The Way They Are With Each Other - Blog Posts

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Transcript below the cut:

Atlas: Is he gone? Asher: Yes. Atlas: What was he doing here? Did you invite him? Asher: I told him I’d help him with training Milo, and we thought it’d be better to do it while Iris and Spencer aren’t here so there’d be less distractions. Atlas: You looked pretty distracted to me.

Asher: [exasperated sigh] Yes, we got to talking after, I’m sorry. But, Atlas, I can’ t keep doing this. Being stuck between you and my sister, it fucking sucks, and I can’t do it anymore. Atlas: What are you talking about? I don’t care what you do with your sister.

Asher: I mean, Ezra is her boyfriend, so she wants me to be friendly and get to know him. But you hate him and want me stay away from him. I can’t fucking win. Atlas: Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Ash. You can’t always make everyone happy. Sometimes you have to make a choice and deal with the fact that someone will be pissed off. And you’ve clearly already made your choice, so I don’t know what you want from me.

Asher: You know what I want? I want you to stop hiding away and stewing. I want you to talk to him, to make an effort. Atlas: Why should I? And why is it up to me? If anyone should be making an effort, it’s him! Asher: He wants to! But you’ve made it very clear that he’s not welcome. He can’t properly apologize and make amends unless you make space for him to be able to talk to you.

Atlas: I tried that already, remember? He wasn’t exactly apologetic. Asher: Look, I know things didn’t go well the first time, and normally I wouldn’t push you to try again. I’d say, “fuck him and what he did, you don’t owe him anything.” But under the circumstances, I’m afraid you don’t have that luxury. Whether you like it or not, he’s family now.

Atlas: Family?! Are you kidding me? Asher: No, I’m not. Iris is pregnant. Atlas: [scoffs] Unbelievable. He did this on purpose. Asher: Oh my god, do you hear yourself?

Atlas: Don’t you see what’s happening? He’s sinking his claws in and now we’re fighting and you’re defending him and it’s happening all over again. Don’t you see? This is what he does!

Asher: Did it ever occur to you that not everything he does is about you? That was years ago! You’re not teenagers anymore! Atlas: I know that!

Asher: Then grow up and stop acting like one!

[Opens the door, then slams it closed] Asher: [under his breath] Goddammit. Atlas: … Asher: …

Atlas: [scoffs] Asher: What? Atlas: I’ve never met anyone more committed to keeping a promise than you. Asher: Yeah well, what’s the point of a promise if you only keep it when it’s easy? Atlas: You can go. If you really want to. Asher: [shakes his head] Nah. The moment has passed now, hasn’t it?

Atlas: … Asher: …

Asher: I don’t want to fight anymore. I hate fighting. Atlas: I don’t want to fight either. Asher: Can I come sit with you? Atlas: [nods]

Asher: Let’s talk, okay? Help me understand.

Atlas: I don’t know if you can. You don’t know what it was like. I know you think everyone deserves a second chance, and you want everyone to get along, but I can’t do it. All I see when I look at him is the way everyone looked at me then, the way Henry looked at me, like I was monster, just for loving him. And seeing Ezra here now, it feels so invasive. [sighs] Just when everything in my life was falling into place. For the first time I’m excited for the future. And it’s like the Universe, or whatever, realized they’d forgotten about me, they suddenly remembered I’m not meant to have any of this, so now they’re correcting their mistake by sending him to take it all away again.

Atlas: I know that sounds stupid, but I don’t know how else to explain it. Asher: It’s not stupid. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to push you. You’re right, I got caught up in wanting everyone to get along, to get rid of all this tension, and I diminished your feelings in the process. It was really shitty, and I’m sorry. Atlas: … Asher: I’m here, okay? I’m in your corner, and I’m not going anywhere, I promise. Atlas: [nods] Okay.

Asher: How can I support you? Atlas: I don’t know. I just wish we could fast forward time to the day when we can finally move out of this house, when we can live our life, and they can live theirs, and I don’t have to have him in my space anymore. Asher: We just need to get through, what, like six more months? Atlas: Something like that.

Asher: Well, look, there’s no reason Ezra needs to come over here. Iris can go to his house. If they want to spend time with Spencer, then they can take her to the park or the beach or something. I’ll talk to Iris and ask her not to bring him around anymore. She can do that for six months. Atlas: She’ll never agree to that. If only to spite me. Asher: She might surprise you. She’s not always good at showing it, but she does care about you.

Asher: There is a good chance, though, that he’ll be invited for the holidays. For Harvestfest and Winterfest. Especially considering he has no other family. You know how my parents are. Atlas: So, what do we do? Asher: Winterfest with Dawn and Phoenix was fun last year. Maybe we spend the holidays with them instead? Atlas: You’d be willing to do that? Asher: Absolutely.

Atlas: Thank you… and thank you for staying. Asher: Of course. I always will. I promise.