"Yeah, it's been a real shitty week for you, huh? Uh, alright. So, when shit like this gets hard, I don't think too far ahead. Not yet, not until I can get my shit together. So just - try and take it a couple of minutes at a time. Like, what are you going to do for the next two minutes?"
It's actually not bad advice. Thinking about only two minutes in the future erases all the fears about the big things potentially waiting for him, and he feels himself very slowly relaxing.
"I'm going to sit here, and hope that you'll maybe sit next to me."
"Yeah, of course," he says. "I ain't got nowhere to be." He conveniently forgets that he had been on his way out the door. But he can stay. Shut off the rest of his brain that tells him he has feelings or that he's selfish or that he's still very, very hurt.
Aaron reaches over. "I think it's been a couple of minutes. So - what's for the next couple?"
He doesn't know what he's doing, only that it's worked for him before. When things were bad at home, when he didn't have anywhere else to go, when he didn't have anything else to think. When his life stretched so far ahead of him that everything seemed bleak, it was easier not to plan.
He bows his head softly and takes the small cup to down the wine.
Aaron was going to leave, but he'd kept him here. Huaisang knew in the back of his mind that Aaron was the only friend in the world he'd been able to share his secrets with, but the realization hits him hard now.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-12-31 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-12-31 03:19 am (UTC)"I'm going to sit here, and hope that you'll maybe sit next to me."
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Date: 2023-12-31 03:20 am (UTC)Those things can wait.
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Date: 2023-12-31 04:13 am (UTC)He sits beside him quietly, leg touching his accidentally. He keeps it there, just letting them exist together for the next two minutes.
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Date: 2023-12-31 04:32 am (UTC)He doesn't know what he's doing, only that it's worked for him before. When things were bad at home, when he didn't have anywhere else to go, when he didn't have anything else to think. When his life stretched so far ahead of him that everything seemed bleak, it was easier not to plan.
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Date: 2023-12-31 01:18 pm (UTC)He has no idea what time of day it is, but he doesn't really care.
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Date: 2023-12-31 01:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-12-31 01:38 pm (UTC)Aaron was going to leave, but he'd kept him here. Huaisang knew in the back of his mind that Aaron was the only friend in the world he'd been able to share his secrets with, but the realization hits him hard now.
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Date: 2023-12-31 01:56 pm (UTC)"You want me to stay?"
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Date: 2023-12-31 02:02 pm (UTC)“No, I’ll be alright. You can go.” After a beat he adds, “thank you again for helping me.”
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Date: 2023-12-31 02:07 pm (UTC)And then he stands up and heads out.
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Date: 2023-12-31 02:23 pm (UTC)He watches Aaron finally leave, exhaling shakily when the door shuts. He pours himself another drink and downs it.