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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:11 am
When they reached the other half of the tent Candace stopped and eyed Jerry, watching him silently.
...He didn't want to be with her. It hurt. Her eyes burned and she sniffed a bit as she stepped away from Jerry, gesturing to the coffee station. "There's coffee over here. I'll pick out a meal for you, 'kay?" Despite not being in the sleeping half of the tent she still kept her voice soft. She didn't want to disturb the hunters that were already here. It was a tent for resting. While she didn't want to be alone, with the way Jerry was acting she was almost beginning to think maybe she should have chosen better company. Jerry used to be her Jerrbear, the person she would go to when she really needed cheering up. Not anymore, apparently.
It hurt a lot.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:42 am
Jerry didn't know how to feel. Maybe a hot meal would change that, he wasn't sure. Maybe she would get bored of him again and go find the Doctor. Maybe she wouldn't. It didn't seem like she was lacking... support.
They could die at any moment.
He shouldn't be holding a grudge, he really shouldn't... but how was he supposed to trust her when all evidence pointed against her?
We're all mad here, a voice in the back of his head that wasn't Roar purred. They all had their... quirks. That was... just Candace's.
He knew he had plenty. Too many. He was starting to shake his phobia, at least... or was too tired and numb to register it, he wasn't quite sure. But for all his faults, he at least tried to do well by others. Do his best to be the nicest he could be and hope to get through life balancing out his karma somehow. Candace... Candace had hurt him. And continued to do so, without meaning it. So what if he had wanted a little quiet time with another friend. He had lots of friends. What did she care what he did with who? He had been trying to act indifferent to her own choice of company.
"Have you seen Harrison since we got back? He... he was in bad shape," Neutral ground. United by concern for a friend? Harrison was tough, though, his wounds emotional. He'd be fine. Besides, he imagined and trusted Jordan to be on the case. "Emotionally," He added, to set any fears aside.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:09 am
Candace had sifted through the assorted MREs until she found one that Jerry might like. Beef brisket. Passover was soon, right? Maybe he'd like brisket. As for her? Spaghetti with meat sauce. It'd been far too long since she'd had an actual meal, even if it was something out of a bag. This was more than she'd have had ever since the damn kitchen was destroyed. Candace's hands shook a little as she recalled the kitchen along with the reason it was destroyed.
She'd been such a b***h to Julie that night...
Taking a deep breath to keep her composure, Candace set the two MREs down on a table and sat, checking the back for instructions. Angle it on "a rock or something".
Were they for real with that? Seriously now?
Candace was doing anything she could to get her mind off the mission. Off her issues. Off anything not food or pleasantries. Jerry had other ideas, and at his mention of Harrison she tensed. Bad shape? No..n-no. How was he in bad shape?! She'd seen him collapse. Was he dying?! Was he hurt?! The last conversation they'd had together..no! They couldn't...no! Candace turned wide, glassy eyes up to Jerry. She did look fairly relieved by his addition of 'emotionally' but that didn't make her worries go away. "...He liked Julie, I think. You know, as a friend." She frowned. She was the closest thing the Moon division had to a leader at the present as well, at least until the actual leader returned from wherever they were. If they returned.
No, don't think like that.
"I...I haven't seen him, no. I went straight to the interview tent and then I just wanted to sleep. Where is he..?" Candace was trying to multitask, opening the kits to see what was inside. Okay so how did this work..it didn't look too difficult. Fill with water, check. Fold an end, incline the pouch, let it cook for ten to twelve minutes. That wasn't hard. If she figured this out maybe she could find soup or something and make one of those to bring to Harrison. Had he eaten lately? They'd been on mission for awhile now. It felt like it'd been ages.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:27 am
He tried, in vane, to clean his glasses again. It didn't work out. He carefully placed them back on his face, trying to make sense of the brown packets on the table, "I... I should go make sure he's alright," He mumbled, mind much in the same place. "What's er... on the menu?" He managed. He should probably make something for Sasha, she'd like waking up to a hot meal, right? Did she prefer coffee or tea, he didn't know. Was there even any tea? He thought he had heard something about cocoa, that might be a good bet...
His head throbbed. Food and drink. He needed food and drink.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:38 am
"..How? You can barely see." Candace pointed out gently, noting how he kept trying to clean his glasses. Without his glasses he was nearly blind, she could only imagine what is must be like with dirty glasses. Poor guy. "Spaghetti for me, beef brisket for you. Is that okay?" She should've asked, but she just assumed he'd like the brisket. She'd already started it too and she had a strong feeling the hunters would not appreciate wasted food; if he didn't eat it she would herself! Or she'd bring it to Harrison. Someone would eat it.
"These need time to cook. Do you want help with the coffee?" Candace asked as she stood and moved away from the table, perusing through their options at the coffee station. Sigh. She kind of missed Starbucks. "I'd offer to clean your glasses but I'm as dirty as you are. Maybe we can find like...towels or something. Somewhere. Ohhh, the snow! Maybe we could use the snow to wash them? Melt it down to water.." That made sense to her! "No spares?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:43 am
"The sand did a number on them," He flushed in embarrassment. "Um. N-no spares, no. Not with me." Yet another thing he should have packed. Dammit. He needed to invest in a courier bag for these things. "B-brisket sounds... sounds..." He swallowed, brows twitching before he pulled his phone out of his coat pocket, arranging his glasses again to peer past the scratches, "God... Ahahahaa... ahahahahaha. Ahahaha I knew it was soon but..."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:52 am
Oh dear. That wasn't good. Jerry needed to be able to see, especially if they were going to be fighting anything. "Maybe you can ask and see if you can get your spares off the island? It's only a portal away..." Candace watched him as he checked his phone, looking unsure of if this was a good reaction or not. He was laughing. Was brisket a bad idea? "Everything okay? I can pick something else if you want..."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:55 am
"No, no it's perfect," He sniffed, eyes watering again and he blotted them away with his shirt sleeve, "Ahaha... apparently... it's Passover. If this clock is right, I have no idea anymore. I guess the plagues... didn't pass us over huh? Ahahahahaha.... ahahah..." There was a touch of manic to his laugh, but... brisket did sound ridiculously sentimental right then, even if it came from a packet. "Shame we don't have any wine." Before she could even quip, he glanced up with both hands raised, "Don't worry. I'm... I'm not drinking anymore." Killzone made that very clear.
What he really wanted right then was a good bottle of scotch.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:09 am
Candace was surprised to hear it was perfect, feeling a swell of pride for once. She didn't mess it up. She'd done something that made him happy. Candace actually smiled, a genuine smile for once. "Is it? Wow, I didn't realize...well, good. I'm glad you like brisket. As for the plagues.." Candace looked toward the exit of the tent. True enough...Julie and the other hunters were their...'taken sons'. She cleared her throat and forced herself not to think about it.
She didn't even so much as give Jerry a stern look when he lamented over their lack of wine, simply chuckling and shaking her head. "It only bothered me that you hid it, remember? I'm glad, though. You're doing very well, I'm proud!" She hummed cheerfully as she went about making a cup of coffee for the man, offering the cup to Jerry when it was finished. "Careful, it's hot. We can pretend this is wine, 'kay?" Granted it was nothing like wine but it was the thought that counts.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:17 am
His eyes slightly glassy behind his frosted lenses, he bit his lip a moment, still stifling slight unhinged giggles as he put his hand on the back of his head, holding the coffee cup up before mumbling in Hebrew under his breath. "It means, Thanks for the creation of fruit of the vine," His mouth was trembling in its forced smile as he took a careful sip.
She remembered how he liked it. Lots of creamer, a little bit of sugar.
"You... you were right to be concerned. First step is.. is admitting you have a problem. And... and I suppose I had a problem. Simon was ready to shoot me after that Yeti incident..." He flushed, setting the coffee down to experimentally poke at their cooking meal. "I can't... can't be reliant on it."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:55 am
The Hebrew surprised her, not because she didn't expect Jerry to know it but because she didn't expect him to speak it right then, nor did she have...any idea what he said. Thankfully it came with a translation an she smiled. "I see! That's really interesting. You were speaking Hebrew before too, right? I've never heard you speak it before." By before she did mean the Sahara but she didn't mention that. Just focus on the language. Happy topics. Bring it back, Candace. Keep things pleasant. It was getting somewhat less depressing and awkward now. She prepared a cup of coffee for herself as well, sipping it carefully as he explained she had been right all along.
She was so proud of him.
"The yeti incident? What did you do? Aside from uh...throw up polar bear guts all over William? That was damn funny, by the way. Disgusting, but hilarious." She chuckled, grinning now as she checked on their meals. Almost finished. She was glad he recognized he should be reliant on the alcohol though. If only she could be less reliant on certain things as well.
Candace couldn't bring herself to give up on what made her feel good though. There were so little things she could gain access to to make herself happy lately. "Yeah...um.." Candace cheeks flushed, looking down at her reflection in the coffee. "Jerry, I have...I..I wanted to ask you something. A favor, really." One she had a feeling he would say no to but she wanted to try anyway. She had to try.
"Do you think we could...sleep together tonight? Like we used to? Just this once?" She didn't mean sex. Candace just missed being held by him as she slept. She'd completely understand if he said no, but she wanted to try.
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:34 am
"Yeah I um. S-sort of.... was drinking at the time." He flushed, not looking proud of the fact. At her question, he nearly spat out his coffee, but swallowed diplomatically.
Even so, his face went redder.
"I.... I don't think that... that would be a good idea."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:17 pm
...Blushing. Why the ******** is he blushing. Candace kind of just stared. "...Normally I would be like 'okay I understand' but...I have to know. Why would that not be a good idea, Jerry." What was going through his mind. It couldn't possibly be what she thought it was..
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:25 pm
Jerry half sighed, half groaned, slumping forward to rest his head on the table top. "Candace... Look. Look, I'm... I'm trying really hard to... to be okay about all of this. But. But you have to remember. I'm not okay." He drew in a sharp breath, straightening up and once again attempted to arrange his glasses, "Especially when... when you start this mission off-" He shook his head. What was the point? She didn't understand.
The first step was admitting you had a problem.
He drew in a sharp breath, shifting his glasses to peer at which meal in the heating sack was his before juggling it in his scarf so he wouldn't burn himself as he lifted it, "Never mind. I'll... I'll talk to you later, Candace."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:02 pm
Candace watched him, her heart sinking at the sight. She knew he wasn't okay but...wouldn't..wouldn't he like that she was choosing seeking comfort in him over H? She wanted Jerry to hold her. She wanted Jerry. But he didn't want her. He really didn't want her. This wasn't fair.
It wasn't. Fair.
Her eyes burned as she turned her gaze down to stare at her meal. She could smell it. It'd been long enough, right? It should be about finished. "What if you can't talk to me later." She choked out quietly, sniffing and rubbing her eyes with a clean part of her scarf.
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