17th Fix

[technohippie]

[Thanks to being at stage three, Quinn really messed stuff up with his best friend in town. He's wrestling with a lot of feelings that a chill and in-control guy like him never deals with normally, and still being under the secret-blurting effect, really wants to get this off his chest to someone. The problem is that he doesn't know who to go to, and he doesn't really want to start blurting out more secrets and ruining more friendships today. Oh, but he really does want to talk, doesn't he? Thanks, Mayfield.

What Quinn will be up to:

A) In the garage at home, doors open, playing with all his electronics as usual. There's music playing, but it's not blaring this time. The ashtray on his table is overflowing with cigarette butts. Quinn's just making himself look busy, tinkering around with no real goal in mind. He'll be using his technomancy, talking to his electronics about his problems, but they don't really get it.

B) He'll be stopping in to check on his buddy Scott Pilgrim, who, from the last call he made, sounded pretty bad off. Knock knock at 2242 Stevens Road.

C) Out at the grocery store, restocking on cigarettes. And maybe some beer. And keeping his head town to hopefully avoid people! Quinn looking nervous and worried is pretty unusual to anyone who knows him.

D) At night, Quinn's at the park, laying at the grass and looking up at the stars. His laptop is next to him, and he has his headphones phones on and a cigarette in his mouth. This is his best idea on how to shut off both the world and his mind for awhile, but that doesn't prevent anyone from approaching him.

Comments

2/2

[ooeeooahah]

...oh, crud.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[!!]

Smoking is that much of a turn-off? I mean-- Crap. Wow.

[ooeeooahah]

Erm... I never cared for the taste.

[ Congratulations, Quinn! There are people who would have bet money Ilsa never blushed. ]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I bet ya'd get used to it.

[Foreheadslap. Nothing's restraining that part of his brain anymore.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa bites her lips and giggles. ]

I dunno... I swore off second-hand tobacco after Sam, and he was really good at hitting the right spots.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I could do bet-- [Hand over mouth, he mumbles something.]

Geez, I really gotta stop doin' that. I really don't wanna do more damage this week.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Then Ilsa has to go and do a girl thing. ]

More damage?

[ Yep, she asked a question. (/killer beaz soundebite) ]

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeaaah my closest friend in town pretty much hates me now. [He frowns a little over his beer bottle as he takes a long drink.]

[ooeeooahah]

mmm...

[ She knows better, but can't help it... ]

You told him a truth you'd been hiding.

[ She sighs, and takes a drink. ]

As a psychiatrist, truth is what I try to help my patients find. But it has to be their choice.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

In the worst way possible, too.

I dunno if a psychatrist'd be able to help when all I did was tell that I really, really wanna sleep with him.

[ooeeooahah]

Oh, hon. I hope he's okay with it.

[ She takes a drink, considering. ]

If he says no, do you think you two can still be friends?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

That's the thing! He didn't say "no" so much as "Well I've thought about but I'm a virgin and now that I've told you this I am going to knock over a damn fence in anger."

Pretty much I don't think he's gonna talk to me ever again.

[He looks pretty sad at that thought.]

[ooeeooahah]

Well, he probably realizes what is going on... and it is flattering.

[ She drains the last of the beer, and considers. ]

It might not have been anger. It could have been frustration. Or panic.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

[He lights up a new cigarette, takes a drag, and then stamps it out. Guest does not like cigarettes. Right.]

Mighta been all three. I told him the reason I never said anythin' was because I thought he'd punch me or somethin'. That only made him madder.

I really thought he would, ya know. Otherwise I woulda said somethin' sooner. Ain't like me to be afraid of askin' anyone that. I dunno why I was with him.

[A sigh.]

Man, I really screwed up.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She raises her eyebrows at the bit with the cigarette. ]

Don't... ah, thanks.

Maybe your subconscious was trying like hell to make sure you didn't screw it up before you proposed?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Maybe. So either Mayfield cockbocked me or... I dunno, I turned spineless or somethin'.

[ooeeooahah]

Not spineless, hon. When you meet your mate, the part of your brain that is trying to make sure you don't mess this up can make you cautious or reckless.

[ Ilsa smiles, and gets up to get another beer. ]

I don't know if it's worse if you're raised monogamous or not.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

"Mate" might be too strong a word. I like 'im, though. A lot. He's a lot cooler than he thinks he is.

[He pauses.] ...Did I seriously just say that?

[ooeeooahah]

Yes, you did.

[ She gets a beer for both of them. ]

What, the first above the harem isn't a mate? Pfft. It's what I'd call...tng...

[ She visibly restrains herself. ]

Dangit. I haven't asked him yet, even. I ought to. After I tell him about the family.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Harem? [He chuckles and shakes his head.] Ya give me too much credit.

The family?

[ooeeooahah]

[ She laughs at his disbelief, though it calms when he asks about her family. ]

Daddy's not a local boy. My paternal grandparents live a couple of dimensions over, actually.

[ She winces at the last statement. ]

Dangit.

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't worry 'bout it. My family's fulla crazy redneck fire mages, if it makes ya feel any better.

[ooeeooahah]

[ This gets a surprised laugh from her. ]

So how far away do you have to be when somebody says, "Here, hold my beer"?

[techno-mancer.livejournal.com]

Oh man, you joke but don't act like that stuff don't happen all the time! [He grins.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ It feels good to laugh with all of the tension she had this morning. ]

Pfft, I've had to do some haint-chasing all over. About every three summers or so we get the solstice warnings. You go in, thinking you're going to have to wade into a centuries-long feud with the ancestors wading in, and find out it's a wedding, with the families showing off for each other. Now, that's a party.