The Roof | Afternoon | Sunday | July 11

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

It felt like a day to get out of his room. Really, everyday felt like that but today more than others. He was getting that restless, walls closing in feeling that he tended to get every few months. It'd put him into a bad mood (though he hadn't gotten out of that from a few days ago) and made him snappy and irritable.

That, naturally, brought him to the roof and had him sprawled out on the edge of the roof, cigarette stuck between his lips, earbuds in his ears playing some raucously loud, and hand tucked underneath his head. It was warm and he'd probably get some sun but he wasn't one to burn. Benefit of coming from the Midwest where you either got sun or you moved.

At least he'd foregone walking along the ledge of the roof and probably causing a panic in a few people that didn't know him. He was being safe by contrast. Laying on the roof's ledge meant he'd have to roll over to fall instead of missing a step and falling. Completely safer.

[Roof's open. Summer is too long.]

Comments

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Rolling off you in waves." Or not. "What's got you in such a fine mood?" she asked dryly, offering his cigarette back.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Stuff," he said oh so helpfully before taking that cigarette back. "I punched a door the other day."

He wiggled his still bruised but much less so hand at her. "Anger management issues, you know. Inherited. I just felt too closed in today. I needed to get out."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy spared a glance at his hand, registering the bruising briefly. "More or less satisfying than punching people?" she wondered idly, having never really done either.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Less but Griff wasn't around to start a fight," he mused, snickering quietly. "But enough about my life, what've you been up to? Entertaining the masses with your presence or just brooding in your room?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Entertained Griff, watching him flit around the library." The little showoff. Suspected that watching her reaction had entertained him at least a little.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Oh, he showed you that?" Alex asked, amused now. "Yeah, the little fucker likes to use that trick when we fight. He thinks it makes him smart, I think it makes him scared of me. I'm right."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Of course you are." Doubted anyone could convince him otherwise.

"Ever hear about playing to your strengths?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"And what are my strengths?" he asked breezily, smiling up at her. "Enlighten me, oh wise British girl."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Taller," she noted, "Probably stronger." Although around here you could never really tell. "Your advantage." On the other hand, "He uses... that, to compensate."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Don't tell him you think I'm stronger," Alex said, smirking. "He'd probably start pouting and argue with you. Besides, playing to your strength doesn't always work. If someone wants to hurt you, they'll find a way and they'll make it hurt."

Alex probably wasn't talking completely about Griff there.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Knowing Alex like she did, she imagined not.

"People are shit like that," she agreed, looking out towards the skyline for a few moments. "But you can't say it won't help you sometimes."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, helped me put my dad's ass in the hospital," he said, sounding a little disgusted but mostly resigned. "I guess that helped in the long run."

Well, his life still sucked but there was no abusive prick in the picture anymore.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Effy was calling that a positive effect. Bastard deserved everything he got there, from what she could understand.

"Something that needed to be done, right?" Felt like it to her.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Depends on who you ask." He thought so. Sometimes his mother's opinion different. "My mom doesn't always think so. That's fun to hear."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"I'm asking you." Not her.

Sometimes, people didn't recognise what was bad for them. Alex's mom, she suspected, was one of those.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"My opinion doesn't matter," Alex said flatly, closing his eyes again. He was having a bit of a self pity day. Beware. "No one cares what I think why even bother?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Right." Effy rolled her eyes, a little irritation creeping in. "No one. Of course." So, why did she ask? Those discussions about giving a shit, really got lost somewhere along the way.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex heard the irritation there and almost smiled. It was still nice to know he could get under her skin that way. He couldn't help it, he was out to be irritating and a little pissy today. Happened sometimes.

"You sound like you think I'm wrong," he said, opening an eye to peer up at her. "Just say what you're thinking, Effy."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"That mean you're not answering my question?" He was dodging around it in a way she well recognized.

And was kind of doing herself right now. Details.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"It needed to be done," he said tightly. That didn't mean that he liked it much or felt good at it. "Your turn. Answer my question."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. You're wrong." Simple as that. And she was sure he'd try to argue that point, because, this was Alex, and being wrong was not something he'd take easily.

People gave a shit. She did. He knew it, and was just being fucking overdramatic today.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Being overdramatic was a talent and he hadn't done it in so long. He hadn't felt quite as he did in awhile though so he thought he had reason, at least.

"You think so?" he asked, looking at her a little more sharply. "I dunno, I'm starting to wonder. People can say they care all they want. I've been smacked in the face with how fucking much that's not true lately."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy huffed wry breath, glancing back at him. "Really." A brief shrug came out before she continued. "Hows that then?" Couldn't help but feel a part of that was getting aimed at her. Perhaps she was paranoid, but-- Whatever.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"How's what?" Alex asked, looking over at her now that he'd gotten himself a little worked up about things. Unfortunately for her, she was just getting caught in the crossfire of his stressed out anger.

"How's it been smacking in the face?" he asked once he figured out what the question was. "How much time do you have?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Sunday afternoon," she reminded him. "Fucking tonnes." And she was wasting it sniping back and forth with him. Great plan. "Well?"