I've fallen in love

[Schuy sighed.] ...Ya tell me that after I lay down...

[That managed to get a small smile from Mason and he walked back to take hold of Schuy's hands and help him up.] Don't want you to get stepped on by a passing stiletto.

...Thanks, [Schuy mumbled as he slid further down until he was laying fully on the ground. This was as good a place as any, he supposed.]

[Mason glanced over his shoulder.] You... can use Nova's couch, you know?

[Schuy sighed again.] ...Go get Try Hard from the security room and tell him his break's over. I gotta... gotta lay down and try to calm down for a couple minutes...

Hm? Oh, flirty hockey guy. [Mason nodded in understanding and pushed himself up to his feet.] You got it.

Prescott deserves this shit. No one deserves this shit more with the, the way he br--.... [Schuy swallowed hard and trailed off, shaking his head.]

[Mason rolled his eyes affectionately.] It's not a nice thing to happen to anyone. Being emotionally aware of that is a good thing.

[Schuyler stayed silent for a long moment. Then he sucked in a reluctant breath.] ...Y'know what's shitty? [He asked with little fanfare.]

[Mason sighed.] So much. But continue.

[Schuy let out a harsh breath.] ...Damn.

[Mason still felt bad about the whole thing, especially considering all Monty had done to help him recently. That was not part of this story though. And if he could help Schuy feel a little better in the moment, he'd take it.] So it seems.

I still do-- [Schuy paused then glanced at Mason.]

[Mason quirked his mouth to the side and shook his head.]

...Then who? ...What're you talkin' about? [Schuy asked.]

[Mason glanced up and down the hallway and whispered.] Monty.

...What, Ditzy's cheatin', too?

What? No! Not Vitya.

...Doubt it... [Schuy whispered.]

Even... if I told you he was getting cheated on too?

It's all just... r-remindin' me of that day... [Schuy sighed heavily and tilted his head back until it touched the wall behind them.]

Oh... [Mason said again. He frowned, his brows drawing together.] Is there... anything I could say to make you feel better?

...I mean, I'm pissed about you, yeah. And I'll still kill him if he even thinks about comin' back here after what he did to you, but, uh... th-that's not the part that's got me seein' so much red that I'm still shakin'... [Schuy whispered.]

Oh. What's wrong?

[Schuy let out a shaky breath.] ...I'm bein' the worst kinda asshole right now. ...Makin' some shit that ain't about me about me... [He murmured with his gaze still down at the floor.]

I mean... I'm about you. So it's not totally not about you.

[Schuy didn't say another word. He just turned and walked back out the room, doing everything he could to ignore the way his whole body was shaking.

[Mason opened the door slowly and looked down the hallway. He stepped out and walked down to sit beside Schuyler.] That bad?

...You wanna go check on him? I should, uh... probably go tell the boss we've got another one for the wall.

Okay.

Henri grabbed him. Guess he's gonna tell him the whole story of tonight from the beginning, [Schuy explained.]

I hope he's okay.

[Schuy stayed silent for quite some time before whispering:] ...I know.

I know you do.