[ TFLN 3.0 - 2020 ]

[fishtanks]

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Tommy's beside Jingyi again in a blur, of course.

"I can't get drunk."

[unlanlike]

"Then what exactly is irresponsible about shots?"

[doubled_speed]

"I don't know," Tommy admits. But this was what people told him. A lot.

"Like, getting drunk is bad or something."

[unlanlike]

"But...." Jingyi makes a face like he's trying to figure it out and he just isn't getting it.

"That doesn't make sense."

[doubled_speed]

Well duh, of course it doesn't. He knows it. But people have double standards.

"Nope. But that's what people tell me."

[unlanlike]

“Do you always just listen to what people tell you?” Jingyi asks as he’s letting the tea steep now.

[doubled_speed]

"I'm called a sociopath when I don't," Tommy answers.

[unlanlike]

"That seems extreme..." Jingyi rolls his eyes and reaches to pull down some snacks out of his cabinet.

[doubled_speed]

Ooooh, snacks. Tommy looks, watching. He could use that, really use that.

"Could I, uh, have some?"

[unlanlike]

"Yeah, of course. You don't even have to ask man," Jingyi says, waving his arm at what he's taken down and all the snacks left in the cabinet as well.

[doubled_speed]

Oh man, how kind. He grabs a serving pack of some sort of fruit chews and pops that open.

"You're just the best dude to hang with sometimes."

[unlanlike]

Jingyi opens a bag of chips and starts to eat some and then pushes the other's cup toward him when it was done steeping.

"I mean I am awesome. I'm glad you recognize."

[doubled_speed]

"I'm used to recognizing things other people don't."

He throws back the drink and then follows it with more fruit chews.

"None of this is easy."

[unlanlike]

"What do you mean none of this is easy?" Jingyi asks, glancing over at him as he takes a much slower drink of his tea.

[doubled_speed]

"The school stuff. The living up to the expectations of others stuff. Lots of shit. In some people's eyes I barely count as human."

ANd he hates that fact.

[unlanlike]

Jingyi leans against the counter and he's busy stuffing his face with chips and alternately drinking his tea. "Those people are basically cavemen."

[doubled_speed]

"You're not wrong. But everyone tells me that I have to be better. I have to be ABOVE the things they call me. It's not easy."

How frustrating. Tommy sips his tea again, rolling his eyes.

"But there it is, I gotta be what they want me to be."

[unlanlike]

“Why do you have to?” Jingyi asks and he shifts to push himself up and sit on the counter top.

“Lan traditions and rules are very strict and I never fit in and I always got in a lot of trouble and even so they never tried to just make me into someone else.”

[doubled_speed]

Because if he doesn't...

"People don't tend to be cool with people fucking up the world they so carefully make, you know? I could fuck it up really easy."

[unlanlike]

"And you getting drunk means you'd fuck up the world....?"

[doubled_speed]

No, Tommy AGREES with him. But Tommy can't make any of it better.

"I don't know. Maybe? I don't even know if I can get drunk.?

[unlanlike]

“Dude, come on. Let’s try,” Jingyi grins.

[doubled_speed]

Let's try? Tommy bursts out laughing.

"I don't think you have enough alcohol here to even try. But I'm good to see."

[unlanlike]

“Well, then, we should get more first,” Jingyi says simply. Problem? Solution!

[doubled_speed]

More. More is a plan. Tommy holds out a hand toward the guy.

"Funds and order please."