asher fuckboy millstone (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
moneyballer) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
epidemiology2017-02-01 08:01 pm
moneyballer) wrote in epidemiology2017-02-01 08:01 pm
Entry tags:
(CLOSED) UNECESSARY
CHARACTERS: Oliver Hampton (catphishing) and Asher Millstone (moneyballer)
DATE: February 3rd
WARNINGS: don't read this, foul language
SUMMARY: Oliver and Asher run into each other unexpectedly.
[Asher Millstone is definitely not a morning person, but staying in shape has always been high on his priority list. Work starts at 9:30 and ends at 7:00, and his nights are often spent following leads with various other shady assholes. Saved by the Dumbbell is an incredibly tacky place to spend the first hours of his day, but it has all the necessary equipment. He's taken his shower and walks out, thinking (mistakenly) that he is alone.
As a result, he leisurely sings some of the lyrics to Khia's early 2000's classic in falsetto:]
My neck, my back, lick my pussy aaaaaand my cra-
[Until he realizes that he's not alone.]
Oh god.
[Every ounce of color leaves his face.]
It's you.
catphishing) and Asher Millstone (moneyballer)DATE: February 3rd
WARNINGS: don't read this, foul language
SUMMARY: Oliver and Asher run into each other unexpectedly.
[Asher Millstone is definitely not a morning person, but staying in shape has always been high on his priority list. Work starts at 9:30 and ends at 7:00, and his nights are often spent following leads with various other shady assholes. Saved by the Dumbbell is an incredibly tacky place to spend the first hours of his day, but it has all the necessary equipment. He's taken his shower and walks out, thinking (mistakenly) that he is alone.
As a result, he leisurely sings some of the lyrics to Khia's early 2000's classic in falsetto:]
My neck, my back, lick my pussy aaaaaand my cra-
[Until he realizes that he's not alone.]
Oh god.
[Every ounce of color leaves his face.]
It's you.
no subject
He's frozen in place, a similar look of dread already etched on his features by the time Asher notices him. As if it isn't awkward enough to have to work together when there's so much tension between them, now he's apparently a member of the same gym too.]
Hi, Asher.
[The words might be polite enough, but his tone is full of the reluctance he has to have this conversation.]
no subject
Gross.
[He reaches for an outfit hung within a garment bag, which is pressed, dry-cleaned, and ready to go.
It's not as though Oliver has ever really paid close attention to the law student's body, but there are several changes that would be apparent to someone who was familiar with it prior to his arrival here. He's somehow gotten even bigger, and the muscles in his arms and back are now tighter and more defined, as training is something he's taken seriously for the past 6 months or so.
Asher goes about his business in a nonchalant manner, sliding his underwear on beneath the towel that drapes around his waist, sighing reluctantly when slipping into those terribly fitted pants he must wear for work. Upon buttoning his dress shirt and fixing his tie, he turns around to address the only other person who hails from home.]
So.
[There is nothing jovial about the way he approaches this.]
Hirooms said you wanted to talk to me?
no subject
He seems torn between irritation and discomfort as he towels off his hair from his shower. Maybe he takes a little longer than necessary to dry off and spray deodorant. He doesn't want to be around Asher right now, but part of him wants him to know he was wrong when he insinuated he had weak arms.
After taking that extra time he's still only just fastening up his pants by the time Asher finally addressees him. He scoffs, shaking his head as he buckles his belt.]
I told Hiruma to stay out of it. I'm sorry. I know you're uncomfortable with this.
no subject
His arms are definitely bigger.]
What's your problem, man?
[Elbows fold over a relatively broad chest.
There's evidence of anger in his clenched jaw. Somehow, the other's nonchalance makes him even more annoyed]
You got a beef with me?
Let it out. We're not at work anymore.
[Asher's eyes narrow.]
Homeboy.
[Uttered sarcastically.]
no subject
He's confused by Asher's continued hostility, though, and kind of upset by it. If he doesn't want to be left alone, then what does he want from him? This is a side of Asher he's never seen directed at him and he doesn't know what to do with it.]
We're going to work now.
[Or he is, and he's assuming that's why Asher's clothes are so formal. Does he really want to fight right before they have to go and tolerate being under the same roof for hours? Technically Oliver doesn't need to do that much there today, but that could change, and he's guessing Asher doesn't know what hours he's said he'll be there in the first place.
He shakes his head as he fastens up his buttons, not quite able to hold his tongue even if he knows that might be better.]
I don't understand why you think I have a problem in the first place. I know it's a weird situation, but it doesn't have to be as hard as you're making it.
no subject
[Asher starts to yell, a bad habit. Emotional and impulsive, he's often propelled to speak before he thinks, and that gets him in trouble constantly.
The echo is what stops him, because he does sound scary, and it bothers him.
Hasn't he moved past this, hasn't he learned? Apparently not.]
You're the one who started shit. You're the one who brought up Bon, and the fact we supposedly know each other, and then-
[Alarm bells start ringing, like sirens in his ears.]
You didn't want anything do with me.
[The words are practically spat out, although it's clear from the way his hands are shaking that this has really been hurting him in a significant way. He's been holding his tongue at the office because Hiruma is right, they all need to work together if they want anything done, but...]
no subject
This isn't his fault though. This problem, whatever it is, it isn't Oliver's doing. He knows that in himself, and he's upset that he's the one being blamed for it, by both Asher and Asher's friends.]
I thought you knew me.
[Oliver doesn't shout, but his words still seem loud to his own ears. It feels like they hang in the air, leaving him open and vulnerable. He sounds more hurt than angry. He looks away from Asher, voice breaking a little when he speaks again.]
But you didn't.
[It had been so good to see Asher's face even while he was being everything that had made it so hard for him to warm up to him in the first place. He'd thought be alone in this place, having to build a place for himself from the ground up. Again.
Seeing Asher had given him hope, and having that taken away again so quickly... it had been like a punch in the gut. Being ignored at best and like he is now at worst isn't helping.]
You spent like the entire summer taking over my apartment, and you didn't even know my name.
Where am I supposed to go with that?
no subject
Asher is so used to being berated or taunted by his classmates, unaware that they are keeping him at arm's length for a very different reason than he may believe. He recognizes the way Oliver's shoulders slump, and how his voice gets awfully quiet. Mostly because the law student himself feels this way all the time.]
What do you mean?
[Whispered, almost. A far cry from the tone he had been using just moments before.]
Were we friends, or something?
[He immediately regrets using that word, because it makes him afraid again.]
no subject
Now it's knowing that he's lost that that makes it hard to admit to, but after a silence that stretches on for too long he does nod.]
Yeah. But I know it's different here. I'm not expecting you to suddenly be friends with me, and be okay with me knowing weird things you probably don't think I should.
no subject
Oliver does not say it outright, or directly, but that, just that? It's enough.
Asher tries to think long and hard to see if he can place the other's face from literally anywhere else- Class, court cases, the police department... Even the coffee shop down the street. Perhaps memories are unreliable, but Asher Millstone is not the kind of person who forgets the face of a friend.
And that is what makes this all the more heartbreaking, too, because after being on this team with even the few people who seem to actually like him, he wasn't sure that he and the rest of the Keating five would ever be on good terms.]
You didn't say that.
[A shake of the head.]
Why didn't you just say that? Before?
no subject
[He shrugs, starting to do up the buttons on his shirt again.]
It felt weird. I didn't want you to feel like you had to get to know me because you felt sorry for me, and then... and then you got really mad.
[Which he still doesn't understand. Asher never seems to get mad at him. It really drives home just how different things are here. Oliver's still not convinced Asher's not about to shut him out again.]
no subject
Because you dropped me like I was hot, bruh.
[asher your choice of words really isn't helping]
no subject
[He sounds frustrated again as he stoops to pull his socks on.]
It's not like I was trying to ditch the one person here I already knew. [Well. Kind of. He makes a face, voice trailing off into a mumble.] Thought I knew. Whatever.
no subject
[Quieter.
He takes a moment to look away, checking the door for signs of people. It's morning time, before work, and yet somehow they're alone. Asher credits this to the infection that's been spreading as of recent, it seems that people are more likely to earn their money and lock their doors than go anywhere else.
This place has been quarantined, after all.]
Listen man, friends haven't always been that easy for me to come by. I thought you were pushing me away-
[Like everybody else-]
And I freaked out. I said some mean shit, alright? I feel bad about it, I do.
[Although somewhere deep down, he knows that's not enough.]
I know the others don't like me, okay? Even though I've tried everything. I know we're supposed to be competing 'n all, but...
Then why are they so close to each other?
God, I'm still so jealous of them.
[Of all of them.]
no subject
Oliver had become their friend easily, but there's definitely something there that makes it hard to penetrate their inner circle. Oliver still hasn't managed to find a way to break it down. He bites his lip, taking a breath before blurting out his confession.]
I'm jealous too.
[It's hard to admit that, even though he's sure it must have been obvious to all of them. They're his friends. He works with them. What else does he have to do before he can finally, truly be part of their group and get Annalise to trust him?]
I don't know what I can say to you. Maybe I'm not meant to say what happens, but... all of you are so close. All of you get to do all this super secret stuff for Annalise.
And I'm not allowed to know any of it.
[He looks pained by the recollection. He's only been gone from there a couple of months, so the hurt's still fresh. It doesn't take a lot to bring it back.]
I'm sorry I made you feel like that. I didn't think it would hurt you.
1/?
2/2
An implication that somehow in the future, Asher does become friends with the others. So there is hope for him.]
Are you sure you really wanna know all of that stuff, homie?
[The apology is enough to sate him for now. Sure, it doesn't heal everything right away, but it's enough to get Asher to at least be polite to Oliver, and maybe learn his coffee order for him.]
Her husband went missing, and...
I don't know how cool I am with half of the shit that goes down in that house, and I work for her. Most of it isn't any good.
You're probably better off where you're at.
no subject
[Maybe he doesn't know everything that's gone on there. Maybe he doesn't have a clue about the true nature of what's being kept from him. Maybe it's even worse than the things that have been hinted at him, and those alone are pretty scary.
None of that has stopped Oliver wanting to know. None of it has been enough to get him to stop trying to get involved properly instead of being dragged along blindly, being expected to trust everyone else knows best and letting them make his choices for him.]
I don't want to be good.
[The words are bitten out, slow and angry. This is a man who's long grown tired of being told that he's "better off where he's at" and being expected to leave it at that.]
I'm not weak. I'm not some helpless innocent who needs all of you to protect me. I can't even tell you how many times I've broken the law to help you or Annalise. You all know you can trust me. I can handle whatever your big secret is.
["No matter what Connor says to you" he nearly adds on, but Asher doesn't know about that. Maybe it's better that it stays that way, but here it's definitely something that only serves to make him look more pathetic than he does now. It's already clear from what he has said that he'd almost forgotten Asher doesn't actually know him at all.]
no subject
When he speaks, there's no malice or judgment in his voice.
More than anything else, it sounds as though he's talking to himself.]
You don't wanna be good, huh?
[Good.
What a loaded word.]
Well, I do.
[But for the first time in several years...
Asher Millstone thinks he finally understands what it means.]
no subject
He should be used to being shot down when he tries to force his way in. If Connor and the rest of the law students have their way he'll never know what's really going on at Annalise Keating's legal firm. He'll always be stuck on the outside of that, never quite able to break down the thin wall that stands between him and truly being one of them.
He nods jerkily, shoving on his shoes and starts to gather together the rest of his belongings. He's decent. He can finish dressing on his way to the law firm. It's better than sticking around here, with someone who's so clearly no the person he remembers.]
Okay. I get it.
[His tone says that he doesn't. Not really. Honestly, what he feels is empty. There are good people here who have been kind to him, but that doesn't mean he's not alone. He looks up with a tight smile once his jacket and coat are on. His tie hangs loose around his neck.]
See you at work?
no subject
Instead he only gets a vague sense that something is wrong.]
Sure.
[Packing up his stuff, finally, he too heads for the door.]
I'll see you around.