Snippet #1158556

Jasper's slumber had been fitful at best, but it still took the contact of a hand on his shoulder to wake him. At the touch, he started, sitting up quickly, perhaps too much so, judging from the way his head started reeling.

His vision slowly cleared, and he noted the presence of an elderly man in his room without registering too much surprise. It was most certainly strange, but then, what wasn't these days? The man looked awfully out-of-place in the dingy apartment. Even dressed somewhat casually, there was an air of upper-class about him that didn't leave. It helped that every hair, down to the ones in his gray mustache, seemed to be perfectly in place, his clothes clean, bright, and obviously not on the cheaper side of things.

He'd said something, but Jasper had missed it. "My... benefit?" At first the young man was puzzled, but he eventually caught up with the situation, and slowly grew cold. "And what do you know about my benefit, old man?" he asked sullenly, sending the intruder a glare. Who was this guy, that he thought he had the right to intrude into somebody's private home and tell them what they should do? It was just like the rich to think they knew best. So many of the families that had wanted to adopt him had been just like that.

And why was the guy just standing there, anyway? Nothing made any sense, and it was starting to hurt Jasper's head. Then again, maybe that was just the fact that he hadn't eaten in a couple of days. His stomach, which had initially protested painfully, had since subsided to a dull aching sensation that he could ignore if he chose.

Jasper made to stand up; that guy was going to leave, one way or another, but it looked like he'd have to force the issue. Unfortunately for him, the dizziness combined with the lack of sustenance combined was a bit much when coupled with his current state of injury, and he stumbled forward. This is gonna hurt, he conceded mentally as the floor rushed upwards to meet him.