roddy went to the other side of the bed and quietly sat down, the smell of blood and disinfectant hung in the air making Roddy want to sneeze, sometimes he wasn’t happy to have such a good nose – it generally alerted him to the idiots at his school being close but he could do without knowing what Elly’s blood smelled like.

 

Roddy sat in silence his eyes flicking between Nick and Elly glad they were both going recover.

 

“Nick?” Elly’s voice was soft and raspy but the second she started speaking Nick bolted upright his eyes locked onto her.

 

“Elly,” Nick stood and Roddy could see the grimace he was shoving off his face as he looked down at Elly. “I’m here, you’re okay.”

 

Elly’s head moved just enough to tell she was nodding before her eyes slowly opened looking slightly unfocused but she was looking at Nick regardless. “You’re okay?”

 

“I’m fine, and you are going to be too.”

 

“She bounced you into a tree,” Elly said as forcefully as she seemed to be able to manage at the moment and Roddy looked at Nick more carefully he was obviously hiding most of his injuries, stupid Grimm – he only needed to do that with people who might hurt him and he’d only do himself more damage but Roddy knew so long as Elly was awake he would continue to pretend.

 

“Just a couple of stitches, do you want me to get a nurse?”

 

“No,” Elly said her voice growing faint again. “So tire…” And Elly was asleep again. Nick gently lowered himself back into the chair gritting his teeth the whole time.

 

“Do you want me to get a nurse?” Roddy asked quietly but the Grimm still jumped and reached for his hip even though there was no gun

 

“Roddy, shit. When did you get here?”

 

“Not long ago,” Roddy said. “God, relax okay I know it hurts a lot worse than you want Elly to know but you are going to hurt yourself if you are not careful.”

 

Nick smiled tightly. “I think it’s time for my pain medication.”

 

“It’s a little after ten.”

 

“Sounds about right.”

 

Roddy watched Nick though and he broke a tablet in half before dry swallowing it, Roddy got up and handed him a glass of water with an eye roll. “I can keep an eye on her so you can get some real rest.”

 

Nick looked up at Roddy but smiled before nodding and pulling himself out of the chair gingerly, he soothed his hand down Elly’s arm before he left and told Roddy to call him if he needed to leave.

 

Roddy watched Elly for a while her chest rising and falling rhythmically enough that he knew she was going to be okay. “Elly, you have to smarten up because Nick is going to lose his mind one of these days when you get hurt and then he might do something stupid. That and I just cannot see a good reason apart from the whole centuries old instinct to kill one another that is stopping you from declaring your love for each other and making cute little Grimm-Blutbad hybrid babies. He loves you Elly and I wish I could tell you that when you were awake but you are both as stupid as each other.”

 

Roddy sat back and just watched her for a while, keeping an eye on her like he promised Nick even though the Jägerbar was either dead or in gaol.

 

For some reason eleven rolled around and none of the nurses kicked him out, lunch rolled around and a nurse who introduced herself as Kelly handed him a tray of food with a smile.

 

After he ate he pulled his assignment sheet out of his bag and started making notes, he’d planned to go to the library after seeing Elly but he wasn’t going anywhere until Nick came back, Elly and Nick kept watching out for him this was the least he could do to return the favour and honestly he didn’t want to do anywhere - didn’t have anything to do, his dad was working and he was supposed to be practicing with Elly tonight, she had promised him pineapple upside down cake – he was sceptical but she hadn’t fed him anything that wasn’t amazing yet. Maybe he could make it for her after she got out, even if she couldn’t play she might still let him come for visits and she could help him with his audition piece for Jacobs.

 

Dark clouds were rolling in from the west when Nick came back looking tired but slightly less haggard than he had before, Roddy told him she hadn’t woken up and then after checking that the older man was okay Roddy left hoping to beat the weather home but Nick just handed him some money and demanded that he catch a taxi, Roddy nodded giving in because he knew Nick needed him to get home safely.

 

The next day when Roddy came to visit again Holly and her mum were there to see Elly. Holly came over and attempted to squeeze the life out of him as she always did and while her back was turned Elly relaxed her face tightening as she tenderly adjusted her body but as soon as Holly let go she was smiling again attempting to hide how badly she was hurt. Holly’s mother had seen it though and ended their visit shortly after Holly again squeezed him in a tight hug before they left. As soon as they were gone Roddy sat down.

 

“You need to stop pretending,” Roddy said firmly. “You and Nick are as bad as each other always trying to protect us kids but we can handle it just fine thank you very much.”

 

Elly laughed but she relaxed back into her bed and groaned. “They have taken away the stuff that made me feel like I was floating.”

 

“Is that good?”

 

“It’s better for my control not so much for the pain.”

 

Roddy nodded and was silent letting her relax for a little while but a few moments later she tensed and sat up staring at him. “Nick and I are as bad as each other? What do you mean?”

 

Roddy sighed. “He’s hurt worse than he is showing and he doesn’t want you to know and now I’ve put my foot in it.”

 

“No, no that’s good I cannot believe he’s lying to me.”

 

Roddy clenched his fist against the desire to point out the hypocrisy in that statement deciding instead to just let it go for now.

 

When Nick appeared Roddy left deciding he did not want to be there for the scene of them arguing with one another about being honest about their injuries – it had nothing to do with not wanting to see the disappointed look on Nick’s face when he realised Roddy had unintentionally let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

 

After they let Elly out of the hospital Nick was always there, Elly’s house slowly started feeling like Nick’s too, even though he’d always been there they had both resisted Nick’s presence taking over, the spare room had his clothes and the sheets smelled of him but the main house was all Elly. Every time Roddy visited in the month after the hospital the whole house smelled of Nick and Elly, the fact he was living there could be seen everywhere and Roddy honestly thought that they would finally crack and yet every time he visited they were just as bone-headedly stupid as they had been the previous time.

 

/ / / Both ‘But My Colour Comes Back’ and ‘You Took Me For A Pushover’ fit in here / / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

Roddy received a call late one Friday afternoon, Nick asking him to come to Elly’s. When he got there Nick’s partner was hyperventilating on the stairs while Nick tried to hand him some water and Elly ranted at Nick’s back.

 

“I told you it was a bad idea; most humans cannot handle knowing about Wesen.”

 

“Elly,” Nick threw over his shoulder. “He saw one already, I could not leave him to think he was insane.”

 

“Because knowing he is insane is better,” Elly said. “Water is useless,” Elly elbowed Nick out of the way and handed Hank a glass of something amber.

 

Hank took the drink and swallowed it quickly.

 

“See,” Elly said to Nick. “Oh hello Roddy.”

 

Nick turned around. “Hey Roddy, thanks for coming over. I have a huge favour to ask but not yet,” Nick looked back at Hank.

 

“What’s going on?” Roddy asked staring at Hank.

 

“Hank saw a Wesen as part of a case and Nick thought it would be a good idea to bring him over so he could see me and I could explain what Wesen are and that Hank isn’t insane, so far this excellent,” Roddy thought as a teenager he was good at sarcasm but the amount dripping from that word made him grin at Elly. “Idea has led to Hank thinking we are all insane.”

 

Roddy laughed. “Okay, so I’m going to Reinigen out for him to prove that there are more of us, did you call Holly and Rosalee too?”

 

“Rosalee?” Hank asked looking up sounding shattered.

 

“Yeah,” Roddy said looking at Nick as he watched Hank. “She’s a Fuchsbau.”

 

Hank sagged back down into the stairs.

 

Nick looked at Elly who raised an eyebrow and through a strange series of eye movements, wiggling eyebrows and twitching facial muscles they seemed to have a conversation until Elly nodded and looked at Hank with sad eyes.

 

“It doesn’t change who she is,” Elly said softly.

 

“So, this last year when you kept doing things on your own, it wasn’t because you thought you could do it better, it wasn’t some informant it was because they were Wasen?”

 

“Wesen,” Elly corrected.

 

“Yeah,” Nick said. “I wanted your help but I couldn’t explain most of what I did and honestly if it wasn’t for Elly I would have been mauled by now.”

 

“That’s why you suspected Elly?”

 

“Yes, and she was the one who helped me track that man down, he was also a Blutbad.”

 

“A what?”

 

“That’s what I am,” Elly said helpfully.

 

“And Roddy is one too?”

 

“I’m a Reinigen,” Roddy volunteering sitting on one of Elly’s chairs so he could watch everything comfortably. “But Holly is the same type of Wesen as Elly.”

 

“And Rosalee?”

 

“She’s a Fuchsbau,” Elly said. “Different again.”

 

“Roddy,” Hank took a deep breath. “Can I…”

 

Roddy smiled and allowed the change to happen watching Hank carefully as the policeman stared at him.

 

“You look a little like a rat,” Hank said then grimaced. “Sorry.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Roddy said. “Reinigen are related to rats like Blutbad are related to wolves.”

 

“And Fooshba?”

 

“Fuchsbau are related to foxes,” Elly said gently. “Rosalee is a good person, this doesn’t change who she is.”

 

Roddy frowned, obviously Rosalee was important here but he couldn’t figure out how; he knew Elly had been helping her get organised with the shop, he’d gone down one Saturday afternoon to lug things around for them and Roddy decided he liked Rosalee; she was very little like most of the Fuchsbau he’d heard about or met – she was nice and honest. Elly had been helping her and Rosalee had provided some help and information for Nick on cases but Roddy didn’t think the Grimm had involved his police partner since it was Wesen business. Hank seemed to know her though, seemed to be more distressed by the fact she was Wesen than the fact they existed at all and Roddy wanted to know why - he really wished he had been clued into the secret language that Elly and Nick shared.

 

“I need to get out of here,” Hank said suddenly standing up and making for the door.

 

Nick followed him out gripping Elly’s forearm and thanking her before he disappeared.

 

“What’s going on?” Roddy asked when he and Elly were sitting on the couch and Nick was long gone.

 

“A couple of my friends were involved in a plan to control their impulses using drugs, it had some bad side effects namely they went berserk and tried to, or did, kill people. Nick and Hank had the case, the other side effect of the drug was that they didn’t change back to human when they were dead, and they could be seen by anyone. Hank shot the doctor behind the trial when he was holding some people hostage and saw his Wesen face, saw him change and he didn’t believe Nick when he told him it was any of the reasons he was able to come up with so he came here and I showed him what I am.”

 

“Your friends?”

 

“Some guys I knew who I used to meet up with to talk about how hard it was - a support group basically.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“No,” Elly admitted. “But I will be eventually, it’s never nice to lose someone and these guys were where I am, if things were different it could have been me trying that drug out.”

 

“You don’t take the easy way out Elly; your best friend is a Grimm there is nothing easy about that.”

 

Elly laughed. “Yeah, he is a pain in the arse.”

 

“How about I make you some of that weird coffee you like?” Roddy offered.

 

“That’s okay I’ll do it.”

 

“No,” Roddy said standing. “Let me okay, I can do it.”

 

Elly nodded and let him go. “There is some pie in the fridge if you want some.”

 

“Do you?”

 

“Sure,” Elly said. “A small slice.”

 

Roddy went through the process of making Elly’s coffee, which he’d learned to do when she had been recovering, and then got them both some pie. He sent his dad a quick message saying he was going to be at Elly’s for a while. Nick was busy with Hank and Elly didn’t need someone to be with her but she shouldn’t be alone after losing her friends so he settled in to watch something on TV and eat her amazing pie. He stayed until Nick arrived with a six pack of German beer and a grateful smile when he saw Roddy was still there then left Elly in the Grimm’s hands. It wasn’t until after he’d returned home that he realised he’d forgotten to ask more about how Rosalee fit into all of this.

 

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

 

The call came early on a Wednesday morning when Roddy was on the way to school, ‘The Imperial Death March’ blared at him as he answered the phone.

 

“Hey Nick.”

 

“Roddy, how are you?”

 

“Good, on the way to school so everything’s fine.”

 

“Excellent, listen I know you were supposed to come over for dinner tonight but I can’t do it anymore.”

 

“Case?” Roddy was getting used to this, Nick tried not to do it but occasionally he had no choice but to cancel plans to work.”

 

“No,” Nick said and there was a long pause while Roddy waited for Nick to explain. “Family is in town.”

 

Roddy frowned. “I didn’t think you had any famil-oh I see, Grimm, no worries I’ll stay low.”

 

“No, yes, I didn’t think I had any either, Elly is going to have dinner instead, I might be able to make it but…have a good day.”

 

“I will, you too.”

 

Nick did make it after Holly and Roddy had finished eating while Elly was trying to give them more as though they hadn’t eaten in months; one moment there was no one there and then Nick was standing in the doorway looking worried, stressed and tired.

 

“Oh dude, please don’t use your evil ninja Grimm skills like that,” Roddy said when he spotted him.

 

Elly took one look at the Grimm and stepped over. “There is cake on the bench and fruit in the fridge,” she said as she pushed Nick out of the room, they didn’t make it far but Roddy could only hear words every so often and they didn’t make a lot of sense. Mum, not dead, here, why – Nick kept asking why every few minutes in a desperate needy voice that made Roddy uncomfortable.

 

Roddy watched Holly finish her food and then took both their plates to drop into the sink rinsing them off.

 

“Do you want cake?” Roddy asked his eyes still on the doorway they’d left through.

 

Holly nodded her eyes on the doorway too. “Nick mum alive?”

 

“Is that what they are saying?”

 

Holly nodded. “More.”

 

“They are saying more? But all about Nick’s mum?”

 

Holly nodded twice and Roddy felt his gut twist, when his mum died he’d begged and prayed and offered up his ability with a violin to get her back but she was still dead. His skin felt too tight; prickled and hot remembering the way he’d felt when he realised he really could do absolutely nothing to bring her back. The day he’d realised his mum was never coming back was the worse one of his life, it must have been even worse for Nick. Nick lost two parents, Roddy had his dad, who had done everything he could to keep them both going, had sacrificed and worked hard to give Roddy the things he wanted, the things he and his mother had dreamed of. Roddy couldn’t imagine his life if he’d lost his dad as well, he’d never really thought about it but Nick and Roddy had both been about the same age when they lost their mothers. Roddy tried to think of anything that would keep Nick’s mother away for all that time, that would have allowed her to let her only son think she’d been killed, Roddy knew his mother wouldn’t, she wouldn’t have let anything convince her to leave him she’d told him all the time how much she loved him.

 

Roddy swiped a hand over his face and got two plates, cut the cake, opened the fridge, pulled out the strawberries and put them on the cake knowing they were Holly’s favourite.

 

Roddy put the two plates on the table but he never picked up the fork. He didn’t bother trying to hear what Nick and Elly were saying because he knew why Nick had sounded like that, why he kept asking ‘why’. Roddy tried for just a second to think of his mother coming back and he could feel the prickle of tears at the back of his eyes, the sour taste of sorrow filling his mouth. He pushed the thoughts as far down and away as he could.

 

Holly finished her piece of cake watching him carefully.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Roddy said. “I’m just worried about Nick.”

 

Holly nodded. “Nick sad.”

 

“Yeah,” Roddy didn’t think about it just pushed his piece of cake over to Holly earning a bright smile.

 

It was a long time before Elly came back into the room and Roddy could see that she was affected by what Nick had been saying to her. “Holly, your mum’s here.”

 

“I’m going to ask her to give me a lift too,” Roddy said standing. “You stay with Nick.”

 

Elly nodded but reached an arm out for Roddy’s elbow before he could leave. “How much did you hear?”

 

“Nick’s mum’s alive, Holly heard more than me,” Elly nodded. “Is Nick okay?”

 

Elly shook her head her eyes bright. “No.”

 

“I’ll go, let you two sort it out.”

 

Elly walked them to the door and had a quick word with Holly’s mum. Roddy hadn’t seen Nick when he walked through the lounge room figuring he’d disappeared when the doorbell rang.

 

“Roddy,” Elly said quietly. “Be careful while Nick’s mum is in town, I don’t know why kind of Grimm she is.”

 

Roddy nodded looking out at Holly.

 

“Don’t worry; I already talked to her mum.”

 

Roddy nodded and darted forward to hug Elly, squeezing tightly before pulling away and staring at his shoes. “Tell Nick, if he needs anything I…um…well I probably won’t be much help.”

 

“Thank you Roddy,” Nick said. Roddy looked up and saw Nick standing behind the couch, his finger were digging into the material beneath his hands and he looked devastated. Roddy didn’t know what to say so he nodded and with a small smile turned to leave.

 

“Bye,” he said closing the door behind him. He walked over to the car and thanked Holly’s mum for the ride not able to bring himself to talk on the short drive thankful that the older woman already knew the way.

 

When Roddy walked through the door his dad was sitting on the couch watching football so he went and sat next to him sitting just a little bit closer than normal. He didn’t know how to say any of the things he was feeling but he sat there with his dad until the game finished, even though his dad would normally be in bed by now he stayed there watching the news next to Roddy until he finally found the words to tell his dad about Nick’s mother. Roddy’s dad wrapped his arm around him and pulled him close.

 

/ / / This is where ‘But Your Daddy Left You’ fits / / /

Chapter Text

/ / /

It had been a month but Nick was still wearing the slightly lost, wounded look he had been wearing since his mother had left town. Roddy felt bad for him but at this moment he kind of wanted to hit the man…if he wasn't a cop and a Grimm and likely to finally snap and remove Roddy's head from his shoulders.

There was a pair of Jägerbar standing in the entryway to his house and Holly was growling from her place in front of Roddy, protecting him from the possible threat, and Roddy was trying not to run away even though he knew he was already wearing his Reinigen face.

"This is who you wanted us to meet?" Roddy asked though he would deny the high squeak his voice made for the rest of his life.

"Nick," Elly said resting a hand on Holly's shoulder and angling herself in front of the girl. "Why don't you introduce us?"

Nick smiled weakly. "I'm sorry Frank, Barry, I was right in the middle of explaining things."

The older of the two men smiled apologetically. "Entirely my fault, would you prefer us to wait outside."

"Of course not," Nick said with a look at Holly who had calmed down even though she refused to give up her place in front of Roddy. "Frank contacted me when Barry came home since he had heard that I was helping some Wesen teenagers."

"Like we're an outreach programme?" Roddy hissed.

"No," Nick said looking at him sharply. "Like Barry is in a similar position to where you were after the rat incident and he could use some friends."

Roddy grimaced and looked at the tall guy standing next to…his father? He couldn't be more than a year older than Roddy though if he'd been sent somewhere for whatever stupid shit he'd pulled then he would be eighteen or twenty-one – eighteen seemed more likely even if he was a touch taller than Elly and built like a…well, like a fucking bear. He didn't look all that more happy to be here than Roddy was happy to see him but Nick did not know how to turn anyone away so Roddy had a feeling that Barry was going to be sticking around.

"Hi, Barry," Roddy said looking at the Jägerbar who turned to him fully and watched him over Holly's shoulders. There was something sad and dark in Barry's eyes and Roddy remembered how shitty he'd felt after the 'rat incident'.

"Barry," Nick said with a smile. "This is Roddy and Holly, and this is Barry's father Frank."

"Hi," Roddy said smiling faintly at Frank and ignoring his son who was quietly seething.

"Why don't you go into the living room and watch something," Elly said with a bright smile. "While we chat?"

Roddy smirked at her and she smiled more brightly so Roddy grabbed Holly's hand and walked into the living room with Barry at his side.

Holly pressed herself close to Roddy side on Nick's couch and Roddy threw an arm over her shoulders.

"What did you do to land yourself on Nick and Elly's radar?" Roddy asked stroking Holly's hand and trying to calm her down.

"What's wrong with her?" Barry asked with a frown.

Holly growled at him.

"There is nothing wrong with her," Roddy said fiercely. "She was left in the woods by some bastard and she ended up growing up all alone. She is still adjusting, so be nice."

Barry held up his hands. "Fine, whatever. I kidnapped a couple of people."

Roddy lifted an eyebrow in question.

"My mother wanted me to complete the old rituals and I was going to kill them for her but Nick found me and stopped me. I don't like him, he killed my mother, but my dad seems to think that being part of this stupid little Wesen teen reform group will help me let go of some anger."

Roddy nodded slowly. "Probably you should listen to him."

Barry glared at him and they spent the rest of the evening as silent as possible and Holly remained glued to Roddy's side until Barry and his father left after Elly's pie.

"Roddy," Nick said when everyone was relaxed. "I know that Barry might not be the type of guy you would normally hang out with but I think he is a good kid who just needs some friends."

"He hates you," Roddy said standing up. "He told me he hates you, he doesn't want to forgive you or let go of his anger he just wants to be an arse."

Nick looked like Roddy had slapped him and Roddy felt bad instantly.

"Nick, I'm sorry."

"No," Nick said. "You're right but I can't just ignore the fact he needs us, he father thinks it might help."

Roddy looked at Elly who was looking both worried and resigned, she turned away from Nick and smiled at Roddy.

"Okay," Roddy said. "I'll try."

Nick beamed at him and Roddy knew he was insane – making friends with a Weider Blutbad was bad enough, a Grimm who hadn't worked out that he should be hunting them as a dinner host was nuts but a pissed off, moody, teenage Jägerbar was batshit crazy – no other explanation for it.

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / / Picnic \ \ \

Roddy carried the picnic basket as the group traipsed through the woods. Elly swore she knew the best place to have a picnic and she had spent hours cleaning her aunt's old picnic basket. Holly had her arm curled into Roddy's elbow and was tugging him off course as she whipped her head around to look at different trees and animals like she hadn't lived in the forest for years.

"It's just up ahead," Elly said and Roddy continued walking after her. Nick was next to her and in the last week he had completely changed, he smiled more and was back to how he was before his mother had come back. Roddy didn't know why but something had changed and he was glad for it. He had wondered for a second if he and Elly had finally worked out their shit but they weren't sneaky enough to hide that from anyone.

Barry and his father were walking a little off to the side and Rosalee and Hank were walking at the very back of the group as though no one would notice them holding hands and making faces at one another as they walked.

"This is it," Elly said turning to them and smiling widely. "Isn't it perfect?"

Roddy looked around the clearing but he couldn't see anything different about this spot to the rest of the forest that they have hiked through but he just smiled at Elly.

"It's the same as the rest of the forest we walked through," Barry said with a scowl.

Roddy looked at the tall bear and rolled his eyes. He went to the edge of the clearing and put down the picnic basket. Nick rested the esky next to it and took one of the picnic blankets off Holly to flick it out over the forest floor.

"It was nice of Elly and Nick to invite us to join them at this picnic, Barry." Frank told his son firmly.

"Like I want to spend time with these people," Barry said with a snarl.

"Okay," Roddy said turning around and ignoring the head shake from Nick. "We get it; you're wounded but suck it up before we kick your arse into a bloody tree."

Barry let his face change and growled at Roddy. Holly snarled behind Roddy but he trusted Elly to keep her out of this. "I don't want to be here but what makes you think you could kick my arse into anything?"

"You are hurting but it happens, your mum died and you are going to have to deal with it. So you can pull your head out of your arse and let Elly and Nick help or you can go and sit in the corner."

"We're in the forest, there is no corner, idiot." Barry said but he stalked off to the edge of the clearing.

"I'm sorry," Frank said frowning.

"Don't," Nick said. "He'll be okay, he just needs more time."

"He needs to be clocked in the jaw," Roddy muttered to himself but Elly let out a snort of laughter.

"Lunch," Elly said clapping her hands together. "Everyone find yourself a spot."

Everyone sat down and then Elly began to unpack the food…and it never seemed to end. When she was done everyone began to eat and Roddy believed that it would never all be eaten and yet as he watched it steadily disappeared. Roddy was just cutting himself a piece of pie, because even at a picnic you were not allowed to eat the dessert before the 'real' food, when Barry slammed down into the ground next to Roddy.

"I'm hungry," Barry said and Roddy lifted an eyebrow. "Thank you, Elly."

"You're welcome," Elly beamed and Barry glared down at his own lap as he ate.

Roddy was slipping into a food coma when there was a rustle in the woods and suddenly Barry, Holly, Elly and Frank were up and changed. Roddy had to scramble back when Holly and Barry both almost stepped on him. A Wesen ran out of the trees and straight for them, he didn't even react to the Grimm standing in front of him as he ran towards them. Elly hefted her aunt's picnic basket and whacked the man in the head. Roddy walked over when he went down and Holly growled at him.

"What is wrong with him?" Roddy asked.

Hank and Nick looked at one another.

"Everyone get out of here, we'll take care of him, he's dangerous."

"He looks like he's got the plague," Roddy said and a hand yanked him back and away from the body. "Jeez, Holly, we've talked about gent-Barry?"

"Do you have any preservation instincts?" Barry asked and folded his arms over his chest before he went to stand next to his father.

"We might need to contact you all later for statements," Hank said even as he pulled his phone out.

Rosalee stopped him. "The hospital can't help him; we need to get him back to my shop."

"Why?" Hank asked but he put his phone away.

"He has the Yellow Plague, I can help him, they can't."

"Okay," Nick said. "Hank and I will carry him back to my car."

"I'll come with you," Rosalee said and grabbed her canvas bag.

"We'll sort everything else out," Elly said with a bright smile. "Rosalee, if you need any help…"

"I'll call," Rosalee nodded.

Nick, Hank and Rosalee left and Elly turned to them with a smile.

/ / /

Chapter Text

/ / / Halloween \ \ \

"Roddy!" Elly said loudly enough for Roddy to pull his phone away from his ear. "…Roddy?"

"Have you stopped yelling?" Roddy asked.

"I wasn't yelling," Elly said, her voice was still loud but not enough to hurt his ears. "What are you doing tomorrow after school?"

Roddy thought about it for a moment, he had no plans but Elly was way too excited. When she was like this he would end up hanging out with Jägerbars who looked at him like they would enjoy bathing in his blood and doing things that no self-respecting Blutbad, or teenager, should be doing.

"I'll know if you lie," Elly said with a laugh. "I am going to do my house up for Halloween so I want to get everyone over to help. Holly's coming with her mum and I've invited Barry and Frank."

"Seriously?"

"It's Halloween!" Elly said as if there should be no more need for explanation.

Roddy rolled his eyes. "I had planned to do nothing but watch crappy TV and eat junk food."

"I will feed you," Elly said immediately. "And…I have the best set of movies to watch while we work."

Roddy had a feeling that the movies would be camp old horror movies but he supposed he could deal with it if she was going to be feeding him. "Fine."

"Excellent," Elly said. "Barry will pick you up from school tomorrow afternoon."

"No," Roddy said but there was silence from the other end of his phone. He pulled it away from himself and looked down at the message telling him Elly had hung up – probably to go and call Nick to get him to come and help too.

"You can't put me in a car with Barry," Roddy said to the phone but he knew that there was no getting around Elly once she had decided to go all out on something.

The next day Barry, and his phallic symbol of a rumbling car, were waiting on the curb as soon as Roddy came out of the building. He went over and stuck his head in the window first.

"You going to kill me?" Roddy asked.

Barry glared around his sunglasses and shook his head. Roddy knew that was the best he was going to get so he slid into the car and did up his seat belt. One of his classmates walked by, paused, and then looked at Roddy and Barry.

"So, you are a little fag," the guy said and then continued on his way.

"Who was that?"

"Michael," Roddy said shifting in his seat. "Just some idiot in one of my classes."

"Want me to go and beat the shit out of him?"

Roddy looked at Barry confused. "No, but…thanks for the offer."

Barry shrugged and they pulled away from curb to head to Elly's. When they got there she was already halfway through decorating the lounge room and the rest of the house looked like a Halloween advertisement. It also looked awesome but Roddy didn't say that. Something about the way Elly beamed at him told Roddy that she could read his approval all over her face.

Then he saw the kitchen, and the food, and the sweets. He fell on a plate of homemade cinnamon buns like he hadn't eaten for a week, he could see Barry eying the food off and handed him a bun before he went back to sampling something from every plate.

"Don't make yourself sick," Elly said. "You have fifteen minutes and then you can come and help outside."

Roddy watched as Holly decorated in the lounge room and kept sneaking into the kitchen for food. Her decorating looked a little haphazard and decidedly overdone but she smiled at Roddy as she worked. She still looked at Barry like she wasn't sure if she needed to rip him in half but she hadn't growled at him since the picnic. Holly's mum was working with Elly in the lounge room and had a perpetual look of bemusement as Elly whistled while she worked.

/ / /