A Totally Reputable Salvage Run [Private]

[AnimeEyeshime]

Under the pressure of her secret and not really wanting to be thought an idiot either, Dacj replied in a snap, "I can bloody well sense Contractor magic, all right?" It was part of the truth, and pried unwillingly from the kraken, but better that than be thought completely reckless...by Sorcha of all people! She didn't like the sound of that sigh of the other woman's, either. She determinedly fixed her gaze on one of the non-magic swords, as if it had quite suddenly become very fascinating, perhaps manifesting some hitherto unknown quality out of the blue.

[Lord of the Deep]

Sorcha blinked a bit surprised, though whether by Dacj's admission or her temper was uncertain "Well why didn't you just say so? Dacj your acting a bit strange is some thing wrong?" Sorcha's tone was a bit worried as she asked.

[AnimeEyeshime]

Dacj laughed, but it was hollow and entirely unmirthful. "You're not going to ask why?" she asked dryly. "Of course nothing's wrong. It's natural. Cycle of bloody life..." There was no mistaking the kraken was quite irritated, even if it wasn't apparent as to quite what had set her off. The foul mood had come upon her quickly, and it was probably there to stay for some time yet.

[I hate it when she gets angry,] Elti confided in Seth, sounding very much like a small child cowering in fear of something. Whether the Ti'ama had been 'listening in' all along or Dacj's sudden temper had alerted her to the situation at hand, it wasn't clear.

[Seth_Avi]

Seth had to wonder if Dacj's sudden temper flare was due in part to the topic of her concealed magic. Elti's private remark to him seemed to indicate as much. [She's only human,] he reminded her. [Well, half human.] They needed a better reworking of that saying to apply to Hytes. "Perhaps we should keep moving," the cheetah Hyte suggested, attempting to diffuse the situation before any feelings were hurt. "Eli and Elti are probably on their way down below by now."

[Lord of the Deep]

Seth was unfortunately just a bit late in his attempt as Dacj had just managed to hit a nerve. "No. What's the point in trying to understand some on who doesn't trust you enough to tell you any thing, keep your stupid secrets." Sorcha said with an acidic tone. She realized that this was the first time she'd expressed discontent to Dacj, well that was fine even if may be she shouldn't have let Dacj's temper draw out hers in turn. She then choose to follow Seth's advice moving quickly from the room and going to the next one.

[AnimeEyeshime]

[Yes. She has her faults. I am not always sure her anger is one of them.] It had its place, after all--she'd extended the offer to Dacj precisely because she was angry, on Eli's behalf. [This, however, has been some time in coming. It is not good for her to hide things so.]

Dacj had been ready to fire back some tetchy thing--but Sorcha's own acidity stopped the kraken right in her tracks. She could feel herself freeze with the shock, her anger turning to ice inside as she gaped after the retreating Sorcha. Did--wait!--was she right? Did she not really trust Sorcha? If she were to compare between the redhead, and, say, Seth...she told Seth almost everything, save her own shameful secret concerning him. And she kept that to herself....well, because she was afraid he'd leave if he knew. If she could know that he'd shrug it off, act like nothing had happened--well, she might very well have told him of her crush then. He knew everything else about her.

But--what had she really told Sorcha? Searching through her mind, she wasn't sure. She'd maybe mentioned things in passing, in a dismissing kind of way. It was easier, somehow, to pretend with Sorcha that her life was so much simpler than it was To pretend that maybe she was the normal one in the relationship. Even if it was a boldfaced lie...

She didn't notice her clubs wrap around herself, draping over her forearms and around her waist like she was trying to give herself a hug. She didn't blame Sorcha for being upset--why wouldn't she be, with such a horrible person for a girlfriend? Why did the other Hyte even put up with her at all? Surely...Sorcha had to be some kind of glutton for punishment, to have stuck with things for this long without a word to the contrary.

[Seth_Avi]

Seth watched with silently as Sorcha lashed out at Dacj and promptly left the room, leaving him and the kraken Hyte behind. Dacj, seeming almost to be in a state of shock, appeared to be rooted to the spot. As her clubs wrapped about her in a self hug, he padded over next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You should go talk with her," he said quietly, belatedly realizing that the black box had resumed its clicking and subtly stepping out of its line of sight. "She cares for you, you know." In ways that I never will, was the unspoken finish to the statement. Certainly, he cared for Dacj too, but only as a friend and someday sister. The cow Hyte was her girlfriend, and yet she seemed to be completely in the dark on things. "She deserves to know."

[AnimeEyeshime]

"But I--" Dacj started in automatic protest, a troubled expression settling on her face. It hadn't been so much a question of Sorcha deserving to know...had it? It'd seemed more like...like Dacj wanted to control her perception of reality. It was nice to pretend. Even if it wasn't fair. "I don't even want to know," she mumbled, knowing it for the lame excuse it was. But it wasn't her needs that were important right now, was it?

Even now, somewhere, things were starting to move--if the Empire tried to come after Eli tomorrow...well, Sorcha "deserved" to have an idea of what being involved with Dacj was going to mean at that time. If she even still wanted to be involved when that time came, tomorrow or two weeks from now, or months or years into the future. It felt somehow ironic that it was Seth urging her to full disclosure. The one person she actively tried to hide one single thing from...

Because she hadn't really meant to hide anything from Sorcha. It was just so much easier to forget the unpleasantries and just take advantage of the woman's cheerful, can-do attitude. But it was taking advantage, and Sorcha deserved better than that. "I...take this," she said suddenly, pushing the black box into his hands--thankfully (for him) with the magic sensor pointed away from the cheetah. "I'm going ahead." She hurried out to try and locate Sorcha--there were a few rooms she might've gone into.

[Seth_Avi]

The cheetah Hyte's eyes went wide with surprise when she shoved the sensor into his free hand, but thankfully it didn't go off. His flashlight followed her path out of the room as he watched her go before he turned his attention back to the sensor in his hand. "..." Idly, he lowered a finger in front of the thing and listened to it click rapidly for a moment before he removed the digit again. Troublesome little thing, but still very helpful for their purposes at least. I suppose I'll just wait in here a bit, he mused, flashlight running over the weapons once more. He'd give the girls a few minutes alone before attempting to seek them out.

[Lord of the Deep]

Sorcha herself was fretting at this point. She had needed to talk with Dacj about the secrets thing at this point it bothered her too much, but she should have done it better shouldn't have lashed out. Sorcha was a bit worried that Dacj would be angry well angry at her instead of just irritated in general and worried that she had hurt her friend. An old worry at the back of Sorcha's mind had raised up at the clash of words "So I guess...we can try it? " Dacj's word's from the start of their relationship had decidedly lacked in enthusiasm and while they hugged and kissed Dacj was physical with every one, Dacj had never actually said she loved her. It was a small worry one Sorcha rarely bothered to look at, but that distress she felt when Dacj didn't trust her with more then her public face struck notes on that deeper chord.

Noticing that she was alone and had not been followed Sorcha turned and walked back the way she had come running into Dacj "I.. um" Sorcha stammered awkwardly she couldn't take back what she had said it was true but she shouldn't have said it to hurt "Sorry" she finished.

[AnimeEyeshime]

Dacj ran into Sorcha with a little 'oof', tentacles wriggling out of the way of hooves as fast as possible. She drew back slightly to get a better look at the redhead, who looked worried--and her awkward words sort of confirmed it. "Don't be sorry," the kraken advised almost fiercely, as her hands balled into fists. "You told me what you felt. There's nothing wrong with that."

"You...you probably should've told me awhile ago," Dacj added, self-consciously. But that wasn't right either, she wasn't trying to blame Sorcha for her own thickheadedness...it kind of sounded like it though, didn't it? She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm kind of an idiot. It's my fault. I didn't mean--I wasn't trying to hurt you, Sorcha. It was just...nice to ignore things sometimes? And I guess I thought that by keeping you unaware of it, that meant I didn't have to face it either and--"

She took a deep breath, and took Sorcha's hands in her own as she met her girlfriend's eyes squarely. It was time to be honest. "A long while back--Eltimion made me a Blossom. I've got magic. She wants me to Contract, of course, but I...I don't want it. I made Eli seal everything away, but I've been getting these dreams and I think I had a former life on Phanes and the me-of-then is trying to tell me something now..." The kraken's voice faltered as tears pooled up in her eyes. Putting it all out so starkly was hard to bear. She broke off the gaze to stare at the floor instead as her eyes watered, and she continued wearily. "And I'm scared, and I'm tired, and I really wish my life could be normal." Her clubs unconsciously moved to encircle Sorcha loosely, as if soliciting a hug.

[Lord of the Deep]

Sorcha smiled timidly at Dacj's reassurance about her actions "Yes, but I should have said it better not lashed out." At Dacj's explanation of her silence that knot of worry she had felt melted and washed away. Sorcha gave Dacj a fierce hug holding on to her as if she wanted to block all the world away from Dacj. With what she knew of the empire Sorcha realized that saying everything would be alright would ring a bit hollow so she gave the best she could "No matter what happens I'll be here for you." There was an almost fierce sincerity to her voice Sorcha wish she could protect Dacj from all the world but realized with a pang that she couldn't, not from the empire not yet.

[AnimeEyeshime]

Dacj welcomed the embrace with perhaps an edge of desperation, arms squeezing around Sorcha with equal intensity, and several tentacles wrapped around for good measure as well. A dry sob wracked the kraken's body as she buried her face somewhere in the vicinity of Sorcha's collarbone. "I am really, really sorry," she said miserably, in between shuddering breaths that were her attempt at composure. How much had Sorcha suffered because of her own selfishness? She was so busy being worried about Seth and other frivolous things, and she'd never stopped to consider how...how maddening Dacj herself could be. And in spite of that, Sorcha was still willing to stand by her side...

"I don't know why you like me so much. I don't deserve you," the kraken mumbled, her words muffled further by virtue of the fact she was pressed against Sorcha tightly.

[Lord of the Deep]

Sorcha smiled a bit and stroked Dacj's back with one hand "It's alright, I'm glad you where finally able to tell me." happiness at Dacj's confidence with her mixing with her desire to protect her. "You have plenty of good points my love and every one has their own faults, just because you have a few your self doesn't mean you don't deserve to be loved."

[AnimeEyeshime]

"Unconditionally?" Dacj asked skeptically, turning her head to the side to speak more clearly. "Not sure what I've done to inspire such loyalty that you'd promise to be there no matter what." And really, what had she done right? Agreeing to this trip, maybe... "But I'm thankful for it anyway."