person_off
Deleted user
"However awkward it is, we're stuck with each other. Somehow, someway, we have to get comfortable with each other's presence."
Runner's Start (Private)
Deleted user
forum
1091 comments
schedule
group
She groaned and flopped onto her back, staring up at the sky. "I know, I know. I'm just…I'm just confused and…I don't even know…" She closed her eyes and sighed.
person_off
Deleted user
He rubbed his nose, glancing over at her. "I get how you feel. It has been an….interesting couple of hours."
group
"Interesting is one way to put it," she muttered, eyes still closed.
person_off
Deleted user
He chose to lay down next to her, giving Tessa about a foot of space. "We are both really bad at this."
group
She snorted. "I'm good at manipulating people's feelings if I want to for personal gain, but I can't even sort through my own. Kinda sad."
person_off
Deleted user
"I'm not good at feelings in general. As you saw when you first met me, I just went through the motions for about 8 years. Barely felt a thing. But now, everything's hitting me in waves. It feels like I'm drowning."
group
She opened her eyes and looked over at him, unsure of what to say to that.
person_off
Deleted user
He just pulled a face at the sky, folding his hands on his chest. I'm probably over sharing again.
group
She rolled over onto her side, tucking her arms under her head. "Runner, it's okay if you want to get things off your chest. I'm always here to listen," she offered softly.
person_off
Deleted user
"It's…just a lot. We have a couple of world's lives riding on us to beat one of the most powerful people in the universe, I just met my mom after 9 years and didn't even stay for more that 20 minutes, and now I can barely talk to one of the 2 people I can trust at the moment. I'm just not built for this type of shit like you are. You just take all of the stress in stride while it weighs me down like a bag of bricks."
group
She reached over and lightly grabbed his hand. "Runner, I'm hella stressed as well. But I don't let it show because I've taught myself to bottle everything but hate and anger up. I'm not proud of who I've become, and I'm not this great person you make me out to be. It's normal to feel the way you're feeling at the moment."
person_off
Deleted user
His entire arm tensed up like an electric shock passed between them, but he didn't pull away. "Normal isn't needed here."
group
"Maybe, maybe not. But we've got time to sort everything out." Her tone remained soft as she spoke, eyes never moving away from him.
person_off
Deleted user
He chewed on the inside of his cheek, frowning. "Doubt it. I've got 9 years of catching up to do."
group
"Join the club," she said with a quirked lip. She lightly squeezed his hand and started to let go.
person_off
Deleted user
He gripped her hand a bit tighter. "Stay. A bit of non-awkward down time would be amazing."
group
She nodded and didn't pull away. "Okay. Sounds great to me," she added with a soft chuckle.
person_off
Deleted user
"When are those people you called for gonna get here?" He asked, glancing over at her again.
group
She met his gaze. "Who knows. They have to find an excuse to leave the empire and gain entry here. Ascha isn't exactly the nicest ruler out there."
person_off
Deleted user
"Never heard of them," he admitted, scooting the tiniest bit closer. His free hand reached up of his face as he turned back to the sky, gently touching the bump over his right eye. And old habit, it seemed.
group
"Then consider yourself lucky. She's got a mean streak and is paranoid beyond belief. It's only gotten worse over the years." She snorted. "Then again, I've met worse."
person_off
Deleted user
"I can't imagine the job being that easy," he said. "Give her a break. "
group
"She shares the job with four other Kings and Queens, and slowly drove her adoptive daughter to insanity because she didn't release her pent-up magic—for selfish purposes, mind you."
person_off
Deleted user
"Maybe I'm just not that judgemental," he admitted, scooting a bit closers once again.
group
She didn't move away, just watched him curiously. "I'm a New Yorker—being judgemental is in my blood," she joked.
person_off
Deleted user
"I don't really have a place where I'm from," he mused, tilting his head in thought. "American, I guess?"
group
"I just assume I'm from New York because that's the only place I can remember," she admitted. "I was put into the foster care system when I was just a newborn, so who knows where I'm actually from?"
person_off
Deleted user
"My mom spent a lot of time in Charleston, South Carolina. Never really knew why. She despises southern accents and refused to let me outside most of the time so that I wouldn't pick one up." A soft smile grew on his face as he let his mind sink into the memory for a moment, looking the calmest she'd ever seen him.
group
The corner of her lip curled up in a slight smile as she watched him. "She sounds amazing," she said, no hint of the twinge of jealously slipping through her voice, no matter how much her heart twisted. At least he had someone that cares about him. Sure, Tessa had Cin and the others, but it would be even better if she had biological family that cared about her as well.