[And he can continue catching her up until there's a knock on her hotel room door, and she opens it to be greeted with Alice, her roommate, and the pizza boy with three pizzas.]
Look at that. Gang's all here. Hi, Lizzie. Nice to see you again.
And this one had a cloaking spell attached. Another family.
( It was a very big whodunit. Turns out, it wasn't the newest neighbors, but the oldest. They lost their oldest to a frozen lake. It was a sad story. He trembles through describing the final confrontation before a knock interrupts.
[Waverly handles the pizza boy and sends him on his way, before taking Lizzie gently by the arm and steering her towards the in-suite kitchenette.]
Lizzie, will you help me with the drinks?
[Aka give the kids a chance to talk. This isn't going to be mega privacy, because they're still in the same room, but Archer and Alice are the ones who need to talk.]
Lizzie fiddles with the coffee maker, spinning the little rack of pods, keeping small talk going before her and Waverly.
Archer crosses the divide between them. )
I was scared. And ashamed. And then, very suddenly assigned to investigate something I only recently learned you were involved in. I thought, foolishly, you might react differently. I thought about what I would say, or what would happen. Coming back together. But, I didn't earn that dream and I really slammed that hope in the bin. I recognize that.
( And... )
If I could've stayed -- My life isn't my own, and I thought about you, and thought about reaching out, but every time I did, I didn't know what I could say, that you would... even want to hear. And then one month became six. My crash and burn isn't an excuse. Neither is my fear. Or, my buffoonery. I messed up. All around. Every step of the way. And I am sorry for it, Alice.
I accept your apology. You also need to apologize to Lizzie too because she had nothing to do with this - [this being their relationship] - and you broke into her room.
[A pause.]
Because that's the thing that really freaked me out. You broke into a private space when I wasn't even expecting you and I'm sorry for ... taking it to eleven. I could have handled it better.
Do you mind if I file away that you're a Christopher Guest fan? ( He hopes. ) I like you. I liked you then for real, possessed or not, I liked you and I like you and that's why I acted like a real knob. The last thing I'd ever want is to freak you out. You deserve better.
[Oh, he does like her. She let's those complicated feelings swirl for a minute before admitting some of her own vulnerability.]
I never blocked you after you left.
[Which is neither a confirmation nor a denial of anything, but more an opening. Maybe the hope that he would reach out. That it wasn't all in her head.
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praevaricatio) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
everyonelives2024-11-30 05:12 pm
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( But, he's been busy nonetheless. )
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[But she can understand the frustration.]
If you need this to be a work chat, I was also impacted by the wild magic. You can take my witness statement.
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( If she wants to know his goal for all this. )
I was on assignment since we left Purgatory. Save for a weekend here and there with my parental figures. We were in Canada.
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[She gets another ding which is Alice's agreeing text that she and her roommate are on their way over, so she'll order lunch and focus on the story.]
What were you working on?
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( and he hears it. )
A frost demon infiltrated the Toronto suburbs. I moved in as Janders' nephew.
no subject
[And he can continue catching her up until there's a knock on her hotel room door, and she opens it to be greeted with Alice, her roommate, and the pizza boy with three pizzas.]
Look at that. Gang's all here. Hi, Lizzie. Nice to see you again.
no subject
And this one had a cloaking spell attached. Another family.
( It was a very big whodunit. Turns out, it wasn't the newest neighbors, but the oldest. They lost their oldest to a frozen lake. It was a sad story. He trembles through describing the final confrontation before a knock interrupts.
"Hey, Waverly! Abs." Lizzie says, striding in. )
Lizzie. Alice.
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Lizzie, will you help me with the drinks?
[Aka give the kids a chance to talk. This isn't going to be mega privacy, because they're still in the same room, but Archer and Alice are the ones who need to talk.]
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She can give them the time and space they need, though.
Archer sticks his hands in his pockets, exhaling. It's the least subtle exit. )
I do owe you an apology, if you'll accept.
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Alice tries not to appear immediately defensive, not crossing her arms in front of her chest and nods slowly.]
I'm willing to hear it. We'll see after that if I accept it.
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Lizzie fiddles with the coffee maker, spinning the little rack of pods, keeping small talk going before her and Waverly.
Archer crosses the divide between them. )
I was scared. And ashamed. And then, very suddenly assigned to investigate something I only recently learned you were involved in. I thought, foolishly, you might react differently. I thought about what I would say, or what would happen. Coming back together. But, I didn't earn that dream and I really slammed that hope in the bin. I recognize that.
( And... )
If I could've stayed -- My life isn't my own, and I thought about you, and thought about reaching out, but every time I did, I didn't know what I could say, that you would... even want to hear. And then one month became six. My crash and burn isn't an excuse. Neither is my fear. Or, my buffoonery. I messed up. All around. Every step of the way. And I am sorry for it, Alice.
no subject
I accept your apology. You also need to apologize to Lizzie too because she had nothing to do with this - [this being their relationship] - and you broke into her room.
[A pause.]
Because that's the thing that really freaked me out. You broke into a private space when I wasn't even expecting you and I'm sorry for ... taking it to eleven. I could have handled it better.
no subject
( he'll take his lumps, though. )
Do you mind if I file away that you're a Christopher Guest fan? ( He hopes. ) I like you. I liked you then for real, possessed or not, I liked you and I like you and that's why I acted like a real knob. The last thing I'd ever want is to freak you out. You deserve better.
no subject
I never blocked you after you left.
[Which is neither a confirmation nor a denial of anything, but more an opening. Maybe the hope that he would reach out. That it wasn't all in her head.
And then he didn't.]
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( A real, honesty apology. )
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[It's not fixing anything right away, but it's a start. She takes a deep breath, before glancing towards the kitchenette.]
Pizza smells good. Anything else you have to tell me while they pretend they're not listening?
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I think they should put us out of our misery and share the wealth.
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Okay. Let's eat.
[And with that they will head back to have a nice lunch and Lizzie and Alice can catch Archer up on what actually happened on the autumn solstice.]