invisibilitea | IC CONTACT

[But that's what Mitchell had gone on about, isn't it - all the guardian angel stuff. But he'd left out that part.]

Er - I, er, meant...congratulations. For...kissing. Him. Or for having him kiss...you. [He's not sure when he turned into a girl in primary school, but it happened. It happened about the time he moved in with Mitchell, honestly. He really thought that was not going to have such a negative impact on his masculinity.]

For some strange reason, that came out as "why."

Do you think there's something wrong with Mitche-

[NO WAIT]

Or wrong with me?

What? No!

[He pulls away from her so he can look at her.]

No, no, Annie, it's not - It's just - I saw you last about a day ago, and then you and Mitchell were just friends. I...You don't expect to go away for a day and then come back and find your two friends...snogging. Let alone declaring it like it's a point of pride. Not that you shouldn't be proud, just... [Oh, hell.]

[Slightly mollified at that]

Oh. Well.

Surprise.

[He lifts his hands - ]

Hooray.

[Weak, but not wholly sarcastic. And then, carefully:]

So, not that I...really want to know, lots...What started all that? The kissing. And looking for broader picture, thank you, not a description of the act.

[She goes quiet for a moment, and then looks away, and back at George.]

I realized I love him.

He kept pushing me away, like he didn't want me about, and I got so upset. We had a fight, and I felt like I was disappearing. And then he apologized, and it felt...

Better.

[Somehow, somehow, George swallows the droll comment about how miraculous it is, someone feeling better soon as they win a fight, because an Annie using the word disappearing is never an Annie you really want to joke about with. Disappearing is a bad thing. That's a thing she shouldn't be feeling.]

Right, well -

[Mitchell, you owe me for life. He adjusts his glasses.]

Er - you know - you don't really love him when I know you two from. So, er...Is that new? Is there something that sparked that, something that caused it...

[He stops short of prompting her with Like when he rescued you from purgatory...]

When are you from, George?

Er - Yes. That's an odd question to hear, I must say. 2009. I...

[A look of guilt crosses his face.]

Right before...Herrick.

I -

[Oh. She gets his drift. His meaning. She dig. Oh, she dig.]

Oh, well.

Lots of things have happened.

[Right, I got the overview from Mitchell, he starts to say, but then he remembers he ought to be crafty. So, instead - ]

Lots of things. Like what?

Oh, well, I.

[She stops again, because George tends to freak out.]

You can't freak out.

Have you ever known me to freak out.

Is that a trick question?

[Ughhhh]

Right, fine. You have my word of honor that I will not freak out.

[Okay good enough. She takes a moment, a breath, and then says:]

Well, to begin with, you moved out. This would have never happened if you had just stayed home.

[Well, that's not true]

And if you hadn't fought with Nina.

Hold - Hold on a moment -

[He looks at Annie, because suddenly there is something way more relevant to his interests than Annie and Mitchell snogging.]

Why did I fight with Nina?

[Oh. Oh crap. She just throws her hands up in the air because oh crap but maybe she can save this]

For God's sake, George, you didn't tell me! But then you moved out and Mitchell got all secretive and strange and you two had this row with the television about them changing the time of The Real Hustle and the next thing I know I got exorcised into purgatory!

[Huff. Huff. Huff.]

[Right, well...that's distracted him, because that's something to seize onto.]

Purgatory.

Yes.

[Oh thank god]

This horrible priest exorcised me.

But you're not a...demon. That's what's done for demons, isn't it? Can't say I know much about the whole thing, religiously, but I did see The Exorcist -

[Orrr not the time.]

But - I mean - Are you all right?

[Quiet]

It was horrible, George.

It was really bad.

Oh.

[His face falls, and he reaches out and wraps his arm around her shoulders.]

I'm...I'm here. If you want to talk about it. If you can.

[She leans against him, quiet]

Mitchell came and got me.

Yeah. He - he said.

[And then George winces - ]

Sorry, I actually did know a...a bit about it already. He told me a little bit.

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[action] DON'T TELL HIM ANNIE IT WILL DESTROY HIM

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