Some Said To Look Up, Some Said To Cry (Cobalt)

Cobalt, for his part, wasn't really having a good day or a bad day. Just a day. So naturally, he'd assumed that there would be no problem sticking to his normal routine of meeting Josh for lunch. Which....from the looks of things seemed to be a false assumption on Cobalt's part because Josh looked a little miffed. Scratch that, Cobalt mused with a raised eyebrow as he watched Josh stab the crap out of his plate, Josh looked pissed. Which was weird, since Josh wasn't usually like this. Josh wasn't ever like this. Sulky, definitely. But never this sulky.

Cobalt wondered if he should say something. On one hand, Josh and he usually had an unspoken contract of never talking about things like feelings. Because feelings were uncomfortable and the less said about them, the better. On the other hand, something was legitimately bothering his friend. So it was Cobalt's job as a friend to try to see if there was anything he could do. Right?

Cobalt chewed his bite of chow mein before leaning over slightly. "So what's up with you? You're sulking more than I've ever seen you."

Tactful, Cobalt is not.

"Really." Cobalt crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. He was going to add that it sure looked like Josh was sulking to him, but he wasn't sure he wanted to get into an argument about whether or not Josh was sulking. That might be a little more ridiculous than Cobalt was willing to be. He was about ready to shake his head and change the subject to something that might make Josh feel better-- he wasn't used to having Josh be the grumpy one-- when Josh started explaining what was going on.

...Oh.

Cobalt felt a little bit like an ass, but he was predominantly worried about how Josh was taking the abrupt cessation of a thirty-plus year friendship. By the way he was stabbing his food, he wasn't taking it well. Cobalt raised his eyebrows as Josh told him what had happened. "Wait, really? This isn't high school, why would that...?" Cobalt stopped as Josh continued to talk about how he was just fine and it occurred to him that Josh was a shittier liar than he was.

"Sure you're fine." Cobalt said dryly, "I can tell by the way you're beating the crap out of your lunch. Look..." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little out of his depth. Cobalt didn't get into this kind of shit. This was why he didn't like people. People made things complicated. "Are you sure that's what's going on? Maybe this is a misunderstanding or something." Cobalt didn't like Sean at all, but he certainly didn't think that Sean would stop being friends with Josh just because some guy asked him to. But then, he'd given Sean too much credit before, and it ended up with Morgan being almost-blind, so Cobalt's good opinion of Sean was almost negligible.

"So who is this guy anyways?" Cobalt asked, taking another bite of his food. He wasn't sure why he was asking, but maybe allowing Josh to bitch about it would make him feel better.

Cobalt stared at Josh as the older man miserably stared at his food. He didn't know quite what to do, but the fact that this had happened to Josh was completely surprising and extremely shitty. Silently, he wished Riley were here, because Riley knew how to handle this kind of thing far better than he. But unfortunately, Josh was stuck with Cobalt. Sorry Josh. Cobalt worried his lower lip for a moment, at a loss for what to say to make his friend feel at least a little better.

"That's shitty, man." Cobalt finally offered, intelligently. "Er... look. I'm not the person who knows all about this, but maybe this is a good thing." He shrugged, "I mean, if Sean's really going to forget about a really long friendship in favor of a new relationship...thing, then you really don't need him." Cobalt knew it was pretty damn easy for him to say, since he didn't even like the telepath, but that was besides the point. What was also probably besides the point was how Cobalt had thought it was impossible-- literally, physically impossible-- for him to dislike Sean any more than he already did. Looking at Josh's bitter, hurt expression certainly changed that opinion. "And besides, if he needs to ask his date to do his work for him, then he is definitely not worth all this shit." Harsh, probably. But Cobalt didn't actually care.

"Besides." Cobalt shrugged, "You're right. You do have other friends. And..." Ugh, feelings. "We care about you and stuff. Me and Riley. It'll work out." He shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Cobalt frowned. "He... a goat? That's... okay." That was really damn weird, is what that was. But Cobalt didn't feel like gossiping about someone he didn't know. As far as he was concerned, this was mostly Sean's fault. A shame though: in any other circumstance, Cobalt would have found that statement incredibly hilarious.

Cobalt felt horrible. He wasn’t exactly programmed to handle tears, so he had absolutely no idea what the hell he was supposed to do, but Josh was the first friend he’d made when he came back to Pilot Ridge expecting to make none. And regardless of whether or not Leila facilitated it, he thought of Josh as one of his best friends. Someone who had very aptly maneuvered around all of Cobalt’s “leave me the hell alone” signs and Cobalt appreciated that.

And now Josh was crying. Or very nearly. Christ.

Sean was a damn moron. And Cobalt was starting to run out of reasons to not punch him in the face. At the moment, the fact that he might not be able to reach his face was probably the only thing stopping him. That, and making a scene would probably not be appreciated. “I know.” Cobalt said simply, thinking about how he felt when he was sure Danny didn’t want to talk to him anymore, back when they were just kids. “And that was nice, you guys had fun. But Josh, you’re…” He waved his hands helplessly, “A really good person. A really good person. So you deserve far better friends than what Sean was willing to be.” Cobalt shrugged, “Anyways, Sean doesn’t really deserve to be friends with you.”

“No you don’t.” Cobalt replied gently, “You just think you do right now, because you don’t know how to work otherwise.” And this was, indeed, experience. It took a long time for Cobalt to remember how to exist without Danny. But he’d managed. And so could Josh. “But you don’t need him. And you’ll be fine. It’ll be a shitty time for a while, and you’ll hate everything, but you’ll be fine in the end.”

Cobalt shook his head, “No, Josh… my opinion of Sean actually doesn’t have a whole lot to do with this right now. I’m just…” He gestured again, frustrated at how words were once again not working well for him, “Sean’s just a guy, Josh. He’s a very nice guy, I guess, and he has a lot of answers, but he’s just a guy.” Cobalt tilted his head, trying not to sound like he was analyzing. But really, this could very well have been Cobalt. It wasn’t as though he didn’t see Elaine or Danny in the same light: more than other people, special and yet somehow deigning to spend time with Cobalt. Irritable, lonely, misanthropic Cobalt. He looked up to them, like Josh looked up to Sean. But there was a limit.

“That’s bullshit.” Cobalt snapped, frustrated and worried and trying to get his friend to see reason. “Your friendship is important, Josh. You’re intelligent, and kind, and thoughtful, and a hell of a lot more forgiving and welcoming to people who really don’t deserve it from you.” He’d been kind to Cobalt when Cobalt had done nothing to deserve it. That had meant a lot.

“Yeah, well.” Cobalt sighed, “Yeah. That means a lot. And I understand that it’s important when you have a friend that’s seen you at your worst. And nothing’s going to make that better. Riley and I, we’ll be there for you when you need us. But,” Cobalt shrugged helplessly, “We haven’t been there for all the stuff before. And that’s a little different. I’m just… you’re not a difficult person to be around, Josh. It’s not like Sean was making a huge effort to be near you. And if you got that feeling, then there was something wrong there.”