I (30M) can't tell if my friend (35X) wants to be more. (Friends at the Table, PALISADE)
Brnine/Jesset, Teen+, ~1.2k.
s/relationships · 12 hr. ago
throwaway244202148690283
Throwaway for reasons, don't ask.
I (30M) have a friend (35X) who I met about 7 years ago through work.
you ever poke through your WIPs folder and discover you have an entire redditfic in there that you just never posted? well, here's this. enjoy!
"You're drunk, and this is a party, and when we die, people will remember the good things that we did."
transcript by robotchangeling below the cut!
Ali: I would like to text Jesset the face_with_spiral_eyes. [Keith chuckles] Face with spiral eyes.
Austin: Oh, damn. Right, the like, you're—
Keith: That’s actually the title of a Breka book. [Ali laughs]
Austin: Yeah, yeah, that one. The one that you've now just posted. Yeah. Ooh, what’s the response here?
Keith: The Face With Spiral Eyes.
Austin: What’s the response? Uh, I'm looking at my emoji. I'm looking at my emoji. I should not just focus on these emoji. We can invent our own. We’re from the future.
Ali: Yeah.
Austin: And maybe it’s just— it’s one of these, the face exhaling, you know?
Ali: [laughs] Yeah.
Austin: Like, phew.
Keith: Oh. I thought that was sad tired guy eating the rest of his cotton candy is what I thought that was.
Ali: No, you did not think that. Anyway.
Austin: You didn't think—
Sylvia: You didn't.
Austin: That’s a lie.
Sylvia: Come on. [Keith and Ali laugh]
Austin: That’s not true.
Ali: I think Brnine sees that and laughs and, like, [Austin: Mm-hmm.] looks up from their phone. [laughs]
Austin: Oh, right, because you're both at the party, right?
Keith: Yeah, like, looking around.
Ali: Just, like, to find Jesset.
Austin: Uh huh. Yeah. Are you still surrounded by people, or is that…like, what’s the…?
Ali: I mean, this is…this is…
Austin: Wind down.
Ali: This is hour four, hour five of the party.
Austin: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Ali: You know?
Austin: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think texts…I mean, are you still— you're not surrounded by people then, so yeah, I think maybe he just comes over then, finally, and just sits down and is like:
(as Jesset): Done holding court.
Ali (as Brnine): Yep.
Dre: Damn.
Austin (as Jesset): You got all that interview practice, and now you're using it on us.
Ali (as Brnine): [sighs] Ha ha ha ha. Yeah, what’s up?
Austin (as Jesset): How are you?
Ali (as Brnine): I'm chilling, man.
Austin (as Jesset): Bontive Valley.
Ali (as Brnine): Hear, hear, hear.
Austin (as Jesset): What’s next for Captain Brnine?
Ali (as Brnine): Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I gotta ask my crew, I guess. You good, man? I heard that you were, um… [Jesset sighs] I heard you kinda went through it while I was…
Austin (as Jesset): Yeah. Yeah. Uh, faced down Crusade a little early.
Ali (as Brnine): Oh, you softened them up for us.
Austin (as Jesset): [laughs softly] I'll take the W.
Ali (as Brnine): [laughs] Well, thank you.
Austin (as Jesset): Thank you for getting the, uh, that big Divine involved. I don't think we could have done it without them.
Ali (as Brnine): Oh, right, yeah, Fealty and them.
Austin (as Jesset): Yeah.
Ali (as Brnine): Gotta get some Ws.
Austin (as Jesset): Um, I did think I was going to die, though, and that made me think about some things.
Ali (as Brnine): Yeah. Yeah. Same, bro. [Ali laughs quietly]
Austin (as Jesset): Yeah. Pshh, I try not to think about the ones that— you know, we've lost some people over the years.
Ali (as Brnine): Mm-hmm.
Austin (as Jesset): What do you think people would say about me— ah, don't worry about it. Uh…
Ali (as Brnine): Wait.
Austin (as Jesset): Don't worry about it.
Ali (as Brnine): Like, if you died, or like…?
Austin (as Jesset): Yeah, if I died.
Ali (as Brnine): You can't ask somebody that. [muffled laughter] Why are you— come on, man. Don't think like that. What are you doing?
Austin (as Jesset): Sorry, I've had too much to drink.
Ali (as Brnine): Yeah.
Austin (as Jesset): I should just…
Ali (as Brnine): You’ve been doing this for a long time.
Austin (as Jesset): I might have been doing it for too long. I, uh…Partizan. Phew.
Ali (as Brnine): [laughs quietly] Yeah.
Austin (as Jesset): It seems so far away.
Ali (as Brnine): Yeah. Yeah. I've been, uh…it’s funny. I've been thinking that as well.
Austin (as Jesset): Do you— [cuts himself off] Good luck on the next mission.
Ali (as Brnine): No, what were you gonna say?
Austin (as Jesset): It’s fine. I should talk to you when I'm not drunk. [Ali laughs]
Ali (as Brnine): Okay. I think they still got some, uh…
Ali: I can't think of a food. [laughs]
Austin: Churros. Uh…
Keith: Cotton candy.
Dre: Shrimp.
Austin: Cotton candy. Shrimp. Ugh. These are all bad drunk foods. [Ali laughs]
Dre: Well, popcorn shrimp? I don't know.
Austin: Popcorn shrimp.
Janine: Cotton candied shrimp.
Dre: Ugh.
Austin: Cotton candied shrimp. Blech!
Keith: Cotton candied shrimp.
Austin: [laughs] I don't know about that.
Ali: Ugghhh.
Dre: Hey, I hate it.
Janine: It’s, like, furry and sweet.
Austin: Right.
Dre: No. [Austin and Keith laugh]
Ali (as Brnine): Go get some bread.
Austin: Bread is the thing.
Ali (as Brnine): Go get your bread up.
Austin (as Jesset): Go get my bread up. [laughs] You know I keep my bread up.
Janine: [laughs] What the fuck?
Ali (as Brnine): I know you keep your bread up.
Austin (as Jesset): Keep my bread up every day. Every day!
Ali (as Brnine): That’s what they would say.
Austin (as Jesset): That is what they would say. [Sylvia laughs]
Janine: Uh…
Ali (as Brnine): Jesset always kept his bread up.
Austin (as Jesset): That’s what they would say. [laughs] I always kept my bread up. Ugh, rise and grind.
Keith: Like the dough.
Dre: Sure.
Keith: Like the dough of the bread.
Austin: Like the dough.
Keith: Rise and grind.
Dre: The Millennium Break mindset. Rise and grind, baby.
Austin: Yeah, that’s right. Ugh.
Austin (as Jesset): [sighs] There are people we lost, and no one even says their names anymore. That’s what’s on my mind. And when it’s done, I don't know if anyone will remember any of us, and it might be our fault because we don't do a good enough job of remembering the people who brought us here. That’s what’s on my mind.
Ali (as Brnine): Well, you're drunk.
Austin (as Jesset): Also some other stuff, but yeah.
Ali (as Brnine): Um, you're drunk, and this is a party, and when we die, people will remember the good things that we did.
Austin (as Jesset): Mm-hmm.
Keith: Eventually we'll have Phrygian’s funeral. [Ali laughs]
Austin (as Jesset): Ah, fuck. We have to have Phrygian’s funeral.
Dre: Oh, man!
Austin (as Jesset): Oh.
Ali (as Brnine): I thought that that happened already, but we should have that.
Austin (as Jesset): We should have that. Do you— oh. There hasn't really been time for funerals. I don't know that I've been to one since Partizan.
Ali (as Brnine): [laughs] Oh, right. Ugh, god. No, I— we just— I just did that— [laughs] You want to hear something funny? [Dre laughs]
Ali (as Brnine): She threw a punch at her dad’s funeral.
Austin (as Jesset): She threw punch at her—? She threw a punch.
Ali (as Brnine): No, she punched somebody.
Austin (as Jesset): Who’d she punch?
Ali (as Brnine): I don't know.
Austin (as Jesset): Oh.
Ali (as Brnine): Some girl, I think.
Austin (as Jesset): Mm. [Sylvia laughs loudly]
Ali (as Brnine): You know, she might— [laughs] she might end up like me one day.
Austin (as Jesset): I could see it.
Ali (as Brnine): It’s a good start.
Austin (as Jesset): Her own ship?
Keith: Iridescent.
Austin (as Jesset): You don't need an engineer on board, do you?
Ali (as Brnine): Wait.
Austin (as Jesset): Ah…no, it’s…you know, I always told myself the Bontive Valley was the thing, and I guess we're gonna try for other stuff. Shale Belt, Carleon, Temple. I don't know what’s next, but it seems really far away, and I've been in the caves and the mountains for a few years now. You know, I should just stay. They probably need me, but…and you already have other things going on, but. [quiet conflicted laugh]
Ali (as Brnine): Um, you know, that’s a lot to consider.
Austin (as Jesset): It is.
Ali (as Brnine): Um…
Austin (as Jesset): I'm sorry. I'm gonna get bread.
Ali (as Brnine): No. Yeah, sure. I'll text you in the morning.
Austin (as Jesset): Yeah.
Ali (as Brnine): Okay.
Austin: Stands up, hands on knees. Hands on log. I've been picturing us sitting on a log around a bonfire. You know, like, you know, like a bonfire.
Ali: Yeah.
Austin: Push up. Little nod. Slow walk away. Later that night, texts you an emoji of bread.
Ali: [laughs] Cool.
Austin: Uh huh.
Ali: Oh how this relationship would be if they didn't talk to each other when they were drunk or sick all of the time.
Austin: Mm. Mm. Mm. Perfect. Love it. [Ali laughs]
Dre: Mm.
Sylvia: That’s what makes it the situationship.
Austin: Yep. [Ali laughs]
Dre: Yeah.
Austin: Mm-hmm.
Sylvia: Yeah. At least in my experience.
Ali: Hey, can I move in with you? Wait, nevermind. I gotta go.
Austin: Nevermind. I'm gonna go get some bread instead. [Ali laughs]
Sylvia: Oh my god.
Austin: It’s fine.
Dre: Man.
Austin: Uh huh.
Ali: We've all been there. [Austin laughs]
Sylvia: Yeah.
Dre: College, am I right? [laughter]
Austin: College, phew, yeah. [Dre laughs]
Keith: Jesset picks up some corn just to drop it.Austin: Yeah, that’s how it feels sometimes. [Ali laughs]
