[PRP] This Impossible Year (Melany & Horace)

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace thought long and hard before answering. He liked Melany; she'd become a really good friend in the time she'd been here and he wanted to look out for her. There were no major hiccups in the time they'd shared here. His only reservation lay within himself. For someone who was still wary of touch, who flinched in supermarkets and avoided people if possible, having someone actually live with him was a big undertaker. Previously, there had been other circumstances in play. But now, this was for normal, for real. It meant having to be on guard still even in his own home. It wasn't that he didn't trust Melany, but anxiety never took into account such things. He still shocked people he cared about; there were still moments when a brush of someone's familiar hand could cause him to freeze like a startled rabbit.

There was dread in the proximity 'living together' could bring, and he'd been dealing with it. It helped that work and school kept him out of the house. But out of the house and in contact with other people. His house had been a refuge, a place where no one would touch him, ever. His worry-free sanctuary. And while the noise of living with another person had made him realize how lonely he'd been, it was also a constant buzz in the back of his mind, a constant danger. He wasn't sure he was read for it to stay permanently.

Horace looked down at the sushi. He would... he would just have to decrease the radius of his safe space. She didn't, wouldn't come into his bedroom, and that would be his place alone, now. Maybe this was an important step, although there was a corner of his mind that begin screaming incessantly at the thought. He could continue this, he could live in a box.

"Yeah, Nugget would miss you, and me too. So... sure. Why not?" He finally looked up. "Do you still have stuff we need to go grab? Should I get a moving van or something?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Melany smiled. It was both beaming like sunlight and full of understanding. "Thanks," she said. Usually she would've grabbed his hand in hers, but she didn't this time. Melany let him have his space for whatever reasons of her own. "I can handle that. Like, I'm probably going to get rid of most of my furniture anyway. I mean... you still have a lot of stuff going on, with the new Court and all."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

He shook his head. "You must be kidding. I'm not going to make you do all that alone. As for court, I know you've got new stuff there, too, so that's not an excuse." Horace fixed her with a stern look. There was no reason for her to take this on alone when she didn't have to. And sure, it was just moving, but he was happy to lend some muscles.

"Together, we can bill ourselves as Muscles Moving, Inc."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Not sure how much help I'll be like this," said Melany, sighing. "And anyway, a lot of the Court stuff... it just makes sense to me. I don't have to work very hard at it."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"All the more reason you've gotta let me help lug your stuff." He smiled. "I don't really get most of the new court stuff, but I guess I'm supposed to be a watchdog. Have Nugget nyoom around looking out for people." Horace shrugged. He'd figure it out and he wasn't actually too worried.

He looked at the sushi. "Ew, they gave me eel."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"You mean, ew they gave me eel," said Melany, reaching across the table to snake Horace's eel off his plate.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Gross, all yours. But I'm taking some of the shrimp." He stuck his tongue out at her (the stud in his tongue was a little pink gem this time), and skillfully pinched up a couple pieces of sushi in his chopsticks.

shibrogane

fin you think?