evocation | ⚡ ML INBOX

[ It takes him too long to answer--just a second or two hanging past what's normal. Then a little sigh, and ]

Probably not. He, uh--you know about Ian?

Uh... What about Ian?

[There's a lot about Ian.]

Uh--

[ Does she really...not know..... ]

He's back here, too, right? He's the one that told me you were.

[ Quieter: ]

Nathan, he, uh. He was there for it.

Oh. Oh.

[There's a little rush of shock there, but it doesn't surprise her that she didn't know, necessarily. They hadn't talked about Nate or Sam—the other Sam. Too focused on each other, maybe, or avoiding the awkwardness of it.]

Uh... Is he okay?

[ Sam shrugs. Probably not? They haven't...really talked about it. Not since it happened, and Sam held him like a child, sitting in the rubble of a world that wasn't supposed to exist. ]

He will be. Eventually.

Yeah.

[She imagines that's going to be the answer for a lot of this.]

And I guess a lot of us ended up with relationships that don't... you know. Translate.

[ Oh, hey, room to talk about something else. He'll take it. ]

You mean you ain't planning a wedding any time soon.

[She bursts out laughing, shifting awkwardly.]

God, no. I mean, me and Sam are friends, but...

[ Something else to talk about, good. He'll tease her and pretend he doesn't feel any kind of relief about that, and it'll be fine. Normal. Everything's fine. ]

Damn. Had a speech planned and everything.

Really? You weren't gonna be that guy that shows up and objects?

Nah, I--

[ didn't feel like this. A little blip of something he wouldn't want to call anxiety (but which maybe is), and he shrugs like nothing's ever been wrong in his life. ]

I wanna keep getting discounts at the bar here, right?

[She scoffs.]

Oh, is that all I am to you? A beer discount?

I dunno - what d'you think?

[She grins, giving his hand a little tug.]

I dunno. Are you saying I'm not?

Maybe. [ He lets his hand be tugged. There's amusement coming through it, a warmth that doesn't really balance out everything else--but it's there, at least. ] Sometime I get whiskey outta the deal.