texts texts texts

[onefellswoop]

this one is for texts!

Comments

1/?

[necropolitical]

[ Fifteen minutes later:]

Well, now you've met Andrii and Iryna.

Neither one of them is sorry for taking my phone and humiliating me to my b; if it's of any consolation, I'll be teased mercilessly for sending you the photo from Majorca - which I did not do, but do they care?

I got the phone away before they could see your tattoos, but not the pub photo, which they are reenacting in front of me just now.

Well. Iryna and Andrii haven't seen one another in several years, and I have not seen Maksym for some time, either. It's only exuberance at being reunited, even if it is at the expense of you and me.

Oleksei has helpfully documented my attempt to reach the phone before Iryna could send that video.

[ So he has. Vitaly sends a photo of himself in a dogpile with two other men - Andrii and Maksym. He has Andrii in a headlock and is trying to look back over his own shoulder; he has one foot drawn up as though aiming to kick at Maksym, who is pinning him down by his leg. Andrii has a fistful of Vitaly's hair.

The family resemblance is there, but so are the clear differences in age. Maksym is much younger than all of them, perhaps in his late twenties.

Notably, they're all laughing.

Even Vitaly. ]

If this makes you decide I'm not worth your trouble or wait, I'll understand.

But I'll be very surprised.

Please don't hold that against me, Vevay. I couldn't help having them for siblings.

[...]

Maybe don't hold any of it against them, either, please? Talking of love and what I do or don't with my phone - they're teasing.

You. They're teasing you as well as me.

Not cruelly; I only mean that they didn't try to scare you. I think [...] -

I think perhaps

Their excitement isn't only reunion. They would like to see my marriage end and for me to be happy.

[...]

And they see you have been making me happy.

Andrii read your last messages. What you said in apology, in support of what he and I do. Of Sergiy.

Of my heart.

You said many things that might make them like you.

[...]

Iryna has asked me to say that she plays the violin. Which she does. So, there you are. My siblings approve of you before you and I have even spoken beyond the academic.

I tried to say I've only known you a week, and that I'm withholding judgement until we meet in two weeks, but they can see how much we've been talking. They can see how I hurry to check my phone when a message from you arrives. How I've been smiling.

How full of hope I am.

You'll forgive me, won't you?