middaeg | this is the life you see

(gives stiles a desperately pleading look in return while sasuke's plucking at free pieces of parchment, hands pressed together as though in prayer—then turns on a dime when the water order's up and ready to be filled.) It'll definitely become relevant. You still want to try good food, even if ingesting does– uh, whatever it does. Or doesn't do, I guess.

(slipping away into the kitchen to let stiles field the safety question, checking the floor for any spare bits of glass. they need time, that's all; he's slow with the cup he pulls out of the cupboard, actually pressing his forehead to the cool wood to rest a moment.

before long he's back to take his place on the off-red couch, setting two cups down on their low coffee table.) I'm gonna' need a bunch more new clothes, because I'm pretty sure the pickle juice destroyed my socks. Wherever I go, that smell follows. People will start to ask questions. (it's a little white, jokey lie, even though he's ready to follow that up with a real reason.)

... besides, this Ozymandias guy said he's been here for eight months.

Edited 2020-02-15 23:08 (UTC)

[ Scowling at Jonas’ retreating back – traitor! – Stiles glumly resigns himself to playing cohost for their guest. ]

We were fine, dad, [ he sighs, propping his head up with a hand. ] Looked both ways before crossing the street and everything. You’d have been so proud.

[ The quiet noises coming from the kitchen help to settle his nerves. With the mental reminder that Sasuke isn’t his enemy, he gestures at the couch impatiently. ]

You gonna sit or what, dude?

[ When Jonas returns, Stiles all but lunges for the glass of water, desperate to give his hands something to do. ]

So? I don’t get…what the big dill is. [ Smirking like the cat that got the cream before the smug satisfaction of a bad pun fades. ] He also told me that his first Bond, someone from his world, went back home after their first month. I’ve been asking, but there really doesn’t seem to be an actual pattern to who is sent back and when.

[ He doesn't feel the same discomfort being left alone with Stiles in particular– no, that ill-at-ease feeling is reserved for being in the house at all. He's prompted to sit, albeit in the wake of some expected – deserved – cattiness and he glances behind himself at his options. Right. Time to take residence at the far end of that couch, leaving Jonas plenty of breathing room. ]

There's a store that sells discount merchandise. Elian's. I can show you where it is another time or give you their information. [ In the case of sock replacement... Should he be buying Jonas new pairs himself? Maybe. But now Stiles is making what he infers from his tone to be a joke, and he stares blankly for a moment or two. Dill. An herb. Are pickles here flavored with dill? ]

... I've been trying to look into that as well, but have hit similar roadblocks. So far I don't know if I should operate on the theory that they're inadvertently causing themselves to be sent back or if it's outside forces.

(jonas, able to breathe, considers discount socks; he's a man with a one-track mind, no deviations from each subject at hand.) That sounds great, actually. The places Marie sent me to were pretty expensive. I'm not made of cunes. (leaning onto the arm of the couch to press the backs of his fingers against his mouth.

it's an odd position, but one necessary to stop himself from snorting. fucking... dill... it's so bad, but as a man who appreciates terrible jokes at inappropriate times, he can't help but smile at it.)

Oh, god. That's so insensitive, man. Some of us are still hurtin' for a gherkin. (raises his injured hand demonstratively high above his head, before smoothly tucking it back to use it as a headrest. yeah, he's perfectly fine if anyone had any existing worries about it.) Stiles' awful sense of humour aside, I didn't mean to present it as information we should concern ourselves with. It just surprised me is all.

We all know time's relative, so I guess it could be running differently back home, but... we may have to stay here that long. Does that bother you guys?

Edited 2020-02-16 15:38 (UTC)

[ The gherkin pun sadly elicits only a blank, bewildered stare from Stiles, who has never heard the word before. Brown eyes dutifully follow the hand as it is raised and, for a moment, he thinks that Jonas is asking for a high-five or something. Fortunately, said hand lowers before he can decide if he can be bothered to get up and cross the room to deliver – can’t leave a bro hanging, after all. ]

That’s the thing, though. We don’t know time’s relative. Whatever laws of reality are in effect back home don’t necessarily apply here. I mean, what if this stupid world isn’t even round? [ Are we really going there, Stiles. ] For all we know, it could be…infinite. And if it’s infinite, how does that affect things like, like – gravity, or weight, or, yes, relativity.

[ He’s been gesturing wildly during this tangent; some of the water from his glass spills in his lap, which he rubs at in distracted annoyance. The energy of his mini-rant seems to leave him all at once, regardless. ]

I’m not staying. I’ll find a way out for us, or my –

[ Friends will. Except…would they? Never mind the question of relativity. Would Scott attempt to rescue Stiles after what happened? Does Stiles even want him to? Expression twisted in a frown, he falls into a moody silence. ]

[ ... ]

[ For the briefest of moments, Sasuke leans slightly toward Jonas with a lowering of his voice. ]

Good gherkin wordplay. I understood. [ And then straightens up, continuing on as if nothing happened. ]

You're theorizing about time-relativity with no information, excluding the fact that this world is so highly magical that it might have a new bearing on physics as it is. That's useful to develop a hypothesis, but do we need one? That's not something that we would be able to change. All you'd be doing is overthinking the matter and coming up with guesswork to upset yourself.

Either way, I've spoken to a few individuals who have told me that time didn't pass for them in their worlds when they briefly returned and then came back here. Who knows if it's reliable... but it's better to assume it is. Otherwise you'll drive yourself mad.

[ Better to return to a Konoha ravaged by time thousands of years in the future and deal with it then than worry about it and still face the same result. Can he affect it? Not like he is now. ]

I'll say it again. If my abilities weren't limited, I could get us out.

(looks over at the lean, expression sinking into something gravely serious.) I knew I could rely on you. (and not stiles, who's apparently never had a gherkin pickle (a grave sin in this household, which is liable to be cleansed after a trip to the market). tragic.)

Pickles aside, I did not mention a god-king's eight month stint here only for it to devolve into physics. A class I am currently supposed to be taking but have not yet gotten to. (jonas, stressing a bit to keep this talk light, keeps blathering on to give stiles a moment to recover.

it doesn't stop his stare from lingering, seeking a wordless answer to his silent "you good?")

Don't say "I'll say it again," like I'm supposed to know what you're talking about. How could you get us out? (the only thing that draws his attention away, leaning back into uncomfortable couch cushions.) As far as I know, this whole mirror business is just a collection of like, temporal tears. Which is also stupidly complicated. You know a lot about that?

[ Loath to admit Sasuke has a point about obsessing over irrelevant details, Stiles is mentally gearing up for a counterargument, simply to be contrary. If they better understand Aefenglom physics, he reasons with himself, then they might discover a way home. Unproductive derivation may drive him mad in the meantime, but at least it’ll distract from the core issues in his life that are slowly destroying him. And, on that happy note, Stiles offers the lingering stare from Jonas a brief albeit reassuring grin. Is he good? Nope. Is he going to pretend otherwise? Yep.

Ultimately, Stiles doesn’t get a chance to present his case and prolong the discussion; Sasuke brings up his abilities and, judging from Jonas’ reaction, this is the first time his housemate is hearing about them. The annoyed, derisive huff he makes should tell them both how he feels on the subject. He takes a moment to set the glass of water down on the floor beside the chair where his feet can’t knock it over, then sits forward with a glower. ]

And I’ll say it again. No thanks. In one breath you say we don’t need a hypothesis about how physics works here, and then in the next you suggest we figure out how to get your god-tier, physics-breaking powers back. Are you even for real right now?

[ Scoffing, he glances over to Jonas for help and then recalls – Jonas still has no idea what they’re talking about. Shit. ]

Uh, sorry dude. He can explain. But basically? He wants the Elder Wand.

[ Sasuke's chin lifts after Jonas's comment, nigh imperceptibly. Yes, thank you, count on him.

But then Stiles is quick to take the wind out of his metaphorical sails, exhaling softly in a way that might just imitate a sigh ever-so-slightly. ]

I know about opening doors from one dimension to another, which I mentioned briefly the night we arrived. That's something I've been practicing in my own world and something I'm sure I could utilize to similar effect here if my powers weren't dampened. [ This information is directed towards Jonas, though there's a certain reluctance in his body language. This isn't what he came here to discuss, even if he couldn't resist mentioning it, but here they are. ]

If you've heard any information about a wand that can reverse these effects for us, you'd be better off sharing now. You don't need to trust me, but I'm as disadvantaged in this situation as you are.

Yeah, I don't think I properly processed anything that happened that night. So I definitely forgot about the dimensional door thing until just now. (which is awkward considering the conversation now hinges on what sasuke's abilities may or may not be, just one more bizarre fact among many.)

No wand like that actually exists. It belongs to an evil villain in that book series I was telling you about. (levels stiles with an endlessly patient look.) And as a weird, unnecessary aside? Sasuke is nothing like Voldemort and I'll just ask him about his powers later. Can we all try to be civil for like, two minutes?

What is with you guys, anyway? Did you pee in each other's cereal or something? Seriously, it's already annoying me and it's been like, five minutes.

(tact? we don't know her.)

[ The chair is abandoned, its cheap, wooden legs screeching unpleasantly against the floor as he stands. Stiles paces the living room in a full circuit before he’s even consciously aware of what he’s doing and by then it’s too late to rein in the neurotic energy coursing through his veins. Frustration is bubbling up within him, but he doesn’t have a name for it yet – knows only that it’s in response to being called out about Sasuke. He feels wronged. Although Jonas is valiantly attempting to steer them back on course, he has to correct the assumption being made here. ]

Okay, first off? The wand never belonged to Voldemort. That was like, the entire plot point of the last book. Second, if I thought Sasuke was like Voldemort, believe me when I tell you: I’d just say that then.

[ And it’s true. Stiles has never held back on his opinion where it concerned people he found untrustworthy. It's probably too soon for Jonas to know that, admittedly. ]

The wand was just a comparison to how powerful his abilities sound, okay? I wasn’t –

[ Why does it seem like he’s the one always under fire? Hyperconscious of it now, Stiles replays the last several hours: Jonas telling him off for defending himself against Sasuke’s aggravated accusations, Jonas calling him selfish, Jonas assuming he was comparing Sasuke to Voldemort. He had to have done something to piss Jonas off. Or maybe Jonas is just freakishly protective of Sasuke (for reasons he can’t even begin to fathom). Or…is Stiles honestly out of line here and unable to see it? ]

This is me being civil, alright? I don’t… I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. So, tell me.

[ Hearing that the wand is fake and another joke he's not privy to in spite of a brief glimmer of hope is agitating, but expected. They share references with one another, just as they do with a vast number of people here who are also from Earth, and reminding them that they take that for granted is a topic for another day. Right now it'll just steer them off course again, so he swallows it. Repression is his number one skill. ]

"Civil" is as far as we've gotten. [ Which is an agreement with Stiles, of a kind. ]

... our first meeting was negative. I asked him a personal question and I'm not repeating it, but I'm not a tactful person and he wasn't the only one it upset.

We've collaborated since then, but when he questioned me about my past while being still unwilling to answer my previous question or tell me about the dream, I stopped speaking with him for a while because I thought he was a hypocrite. It's obvious that my abilities also bother him, which is a warranted fear if there's a lack of trust between us.

He can tell you what he disagrees with in my assessment.

(stares at stiles until he's taken a breath, wondering how the hell they even got off on such a wild tangent.

harry potter of all things—he almost laughs, but manages to keep a straight face with a shake of his head.) Okay, but it's not the time or place for discussing young adult novels is my point... I'll man up and admit I misinterpreted you saying, "He wants the Elder Wand," which– I don't know, I feel was a rational way to interpret that. But I'm frustrated, so that's on me.

(jonas sinks down the back of the couch into a far less alert posture, trying to capitalize on the relief he feels that they can have nonsense conversations right now. hours ago they were all worrying over each other, tangentially or otherwise. now they're piled into the same room, slinging misinterpretations around. it's nice to step back, put it all into perspective.

the calm he adopts now is almost enlightened. zen.)

Everything that's happened so far has been avoidable. So why don't we all start over, hang onto the good things that've happened and... use them as starting points to kick off from?

Stiles doesn't have to answer douche-y, extremely personal questions, and Sasuke doesn't have to be an easy-going role model. (they're not beholden to anything the either says or does, at least not yet if they're only acquaintances tolerating one another—incidentally, he'd like them to be closer because he thinks the three of them might cooperate well, but that's not something that can be pushed. they're sitting here to clear up misunderstandings.) And I don't have to know the right thing to say or do off the cuff. Okay?

I like you guys a lot. I'm not the most popular guy, so I'm glad you seem to like me too. Can we find common ground, or...?

[ Early morning light spills into the living room as the sun rises. The small motes of dust floating in the air distract Stiles, who hardly knows how to process the black, bleak amusement he suddenly feels. It’s enlightening to hear, from Sasuke’s perspective, where things have gone wrong; naturally, it’s completely out of alignment from his own perspective. Stiles listens quietly to Jonas, eyes still tracking the dust particles, and wonders if he can bridge the gap. If he even wants to. But the answer is apparent. The answer is seated across the couch from Sasuke, looking far too tired. ]

You’re the most popular guy in this room, [ he says, not quite smiling. Stiles can’t emotionally manage meeting either of their gazes right now, so he continues to space out. ] If we’re going to find common ground, let me clear the air.

[ I’m not doing well, he should admit. Sasuke pushes me past what I can pretend to handle. Floorboards creak beneath his weight. Stiles hides the quiver in his hands by shoving them under his armpits under the illusion of being cold. ]

I didn’t care that much about the stupid question. [ But only because he knew he’d never answer it. ] You didn’t actually piss me off until you –

[ Even the memory of the moment heats his blood. Stiles falters, trying to put into words what happened and finding himself at a loss. Describing it sounds so childish. ]

Don’t grab me like that again, [ is all he eventually says, teeth grit. ] I don’t think you get how…dehumanizing it was. It was like –

[ Like he had no real autonomy of his own. Like it was perfectly normal for a stranger to manhandle him. Like every other point in his life where someone stronger and faster and better has tossed him around because they could. Stiles shakes his head. ]

…Forget it. Anyway, I’m sorry again for not talking about the dream. Nothing happened, really. You helped me avoid detection in a village of Monster-fearing cavemen, I watched over you so you could rest. The sun was wearing you out, I think. During the speed dating thing, you mentioned someone else brought up the dream with you. Guess I assumed that, if you didn’t already know you were a Vampire, they might have mentioned it. It was dumb. Sorry.

[ This long-winded spiel of confessions is exhausting him. Stiles tries to plow through the rest of the issues. ]

I am a hypocrite. [ And he’s okay with that. Jonas probably wouldn’t approve, so he keeps that to himself. ] Your abilities freak me out, yeah, I’m not ashamed to acknowledge that. It’s why I wanted to know about your background. I was trying to understand how you’ve used them in the past. I don’t know you and I sure as hell don’t trust you as far as I can throw you. (Yeah, I know. Not far. That’s the point.) I’ve only ever seen people abuse power like that. Why should you – a stranger with a bad personality – be any different?

[ It isn’t meant as an accusation, but as an observation. ]

[ Sasuke, perhaps also hypocritically, takes a moment to marvel at Jonas's "frustration" and how it's made manifest. Quiet, addressed with a resigned sort of humor. Deflated.

The same sort of qualities he sees in Stiles, though each of them builds and loses steam as they carry on with what they need to say. It's... a lot of words. A lot of talking; his mouth is already dry from overuse. Here he is, Uchiha Sasuke, disaffected vigilante, sitting on a couch and discussing his differences with two troubled teenagers. Having his assumptions and misunderstandings corrected in a peaceful, measured way. Everything about it feels foreign. ]

... I see. You're right, I don't understand it, but it's not necessary for me to. [ That's not his goal, not yet. They can start smaller, and smaller is simply him avoiding the action in the future. ]

I don't expect your trust and I've said that before. Even given that, however, I think it's wiser to assume I'll help you with my powers when it's all I've done while I've been here. You also have comparatively little to lose; we're already trapped here and have our transformations set in stone. If I wanted to kill you, I could already. [ Which is only a tentative comfort at best.

It's also a significant dodging of the point and any responsibility there might be for him to prove himself to be someone who hadn't done what Stiles is accusing him of. ]

(mediators are always the impartial safe ground, looked to for objective responses and positive reinforcement. jonas isn't often in this position, he's usually the one hurrying things along and cracking ill-timed jokes to lighten the mood, but he isn't feeling it. they have real issues to bring up and he invited them to.

he stays silent for the majority of the conversation, finding it unnecessary to weigh in. he's perfectly content to watch them, listen, and absorb the information he's able to draw from their positions.

interjecting on one point, however, has him moving his head to get a good squint in at sasuke.) Hold up a sec. "If I wanted to kill you I could," doesn't inspire confidence. Doesn't matter if that's your goal or not, or whether that's doable or... whatever. Telling someone that is– it's like, needlessly intimidating. (and gets him thinking.

trusting both of them is easy when they've helped him consistently since he arrived, but he'll have to start asking them questions when he'd rather just... coast. )

No one here owes anyone anything. Except fair treatment, I guess, but I think we're all... not terrible at that.

[ The interjection from Jonas should come as a relief, but instead it reminds Stiles unhappily of how different their circumstances are. He hadn’t even blinked at the implicit threat of those words; yeah, Sasuke almost certainly could kill him if desired. Everyone he spent time with in Beacon Hills could too – both his friends and his enemies. Being in a constant state of danger has become so normalized for him now. Jonas’ protest is like a bucket of cold water dumped over his head, waking him up.

With a shiver, Stiles flops down gracelessly in the chair once more. This time, he sits sideways in it so he can look out the window, legs tucked up against his chest. The glass of water remains untouched at the foot of the furniture, collecting motes of dust unseen in the shadows. ]

There’s a lot to lose, [ he disagrees in a murmur, though he doesn’t elaborate. Clearing his throat, he addresses Jonas, ] Right, so. I said my piece.

[ Stiles won’t comment further on the discussion about Sasuke’s powers; his stance hasn’t changed and he won’t risk an argument when Jonas is working so hard to keep things peaceful. Might as well move on, in his opinion. ]

Hm.

[ A noncommittal noise that nevertheless signals that he's processing Jonas's words, trying again to contextualize them based off of a marked lack of experience with peaceful circumstances. ] If I don't trust someone, it's natural for me to wonder first if they have violent intentions. It's not a threat.

[ Is this an apology? It's hard to say, honestly, especially when he's feeling the strain of needing to speak again. Stiles appears to be done, so what has he left unsaid for his part? How thorough does this need to be? ]

... I accept your apology. I'll leave the matter of my abilities for another day and instead work on it independently. [ A pause. ] And I won't grab you like that again. [ Here he stops to look at Jonas, as if waiting for approval. ]

(his cup goes untouched, a testament to how closely he's following this conversation. it acts as a middling area for his eyes to drift to when they're exchanging words; he barely blinks.)

That was good, guys. I feel... (will his encouragements sound condescending, like he knows the first thing he's talking about?) ... well, anyway, thank you for agreeing to this.

(suddenly sits up to make a real show of checking his watch, before pushing off of his thighs.) Didn't really have anything planned for after, but I gotta' get going here in a minute. Zelda's expecting me in a couple hours, so I'm gonna' figure out where to go and... jet.

[ Stiles takes Sasuke’s word to heart, nodding briefly. Now that they’ve reached an accord, it’s almost embarrassing to realize how easy talking things out was – but he knows they never would have made it this far without Jonas’ intervention. He snorts quietly to himself, imagining their friend with a pair of spectacles and a notebook, seated beside a chaise longue where a therapy patient waits. That amusing mental image quickly dissipates as it becomes clear Jonas intends to leave; eyes widening, Stiles realizes that he might be expected to see Sasuke out. No thanks. They’ve made progress and he’s not eager to undo everything literally five minutes afterwards. He all but launches himself out of the armchair. ]

Awesome, that’s great, remember to tell her I said hi, glad she wasn’t mauled to death by a bear, it was good seeing you Sasuke, I’m just gonna –

[ And he’s gone. Stiles dashes back up the stairs, the sound of his bedroom door opening and then closing. ]

[ It's a strange kind of entertainment to watch the changes in Stiles's facial expression, from amusement to awkwardness to quiet horror to a forced casualness all in a flash. And then he's gone. Incredible. ]

You don't need to-- [ The door closes, somewhere in the distance. ] --lie.

... a couple of hours? And yet you gave him a way out that early.

(watches him sprint to his room, sighing out some amusement.)

And why not? Didn't he look like he needed it? (stiles was wasting away in that chair, stressed to high heavens; doesn't take a genius.) I do have to map the walk... never been out that way.

(ducking his head to check his pockets for cigarettes, remembering he's out. he'll be rolling his own now.)

Still coming?

Edited 2020-02-22 06:11 (UTC)

Yes. He's bad at explaining himself and dealing with moods he finds uncomfortable.

[ Which is... incredible coming from him, and he actually takes the moment to bask in that realization. Had he handled that better than another person? Any other person? He finds himself wondering not for the first time and not for the last what else is going on with Stiles, but venturing anywhere close to asking outright has ended badly.

Sasuke stands then, straightening new clothes as he approaches. ]

Fine, we'll go. It's for the best if I take a look at empty houses along the way anyhow.

this is the life you see

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