(Untitled)

[turns_to_fire]

WHO: Roberto and Amara
WHAT: Roberto has been going off somewhere for the past week or so. Amara is suspect and confronts him
WHERE: Seattle; Roberto's place
WHEN: 11/13, evening
WARNINGS: Angst, mentions of substance abuse, things going on fire

Comments

[dacosta_pi]

It was another night and another meeting; yesterday had been Narcotics Anonymous and tonight was Alcoholics--and yet all the faces were starting to blur together. Similar stories told by different people of different genders, races, and creeds. And yet the varied storytellers made things easier. There were so many people like him.

The meetings were helping him cope very slowly, but surely. However, it still didn't help much with the trauma and self-loathing he got from being a victim. That was the one thing that set Bobby apart from the other addicts, and that was that he never made the choice to abuse his substance. He was tricked into it--forced, in a sense. It made the whole ordeal all the more violating and shameful.

Like every other night after his meeting, he grabbed himself a newspaper at the corner store, and tucked it under his arm as he entered his room. What he didn't expect to see was his girlfriend sitting on his bed. It would have been a pleasant surprise if she didn't look so angry, though. Mãe do deus, what did he do

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Amara had been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn't even noticed him come in. The angry look gave way to a surprised one and she forced herself to remain calm. It was very tempting to just stand up and grab him by the shirt, shaking him until he gave up where he was. That would only lead to a fight and maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had gotten a job. Maybe there was some legitimate reason why he was keeping quiet about his whereabouts. Innocent until proven guilty, right?

She uncrossed her arms, leaning back on them, not getting off the bed. Amara looked up at him evenly, one hand reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear absently. Her body looked a lot more relaxed than before, more warm and welcoming and less “STAY BACK IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU.”

"I was waiting for you to come back."

She was clearly asking, Well? Where have you been? with her look alone. If he was smart, he would give up the information before she had to force it out of him. It wasn't that Amara didn't trust him but if they were actually dating, he

[dacosta_pi]

"Oh. Well, hi."

He chuckled a little bit and tossed the paper onto one of the dressers before hanging up his jacket. Since he'd had nothing else planned besides continuing his search for work and more anonymous meetings, it was probably better to place the paper off to the side for now so that she wouldn't get suspicious about it. Roberto wasn't really ready to share the news about his meetings yet; he wanted to try and help himself on his own and in private for now. Maybe once he got his six month or one year award he'd be ready to share.

As for her subtle hinting for answers, it wasn't going to come that easy. And since she didn't ask outright, Roberto saw no need to scramble for a cover up answer. Casual conversation was what he was sticking with!

"It's too bad you hadn't come over earlier, menina. I finally peeled off that t-shirt you got me to wash it," he told her with a smirk. "It'll be plenty worked-in in no time, now."

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"Well, actually, I've been waiting here for more than an hour," Amara wasn't going to let him get away with changing the subject. Not this time. "Where were you?"

That was a legitimate question, wasn't it? She sounded curious, not accusing-- for now. Amara noticed the newspaper and she felt a little relieved. Maybe he really was job hunting. She hoped. She was still lounging on the bed, just watching him carefully. He wouldn't lie right to her face.

[dacosta_pi]

"Out," he stated simply, keeping the word vague and simple. Not angry or defensive because the last thing he wanted was to have another fight this week--and with the way his temper had been recently, it'd be too easy to cause a fuss.

"Might have found a job, though. It's still a maybe, so I have been keeping my eyes open still," he changed the subject, and sat on the bed next to his that used to belong to Bruce. "I really want to get my own place as soon as possible. Know what I'm saying?"

[turns_to_fire]

Amara got up to go sit next to him on Bruce's old bed, turning so she was facing him fully. It was part of psychological warfare-- don't let the person escape, ever. She took his hand in one of hers, lacing their fingers together.

"Oh, so you were out job hunting?"

An innocent enough question. She would be really happy for him, if that was the case. No doubt it would get him out of the house and away from thinking about the wine. Not to mention he always seemed much happier when he had cash in his pocket.

[dacosta_pi]

Aw crap. Mostly he couldn't outright and blatantly lie to her because that would be so very rude. Right? Though Roberto was very, very tempted to do it. After all, this was his business and no one else's; doctors wouldn't have confidentiality laws if people weren't entitled to keeping things to themselves!

So instead of lying, he continued to dance around the subject and hoped that Amara would just take a hint. It wasn't too much to ask!

"Kinda. I went and bought the paper so I could look some more," Roberto explained. "Uh. Do you know anywhere that's hiring?"

It was worth a shot, okay? Shut up.

[turns_to_fire]

"What does 'kinda' mean? You either were or weren't, Roberto." Now the aggravation was creeping back on her face. He was definitely hiding something. Roberto was such a horrific liar. Her grasp in his hand tightened. She wasn't going to let him slither out of this, not a chance.

That shot completely failed.

[dacosta_pi]

"Exactly what I said. I went out and bought a paper," he snapped, and moved to pull his hand away from her. This was not the time to be interrogated! The night had been overwhelming enough having to deal with real problems, and this wasn't even something worth getting mad over!

"What's it matter? Am I not allowed to leave my house without your permission all of a sudden!?"

Really, Bobby was trying not to sound mad, but it was starting to fail.

[turns_to_fire]

Amara didn't want to fight but with Roberto, it seemed inevitable. How were they ever going to survive being in a relationship together?

"Because you've been going somewhere every day and you're hiding it from me!" She was really more hurt than angry. After all they had been through, Amara hoped that he did trust her.

She folded her arms over her chest. "Don't you trust me?"

[dacosta_pi]

That question made Roberto narrow his eyes to small slits. Since when was this even about trust!? Going out for an hour and a half to two hours every night on his own wasn't something he expected he should have had to come clean about--especially when it was something that he was doing to benefit and better himself physically AND mentally! This wasn't about anyone else but himself, and Roberto wanted to keep it that way.

"Yes, I trust you! If you even thought for one second that I didn't trust you, then I'd seriously be pissed!" he argued. "This isn't even about trust, though, it's about my privacy! If I want to go out, then I can. Simple as that."

[turns_to_fire]

"This isn't about where you're going, it's about the fact that you're hiding where you're going. Did you just think I wouldn't notice? And then instead of giving me a straight answer, you give me the run around. That's suspicious and insulting."

Especially when she was so worried about him. It wasn't like she wanted him to check in with her every day or anything but just not HIDE whatever it is he's doing. It was so aggravating and self centered of Roberto, it just made her want to punch him.

"If you're drinking that wine again or doing anything else you feel you have to hide, I'd rather you tell me."

[dacosta_pi]

"Anything else I'd like to hide? What's that supposed to mean!?" Roberto exclaimed with irritation. Amara's words were so accusatory and they'd really fucking hurt if it wasn't for the fact that he was feeling so angry about it right then. It was bad enough that she'd just jumped to the conclusion that he was probably drinking again, but 'other things' too!?

[turns_to_fire]

"I don't even know what I mean anymore!" Amara threw her hands up, so very clearly aggravated. "If it's so bad that you have to sneak around, then I don't even know." She didn't know and it frightened her. What if he was doing something to hurt himself again? She wasn't sure she could handle it.

"Why can't you see things from my point of view? One day you're fine, then you're addicted to some fake god's wine, and then you're hiding things. How would that look to you?"

[dacosta_pi]

"He wasn't fake. There was nothing fake about him, Amara, because if there was then I wouldn't have been tricked into being a fucking addict to begin with!" Roberto argued. Of all the things to get annoyed with right then, it was the idea that he'd just gone and gotten himself fucked up by...by some fake person!

He got to his feet then and started pacing. The effects of his powers were swirling along his skin and threatening to cackle with energy. Since Roberto hadn't been using his powers as much lately, it almost felt like he was storing way more sun than usual and that sure didn't help his control any.

"You're just really not one to talk. You had a big ordeal awhile back, too, and you go off gallivanting around with your friends whenever you feel like it and that's perfectly acceptable, apparently. Yet I want time alone...an hour a day, and it's a crime!"

[turns_to_fire]

For a few seconds, all Amara could do was gape at him. Logic had never been Roberto's strong point but this was really reaching. She prickled; why was he bringing up something that happened so long ago that she just wanted to forget? Amara had finally stopped having nightmares, finally became able to sleep through the night without seeing what happened to Antonio, and he was going to bring it up like this? Really?

"I don't 'gallivant'! And what does that have to do with this situation at all? I don't recall ever lying to you about anything!!"

He had hit a very sore point and her voice was raised to the point of almost screaming. The ends of her hair were burning dangerously, the room heating up like an oven. The ground hadn't started to tremble... yet.