the avatar state / implies emotional pain / or perfect control

[roc_on]

Jun did a show last night, so maybe he's holding it together well enough to do a lesson today. It'd sure help take Beila's mind off things; maybe it'd do the same for him. She can always fly away again if he's not feeling it.

Knock knock?

Comments

[thinklikethis]

"No! I mean - that is - technically a possible interpretation of events, but like - you know I have some pretty legitimate reasons to sympathize here, all right?"

[roc_on]

"Crossed my mind."

Among other things.

[thinklikethis]

Dao sighs.

"Jun, you seem like you're the least freaked-out person here for some reason, anything to say?"

[fiery_delights]

"I'm starting to get the feeling that there's a story here and it's about highly inappropriate coping mechanisms," he says.

[thinklikethis]

"Um. Yeah," says Dao. "Yeah, that's pretty much... that's pretty much the story. And I was trying to help him find better coping mechanisms, and it was working really well, and then suddenly you're here and also his brother? I'm very confused about that part."

[roc_on]

"It's a heck of a series of coincidences. Are we sure it is not time to award you your first 'congratulations, you have got caught up in dangerous shenanigans because you're the Avatar's boyfriend' badge?"

[thinklikethis]

"I am pretty sure that if he'd known I was your boyfriend he wouldn't have kidnapped me because he is not super super dumb," says Dao.

[roc_on]

"Being super dumb is not the only reason to kidnap my boyfriend."

[thinklikethis]

Dao makes a frustrated sound and hugs Spider, who has been remaining small and scared and miserable this whole time.

[fiery_delights]

"The coping mechanisms thing sounds pretty reasonable to me. 'Nothing else is helping my emotional state, why not try murder?' is the kind of thought process being raised by that man will tend to give you. I was lucky enough to find out how much I liked performance art long before I was pushed that far, but I did my share of stupid, destructive things as a teenager."

[thinklikethis]

"The picture I'm getting of your dad from the things you guys say about him is really unpleasant," says Dao.

[fiery_delights]

"He was a really unpleasant person."

[roc_on]

Beila can't think of anything helpful to say.

[thinklikethis]

"Beila, you look - I have no idea but it's worrying me," says Dao.

[roc_on]

"What, exactly, are you worried will happen?"

[thinklikethis]

"I'm worried you're going to not believe me about stuff, or believe me and not care, and you'll end up wanting to do something that hurts my friend, and - nobody needs to do anything that hurts him, okay, the problem is solved, we have solved the problem. No more murder."

[roc_on]

"You have solved the problem? How'd you do that?"

[thinklikethis]

"Better coping mechanisms!"

[fiery_delights]

"Seems like this might go better if you'd tell us what those were."

[thinklikethis]

...Dao hugs Spider some more.

"I - can I tell them," he says. "Please."

[in_silk]

"I'm scared," murmurs Spider in a tiny tiny voice.

[roc_on]

When one has nothing constructive to say, one should be a quiet Avatar.

[thinklikethis]

"I know," says Dao. "I'm sorry. But look, you wouldn't be here if you weren't really good at being scared and still doing stuff, right? And pretty much the only way I see out of this where everybody gets to be happy is if we convince Beila that you actually aren't going to murder any more people."

He looks up from hug to address his girlfriend.

"Beila. If you're convinced he's actually not going to murder any more people, will you like, not get him arrested or fight him or anything, and just let him go not murder people in peace?"

[roc_on]

Sigh.

"My dad knows where we are."

[thinklikethis]

"Fuuuuuck," says Dao. "Like. Knows you're here and knows you think there's a bone-stealing serial killer around?"