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 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."

[lantern_kid]

Henry scowls, but he's listening. For the moment.

[kissmeandstopme]

"That's why I wanted to talk to you. I didn't want you hearing about things in a position where you'd be that tempted to beat the living daylights out of him to defend somebody's honor," she explained quietly. Whatever he is in other aspects, he was thoughtful, considerate, and not trying anything while we were seeing each other. But he really loves this other girl. He helped me save her life, and it wouldn't have worked if he didn't care about her a lot."

[sonoftheatom]

Dinadan flaps a hand at Mandy to indicate she should keep talking, still herding everyone toward an area where they can all sit down. It's not his place to say "Brandon is going out with Liv", but wow does he ever wish Mandy would say it.

[kissmeandstopme]

"And she really cares about him, too. And this is the part where you have to try to be the grown-up here, Henry, because it's Liv."

[lantern_kid]

"Oh, hell no!" Henry begins.

[kissmeandstopme]

"Henry, their relationship is their decision, not ours. "

[sonoftheatom]

"Besides," Dinadan chimes in, jerking his thumb in Mandy's direction, "they got set up by a Star Sapphire. You have to figure she knows what she's talking about. Cookie?"

He'd made Henry's favorite for this.

[lantern_kid]

Henry doesn't look at the cookie. "Star Sapphires can be wrong sometimes," he replies.

[kissmeandstopme]

"We can be wrong about plenty of things, but I'm perfectly capable of telling when two people are in love. And they are. They're crazy about each other."

[lantern_kid]

"He wants to fuck her," Henry corrects with a snarl.

[kissmeandstopme]

"Oh please, Henry, Brandon's been a perfect gentleman while we were dating. He won't rush her."

[lantern_kid]

"You'll forgive me if I think maybe you were a little biased on this," Henry replies.

[kissmeandstopme]

"Biased?"

Mandy doesn't lose her cool often, but she looks like she's starting to. "Yeah, Henry, I'm really biased in favor of giving up a relationship when I really liked where it was going because he loved someone else. Makes me see it so much less clearly than someone who's had his own Personal Issues with Brandon for ages."

[lantern_kid]

"Personal issues?" Henry replies, losing his own cool a bit more. "How about I'm the only person who notices that Brandon's a massive dick. Or even is apparently the only one who notices when he starts bullying people."

[kissmeandstopme]

"Just because he's into macho posturing doesn't mean he's going to take advantage of Liv. He's waited years to tell her how he feels..."

[lantern_kid]

"Or maybe he got what he wanted from you, and moved on!"

[kissmeandstopme]

Mandy's teeth grit. "Still A Virgin, Henry."

[lantern_kid]

He takes her word for it. "Then maybe he realized he wasn't going to get what he wanted -- thank god -- and moved on!"