@-@ Mun is too stressed over too many things

[whatfriendsdo]

You know, I'm pretty sure I had all my shit together when I turned twenty-five.

...I was being sarcastic. You need a vacation or something. And yeah I know how likely that is.

Shut up and listen. It's a game. You care too much. You can't do everything your guy would do, you don't live there, and you don't have to keep up as though you do. You're too responsible. Cut loose for God's sake, do whatever you want to and screw the rest. You've got too much to do to tie yourself in knots over whether or not you're pretending well enough.

Say it with me: It's. A. Game.

Comments

[w_for_wizard]

You know, you give the best pep talks. And you even managed to do it this time without calling her an idiot! I'm not sure that's ever happened with me...

[whatfriendsdo]

She usually isn't one, and you always are.

[w_for_wizard]

Okay, I don't think 'always' is entirely fair...

[whatfriendsdo]

....Really, Dresden. Do you really want to argue this with me right now.

[w_for_wizard]

[ Wince. Shoulder slump. Sudden awkwardness. Pretending nothing happened and he wasn't an idiot of truly epic proportions... isn't going to work, is it? ] I guess not.

...am I allowed to say I'm sorry?

[whatfriendsdo]

[You are allowed to say it. SHE WILL MAKE YOU FEEL IT IN EVERY BONE. That is what her face says, Harry. :|] I hope you know, when we see each other again, really see each other? I'm going to hammer you into every available surface and I won't stop until there's risk of you dying. Again.

[w_for_wizard]

Yeah, I... kinda figured. [ There might be the tiniest hint of a smile that he is trying really really hard to hide. Because even if she does beat the crap out of him, it means seeing her again at all. He's okay with that. ]

For what it's worth, I am sorry. I didn't want... I never meant to... [ WORDS. HOW DO THEY WORK. ] ...I'm sorry.

[whatfriendsdo]

[Very long inhale and equally long exhale through her nose, so he can hear exactly how hard she's trying to keep her temper. SEE HARRY. SHE'S NOT BREAKING YOU OVER HER KNEE. DON'T YOU FEEL LOVED.]

Yeah. That's the problem, Dresden. You're way too good at being sorry.

[w_for_wizard]

[ ...he won't say he didn't deserve that, because he totally did, but OW. There's a long silence, a flickering glance up to her face and then away again. ] Murphy... I don't know what else to say. I was stupid. I made a terrible decision. I wish I hadn't done it, and... none of that's going to change anything, so all I can do is be sorry.

[whatfriendsdo]

...I know. [There's a heavy note of resignation in it.] And all I can do is... be angry, right now.

[Very quiet and a little strained.] I trusted you. With everything.

[w_for_wizard]

Okay. [ It's quiet and guilty, and it hurts, but he gets it. She deserves to be angry.

...the past tense there hurts way more than any amount of anger from her. It takes him a little while to answer, mostly because he has to work the words out around this sudden lump in his throat. ] I know. I wish I deserved it.

[whatfriendsdo]

[ Part of her wants to be comforting. To say did, to say a lot of things. But once bitten - ]

You'd better start taking care of yourself, Dresden.

[w_for_wizard]

[ He smiles wryly, because when has he ever been good at that? ] I'll work on it. I promise.

[ex_ironhearted402]

Cut loose; great advice. I've got a great place in St. Maarten where we can disappear to for a few weeks.

[ yes Murphy, we ]

[whatfriendsdo]

[ EYEBROW ] Was it the 'cut loose' or the 'screw' part that got your attention.

[ex_ironhearted402]

Can't a guy ask a stranger out on a Caribbean getaway without being accused of any licentious scheming?

[ it was the screwing ]

So, yes?

[whatfriendsdo]

[Snort. Well that one's new.] So what, you want to take a stranger to the Carribean to cuddle for a week? I've heard of weird fetishes, but that takes the cake as the most expensive.

[ex_ironhearted402]

People can marry their pets and random French landmarks, but a mysterious stranger whisking you away to island paradise is weird? Wow.

[ GOSH ]

Your expensive isn't the same as my expensive.

[whatfriendsdo]

Your weird is definitely not the same as my weird.

[ OKAY THIS SHOULD BE IRRITATING why is it fun. ]

Besides. [ Holds up a hand and waggles her fingers. ] I'm married to my job, even if it is too cheap to buy a ring. Any torrid affairs need to stay conveniently located.

[ex_ironhearted402]

I moonlight as a superhero dressed in gold-titanium armor; I try not to judge.

[ BECAUSE HE'S SO SMARMY AND RI-DICK-ULOUS ]

Lucky for the both of us, I'm married to the job too. We can pretend it's a kind of super-secret, torrid love-affair.

[whatfriendsdo]

Super-secret. When you moonlight as a superhero dressed in gold-titanium armor. [She is the most skeptical.] One of these things is not like the other.

[ex_ironhearted402]

It's hard to be an internationally-famous billionaire genius and keep a secret second identity.

[ that, and he'd hate to miss out on the fame ]

[whatfriendsdo]

All of Bruce Wayne's ego and none of Batman's reservations. [ NOT SMILING OKAY ] So that would make you the one and only Iron Man.

[ when in the multiverse, it pays to have nephews ]

[ex_ironhearted402]

Batman? Who names themselves after a bat?

[ SO OFFENDED WHY AREN'T YOU IMPRESSED MURPHY ]

The one and only. Sometimes I even go by Tony.

[whatfriendsdo]

He's a pretty heavy hitter, believe it or not. [TROLOLOLOLO.] Tony Stark. I know.

[....Oh, why the hell not. There's a little twitch of a smile, more wicked than friendly.] I'm a fan of the hardware.

[ex_ironhearted402]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[ TONY DOESN'T HAVE DEAD PARENT ISSUES... WELL OKAY MAYBE. DAMNIT BRUCE ]

Not to brag-- okay, definitely bragging, but the suit does rock. Zero to mach eight in ten seconds, ultra portable, and it even comes in two classy colors.

[whatfriendsdo]

Faster than a speeding scramjet. [She might even maybe sound the tiniest bit impressed. Also like she's having too much fun with this. ] Of course, there's the question of whether you can sustain that kind of speed for more than a few minutes.

[EYEBROW.]

[ex_ironhearted402]

And way more handsome.

[ and now with the straightest face and most level tone of voice ]

You can tell me in the morning.

[suitable]

And since when does yours start listening to anything resembling reason?

[ At least here he knows you'll know him, Murphy. ...Right? Right? ]

[whatfriendsdo]

Oh, and yours does? [HERE, YES.]

[suitable]

[ WOO ]

Never said mine did, but I keep holding out hope.

[whatfriendsdo]

Get ready for your fingers to fall asleep.

[suitable]

[ Snort. ]

Gravimetrics is the new exercise fad, haven't you heard? I'm good to go for a while yet.

[whatfriendsdo]

I'll stick to kickboxing.

[suitable]

To each their own.

But seriously? Nobody on the tin can is going anywhere, and you can count on whenever yours gets her stuff together enough for you to show up, I'll help hold down Dresden while you kick the sense back into him. ...Even if at first you'll think I'm juts some creepy new guy who knows way more than he should.

[emptynight]

You say that, Karrin, but it's funny how 'it's just a game' is life and death when you're the one in the game.

[whatfriendsdo]

Really helping me make the point here, Thomas. [ =___= ]

[ That said - ] You'd better not be getting yourself killed.

[emptynight]

Since when do I help?

[He shrugs carelessly.] Just getting my tongue ripped out by a crazed angel, nothing dangerous.

[whatfriendsdo]

[Wat] What?

[emptynight]

[keywords.] You sound like Harry.

[whatfriendsdo]

[ YOU BET YOUR SPARKLY WHITE ASS, RAITH. ]

[ Twitch. ] Because I'm not reacting well to hearing you got your tongue ripped out?

[emptynight]

[You want sparkly, Murph? HAVE SPARKLY.]

I got better. And the Sadist got bored with that place so it's not like I'm getting in any more trouble.

[whatfriendsdo]

[ IT BURNNNNNS ]

Good. [ Though she hardly sounds satisfied. ] That what you call yours? The Sadist?

[emptynight]

[He grins sharply.] It rolls off the tongue better than "Hey You Psycho Behind The Keyboard."