(no subject)

[amberhearted]

Who: Alexander, Anthony, Bakura, Banagher, Hajime, John, Lyall, Ravindra, Reilanin & Vanessa
Where: Alex & Ravi's apartment
When: Friday, Sept. 13th (ooooh)
What: Movie night!
Warnings: --

[ and so it happened that tonight was a movie night slightly different from the one alex, anthony, john (and ravindra, when he wanted to be included) had grown accustomed to -- namely, the volume of bodies had doubled, plus two. the cats were split in opinion; adhirat sought shelter in ravi's room, while olivia got cozy with anyone who'd give her the time of day and gomez poked around and occasionally darted off.

the more the merrier -- for anthony's sake, partially, as holing up in an apartment couldn't have been very fun (thought alex) while his peers enjoyed (or enjoyed to hate) school. bakura was a friend of his, so alex was more than happy to have him over. lyall could always use a break. hajime had been an invaluable asset at the water bust and seemed like a swell guy. john was an 'of course'; a founding member of movie night and someone alex got along with splendidly. vanessa, well.

vanessa could do with the company of good people. she seemed to get along with banagher fine, too, and alex was fond of both of them.

as for reilanin, he was basically continuing to offer the branch of friendship, or something like it. he'd actually been surprised when she accepted the invitation. as a librarian, she was probably familiar with the movie they'd be watching tonight.

twilight (or the save the earth equivalent of). ]

[ ooc: more or less a mingle log! throw up your own threads, go hog wild, yeah!
here's the apartment layout for reference. they're on the second floor! ]

Comments

[healspec]

[yyyyup that's probably why. maybe he can try to keep this light...]

Ah, that bad?

[amberhearted]

[ he grunts and slouches back against the wall. yeahhh, he isn't really chomping at the bit to share the wonders of that singular entry with comments he hasn't even finished reading through -- currently has no intentions of ever finish reading through. ]

[healspec]

[...that sure is a whole lot of nothing.]

[he was apprehensive before, but suddenly he finds himself frustrated. he folds his arms and leans a shoulder against the doorframe, staring at Alex. they're in this together, but he feels like he's the only one here who thinks that.]

[it's not like he expects Alex to tell him everything, but how hard is it to say 'sorry, I don't feel like talking about it' instead of pretending everything is fine until he goes away?]

So, should I never ask you about your pulses, or what? [that tone is not neutral. it is, in fact, pretty irritated.]

[amberhearted]

[ ravi's tone doesn't go unnoticed. alex drags his hand across his eyes, sighing. ]

Sorry. I don't wanna talk about it.

[healspec]

You never do.

[amberhearted]

[ he's so caught off-guard by the accusation that it takes him a moment to rewind, play back, and confirm that was a thing ravi just said.

alex stares at him, fingers pressed against his cheekbone. suddenly, this feels like water he shouldn't be treading. what do??? ]

[healspec]

[it's probably not something he would've said prior to the mines Echo, but he's thinking about their past fights over this subject and he's just so fed up about it that he can't let it go.]

Every time we talk about this, we fight. So let me know now if I should save myself the trouble and never bother to ask again.

[amberhearted]

[ his first inclination is to deny the claim, but he holds his tongue. still stunned and staring at ravi, he drags his fingers down his cheek, trying to come up with a reply. ]

It's... not something I like thinking about.

[healspec]

Obviously. [pointed stare]

[he is just going to wait and see what grave alex digs for himself...]

[amberhearted]

[ lol grave

still mystified staring ]

Could you... throw me a bone...

[healspec]

No one likes to think about any of this, Alex. It's not a problem that you don't like to think about it.

It's a problem that you refuse to, and then take it out on me when I don't let you.

[amberhearted]

[ FINALLY no more staring. ]

That was once.

[healspec]

[he does not want to concede that, but knows he can't win that fight if he presses it. shifting focus, instead.]

The refusal is a pattern.

[amberhearted]

... Am I not allowed to not talk about something now?

[healspec]

[irritated quirk of his mouth and narrowing of his eyes]

You are not only not talking about it. You're ignoring it.

[amberhearted]

Nnnnno. I mean, for now, yeah, yeah, I am ignoring it because fuck, that's some crazy shit, but I know I can't ignore it forever.

[healspec]

You certainly seem to be trying.

[but he's not talking about this, whatever that book means that Alex doesn't want to talk about right now. he's talking about all the past incidents of Alex brushing things off because they were uncomfortable to think about.]

[amberhearted]

[ back to outright staring.

holy balls, ravi, what got your knickers in a twist? was it the 'say it' reference? okay, yeah, alex concedes that wasn't the wisest decision he's made, but ravi's... doggedness just seems disproportional. unrelated?

weird. ]

I just got it.

[healspec]

I'm not talking about the pulse you got tonight! [he snaps, glaring at Alex again] I'm talking about the pattern; you do this all the time.

[amberhearted]

Do what?

[healspec]

Ignore things you don't want to think about and brush me off when I voice concern.

[amberhearted]

[ automatic ] I don't do that.

[healspec]

No? Then explain to me why we end up fighting every time I bring it up.

[amberhearted]

[ a blip of exasperation ]

It was just once.

[healspec]

It wasn't once, and you are brushing me off right now.