➞ OPEN POST

[stonehearts]

Comments

[percipi]

Don't speak of things you've yet to experience.

[stonehearts]

Ouch, I'm hurt. One might think you meant it if you're not careful.

[percipi]

I only say things I mean.

[stonehearts]

You do, don't you.

( couldn't be aventurine. )

How much time do I have left, Doc?

[percipi]

Evidently. You have four minutes and twenty-two seconds.

Twenty-one.

[stonehearts]

( it is with fifty-two seconds remaining that aventurine slides onto the stool next to ratio, giving him a flirtatious wave of his fingers before waving over the bartender for a drink. )

Just in time. And look, I didn't come empty handed.

( aventurine places a thin book on the bar between them -- a rare manuscript about something that he doesn't understand but figures is probably up ratio's alley. he'd won it during his last gamble, and had thought of the other man immediately. after all, he has no reason to keep something like that around. )

[percipi]

[ The book is, unfortunately, appealing, and Ratio looks it over, front and back, before he... Carefully places it aside for proper perusal later. When he's not... Distracted. ]

I have yet to hear an apology.

[stonehearts]

( gotcha. aventurine smiles, slow and practiced. )

I'm here, aren't I? But if you're going to insist--

[percipi]

[ He scowls, shoving his drink towards him gently. ]

Stop being so irritating.

[stonehearts]

( it's easy to hide a real smile against the rim of his drink as he takes a sip, bright eyes flashing. )

Better than the crime of being boring.

[percipi]

[ Ugh, disgusting. But there's a bubble of fondness all the same. ]

A crime too many are guilty of.

[stonehearts]

Would you say it's worse than being an idiot, Doc?

( considering how often ratio lambasts everyone from not being able to match his intelligence. which isn't really fair -- not everyone can earn eight doctorates. )

[percipi]

In some situations.

[ Not everyone can be this much of a fucking bitch, either. ]

Are you going to explain yourself?

[stonehearts]

( yeah, that's a ratio specialty. )

Would you believe me if I said work ran long?

[percipi]

No.

[ Fruitless, to lie, but. ]

[stonehearts]

Maybe I just wanted to see how long you'd wait.

( that's as much of the truth as aventurine wants to give. )

Anyway. I'm guessing this isn't just a casual chat. You don't seem the type.

[percipi]

Another gamble that has paid off.

[ Ratio reaches down, grabbing the drink and. Drinking it. Fuck. ]

No. I am going to be absent from this weekend onwards, and I thought it best to inform you.

[stonehearts]

Oh? ( that gets a raised eyebrow. ) How... unusual. Don't tell me you're finally taking a vacation.

( not if he's drinking like that he's not. )

[percipi]

No. I am having a medical procedure performed.

[ So he will be indisposed, obviously. ]

[stonehearts]

( well.

that's unexpected. aventurine blinks away his surprise, propping himself up on his elbow as he leans into the other man's personal space for a brief second. )

You don't look ill. Unless you've decided to use one of those doctorates of yours to self-diagnose, in which case-- ( he shrugs. ) The doctor knows best.

[percipi]

No, I sought a second opinion and found a professional to carry out the procedure.

[ Another drink. Phew. ]

It will be some months until I am fully recovered.

[stonehearts]

Months?

( he should probably leave it alone. he does, in fact, leave it alone.

for about five seconds -- the time it takes to school his face better so the concern that's crawling up his gut doesn't show. )

There's very little these days that require that long of a recovery period.

( and he is currently attempting to go through all of them, one after another, and match up any symptoms to the man sitting in front of him. ugh, this would be easier if he could put in a request for ratio's medical records with jade and actually get them. )

[percipi]

I'm quite aware. It is, unfortunately, an unavoidable complication.

[ It isn't, of course. He could tell the man beside him how he feels, but he chooses not to. He's weighed his options, put the thought in, and now... He knows what the only good outcome is.

Liberation from doubt. ]

If there is anything you need me to do, now is the time to say it.

[stonehearts]

( he's rapidly going through possible diseases, though there's one his mind keeps tripping over. but that's--

aventurine can't even begin to unpack the knot starting to form in his stomach. )

Stay for another drink? Unless you can't possibly keep yourself away from my gift any longer.

( he needs to buy himself more time. )

[percipi]

I can permit you one more. You would’ve had more than that, had you been on time.

[ The reality being, of course, he wants to have a little more time with this warm, content feeling inside of him. A little more time pretending.

A pathetic display of emotion. ]