be discreet

[msmage]

It's not much later, in Isabella's room, that she asks:

"So... is Alex really a dom?"

Comments

[msmage]

"Look, Jackson, the world isn't a nice enough place that solutions to problems just pop out when you need them. I haven't taken over it yet. I'm not sure what you want me to say, and I really don't understand your reluctance. In the very worst-case scenario, you two break up and therapy doesn't work and you find someone else, which like you yourself said was just a matter of actually going to town. And, again, the worst-case scenario won't happen because therapy and pills and psionics will help."

[alicornucopia]

"You don't understand because you don't listen."

[msmage]

"There's a difference between not listening and listening but disagreeing with you. What things have you said that I haven't listened to, as opposed to listened to and argued with?"

[alicornucopia]

"Lots of things!"

[msmage]

"Okay, give me one example."

[alicornucopia]

Jackson folds his arms on the table and mumbles into his elbow.

[msmage]

"Didn't catch that."

[alicornucopia]

Jackson declines to repeat himself.

[msmage]

She sighs. "Jackson..."

[alicornucopia]

"What."

[msmage]

She shakes her head. "Is there anything I can say to convince you to go back to therapy?"

[alicornucopia]

Snort. "Yeah but you're not gonna say it."

[msmage]

"What is it?"

[alicornucopia]

"Hi, Jackson, Isabella dumped me, call your master and tell him it's over and you're mine now, also go to therapy," mutters Jackson.

[msmage]

Blink. "Um."

[alicornucopia]

"I said you weren't going to say it."

[msmage]

"I'm not sure what to say," she says slowly.

[alicornucopia]

Shrug.

[msmage]

"Do you... have a crush on me or are you in love with me or something?"

[alicornucopia]

"Not really. I'm just not picky."

[msmage]

"Okay," she says neutrally, not showing the relief she's feeling, and shakes her head. "Is that really the only way I could convince you?"

[alicornucopia]

"You could set me up with somebody else who'd tell me to I guess, I'll do basically anything that way."

[msmage]

She sighs. "Why can't you- care about your own well being?"

[alicornucopia]

"I already know you're not going to pay attention to anything I think about that so I guess it's probably because I'm depressed."

[msmage]

"What am I not going to pay attention to, then?"