Small Cottage

"I sort of.. want to die. Nothing's getting better. Everything's.. It starts to get better, then something happens to make me feel like this again." Serenity said quietly, starting to walk behind Elroy back to the house.

They were nearly back at the house. "Wimp. Just wait it out. You've been through plenty already, it's gonna look up any day now."

"You're part of the problem, you know!" Serenity said defensively.

"Sorry." His voice faltered.

"You're just such a big fat idiot! You're- you're just an idiot!" Serenity said, speeding up and going into the house before him.

Elroy was, for a moment, marveled by Serenity's insulting prowess. Once he was over being positively stunned, he followed her into the house and unpacked the bread and put it as such into the breadbox. Did you know that those are actually detrimental to the bread, as the darkness allows mold to grow faster? The more you know!

Serenity was busy pouting in her room. She kept pouting, staring at one spot on the wall, until she came to a decision. It took her quite a while to make a decision, about twenty or so minutes, but by that time she came out of her room, looking quite P'Od, so to speak.
"One of the reasons I'm depressed is because you're too much of an utter dumbass to realize I like you, or even take me on a date. You're moronic, and masochistic, and a total asshole. And that poor child, Hugh! Why the hell aren't you paying child support?!"

Elroy'd known Serenity had her eyes on him for quite some time now, so this didn't come as any shock. "She told me not to."

"She did not, and you know it." Serenity said. "She'll sue you. You'll lose all of your money. You'll lose this stupid shack. You'll lose my stupid shack. So start paying."

"Look, this is none of your business. Just stay out of it." He wasn't making eye contact.

"It is so my business!" Serenity was screaming, for what seemed like the third time this week. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"No, it's not!" He joined in the shouting.

"It affects me! It affects me so much-- if you don't pay the child support, that freaky psycho bitch will SUE you, and you'll lose all your money! And then you'll move out and I'll have nowhere to go! And I still don't understand why the hell you went out with her!"

And back to the indoor voice. "She doesn't have the guts to sue me. Wanted to take care of it all herself, she said."

"I want another hug for this shit I have to go through because of that crazy lady. And avoid my arm bruise, please."

"Grow up."

Serenity frowned. "I don't want to."

"You may as well."

"I still don't want to. You don't get it. You were having sex with people back in your, what, fifth year?"

"Third, actually." There was a hint of pride in Elroy's voice.

"That's disgusting. And vulgar. You were thirteen." Serenity said, glaring at him. "Why would you do that? Why would you ruin your innocence of your own free will, that soon?"

"Fifteen, thanks. And... why not? She was all over -- Is this really the time?"

"Yeah, it is. If you wanna be my lover, and all that. Take a seat, because I want to talk about this."

"Are you kidding me? Of course I don't!" Elroy turned on the barstool he'd been sitting on this entire conversation to face her. There was this synthetic quality to his voice -- perhaps he was lying. "What would give you that idea?"

"Well, we sort of did it, if you don't remember. And we live together now. And, earlier, your sleepy-hugs were really nice. Plus, you're attractive, despite all your horrible qualities."