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Sherry flinched. Whether it was the questions and Jake’s tone of voice, the titan’s roar, or Armagnac’s harsh laughter in her head, she didn’t know. “I... Because nothing’s perfect,” she said, feeling like that somehow answered both questions. “But I like you. I like being around you and with you. It makes me happy, believe it or not. You make me happy. So what if my own insecurities got a little banged up over something I would have found amusing at another time, it doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. You couldn’t know it would upset me, and you still apologized. You’re a great big sweetheart, when it’s all said and done.”

Another deep breath. “I’m sorry. I knew it was a joke, but some part of was worried it was true, that you’d rather be hurt than kissing me. And I know you’ve got a lot more to worry about than me; you should be worried about you and Chester. So should I. I…I’m sorry.” Armagnac was still cackling in Sherry’s head.

She hated it when she was selfish like this. It wasn’t fair to anyone. Jake certainly didn’t deserve to be upset right now, he’d done nothing wrong and he had enough on his plate. She’d gone and done it anyway, silly girl, gone and made the situation be about her, when they really needed to focus on him. She couldn’t blame him for being upset with her.

“Spikes are sparking, to the left again.”


Defending Jake for: 8
HP: 45/50

Lack of an immediate response almost worried her, but she'd said the truth, and well... it was out of her hands for the moment. And they had a titan to deal with first. Or, as its roar indicated, a titan to run from.

Sherry wasted no time. She grabbed her equipment, turned, and ran. Nothing new, nothing difficult.

Not running from things was so much harder sometimes. "Jake?" Dropping her gear, she turned to make sure he had made it clear, too.

HP: 45/50
-Clear

At least he was safe. Huffing and puffing, Sherry just looked at him for a few moments, then turned to retrieve the gear she'd dropped at the end of her run. Safe and sound was all she could really ask for.

"Forget I said anything." It wasn't healthy, she knew, to pretend feelings didn't exist, but it had gotten her this far in life. She could do it here, too. Since forgetting herself had gone and made them both upset.

"No, wait." She stood, biting her lip in thought. "Don't forget it. Just..." They had been perfectly valid feelings. Well, real feelings, perhaps not justified, but she'd felt them. "Tell me if I am pushing myself on you too hard."

She wasn't sure what she expectded as a reply. She was prepared for almost anything, or she thought she was. So she didn't move as he came closer. Whatever he had to say, she could handle it.

A hug was more than she'd expected after all her words, but it was what she'd wanted. "No," she said, wrapping her own arms around him, "you couldn't have known." That was her fault.

Tension she hadn't noticed left her as she relaxed with a sigh. "You wanted to know why you." She'd given him an answer, and suddenly it somehow felt inadequate. "Because you're you. Because you saved my life when you didn't know me," even if she couldn't have been sure back then, "and you didn't tell me it was you. And because you're funny and stubborn and utterly charming when you want to be. Because I liked you when we were shadows and you stole my heart with a kiss before I could give it up. And I'm still here because you came back to me, twice now after I'd thought there was nothing left." She couldn't be certain she was making any sense, but she needed to say it. "I feel happy and safe and loved with you.

"So I'm sorry I let any hints of fear cloud my thoughts. I should know better, but I overreacted anyway. I...shouldn't expect us to be on the same page of this relationship quiet yet, I suppose." She'd been dealing with all of this a lot longer than he had, at this point.

"Thank you." She hugged him a little tighter, and left the exact thing she was thanking him for ambiguos.

Sherry nodded, but stayed quiet in order to let him think, if he wanted. He had saved her, then denied it. Chester had told her, though, and by then she'd already fallen for him, heck, that was part of why he'd told her. The past year had been a long, winding, and bloody road, but Sherry had a way of focusing on the good things. Jake was one of those.

"It's so very boring," she couldn't help but smile, see, he was funny, "that I can't stand it. Almost fell asleep last time." She squeezed him tighter for a moment. "From boredom. I can handle another run." He was right. This was important, and time was a factor. Which was why she was still mad at herself for being selfish. "And you don't have to make anything up to me. You just have to make it through this."

She nearly laughed, even if she wasn't quite sure what to make of his response. "Maybe, as long as we weren't on a mission." Not that missions with the girls couldn't be fun, but that whole 'life threatening' thing was always hanging overhead. "Besides, I'm having an alright time here with you." Not like she couldn't use the training herself, and really, that very moment was nice. And really, hanging out with your boyfriend was different from hanging out with your girl friends, for a large number of reasons.

"Um, if I can ask," she paused, choosing her words carefully for a moment, "what did you mean when you said you 'understood my feelings but didn't acknowledge them'? Not that...it will change anything, I just... sorry, I shouldn't ask." One more great big hug, then she started to pull away. "We should get to finding another beastie."

Her blood seemed to turn cold as she stood there listening to him. He wasn't even done talking and she was cursing herself for asking. Why did he have to go and answer her? Things would have been just fine if he didn't bother to answer. Just fine.

Only not really. She would have wondered. It would have bugged her, and Armagnac would have asked constantly. Until one day Sherry asked.

Armagnac was laughing. A malice filled cackle that rang with a million I told you so's. Laughing and writhing in the back of Sherry's brain. Even as she laughed, she lumped anger down upon her hunter's own heart.

That stupid, dark, cold empty hole was back in Sherry's chest. Not as deep this time, somehow. The anger didn't disappear into it. "Pretended?" She knew it. She knew it was too good to be true, too good to last. "This entire damn time?"

Armagnac couldn't even form words in her thoughts. Just laughter. This was beautiful. She had been right.

"What in the sick ******** is wrong with you? You stupid, arrogant cuss." Sherry was mildly surprised by the fact that she wasn't yelling. But she was too cold and empty for yelling. "This whole ******** time. Every single moment?" She was already unbuckling her harness. Dammit if they were both going to make a fool of her any longer. "You could have just told me. I would have ******** helped you anyway."

Armagnac would not shut up.

She hated it when he did that. Told her the painful truth about herself. It was one thing tell herself her own shortcomings, or hear it from her weapon, but from outside?

"Why do you think I asked you repeatedly if this was okay? I know I did, because that's what I do. I am naive, I always have been and always will be. Forgive me for hoping for the ******** best." Her titan gear hit the ground, and she was peeved at the fact she was done removing it. Without something to focus on she'd probably cry.

"Yes, I would have helped. For however long it took. You were my friend before anything else, and Chester's my friend, too. I told you that day in your room that if you needed anything you just had to ask. I wasn't kidding. I don't ******** with people like that."

Armagnac was still laughing. This was perfect.