Alternia Residential Complex

Fiascos

Well, everything seems to be going well. No big 'fiasco', as Kanaya put it. 

Wait...is that Feferi leaving?

I check my watch. We've only been here for a half hour. Why is she leaving already? I move to ask her, but she's already slammed the front door and left. I think about pursuing her, but I have a little bit of tact left. 

However, Equius, the tall weird dude, seems to be troubled by this. He politely excuses himself for a moment and follows her hesitantly.

Huh.

I haven't talked to Tavros yet. Partly because I'm really freaking nervous about it, and partly because Terezi has been going on about the legislative procedure in India for twenty three minutes. 

"Hey--Terezi." Nepeta cuts in. "Have you pre-ordered the new Ed Sheeran album yet? They keep releasing songs. Ohmigosh, they're so good, I can't even."

"Ugh, no, I haven't yet! I still have an iTunes card left over from Hanukkah, but I'm too friggin' lazy..." 

As Terezi talks, Nepeta gives me a little nod over her shoulder. I realize now that she's giving me an out. I mouth a profuse thank you and back away.

"Woah, careful there," Comes a soft voice from behind me as a step into someone. My face reddens as I spin around to see Tavros. His hand is on my arm, to steady me. We both pull away at the same time as soon as we realize we're (gasp) actually touching.

Ugh. This is so childish. I feel like a fucking teenager again. I never want to be a teenager again. My scene phase was not pretty. I need to just address him about our feelings. We're both adults. This should be easy.

"Hi." I choke out.

"Hi." He says, ruffling his hair uncertainly as I try not to swoon.

"How..are you?" 

"Oh, I'm good."

"Good."

"Uh, how are you?"

"I'm good. As well. Um." I hate myself right now. What the fuck, Vriska. 

"So. I haven't, uh, seen you. In a while."

We both know the last time we saw each other. I've named that night the 'Spin-the-Bottle Disaster'. Also known as 'The Worst Night Ever'. We didn't even kiss. I mean, we both kissed Gamzee. Does that count? Did we kiss through him?

"Yeah, a few weeks." I agree. "The snows mostly melting." I remark. And then realize I've resorted to talking about the weather. Wow.

He seems to realize this, too, and bursts out nervously laughing. "Wow. We're really bad at this."

My heart beat fills my head. "Bad at what?"

"Oh." His eyes go wide. He thinks he's misinterpreted my signals. Dammit. "Oh, nothing. I mean. Talking. Friends, right?"

"Friends." I agree sadly. That was kinda my fault. "I guess." I add hopefully.

"Oh. Oh." He says in a small voice. "I'm sorry. I don't know you very well, I didn't mean to. Put on airs or anything."

What?

"We don't have to be friends," He continues uncertainly. "If you don't want to. Sorry, I thought..."

"No, you idiot!" I almost yell at him, my frustration mounting. "I like you. I really super like you, okay?"

Oh shit.