"She hates my guts, Clark, and she's either terrible at hiding it or just doesn't care if I know." Anna sighs. "I tried to make nice at the engagement party and she pretty much acted like a walrus defending his harem."
"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure she hates my guts again now, so I don't think you have much to worry about," he advises wryly. "Not that you would, but there you go."
She smiles ruefully, shaking her head. "Nah, I'm not worried about you going after her. She's betrothed, for fuck's sake; crazy alien drugs aside, you've got more integrity than that."
This leaves the question of what, exactly, she is worried about entirely open.
"That's not what I meant." Because honestly, going after Lana really hasn't even entered his mind, because of what Anna just said - she's betrothed. And he has a girlfriend.
"Seeing as how you're still upset and I'm still feeling guilty beyond belief, no, I don't think we have. But I'm not sure what to do about either of that."
"You don't need to feel guilty for what you do when you're on red K, Clark. And yeah, I know, you're still going to feel guilty anyways. But at least I tried, right?"
Tiny smile.
"And as for me... I think I'd have to figure out what exacly I'm upset about before I could get started fixing it." She sighs again.
"I would think knowing your boyfriend was making out with and proposing to other women all day, regardless of outside influences, would be pretty upsetting," he offers for starters. "I am sorry about everything."
"Strangely enough, I'm pretty calm about that part," Anna admits. "Like I said, we've been over it: you have feelings for Lana, but it doesn't have to affect our relationship. The fact that you did all that while on red K proves the first half, and..." She smiles. "The fact that you're still here apologizing to me proves the second."
"I..." Clark really doesn't know what to say to that. "It's... not habit exactly, but well, I've been saying it to her for years, now. It's ... easy, in a way." He shrugs, still not looking at Anna. "I don't know how else to explain it."
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This leaves the question of what, exactly, she is worried about entirely open.
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"But good, because that's not going to happen."
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Uncomfortable shrug.
"So is that it for today's unpleasantly honest relationship talk?"
Why yes, she can make fun of their mildly peculiar methods of communication.
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"No, somehow I'm not getting the sense we've resolved much yet."
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"You don't need to feel guilty for what you do when you're on red K, Clark. And yeah, I know, you're still going to feel guilty anyways. But at least I tried, right?"
Tiny smile.
"And as for me... I think I'd have to figure out what exacly I'm upset about before I could get started fixing it." She sighs again.
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So she draws her knees up to her chest and rests her chin on them, staring out at the wall.
"It gets tough to remember you care about me," she says softly, "when you go through a day like this ignoring me in favour of everyone else."
Restless shrug.
"It's not hearing you tell Lana you were in love with her that upset me so much as the fact that..."
No matter her resolution that she's going to be straightforward: it's still difficult to say this.
"...that you'll say it to her and not me."
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Oh.
Oh.
"I..." Clark really doesn't know what to say to that. "It's... not habit exactly, but well, I've been saying it to her for years, now. It's ... easy, in a way." He shrugs, still not looking at Anna. "I don't know how else to explain it."
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"Right," she says, clearly unsatisfied.
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