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[shiftingurbulls]

"Howdy! Name's Ellis an' I ain't here at the moment! Leave what you gotta an' I'll return it A-S-A-P! Have a good one!"

1081 Rocky Road

Comments

[leiche]

[ it's what he was expecting to hear from Ellis, at least. gathering the courage to actually step up and talk about the things bothering him has always been a challenge, and it's been even harder in recent years with everything that'd happened. the fear of bringing up a concern on the off chance it could end everything is what's been holding him back. ]

It's not ... getting bad, or anything. I'm-- I'm just ... confused, I guess.

But ... I know I need to, eventually.

[ the alcohol's strong and already helping his nerves calm a little as a buzz starts to settle in. he takes another drink, returns his head to Ellis' shoulder, and closes his eyes. ]

Why d'you have to be right about everything?

[shiftingurbulls]

[Ellis let out a small, humble chuckle, fueled in part with the moonshine they were drinking]

Rabbit, I ain't right about everything, I'm just tellin' ya what I think would be the best. Yer my brother from another mother an' another universe, I'mma always watch out fer ya.

Besides if I were right about shit, I would be a millionaire don'tcha think?

[leiche]

[ "brother from another mother and another universe." that's ... actually such a nice thing to hear that Jeremy's eyes might water a tiny bit.

he's blaming the alcohol on that too. ]

Fuck, think of all th'moonshine you could have if you were right 'bout shit.

Get your act together, man.

[shiftingurbulls]

[Ellis will probably remember bits and pieces of this moment but he still laughs at Jeremy's bluntness and lack of self-censoring.]

I ain't one t'think past lunch an' the afternoon drinks my man, I ain't built fer success sometimes!

All jokes aside, I'm glad yer doin' much better than the first time we met. Yer doin' so good, I'm proud o'ya.

[leiche]

[ it's nice being able to tease and joke around with someone and not feel like he's being annoying or a burden. Jeremy's not sure how Ellis manages that, how he's able to bring out that side of him with seemingly no effort. but if he asks he'll probably ruin it.

praise is still a weird thing to get used to hearing, too. he needs another drink before he can respond to that - if he really thinks about it, sure, he's made progress. he's come out of his shell a bit more every day, he's able to handle social situations better than he had in the past, he's not as utterly terrified of everything and everyone (except himself.)

and Ellis is proud of him. that causes the little warm fuzzy feeling in his chest. ]

... I guess so. Maybe just being away from Panem so long's ... done something. I don't know.

Doesn't always feel that way. But ... sometimes.

[shiftingurbulls]

Being away from Panem's gave us back at least ten years o' our lives! Gave us back our personhood, an' that's...

[It all comes down in Ellis' mind to realize they weren't soldiers or props for any side. Even the Rebellion used them as puppets for their message. He was silent for a second.]

That's more than any booze we could ever drink could give us. We ain't never goin' back. I wouldn't ever go back. We're all right, we're all right.

[leiche]

[ even though Jeremy knows he's very, very far from the only person who'd been traumatized by the events of Panem, but it's one of the few times he'd seen a similar effect impacting Ellis this way. his friend had always seemed like he had it all together, but everything that had happened, that shit doesn't just go away with a little optimism and a smile. ]

Ain't never goin' back. [ he repeats the words, trying his best to reassure the man of the fact. his hand reaches for El's, holding on tight, because even though he's saying the words out loud he has a hard time believing them himself. ] We're all right.

wrap here?

[shiftingurbulls]

[Ellis didn't question or bat away Jeremy's and instead returns the grip nice and tight. He's careful not to overexert or use the Capitol's strength. But it's the tether Fitzgerald needed]

Think you have room for peach liquor?

[He's been saving this one for a while] My state's known for its peaches, might as well give ya a taste o' my home.

wrap!

[leiche]

[ it helps, probably more than Ellis knows. and Jeremy's glad that there's at least something he can do to help, instead of being the one needing help all the time.

even if all they do is bitch, vent, and drink. but it's something. ]

You may have never asked a more fuckin' stupid question. [ Jeremy always has room for more booze. he manages half a grin in response, though the sentiment in sharing something Ellis considered so important isn't lost on him. ]

Cheers, man.