Quentin winces, not that Julian will see it. See, this is why he wanted to find the best time to tell Keller about all of this. And by best time he means maybe never. Except no, shit, Julian does deserve to know. All things considering. Quentin owes the guy that much. But also. Fuck, Quentin doesn't have the people skills to navigate this shit! No mutants do, to be fair. They're all a bunch of fucked up psychos. Welcome to the X-Men, where even the "nice" ones actually suck.
That said, he has a sneaking suspicion that Julian would somehow manage this better if their positions were reversed. Shame he's lonely and handless and can't get a date and they had a whole stupid conversation about that and—ah, yes, there's the crushing guilt. He was wondering when that would kick in.
Damn Sophie and her sudden obsession with morals and her inability to keep her mouth shut!!!]
Yeah, sure. First in line after me.
[Whatever, fuck it. He's tired of standing in the middle of Julian's room like a weirdo, so he'll just go slump on the edge of his bed like a weirdo.]
You think I don't know what kind of pipe bomb I'm juggling here? When Phoebe... dumped me, she said it was because I cared too much. I'm just—I got big feelings, I guess. I'm a lot. So I told Sophie, before we start... this, whatever this is, there's gotta be, you know, rules. Guardrails to keep this shit from blowing up in our faces. One of those is, well, if I start caring, we stop. Full stop, cold turkey, do not pass go, do not collect $200. It's... been working. So far.
[He pauses, considers, and then adds as an afterthought:]
Honestly, she doesn't even like me when I'm nice, anyway.
( he knows there's no way he's better at - at this than the rest of them. but at the same moment he thinks that, he realizes - between the three of them, he's the only one who isn't accustomed to feeling out the inside of others heads. julian has to rely on social queues to figure crap out, rather than just being able to dig deep into them and find it.
telepaths, man. )
That's the problem, Quire.
( he says it like it's obvious, because it is as far as julian cares. it's right there under quentin's nose, likely in the one place he isn't looking because he doesn't want to see it. )
You do care. Maybe the both of you aren't looking at it that way, but you just admitted to it - you care too much, you've got big feelings. Whatever. You already care about her. And you're both being idiots about it.
( going into it with it doesn't mean anything when there's no way it doesn't is just going to end with both of them getting hurt. )
[Shit, is Keller right? Does he care?? Quentin doesn't... feel like he does? Not like he did for Phoebe. But... hm. Sure, there was his dumb childhood crush. And the nervous feeling he got whenever Sophie was around when she first got here. That was admittedly still there when they started their little fling, but it faded a while ago. Now it's just... whatever. She shows up, sits around and plays her games for a while, they do the horizontal tango, and that's... pretty much it. They hardly even talk.
Uuuughhh.
Now it's Quentin's turn to put his hand over his face and make a noise of frustration. He doesn't want to think about this. Any of it. That's literally why he and Sophie have the arrangement they do. It's avoidance. They've always known it's avoidance. It works. For now, at least. And for now is all that's needed. It's fine. And now stupid Julian is dredging up all the shit that was supposed to stay buried because he can't mind his own damn business. Why does he even care?
Hold on.
Why does he care? Quentin looks up from his hands and over at Julian.]
You're worried.
[He says it matter-of-factly, but also almost like it's a surprise.]
Like actually worried, not just that it'll be a pain in the ass for you or whatever.
( the most offensive part of all of this is how surprised quire looks. like julian shouldn't be concerned. like there's no reason for him to be as concerned as he clearly is, like it's weird of him. it pisses him off, but at the same time, he - kind of gets where it's coming from.
why would julian give a shit about how much quire fucks up his own life? it's not like it's anything new, he does it all the time and julian's never stepped in before now.
but it is different. because it's just them here, because he's been stuck with quentin quire every second he's been here since the guy showed up. they've been talking, not just pushing each other around like assholes.
they've grown. )
Yeah? Obviously. Why would I bother calling you here if I didn't.
[Alright, probably a little bit harsh, considering Julian's reaction. The guy did just say he was... worried. About Quentin. Which, look. Is weird, alright? Oh sure, there's Julian's whole "these people are mine and it's my job to make sure they don't have mental breakdowns" thing. And his "better remind Quentin he's fucking up in case he forgets" thing. But this is... This is different.
Quentin sighs, clears his throat. Tries again.]
Fine, okay. Sure. Obviously you give a shit or whatever.
[He still doesn't sound like he buys it—because he doesn't—but he's not going question it. As a favor. Keller's earned that. Quentin shrugs and gives him a "get on with it" hand gesture.]
Then spill. What is it that you're so worried about. Walk me through your most catastrophic prediction.
it's not like he's quire, whose whole thing is being nosy and judgemental. for a moment, he looks about ready to open his mouth and throw out objections because fuck you, quentin, except he keeps chatting and - yeah, okay, fine, he can talk this part through.
even if he's pressing his lips together and holding back the snark he wants to start throwing out. )
You guys break up, do that whole I don't want to be in the same space as them bullshit, which makes keeping this really makeshift half put together team together harder than it needs to be. Alternatively, one of you sets off the other, and half the mansion gets fucked in the process. And I don't want to have to rebuild it.
[Okay, see, now that's more what Quentin was expecting. Blah blah blah, this'll be such a pain for me, boo hoo, I'm obviously unproblematic and not a big dramatic asshole. Typical Julian Keller bullshit. For a second it kinda sounded like he was, you know, concerned for Quentin's actual feelings getting hurt, but now all is right in the world and also that realization doesn't make him a teeny tiny bit sad so don't even ask. Oh and that thing Julian just said was really dumb, too. So that also tracks.
Quentin peers at him in disbelief. Like... seriously, did this moron not hear what just came out of his mouth? Or Quentin's mouth for that matter? Since when is Quentin the one who telekinetically wrecks shit when he's mad, for one thing. Also? Hello, telepaths? There's no "I don't want to be in the same space as them" because they're literally always in the same space. Quentin would have to leave the damn planet to not have Sophie "in his space". That's literally the entire problem. He couldn't fucking get away from Sophie, and they couldn't be around each other without carnage, so they found an "alternate" way to interact. It's not that complicated?? But noooooo, that's way too high IQ for Keller over here. Unbelievable. Oh, right, and also there's the fact that Quentin and Sophie aren't dating that's why he said "hooking up" and not "dating" so there's no break-up you smooth-brained homunculus that makes no fucking sense
Wait.
Hold on.
It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense. Julian's insistence that he cared about something other than how much of a pain this would be for him personally right before listing a bunch of things that would be a pain for him personally. The frankly weak reasoning of "weh weh teamwork is hard" and "the mansion could get wrecked" when anyone with two braincells to rub together knows precisely which pair of mutants clash the most in this stupid house. No, there's something deeper going on here, and Quentin has a suspicion of what it is. His expression shifts to something more calculating. But... the thing is, there isn't exactly a delicate way of addressing this. Even if Quentin had a natural skill for tact, Julian is, well. He doesn't exactly take being called out with grace. There's no way to do this without being an asshole... so Quentin just does what he does best: be a smart-ass. He raises his eyebrows, tilts his head to the side, shrugs nonchalantly.]
Damn, dude, if you're feeling that left out you should just join us.
( he's starting to come to terms with the fact that quentin quire being quiet is worse than when he's being a loud asshat. mostly because - quiet quentin? plotting. loud quentin? at least julian has the vaguest hint of what he's doing. quiet quentin means not only is he thinking enough to shut up but it means that julian is left here with his last statement out there and no other noise to fill the air. quiet quentin means he's - up to something stupid. probably. granted, julian assumes he's always up to something stupid.
his statement just confirms the fact.
there's a scowl on julian's face, mouth turned down at the corners and brows furrowed. )
You know if I kill you, you'll just come back, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Quentin winces, not that Julian will see it. See, this is why he wanted to find the best time to tell Keller about all of this. And by best time he means maybe never. Except no, shit, Julian does deserve to know. All things considering. Quentin owes the guy that much. But also. Fuck, Quentin doesn't have the people skills to navigate this shit! No mutants do, to be fair. They're all a bunch of fucked up psychos. Welcome to the X-Men, where even the "nice" ones actually suck.
That said, he has a sneaking suspicion that Julian would somehow manage this better if their positions were reversed. Shame he's lonely and handless and can't get a date and they had a whole stupid conversation about that and—ah, yes, there's the crushing guilt. He was wondering when that would kick in.
Damn Sophie and her sudden obsession with morals and her inability to keep her mouth shut!!!]
Yeah, sure. First in line after me.
[Whatever, fuck it. He's tired of standing in the middle of Julian's room like a weirdo, so he'll just go slump on the edge of his bed like a weirdo.]
You think I don't know what kind of pipe bomb I'm juggling here? When Phoebe... dumped me, she said it was because I cared too much. I'm just—I got big feelings, I guess. I'm a lot. So I told Sophie, before we start... this, whatever this is, there's gotta be, you know, rules. Guardrails to keep this shit from blowing up in our faces. One of those is, well, if I start caring, we stop. Full stop, cold turkey, do not pass go, do not collect $200. It's... been working. So far.
[He pauses, considers, and then adds as an afterthought:]
Honestly, she doesn't even like me when I'm nice, anyway.
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telepaths, man. )
That's the problem, Quire.
( he says it like it's obvious, because it is as far as julian cares. it's right there under quentin's nose, likely in the one place he isn't looking because he doesn't want to see it. )
You do care. Maybe the both of you aren't looking at it that way, but you just admitted to it - you care too much, you've got big feelings. Whatever. You already care about her. And you're both being idiots about it.
( going into it with it doesn't mean anything when there's no way it doesn't is just going to end with both of them getting hurt. )
no subject
Uuuughhh.
Now it's Quentin's turn to put his hand over his face and make a noise of frustration. He doesn't want to think about this. Any of it. That's literally why he and Sophie have the arrangement they do. It's avoidance. They've always known it's avoidance. It works. For now, at least. And for now is all that's needed. It's fine. And now stupid Julian is dredging up all the shit that was supposed to stay buried because he can't mind his own damn business. Why does he even care?
Hold on.
Why does he care? Quentin looks up from his hands and over at Julian.]
You're worried.
[He says it matter-of-factly, but also almost like it's a surprise.]
Like actually worried, not just that it'll be a pain in the ass for you or whatever.
no subject
why would julian give a shit about how much quire fucks up his own life? it's not like it's anything new, he does it all the time and julian's never stepped in before now.
but it is different. because it's just them here, because he's been stuck with quentin quire every second he's been here since the guy showed up. they've been talking, not just pushing each other around like assholes.
they've grown. )
Yeah? Obviously. Why would I bother calling you here if I didn't.
no subject
[Alright, probably a little bit harsh, considering Julian's reaction. The guy did just say he was... worried. About Quentin. Which, look. Is weird, alright? Oh sure, there's Julian's whole "these people are mine and it's my job to make sure they don't have mental breakdowns" thing. And his "better remind Quentin he's fucking up in case he forgets" thing. But this is... This is different.
Quentin sighs, clears his throat. Tries again.]
Fine, okay. Sure. Obviously you give a shit or whatever.
[He still doesn't sound like he buys it—because he doesn't—but he's not going question it. As a favor. Keller's earned that. Quentin shrugs and gives him a "get on with it" hand gesture.]
Then spill. What is it that you're so worried about. Walk me through your most catastrophic prediction.
no subject
it's not like he's quire, whose whole thing is being nosy and judgemental. for a moment, he looks about ready to open his mouth and throw out objections because fuck you, quentin, except he keeps chatting and - yeah, okay, fine, he can talk this part through.
even if he's pressing his lips together and holding back the snark he wants to start throwing out. )
You guys break up, do that whole I don't want to be in the same space as them bullshit, which makes keeping this really makeshift half put together team together harder than it needs to be. Alternatively, one of you sets off the other, and half the mansion gets fucked in the process. And I don't want to have to rebuild it.
no subject
Quentin peers at him in disbelief. Like... seriously, did this moron not hear what just came out of his mouth? Or Quentin's mouth for that matter? Since when is Quentin the one who telekinetically wrecks shit when he's mad, for one thing. Also? Hello, telepaths? There's no "I don't want to be in the same space as them" because they're literally always in the same space. Quentin would have to leave the damn planet to not have Sophie "in his space". That's literally the entire problem. He couldn't fucking get away from Sophie, and they couldn't be around each other without carnage, so they found an "alternate" way to interact. It's not that complicated?? But noooooo, that's way too high IQ for Keller over here. Unbelievable. Oh, right, and also there's the fact that Quentin and Sophie aren't dating that's why he said "hooking up" and not "dating" so there's no break-up you smooth-brained homunculus that makes no fucking sense
Wait.
Hold on.
It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense. Julian's insistence that he cared about something other than how much of a pain this would be for him personally right before listing a bunch of things that would be a pain for him personally. The frankly weak reasoning of "weh weh teamwork is hard" and "the mansion could get wrecked" when anyone with two braincells to rub together knows precisely which pair of mutants clash the most in this stupid house. No, there's something deeper going on here, and Quentin has a suspicion of what it is. His expression shifts to something more calculating. But... the thing is, there isn't exactly a delicate way of addressing this. Even if Quentin had a natural skill for tact, Julian is, well. He doesn't exactly take being called out with grace. There's no way to do this without being an asshole... so Quentin just does what he does best: be a smart-ass. He raises his eyebrows, tilts his head to the side, shrugs nonchalantly.]
Damn, dude, if you're feeling that left out you should just join us.
no subject
his statement just confirms the fact.
there's a scowl on julian's face, mouth turned down at the corners and brows furrowed. )
You know if I kill you, you'll just come back, right?