"Oooh! Oooh I know what we can watch!" He immediately pounced on the opportunity and started rambling about a movie that just came out. It sounded like some kind of romantic comedy.
She listened to him go on and on about the plot of the movie, her eyes narrowing and her mouth puckering as she slowly realized what he was talking about. "A rom-com?" she said, interrupting him. "That's one way to make me rest. I'll definitely fall asleep during a rom-com."
"Well– I… I guess it is," He admitted. "I guess I'll watch it alone." He sighed and shrugged her other comments off, turning to flip his omelette and start with seasoning. He didn't mean to be so sympathy-begging, but he was genuinely disappointed.
She sighed, rolling her eyes, and said around a mouthful of cheese, "How about a rom-com with an actual plot? Or an action movie with romantic or comedic elements? We can compromise, no need to look like a kicked puppy."
"All the movies you pick are mostly action and sex and not a lot of comedy and actual romance," He huffed softly, flipping his omelette to the other side to season it, too.
She snorted. "Actual romance, huh? What qualifies? A sappy one-off where two people fall in love magically and everything's all happy at the end? Not to be edgy, but it's not realistic."
"You're edgy," He huffed back grumpily, frowning. "I like to think about it that way, not in some action movie where everyone has sex then gets their faces blown off, Nyir."
Nyir rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, that's what happens in real life. Best part of being a hero? The people you care about are always in danger and it's always your fault. I like watching movies that reflect that."
"Uuuuughhhh you're so edgy!" He huffed, turning and crossing his arms at her. "You say you don't mean to be edgy, but then you proceed to be very edgy. It's this negative way of thinking that's making you do all of these stupid things."
She bristled at that, but she kept her voice and her face purposefully nonchalant. "Stupid things, huh? What stupid things do I do?"
James huffed loudly again like a disapproving mother. "Drink?? Risk your life and almost kill yourself? I care about you, Nyir, and it hurts to see you throw yourself away."
She clenched her jaw, glancing away from him. Her shoulders stiffened. "Like I said. When bad things happen to people I care about, that's on me. If I die saving someone –anyone, then that's my happy ending."
"Wh- I haven't died yet, but instead you decide to drink it away. Nyir, you should worry about helping people in the present, not thinking about what you could have done. It's best for you to just look forward in your life." He turned back around.
"That's easy for you to say," she mumbled, her teeth grating together. "You can't remember anything. You don't know how it feels to hold the person you love the most in the entire world as they bleed to death because of you. Yeah, I drink. You'd self-medicate too."
James just grumbled over his omelette, shaking his head. He didn't even know why he bothered trying to get her off alcohol. Clearly lack of sleep and the substance was doing something to her. She always tried to listen to him in each of their conversations.
"Hard as you try, kid," she said, her brows relaxing as her momentary flash of anger faded away, "you can't cure PTSD with encouraging words and rom-coms. I'm going to be edgy all my life, probably."
James just huffed a fourth time at her use of 'kid'. He was definitely older than her. Just because he didn't have all of his memories in tact didn't mean she was allowed to call him names that weren't true. Mean.
She decided to quit trying to talk to him for now. Usually she gave him the silent treatment, not the other way around. It was crazy to her that he didn't understand just how much she was willing to do to protect him. She scraped the last bit of her omelette, chewing silently and broodingly.
James sprinkled some cheese in his omelette before finishing it up and plopping it onto a plate, turning off the stove and setting the pan down in the sink after running cold water over it. He sat in his chair and started quietly eating, the only noise in the room of the refrigerator behind them and the scraping of his fork on the plate.
Nyir watched him eat for a couple of minutes, her eyes never leaving his face. Finally, she silently reached over with her fork and stole a bite of his omelette.
(stABS HER FUCKING HAND)
James glanced up at her slowly after she stole a bit, the sound of her eating it practically filling the room. He looked as if she just killed his entire family and stole their heart to enjoy.
"There, now you understand loss like I do," she said, cracking a teasing half smile. "Don't look so heartbroken. It was too quiet in here."
James grunted softly and went back to cutting his omelette up. "If you wanted another omelette you should've just asked."
"Nah, I'm full," she admitted, "I just did it to be annoying." She squinted, her arms folding and resting against the table.
James just rolled his eyes as he chewed, crossing one leg over the other with a soft sigh. "So now you're just gonna watch me eat?"
"I don't have anything better to do," she said with a shrug. "I don't know if you've noticed but I have limited mobility right now."
James chuckled softly and went back to chewing. "Right. Well, if you want me to move you I can. I can put you on the couch or something."
"I don't want to be on the couch," she argued. "That makes me feel like an invalid."
"Well, I'm not doing anything. I'm prolly gonna do the dishes and find something to make for lunch or dinner."
She leaned forward, cupping her face in her hands and leaning on her elbows. "I could help with the dishes again. I can't sit around and do nothing, I'll go stir crazy."
