[PRP] Address Change (Melvin/Lawr/Rodney)

[MoonKitsune]

It was surreal to be home and he continued to wander with a dreamlike awe in seeing the moat mundane hone comforts unchanged after all this time. Sleeping on a bed had left him smiling yet somehow questioning reality and his sanity. Had the cove claimed him?

After a while he refocused on what he had discussed theough the year. It was time.

He sat on the chair after asking Rodney and Lawr if he could please talk with him about something he needed to tell them.

Baneful

Toshihiko Two

 

[Baneful]

Lawrence never had any idea what Melvin was up to at all, so when he asked them to speak to him it was with relative dread that he sat down. He still looked a little bit worn out with a bandage around his arm. It had mostly healed up at this point thanks to Butch but he was still more than a little bit on edge over all of it.

"You all right?" he asked. People had been talking about something strange that happened on the island and since returning Melvin too had seemed a little bit ..off somehow.

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Rodney, if he was honest, was not looking forward to another talk, feeling with some dread that there was going to be another set of ultimatums. Maybe regarding the collar. He was very much against the collar. Still, Melvin seemed to look forward to the talks. And...maybe this one would be different.

Melvin had only wanted to sleep since he'd been back. And Rodney didn't blame him.

Rodney had heard from Mikael what had happened to them. For Melvin, it had been a year. Folding his hands over his knees nervously, Rodney wondered what all had changed in that time.

"Y-yes," Rodney said, "How...are you feeling?"
 

[MoonKitsune]

"Well, I'm a lot better without having to eat coconuts and fish all day and there is no cove here to steal me in my sleep. It's honestly pretty great just sleeping in a actually bed again. A bit unsettling not hearing the ocean through." He said without even having to think. There was a laundry list of great things about being back at Deus, but he knew he would get sidetracked and might end up getting into some other conversation pit that would start an argument. If he didn't do this now, he might get comfortable in NOT doing it at all.

He took a breath.

"So I've had a lot of time to think. A lot of time to talk. A lot of time to really look out and beyond myself. While I helped make a home with you, Lawr, it was one we were making for your family. Since then, a lot of things have changed. I think me being here isn't doing anyone any good anymore. Your kids are out and I'm not a good reminder on your marriage. A home is for a family to live. I'm a friend." He was slow with the last sentence and glanced at Lawr a moment as he continued.

"So, I've been thinking and I think it's best I move out and get my own house." He looked to both of them, giving them a chance to talk.

 

[Baneful]

Lawrence had no idea what he expected from Melvin. You really couldn't predict anything with the other man, he tended to swing between one extreme and another without any real warning. What he wasn't expecting was him to suggest moving out.

He blinked once, slowly, and took a shallow breath.

His first reaction was the desire to pull him back, to stop him from leaving, to keep the selfish pleasure of having him close by, to keep his friend where he was and his wages also where they were.

But Melvin was worth more than just his wages, and the way things were, no one but him was happy.

It pained him to choose anything other than personal gain, but he did it anyway, clenching his hand.

"Oh." he said. "It will be sad to lose you. If there's anything I can do to help you I will."

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Rodney, who was never good at hiding his feelings, looked visibly relieved.

He ventured anyway, "You've...held on to a um- a lot of grudges, against both of us for a long time. They weren't unwarranted."  

[MoonKitsune]

He looked over to Lawr and frowned back. "I will miss living here, but I don't think anyone is happy. I was just afraid of being alone, and even if everyone was unhappy in one way or another, I wanted that more. I wanted what little I could salvage. That's not the right direction for any of us. A friend wouldn't do that to you. When we built this house, you wanted your family back and I wanted to be by your side to help you get that. You even said you didn't like how empty it was now. A lot of it is me. Things should be better without me here for everyone and you can bring the kids back if they want."

"But that doesn't mean I'm out of your life. That you will loose me. Birds flock home of course and even more-so to a beacon of light." His smile twitched as he looked at Lawr. "I will never be out of your life. I just hope that, should anything terrible happen, I won't be forgotten and still be welcomed if I ever need a helping hand." He didn't hide his gaze as he looked over at Rodney at this point.

"Yes, that's true. I hated you both for a lot of things. I won't deny that. A lot of very, very deep cuts were made. You must have hated me too for plenty. Let's not pretend we were sweet through and through. It's pretty taxing, isn't it? Keeping the peace." He smiled at Rodney before looking over at Lawr again.

"Lawr has been a good man to keep true to his promise, but I'm sure being here isn't doing any good either. Distance won't kill anyone, and I plan to get a place in town so I won't be as far as the dorms. I'll just become a familiar neighbor instead of a ex-boyfriend housemate. I hope you two will come when it is finished of course."  

[Baneful]

Lawrence just looked down, unable to meet Melvin's gaze. "Yes." he said, and what it was yes to was anyone's guess, if it was that people weren't happy, if it was that Melvin would never be out of his life, he didn't specify.

"People always hate me in the end." he said.

"But I do want you to be happy and I think you'd enjoy your own place, if you let yourself. You could play that loud racket you call music as much as you like."

And he quirked his mouth in a little smile, a Lawrence attempt at a joke.

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Rodney didn't return the smile. "I've mostly been scared of you," he said softly, looking out the window. "I don't know from day to day whether you'd want to help or hurt either of us. It was more of an armistice than a peace."

Even the reassurance that he wouldn't be out of their lives seemed more like a threat than anything friendly.

"I've just been keeping out of your way. I hope...you find what you're looking for."  

[MoonKitsune]

"I wasn't in a good place, but I'm not here to kill anyone. I had hoped we could work togther to watch out for each other since no one else is on our side.I saw that attidude where people wanted to help but some don't at all and if we are placed in their care then we are ******** I had been bouncing from extremes. I don't know myself and there have been times I wanted to be mean and spiteful. It was tiring. I am working on that. I didn't do anything to make anyone feel safe."  

[Baneful]

Lawrence nodded but didn't argue with the whole being scared of Melvin thing. He loved Melvin as much as he was capable of loving but he was always just a little bit anxious about the potential for his house being burned down.

"I think maybe some time to let yourself find yourself, settle into a place that is yours completely and reflects your interests might be what you need until you can decide what you want. You still saved me from dying, you are still Melvin."

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Rodney nodded at this, and the fact of the matter was that very few people on the island were stable. They didn't have a counseling service. Their friends and loved ones died regularly, and their dreams...

Lawrence had decided to try some medications, worried about his own moodswings. About what he might do from minute to minute, and living with the aftermath. That Melvin was in the same boat, Rodney felt sympathy for.

"Yes," Rodney said, "Is it just going to be yourself? Or...did you ask Jordan, too?"  

[MoonKitsune]

"And I still want to be considered someone you can rely on to save you. If you go on a mission, tell me so I can be there to do defense for you or shoot down whatever it is alongside you. Okay? I don't want you going in alone."

Rodney's comment had his concerned expression drop and grow sharp at the accusation.

He leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'll tell you like I told Rep. I'm not ******** Jordan. He loves Rep still. He isn't looking for anyone else and probably never will." His tone of voice was gritted at having it brought up. "If this is some sort of rumor then I'd like for it to stop."

"I'll be by myself."  

[Baneful]

Lawrence looked at Rodney when he brought up Jordan, but carefully didn't comment. He kept what he thought about it to himself for his own good.

"I still rely on you regardless of where you live." he said as gently as he could. "Though it will be a bit harder than it was before to pay for things, but that is my own fault. I was the one who cost myself my wages."

 

[Toshihiko Two]

Rodney seemed surprised and flinched at the tone, "I only meant that...Melvin, your friends and family have always been important to you. I- asked i-if you had planned to have a roommate, I didn't mean-"

He dropped his head in his hand.

"Oh, never mind. I hope you find what you're looking for."