7th sketch - [voice/written/event'd]

[sketchingideals]

[voice]

Out of curiosity, what kind of chocolate does everyone like? Personally, there's a lot of kinds I enjoy! And you can use chocolate as a topping for a lot of things, too... how many of you have had chocolate-covered strawberries? Those are wonderful!

[written - filtered to Mithos - 75%]

[He can feel the fluttering of his heart as he writes the message to the other boy.]

Would you like some company today, Mithos? I'm not doing anything and I really want to see you. I can bring some art supplies over, and maybe make something little for us to eat! So, are you okay with it?

Comments

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Oh, look, angst. Unlike Jeb, Robert's thoughts are definitely not happy.

Chocolate makes him think of Helios. Helios, who is decidedly not around. Helios, who wouldn't return his feelings anyway.

... So his voice is tinged with bitterness when he replies.]

... I... w-was never fond of... ch-chocolate, until... until I met H-Helios...

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

[The bitterness doesn't go unnoticed, but Jeb doesn't know how to approach it without seeming invasive.]

Helios? I think he's my penpal for Project Hydra. I didn't know you knew him...

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[He hates how his voice has that edge in it that he knows must say everything to those people who can tell this kind of thing - he hates how it sounds raw and strained and painful to him.

He hates that Helios - of all people - is causing him to feel this way.]

... He is... a close f-friend of mine. [A friend. Nothing more.

That is even more painfully obvious now.]

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

[...he can't ignore it anymore. Ignoring it is worse than being invasive.]

What's wrong, Robert?

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

...

[How does he begin to explain this to Jeb?]

... I...

[... Bluntness has never failed him before.]

... I have... f-f-feelings for... for Helios, and... ... he does not r-return them...

[Never has, never will. Not without being forced, and even then it was different; even then he didn't love him, like he loves Alice now.]

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

[...oh...]

Oh, Robert... I'm sorry. I didn't know it was something like that. If I had, I wouldn't have asked.

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

...

It is... n-not your f-fault...

... [Quietly:] I... I even h-have... someone else... wh-why does it hurt so much...?

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

Love can sometimes be that way... it can be something amazing, but it can also be one of the most painful things to go through. I hope you'll feel better about it all soon, though.

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

...

[This is probably selfish of him, anyway.] I... I c-certainly hope so...

... M-My apologies... I, er, i-interrupted you...

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

You didn't! It's okay, Robert. I don't mind talking to you if you need someone to talk to.

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

Ah... w-well, I... I appreciate that, b-but I... [His voice breaks -] ... y-you... you seemed... happy, I believe, a-and... and I... do not wish to... impinge upon that...

[voice]

[sketchingideals]

Huh? You're not, Robert! Really, it's all right. I just wish I could share some of my happiness with you, that's all. It's really okay.

[voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[Happiness is something that Jeb deserves for himself, really.]

... Well... a-alright...

... At any rate, I, er, h-hope everything goes well for y-you...