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Post by Rhys Moreau on Jan 7, 2014 17:15:45 GMT -5
"If she likes it, then it's as good as any," Rhys said. Having something to call the girl by would help make things move along much more smoothly. He removed his bag and set it on the table gently. It looked unlikely that she would volunteer a possible name for the stuffed animal, but he gave it a try anyway. "Don't want to help us out with a name for that one?" he asked.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 17:19:26 GMT -5
"More music names? Shadow's going to feel left out," Keith said, managing at least a little smile as he looked over at Lyric. He wanted to disappear for a few minutes to talk with Lyric, they needed to talk about this, but disappearing to leave the others with the little girl wasn't fair to their friends.
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 18:33:58 GMT -5
"Shadow's a corrections officer, not my friend," Lyric said. The cat, who'd perched on a counter again, narrowed its eyes, but made no move to swipe at him. Lyric talked big, but the cat knew how much it was needed, and grudgingly appreciated. In fact, it started purring as though in rebellion.
The child, Reprise, of all names, shook the toy again. "It's a demiguise," he said. Reprise nodded. "Demiguise?" She shook her head, and Lyric's brows drew together. "Demi..." Head shaking. "Guise." Nodding. "Guy?" More nodding. Lyric pulled a long breath. How the hell was he supposed to live with something that didn't even talk?
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on Jan 7, 2014 18:38:11 GMT -5
"We've all got names, then," Dare said. He pointed around the room, naming everyone off as he went. "Dare, Keith, Rhys, Lyric... uh, Dad, Shadow, Reprise, and Guy." He didn't know how good three year olds' memories were. The twins were getting names, but of people and creatures they saw often, not a room full of strangers. For all Dare knew, she'd forget most of them within five minutes after they'd left.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 18:44:47 GMT -5
From that, it sounded like she was about as creative with names as he was. Speaking of names, was he going to be dad, too? The thought sent a shiver up his spine. Encouraging Keith was probably a good idea, at least for now. "You're probably going to be seeing me a lot, so you should learn mine, at least." He glanced over at Lyric again. He really didn't plan to leave.
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 19:49:55 GMT -5
Lyric turned his gaze on Keith now, for the first time since he'd written that owl to Dare. He'd been working up anger in anticipation of a letdown, and now he didn't know if it was needed. Instead of relief, he felt confusion. His gaze flickered away, and however much he shouldn't have, he walked out.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 20:24:52 GMT -5
Keith swallowed hard and glanced between the other two. "Sorry," he managed in a mumble before he headed after Lyric. "Okay, so this is all really weird," he said when he was close enough and the door behind him was shut. "You okay?" He could shove down the selfish panic for a little longer. Hopefully, a talk was all they needed.
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 20:31:17 GMT -5
Lyric was already halfway across the living room when he stopped. He'd been heading for his bedroom, though he didn't expect to find any help there, just quiet and solitude. He tugged at the hem of his shirt and shook his head.
"I thought you'd leave," he said. He pulled a deep breath. "You don't have to stay. Get out of here." Keith had just said, not a minute ago, that he'd be around a lot, but Lyric wouldn't hold him to it. Promises were easily made and easily broken.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 20:39:47 GMT -5
"I..." Keith started, but stopped and ran a hand through his hair, then scratched at his chin, frustrated with himself and the situation. "No, I'm not leaving. I don't want to leave you. I like being with you, I like you, and all of this is really weird and not quite fair to either of us, and I'm not going to leave." He'd say it until it felt right and he had no doubts. It might take a few more times.
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 21:00:27 GMT -5
"You like me," Lyric said. He wasn't shouting, wasn't growling or snapping, but there was tension in his voice that bordered on anger, frustration, and hopelessness. There were words he wanted to say, but he didn't know which ones. Could he even say it in English? And if he didn't, if he kept that much to himself, he still had a decision to make.
Jeg elsker deg? Jeg er glad i deg? They translated the same, but there was a difference. He looked back at Keith and thought he knew, but he also thought he knew that it would be too much. He didn't know how the kid wasn't too much, but there would always be something else, and sooner or later it would be too much.
"If all you do is like me, you'd be better off leaving." And Lyric would be better off. It had been a good year.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 21:09:58 GMT -5
Keith ran his hands through his hair, ruffling it up again when it had just started to settle in, then dragged them back over his face before dropping his arms to his sides. He'd fallen in love before, and almost in love, and it had never turned out well. Maybe if he never said the words, if he never even thought them, then he wouldn't have to go through any of it again. "Obviously there's more, or else I'd leave." He wouldn't stay with someone he just liked when a kid was suddenly plopped into the picture.
"I've barely even said boyfriend out loud." That was mostly to his mother, who forgot an hour later, anyway. And still, he'd almost pulled out that one four letter word time and again as he lay next to Lyric.
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 21:20:33 GMT -5
"I knew when we started this that you'd end up walking away," Lyric said, head turned toward Keith, even as his gaze remained elsewhere. He didn't know how to talk like this, never had, but things needed said, so he'd say them somehow.
"No one stays, they find something better or they get sick of the crap. It's been a year." A year that they'd been together instead of with anyone else. A year since the last time Keith came back after having left. Lyric would have kept going the way they'd been going, kept the possibility in his periphery that everything could come crashing to an end without warning. Here was warning. Here was a change, and here was a place for a clean break.
"If you're holding onto anything, just say it." Questions? Complaints?
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 21:29:24 GMT -5
"I just keep thinking about the last time I...the last time I really fell for someone, and everything was great, and then he stopped loving me, then everything went to hell," Keith said, unable to keep his own eyes on Lyric longer than a second or two at a time. "And it's like, I don't know, maybe if we'd just stayed in that happy phase that things never would have gone bad. I don't want things to go bad with us, so I'm scared, I guess, and I'm sorry if none of it makes sense."
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Post by Trent Frey on Jan 7, 2014 21:35:49 GMT -5
Keith was scared. Lyric looked away, to the floor in front of his boots, then out the nearest window. He didn't know what to say, if there was any way to fix this. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I don't want anyone else, if someone's leaving it's gonna be you." He took a breath, trying to find words. "Skylar was a piece of sh~. I don't want to own your ass, I don't want to play games like that." The only games he wanted were the ones in the bedroom. He flicked a glance at Keith that said as much, but couldn't find the words.
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Post by Keith Evans on Jan 7, 2014 21:49:27 GMT -5
In the beginning, Keith hadn't thought Skylar would be like that, either. "I'm not leaving." If it came back to bite him, then it came back to bite him, and maybe he'll have had another good year or two. "I'm not sick of you, not at all. I don't really see myself wanting to leave." He wasn't sure about the whole rest of my life thing, but he didn't really have any way to envision such a long time.
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