|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
 Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 7:42 pm
"Hm?"
She'd been distracted again, this time with matters far less thought provoking and far more depressing. So when the sun hunter spoke up, Petra visibly had to refocus her attention, her eyebrows furrowing a bit as she picked up what he said, her hand lifting again to rest on his shoulder. "You're not 'gabbing' Jerry. You are doing me a huge favor," she replied gently, her tone completely genuine, "You're filling me in."
She almost said 'you're talking to me.' Almost. But that seemed a little needy to her, that she valued his companionship so much, so she kept it to herself.
"Things have been fine, for the most part. Robert and I are... doing well. I've been busy a lot, so I've been spending most of my free time with him, because if I take him on missions things don't get done. You know how he is," she replied, sighing a little. "I..."
Pausing a second, the moon trainee hesitated, withdrawing her hand again.
"I've missed you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 8:13 pm
Jerry hadn't seemed to notice the hand until it was suddenly gone, his shoulders tensing as he turned to glance to her in disbelief. "M-missed me?' His face went red once again and immediately became interested in his coffee, only to be disappointed there was only a sip left. A tiny, slightly bitter-at-Robert part of him grunted that she very well could have come found him if she had missed him so much, but he quickly shoved it back down with a gulp of the remaining lukewarm coffee.
He shifted nervously, "I... I've missed you too," He smiled softly, "Would have loved to see you audition for the Hunter Choir, ahahaha... um. Um. W-would you like a refill?" He nearly leaped to his feet, his stiff right leg getting caught on the bench on his way past, and he gave a frustrated noise as he guided his ankle free to stand like a normal human being. He started to wobble to the coffee kiosk before doubling back to retrieve his cup and actually wait for her answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 10:34 pm
For a second she wondered if perhaps she'd said something wrong. Jerry turned his attention to his coffee, his body seeming to become taut as he focused intently on his almost empty cup. Even as he gave her that little smile, and told her that he missed her as well, his nervous shift did little to quell her uncertainty -- an unusual emotion for the moon trainee. Then again, everything was unusual for her, when it came to her relationship with Jerry. Possibly because she cared so much about what he thought. Robert she had known her entire life, but the sun hunter she hadn't known all that long at all, and perhaps part of her still worried that he might find something about her, someday, that he didn't like, and he'd be gone.
Laughing a little under her breath, Petra shook her head when he mentioned the Hunter Choir he'd set up, reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "Probably for the best. I can't sing. You were going to try to teach me, but then I..."
Drifting off, she blinked as the other hunter stood up quickly, watching as his brace got caught as he tried to make his escape. Once again she seemed concerned, half-standing as he started to return for his forgotten coffee cup.
"Are you alright? What happened to your leg?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 10:49 pm
"W-wrong end of a horseman," He mumbled, even his ears were red this time as he patted his jumpsuit until it covered his leg again. He cleared his throat and wet his lips, straightening again, "I s-still could, you know! Most of the time it's just a matter of confidence! And if not.... w-well... I could... could teach you some guitar?" Right. Coffee. The smile had returned to his face at least, albeit tinged with embarrassment. "I'll... I'll be right back, did you want more coffee? I'm just going to get this topped off, ahahaha er... one moment-" He scooped her cup off the table before limping quickly to refill both cups.
He took his time pouring fresh rounds, waiting until the tremble was out of his hands.
Women were complicated, he reminded himself. No need to be flustered.
That one's claimed anyway, Meatbag. What you doin' thinking like that about her anyway? You got the skinny pale one now if you don't ******** it up somehow. Roar was as supportive as ever. She's just as ridiculous as you.
"Easier said than done," He whispered, stuffing a handful of creamers and sweeteners into his coat pockets, "This was all... from a long time ago. I should be over it."
But you're not. Better get over it quick, man. You're buggin' the lady out.
"And Sasha's not ridiculous," He huffed under his breath, nabbing the cups to limp his way back to the table, embarrassed smile back on his face, "Ah... ah... here we go."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 5:33 pm
Petra's expression went stormy at the mention of the horsemen, her eyes closing a little as she nodded, remembering the Death horsewoman she had met herself. They were dangerous -- even more so, she felt, than the sentient monsters they had fought in the haunted house. They were cunning, more organized, far more trained and ready to fight, and that made them a far more hazardous foe. Reaching up to rub her wrist, a phantom pain returning as she recalled a particularly nasty battle, the moon trainee watched Jerry pat his jumpsuit back into place, saying no more on the subject. Instead, she let him turn it to more cheerful matters, graciously ignoring the flush which had returned to the tips of his ears, her half-smile returning. "If you would like," she replied, watching him begin to walk towards the coffee bar, "And have the time, of course. I realize you likely are quite busy with your choir on top of your Intermediate duties."
She turned back to face the table as he walked away completely, wrapping the fingers of both hands around the coffee cup, still warm and half full. The sun hunter seemed... distracted, or at least a little upset about something. Jerry was always a little jumpy, but this seemed different. Petra exhaled slowly, trying to shake the uneasy sensation which was so foreign to her. Perhaps she had said something wrong? She couldn't quite dismiss the idea, unable to ignore the possibility each time it nudged its way to the front of her mind. For the second time, her eyebrows furrowed a little as the thought presented itself, eyes losing focus as she became lost in thought, clarity returning only as Jerry returned. Glancing towards him, she blinked once, taking note of his embarrassed smile.
"Jerry... are you sure you're alright?" She asked again, her voice uncharacteristically concerned. But this wasn't just anyone she was asking -- this was Jerry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 5:49 pm
"Oh, ah.. I'm fine! I'm fine. Just... just still a little um. Out of sorts from.. from everything, ahahaha... um. Nothing to... to worry about. I think I said er... the um. Mental breakdown was averted? Jordan's good for that," He smiled weakly before sipping a bit of fresh coffee.
Oh, he missed the cafeteria. It almost made him want to eat something that wasn't caffeinated.
"I'm... I'm flattered you're worried though," He mentioned quietly. "Sometimes I wonder if..." He shook his head, content on letting that train of thought go. "I hope you're doing alright?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:48 pm
She seemed unconvinced, her eyebrows a little furrowed as she looked Jerry over questioningly, but said no more. Even when he mentioned the 'averted mental breakdown,' her eyebrows lifted a little, looking sorely tempted to say something, but she said nothing. Jordan was good for that -- in fact, he was perfect for that. He was just the kind of logical, calm voice coupled with a hard-hitting swing of an over-sized hammer that she would want if she were in some sort of trouble. Jerry had been in good hands with Jordan, and reluctantly Petra relaxed a little, looking a little disturbed but otherwise letting the subject fall. There was nothing to be done now, at any rate.
His question, however, threw her completely off guard. "I..." she started, sounding surprised but confident, only to trail off almost immediately. After a pause for consideration, the moon hunter seemed less sure as she spoke up again.
"Fine." She lied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:30 pm
His smile quivered at the edges as he drummed his fingers on the table, beaming perhaps a bit too brightly, "Excellent, excellent! Two fine people, right? Ahahahahaha..."
He hesitated with a sip of coffee before speaking again, "So uh... you and Robert are ah... officially tying the knot soon, huh?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:12 am
Her own smile had faded a little, held together by metaphoric tape and elmers glue and hanging preciously by a thread as the conversation drew further and further into dangerous territory. It was not as though she didn't trust Jerry -- she did, very much. She considered him one of her best friends, one of her only friends really, and besides Robert, she trusted him more than anyone else in this entire establishment. She would leap to defend him without a moment's hesitation if he needed it, and made a conscious effort to always be there if he ever needed her. But this... she couldn't talk to him about this. She couldn't talk to anyone about it.
How could you tell anyone that you were becoming a monster?
Draining the last bit of coffee from her cup, Petra's smile faded completely as Jerry mentioned her wedding with Robert, somehow completely unsurprised that he had found the only other topic she kind of did not want to talk about. "Yes," she replied, somewhat as hesitantly as the lie she had previously made, her eyes flicking away momentarily to avoid confrontation. When her eyes finally returned to his, she continued, as if deciding to make a point by making him uncomfortable with the conversational direction as well. "... are you coming?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:25 am
Jerry watched her face carefully, those little tell-tail signals that something was processing. In his experience with girls and weddings, usually that sort of questin would have instigated an explosin of joyful mirth. Not that... Petra ever exploded with much of anything save for maybe a mace blow. "Of... of course," He smiled weakly, glancing down again with the flush returning.
He debated with himself for several moments, his nervous rhythmic tapping on his mug continuing until his mouth finally took control and he spurted out before his brain had a chance to stop him, "What do you see in him, anyway? I mean... I mean how did you and he... Um. You're both so different is all." He tried to make the statement seem casual, but even so there was a hint of something behind his glasses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:59 pm
There was a look of almost... relief as Jerry answered, that not-quite-hostile tension slowly starting to recede as she realized he was going to be there. Petra hadn't realized how much it meant to her, or that she had been so worried that he might decide not to come until the moment he alleviated her fears. She had always been aware, to some extent, of the feelings between them -- if anything, her own affections towards the older hunter should have been obvious to anyone. She leaped to his defense at any opportunity, felt an unusual amount of protectiveness towards him, to the point where there was always this little concern in the back of her mind that she might be downright viscous, if she didn't hold herself back. To think of him possibly not coming had been weighing heavier on her mind than she had realized. Sighing silently, the muscles in her shoulders uncoiled, and the death trainee released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, her eyes softening a bit as she watched how uncomfortable the sun hunter looked.
She felt kind of bad that she had put him in that spot, forcing him to answer something she knew would make him uncomfortable from the start.
For a moment, the death trainee just watched him tap his cup against the table, gaze sliding from the ceramic mug to the scars etched along his cheekbone. Before it had even registered, Petra had leaned forward to cover Jerry's hand with her own, her eyes sympathetic. He was always so worried... and she felt like there was absolutely nothing she could do to calm his nerves. Her hand, however, went completely still as he suddenly blurted out what was on his mind. For a second she was startled by the question, her expression stretching a little in surprise, eyebrows lifting as she started at her friend. He had never questioned her choices before... Petra didn't know how to feel.
Withdrawing her hand almost a little too slowly, the trainee lifted it to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, hesitating.
"You don't understand..." she started, her voice nothing above a whisper, "He is... everything I've always wanted to be."
There was another pause, a pregnant silence as Petra visibly struggled with her words, trying to figure out how to make him understand sixteen years of loving him. She didn't know how to describe that first moment, at five years old, when he'd taken her hand and put her on his lap that New Year's when everything had felt so wrong. Or that pain of knowing he loved Roberta more than he'd loved her, and that transformation to sheer joy when he'd realized she, and not Roberta, had been there waiting for him all along. Or that moment when they'd found each other again when she was sixteen, or when they'd moved in together in the city, or that night when she'd ran away because he'd gone back to Roberta and kissed her, and she'd decided to go with the hunters. Or that moment when they'd woken up from the pods, and she'd realized that even when they didn't know who they were, they'd found each other.
How did you... tell someone that? Tell that to someone who cares about you... possibly even loved you.
That second passed, and she shook her head a little, opting instead to skip the history. Instead, she smoothed out her expression from consideration to gentle resolve, her eyes lowering a little before returning to him. "At his very core, he's a good person. Robert is undeniably brave and sweet, and he has always been there for me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:08 pm
Jerry stiffened when her hand suddenly was on his, his breath caught in his throat. He listened carefully to her words as she pulled away, noted her expression as she fell silent, and bit his lip as she continued. "Mm." Was all he managed, mouth twitching into a weak smile, "That's.... that's good. I'm sure he'll... he'll always um..." He floundered.
His stomach twisted. She was going to be married. She was going to be married and that would be that. He was right. He never did have a chance, not when it sounded like they had decades of ancient history behind them to back up what he couldn't wrap his brain around.
He glanced up again, eyes locked on her face for just a moment.
No one was watching. It was off hours, the cafeteria was nearly empty. Most importantly, there was no sign of Robert.
It was now or never.
Before his brain could protest, he leaned in to suddenly catch her lips with his.
It took a few moments before pulling back, his face crimson behind his web of scars and messy hair, breathing deeply, "Ah... s-sorry um. It was... I mean... call that your bachelorette party, ahahahaha um." He squeaked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:55 pm
It happened before she could even react. Or at least, that's what she told herself. The moment Jerry started looking around, she had known something was up. In her heart, she had known even before he had started to lean in that he was going to kiss her.
And she didn't lean away.
Despite his awkward start, Jerry's lips were surprisingly soft against her own, considering the spiderweb of scars abusing his calloused skin. There was something nervous about the kiss, something so typically Jerry that it almost seemed natural, instead of forced, like it just so completely represented who he was. It was rushed, but it was gentle at the same time, and yet completely unsure. And it was nothing like her fiance's. In that first second, Petra's entire body went completely stiff, as the horror of the situation and her own part in it registered. She hadn't leaned away. And her first thought was 'Oh s**t, I'm cheating on Robert.' For the first few seconds, that thought raced like a freight train through her mind, screaming at her in a way that was deafening and shook her whole body. But as the shock started to wear off, the death trainee found herself relaxing marginally. Inch by inch, the worry ebbed, and while she didn't quite lean into it, she tilted her head a little to accept it, hand lifting to just barely brush her fingertips over his cheek.
Letting him pull away when he was comfortable, Petra kept her eyes closed for a pause or two before allowing them to slide open, lifting her gaze to Jerry's. As if realizing by his blush she should be embarrassed, a light bloom of pink spread across her cheeks, the death trainee flushing for one of the first times since she had been at Deus.
"No, don't be sorry," she replied, offering him a little smile, an unexpected laugh bubbling from her throat. It was soft, but it was there, and it was an exceptionally rare thing. As if realizing this, she immediately sobered, the smile a little sad, lacing her eyes. "Thank you Jerry."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:02 pm
As Petra laughed, Jerry found himself laughing too, high and nervous and a bit too heartily... but she hadn't slapped him. That was good right?
He continued to laugh, even as she thanked him, a touch manic as he tried to get himself under control. It had been a long month. He was kicking his Insanity infection, he was still healing from their run ins on the recent mission.
He was with Sasha now.
His heart clenched, brows furrowed as he quieted, smile remaining although now a touch pained, "You know... I don't know if I've ever heard you laugh before." He watched her face a moment before taking a long sip of coffee, coughing because it was hotter than he had anticipated, and went back to rhythmically tapping his fingers on the table. "N-no problem, ahaha. Gotta'... Gotta' look out for my Zeta-sister, right?"
You don't kiss your sister. It was yet another time Roar had grunted this warning to his Hunter, and it was starting to get old.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting Conversationalist
|
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:29 pm
Anyone looking in on the scene would likely be very confused by the two trainees sitting at one of the tables, laughing over nothing. Not because they were laughing over coffee -- that was normal, even welcomed in such a harsh, cold environment -- but because of who it was. Between the two of them, they were an unlikely pair, especially to be laughing. Jerry, with his nervous breakdown, and Petra, with her robotic demeanor. As if remembering this, sparked by what he had said, the smile faded completely, that familiar monotonous expression replacing it. "We don't have much reason to laugh anymore," she replied, something almost grim about her answer. It disturbed her -- she didn't want to be that way around Jerry.
Forcing a smile, she stood up, readying to leave the cafeteria. It was mostly abandoned now -- only a few hunters littered the room, most grabbing coffee before heading back to their positions. She'd been here much too long -- her death mentor probably thought she'd ditched -- but Petra found she didn't mind. She couldn't bring herself to be upset, this little catch-up with Jerry the highlight of not only her evening, but her month. Wrapping her fingers around her empty cup, she turned back to the other hunter for a second, offering him another little smile. "It was great to see you, Jerry," she started, sounding genuinely happy, "I'd still really like to learn to sing... if you'd still be willing to help me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
