TLV: IC Contact

[sixfeetofdirt]

Careful; I bite.

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[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion groans quietly.

"That's why I said I will be fine. In the future. Do we need to have a talk about tenses?"

[greatoldjohn]

"Do we have to have a talk about how I am not just leaving you to 'be fine' at some nimbus date in the future? How about a talk about what the fuck happened that this happened?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

A low noise of laughter sounds from the bed.

"Just a conversation! That's all. This is all very dramatic and unnecessary, you'll agree," another little flick of his fingers to illustrate 'this'.

[greatoldjohn]

He's going to push himself up and walk over fully to look down at Astarion, consternation and concern clear on his face.

"You're hurting. Something or someone hurt you. And if they hurt you enough that you did this, it's apparently necessary, no matter how 'dramatic' it might be."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Oh, this isn't necessary. This is pathetic."

He's aware of John standing up (and Aylin definitely is, he can feel her moving around because something has her attention), but doesn't shift even the smallest bit himself.

[greatoldjohn]

"Okay. So why are you doing something you think is pathetic?"

He's going to put a hand out for Aylin to play with her. She's a good girl.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I don't really care to do anything else right now. So. Here we are."

Pathetic or otherwise, it's what's happening!

[greatoldjohn]

"And is there anything that would make you feel better?" he asks as he keeps playing with the cat.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"The passage of time. Feelings are impermanent, I've heard."

He doesn't really know what therapy is or what Sheehan's whole deal is, but he still saw his strange visual metaphor on the network.

[greatoldjohn]

He's just going to listen to that and frown down at him.

"...yeah, that doesn't work the way you're trying to use that."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I don't see why it wouldn't. At the very least, I assume that eventually I'll get tired of lying here."

Probably!

"Particularly since the cause of my behaviour is no longer with us."

[greatoldjohn]

"Or you won't, just to spite me," he says with a wry kind of fondness. "Is the talking around it part of the 'pathetic' or do I get to ask who, or what, you're talking about?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion stares at the pillow in front of him for several seconds.

"John Gaius."

[greatoldjohn]

John nods, and then after a minute, he'll walk around until he can sit on the side of the bed without crowding him.

"And what did John Gaius do to you?" A pause. "Or what did you do to him?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

Another stretch of silence, then, dully:

"You really don't know when to stop fucking talking, do you."

[greatoldjohn]

He's just going to continue to look expectantly at Astarion. Fine. No talking. The requirements for getting anything done changed again. Sure. Cool. He's listening.

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion does not look back.

"Oh, and now you're pouting because I don't like being asked how I brought this on myself? Just get out."

[greatoldjohn]

"I'm not pouting. You said shut up. I shut up. I didn't say you 'brought this on yourself'. I asked specifically so you wouldn't just talk around me." He shakes his head. "I'm not leaving. That makes me an asshole. Fine. What happened?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

"You're claiming I told you to shut up, and now you're accusing me of putting words in your mouth? Gods, you're difficult to talk to," he mutters, then goes on without awaiting any response. "We had an arrangement, it ended, I am digesting that fact, give me some time."

[greatoldjohn]

"I'm not doing the semantics argument," because it seems like that's all they ever talk about and yes, he's picked up it's a bullshit stalling tactic. "And what does that mean without the euphemisms because if you mean 'some time to go right back to pretending like everything is fine and nothing happened instead of actually working through why you laid in bed for two days', we're not doing that."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I don't love being disposed of," Astarion says flatly. "Imagine that."

[greatoldjohn]

"'Disposed of'?" And John's expression turns hard. "What the fuck did he say?"

Do not make him go to other worlds to murder your ex, Astarion, he MIGHT.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"That it was enjoyable while it lasted, but the thing had run its course. Nothing more to be said or done. No reason for him to stay, no need to make arrangements to rendezvous after I'm done here. So."

[greatoldjohn]

John... does not have the best sense motive check when he's not plugged into someone. It's something to do with emotions being something he has less than two years experience with on a personal level and not a 'this lever does THIS thing that makes people make the funny noises'. But he has enough experience, and he spends enough time watching people, and by luck he happens to have recently seen some interactions with the now-departed John Gaius.

Departed, one would believe (as there was no announcement otherwise) due to a graduation.

Hm.

"So... how often do you lie to my face?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

He's not looking at your face. So there!!

"Nine Hells," Astarion mutters. "It's my understanding that people are allowed to end relationships - or would it have been better to be strung along from some vast distance? I'll admit I'm blunting some softer edges, but the conversation was what it was. It's not as if we were in love."