inthebiblicalsense | TLV IC Inbox

[Another smile, with another gentler nudge as he spots that look on Ethan's face. As if he knows what he's thinking.]

Yeah.

[It does sound good. Simple. Just... having a life, with nothing too complicated getting in the way.]

You're being cute again.

[He tries to pull himself together, pretending he didn't just have that stupid smile on his face, but he's caught, and he can't find any reason to not want Alexei to know how much he's enjoying himself.]

Am I? [He should get back to the task at hand, but before that-] Just thinking about how much I love you.

Hmm.

[Alexei shifts and leans in, lightly catching Ethan's jaw with his thumb and curled forefinger. He hesitates half an inch from kissing him, just for a moment, then closes that small distance to press their lips together softly and sweetly.

Then he sits back with a satisfied little smile and leans his weight on one elbow.]

Love you, too.

[He's savoring this, though there is a moment of impatience clear on his face when Alexei pauses just for that moment, but it passes.

He wants more of those as soon as he sits back, but he's already been told 'down boy' in the last hour.]

You think I can focus on your project while I sit in your lap?

[Okay, he did kind of bring that on himself. He shakes his head a little, amused.]

You'll be in the way of me seeing anything and I won't be able to watch you making cute faces when you think of things to add. You can sit on my lap when we're done.

[One of them needs to be practical.]

When we're done, I'm going to do more than sit.

[Because he's being good, and no amount of flirting has gotten him much since Alexei got here, but if he has to wait for it, he supposes he can.

Which means he actually will focus, as surprising as it may seem, but there is a goal in mind that he's working towards and thats good enough for him.]

Mm, maybe.

[Alexei is more interested in what he came here for, and more than he thought he might be now that he actually has something to be interested about. If he can actually give a damn about the cabin maybe living in it wouldn't feel like such a chore.

He turns his attention back to the tablet and hums.]

Loft isn't ideal but I like the whole... levels thing. Can we do that?

[Ethan shoots him a look at that maybe, but if he really doesn't want to he has other options.

He thinks about the question for a minute, tapping his stylus against his lips, formulating a concept before slowly nodding.]

Mmmm... yeah, I think I've got an idea.

[setting the nib to the surface, he expands on that reading nook, setting it on a second level with a work space set to the side, a couch and built in shelving in a rough sketxh. He frowns at it for a minute, stylus hovering just above the holoscreen.]

What kind of steps do you like more? A ladder, actual steps, maybe with drawers built in? Spiral if you want to be really fancy?

[The look he gets goes entirely unnoticed.

He's far more invested in what Ethan starts putting to paper, so to speak, even as he wonders just how much he can get away with in terms of comfort given his own status. He knows what he can't have, but for what he can..? Unsure.]

Steps sounds good. Can see myself falling down a spiral staircase. [And he really isn't that fancy.

Then he pauses, huffing out a little breath through his nose.]

This is gonna be something I have to put through Jacob, isn't it...

You'd get tangled in the railing and id have to save you. [He's teasing, but the mental image does make him laugh.

He can catch the frustration though, considering before he shakes his head.]

Probably not. When we're done, you could write the request if you want to go through with it? I think it just has to go through a warden if it's not a weapon or physical change... I'll let you press send too if that helps?

Fuckin' imagine. 'Ethan, help, I'm stuck in the stairs.

[He lightly mocks his own voice and then sobers a little. Putting the request through Jacob is a frustrating idea, not because he dislikes him but because the idea of having to acknowledge their situation outside of the one time he decided to place his boundaries leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

And that isn't Jacob's fault. None of it is. It doesn't make it less aggravating though.]

Nah, don't worry about that. [He rests his head against his hand.] Just kinda... gives it a sour note, I guess.

[There might be a giggle that escapes that he cant help as Alexei mocks himself, shaking his head. Drunk or sober that would be hilarious and he can just imagine walking up with hands raised like 'what the fuck have you done and why, how can I help you'.

Ethan leans a little closer, touching shoulders with him.]

I'm not worrying about it, but it sounds like you are, when there are perfectly good options available to you that might make it feel less...sour. I think Jacob should know, as your friend, so he doesn't get a weird shock when he sees its changed all of a sudden, but this is for you, no one else.

You should get to decide who is actually involved. [It hurts no one for him to do it as independently as the system allows anyways.]

I'm not worrying, I don't—

[He's about to say he doesn't care and stops himself, pushing a hand through his hair instead before returning that nudge with a light one of his own.]

It's made things weird. I can't get used to it, Ethan. I've been trying, you know, to not be pissed at him about it 'cause it isn't as if he asked for it either.

[But it's been weird, ever since Jacob graduated, and he keeps bumping into walls trying to get around it. Alexei lets out a noise, frustrated.]

There's only so far both of us agreeing to just fucking ignore it can go.

[He doesn't have a solution for this, having been the person who was suddenly paired with their friend who adamantly didn't want it, but he knows someone who might.]

I can't really understand how you're feeling, but... Fitz was and still is my best friend.

When we were paired, he was extremely upset with me, but...I don't know. Maybe ask him about it? I can't promise he's going to have the healthiest insight about how to handle the situation, or if he's going to say anything meaningful, but we're mostly okay now.

[It's strange for him, being who he is and feeling the weight of responsibility, trying to ignore it for Fitz, because thats what he needs.]

It...Hurt, though. That change, on either side. I can at least understand that part, and I'm sorry it's happening to you. Just- know that anything I do for Fitz is because I love him, and want to keep him safe... he's my friend first, and maybe Jacob wasn't that close to you, but he protects his people.

It's not a sudden obligation to him to be there for you, that hasn't changed.

I don't need Jacob to protect me. [Grumbled, annoyed, because he knows Jacob is like that but the pairing adds the sense of it being an obligation, a baked-in ulterior motive, even though that isn't the case.]

I just keep having to keep my mouth shut, 'cause if I say what I actually want to I'll only hurt his feelings and there's no fucking point. It won't change anything.

[He frowns down at the table.]

Just don't know what the Admiral was even thinking, forcing it onto either of us.

Do you think I think you need protecting, Alexei? I still want to... even though you're stronger than me, I don't ever like seeing you get hurt.

[He continues to lean, but not too much, enough space in his touch that he hopes the other man doesnt feel like he's crowding him.]

You're starting to sound like me, trying to rationalizing something that can't be rationalized. [He squeezes Alexei's knee gently.]

I know how it feels when you tell me 'stop that', so I won't but... that's a lot of work you're trying to do all by yourself.

What work?

[He frowns a bit, not shifting from the contact but turning his head to look over at the other man.]

And— no, I don't, but that's different.

Rationalizing it, keeping your thoughts to yourself. But that's not... I'm think about myself, how I think, not you. I know it's different.

[He doesn't think this is helping, but if Alexei still wants to talk about it, he isnt going to change the subject quite yet.]

It doesn't come from the same place now, but it did. Jacob's military, if he doesn't see you as a civilian, which I doubt he does, you're like him in ways he can recognize, and so am I. Even when we hated each other he had my back in a crisis.

Just like I might have wanted to punch Phobos in his fucking face, but I'd still cover his ass in a dog fight. Or you were this raging asshole, all the time, but I wasn't going to let anything hurt you if i could help it, even before I loved you.

The Admiral has nothing to do with that. He might see it, but I have doubts he understands it as well as you or I can...

I already fucking told him I'm not one of his army buddies.

[They had that conversation already, and Alexei managing to verbalise why he kept getting so frustrated seemed to help some, but it doesn't take away that unwanted connection forcing them both to be part of a system they aren't interested in participating in.]

... I don't want anything to do with being seen like that by anyone. [His brow furrows again.] I know—... we have similarities. But that isn't special. So do me and Arthur, or me and John. That isn't...

[Huff. He pinches the bridge of his nose then rubs his face quickly.]

I hate... I hate not having control over it. It's just—... another thing that's been pulled out of my hands.

[He at least can understand that kind of frustration. He thought he made choices for himself, had succeeded through his own merit rather than someone else orchestrating every bit of his life for the six years he'd been in the alliance. It had taken him almost a year to full accept that it had even happened at all, that he hadnt been in control.]

Would it help to focus on the things you do have control over?

I know you hate this, and I can't fix it, but I do want to help you. No one likes feeling helpless...

I keep trying to do that. I do. I guess... it's why I came around to this.

[A small gesture at the tablet and the half-done sketches. He's quiet for a few moments.]

I can choose who I spend time with. Who my friends are. What I do with my day and when I do it. [There's an odd, forced evenness about his voice.] But it doesn't take the background noise away. That this place is just a prison, and I'm trapped here.

[He closes his eyes, takes a breath in and lets it out. His fingernails slowly disengage from where they'd dug into his palms.]

... Sorry. [Sigh.] I know you want to fix it, and I know you can't, and I know that's hard. I just can't pretend to be okay all the time.

Acting like and pretending things are fine feels safe...I know that, but... even if its uncomfortable for me? I don't need or want you to feel like you have to pretend with me all the time. That isn't fair to you.

[He gives him a gentle shake, attempting a smile.]

You don't usually talk to me about these things, and...honestly, even if it truly sucks, and I hate that you feel this way, I don't hate that you feel comfortable enough to say something.

I don't have to fix things, as much as I want to. You trusting me to listen, even though we both know im solution oriented, that's...this feels right. That you're not doing it by yourself.

[He studies Ethan for a few quiet moments, then smiles softly and leans over to rest his head against the other man's shoulder. He nudges his head up gently into the curve of Ethan's neck.]

I know I don't have to do it all by myself.

[Alexei has been shown that, and he does understand, even if there are some things he still keeps under wraps.]

But— I'd like to be able to do more of it with you.

[Something warms in his chest, raising his arm and putting it around Alexei to squeeze his shoulder, resting his chin on top of his head.]

I'd like that too, even if I might fuck it up sometimes... I don't do it on purpose, but I think I'm getting better.

We both are, and it's nice, to have the time to grow together, you know? That's...As much as I wish you weren't trapped here, I get to spend this time with you, away from home, the Alliance, the war? [A breath, short before he releases it, pressing a kiss to his hair.]

I couldn't ask for this, but I'm glad we're here together if we have to be here at all.

[Mm. That's nice. Sometimes - a lot more than he used to, really - he prefers these moments of soft intimacy over other, more carnal things. He listens to what Ethan says and lets out a little snort, a huff, but doesn't argue.

Ethan's being sappy. He'll allow it.]

Yeah. [He'd rather not be trapped here too, but he supposes it could be worse...]

... I guess we should sketch out a backup plan in case the Admiral doesn't like the idea of a loft. [Because the Admiral is an ass, and Alexei wants to have something to fall back on so he's not disappointed if he says no.]

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