one } voice; un: jane doe (they know what everybody knows)

[scathefires]

Who wants to help me settle a bet? I've got two questions if you do.

One - do you have an expression where you're from that goes "close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades"?

And two - what the hell do horseshoes and hand grenades have to do with each other anyway?

private to seifer and nida.

So we never went camping, back in the village.

[that's. pathetic, but it's the best he can do for offering an olive branch to his brothers.]

Comments

returned private filter

[scathefires]

I wouldn’t’ve said anything if I wasn’t.

[nida why are you Like This. jason sighs.]

Look, Nida, can we quit doing this dance? I’m trying.

[skyward_eyes]

I'm just... Jason, it's not you that needs to try. You're not the one that messed up. It's me. I'm the one that...

I should be trying harder.

/unhelpful brother interference

[firacrux]

He's right, y'know. The self depreciating thing when we try to reach out to you is a real kick in the crotch.

[He almost said slap in the face. It might be too on the nose.]

[skyward_eyes]

Yeah. You're not wrong. Fuck. I'm sorry. I'm not really great at this.

[firacrux]

Just maybe think about what it's like to deal with me.

Then don't do that 'cause I know I'm a Hyne-damned pain in the ass when I start pushin' everyone away 'cause I think they should hate me and for some reason don't.

[skyward_eyes]

Woah woah woah. Hold up for a moment. I just heard some genuine behemothshit there.

Seifer, my golden-haired brother... You're always a pain the the ass.

[How can he say that and sound so damn AFFECTIONATE?]

[firacrux]

Now excuse the hell outta you! You take that back right now, or I'm only giving you the burned shitty pancakes.

I'm usually a pain in the ass. Get it right!

[He sounds offended, he's not. This has gone straight into affectionate shit-talk territory.]

[skyward_eyes]

Wait are you saying you'd deliberately FAIL at making a pancake? Seems not you.

[firacrux]

I will deliberately overcook your pancakes for not appreciating the effort I go through to feed you in the morning.

[skyward_eyes]

You know I appreciate your efforts. Every morning and night.

[Play flirting? Of course. He will make you flinch.]

[scathefires]

OK, I take it back. I’m not going anywhere with you two playing verbal footsie.

[skyward_eyes]

Seifer can cook. I'll pay for food if you'll get gear.

[scathefires]

You gotta tell me what gear I gotta get. Told you, closest I’ve ever been to camping was when I lived on the streets as a kid.

[skyward_eyes]

Tent. Sleeping bags. Cooking gear. Something to burn and cook with.

[There is a lot of things to think about.]

[scathefires]

Do you even know where we’re going yet? Seems like we should scope out the terrain before buying gear, make aure we’re getting the right stuff.

[skyward_eyes]

Okay, maybe sleeping bags may not be needed. But some things are pretty basic.

Any idea which direction you want to go in? I got a bit of scope on the outside of the walls.

Or we could use Seifer's other place.

[firacrux]

Get backpacks and canteens at least.

[skyward_eyes]

You need something for warmth, Seifer.

[firacrux]

Yeah, yeah, if that were true you'd concede not always!

[A snort.]

Hey, Fun Ruiner, what d'you wanna eat?

[scathefires]

I dunno ... food?

[firacrux]

...I'll take care of the food.

[scathefires]

I'm not picky. And it's not like you're a bad cook - I trust you.

[firacrux]

[Jason has no idea how much he appreciates hearing that.]

All right, I'll make sure we're all well fed. You can count on me.

[He won't let them down.]

[scathefires]

[jason considers making some kind of quip in response, because that's how his brain has been trained to work, but he decides against it. he knows how it feels to be overwhelmingly not trusted, and he knows how much it means to have someone express trust anyway, even for something as small as cooking meals. everything he knows about seifer leads him to believe they might be similar in this respect, and jason genuinely means it. he trust seifer for more than planning what to eat.]

I know I can.

[firacrux]

[It does mean a lot. He'll act like it doesn't, like he doesn't completely understand the effort it takes to be straight forward and not make sarcastic quips instead. But he does, and he appreciates it. Helpful at diffusing those gross emotions as sarcasm is, it always leaves the question in the air about how they really feel. Always leaving things just a little nebulous. It's safe, and superficial. Always keeping that distance.

He appreciates when someone doesn't hold him at arm's length.

So there's a faint smile, it's quick and easy to miss, but it's there right before he nods once and turns off the feed. Got some plans to make.]