Meeting ID: 848 7157 5191

[theo lovett]

"Well, you did buy me dinner first," he says, slinging a thumb under his waistband, pretending he's about to slip on out of his sweats again. "Oh, I take my clothes off too. Anything to keep my patients happy." He laughs, even through his drunkenness he can't quite believe he's managing to neg Dolly Weathers. He's forgotten all about his housemates, wrapped up in this little virtual world. "OK. I've weighed up the pros and cons, and I've decided that just for now, I won't ghost you. I'll review this decision once a month."

[dolly weathers]

Her eyes grow wide and warmth flows through her, such a rude tease. She pulls the pillows from the crown of her bed and pulls on to her chest to lay on. She feels at ease talking with him. The pressures of the outside world subside and she's comfortably focused on just him. Pros and cons, do share.

[theo lovett]

He settles back against the wall, the laptop poised in his lap. He misses having hair to run his fingers through, instead occupying his hands by opening up another beer. "OK, pros," he starts, clearing his throat. "Hot as fuck, rich as fuck," he holds one hand out ticking off fingers with the other as he lists his points. "I'm just gonna assume you're a good fuck too, so that's on the list. I also find you easy to talk to, you're funny. Now cons..." He pauses. "I know it probably seems unlikely coming from someone who relocated to LA, but fame isn't something that appeals to me."

[dolly weathers]

She nods along with the pros and takes a swig from her bottle of wine. Yeah.. she wavers at his con. She never thought herself as famous. She thought she was the type that people recognized, but couldn't figure out why she was so familiar. The cons actually outweigh the pros, she notes, propping her chin on the palm of her hand. My family would hate you, you're not tough enough. I'd bring you to Sunday dinner and you'd have a mental breakdown.

[theo lovett]

He's not sure he should have said that, but he's said it now so he's stuck with it. Perhaps famous wasn't the right word: notorious, that felt more fitting. He nods along with her assessment. "Oh yeah. I don't like being around other people's families at the best of times." He takes a sip. "But however bad a con your family is - and believe me, I think it's bad - it doesn't outweigh the pros. That's how hot I think you are."

[dolly weathers]

As flawed as most families are, it must have been difficult for him to be within the weirdness of others' families when his own weren't around. Her teeth catch her lip and she thinks about prying. But she's afraid to say the wrong thing, so she leaves it be. Awh,, she gleams, you think I'm hot!

[theo lovett]

He feels himself sinking deeper into the bed, feeling a level of comfort he forgot was possible. He's buzzed, he's talking to someone other than Ollie and Elyse, and the world feels less suffocating. "Come on then," he says, bracing himself. "My pros and cons. Let me guess... pros, good looking. Tall. Loyal. Cons... too middle class, too nice, too thin skinned. Not corporate. Oh, and bad hair."

[dolly weathers]

Hm, she thinks, taking a sip of the bottle and leaning it up against the remaining pillows. Cons. I don't think you'd handle eyes on you. My family is very... she sighs, trying to think of an easy word to describe her family. we'd fuck anyone over if it'd benefit us. I talk in my sleep also. Which might be cute at first, but annoying eventually. She smiles. He knows most of this, surely. He's googled and made assumptions, she doesn't expect it to be news. But pros. I think you're funny as fuck. Hot, obviously. I don't need to remind you. Kind. Soft. I don't know you well but you make me feel like .. everything is going to just alright

[theo lovett]

He listens to her talk about her family and he gets a lump in his throat just thinking about it. He wasn't a very cut throat person, and they sounded as cut throat as it comes... it was bizarre to him that they could operate like that, that Dolly was opting to get involved with the family business when it was like this. "I guess that puts a timer on this then," he says. "Since I can't stand sleep talking." He listens and takes a long swig of beer. "You sound like you're describing the family pet... I mean, apart from the hot bit. I hope. But I'm flattered, I do what I can."

[dolly weathers]

She reads his face as she speaks. She didn't know much about Theo or his family. She knew the core facts: he was a twin and his parents were dead. She wonders what she's reading on his face. Loyal to a fault. You're definitely a dog, she grins and drinks. How fun would it be to have you here? I'm sick of this shit. I'm sick of saying I'm sick of this shit.

[theo lovett]

He thinks about what she's said, tries to picture how things might be different. One big thing comes to mind, over and over and over, so much so that he can't help but let his thoughts spill out unfiltered. "It's a sort of non-reality though, isn't it? Like, here, now, we can spend this time together and call it a date and that's easy. In real life, where would I even take a girl like you? Then, assuming I got that right and we saw each other again... how many times would we do that before it got awkward? Y'know, because this can't actually go anywhere." He hears himself, how far ahead he's getting in a completely hypothetical situation to begin with. "What I mean is, as hard and as boring as this all is... there's something easier about it too. Like playing pretend."

[dolly weathers]

She feels like she's been dipped in ice water. A rush of shock. Though it shouldn't come as that. She knows this would never work. That it could never go beyond a flirtation as her way of living would completely drown him. She sighs, you're probably right. She shifts herself onto her side, as if repositioning will help bring air into her lungs.

[theo lovett]

The atmosphere between them falters, something Theo is surprised can even happen on a video call. He cringes inwardly at himself. "Hey, I'm getting way ahead of myself, I haven't even landed a second date yet!" It's all out there now though, the futility of it. She can't leave her family and he can't suddenly go up about twenty social classes. "I'm sorry Dolly, I don't know why I said all that. I'm drunk."

[dolly weathers]

She flips back on to her chest and frowns, stop that. You were just speaking your truth. The purple wine hits her tongue with warmth. She's decided she's over it, this is childish. Pros and cons are whatever, this is much more black and white. It was stupid of us to even do this.

[theo lovett]

"I wasn't--" he starts, only to stop when she continues. He feels like he's swallowed lead, his stomach gets so heavy. Fuck. "C'mon, aren't you having a nice time? I'm having a nice time. There's no reason for us to go from one extreme to another, let's just take it as it comes."