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 Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:13 pm
Thorne knows better than to push. So he doesn't, but he listens, his eyes on Aleksy and nothing else. His breath catches slightly when Aleksy turns the conversation, but he only swallows. Only says, "And that place - that place where you'd go back to - did they put you there because of that?" And his voice vibrates, burning suddenly with a low tremble of protective anger. And then it subsides. Enough for Thorne to look at Aleksy. "I want you to stay," he says. And it's almost desperate, because he's done losing people in his life. "I want you to stay."
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:23 pm
"I was sick," says Aleksy doggedly. "I was sick and I didn't want to get better. I kept--doing things--that made me unattractive. To people. Such as I should have been." He is so tense he might break, hands like a vice on his own arms. "People would touch me and I would." He snaps his fingers, a sudden brittle motion of the hands. "Snap." "So my father put me away, so I could get better, and--I don't want to leave and I am--" the words grate against his throat, his tongue, "--afraid that he was right--"
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 1:38 pm
Thorne tries not to want to hurt Aleksy's father. He desperately wants to gather Aleksy close to him. But he knows better than to touch. "Aleksy," he says, his voice grating and terrible, "Listen to me, please. You're not - you aren't sick. You aren't crazy. And he wasn't - right - " A breath, and another. "So stay. Don't go. He wasn't right. You aren't something to be fixed."
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 4:17 pm
Aleksy listens, because--because he needs to hear. Just in case there's something new to be said--he made Thorne come here, all the way out past the breakers. And here he is, not even letting Thorne pet his dog for his troubles. He scoots closer to Thorne, inelegant and ungainly. He can't give voice to the words tumbling around in his chest, so instead he says, "What were you doing? When I texted you?" There's a plea there, buried: tell me something normal.
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 5:43 pm
Thorne laughs. "I was running." His smile flickers a bit. "I don't know for how long. I got restless - nothing was going well at the apartment. My cat regurgitated a hair tie on my foot." He shrugs, bows his head forward, his entire body inclining slightly towards Aleksy. A question. "Glad you texted though," he adds, and smiles, and hopes it's enough.
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 8:22 pm
"Dogs are the superior pets," sniffs Aleksy, and--and he leans in to press his shoulder against Thorne's. Just for a moment before he sits up straight again and whistles, undoubtedly summoning something if the sound of claws clicking on hardwood is any indication. A rat terrier throws herself into Thorne and Aleksy's combined laps, flops down and sideways to lay her head adoringly on one of Thorne's thighs. "You are a terrible dog, Kudryavka," says Aleksy, with such miserable affection in his face that even a stranger knows he doesn't mean it. He leans against Thorne again, uncertain. "She likes to chase the--what are they called?--whirlygigs?"
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 10:08 am
Thorne snorts, if only because he has an obligation to defend his cat. (Though he's not adverse to getting a dog.) The rat terrier is met with the enthusiasm of a ten year old, and Thorne gives her head a loving round of pets. "She can't be all that bad," Thorne says mildly. "She's yours. I'll make sure to bring something for her to chase next time." He glances at Aleksy, comfortable with the touch. He lifts his arm, as though to wrap it loosely around the redheads shoulders. His jaw works though, and he pauses. "Yes or no?"
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 8:33 pm
Aleksy nods. "Yes," he says, holding himself very still as Laika's tail flails around. "I stole her from my cousin," he says. "He let me borrow her and I never gave her back. I was... afraid to be alone."
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Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 2:49 pm
Thorne smiles and pulls his arm around Aleksy. It feels right and warm and he doesn't mind at all, even when Laika flails her tail and he keeps petting her with one hand. "She's a good dog. I would steal her too." He pauses. "You don't have to be alone." And the offer hangs unspoken in the air.
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 2:48 pm
"You'll stay for a while," asks Aleksy, the tension easing out of his shoulders, his head resting against Thorne. Laika calms, too, going boneless in the way of dogs who are being paid exactly the right kind of attention to. "I can bribe you with dinner. I made chicken soup last night and it's still good."
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 2:54 pm
"As long as you want," Thorne retorts easily. "Any time." And it is true. Thorne swipes his hand over Laika, giving the dog enough attention to please. "You don't have to bribe me to get me to stay, you know. But I wouldn't mind. As long as I get to repay the favor sometime."
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Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 11:56 pm
Aleksy opens an eye to watch Thorne's hand between Laika's ears and smiles. "Sure," he says. "Sure."
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