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 Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 10:30 pm
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Chris only barely manages to catch the name of this new person, Adrastos apparently, before he's completely tuning out Necalli in favor of trying to make sure he isn't about to die. Adrastos is another breed of terrifying, different from Other Ashdown but inspiring the same fear all the same. He feels like that if this goes south, he could very well be killed and his body could've been gotten rid of with no fuss and no one would know the better.
This inspires absolutely no confidence, once he realizes this.
Wren also offers no comfort, even with the potato throwing, and he just stands there petrified. He realizes blandly that he should probably put down the peeler, but it also feels like his last line of defense and he is unwilling to let it go, so he stands there stupidly holding a potato and a peeler and tries to look like he's not afraid.
It probably doesn't work but he's putting in an effort.
Chris only blandly listens to the conversation, eyebrows raising at the mention of tying people to chairs, but otherwise unwilling to even speak or breathe currently. Maybe if he's quiet enough, they'll forget he's here. He hopes, anyways, makes a small wish to any god listening that they let him off this situation lightly. It seems like none are listening though as he's put under a sharp gaze, feeling like he's being inspected by the inside out.
What Chris is learning rapidly is that Thorne is very, very treasured by his friends and that they were not about to let Chris just step in.
If he wasn't feeling vaguely threatened, he would quite honestly be touched.
"Ah," Chris only says in reply quietly, watching Adrastos very carefully. He's unreadable but that doesn't mean he's unwatchable and Chris doesn't want to be caught unawares. He's on edge, like he's in Other Ashdown, like he's about to fight for something. The whistle and the dogs only make this feeling slightly worse, but he lets it go. He lets it go and holds on tightly to the peeler as the height difference becomes more apparent, as he continues to feel wildly uncomfortable.
Wren is most definitely not his ally here and if he wasn't in such a position where she and everyone in this house could kick his a**, he'd probably shoot her a glare. But instead he just keeps his gaze on the other man, tries to quell his nervousness. Tries to remember that Thorne will probably love him after this even if he flunks it. Maybe.
Okay so he's not feeling confident at all but he's trying.
He opens and closes his mouth at the question for a few times, trying to think. This feels like an interview, a really awful interview, and he most definitely cannot fail. He wants to list off everything he knows, that he usually does right off the bat but that feels wrong. What does Thorne see in him? Chris isn't really sure, up until recently he thought that Thorne wouldn't have any interest in him at all. This was still all a surprise to him, all new.
"I.. I don't know honestly. I'm nosy and I'm way too stubborn and I can't stay away from him for any good reason, because he's too hopeless to be on his own. I've been called obnoxious before and I can't sleep and well, why he chose me out of all these people on earth is a question I'm still asking myself," He says honestly and he feels like this is nothing he should be saying but it was the truth and that was the best of it all. "But I'd do anything for him. I'd go to the ends of the earth if he asked because I want this with him more than anything, I want him more than anything. I'm his."
[wc: 648]
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:15 pm
i can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Upstairs there is a very distinctive fight going on, and what sounds like a chair tipping. Even grown up, the people here seem still young at heart, and even more so when juggling the love life of their youngest member. Wren smiles benignly at Chris, finishing the potatoes with flourish and opening the oven to check something baking within. The scent of herbs wash through the room, an aroma that prickles with the promise of spices and something tailored to fit the taste buds of her guests.
Adrastos meanwhile is watching Chris like a hawk. Everything he does, says, fidgets with is like a message that he's reading and filing away for later use. He's absolutely calm here in the storm of what's going on, looking for all the world like a very dangerous man. Wren herself seems two seconds from simply laughing her a** off at everything, but her composure is well kept as she nabs another sugar cookie, waggling it when his eyes snap to her with an unspoken message of how ungodly she is being right now for favoring desserts before dinner.
As Chris starts to speak though, he looks back at him, lifting his head a little. Where Wren is only five feet but manages to look down her nose at everyone, Adrastos is a giant and he doesn't even have to work to make himself seem intimidating.
Finally, he tilts his head, and says, "Your self-confidence is abhorrently low."
There is a long, drawn out moment after the criticism where Wren debates shucking another potato at his head, even though she's busy chopping now, hands working in deft sweeping motions as Adrastos does most of the work. The dogs are padding around, stuffing their noses into Chris's jeans.
"I've known most of the people in this house for well over ten years," Adrastos says, "And Thorne is often the most judgmental one of us all when it comes to matters like these. If he's chosen to be in a relationship with you, surely there are just as many favorable qualities about you as there are negative ones. So stop doubting yourself so much. It is no wonder it took both of you several months to realize you loved each other."
He pauses and sighs out.
"And god knows he would never ask you willingly to go to the ends of the earth for him - " Wren starts.
"I would too," Thorne says. He's standing, accosted and disheveled behind Adrastos, but together they somehow cut two complimentary figures rather than a competition of two different brands of darkness.
"I'd go to the ends of the earth for him too, so if you don't mind," Thorne says fiercely, "I'd prefer it if you stopped terrifying my boyfriend and acted like a normal human being for once. I've been gone for months and the first thing you do is interrogate the man I bring home for Wren to meet. He is brave and smart and clever, and he is everything to me, so trust that I haven't made a stupid decision in this."
Wren has the good grace to look a tiny bit guilty, and pointedly snorts at the way Thorne's top is off one of his shoulders and it looks as though Necalli had been physically restraining him upstairs to give Adrastos headway.
The two stare at each other, challenging, but the situation diffuses when Wren says, "I'm not going to sit here all night and drown myself in your guys unresolved tension so either hug it out or I'll kick you outside with the dogs and have Chris all to myself."
Adrastos sighs and opens his arms, and it's like watching someone take off another jacket, because there's suddenly a crooked smile on his face as he wraps Thorne up in his arms and they fold together like two brothers might.
"Why don't you hug me like that?" Necalli complains from the stairwell, and Adrastos lets Thorne go with a backward there's more to come sort of look at Chris before going to give the tanned friend a hug as well.
Thorne himself levels a glare at Wren, but she only waves a potato at him and says, "Hey, do you remember that time where you actually threw someone into the sound for cheating on me?"
And it's like calling middle ground, so he merely shakes his head and walks over to Chris, and hooks his fingers through his belt loops to pull the blond close with a snort.
"I'm yours too," he says softly, carelessly, "You still sure you want it though? You've inadvertently signed up for this too. And the house isn't even full tonight."
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:35 pm
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Chris would be more worried by what sounds like a fight upstairs if it wasn't for what was basically going down in the kitchen, where his own sort of battle is going on. Interview. Whatever it is, really, because honestly he's being grilled and it's uncomfortable and he wants it to end. He doesn't want to leave, necessarily, because everything smells good and it's warm inside the house and cold outside in Seattle and he did like Wren, but this felt awkward and he's awkward and where the hell was Thorne, anyways?
He's torn between trying to meet Adrastos' gaze and trying to avoid it all at the same time so he settles for middle ground, which is meeting it occasionally and spending the rest of the time very pointedly looking near him but not at him. He feels like he's being picked apart and its unnerving and frankly starting to put him far too on edge and the potato peeler in his hands is starting to feel like a good weapon. He wouldn't get far with it, of course, but if it came down to it he could probably do some damage. Really though he'd rather he wouldn't be pushed to that point so he does nothing except take it and hope it ends soon.
He chews on his lip as he finishes speaking, nervous, and he doesn't know if he's passed or failed for a long time. Made himself seem good or just absolutely lost every chance and he's ******** it up with Thorne's friends like he knew he would and everything will end.
It's a moment but finally he hears and he takes Adrastos' statement with nothing more than a jerky nod, still nervous, still not completely alright. This isn't a new statement and honestly, he's mostly immune to anything that could even vaguely be construed as an insult towards him. He still doesn't know if he's failed or not and he shifts uncomfortably, but then, he speaks again and Chris is... well. He's kind of baffled. It's a cold compliment, laced in with something he knows he'll be hearing again, an unspoken 'you're both idiots', but it seems like he's passed for now.
He lets out the breath he was holding, looks down at the dogs finally and offers one a pet. There was nothing in his pockets and he probably smelled faintly of cat, but he liked them all the same. He's only listening to Wren, not really paying attention to what exactly was going on because of the dogs, but then he hears Thorne's voice and his head snaps up and oh god, he is so relieved for him to be back down here.
He flushes lightly at Thorne's compliment, his heart racing a little at the way Thorne called him his boyfriend. It was true, wasn't it, the fact they were actually boyfriends and it makes him feel really young, stupidly young. A little stupid too for reacting that way, but he'd give himself a pass for now and he just watches what goes on between Thorne and the person who had been interrogating him for the past few minutes. He only manages to barely contain a snort at Wren's words, although it's strange to see someone who he thought might murder him actually smile at Thorne. It's almost a relief to see the vague unspoken threat of there being more to come, although he's absolutely not looking forward to it and will do anything he can to use Thorne as a shield.
He manages to turn around and place the potato and the peeler down before Thorne comes and tugs him closer, making him smile, something soft and shy. He rests his arms on Thorne's shoulders, not exactly looping around him but close and pretends to consider Thorne's questions when there's really only one answer. "Yeah," He says, "I do. They care about you a lot and it's- it's good to see. I like it."
[wc: 662]
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:53 pm
i can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Thorne smiles at Chris, nothing but warmth and fondness, completely at ease here in this household. He'd been nervous, surely, but Adrastos wasn't a bad guy in the end and hopefully he'd come around soon. Wren was chattering orders away at Necalli in the background with the air of a benevolent ruler, but Thorne only scoffed a little, leaning into the others touch.
"I'm glad," Thorne says. "Honestly, they all terrified me at first. But it seems you've passed Adrastos's exam, and if you can do that you've done nearly the hardest thing there is here to do." He noses Chris gently, a sort of nuzzle, an eskimo kiss that his mother used to do to him all the time. He wasn't about to kiss Chris here in the middle of the room because Wren would immediately snapchat it and damn if he wasn't going to be the first one to publicly announce that, but he wants it bad enough that he exhales and shakes his head.
"So," he adds to Wren, "five placemats, plus the dogs, and not the three you promised me when you called me in the first place?"
"Oh," Wren says, "Six."
"Six?"
"Full house, man, what did you expect when you said you were bringing someone home?"
And just as Thorne had begun to think maybe they would make it out of this alive, the door flew open again and a blond man nearly crashed into Adrastos on his way in, stopping in the middle of the kitchen breathless, the very opposite of the man behind him, his eyes fervent and bright. His eyes locked onto Thorne, and his voice was a crackle of demanding thunder, higher than Adrastos's but sharing in its might.
"Who said you could get married?!"
In the backdrop, Wren said, "I told you if I said marriage over dating it would get him here faster. Pay up."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 12:48 pm
i can make the bad guys good for a weekend
“They all terrified you? How?” Chris asks, incredulous, not believing him at all. With the way he acted around them (and how they acted around him in return) he would’ve thought that Thorne had gotten along great with them from the start. Or maybe that was his bias, it was hard to tell, but Thorne did have a certain charm that he knew wasn’t lost on most of Ashdown. “Nearly the hardest part? What’s the hardest then?” He gives Thorne a bit of a frown, wondering what else was to come seeing as how the last part had nearly ended with him using a potato peeler as a weapon. Not that he had wanted to, but still, the principle was there all the same.
He’s weak to Thorne though and lets his frown melt away as Thorne nuzzles him, giving the affection back the best he can. He wants a kiss as well, but it feels like the wrong place as well as the wrong time, too many people around he doesn’t know. Especially since Adrastos had just been basically staring him down moments before and Chris had a feeling he would probably be watched for the rest of the night.
He lets one of his arms slide down Thorne’s waist, bringing the other back to himself so he can stand there and face Wren while she and Thorne talk. It’s easy for a moment, Chris mostly focusing on figuring out how he could get a sugar cookie without moving Thorne but also without removing himself from Thorne since he didn’t really trust that he wouldn’t be left alone again. He lets himself think that maybe he’ll survive the night, maybe he could get through this without all of Thorne’s friends hating him. He had apparently passed a test so far.
Then, out of nowhere, another person (and also, taller than him, somehow) is in the kitchen and Chris is surprised all over again.
He stares at the arrival for a few seconds, mouth gaping, completely and utterly flabbergasted before he finally finds his voice.
“I’m – what – We’re not getting married,” He says, sounding entirely strangled and not with any sense of composure, looking incredibly stressed out. He looks at Thorne and for a second he’s silent before he starts laughing, high pitched and hysteric, and completely turns to hide his face in the crook of Thorne’s neck.
“Oh my god,” He says in lieu of any words. “Oh my god,” He repeats again for good measure, refusing to face literally anyone. “Thorne,” He whines softly, soft enough that he hopes only Thorne can hear it (although who the hell knew what would happen with everyone at this point) and it’s a statement in and of itself. Because Chris had thought he’d be here with him and Wren and okay it was fine that there were two other people, but another had just come in and Chris has literally no idea what to do or what was going to happen anymore.
[wc: 501]
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 6:32 pm
i can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Thorne laughs.
"Have you seen Adrastos?" He responds, eyes glimpsing the other man with a crooked sort of fondness. "He's an absolute terror to behold on his own. I'm still convinced Wren hosts pow-wow sessions like she did in college between them privately just to teach him how to smile so people don't run away from him. Perks of being at the top of the food chain, I guess, is you don't have to do that a lot. And his husband doesn't seem to mind either." He rubs a small pattern against Chris's neck, his fingers tickling the edge of Chris's hair there with a small smile.
In the backdrop, Necalli asserts that he can in fact juggle six potatoes at once, and Adrastos is physically restraining him from the act while Wren pulls something out of the oven and sets to work shoving something into Necalli's hands to stir. It seems that this meal comes pre-planned with dessert, and the comfortable continuation of work makes Thorne relax. That none of them are hovering and hounding and barking at them like dogs at cats stuck in trees says something about the unlocking of the first level of acceptance.
"You seem to have made an impression on them, at least," Thorne replied idly, brushing his hand up into Chris's hair with a laugh. "And don't worry, I won't let them skin you alive and roast you if I can help it."
Of course, this was all said before Lauren arrived.
Lauren, tall and blond and impossibly over-invested in everything from his dog's happiness to his sister's recent decision to go move to Greece while pregnant, stared at them both, incredulous, very obviously not believing either of them in this instance.
"Are you sure because you look very interested in one another," he asserts, crossing his arms, one immaculate eyebrow raised. "What are your credentials, anyways?"
"His name is Chris," Wren says helpfully from the kitchen counter.
"He teaches Biology," Necalli says (how he knows this is questionable and certainly up for debate), "and he's tall which is bonus points anyways. I need someone who can beat you up next time we all take a vacation together."
"His self-esteem is deplorably low," Adrastos finishes, "But he's passably charming, according to Thorne."
Lauren looks infuriated.
"Well how come I was the last one to know about this?" He rounds on Thorne, who looks positively terrified by this chain of events. Forget grilling Chris, he was in the spotlight now, arms half shielding Chris where he is hidden against his body.
"Because I knew this was how you would react?" Thorne says, as though not sure that's the right answer.
Lauren looks scandalized.
"Of course this is how I would react, I know what you dress like, you really think anyone but me should have a say in your own wedding?" He points at Chris. "Do you know anything about the struggle of putting something together for someone as hopeless as this guy? I don't care if the wedding is in five hundred years or two days, I will be consulted."
Adrastos, from where he has moved to stand beside Wren, says, "God no, don't consult him at all. He's awful."
"You would know," Necalli says, "You're married to him."
Thorne sighs.
"Can't we just have dinner?" He asks, sounding slightly hopeless. He tilts his head down and nuzzles Chris's head, bubbling with his own dissolved sort of laughter. "I'm so sorry," he says ruefully to him, "I honestly don't know why I thought this was a good idea."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:08 pm
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
"Obviously, since I was kind of using a potato peeler as self defense," Chris replies in a tease, surprised laughter coming out at the comment about Wren. "Oh god, I can believe it. I did see one smile he made though and it was nice, so whatever she's teaching him, she's doing a good job of it." He hums at Thorne's touch, smile fond and soft, warm. Like nothing had happened, like he hadn't been grilled and Thorne had to save him.
It's like this that he's able to spot what's going on in the background, watch the antics with amusement and know in that moment, absolutely, that this was Thorne's place. That these were people that loved Thorne, that he loved back, that would do anything for Thorne and Chris loved it. Some part of him very quietly wanted it as well, wanted something like this. But he lets the thought slip away, turns back to Thorne.
"A good one or a bad one?" He questions, tilting his head slightly into the touch. "You better not, I'd like to make it back to Coalsmoke in one piece. Bergie would be an absolute terror to you without me around too, you benefit greatly from me being around."
He's mostly comfortable, until the other person shows up.
Chris isn't really able to answer the question, considering his face is in the crook of Thorne's neck and he's trying to desperately not lose his s**t in the kitchen of someone he's met for something like five minutes, but he appreciates everyone else apparently giving that information. He only gives a very feeble, "How the hell do you know that?" at his job, but he lets it slide for now. Maybe Thorne told him. He really didn't know, he was just trying to figure out how to survive this.
Especially since Thorne of all people did not sound confident in the slightest and well, if Thorne was ******** then Chris was dead. Forget what Thorne said about keeping them from skinning him alive and roasting him, he was about to become dinner to whoever the hell this was. Chris still didn't have a name.
"I like how he dresses," Chris pipes up from where he is currently pressed against Thorne's chest, this time loud enough to make sure he's heard. If anyone bothered to look, they'd notice he's dressed in some stuff from Thorne's wardrobe, although frankly it was a combined wardrobe now since Chris knew Thorne had some of his stuff. "Also if it was my wedding, wouldn't I be the person to get a say in it? Especially since Thorne would be my husband?"
He's probably going to regret saying that in a moment but for now he's mostly trying to figure out where the hell this guy dressed Thorne. Was it the suits he'd seen in the closet? That... made sense although his train of thought was derailed by how he was apparently married to Adrastos. That made a lot of sense.
"I agree," Chris mumbles, starting to feel very worn out. This was going to be a long night. "Just tell me if I should know if anymore people are coming, because I can't handle any more surprises. Please."
[wc: 538]
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:27 pm
i can make the bad guys good for a weekend
"Don't compliment him, it will go straight to his head and he'll have an aneurysm and then Lauren will murder me," Thorne retorts, holding Chris a little bit tighter as Lauren himself assaults them. He barely has time to speak to Chris anymore as he's picked at, his body running hot from the amount of blushing he's doing. Lauren is, of all of them, probably the most open about his decisions and decision making process. Thorne barely handles Mare because all these years he'd been bravely juggling Lauren's attention on him.
"See?" Thorne says mildly, "I'm approved of by at least one person in this household. And how can you insult me when Necalli forgets to wear a shirt unless he's specifically told to?" Necalli makes a noise of amusement somewhere behind him, feeding the dogs something as Wren finishes a few last minute preparations and tugs on Adrastos to help set the table. They're efficient together, at the very least, and know very well that Lauren can put all of them to shame with his grilling when he wants.
Lauren himself zeroes in on Chris the moment he speaks.
"I trust that you are a good man and could even be a good husband," Lauren says with a smile, "But God knows whether or not your wardrobe is as abhorrent as his and I would like to look fondly on your marriage photos in ten years time without cringing because you've chosen something godawful like orange to put on your feet." He looks very morose. "It's sin, goddamn."
Lauren pauses though, and his smile widens a little bit. "I like your fire," he appraises, pleased but curious, his eyes reflective and sharp, "You look like a good guy for him. And Adrastos isn't trying to bodily feed you to the dogs, so that has to say something about you at least."
Wren says, "You should know, seeing as he tried to feed you to the dogs the first time I let you two meet in the same place."
Adrastos, very calmly, says, "That's because I thought he had confessed his affections for someone else to me when he really just didn't realize the man he'd been texting for two years was me and the man he'd been pining after in the coffee shop for seven months was also me."
Lauren waves his hands pragmatically and looks at Chris.
"Do not let him fool you, he didn't realize I was in love with him either and still asked if I was sure I was in love with him when I proposed. You want to talk about a slow realization of feelings? You're witnessing God's greatest creation, the man that would take his feelings with him to the grave because he doesn't realize that they exist."
"And yet somehow," Thorne drawls at him, "You had no idea that I was doing the same exact thing, and didn't bother to help."
Lauren looks scandalized once more.
Wren cuts in though, succinct.
"Dinner's in five," she says, "You - wash up. You too." She points at Necalli and his dog-slobber hands and Adrastos and says, "Lauren can help me put everything on the table."
It's a short reprieve and Thorne takes it, stealing two sugar cookies and offering one to Chris as he tugs on his hand and leads him out to the back of the house where fairy-lights hang over a small deck surrounded on all sides by green. It's almost possible here to forget that they're in the city.
"I'm sorry, Lauren is the most excitement you'll find here," He says, turning to look at Chris, guilty, "It's a full house. I should have known better. You're brave for standing up to Adrastos though." He wraps his arms around Chris here in the peace and quiet and leans against him, sighing out.
"I think we're safe for now though. You've pleased the masses, Chris."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:50 pm
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
"Honestly at this point I'm considering doing it myself seeing how I got three more people sprung on me," Chris says dryly, but keeps himself close to Thorne. He knows how this goes. He knows he will probably not survive this without Thorne, or at least not survive Adrastos without Thorne. Laurne was hard, but straight forward, and reminded him vaguely of Hyejin when she was in one of her moods. They'd probably get along like a house on fire, now that he thinks about it.
Chris gives a startled laugh, shooting a look at Necalli. "How the hell do you forget to put on a shirt? I thought Thorne was bad, but clearly, you've got him beat out in that department. I'm almost proud." Really, he wasn't sure how anyone could be better than Thorne at showing skin but apparently he had someone who beat him out. Or maybe he was his teacher and Thorne was the bright pupil who was still learning from his master. Or maybe Chris realizes, he should have left this very strange train of thought at the station.
Even better now that Lauren is focusing on him, jesus christ.
He twists in Thorne's arms, gives him back a very strained and nervous smile. "I either look like what I'm currently wearing," He replies and gives a vague sweeping motion at his current outfit, which was a nice pair of dark jeans, a slightly okay white button up, and then a red cardigan and a black beanie that was very obviously Thorne's. "Or I'm dressed up in nice stuff since I teach. Which I still don't know how he found that out? How do you know my job?" That last bit is called out a little louder and very clearly aimed at Necalli.
"Thank you?" Chris offers nervously, looking between Wren and Adrastos as the conversation continues. Everything was getting weirder, honestly. He only manages a snort at Thorne's input, wonders what the next verbal assault will be. He's starting to become comfortable, somehow.
Wren's cut in is a ******** godsend and Chris happily follows Thorne, taking the cookie with great pleasure. "You are the best and I love you and forgive you a little," He says as he takes the baked good and takes a bite, wonders if Thorne knew he was eyeing them.
He shakes his head softly, swallowing the bite of the cookie. "I didn't really stand up to him," He waves off, looking at the green around them. He wants to reach out and touch, ask it things, but the power doesn't work here and it's strange and comforting at the same time. Normal. He's normal. He leans back into Thorne, stares out into the distance. "Just sort of answered his questions with a vaguely growing sense I was going to be killed."
"Well then," Chris says, "I've done my job."
[wc: 478]
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 3:21 pm
douse me in gasoline
Lauren is extremely good at cornering people without people realizing he is cornering them, which is how he somehow manages to get Chris alone in the garden watering the plants after Thorne is dragged into washing dishes and Lauren attests that he is the only person in the house besides the two of them that has any green thumb to speak of.
"I'm sorry for earlier," Lauren says amiably, turning the hose on and shaking it out over one of the flower beds. "My name is Lauren. I'm one of Thorne's oldest friends, though shockingly I've heard very little about you. I would never have expected a teacher of all things, but I've never seen him smile like that before."
Lauren wanders over to two rows of different peppers.
"I'm sure Adrastos has already given you a heart attack," he says with a grin, "His native language has never been speaking out loud. But I'd like to get to know you if you'd let me. Wedding aside, you're part of our family now, so."
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 4:18 pm
douse me in gasoline
Chris is not exactly the most observant right now and when he realizes he's been cornered in the garden without Thorne, and no chance to escape since Thorne is washing dishes and Chris is well, watering, he's not entirely pleased. Or well, he's more nervous than anything, but he tries to not show it.
"It's alright," He replies, watering his own little corner and keeping an eye on Lauren while also making sure he isn't spraying himself with water. It's cold and he knows that he'll be even more miserable if he's wet while he's at it. "I wasn't expecting an artist myself, so I think we're both equally surprised. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of me though. Things have been... weird the past few months."
He watches Lauren wander and moves accordingly to water somewhere else but to not let himself get cornered more.
"Is his native language just terrifying stares?" Chris asks, "Because that's the only thing I'll believe, really." He pauses in his wandering, flushes lightly. "Sure, I just.. I'm glad you like me."
[wc: 177]
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 5:45 pm
douse me in gasoline
Lauren clicks his tongue, glances at Chris. He's refined and luxurious, like an over pampered cat, which is strange considering he's out here with the flowers. It's all very contradictory - like one of those magazine ads of models in swamps.
"Artists are unpredictable, god knows, we work with them enough," Lauren says, rolling his eyes. "How weird have they been, exactly? Honestly, the most we ever heard was when Thorne called Wren and cried for like, three hours."
Lauren reached down and popped a blueberry off of one of the bushes, biting into it before looking back at Chris.
"Oh, perhaps a dialect of it," Lauren retorts, amused. "I don't know that I would have fallen in love with him the same way if we'd met in person first. He's absolutely the most prickly man you will ever meet." He reaches out and pats Chris. "I'm glad as well, I just want you to be good for one another."
He pauses, shakes the hose over the bushes.
"But that doesn't mean I won't grill your a** on what kind of man you are so I know just how to prepare for the future Thorne has with you, whatever that is. You know he's serious, right?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:08 pm
douse me in gasoline
He feels oddly inspected here, or like he's talking to one of the cats. Like Lauren shouldn't be out here, should be elsewhere. It's an odd feeling, not entirely unpleasant, but still strange and he's not sure what to make with it, so he just continues watering flowers.
"Just a little strange," He replies, catching on that Thorne hasn't told them about Other Ashdown. He doesn't blame Thorne - he only told Hyejin because he knew she'd ask and he wasn't good at lying to her. "The town had a whole bunch of stuff move around, weird weather's been going on, I'm glad we left honestly. It was raining for what felt like forever. I mean, we have to go back, but a break is nice."
He watches Lauren pop a blueberry off a bush, wonders if he could grow them in Ashdown, bribe Thorne to make pancakes with them. It's an absentminded thought, enough that when Lauren speaks it makes him jerk a little.
"If I hadn't seen him smile myself I almost wouldn't think it was possible," Chris replies, slightly teasing, slightly testing. Seeing if this was a boundary he could push. He smiles faintly at the pat, waters some more himself and then -
Ah. Yes. That he was expecting.
"I figured as such," He says quietly, managing to hold back a sigh. "I know," He replies louder, still focusing on watering. "I'm just as serious as he is. I swear, I wouldn't have spent months like this thinking he'd never like me back if I wasn't."
[wc: 258]
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:58 pm
douse me in gasoline
"That sounds a lot strange to me," Lauren replies, smirking, stealing another blueberry from the bush. "I've heard some stories about that place, none of it necessarily good. God only knows why Thorne stays, probably because of some interest in the abnormal as per his artist whims. And you, maybe. Why do you stay, if it's all so strange?"
He tosses a blueberry at Chris to catch, slipping another in his mouth. His fingers are stained purple, but he has a look like a cat who was extraordinarily cunning in its own work. He had Plans.
"You learn how to read people the more you know them," Lauren replies. "Just like the longer you know Adrastos, the easier it will be for you to distinguish between when he really wants to kill you and when he's only vaguely considering it."
Lauren lowered the hose and looked over at Chris.
"Why did you think he would never like you back? Weren't you two practically living together?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 7:18 pm
douse me in gasoline
Chris shugs, mostly bemused. "It's home, it's my hometown. Well, one of two of them anyways. I was raised there for parts of my life and I'm going to the college there and it's just... what I know. Maybe one day I'll move away but for the moment I'm content. I have Thorne and I have my garden and my job and I'm happy." It's a plain explanation but it's what he has because even beyond the Other Ashdown magic, beyond Thorne, beyond everything, it's his hometown. It's his and he'll hold onto it with all he can, because that's something that he can't and won't take from himself. It's ingrained in his being.
He almost fumbles the blueberry but catches it, pops it in his mouth. It's good and he smiles, something of a thank you to Lauren. God knows this weird peace probably won't last long.
"Ah yes, what good options to distinguish between," Chris laughs, "Absolute murder and slight murder. No, I understand that though really. Some people you just gotta know them."
Everything in Chris wants to not answer that question, but he knows that it was going to come up and he wasn't going to get out of it. So he sighs, averts his gaze from Lauren, stares up at the sky.
"It's..." He starts, fumbles, "He's amazing, you know? Thorne is just amazing and wonderful and when he steps into a room it's like the only person there is him, with the way he is. People like him, they think highly of him. So when there's just well, me, it's hard to think he'd like me back. Because people like that, like him, they meet other amazing people. They go do amazing things. But me, I'm just a teacher in a small town. Nothing special really, could find someone like me anywhere if you looked hard enough." He sighs finally. "So it didn't matter we were living together, because I wasn't on his radar in the first place. It was just a roommate situation. That's what I thought, anyways."
[wc: 344]
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