zerotohiro | I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

[Thanks to Clarke, it's true. He's managed a few nights of mostly-regular sleep that he so desperately needed. The first night ended with him sleep nearly fourteen hours, catching up from the lack of rest. The nightmares were still there but only sparingly and very briefly. Whatever Clarke had done was a good solution, even though they would have to find another soon. The second night allows him to sleep on a regular schedule as well and so by the time the third day comes he's a little more like himself. While Clarke and Jason are off at the spires, Hiro's been staying at Clarke and Bellamy's place tinkering with projects and doing his research and generally just sort of regrouping.

So. When Clarke makes that announcement? No. No, screw that, he's just automatically flipping the feed to video.

And staring. Unblinking. Staring into the camera to face her, sort of the way a cat stares at a person and raises suspicions that the cat has no soul. He's relentless, staying absolutely silent as he lets those words settle safely inside his brain in a folder helpfully labeled "things I don't understand but don't surprise me", right between the files for "Aunt Cass's affinity for only eating chocolate doughnuts when she's stress-eating" and "Loki's ringtone is 'Get Lucky' by Daft Punk."]

...what.

Edited (phrasing why) 2015-08-09 20:15 (UTC)

( she's clearly shocked when the video feed starts, and the longer Hiro stares at her without saying anything, the more concerned she becomes, worry creasing her brow.

she knows she just sort of launched it at him, but she's- very aware of his reaction right now. )

Jason and I got together at the end of July. ( her tone is cautious, careful. ) I didn't want to tell you earlier because everyone's been busy and I know you've been dealing with a lot, but I also didn't want to keep it from you any longer than I already have.

[It's hard for him to even think about what he was doing at the end of July, other than working on Johnny's spire, researching some projects, finishing some other projects, checking in with people...all right. So perhaps the end of July had been busy. Everyone's been busy and he knows that she means well by giving him space for a little bit before dropping that bomb on him, but at the same time...well. It's not really a bad thing, Clarke dating Jason. If anyone could handle him, it would be her.

He's not an idiot. He knows Jason likes Clarke more than most people, but he hadn't ever thought that such things would run that deep. Relationships are still a very novel thing to him, what with Tadashi never dating and Hiro's own "relationship" feeling more and more like a joke every day even if he won't say so.

However, he also knows that Clarke was worried about telling him, for some reason, and though he doesn't entirely grasp why his expression softens just a bit to let her know it's not as bad as she thinks. Okay. So Clarke and Jason are dating. Great. The longer he thinks about it, the more it actually...sort of makes sense? Kind of? He shakes his head slightly, lips quirking into a tiny grin that's half-pleased and half-baffled.]

Why would it matter if I was okay with it? I mean I am. [There are a ton of things happening here.] It's not exactly that surprising now that you mention it. [There's a whistle suddenly, head turning to look away for a moment as he beckons Rhea closer to him.] I think...isn't it more important that you're okay with it?

( a huff of laughter. ) Yeah, of course I'm okay with it.

( after all, it was her that initiated, surprisingly. she's still a little- shocked that Jason had asked her what she wanted, Clarke had outlined, and he was all for it. but she's thankful all the same.

her expression softens, though, smile easing across her face. )

It matters that you're okay with it because you're really important to Jason, and to me. Arguably one of both our most important people, if not Jason's most important. ( a beat. ) Don't tell him I assume that.

It's just really important to me that you're okay with this. Your opinion means a lot, I know how important Jason is to you, too.

[An eyebrow arches up, a sign that he doesn't exactly believe that. He can buy that he's important to both of them. He can buy that he's one of the most important people for different reasons. But most important? That's a stretch and he laughs a little under his breath.] Considering it's not true? Trust me, we'll keep that between you and me.

[But there's a pause. She's also right though. Jason...is very, very important. It's part of the reason he still hasn't spoken to him. He has to think of how to phrase it, and also giving Jason some space, come up with a good apology and hope he doesn't fuck up again. ...granted? This is almost too good not to pester Jason about.] ...don't tell him that, okay? It'll freak him out. [There's another tiny smirk, though he's not telling Clarke why he's thinking such.] But he is. You both are. [His attention shifts, hands moving to pet Rhea while he continues to talk. Puppy-therapy time, thank you.] It's...sort of weird to think about? But not really. [It's only weird because of his own relationship with Jason.] Guess that explains a lot of things from the last couple of days.

[...and then:] He didn't fight you very hard on it when you told him you loved him, did he? [Yeah. Yeah he's 100% not buying the idea that Jason initiated anything because Jason's even more emotionally disastrous than he is at times.]

( JUST.

STARES for a second. give her a minute here. )

I didn't tell him that. ( nope, the big L-word has not yet been dropped since the whole "I have feelings for you" conversation. and it isn't that she doesn't, because Clarke knows she does; she's loved Jason like family for a year, and while she can't exactly pinpoint a time where it evolved into something different than that, she still knows it's true. but that's kind of a really huge thing to tell someone, even if it's something they already know. part of it, for her, might be that the last person she said it to was Finn, and that- was a horrible, awful situation.

Jason deserves better than a rushed confession that ends with also I'm in love with you, so she kept that part out. she'll say it eventually, but part of her wants the timing to be better. ) I mean I've told him that before, but um- I didn't- I didn't say it during this particular conversation.

( so. there's that. )

But no, he didn't fight me on this.

[He allows her to stare, expression matching hers for a moment before there's a tiny awkward little grin.]

That's because it's sort of a big thing to tell somebody no matter how true it is, isn't it? Especially when they have a hard time even realizing how much people care about them in the first place. [Casually. So casually but just enough to drop the hint to her that he hasn't even come remotely close to saying it to someone in particular either. He's not sure he ever will say it, but with Clarke...the thing about Clarke is that she loves more than she should be allowed, she gives everything she has and so he doesn't suspect it'll be very long before she says it anyway.

But it's not his business. What Clarke and Jason say and do behind closed doors is seriously not what he wants to think about.]

Can I tell you something? [And then, without waiting for a response:] I'd be a lot less okay with it if it was somebody who wasn't you.

Yeah. You're right, it's definitely a big thing to tell someone.

( she almost had the day before; it had been tempting, if the conversation wasn't already so weighed down with emotion already. but it had just proven to be another reminder of just how much she felt for him, truly.

what he tells her next has her throat tightening, making it harder for her to swallow around the emotion that crawls its way up from her chest. breathing out a laugh, she blinks rapidly to keep tears from forming, even if they are good ones. )

Yeah? That's good. I think I'd be a lot less okay with it, too.

Just...don't wait too long, I guess? [It's awkward to say it, but the advice is sincere. He's been thinking about this a lot lately, just another thing in his battered brain that's been rattling around.] It's a big and kind of scary thing...but it's a good thing, I think. We're not the court of love but we're the court of passion so...doesn't that kind of count for something? [A beat.] And anyway, we don't know when the last time we'll see people will be...if it feels like you're in love with him...maybe it's not a bad idea to say it when you really feel it. I don't know.

[There are a lot of thoughts here that he's not sure how to express, but that seems to be it. Surprisingly, he wants what's best for Clarke and Jason, and if that's them being in love then...okay. He knows Jason has had trouble believing people care about him. And Clarke cares too much. It makes sense to him for her to tell him if that's really how she feels.]

Anyway...what'd I tell you? He likes you best. [There's a teasing grin.] And you didn't believe me.

I won't wait long. ( she's quiet, just for a moment. ) I know that this place is unpredictable, above anything else, and- The last thing I want is for him to not know.

( while Clarke knows that he's joking, that Hiro is doing his best to tease her about it, she can't help but- want to correct him. even if it is just in jest. )

He doesn't. ( a beat. ) For the record, I still believe it's you.

I talked to him. About going easy on you when you talk to him.

That's pretty much all I ask. [It's not his business. It probably sounds weird coming from him, but he strongly feels it'll be good for both of them.] We never know how long we're gonna last here. Scary, isn't it? [It's something he's put thought into.] …but I know you that.

[So instead, he focuses on the other subject, making a show of rolling his eyes.] Anyway, you can believe it all you want, but I'm not the one dating him. […wait, shit.] Not that I would ever want to? I mean he's got good qualities and whatever but Jason's not really my type or anything. [Hiro stop talking.] The point is it's not me. We…have a really, really weird friendship, if you can even call it that. I might be really important to him, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean he likes me best.

[There's a pause though as those words sink in.] …then I guess that means I really have to go through with it, huh? He's…is he mad?

Edited (phrasing 8|) 2015-08-10 23:56 (UTC)

( there's a snort of laughter when Hiro starts to flounder, and even if he can see her on the video, she still reaches up to muffle her laughter into her hand. it would be impossible for her to not laugh at that, and it still takes her a moment to rein her giggling in. )

It's okay, I get it. You don't want to date my boyfriend, that's a good thing.

( teasing, teasing. )

Oh- Mm. No, he isn't mad. He worried, and think that just comes out easiest as frustration for him. But it'll be okay, I promise. Just try to be patient with him.

Not funny. [Muffling it doesn't help, Clarke, gosh. But he relaxes a bit because let's be real, he'd laugh, too.] But definitely a good thing. It'd be a total conflict of interests.

[But...sigh.] I'll be patient with him for however long he's patient with me. [Nah, he'll be patient longer. He's learning how to tame his bat-dad.] If this ends really, really badly though? You'll be the first to know. [A beat.] I'll call him tomorrow. I need to kinda think of how to approach everything.

A little funny, ( she argues, still the teasing edge in her voice in doing so.

even after talking to Jason, she still can't help but worry at least a little. she knows how easy it is for Hiro and Jason to clash. )

Okay. ( a beat. ) It won't go badly, though. I believe that you guys can talk it out without it turning sour. But um- Let me know how it goes, either way.

We'll see. [At least one of them believes...] I'll let you know first thing. Wish me luck...and maybe be extra-nice to him tonight to butter him up. Can't hurt my chances.

( that just gets her to start laughing again. )

Extra nice. You got it. ( when her laughter dies down, she gives her head a shake. ) Good luck, Hiro. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

( with that, the feed cuts. )

I'll be the watcher of the eternal flame [Eachdraidh IC Contact]

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