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[onegreeneye]

[For private conversations/stone of farspeech communications!]

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[onegreeneye]

Well, if we get a chance, and you want to do that... I wouldn't object, and I doubt Epsilon would either.

[There's no harm in it, and it might be fun. Besides, giving Hector the chance to do something he'll feel good about seems worth it in itself.

Also, though: WOW. Wow!! He can't believe he's being slandered like this.] I don't know where you're getting that! Yeah, we were already friends, but I think you might be reading too much into it in retrospect.

[vagabone]

I am not! You think I've never seen people in denial before? I'm an old guy, I've seen a lot of people!

[Mountains... of people...? Excuse him, he's not at his best. Which is pretty lousy anyhow.]

[onegreeneye]

I'm not in denial.

[He's been open about the fact that they're in a relationship, now that it came up, hasn't he?]

[vagabone]

You were for a whole year. It were killing me, I thought it'd never end.

[He sits up, snickering, ribs rattling a little.] You had a crush.

[onegreeneye]

No, I wasn't. [Make no mistake, Hector: He knew.] You didn't know me yet when I was in denial.

[Or the closest he's been. More accurately, when he had no idea how to identify his own emotions.]

[vagabone]

Shy then! Shy. About feelings. You and him. [Words are slippery.]

And now it's better. Isn't it?

[onegreeneye]

Shy isn't the word I would use, either.

[He huffs quietly and sits back, tail thumping on the floor.] ...I guess so.

[vagabone]

Secretive?? [C'mon man just tell him the word before he hurts himself.

A suspicious frown...] You guess? You're not happier?

[onegreeneye]

[Ginko hesitates, because - well, he's not exactly eager to say this out loud.

But, if he doesn't, Hector is just going to keep guessing.]

I was scared.

I still am. --I'm happy, too, of course I am, but I can't... pull a complete turnaround, just like that.

[vagabone]

Scared? [Happy bubble burst. He fumbles around in the dark for the bottle only to find it's still empty. Bah.]

Scared it'll go wrong?

[onegreeneye]

[Honestly, if there were still anything in that bottle Ginko would be tempted to ask for some. He doesn't love the idea of having this conversation while Hector is drunk and he's stone-cold sober.]

Along those lines, I guess.

[vagabone]

[Shame on Ginko, he has so many chances for food and drink. Héctor... does not.

A smile starts to sneak back onto his face.] You know, I asked you once about Epsilon. And I never heard you talk about anyone else like that and... and it hit me. It was so sweet.

[onegreeneye]

[He knows it wouldn't be fair!! Actually, if it didn't feel so much like running away - or at least like he might be accused of running away - he might still be tempted to go to the Denny and see if he can pick something up for himself instead.

Especially when Hector keeps talking. Amazing how smoothly Ginko's expression can go from carefully-controlled neutrality to a unique kind of discomfort, like if one were listening to a parent or sibling share a particularly embarrassing anecdote.

It's not like anyone else is there, but still.] I don't talk about him that differently.

...Do I?

[vagabone]

[That's the best kind of teasing in the world and he ain't stopping. Can't stop, won't stop, he's loving it.]

Yes, you do! You do. But. But it's not a bad differently. It's good.

[onegreeneye]

[He just... groans, and scrubs at his face.] Great. And here I thought I was keeping it to myself.

[NIGHTMARE.]

So, if you've been bursting at the seams all this time, why didn't you ask before now?

[vagabone]

What? [What. Well, hm. Did he say it or just think it very loudly?]

You'd get all flustered and weird about it. I thought I said that! You don't like... feelings.

[onegreeneye]

It's-- well, no, I probably wouldn't be thrilled. [He can't completely deny it, after the last few minutes.] But it wouldn't be that bad. Probably better than leaving me to keep making a fool of myself.

[He might be sulking a little bit.]

[vagabone]

[Sulk all you want, he's not sorry. It's so refreshingly normal.]

But! It was for a good cause! Is. A good thing. Something to make people smile, not laugh at you. [He frowns...] Am I making sense?

[onegreeneye]

[Ginko squints at him.]

Maybe?

[He... still doesn't really know he feels about people reacting like that to something he didn't even know he was doing.]

[vagabone]

[He's half turned away suddenly, typing something on his stone... and grinning.]

I like seeing it. Seeing people be... be fools about each other.

[onegreeneye]

Eugh.

[Wait hang on. He frowns and leans toward Hector.] What are you doing over there?

[vagabone]

Not eugh!

[Too late, message sent. Mission accomplished. Don't ask him what the goal is, he doesn't have a clue.] Talk...ing...?

[onegreeneye]

[There's a lot behind that 'eugh'. But he'd rather not get into... any of it right now, frankly. He's spent enough time lately lecturing Hector when Hector was in no shape to process it.

He has no qualms, however, about pressing on this new issue, because that was suspicious as hell.] Really.

[vagabone]

[It would be far too easy for Ginko to take the stone from him. Only one way to prevent that... he sits up a little straighter, hiding the stone up inside his ribcage. Haha! There's just enough room for him to get his hands in there too and keep on texting, craning his head down to see.]

Of course really!

[onegreeneye]

[Wow, okay. OKAY. He wasn't particularly interested in trying to see the screen before, but THAT is more suspicious than ever.

He scoots over closer.] Who are you talking to, and why are you hiding your stone?