[ - he'd heard about it from Chuuya. Maybe not all the details, but he heard that Futaba was upset and that's all that he actually needed to know. Hence the reason why he texts her first:]
gonna call in 5 pick up okay
[and he'll use that time to find a more discreet part of the lodge, just so that he can call her with some semblance of privacy. He hadn't called her before even though they've texted but - she'd said that she wanted him to be there, right? He still can't, not just yet, but a voice probably sounds closer than a text.]
[ It's been- .....well. It's been a Day. Who knew things could actually snowball that badly that fast like in all those awful tv shows? She's been hiding since it happened, tucked out of sight where she can't be bothered. It's almost tempting to not pick up at all but it's Baren and he is one of the few people she'll always answer. ]
Baren-
[ Her voice hitches, and oh. Apparently, she wasn't as ready as she thought. The dams break and she sobs, loud and ugly ]
And he winces on his end, glad that he didn't opt for talking to her via video just yet. He listens to her cry, only managing vague reassurances on his end, softly - ]
Hey, it's okay. Let it out. It's just me.
[She's seen him at his worst. He's not going to tell her that it's a bad thing to cry. So long as she's away from anyone else that might make her feel embarrassed about it. He leans against the cold wood of the lodge, tucking the phone closer to his head.]
[ The first heartbreak is always the hardest. Futaba sobs long and loud, uncaring at this point of who out in the camp hears her. ]
Leo-
[ It's hard to say out loud. It hasn't even quite sunk in yet, the words they exchanged in the heat of the moment. A part of her still can't believe it happened at all. ]
He-
[ A pause. She takes a shuddering breath, biting her lip to hold back another onslaught of tears before continuing ]
He broke up with me....?
[ Despite the crack in her voice, there's more confusion in her tone than sadness. Everything was going so well, why this all of a sudden? There had been no signs of anything amiss before they had split for round two. She doesn't understand and perhaps that's what hurts the most ]
[There it is, quick as a flash: I'm going to kick his ass.
Already Baren's wondering what deals he can make. Chuuya might take issue with beating up a teenager but at least giving his ass a good kick into a body of water, maybe. Fawkes doesn't seem like the type who'd be aggressive to a stranger but maybe he can be convinced into growing some poison ivy and leaving it around Leo's stuff. If all else fails, what if Carly just sends him straight to Group Three—
None of that is what Futaba needs to know.
Instead he just speaks softly, continues to try to exude patience through the phone.]
—that's his mistake.
You know you're perfect, right? And boys are dumb.
[He means it, of course - but he leaves room for her to say what she wants. So long as she knows that there's no way in hell that this was her fault.
[ Sadness is quickly slipping into anger and it bursts out of her uncharacteristically. Futaba sniffs, ignoring the stray tears that sneak out and grips the phone harder. ]
Why don’t they just talk about things, ever??
[ She just wanted him to talk to her, why was that so hard? If it had been something she’d done… something she said… ]
[ - well, it's not like she's wrong. Baren listens and tries to pretend that it's not like he's done the same thing before. He's pretty sure that the first time he broke up with Chuuya was because he didn't talk to him?]
[ Eventually, she'll discover it's a universal problem and scowl in disgust at all the men in her life for being this way. Communication is important you guys!!!!! Drama TV is actually right on this one thing!!! ]
Tighter than a shell!
[ If she hadn't been so upset she'd be even more worried than before she'd gone to confront him. Something's clearly up and now it's taken her down with it. ]
.... maybe there's just something he didn't want to share with you. [and he's quick to add - ] Which isn't your fault, and still isn't fair to you.
[but he'd done it before. with Chuuya. the sudden shift in behavior, entirely for the purpose of blocking someone out. to breed resentment as a barrier.]
But you know how guys shut down once they're uncomfortable, you know? "Can't show weakness or I'll lose my man card" or something.
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2/14 | call. yikes.
Date: 2018-02-14 04:09 am (UTC)gonna call in 5
pick up okay
[and he'll use that time to find a more discreet part of the lodge, just so that he can call her with some semblance of privacy. He hadn't called her before even though they've texted but - she'd said that she wanted him to be there, right? He still can't, not just yet, but a voice probably sounds closer than a text.]
Taba-chan, what happened?
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 04:57 am (UTC)Baren-
[ Her voice hitches, and oh. Apparently, she wasn't as ready as she thought. The dams break and she sobs, loud and ugly ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 05:07 am (UTC)And he winces on his end, glad that he didn't opt for talking to her via video just yet. He listens to her cry, only managing vague reassurances on his end, softly - ]
Hey, it's okay. Let it out. It's just me.
[She's seen him at his worst. He's not going to tell her that it's a bad thing to cry. So long as she's away from anyone else that might make her feel embarrassed about it. He leans against the cold wood of the lodge, tucking the phone closer to his head.]
Take your time. I won't go anywhere.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 05:37 am (UTC)Leo-
[ It's hard to say out loud. It hasn't even quite sunk in yet, the words they exchanged in the heat of the moment. A part of her still can't believe it happened at all. ]
He-
[ A pause. She takes a shuddering breath, biting her lip to hold back another onslaught of tears before continuing ]
He broke up with me....?
[ Despite the crack in her voice, there's more confusion in her tone than sadness. Everything was going so well, why this all of a sudden? There had been no signs of anything amiss before they had split for round two. She doesn't understand and perhaps that's what hurts the most ]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 05:43 am (UTC)Already Baren's wondering what deals he can make. Chuuya might take issue with beating up a teenager but at least giving his ass a good kick into a body of water, maybe. Fawkes doesn't seem like the type who'd be aggressive to a stranger but maybe he can be convinced into growing some poison ivy and leaving it around Leo's stuff. If all else fails, what if Carly just sends him straight to Group Three—
None of that is what Futaba needs to know.
Instead he just speaks softly, continues to try to exude patience through the phone.]
—that's his mistake.
You know you're perfect, right? And boys are dumb.
[He means it, of course - but he leaves room for her to say what she wants. So long as she knows that there's no way in hell that this was her fault.
He doesn't need the whole story to know that.]
no subject
Date: 2018-02-15 03:05 am (UTC)[ Sadness is quickly slipping into anger and it bursts out of her uncharacteristically. Futaba sniffs, ignoring the stray tears that sneak out and grips the phone harder. ]
Why don’t they just talk about things, ever??
[ She just wanted him to talk to her, why was that so hard? If it had been something she’d done… something she said… ]
I just wanted to know why.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 12:28 am (UTC)And he clamped up, huh.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-21 03:27 am (UTC)Tighter than a shell!
[ If she hadn't been so upset she'd be even more worried than before she'd gone to confront him. Something's clearly up and now it's taken her down with it. ]
And he was being so weird about it.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-23 01:56 am (UTC)Weird how?
[look, he'll just let her vent. that sounds like a start, if nothing else.]
no subject
Date: 2018-03-03 12:25 am (UTC)Ugh.
[ she grumbles in the meantime, chewing over his behavior ]
He was....definitely avoiding me? It was like talking to a wall!! Like he was replaced with a pod person and didn't fully assimilate.
no subject
Date: 2018-03-04 07:41 pm (UTC)[but he'd done it before. with Chuuya. the sudden shift in behavior, entirely for the purpose of blocking someone out. to breed resentment as a barrier.]
But you know how guys shut down once they're uncomfortable, you know? "Can't show weakness or I'll lose my man card" or something.
no subject
Date: 2018-03-10 07:47 am (UTC)I wish he said that then. I would have taken a 'hey I just got news I need to deal with, bbl'.
[ she wouldn't have liked it but it's the idea that counts, right? ]
It'd be so much easier for everybody if communication was manly. [ why are you all like this ] Even if it was just a text message!!
[ AUGH ]
no subject
Date: 2018-03-13 01:46 am (UTC)Still dumb, still unfair - but maybe that.
[if he could hazard a guess. just as someone who also fails at communication at key moments in a relationship]