normal (Riley)

[Fitzy Patricks]

I think... I'm turning normal. Human.
It's weird, but I think of it almost like it's a disease, something contagious. And I thought I was immune, but apparently not. I guess all it takes is ten years to wear down my resistance, unexpected fatherhood to force me to be different, and... what? The l-word that I still can't say in casual conversation without choking? The other, more prominent L-word that the first one is attached to? I don't know, but I do know I'm being very strange of late.

I've decided I don't give a damn about Arden's romantic entanglements... first because if she's really that stupid then I'll just leave her to it, like when you get really sick of pulling the toddler back from the burners so then you just let him find out what you meant by 'you're going to burn yourself.'
And then when I decided this, I wound up having that incredibly strange conversation with Logan, which fueled my conclusion that maybe there's not that much to worry about anyway. Maybe he's finally tame.

And I also have decided that it isn't entirely unreasonable to spend some time with Melody, whether or not I do believe that at her age she doesn't even really have a mind... which I don't think I really do believe anyway. It's actually kind of entertaining to sit here on the couch, half reading but mostly just concentrating on throwing small colored rings onto the carpet so she can scoot around and chew on them. This may be a sign that my own mind has melted, but at the moment I really don't care.

[Riley Pearson]

I can't believe I was standing at this door... Why was I even here?
I paused briefly and thought about this for a small moment before coming to the conclusion that I think I was here because I didn't have any other friends. If I could even consider Fitzy a friend.. Any way you look at it though, without Arden, and excluding family members... and past girlfriends.. he was the closest person I had to a friend.. And I felt like being social today. Which is more I can say compared the previous days of locking myself in the closet.
I lifted my hand and knocked on the door before putting my hands back into my pockets. I thought about leaving for a moment.. mainly because I had no clue what to talk about.. but I already knocked and I didn't want to see rude for walking away.
Plus, I was sort of wondering how Arden was doing..

[Fitzy Patricks]

I'd never have expected that watching colored rings fly through the air could be such a source of endless delight, but from the way Melody is continually laughing it seems that it is. I find myself smiling slightly as well, unusually relaxed... until the doorbell rings and I immediately tense up. It's unusual enough for anyone to come here to make me suspect that it's probably bad when somebody does.

Especially when it's Riley of all people, and my fist thought is that something's happened to Arden so he came in person to tell me. There goes the good mood.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask, more confused than confrontational. "Is Arden all right?"

[Riley Pearson]

So maybe we weren't as good of friends as I thought? I wasn't really expecting that greeting when he opened the door, but I guess it was understanding. I don't think I've ever actually went out of my way to go visit Fitzy, so I can see where he's coming from.
I paused for a moment though, ".. Um.. actually, I was sort of wondering the same thing.. I thought maybe you've spoken to her lately?" I asked with a faint shrug, putting my hands back into my pockets.
"But nothing's wrong as far as I know.."

[Fitzy Patricks]

"Oh...." I frown slightly. In that case, the second question is how in the hell he knows where I live, but I suppose that might sound paranoid.
You are paranoid, genius, my head says helpfully, but I ignore it.
"Haven't seen her since... I don't know exactly, but she told me you were dying, actually." And I must admit I was a little bothered, almost as if we're friends. "So was that incorrect or what?"

[Riley Pearson]

I nodded faintly, standing where I was, and looking away for a moment before he starts talking again.
"No.. I was.. they healed me." I said with a faint nod. "A few days ago actually.." I paused for a moment ans shrugged a little bit. "The last time I saw her was the day after I found out I was okay.."

[Arden Patricks]

"Well, at least we know she hasn't gone and offed herself because you were dying," I say, then shrug. "... Do you want to come in by the way, or is that it and you're just going to go now?"

[Riley Pearson]

I stare at him for a moment, seriously hoping she wasn't planning on doing something ridiculous like that. But then after a second passes, I realize that she is still alive and that it's possible she was never even thinking about it in the first place.. so I try to just brush it off.
"Um.. yeah, if you don't mind?" I asked him curiously. I was already here.. and well, I'm sure we could find something to talk about.. I think I was going through friend withdraw or something.

[Fitzy Patricks]

I wonder for a moment if I should repeat that at least we know she didn't do that, not that she did, but then I guess he wakes up anyway so I don't have to.
"Sure, why not?" I shrug, opening the door all the way. "Might keep my brain from melting entirely."
Melody throws us a startled sort of look before apparently deciding there's no threat, and laughing again instead while she throws her hands in the air. I smile slightly.

[Riley Pearson]

"Thanks." I said with a faint smile before walking into his house and just shutting the down behind me. "Keep your brain from melting?" I asked a moment later with a weak chuckle, wondering what exactly he meant there.. or what he was doing in the first place for him to say that?
I smiled at Melody with a faint chuckle as she laughs and throws her hands in the air. "I'm not sure she could get any cuter." I said smiling a bit over to him. "She looks really happy."

[Fitzy Patricks]

"Well, that's something then," I say, continuing to half-smile. "Though she would be the reason that my brain is melting. I've spent the last hour - or feels like it - throwing colored rings for her amusement."

[Riley Pearson]

I laughed faintly, "Throwing colored rings?" I asked, raising my eyebrows slightly in curiosity. "That sounds.. like it might get tiring."

[Fitzy Patricks]

"Worst part is that it hasn't," I mutter,still half-smiling as I lean back against the arm of the couch. "And that's where you come in, because I'm assuming that you might provide more intellectual stimulation than a fourteen-month-old."

((I keep on changing her age... but I think I'm going to stick with this now.))

[Riley Pearson]

"It hasn't?" I asked with a small laugh. "But I thought you said that your brain was melting?" I asked, smiling abit over to him.
"Well, I hope that I do.." I said with another faint chuckle.

[[ ah, alrighty! ]]

[Fitzy Patricks]

"It hasn't gotten tiring," I clarify. "Which is a clear sign I've reverted to her level of maturity."

[Riley Pearson]

"Oh," I smiled a bit, shaking my head. "I usually don't see that as a problem.. but I know where you're coming from."

[Fitzy Patricks]

I chuckle slightly. "Guess you would."

[Riley Pearson]

I shrugged little bit. It was fairly easier when I was eight years younger though.. And now I've got to do it all over again with Justin. "Yeah.. Gives you something to do at least?" I asked sort of curiously, "Tires me out though."

[Fitzy Patricks]

"Well, there's nothing really exhausting about playing fetch... but then again she hasn't started walking yet." I shrug slightly. "And Lacey is nuts for the whole mothering thing, so at least I don't really have to do much."

[Riley Pearson]

"Just wait till she starts walking then." I said shaking my head faintly. "But yeah, I guess that wouldn't be too exhausting.." Especially if he's just sitting there.
I looked over to him again as he continued, I smiled slightly. "Nuts how?" I asked with a faint chuckle, "How're you guys doing, by the way?"

[Fitzy Patricks]

I nod, eying Mell warily while she innocently chews on a purple ring as if she'll never run around like a maniac... which of course she might not, seeing how calm she is now.
"That's kind of a personal question, wouldn't you say?" I ask dryly, raising my eyebrows, then shrug. "I dunno. She... sticks around, being all motherly. Kind of creepy in a way, 'cause I grew up with a foul-mouthed slut and now she's just smiling all the time. But I suppose that's good, really."

((Oh, damn. Actually, she would be walking by now if she's fourteen months. Uh... scratch that and she's ten months?))

[Riley Pearson]

[[ ah, haha alrighty, that works, then, lol ]]

I watched Mell for a moment as she started to chew on the purple ring she was holding. I really hope that it's clean though.. I know it's normal with the teething and everything.. and maybe I'm a bit overprotective.. but things like that seem to worry me more than they should..
I paused, glancing over to him again. "Just a casual question.." I said with a faint shrug. I didn't really see how it was too personal, but I didn't know the answer so maybe it was. How was I supposed to know that though?
"Yeah.. that sounds good to me." I said with a faint nod. A much better improvement, I'd say, from 'foul-mouthed slut'.

[Fitzy Patricks]

I nod, shrugging slightly again. "So how about your personal life then?" I ask after a moment, eying the ceiling. "Kids? Love life?" There's a faint tone of mocking in my voice, but it's more for myself because it's still slightly twitch-inducing to talk like this. Perhaps more than it should be, because it's not as though I've never had any friends. They've always been chicks, though, for one thing, other than Jake. I think it's hard to see a fellow guy as an equal rather than an enemy or... whatever the hell Jake was. Little brother or whatever.

[Riley Pearson]

I look over to him and all of a sudden sort of understand how he found my question to be too personal.. but then again, his relationship was going well.. mine.. well, I just didn't really want to talk about it. Especially because it involved Arden, and who I was talking to right now? Right, her brother.
"Point taken." I said before shrugging faintly. I guess I could answer.. if he even wanted an answer. I really couldn't tell. "Kids are good." I said with a small nod. "Love life's shit.. more or less." I guess I still had a chance with Riy though. But right now I was wondering if I should.. maybe I should avoid relationships for the time being.

[Fitzy Patricks]

"That can happen," I mutter, shrugging. Not that I really have a clue, but it's not like there's anything else to say.

[Riley Pearson]

"Happens a bit too much, if you ask me." I said a moment later, thinking about the situations for a bit longer and then deciding that I didn't really feel like thinking about it.

[Fitzy Patricks]

"I wouldn't really know, to be honest." I shrug slightly. "That a family trait or something?"

[Riley Pearson]

I shrugged slightly before shaking my head a little bit, "What do you mean, 'family trait'?" I asked him a moment later. ".. Shelby, I'm guessing?" I asked after a couple seconds.

[Fitzy Patricks]

"Yeah... her." I shrug after a moment. "Don't mean to be insulting or dismissive, just asking."
It's strange, but I barely feel guilty about how things have wound up between us. I know that I probably should, but really I'm just sick of it.

[Riley Pearson]

I nodded faintly. "No, it's alright." I said after another short moment. "... Actually, maybe it is a family trait." I said after thinking about it. That's... kind of annoying actually.