A/N: Slight warning for mention of medication use.

Tansy and Tim discuss the relative merits of one Alex Kralie's directing ability.

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In Which There Are Four Balls On The Edge of a Cliff

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"You're not being particularly fair," Tansy said.

Her and Tim had just finished saying goodbye to Brian and Esther, who Tim could still see through the window. Ester was perched on Brian's shoulder and they appeared to be going over Alex Kralie's script together.

Tim was not entirely sure why they would bother. He went to the kitchen to get himself an orange juice and, after a second's thought, the slightly malformed leaf ash tray Brian had given him after he'd taken ceramics last semester. "I don't have to be fair, the movie sucks."
Tansy's claws clicked over the linoleum floor as she followed him into the kitchen and then stopped right by his ankle, snuffling imperiously. He picked her up and put her on the counter beside him. "You can't say it's that bad, it's not even halfway finished yet," she replied, resting her furry head on the bend in his elbow.
"It's going to suck," Tim said. With the arm that his daemon was not currently using as a pillow he reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter and his pack of smokes. Tansy lifted her head with an annoyed snort when he put the cigarettes on the counter, but he ignored her. "Alex is a decent guy, I guess, but he can't write dialogue worth shit. His head's bigger than his talent."

Just then his phone beeped in his pocket. Tim made a 'one second' gesture to Tansy (not that she would care), went into the bathroom and took his meds.

He came back out to find Tansy nosing at his orange juice. He took it out from under her nose and stepped out of her reach, narrowing his eyes at her for a second as he drank.
"Esther and Brian like him," Tansy said, still talking about Alex Kralie. She curled her tail so it stopped hanging over the side of the counter and rested her head on her paws. "So do Connlaoth and Sarah."
"Just because they do doesn't mean we have to."
"No," she agreed, "But you could give him more of a chance."

After a short pause, Tim set his now mostly empty cup back down (which she immediately lapped up the last dregs of the juice from). He picked up his lighter and a smoke, propping himself up on the counter on his elbows. Tansy coughed pointedly as he lit up, so he inhaled extra long just for show.
It was her turn to narrow her eyes at him. He held her gaze. 'Whenever I'm around other people," he announced, "I feel like I'm wearing a mask to hide who I really am."

There was another strained second of staring. Then Tansy let out a couple barks of laughter and Tim grinned a little, and they shifted closer to each other so her nose was just barely touching his elbow.
"But we're going to act in it," Tansy said after a little while of companionable silence. She tapped her claws on the counter idly. "Even though it's bad and the director's pretentious."
Tim shrugged as he ashed his cigarette. The movie was something to do after classes, other than homework and regular work and music and reading bad sci-fi novels. Plus, Brian had asked them to be in it as a favour. It wasn't like it was going to cause any problems.
"Might as well."

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