.OPEN POST. (let's play)

[ergon]

[ open. texts, messages, rp prompts and starters. gen & nsfw. ]

Comments

[supermarket]

( he's pretty sure this is a bad idea on a lot of fronts. he's pretty sure that no amount of preparation could help him out in an actual life or death situation. because kieren is not a violent person at heart, and he's always been scrawny. although years of being bullied means that he's pretty good at taking a punch.

he doesn't ever want to condone or take part in violence, but ever since he was attacked that night, it's been hard to get over the fear that seems to have seeped in under his skin. every movement at the door makes his heart jump. every scraping sound of metal makes him cringe.

he hates the idea of not being able to do anything.

which is why he approaches matt one day with a proposal, heart in his dry, dry throat. )

I want you to teach me how to defend myself. I mean --

( as much as he could, being the untrained beanpole that he is. )

Just... Anything. I want to do something.

[ergon]

[ Matt is aware of it. He can hear the way Kieren's pulse speeds up at certain sounds, the way his breath catches, the agitation that lies simmering just under his skin. After his attack, he's never been the same way again, and Matt can't blame him.

It's human instinct; something inside Kieren is chipped and cracked, and it will take a long time to heal. It's only a matter of time when Kieren will come to him and ask for it, he knows. He doesn't offer, because it's not his place, but he does his best to protect him, to keep him safe however he can -- he's failed Kieren once, he doesn't want it to happen again.

So when Kieren finally asks the question, tension radiating off him in waves, Matt is quiet for a long moment. ]

Why?

[supermarket]

I'm just tired of feeling like there's nothing I can do. Like I'm just waiting around for the next disaster. I know there's probably not much I can do, but...

( he trails off, momentarily discouraged. fiddling with a stray thread on his sweater. )

It would help me sleep at night.

( because he hasn't been. he's just quietly laid awake and tried not to think about anything. matt probably would have noticed. )