IC Contact Post

[pale_blue_arrow]

This is Brendan Frye. If it's urgent, you might have a better chance o' tracking me down on foot. If I'm not answering, chances are I've gotten in over my head with something, not that I'm refusin' to give you the time of day. So leave me some words and I'll get back to you as soon as I don't have a fire to put out.

Comments

[pale_blue_arrow]

Hey. What'd you need words over? I'm not in trouble, am I? 'Cause I actually haven't done anything for once.

[h2no]

Naw, 'course not.

[he shrugs.]

Just wanted ta let ya know I'm gonna be movin' out soon. I got a place that's a bit off the beaten track and bigger so I can let my team out a bit more. 'Specially Muk.

[pale_blue_arrow]

[Brendan leans against the nearest wall, trying to act cool. This is fine. This is - well no, it's not, but he kind of has it coming, after everything he's pulled. Eventually someone was going to get tired of him and move out. He just didn't think it would be Archie, at least not without more of a discussion first.

His first instinct is to downplay everything, but it's not easy.] Fair enough. Who gets the rabbits?

[h2no]

That's actually somethin' I wanted to mention...

I don't mind if ya wanna come with me, ya know? It's a big place and we could put up a proper run for 'em and Scarlett...

[pale_blue_arrow]

...you actually want me to tag along? [Brendan's tone is flat and disbelieving.] After I hid pipe bombs in the attic, you really wanna have me in your joint twice?

[h2no]

[archie just shrugs helplessly.]

I don't think the rabbits should be separated from ya, and maybe bein' in the country with a bunch of space'll do you some good.

[pale_blue_arrow]

The country? How far out we talkin'? [Brendan is a city kid, born and bred. San Clemente was inbetween LA and San Diego, for Christ's sake; he never set foot outside of a city in his lifetime and his idea of rural was moving to a slightly smaller city. This would be a lot of change out of the blue.

He puts his hands in his pockets.] 'm not sure I'd know what to do with myself out in the country. Besides, I got a boyfriend here, y'know? Staying where I can sprint to the Porter is kinda important.

[h2no]

Not that far, 'bout 20 minutes on a bus. Ya can still see the city from it, really. You don't have to, I just wanted to give you the option, is all.

[he shrugs again.]

I'm gonna have a guest room, so you can stay whenever you want. With your boyfriend too, if that's what happens.

[pale_blue_arrow]

[Brendan gives him a look that indicates that's incredibly far, by his standards.] Do I have time to think about this or are you gonna be up and out by tomorrow?

[h2no]

I'm not goin' until October, so you got time. An', I mean, you can always come down after.

Like I said, you don't have to stay, either. If ya just need a getaway for a while then that's fine too.

[pale_blue_arrow]

...I'll think about it. I know Hunk would appreciate never having to see my ugly mug again, so - he going, or staying here?

[h2no]

I mentioned it to him earlier... I think he's moving out because some more of his team have arrived and he wants to be with them.

...I just wanted ya to know I'm not leavin' because of you or anythin'. I just can't let Muk out as much as I want and his body can start to break apart if he doesn't get the right exercise.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Or he's moving out because, y'know. I made pipe bombs an' stuck them in the attic and that's a level of crazy nobody's willing to deal with. That's a distinct possibility.

I'm not gonna ask you t' stay. Splitting is better for the rabbits and Muk and probably your other Pokemon, too. It's fine.

[h2no]

I can't speak for him, whatever his reasons are are his own.

Well, hey, I know I don't reciprocate your flirtin', but I do actually consider you a friend.

[pale_blue_arrow]

He's pissed. Why you're not is a mystery.

I make passes at you to get a rise out of you. I don't actually think of you that way. And I can fend for myself just fine. Did it for years before this.

[h2no]

Because I think I get why you did it.

[being irrational? boy oh boy does archie get it.]

Ha! I got one outta you! Maybe you could ask if your boyfriend wants to move in now?

[pale_blue_arrow]

That doesn't make it less crazy or deranged.

...I don't think anybody'd wanna move in with me. I mean, I. [He shoves his hands a little deeper into his pockets, retreating into his jacket - the jacket Emily gave him, back when things were good.] Shit, Manabu's tryin' to be a cop. You think he'd wanna move in with a guy like me?

[This was not the rise you were hoping to get, was it, Archie?]

[h2no]

Well, he obviously likes ya enough as you are right now.

[archie reaches out and gives brendan's shoulder a squeeze.]

You're not a lost cause, Brendan. You can be with him and you can be happy, because you deserve to be.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Liking and moving in together are different levels, Archie. I dunno if he thinks of me that way, that's - that's up a notch, definitely, from how we are now.

An' if I ask him and it all goes south? What then? You've seen me when a bridge gets burnt, it's a disaster.

[h2no]

Yeah, okay, that one's on me. Way too soon.

[he rubs the back of his head.]

I don't mind puttin' it off a bit until we can figure this out. I got some renovatin' I wanna do in it anyway.

[pale_blue_arrow]

Not sure if this is the greatest time to be asking him about wedding plans anyway. He's, uh, he's kinda in a spot, right now. Even I've got more tact than that.

You gonna get better fences? So nobody can pull any shit with the rabbits again, I mean. Shoulda suggested that when you got 'em but I managed to overlook that obvious security flaw.

[h2no]

Well, I'm gonna see if Red wants to hang out so they might have a literal dragon guardin' them sometimes. Other than that, there's a spot near the back door where Mightyena's bed'll be so he'll probably spot anything that happens. Motion sensin' lights, too.

[he scratches his beard.]

...Not to mention Crobat'll be hanging around at night. He could literally kill anyone who tries it. Didn't before because of course that was the one night I didn't let him out his ball.

[pale_blue_arrow]

I could've suggested an indoor place for 'em and avoided all this. If I was more on the ball, they'd've never been taken.

[h2no]

Ya couldn't have known they would've been taken. You just don't think people are gonna be that fucked up, bro.

[pale_blue_arrow]

I come from a pretty fucked up hometown. I shoulda known, Archie. It's not like I haven't seen people with security ratcheted up to 11 get their houses broken into, you'd've thought I'd've learned.