glaciates | THIRD REBELLION ❅ TEXT

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THIRD REBELLION ❅ TEXT

[A text hits the network around noon. It's very short and to the point, though it's not specifically addressed to anyone.]

How do you tell the difference between someone you're just friends with and someone you're romantically interested in?

[...Obviously it comes from Isaac. No one else could fail social on this level. At least he was trying to keep his fail minimized! The text was supposed to be private to Hughes. Unfortunately... Isaac is a fail with technology too. Have fun trolling!]

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[...The fact that he's actively fighting to keep his whole brain from crying should really say something, shouldn't it.]

I... I don't know. It's... been a long time? I don't know exactly when it started.

[That's not a lie at least!]

[...Isaac, you haven't even been here that long. That leaves Amestris, doesn't it? But the only time that Kimblee was on civil terms with you then was - ]

...ah.

[He doesn't seem terribly bothered by the realization; a bit unsure of what to do with it, but he can work with this.

Kinda.

...this trainwreck.]

And what do you hope to get out of this?

[The realization isn't as obvious as it was the first time, and Isaac is perfectly content to write it off as Kimblee believing that Isaac showed up here, started hanging out with Kimblee, and then randomly decided that he loved him. Or something. He's not going to bother thinking about it in-depth right now.]

What do I...?

[He stops there, headtilting. What does he want from this?]

I messaged Hughes - or tried to, at least - for advice. That's it. I didn't plan on telling you.

["Love" isn't even coming into consideration at this point. Attraction, perhaps. But love? Certainly not.]

That isn't the point - whatever you were planning on doing, I certainly know now, making it a valid question anyway.

Are you intending to leave this all as it is, or are you actively trying to pursue anything?

[...is there any response to this that isn't welp or orz? Or some hideous combination of both that sounds like "whores"?]

I... don't know.

[For the time being his whole brain will cry, however. What does he want from this? Now that Kimblee knows he's already three steps ahead of where he wants to be, and like hell if he has any idea where he thinks this will go.]

[...Admittedly he's fairly sure he knows where he wants it to go. Telling Kimblee is something else entirely, however. You'll just get that same expression you've been getting this entire time, then!]

...you don't know, or you're refusing to tell me?

[That's... not something he wants to answer. He does have an answer, of course, but... telling Kimblee is something else entirely. Isaac moves to pull at that one stray strand of hair, avoiding eye contact. He normally doesn't play with that strand of hair - it's obvious he's very flustered at the question.]

I... yeah, I'd... like something to come of this.

[WELP.]

[It's rare that Kimblee asks something with an actual direction in mind. He enjoys throwing wrenches in other people's plans, and he equally enjoys the round of speed chess that ensues when someone throws wrenches into his; he likes the challenge, you see.

...he really could have done without this one, however. He supposes he'd hoped Isaac would prefer to just ignore the matter altogether; he isn't entirely sure what to say to the fact that he doesn't. So, just. Have a lot of staring, Isaac.]

...Really.

[And that. You can have that, too.]

[He's not surprised at that expression or reply, but Isaac had been hoping for something else. No, he wasn't expecting Kimblee to agree or anything, but it would have been nice if Kimblee had at least looked calmer.]

...Yeah.

[Isaac folds his arms and the Cryogonal circles around to his other side, still staring at Kimblee.]

Look, I know it's stupid.

[...We're getting into tsun territory, Kimblee.]

[Why does everyone do that here?

But regardless, Kimblee takes a moment to compose himself before continuing; let's just talk our way through this, shall we?]

Love and intimate relationships aren't anything that I do, Isaac; you would be getting nothing out of it.

[Johto brings out the tsun, obviously.]

Yeah, I know that. You're different. It's not a bad thing.

[It's honestly never struck him as being a bad thing. Maybe he's just naive-- Okay yes, he's naive. Still, he doesn't mind it any.]

I don't mean to sound like I'm pressuring you or anything but... that wouldn't matter.

Oh?

[Well, that's...getting more staring, though at least it's a bit more subdued this time; this isn't how things work.

Kimblee has always believed in Equivalent Exchange, to a degree that most don't quite agree with; at the same time, he's found that it's an essential part of human interaction in that no one does anything for literally no reason. Everyone acts as they do because they're getting something out of it - even in the case of friendship, which is usually extolled as a pure relationship, there's some sort of mutual benefit to be reaped. If you enjoy someone's company, you're benefiting from the relationship, simple as.

And as Kimblee understands it, the more complex the relationship, the larger the payoff needs to be to justify it. In basic friendship, companionship is often enough. The deeper the friendship, all the more expectations in terms of trust. Romantic relationships require some sort of affection, at least on a physical level.

This isn't difficult; it's just the way things are. So either Isaac is mistaken, underestimating exactly how little affection he's going to receive from this, or he's simply a goddamn idiot.]

Might I ask what you mean by that?

[Spoilers: It's the last one.]

I would... be with you.

[Headtilt? He nearly smacks into that ice mask. That's how hard he's headtilting.]

That's really all I need. It's you. You... mean a lot to me, Kimblee.

That's all it is?

[...oh. Oh, god.

You're a romantic. ~~Ew.~~]

Well, I can't say that I understand, but I suppose I appreciate the sentiment.

[It's totally all Hughes' fault. It's not like he's always been like this and hiding it or anything!!]

Y-yeah. It sounds stupid.

[Tsun tho.]

...I've heard worse.

[All right. Let's just...weigh our options here.

He could always turn Isaac down now, but he isn't sure of the result that would yield; while he's positive that Isaac will more or less be a kicked puppy by the end of this no matter how this goes - because honestly, there's no way for it to go that isn't "horribly wrong" - a rejection will result in tremendous amounts of awkwardness, to say the least, if not flat-out avoidance. Isaac is one of the few whose company he actually enjoys, so Kimblee would like to avoid the...ah, avoidance, if at all possible.

On the other hand, actually indulging him in this sort of thing isn't going to work very well, either; the level of genuine caring and affection that Kimblee is capable of (bluntly put, next to none) is never enough to sustain a relationship - he personally doesn't care, but his partner invariably does, and this tends to end in the other person trying to change him somehow. Isaac claims that what Kimblee will give him is enough, and perhaps it will be for now, but Kimblee knows that won't be the case for long - however, it's possible to make a bit of an object lesson out of that, isn't it? It'll likely sting when everything eventually goes to hell, but it will prove a point.

And oh, it will go to hell.

He doesn't have much to lose from accepting; Isaac isn't like Archer, whose personality would likely warp horribly as the result of engaging in something like this. There are already a multitude of rumors regarding him, so it isn't as though his sexuality is going to be called into question any more than it already is. The relationship will eventually collapse in on itself, it'll probably sting for a bit on Isaac's part, but at the very least there will be confirmation that this isn't going to work.

He'll only be mildly inconvenienced for a week or so - and he's only granting it that long because he's feeling particularly optimistic today.]

Well. Perhaps I'd be willing to indulge you for now.

[Isaac doesn't say anything while Kimblee thinks, instead turning to the Cryogonal and motioning for it to go into the grass. The Cryogonal complies and seeks out some wild Pokémon to battle. The Cryogonal will keep fighting until Isaac gives it orders to stop, or until it runs out of moves to use. Either way, it's a nice distraction while Kimblee seems to be... trying to come up with something to say.]

[He's not sure what to think of this. Kimblee shouldn't need very long at all to come up with a way to let him down gently enough - assuming Kimblee's even bothering with that. What else could it be though?]

[And then Kimblee figures out what he wants to say and Isaac is stunned, to say the very least.]

You... what...?

[Wait. Wait wait wait. So Kimblee's agreeing to this? Why?]

[Don't expect an answer any time soon, Kimblee. Instead you'll just get a lot of this expression.]

...I'm fairly sure I was clear, Isaac.

[no really

what

what is this

why are we doing it]

[.....................]

[And then suddenly this expression forever!]

Really? Are you sure? I mean that's...!

[THE AMOUNT OF 8D HERE...]

[Isaac, are you really not understanding -

OH

WELL

THERE WE GO

LETO TAKE THE WHOLE FUCKING VEHICLE TBH]

[...Right! Right. Object lesson or not, let's try not to act traumatized by this.]

That is what I said.

[BUT 8D THO!!!]

That's... that's great! Thanks!

[Words aren't really happening very well right now, but Isaac's very obviously pleased. Holy shit he was not expecting this.]

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