[OPEN LOG] Cracking

[henchgal]

Who: Meredith and EVERYONE
When: Early January
Where: Apt. B1, Bonnie's, ADI offices
Summary:Meredith returning from Medical; A Visit to Bonnie's; New Year, New You TDM prompt/A day at the office
Warnings: discussion of self worth that may include internalized ableism; non-graphic mention of medical issues relating to hEDS, self esteem issues and change of appearance (per New Year, New You TDM prompt)


1. My footsteps are ticking, like water dripping from a tree [Apt. B1 and close friends]
It's been weeks that Meredith has spent in medical, being poked and prodded and fed bland meals that won't upset her stomach. They don't talk about it, early on, how much connective tissue is in the digestive system. It's the mobility issues that everyone talks about, because those inconvenience the rest of the world. But the rest of it matters. Has mattered.

The day she returns home, she doesn't alert anyone in advance. She tries to be quiet, walking into the building and toward the front door of Apartment B1. Lets herself in and holds the knob as she closes the door so it won't slam. A part of her expects the place to be a disaster-mess without her having been around to tend to it. But maybe the boys (her) boys have kept it together enough while she's been away.

Either way, she creeps quietly toward her room, not sure if she's ready to see them yet.


2. Walking a hairline and stepping very carefully [Bonnie's]
Once she's ready for people-ing again, Meredith puts in a visit to Bonnie's, bringing with her a pan of fresh baked brownies in the hand not holding her usual walking cane. The ADI housing building is an easy place to live, but Bonnie's is better for hanging out and getting to know her fellow off-worlders, and there's probably been a fresh batch while she was away. Time to make new friends. After all, the more she has, the more likely someone will come save her when another disaster problem strikes.

But first things first. "Where do you guys keep knives and paper plates? I want to make sure to slice this so everyone can get a piece."


3. My heart is broken, it's worn out at the knees [ADI Offices]
It is a beautiful morning in the ADI building, and Meredith is...trying something different, clearly. Someone has hacked off her hair to a choppy clearly self-done bob (probably accomplished by putting her hair in a ponytail and lopping it all off at once), and she's wearing no makeup at all, so the bags under her eyes and her generally wan complexion are much more obvious than usual. Even her clothing shows signs of the distaste she currently has with her usual...everything. She's in a rather unflattering dark green turtleneck sweater-dress that's about two sizes too big, and mustard yellow leggings to match.

Maybe someone should check in on her.


X. Something is cracking, I don't know where [Wildcard]
darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463 to plot if you want something else

Comments

[henchgal]

"Would you like to talk about Neal?" She'd left it open-ended to see where his mind went first--if there was some other source of awkwardness his mind went to before that.

For a psychologist, he really did walk into that one.

[abrightboy]

He shrugs a shoulder.

“There’s nothing to talk about. He doesn’t want me.”

[henchgal]

There's this tiny moment where she feels actual rage, an emotion that's nearly foreign to her, directed at Neal for making Malcolm feel unwanted.

"Have you two talked at all? As friends, I mean."

[abrightboy]

“Oh. Yes. All the time. We’re good friends,” he says with the confidence of someone who sure tells himself that. “I thought you were only asking about. You know. The awkward part.”

The part where Malcolm is awkward.

“He didn’t… he was very honest about that part from the start,” he assures her. Neal had never led him on. This is very much a Malcolm problem, not a Neal problem.

[henchgal]

Except Meredith knows better, she truly does. And that's why she pauses over her answer.

"Well, I'm not going to say he's a good person, but he's good to have as a friend, and I'm glad you're still talking even though there is an awkward part."

She scoots closer and sits up and leans in to kiss Malcolm on the cheek in a sisterly way. "You deserve something that isn't awkward in your life, someday, Malcolm. You're a good guy, a truly good guy."

Not like Neal. Not like her, either.

[abrightboy]

"People do tell me that a lot," he admits. A beat. "It's actually a standard line people use to dump me, actually."

[henchgal]

She purses her lips slightly, glancing down at the blanket.

"That might say something about the kind of people who you keep ending up with, or something."

[abrightboy]

"Maybe you're on to something. The last girl I dated at home gave me that line on a voicemail. Though... I wouldn't really say I have a 'type', per se. Unless you count... people who agree to go out with me in the first place." He frowns faintly, considering that. "I probably shouldn't... I mean, I know better."

[henchgal]

"Out of curiosity, if we weren't living together, would I be someone you'd consider going out with?"

That is an entirely unfair question, and not appropriate to ask, and she knows it.

[abrightboy]

He blinks surprise at her, but then considers the question carefully, because Meredith's questions deserve proper answers.

"You mean... if you asked me?"

[henchgal]

"Good to know. Never going to happen, but still good to know. If multiverse theory is true, there might be a world where that's a thing."

[abrightboy]

That makes him laugh, but it’s a relieved, happy sound.

“You’d ask me?” he clarifies. “If you met me in a coffee shop or something, you’d be like ‘get me some of that weirdo’?”

[henchgal]

"Get me some of that patient, thoughtful man who looks at me and actually sees me? In a heartbeat. What would end up happening is you dumping me for being a workaholic, probably."

She laughs as well, butting at his shoulder with her forehead.

[abrightboy]

“I find a scenario where I’m the dumper to be highly unrealistic,” he tells her, turning his head to press a kiss to her hair. “But I’m glad you’re home.”

[henchgal]

"I'm glad to be home. You and Tim are...really important to me. These past six months, they've been hell, but also...but also I'm glad to have had them with both of you."

Beat.

"Also, I'm probably going to fall asleep here if you let me."

[abrightboy]

“I don’t have anywhere to be,” Malcolm tells her, settling back in his seat. He’ll get good and comfortable. He won’t want to disturb her.