[Journal] Duplex #1 - Ambrose Maurlias & Angelina Swanson

[Ambrose Maurlias]

“Do.... you think he was worried that he'd scare you off...? Or... or maybe he was just trying not to think about it. If I heard my fate was something like that... I don't think I would let myself ponder my fate. Want to enjoy the time I had 'left'.. you know..?”  

[Vasile DiRossi]

Vasile twisted his tail harder between his hands. "But.. but I deserved to know, ya know! From the beginning, don't you think? Had the choice..." Vasile didn't know quite what he was trying to say, and the frustration was written plainly on his face.  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose picked up from where he trailed off. "Would you have stayed with him...? I know you've been down a similar trail once."  

[Vasile DiRossi]

Vasile adverted his eyes. "I don't know. It's hard...I'd like to think that I would. I mean... I think I would have. But it wasn't fair, ya know? Not to tell me first. Waiting for me to fall-" Vasile stopped and swallowed, "to grow to like him and all first, right?"

Vasile shook his head. "I can't decide whether or not to be ..thankful for that or not."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose nodded. "But... you're not certain if you would have or not. Especially after Cass, I'm hazarding. And... from the sounds of things... you have fallen. It IS too late now to question it without being utterly superficial. And you're not even that bad."

Ambrose let a pregnant pause hang in the air. "But.... the fact still remains that Marlow didn't tell you. Did he tell anyone? Why didn't he... was he manipulating you.... trying to protect you... or trying to protect himself? Those.. are only questions he can answer. And that's assuming you can get a straight one out of him"  

[Vasile DiRossi]

"I'm not questioning it..." Vasile defended. "I don't want to leave.. I just... I dunno."

He shrugged and shook his head. "He didn't tell anyone. He says he wanted to protect me. I guess he was right. But I'm unsure what he was protecting me from."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

"Well.... I... I'm honestly happy for you and him... in general. I was honestloy worried there.. after you and Cassidy broke up. You had started to become more serious about lasting relationships. I saw you doing more thinking about yourself and what was really important to you. I was worried that you had, well, gone back to your 'old ways'. But... the way you talk about Marlow at least..... it sounds like if it doesn't matter to you.... then it shouldn't matter. Maybe in a way he helped pull you out of that."  

[Vasile DiRossi]

Vasile chucked. "My 'old ways,' huh?" He shrugged. "I don't know what it is about him, really. I just... oh god, its going to be hard, isn't it, Ambrose? A snail for god sakes..."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose rested a heavy paw-hand on Vasile's shoulder. "IT's not easy for any of us. Watching the face of the person you love... slowly change until it's something completely different. More animal than person.

None of us know how... this is all going to end up.... but... I couldn't imagine that it will be easy. But, it's always harder alone."  

[Vasile DiRossi]

"Ididn'tsayIlovedhim!" Vasile countered back quickly, interrupting him. His ears were down and his expression looked close to paniced.  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

"Okay Okay!" Ambrose laughed. Then with a smug smile he poked him in the ribs. "Defensive much?"  

[Vasile DiRossi]

Vasile swallowed and pressed his ears back against his head. "I don't ... think I believe in that kind of stuff," Vasile said, brushing something nonexistant off his shoulder fur.  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose snorted. "Then you shouldn't be talking with me." His ears flicked backwards momentairly.

"You've played in how many romantic movies? And you don't believe in love? That is a bit hypocritical, but mostly pitiable."  

[Vasile DiRossi]

Vasile shrugged. "I mean... I'm not saying you can't grow attached to people. But the stuff you see in the movie... " Vasile shook his head. "That's just some idea Hollywood pushes down your throat. You know.. that's why people love them so much. It's fantasy...right?"

Vasile knew he was over-exaggerating a bit.. but it was a topic he was not used to brining up. And this was his round about way as asking Ambrose his thoughts...without having to ask.  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose shook his head. "I believe in it. Maybe I'm just... happy or deluded or 'in a fantasy'..... but... I believe in Love. I mean, you see a juicy hamburger on a restaurant commercial. You want the hamburger, not because it doesn't exist but because it looks good. And it's something you CAN have." He rolled his shoulders.

"Maybe it's a bad analogy. BUt just because they make a movie out of something doesn't mean that it's impossible."