|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:52 pm
When the briefing was over, Jordan headed out with a lot of things on his mind - preparations, creature information, splitting the supervisory workload fairly, making sure the trainees in his squad were close enough to ready for the mission - but the undercurrent of concern for his friend could be allowed to surface again now. Jerry was in bad shape, bad enough that he'd bolted from a mission briefing; Jordan needed to talk to him, to let Jerry know he was worried, and hopefully hear what had happened from Jerry so that he could stop acting like he didn't know.
He checked the nearby hallways first. It was more likely that Jerry had gone back to his room or gone off to find a place to be alone, but if he didn't check here, he might find that he'd missed his friend after all.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:02 pm
Jerry might have wanted to go off on his own, but he had been pulled into a private meeting. By the time Jordan had come looking for him, he was quietly closing the door to Aria's office, a calculating, distant look on his face. He almost wobbled right past Jordan before blinking through his distant thoughts. "Oh ah... ah... Hi Jordan! Er... I'm... I'm sorry about the ah... the briefing I just. I don't know what came over me um. I hope it all goes well, though," He gave him a weak, wobbling smile, patting his friend on the shoulder before continuing his wobble down the hall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:10 pm
"You looked pretty upset," Jordan said, and took a couple of long steps to fall in beside Jerry. Sorry, not letting you take off on me when I don't have responsibilities to consider. "It's not like you to run off when there's mission stuff going on. What happened, man?" He tucked his hands into his pockets and looked sideways at Jerry.
He knew what was up, but he wasn't about to say so; he was sure that Jerry wouldn't be pleased with Robert for having spilled the beans, and anyway, if Jerry wanted him to know, it was better that he hear it from Jerry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:16 pm
"I just... it's... um.... it's nothing, nothing," Jerry tried to laugh it off, hand rising to pick at his scar in that nervous way he had before he quickly turned it into a ruffling of his own hair. "I've um. Been. Stressed lately is all. Um. Did I miss anything important in the briefing? Yetis are dangerous creatures, as um. I'm sure you remember. I know our coffee maker remembers, ahahahahaha." He was definitely hiding it, pushing it down and covering it with smiles and jokes and a semblance of his normal cheery persona. But Jordan knew him better than that.
"Aria ah... had something else for me anyway, so I'll er. I'll.... be around..." He left it vague.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:27 pm
"You seemed all right last time I saw you," Jordan pointed out quietly. "It's not nothing, is it. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just saying." He shrugged a little, keeping his voice down, his expression neutral but serious. "You know me. I worry."
"A different assignment? Top secret?" he asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:04 pm
Jerry gave a nervous laugh, still fidgeting as they walked, "I'm... I'm fine. I promise," He began, but at the look on his friend's face, he bit his lip, glancing down the hall at the other trainees who were departing from the mission before taking Jordan firmly by the arm, his grip a bit tighter than he had meant, before dragging him off to a more secluded corner, "I.... I don't.. I didn't want... I mean. I'm not... exactly proud of... I don't want it getting around much," He said quietly, "Jordan you're... you're one of my best friends. My Best friend, really, considering ahaha... Robert is the only other candidate, ahahaha... um. But... but just. I don't want... I mean... she... she had her reasons," He started before his face went red and he glanced down at his feet, "I'm sure... um. Well I mean." He drew in a deep breath. He could hold it back from everyone else but... well, ROBERT knew. Not telling Jordan seemed like a crime. It would at least explain why he was acting so weird... or at least weirder than usual.
"Candace and I broke up." He put it simply, eyes glued to his feet, and his hand still clamped on Jordan's arm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:36 pm
Jordan followed, not trying to interrupt Jerry's stammering, broken explanation. "I won't talk to anyone else about it," he said when Jerry paused, the other man fidgeting and looking down at his shoes as if still deciding what he wanted to say.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said quietly. "I thought it might be something like that, with how you were avoiding each other in the briefing room. Are you - " no, not okay, he knew that perfectly well. Instead, he asked, "Will you be okay?" Is there any way I can help? stayed unspoken; making Jerry feel awkward about him again would be counterproductive and uncomfortable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:56 pm
At the question, Jerry gave a high nervous laugh, a trembling hand rubbing the back of his head again as he finally let go, "Yeah... yeah I'll be fine. Just... just fine, I'm sure." He wobbled a little before leaning against the wall for support, "It... it was inevitable, I suppose. I should... I should have sensed something sooner. I mean." He drew in a sharp breath, rubbing his temple, "Things that are too good to be true usually are, huh?" He gave a slightly moist smile before clearing his throat.
"But um! Yes! A.... a... side mission," He tried to look suave and mysterious, "Don't you worry. I'll be sure to avoid you," He smirked. "But uh. That new guy um. William I think his name is? He's a Sun and er.... trouble. So be extra hard on him."
He glanced down the hall again, but they still were alone. He bit his lip, "I... I'm sure I'll be fine though. Time heals all wounds... and all that. And what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, ahahahaha."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:46 pm
Jordan's mouth set in a thin line. He couldn't outright say how angry he was about the whole situation, but seeing Jerry looking so exhausted and broken and hopeless made him want to hit something. He patted Jerry's shoulder. "Not your fault," he said after a moment of searching for something tactful and neutral to say.
He smiled faintly at the other statement. "I appreciate that," he answered. "And don't worry; he's already got himself a few black marks. As a mission lead I've got to be fair and focused, but you can be sure he won't be getting any special bonuses from me."
"Nietzsche, huh? Very philosophical, if a bit over-quoted. But I guess the aphorisms you hear most often have some grain of truth." He sighed. "If you need anything, dude."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:06 pm
"Mmmhmhmhmhm" Jerry rubbed the side of his face again, shifting from one foot to the other. "I'm. Actually-" He started, but stopped himself. But honestly... he was convinced it was him. No wonder she had abandoned ship. He knew he was a wreck. What mattered was he could aim and fire his weapon, right? Sun division was a weapon itself, after all. He was part of a machine. Emotions could be tended to. Dealt with in a civilized and controlled and socially acceptable manner and...
What, like, blowing up the damn shower room?
His brows furrowed and his head jerked to the side, "Stopit," He whispered before glancing back to Jordan with a pleading expression, "I'll... I'll be fine. Really. It... it was me, not her. I'm just. I'll be okay."
He'd get over it. He'd get over her. He'd pick himself up and power forth and be a better man from it. Learn from his mistakes. Or run back to his room for a quick shot and a good cry and avoid relationships like the plague. Another phobia on his growing list.
Pathetic. Seriously. No wonder she needed a backup d**k.
A small strangled noise escaped his throat, but he quickly turned that into a cough. And then remembered to turn his head away from Jordan for a few carefully orchestrated additional coughs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:13 pm
"You're actually what?" Jordan asked. He kept his hold on Jerry's shoulder, not looking away; he could tell that Jerry was about ready to bolt again, and he didn't want that. Roar was saying something, if the whispered aside meant anything; whatever it was seemed to be upsetting Jerry further.
Jordan debated with himself for a moment, then asked, "What's Roar saying, and why does it have you so wound up?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:38 pm
Jerry closed his eyes, breathing in a long, cleansing breath before exhaling and glancing over to his friend, "Um. Can... can we walk for a minute?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:40 pm
"Of course," Jordan said. "Lead on."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:47 pm
Jerry tripped over his own feet as he lead the way out of the facility, happy for the dim quiet of the outdoors. He loved the sound of the waves. It was soothing. "I'm... not good at... talking about things. Like this. My therapist- um. My old Therapist, not Killzone. Um. Said I uh. Repressed stuff. So I'm um. I'm trying to. To uh. Not... not repress and. Um." He started walking again, slowly making his way down the path in the general direction of the beach. "But I mean... Robert knows, I didn't mean for Robert of all people to know, I mean, I like the guy plenty but he doesn't quite..." He rolled his head, pursing his lips before plowing on. He was digressing. "I.. I sort of. WalkedinonCandaceandDrHhavingsex."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:52 pm
Jordan followed, putting a hand out briefly to steady Jerry when he tripped. He listened to Jerry's nervous, rambling explanation, quiet and sympathetic. "Not as, uh, tactful," he commented.
"That must have been spectacularly uncomfortable for all involved," he said, and gritted his teeth to keep from sounding as angry as the situation made him, one hand clenching unconsciously into a fist. "That really sucks."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
