plz don't

[moneyballer]

[Today, Asher is particularly excited- A friend is coming over! While his sheer joy at the mere prospect of a visitor seems albeit pathetic, especially at his age, it's nice to have somebody over who isn't just using his house to hide from the police. He's prepared an assortment of unhealthy snack foods, including wings of the microwaveable variety, nachos with "extra" chili (read: white people spice level), and pizza.

In fact, he's so happy, he's begun to sing a very familiar tune in a high falsetto. As high as he can muster, really.]

I shake iiiit off, I shake it off-

[He tops this off by doing a little spin and a booty pop, only to realize that his guess has already arrived. Immediately, he sputters:]

T-That's, um. A rap song.

[Jin is Asian and from the eighteenth century, or some shit. Right? He can't know who Taylor Swift is. Then again, he is gay.]

Comments

[moneyballer]

[Lie.

Lie, lie, lie- Or just, avoid telling the truth. That's always a lot easier.]

Uh, nothing.

[There's something strange about seeing Asher without his snooty, professional attire, like seeing a woman without makeup for the very first time. He's hunched over on the couch instead of sitting up straight with his shoulders thrust back, and the shitty grin he commonly dons has been wiped off his face entirely. It's almost as though he isn't performing anymore, but that isn't true.

He's still performing, just for a smaller audience, just for one person.

There's no need to tell Jin that he's the worst kind of criminal, that he woke up one morning with memories of things he swore he would never do, feeling guilty and somehow to blame for the death of his father-]

It's been pretty crazy, recently. Um.

[This is kind of honest. Kind of.]

I wanted to, like, check on you, kinda?

No offense bro, but... You don't really like seem like the kind of guy who'd ask for help.

[His Addam's apple visibly bobs up and down as he swallows, avoiding eye contact.]

If you needed it.

[pummelling]

[Asher is in good company even if he's not aware of it. Kung Jin was a criminal once, too. Years ago, he was a thief and a runaway: for two years, he stole, cheated, and lied simply to get from one day to the next. But his skill set hardly ends at picking pockets. He's also had to teach himself how to read gesture, tone of voice, people's very natures.

And thief or not, he's not an idiot. Asher's much easier to read than he thinks he is.

Asher looks bothered. Very bothered. Although Jin normally wouldn't trouble himself, he's never seen him this out of it. Even if the guy is kind of a dumbass... Jin likes Asher. He's been kinder to him than most, and in spite of being, well, a straight white guy, he's handled the fact that he's sorta-kinda-half-closeted gay with more tact than he'd thought the other man capable of.

With a sigh he takes a seat on the couch next to him, leaning against it and resting an arm over the back. It's Asher's choice if he wants to look over at Jin, who's turned to him in the full intent of making that eye contact.]

Are you sure that I'm the one who's in need of help?

[moneyballer]

[To be fair, Asher knows he's relatively easy to read.

Especially when he feels guilty, or upset like tonight.]

What's that supposed to mean?

I'm just...!

[here it cums

the white man's toils]

Like, everything in this place is so crazy. There are murderers, like, maiming people on a public feed, everybody has dangerous superpowers that they may or may not be able to control, and nobody, nobody seems to like...

Want to talk about it. Well, why the fuck not?

[pummelling]

Ah.

[Jin's eyebrows raise and he tilts his head a little, as if absorbing the new information with the motion. Makes sense: Asher's from somewhere where this doesn't happen all the time.] Why the fuck not, indeed.

Well, do you wanna talk? 'Cause this is as close to normal as stuff gets for me.

[moneyballer]

[Quietly, because he doesn't want to be the only one unloading, because for once in his damn life he doesn't want to be the weakest link-]

I dunno.

Do you?

[pummelling]

[Jin smiles, and it's a rarity: he actually means it.]

Sure beats listening to you sing again.