"Yeah?" Jacob sneered, referring to Darrin's remark about his survival skills. He opened his mouth to make a response, but shut it again. He wasn't about to succumb to this low-life kid's level. The boy didn't look even Jacob's age. Again, he propped his feet upon the coffee table, having turned the chair so that his back was facing Nicholas, and he rested his hands behind his head. There was no way he'd let this boy ruin his comfort in his own home. He itched for a cigarette. For some booze. Hey, he might have been an alcoholic, but at least he wasn't a druggie asshole.

---

Nicholas listened to Darrin with disgust, eyes closed and giving him no response. He acted as if he were dead, maybe to freak the kid out. He heard Jacob's tone and knew that he wasn't all too happy about this guy being here either. Nicholas would try to be a good sport, though, since he [i]was[/i] Mattie's brother.

And then Darrin turned on him, when he hadn't even said a thing to the little prick. Still, he lay unmoving. Darrin was close to the couch he was lying upon. With all the strength he could muster, Nicholas sprung to his feet and opened his mouth wide, making a roaring noise as he pretended to charge at Darrin. The poor kid backed up so fast that he fell on his ass, and Nicholas dropped to his knees, body shaking with laughter.