slipped along the way

[unmarred]

(from here)

So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.

There is a persistent silence.



"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."

Comments

[thisvorlunatic]

"...I can kind of see your point," Stalas admits. "I hadn't thought about it that way. It's just life, for me. Things are going to hurt."

[unmarred]

"Now that's familiar," Mark says wryly.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas rests his hand on the back of Mark's neck and lapses into a thoughtful silence.

[unmarred]

It's still nice. He doesn't complain about the lack of neck rubs.

[thisvorlunatic]

"...How much of me quietly thinking to myself is coming across, here?"

[unmarred]

"Some. You were definitely thinking about me liking pain for a little while there. I'm not telepathic, though, I just have a well-trained intuition for people who are you."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I... was thinking about that, yes."

[unmarred]

"Any thoughts you'd like to share?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"I'm. Curious in ways I'm not sure I actually want to indulge," he says.

[unmarred]

"Well that sounds promising."

[thisvorlunatic]

"You are an intensely self-destructive person."

[unmarred]

"It's been said."

[thisvorlunatic]

"No, but really," says Stalas. "I kind of want to hurt you but I don't want to hurt you. It's a conundrum."

[unmarred]

"It's a nice conundrum."

[thisvorlunatic]

"...I like that I can say things to you and you can tell what I mean," says Stalas. "The benefits are starting to seriously outweigh the drawbacks."

[unmarred]

"That makes me happy."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Well, good. I guess."

[unmarred]

Mark shifts so he can look at Stalas's face.



After a medium-sized silence, he declares cheerfully, "You're thinking about hurting me again."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I'm wondering... how fragile humans actually are," Stalas admits. "No Stone in you. I'm used to fighting dwarves; I know how to win without killing anybody. I don't know if the same knowledge applies to you... you don't bruise as easily as I do, but that's not saying much. You're probably still easier to injure."

[unmarred]

"Mmm," he says, smiling. "I like this train of thought. I liiike it."

[thisvorlunatic]

"You're picking up on things I'm not saying again, aren't you."

He's more amused than annoyed about it, this time around.

[unmarred]

"A little. Mostly just how into it you are. How you're thinking about finding out, and it gets you going even though you don't want to injure me. You could try it," he says. "If you wanted. I won't mess around, promise. And it's okay if you get it wrong. I've had worse, and modern medicine can fix a lot of shit."

[thisvorlunatic]

"See," says Stalas, "when you say you've had worse, it doesn't make me want to hurt you. It makes me want to cuddle you and give you neck rubs and maybe kiss you a little."

[unmarred]

"You can do all that too," says Mark.

[thisvorlunatic]

"...Mm."