[SEMI-OPEN] AUGUST POST

[catphishing]

Redbright Institute
Mid-Late August, open to Redbright affiliates.

[Redbright has a new IT tech, and at the moment he's pretty enthusiastic about his new role. Anything has got to be more interesting than his last role, especially this. He's ready and willing to help out with any technological problem someone might have, right down to the most basic (though he'd certainly appreciate anything more challenging).

He has a phone line too if someone would rather reach him that way.]

Wildcard

[Anything else. Hit me up on technobabbled or PM me to plot things.]

Comments

[iustitiae]

[connor all but rolls his eyes.]

Sure.

[and turns back to the movie. at least channing tatum was more interesting than his fake drug addiction]

[catphishing]

[He's not totally convinced it's something he should be doing, but Connor said it was okay. It would be a little weird not to have it now. At least that's how he justifies the detour to his fridge to retrieve a bottle before he pours Connor's glass of water.

It takes two trips to bring both their plates and drinks over to the couch, but at least they have food to keep them occupied now as well as Channing Tatum. There's even a side of chicken wings on the plate because pizza alone isn't greasy enough.]

Did I miss anything good?

[iustitiae]

Plot-wise?

[he takes a bite of his pizza and shakes his head. at least the pizza is great. for all he may work out and look great, he still enjoys terrible food.]

But eye-candy-wise? You may have missed some finer moments.

[catphishing]

[He laughs, taking a bite himself. Even if he has he's sure there'll be more finer moments later on.]

Yeah? Should we rewind?

[iustitiae]

No way. We're just going forward. You missed you.

[catphishing]

That's not fair. I should get to see eye candy too.

[Not that he's remotely paying attention to the movie right now anyway.]

[iustitiae]

I mean, I'm still right here.

[please forgive this stupid child]

[catphishing]

Yeah, but staring at you for the next hour and a half might be pretty weird.

[He's not wrong though.]

[iustitiae]

I could take my clothes off if that would help.

[catphishing]

Connor...

[He hadn't wanted to get into this tonight, but maybe it isn't fair on him to keep putting this off. He'd been doing that since even before his trip to the States and he still is now.]

You know how easily you could find someone else.

[iustitiae]

Yeah, but I don't want someone else.

[they both knew this. he'd tried that and had come crawling back to oliver. but he says it as lightly as he can, without making it seem like it's a big deal. without trying to make implications of when he'd cheated on him]

[catphishing]

It would be better for you.

[He doesn't look at Connor as he says it, toying with the neck of his beer bottle. His eyes stay fixed on the screen, as though he actually still cares what's happening.]

[iustitiae]

[oliver is making this difficult. the truth is, it probably would be better for him. it's been a long time now and there's too many lies between them and they just keep multiplying and adding up and one day Oliver is going to learn the truth and it's going to suck for everyone.

but emotions don't really work like that.]

Let me decide what's better for me.

[catphishing]

Is this better for you though?

[iustitiae]

[kinda killing the mood here bro]

Yeah, I think so.

[catphishing]

[He nods, exhaling heavily as he takes that in. Really, it says a lot that Connor's stuck around for as long as he has, let alone that he's still here even now.]

I'm sorry I keep making you wait.

[iustitiae]

I get it.

[to some extent. to another he doesn't, but he knows that's the right thing to say.]

[catphishing]

I do trust you now. It's just...

[He trails off, figuring he'll probably catch the rest of his meaning.]

[iustitiae]

We can just watch the movie, okay?

[he takes another bite of his pizza, pretending to be occupied to give oliver the out.]

[catphishing]

Can we? [He is looking at Connor now. It's not like he'd actually wanted to watch this in the first place. It had been to prove a point, and the mood's already dead now. He's not going to have fun now unless they finally manage to clear some of the awkwardness.

How long can I keep putting off talking to you before you finally give up and move on?

[iustitiae]

[he's halfway through his bite so he must look ridiculous but he finishes it and puts the pizza back down and looks at Oliver, honestly. He hits the mute button on the remote because the sound of the movie is ridiculous for what they're talking about.]

It's okay, if you don't want to talk. There are -- there are things I don't tell you, too, you know? It doesn't have to be like that.

[but it sounds wrong even as he says it. he either wants a relationship or he doesn't, and it's clear that he does. that's why he's been sticking around this long. and relationships are honest; something he's done very little of]

[catphishing]

[He watches uncertainly as Connor finishes his mouthful and mutes the TV. He doesn't expect his reply to be reassuring, but he doesn't expect the one he does get either.]

I didn't mean it like that. Just if we are going to be together we need to talk about how that's going to work.

[He is concerned now though.]

What aren't you telling me? Have you been okay?

[iustitiae]

[the reply on the tip of his tongue is not really but instead he says:]

It's complicated.

[which is easier for him. but it's not right. so:]

Not really, no.