MCA#0, Monday Night

[needsaparrot]

Xander was trying Isabel's number again - the twinkiephone had a pretty amazing range, after all, and he could hope - but just like the first time, it rang and rang, until at last it kicked over to voicemail. This time, though, he didn't leave a message, just thumbed the End Call button in frustration.

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[OOC: For Bridge]

Comments

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

There were Things that needed to be talked about, which is why Bridge is here, knocking on Xander's door.

[needsaparrot]

Xander walked over to the door, phone still in hand, and checked before opening it, because there really weren't a lot of people he wanted to talk to at the moment.

"Hey," he said once it was open, stepping out of the way and beckoning Bridge in. His mood was probably evident from his face and voice.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong?" Bridge says immediately, stepping inside.

[needsaparrot]

Xander switched the speaker on and played Isabel's message for him. "She left that last night."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"And she's just, just *gone*? Like that?" Bridge blinks.

And somewhere, a pot informs a kettle that it is, in fact, black.

[needsaparrot]

"I tried to call her back, but it just rings and then goes to voicemail." Xander nods, then tilts his head towards the kitchen. "Did you hear something?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"...No?" Bridge says, giving Xander a confused look.

[needsaparrot]

Xander shrugs. "Guess I'm just jumpy; been waiting for the phone to ring, but I don't think it's gonna."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"This not knowing thing kind of s-" and that? That'd be the clue bat. WHAPPING BRIDGE UPSIDE THE HEAD. "Oh."

[needsaparrot]

Xander frowns. Well, frowns a little more. "Oh?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I did the same thing. Twice."

[needsaparrot]

"Ah. Yeah. Kinda." Xander retreats towards the nearest couch, and waves at Bridge to sit down. "A little less with the sounding like you weren't planning on coming back, but yeah."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge does sit, drawing his knees to his chest and resting his chin on top of them. "This sucks," he says eloquently, actually finishing his thought this time.

[needsaparrot]

"Worrying about people?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I worry all the time," Bridge says. "But worrying and not knowing *anything*, that- I don't like it." Don't like it was possibly an understatement.

[needsaparrot]

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm used to it and I still hate it." Xander pauses, then snorts. "Wow, that was dumb."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't," Bridge says, though the corner of his lip twitches in a tiny smile. "Points for effort though."

[needsaparrot]

Xander gives a little laugh. "You get why I talk about premature gray hair when you pull that, now?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Bridge admits sheepishly. And leans over to peer at Xander's hair. "Don't see any, though," he offers.

[needsaparrot]

"It's hiding. Lying in wait. I've still got three and a half years before I turn 30. Give it time."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Tired of giving it time," Bridge mumbles under his breath.

[needsaparrot]

Xander caught at least part of that, but not enough to make sense of it. "You what now?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"The way I feel about you- it... hasn't changed, since you left." Bridge says.

[needsaparrot]

And Xander's been pretending about this for so long that he's not even sure what he's pretending anymore. That he didn't see it coming, maybe.

"Bridge..."

Yeah, he said that once before. He didn't finish the sentence that time either.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Xander..."