Ethan's upset is disrupted momentarily by the tiniest quirk of a smile, "he's not dumb, he's just been through a lot." He likes that Fitz can say so in his defense though.
He thinks that is dumb though, truly, "what are you supposed to say when you're wanting to have a productive conversation then?" He'd been completely clueless and bright eyed this morning when Norton had started it the way anyone else would have read as 'this is going to suck'.
"Honestly I couldnt tell you if they were or if that was just an excuse..." he frowns down at the floor as he says, "I would, if he still wanted to. It isnt like I should be surprised, Im just disappointed."
Fitz points a finger in his direction. "See? That's what I mean." In his mental conversation about the problems with properly insulting someone's ex when they're willing to take them back. "Anyway, it can definitely be both."
He gives him a look. "No comment on Norton deciding that it's time to have a productive conversation. Reefer back to comments on dumb shit. But if you did you might say something like, 'hey, I was just thinking about the future' or 'if you refer to yourself in the third person I'm allowed to suffocate you with a pillow' or 'we're going to have a productive conversation'." Is the last one weird? Yeah. But Ethan can be weird that way and someone who want to be in a relationship with him should probably be somewhere on the scale of dealing with it.
"See, if you were into sexy teacher role play you could use that line and temporarily fix the problems that come with having a geriatric boyfriend. What is it that he does or doesn't want?"
Ethan had been following along even if he didnt exactly look like it, concentrating on frowning down at the floor as Fitz talks.
He'd been nodding slowly, taking in each bit but he pauses when Fitz gets to 'geriatric' and a bubble of a laugh interrupts his depressive contemplation.
"Fitz!" Does he feel mean for laughing? Maybe a little bit, but not enough to stop, "I'm trying to be upset and you're ruining it."
"You should be upset. You can't let knowing that dating someone who's nearly fifty would come with a certain type of baggage, but that's not an excuse. Really, at fifty-five you have less excuse to have not dealt with your shit."
Ethan covers his face as if that will change the fact that he's laughing behind them. The kettle goes, and he's still laughing, trying to focus on making tea.
He does think he remembers Norton say something about being stuck in a time loop for sixty years, but he doesn't think his body is that age.
"You know, I actually do know his birthday. I cheated to find out," He still is a little proud of himself for being sneaky in that game, but as he shakes his head, still softly laughing, he starts pouring Fitz a cup, familiar with how he takes it, "But he has to be at least in the mid-eighties, right?"
"Now, I know Norton is being dumb as fuck, but there's no need to be unfair." He waves a finger at Ethan. "You know he's only eighty-two, which doesn't count as mid-eighties yet. I'm not saying you need to be sensitive to his weird hangups, but since for some god forsaken reason you're willing to write out invitations for his birthday celebrations if he decides not to run away from open conversation, you gotta know what sort of dumb invitation phrase to use."
He shakes his head. "I was gonna said I'd break up with him, but since I mentioned fairness, we'd never date."
Ethan finishes preparing his cup, walking over to offer it to Fitz. He does his best to keep it steady as he tries to stifle some of that laughter, "Oh my god...if he doesn't make up his mind, I could certainly threaten to send out invitations. Make up a number, though I feel like that's just asking for him to actually break up with me without a second thought."
Or, he'd be impressed with his resourcefulness? Who knew.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-06 05:18 am (UTC)He thinks that is dumb though, truly, "what are you supposed to say when you're wanting to have a productive conversation then?" He'd been completely clueless and bright eyed this morning when Norton had started it the way anyone else would have read as 'this is going to suck'.
"Honestly I couldnt tell you if they were or if that was just an excuse..." he frowns down at the floor as he says, "I would, if he still wanted to. It isnt like I should be surprised, Im just disappointed."
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-06 05:34 am (UTC)He gives him a look. "No comment on Norton deciding that it's time to have a productive conversation. Reefer back to comments on dumb shit. But if you did you might say something like, 'hey, I was just thinking about the future' or 'if you refer to yourself in the third person I'm allowed to suffocate you with a pillow' or 'we're going to have a productive conversation'." Is the last one weird? Yeah. But Ethan can be weird that way and someone who want to be in a relationship with him should probably be somewhere on the scale of dealing with it.
"See, if you were into sexy teacher role play you could use that line and temporarily fix the problems that come with having a geriatric boyfriend. What is it that he does or doesn't want?"
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-06 02:30 pm (UTC)He'd been nodding slowly, taking in each bit but he pauses when Fitz gets to 'geriatric' and a bubble of a laugh interrupts his depressive contemplation.
"Fitz!" Does he feel mean for laughing? Maybe a little bit, but not enough to stop, "I'm trying to be upset and you're ruining it."
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-06 04:42 pm (UTC)"You should be upset. You can't let knowing that dating someone who's nearly fifty would come with a certain type of baggage, but that's not an excuse. Really, at fifty-five you have less excuse to have not dealt with your shit."
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 02:18 am (UTC)"How old is he now, Fitz?"
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 02:25 am (UTC)Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 02:59 am (UTC)"You know, I actually do know his birthday. I cheated to find out," He still is a little proud of himself for being sneaky in that game, but as he shakes his head, still softly laughing, he starts pouring Fitz a cup, familiar with how he takes it, "But he has to be at least in the mid-eighties, right?"
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 03:04 am (UTC)He shakes his head. "I was gonna said I'd break up with him, but since I mentioned fairness, we'd never date."
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 03:14 am (UTC)Or, he'd be impressed with his resourcefulness? Who knew.
Re: After Schrodinger's breakup
Date: 2026-01-10 03:20 am (UTC)There are times when threats are far less threatening than open and honest communication.