bragnificent | IC CONTACT ➛ mask or menace.

I've never had any trouble with it.

[ Just going to keep making your mom jokes well until they're stupid and overstaying their welcome. Zero shame. ]

Let me say sorry, you sensitive fuck. It's not going to be the end of the world if I say "sorry" once or twice.
But - yeah. I mean, I hope it worked out. Still a chance I'll fuck everything up and end up single in a month.
A massive, overwhelming chance.
Either way, if someone like me can get a date, someone like you - a normal, decent human being - can't have a dry spell for too much longer.

i dont care if u say sorry i care if u say it when u didnt DO anything
then its annoying, balto

[ Reggie should probably make an attempt of saying something encouraging to Derek, since Derek has been trying so hard to be supportive of him even to the point of Reggie being mildly embarrassed over it; he appreciates the support and the encouragement and the ego-stroking, but it's rough to get all that over something so pathetic as not being able to get the girl (yet, anyway).

It's difficult to reciprocate, though. Not because Reggie wouldn't like to, but because it's... Derek and Tate. It's Derek and Tate, for god sakes. ]

well i wouldnt call it a dry spell
its not like i cant still get laid
case in point, if we're both single in a month then why not, right?

[

...

]

seriously what are u so worried about tho
ever heard of trying too hard?

Balto was a hero and a caretaker, so. Eat shit.
But yeah, sure. Sure. I'll fuck you the second Tate dumps me. Cross my heart, hope to die.
He'll castrate you once we're done, of course. Hope that's not a dealbreaker.

[ Derek watches Reggie type for six fucking years before he finally sends his response, and it's obvious that he's trying to be the best friend he can be. It's sweet, but ultimately makes it difficult to open up to Reggie about everything - if he goes on and on about how he's afraid of not being good enough, he thinks Reggie might hit the limit of his sympathy and just call him out for being a whiny bitch - but.

He also feels like if he doesn't say something he'll look ungrateful, so. He tries? To? Meet him? Half way? ]

I tend to lose the people who are important to me. A lot of the time, they get hurt, but sometimes, I do something wrong and they don't want to be around me anymore.
Sometimes it feels like I'm just counting down the clock until that happens here.

Anyway. Doesn't matter.
Whooooooo are you getting laid by lately? Not that I'm calling bullshit.
Not that I'm not calling bullshit.

well if he dumps u then he has it coming, its none of his business who u screw after that
u cant be the crazy ex AND the dumper

and bro, listen
that happens like, a lot
thats why u cant just keep making only 1 friend at a time
u never know when someones going to bail on u. or die, or fuck up some other way
hell, back b4 i rly did any serious dating thats why i ALWAYS kept my options open and a few standby hook-ups close by
but look, id still be ur friend

[ Not that anyone he ever casually dated or hooked up with were people he really cared about (those people he does try to keep close and get closer to, to take more seriously) but friends... well, not that he really wants to talk about it, but considering in his sophomore year alone Jason got murdered, Chuck got suspended, Moose got shot... yeah, having more than one is a good thing. ]

uhhhh i actually probably shouldnt say
i mean technically we didnt like, REALLY do anything but its a little confusing
and i dont want anyone getting the wrong idea
anyway...
i said i CAN get laid not that im trying to

Fair enough.
Let's stop talking about Tate breaking up with me.

[ I mean, Derek was the one who brought that up, but he is, as discussed, a sensitive baby. Can't think about losing that psycho anymore or he's gonna get real depressed. He is, however, low-key disgusted by the idea of making more than one friend at a time. It takes all his energy to juggle the handful of people he knows now without completely cutting loose and running before you bastards fuck him over. Adding any more friends to the mix sounds like lunacy. ]

I can't make a friend without worrying about things going wrong. I'm at my limit with three. Any more might lead to legitimate cardiac arrest.
Also,
"That happens a lot"? Bad pep talk. You're as cynical as I am.
You're as cynical as I am and when you say things like "I actually probably shouldn't say" it basically sounds like you're lying about having a girlfriend in Canada.

[ dot dot dot. ]

I would also still be your friend if you screwed something up.
Unless it was a mistake wilfully made with the intent of hurting me.

whatever dude u brought it up
but ur also obviously doing SOMETHING right so far, so like
chill a little
listen im telling u to just stop thinking about it so freaking much
i stg so many ppl i know make themselves all anxious about crap that shouldnt matter b4 theres even a problem
worry about it all the time tho ur just gonna make it happen sooner or later

[ As opposed to Reggie, who self-sabotages in the exact opposite way by refusing to think things through before he acts on something, or avoiding thinking about anything that causes him even mild momentary discomfort or concern. ]

im just being realistic
some ppl cant take the heat and like, whatever, why should i be the one to lose sleep over it
if someone cant handle me thats their problem

[ He might be oversimplifying just a bit, but-- well, in general he likes to live according to the idea that he doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks about him, that he's so naturally flawless and popular and charming and sexy enough that the opinions of whichever oversensitive losers have a problem with him don't matter. But well, maybe he doesn't care about it when it's someone like Tate or Jughead, but otherwise? Obviously he wants to be liked. Maybe even genuinely, sometimes! ]

im not lying but its weird, ok?
i have this friend whos got a power to like, make lucid dreams for ppl
and he can feel everything that happens in them
u probably get where im going with this
he has a bf tho so, yknow
i feel like someone might misunderstand if it ever came up

like what

[ Reggie doesn't really see himself doing that, but he'd like a more specific example. He's certainly said or done things with some willful intent to hurt people he cares about before, but nothing like, drastic. Usually just petty, shitty things out of anger that later get resolved. ]

Mm.

[ It's been said about a thousand times now, but Derek's a bit of an asshole, so he's not going to go out of his way to admit this next thought - but he thinks that's actually some pretty good advice? Granted, it's difficult for him to just not worry after the things he's been through, but Reggie's completely right about everything else. This is a reminder that he's his own worst enemy. Derek's going to try to make the active decision to avoid burning out, 'cause that'll just make him snap and fuck things up sooner. Hmm.

Hmrghrghh. Life's hard. Sure would be nice if his self sabotage came with the same constant partying and ego-stroking that Reggie's did. That'd be better than all this emo bullshit. ]

You just "if you can't handle me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best"ed me. God. You're like a parody of yourself.
But, uh. Wow, okay.
That is definitely weird. You sure know some people, alright.
I won't tell anyone about your friend cheating on his boyfriend by brainfucking you, don't worry. Your secret's safe with me.
Bet you're pretty depressed that you don't have any rad sex-based powers like that, though.

As for an example... I don't know.
Arson? Don't burn down my house.

[ The constant partying and ego-stroking really do help. Yeah, maybe at the end of the day they're just shallow distractions, parlor tricks that stave off anxiety and insecurity and all those other bullshit feelings so many other people drown themselves in daily instead of repress and avoid, but... hey. Denial is like watching a magic trick; if you feel better believing in the illusion that something's really disappeared rather than just being hidden by a curtain, eventually you stop really thinking about the curtain even if you still know it's there. ]

hey if it works it works
i like the way i am
and im not gonna change anything for anyone unless theres some damn good reason for it

dude its NOT cheating
at least i think its not
but i mean, dreams dont count
even weirdass magic lucid dreams
idk what kind of rad sex based powers id even want tho
& tbh mine pretty much COULD already qualify

so no murder and no arson then
ok
done

[ Magic sure sounds a lot like blatantly lying to yourself forever and ever and ever to stave off a relentless tide of self-examination and growth! Derek's thoughts briefly flutter back to how Reggie would fucking excel as a werewolf if he had the bite - the bite transfers a shot of supernatural confidence and self-love to its victim, something that might fully rid Reggie of whatever doubts he might have buried deep within his core - buuuuuuut...

Maybe it's a good thing that the bite's not on the table here. The last thing the world needs is a Reggie Mantle who is literally incapable of feeling self-conscious or insecure. At all. On any level. He might literally end up killing himself doing a backflip off a bridge to get a girl's phone number or something. Ugh, let's move on. ]

I bet if I challenged you to come up with a "damn good reason" to change for somebody, you wouldn't be able to think of anything.
But hey, being bullheaded is part of your charm.

Bro, if he engaged in sexual activity with you while seeing someone else, that's not a great look. If he felt what you dreamed about and he gave you that dream, you guys basically jerked each other off. Through... brain... fucking.
Maybe his boyfriend's cool with it? Or maybe you're cool with it, I don't know.
Luckily, I also don't care. Follow your heart. Follow your boner.
You turn things alcoholic, right? That doesn't really lend itself to sex the way lucid brainfucking seems to, but I'm sure just saying that is inviting an argument.

But yeah, thanks. Great. No murder. Generally, just don't be a dick.
Well, don't be too much of a dick. I know you can't help being partially a dick. A partial half-dick.

[ That's exactly what magic is!! Don't be a dick and ruin it for everyone else just because you prefer to point out how all the tricks are done!!

A Reggie Mantle who is literally incapable of feeling self-conscious or insecure would be an extremely dangerous creature indeed. The ability to feel those things is what separates him from the real narcissists and the sociopaths, that he can doubts himself and be capable of empathy even if his bravado and overconfidence drowns everything out to the point self-criticism is more often relegated to the very background. Werewolf Reggie would absolutely use all those werewolf benefits irresponsibly, up to and including biting even if he wasn't able to properly turn people. ]

hey im capable of compromising
archie wanted to date instead of be fwb and i agreed to that didnt i

& look, his power isnt brainfucking
that was just what i dreamt about, so it happened
he said his bf already knows that he dreams w/ ppl so i assume its gotta be implied that some of them will go that direction
but if hes NOT ok w/ it then i feel like thats not my fault

anyway
yeah, i can turn liquids alcoholic
u seriously dont see how that could be applicable? cmon. for making out? oral? think, derek

believe it or not tho me being a dick and me being an arsonist murderer are two extremes that have never intersected

[ IF WEREWOLF REGGIE MANTLE BIT PEOPLE DEREK WOULD TAKE HIM BY THE SCRUFF OF HIS NECK AND CALL HIM A BAD BOY!!! ALERT ALERT ALERT ]

You did agree to that.
So, wait, okay, I want to hear more about how you and Archie got together. "Blowjob gone wrong" isn't much of an explanation. How did he ask you out?
And - oh. I thought you and dream boy had brain fucked on purpose. Like, that he had actively made you dream about getting tentacle-ravaged by his prehensile, make believe dream-dick so you guys could get each other off. I didn't realize it was an accident.
Still weird.
Still so, so weird.

But yeah, no. Personally, I enjoy sucking dick too much to ruin the taste of someone's load with fucking alcohol.

[ he stares for a second at that sentence, trying to decide if he regrets sending it, but then ultimately decides he does not. reggie's the weird one here, not him. ]

Making out with someone who has alcoholic spit sounds fucking disgusting, too.
Is this what humans do? Is this what you guys consider hot and healthy? Committing 40% adultery and chugging shots of each others drool.
You guys are the worst.

[ YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP HIM ON A SHORT LEASH DEREK... ]

ugh well
hes a pretty sensitive guy. musicians, yknow? emotional.
after he confronted me about it we started fooling around more but he wanted to date
even tho i think im the 1st guy he ever did anything with
anyway i kept putting off talking about it but he finally wore me down

[ A bit of an oversimplification obviously, but really, it's a lot to get into. It's embarrassing to talk about in that open, emotional sort of way, but also in the vaguely shameful Reggie-knows-he-could've-handled-things-better way. Basically his whole Veronica situation is probably karma for nearly putting Archie through the same thing.

Also... well, it had still been a little on purpose for Reggie, actually. The dreaming. He'd wanted to have a sex dream, since apparently with lucid dreams you can choose, and even feel what happens, but he also hadn't really known what to expect. ]

i dont mean like a LOT of booze
just enough to like give u a buzz while ur doing it
it doesnt affect the taste any more than putting baileys in ur coffee
but it really adds another level to the whole experience

[ But this is still Reggie, who especially loves making out (or more) while drunk or high. So... ]

like u werent human once urself
and ur one to talk
"tentacle-ravaged?"

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