A bar on the mainland- Tuesday night

[notconflicted]

Sia wasn't entirely sure it was the best thing for her to be here, and not just because she was worried about taking a night off from her nonstop terrible job for once. It was just that she and Atton had not had a great year, relationshipwise, and then there'd been an added depression-inducing complication with terrible timing when Sia already wasn't sure how to navigate things yet. She didn't like feeling unsure.

But she was deciding that was background. They were friends, and she worried about him, and she was at least a reason to get him out. Off island, even, to a bar they'd been to before, where Sia asked, "Are you going to roll your eyes if I ask you what I'm drinking tonight?"


[For Atton!]

Comments

[suitably_heroic]

Part of Atton had wanted to say no, had wanted to go back to laying down on his bed and staring at the ceiling for a while. Mercifully, that part of him had been shrinking in the past few weeks.

It also helped he still felt guilty towards Sia, and that guilt hadn't let him say no when she'd asked.

"No, but you might get something boring, like a margarita," he said, hands stuck in his pockets. He was subdued tonight, and probably would stay so, but he was trying.

[notconflicted]

"I have no problem with boring," she assured him. "I trust your decision, margarita or no."

She did not like the subdued thing at all.

[suitably_heroic]

"Then I guess I'm going to get you a drink," Atton said, and rose from his seat. "Be back in a second."

[notconflicted]

"I'll be here," she said, definitely trying not to watch him too closely because it felt like hovering.

[suitably_heroic]

A few minutes later, Atton returned with... well, two margaritas. He set one down in front of her and sank down into his seat. "I'll figure out something else, you'll just have to give me a color," he said lightly.

[notconflicted]

"Violet," she said immediately, taking her glass. "Is that enough of a challenge?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, that's going to be a pain," Atton drawled, taking a sip from his drink. "Violet it is."

[notconflicted]

"You should be used to that from me by now," she pointed out, sipping her drink.

[suitably_heroic]

"You're just happy I like a challenge," Atton said. "I mean, when it doesn't require a whole lot of effort."

[notconflicted]

"And I'd say anything you can look up on your phone is minimal effort," she said lightly. "Thank you for coming out with me."

[suitably_heroic]

"I figured it'd be better than three minute dates," Atton said, a sigh in his voice. "I keep forgetting how many weirdoes live on the island."

Especially since he didn't get out much at the moment.

[notconflicted]

"I take it it didn't go well?" Sia asked.

[suitably_heroic]

"Eh, you know how these things are," Atton said. "I mean, I only picked a fight with one of them."

[notconflicted]

"Did anyone end up in the pond?" Sia asked.

[suitably_heroic]

"Nah, it was pretty civilized. I even got away with putting my feet on the table," Atton said. "Seivarden was not at her best."

[notconflicted]

"You might have to try harder next time," she suggested. "Who's Seivarden?"

Maybe she was trying to get him to complain a little.

[suitably_heroic]

"Some ex-friend of Sparkle's who's a completely entitled piece of too-good-for-you bantha poodoo," Atton said, tapping his glass. "I first met her when she was yelling at some barista for not having the tea she wanted."

[notconflicted]

Sia blinked. "Which is not only excessive, it's also not the barista's fault."

[suitably_heroic]

"So I might've pushed Seivarden around a little," Atton said casually. "... Maybe to the point of storming out."

[notconflicted]

"Good. I hope you've done it several times since then as well."

What, it sounded like it would be deserved.

[suitably_heroic]

"She's been avoiding me, which suits me just fine," Atton said. "Until 3MD anyway."

[notconflicted]

"It's good to know you can still make friends," she said lightly. "Why did you sign up for the dates?"

[suitably_heroic]

"I just came in to get a drink, and there they were," Atton said. "Figured it was a sign from the island it was going to be an ass if I didn't go along with it."

[notconflicted]

"It's probably good that you went," she said with a slight shrug of one shoulder. "Getting out can help. I actually miss doing things like that."

[suitably_heroic]

"I'm fine," Atton said, eyeing his drink very closely all of a sudden.