Need to Know (Miranda/Ashley) 34/?
anonymous
January 22 2015, 22:26:41 UTC
Talk shop, that always works, a voice whispered in her head as she watched Miranda carefully sorting out her clothes, putting on a fresh pair of underwear.
“So. What happens now?” Smooth, Ash!
Miranda raised an eyebrow as she looked at Ashley for a second between two items of clothing. She pondered for a second and shrugged.
“Now? We both have things to do. Parts to play,” she replied matter-of-factly, making Ashley feel a pang of disappointment.
You were the one who picked an ambiguous question, she reminded herself. She could hardly blame the other woman for not getting the signals. Those damn signals. They were so hard.
Miranda continued, “I doubt it would look good if anybody saw us together. And not safe for me. I have arrangements to make.”
Ashley nodded. “Me too.” Miranda picked up her glass, fully clothed now, smoothing out the creases on her outfit, looking curiously at Ashley.
“Really?” You suck at this!
“I mean, uh, supervising C-Sec recovery and stuff. Lots of red tape.” Miranda nodded, dropping down on the couch closest to Ashley. She searched the marine’s face, tasting her drink absently.
“Maybe it’s time to move on,” she mused. For a second, Ashley was not sure what was she talking about. “You got the Citadel back into shape. You should be out there. Fighting.”
“So should you,” Ashley insisted. Miranda smiled again. “In my own way, I’m doing it.”
Ashley fidgeted with the glass, still mulling over what to say and how to say it. Maybe she was trying too hard, overthinking it. She downed the rest of the brandy and shot a glance at Miranda.
“Well, if you change your mind-” “I know where to find you.”
Ashley reluctantly stood up. Maybe she should just leave it open, not push for an answer she might not want to hear, or know what to do with it. Life was complicated as it was already.
Miranda stood, too, and no matter how hard Ashley searched her face, she could not figure out what the ex-Cerberus agent was feeling about this time they shared.
She escorted Ashley to the door silently and did not try any fake smiles or overly polite gestures to make them feel better. As the door hissed open, Ashley turned around and looked at Miranda with an open gaze. “And how do I find you?” she ventured before stepping out. Miranda frowned, trying to keep a straight face. “I don’t know. Maybe if I make it-” she shrugged. “Let me help you. Please.” The other woman shook her head. “You can’t. I have to do this. Alone.”
Ashley had barely enough time to nod before the door slid close between them. She sighed, feeling recharged and exhausted at the same time. It felt good to resolve the tension that built up in her and say what she wanted to say, but instead of sorting it all out and getting closure, she started to wonder that it may have just become more complicated.
“So. What happens now?”
Smooth, Ash!
Miranda raised an eyebrow as she looked at Ashley for a second between two items of clothing. She pondered for a second and shrugged.
“Now? We both have things to do. Parts to play,” she replied matter-of-factly, making Ashley feel a pang of disappointment.
You were the one who picked an ambiguous question, she reminded herself. She could hardly blame the other woman for not getting the signals. Those damn signals. They were so hard.
Miranda continued, “I doubt it would look good if anybody saw us together. And not safe for me. I have arrangements to make.”
Ashley nodded. “Me too.”
Miranda picked up her glass, fully clothed now, smoothing out the creases on her outfit, looking curiously at Ashley.
“Really?”
You suck at this!
“I mean, uh, supervising C-Sec recovery and stuff. Lots of red tape.”
Miranda nodded, dropping down on the couch closest to Ashley. She searched the marine’s face, tasting her drink absently.
“Maybe it’s time to move on,” she mused. For a second, Ashley was not sure what was she talking about. “You got the Citadel back into shape. You should be out there. Fighting.”
“So should you,” Ashley insisted.
Miranda smiled again. “In my own way, I’m doing it.”
Ashley fidgeted with the glass, still mulling over what to say and how to say it. Maybe she was trying too hard, overthinking it. She downed the rest of the brandy and shot a glance at Miranda.
“Well, if you change your mind-”
“I know where to find you.”
Ashley reluctantly stood up. Maybe she should just leave it open, not push for an answer she might not want to hear, or know what to do with it. Life was complicated as it was already.
Miranda stood, too, and no matter how hard Ashley searched her face, she could not figure out what the ex-Cerberus agent was feeling about this time they shared.
She escorted Ashley to the door silently and did not try any fake smiles or overly polite gestures to make them feel better. As the door hissed open, Ashley turned around and looked at Miranda with an open gaze.
“And how do I find you?” she ventured before stepping out.
Miranda frowned, trying to keep a straight face.
“I don’t know. Maybe if I make it-” she shrugged.
“Let me help you. Please.”
The other woman shook her head. “You can’t. I have to do this. Alone.”
Ashley had barely enough time to nod before the door slid close between them. She sighed, feeling recharged and exhausted at the same time. It felt good to resolve the tension that built up in her and say what she wanted to say, but instead of sorting it all out and getting closure, she started to wonder that it may have just become more complicated.
(to be continued...)
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment