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 Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:04 pm
Rodney's hesitation once again earned him that baffled look Lawrence reserved for when people showed actual concern about him rather than contempt, not entirely sure what to do about it. "It's fine." he stressed, not wanting to deprive Rodney of whatever interesting sights he had come here to see but with just an edge of bitterness that he would be separated from America straight away.
It turned out however that fate decided to sort things out on his behalf and everyone would be indoors for a while instead.
Lawrence, having been to the desert before, nodded and rose at America's comments, he had already had to endure the hassles of being shut in for hours while the world outside turned into living seething sandpaper and indignity was something he avoided at all costs.
He returned a few minutes later and sat back down on his cot, giving America a tired look.
"Bit of a jinx aren't you? Did you bring anything interesting to do?"
He was determined to avoid dipping back into the "discussing the people you have killed" conversation.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:12 am
Thank God, Rodney thought privately and unsarcastically.
Yeah, real lucky break there. Seven was less sincere. I wouldn't trust either of them.
Well, he had to trust both of them. And he thought they had both meant what they said, as far as both trying to make sure he'd be safe.
"I did before we left," he answered. "Is it...like this in Russia, too? Between you?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:24 am
"You can read your ******** book or watch me work on the Svetloyar budget, what did you expect, board games?"
Glancing over at Rodney, eyebrows raised, America asked, "Like what?"
Her eyes flicked to her bag with its second phone and she frowned at the sudden pang of loneliness and near overwhelming to just walk out into the storm that immediately followed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:55 am
Rodney got a puzzled look from Lawr at what to him, seemed a very cryptic sort of comment. Like this. He attempted to parse it to no real avail. Like what? Perhaps he meant America's rudeness, which was no doubt surprising to the soft man but which was beautiful and wonderful in its own right. He enjoyed her directness, slicing through lies and niceties as though they were both invisible.
But he couldn't be sure is that was what Rodney meant. America's attitude pertained only to her, not to him. Perhaps - he finally reasoned - the other man meant the way America behaved towards him specifically and his own unwavering devotion. He shrugged his shoulders.
"She is always like this." he said vaguely, before adding. "And perhaps." he said. "A board game is not very far outside the realm of possibility for you. I would have expected someone from your background to at least have a set of cards on them." His own cards were more of the major and minor arcana variety and he was not about to bring them out voluntarily. "But I can certainly watch you work. I have read my book plenty of times."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:38 am
"It's just that...he seemed to hold you in...high regard. And even though you're saying he is...a very dangerous man, you mostly seem...disdainful. But not afraid."
Rodney followed her look at her bag.
"I just thought, because you had been spending time together... You'd both be less...weary."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:46 am
"It's an obsession," she explained, forcing her gaze from the door, making herself carefully remove her boots. "It doesn't do him any good and it's not some compliment to me. It's been two years for us, near exactly."
America settled crosslegged onto her cot, pulling out a thin folder and pen. "There's probably a pack of cards somewhere in here from previous teams."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:54 am
"I do hold her in high regard." he said to Rodney. "She is just a little irritable at times. All times really. But its endearing more than anything else." he shrugged his shoulders. "And I'm not dangerous. I couldn't hurt a fly. Do I look physical? Hardly."
He took an extra blanket out of his bag and laid it out on his bed, aware that in the desert not only did it get warm during the day it would be absolutely freezing at night and somewhat concerned about his ability to endure the temperature drop.
"And maybe it is an obsession. But it does me no harm, and you just don't know how to take a compliment."
"Russia is fine." he said to Rodney. "I am quite happy around her. Her friendliness isn't perhaps conventional but it is endlessly endearing. She means well."
Sitting on his own cot he gazed over at her fondly. "Maybe we can play some card games if we find them?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:29 pm
Rodney looked very skeptical at the assertion that Lawrence was not dangerous.
He rubbed his arm. He'd met Butch. And Lawr had defended him, on the last mission. But even so...
"You don't have to be strong to be dangerous," Rodney said. "He's...stalking you?" He looked at Lawrence, "Did she tell you to leave her alone?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:38 pm
The only sign of America's surprise is a small pause in the motion of her pen. "He was, but he hasn't had to for awhile." Rodney, despite appearances, seemed a bit smarter and more observant than most people who more than tolerate the other man. She thinks about the description of the trainee, that he thought everybody could be saved, and certain accusations that had been leveled at her a lifetime ago.
To Lawr, she nods, "If you cheat, I'll stop playing."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:43 pm
Lawr splayed his hand in a placatory gesture which had his other hand been present obviously would have been mirrored on it. "Well, I am not intentionally dangerous. And not in as many words." He couldn't help but try to wheedle his way out of things, not very comfortable with the direction Rodney's questioning was leaning in.
Instead he stated. "Excellent! No cheating, agreed." He leaned back on the cot like a roman emperor, his feet daintily off the edge lest he get sand on it. "You should look for the cards Rodney."
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:15 pm
Hadn't in a while? Then, was he in Russia because America wanted him to be? In spite of...everything. And the clone...
It just felt like a festering mess of hurt. America was blunt, brisk, and defensive, and Lawrence's smile and pleasant, lilting tone didn't really reach his eyes. He was furiously projecting happy, harmless, and not now. While America felt like she was throwing short, emphatically punctuated pamphlets over a wall 100 feet thick.
"If that's what you both want to do," Rodney agreed finally and quietly, crouching to open a box that was in the corner and gently stacking the contents to one side.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:19 pm
"You cut off your boyfriend's finger. There. Six words," America countered, not bothering to look up from her papers. Rodney would find a battered but complete deck of cards in relatively little time. This particular deck was printed with naked women and the word HUSTLER on the back, but maybe there was another set lurking around if those didn't suit.
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:01 pm
Lawr rolled his shoulders slightly as if this wasn't the huge deal everyone was making it out to be. "Look, it was very surgically done, it was barely harmful. He also wanted it, it was asked for really. We have gone over this."
He sniffed as if the accusations hurt his delicate feelings. "And some other people could have done with a bit of surgical precision." he said, raising his hand to touch the scar on his neck.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 4:08 pm
Rodney put the Hustler card deck aside, very hurriedly, and covered it with other objects just to be safe, he dug a little more desperately.
"Did he really ask, Lawr?" Rodney asked quietly. "Or was that in not so many words, too."
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:35 pm
Another soft snort from America. "His excuse is usually that Horace wanted to be treated like me." Her glance at Lawr's complaint was unapologetic, "Consider it a lesson." Rodney would find three more vaguely pornographic decks before finally finding one that featured zombies instead.
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