never tell lottie rowe the odds (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fortuosity) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} playout,@ 2020-03-26 22:55:00 |
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| Entry tags: | ! log/narrative, fortuna, prism |
CHARACTERS: Theo Blomqvist-Rose & Lottie Rowe
DATE & TIME: Thursday 26th March
LOCATION: Somewhere in Los Angeles
RATING: G, this is very wholesome
SUMMARY: While out jogging, Theo has some questions about Lottie’s new friends.
“So,” panted Theo as they slowed to a walk from one of their jogging sessions. Naturally, as heroes, they needed to be in top shape, even though jogging was the worst and Theo hated it. So, naturally, he went jogging several times a week, sometimes with Lottie, often by himself, and had done so as a form of therapy that he just kept up over time.
The weather was cool for LA, so the running path in the park was relatively empty; just them. “What’s this fascination with Davis, exactly?”
“Excuse me?” It was a question that she hadn’t anticipated at all, and Lottie nearly stopped moving in shock. Her expression became almost instantly annoyed, opening her mouth to object without hesitation. And then she did stop, one hand placed on the curve of her hips as she tried to catch her breath and gather herself enough to answer the question. It was in vain, and she just repeated “Fascination?” at Theo.
Theo almost fell over with laughter at her outraged expression. “Is that not the word you would use?” He tried to school his features into something resembling a more neutral one, but he was still smirking.
She stared at him, incredulous, before finally shutting her mouth as if it could betray any more emotions. A couple of short, sharp breaths. She’d rather be jogging again. “I don’t know,” she replied eventually, shooting him an accusing look. “If curious is too much of a word, please tell me.”
“Entirely up to you,” he replied magnanimously, reaching up to stretch overhead.
She continued to stare, before finally looking away and grimacing. Truths weren’t things that came easily, even when she trusted someone as much as she did Theo. Staring resolutely not at Theo, she just shrugged her shoulders in defeat. “You know I’m not very good at making friends, right?”
His gaze softened a little at that, and kept his distance from Lottie, letting her take the time she needed. You know I don’t think that, was on the tip of his tongue, but probably not what she needed to hear. “You’ve said as much before,” he inclined his head.
“And I don’t mind it,” she insisted quietly. “I really wanted this life, and I still do. And you know I’ve been trying really hard to make more of an impression, right?” Her other hand also went to her hips, her expression now more rueful than defeated. “All the social media, public engagements. It’s wearing, isn’t it?” Lottie looked to him for confirmation.
“Exhausting,” Theo agreed, thinking to the times he’d seen what John’s calendar looked like and how he wanted to faint from the sheer intensity. How he attended events with Mia, which were often enjoyable, but for someone like Lottie? Who didn’t enjoy being around so many people and needing to be ‘on’? While they might be irksome at times for Theo, they must be absolutely draining for his former mentee. “And you’re doing well with them -- don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
Lottie hesitated, even allowing herself to smile at the sound of praise. The words might not always connect, but she nodded her head gratefully for the support and continued to talk without looking directly at him. “Sometimes you just need downtime. People who don’t judge you in any way for being a bit weird.” She folded her arms now, even more defensive. “Or it’d be too much.”
“And Davis has been that for you,” he supplied, following Lottie’s train of thought. “I understand.”
“And I only wanted your read on him because I trust you.”
Theo opened his mouth, prepared to reply, before promptly closing it and staring at the ground. Vaguely felt his cheeks pinken. When was the last time he’d earned the trust of someone like Lottie, or of anyone? “He seems to...have his own struggles to contend with, but...he doesn’t strike me as the type to abandon the people he cares about, and from my limited observations, I would say you’re one of those people.”
Her turn to feel that bashful embarrassment. Lottie took the time to just push some stray wisps of hair out of her face, to adjust her ponytail. Anything to draw attention away from her feelings. “Who knows,” she was quick to dismiss it, hoping to move past any talk of herself. “Him and Ilana? They’ve been really good to me. I don’t want to fuck it up, though.”
“I’ve known Ilana a long time. She’ll look out for you.” When I can’t. “And you’re not going to fuck it up,” Theo gave Lottie an unimpressed look. “You’re only going to fuck it up if you can’t own up to your actions.”
“Says you,” Lottie still seemed dubious. “But I like having friends like them. I kinda want to keep them.” She caught his look and returned it with her own slightly bashful smile.
“Keep them, then,” he shrugged, shooting her a smile.
“I’m going to try,” she told him. “Do you have anyone like that?” She was keen to push the conversation past talking about her, no matter how reassured she’d been with the outcome of it.
Did he have anyone like that? He used to. “I do,” Theo said tentatively, and not just because his relationship with Luke was still not nearly what it used to be. But at least it was on the mend, even if their dynamic wasn’t entirely the same. “It’s...fluctuated, a bit, but I’ve been trying to make some positive changes and I think they’re working.” Mostly.
“Hey, that’s good,” Lottie smiled properly, visibly looking a little more relaxed. She stretched her arms out, having remembered that they were still technically mid work-out, and nodded her understanding. “Positive changes can be a real bitch to take hold, but hopefully they’re worth it in the long run.”
“Yeah, personal growth in general’s a bitch,” Theo muttered, rolling his eyes at himself. “But necessary,” he added. Very necessary, and worthwhile. There was no doubt about that. “And it’s not like I have any room to complain, since most of it was my own doing, so.” There was that.
“I’m sure it’s not on you as much as you think,” She shook her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Use some of the leniency you keep giving me,” she tried to advise. “And we can both keep trying that personal growth thing.”
Theo was pretty sure it definitely was, but remained silent, and merely tried to smile a little for Lottie’s sake. “We’ll keep each other accountable,” he offered.
“You’re on,” she agreed without hesitation. “It’s easier when you’ve got someone to keep you honest.”
“Deal.” Theo was encouraged by Lottie’s enthusiasm. “And, uh, I didn’t mean to embarrass you earlier.” He paused, with a smirk. “Okay, maybe a little, but I’m done now. For now.”
She rolled her eyes in response. “How about, in return, I embarrass you for the rest of this jog?” Lottie suggested, although there was a softness in her tone that implied she wasn’t feeling as competitive as she sounded.
“Show me what you got, Rowe.”
The weather was cool for LA, so the running path in the park was relatively empty; just them. “What’s this fascination with Davis, exactly?”
“Excuse me?” It was a question that she hadn’t anticipated at all, and Lottie nearly stopped moving in shock. Her expression became almost instantly annoyed, opening her mouth to object without hesitation. And then she did stop, one hand placed on the curve of her hips as she tried to catch her breath and gather herself enough to answer the question. It was in vain, and she just repeated “Fascination?” at Theo.
Theo almost fell over with laughter at her outraged expression. “Is that not the word you would use?” He tried to school his features into something resembling a more neutral one, but he was still smirking.
She stared at him, incredulous, before finally shutting her mouth as if it could betray any more emotions. A couple of short, sharp breaths. She’d rather be jogging again. “I don’t know,” she replied eventually, shooting him an accusing look. “If curious is too much of a word, please tell me.”
“Entirely up to you,” he replied magnanimously, reaching up to stretch overhead.
She continued to stare, before finally looking away and grimacing. Truths weren’t things that came easily, even when she trusted someone as much as she did Theo. Staring resolutely not at Theo, she just shrugged her shoulders in defeat. “You know I’m not very good at making friends, right?”
His gaze softened a little at that, and kept his distance from Lottie, letting her take the time she needed. You know I don’t think that, was on the tip of his tongue, but probably not what she needed to hear. “You’ve said as much before,” he inclined his head.
“And I don’t mind it,” she insisted quietly. “I really wanted this life, and I still do. And you know I’ve been trying really hard to make more of an impression, right?” Her other hand also went to her hips, her expression now more rueful than defeated. “All the social media, public engagements. It’s wearing, isn’t it?” Lottie looked to him for confirmation.
“Exhausting,” Theo agreed, thinking to the times he’d seen what John’s calendar looked like and how he wanted to faint from the sheer intensity. How he attended events with Mia, which were often enjoyable, but for someone like Lottie? Who didn’t enjoy being around so many people and needing to be ‘on’? While they might be irksome at times for Theo, they must be absolutely draining for his former mentee. “And you’re doing well with them -- don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
Lottie hesitated, even allowing herself to smile at the sound of praise. The words might not always connect, but she nodded her head gratefully for the support and continued to talk without looking directly at him. “Sometimes you just need downtime. People who don’t judge you in any way for being a bit weird.” She folded her arms now, even more defensive. “Or it’d be too much.”
“And Davis has been that for you,” he supplied, following Lottie’s train of thought. “I understand.”
“And I only wanted your read on him because I trust you.”
Theo opened his mouth, prepared to reply, before promptly closing it and staring at the ground. Vaguely felt his cheeks pinken. When was the last time he’d earned the trust of someone like Lottie, or of anyone? “He seems to...have his own struggles to contend with, but...he doesn’t strike me as the type to abandon the people he cares about, and from my limited observations, I would say you’re one of those people.”
Her turn to feel that bashful embarrassment. Lottie took the time to just push some stray wisps of hair out of her face, to adjust her ponytail. Anything to draw attention away from her feelings. “Who knows,” she was quick to dismiss it, hoping to move past any talk of herself. “Him and Ilana? They’ve been really good to me. I don’t want to fuck it up, though.”
“I’ve known Ilana a long time. She’ll look out for you.” When I can’t. “And you’re not going to fuck it up,” Theo gave Lottie an unimpressed look. “You’re only going to fuck it up if you can’t own up to your actions.”
“Says you,” Lottie still seemed dubious. “But I like having friends like them. I kinda want to keep them.” She caught his look and returned it with her own slightly bashful smile.
“Keep them, then,” he shrugged, shooting her a smile.
“I’m going to try,” she told him. “Do you have anyone like that?” She was keen to push the conversation past talking about her, no matter how reassured she’d been with the outcome of it.
Did he have anyone like that? He used to. “I do,” Theo said tentatively, and not just because his relationship with Luke was still not nearly what it used to be. But at least it was on the mend, even if their dynamic wasn’t entirely the same. “It’s...fluctuated, a bit, but I’ve been trying to make some positive changes and I think they’re working.” Mostly.
“Hey, that’s good,” Lottie smiled properly, visibly looking a little more relaxed. She stretched her arms out, having remembered that they were still technically mid work-out, and nodded her understanding. “Positive changes can be a real bitch to take hold, but hopefully they’re worth it in the long run.”
“Yeah, personal growth in general’s a bitch,” Theo muttered, rolling his eyes at himself. “But necessary,” he added. Very necessary, and worthwhile. There was no doubt about that. “And it’s not like I have any room to complain, since most of it was my own doing, so.” There was that.
“I’m sure it’s not on you as much as you think,” She shook her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Use some of the leniency you keep giving me,” she tried to advise. “And we can both keep trying that personal growth thing.”
Theo was pretty sure it definitely was, but remained silent, and merely tried to smile a little for Lottie’s sake. “We’ll keep each other accountable,” he offered.
“You’re on,” she agreed without hesitation. “It’s easier when you’ve got someone to keep you honest.”
“Deal.” Theo was encouraged by Lottie’s enthusiasm. “And, uh, I didn’t mean to embarrass you earlier.” He paused, with a smirk. “Okay, maybe a little, but I’m done now. For now.”
She rolled her eyes in response. “How about, in return, I embarrass you for the rest of this jog?” Lottie suggested, although there was a softness in her tone that implied she wasn’t feeling as competitive as she sounded.
“Show me what you got, Rowe.”