try to let go of the truth

[proxysearch]

Who: beenwaitinglong and proxysearch
When: Friday, just before siren and after.
Where: Sector 4.
Summary: Diego and Re-l get locked out during sirens and are attacked by a monster. Oh, and the effects of the sakura petals are still active for a bit.
Warnings: Language, possible gore. That's it.

Comments

[beenwaitinglong]

[Yeah, she got him. He was more embarrassed than anything. It wasn't like he really wanted to spill all that bullshit, his innermost dark secrets that he tried to keep safely locked away where it wouldn't bother him (but inevitably did.) He also felt bad that Re-l seemed to have made it her personal project to help him however she can.

Then again, it proved one thing-- he could still do this, as long as he was able to completely blank it from his mind. It was just hard to picture any other woman willing to sit across from him and put up with him for an hour or two.]

I'm not sore. I'm trying to think of ways to argue that it wasn't a date.

[proxysearch]

[Better to be honest once. She's still not sure what's made her so forward about helping him, but it's been like this for two days now. It's starting to bother her.]

I don't know if you're going to find any suitable excuses. You picked up the tab, after all, and you didn't even fight it.

[beenwaitinglong]

[He had noticed a similar complaint. His normally snappy, cryptic words were failing him lately. It was almost as though he were too exhausted to think of his usual veil of metaphors, speaking more directly than he ever had. It was just easier to say what, exactly, was on his mind, wasn't it?

He shuffles, adjusting his jacket around him in the chilly evening air.]

What kind of gentleman would complain about picking up the tab?

[proxysearch]

Maybe not complain...but you didn't even ask to split the bill.

[Personally, she prefers splitting things, but if it's what it takes to get him back on his feet... She'll just pay for something later. Maybe his next three rounds of coffee.]

Most guys would at least bring it up.

[beenwaitinglong]

Most guys must have been raised by barbarians, then. I was taught to pick up the bill for a lady. [Mama Armando didn't raise no rude boy.

Though there certainly was a romantic context to that whole lesson, wasn't there? Sigh.]

All right. You win. You got me on a date.

[proxysearch]

[She tries not to smirk. She's largely unsuccessful in this endeavor.]

And you were fine, weren't you? It was no big deal.

[beenwaitinglong]

[He shakes his head, smirking despite himself.] You're different. You can't expect I'd be the same with some other woman.

[proxysearch]

I don't know if that's a compliment or a comment!

[She shrugs, though, clearly teasing.]

I'm no different from any other woman you might go out with. You'd want to see someone you knew at least a little, right? Or would you prefer going out with strangers?

[beenwaitinglong]

Yes, you are. [He can't really explain why but she is. She's Re-l.]

I... don't know. I haven't given it much thought, honestly. It's hard to picture myself dating anyone at all, much less narrowing it down to specific faces.

[proxysearch]

[She looks up at him for a moment, leading him down the street.]

You don't have any preferences?

[beenwaitinglong]

I don't know.

[He shrugs his shoulders slightly, staring straight ahead.]

I still don't know if I can handle it at all.

[proxysearch]

[She touches his arm gently.]

I think you can. But do you want to give it a try?

[beenwaitinglong]

[This would be the time when he'd say something cryptic or noncommittal.

Not today, though.]

I'm afraid of what it will mean to my feelings for her.

[proxysearch]

[She slowly frowns, her grip tightening on his arm.]

You still love her, right? No one ever said you couldn't care about more than one person, Diego.

[beenwaitinglong]

Of course I still love her. But I-

[He grits his teeth, frustrated, wanting to stop speaking but something compelling him to just be out with it.]

I only wanted it to be her. Sitting across from me at dinner or walking down the street. To have someone else in that memory is...

[proxysearch]

[Oh, wow, doesn't she feel terrible for having brought him out here. She lets him go, trying not to act like she's just been stung. She glances away.]

Difficult. I'm sorry, I should have thought of that.