Work In Progress

1.20 Romantic Rules

[The camera shows Dice and Periscope's kitchen, empty. The door opens and closes. Periscope walks into the frame.]

Dice, presumably from upstairs: Peri?

[Periscope looks startled.]

Periscope: Dice is supposed to be at Aglet's.

[Dice presumably walks down a flight of stairs and is seen walking into frame.]

Dice: Peri!!

[Dice moves very quickly towards a rather startled Periscope.]

Periscope: ... You're supposed to be at Aglet's.

Dice: Aglet let me go home.

Periscope: Aglet was supposed to keep you there.

Dice: How was it?

Periscope: How was what?

Dice: Your surgery, you nut!

Periscope: It was fine, nothing special.

Dice: Did you do anything else while you were there?

Periscope: Some legal business, was all. I bought a few things I could never find here. Oh, and I signed up for a filing job.

Dice: That's great!

Periscope: It's something.

[Beat.]

Periscope: So, how about you?

Dice: I haven't been doing anything.

Periscope: Anything at all?

Dice: I've been staying inside, I promise!

Periscope: And how's Aglet?

Dice: Aglet's fine, I guess. I don't know what the deal with them and Moe was, but-

Periscope: Was?

Dice: Yeah, there was a bit of melodrama while you were out.

Periscope: They were dating.

Dice: Well, if they were, I don't think so anymore. Aglet seems ok about it, though.

Periscope: Have you hear anything about Pipette?

Dice: No.

[There's a brief, awkward silence.]

Dice: Why would I have? I mean, I thought you and Pipette... I don't know.

Periscope: What do you mean?

Dice: They kissed you.

Periscope: Yeah, they kissed me, not the other way around.

Dice: But still, it-

Periscope: Are you jealous?

Dice: I just thought that they weren't an idiot.

Periscope: Well... in case you are jealous, just know that I'm not interested, and I don't think they're very interested in me, either, so... don't worry about it.

[Periscope sits in one of the chairs, and puts their head down on the table.]

Dice: ... You must be exhausted.

Periscope, muffled: Mm.

Dice: If I had known when you were coming back, I would have made food.

Periscope, muffled: No you wouldn't have.

Dice: No, I wouldn't have. But I can, now that you're back.

Periscope, moving their head from off of the table: I'm ok.

Dice: You should really eat something, you just had a surgery.

Periscope: The surgery was weeks ago, I've just been in recovery.

Dice: Still. Can I at least make you a cup of tea?

Periscope: I'll never say no to tea.

[Dice begins making a cup of tea.]

Dice: So, are you going to ask them out?

Periscope, jokingly: Are you going to confess your undying love for Pipette?

Dice: I don't have undying love for Pipette, or anyone else.

Periscope: Not even for me as your friend?

Dice: I mean, sure, for you as a friend, of course, but you know what I meant.

Periscope, after a brief pause: Hey, Dice?

Dice, distracted by the tea: Yeah?

Periscope: Do you really not like Pipette? Because if you do, you're being a complete cabbage right now.

[Dice pauses before putting the kettle on a spot out of frame that is most likely the stove.]

Dice: Being with Pipette wouldn't be good for anyone.

Periscope: But don't you like them?

Dice, putting the kettle on the spot out of frame that is most likely the stove: It wouldn't end well.

Periscope: Why wouldn't it end well?

Dice: Because we're both... not good.

Periscope: Not good how?

Dice: I don't have to explain this to you.

[Beat.]

Dice: I just have too many problems to date anyone, ok? That's really all there is to it.

Periscope: I don't think so.

Dice: Well, I do... Besides, if we did, I would become an issue.

Periscope: ... If you say so.

[Dice sits down at the table to wait for the water to boil, and Periscope sits up in their seat.]

Dice: ... What was dating like in the Midwest?

Periscope: It's really stupid, actually. I mean, back when I was-

[Periscope pauses.]

Periscope: Back when I first started dating Bezel, it was really stupid. There's a lot of pressure to publicize and everything, plus the fact that the concepts of what was romantic and all were kind of forced.

Dice, teasingly: You think you can figure out commonwealth courtship?

Periscope: Shut up, I- It isn't-

Dice, teasingly: It's exactly like that.

Periscope: ... What was dating like where you used to live?

Dice: I wouldn't know, I didn't really follow the dating standards, so I never really thought about it.

Periscope: What do you mean?

Dice: Well, I just... never dated anyone I really cared about.

Periscope: Hm.

Dice: It seemed pretty casual, the way that everyone else did it, though. It seemed nice. I think I would have liked to be in a normal relationship at some point.

Periscope, while slightly smiling: There's no hopes for that now.

Dice: Yeah. I know.

[credits]