Steven with a Marc (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
latersgators) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
come_sailaway2022-12-05 02:03 pm
latersgators) wrote in come_sailaway2022-12-05 02:03 pm
Country roads, take me home
Who: Steven Grant and open - start your own subthreads and stuff
What: Studio Ghibli movie night
Where: Cabin 135
When: early December
Warnings: none so far
After subjecting Marc and Maeve to Ghibli nights, Steven has widened his circle of suffering to include a few other people. What was going to be 'come over and watch My Neighbour Totoro?' became a proper whole evening at Steven and Marc's cabin. They spent the afternoon tidying up the room, returning a bunch of library books and keeping the rest of his stash in a corner on the other side of the bed. Clean laundry put away, a small load of dirty clothes taken down to the wash. The ankle cuff and bungee cord is stashed away in the cupboard alongside their small emergency hoard of water, snacks and food in case they have to lock themselves in their cabin one day for weeks on end. Bathroom tidied up as well, with extra toilet paper stacked on top of the cistern in anticipation of several guests.
The cabin is still small in spite of their cleanup efforts, and Steven insists on having some snacks available, so for savoury options there's baby carrots and celery sticks with hummus dip, potato skins, kumara fries and cassava chips, and mango sticky rice and pan fried cinnamon bananas for something sweet. It's not exactly going to be the healthiest night in terms of food, but half a dozen people sitting knee to knee in a claustrophobic little cabin crying at children's anime is surely going to make up for that and be healthy for all of them.
The programme for the night is Steven's Studio Ghibli box set, although he only has one DVD player and one television so they need to pick their movies wisely since they'll only be able to watch two or three. They're always welcome to come back next time to watch more. Steven's recommending more Kiki's Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke, and less Grave of the Fireflies and When Marnie Was There. They don't really want to be crying into their bowl of vegan snacks every 15 minutes...
What: Studio Ghibli movie night
Where: Cabin 135
When: early December
Warnings: none so far
After subjecting Marc and Maeve to Ghibli nights, Steven has widened his circle of suffering to include a few other people. What was going to be 'come over and watch My Neighbour Totoro?' became a proper whole evening at Steven and Marc's cabin. They spent the afternoon tidying up the room, returning a bunch of library books and keeping the rest of his stash in a corner on the other side of the bed. Clean laundry put away, a small load of dirty clothes taken down to the wash. The ankle cuff and bungee cord is stashed away in the cupboard alongside their small emergency hoard of water, snacks and food in case they have to lock themselves in their cabin one day for weeks on end. Bathroom tidied up as well, with extra toilet paper stacked on top of the cistern in anticipation of several guests.
The cabin is still small in spite of their cleanup efforts, and Steven insists on having some snacks available, so for savoury options there's baby carrots and celery sticks with hummus dip, potato skins, kumara fries and cassava chips, and mango sticky rice and pan fried cinnamon bananas for something sweet. It's not exactly going to be the healthiest night in terms of food, but half a dozen people sitting knee to knee in a claustrophobic little cabin crying at children's anime is surely going to make up for that and be healthy for all of them.
The programme for the night is Steven's Studio Ghibli box set, although he only has one DVD player and one television so they need to pick their movies wisely since they'll only be able to watch two or three. They're always welcome to come back next time to watch more. Steven's recommending more Kiki's Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke, and less Grave of the Fireflies and When Marnie Was There. They don't really want to be crying into their bowl of vegan snacks every 15 minutes...
no subject
Yes, he's used to having 'some dude piloting his body around'. They both are. Yes it feels freaky, and they'll be out of it for a while, and it's not always easy to just come back. But it's more than that. Marc's been wilfully avoiding things, not wanting to talk or get too close, and when Steven tries to comfort him or get him to talk he pulls back even more.
"Maybe I should move out for a while," Steven whispers, mostly to himself. "He doesn't want me around like he used to."
no subject
If Ava mentioned their whole deal he doesn't remember, and now thinks that they're from a world that just has occasional possessions. No wonder Steven doesn't wanna go back.
"Aight for starters, your key is only gonna open this room. Jack stayed with me for a while when Hiyori blew their room up, and even though I let him, I couldn't really give him a key since it's my phone. So he was sorta trapped in the hallway til I let him in. There's not really anywhere for you to stay. Please don't sleep in the library or something heartbreaking." Pratt's not sure he could handle how sad and pathetic that would be. "You sure he doesn't want you around? Like... did he say that?"
no subject
"I can hang out in the hallway. Or the library. It'd be a dream if they don't kick me out." He would live in the library if he could eat and drink and shower and sleep there. But he knows he's clumsy and he doesn't want to make a mess of the place, so he wouldn't bring anything spillable or drippable in even if he was allowed.
He frowns as he considers Pratt's question, then shakes his head. "...no, but! He hasn't said anything. He doesn't talk to me." Which leaves Steven to sit and sulk and come up with crazy theories that run away into really bizarre, nightmarish scenarios.
no subject
Oh this is just getting sadder the longer they talk, "You're not gonna sleep in the hallway like you're homeless on the steps of city hall. Come on man, wouldn't it be easier to just talk to him? Instead of dragging all your shit to the library."
no subject
"I'll-- try. But. I'm always the one trying to talk to him. If I'm lucky he'll meet me halfway, but. He never tells me anything. If he doesn't find it tiresome by now, I-- I mean surely it's not too much to ask, if he. Tries to talk to me once in a while. It's not a burden to talk to him or anything. But maybe it's a burden for him to talk to me. I d'know." It also puts the onus on Steven to shore up the enthusiasm and drive the conversation. He'll never stop trying. But it just makes him feel like Marc is humouring him out of obligation.
"Anyway, we're-- always together. Maybe some time apart would be good for us too. Isn't that what the telly always says? On those dramas."
no subject
"Yeah and that sucks, relationships are supposed to be 50/50 according to my ex who read me the fucking riot act when we broke up." Which now that he thinks about it is probably why he's so damn invested in Steven's relationship drama. Because Marc reminds him of himself and he's fucked up everything in his life hardcore. It sucks to see that from the outside especially to someone as nice as Steven. "But, if he isn't gonna put anything into it then I guess... at some point... you do gotta move on. Which fucking blows."
He snorts, "Yeah the absence makes the heart grow fonder thing doesn't really work in real life. I guess maybe if you both cool off a bit and then try again you'd be starting at the ground floor, could work shit back up. But that kinda runs the risk of it going even more sideways."
no subject
"I don't want to start over," Steven whines. It was hard enough just getting here. But maybe-- maybe it's for the best. Maybe he's the only one who genuinely wants to be here.
"I don't-- think I can have what I really want. But-- But. But it doesn't mean I don't like what I have. What we have. Or. Had." Is it past tense now? It's probably past tense now. Cue the waterworks starting up again in 3...2...1.
no subject
Oh no oh shit oh shit. Pratt is doing that thing where even though he's an actual cop he starts looking for someone more mature and adult than he is who can handle this situation. He's not qualified for this.
"Wait. Okay. Hold on," He is trying to manually force his brain into functionality right here right now. "So you don't have to start over, just an idea so you can get together again but here and have it be all new and meaningful?"
Does that sound right? Maybe. Fuck.
"To start with, you gotta tell Marc what you're tellin' me. That you like what you guys have." Present tense Steven! Present tense. "And that you wanna keep on keeping on, maybe even go further? But he's gotta do some of the work ya know? It can't all be on you. And then drag him to go get sorbet at the ice cream place."
no subject
Steven sniffles and wipes his tears away with the back of his hand, not wanting anyone watching them to panic that Pratt is making Steven cry somehow, but also struggling to keep it all in and regulate his emotions better. Present tense is good. Keeping what they have and building on it is even better. And of course, nothing can top a good sorbet, really.
"I'll-- try. Talking to him." No guarantees, since Steven is the type who would want to wait for a good time and place, and usually the opportunity will be long gone by the time the conditions are absolutely perfect. But he's not Marc at least, so. If he's taking anything to the grave, it won't be his words about how he feels about anything.
"Do you think it's weird?" A halting, start-stop string of sniffles follow. "Or wrong." It's an abrupt change of topic maybe, but. Steven can only imagine how crazy and dysfunctional and perverse it must look from the outside.
no subject
But that question brings him up short, "Uh. I don't think I get to judge man. If you're happy that's what matters. I think I'm one of the only cops around and it's not like I'm gonna arrest you or something."
no subject
"I was." Happy. Maybe past tense isn't that great. "I am. I will be." Even if things fall to pieces with Marc, even if Marc finds Steven to be a right nuisance and doesn't want him around anymore, he just has to keep going.
"...thanks." There'll still be a few sniffles but he's not on the verge of crying anymore, at least.
no subject
"You'll get there again man, this is just a bump in the road. You're on a road trip and you're in the shitty Nevada section where there's nothing to see and it's just boring desert. Whiiiiich I goess means nothing to you, but just trust me, it'll perk up. Marc can't stay all miserable and bitter forever. If it gets too bad I'll sic Klaus on him."
no subject
"Okay... thanks." He has no idea what or who Klaus is, but. He's glad to have Pratt's support. Even if Pratt's support had encouraged not-Marc to take him out and make this a bigger mess than it could have been in the first place.