Secluded, private spot in the woods [afternoon, prior to newsletter meeting] [NFB]

[auroryborealis]

Rory had picked a very shady spot today and was lying on her back, fanning herself with a book and stretching out her feet in the hopes that they'd feel a little better after her workshop that morning.

And, naturally, she was waiting for someone. Why else would she hang out in the woods when she had an air-conditioned cabin?

Comments

[emo_padawan]

That person would appreciate her sacrifice except that person was from the desert and the weather wasn't bothering him.

"Hey," he said, smiling.

[auroryborealis]

"Hi," she drawled whinily, looking up sadly at him. "It's hot. And my feet hurt!"

[emo_padawan]

"It's not that hot," Anakin said, sitting down next to her. "Why do your feet hurt?"

[auroryborealis]

"Cal took my shoes and made me run around barefoot," she said poutily.

[emo_padawan]

Anakin leaned over to steal a quick kiss. "Thank you," he said softly.

[auroryborealis]

Rory smiled. "So how has everything else gone? Aside from the time you've been spending with the supposedly cute girl. I don't think I need to hear about her."

[emo_padawan]

Anakin laughed, then sobered up. "Have you talked with Molly recently?" he asked. "I ran into her in the gym yesterday."

[auroryborealis]

Rory's expression went carefully neutral. "She's my cabinmate. Of course I talked to her. What'd you guys discuss?"

[emo_padawan]

"She didn't say," Anakin replied. "I don't understand it."

[auroryborealis]

Rory sighed. "I don't know what to do. Cam's vacillating and someone needs to get him to stick to decision that'll make them both happy or she's just going to get more hurt. Or someone else will. It's not worth the hurt feelings over this."

She might have been just a bit emphatic given that this was not, in fact, her own problem.

[emo_padawan]

"I told her to kick him," Anakin said, nodding. "I might take my own advice." He tilted his head and looked at Rory. "This striking a little close to home for you?"

[auroryborealis]

"Little bit," she said, not looking at him. "He needs to be smacked before someone else gets hurt. It's that simple."

[emo_padawan]

Anakin ran a fingertip down Rory's cheek. "I trust you," he said, looking into her eyes. "You wouldn't hurt me like that."

[auroryborealis]

Rory gave him a soft smile. "And then I got hurt just as badly as I hurt both of them - probably worse, actually, but I deserved it if we're thinking karmically. I'm overidentifying with the whole situation and just want to make Molly feel better. And get Cam to hurry up and figure it out and stop messing with her."

[emo_padawan]

"Molly seems pretty certain that they're staying with the friendship thing," Anakin said, linking his fingers through Rory's. "And she's trying very hard to pretend that she's okay with that."

[auroryborealis]

"Poor Molly. That's so hard, being friends with someone when you really want to be more," Rory said softly, scooting closer. "I remember that much from a slightly more recent experience."

[emo_padawan]

"Is it always complicated?" Anakin asked, smiling down at her. "I'm not exactly an expert on this kind of thing."

[auroryborealis]

"There are always issues," Rory said. "I never told you that Dean and I broke up for a little while because I couldn't...say something that he wanted to hear, for instance. There are always complications, even in the most functional relationships."

She reached up and played with his braid. "You and I are pretty complicated, too, if you think about it."

[emo_padawan]

"Complicated?" Anakin bit his lip, eyes twinkling. "How could a relationship that needs to be kept secret possibly be complicated?"

He toyed with Rory's ponytail. "I think it was worth it, though," he said, suddenly serious.

[auroryborealis]

"It is worth it," she said softly. "Present tense. It's still July. But even beyond the secret thing, we're complicated. All good relationships are."