dumbshow | probably not depressing

...A better book?

[Wait a second here, he is caught off guard. He stomps over even more stubbornly, placing his palm against the door like he's going to push it open.]

You mean your weird serious book isn't as good as mine? Hah! Shows you for-- hey, wait, what d'ya mean you're going to get a better one! I thought we were reading!

[No, this is his room?? He doesn't try to get rid of him, at least, as he's too busy nerdraging away from the door, presumably over a bookshelf small enough to fit in these little rooms.

Also, shut up, he's somewhat bitter now that he paid for that stupid book. He does look over at Knuckle with less nerdrage and more confusion, after a moment.]

What do you mean? We are. [that's what he's... Knuckle??] I'm going to read something different.

[Well, good thing he's not being stopped, since he's just shoving in and standing there with his arms crossed OVERLY SERIOUS. He looks like he's just been offended in some way, and he's trying to loom over Shoot as if he's not a tiny dorito.

Are you telling me you're giving up on that other book? You didn't read it all the way through! I could tell from the way you flipped the pages! [What the fuck] How can you judge it fairly if you haven't read it through from cover to cover?! Shoot!

[Shoot only wanted to get a different book. He is giving up on that other book, and he doesn't think that's - morally reprehensible or anything like that!

why was he paying such close attention to the page turning]

I've read enough. I'm not interested in wasting time with the rest for the sake of some arbitrary measure of fairness.

[go do some math or something, god]

[BECAUSE THIS IS A CONTEST!!!]

What the hell, Shoot! You're putting down the author's hard work before you've read all of his words!?

[Or her.] That's cruel! You're cruel!

[WHAT...]

He [or she] already has my money. [Flatly... no, he doesn't believe in this arbitrary fairness crap at all. A beat.]

You put down the movie I wanted to watch without seeing any of it.

That's different!

[With one hand on his hip, the other points out like he's coming straight out of ace attorney.] We were trying to decide what to watch! I didn't pick it up and give up most of the way through!

[How the hell is he going to decide who wins their competition if Shoot picks up a new book?!]

More importantly... What happens if I finish mine and you're still reading?

[It's not different... Shoot gives him a look, wishing he would make up his mind about whether this is about his dumb reading contest or the author's feelings, already.]

You have another book to read. Why, what were you planning on doing?

[Leaving aside that there was no chance at all of them ever finishing these books at the same time. He'll skip that.]

I can't finish two in one day! Are you insane?!

[That's not what was being implied, and yet, that's what he expects. He's not going to sleep until it's finished! He's decided! And so Shoot should follow suit, so he can properly compete! Oh, and so that author doesn't have his work insulted...

He squints at Shoot's little bookshelf, stepping over to it.]

Haven't you read all these, anyway?

[Another mostly flat look; he could finish two books in a day... if he read through meals and did nothing else. He probably has before, honestly.

But ah, his precious little bookshelf, invaded. Don't look at it and judge him.]

I have. I could read them again - that's allowed.

[There's some vague, noncommittal grumbling as Knuckle waves off Shoot. His competition has already been crushed. He's won, technically, but what kind of victory is this? This is lame. And now Shoot's going to get stuck in another book for hours after he's already finished his and then what is he supposed to do?!

He made that promise to himself not to train yet!

Damn, this was tough.]

Fine, whatever! I'll be back out there, so hurry up. I'm leaving you behind! [Without saying what he even means by that, he heads back to his couch and his horrible werewolf romance novel.]

[Why is Knuckle so upset... Shoot doesn't get this, and he can't even feel bad despite not getting it because it's so dumb. It's just reading. So, he'll loiter for an extra minute to give Knuckle time to calm himself down (Shoot wants to believe), before he comes back out of the room with a new-old book.

He pauses when he enters the room and just looks at Knuckle from there. Spending this much time with him isn't what he expected... after drinks he thought it would be back to the status quo, but this is - this is nice, albeit occasionally in a confusing way. He actually likes this, and not in the somewhat terrified way he usually "likes" (endures) being around people. Hmm.

After a beat he realizes he's just standing there staring and quickly diverts his gaze somewhere else, shuffling back over to sit and crack open this new book. Perfectly normal, not staring, not too deeply about Knuckle or being around Knuckle, nope...]

[Knuckle is so deep in his book by the time Shoot comes back that he nearly doesn't notice all the staring. At the tail end of things, it sets in, and his eyes slide up slowly just as Shoot is moving to sit back down. What... What was that all about?? Was he just staring at him after entering the room? What for?!

This bothers him more than he thinks it should, and an array of other thoughts come to mind next. They're just reading here, huh... Maybe if he finishes his book he'll take a shower. Is that weird? Sitting around waiting with Shoot until he can train again? Trying to get to know him better?

He cares about him so suddenly it's jarring.

He was going to ask about the staring, but now his nose is literally shoved into his book to avoid saying anything. Besides, it's at a turning point where things are looking better for the werewolf.]

[It bears repeating that Shoot has read this other book before. It's one he likes well enough - the characters are interesting and the plot takes a very different turn when certain reveals are made - but he's read it before and so already knows what's coming. His eyes gloss over the pages with only half-there attention, as a result, and his mind wanders.

... Knuckle sure is getting into that book, huh. Shoot wonders why it took so long to do this, just spend time with each other without Morel or training or a mission being the reason behind it. It occurs to him about as swiftly that his own inability to let people get to know him is probably why, and now he's not sure if he should feel guilty about that or pleased that he's - sort of - past that. Well, there goes that train of thought... He focuses on the book again, purposefully.

It's somewhere between chapter one, where the two main characters are stuck working together despite never agreeing on anything, and remembering chapter ten, where they get along intimately well that Shoot decides no, he can't read this book again with someone else in the room. That's not going to happen.

He will stare distractedly at the powered off TV, instead.]

What's the matter?

[At some point in his reading, Knuckle notices Shoot's eyes wandering. How could he not? The page flips aren't at the same speed. His race is ruined, but habit makes him notice by now-- he wasn't reading?]

Is that book bad, too?

[stop counting his page flips, freak

Shoot tenses, looking down at the book again instead of over at Knuckle. No, he's done enough of that already...]

No— It's fine. [He can't read this with Knuckle here, he'll know or just take the book from him and find out directly, and that will be the end of him-!! He should have chosen a novel where no one has any feelings, damn it.

He tries to look calm and... mostly succeeds. For his usual nervous face, anyway.] You've been making a bigger deal out of this than you have to this whole time.

[dweeb...] How's the werewolf doing now?

What're you trying to say?

[He sounds offended at that bigger deal comment, scowling a bit as he waves his book in Shoot's general direction. He does this a lot-- waves it around with his thumb keeping place. One day he's going to throw it on accident or something.]

I'm not the one who threw a tantrum over my book being bad! [He's just the one who cried over romance in it, shut up though.] He hooked up with the girl, and that asshole from before got what was coming to him!! It's about damn time.

[Shoot frowns at him. Okay, so he got a little- upset, but Knuckle keeps harping on him with questions about this imaginary reading contest every time he so much as glances away from a book for twenty seconds— stop!!]

Oh, really? Good for him. [He... he tries to make that sound like he's surprised, even though it's every romance plot ever written.

and also] I didn't throw a tantrum...

[That doesn't sound too genuine... In fact, it sounds forced. He squints, lowering his book slightly to lean over a bit more, instead.]

Don't try to put that past me! That was a tantrum. Admit it!

[Knuckle, please stop this. Shoot looks sideways at him as he leans a bit away. He'll never say it!!]

Why would I admit something like that? Even if it were true.

Because it's good honor, fool!

[As if he ever admits anything like that himself. Him, the man who cries over puppies and literally everything else.]

Anyway, why'd you go through all that trouble if your not gonna read, anyway!

[Knuckle the honorable crybaby... Shoot just keeps giving him the usual wary look; it's just a book, it's fine, shush.]

I read enough. This book is... [too lewd]

What else do you want to do today?

[Please answer without interrogating him, this is his only request.]

Rghhh, quit avoiding my questions!

[HE'S GETTING PISSED OFF. Placing the puppy bookmark gently where he needs it to be, he slams the book shut afterwards and sets it on the table. He wants... to train! He wants to train! Reading the book and finding out what was gonna happen would have been good, too, but now he's distracted, damn it!]

What did the doc say about walking?

[Shoot doesn't bother denying that one- he totally is avoiding questions- and instead sits up properly again, now that he's not being loomed toward.]

Walking? As long as I'm not running a marathon, I'll be fine. [They did let him walk out of the hospital by himself... He doesn't add that getting stupid drunk was probably not allowed, but he thinks it. Loudly. ... Anyway, is it time for a stroll.]

Where to?

Just for a walk. Unless you've got some specific idea you wanna do or something...

[Knuckle's extra grumbly all of a sudden, but he doesn't clarify it, even as he stands up.]

Give me twenty minutes to take a shower! Then we can go. [Just like that, he's off down the hallway to know god knows what with his hair in there.]

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random icon pls don't be too angry

laughin at ur icons

SHUT UP.... I have a paid again now but no neutrals, oNE DAY

continues to laugh

i cant believe I typed your instead of youre

shh no one will ever know

I WILL.... in my heart