bragnificent | IC CONTACT ➛ mask or menace.

[Magnus at least doesn't notice the inappopriate licking, too busy snorting and taking another taco]

I don't have a grass fetish? But I remember this guy -- [the cute one] -- constantly having like, hallucinations when he looks at the field? I guess they're supposed to be flashbacks, but they way they shot them was so weird... see, look.

[the flashback/hallucination begins on screen. the game that started out so right, but ended up so wrong. some cheerleaders in slow motion. some football occurring]

Edited 2018-08-19 22:54 (UTC)

[ Reggie grabs and eats a couple more chips, before deciding to also help himself to a taco. He reluctantly stares at the screen, watching said cute guy sit alone on the bleachers as he broods deeply about some game that has already happened yet is also still currently happening, in alternating moments of slow motion or slightly transparent form. ]

Oh yeah. The effects in this movie kind of suck, don't they? But at least the story's--

[ He gets distracted mid-sentence for a second, because the character is taking his shirt off and angrily throwing a ball. He sits up a bit, leaning closer. ]

Uh... [ What was he saying? Oh, right. ] The acting's pretty good.

[while he didn't lean forward, Magnus sure did also pause in his eating and drinking, the beer bottle hovering just beyond a slightly gaping mouth. he finishes the swig once he's realised his mistake. he snorts, acknowledging the moment]

-- Yeah. The "acting." I wonder if they made him do more than one take of that? Imagine angrily taking off your shirt and throwing a ball like, five times in a row.

[cute boys, for Magnus, are not immune to comedy]

[ Reggie takes another bite of his taco while he continues watching the scene, only sort of halfway listening to whatever Magnus is saying-- he hears it, enough that he'll even be able to respond to it once he turns his head and attention back over, but it'll still be a few seconds before he looks away from the screen.

He takes another bite, chews, swallows, then sits back again when he finally does glance back over at Magnus. The scene's shifted, although it'll no doubt shift back soon enough. ]

Well yeah, probably. Like, it's an emotional scene, right? So they gotta make sure it's actually believable, otherwise he's just some loser with more abs than personality. And who the hell'd want to watch that?

[ ... He turns back to the screen. ]

There's a different market for that.

[the wry response; Magnus falls quiet for a few moments, watching the plot unfold and chewing quietly. Reggie is right -- the story is one of the better ones]

I stand by it, what I said before. Your calling is in athlete movies. Archie can do the score.

Yeah, but-- [ Reggie squints, then shakes his head. ] This guy would be all wrong for porn. Someone kind of like him could work, though.

[ His assessment is utterly serious, and maybe a bit too much of an off-the-cuff analysis. Reggie forgets sometimes that most people probably don't watch as much porn as he does.

With a bit of a smirk, though, Reggie turns to look at Magnus again, his eyebrow raised skeptically. ]

So you think I should take up acting?

[Magnus has fair skin, courtesy of both his Vanir prettyboy blood and Chase prettyboy blood. it means his blushes are doomed, regardless of light sources or environment, to be obvious and embarrassing. His blush is exactly that now, even when he manages to raise an eyebrow back]

Not in porn. You'd get mad about the fake and clunky set ups, admit it. Especially if they had to do with football.

No-- I'm not talking about doing porn.

[ Oh, god. Reggie isn't embarrassed, though, but instead extremely amused by Magnus's reaction. Shy white boys are hilarious, but cute.

Wait. No, not that. ]

Though for the record, some of them do actually have pretty well-researched plots. They can't all be half-assed indie hack jobs. [ Still on the verge of laughing, he shakes his head again. ] But sorry to get your hopes up.

My hopes -- among other things -- were not getting up.

[he says it with great dignity, or as much dignity as he can muster, with a bright red face that he stuffs a taco in (probably to distract them both from his easy shyness, when it came to things like this)]

I don't believe you about well-researched porn plots, either.

[ Reggie looks down toward Magnus's lap with a raised eyebrow, as if making sure.

Then he shrugs, speaking again only after he's finished off his own taco. ]

How would you know? Do you ever even watch porn?

[the glance at his lap makes his expression sharper and more wry]

I don't get this celibate monk image of me you've always had. I'm -- [normal, he almost says, but he isn't, and he isn't sure what is normal, anyway] -- not that.

[he thinks about why he invited Reggie over, suddenly; he remembers feeling like he wanted to connect. this was always a place they couldn't. friendship and romance and attraction and, in some ways, how Archie fit into any of that. instead of making a dismissive joke, like he usually does, or change the topic, like he usually does, he answers honestly]

Just because I don't talk about it in the same way most dudes do doesn't mean I'm not interested in romance and -- stuff. [he realises, it's likely Reggie doesn't know, because why would he?] I have a boyfriend?

Edited 2018-08-23 04:37 (UTC)

[ Reggie quirks his eyebrow higher. He doesn't remember exactly when or why the whole "virgin Magnus" thing started anymore either, actually -- it would have been about eight or nine months ago by now -- except that he knows there was a reason for it. Something to do with Archie, but hell if he can think of it now.

Oh well. Times change, Reggie can adapt. ]

So you're not a virgin. Fine, then-- my bad. [ His tone is wry, though not sarcastic. Not apologetic, either. ] Though if you are still saving it for marriage, I guess actually dating someone would technically still count as progress.

I'm not sure dead people get married. And I don't think sex is like...

[he looks at the TV, trying to articulate his thoughts without feeling embarrassed or like he needs to defend himself or clarify his sexual history (or lack thereof). Reggie made so many little stands over so many things; Magnus thinks the room in him for those might have gotten taken up]

Like, I think it's lame to talk about virginity in general. Virginity is nothing and people have different lives. [shrug; he's certainly intimidated, by Ronan's experience in comparison to his own lack, but it's because he wants Ronan to -- to love him, maybe. he wants to be good enough for him, in that way, too] Progress to me isn't getting laid. It's getting close to someone. [he thinks about Ronan again, and their nearness in so many ways, and blushes, despite himself] All that swaggering stuff about chasing ass or whatever makes it sound stupid, when it's really important and cool and amazing, when you can get close to somebody like that.

[he treads on rockier ground:]

Didn't you feel that way about Archie?

[ Reggie says, almost reflexively: ]

What? No.

[ He doesn't really know how to process or respond to everything Magnus just said, so naturally his instinct is to try and let it just go over his head-- like, he "gets" it in that he understands the point being made, but does he get it...? He likes sex. He likes people. He likes being with people, usually through sex but not always.

Getting close to people feels a lot harder. Often he doesn't try, but when he actually does, it feels like he never succeeds.

The virginity talk does legitimately go a bit over his head, though. Reggie decides it's not something he needs to understand. After a pause, he continues: ]

What do you mean?

[for once, Magnus isn't sure what he means; he'd felt like he had needed to say Archie's name, at that moment, a blind intuition. he says instead]

Being close to Archie -- it was one of my favourite feelings. I wouldn't have watched a million of these movies with just anybody. [a pause] I'm enjoying this one, with you.

[ What is happening...,

Reggie isn't sure where to look; warily over at Magnus, or determinedly forward at the TV screen. It's difficult, because the way Magnus operates is so different from the way Reggie does that he often does feel like he's missing something. Maybe even something obvious.

("One of his favorite feelings"...?) ]

Uh. [ Decision made: he looks at Magnus. ] Well, obviously I can't speak to whatever the hell you used to get up to with Archie, but that's not what this is.

Obviously it's different. You're different people. If we get close, it'll be in a different way. I wouldn't mind it.

[Magnus reaches for his beer, meeting Reggie's eyes after he tips it back]

I just wanted to say that. Sorry it's awkward, I guess.

[he doesn't sound sorry, but he does realise that maybe being so frank with Reggie was a little bamboozling, after their months-long history of friction and banter and Archie, somewhere in the middle of it all, with a helpless and a charming smile]

[ Frankness probably shouldn't bamboozle Reggie, who's often rather frank himself, as much as it does, but it's probably due to how sincere Magnus is-- when Reggie's frank, he's honest, but not particularly sincere. Who are these people who just readily talk about all their feelings...?? ]

It's fine, I guess. As long as you remember that even though we were friends, Archie and I are barely alike. You two are more similar. [ "Friends." Reggie squints. ] In some ways, at least.

Edited 2018-08-23 06:42 (UTC)

[it surprises Magnus; he hadn't thought they were particularly alike, outside of some nerdy interests and an unfortunately wide romantic streak paired with a great deal of -- well, romantic ineptitude]

Like how?

[ Ugh, now he has to be specific. Reggie rubs his mouth, figuring out what to say; all the obvious answers to that question would sound like veiled compliments. "Friendly." "Weirdly magnetic." "People just like you." ]

Dunno. [ Good start. ] He was all sensitive about that romantic stuff, too. And closeness or whatever.

[Magnus pauses; asks, rather openly]

Did that -- was it a lot? Like... did it freak you out?

[ Yes. And also yes. Reggie exhales, buying time by popping a chip into his mouth and chewing it somewhat slowly. ]

Well, it is a lot of pressure. I don't usually even like to date [ a beat, ] my friends, but I guess even that can work out sometimes.

What changed your mind?

[genuine curiosity, though his hands mindlessly reach for another pizza slice]

I just... [ Hm. ] At a certain point, "just staying friends" doesn't make any sense if you like, might stop being friends over it. His feelings got hurt cuz he thought I didn't really like him or something.

[ That's a definite oversimplification of the situation -- especially regarding Reggie's own feeling throughout the entire thing -- but also not untrue? ]

So I don't really have any, like, boyfriend advice, if that's what you're after.

[it's not a surprise -- Archie had confided in him, about Reggie not seeming to return his feelings as strongly, and not wanting to become "serious" -- but it's weird to hear it from Reggie when it doesn't sound about Reggie or his feelings. Magnus knows better, now; Reggie wouldn't be out in the woods, watching Archie's old football DVDs (their shared DVDs?) if he hadn't cared for Archie, Magnus thinks]

I'm not after anything. [their situations are different; he and Ronan have only been transparent, about their feelings. they've been serious from the word go] When did you start to really like him?

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