( prax has overheard some of the fight. his quarters are next to alex's, the walls aren't that well insulated — no words, no, but he's heard the angry tones. he's not surprised, exactly, when the knock comes, when it's amos in front of his door. not surprised, but still a little worried no matter what alex might have said. )
Hey. Come in.
( the greeting is quiet, but his forehead creases up when he spots the way amos is holding himself, the way he cradles one hand against his chest. ) Are you okay? ( dumb question, probably. )
[ Amos steps in, looking down at the floor rather than at Prax, which is not usual for him. He feels - tired, to his core. Still, he nods, flexing his fingers a little just to show they're not broken. ]
I'm fine. Overdid it, need to ice pack it.
[ He's not okay. ]
Got into a fight with Alex. Punched a wall. It's fine.
( amos nods, but he doesn't really look okay to prax. he looks — he looks like he did a lot more than punch a wall. )
I heard. ( prax admits after a moment, softly. he points toward the single chair by the small desk in his quarters. ) Do you want to sit down? I'll just- get something for your hand.
( not an ice pack, but a towel soaked with cold water will be a start, at least? )
[ Amos, jaw clenched, body tense, sits down, still cradling his hand. He's glad that Prax isn't asking him to talk about it. He doesn't want to. There's nothing to say, is there?
There's plenty to say. Amos just has no idea where to start. ]
Thanks. How's your head? Feeling free without the staples?
( prax wishes he could do something to make the tension go away. he just reaches out to wrap the towel around amos' hand before letting go of his hand again, letting amos go back to cradling it if he wants to. he's careful in the motions. gentle.
if mei was like this, he'd hug her. hold her, tell her it'll be all right. somehow, he doesn't think that would work with amos. )
Yeah, it's good. ( he almost reaches up to touch the scar, but he aborts the movement halfway, letting his hand drop down again. ) What else did you punch besides the wall? ( one wall wouldn't have that effect on amos' hand, surely. )
[ Amos breathes through Prax taking care of his hand. Their relationship feels like this - give and take, one of them supporting the other. It's something Amos hasn't allowed himself to need or want with anyone else than Naomi. But Prax saw something in him that nobody else did. Something good, that Amos wanted to nurture. ]
Went down to the gym, to blow off some steam. Just a sandbag, Doc, promise. Didn't hurt no one.
( to prax, it feels like he's done a lot more taking than giving, especially at the start. he's still taking even now, needing amos to remember not to give up hope, not to lose sight of what's important. but he's giving back, too, or trying to — trying to be there for amos. )
I didn't think you had.
( since amos sounds worried. oh, he knows amos is capable of it. but the entire time he's known amos, amos hasn't really hurt anyone who didn't somehow deserve it. )
I was told that Alex did something very stupid, put himself in danger, could have been really hurt, and he didn't tell anyone. He didn't - he didn't tell me.
[ It sounds stupid, said out loud. ]
I don't know why, I just saw red. Said stuff I didn't mean.
( he may or may not have texted alex to check if everything was okay and he may or may not have told alex that amos probably only got angry because he cares about alex.
because he wants to protect alex, like he protects prax. )
[ It's a genuine question, coming from a place of genuine wonder, because Amos doesn't think he was, but he knows how bad he can be at this. He knows he makes the wrong decisions all the time. ]
( prax almost reaches out to touch that muscle, like maybe drawing amos' attention to it will make it unclench. will help him relax. he doesn't think it works that way. )
I don't think he doesn't want you around. I think he got worked up, too.
[ It's an obvious plea - Amos has found himself turning to Prax more and more to make his moral choices when no solution came to him, and he couldn't get through to Naomi. Prax is - the best man Amos has ever met, probably. So dedicated about finding the one person that matters to him. Willing to go through the whole system to get her back.
Someone who knows right from wrong much better than Amos himself does. So he looks at Prax, the question clear in his eyes. Do I apologize, Doc? Do I move on? Do I get angry again? ]
( it's an obvious plea — obvious enough that prax realises amos is asking for his opinion. that amos will probably go with what prax tells him to do. it's not something he expected, but after a moment of thinking, he replies slowly: )
I think you should talk to him again. Once you've both calmed down. Explain that you don't want to see him hurt?
[ Amos takes a moment, processing Prax's words. It's not that he's slow, it's just that right now, he isn't sure when he will be feeling calmer. It might be a while.
But it's good advice. Amos nods, looking up at Prax. ]
( prax musters a smile. he doesn't like the tension between the only people he really knows here, the only ones he really trusts —amos is on top of that list, but alex isn't far behind at all. he's good people, too. )
I think he knows that, but it can't hurt to remind him.
( with amos standing up, before prax takes a half-step back, they are, for a moment, very close. prax notices that proximity, his chest constricting. not fear, for all of amos' bulk, but he can't classify it beyond that. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Hey. Come in.
( the greeting is quiet, but his forehead creases up when he spots the way amos is holding himself, the way he cradles one hand against his chest. ) Are you okay? ( dumb question, probably. )
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I'm fine. Overdid it, need to ice pack it.
[ He's not okay. ]
Got into a fight with Alex. Punched a wall. It's fine.
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I heard. ( prax admits after a moment, softly. he points toward the single chair by the small desk in his quarters. ) Do you want to sit down? I'll just- get something for your hand.
( not an ice pack, but a towel soaked with cold water will be a start, at least? )
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There's plenty to say. Amos just has no idea where to start. ]
Thanks. How's your head? Feeling free without the staples?
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if mei was like this, he'd hug her. hold her, tell her it'll be all right. somehow, he doesn't think that would work with amos. )
Yeah, it's good. ( he almost reaches up to touch the scar, but he aborts the movement halfway, letting his hand drop down again. ) What else did you punch besides the wall? ( one wall wouldn't have that effect on amos' hand, surely. )
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Went down to the gym, to blow off some steam. Just a sandbag, Doc, promise. Didn't hurt no one.
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I didn't think you had.
( since amos sounds worried. oh, he knows amos is capable of it. but the entire time he's known amos, amos hasn't really hurt anyone who didn't somehow deserve it. )
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[ He heaves a sigh. ]
I was told that Alex did something very stupid, put himself in danger, could have been really hurt, and he didn't tell anyone. He didn't - he didn't tell me.
[ It sounds stupid, said out loud. ]
I don't know why, I just saw red. Said stuff I didn't mean.
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( he may or may not have texted alex to check if everything was okay and he may or may not have told alex that amos probably only got angry because he cares about alex.
because he wants to protect alex, like he protects prax. )
I talked to him.
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[ It's a genuine question, coming from a place of genuine wonder, because Amos doesn't think he was, but he knows how bad he can be at this. He knows he makes the wrong decisions all the time. ]
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( but — )
Maybe it came out a little too loudly?
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[ Amos feels a muscle in his jaw clench, painful. ]
But if he doesn't want me around, then I won't be. Easy.
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I don't think he doesn't want you around. I think he got worked up, too.
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[ It's an obvious plea - Amos has found himself turning to Prax more and more to make his moral choices when no solution came to him, and he couldn't get through to Naomi. Prax is - the best man Amos has ever met, probably. So dedicated about finding the one person that matters to him. Willing to go through the whole system to get her back.
Someone who knows right from wrong much better than Amos himself does. So he looks at Prax, the question clear in his eyes. Do I apologize, Doc? Do I move on? Do I get angry again? ]
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I think you should talk to him again. Once you've both calmed down. Explain that you don't want to see him hurt?
( that's what's happening, right? )
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But it's good advice. Amos nods, looking up at Prax. ]
Yeah. I can try. I want him to know I trust him.
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I think he knows that, but it can't hurt to remind him.
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[ Amos takes a deep breath, before standing up. ]
Okay. [ A pause, and then he looks at Prax again. ] Thank you, Doc.
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Any time.