186th Page

[aldebaranshit]

(April 19th)

Good job, you found the machine. It's not so simple as turning a lever, but you're getting there. You know it runs, but you should clean out all the animal bones from the gears before moving forward. The sun is setting in the abandoned city. While a few brave souls step forth to do the dirty work, how about the rest of you enjoy the last of each other's company and try not to cry or whatever.

[Mission: Clean the machine and give it a go.]

(plot post )

Comments

[sawedoff]

[perky vs fatalist, also the eternal struggle. raises eyebrows down at her all you know what you did. trails after her while she moseys]

Had it's moments.

[he'll concede, gruff. meet you halfway. no more though. glances at her again while she's busying herself with the intricate details of a really shitty painting with chocobos and muppets as the centerpiece.]

[recurred]

It did.

[though she gets the feeling she missed out on plenty of the better ones. but that is distressingly omitted between them. walking and not walking. hesitates a step when she feels those eyes on her but takes it anyway. running out of hall to escape down. cue topic change. speaking up almost too loudly compared to the faded volume before]

To think it's been here this whole time. Hiding right under everyone's noses. One of the better things to come out of this place, I guess.

[sawedoff]

[slows down with his meandering. she's going to get way ahead of him if she keeps beating feet away. he didn't follow her to squeeze a sentimental goodbye out of her, would skip that altogether. but he's still not going along with awkward topic changes.]

You gonna try climbing the walls next?

[scratches at stubble absently and slants a look at her as she's getting some distance on him and it's becoming increasingly apparent]

[recurred]

[it was worth a shot. usually he's happy to go along with dubious topic changes, but not this time. to which it finally stops her in her place]

No. [looks up as if it'd be briefly tempting and groans, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose. getting herself back together before facing him.]

You're not making this easy. [though lets be honest, she wouldn't want him to]

[sawedoff]

It's a point of pride. Makin crap more difficult than it has to be.

[rockin that dead inside smile. you know, gotta keep appearances. it's true he didn't come out here for a teary, long-winded goodbye, so he's not really sure what to say, which is why he's let her meandering smalltalk fill the silence. maybe he just would have kicked himself if he didn't get to see her one last time before heading out.]

[recurred]

[nods in a matter of fact sort of way. yeah, you do. definitely do. Arms fold defensively as she worries her weight from one foot to the other. awk laugh to pull it back together. spurring up some sass to make it sound like a joke without actually joking.]

It's not cute. Not this time.

[sawedoff]

What am I sposed to say? Have a nice life? Nice knowing you.

[waves a hand back toward the direction of the room where everyone's waiting and saying their respective goodbyes.]

Should I pull out the yearbook and pretend we had a great time? [when it was actually mostly everyone hating each other and screwing everything they touched up. drops his arm and worries his lip in frustration, shaking his head.] Cus, you're right, this isn't easy- I don't think anything I can say will make walking away from you any easier.

[recurred]

[watches him for a moment like she's trying to find the perfect answer to these sort of crappy situations. in retrospect it'd been convinced that it wouldn't be so difficult if she'd just let it go. she tried, guess she didn't do as good of a job as she thought]

Then don't say anything. [lets her arms drop, increasingly deflating brave face] It doesn't matter, you're still saying goodbye no matter how hard you try not to. And I hate this. I hate not knowing what to do and I'm tired. So what do you want from me right now, Dean? Talk about apples and pretend it'll be the same ride tomorrow? Because I can't. I'm looking at you and I can't.

[sawedoff]

[moves closer and lifts a hand to rest at her shoulder, looking down between them before focusing on her with some kind of resignation. it's not like he's never been here before. ditching someone he cares about again for stock reason#9483. it'd be easier to have a comforting white lie to fall back on, see you around or keep in touch or any of those things people say to each other]

[she says don't say anything and he has nothing to say he hasn't already said tenfold. she's alive, she's going home and she gets to have everything he could want for her, and that's enough for him. so he just leans down to press a kiss with a sigh to her forehead after she's tired herself out]

[recurred]

[slowly resigns to closing her eyes for a moment while it lasts. then begging him not to back away by grabbing at the edges of his coat, not all too firmly, but present. looking down at the space between them and then back up at him. testing a stare before affirming her grip and yanking him further to kiss him sternly on the mouth.]

[sawedoff]

[goes along with the manhandle but stays still for a beat before he returns the kiss, slow and careful and doing everything he can to memorize it. he cups a hand at her jaw, easing deeper against her mouth because what the hell it's the last one they're gonna get]

[recurred]

[eases herself up against him, onto the tippiest toes. as eager to make it last. one hand releases him to reach up and touch lightly over his. much better a way of saying goodbye than fumbling out some silly words about ever lasting friendships or yearbook trope oneliners.]

[sawedoff]

[is it. doesn't it just make it worse. wraps other arm around her middle to keep her up, threading the hand at her jaw back into the hair at the base of her neck, brushing his thumb over her cheek as he leans out of the kiss with a staggered inhale]

[no yeah it just made it worse]

[recurred]

[ no yeah. in different ways, worse. definitely.]

[stays still as he pulls back, not quite ready to wind down and let him go. but eventually she does open her eyes, tasting her lips and looking up at him to briefly brush her thumb across his chin. taking a steady breath to speak again in a dreary sort of smugness]

Remember me, bright eyes. Whenever you think of getting into a lick of trouble.

[forces herself back, untangling from him as she slips something into his pocket for later. we all know what it is, she wouldn't feel right keeping it. smooths over his chest with her hand before stepping around him and heading back to the group]

[sawedoff]

[ow right in the clara1 nickname. washes a hand over his face and turns to watch her go, closing his eyes for a beat before setting his jaw and following after]