056 - Pretending Truth or Dare never happened...

[major_west]

I thought that hangover would never go away...

I feel as though I've exhausted the possibilities for recreation here. I almost wish there were another port, flood, anything to break the tedium. I can't believe I'm asking this... Does anybody have a board game?

Nevermind that. I'm not that desperate yet.

I just need... to get away something to do here before I go completely mad. Something more to strive for than 'don't try to kill anybody for X amount of days'.



What's the point of this?

Comments

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

No, you kindly piss off, and don't presume that you should comment on the troubles of another man then think yours are exempt from comparison.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

I asked if it was really so bad, and you decided to get snide about it!

You should be happy one of her friends is back, you selfish prick!

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

Yours doesn't have any; why should mine?

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

That seems to be how you regard everybody in your life.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

What is that supposed to mean?

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

It means you are possessive.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

And you are deluded. You can't fault me for wanting her safe.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

And the only way she can stay safe is if you isolate her from her friends? Of course. You may have better results if you simply cripple her.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

Don't be perverse. If that man were capable of doing his job, she never would have been harmed.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, because there is such a significant change from when he is here and when he isn't.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

How can there be? When she behaves as though it's her responsibility to take up the slack in his absence?

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

So why is his being here such a fucking problem?

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

He's just one more distraction.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

He's her friend. Why don't you just explain your problem to him rather than try to keep her isolated!

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

I tried before he conveniently vanished and forgot everything again.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Then try it again.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

I intend to! Do you think I would have been foolish enough to submit myself to such an intimate conversation with him while that dreadful flood was upon us?

I was driven nearly out of my head when Romana came to my chambers during; I can't imagine what things might have been stolen past my lips had he come as well!

Action!

[my-freeze-ray.livejournal.com]

[Billy squeezes Henrys shoulder lightly, offers him a half smile.]

Hey, I didn't mean I expected a confession, I just meant... [he pauses, then gives a small shrug.] If I was in a situation like that, I really don't know what I'd do. Where I'd go.

[He looks down a little]

I'm glad you weren't alone at least.

[And then, in a moment of brilliant and horrible clarity, for the first time Billy almost gets it. When Jim had been here Billy had hated him for goading West, for the possibility that he might hurt one person who he cared about. He was suddenly beginning to understand that when West talked about him killing "his men", that meant that for West, Jim had slaughtered the last human beings he'd ever known, ever tried to protect.

Without thinking about it, his grip on his friends shoulder has tightened considerably, and Billy is just sort of staring off into the middle distance. It's too late to want to kill him now, he's gone. It's pointless.

He looks down.]

Right. I mean, yeah, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want too.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Well... you did tell her you needed to see her.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

...I panicked.

Action!

[major-west.livejournal.com]

[When Billy's grip tightens, West looks over at him and offers a wan smile] It's just difficult, is all. 'Home' tends to make for unpleasant conversation. I'll be-- I am fine.

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

I see. That's... unfortunate.

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

It was a deeply stupid maneuver on my part, I'll admit. The lengths I had to go to in order to just stop her questioning me --!

[Private]

[major-west.livejournal.com]

...what lengths?

[Private]

[impure-tale.livejournal.com]

Swear you won't tell a soul.