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[ Circe can't deny that she's been played for a fool a thousand times over, but that doesn't mean she's sanguine about being called that. On the other hand, she'd be the first to call any god an idiot.
Whatever it is, she doesn't look offended, only dry. ]
I do hope I manage to rise above this opinion eventually.
Whatever it is, she doesn't look offended, only dry. ]
I do hope I manage to rise above this opinion eventually.
[ Jaime’s first thought is simple: what can I do about this? He can provide support and muscle, yes, but there has to be something in his arsenal that can help, that can at least take a little bit of pressure off of everyone else. He’s not stupid by any stretch of the imagination, but he knows that he doesn’t stand an intellectual chance when confronted with the likes of Ruka. But there must be something he can do. He’s got all of these powers. They’ve got to be good for something.
He can absorb power, he knows. Just… not that much power. But he’d run away from one nuclear blast already, one moment of devastation. He hadn’t made that same mistake here, and he doesn’t intend to ever make that mistake again. ]
I can probably check for you. To get verification. [ Jaime pauses before elaborating. ] I can tell what energy’s what, if it’s electrical or magical or nuclear, or whatever. They all feel different to me. I can smell it.
[ It’s hard to describe, but Ruka’s accustomed to stranger powers than Jaime’s own. ]
The more information we’ve got, the better. Right?
He can absorb power, he knows. Just… not that much power. But he’d run away from one nuclear blast already, one moment of devastation. He hadn’t made that same mistake here, and he doesn’t intend to ever make that mistake again. ]
I can probably check for you. To get verification. [ Jaime pauses before elaborating. ] I can tell what energy’s what, if it’s electrical or magical or nuclear, or whatever. They all feel different to me. I can smell it.
[ It’s hard to describe, but Ruka’s accustomed to stranger powers than Jaime’s own. ]
The more information we’ve got, the better. Right?
You're already doing a lot better than most. [ Her tone isn't placating or apologetic, but it is sincere. ] Seeking information from other people, and listening to them... adjusting your expectations, based on what you're experiencing here.
Maybe it doesn't sound like much, when I say it, but... it's rare. Adaptability. But it's the only way to endure, here.
How long ago did you arrive?
Maybe it doesn't sound like much, when I say it, but... it's rare. Adaptability. But it's the only way to endure, here.
How long ago did you arrive?
[ It's a startling little offer, and the surprise of it is as clear on her face as if she were made of glass. It sounds like such an easy thing, and in the simplicity of it, wonders why she didn't think to ask it before.
(But that much she knows, right? She doesn't want to go back to that place. She doesn't want to think about that place. She feels sick talking about it now. She wants to do so much, but she's paralyzed by fear, and guilt, and failure.)
She holds his hand a little tighter, but it does nothing for the way hers trembles. ]
If. If you're sure. [ She can't go back there. She can't ask anyone to go there. ] I don't. Know. If there's anything left, with, with that energy. I... I couldn't tell, what was happening, at the end, but, everything... everything collapsed. It receded, back...
[ The tremble is in her voice, too, words stilted, face pale. Even this far away from the calamity, pulling away the metaphorical bandages reveals a still-open wound. ]
(But that much she knows, right? She doesn't want to go back to that place. She doesn't want to think about that place. She feels sick talking about it now. She wants to do so much, but she's paralyzed by fear, and guilt, and failure.)
She holds his hand a little tighter, but it does nothing for the way hers trembles. ]
If. If you're sure. [ She can't go back there. She can't ask anyone to go there. ] I don't. Know. If there's anything left, with, with that energy. I... I couldn't tell, what was happening, at the end, but, everything... everything collapsed. It receded, back...
[ The tremble is in her voice, too, words stilted, face pale. Even this far away from the calamity, pulling away the metaphorical bandages reveals a still-open wound. ]
I'm sure.
[ The more she trembles, the more sure Jaime's grasp becomes. He's always been good at being an anchor. If she's a live wire, connecting to everything and everyone around her, alight with more emotions and more desperation than she knows what to do with, then he's the cloth dampening it, stopping it in its tracks. He can't help but sweep his thumbs reassuringly across the tops of her fingers, as though trying to remind her that he's here, that there's no need to get caught up in whatever memories are threatening to sweep her away. ]
It's okay. Me and Khaji can handle it, easy. If there's anything left, we'll find it. If there isn't, then we'll know. We'll report to you straight after. [ Ruka's always offering things to him. Telling him she'll tell him what's important, sharing these tidbits of her past she doesn't offer anyone else, dragging him halfway across the globe, promising him she'll tell him how he feels. In comparison to all of that, what's a little danger? It's nothing. It's what people like him are for. ]
Or you can stay on the phone with us when we go. Whatever works.
[ The more she trembles, the more sure Jaime's grasp becomes. He's always been good at being an anchor. If she's a live wire, connecting to everything and everyone around her, alight with more emotions and more desperation than she knows what to do with, then he's the cloth dampening it, stopping it in its tracks. He can't help but sweep his thumbs reassuringly across the tops of her fingers, as though trying to remind her that he's here, that there's no need to get caught up in whatever memories are threatening to sweep her away. ]
It's okay. Me and Khaji can handle it, easy. If there's anything left, we'll find it. If there isn't, then we'll know. We'll report to you straight after. [ Ruka's always offering things to him. Telling him she'll tell him what's important, sharing these tidbits of her past she doesn't offer anyone else, dragging him halfway across the globe, promising him she'll tell him how he feels. In comparison to all of that, what's a little danger? It's nothing. It's what people like him are for. ]
Or you can stay on the phone with us when we go. Whatever works.
[ It's a little like a pendulum in sand. Her heart resists the motion of it, but not by much, and the steady, even rhythm of it carves a soft line in the uncertain landscape. Easy, easy. As he speaks, the tightness of her grip eases back; the race of her pulse eases back; the strain and the horror sink back into darkness, where they belong. She exhales, and some of the fear goes with it. ]
Later? Not tonight. [ She doesn't want him to go. ] ... It's a holiday. I don't want to risk it.
[ It's an excuse, flimsy and transparent, but she keeps his hand pinned. ]
Later? Not tonight. [ She doesn't want him to go. ] ... It's a holiday. I don't want to risk it.
[ It's an excuse, flimsy and transparent, but she keeps his hand pinned. ]
'Course. It's Christmas. That's the sort of holiday you're supposed to spend with other people.
[ Important people - but she knows she's important to him already, and she doesn't need to know how much. He can see through her excuses and how much talking about everything she's brought up today, the horrors of her past and worse, the imagined horrors of her future, had rattled her. He's not about to make her say it herself. ]
So if I'm not gonna go on a mission to check it out... then I wanna stay here for a little longer. Deal?
[ Important people - but she knows she's important to him already, and she doesn't need to know how much. He can see through her excuses and how much talking about everything she's brought up today, the horrors of her past and worse, the imagined horrors of her future, had rattled her. He's not about to make her say it herself. ]
So if I'm not gonna go on a mission to check it out... then I wanna stay here for a little longer. Deal?
Deal. [ It should be sharp, for how quickly it's spoken, but the word is made soft by her volume. She doesn't smile for it, but the tension at her eye seems to lessen. She takes a breath, and releases it, and finally lets go of his hand.
She picks up her tea for something to do, hands folding together around the cup; she shifts on the couch, crossing her legs. She doesn't want to talk about this anymore. ]
How does your family celebrate it?
She picks up her tea for something to do, hands folding together around the cup; she shifts on the couch, crossing her legs. She doesn't want to talk about this anymore. ]
How does your family celebrate it?
Good.
[ It takes Jaime a moment to slide his hand back into his lap. It's funny - he reached out, initiated that moment of connection for her sake, so she had something stable to hold onto, but instead, his hand feels a little cold. It had to happen. They should probably eat some of the quickly cooling food in front of them, and it's not like normal friends go around holding hands.
Still. Context aside, it'd been nice. He fiddles a little with his chopsticks while he speaks. It feels a little stupid, a little small to talk about something as inconsequential as family traditions now of all times, but that's a lot better than continuing on their current path. And... well, he misses it. Christmas, the way he used to do it. Sometimes it feels nice to talk about it out loud, as though getting it out there makes everything his life used to be more real. ]
We're Catholic, so we go to Church - but I did that last night. Most of our celebrations are on Christmas Eve, actually. But we do presents, and big feasts with the family; my mom always has a tamale party around that time. Sometimes family comes and travels to us, but when I was little, we went to visit my Mom's family in Mexico.
[ That got harder when they got older. They didn't have as much time off from school, and they wanted to spend some time with their friends, and the more they grew up, the tighter money got. It was easier for his relatives to come to America instead, some years. ]
It's nice. It's always been my favourite holiday. [ He looks at her, lip quirking a little. ] Friends, food, family... can't get much better than that.
[ It takes Jaime a moment to slide his hand back into his lap. It's funny - he reached out, initiated that moment of connection for her sake, so she had something stable to hold onto, but instead, his hand feels a little cold. It had to happen. They should probably eat some of the quickly cooling food in front of them, and it's not like normal friends go around holding hands.
Still. Context aside, it'd been nice. He fiddles a little with his chopsticks while he speaks. It feels a little stupid, a little small to talk about something as inconsequential as family traditions now of all times, but that's a lot better than continuing on their current path. And... well, he misses it. Christmas, the way he used to do it. Sometimes it feels nice to talk about it out loud, as though getting it out there makes everything his life used to be more real. ]
We're Catholic, so we go to Church - but I did that last night. Most of our celebrations are on Christmas Eve, actually. But we do presents, and big feasts with the family; my mom always has a tamale party around that time. Sometimes family comes and travels to us, but when I was little, we went to visit my Mom's family in Mexico.
[ That got harder when they got older. They didn't have as much time off from school, and they wanted to spend some time with their friends, and the more they grew up, the tighter money got. It was easier for his relatives to come to America instead, some years. ]
It's nice. It's always been my favourite holiday. [ He looks at her, lip quirking a little. ] Friends, food, family... can't get much better than that.
[ ... It's strange, but when he puts it like that, she can't argue. They arrived in the old world within a year of each other; she used to work for him, for a few years back then, and despite their paths diverging, it's never been by terribly far. To the best of her knowledge, he's never left.
Not once, in nearly ten years. Ruka's had a couple blips in the past few years, but it only strikes her now that... of all people, maybe she is the person he's known here the longest, too.
There's a delay in response, as she works out what to say. ]
Yeah. I suppose we have. I don't usually keep anyone in those contacts. I guess it never seemed like the kind of thing you'd put a Senator on speed-dial for.
[ It never crossed her mind as something important enough to trouble him about — but it, like always, is only a way to distance the topic when she speaks about herself. ]
Not once, in nearly ten years. Ruka's had a couple blips in the past few years, but it only strikes her now that... of all people, maybe she is the person he's known here the longest, too.
There's a delay in response, as she works out what to say. ]
Yeah. I suppose we have. I don't usually keep anyone in those contacts. I guess it never seemed like the kind of thing you'd put a Senator on speed-dial for.
[ It never crossed her mind as something important enough to trouble him about — but it, like always, is only a way to distance the topic when she speaks about herself. ]
[ Mitch typed without thinking. It was perhaps too honest, and it takes him a little longer to respond.
Because he has known Ruka longer than anyone else. He can count on his fingers the number of people that he would consider close enough to warrant even wanting to know like this. Eddie, Bradbury, Ruka... were there other people? One or two, maybe, but Mitchell knows he's kept people at a distance. How can he not? Ten years here means he's lost enough people, and... he knows that some things, one just doesn't talk about. It may be a different world, but Mitchell was never willing -- or able -- to be fully honest. He didn't have to with Ruka, she read it off of him without him having to speak a word.
And she didn't say anything, and now he wondered how much more she wasn't saying about herself, either? Reticence like hers was a double-edged sword. ]
Look, I just... I worry. I would have thought your old boss warranted an opportunity to at LEAST send flowers.
Because he has known Ruka longer than anyone else. He can count on his fingers the number of people that he would consider close enough to warrant even wanting to know like this. Eddie, Bradbury, Ruka... were there other people? One or two, maybe, but Mitchell knows he's kept people at a distance. How can he not? Ten years here means he's lost enough people, and... he knows that some things, one just doesn't talk about. It may be a different world, but Mitchell was never willing -- or able -- to be fully honest. He didn't have to with Ruka, she read it off of him without him having to speak a word.
And she didn't say anything, and now he wondered how much more she wasn't saying about herself, either? Reticence like hers was a double-edged sword. ]
Look, I just... I worry. I would have thought your old boss warranted an opportunity to at LEAST send flowers.
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