Alternate Continuity Fun

[polemyname]

((Set right after these comments, ignore the collapsed ones.))

[Avoiding eye-contact when you stand up again, staring intently into the fire.]

Just, like, move the wood closer to here.

Comments

[lietmeupinside]

...ah. R-right.

[Bends to shift the pile next to you. He seems to be taking an inordinate amount of time to do it, though- as though he's not ready to go just yet.]

[polemyname]

[Shifting an unusual amount as you're taking your time. Looking out at the lake to then look back into the fire and out at the lake again, decidedly never turning to look your way.]

[lietmeupinside]

[...you're really not going to say anything, are you? Cause he's putting the last of them into place now, with a care that it probably doesn't need.]

[polemyname]

[Well, if you really want him to...]

So, what're you, like, waiting for?

[lietmeupinside]

...ah. N-nothing.

I just...

[polemyname]

What?

[lietmeupinside]

Let's- let's not do this, Poland.

I'm... I'm really sorry.

[polemyname]

[Looks like he wants to answer, struggling for words, but in the end he says nothing.]

[lietmeupinside]

...

[G-getting up and going, then.]

[polemyname]

[Talking more to the fire than to you.]

So stop being such a total liar then.

[lietmeupinside]

[The words catch him mid-step and he pauses-]

[lietmeupinside]

[-before putting his head down to hide his face and walking a bit faster than he really needs to back toward his tree.]

[polemyname]

[Not going to stop you or say anything this time. Not turning to look at you until he's sure you're already back.]

[lietmeupinside]

[...has settled where he was before, and though it's still impossible to see his face, his shoulders are hunched in and his legs drawn up.]

[polemyname]

[Will just... try to find something to do by himself. Breaking one of the twigs you gathered into smaller and smaller pieces and throwing them on the fire, or building a little make-believe house from them before they collapse before he can finish. Even trying to lie down to get some rest, but it's too uncomfortable and it still hurts.]

[lietmeupinside]

[Just... watching the water on the lake over here. Not doing much but thinking, and none of them are happy thoughts.]

[It's not until the light starts to fade out of the sky that he stirs again, looking around for the flint and steel to get his own fire going- and realizes he's left it over on your side of the island.]