[ When his phone only gives a stunted half-ring before it stops, Derek looks over at it with a creased brow. He picks it up from the side table next to his couch to check it, just in time for it to actually ring and to see Vanya's name on the caller ID.
Smiling a little to himself that he didn't have to be the one to make first contact this time, he answers sounding pleasantly surprised. ]
[ Derek feels himself smiling again. She doesn't know him very well yet but he likes to think that when she gets to that point, she'll know that the only reason lead time might be necessary is if he happens to have to work. His social life isn't exactly thriving, yet. It might never be. ]
Sure, yeah. Well...I mean, it depends on when, because I'd have to check my work schedule and make sure I don't have to be at a training, but yeah, assuming that's not an obstacle. When's the party?
Yeah, yeah of course, I wouldn't want you to take off or anything. It's on the first, that's...Tuesday? Tuesday night. It's, um...It's our birthday, but don't bring a gift or anything, it's just to. Hang out, I guess.
[And for the first time, she has one or two people she wouldn't mind hanging out with.]
[ Then there's a short pause while he retroactively processes this information. ]
Wait, Tuesday's your birthday? Are...you're related to Diego?
[ He doesn't sound put off or anything, just surprised. He'd known that Diego's siblings were adopted along with Diego and that he'd had a lot of them, most of whom were here too, but it hadn't actually occurred to him that Diego's brothers and sisters would be anyone he'd met already.
Maybe she's not, but the fact that she's saying "our" and that the party is on a Tuesday instead of on the weekend stands out to him. ]
[And just like that, the nervous but excited energy drops out of her. She falls silent on the phone, stops pacing around in her room and just stares out her window without really seeing the street outside. He knows Diego. He knows Tuesday is Diego's birthday. So they're, what, friends?
A bubble of seething jealousy rises in her chest, and Vanya has to clench her jaw, grit her teeth against it. Of course Derek would make other friends. He's - he's nice, he's a good guy, why shouldn't other people like him?
But, whispers a small, angry voice in her head, did it have to be Diego?]
Yeah.
[She finally remembers to answer, and her voice is a little flatter, easy to mark.]
[ Vanya's quiet for a long time and Derek remembers that Diego had made it sound like he and his siblings weren't very close. He hadn't said they were contentious, but the long pause makes Derek wonder if maybe they are and, if so, why they're having a joint party anyway?
But when the pause stretches out a little too long, Derek opens his mouth to say her name, just to see if she's still there. She beats him to it. The change in tone isn't lost on him. ]
Oh. Yeah, I mean...yeah. I didn't know he was your brother. I don't know him very well, actually. We've talked a couple of times and we're supposed to go grab a couple beers tonight, but...
[ She lives in another state, he remembers. Oh man, this is going to be awkward to witness, isn't it? This party is going to be really uncomfortable, he thinks. He has...no idea. ]
Yeah. But I can go with you, you know?
[ He was actually going to ask Diego tonight if he minded Derek bringing a friend; he'd been planning to invite Vanya. He's still feeling a little awkward about the fact that he doesn't know Diego very well at all and he'd been thinking it'd be less awkward if he didn't show up on his own. The irony of his choice of friend to bring along is not lost on him. ]
[Drinks, too. They're going to hang out, probably more often than he hangs out with her. And why not? He probably likes Diego better than he likes her. Who wouldn't? Everyone does. There's always someone whose company is preferred over Vanya's. That's how it's always been.
She can hear something creaking, and though her hand is white-knuckled around her phone, she knows she's not strong enough to make that happen. A bit of plaster drops to the floor in front of her, and she manages to pull the phone away from her mouth just before she takes a sharp breath, holding it at her side while she closes her eyes and tries to just breathe.
This is stupid. This is so stupid, she shouldn't be upset at all. She just has to - stop, just stop being upset. That's all.
When she brings the phone back to her face, she's making an effort to sound measured, normal. Not put out, not disappointed or angry. She can't make it to excited, but that's okay: when has she ever been excited for her birthday?]
No, no, it's okay. I mean, just - I'll see you there anyway, right? It's not that big. --I mean, it is, it's kind of a huge place, but they're probably closing off a lot of it for the party, so - um, have fun tonight, and I'll. I'll see you next week.
[And she hangs up because that is the fastest way out of a conversational nightmare.]
that's fine I didn't need my heart today anywayyyyy
[ Another long pause follows and Derek's stomach knots tighter and tighter. He doesn't know why she's upset, but she's clearly upset and, for that, Derek feels bad. He's hurt his first real friend here and that hadn't, obviously, been his intention.
When she finally speaks again, her tone has changed again, like she's trying to stay calm or like she's trying to hide the fact that he's upset her. He opens his mouth on several occassions to speak, but he'd have to interrupt her to do it, because she doesn't give him a chance to cut in and he doesn't want to be rude on top of it.
But then by the time he does get a chance to say something, he realizes she's hung up.
...how did he screw this up already? They've known each other for a month, tops. Only Derek could manage to crash and burn a friendship that fast.
He pulls the phone from his face belatedly and, yep, the call has ended. His arms falls limply to his side and he drops his head back, frowning and closing his eyes. ]
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Smiling a little to himself that he didn't have to be the one to make first contact this time, he answers sounding pleasantly surprised. ]
Hey, what's up?
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[She very abruptly misses her rotary phone, with its curled cord. Wrapping her finger up in that was a helpful distraction.]
I was just, um - I know it's not a lot of lead time, but...do you maybe want to come to a party with me?
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Sure, yeah. Well...I mean, it depends on when, because I'd have to check my work schedule and make sure I don't have to be at a training, but yeah, assuming that's not an obstacle. When's the party?
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[And for the first time, she has one or two people she wouldn't mind hanging out with.]
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[ Then there's a short pause while he retroactively processes this information. ]
Wait, Tuesday's your birthday? Are...you're related to Diego?
[ He doesn't sound put off or anything, just surprised. He'd known that Diego's siblings were adopted along with Diego and that he'd had a lot of them, most of whom were here too, but it hadn't actually occurred to him that Diego's brothers and sisters would be anyone he'd met already.
Maybe she's not, but the fact that she's saying "our" and that the party is on a Tuesday instead of on the weekend stands out to him. ]
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A bubble of seething jealousy rises in her chest, and Vanya has to clench her jaw, grit her teeth against it. Of course Derek would make other friends. He's - he's nice, he's a good guy, why shouldn't other people like him?
But, whispers a small, angry voice in her head, did it have to be Diego?]
Yeah.
[She finally remembers to answer, and her voice is a little flatter, easy to mark.]
He's my brother. Did he already invite you?
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But when the pause stretches out a little too long, Derek opens his mouth to say her name, just to see if she's still there. She beats him to it. The change in tone isn't lost on him. ]
Oh. Yeah, I mean...yeah. I didn't know he was your brother. I don't know him very well, actually. We've talked a couple of times and we're supposed to go grab a couple beers tonight, but...
[ She lives in another state, he remembers. Oh man, this is going to be awkward to witness, isn't it? This party is going to be really uncomfortable, he thinks. He has...no idea. ]
Yeah. But I can go with you, you know?
[ He was actually going to ask Diego tonight if he minded Derek bringing a friend; he'd been planning to invite Vanya. He's still feeling a little awkward about the fact that he doesn't know Diego very well at all and he'd been thinking it'd be less awkward if he didn't show up on his own. The irony of his choice of friend to bring along is not lost on him. ]
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She can hear something creaking, and though her hand is white-knuckled around her phone, she knows she's not strong enough to make that happen. A bit of plaster drops to the floor in front of her, and she manages to pull the phone away from her mouth just before she takes a sharp breath, holding it at her side while she closes her eyes and tries to just breathe.
This is stupid. This is so stupid, she shouldn't be upset at all. She just has to - stop, just stop being upset. That's all.
When she brings the phone back to her face, she's making an effort to sound measured, normal. Not put out, not disappointed or angry. She can't make it to excited, but that's okay: when has she ever been excited for her birthday?]
No, no, it's okay. I mean, just - I'll see you there anyway, right? It's not that big. --I mean, it is, it's kind of a huge place, but they're probably closing off a lot of it for the party, so - um, have fun tonight, and I'll. I'll see you next week.
[And she hangs up because that is the fastest way out of a conversational nightmare.]
that's fine I didn't need my heart today anywayyyyy
When she finally speaks again, her tone has changed again, like she's trying to stay calm or like she's trying to hide the fact that he's upset her. He opens his mouth on several occassions to speak, but he'd have to interrupt her to do it, because she doesn't give him a chance to cut in and he doesn't want to be rude on top of it.
But then by the time he does get a chance to say something, he realizes she's hung up.
...how did he screw this up already? They've known each other for a month, tops. Only Derek could manage to crash and burn a friendship that fast.
He pulls the phone from his face belatedly and, yep, the call has ended. His arms falls limply to his side and he drops his head back, frowning and closing his eyes. ]
Son of a bitch.