Jack Toomey is warm. Jack Toomey has massive arms. His massive arms wrap around Roy in a warm hug and Roy - whose love language is physical touch - feels himself melt into the embrace with zero hesitation. Sam's father is personable. He already knows so much about Roy without having to be told anything. He talks about his albums, his music, if they're already working on a third, how is festival season, he hopes he can make it out to see them in Germany. Roy tells him he's always welcome. Jack puts an arm around Roy and gives him a squeeze. It's a one-armed hug that surpasses his own father's, who only ever gives one-armed hugs. Jack is easy to listen to. He teaches them sailing. He puts Roy and Malte to work as soon as they're on the boat and there's no resentment harbored because they feel like they're doing something. Jack makes them feel like they're learning. After a lifetime of struggling to garner any life lessons from his own parents, Roy feels like he's a better sailor and better man after twenty-four hours on the boat.
Jack treats Roy like Henry treats Sam. Jack treats Sam like Henry treats Sam. Roy wonders what it is about Sam that makes him a collector of father figures.
He tries not to be jealous.
0/4
You are fresh, brand new, and oddly quiet for a baby. Your mother abandoned delicacy somewhere after giving birth to Malte, and though you haven't been dropped you have been passed from person to person more like a pitcher of water than a living, breathing baby. Your oldest brother carries you with one arm and runs at the same time, and has only been scolded for this once. The scolding was light, since it was discovered quickly that the sounds coming from you weren't cries- but rather laughs.
Not all of your older brothers choose to handle you like a football. Bastian is incredibly careful to the point of paranoia, choosing to hold you when he's already sitting down. Malte is only four years old and he diligently uses both arms to keep you secure (you are an impressively large and hefty baby). There are times when you scream for reasons unknown, and at those times Maman hands you off to her third child explaining: Vous avez un cadeau. You lay in Malte's arms, he sings, and you stop screaming. Maman is right.
He has a gift. You won't remember this.
5/9
"HΓΆr auf!"
At age five (following his first growth spurt putting him almost at Malte's shoulders), Roy has found a spectacularly effective way to annoy his older brother: reach up, grab the back of his shirt collar, pull hard, and smack the back of his head. Sometimes the smack is substituted for a grab which has resulted in accidental hair removal. Roy has been scolded for this behavior, but not enough to stop doing it- growing only more bold with his attacks. Spring was the premiere prank season, their parents distracted with farm business and able to keep an even less watchful eye on their children.
"Ich sagte, hΓΆr auf!"
This was Roy's second attempt that day. He and his brothers were in a spot they shouldn't have been: atop the barn roof, the sound of sheep shearing resonating from below. This spot wasn't safe (most spots weren't, not for all seven of them - and there were seven at the time) and they'd had their warnings, but hadn't heeded them.
There would be a third attempt.
Roy's fingers latched on to Malte's collar, and in a split second he felt his brother's arm against his, his palm on his chest, and suddenly he was floating in a free fall. The fall lasted only two seconds but felt like years, his world pure silence until he was flat on his back in a pile of hay.
He coughed, took a deep breath, and stared up at his brother.
"Fein! Ich werde aufhΓΆren!" Roy shouted back, and then cried. He would remember this.
24/29
Everyone is out of earshot when you bring up the incident at the barn which is nearly two decades in the past and Malte rolls his eyes at you. You don't know about how he used to hold you, how he'd watch you and play with you when your other brothers had better things to do. Your mother doesn't tell you about this because she had her own distractions at the time, happy to feed you and put you to bed and sing to you when you cried, but she wasn't there for your first steps. Neither she nor your father were there for your first steps without the aid of a table or hand, your first words, the process by now not so miraculous as it was expected. You don't remember any of this, you were too young, there's no video of it. But you do know it, somehow. Malte slaps his palm against your chest and you put your arm around him. You'll remember this too.
narrative04
β
you're roy, you're a german musician who gets destroyed on screen from time to time, you're a farm boy, you have ducklings, you're a gucci slut, you call your mother maman and it's adorable, you love driving with an arm outside when it's summer to feel the breeze on your skin, you hum to yourself made up songs or real songs when you're getting dressed, you are dumb in the most endearing way, you are smart because you know fucking everything.
β
narrative06
Maman β¨π§πͺ
August 11 6:43 PM
Back on dry land! A few more days and we'll be on our way home.
Danke Leroy.
Wir sprechen heute Deutsch?
Ja! Papa kam zu Besuch nach Hause.
Ich freue mich fΓΌr dich! Geht es euch beiden gut?