in which Prior forces Roger to stop being a little bitch

[priorlives]

The past few weeks had shown a startling improvement in Prior's overall mood. Apparently he'd just needed a shove in the right direction to stop moping and feeling sorry for himself over Mark, and though Maureen's not-so-subtle matchmaking attempts were mortifying, he did at least have to admit that having a new friend in Scotty had helped quite a

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[weary_head]

"Yeah!" Dean shouted at the closed door. His mouth was half-full, and then all full, Dean shoving the rest of his sandwich into his mouth in one go. "Always when I'm friggin' eating," he grumbled as he walked to the door, yanking it open with a few last hurried chews.

Well, shit. He'd barely spoken to the man, even in New York, but Dean knew Prior when he saw him, or, more pertinently in this instance, knew Roger's ex when he saw him.

"Yeah?" he repeated around his mouthful, something in the word not nearly as inviting as one might expect from a host.

[priorlives]

Prior knew Dean when he saw him as well - or rather, he knew Roger's roommate. He thought he was a little scary, to be honest. Even more so than Louis' Republican Mormon marlboro man new boyfriend, Dean made Prior feel beyond nelly, like there were wispy daisies sprouting from his ears.

"Hi," he said. "I'm here to see Roger. And if he wants to pretend he's not here or say that he's been abducted by aliens or has laringitis or something - tell him to stop being a little bitch unless he wants your front porch to become my new favorite hang-out." He smiled sweetly.

[weary_head]

"Mmm," Dean hummed, licking the last of the crumbs from his mouth. If there was anything he needed, it was not a sudden and unwanted squatter. "I got a sawed off that says there's another way that little scenario might go down."

He folded his arms, shoulders filling the door entirely. "So why don't you get off our porch, or I'll find out how far my foot has to go up your ass before you become a puppet."

[priorlives]

... okay, so maybe Prior had overshot just a little. Still, as far as overcompensating went, brandishing a gun threat was a little over the top too.

He cleared his throat. "Okay, no physical violence necessary. We both know you could kick my ass six ways to Sunday. I just uh... he's been avoiding me. Ever since Mark disappeared, and..." He sighed wearily. "I've come to the stage where being as annoying as possible seems like the best strategy."

[weary_head]

Dean let his shoulder find the door frame, the minute change in posture the only indication that Prior had managed to secure a slight shift in Dean's attitude.

Roger was being kind of a bitch about it, what with the whole avoidance dance and all, but the difference between Dean and Prior was, Dean was willing to let that go on as long as it didn't fuck Roger up any worse.

Like a damn blowout fight on the front porch with Prior might.

"Right," he grunted, watching Prior through narrowed eyes. "Trouble is, I'm not sure he's done avoiding you. Don't know where that skinny fucker packs all that resolve away, but he's pretty set."

[priorlives]

Prior almost thought it was cute how protective Dean was. Almost.

"Okay, look," he said. "I'm not here to fuck with him. No one..." He gritted his teeth a little. "No one left here on the island cares about him the... way that I do. I'm just trying to make things right. Would you at least ask him if he'll see me? Tell him I'm looking particularly pitiful."

[weary_head]

"Maybe not the way you do," Dean snapped. He couldn't help it anymore than he could help the way his stomach was ready for another sandwich. Everything was wound so tight since Sam returned - Dean's temper, his patience, his fucking nerve, and that hit too close to home. He couldn't take care of everyone, but he could take care of this. If Roger didn't want Prior around, Dean would punt his ass like a football.

"But he's cared for." Dean pointed a finger. "You remember that."

He turned his head, eyes seeking out Roger's door before he sighed. "Wait here. I'll go ask him."

[one__song]

Of course, Roger heard the ruckus. He could hear it when Dean and Angua were having what they called 'quiet' sex, and he certainly could hear the lilting vowels of his ex boyfriend, barking orders and painful realities at Roger's best friend and roommate.

A few low words were uttered between two bowed heads before Roger extended his hand to Dean, palm out as if to say I'll handle it and Roger came to the door.

"What do you want?" Roger asked, bringing his eyes up to Prior's face. He knew the answer, but hey, maybe he was after some sugar for a cake or something.

[priorlives]

Prior managed somehow to look resolved rather than sheepish as he met Roger's eyes. "I want to talk to you," he said, and then flicked his eyes in Dean's direction. "That is, if your bodyguard will allow it. He may have threatened me with physical violence but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't hit a girl."

[weary_head]

"Depends on what's wearing her," Dean replied, pulling a seat out from the table. He sat down, gaze fixed somewhat intrusively on them both. He'd give them their space if Roger needed it, but no way was he going far enough that he couldn't be back in a damn hurry.

[one__song]

"Dean would hit a girl if she deserved it," Roger clarified, a hand whipping through his hair as he cast his best friend a glance and then stepped outside the door. He closed the door behind him once they were on the porch.

"Okay. Talk." Of course he was being as glib and avoidant as possible, for as long as possible.

[priorlives]

Now that Prior had actually gotten what he wanted, he found that he wasn't entirely sure what to say.

Finally he just said, "You've been avoiding me. And your timing kind of sucks since we're both already down someone important in our lives." Harsh, maybe, but it was true.

[one__song]

"Yup. Anything else?" Roger asked, shifting toward the door. Prior wasn't stupid, and Roger hadn't been trying to hide just how little he wanted to talk about his feelings right then. He was on edge anyway, and being bitched at by his nelly ex wasn't the fucking way he wanted to spend his day.

[priorlives]

"For fuck's sake, Roger," Prior snapped. Then took a deep breath, calming. He added, much quieter, "It's not always about you. Maybe I need something. I was under the impression that you might think you owe me that much."

He met Roger's gaze. "However, if you want to disavow me of the notion that you give one solitary shit about me, now would be the time."

[one__song]

"And you know I don't respond to your fucking guilt trips," Roger snapped, responding to the guilt trip. He didn't move away, though, nor did he do too great a job of standing his ground.

"If you wanna talk about Mark, I don't wanna fucking listen."

[priorlives]

"This isn't about Mark," Prior snapped right back. They seemed to be doing a lot of that. "This is about you. You and me. I need to know... what happened in New York. I need to know if it meant anything to you."

Though before Roger could answer, Prior threw up his hands. "Actually, you know what? I don't know why the fuck I'm asking you this. It's obvious that you don't even care about me as a goddamn human being, let alone anything else."