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[That's still enough to alarm him. It's skirting the edge of a memory, at the very least. Carefully, he shrugs and then lies back down.]
Wouldn't know. I've never met one.
Wouldn't know. I've never met one.
Some time ago, huh.
[His voice is low and dry. Yeah, he knows about that. And said telepath has already been warned about exactly what he's playing with.]
[His voice is low and dry. Yeah, he knows about that. And said telepath has already been warned about exactly what he's playing with.]
Don't tell me you actually did something selfless.
[He'll never believe it. He still thinks Petre is setting Ryan up for a fall of some sort, even if their stories match.]
Don't tell me anything, actually. I really don't need details.
[He'll never believe it. He still thinks Petre is setting Ryan up for a fall of some sort, even if their stories match.]
Don't tell me anything, actually. I really don't need details.
I was just trying to get his mind off everyone else's. It worked.
[And he's damn proud of himself, thank you very much.]
Told him not to bother me after, looks like he listened.
[He really wouldn't want to deal with a clingy virgin. He'd just break his heart.]
[And he's damn proud of himself, thank you very much.]
Told him not to bother me after, looks like he listened.
[He really wouldn't want to deal with a clingy virgin. He'd just break his heart.]
Shit, you did the whole world a favour. It's almost like hell freezing over, but not quite there. [Nothing against Ryan, he just still doesn't like telepaths.] And here I thought no one could ever be broken of the Petre habit once they started. You've been talking yourself up even more than I realized.
[Yet again, he finds himself glancing over at Petre when he can't be caught. So it really was a one-shot deal. A favour for a virgin. The thought that he might be getting too suspicious is immediately chased by a million thoughts of what happened the night before, which leave him right back where he started. With no idea what to make of Petre anymore and caring way too much about it.
And while he thinks about answering that statement, Petre's unusual peace - maybe even quiet? - prompts him to close his own eyes instead. Just enjoy the weather and the spot and the moment and pretend that there's nothing at all complicated about it.]
And while he thinks about answering that statement, Petre's unusual peace - maybe even quiet? - prompts him to close his own eyes instead. Just enjoy the weather and the spot and the moment and pretend that there's nothing at all complicated about it.]
[Unlike John, Petre feels like he had a good night's sleep, but being in the shade when the sun's all the way up there tempts him to give in and let his consciousness go. It's okay - they're not doing anything wrong. If anything people would be more bemused by seeing them together doing nothing than aggravated.
He likes that. Make them confused, keep them guessing.]
He likes that. Make them confused, keep them guessing.]
[The very strangeness of the peace between them ruins it for John. He can't relax. Not in Petre's company. After all, he's confused and guessing more than anyone else right now.
He rolls quietly onto his side, watches as Petre appears to fall asleep. When he's not smiling, when his eyes are closed, he looks deceptively innocent. Almost childlike. The sweep of his lashes across his cheeks is unusually dark for someone with such pale hair.
There's a guilty greed to the way he catalogues these thoughts, takes Petre apart piece by piece while he's not looking. He knows it's all evidence of more interest, exactly the kind of interest Petre suspects and tries to cultivate, and the kind he now has to deny to himself as well as out loud. But he's still snatching candies out of the jar when he's not meant to, when he doesn't even like sweets.]
He rolls quietly onto his side, watches as Petre appears to fall asleep. When he's not smiling, when his eyes are closed, he looks deceptively innocent. Almost childlike. The sweep of his lashes across his cheeks is unusually dark for someone with such pale hair.
There's a guilty greed to the way he catalogues these thoughts, takes Petre apart piece by piece while he's not looking. He knows it's all evidence of more interest, exactly the kind of interest Petre suspects and tries to cultivate, and the kind he now has to deny to himself as well as out loud. But he's still snatching candies out of the jar when he's not meant to, when he doesn't even like sweets.]
You're awfully quiet.
[Which isn't him calling John out on anything he's doing, just making sure he's still awake, eyes still shut and lips now pressed together. He didn't bring them here for a nap, and he knows just how badly John wants one. Hence denying him the pleasure.]
[Which isn't him calling John out on anything he's doing, just making sure he's still awake, eyes still shut and lips now pressed together. He didn't bring them here for a nap, and he knows just how badly John wants one. Hence denying him the pleasure.]
[He nearly jumps out of his skin when Petre starts talking, then rolls onto his back again so ungracefully that it'll be clear he was on his side from all the rustling.
Beautiful. Very smooth.]
I'm relaxed. You actually did shut up for once.
Beautiful. Very smooth.]
I'm relaxed. You actually did shut up for once.
[To which he opens his eyes and rolls his head, brows quirked like John just mentioned the sky happens to be green. That doesn't change his tone, though; he sounds like his usual self, no confusion anywhere.]
So did you. Does that count as hell freezing over?
So did you. Does that count as hell freezing over?
Edited 2014-09-22 02:29 (UTC)
I actually can be relaxed and quiet when you're not around. You're just always around lately.
[It's not really true - he almost never makes it all the way to relaxed. And Petre probably knows him well enough to know that, given how he sees right through him. But he only meets that stare for a second before turning away and closing his own eyes again.]
[It's not really true - he almost never makes it all the way to relaxed. And Petre probably knows him well enough to know that, given how he sees right through him. But he only meets that stare for a second before turning away and closing his own eyes again.]
[Lips spread and show teeth; the smile reaches his eyes but doesn't manifest in a laugh. He shakes his head and relaxes back into his previous position.]
You're so full of shit. Bet you you could smoke an entire football field of weed and you'd still be all worked up.
[And then he points at nowhere, like he just remembered -]
I have a solution for that, too. It involves your hand and a box of tissues.
You're so full of shit. Bet you you could smoke an entire football field of weed and you'd still be all worked up.
[And then he points at nowhere, like he just remembered -]
I have a solution for that, too. It involves your hand and a box of tissues.
At least you're not offering yourself as the solution anymore. We're making real progress here.
[And he was well acquainted with that solution in his time between roommates. He's just not mentioning that.]
[And he was well acquainted with that solution in his time between roommates. He's just not mentioning that.]
[A hot flush runs through his body, and he drapes an arm casually over his face in case it reaches his cheeks. Well. That backfired. It had seemed like progress, but that was a stupid thought.
One night. One night has dismantled everything. He should be angry, or snarky, but now he's just off-balance.]
Also because it'd never happen. I'll stick to my hand.
[Well, it's a bit of a zing.]
One night. One night has dismantled everything. He should be angry, or snarky, but now he's just off-balance.]
Also because it'd never happen. I'll stick to my hand.
[Well, it's a bit of a zing.]
[He's not sure whether he wants to call John on that, whether it's a good idea-- the tone makes it obvious, but his thoughts had felt so conflicted earlier. In all honesty he's not sure John's aware.]
...didn't mean anything for the two of you? Or for you?
...didn't mean anything for the two of you? Or for you?
Nothing. Nothing. Just heat of the moment.
[And he remembers lying beneath the big old tree near the graveyard with Petre earlier that day, watching him when he seemed to have fallen asleep. Little images, just as he took them in: the soft curve of a closed eyelid. The sweep of dark eyelashes across a pale cheek. The peaceful line of his lips. The slight tilt of his neck. That sense of wonder that he could look so innocent at all.
He's certain he's bleeding thoughts again, they're so strong, but it's like his own brain is fighting with him. Throwing up exactly what disproves his chosen beliefs.]
Everything was fucking confusing, that was just another one to add to the pile. It's done now.
[And he remembers lying beneath the big old tree near the graveyard with Petre earlier that day, watching him when he seemed to have fallen asleep. Little images, just as he took them in: the soft curve of a closed eyelid. The sweep of dark eyelashes across a pale cheek. The peaceful line of his lips. The slight tilt of his neck. That sense of wonder that he could look so innocent at all.
He's certain he's bleeding thoughts again, they're so strong, but it's like his own brain is fighting with him. Throwing up exactly what disproves his chosen beliefs.]
Everything was fucking confusing, that was just another one to add to the pile. It's done now.
[God, those images are hard to take in. Not just because of his own attraction-- he definitely still finds himself physically drawn to Petre, how could he not?-- but because of the way John had obviously paid attention, taken it all in with such clarity, and the way it makes Ryan wonder if he notices anything about him in the same way.
There's no flicker of outright jealousy this time, just a sense of want that he tries hard to push away. It's selfish as fuck, he knows.]
You haven't thought about doing it again?
There's no flicker of outright jealousy this time, just a sense of want that he tries hard to push away. It's selfish as fuck, he knows.]
You haven't thought about doing it again?
No.
[And he closes his eyes again, more tightly this time.]
Not seriously. Not actually considering it.
[And he closes his eyes again, more tightly this time.]
Not seriously. Not actually considering it.
But do you want to.
[He shouldn't be asking. He should just be dropping the subject and giving John a fucking break.
But he's the one who brought it back up, wasn't he, and Ryan can't help wanting to know.]
[He shouldn't be asking. He should just be dropping the subject and giving John a fucking break.
But he's the one who brought it back up, wasn't he, and Ryan can't help wanting to know.]
Jesus, will you back off this? I'm not going to, that's what matters.
[The sheer scale of his defensiveness gives him away. It's becoming obvious that the entire process will be pointless with Ryan. Maybe he went through the same thing himself, before -
- okay, no. John can't just start accepting this. But it's not going away, either.
Irritated, he rolls to face away from Ryan on the little cot.]
I'm not stupid either. He got to me, but he's not gonna win.
[The sheer scale of his defensiveness gives him away. It's becoming obvious that the entire process will be pointless with Ryan. Maybe he went through the same thing himself, before -
- okay, no. John can't just start accepting this. But it's not going away, either.
Irritated, he rolls to face away from Ryan on the little cot.]
I'm not stupid either. He got to me, but he's not gonna win.
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