[OPEN] Changes in Me

[mylastchance]

Who: Lauren and you.
What: He mad.
Where: The carnival grounds.
When: Before agent-nappings

I. He nearly shrieks when he sees it. He's washing his hands, leaving the restroom when he catches sight of himself in the mirror. There it is, a large leaf growing out out of the top of his head, and falling down over his hair. He stares at it in shock, lifting it up and trying to pull it out, but of course it doesn't budge.

"Susan? SUSAN?!"

II. Despite the change Lauren wasn't reluctant to leave his trailer. He had a leaf growing out of his head instead of hair, and it refused to be moved. His ears were longer and more elf-like as well. He should have known it was coming, of course, but for some reason he hadn't expected it to happen like this. Although many individuals at the carnival were strange in appearance, he'd had no reason to assume it was because of working here, or that it would happen to him. He knows he was being naive, and that only makes him angrier. That's the feeling that motivates him now, the only reason he can make himself leave the trailer.

He can't stay in that small space right now. His feelings were getting the best of him, boiling over and he didn't have any idea how to deal with it. Instead he stomped throughout the carnival grounds, staff in hand. He was angry and it showed in the tension of his shoulders and the scowl on his face.

Will you get in his way?

Comments

[mossbuds]

Lars also wasn't expecting the space invasion in the first place, and had responded with escalation—as did Lauren, which...shocks Lars in turn. Being probably only 130 pounds or so, he almost falls over again—but he manages to keep his footing with some graceless staggering.

"Ugh!" Lars thrusts a finger in his direction. His heart is racing, and he feels keyed up, not understanding he's experiencing flight. "You watch where you're goin'! You already knocked me over once! Chill out the fuck out!"

[mylastchance]

"Why don't you chill out?!" Lauren asks, now shouting, upset and getting angrier by the second. Every time he tries to back down from this fight Lars says something that makes him even madder than before. He pushes him again, this time it's not defensive at all.

[mossbuds]

Lars winces and grunts with the second shove, staggering again—this time bracing himself by sticking out a leg behind his body in a sort of wide stance. "You're the one losin' it!" Defensively, at the moment of impact, Lars slips his hands between Lauren's wrists to force them apart, seamlessly pushing them forward to push Lauren back on his shoulders, feeling threatened and attempting to get him out of his space—even though Lars is totally the guilty party in this. "Get your friggin' hands off me, man!"

[mylastchance]

He steps back as Lars pushes his hands away instinctively. The result of a combative readiness he's tried to cultivate ever since he started living on his own back in Faerun. So when Lars moves to push him Lauren doesn't fall over, and depending on how long Lar's reach is the other boy might fall forward instead. Lauren's shoulders are no longer where Lars thought they were, so they aren't their to catch the weight of his push. Still, Lauren can see Lars wants to get away from him, and something about that is sort of distressing. He wasn't trying to intimidate anyone, at least, he hadn't realized that was what he was doing. Lauren didn't want to fight with anyone, that wasn't who he was. He steps back again, distancing himself from Lars and the situation. He doesn't say anything, not sure if there's anything to say. If Lars steps towards him again he will fight back, but if Lars leaves he's just as likely to let him run away.

[mossbuds]

Lars is prickly and defensive, and he doesn't like people. But he's also pretty damn harmless, and he's never had the desire to really inflict violence despite his shitty attitude. So when Lauren steps off and doesn't say anything, Lars is a little jittery where he stands. His chest heaves a little, his eyes wide and skin a little flush. Similarly, Lars feels kind of jarred.

And now, awkward as shit.

He tilts his head a little, clenching his fists to calm the trembling of his hands. There's a pause.

"...you good?"

[mylastchance]

Lauren just nods, looking away feeling awful and embarrassed. This was dumb and stupid and he was dumb and stupid for letting it happen.

"Yeah... Sorry. Again."

He does actually mean it this time, though Lars is free to take this apology however he likes.

[mossbuds]

Lars doesn't care for Lauren's apology, mostly because he doesn't care for apologies in general. By the same token, however, Lars isn't particularly grudging—strangely, despite his hostile, negative personality.

...But he does feel bad, also. Lars has never been someone for scrapping, and he actually isn't a fan of violence outside of videogames. Despite that, Lars manages to look hassled and flippant. He raises a hand dismissively, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever, man. Don't worry about it."