chrisisofaith | IC Contact

All right. I'm back - metaphorically, I didn't literally leave or lose consciousness for long. You want a drink?

good, I’ve been worried.
A drink’s fine, we could also just go for a walk if you’d rather

[ ...Better idea than any bar in Duplicity. ]

Let's go back tot he beach.

I’ll meet you there

[He flies there, dressed for the chill in a cloak rather than his leather jacket, and waits near the entrance of the beach.]

[ He rides the bike (motorcycle) up, and turns up looking absolutely normal - jeans, flannel, motorcycle leather jacket. Parks the bike and heads over to meet Chris. ]

Thanks. Let's walk and I'll fill you in - if you want filled in.

[Chris nods and turns them towards the sand to make their way down the beach proper. The sound of the ocean would be a good backdrop for what he imagines is either going to be difficult or bad or crazy, depending. No one cut contact like that without good reason, certainly not Scott, if Chris' read on the man wasn't wildly wrong.]

I do...preferably the whole whatever it was, but I'll take the broad strokes if you'd rather spare the details for any reason. [There's a small pause, a thought coming to him that had cropped up after their brief talk before.] Did something happen in Tumenalia?

[Scott should have been crested, if the pattern he'd noticed held any weight...but still.]

[ That Chris waited him out makes him much, much more willing to talk now. That he got some time and space first.

On the other hand the details are a lot, and he still doesn't want... too much focus there, even his own focus. ]

Yeah. The last night Midnighter lost his mind and control of himself. Things got pretty nasty. I've had worse, but not by a lot. It got handled and I got him back home, but it was a mess for a while.

[Enough details to give him an idea, but not too many to shape a picture other than 'bad' he could respect that.

He nods, sorts through a few of his questions and shelves a few before settling on the most important one to start with.]

I'm sorry to hear it. I wish you'd not been hurt and, I imagine, him as well if it was a state inflicted on him.

[He levels an impassive look to his friend.]

What do you need?

[ That gets a smile out of him, and a more direct look. Even slows his steps down to a stop.]

Seriously?

You already gave it to me.

[Chris slows to a stop with him and cocks his head to the side. His expression turns to one of slightly amused concern.]

That was then, when you told me something was wrong. Now you've told me you're working on healing and moving on, so what do you need now? They're different things, Scott.

[ He frowns, brows creasing above his glasses. He understands the distinction, but. Somehow not how to answer the question. ]

Company?

[ He shakes his head. ]

I'm fine. I just needed the time to get that way.

You've got that. [He says it coaxing. Yes, and?]

"Not as bad as I've dealt with before, but pretty close" I doubt you're fine after a few paltry weeks unless someone's done something to your head. Knowing you? You're managing or back to your dubiously functional baseline, but I'd call it a far sight towards 'fine.'

[He crosses his arms.]

"I'm fine" should be a trademark or status symbol with rings. You and I'd both be a member, so your trying to mask in front of me's little worth.

[ There is very little there that Scott hasn't heard before - a lot of times. Most of it doesn't mean much to him. Most people he knows use 'fine' the same way -as does Chris apparently - but also as a brush off. 'I'm functioning, move this conversation on'.

There is something though that stops him in his tracks and that is the word 'masking'.

He hasn't heard it used that way but he immediately gets it. Makes him think of snapping 'you want Cyclops, then that's who you get' at Logan.

His silence likely goes on a little too long for polite or comfortable. ]

You're right. I don't know what I need. I feel like I've handled every aspect of it there is to handle. Including Mid. I really don't know what's left except 'move on'.

[He's patient, at least. He waits even when the more unkind thoughts try to pull at the edges, he holds firm. He's rarely shied from uncomfortable truths, even if they hurt him or someone else.

That doesn't stop the small burst of relief when Scott speaks and even says 'you're right.' Those words always put a twist in his stomach.]

Well...maybe I can I help. There might not be a 'set answer' but we can try it. For starters: you've handled just about everything...except sounds like maybe you've not given yourself chance to breathe.

[He steels himself a second and moves a step closer with a hand out between them.]

Maybe a hug to start?

[ Scott puts his hand out too and he does take Chris' but uses it to almost hold him back rather than pull him in. ]

You're not a huggy person, CHris.

[He keeps Scott’s hand and raises a single brow.]

I’m not, but it’s been known to happen, and don’t you think my offering might mean I really think you could use it?

[ He lifts two brows above his visor back.]

If I don't hug you this is going to turn into the same thing where you were trying to help your friends in the Torture Hole, isn't it?

[It wasn’t, he probably would have just let it go, but now that it’s out there…

He smiles about as ‘sweetly’ as he can manage.]

Aw, you do know me, how terrible for you.

You're a dick.

[ The thing is, though, he steps into the hug and there's not so much tension there as grip and an intense amount of... relief. He's not sagging into Chris or anything but need it?

Yeah.

PRobably more than he realized. Maybe more than Chris did. ]

I know that too.

[He responds kindly, and when his arms wrap around Scott, it's a comfortably tight hold. One he has no intentions of letting go of until Scott needs to pull back.

Everyone needed a hug sometimes, even people who 'didn't like touch' like him. Even leaders who are trying to keep themselves together to make everyone else worry less.]

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text: Notrosecolored

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