CHRIS WHEN I CATCH U CHRISS (It's unbelievable that I have to say that I don't hate him because otherwise people will get angry, lol) ⇣⇣⇣
I understand why Chris did what he did and I can even relate (and I love him ofc), but that doesn't mean I'm not sad about those 15 seconds of Adrian crying. But like, Adrian was happy the minute after anyway!!
little interaction i wrote cuz their friendship means a lot to me, happy holidays everyone!!
During a bad movie night, a tipsy, joking conversation between Leota and John turns unexpectedly personal.
The movie had been playing for a while now, but neither of them was really watching it anymore. They could hear the faint cracking sound that came from the old pipes inside the walls of the women's decrepit apartment, both a little tipsy from the beers they drank.
Leota was stretched out on the couch, legs tucked under herself, laughing at something that clearly had nothing to do with the screen. Economos, meanwhile, was clutching the popcorn bowl like it was a defensive weapon.
He glanced at her, his eyebrows furrowing. "What?”
She wiped at her eye. “Sorry. I just remembered something.”
John snickered softly, rolling his eyes. “That’s never good.”
“It’s not that bad” She said. “Just…A date I went on once. A girl told me she thought I looked straight because I ‘seemed too normal.’”
John winced. “Oof. That’s…Wow.”
“Yeah, not great.” She shook her head, then smiled. “But it got me thinking about how people just assume stuff about each other.”
She turned toward him, eyes sharp but amused. “Like you.”
John choked on a kernel. “Me?!”
“Yes, you.” She said, completely unbothered, shrugging against the old cushions. “Like, what are you into man?”
There it was. The movie exploded in the background, literal explosions, while John just stared straight ahead, brain very clearly buffering.
“I...” He stopped, mouth opening and closing as he looked for a answer. “I mean. I like women.”
“Okay.”
“Like…women, womeen.”
“Alright.”
They both fell silent, Economos could feel his brow start to sweat under his friend's gaze.
He dragged a hand down his face. “I cannot fucking believe you dropped this on me during a movie.”
“It’s a bad movie.”
“It is not!”
She laughed, then softened a little. “I’m not interrogating you. I’m just curious.”
He went quiet.
“I don’t think I ever really…Gave myself space to think about it.” John said finally, looking down at the popcorn bowl in his lap. “I was usually too busy trying not to get fired, arrested, or killed.”
“Fair.”
“And everyone else always seemed so sure about who they were.” He hesitated. “I kind of just…Went along with whatever version of me people expected.”
Leota shifted closer, her tone gentler now. “I get that. I did that for a long time, too.”
He looked at her. “How did that turn out for you?”
She signed. “Bad...But it was kind of freeing, you know, once I stopped trying to be this perfect version of myself, found my own path.”
John exhaled slowly. “What if I never find mine?” He asked quietly.
“Well that's the thing.” She said without missing a beat. “You have to decide what's best for yourself John.”
He let out a small, sarcastic laugh.
“I always thought questioning stuff like that meant something was wrong with you.” He admitted.
“No” Leota said softly. “It just means you’re figuring shit out.”
The movie kept going, loud and ridiculous, but neither of them cared anymore.
After a moment, John muttered “You know, this would’ve been way less stressful if you’d warned me.”
She bumped her shoulder against his. “You handled it better than you think.”
