MCA 0 [Saturday Night]

[bridge_carson]

So the making of lists at work had served as a pretty good distraction while *at* work. But then he'd run in to Anders on his way back to the dorms. And now Anders was gone. Which means that between him leaving today, and Isabel and Wyatt leaving yesterday, tonight is very much a night for moping. And ice cream. He hadn't really felt like going back to the dorms at *all* tonight after seeing Anders off, so RIC's hanging out on the living room floor, lying down with his head resting on his front paws and managing, somehow, to look mournful. Despite the fact that he's not actually capable of things like facial expressions.

[pour le fiance, svp]

Comments

[needsaparrot]

Jeremiah's hanging out near the corner of his tank, checking RIC out. Not that they didn't share a room for a good four or five months there, but it's been a while.

Xander, on the other hand, is in the kitchen. Where the ice cream and the bowls live. And the hot fudge.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Sprinkles too?" Bridge calls out hopefully. Yes, sprinkles on peanut butter ice cream. It's good- at least, in Bridge's opinion.

[needsaparrot]

"Chocolate or peanut butter sprinkles?" Xander calls back.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Chocolate," is the reply. "Please," he adds after a beat.

[needsaparrot]

"Two bowls of ice cream with hot fudge and chocolate sprinkles, order up!" Xander says a minute later, carrying them into the living room.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Best fiance ever," Bridge says, and although the statement is said with its usual conviction, the accompanying smile is somewhat halfhearted.

[needsaparrot]

Xander does a controlled flop -- ice cream, after all -- to the couch, then tugs on Bridge's arm, trying to pull him closer. "Leavings suck, huh."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge definitely doesn't resist being tugged. "Yeah huh," he agrees. "Kind of hate this part. And by 'kind of' I mean 'really'."

[needsaparrot]

"We'll see everybody again soon," Xander points out, but adds, "but I get it. It's not the same."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"And it's not like *everyone* I know is gone, but it's just- Anders was my first *real* friend, instead of someone who just associated with me because we were assigned together," Bridge explains, poking at his ice cream with his spoon. "It's just gonna be weird, without him around." Xander, he figures, is pretty familiar with the whole 'being stuck somewhere without your BFF' thing.

[needsaparrot]

Xander nods. "It's been a long time since I haven't had a Willow around, too."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"He won't get stuck away like you did, either," Bridge says. "I mean, he's going to where Bel and Phoebe live, and they've had no problems getting back, so..." though he'd be lying if he said there wasn't still some lingering fear that that might happen anyway. Trailing off, he attacks his bowl of ice cream with a vengeance.

[needsaparrot]

"So in conclusion, we really all need to move into some giant commune someplace," Xander suggests, tapping his spoon against his chin. "No moving away allowed."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge can't help the snort of laughter that escapes at that thought. "We'd probably all drive each other crazy after a while," he acknowledges. "Although, um. As long as we're on the topic of living arrangements?"

[needsaparrot]

Xander sucks on his spoon for a second before answering. "Yeah?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"It's just, all things considered, when we go back, we're... probably going to end up staying at the Academy? At least while I'm a student. It's kind of, um. Required." Not that it wasn't *here*, but the administration was a bit more relaxed about that sort of thing, as evidenced by the fact that Bridge spends so much time at Xander's.

[needsaparrot]

Xander nods, then shrugs. "Okay. And?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well, cadet's quarters, even the ones for married couples... they aren't exactly known for their spaciousness."

[needsaparrot]

"Okay. So we enjoy this apartment while we have it, is what you're saying?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Pretty much," Bridge says. "The Academy's kind of like the dorms, after all, only with more emergency alarms. And better soundproofing between the walls."

[needsaparrot]

"Do I need to ask how you know this?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"...I lived there for like five years?"

[needsaparrot]

"I meant about the soundproofing."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I lived next to *Syd* for five years," Bridge points out. "Syd who is a fan of blasting her music at full volume at every opportunity."

[needsaparrot]

"Point taken." Xander sets his ice cream aside and puts his feet up on the coffee table. "You, ah, think they'll like me? Syd and the new guy?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Are you kidding? Syd'll *love* having someone new around to inform of just how many awards she's won, and for what. And Ghost... yeah, you two should get along. You've got a very similar sense of humour."

[needsaparrot]

"So.... I'm guessing I shouldn't offer to exorcise him the first time we meet?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"He's not an actual ghost, no," Bridge says. "His mom just thought it was funny."

[needsaparrot]

"That's sort of where I was going too," Xander admits. "But I'm guessing when it comes to jokes on his name and 'stop me if you've heard this one before, he'd be stopping me at St--."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Bridge says, making a face. "Sometimes I kind of take things a bit too literally."

[needsaparrot]

"Ya think?" Xander grins. "But naw, knowing where I come from it's a legit assumption in this case."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"The few encounters I know of with ghosts from my world have always been with the friendly kind," Bridge says. "So exorcism's really not something needed in those cases."

[needsaparrot]

"That'll be...different." Unlike, you know, everything else about Bridge's timeline.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"It'll be a learning experience!" Bridge replies.

[needsaparrot]

"And here I thought I was done with school when my old one got eaten by the Hellmouth. Shows what I know."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Learning is hardly a *bad* thing, you know. And it can take place outside of schools," Bridge scoffs.

[needsaparrot]

"Hey, preaching to the choir on that one. Before I hit Fandom, most of it did."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well, okay, good," Bridge nods. "And you're *sure* you don't mind living at the Academy?" he asks. It's not, after all, *quite* what he had in mind when originally thinking about what their first apartment might be like.

[needsaparrot]

Xander shrugs. "Hardly the first time I've lived in a crackerbox space. Not like I care as long as it's where you are."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge grins at that. "Same here. Well, and also it means I don't have to share a room with Sky."

[needsaparrot]

"That could be awkward, yeah. Then again you could make him a squishy machine and he'd be so distracted he wouldn't notice anything going on in our side of the room anyway."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I'm almost tempted to do that anyway," Bridge snorts. "I'm sure Ghost will thank me."

[needsaparrot]

"Because then he can take pictures of Sky on a Squishy-high and sell them on the black market?" Xander guesses.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Something like that," Bridge agrees.