storybroken | [LOCATION: MAIN STREET]

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trip tucker (friar tuck)

[LOCATION: MAIN STREET]

[Trip liked his alcohol. That much everyone knew. Rarely a day went by when he didn't have a drink of some sort. But given the responsibilities of both of his jobs, he rarely got drop dead stinking drunk.

At last call tonight, he'd passed that 5 beers ago. Everything, from Mal's admission then avoiding him to the usual feeling in the pit of his stomach that was somehow made worse by the situation, had come to head and he just hadn't been able to stop.

And now he was walking home through the deserted street, abet slowly and with many detours, so as to avoid the disappointed looks from Leo and Felix. Everything was funny and nothing hurt. For the moment.

And that telephone pole looked fun to swing around right about now.]

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[Too bad Mal. Shouldn't have brought him home. Or told him you loved him and then ran away.]

Yeah? Wanna tell me what that reason is again? 'Cuse right now, I'm confused as hell. Last time ah checked, ya actually wanted to be around people ya claimed ta love.

[Chris just gets another glare as Trip takes a larger drink.] ....Blueberries?

[He thought you'd at least be nice enough to berate him after he's gotten his coffee.]

Because I'm a coward and quite terrible at this sort of thing.

[Mal doesn't share it so he knows Chris will visit. This will never change.] And you're never finding out, Christopher.

Never say never.

[ Chris reaches over and tries to snag the kettle so he can make some coffee for himself. He's obviously done this sort of thing before, as Mal's puttering about with breakfast does nothing to deter him. ]

[Trip actually stops drinking and stares at Mal, shocked that he admitted it so easily.]

Oh.

[Back to drinking tea which is amazingly enough helping his headache. In fact, it takes him a minute or three to think of what to say.]

Yeah, ya are kinda bad at it, I won't deny that. An' I don't know what I said last night, but I wanna at least talk 'bout this. Ya kinda left in a hurry at the diner. I was...surprised.

[It helps that this is the second time Mal has said this to Trip, so it's easier for him to admit it.]

You didn't really say much beyond asking me questions and wanting me to give you a chance.

[He goes quiet for a minute and is distracted by what Trip's saying that he's not paying attention to Chris, letting him grab the kettle.]

It's to be expected that you're surprised. I never gave you any reason to suspect me and I never really spoke to you.

[ Dum-dee-dum, just going about his business. Chris is tempted to stay silent, but something has been bugging him... ]

Which begs the question—Mal, why did you tell him?

[First time Trip could remember though which made it the most important.]

Well, that doesn't sound so bad. An' I can say sober that I meant it. [He does Mal. Though right now, he's not sure why.] Or at least, I meant I wanna get ta know ya.

[Chris' question makes Trip look at Mal expectantly, wanting to know the answer himself.]

Ya, why did ya?

[If this was the first time Mal said it, he would be far more awkward about this.]

And I said I had my reasons for not letting you, Mr. Tucker.

[He looks at both of them and sighs.]

Because if I hadn't, I'm quite sure I would've been poked for more information than I had already said at that point.

Why didn't you just run away then?

Care to share what they are? Because I'm gettin' really sick of the run around, figuratively an' literally! What could be so bad that ya wouldn't even talk ta me?! What are ya so afraid of little ole me knowin'?!

[Trip has been half yelling at this point and suddenly sobers. He swallows hard, wanting to ask how the hell Mal had fallen in love with him in the first place without really knowing him, but isn't sure he can with Chris in the room, so he opts for just staring into his tea.]

Coulda just lied fer Christ's sake. Save us all the heartbreak. Hell, I even gave ya an' out with Ruby.

Do you really want to know why? It's because I'm a murderer. I killed a man when I was younger and nearly everyone who knows about it tends to treat me as if I'm some loose cannon about to snap and kill someone else. That's why I didn't want you to know me, because I didn't want you to learn about that. It doesn't help that I'm still a coward.

[He sighs and sees if his coffee is ready, wanting to distract himself from the conversation a bit.]

I don't think it's right to lie to someone, especially when the majority of the town knows that Ruby is very much not my type, our common interest in red aside.

[ Chris gives his cousin a crestfallen look, then quickly turns to Trip to try and intercept. He has no ground to try and deny, but he does have a fact that Mal's conveniently left out. ]

It was self-defense. Mal wouldn't do that for any other reason.

[Well...that wasn't what Trip had been expecting. But, even with how little he knew of Mal, lose canon didn't exactly sound right to him. Still, his gaze locks on Mal's, wanting the truth. He believes Chris but he wants to hear it from Mal.]

Is what he's sayin' right? Was it self defense?

[And a blush does cover his cheeks, as he was one of the few who apparently didn't know about Mal's preferences.]

[Mal really doesn't like talking about this, but there's no way he can stop now without giving Trip the wrong idea.]

Christopher is in fact correct. It was self-defense, though that doesn't really matter to me. I killed a man and sugarcoating it won't change a thing.

It's not sugarcoating. There's a difference.

[ It isn't easy for Chris to talk about either, but it's even harder letting Mal beat himself up for simply protecting his own life. ]

Chris is right. There is a difference.

[He paused for a moment thinking, for once, about his words before he said them. He felt like there was a lot riding on them.]

The Bible says thou shalt not kill. But it sure as hell doesn't say thou shalt let thyself be killed either. Ya ain't the loose canon type, hell, I barely know ya an' I can see that.

In the end, it doesn't really matter. I still have his blood on my hands and neither of you would be able to understand what that's like.

[He goes silent and starts drinking his coffee, not really wanting to continue this topic.]

Christopher, do keep an eye on the food or you'll burn it.

That doesn't—ah, shit. [ Chris hops away from the counter and squeezes past Mal to check on the food. Mal's right, of course, but Chris knows it was just a change of topic. Not that anyone can blame him for it. ]

[Ah shit was right and despite wanting to say something more, Trip looks down into his tea and busies himself drinking it. ]

[Topic averted. Now Mal can drink his coffee in peace and not have to worry about awkward conversation.]

[ Not entirely. Chris hisses as the tip of his finger gets too close to the burner while he tries to save the food, then shoots his cousin a sour look. It isn't helped by the fact that said finger is now stuck in his mouth, because ow. ]

[Used to taking care of the kids in the church's care, Trip recognizes that hiss and stands up automatically. He reaches for Chris' hand while turning on the facet so cold water poured out.]

Don't do that. Doesn't help as much as ya think it does.

[Now Mal's gonna slip past Chris to save the food and let Trip handle the burn.]

He's right, you know.

[ Chris gives them both an incredulous look, and makes the token effort to reclaim his hand from Trip. ]

And you would know? [ Mr. Perfect In the Kitchen. :| ]

[You get the same look he gives 5 year olds in this situation Chris and he doesn't let go, keeping the hand under the stream.]

Don't know how he does but look where I live and who I live with.

[He'd been helping Felix and Leo fix up small scraps and boo boos for as long as he could remember.]

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