- causeway - sunday night - 10/4
Fiona could see the Maybache in the distance; she was distinctly looking away from the driver's side window. Instead, she focused on her aunt and her uncle. It was sort of strange realizing that she'd miss them; after this visit, they felt more like family. Maybe because it was just the two of them, or maybe it was because they'd done something so normal for her.
She almost wanted to call her mother and thank Audrey for not coming, but she thought it might make things even worse than they were.
Fiona said her goodbyes to Eliot first, of course, and they were quick and subtle. There was an eyeroll, a soft smile or two, and the promise that they'd text/email/write/etc each other as often as they had been. Then, almost as if he couldn't stand watching any longer, Eliot had insisted on heading to the car to get his things settled away. It didn't matter that he'd only brought one bag, of course; Fiona wasn't going to argue with him.
Her Uncle Aaron actually gave her a hug, reminded her to keep up with her training and her studies, and managed a faint grunt of praise for her efforts thus far.
"I want to hear more about this Fight Club soon." She'd promised to tell him all about her next bout, down to the tiniest detail. Then he'd gone to join Eliot in the car.
Finally, it was just herself and her aunt Dallas, the person she had to thank for this wonderful day, and quite a few more wonderful things in the coming days, months, years. Dallas had fixed as much as she could, which was more than her other aunt or her mother had been able to do, and just the fact that she could eat with people even if it didn't give her the same enjoyment? That was amazing. Feeling things without having to drag them out of herself? Even more amazing.
She'd never thought she'd be better and so it was with a little bounce in her step that she approached her aunt for a hug. Dallas looked sad, though, which confused Fiona. Why? Or was it because they were going?
Dallas didn't answer the questions that were all over Fiona's face. Instead, she leaned forward, pulled the girl into a tight hug, and whispered into her ear. It went on for a moments, almost for a full minute before she pressed a kiss there and squeezed her close.
Finally, though, she let Fiona go.
"You're not kidding, are you?" she asked her aunt very very quietly.
Dallas shook her head. "I wish I was. I wish this was all a bad dream."
Fiona wished that she couldn't believe it. That she had faith in the people who were supposed to be her family, that she had faith in her mother of all people, who'd wrapped their entire lives in rules and limitations to protect herself and her brother.
"You're a member of the League now. We can't keep you in the dark. Or I won't."
Fion, who'd been delighting in her new accessable emotions all day, felt numb.
"Are you going to--"
"Tell Eliot? Yes."
Then Fiona looked at Dallas.
"But... why?"
Dallas shook her head sadly. "People are afraid. They do stupid things. Know that they love you. They do. But also know that they are afraid. That you have to look good as well as be good. That you are on a razor's edge."
Fiona just nodded before, wordless, she turned and started walking back to her room. Dallas bit her lip, endlessly sad, but did the same as she returned to the car. Except.
"I love you, sweetheart."
Fiona spun and tried to say something back but something blocked her throat and stung her eyes. Instead, she just nodded, but Dallas understood.
"Good girl." And she made her way to the car.
[backdated to last night as I didn't hit post before falling asleep, NFB anyway, NFI, OOC okay]
She almost wanted to call her mother and thank Audrey for not coming, but she thought it might make things even worse than they were.
Fiona said her goodbyes to Eliot first, of course, and they were quick and subtle. There was an eyeroll, a soft smile or two, and the promise that they'd text/email/write/etc each other as often as they had been. Then, almost as if he couldn't stand watching any longer, Eliot had insisted on heading to the car to get his things settled away. It didn't matter that he'd only brought one bag, of course; Fiona wasn't going to argue with him.
Her Uncle Aaron actually gave her a hug, reminded her to keep up with her training and her studies, and managed a faint grunt of praise for her efforts thus far.
"I want to hear more about this Fight Club soon." She'd promised to tell him all about her next bout, down to the tiniest detail. Then he'd gone to join Eliot in the car.
Finally, it was just herself and her aunt Dallas, the person she had to thank for this wonderful day, and quite a few more wonderful things in the coming days, months, years. Dallas had fixed as much as she could, which was more than her other aunt or her mother had been able to do, and just the fact that she could eat with people even if it didn't give her the same enjoyment? That was amazing. Feeling things without having to drag them out of herself? Even more amazing.
She'd never thought she'd be better and so it was with a little bounce in her step that she approached her aunt for a hug. Dallas looked sad, though, which confused Fiona. Why? Or was it because they were going?
Dallas didn't answer the questions that were all over Fiona's face. Instead, she leaned forward, pulled the girl into a tight hug, and whispered into her ear. It went on for a moments, almost for a full minute before she pressed a kiss there and squeezed her close.
Finally, though, she let Fiona go.
"You're not kidding, are you?" she asked her aunt very very quietly.
Dallas shook her head. "I wish I was. I wish this was all a bad dream."
Fiona wished that she couldn't believe it. That she had faith in the people who were supposed to be her family, that she had faith in her mother of all people, who'd wrapped their entire lives in rules and limitations to protect herself and her brother.
"You're a member of the League now. We can't keep you in the dark. Or I won't."
Fion, who'd been delighting in her new accessable emotions all day, felt numb.
"Are you going to--"
"Tell Eliot? Yes."
Then Fiona looked at Dallas.
"But... why?"
Dallas shook her head sadly. "People are afraid. They do stupid things. Know that they love you. They do. But also know that they are afraid. That you have to look good as well as be good. That you are on a razor's edge."
Fiona just nodded before, wordless, she turned and started walking back to her room. Dallas bit her lip, endlessly sad, but did the same as she returned to the car. Except.
"I love you, sweetheart."
Fiona spun and tried to say something back but something blocked her throat and stung her eyes. Instead, she just nodded, but Dallas understood.
"Good girl." And she made her way to the car.
[backdated to last night as I didn't hit post before falling asleep, NFB anyway, NFI, OOC okay]