22nd Combo - [Video]

[redcladidealist]

[The video feed comes on, showing a bleary, teenage face caught in the middle of a yawn. Face already half-buried in a pillow, the most immediately distinguishing feature to be seen is a serious case of bedhead, brown hair sticking wildly every which way. It's almost a whole minute before Lloyd seems to become aware enough to realize the SFC is on. Even then he just stares at it sleepily.

Until something on the screen registers. Eyes widening, he jerks a hand up to reach for the SFC.]

Wait, when did it become Monday?

Comments

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

-=he doesn't seem to mind=-

They are both... rather prickly so, uh.. I always thought they did not like each other that much.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

[Oh good.]

Maybe that's just what they want us to think, or that's just how they show their friendship. Some people are like that. I definitely have some friends who can be jerks to me sometimes. We'll argue and horse around and give each other a hard time, but we're still friends.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

Well, uh... In our language the words for friend, and enemy, are the same thing so.. it can be hard to tell.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

What? But- But that-

[Hang on, trying to wrap his mind around that.

...

...

NOT WORKING.]

But that doesn't make any sense! How can you have one word that means opposite things? How does anyone know what you mean?

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

Uhhh...

-=why can't humans just understand the words he says, it would be so much easier=-

Friends and enemies, don't always treat each other that differently I guess.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

Maybe sometimes, and maybe sometimes your enemies can become your friends, or I guess maybe your friends can turn into enemies, but while they're your friends, they're not enemies, and enemies aren't your friends! What about the enemies who try to kill you? The ones who hate you, and you hate them? How can you have the same word for someone you can't be friends with? Or for friends you'd never fight with?

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

That sounds like.. you're asking about quadrants, and I'm bad at explaining those, in an understandable way that humans won't find unfortunate.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

What? No, I'm not asking about math. Besides, I'm not really good at that anyway, so it wouldn't be your fault if I didn't get it.

[How did this even come up?]

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

-=bwah?=-

No I, uh... I mean, relationship quadrants. Humans only have one kind, we have four. Including one, for the person you hate the most.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

Wait, there's math involved in relationships?!

[That? That is a look of sheer and utter alarm, bordering on panic.]

But I'm not- That means-

Oh man, no wonder I was so bad with Sheena.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

Uh, what?

Who's Sheena?

[video]

[redcladidealist]

She's, uh... She's...

[A flush of red starts to stain his cheeks.]

A friend. Only I, uh... Well, we... We sort of... maybe... kissed.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

Aww!

-=hee!=-

That's a good thing, isn't it?

[video]

[redcladidealist]

I- I'm not sure. It was... We didn't really... It ended really... awkwardly. And she left. And things happened, and we haven't really... talked about it yet.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

If you are flushed for her, then you should try! I was really scared, to talk to Nepeta. But good and wonderful things happened, when I did.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

[The odd phrase barely registers as odd to Lloyd because he knows he can feel the flush on his cheeks. The fact that he's been called out on it makes him blush even more. He doesn't even think to wonder if there's any kind of other meaning to the words.

Besides, context gives him hints enough.]

But what if it goes bad? What if... What if Nepeta'd told you that wasn't what she wanted, she just made a mistake? Or that you made a mistake? What if she hated you after that?

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

I think, that would have been a horrible thing, to have happen. But, uh... if I did not try, I think I would have not just been hateful at myself, for being scared, but for also never getting to know what would have happened,.

[video]

[redcladidealist]

That... [Huh.] I guess that's a pretty good point. I just... Every time I think about bringing it up, I get stuck. [It's a little awkward even to admit this.] I don't know how to work up my courage.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

wHAT i DID, wAS TO STOP SO MUCH WITH THE TRYING TO THINK,
bECAUSE THINKING THOSE THINGS MADE MY HEAD ALL BACKWARDS, aND ALSO STUPID, wiTH WORDS,
sO i JUST,
sAID IT,

[video]

[redcladidealist]

So I should... stop thinking?

[And here people frequently tell him he doesn't think enough.]

And that really works?

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

iT, uH,
iT WORKED FOR ME,

Re: [video]

[redcladidealist]

Huh...

[And really, what more proof can someone offer than that?]

I'll have to think about trying that.

[He offers a tentative smile.]

Thanks, Tavros.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

yOU ARE VERY WELCOME,
aDVICE GIVING, iS NOT SOMETHING i GET TO DO, oFTEN AT ALL,
sO i HOPE THAT IT WAS A HELPFUL THING TO HAVE SAID,

[video]

[redcladidealist]

If that's the kind of advice you give, I don't see why you don't get chances more often. It sounds like you know how to give pretty good advice.

[video]

[toreadorkabull]

pEOPLE DON'T USUALLY,
pAY MUCH ATTENTION TO ME,