Room 323 [Tuesday, Evening]

[comeoutwrong]

Looked like it was threatening rain outside, so Effy was staying in for once. Every girl needed a night off sometimes, even if they were few and far between for this one. She'd been out and got things done during the day, and to her, that should count for something.

So between the odd text to Tony (whose evening was going far more interestingly than hers), she was flopped back on the bed, holding the book she was reading up over her. She'd even got into it enough her hot chocolate had gone cold. That was actually kind of rare.

[[Door is cracked, but the post can be open!]]

Comments

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Managed not to piss me off enough for that," she said, (which she was pretty sure he was capable of if he tried), and bent her knees a little to give some space.

That alone... sort of made him worthy, in a funny sort of way. That and managing not to get bored of him.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Is that all it is?" he asked, looking at her for a few more moments before giving his neck a break and turning back around. He let his hands rest behind him though, stretching some. "I don't piss you off so you keep me around. Flattering."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"I was kidding." Even finally flipped that book closed. Although the part where she would throw him out if he was a total ass was the truth.

Already established that a) there was more too it than that, and b) he kept himself around as much as anything else.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I figured as much," he said, half smiling but keeping his eyes forward. Better on his poor, stressed neck muscles. "Did I sound pissed off to you? If I thought that was the only reason, I'd be gone already and wouldn't have come back. Not much substance there."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Might've been a reason at first." Before it all got tied up in a million others she'd rather not examine. But that sort of thing was allowed before you got to know a person, she thought.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"If you didn't notice, we got past firsts awhile ago," he said, glancing over his shoulder at her again. "That something you miss?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"What, keeping you around because you didn't annoy me?" That probably wasn't what he was getting at, but never mind.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"The lack of substance," he clarified, keeping his head turned so he could see her and managing to keep the smirk off his face. "Though, really, you're not keeping me at all. I'm here because I wanted to be, I'll leave if I want."

Couldn't let himself be seen as a pushover, after all.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Right." Didn't really doubt that he'd stick to that if it came down to it. Effy could imagine him stomping off in a huff if she pushed too hard about one thing or another, and she wouldn't really be able to stop him.

"No." She wouldn't want to go back to that. Not really. Fun as it was. "Substance has it's perks."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

If that answer surprised him, he didn't show. Just finally shifted his position on her bed so he was sitting at the opposite end as her, leaning back on his hands.

"What perks?" he asked, curious about what she had in mind. If she'd even tell him.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Like you said... you haven't left and not come back." Which is what he'd implied he'd do without that. It was a perk.

Besides, if she decided she wanted it she could probably get a lack of substance anywhere.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Something you don't want me to do?" he asked, pressing just a little to see if there'd be any give there. It was an even split as to which way it would go. "Want me to keep coming back?"

And hey, last time he'd been caught out with having to admit a thing or two. She could have her turn.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"If i didn't, you'd probably know." Effy was hardly subtle like that.

Subtle when she gave backwards answers like that one... which could be translated to 'yes'.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I dunno," he said, holding his smile for one more minute before letting himself flop down onto her bed, eyes on the ceiling. See, totally making himself at home like he said he would.

"Haven't seen any sign that you're that much of a mean badass," he teased, smirking at the ceiling now. "You've been pretty...fluffy, in fact."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy arched her eyebrows, watching him get comfortable.

"Can be," she said. "When the moment calls." It was relatively rare these days, at least. Call it mellowing out with age.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"You can be fluffy?" he asked, deliberately misunderstanding. "I didn't actually think you'd admit to that. No wonder you're into cuddling now."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

For that comment, he was getting poked at with her toe. Downside of lounging around near her feet.

"You know what I meant."

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex laughed, swatting weakly at her foot but not making a huge attempt to stop her. Wasn't like it particularly bothered him or hurt.

"Just saying," he said, still laughing, "it sounded like you just admitted to being fluffy. Can't blame me for thinking that. You softer than a pillow?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Pillows are not fluffy," she told him, pulling a bit of a face. "Kittens are fluffy, or teddy bears."

Oh, and, "I am not fluffy," there was that denial.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

Alex smiled and picked his head up to look down the bed at her. "Hey, Fluffy and Effy even sound kind of similar. I think you're putting me on about that. Nothing wrong with being Fluffy, Effy."

It was kind of fun to say her name and the word 'fluffy' so close together.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

At least he could take enjoyment out of the little things, even if it was going to get him kicked again. "A letter or two in common does not make them the same." Nor did a bit of rhyming.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I said they sounded kind of similar, not that they were similar," he said, making just to grab the ankle of the foot she was kicking him with. "I could call you Elizabeth, if you'd prefer."

Yeah, that was just to be an ass right there.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy wrinkled her nose and half-heartedly tried to wriggle her foot out of his grasp. "Only if you want to be on the same level as my parents." School teachers and parents were about the only ones who used it. Mostly because Effy just never bothered to tell people her real name.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I'm not on the same level as your parents," he said, tightening his grip on her foot and tugging lazily. She was just lucky he wasn't tickling her or anything. "I wouldn't think that about you if you started calling me Alexander."

Mostly because his mother used Alex and his father...just didn't give a damn.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"So, what if I did?" Now she was a little curious. Not about to start, simply because it felt weird and formal to her, but she had to wonder.