you're a terrible human being. your point?

[ioudas]

WHO: the other man ioudas & the poor friend in the middle professorlionface
WHERE: cross' apartment
WHEN: sometime after this incident
WARNINGS: it's cross.
SUMMARY: lucy got some 'esplanin' to do about wrecking a marriage.
FORMAT: quick to start!

[Bad username or unknown identity: look, i was drunk, it was dark, and she was hot.]

(Cross often wondered why it seemed that trouble followed him everywhere. He really had no excuse, there was nothing going on here that required him to do the things he'd usually do back home, but still. He sighs, already drinking heavily as he always does before any serious conversation. Either Lilian would get here before Hank did and he'd have to sober up for her and leave Hank out in the cold, or he'd actually have to have this conversation.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, it was probably time that he packed up and disappeared. A year had passed and it was more than acceptable that he had left it in a mess. It was just habit after all.

Argh, where was the Earl when you needed him to fuck things so much that his own messes paled in comparison.)

Comments

[ioudas]

Ask her how her love life is, and I'll tell you why I keep my feelings to myself.

[professorlionface]

Is this about Madison, or are you telling me you need a prescription?

[ioudas]

It's about Madison, you idiot. (a beat:) I'm miserable at the Institute.

[professorlionface]

Hey, I'm a doctor, I've gotta ask!

But just because you think it isn't working out at the Institute doesn't mean you should give up on the City entirely.

[ioudas]

And I'm a molecular biologist, you don't bloody see me trying to do a job.

(he supposes that's the closest to what he can call himself. sorcerer sounds corny, despite the fact that he left science a long time ago, and priest is so inaccurate that even he scoffs.)

I was in China for a year, and all that was left after I took my leave was disaster. (he sounds repentant, almost. anita's death, mahoja, her crew - her family that he ruined. he doesn't know when he stopped thinking of people as pawns and actually started to see them as actual people.

perhaps it's all allen's fault.)

[professorlionface]

Or a mathematician, as far as the school's concerned.

[It's funny how every teacher they've had from some past era always ended up teaching math.]

You don't think it will only turn to disaster now? When a situation's gone to the brink, abandoning it will make it worse before it could ever make it better.

[ioudas]

Here I thought that as far as the school was concerned, I was that guy that made his students cry.

(weaklings, really. the lot of them.)

Y'know what would make it better? Never addressing it again.

[professorlionface]

Cross, pretending there isn't a problem never made anything better. It only allows it to worse while you sit back and watch.

[ioudas]

I'd rather watch it than actually ruin it. (he frowns slightly.) I'm a buffer, a balm that's supposed to soothe the scorn that she's gotten from her husband. I'm alright with that.

[professorlionface]

But it's more than just soothing it now. It's absorbing it, as well.

[ioudas]

I'm fine with it. (he shrugs, because really what is he going to do?)

[professorlionface]

Well, maybe you shouldn't be. Maybe he needs to find a better way to work out his issues.

[And maybe on some level Hank's afraid Madison will go legit crazy and try to put a bullet in Cross' damn fool head.]

[ioudas]

But he won't, Henry. (he sounds so apathetic about it, leaning against the wall with his booze.)

Don't worry about me.

[professorlionface]

Not on his own. And if he doesn't, you're the one he'll most likely take it out on.

I just don't want to lose anyone from this, but I don't want to see anyone hurt, either.

[ioudas]

So what, really? (he mumbles it, as if he already knows.) It's not like death is permanent here.

Henry, someone is going to get hurt.

[professorlionface]

What, and you just think letting him kill you will give him the wake up call he needs? Letting this come to blows would be folly and failure on my own part.

[At least the hurt could stay emotional. That's so much better, right?]

[ioudas]

You think that I would?

(he hides it well, the years of being in combat. but, sometimes it shows: the way that he never keeps his back to people for too long, the fact that he moves in situations - the combat knife that he keeps in his boot.)

Don't insult me. It's funny, actually. I have been drilled into, mauled, pummeled, stabbed, crushed, almost burned alive but nothing - nothing makes me more angry than Madison.

(almost on cue, something behind him catches fire causing cross to sit up and have to deal with that situation. the magic thing had been a little ... unstable, given his lack of understanding where his boundaries were. it leaves a heaviness in the air, like something forbidden just happened.)

I have no tolerance for those who choose to lie down and blame the world for their problems.

[professorlionface]

[Hank is deathly still as Cross puts out the fire. His face is tense and stern, but inside he feels sick. He's already gotten into a yelling match with one of them over his desire to kill the other, but this is all just spiraling out of control.]

You know I can't let you kill him, either. Even in self defense.

We're better men than this.

[ioudas]

I'm not going to kill him. (he calms down, his shoulders droop as he holds up the ruined towel.)

Even though he tries his hardest.

[professorlionface]

[Hank's shoulders slump. Somehow that didn't relieve the weight like it should have, this whole thing was just too damn heavy.]

We'll just have to try ourselves to see that it doesn't come to that.

[ioudas]

Hank. (he's looking down at the sink, staring at nothing really but he sounds so defeated.)

I'm resigning.

[professorlionface]

And you're sure that's the only solution?

[Could Hank really blame him? Not really, but he's not exactly the most toxic element here, either.]

[ioudas]

Yeah, it is. (he shrugs, looking a little defeated before perking up again.)

Also, no offense, I hate kids.

[professorlionface]

Liar.

[He remembers how you were with Lenalee, how you agonized over Roxy's approval. No one's fooled here, Cross.]

[ioudas]

Maybe it's all an act I put on so that women will love me.

(shut up and be fooled. or maybe he's actually quite lonely and he's afraid to admit it.)