towerofanimus | [OPEN] and then it just kept getting worse

Entry tags:

[OPEN] and then it just kept getting worse

characters: (jade!) Eridan Ampora and anyone willing to be subjected to movies, self-pity and shrugging.
setting: floor 14 - the media room
format: starting with action, but I'll match your preference
summary: Eridan has found heaven, aka, somewhere to watch movies and forget his life sucks quite as much as it does.
warnings: pity-party? Will add more as necessary.

[After making himself scarce for a bit, trying to get a hold of everything going on ~~and finally finish untangling his goddamn reels~~, Eridan's wandering around the Tower landed him somewhere he almost dare hope wouldn't suck too much. He wasn't sure he wanted to tempt fate and ask how it could suck: there were movies he had never watched there. So after making sure he wasn't going to run into someone he didn't want to, he curled up in a beanbag chair and set up to demolish a pile of movies until he either felt better, the world stopped sucking, or he forgot he felt like shit because the world sucked.

If you enter the media room, you'll find his horns the most recognizable part of his silhouette against the screen where something vaguely violent but definitely adventurous is going on. He's folded his knees to his chest, resting his chin on his knees, and seems completely absorbed by the narrative trying hard to be heard over the explosions and Really Fucking Cool Shit going on in the movie.

Pester?]

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[Considering what she just said, he shouldn't ask, but his curiosity is piqued enough he blurts it out without thinking:]

What's it about?

[Then he shrugs awkwardly.]

Ah, but you probably don't wwant to think about it, sorry.

Are you kidding? It's one of my favorite movies ever! I just... can't watch the ending. [She gives a sheepish look.]

It's a romantic musical about a playwright that falls in love with a dancer-slash-singer-slash-prostitute while pretending to be someone else, and the guy that he was pretending to be eventually finds out and is majorly jealous. It's all very dramatic, but Ewan McGregor has the most amazing voice... Especially when he sings Elton John.

[Willow sighs dreamily.]

...yeah that doesn't sound like it has a happy endin'.

[Eridan's not sure who Ewan McGregor is, but he's probably a great singer, judging from Willow's reaction. Eridan hesitates a moment, taking a deep breath, before he gives her a lopsided smile.]

Maybe you can showw it to me, wwhen wwe get out a here.

[There. He was being... positive, shudder. Isn't that what all his friends want?]

[She smiles back, feeling shy about it and much more reserved. It's hard for her to admit, but... she's a little lonely, in a way that she hasn't felt in years and years, from before Buffy came to Sunnydale. It affects her a lot to be away from her friends at a time in her life when she was trying to change who she was, not to be that person anymore who was addicted and manipulative, and made bad choices. Sometimes these days half of her pep was an effort to convince herself to cheer up and be who she'd used to be, before the magic.

They didn't know each other that well, but his words reminded her that all of her friendships started somewhere. Willow was grateful just to hear it.]

Maybe even before then, if they have a copy of it here. I'll have to look for it. I was worried you wouldn't like musicals, but if you're game, I'd love to.

[Eridan began to notice her reservedness, bit by bit as time passed and the awkward, urge-to-flail feeling failed to manifest. He shrugged awkwardly, unsure if he should ask... or if this change of attitude was somehow his fault.

It probably was. He felt bad, but he didn't know how to say it without making things awkward. He ducked his head.]

...I'm alwways up to wwatch neww movvies, so sure. I'll trust your taste, Wwilloww.

[By contrast she's perking up bit by bit as the conversation goes on, and she wonders why he's suddenly awkward again. Maybe he has a time limit and has to revert to form after too long being friendly.

No, that's an uncharitable thought, she scolds herself. Even if it is funny.]

I appreciate it. Do you have a favorite? Or... should I stop talking over the one you're watching, maybe?

[And here it is, the moment of truth. That's a pretty straightforward offer to shut up and let him be. He could take it, right? And not come off as a jerk? Right? Right.

Of course he can't take it. Eridan shrugs and rests his chin on his folded knees.]

It's okay. It's just... explosions and stuff.

If you're sure. I don't want to bother you or anything.

[After a moment of hesitating, she adds,] But it is nice to spend time with you, without a crisis or anything like that.

...a crisis?

[Oh god. Eridan looked rueful. Had he imposed himself on her at a bad moment? Oh god, there he went, screwing shit up. Fuck.]

[She's actually trying to say the opposite.] I just mean-- there's always something going on that needs to be taken care of.

It's nice to take a break and just... watch a movie with someone, you know? It's hard to get to know people when there's always death this or interdimensional double that.

[But this is Eridan. And your good intentions are not allowed in unless they're turned on their heads. :|]

Oh. Yes, yes I agree.

[Eridan smiled tentatively at her.]

Wwell, if you. I mean. If you evver feel like wwatchin a movvie, I'll alwways wwant to.

That'd be great. [She smiles back at him, sincerely.] I'm glad that you're... um, settling in okay? You seemed pretty freaked when you got here.

--Not that I can blame you, or anything.

I think the wword's resigned.

[Eridan smiled wryly, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling.]

I'm. Good at bein resigned.

Resigned isn't too bad! Better that than, um, well. I could think of a lot of other things it's better than, but my point is, I think you're doing alright.

Life is a lot to handle even if you aren't stuck in a transdimensional world-ending tower.

Ah, I'm tryin.

[Eridan shrugged.]

Things are complicated enough, as it is. There's no use bein upset about it.

I wish I could take that mentality more, [she says self-consciously.]

Sometimes the upset just happens. It's like, I decide to be all mature and not harp on about things. Strictly no harping. And then, whoosh, it's all out of my control, and-- and harping everywhere!

[Eridan chuckles quietly and looks at his feet, chin on his knees. He could sympathize with that. It was one of his deepest, darkest secrets that he'd once or twice damned an entire timeline just for the sake of having a good and proper freak out about something or another. Not that.

He'll ever let anyone know that.]

I don't think anyone wwould blame you fer it. Sometimes... harpin's necessary.

Well... I blame me for it. A little.

I just want everything to go right for a change, you know? [She's been working so hard, to change herself. But Willow doesn't truthfully want to make the conversation so serious, so she tries to turn it around.]

But I appreciate getting to talk about it. [She gives him another smile, having noticed his laughter.] You're really a nice guy.

[Ladies and gentlemen, Eridan I-am-a-filthy-hypocrite Ampora]

You shouldn't blame yourself for that, wworryin's normal. And it'd be nice if things turned out okay sometime soon.

[He looks away.]

I don't knoww about bein nice, but. I don't mind listenin, if you wwant to talk about it.

See, comments like that mean you're definitely nice. All offering to listen and telling me not to blame myself.

Being here is a lot to deal with, [she goes on sympathetically,] but I think you're doing really well.

[Eridan shrugged, looking weary.]

Screwwed up as this place can be, it's a step up from wwhere I wwas. It just. Took a wwhile to figure that out.

I've had a couple other people say that, too.

I can't say I don't miss home, but... it's a little like a vacation, to be honest. I know I have to go back sometime, but in the meanwhile I get to meet all sorts of new people. Including a really weird amount of aliens, no offense.

Oh, I understand.

[Eridan looks like he's about to say something... but he seems to regret the mere thought of it. He shrugs. So he only repeats himself, smile just a touch tense.]

I understand.

[Willow wants to the opposite of tense, here, so she tries to redirect the conversation again.]

But, um... at least we have piles and piles of movies, like a proper vacation? [she suggests, tentative.] That's how I like my vacations, anyway.

Mmm, you're right.

[The smile softens a notch.]

Do you wwant to pick the next one?

[OPEN] and then it just kept getting worse

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another tag that is histerically sad, in retrospect:

pfffff aww he's such a sad, awkward bb.

yeeeeeeeeeep.

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want to assume the rest? :O

Sure!