There is wonder in most every thing I see

 

"Your brother's a pirate, isn't he?" Randy seriously looked at Justin when he handed over the cup of coffee to him when they were alone at five in the morning. 

Justin called it their alone time. Plus Randy was plausible if he had a cup of coffee in the morning. Sometimes, it might put him right back to sleep.

"What?" Justin scowled back as they sat at the dining table. Both cradled their cups, but Randy took the first sip as if he might be breathing in every savory moment of the caffeine.

"Think about it," Randy winced tilting his head as if Justin was the one who never thought about anything. "He worked on ships and you know, those ships go places."

"Oh, Randy," Justin chuckled and shook his head, no, put the cups to  his lips and waiting for the coffee to cool. "You're some kind of romantic, you know that."

"Well, me and Cassie talked about it for a good long while," he pushed back in his seat letting his long legs stretch.

"Are you two gossiping?" Justin wished to change the subject.

"Gossiping?" Randy squinted. "Why would we do that?" He smirked as he went back to his coffee. 

"Of course, you wouldn't," Justin somehow had to bring it in on a positive note, or it would look like he was a complete nag.

"He's an adventurer, you know," Randy's eyes lit. "A real swashbuckler."

"How did you come up with that?" Justin shook his head, no. Here he was wondering how he got together with Vada so quickly and then to drop her like a rock before anything actually happened. Still, there was a lot he didn't know about his brother. He didn't even know what he liked to eat.

"Oh, I listen," Randy told him. "That's what I do. He's known a lot about ships and stuff since he was little kid."

"Oh really?" It was news to him.

"So how's it going with Carmen?" Randy asked as he finished off his coffee when it was barely cool. He wanted another. 

"Why are you curious?"

"I don't know. I never slept with a girl before," Randy shrugged.

Justin knew these questions were juvenile, but he always felt at fault.

"Do you sleep with the bathroom light on?" Randy wanted to know.

"No." 

Justin squinted hard. "Do  you still have those Christmas lights still up in your room?"

"I like it like that. It's so pretty," he nodded. "Cassie would like it. I just know it."

Justin pressed his lips tight, wondering where this was going. 

"You should try it with Carmen," Randy nodded. 

This was all Justin needed with everything else going on. After all, trying to have a romance in a crowded apartment wasn't easy. Actually, he hadn't even tried because he was pretty certain Carmen would be hesitant too.