nerd-guy-talk-things

Who: Tad and Porter
Where: phone and around
When: Early Evening

Tad's adrenaline felt like it was on full blast. He'd checked his blood sugar four times in the past two hours to makes sure it wasn't his that going insane, but mostly it was just his emotions flipping out. In what seemed like mere moments since he'd left her side, Tad had replayed every instant, going over what he could have done differently and getting completely lost in the good moments. After bouncing around his room he finally dug his phone out and dialed Porter's number. Pacing furiously as he waited for the other boy to pick up he ran through how it was he was going to explain what had happened with Kaysen.

Porter was multitasking when the call came in, bouncing between windows on his computer as he studied unfinished panels for the next comic update and skimmed information on new cars at the same time. For once, it was a mundane day, and he was doing his best not to think about all the pressing issues that came with having a social life when his phone rang, defeating his best efforts.

Wheeling over to his bed in his computer chair, Porter grabbed the phone as it trilled, tucking it to his ear. "Ghostal," he greeted, "What's up?" It could've been any number of things, maybe the ghost research they'd both been doing, maybe the request to help cheer up Kaysen, but in all likelihood? It was more about Tad and Kaysen, given that Porter had just learned how all-consuming that line of thought could be.

Tad stopped dead, mid-step when Porter answered. It was weird hearing him use the nickname Kaysen typically used, but it made sense. Porter had gotten the joke as well and found the nickname fitting. "Hey dude," Tad started, trying very hard not to sound as nervous or ridiculous as he felt. "Nothing really going on here. You?" Small talk, classy Tad, he thought.

"Just wondering when someone was going to call me for no reason, just to hear the sound of my voice," Porter joked dryly, "You were right on time, incidentally." He chuckled quietly, wondering about the vague note of energy in Tad's voice. The guy always seemed a little wound up, so maybe it was normal? They were both punching bags, after all, and waiting for the torment to hit at school tended to leave Porter a little strung out as well.

"Well we are soulmates and all Batman," Tad quipped back. He was keyed up still, but starting to breath a little easier. "Whatcha up to? Wanna hang out or whatever?" Coming out with just a "hey can we talk" seemed really really girly and he'd been mocked enough in regards to his feminine side.

Porter looked back to the monitor of his computer, frowning slightly as he weighed the work to do still. There was the comic, there was homework, but a late night could give him time to get both done. "Yeah, dude, want me to pick you up? I kinda have free reign on the car until I get to pick up my own." Which sounded somewhat arrogant, but Porter didn't have any better way to offer a ride. "We could grab something to eat or just... I dunno, drive." Food didn't really sound appealing, it'd do nothing to soothe the ache in his gut. He knew what would, but it wasn't an option.

There was no need to be concerned about sounding arrogant, because Tad hardly noticed. More than anything he was relieved that Porter had offered to drive. It wouldn't be a big deal to take his bike out this late, but there were always concerns with how cold it was, and being out after dark on his own. Even with his cell handy that was a risk, especially with his blood sugar dropping every time he got anxious. He just needed to calm his ass down and he'd be fine and feel better. "Works for me dude. Just swing by here and give me a call when your outside?" As he gave Porter directions, he was already checking his sugar one more time for good measure (still within a reasonable range, but he'd grab something else to eat on the way out), and gathering his stuff. "See ya in a few."

"Yeah, I'll call quick here," Porter assured him, clicking around on his computer quickly to save his work before shutting the monitor down, "See you soon." He hung up, moving for his closet with a sigh and grabbing his trusty black Punisher hoodie. Tugging it on, Porter took a moment at Wade's terrarium before leaving his room, grabbing a feeding mouse in each hand and shivering as he leeched both dry. He stuffed them in his pockets to discard later, hopping downstairs to beg the keys from his mother. A task, he realized, that was far easier when Medea wasn't involved. Which bothered him on several levels, but tonight wasn't the time to fight over it. Breezing out the front door, Porter wasted no time in moving for his parents' car, slipping in and rolling away from the house.

Tad was already in the foyer of his house waiting on Porter to arrive. Grams hadn't put up much complaint about him headed out, mostly just pleased that he had friends and of course gave him the barrage of warnings about taking care of himself health wise. She'd eventually push to meet Porter, but at the moment she was being cool about all of it. Tad was also sporting a favorite hoodie, although his had an interesting interperation of the Zelda Tri-Force logo across the front. To a knowing eye it was really really geeky but in general it just looked cool. He'd already sucked down a juice box and now he was mindlessly eating his way through a package of peanut butter crackers while he watched every set of headlights that passed by the house.

Porter had gradually been learning the lay of town, connecting side streets with main drags. He knew about the hidden length of Second Street, and even the ascent and descent that ran along Front, so it wasn't too difficult to find Tad's. The main trick was reading the numbers on houses through the lingering tint of his vision, really. Once he had, he idled at the edge of the curb, turning down his stereo and calling Tad's phone again.

Tad snapped out of his mindless eating, a habit he'd picked up after years of having diabetes and at times either eating half asleep or eating when he wasn't hungry, when the phone trilled. It took a second for him to realize he'd been watching Porter's car since he rolled up to the curb but it hadn't registered. "I see ya dude," Tad spoke into the phone and after calling out farewells to Grams, bounded down the walk and around to the passenger side of the door. "Hey man, how's it going?"

Squinting for a moment as the dome lights clicked on and back off a moment later, Porter waited for Tad to be in and buckled before pulling away. "Same as earlier," he joked, turning the stereo back up slightly, "Pretty good, you know? Got a few days off, nothing really planned. I was thinking about marathoning my way through some games." Which was true, but also banter to give Tad a second before getting to whatever was bothering him. "So what's up, man?"

"Gotta love the weekends. I'm out of stuff to play beside online games and such since Grams has me on hold until the holidays." Tad shrugged, both dreading and eagerly awaiting the next question. He knew he should just jump into what was really going down, but part of him felt like talking about his stolen moments with Kaysen were going to cheapen them in some way. But if he didn't talk about it to someone, odds are he wouldn't sleep for the next three days. "Broke into the middle school with Kaysen this afternoon. Her brother's leaving town to go play with his band. They got a record contract or something."

"Holy crap, really?" Porter asked, shocked by the news even if he'd never met Kaysen's brother. The announcement was a different version of his own hopes; to be discovered, to leap away from what had been a mundane life for a long time. "So is she, like, psyched? Or worried?" Maybe both? Porter didn't know what to expect there, the only time he'd had a sibling go away, it had been very different.

"Try pissed as hell and resentful." Tad sighed a little. "Ok maybe it's not that bad, but she's definitely torn between being excited for him and hating him for abandoning her. She's lumping it in with Chance breaking up with her and sort of just assuming she's alone." Hadn't that been why he told her? Because she insisted she was forever going to be left behind?

Porter had to sigh at that, knowing this was going to be even more of a mess to figure out. He hadn't seen Kaysen yet, but from what Tad had told him? Chance's departure was still a very raw point, and now it was worse. "Man, we've got our work cut out for us, huh?" he mused, "Why do I get the feeling she's even going to get weird about hanging out with us?" Porter didn't want that, he knew there were things happening that Kaysen would need their help with, but he also didn't expect Tad would say his assessment was wrong.

"Um, about that..." Tad started. Had Kaysen seemed weird about hanging out with him? She hadn't seemed weirder than usual when he showed up but that was briefly before everything was out there in the open. Sure she'd been standoffish but that's how Kaysen was. Rarely did you know what you were getting yourself into with that girl. "Things might be weird."

Well, that was nice and foreboding. Rolling to a stop at a red light, Porter turned to look Tad's way, a note of concern lurking in his eyes. "Dude, what happened? I only kinda know the girl? But if you say things might be weird, I'm gonna guess they will be weird. So... why?" he asked, a shred of a demanding note buried in his voice.

"So yea, I ran into her today and we sort of broke into the middle school," Tad started even though this portion of the story wasn't really important. "We were talking about how lonely she is and I pointed out that she has us..." He trailed off worried about what Porter was going to say about what came next. "And she sort of figured out everything else."

"Oh." Shit. That wasn't the best news Tad could be giving, no two ways about it. If it was good news, it would've been the first thing he'd said tonight. But this delivery? Well, it meant that everything Kaysen figured out wasn't taken well. "You, uh... how'd she take it?" he asked neutrally at first, unsure what kind of reaction he should give without knowing more.

"She didn't push me out a window?" Tad's half hearted shrug didn't match the joke. "She seemed ok with it, just confused. And shocked? I don't think she was expecting it. Plus she just broke up with Chance." He paused briefly, remembering what Kaysen had said about Porter knowing what she was. "Then she almost set the building on fire. But otherwise it wasn't bad."

He had to wonder about that, and if Kaysen lost control when she was hurting. Porter knew about control, after all: he had to focus when feeding, losing his control meant popping a mouse in his hand. If it was true for both of them, and her power could lash out? Kaysen had taken things roughly. "No, man, I doubt she was expecting it," Porter agreed, starting to drive again, "Like you said, she just broke up with Chance. And hell, we're her friends, you know? If her brother just left, and Chance too? I think us and her folks are all she's got."

Tad flinched, realizing that Porter didn't seem too stoked about Tad's admission. "If you're talking to her about the people she's got left, I'd probably leave her 'rents out of it. I kind of get the impression she's not a huge fan. Could be off though, but I don't think I've even met them." He sighed, looking away and out the window. "You're right though, all she has is us really. That was why it all came up. Promising you won't leave someone's side sort of gives them ideas."

"Yeah, I know. I had to save Medea before I felt like I could manage any of that," Porter confessed, smiling Tad's way. "And I'm no expert? But I'd say the best thing now is to prove it, you know? Be there to back her up when she needs, try to keep things cool for her. I know you're good for it, Ghostal." The grin grew as Porter swung into a drive-through lane outside a fast food place, looking Tad's way. "You want anything? I'm buying."

Good for it. Tad liked the sound of that. Porter though was only telling him things he'd already planned on putting into action, but it was nice to hear. "Yea," Tad leaned forward, eying the menu. "Fries and a diet Coke." The grin was back, mostly in response to Porter's grin and the idea of food. Pulling out his test kit, he busied himself with testing his blood. "This gonna bug you? You were on the other side of the room last time."

Ordering a soda for himself as well as Tad's, Porter shook his head quickly when the tester came out. "I've just never seen one before, is all," he explained as he pulled forward and dug out his wallet in search of his bank card. "It's what, like a drop of blood? I think I can handle it, man." Like it or not, Porter had definitely seen worse in his short days.

"Yea, just a bit. For most it's not a huge deal but there was girl in sixth grade who straight up passed out once when she looked over at lunch and saw me doing this. Turned ghost white and fell out of her chair." Tad's cheeks flushed the tiniest bit with the memory. "Needless to say, I try and ask from here on out. It's just easier." His blood sugar was finally back in a reasonable range, so he'd be good to eat. It was also a relief he'd calmed down enough to get it under control.

Porter laughed as he stopped at the window to pay, handing over Tad's fries and drink. Sipping his own, he still had a smirk of amusement in place as he left the fast food place behind. "Probably a good plan. I had to go see a guidance counselor once when he saw some of my drawings. I mean, I was only like thirteen? But the school shooting stuff was going on, and everyone freaked about any kid who drew violent stuff or anything," he shared, swinging back towards the lake. It was always a good night drive; quiet, peaceful, and a simple road to keep track of.

Tad rolled his eyes. "Oh man, Grams took ALL of my video games that spring. As soon as the news came out that they played video games, everything was gone and I was shipped off for another round of shrinks," he explained, pausing in between to munch on his fries. "It took three different ones to convince her that I wasn't going to hurt anyone. Even then she still didn't hand over the video games for another month." It had been a weird time in their house, Grams had been convinced Tad was going to copy cat those kids, and Tad was relieved that the beatings stopped briefly because the other kids at school had the same fears. His violent side though, had stayed burried deep. Sure he was angry at the jocks and assholes that had beat him up, but shooting up a high school full of innocent bystanders was dangerous.

"Serious?" Porter balked, stunned by the idea of having all of his games taken away, "My mom just had a talk with me about the difference between real and pretend." He likely would've thrown a tantrum if his games had been taken away, but at that point Porter had only begun being exposed to the cruelty of other people. "So, um..." he murmured eventually, glancing over as he drove, "What are you going to do now about things with Kaysen?"

"Serious. You don't fuck with Grams. She seems all nice and cuddly but she can get way scary sometimes." Plus back then, Tad wasn't influenced by others to stand up to his grandmother. What she said went, plain and simple. When the only person you have is the other, you do everything to keep the tension between you at a minimum. "I dunno, what to do about Kaysen. Last time we talked, you know when she figured it all out, she said we'd hang out again, but that's going to be weird. Or not. I dunno." He ran his hand through his curls, tugging at them a little. "Any suggestions?"

"Just, um, ignore it?" Porter suggested uncertainly. "I don't really know, dude. First time I was really digging on someone, she went for it. So... yeah. If Kaysen's still feeling raw on things? Ignore it, make sure you're just being a friend when that's what she needs." It was very 'After-school Special' of him, but Porter thought it was the sort of advice kaysen would need most from her friends. "Take your time with it all, for real. We need to stick together, man."

"I know. The last thing I want is to ruin things." Tad paused briefly before starting again, knowing what he was about as lame as lame gets. "I'm not eager to screw up things either. It's not like I have other friends to fall back on." His mind wandered to what it would be like to see her again. If it would be awkward, or if she'd be open to being closer. If he'd find her in his arms again. "I was thinking I'd just sort of, you know, let her set the tone? If she wants to make something of it, we can. If not I'll just try and keep my trap shut." Provided he could actually pull off keeping from acting on his feelings now that they were out in the open.

For his part, Porter couldn't argue the idea. All three of them needed to be cool with each other; Kaysen had enough to deal with already. Like knowing a murderer, Porter couldn't help thinking, figuring he'd have to catch Kaysen soon just to make sure things were really cool. "That sounds good, yeah," he agreed, "If it's there for her? She'll let you know. Especially now that she knows it is for you."

"Yea, I figured that was how it would play out." Which meant what exactly? And why did he have the overwhelming feeling he was going to get hurt, long before he got better? "What else can I do?" He sighed a little bit, but still felt alright in general. At least, for once, he had someone to talk to about everything. "I'm way out of my element here."

"Man, welcome to the world of girls," Porter told him with a chuckle, "Seriously, when I was figuring things out with Medea? It was a total mess. But hey, look how that turned out." He figured Tad mainly needed the hope in his outlook, some kind of motivator to fuel his patience. With that, it would be easier to deal with the bad side of things if they arrived. And while Porter wouldn't say as much, he figured he'd do a little recon for Tad and talk with Kaysen, just to see what was what.

"If only right?" Tad's tone was light hearted, but he still was wary about Porter's girlfriend. He'd seen the movies and sure, lately the dork guys were starting to get girls in the plots, but in real life that sort of stuff didn't happen. In the real world, hot chics end up with the popular jocks. He wanted there to be hope for Porter, but until he had a chance to talk to the guy's girlfriend, Tad wasn't fully behind Porter getting in so deep.

"Hey, I can't be the only one of my kind man," Porter insisted, cranking the wheel to aim towards a video store he'd been into a couple of times. He still wanted to grab a game, and figured maybe Tad wouldn't object to hanging out at one of their places. "Spidey got M.J., right? There's hope for us all," he went on as he drove, taking as much encouragement from that as he hoped Tad would.

"Right, but I still think Parker only got M.J. because he was Spiderman. And face it dude. I'm no Spiderman. On a good day I'm like fucking Robin." Tad groaned lightly, but perked up a little as they pulled into the video store parking lot. "What's worse? Even if she does want to do something, you know us...I have no idea what to do with myself. Or with her." That was entirely embarrassing the tell the other boy, but he hoped maybe Porter would understand. Or at least not be too obviously sympathetic.

"Robin had Batgirl, then Huntress, then Tarantula... then when they switched Robins he had Batgirl again," Porter observed, smiling pointedly in Tad's direction. He cut the engine as he parked, making no move to hop out just yet now that more personal matters were on the table. "Dude, it sucks? But again, patience. I mean, I made the first move with Medea? But there's a lot of little cues you can watch for to see if you're pushing too fast."

"Cues? Dude, remember who we are talking about; it's Kaysen. The first time I met her she was beating jocks with a skateboard. I thinks standard chic rules don't apply to her." Tad was annoyed, mostly because face it Batgirl was the lamest superhero girlfriend that ever breathed and everyone knew that Batman was only cool because he was Bruce Wayne: millionaire under the mask while Robin was just a stupid orphaned kid with a grudge and no money, crashing at Wayne manor. Glancing over at Porter, Tad realized that the observation wasn't too far from their own friendship. "Still though, what sort of cues? Short of her slapping me. I'm not really interested in finding out I screw up because she hit me."

Porter blushed just from being asked the question, not exactly eager to dish out the intimate details of himself and Medea. Sure, he'd been eager to say that something had happened, but when it got to what exactly? "Well..." he mused, sitting back in the car and slurping from his soda, "Okay, like when I kissed Medea? And I mean, like, really kissed her, not just little pecks? I'd pull back just to be safe, and she'd still be right there. Even when she opened her eyes, she'd just wait for me to come back."

"Really? That's interesting." Tad was still certain he'd get slapped for trying to kiss Kaysen. Hell, she told him she'd slapped Chance. "I just gotta get to that point I guess. You don't exactly jump for it with a girl like her, ya know? She's prone to violence."

"So... maybe you do jump for it a little," Porter suggested, smiling curiously, "Just when you make a move? Be aggressive, man. I don't see Kaysen going for the slow, sweet movie kiss, you know? Show some virility, just don't try tearing off clothes or anything. But yeah... kiss her like you mean it." He laughed a little at the situation; who was he to give out any kind of romantic advice? his friend, Porter chided himself.

"Aggressive? Dude have you met me? I'm the funny guy who gets his face punched in on a regular basis. I'm not the aggressive kiss the girl like you mean it type. At least I don't think." The very thought of tearing clothes off made Tad a little sick with nerves. "Jesus, is it awkward to wear body armor when I try that? I can't see her not trying to hit me. Even if she likes it."

Porter laughed richly, shaking his head at Tad. "Dude, if you already have the body armor? No, it's not awkward. But if she likes it then you'll have to explain why you're wearing it when she pulls your shirt off." He leaned over conspiratorially as though they weren't sitting alone in a car, smiling a little. "And Tad, seriously. I'm not aggressive either? But I look at Medea, and I see someone I want. Just... listen to that want next time."

Oh right, how did he forget that whole, listen to the want thing? Tad had to be falling for someone who bordered on being a psychopath didn't he? He seriously was a masochist. "Were there other girls? You know before Medea?"

"Not really," Porter confessed, shoulders shrugging a little. It had been a touchy subject for him once, but with what he had with Medea now? The past didn't seem as sensitive. "I was home-schooled until I was like twelve or thirteen, so when I did start school I was automatically the weird kid. And, I mean, I took girls out a few times? But it never went anywhere good, or really anywhere at all."

"Yea, about the same here. Only minus the taking out girls at all. Ever." When you're completely cut off from everyone at about age ten, even after recovering you've already been labeled as a freak and people, especially girls, lose interest in you.

Porter frowned sympathetically, but his head was shaking at Tad even as he did. "Dude, Ghostal? Fuck whatever happened before you met her, seriously. Past shit is exactly that, it's shit. And I know a lot of comic logic is weak, but seriously? We are the masters of our own destinies. You can do whatever you want with your life right now, you can get the girl, you can start swinging back at the dickfaces in school. Just... decide you're going to do it." And if Tad had known Porter pre-Medea, he would've been stunned. Porter's parents would've been too, if they could hear, but he wasn't scared any more. He was a hero, and he knew he could fight for what he wanted.

Tad nodded, not entirely believing Porter, but he could tell that Porter believed it. He did flinch though when Porter mentioned Tad fighting back. The conversation still made him twitchy, even probably because he knew it was true. Being called out on being a wuss is never fun. "I need some sort of radioactive spider shit going on. It might help."

"Well, it's not like you have to start kicking some ass or anything? Just like... it helps if you decide that you can, you know? Like you're fighting, no matter how it goes. But start small, man. Kiss her when it feels right, and kiss her like it's your only shot." Porter advised, chuckling a little. "And dude? Super powers don't fix everything. Hell, if I had them? I'd be less likely to fight back, I'd probably accidentally kill someone or something."

"Makes sense. Always goes back to the kryptonite condoms right? Sometimes being a super hero just sucks. You should stick with being a real life Batman, all the perks, none of the terrible super hearing or eyes that you can't open normally without shooting out super lasers or whatever else. Plus Bruce Wayne got a lot of chicks." Tad did take Porter's advice to heart. He did wonder though if he'd ever get one of those moments where it would feel right.

I can't be Batman, Porter mused regretfully, I'm more like Parasite. But he couldn't quite say that, now could he? No need to scare off one of his few friends. "I'm not cut out to be Batman," he refused, shrugging, "But I'll settle for the gadgets anyway. Maybe the gorgeous women? But Bruce never actually touches them." Porter finally popped his seatbelt, reaching for the door with one hand and punching Tad lightly in the arm with the other. "C'mon dude, we've got all week to figure out how you can make this happen. Let's grab a game, you can probably hang out at my place for a bit if you wanna play."

Tad leaned into the punch as if to make it seem like it was so much worse than it was. "Aw man," he told him with a chuckle, but followed him out of the car and towards the store. "Sounds good dude, I could use a chance to unwind. Let's get something that involves blowing stuff up ok? Or killing aliens or something."

"Why not both?" Porter mused, smirking, "They go hand in hand, dude. Like great power and great responsibility." He chuckled, tugging open the door of the shop and deciding that even if there was work to do? Watching out for a friend who was stuck in the same confusing mentality that Porter had endured was more important. Girls? They were confusing. And if he was lucky, he could help Tad be a little less confused. At the very least, he'd give him some company to ride it out