Daily Logs 4-11-14

I. Gary introduces himself to Gyles, with a flamingo on his head, of course
II. Zootboots: Lisery and Harmonie plan for shenanigans with their animals
III. Marcella and Loris meet
IV. His Wife: Molly and Zef have a confrontation in Terrence’s quarters



I.
Gyles: *sitting in lounge reading a PADD while sipping a cup of coffee*
Gary: *comes walking carefully into the lounge, his flamingo lying precariously on top of his head, legs folded underneath it and swaying back and forth as he moves* *grins broadly, extremely aware of how ridiculous he looks as he goes to the replicator for a cup of tea*
Gyles: *looks up as Gary enters*
Gary: *grin broadens* 'Ello! I don't believe I've ever met you before. *all said in an exaggerated Cockney accent*
Gyles: *puzzled at accent but hey! new person!* Hi, I don't think we have, Richard Gyles by the way.
Gary: Gary MacCaulay! *still in the accent* *exaggerated wave, then comes over to Gyles' table, still walking carefully, now carrying a mug of tea from the replicator* Pleased t' meetcha!
Gyles: It's very nice to meet you Gary. *raven looks at Gary's uniform and Gyles has a brief wince* I see you're from sciences.
Gary: Aye, aye, that I am, that I am. And you are from the land of red shirts and peril. *lapses into an American accent as the sentence progresses* Though which peril, I don't know. *brightly*
Gyles: Yes, you'd be surprised how easy it is for that plasma conduit you're working on could just explode *amused expression*
Gary: Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure. Very perilous. So much danger. Live on the edge.
Gyles: I've always wondered what it's like to work in Sciences
Gary: Oh, about the same. Explosions. Peril. Less red, though.
Gyles: Explosions? From the equipment or... *gestures in the air as if trying to find the word*
Gary: Equipment, experiments, commanding officers...
Gyles: *chuckles* Commanding officers you say?
Gary: *starts to nod and then remembers Flamingo on his head* Yes, commanding officers. They are intimidating beings, they are.
Gyles: *the raven squawks as if in agreement followed by another slight wince from Gyles* That is certainly true in many cases, though I never had trouble following them.
Gary: You misunderstand the difference between intimidating and following. They might scare the bejeezus out of me but that won't stop me from doing what I'm told.
Gyles: Hear hear. *takes another sip of coffee* Find anything interesting lately? You know, science-wise?
Gary: Oh, every day all day. The labs are always echoing with Eureka as we unlock the secrets of the universe. *grins and sips his tea*
* VioletteTheViolentMarcella: *shrugs* I don’t know. I’d have to tell my parents. Actually, I did that. I don’t like my second name, it’s cheesy. *grimaces* But, no. I think you can have more than two names because you just /can/. There are common first and common last names, maybe once too many people were called exactly the same. Heh. /Could/ be. ^^
Gyles: *grins* I always read about all those scientists in space, unraveling the secrets of space, but I could never get the hang of it. *sips* I always found myself at home in the endless efficiency of machines
Gary: To each his own.
Gyles: *takes a moment to drink a little and then notices that there's no more coffee* I have a question, what was it like on the Legacy when you first came aboard?
Gary: Believe it or not, there were animals then, too. ^^
Gyles: *amused* Were there?
Gary: Ah, sure, sure. Sadly, I did not receive one. They were interesting things, though.
Gyles: what happened?
Gary: *shrugs* They all left. They were just pets that we had for a short time.
Gyles: Any ones of note?
Gary: Not that I recall. It's all a bit fuzzy at this point.
Gyles: I think there was some reference to a sloth in the reports or something. Honestly, there are so many I brushed over most of them
Gary: They all blur together. And there's been more than one group of animals on the ship. Don't bother yourself about it.
Gyles: *surprised* more than one? Aside from that and the current?
Gary: Aye, mate. Seems you haven't read enough reports.
Gyles: That may be the case, I spent most of my time reading the crew manifest. Fat lot of good that did, I have a terrible memory for people
Gary: It'll come, mate, it'll come. *stands* But I must go, mate, I must go.
Gyles: *smiles* It was good talking to you
Gary: Aye, aye, mate. Pleasure too. Peace and joy and love and all that, aye. *waves and picks up his mug before carefully sauntering out*
Gyles: *waves back and returns to PADD*



II.
Harmonie:  *In the Arboretum, a little flustered and halfway up a tree. Not throug choice, but because her Daemon, a Golden Lion Tamarin who called himself Jeffrey, is even more fanatic about climbing stuff than she is... And if she gets too far from him, it hurts*.
Lisery:  *gallumps into the arboretum on the back of a large orangey-furred creature with solid hoofed feet and a drooping snout* *whoops and tumbles off to roll in the grass, where the creature joins her*
Harmonie:  *Jeffrey spotted this new thing, and decides a closer inspection is needed, and, with very little telepathic forwarning, leaps back down onto Harmy's back, demanding she carry him down* *She sighs, and starts to climb down slowly, ignoring the occasional times he pulled her hair to make her go faster*
Lisery:  *sits up and brushes some grass out of her animal's fur, then spots Harmy and Jeffrey's movement and waves both hands* Yours is cute!
Harmonie:  *Barely reaches the ground before Jeffrey jumps down and scrabbles over to whatever Lise's daemon is* *Dashes after* Can I swap? Yours actually knows how to sit still!
[Lise's animal promptly leaps up and runs towards Jeffrey to bound around him like a giant, clumpy dog.]
Lisery:  *chortles* No he doesn't! But I like it that way. Yours is too small to carry me anywhere, anyway.
Harmonie:  *Jeffrey reaches Lise's daemon, only to flop down on his behind and attempt to gently paw at the creature's nose, if it is close enough* *Harmy finally manages to catch up, and doubles over slightly, a bit worn out* Please? He just runs everywhere and messes with everything! He's like me, but even me-er! *Coughs*
Lisery:  Get a leash!
Harmonie:  Can't. I tried, and he kept pulling this big wide-eyed "Nooo, pwease don't leash me, it'll hurt meeee" look till I gave up. *Sits down*
Lisery:  *sits down too, and her zoot trots over and plonks itself down and lays its head lazily in her lap* Zoozoo is too big to escape from me. But he /snores/. *scoff*
Harmonie:  *Grins* So do I! Give him to me and we'll turn it into a contest!
Lisery:  *brightens* We'll record the snores and I can run them through a sound analyzer program!
Harmonie:  *Jeffrey scoots over to the zoot, attempting to poke it in the side* All that hassle for a few snores?
Zoozoo: *wiggles one hoofed back leg happily with the poking and wheezes*
Lisery:  *toothy grin* It's not hassle, it's fun!
Jeffrey:  *Tries to climb onto Zoozoo, because... because.*
Harmonie:  *Shrugs* Maybe... *Relieved she can actually relax for once this week*
Lisery:  Awww, they like each other!
Harmonie:  *Curious* Is it actually possible for them not to? I mean, i've not seen any of them fight or anything...
Lisery:  I hope not. Some of them might eat some others if they didn't like each other...
Harmonie:  What would that do to /us/? *Winces* It really stings if he gets too far from me, so what would happen if your one decided on having a Jeffrey Burrito for lunch? *One must always eat a Golden Lion Tamarin in burrito form. Tis the law!*
Lisery:  *chortle* Zoots eat only fruits and vegetables and grass. Like me! *pause* Except for the grass.
Jeffrey:  *Blows raspberry at Harmy*
Harmonie: *Pouts slightly at Jeffrey* What is a Zoot? Asides from "This thing right here".
Lisery:  *snorts* Do I look like a biologist to you? A zoot is that thing right here. *pats Zoozoo's head*
Harmonie:  Ok... *...Curious* Whyyyyy is it called a Zoot?
Lisery:  Because-- *prods Zoozoo in a couple different places until it gets fed up and stands, making a loud ZOOOOOOOO sound from its nose* *flops down behind her, out of reach* Of that.
Jeffrey:  *Is now riding Zoozoo, cowboy style, until the loud ZOOOOOOOOO, whereupon he rolls backwards in shock and falls off*
Harmonie:  *Winces* Makes sense.
Lisery:  *cackles at their reactions* I just wish he could walk quiet so we could sneak up on people and make that noise.
Jeffrey:  *Just lies flopped on his back*
Harmonie:  *Chuckles* Why not give him slippers?
Lisery:  *eyes get huge, stares at Harmy for a moment* That. Is. The best. Idea. /EVER/.
Harmonie:  *Looks to Zoozoo's feet* Do they come in his size?
Lisery:  I'll make an engineer do my bidding. *stares at Harmy* .../you're/ an engineer.
Harmonie:  *Nods* Yup. But shoes aren't really my area of expertise *Harmy! Traitor to your gender steryotypes!* Superposition Relay and Sten Bolts, no problem. Shoes... Ehhhh...
Lisery:  *holds out her hands in a circle* Just make a circle of something thick and soft and I'll tie them on. And tape. Lots of tape...
Harmonie:  *Frowns softly* You can't tape it to his feet, that'd be cruel.
Lisery:  *reaches behind her and pats one of Zoozoo's hooves* Hoofs! Tape won't hurt, it's like tape on your fingernails.
Harmonie:  *Soft frown softens* Still...
Lisery:  Design velcro straps then.
Harmonie:  *Smiles* That sounds better. *Go on brain, get to work!*
Lisery:  *toothy grin* Then you can come with me when me and Zoozoo scare people.
Harmonie:  *Grins* Thanks!
Lisery:  How long will it take? What if they leave soon?
Harmonie:  *Shrugs* With a replicator, a PADD, and a cup of coffee... Half an hour?
Lisery:  O_O Let's go. *scrambles to her feet*
Harmonie:  *Jumps to her feet, puts fingers in her mouth and whistles*
Jeffrey:  *Summoned by this, runs over and climbs her to become a tamarin-shaped backpack for her*
Lisery:  *rousts Zoozoo to his feet and scrambles up on top of him like a pony, then reaches down a hand to Harmy* He can carry two!
Harmonie:  *Eyes wide, repressing eagerness* Really?!
Lisery:  *nodnodnodnod*
Harmonie:  *Accepts hand!*
Lisery:  *helps her up onto Zoozoo's back, and the two go riding off into the sunset to design zootboots*



III.
In the arboretum near the lake, Marcella stands and shouts at the water, gesturing wildly. Only on second look one can see the elegant creature – Marcella’s sea lion - which occasionally shows up from under the water, commenting with a sound of joy and/or mentally, for everyone in the proximity to “hear” easily.
Loris: *strolling through the Arboretum, carrying a creature that resembles a Terran turtle in shape and size only. Its body is covered in short coarse auburn hair, including the bony carapace that shields its back. A row of dull spikes go along its backbone, and another spike protrudes from its nose* *drawn by Marcella's shouting, she heads toward the pond to see what all the commotion is about*
Marcella: Roll around! Yeah! That’s it, now you’ve got it! Roll around like this! *turns until she faces her animal again, laughing* Just in the water! Yeeees! *claps her hands in delight while watching*
Loris: *watches for a moment, amused, before approaching on a whim* Are you teaching an aquatic animal to swim?
Marcella: *grins, turning to Loris* Not to /swim/, only to do what I want. *realises she doesn’t know Loris, checks her uniform – science – and also finds she’s a Commander* Sir?! Oh! Are you the new first officer, maybe?
Loris: I am. *smiles* I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage though. I don't know who you are.
Marcella: Oh. Yeah, that’s because I’m not as important as you are. *half sheepish, half cheeky grin* I’m Ensign Marcella Orsini. *offers hand* This ship’s only female counsellor. Soooo if you don’t like me, just go for a male counsellor for advice. *winks*
Loris: *adjusts her turtle-thing which she has just informed me is called a Jasno in her arms and extends a hand to take Marcy's* A pleasure to meet you, Ensign Marcella Orsini.
Marcella: The pleasure’s all mine. ^^ *shake shake shake hand* And! You can call me Marcella, Marcy or Marsha. Whichever you prefer. *smile*
Loris: I believe I'll call you Ensign Orsini. *small smile* My apologies, but I don't care for given names at first acquaintance.
Marcella: *shrugs* That’s fine with me. I only hope I’ll know it’s me. Heh! On this ship a lot of people are on first name basis. I like it. ^^
Loris: *dryly* I've noticed. I am not sure what to make of it.
Marcella: Well. I’m sure nobody wants to offend you, Commander, er… sorry. ^^ I’m bad with names. Was it… something with ‘C’, I think? *blink, blink*
Loris: Loris Celin.
Marcella: Ah! So Commander Celin? Yes? No? Yes?
Loris: Commander Loris, actually. Bajorans do it differently and Celin is my given name.
Marcella: OH! *covers her mouth with her hands* I am very sorry. *takes her hands down* There are people on Earth who do that, too, actually. ^^ In Asia. I’ve been there a few times, but I don’t understand their language. I didn’t know Bajorans do that, too, though. You’re the first Bajoran I’ve ever met.
Loris: *smile* Don't worry about it. You are most certainly not the first and you won't be the last. *has a guilty pleasure of letting people guess the wrong name and then correcting them*
Marcella: Heh. I will surely not do it wrong again. …Today. XD Still bad with names, sorry. *but looks amused instead of sorry*
Loris: I understand. Your names are strange to me, as well.
Marcella: Well /I/ don’t mind if you mistake my first with my last name. *grins* I also have a second name. It’s “Solange”.
Loris: *why is she telling me this* Why do you have more than one name?
Marcella: *shrugs* I don’t know. I’d have to ask my parents. Actually, I did that. I don’t like my second name, it’s cheesy. *grimaces* But, no. I think you can have more than one name because you just /can/. There are common first and common last names, maybe once too many people were called exactly the same. Heh. /Could/ be. ^^
Loris: Perhaps so. Maybe you just like names. Who is to say?
Marcella: Or maybe that, yes. Can you always only have a first and a last name? As a Bajoran? *curious*
Loris: I know of no Bajoran who has a third name. But then you have to be close friends with a Bajoran before you call them by their given name.
Marcella: Ah. *nod, nod* Makes sense. Then I’ll take greater care not to do it again. *smile* Do you only tell your close friends, too? Usually, that is.
Loris: *nods* Yes. Everyone calls me Loris until I ask them to call me otherwise. On Bajor it's a bit different because of how our society is structured. There's more to it than just asking someone to call you by a certain name.
Marcella: *hangs on Loris’ every word* Will you tell me what it is? *in the meantime, the sea lion has come to the lakeside and crawls closer, but silently*
Loris: What what is?
Marcella: What else you have to do to earn that right. *excited*
Loris: *erm* We have a, what you would call, a caste system. Usually you would have to be of the same or equal "caste".
Marcella: Ooh… But I guess we are not?
Loris: We are not the same rank. I do my best to disregard D'jarra here. It gets messy. Rank takes its place.
Marcella: Ah. *nod, nod* Okay. That means only other commanders would be allowed to call you by your first name? …But only if you’re close friends? Yes?
Loris: *grins* If you are trying for a comparison to our society, yes.
Marcella: But don’t you do it that way?
Loris: Perhaps subconsciously I do.
Marcella: You said ranks take the place of your Dja-… uhm, I better don’t try. ^^° But of those castes. So I thought… *shrugs lightly*
Loris: They do, of a sort. *wry look* But if you think of it that way, then options for friendship are limited and it's not even accurate because ranks are fluid. So it is generally better to ignore it all. Though *said as a sigh* that is easier said than done.
Marcella: Oh, yes, I think so. *smiles and shifts weight* You see, I was brought up in a society where everyone is called by their first name… except teachers, so maybe it’s not so different after all. But what I mean, it’s pretty open where I come from, and my father was teacher, so. I’m just not used to ranks, is all. In my profession you /have to/ ignore them of sorts. I have to help a Lieutenant and a Petty Officer alike.
Loris: Then it is fortunate for you that your profession allows that.
Marcella: Heh. I think it’s the other way around: If I were to be professional about ranks all the time, I’d try harder to get in the mindset. Like this, I’m rather afraid that’s what’ll happen. Yeah, not really afraid. But I don’t want to think like that: That’s a commander, but he only has a question. There’s an Ensign and she’s really bad off. But I talk to the commander first, and longer.
Loris: *only understands about half of that and absentmindedly pets her Jasno, who has fallen asleep in the crook of one arm, trying to formulate a response* Better to not be professional, then? *maybe?*
Marcella: About ranks, yes. About the rest… Well, /I/ think /that’s/ professional. *smirks* Anyway. *watches her patting the Jasno* What’s that?
Loris: This is a Jasno. It is a predator on Bajor. *adjusts her hold on it so Marcella can see it better* They are normally quite wild but this one seems to be tame.
Marcella: Oh. *leans towards the Jasno and has a close look from all sides, then looks back at Loris* Cool. I have a sea lion. *points towards it, and on cue the sea lion crawls right next to Marcella, growling happily* They are pretty playful. ^^
Loris: *can't hold back a bit of a shocked chuckle* And quite /large/. It doesn't get in your way?
Marcella: Oh, no. ^^ And if I /do/ fall over it I apologise and get up again. XD
Loris: *smiles* That's happened before?
Marcella: *chuckles* Only three or four times.
Loris: It doesn't seem to be the worse for wear.
Marcella: It’s tough. I think it’d say so if I’d have hurt it badly. Won’t you? *the sea lion nods enthusiastically with its head and sends a telepathic “of course” to both officers* Heh! Could be I’d feel it, anyway. There have been reports, no? About hurt crewmembers with hurt animals? Something about their connection?
Loris: *nods* I've heard as much, yes. It seems to happen.
Marcella: That’s so strange! But there’s a mental connection as well. It’s what I try to make sense of, but… *shrug* So far, no clue. Except that it’s /there/, of course. ^^
Loris: *rearranges the Jasno again into a more comfortable position* *shrugs back* Perhaps sciences can explain it in time. If not, it's just another mystery of the universe. *shifts her stance where she's standing*
Marcella: I hope science finds a solution, though. I love Jim. *apparently her sea lion is called Jim* But it can’t stay like this forever, can it? *takes a step back, and the sea lion starts crawling back to the water*
Loris: I fear not. *shakes her head* If only for the simple reason that it's not practical.
Marcella: *nod, nod* Yeah, I think so, too. *stays there because superior officer who doesn't like casual, and it’s also just really rude to run away in the middle of a conversation, too*
Loris: *e.e and this is why she doesn't talk to subordinate officers* I must be going now. You may continue teaching Jim to swim.
Marcella: *laughs* Will do. *does something between a wave and a salute* It was a pleasure to meet you~! *although you constantly remind me of Hayes, but that’s not your fault and I’m sure it’ll pass!*
Loris: *gives a single nod and returns the casual salute* The pleasure was mine. *smiles and heads off someplace else*
Marcella: *returns to the lake and sea lion* Aaaand up! ;D



IV.
Molly: *can't find sock monkey in her own quarters and realizes she must have left it in Terry's, so heads over there to find it* *closes the door behind her and is careful not to move anything or touch anything that he left behind, mindful of what he said that time about his stuff being moved* *eventually finds sock monkey and instead of leaving, heads over to the bed to quietly curl up in the middle of it*
Zef: *heads for Terry's quarters, having gotten the access code a few days ago, opens the door, enters and closes it afterwards* *moves carefully through the living room, a bit tensed because what if he causes /chaos/ of some sort...?* *is carrying his guinea pig, petting it but stops and glances at like: don't shed fur, okay? (which the animal may understand, due to their mental link)*
Molly: *the bunny is asleep on the pillow above Molly's head, btw* *hears someone opening the door and sits up abruptly, clutching sock monkey to her chest* *listens quietly for clues on who it could be, it couldn't be Terrence, he would have told her if he was coming back early, the only other person that could get into locked quarters would be a member of the senior staff* *doesn't know what to do so just sits there, trying not to breathe too loud and hoping whoever it is will go away*
Zef: *convinced that he's alone, good, because he isn't up for much company anyway* *heads for Terry's desk and squats down in front of one of the bookshelves near his desk, right where Penny's cage is* *mumbles to rat and Quinea Pig, but only in a low voice because it's sooo quiet in here...*
Molly: *stays still until she hears the mumbling, and then reaches for her phaser only to find she left it in her quarters* *takes a couple of quiet breaths to steady herself and then goes for her knife instead, flipping it open and sliding off the bed to step to the doorway, peering around the edge to see who the hell is invading*
Zef: *distracted by his conversation with Penny and Guinea Pig and kinda fascinated by how two tiny different animals meet, so he doesn't hear Molly and notices her only when he sees the movement, startles /a damn lot/, gasps and stares in her direction, holding breath and spirit animal*
Molly: *jumps when Zef does, clutching the knife in front of her defensively* Zef what the /hell/ are you doing here? *incredulous*
Zef: *staring* I-I-... What are /you/ doing here?! *meaning: “I thought I'm alone, so where are you coming from?” … which is totally the same*
Molly: I live here! How the hell did you get in? *slowly flicks the knife closed and puts it in her pocket, but doesn't move past the doorway*
Zef: I... used the code? *holds guinea pig a little more tightly* And, and I didn't expect anyone else to be here...
Molly: How did you /get/ the code? *even more incredulously* *the bunny stirs on the pillow and starts racing circles around the bed before losing its sense of direction and flipping off accidentally*
Zef: From Terrence... *not really staring anymore, but doesn't yet dare to move* A few days ago.
Molly: What the /fuck?/ *slowly morphing from scared to furious* And what, he just didn't think it important to mention to /me/ that he gave you keys to our quarters? *the bunny recovers from falling off the bed and appears next to Molly, its little nose twitching furiously*
Zef: *winces, once because of Molly's reaction and also because he didn't expect a sudden bunny* Wow, okay! Terrence gave me access to his quarters, that's all. I'm not doing anything forbidden!
Molly: *can't think of what to say, angry and overwhelmed and scared* *blurts out* Well leave! *the bunny takes a few intimidating hops towards Zef, giving a tiny squeak-growl*
Zef: *it's apparently not scary enough, because Zef focuses on Molly* What? Why? No.
Molly: /Excuse/ me? I said get out! This is not your quarters and you have no right to be here, and he had no right to give you access!
Zef: *what now?!* Officially these are /his/ quarters, so of course he has the right to give me access and I have /his/ permission and that's my right to be here!
Molly: *digs her fingernails into her palms, and the bunny squeaks in protest* Fine. Enjoy. *stalks back into the bedroom to pick up sock monkey, and then pauses and hurls it against the wall* *turns and marches back into the main room towards the door* And next time you're talking to him, tell him that you'll just move in with him instead. /Obviously/ you'll be a better wife than I am. *scoops the bunny up as it struggles to keep pace with her*
Zef: *winces and watches her, or better he watches her disappear in the bedroom, but doesn't dare to move until she comes out, stands hastily when she does and...!?* Waaait... wait what? *sounds mainly stunned, sour undertone* Wait.... /please/.
Molly: *whirls back around when he speaks, curls bouncing.* /What./ *caught between furious and crying* *the bunny squirms in her grip, wanting to unleash its tiny fury on Zef and cause untold damage to his toes*
Zef: I erm... didn't mean to startle you and he erm, well *helpless tensed shrug* I'm /sure/ he didn't mean harm and... I snapped. You startled me, too. *which sounds less reproachful than he expected*
Molly: *goes to fold her arms and realizes she can't with the bunny in hand* Zef I /live here./ What did you /think/ would happen? What did /he/ think would happen?
Zef: I think... I erm, I didn't expect you to come here... and he thinks, /thought/, whatever, that you don't want him anywhere near you, so...?
Molly: *tears up again* Right. That's what he thinks. Goodbye Zef. *turns towards the door again just as the bunny squirms loose and attacks Zef's foot with the unholy anger of a vengeful bunny god*
Zef: *sighs (not bugged, mostly helpless), headshake* I said /thought/. … *looks down, but since he's wearing shoes Bunny's wrath doesn't hit him as hard* He thought.
Molly: *turns abruptly when the bunny frees itself and takes a few steps towards Zef before stopping, reluctant to get close to him* Well you would know, he tells /you/ everything. *bitterly* *the bunny tries to claw its way up Zef's pant leg*
Zef: *backs off when Molly comes closer, startled and tries to pull his leg away from bunny... not that the tiny animal could hurt him seriously but it /would/ hurt and no, just no* But he /did/ tell you what's bothering him! ... And, and yeah we talk. So? I'm good for /something/. I... I think you're getting this whole access thing all wrong, but I can't explain /anything/ when, like this! *hasty, while he backs off and finally stands, holding guinea pig tightly because that clearly helps*
Molly: Hold still. *reaches down and scoops the bunny up as it hisses and claws at Zef, holding it to her chest and shushing it* *in a few seconds it calms down and just cuddles against her, giving Zef the evil eye* Go ahead. Explain. *seems more cold now than upset or angry*
Zef: I... *tries a few times to say something* I'm stuck... but he didn't mean any harm, he'd never. I swear, he didn't and I shouldn't have come here... *desperate headshake*
Molly: And I suppose he's told you /all/ about the difficulties we're having. You probably know everything about what's wrong with me, too!
Zef: *another headshake* No... But most people talk to someone. That's normal. And necessary.
Molly: So you're saying you don't know /anything/ about what's going on with us. *gives him a 'bullshit' face*
Zef: *headshake* /No./ I'm saying that I don't know /everything/.
Molly: And how do you know what you don't know, exactly?
Zef: *frowns* I don't know what I don't know, but it can't be everything.
Molly: But you don't know that.
Zef: Of course I know that. *tilts his head* I don't have records of your conversations or your lives before we even met? I know what /he/ tells me, but if I like it or not, this has two sides. And I don't interrogate him for every detail, how could I?
Molly: He's told you that I tried to divorce him, I assume. That I'm giving up on us, that I won't /try./ That he's desperate to keep us together even though we /shouldn't/ be so he's trying everything he can.
Zef: *inhales, nods slowly* Mhmm... basically, yeah. *grimaces slightly* Desperate sounds pretty accurate...
Molly: Because he made a /commitment/ he says, and he can't break it even though keeping it is just hurting us /both/ time and time again. *unaware that she's ranting*
Zef: *tensed nod, otherwise quietly persevering her rant*
Molly: So instead we just bandage all the little things we can and keep going but eventually it's all going to fall apart again and he doesn't /see/ that!
Zef: *inhales deeply, holds his breath for a second, then exhales slowly, mumbling* … I know.
Molly: Then tell him that! Obviously he listens to you and not me!
Zef: *quick stiff headshake, low but desperate voice* I did. Kinda.
Molly: What do you mean, kinda?
Zef: Well, erm, there's... no point in keeping something going when it's... erm, unhealthy. /If/ it is. *helpless shrug, mumbles* And at the moment it is... But I won't talk him into anything.
Molly: What am I supposed to do, Zef? I tried to break up with him /twice/ and both times he got so desperate and upset and talked me out if it and I shouldn't have let him but I /did./
Zef: So... just so I get this entirely right now, if I may ask... Do /you/ still want to break up? Aside from his reaction... *holds breath*
Molly: What I want is to have space. I /need/ space Zef, he's /smothering/ me. But because of what we are, when I try to take space I'm abandoning him and I don't love him and he goes crazy and makes up all this negative stuff. What I want is for us to be together, but be independent people, living our own lives and coming together for support and company. But I don't think he can /do/ that. So the only other thing is to cut him off.
Zef: … but maybe he can. We erm... talked about that.*helpless shrug, headshake* It's probably hard to believe, but I used to be outgoing, so, erm, I know why people can't understand how being alone is even helpful and why it's hard to imagine that it's... well, nothing personal. And then he's, y'know... *uncomfortably* OCD... so... of course he's kinda clingy.
Molly: Zef, he's OCD so he's clingy, and he's not going to /stop/ being OCD. I didn't really know what I was agreeing to when I agreed to marry him. We aren't right for each other and he /refuses/ to accept that. He needs someone who will love how attentive he is and spend every moment he needs with him and do everything I /can't/ and he won't accept that.
Zef: *frowns, silent for a second...* Yeah. Mayyybe because he thought it would be different with you. Second try, you know? Better luck next time. Not so easy to admit you were wrong again. *sour undertone*
Molly: *stiffens* Yeah, guess I'm the rebound try then. Didn't work out the first time, might as well grab the next girl that comes around for another go.
Zef: /That/ is not what I said and I doubt that it's true. *firm headshake* Did anyone ever say that?
Molly: *strokes her index finger over the bunny's ears* It's what it feels like.
Zef: Why? I've had far more than one girlfriend and none was a rebound for anyone and I was serious each time.
Molly: Do you have OCD?
Zef: No? So?
Molly: So you're different from Terrence.
Zef: You mean... it's a rebound because OCD has to do with repetition and obsession?
Molly: *sighs* All I'm saying is that you're not him. You have different feelings and reactions to things. So what happened to you has nothing to do with him.
Zef: I know. I'm just trying to figure why it feels like a rebound try, because I think it's none.
Molly: I don't want to talk about this with you.
Zef: All right. But I still think you're wrong about it.
Molly: Of course you do. *coldly* You probably think I'm wrong about everything.
Zef: No, you're wrong... *snappy undertone, because he's basically saying that she's right about things and he doesn't like to admit that*
Molly: You realize you just /said/ I'm wrong.
Zef: About some things, yeah. About other... no.
Molly: So why don't you tell me what I'm right and wrong about, then?
Zef: *breathes deeply, overwhelmed* ... that would be a lot.
Molly: I've got time.
Zef: *hesitant headshake* ... I told you things you're right and wrong about, in my opinion. It's no list or something.
Molly: Refresh my memory.
Zef: *looks down and starts petting the guinea pig* … well, if you want space, we talked about it. Maybe he can do that. And then maybe you can not dump him for something he suffers from. *like he doesn't dump you for the same thing, but let's not go there*
Molly: I'm not /dumping/ him. I'm trying to do what's best for both of us, and he can't see that.
Zef: That's what the leaving partners tend to say, yeah. For the best. And it might be true, but it doesn't feel like that.
Molly: Just because you were dumped at some point in your life doesn't make you the authority on what's going on with me and Terrence!
Zef: *hurt* Aaaand that's exactly why I /actually/ don't give a damn about others' problems! *starts walking towards the door* Not my fault. I'm trying to /help/, but whatever. What do /I/ even know..!?
Molly: *steps out of the way so he can leave, which is what she told him to do in the first place* You're not trying to help, you're parroting one side of the story that you've gotten over and over and over and somehow thinking that your own life experiences make you the expert on how to /fix/ us.
Zef: Hey, wow, /you/ stop telling me what I'm trying and what not! I'm, gah. *headshake* Believe it or not, I can /think/ on my own. I tried to explain, but if you don't listen, all right, then don't.
Molly: Yeah you're right for once, I'm not listening, because you're wrong and you shouldn't be butting in on our relationship /anyways./
Zef: *growls* I tried to /explain/. That's all! *continues his way towards the door and opens it*
Molly: *hangs onto the bunny as it struggles to escape and have another go at Zef's ankles* I'm changing the access codes. *meaning to the door*
Zef: All right. Not like I couldn't ask for the new codes if I wanted them. *snappy (very adult) tone* *heads off if she lets him and straight for his quarters...*
Molly: *steps after him as he leaves* Then just /marry/ him because obviously /you/ can accept everything about him and I can't! *closes the door when he's out and then walks tight little paces around the room, not sure whether to cry, break something, draw blood with her fingernails, or drink until she passes out*
Zef: *what now?! Doesn't yell anything back, just leaves, but yeah apparently he /can/ accept things* *angry, desperately sad and disappointed, pets the guinea pig because that's the most reasonable thing he can do and it's much better than the bathroom floor o__o*
Molly: *sends Terrence a message that she's changing the access codes to his room and that Zef walked in while she was asleep and she's not comfortable with him having them and they can discuss it when he gets back*
Terrence: *confused as to why she was even in his room, since she's seemed so keen lately on having her own quarters*
Molly: *only keeps her own quarters because she needs her own space* *and since she misses Terrence, his quarters are the best place to be*
Terrence: *didn't bargain that she'd miss him :'D*