Advice (One-Shot)
"Ya know, it's been a long time since we invited you over for dinner, Jordan." Barry invited Jordan into his house. It was drastically different than his house in Raccoon City.
Jordan walked past Barry as she looked around the place. It was cozier probably to make up for what happened in the city. The walls painted a pale shade of yellow to be inviting.
"Yeah, it has been a while." She told him, trying to find her way through the house. Analyzing what she could to get used to her surroundings.
Barry closed the door slowly.
"The kids with Jaiden?" He asked.
"Yeah, they'll be here for dinner in a few, i just came here sooner to take a breather" Jordan responded. "How's Kathy handling the change of scenery?" She turned to look at the big man.
"Good as anyone would be with a change of scenery." He answered going to the dining room, Jordan followed.
She took notice of the chandelier lights above the dining room table.
"I'm thinkin' of replacing that, it makes the place look....way too fancy for my liking." Barry said shaking his head.
"Yeah." Jordan nodded as she sat down. "You sounded more on the nervous side when you were on the phone, what's up with that?" She asked. Recalling the phone call from many nights ago.
"God, I, you know how Chris said he found out Wesker was alive?" Barry tried to get straight to the point.
Jordan seemed like she winced the moment Albert's name came out of his lips. Barry felt bad as he sensed the woman's eyes flicker with many emotions, but she somehow managed to keep cool.
Barry rubbed his arm a bit nervously and sighed.
"Well, that's not entirely the point, I just.....need advice." Barry said, looking at Jordan with unsure eyes. She was confused, not sure what exactly where he was going at, advice on?
"What do you need advice on? holding back your fist from punching someone you thought trusted and loved you?" She hummed. "I can try, but I'm still trying to work out that myself."
"N-No, after Chris found out Wesker was alive, Terisha and I were investigating a small town. It had these connections to Umbrella, and a lot of other bullshit." Barry began to explain. "Next thing we bump into Alan and--"
"Alan's alive?" Jordan raised an eyebrow. "From what Jill told me what happened in Raccoon city he...."
"He's alive, and he was working for Wesker." Barry said with a hint of frustration. "Alan kidnapped a kid for Wesker, apparently, he's immune to the virus that was infecting everyone in the city." Barry looked away, he seemed more troubled than he was before. "Fortunately, we managed to get him before Alan could take him back to Wesker."
Jordan was surprised. What the fuck was Albert planning on doing? Involving Alan was one thing, but a kid? She remembered how fondly Albert had treated their two children. The times he would help Alvina with styling her hair, and even the occasional moment with Junior where the two got along. She couldn't imagine Albert going past that line.
"The fuck was he planning on doing to the kid?" She blurted out.
"No clue, Alan wouldn't say, but I'm guessing it has to do with his immunity to the virus." Barry sighed.
Jordan paused for a second as she then recalled the advice.
"Exactly what did you need advice for?" She looked at him confused.
Barry looked back at her and sighed.
"I....I took in the boy." He leaned back in his chair.
"Oh? what's his name? where did he even come from?"
"Dylan, he's...from the Raccoon City Orphanage. Nine years old. That's all I know." Barry answered.
Barry swallowed and seemed reluctant to say.
"You....you got a son, how do you....deal with boys?" Barry asked, motioning his right hand out of anxiety. He was clearly unsure what to do. "I've only known good of having two daughters and I love them both dearly, but a son."
"Something out of your realm, Burton?" Jordan smirked. "Or are you secretly terrified due to the many 'horror' stories you've heard of having a boy?"
"I'm not terrified, I guess I'm more....confused and anxious?" He leaned on the table a bit.
"What are you having trouble with exactly?" Jordan asked.
"Adjusting to having a boy. What do I do? just go upstairs and say "hey sport wanna go fishing? See that ball game?"" Barry asked in a poking fun at the situation kind of way. It was clear the man was overthinking it.
"Hey, it's fine Barry. When I had my son things were, smooth for the first two years. After three he was a troublemaker....."
"Was?" Barry raised an eyebrow.
"Okay still is, but you see where I'm going with this." She laughed. "He's a kid, he's adjusting to having a family. Probably is just as terrified about this situation like you are."
"Maybe you're right." He said.
"So, where's Dylan?" She asked, curiously. "Playing with Moira and Polly?"
"No, he's upstairs. Probably watching TV or reading." Barry answered. "He's not too used to the girls yet."
Jordan nodded. "You sure he's ready for house guests?"
"He'll be alright, besides, maybe Alvina or Junior can bring him out of his shell." Barry chuckled.
Jordan did the math in her head. Alvina was three years older than Dylan, whilst Junior was only two years younger. Maybe they would? She tried to think about it. What's the worst that could happen?
It was an hour or so later, Jaiden had stopped by with Alvina and Junior. Both a little worn out from the sightseeing that Jaiden had dragged them on. Alvina didn't complain but Junior did. Mostly about how his feet hurt from all the walking.
Alvina was used to accompanying Moira and Polly, she didn't mind. Junior did tag along to bug the heck out of the group, occasionally whispering something to Moira who only snorted and laughed at whatever he whispered as he wore a big grin on his face.
Dylan had eventually come down for dinner. He was quiet. It was clear how awkward the group of kids got when he entered the room. Sitting down at the table before anyone else.
"Dylan, want to meet our guests?" He spoke.
The boy didn't look up till a moment or two later, he looked at the group of adults and kids approaching the table. He didn't seem to speak just nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Jordan sat down at the table with the others, she took note of the boy's appearance. The claws marks on the right side of his face and his different colored eyes. One blue and one brown.
"Dylan meet my co-worker and friend, Jordan Manalang and her kids Alvina and Junior." Barry introduced Dylan to the family.
"Nice to meet you." He managed to say. He didn't seem too interested in continuing.
Jordan eyed Barry as it was clear she was aaking with her own eyes of what exactly happened.
"The scars are from a dog attack. Kid bumped into the asshole dogs while in Raccoon city." Barry explained. "Just like the ones in that mansion." He coughed.
Junior kept talking to Moira and she responded. It seemed like he was getting a grasp of the situation between Moira and Dylan.
"He smelled like a dog when dad brought him home." Moira whispered to Junior who snickered a bit at this. "Kind of was a dog when they tried bathing him."
Dylan seemed like he wasn't listening, and began eating in silence as dinner was served. Just some spaghetti and garlic bread.
Minutes later, dessert was ready to be served.
"Thanks for the food, I'm not really hungry for dessert." Dylan got up from his seat. He grabbed his plate. "I'm going upstairs to watch tv." He mumbled.
"Why don't you stay down? Maybe Junior wants to play with you?"
Junior peeked his head up, mouth halfway full of spaghetti.
"I want to what?" Junior asked.
Jordan looked at him. Giving him a look.
Junior raised an eyebrow at this.
"Mom, I don't want to play with him." He whispered over to her. "Moira says he stinks like a dog."
"Would you try and be polite?" She whispered back over.
"No, cause I'm gonna tick him off anyways if I went with him. Plus I don't know him, what if he tries biting me?"
"He's not gonna bite you." She told him.
"I don't know. He kinda looks like he wants to." Junior pointed out Dylan just sitting there arguing with Barry.
"Please Dylan." Barry urged Dylan.
"No, I don't feel like dealing with playing with anyone right now, I just wanna be left alone." Dylan's respectful demeanor fell as he was clearly now frustrated with continuing the dinner.
Before Barry could say another word, Dylan rushed out the dining room straight up the stairs.
"Dad can we return him to the pound you found him at?" Moira joked.
"No Moira." He shook his head. "See, this is what I'm having trouble with." Barry sighed looking at Jordan.
"Oh? Does he do this a lot?" She asked
"Just a few times a week. I don't understand why he acts like this." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
"Maybe you forgot to give him his rabies shot." Junior joked as Moira laughed.
"Junior!" Jordan shot him another look.
Kathy had already taken the other kids into the kitchen for 'help' with dessert, leaving Junior and Moira to joke among themselves.
Jordan and Barry stepped out of the house, to talk on the porch. Barry seemed agitated still.
"How do you....put up with it?" Barry asked.
"Having a son isn't that different than having a daughter...." she paused as she recalled a few times where Junior's behavior had made her questionable. "Uh, as long as you don't leave him alone with your best guitar."
"I try and talk with the kid, and all I feel like is an idiot." He shook his head.
"I think you're trying way too hard to be a parent more than how you usually do it." Jordan pointed out. "I mean, usually you're more laid back in some ways, but today was different." She said.
"Yeah, you're usually not so....uh, what's the word?" She tried snapping her fingers in hopes that the answer would be there. "Reserved?"
"Was I really like that today?"
"Yup, maybe just treat him how you treat your daughters? So it feels a bit more....genuine."
"I didn't feel genuine?" He repeated.
"No, ugh, fuck, how do I explain this?" She grumbled in frustration. "I know what I want to say but it's hard to translate it from my thoughts to words." Jordan leaned on the pillar of the patio. "Kids can detect these sort of things, you know when someone's being fake nice to you yet they secretly hate you?"
"That's what I'm assuming Dylan is feeling from how you treat him." She spoke. "He probably thinks you don't really mean it, I mean it's conflicting when you're now in a new family and new setting than what you've been used to for most of your life."
"You're right, kid must think I'm feeling burdened having him here." Barry frowned.
"That or he's overwhelmed by new people. Wanna know how long it took Albert and I to get Junior to his first day of school without him trying to climb out the window of the car. So long that he missed half the first day."
"But that's kids for you, they're at their most raw emotional state that any person can be and with what you've told me so far, I'm not surprised he doesn't want to be near people."
"Well, least I know what they problem is now and how to solve it." Barry got up. "Anyways, wanna grab some dessert?"
"Sounds good to me." Jordan followed Barry back inside.
I wrote this as I was more in the mood to write than I have been with drawing lately. It's pretty raw and not so edited. But editing is a pain soo forgive me for any spelling mistakes.
I wanted to write a short Burton family story and how they interact with Jordan and her family a bit. Hopefully I did them justice. T.T
Plus, I wanted some supportive best friend moments between Jordan and Barry.
