I dumped him, [kavinsky says, after a moment's pause. he doesn't notice that rafaello is tense, partly because the vampire is a rather convincing actor, and partly because he's a turd lord with tunnel vision right now. (by 'right now,' we mean-- always. or at least usually.)] When I decided to be with Vex, I broke up with his death god ass. Figured it was the merciful thing to do, you know? Like shooting a lame horse.
[it's not the most flattering sentence ever said, but the spirit of it is accurate if you ask kavinsky, who is generally known for his clear and unbiased perception of people;;;; the balm that rafa offers, in his reassurances, is-- nice. chronically bitter, nasty little piece of work that kavinsky is, it doesn't do as much as perhaps it should. but nor does rafaello go entirely unheard.]
Bet you feel bad for him. I know you got issues about being runner-up or what if people fuck off on you. Dick Grayson used to talk about it. [it used to be, kavinsky could only dig his head out of his own ass and look at somebody else if he had something to get out of them, some ulterior motive or angle of attack, some gory wound to inflict for fun. these days, though, he's less categorically awful about it.] At least you got people to spread it out over, though. Aric's like, triple exponentially fucked.
[ Rafa had in fact been preparing to speak to the subject of Aric, but then Kavinsky derails him. Kavinsky is remarkably good at that. He doesn't even seem to have to try very hard. ]
So that is what Dick thought of me.
[ It's not, most likely. Kavinsky also has a way of twisting things to make them sound worse than they are. Rafa knows it, but it still heats his blood to know they were in some way talking about him. Why were they talking about him? He'd love to know, and doesn't want to ask. ]
Well, that is charming. I do not feel bad for Aric, I feel for you.
[ He pushes a swift hand through his hair, and hauls the car through an unreasonably sharp and jarring turn. ]
There you are, wanting so badly to be the one someone loves, and there he is giving it to you and you leave him for someone still grieving over another. I do not understand you.
[an embarrassing thing happens to kavinsky where tears start to sting his eyes, which is humiliating and terrible for him. even worse than it ever used to be for even ronan, probably. they always had the same ideas about bullshit masculinity, but kavinsky has always been distinctly worried about it. he'd rather have needles in his eyes than salt water.
he is looking out of the back seat and passenger window now, rigidly, his face averted out of the scope of the rearview mirror. but rafa can probably smell it.
no stories about dick grayson are going to get him out of this one.]
No.
[it's an uncharacteristically short reply, especially for kavinsky, who does love to hear himself talk. it rings of the truth, hard-won, dug out of him on pain of more questions, more incisive, painful truths. rafa has been onto him some time, now. and maybe that's what family is like. close, in a way that doesn't come easily or often. and just as rare and difficult, kavinsk shuts the hell up, after that. and thinks about it, until it's time to shoot guns and speak like a civilized (sort of) adult (sort of).]
no subject
[it's not the most flattering sentence ever said, but the spirit of it is accurate if you ask kavinsky, who is generally known for his clear and unbiased perception of people;;;; the balm that rafa offers, in his reassurances, is-- nice. chronically bitter, nasty little piece of work that kavinsky is, it doesn't do as much as perhaps it should. but nor does rafaello go entirely unheard.]
Bet you feel bad for him. I know you got issues about being runner-up or what if people fuck off on you. Dick Grayson used to talk about it. [it used to be, kavinsky could only dig his head out of his own ass and look at somebody else if he had something to get out of them, some ulterior motive or angle of attack, some gory wound to inflict for fun. these days, though, he's less categorically awful about it.] At least you got people to spread it out over, though. Aric's like, triple exponentially fucked.
no subject
So that is what Dick thought of me.
[ It's not, most likely. Kavinsky also has a way of twisting things to make them sound worse than they are. Rafa knows it, but it still heats his blood to know they were in some way talking about him. Why were they talking about him? He'd love to know, and doesn't want to ask. ]
Well, that is charming. I do not feel bad for Aric, I feel for you.
[ He pushes a swift hand through his hair, and hauls the car through an unreasonably sharp and jarring turn. ]
There you are, wanting so badly to be the one someone loves, and there he is giving it to you and you leave him for someone still grieving over another. I do not understand you.
Did you hate Aric? Is that what it was?
no subject
he is looking out of the back seat and passenger window now, rigidly, his face averted out of the scope of the rearview mirror. but rafa can probably smell it.
no stories about dick grayson are going to get him out of this one.]
No.
[it's an uncharacteristically short reply, especially for kavinsky, who does love to hear himself talk. it rings of the truth, hard-won, dug out of him on pain of more questions, more incisive, painful truths. rafa has been onto him some time, now. and maybe that's what family is like. close, in a way that doesn't come easily or often. and just as rare and difficult, kavinsk shuts the hell up, after that. and thinks about it, until it's time to shoot guns and speak like a civilized (sort of) adult (sort of).]