As Far As I Know, Nothing's Wrong.

[kissmeandstopme]

Mandy had just spent some wonderful time with her parents, and Auntie Wall, and the whole Waller clan.

She was making plans for training with Brandon when a thought occurred to her.

How was Henry taking all this? Had Liv even told him?

Henry was Mandy's friend, and she didn't want him completely blindsided. But she didn't want to rub information in his face either, considering how he felt about Brandon.

One of the best ways to get a level-headed view on the issue, she felt, was to call the closest source on Henry one could get outside of Henry's household.

"Hello, Din?"

Comments

[sonoftheatom]

"Hi Mandy," Dinadan says, leaning against the counter and keeping an eye on the oven timer. "What do you need?"

[kissmeandstopme]

"I was wondering if you happened to know if Henry and Liv have talked lately. Like... really talked."

[sonoftheatom]

Dinadan pulls the phone away from his ear for a moment to stare at it, then brings it back in so he can answer her question. "I don't think so? I mean, he hasn't said anything about the two of them having a heart-to-heart or anything. Why?"

[kissmeandstopme]

Mandy sighs. "Because I don't want him blindsided by something. I'm not trying to be a busybody, honestly, just... did you know I was seeing Brandon Gardner?"

[sonoftheatom]

"Yeah, I heard something about that," Dinadan says. Henry gets pretty cranky any time he and Brandon butt heads; and Dinadan usually gets the details later -- if he's not there keeping them separate in the first place. "How'd that work out?"

[kissmeandstopme]

"It was wonderful, and then I broke it off. And now he's seeing someone else, and this is where the 'I don't want Henry blindsided' part comes in."

[sonoftheatom]

"...Oh boy." Dinadan's a smart guy. He can connect the dots between Brandon's "someone else" and "have Henry and Liv talked lately".

"Yeah, okay, I can see why you called. Um. This is the first I heard anything about that, so I'm pretty sure it hasn't gotten to Henry yet. What do you need me to do?"

[kissmeandstopme]

"Well, I'd appreciate your input. What's the most respectful-to-all-parties way of handling this? I just don't want to see Henry trying to start a fight like he did about the ring thing, because Brandon will just try to start one right back...et cetera."

[sonoftheatom]

"My first thought would be to call Liv, tell her to call Henry, and let the two of them sort it out between themselves, buuuuut I don't know how well that would go over with Liv." Dinadan scratches the back of his head. "...She knows that you know that she and Brandon are dating, right?"

[kissmeandstopme]

"Oh, most definitely. And that is a very sensible and straightforward plan, but...I can't shake a bad feeling; I don't know."

[sonoftheatom]

Dinadan made a face. "I thought you'd say something like that," he says morosely. "Well, if they know that you know that they're dating, and they haven't told you to keep it a secret, then they have to know that it's going to get out and get around, right? Especially with you with your successful setting-them-up and your ring -- congratulations on that, by the way. Sooo...I guess we could tell him? Maybe? I don't know, I try not to get involved in the whole romantic brouhaha."

[kissmeandstopme]

"Yeah, no mention of discretion. So yes, maybe it'd just be best to sit him down. That way we can know any hostilities won't escalate right then and there."

[sonoftheatom]

"Yeah, and Avalon and Josh will probably help us sit on him if it looks like he's going to go tearing off or something," Dinadan says. "I mean, I don't think he will, but four people, two of 'em being Lanterns should be enough to keep everything under control in the worst-case, possessed-by-red-ring scenario."

Beat.

"And I can bring cookies."

[kissmeandstopme]

And so it came about the next day that Mandy brought a little violet dodecahedron down for a landing with Din, Tris, and the cookies.

[sonoftheatom]

As soon as the dodecahedron touches down, Dinadan opens Tris' travel cage. She doesn't like the travel cage much, but he liked the idea of her taking off mid-flight even less, so parrot and rider had compromised on this. She flies out of the cage and stretches her wings before landing on his head like a particularly fetching hat, he tucks the cookie tin under his arm and steps off the platform.

"Did you call him?" He asks Mandy of Henry. "We're going to be embarrassed if he's out of the house fighting crime right now."

[kissmeandstopme]

She managed not to squeal giddily at how adorable Tris looked on Din's head. "Yes. I checked."

[lantern_kid]

Henry opens the door. "Hey, Mandy! Din! Come on in!" he says with a sweeping gesture. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

[kissmeandstopme]

"Hi, Henry!" First, there must be hugs. This is the way of things. Then, "We have something moderately important we wanted to discuss."

[sonoftheatom]

"Hi Henry," Dinadan says over the sound of Tris squawking the same and beating her wings from her perch on his head. "What do you always owe visits to? Shenanigans." He does pull out a grin, though. "Good to see you too."

[lantern_kid]

Hugs are happily given and received. "Shenanigans and important topics, huh? Sounds fascinating." He smirks at them. "Do tell."

[kissmeandstopme]

"We will go in, sit down, open up the cookies, and then we will discuss the aftermath of my breaking up with Brandon."

That should introduce the topic to avoid 'suspense' issues and still ensure Henry's being in less of a position to get too hotheaded.

[sonoftheatom]

"I'm mostly along for moral support and cookies," Dinadan says, tapping the cookie tin. "Tris is here to stare adoringly at you, like she usually does."

Tris wolf-whistles in agreement. Dinadan groans and buries his face in his hand.

[lantern_kid]

Immediately upon Brandon's name being mentioned, Henry's expression changes to one of anger. "What did he do?" he demands, ignoring the flirting bird and the mention of cookies.

[sonoftheatom]

"Ohh boy," Dinadan herds everyone inside and shuts the door behind them. "That was not the best way to start this off. Henry, chill; Mandy, spill."

[kissmeandstopme]

"He didn't do anything, Henry," Mandy says, frowning. "He was a perfect gentleman, and I liked him a lot. I know you two have issues, but that doesn't color everything he does, and he has the ring perfectly under control. The reason I broke up with him is because he's in love with someone else."