fandomtownies | Cafe Fina - Wednesday

Amber came in during her lunch break. "Hi, Liir."

He looked up from his work and--

I can't be unfair. Just... a little less concerned.

"Hello," he said with a faint smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doin' much better, thank you," she smiled and sat down. "How are you? I haven't seen you for a couple days and was wonderin'."

"I'm well enough," he said with a shrug.

Most of the bruise had been healed by Ino last night and his own strange propensity for knitting himself back together had done the rest.

"And yourself? Would you like something to eat?"

She glanced down at her arm. "I'm better. I don't want to complain, especially considerin'..."

Tilting her head, she studied him for a moment. Had she done something to bother him? He seemed a little... distant.

"I'll try the duck; I've never had duck. Is it true it tastes like chicken?"

"A little darker, a little heavier, and it has a bit more of a robust flavor, but they are both fowl. Birds, I mean."

He smiled and started putting together her plate properly.

"Anything to drink? I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Sounds good," she said.

Amber considered for a moment. "Chocolate milk?"

Biting her lip, she watched him work. "Hey, I heard on the radio that you and Ino are dating? Maybe? Is that true?"

He almost dropped the plate.

"What!?"

He'd not listened last night since he didn't want to hear about their argument.

Amber jumped when he yelled at her.

"I'm sorry? It was stated that you were, just was kind of mentioned."

He shook his head firmly but looked a little apologetic for making her jump.

"No, no, we're not-- no."

He breathed out.

"She's my sister. We had an argument. That's all. That's--where in Hell would anyone get the idea that we're dating? Have the squirrels added something extra to their diets of late that would have them hallucinating?"

He turned to Amber.

"I'm sorry for startling you. It's just... the idea is just..."

What?

She just stared at him, trying to shrink way down.

"No. I... I don't know. I'm sorry, it's not my business. It was just, well they mentioned that she got mad because you didn't call her. I'm sorry, Liir, I'm not tryin' to be nosey. I was just.. interested in you."

She looked down. Shrugged in a nonchalant sort of fashion. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

He sighed and closed his eyes.

"I can't do anything right lately."

He sunk down a little to look Amber in the eyes.

"You don't have to apologize. It was a simple enough question and I certainly don't mind. It was just startling.

"She got mad at me for... well, it's a bit complicated and it's somewhat private, but rest assured that I know you weren't trying to be nosy. The interest is confusing but certainly not troubling."

He served up a limeade he'd whipped up a few minutes before and then added one of the strawberry dishes as a further apology.

She didn't raise her head, but her lashes lifted so she could meet his eyes. "It was on the radio," she repeated, now understanding that she had shocked him with that news, and that he hadn't heard it himself. She had been too startled by his upset to think clearly.

"It's none of my business; I understand private stuff, Liir. And... the interest comes from you bein' my friend. I care about you."

He was being sweet, with the offered dessert. Amber hoped she could eat it. She was feeling a little out of sorts now.

He made sure she was well taken care of, food wise.

"I'm terrible with surprise," he said with a sigh. "Always have been, and I suppose I always will be.

"And I'm glad you care, Amber. I appreciate it."

He couldn't quite say anything more (it didn't feel appropriate) but he hoped the food said it.

No, the food didn't say it. She understood the gesture but she thought he was being evasive with more than just words.

It was okay though. She didn't want to be an issue with him and she certainly didn't want him to tell her anything that he couldn't talk about. She was a little more than upset by his cold, seemingly standoffish attitude. Friends couldn't be close? She didn't understand that, not at all, and it hurt her feelings.

But... private. Right. She got that.

She began to eat her lunch, silently.

I really do ruin everything.

He noticed. The silence.

"Ino's just about the only thing I'm ever sure of," he told her after a moment. "Having her upset, and having her upset because of me, and having her upset with me, well, it just sets me off kilter. So... if I'm acting a bit odd, I'm sorry. Everything's just difficult right now."

She nodded a little. It was sad that he thought that. Trying to make friends that were lasting was a hard thing to do, and evidently Amber wasn't doing a very good job of it. Especially if he was only ever sure of Ino.

It's like Amber was just... someone there. And obviously she didn't mean much, even after he saved her, took care of her; do you do that for someone who is just a passing thought?

Apparently.

"I'm curious why she is upset with you, but again, I'm not askin', just..." she figured it was just a way to converse, as friends. But... sometimes things didn't work out the way someone would like.

Very little was 'solid' for him and that had very little to do with Amber. He cared for her, and he liked her, and she made him smile. Usually.

"How goes the play?" he asked instead, hoping to pull things off of the matter. He couldn't make anyone happy trying to make everyone happy so he'd just have to, well, keep trying.

Change of subject. Amber sighed. She was okay with that.

"I'm workin' on it. Seems I'm kind of stuck on a particular... action, if you will, but... I'll work it out."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Action?"

He'd never heard that sort of thing discussed in Nanny's books.

"I, uh, have to work on my seduction... techniques."

That had been rather hard to say.

"Have you tried leather pants?"

...because really, she'd gone on about it at one point.

Amber looked up at him, eyes wide. Good thing she wasn't currently drinking anything.

"Uh... no? My character, um, doesn't wear leather."

Of course, Amber could always ask Mr. Tennant about that. Hm.

He rolled his eyes a bit comically.

"It just seemed like it might help. I don't know the first thing about seduction."

"You and me both," she replied.

"You might ask Inara?" he ventured. "After all, she was able to help me when I was rather confused on a matter of, er, such things."

"What? No. No way. No. Forget I mentioned this Liir. Just forget it."

Amber ducked her head and continued to eat her lunch. No way would she ask another girl (someone that she didn't even know) how to seduce someone. Nope. No way.

"As you... say."

He looked completely lost.

He would have to continue looking completely lost too because Amber wasn't going to talk about this anymore. Not. At. All.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing."

He wouldn't collect the money from her.

"I'll see you, Amber."

He knew a brush off when he heard one.

Wait a minute. What just happened here? She was just wanting to pay...

Amber shook her head, pulled out enough money to hopefully cover lunch and a tip and laid it down.

"I didn't know I was leavnin' yet. But... okay. Seems you don't want to talk to me about anythin' really, do you?" She might have been just a little bit upset here.

"I do," he said, just a bit testy in return, "but I'm not allowed to talk about things and you keep acting like I've done something terribly wrong and as it's obvious enough I can't do anything right, it's probably best you go before you decide you don't matter to me either!"

...

"I'm sorry, but why does that sound like so much bullshit? You're not allowed? What kind of crap is that?" Amber was mightily confused.

Edited 2008-06-25 18:20 (UTC)

"You said we weren't talking anymore about your trouble with the play. And I won't betray another's confidence, just as I wouldn't tell anyone else what we spoke about if it was a private matter. You went quiet, which you never do unless you're uncomfortable, and then you asked for the total."

He looked her right in the face.

"It seemed rather obvious to me that you'd rather not deal with me and while I'd usually try to figure out why, I've proved myself abysmal at such things yesterday and don't feel like screwing something else up, as I said."

Edited 2008-06-25 18:33 (UTC)

Amber was frowning but by the end of his pretty little speech, she was crying. Everything had been going good for her since this last weekend, up until now.

"It... it hurt that you think Ino is the only one thing you're sure about. You make me feel like nothin'. But, I'm sorry. I am..." With that, Amber stood and turned around and headed for the door. She was clearly too sensitive still to deal with her upsetting him.

Which only upset her.

Why did everyone--

Dammit.

He was utterly unfair and had long legs as well as a flying broom and put them to good use to try and get to the door before she did. If his manager heard about this and fired him, so be it.

"If you'll let me explain--" he said with a strange, unspecific noise of frustration.

"You're not nothing. It's just complicated. And no one ever understands me when I try to put it into words so I usually simplify it. You're not nothing. Amber--"

DAMMIT.

She stopped. Stared up at him. And brushed angrily at her cheeks.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just upset, overly sensitive. I was wrong to push you like that. I just... apparently... shouldn't talk at all."

"That never works."

He dropped to the ground.

"The not talking. Then people worry about you. And I would worry about you."

He scrubbed at his own face, not so much to get rid of the tears as because he didn't know what else to do with himself.

Amber stared down at him, then tentatively lowered herself, crouching in front of him.

"No you wouldn't," she commented softly. "I don't think you give yourself much room for friends, Liir." And she didn't mean that unkindly, just that he seemed so much of a closed individual.

He stiffened at the first comment, almost as if slapped.

Then he just shook his head to the second.

"Believe what you want, Amber," and he got out of her way. "You will no matter what I say."

Again.

"I believe what you say," she remarked, standing again. "You seemed to look like I was the last person you wanted to see when I came in. I think I know why, but I don't understand it. But then perhaps I just miscontrued every word you said." She paused, tears welling up again. "Good bye, Liir."

He almost said something.

He almost tried to fix it.

Then he shook his head and shut his mouth. No, she knew what she wanted to know. She had her truth. He couldn't even change his own truths.

Why did he think he could change hers?

"Be well, Amber."

She'd be better off without him.

Like always.

Edited 2008-06-25 19:08 (UTC)

Cafe Fina - Wednesday - 6/25

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