I feel as if I'm going mad Thomas. He keeps trying to demand we sail underneath a blessed BLACK FLAG of all things. And that's not all; I've sketched at least a dozen alternatives for us to design a New Flag with, as this Voyage obviously both Merits and deserves, and every single one he's managed to find fault with AND insult.
[ Enjoy this rare gift of "Irving venting about Jack to you," Jopson. It might not happen again, or often, but it's happening now! ]
It's Stress, I know it is, but some days it's just about all I can do to not feel tempted to slap that man silly. He can be so frustratingly stubborn sometimes.
[ This message is--a surprise, and fuck whatever he was doing before this, this is much more interesting (ironing, it's always ironing). ]
Well he is a pirate.
[ And we can all count our blessings that he has the dignity and discretion to not say "I told you so", but only just. ]
You're not going mad John, you can't really expect him to be decent about this sort of thing. I'm sure your designs have merit, you've an eye for a sketch.
[ Look, they're not separating over it -- at least not so far -- but no partnership/relationship/however else one might choose to define whatever it is Jack and Irving have with each other is without its occasional turbulence... ]
Well why not. He's been decent about plenty else. Think what you will, but I don't associate with Indecent Characters.
And thank you, Thomas. That's very kind of you to say.
[ It is truly a blessing that Irving cannot see the shade on Thomas Jopson's face at the claim that he doesn't associate with indecent characters, when the evidence so thoroughly points to the contrary. What an unholy mess you've gotten yourself into, John. ]
And you've not turned pirate, have you? So long as you've made that clear, he's no reason to expect you to sail under the black. You're a lieutenant in Her Majesty's Royal Service, John. If he's giving you sass, you needn't suffer the indignity.
[ If you know anything about what happened with the Chevalier Jopson no you don't...... Irving can more or less believe his own claim here as long as he pretends like that never happened. Agree to disagree about Jack for the 100th time, obviously. ]
Well of course I haven't. And I never would, either. You know that.
As does he. In fact I'm not sure if there's any way I COULD make it any clearer to him; it's a well established Fact between us as much as it's always been a friction.
[ Said entirely as a balm, because he doesn't know that, does he? All signs continue to point towards the looming specter of the contrary. ]
I'm not suggesting anything that you're not certainly already doing. Don't let him speak to you that way, and don't let him wear you down. I don't need to remind you what a devil's tongue will attempt on a man of good conscience.
[ And a much needed balm, to be certain, because Irving would be wounded to know to what a large extent Jopson was already losing faith in him. As it is he has to sigh out loud, wondering if it was a bad idea to text Jopson after all; Irving certainly wants to make clear to the other man that he trusts him, once and for all, but confiding in people (to include venting, in this case) about intimate, deeply personal matters is just not something that will ever feel comfortable to Irving. He really is and really has been trying, but he isn't sure that Jopson completely understands just how difficult all this is for him.
With another sigh, he shakes his head clear of as many immediate concerns as he can, easily distracted from the mental tangent anyway by his own still blazing hot frustration and sense of outrage. ]
I really wish you wouldn't refer to him as a devil, Thomas.
And I assure you that yes, I have been very diligently standing up for myself.
[ Well... trying to, and yet the Situation keeps escalating anyway???? ]
You don't understand, Thomas; he and I just don't have disagreements like this. We've barely had any disagreements at all - we know better to simply leave well enough alone as much as possible when it comes to our respective Histories.
[ Why either of them ever think text is a good idea what audio is also an option is truly beyond him. Once he realizes that he's not going to be able to get tone across in writing, he switches the audio. For as many opinions as he does have, there's very little point in nitpicking and airing those opinions, so he doesn't. ]
I don't like him insulting you is all. I think it speaks to someone's character when they can't show some humility to someone to whom they whole affection.
[ Sigh... very well, audio it is. Usually that's Irving's preference too, mind, but there's something to be said about the convenience of text sometimes, of not needing to worry about what anyone might hear (or not) in his voice.
(Though conversely, indeed that is sometimes also the precise pitfall to text that frustrates Irving to no end as well: tone.)
In this case, his voice is quieter and more hesitant than his angry texting might have implied, if almost entirely because he simply still isn't actually very comfortable with having these kind of conversations. Jopson had been so hurt before that Irving wasn't sharing his confidence with him, so Irving's been making an effort almost entirely for his benefit, but so far it's felt like quite a one-sided one. ]
Well, it's not nearly as bad as all that.
[ A beat, before he shifts the subject down a less personal track: ]
By this point he's already rejected dark purple, navy, and gold, so I'm sure now I'll have to settle for some appalling grey shade. Never mind the symbols apparently don't have enough of a narrative for him, either. Does that make any sense to you?
If it really must be dark grey then so be it, but I've already made it quite clear to him that I won't agree to black. I'm sure he gets the point by now.
[ As Irving continues to speak his tone finally begins to steady out a bit, normalize, grow a bit more heated in that quiet, passionate way of his. He does sigh, but not at Jopson; still flag-related, concerning the "criticisms" Jack had laid upon Irving's latest attempts at some designs. ]
He says a dove and a skull don't go together... that it's all complete gibberish if I don't also give him a story with it. Well of course it's gibberish, the skull is only there as a compromise in the first place! [ He huffs irritably. ] I'm not even sure what he'd prefer instead.
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text | @J.IRVING
Date: 2022-07-14 11:22 pm (UTC)[ Enjoy this rare gift of "Irving venting about Jack to you," Jopson. It might not happen again, or often, but it's happening now! ]
It's Stress, I know it is, but some days it's just about all I can do to not feel tempted to slap that man silly. He can be so frustratingly stubborn sometimes.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-14 11:34 pm (UTC)Well he is a pirate.
[ And we can all count our blessings that he has the dignity and discretion to not say "I told you so", but only just. ]
You're not going mad John, you can't really expect him to be decent about this sort of thing.
I'm sure your designs have merit, you've an eye for a sketch.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 12:04 am (UTC)Well why not. He's been decent about plenty else. Think what you will, but I don't associate with Indecent Characters.
And thank you, Thomas. That's very kind of you to say.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 12:29 pm (UTC)And you've not turned pirate, have you? So long as you've made that clear, he's no reason to expect you to sail under the black.
You're a lieutenant in Her Majesty's Royal Service, John. If he's giving you sass, you needn't suffer the indignity.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 01:02 pm (UTC)Well of course I haven't. And I never would, either. You know that.
As does he. In fact I'm not sure if there's any way I COULD make it any clearer to him; it's a well established Fact between us as much as it's always been a friction.
What is it you're suggesting?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 01:11 pm (UTC)[ Said entirely as a balm, because he doesn't know that, does he? All signs continue to point towards the looming specter of the contrary. ]
I'm not suggesting anything that you're not certainly already doing. Don't let him speak to you that way, and don't let him wear you down. I don't need to remind you what a devil's tongue will attempt on a man of good conscience.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 02:16 pm (UTC)With another sigh, he shakes his head clear of as many immediate concerns as he can, easily distracted from the mental tangent anyway by his own still blazing hot frustration and sense of outrage. ]
I really wish you wouldn't refer to him as a devil, Thomas.
And I assure you that yes, I have been very diligently standing up for myself.
[ Well... trying to, and yet the Situation keeps escalating anyway???? ]
You don't understand, Thomas; he and I just don't have disagreements like this. We've barely had any disagreements at all - we know better to simply leave well enough alone as much as possible when it comes to our respective Histories.
Hence my frustration. So much uproar over a Flag.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-15 10:10 pm (UTC)I don't like him insulting you is all. I think it speaks to someone's character when they can't show some humility to someone to whom they whole affection.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-19 12:33 pm (UTC)(Though conversely, indeed that is sometimes also the precise pitfall to text that frustrates Irving to no end as well: tone.)
In this case, his voice is quieter and more hesitant than his angry texting might have implied, if almost entirely because he simply still isn't actually very comfortable with having these kind of conversations. Jopson had been so hurt before that Irving wasn't sharing his confidence with him, so Irving's been making an effort almost entirely for his benefit, but so far it's felt like quite a one-sided one. ]
Well, it's not nearly as bad as all that.
[ A beat, before he shifts the subject down a less personal track: ]
By this point he's already rejected dark purple, navy, and gold, so I'm sure now I'll have to settle for some appalling grey shade. Never mind the symbols apparently don't have enough of a narrative for him, either. Does that make any sense to you?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-19 09:10 pm (UTC)[ He doesn't sigh, but only just. ]
It makes sense. What's he suggesting as an alternative?
no subject
Date: 2022-07-19 09:43 pm (UTC)[ As Irving continues to speak his tone finally begins to steady out a bit, normalize, grow a bit more heated in that quiet, passionate way of his. He does sigh, but not at Jopson; still flag-related, concerning the "criticisms" Jack had laid upon Irving's latest attempts at some designs. ]
He says a dove and a skull don't go together... that it's all complete gibberish if I don't also give him a story with it. Well of course it's gibberish, the skull is only there as a compromise in the first place! [ He huffs irritably. ] I'm not even sure what he'd prefer instead.