Or stupidity

Pete grins as he returns Carol's hug, though just a little awkwardly. Watching her and Nikki interact, it was obvious they loved each other just as much as he remembered.

Left to themselves, Pete follows Nikki into the living room, taking up a seat on the armrest of the couch. "Um..." He thinks then shrugs. "I really don't care. How about something funny?"


Casting again, a million and one rules fly through Justin's mind, though his body language does not change. Common sense... logic... rules of thumb... He inwardly sighs. He'd already broken the rules anyway.

"If you'd like me to come sometime, I can," he acknowledges. "I know sometimes certain things are easier if there's someone else around so... if you want me to be there, I can."


As the two men receive the tongue-lashing from Ryan, both stare up at her, unable to get a word in, but not trying anyway. Their own glares meet hers, still angry with each other and now both bothered that she was chewing them out.

Watching as Ryan stalks away then speeds off, Alec looks down at the ground, then over to Leo, his expression one of irritation. Leo meets his gaze with the same look. And for a moment, it feels as though something might erupt again.

But slowly, slowly, fists are relaxed. Leo rocks back to sit on his bottom while Alec stays on his knees. Looking at each other again, they both shake their heads.

"I'm too tired to fight anymore," Leo mumbles. "I guess that means you win."

"I'm too tired too," Alec admits. "You put up quite a fight."

Leo touches his lip gingerly with his tongue. "I feel kinda silly sitting here."

"Yeah, me too."

Eli sighs as he watches everything happen, then his sister take off. Maybe encouraging this whole thing hadn't been the best idea in the world, but he didn't think he'd deserved that last glare. Glancing to Scarlet, he gives her a look of apology for having the night be turned around on them.

Looking back to the two enemies, he rolls his eyes and wanders over to them. "Are you two quite finished?"

"After that?" Alec thumbs down the dusty road. "She might come back and run us over with the car if we keep this up."

Eli smirks. "Probably."

Gingerly, Alec stands up, brushing off his pants and wincing a little. He hurt in more places than he'd like to admit.

Eli approaches Leo and gives him a hand up as well. "You alright?"

"Mm-hmm." Leo nods, though he wasn't all that sure. "I guess I just need to go."

"Looking like that?" Eli shakes his head. Standing between the two, he looks at them both. "Is this thing over, or what?"

Leo looks over to Alec, and Alec over to him. Both stare at each other for a moment, almost like two gradschool boys who had fought on the playground. Leo finally shrugs. "You want me gone, I'll be gone, alright? It's stupid for me to keep fighting."

Alec's eyebrows rise. "You walk away now, she won't ever forgive me."

Leo thinks for a moment, confused. "So you'd call a truce just so Ryan doesn't leave you?"

Alec shrugs lamely. "I guess so."

"Well...maybe you're more worth her effort than I thought."

"You're the one with the guts."

"Or stupidity."

Both stare at each other again. Afterward, no one would know who snickered first, but even though it was painful, the laughter did somehow surface...


...Entering the apartment quietly, Eli shuts and locks the door behind him. He was home much later than planned, but somehow he'd managed to get both men cleaned up, iced and bandaged, gotten Alec back to TJY, Leo on his way and still spend some time with Scarlet. Or was it all the other way around? He felt like he'd been drinking, when in reality, he'd never even gotten that beer he wanted.

Ambling down the hall, he sees the light under Ryan's door and stops, ready to knock. But before his knuckles tap the door, he lowers his hand. She'd been pretty hot earlier... he better not bother her now. So instead, he goes to his own bedroom, leaving the door just partway open.