Day 208 - Friday, July 17th

[papalobo]

[Ash's alarm is going off at seven, which seems entirely too early to Max, drugs worn off enough to wake with the noise, worn off enough to know the meal he prepared last night is still probably good to go with a quick reheat. There really is no reason to get up so early, is there? Unless he has things to do.

Max can't do things. Why would he know if Ash had things to do?]

Comments

[papalobo]

[Oh. Right. He was going to work. He stares down at his laptop, remembering to begin pulling things up.

Ash is good at warding off less aggressive perverts in such a way, isn't he?]

...Stuff.

[jadedlynx]

We can finish the college registration if 'stuff' can wait.

[ He's close enough to be touching, now. ]

[papalobo]

Fine. Put me to work on that, instead.

[Even if it's a private beach, this is practically public. And he's in the state he is; forcing his thoughts to continue clearing out despite the view, he can head to the college site.]

[jadedlynx]

Didn't you want me going to college, Pops?

[papalobo]

I'm doing it, I'm doing it. Again.

[jadedlynx]

We can get a dorm if that was one of your fantasies.

[ A hand rests on his leg. ]

[papalobo]

When you say that, I imagine you just buying out the dorm building...

[jadedlynx]

You don't strike me as the kind to have a teacher fetish.

[papalobo]

Nope, you're the only one to've had a "hot for teacher" phase between us.

[jadedlynx]

Wasn't really into my teachers.

[ Blanca isn't his teacher anymore. His teachers, unfortunately, were into him, but that's different. ]

[papalobo]

[He's going to let the silence of the beach waves handle that one for him, keepins his mouth tightly shut as he starts on his laptop, pretending not to notice the hand on his leg he can't do anything with anyway.]

[jadedlynx]

[ The hand doesn't stroke, nor does it move. Instead, his fingers just rest in place.

Instead of insisting that he wasn't, Ash sighs and watches the screen. He knows his own feelings, but that argument will only take them around in circles. Again. ]

[papalobo]

[E-mail first, looking for any follow ups in an account set up for The Unit, first.]

[jadedlynx]

Sing's been spending a lot of time with them.

[ Seeing the email, it's a casual mention. ]

I don't think he hates leading so much as he hates leading something that means people die.

[papalobo]

Kid's not a leader, kid's the type who likes to be a part of something's all. If you took over China town, he'd have a fit 'cause he's supposed to, but as long as enough people still patted him on the head at the end of the day, he'd be happier.

Unfortunately for him, you got enough on your plate without picking a fight with your boyfriend's girlfriend.

[jadedlynx]

He's not a gang leader. He's not doing too badly with the Unit kids. The difference is that they're trained to follow now. He can keep them safe enough when they're walking around and knows the streets.

The Chinese Princess can keep her land. I'm backing out of mine, too.

[papalobo]

Kid means well enough, might be the first real leadership most of 'em ever had that means the best for 'em. Parents who send their kids out there're failures too.

[jadedlynx]

That's why Sing works well to lead them. He's not a bad kid, either. His heart is still way too soft to really do what needs to be done when leading a gang, but he can handle the Unit kids.

[papalobo]

[He gets more into the e-mails.]

Senator's writing back. Looks like they did enough research to be disgusted about it now. My guess is now they've had time to bury their involvement 'n support or buy an alibi by now....

[jadedlynx]

The more they talk, the more they lie. If you really want to go after them, you can let them talk enough, but it's probably better to use their guilt to make sure it doesn't happen again around here.

[papalobo]

Like they won't do it again the next time they think they got a better cover.

[jadedlynx]

Some delay is better than no delay. We're not going to rid the world of evil, Batman.

[papalobo]

Sorry. You're trying to relax out here.

[jadedlynx]

I wanted to know the follow up on it. I've read Jessica's on the pharmacist.

[papalobo]

I'll fill you in when I actually get somewhere. Go ahead 'n enjoy your book.