KOA
Friends. It hangs between them, both disappointment and relief. Friends feels safe, a good, fresh start; friends keep healthy barriers in place. Friends avoid messing things up with silly shit like romance and lust. They can be friends, he tells himself. This is fine. This is going to be fine.
That's right: Koa Carpenter, himbo extraordinaire, has put himself in the friend-zone. Adulthood, ahoy!
It's all pleasantries until Soh nearly chokes, which given the question? Fair. Koa takes another sip from his drink, trying not to seem too interested, because this is casual gabbing as friends. But gods if he doesn't perk up to hear that there's nobody special in her life. "Ah. That's... too bad," Koa replies striving quite unsuccessfully to remain nonchalant. He'd known about Jude, of course - the poor kid has been sleeping in his guest room for months - but he'd half feared that there would be someone now. Another barrier between them, as always.
Is it better or worse, knowing the path to her is clear?
Oh, but then the other shoe drops, and Koa realizes all too late the position he's put himself in. Because while Soh has been single and focused on recovery and reclamation, he has been making a right mess of his own love life. "Um... well," he begins, looking away as a boyish blush colors his face. "I was, um, kinda seeing Flora. Really briefly, and it never got serious or anything." Why is he trying to defend himself? And where is all this sweat coming from? Does anyone else feel hot??
"I mean... I thought it was, but she... well, turned out there was someone else, and uh, she picked him. Which, y'know. You'd think I'd be used to by now." He laughs, trying and failing to keep the bitterness from his tone, before taking another healthy pull from the now dwindling whisky glass.
That's right: Koa Carpenter, himbo extraordinaire, has put himself in the friend-zone. Adulthood, ahoy!
It's all pleasantries until Soh nearly chokes, which given the question? Fair. Koa takes another sip from his drink, trying not to seem too interested, because this is casual gabbing as friends. But gods if he doesn't perk up to hear that there's nobody special in her life. "Ah. That's... too bad," Koa replies striving quite unsuccessfully to remain nonchalant. He'd known about Jude, of course - the poor kid has been sleeping in his guest room for months - but he'd half feared that there would be someone now. Another barrier between them, as always.
Is it better or worse, knowing the path to her is clear?
Oh, but then the other shoe drops, and Koa realizes all too late the position he's put himself in. Because while Soh has been single and focused on recovery and reclamation, he has been making a right mess of his own love life. "Um... well," he begins, looking away as a boyish blush colors his face. "I was, um, kinda seeing Flora. Really briefly, and it never got serious or anything." Why is he trying to defend himself? And where is all this sweat coming from? Does anyone else feel hot??
"I mean... I thought it was, but she... well, turned out there was someone else, and uh, she picked him. Which, y'know. You'd think I'd be used to by now." He laughs, trying and failing to keep the bitterness from his tone, before taking another healthy pull from the now dwindling whisky glass.
Let me go, I don't wanna be your hero
I don't wanna be a big man
Just wanna fight with everyone else
I don't wanna be a big man
Just wanna fight with everyone else
Code stolen from Queen Sky
