thedifferencebetween | Ryslig Inbox

What? Everybody's sad and lonely their first couple months here, and you...you're all full of feelings and crap anyway.

[He's not trying to be mean, it's just a fact. The other guy is a squishy hearted guy, for a Vault Hunter that's killed like...all the people.]

Oh come on, you stay out all friggin night, don't even drop me a line to let me know you're okay... you kind of owe me an explanation, buddy.

...Especially considering if you were just looking for a little fun, you didn't have to go anywhere.

[Jack is right here. And has made it clear that he is very DTF. And he's just down the friggin hall, Tim doesn't even need to put shoes on!]

[Tim turns again when he's at the top of the stairs, looking down at Jack with annoyance written all over his face. Not about that first part, Jack's totally right in saying that Tim's soft-hearted and full of delicate feelings, that's a hundred percent true. It's the other stuff that he doesn't like.]

Uh, actually, I'm pretty sure I don't? I don't actually have to tell you where I'm going or who I'm with, because you're not my--

[Tim was going to end that sentence with 'dad', but then Jack had to make that little offer and ending it that way would've made it just... exponentially more horrible. No. Just, god, no.]

...Wow, and here I thought this whole conversation couldn't get more uncomfortable, but here we are. [Peak uncomfortable! Thanks, he hates it.] Okay, so, I'm just gonna answer that by saying that I'm not bringing somebody back here, and we're gonna pretend that's what you meant.

[He knows that it isn't, he knows that Jack just offered to have sex with him, but he's not... he's going to just live in determined denial. For his own sake.]

Uh, I am your friggin friend, and I put a roof over your head and feed you and cover your expenses and don't ask you for anything in return. So...yeah, least you could do is tell me what you were up to while I was waiting for you to come home. Or I guess...don't because it's pretty damn clear you were out scoring some strange.

[Which...bugs Jack, a little. What the hell was he into that he went out looking for...whatever the hell he was bumping uglies with last night. Maybe he was with a chick. Sometimes you just really want something specific, Jack can understand that.]

I'm just saying... you don't have to be so sad and lonely. You got options.

[Tim had wanted something specific-- a nice, handsome werewolf named Gorō Majima, and that was something that Jack couldn't give him. Ever.]

I know I have options, Jack, I'm taking one of them.

[It just isn't Jack. Because... god, no, he's always known that Jack wants to fuck him, just because he's that kind of narcissistic, so it's not a surprise. But Tim really has no desire to get down and dirty with his boss, a man who is both insufferable and who Tim is not entirely convinced wouldn't just kill him afterward like a black widow.]

Why are you so bent out of shape about this, anyway? It's not like you don't bring people around all the time. Why is it such a big deal that I've picked somebody up once?

Are you not listening to me? I'm pissed off about the fact you were out all night and I didn't know where you were or if you were even still alive. You don't just not come home, it's different and different is...not cool.

[And okay, yeah, he's jealous but not like he's gonna admit that. His double wants to be that way, fine, Jack's not gonna get into it right here and now. He understands picking the right battlefields.]

But besides that...yeah, it's weird for you to go pick up some rando. And I know a little something about coping mechanisms and dark spirals and shit. It's not like I've failed to notice the drinking and the skipping out to get laid is coinciding with turning into a literal monster. If you're headed for a breakdown, that effects me. In case you haven't noticed, you're kind of a big part of my life here. So don't be a dick.

[Jack is also full of feelings, he's just very bad at expressing them in any human, sane fashion.]

If I tell you that I'll, I don't know, call if I'm going to be super late, will you stop being so weird about this?

[There's a part of Tim that's all sorts of spiteful, that really rankles against this weird, pseudo-paternalistic bullshit that Jack's pulling right now. Like he has the right to dictate what Tim does with his life, or even knows enough about him to be able to tell what's weird behavior and what isn't. For all Jack knows, this is normal! It's not, sure, but the point is that Jack doesn't know him well enough to start telling him what he should and shouldn't be doing. ~~You're not my real dad, Jack.~~]

Who says it's some rando? And, anyway, it's not like I'm going out and getting trashed and going home with somebody every night. I'm not on a downward spiral, I just... I shouldn't have to defend this to you. I'm not trying to be a dick, I just think you're really overreacting?

I'm the one being weird? Uh, you're the one practically pitching a pissy fit 'cause I express some friggin concern over you!

[How is Jack being weird here? He pauses on the stairs, folding his arms and trying very hard to make it clear he's glaring despite his expression never changing.]

And I just assume 'cause I've never seen you with anybody or mention anybody or even talk to anybody on the network. Which is another warning sign right there. Excuse me for being worried, and getting ticked off when you act like I'm an asshole for giving a shit. What, do you just...not understand when someone's trying to look out for you? Are you that sad?

[Jack knows there's some shitty family stuff in his double's past - that had been a big seller for the guy, honestly - but is he just...super broken and messed up and can't recognize someone being nice?]

[Because Jack is clearly being so nice right now...]

[Tim honestly doesn't know what the fuck is happening right now. Somewhere along the way, this conversation completely got away from him-- it is derailed, this train has gone off the tracks and Tim doesn't know how to get it back onto them. How is this real? How is his boss, the guy who sent him into a hundred incredibly dangerous situations without even the slightest concern for his health or safety, actually telling him that he was worried?]

Okay, first off, you're just making... so many assumptions about me and my personal life? And things that just in general are not your business? Just because I'm not talking with people on the network all the time doesn't mean that I don't have a social life! I talk to people! Like, in person!

[Dammit, Tim, you're doing the thing where you're defending yourself when you shouldn't have to defend yourself. He doesn't have to justify his social habits to Jack. Jack doesn't get to judge him when his best friend is a geriatric chupacabra.]

[Also, holy shit, Jack, you're one broken-ass pot calling the kettle black.]

You know what, I'm... I'm just going to go get a shower and we can pick this conversation up at half past never.

[He turns and heads towards his room so that he could get fresh clothes and a towel.]

Hey, all I got to go on is what I see and what you share! And that paints a pretty sad picture, cupcake!

[Jack only takes one further step though, looking up at Tim. He's not the one in the wrong here.]

Fine, be that way! But I'm gonna remember this when you have your breakdown and you're hysterical in the living room or whatever! I tried to friggin help!

[There is just... so much that he wants to yell at Jack, except that it wouldn't do anything but continue this conversation far longer than he ever wanted it to be. And that's what Jack wants, he doesn't want to lose so he'll keep arguing and arguing until he feels like he's won. Well, screw you, Jack, the conversation's over. Everybody loses!]

[The only response that he gets is the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut.]

Edited 2019-03-01 06:13 (UTC)

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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, HANDSOME JACK. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 021.07.222.57 * H.Jack69 has joined 021.07.222.57 <USERNAME> First sentence of message. <BANNED USER> SCREENED MESSAGE. UNSCREEN? Y/N -- sample for when you ban someone <USERNAME> First sentence of message. <USERNAME>** First sentence of message.