paradisalost | I'll be there for you... when you come back from the expedition

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I'll be there for you... when you come back from the expedition

Who: Jo, Jet, Spike S., Max, Julia, and Gwaine.
Where: Jo's house in the city.
What: Gwaine returns after the expedition. Julia is upset. Clearly.
When: ... when Gwaine returns.
Notes: Friends Loss Continues.

[Apparently, when you're raised in a military-like compound and not exposed to pop-culture while you grow up -- you miss out on a lot of things. Max has recently realized that she doesn't exactly know all of the movies that Jo and Julia grew up loving. We'll skip over the part where Jo and Julia know all the words to Lawfully Pretty and skip right to where they're trying to explain to Max that hard work does pay off and that the core message is really about accepting you for yourself, and that the sequel deals with a side of animal rights. Which, they figure Max will appreciate.]

We can watch the next one, too. [You know, in case Gwaine isn't back yet. She glances to the boys, because she is not putting in Die With Difficulty again. This is supposed to be making Julia feel better.]

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[Don't you "Hi, Julia" her, Gwaine. Not after what you did.

For the moment, she'll just continue to stand there and fold her arms across her chest. Oh, and maybe glare some daggers at him too. Yeah, a train. That's a likely story. She can't wait to hear this one out.]

Where we were. It's how we got out. We were attacked by a creature and then the train went through a wall.

[WHAT DID HE DO?]

Um, Julia? Are you okay?

[EVERYTHING. Obviously.

At that, she sort of changes her stance a little, in a way to say something along the lines of, "Oh, did you say something?"]

I'm fine.

[She is not fine. She is the opposite of fine. Anyone who knows her should know that all the telltale signs are there.]

[Yikes. Spike is so glad he's not you right now, Gwaine. He stands around shot of a greeting, only a little awkwardly.]

Phew. And I thought that wasn't going to go well. [Everyone feels better when they're mocked. That's why they bring him.]

[If there was ever a time when Julia didn't need to hear Spike and his weird jokes, it's right now. Why does he always feel the need to insert commentary into things that don't concern him? What can be passed off from her friend as a mild annoyance on most days has now turned into a huge irritation, given her currently short fuse.

Gwaine will get a break for a minute while Julia turns to look at Spike instead. She's a pro at communicating with her looks alone right now. This one says, "Shut up before I kill you."]

[SPIKE! Jo glares at him from the kitchen as well, moving with the bowl of starched foods toward her brother and handing it to him.]

Here. [Sorry, there's no real time for the bro-sis stuff right now, because you are in SO MUCH TROUBLE. She'll try to commandeer Spike though and get him to look at the TV Guide instead.]

[What did he say? Spike shrugs at Gwaine in that 'good luck, man' way of his. But he kind of knows when he's crossed a line, so he takes the hint.]

Oo, TV Guide. My favorite book. [Keep your anger on Gwaine, he's the one who earned it. Spike will just be over there.]

[This is why you're not dead yet, Spike. Because at least you're smart enough to know when to get the hell out.

It's short-lived, anyway, because she has far more important things to focus on right now. Like a whole week's worth of pent-up frustration on the verge of exploding. Or, at least, what was once moping but has now turned into intense anger and frustration.

She doesn't say anything as she turns back to Gwaine. Just waits expectantly for him to start talking; she's unfolded her arms and has her hands on her hips now. And, for his own sake? He'd really better start talking.]

[But.....what has he done??? He accepts the bowl of potatoes from Jo and walks over to Julia to slide an arm across her shoulders.]

Julia, what's wrong? D-Did I something?

[That'll be her, sliding out from under his arm and glaring at him again. She can't believe him. He has some nerve to just waltz over and play innocent like that. And, no, she is not going to take that crap.]

You know.

[Julia, he's clueless. He always has been. You should know this by now.]

It's not your birthday yet. It's not our anniversary either.

[Well, he should know, and that's the point, isn't it?

... Does she really have to do everything herself? You know what? Fine. She'll just take it upon herself to spit it right out if he's that stupid. (Which really shouldn't surprise her but she's on an irrational warpath right now.)]

You left.

[Ohhhh.]

Ohhhh. But...I left you a note. [Maybe. Possibly. Or he might have just thought about leaving her one and then...never actually did it.]

[and Jo is going to take this opportunity to kidnap EVERYONE and just... walk... over down this hallway and into her room.]

[No, Gwaine, there's no way you can get out of this one. No way. Don't even try.]

There wasn't a note.

And I had to find out from Jo.

I meant to tell you. [Again he's trying to close the distance between them to hug her.] It was just so sudden and Arthur asked me to go—

[Gwaine, you idiot. There is a time and a place to mention hanging out with your ex. Now is probably not one of them.]

[Nope, no hugging. She subtly steps to the side when he tries. She's got another point to argue, and she opens her mouth to, when--

... Hold the phone.]

Arthur asked you to go?

[Congratulations, Gwaine, you've really dug your own grave now.]

[...Yeah, he shouldn't have mentioned that little bit.]

He did—it's not what it sounds like. It was just work. We were separated after the first night inside the place anyway.

[Then he was just stuck with his ex's partner for a few days.]

Edited 2011-11-20 23:04 (UTC)

[She just... can't process what she's hearing right now. Not only did Gwaine not tell her he was leaving, he didn't tell her he was leaving to go spend time with Arthur. This is just spiraling from bad to worse faster than she can blink.

Her gaze drops, and her hand goes to her forehead. Like she's trying to relieve a headache. Or something like that.]

What happened the first night?

[Although she's not really sure now if she wants to know.]

[It's not like he prefers Arthur's company over yours! He loves you~]

In order, we were attacked by blood-sucking finches, there was an earthquake and a cave-in. We were all separated into small groups.

[Again! He tries to hold her. Gotta give the guy points for tenacity, at least.]

I'm sorry, Julia. I am. I should have let you know, I thought I did. I didn't have my journal with me so I could not speak to you while I was there. [That and he was avoiding a lava-crossing octopus so distractions. He had them.]

[She loves him too. And because of that, he doesn't even know how much she wants to just give in and let him hold her. He was gone for a week. A week. She missed him. More than she could possibly say.

But she can't give in. Because this? Is still completely inexcusable, no matter how hard he tries to smooth it over. It can't be smoothed over. If he can't be honest with her, then what are they doing here?

Good relationships are built on honesty, right? It doesn't look like they have a good one from all appearances right now. Maybe they should--]

You should have told me.

[This time he just aims to hold her hand in both of his. His finger protests, but he could really care less at the moment.]

I apologize, Julia. You must know I would never try to cause you distress on purpose. I can only imagine what you must have felt this week and I am sorry. You know you are what is important to me. [He smiles.] You are my queen.

[Sweet words and gentle hands or not (things she still wants, despite herself), he still betrayed her trust. He still hurt her. It was something she was so sure he would never do. She was willing to put up with so much, all his (endearing) cluelessness, as long as she could believe in that one simple fact.

But now the illusion is broken. There's no going back now. She can't look at him the same way ever again. She needs time away from him. Time to process.

Before she finally speaks again, she takes a deep, steadying breath, and doesn't quite meet his eyes, instead keeping them on her hand in his.]

I think.... [She pauses to swallow the lump suddenly forming in her throat.] ... I think we should take a break, Gwaine.

[He doesn't speak. He doesn't start. It might have been like he didn't even hear her except for his hands suddenly tightening around hers. It's not enough to be painful, but it does tell her he did hear—and he's struggling with it. A feeling like ice is trickling down his spine. He swallows a few times, his heart rate jumping until he can feel it at the base of his neck. When he finally speaks, it's faint.]

W-what?

[This isn't any easier for her. Her own struggle is painfully evident from the way she continues to stare at their joined hands, her conflicting thoughts practically visible passing over her face. She doesn't try to pull away, or even make any resistance at all, when he tightens his grip. Allowing herself this one last indulgence.

And thereby turning this into what feels like the hardest thing she's ever done.]

A break. From this. [She says it like she's trying to convince herself more than she is him, but falters on the last word. It takes her a few moments to regain the strength to go on. When she does, she finally lifts her eyes to find his, and her voice is barely above a whisper.] .... From us.

I'll be there for you... when you come back from the expedition

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