forum I Should Hate you. . . But I Don't (Closed with Dayzed) (1/1)

Started July 21, 2023 by @RhysTheFirebird group

tune

"Fine by me." He said, now sounding a bit bitter about it, but not indicating that he was mildly upset by it.
"Are you going just to school?" Darius questioned. And there it was. The interrogation of the day starting. It seemed that Darius had gotten into the habit of asking for Reo's whereabouts, wanting to know when he would be "home". He hated that word. Home. There was never a home for people like him and while he tried to find his place in the world, it's like he was rejected no matter how hard he fought to stay in one place. Not this time though. He would make sure of it. He wouldn't let anything get in his way of having this.

"If you're planning on going out afterward, cut it short. I don't want my sleep interrupted." He said plainly, a small part of him irritated that Reo might have other plans instead of coming straight to the apartment to do whatever it was that he did. Homework? Studying? Most likely.

Reo sighs softly, rubbing his forehead. "Well, I have my morning classes, and then study group during lunch. . . Oh, and I have a doctors appointment this afternoon around three. So I'll be home at around. . . 5? To make dinner." He zips his bag shut and then carries his dishes to the sink, rinsing them and setting them down.

"What do you want for dinner?" He looks over his shoulder at Darius. "If it;s something we don't have, I can run by the store and get it."

Reo was too cooperative, it almost made Darius angry. Almost. The guy seemed like he had no fight in him and it got under his skin.
He listened quietly to Reo talk about his plan for the day. Around five…? Darius' thoughts were soon broken by the bubbling of the coffee maker indicating it was almost out of water and done.
"You're not a housewife. I don't need you to make me anything" Darius almost snapped, even though that's exactly the way Darius treated him. Some small part of Darius appreciated that Reo made him food, but at the same time, it was infuriating, as if he couldn't find a way to feed himself.
"Don't bother, I'll go to the store myself after I'm done with classes" He said now grabbing a cup and pouring himself some coffee. Black. No creamer, no sugar. Just….bitter.

Reo frowns slightly, tilting his head to the side, "You are a very. . . confusing. . . person, Darius. Are you sure you don't want me to cook?" He grabs his bag and pulls it carefully over his shoulder, making sure it wasn't pressing down to hard against his skin. "I don't mind cooking for the both of us, you know."

Darius frowned at what Reo called him.
"I'm not confusing, I'm perfectly sensible." He paused at the question, seeming to think about it for a second. It looked like he was debating with himself as he stood there quietly, his back to Reo. He lifted the cup to his lips taking a sip of the hot liquid. He flinched a little, the coffee burning him slightly.
"I'm saying you don't have to, if you do however, that's up to you," Darius said, turning to him as he touched his lip trying to make the hurt go away. Confusing indeed.
He set the cup down and made his way over to Reo as if trying to know what his angle was. He stood on the other end of the table, watching the guy eat. Darius knew no one just did things to do things, there was always a price and he did not appreciate Reo trying to trap him in that way.
"Why are you so hellbent on doing things for me?" Darius said, a bit of his confrontational side coming through. Reo had cooked for him for a while and it was nice but halfway through the time they had been together Darius had snapped out of it, noticing the pattern of sweetness Reo was giving him. "What do you want from me? Out with it." His voice grew a little louder at the end, being firm and demanding.

Reo paused, and turned towards Darius, sighing heavily. He lightly presses his hand to the wall as he thinks for a long moment. Darius was confusing. The man could be nice, at least, cordial some moments and then, this the next. And with Reo's experience with things, people were not always straight on about what they were feeling. He sure as hell wasn't.

"I don't know. . . I just. . . like cooking. And we live together so, there are things that I do. I'm not going to make you do everything, that's not how a. . . partnership? works. Also, I express that I care for someone through acts of service. Be a jerk all you want, but," Reo shrugs, "I have a felling that's not the whole you. Just an outer shell you've made for youself to protect you from the harsh and cruel world."

He smiles and turns, "Anyways, I'm making steak tonight, so just text me if you want some. I'm running late." He leaves the apartment, closing and locking the door behind him.

Darius' eyes focused on Reo and how he said things as if trying to catch him in a lie. Well, yes, the guy did seem very fond of cooking, but then again, Darius also was smart enough to know that not just every stranger he came across would fall into that role for yet another stranger. Maybe they weren't such strangers now? Had they gotten close? Was that the meaning of this? The thought made him slightly uncomfortable. Someone knowing him. He swallowed nervously, seeming defeated by Reo's logic.

Darius' eyes seemed to grow wide, just slightly but it was noticeable when the words care for came out of Reo's mouth. Though, just as quickly as it had come, he narrowed his eyes, replacing the surprised look on his face.
"You don't know anything about me" He hissed under his breath, now turning away, a bitter look on his face. Darius watched Reo from the corner of his eyes as he smiled and announced what he was going to be making. Darius did like steak….
Rage bubbled up inside of him. He could take care of himself! He didn't need someone cooking for him.
Reo's words however did seem to stick with Darius, hating that someone was trying to figure him out. There was nothing to figure out. He was who he was and that was it.
As soon as the door closed behind Reo Darius seemed to relax a little. He didn't mind Reo's company but his personality did put him on edge. He hadn't met anyone like him before and wasn't sure how to handle these situations when they came up- he just spoke first then thought about everything later. A very impulsive mindset which did lead to hurtful words more than half the time.

Reo sighs softly when he hears Darius' words just before the door finishes closing. He knew somethings about his roommate, and wanted to know more. But he was probably never going to and Reo was perfectly content to take the scraps thrown at him. He sighs, sliding his key into his pocket while simultaneously pulling his phone out. He turned on his earbuds and started to play some music once they connected to his phone. He always listened to music on his way to class.

Reo comes home, carefully setting the bags of food on the counter and pulling the contents out. He moves carefully around the kitchen, gathering things he would need to prepare the meal. He first sets the potato's in the oven to bake. He then starts on preping the steaks. The potato's will take an hour, so he doesn't need to start the steaks for another fifty minuets, but having them prepped now would be good.

He hums softly to himself as he works, adding the seasonings and other things to the food.

At the time Reo arrived back at the apartment, Darius was surprisingly not there. He usually was- always waiting for the guy to come back to the place they both paid for, but this time he wasn't.
It was only after thirty minutes of Reo being there that he stumbled through the door, taking his shoes off and throwing them onto the ground messily. You would think that with all the military training Darius would be a cleaner person, but that was not the case. He actually hated having everything be perfect all the time. Drove him crazy.
He paused as soon as he entered the kitchen, smelling the spices as Reo cooked the steaks. Darius said nothing, going over to the fridge like it wasn't any of his business.
Darius was actually dressed up for once, not properly, but enough of an effort was made to indicate he had been somewhere fancy.
"Welcome back," He said plainly as if he wasn't the one who had just come back. Nothing seemed off except for a mild irritation on Darius. "I see you went shopping" He noted, as if trying to make small talk. It wasn't like him to stick around and say anything, usually going to his room to avoid the guy, but this time he hadn't. It made one wonder what had changed.

Reo looks up when he hears the door open and watches Darius walk in. He raises an eyebrow slightly, but doesn't comment on the other mans appearance just yet. He hums softly and looks back the the steak for a long moment.When Darius speaks, he nods.

"Yeah, I got you some more of those snacks you like. . . I saw you were running low. I also got some instant breakfast stuff like oat meal." He smiles at Darius, "I don't know if there was anything else you wanted or needed. . ."

"How sweet of you," Darius said, though, it sounded anything but thankful, more so sarcastic. He turned to look at Reo, seeming to grow silent at his smile. After a second, he closed the fridge, not really getting what he was looking for, instead, taking a step towards Reo. "You never get upset- or well you never show it. You never cry, and you never yell." Darius said, sounding a bit threatening- maybe even a bit angry himself. He didn't know why it upset him so much, but it did.
"Are you even human?" He questioned. "Or maybe you're just grossly naive and hopeful that things will change." Darius didn't understand why someone like Reo was still with him after all this time. There was enough opportunity for him to run away but he didn't.
"Question for you. Why are you still here? And if you say it's because you care I swear to god-" Darius said, his tone changing to something menacing. He wanted the truth, but to him, the words Reo had spoken earlier had been discarded as a lie. It had taken him all day to convince himself that Reo had been lying. It was the only logical way to sum it all up.

Reo's hands still and he looks back at Darius for a moment before looking down at the meat. He bites his lower lip lightly, staring a the raw meat, as if it held all the answers to the universe. He looks up for a moment and then clears his throat, "I am human." He murmurs softly.

"I just. . . don't get upset easily. And when I do. . . I don't take it out on others. That's not fair to you or anyone else." Something akin to hurt flashes across his face, "I am not naive."

This was how Reo did express his anger, and maybe Darius just never realized. When Reo was angry or upset, he would enunciate every word and syllable. 'I'm' would become 'I am' and so on. Reo never yelled, his voice was always quiet. Hesaw no point in yelling or being loud. He didn't like it, as loud noises usually lead him to panic attacks.

Re blinks slowly, "But. . . I do care. . . and, well, this is my home too. technically, I offered for you to be my roommate."

Darius had never noticed the way Reo would enunciate his words carefully when angered, to him, it just seemed like something normal unless the other person was actively screaming at him from the top of his lungs or cursing him out in an annoyed manner.
"Not fair?" Darius looked puzzled, not because he didn't understand what Reo was trying to say but more so how anyone could have this type of thought process.
"Life isn't fair Reo. And when someone is making it a living hell for you to live, I think it's fair to say you have a right of getting angry and taking it out on others" Darius said sternly. In a way, he was giving good advice, but only partially. He was also trying to justify his actions of what he had done to his father when he left, something that seemed to push his buttons a little. He did what he had to do. He had always told himself.

Darius scoffed at Reo's "not naive" comment.
"You are. You still haven't kicked me out after all" Darius waved him away, trying to test the waters of where Reo was at with that and if it was close to the breaking point of where Reo was considering it.
He paused at the guy's last words.
"Yeah. It seems that way. And that's gonna be your downfall" Darius muttered, his sharp glaring eyes staring down at Reo as he seemed to state the hard truth. "And you did offer, in a way. Personally? I just think you couldn't say no. You have a problem with that and it's annoying." He said now looking over at the still raw steak. He swallowed harshly. It felt wrong. Wrong to be hurtful to this person, he didn't know why but it made him feel slightly ill. Still, the words were engrained into his head and he could not shake his father's teachings, it's all he knew and if he failed now he would become no one in life.

(So sorry for the late reply)

Reo stares at Darius for a long moment, pondering the moment, “That’s doesn’t mean I can’t try. I’ve always lived by the rule ‘treat others the way you want to be treated.’ Sure, you treat me like crap, but that doesn’t mean I’ll treat you like crap.”

He shrugs slightly, “I mean. . . Sure, I do, but I don’t have to scream, yell and call them names to express my anger. I’m not a child.” Reo may take back the not calling people names part, seeing as he just practically called Darius a child for the way he acted some times, but whatever.

He blinks, confused, “Why would I kick you out? You need a home as well.” He frowns slightly, confused at Darius’s statement.

He flinches back, looking at the floor, “So? I can say no. I choose not to say no. And I’m sorry that it’s annoying.”

(You're all good! i've been a bit slow with my replies for the past few weeks so I apologize as well if I take a while to get one up)

Darius scowled at Reo for his bold words, though, he wouldn't deny it. He knew he wasn't the best at treating others with kindness, so he let it slide. Not like it mattered anyway, yet, curiously, it seemed to bother him, his internal feelings manifesting into something physical, getting a bit restless.
At being called a child, however, there was a new expression on Darius' face, it was strangely calm yet lethal. Reo was getting real bold for someone who was such a pushover. It had been a while since Darius had done anything to the guy and felt like Reo was counting on him not doing anything as well.
Well.
That was about to change real quick if he kept up with his smartass.
"Do you enjoy it when I hurt you?" Darius hissed at the guy. "Because you sure as hell don't seem to care what comes out of your mouth. I ask, you answer the damn question and drop the unnecessary smartness in your tone." Though, at Reo's innocent question Darius seemed taken aback. He opened his mouth to say something, maybe say that he was fucking idiot, but the question seemed to stun him, confused about what the hell this guy's thought process was like.

"Stupid." Darius muttered, being the only thing that came to mind. The guy was stupid and yet seemed to have taken a liking to Darius- or at the very least, tolerated his bullshit.