Twins, assemble!

[catamite]

Who: The crew of the Three Twins, and visitors
Broadcast: nope
Action: Aboard the SS Three Twins
When: Late May, early June

[between partying on the station, working abroad, and rounds of magical madness on the planet's surface, the crew of the Three Twins must cross paths sometime. how is our intrepid, eclectic little crew doing? the audience would love to know.]

Comments

[ino]

You know if there's something bothering you, you can talk to me about it, right?

[ She's not going to push him into talking about it, but -- she wants to be sure he knows she will listen, if he does want to ]

[catamite]

Yeah...

[but boy does he not sound confident in it. it's that childish, reluctant tone that means yes he knows she says that, but no, he doesn't think he actually believes it.]

[ino]

[ Yeah,k she notices that tone, and it prompts her to push a little ]

But?

[catamite]

[he fidgets with his fingers.]

But, nothing. It's just... dumb.

[ino]

Why is it dumb?

[ She squeezes his shoulder gently ]

[catamite]

Because it just is.

[he's so caught between loving the attention, and feeling a little trapped by it, now. it maybe shows in the way his shoulders hunch up a tiny bit. he's balking as he's being nudged toward the edge of actually talking about something.]

...I don't know how to explain it.

[ino]

[ She watches him for a moment, and sees that he's maybe a little more closed off than when this conversation started. She moves her hand back to his back ... ]

Well -- you don't have to say it if you don't want to. But if there's anything I can do to help, I want to know.

[catamite]

It's nothing bad or anything... I just. I don't know. [more fidgeting.] ...Maybe it's a problem with my whole room.

[but his discomfort grows as soon as the words leave his mouth. because it sounds like he's complaining. it sounds stupid, and it feels wrong.]

--I mean, it's just. Not what I expected, maybe.

[ino]

[ Meanwhile, Ino just seems curious. She has no problem with anyone complaining about the ships, since they aren't exactly the nicest accommodations even when fully upgraded. But she wants to do what she can to help, if she can! ]

What do you mean?

[catamite]

[and it's just so not in his nature to be able to complain about things like this easily. sharing opinions and troubles. it's one more thing that has been conditioned out of him.

but he's caught here, in a way. her persisting after him when most people give up by now, finding him when there are a few holes in his cheery little armor, is keeping him from easily being able to retreat and hide.

he does continue to melt under the scrutiny, though. he sinks down where he's sitting. if he'd been sitting in a proper chair, without someone there to keep him herded in one spot, he might have just continued to slide all the way to the floor.]

I don't knooow... [ah, and there is the whining.]

It's just. The bunk before was a lot different than these... you know?

[ino]

[ She has to resist the urge to laugh a little bit at how he's acting. It seems like this is something that's bothering him a lot, so she doesn't want to make fun of him and ruin it, but Nel ... you're such a baby ... ]

You mean when you guys were all in one room?

[catamite]

[such a baby. the defensive, whining tone is just... going to keep going. it's either that, or get really upset, and he'd like to avoid that at all costs. so, this is the only way he can vent his feelings.]

Yeah, I guess...

[ino]

[ She thinks about this for a moment. ]

Did you like it better that way?

[catamite]

I don't know...

[but, from tone alone, that is definitely a yes.]

It's just harder to sleep, now. I guess.

[ino]

[ ... So he just doesn't want to be alone, huh. Well, she can definitely sympathize with that. She pauses, thinking ... ]

But it was easier to sleep in here, huh?

[ Not accusatory, just genuine curiosity ]

[catamite]

[just the tiniest little nod, and how awkward and shamed he's feeling about the whole thing is obvious in his face.]

[ino]

[ A little sigh ... ]

All right. It's fine if you sleep in here sometimes, but -- there's one condition.

[catamite]

[his head is still down, but he at least lifts his eyes up to meet hers.]

...What's that?

[ino]

Please just -- send me a text or something before you come in?

[ She pauses, trying to be as ... kid-friendly about this as she can ]

It's just, sometimes I have my boyfriend over, so ...

1/2

[catamite]

[whatever he'd been expecting her to say, that wasn't it. so, he doesn't quite get it at first. lifting his head, he turns a questioning look her way.

...and then, after another minute of thought, his ears suddenly and literally perk up...]

what have you done

[catamite]

--Oh!

[and then he's just grinning. ear to ear.

and the expression gets worse by the second.]

Ohhh... yeah?

CRIES

[ino]

[ ... Oh god. Oh god. That expression. ABORT ABORT ABORT ]

... Yeah. So ... just ask first, okay?

[catamite]

[what were they even talking about before? especially given how much Nel doesn't want to talk about anything remotely serious, the whole thing gets gleefully chucked out the window in an absolute instant.

he sits up, draws his legs up under himself, turns to face her.]

Why didn't you say anything before? ...It's the one with the little brother, right?

Gods, he's cute though. Good job.

[ino]

[ ... Oh, boy. Well, the last comment gets a little smile, but ... ]

Nobody asked. Yes, that's him. And I wouldn't be dating him if I didn't think he was cute.

[catamite]

Wow, how long has this even been going on?

[he sighs, all dramatic, but he's still grinning.]

I still can't believe you didn't say anything!