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[pabugotmoves]

Huh? Oh-- You've reached Bolin!
Yeah, I'm a pretty busy guy but leave me a message and I'll beep you back

Comments

[pabugotmoves]

Of course it is. You're the only one who can steer your boat. But how do you mean?

[royalfling]

Well, I need more space. We could go look, together.

[ Wink wink, nudge nudge ]

[pabugotmoves]

For more space or more clothes?

[But he does finish his tea and start the process of stowing his beautiful new blanket and pulling on his jacket.]

[royalfling]

Obviously both.

[ And a place to stash his brother in law. He accepts his tea gratefully. ]

I think the show's going to be a hit. You know, when the whole cast is alive.

[pabugotmoves]

[He is confused but you know what... it doesn't matter. It would be nice to spend some time with him. Assuming this isn't a MAKO TRAP AFTER ALL.

But still watch him foxtrotting right into it if it is.]

Yeah? Honestly, I'm feeling good about it, man. This cast have some real acting chops.

[royalfling]

[ No Mako trap, just a house trap. You know, a safe place to live that isn't an airless bunker in the ground. ]

They do! All that talent was just sitting there, untapped. We have to release it, Bolin. We're the only ones who can.

[ Dramatic, much? ]

[pabugotmoves]

[... sssnnnnnrrrrrkkkk don't think about it, don't think about it, don't make it gross, no, bad, don't do it Bolin.]

[royalfling]

[ Wu certainly catches that laugh. And looks at Bo. And double takes.

And then leans over to slap him lightly. ]

Bolin! Bolin, gross!

[pabugotmoves]

I'm sorry!!! I'm sorry, it's Ryan's fault! He makes everything dirty all the time

[royalfling]

[ Oh, Ryan... and yet, Wu has to jump to his defense ]

It's not all the time.

[pabugotmoves]

[Oh, Ryan. The universal revelation.]

It's most of of the time, bud.

We spent all night making sex jokes about the show.. oooh that reminds me. I need to buy him some flowers.

[Which in Trench is apparently the equivalent of Tiffany diamonds but here we are.]

C'mon, let's head to the market.

[royalfling]

Why do you need to buy him flowers?

[ Wu isn't exactly thinking that, but he also isn't thinking that. Ryan has a boyfriend, after all.

He finishes his tea and pushes himself up, dusting himself off. An unfinished, earth-bent chair isn't the neatest thing ]

Ryan does... know a lot. [ About sex. And other things. He really is a revelation ]

[pabugotmoves]

Well, we're a stage couple now.

[And a good boyfriend shows he cares!

Bo cleans his ear with his pinkie as he speaks and opens the door for them with Pabu chasing up behind with a small coil purse in his mouth.]

Plus I said I would.

[royalfling]

I guess you are!

[ It doesn't stop him from watching Bolin for a long moment. He needs to ask Ryan about this later. ]

Well, I can help! Maybe I should get some for Mako...

[ Seeing as, he's starting to smoke and burn up at stuff.

Except, maybe bringing up Mako isn't the best idea. He glances back at Bolin just to check that he isn't going to freeze up again. ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Wu isn't wrong because it does make Bolin pause.

It feels awful when the mention of his brother's name is enough to make his feet go cold. It feels awful that this whole thing is happening. Wu is incredibly diplomatic and can be really clever.. maybe this was a rouse.]

Maybe um. You know, maybe I should stay here after all. I have a lot of sequins to sew..

[royalfling]

[ Wu pauses where he is, standing stalk still, his eyes on Bolin. ]

I'm not going to make you see Mako. Unless you want to! He's just-- [ Not having a good time, either. But Bolin probably doesn't need to know that, right now. That would be guilting him. ]

Come on, Bolin! You can't just stay in here.

[pabugotmoves]

[Poor Wu in the middle of all this. What an impossible situation.

And Bolin can recognize that. Which is.. growth?

He takes a moment, and a breath, forcing himself to just.. push through. You're a big boy, Bolin. Act like one. This isn't easy for any of them but here Wu is trying anyway.]

Yeah, no.. pphhh.. you're right. You're right, let's go. Maybe some retail therapy will help.

[royalfling]

Retail therapy always helps.

[ Good. Good! He can get Bolin some fresh air at least. Even if this isn't for Mako, he can at least tell Mako that Bolin got outside. That's a good thing.

He turns toward the "door" and realizes very quickly that he can't open it. ]

Ah... I need a hand here, buddy.

[pabugotmoves]

Oh- Sorry. [He nearly laughs and opens the door, rubbing the back of his head. He's been so lost in his own thoughts lately it was easy to forget the was in control of things as small and vital as whether the door could open.

Then again.. maybe it was nice to have control over something in his life right now. Another reason for the hole, really.

And despite the cold, the fresh air and friend by his side would do him an incredible amount of good. He had money, or what passed for it, and now had a reason worth leaving. It would never cease to surprise Bolin how expensive simple things could be in this new city, but it was just one more reminder of how different it was from home. A flower from Fu Lu Market cost one yuan. A nice bouquet cost fifty. But here, even without a currency system he could translate, they were astronomical. With nothing growing naturally that could be picked for free, he hoped the gesture wouldn't be lost on Ryan.

Bolin opened his little purse by it's delicate strings and rifled through the gems he had inside, pulling out a large paleblood stone which he thought would be enough and and turned it between his fingers. The opal, for lack of better words, was already carved into a perfectly circular cabochon as if it had been removed from a setting. Which was correct, because it had. ]

Last time I bought a flower it wasn't so cold out. I hope there are any..

[Not really the conversation they should be having but a gentle way to ease into it. He would have to work himself back around to the subject of his brother. It isn't as though he doesn't care, he cares a lot, it just hurts.]

[royalfling]

Well, if there aren't any, maybe Fern can grow some for you.

[ Wu waits for him, shivering in the cold, watching Bolin contemplate the gem. He wants to talk about it, too, but he doesn't want to force it. Not quite yet, even if he desperately wants to. He wants to have done with this, so Mako will stop sulking around the loft, so Bolin won't look so pensive. It's so wrong, to see him like this instead of his usual bubbly, loud self. ]

And it's for Ryan, right? I don't know if he really has, ah, an eye for flowers. I didn't know you were supposed to get your stage partner anything...

[pabugotmoves]

[Oh, Fern! Of course! That's such a good idea. If this doesn't work out then he will do that, Bolin makes a mental note but shrugs a little in reply.]

Well, no, I know. But I've never had a stage boyfriend before and I want to put my best foot forward. And all my relationships have been a mess so I want to do this right.

[royalfling]

What, ah, what does a stage boyfriend do?

[ Because, he's starting to get a little sus of this, Bolin. But at least Bolin isn't trying to hide anymore, and the dark cloud when he mentioned Mako is mostly gone. ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Busy hands serves to clear away the shadows. He hasn't had much of a purpose lately besides the musical and that's on hold while Dean is.. away. So this is good. It helps.]

Um.

[That's a good question.]

I dunno. The same thing a regular boyfriend does but on stage? Ryan and I are partners now so he deserves the same level of respect.

[royalfling]

Okay, but-- yes, of course he deserves respect, but, [ what is he even trying to say? He doesn't know. This is confusing, but if Bolin wants to do this, fine ]

I think that's what they call method acting.

[pabugotmoves]

Oh, there's a name for it? Cool.

[WAY TO FURTHER JUSTIFY THIS HAPPENING WU WHAT A GOOD HELPER]

I guess it's that, then.

[It's nothing to get to the nearest lamp and port to Willful Machine. the days might be dark and bitterly cold but that doesn't stop commerce from churning away.]

Okay.. I want something nice that says... hello. And I appreciate you. And I'm not going to enslave you or steal your van. We've got the budget so whatever it takes.