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 Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 4:57 pm
Tired did not quite cover the run down, worn out state of the dainty Sun hunter as she made her slow way towards the end of the hall and the familiar sanctuary that was her room. She was exhausted, and with good reason. After what she'd just been through she was pretty certain she could sleep for a week. It was late, or maybe early was more accurate. The hall was dim, but not altogether dark. Peyton hadn't looked at a clock in a while, but she had a feeling it was dangerously close to dawn. Usually she didn't mind dawn. Usually she got up early so she could go for a run and get her training done. Usually she wasn't looking at dawn from the other side, having not slept for.. God, she couldn't even remember how long, and she didn't want to think about it. So instead she was trying to remember innocuous things, easy things. Things that did not in any way remind her of screaming children, or spider zombies. It was harder then it should have been, or maybe it wasn't. Isn't that usually how things worked out? The more you tried not thinking of something, the harder it was to get it out of your mind? With a sigh the now intermediate hunter fished her cell from from her pocket and turned it on. She'd promised she'd send Taym a text when she got back, so that was what she was going to do. Nevermind the early hour, he was probably already up anyways. Squinting down at the screen, she began tapping out a message as she reached her door, pausing outside of it as she typed.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:07 pm
Except that she'd never get the chance to send it. The door across the hall opened to emit the smell of a morning cigarette and with it, somewhere in the thick of it, Taym himself, looking if anything more gaunt and tired than he normally did. In the absence of his usual vices Taym was finding new and interesting ways to destroy himself, although he'd have denied it. He started, as he always did; a little jump, a wordless, noiseless jerk of his hands, followed by the usual brief pressing of his eyelids as he recomposed himself. "What happened to telling me you'd be back?" he demanded drily. "Avoiding me already?" He was dressed like he was going to go for a run, although he looked barely awake. Then again, looking simultaneously on the jump and incredibly sleep deprived was usual for him. The hat--a shabby stocking cap with the letters all worn off the tab label--wasn't. It did him no favors. Probably his big-a** ears got cold hanging out all the time, though.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:34 pm
Taym wouldn't be the only one startled by the sudden meeting. Peyton jumped, emitting a small, girlish squeak, and slumped against the door seconds after as she realized who it was. "You scared the s**t out of me," was tossed into the quiet before he questioned her. It made her frown, and she held the phone up in front of her so he could see the screen. [Test to Taym: Just wanted to let you know I'm back, and I'm alright. I haven't slept yet, but I'll see you later pro- ] A blonde brow arched in a way that communicated there, see? When she was sure he'd gotten a good look she turned the screen off and slipped it back into her pocket. "I just got back." It was punctuated with a yawn, and the girl rubbed her palm over her cheek, combing curls back from her face. It was around this point that Pey got a good look at what he was wearing, and a most peculiar look passed over delicate features. "Are you going jogging?" Just saying it seemed wrong somehow. And what the ******** was with that hat?
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:38 pm
"No commentary," he said flatly. He wasn't really all that enthused about scrounging sweatpants up--it was Taym; scrounging up unflattering clothing had a ton of emotional baggage attached to it--and changed the subject. He hesitated. "So did you, uh--" he made a vague movement of his hands.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:46 pm
Pale eyes rolled, but she let it go. She was too tired to question him at the moment. "Whatever." She blinked at his vague gesturing, brows drawing together in bafflement. "Did I what?" There were any number of possible things he could be asking. Did she run into trouble? Did everyone make it back alright? Was the mission a success. After a puzzled moment of silence she chanced a guess. "Am I intermediate now?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:49 pm
Another pause, and then a sudden smile--not a grin or a smirk, just a smile, that didn't look like it fit well on his face. Awkwardly--they were, after all, standing in the hallway at dawn--he thrust out a skinny hand for a handshake, fingers cold. "Congratulations," he said. "Did you bring me cigarettes?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:56 pm
Peyton blinked at the smile, and pale brows rose as if she were expecting some smart a** comment or some other action that would render the gesture less, but after a handful of seconds she smiled back. At least until he'd thrust a hand in her direction. It pulled her attention down, gaze sliding over his fingers, and when she took his hand it came with a distinct feeling of disappointment. But reclaimed her smile, looking back up at him, before his question made her laugh. A sudden, almost startled sound that ended far too quickly and was lacking in any distinguishable humor. "I didn't find any." Which was the truth, as far as it went, though honestly, all things considered, she hadn't been looking all that hard. She'd never gotten the chance. "Sorry." The apology did sound sincere.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:01 pm
The abrupt end of her laugh was a cause of concern, smile fading away as quickly as it had manifested. "Are you--" but he didn't finish. Better not to ask. A beat. This was a conversation full of inexplicably awkward pauses. "I have no champagne," he said, instead, "but if you're not in too much of a hurry to crash, I have a substitute." He was already reaching back to open his door again, as usual not waiting for her to acquiesce, just working on the assumption of her agreement to anything he said.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:33 pm
His smile faded, and her lips pressed into a thin line as he started to ask if she was alright, but clearly thought better of it and changed the subject, which she was grateful for. Usually she wouldn't have minded him asking. In fact, usually she'd expect it, but right that moment she really didn't want to talk about it. So she was happy to latch onto the subject change. "Substitute?" She blinked after him as he stepped back and opened his door, and after a second she followed him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:43 pm
"Given the limited resources," he said, "it was the best I could manage." His bed was made. Truthfully, he hadn't slept in it--but he would have made it anyway. He flopped down on the foot of it and reached across to the tiny dresser that housed all his meager belongings, and procured a paper bag stuffed with what must have been a week's worth of MRE candy, or what passed for it. After turning it over in his hands in sudden embarrassment, he dropped it on the bed in her direction and then followed it up, just as unceremoniously, with two runestones. No "close your eyes" and flirtatious dropping things into her palms this time. "This," he informed her, "despite your miserable failure to procure me any nicotine." And then, with great dignity, he pulled the ugly hat off his head and presented the stubbled surface for her pleasure.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:57 pm
Her interest was piqued as he flopped down on the bed and rummaged around before pulling out a plain paper bag. It was given a tired, questioning sort of look before it was up ended and emptied on the coverlet. Somewhat muted she stepped forward until she was standing right in front of the little pile, and when she looked up at him her smile was a little on the water side. There were no tears, but it was pretty obvious how much she appreciated the gift. Honestly it wouldn't have mattered what came out of the bag. It could have been anything, but the fact that he'd cared enough to bother, let alone to actively save things up over the course of days, meant a lot, and it showed. And then the hat was removed, and this time when she laughed it was real and up beat. She was grinning as she reached out to trail her fingers over the soft stubble that covered his scalp. "Thanks." Another couple seconds of indulgence, then she let her hand fall away and flopped down on the bed beside him after shifting the candy to the side. "My phone was getting dangerously close to dying," she informed him as she picked up one of the runestones. "So these will definitely come in handy.
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 7:04 pm
He paused, watching her sideways and rolling the ends of his cuffs in his fingers, a stupid idle movement. Taym could never sit still. He'd submitted to the head rubs with resignation, and seemed vaguely relieved when they ended. "Maybe," he said, after a long second, "if any of us ever make it off this ******** island again for anything but a mission, I can swing a congratulatory dinner." Never mind they already had plans. He was dancing around something unsaid and he wasn't even sure what. "Something better than a dive. I'd kill for real ******** Solomon, he thought, and it was sudden and unexpected and he took a minute to turn it over in his head and to realize, to his creeping disgust and shame, that he was jealous. Not romantically--just jealous that anyone, especially a guy with painted nails and stupid headgear, was depriving him of any kind of time with someone who paid attention to him. Her time that wasn't devoted to Deus, as far as he was concerned, was his time.
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 1:38 pm
The upgraded dinner plans came as a surprise, a pleasant one, if the slow spread of smile along pale lips was any indicator. "Really?" The rune rolled between her hands as she turned it over and over absently. "I'd like that. Maybe you can introduce me to one of those foods I've never tried, that you speak so highly of." It was good the girl didn't know what was going on in Taym's head. For one, she wouldn't have really known how to process it, and for another, she'd have just been pissed.
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 2:42 pm
He grinned at that, one of the secretive inward ones. "Maybe," he conceded. "I didn't spend long in NYC. Maybe we can do something." He'd spent too long in some places to get away with extended stays there--places he ran the risk of being recognized. The years of drifting had caught up to him. He absently pushed the candy back into the bag. The grin faded, gently, and then disappeared as he stood up to move for the door again. "I shouldn't keep you from--getting your rounds in," he said. "And getting some sleep, I hope. And I need to get my a** in gear, I've got a long to-do list." He hesitated, and then put out a hand for her. "Congratulations," he said again, distant, worried-seeming.
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 5:19 pm
Despite how thoroughly exhausted she was, it was very obvious how much she was in favor of the idea of the pair them going out and doing something. Even if it was just sharing a congratulatory dinner. Peyton had to imagine Taym's idea of real food consisting of things she'd never had the chance to try, or perhaps hadn't even heard of. "I look forward to it." And yes, she had seen that grin. When he stood up again she picked the bag of candy up off the bed and got to her feet as well, though she did pause on her way to the door to give him an odd look at his word choice. It had her pursing her lips, expression bordering on a frown before she decided she simply wasn't going to acknowledge what he was hinting at. Instead she yawned, lifting the hand holding the bag up to press the curve of her fingers over her lips, muffling it. "The extent of my plans for the immediate feature involve crawling into bed." When he offered out his hand she took it, expecting another shake. "Thanks, and for-" She rattled the candy, a very pleased grin sliding into place.
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