5th Floor Common Room, Monday morning before class

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael was cooking breakfast again. He'd had some trouble deciding on what to go for, so there were a variety of foods spread out on the counter.

All comers were welcome to request their favourites.

[ooc: open as common rooms are!]

Comments

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael actually laughed at that, but it was bitter and harsh and more like a sob.

"Hank wasn't trying to be a fucking father! He wanted me so they'd keep giving him beer money and he told me that. The only thing I had to keep going was Max and Isabel, and I got to look at their perfect family all that time, so don't tell me you don't assume, Liir."

He slammed out from behind the sink and past the other boy, towards the door.

"Enjoy your pancakes."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

His arm flashed out almost faster than he'd thought he could, grabbing Michael's with one hand in a firm grip.

Why had he done that? He'd gone and acted like her, just as uselessly as she ever had... he'd gone and gotten upset, and while there'd been a sort of strange visceral thrill that he reminded himself to explore, it certainly hadn't helped anything.

"Wait."

Not even a heartbeat.

"Please."

And he let go of Michael's arm.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael had gone, instinctively, to lash out at Liir the moment he felt the hand on his arm - but then it was gone, and he managed to pull most of the force of the hit.

He didn't look at Liir, but he did stop.

"What?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He didn't even dodge. If Michael would have hit him, he would have hit him.

Such was life.

"The Unnamed God seems to have fucked us both," he said quietly. "And I just thought it was sort of..." stupid "unnecessary that we decided that the best idea was to get angry at each other over it."

He let himself pause a second before he went on.

"Does it really matter how the clothes get clean as long as they're clean?"

But what he was really asking was

Does it really matter how damaged we are as long as we don't let them win by making ourselves miserable?

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael stood in his place and took a long breath, releasing it slowly. Then he turned his head to look at Liir.

"Guess not." And that was the closest he'd get to an apology. He had his pride, still.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

There was a long pause before he said anything back.

Then.

"Do you like to bake as well?"

That was as close to an apology as he'd get from Liir. He didn't have pride, but there was something about this experience that had him pretending he did.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Not as much as cooking meals. Some, though. For special occasions."

Mostly Max or Isabel's birthday. And for that, no one but them had known he'd done it.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He nodded.

"Well," he said carefully, "if you ever smell cookies coming from third floor... feel free to come down."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael nodded slowly, hearing the words under the words.

"I will. Thanks."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir gave him half a smile.

But only half. He didn't want to push it.

"And you're welcome for tea. Whenever."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Tea's pretty good", Michael said, with a similar smile. "Go eat your breakfast, it'll be cold."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It's still food," he said with a brief nod.

Then he turned back around and headed to the counter to eat his breakfast.