[ That actually startles a laugh out of him for the first time since they began this conversation over the implant's network, and Nate makes a show of dabbing a non-existent tear from his eye.
He's absolutely earned the ridicule but that doesn't mean he won't challenge it. Ian is doing him the favor of changing the subject, anyway, and he didn't have to do so. ]
I can't believe you're comparing me to Florida Man. That hurts.
[ Nate doesn't even hesitate. It's instinctual, innate, the kind of hair-trigger, knee-jerk reaction that comes to you out of nowhere, the same sort of reflex as when a fragment of building fails under his hand and the bottom drops out and he has to latch onto the nearest grip.
He takes the throw pillow next to him and, in a perfect mimicry of the last time he committed this exact atrocity on this exact couch, turns and deliberately presses it against Ian's face to stem the flow. ]
[ It's effective — rather, it's effective by accident, because his voice starts faltering as soon as the pillow comes at him, devolving into laughter. He wheels back beneath the onslaught of his own furniture wielded so grievously against him.
Which one of them is the real victim here, I ask you??
He's just gonna. Try and disarm him with a quick yank here. ]
[ It's just a cushion and therefore Nate has no qualms about relinquishing his weapon of choice, though he becomes disadvantaged upon permitting Ian to take the instrument of softened agony.
It wasn't an attack so much as a desperate attempt to muffle mockery, no matter how much he genuinely likes the laughter. People never get to just be, here, but it's close enough when Ian is being a dumbass for the express purpose of making him feel less terrible.
[ He's glad to know it worked. Acting like a moron is not always the right call during moments recovering from duress, kind of a gamble, risk v. reward. Sometimes it's great, sometimes you fall flat on your face and you just look like a jerk.
He has to defend his honor with one deliberate swat to Nate's shoulder with the pillow — he's no pushover, okay — but then it's back to wry. ]
Draw. But only because I'm not sure you could keep up, and I don't wanna make you look bad.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ That actually startles a laugh out of him for the first time since they began this conversation over the implant's network, and Nate makes a show of dabbing a non-existent tear from his eye.
He's absolutely earned the ridicule but that doesn't mean he won't challenge it. Ian is doing him the favor of changing the subject, anyway, and he didn't have to do so. ]
I can't believe you're comparing me to Florida Man. That hurts.
no subject
[ Pause for dramatic effect, and then-- ]
The first cut is the deepest - ♪
[ That's right, he's singing Sheryl Crow right now to rub in the pain. Salt in the wound. ]
Baby I know--
no subject
He takes the throw pillow next to him and, in a perfect mimicry of the last time he committed this exact atrocity on this exact couch, turns and deliberately presses it against Ian's face to stem the flow. ]
no subject
Which one of them is the real victim here, I ask you??
He's just gonna. Try and disarm him with a quick yank here. ]
no subject
It wasn't an attack so much as a desperate attempt to muffle mockery, no matter how much he genuinely likes the laughter. People never get to just be, here, but it's close enough when Ian is being a dumbass for the express purpose of making him feel less terrible.
He does feel less terrible. ]
Draw?
no subject
He has to defend his honor with one deliberate swat to Nate's shoulder with the pillow — he's no pushover, okay — but then it's back to wry. ]
Draw. But only because I'm not sure you could keep up, and I don't wanna make you look bad.