The Perk, Monday Evening

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

The inside of the Perk was warm and smelled like good coffee; both things Cindy could appreciate after the walk from the hotel in the evening cold. When Max had called her asking if they could talk--and after Cindy had verified that he legitimately meant 'talk'--she'd suggested the Perk so she could stock up on her personal supply of coffee and grab some for class tomorrow.

The mug she had in her hands right now? Pure indulgence.

Did she feel guilty? Not a chance.

[Cindy's there for one, but the Perk is open for all your Cindy or coffee needs!]

Comments

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Since he'd asked for the meeting, Max figured it was only courteous for him to beat her there. So he was already at a table with a huge cup of coffee for himself, and a couple of random pastries. He didn't deign to order coffee for her. That was one of those things he didn't want to get wrong, after all.

He did wave stand up and throw her a wave, though.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy waved back and once the cashier had handed her both bags of ground coffee beans, she took her purchases and headed over towards his table. "You should take this as a measure of how much I like you," she said with a smile. "It's cold out here and I'm a delicate flower."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'll give you the cold part," Max allowed with a smirk.

"And, seriously, I do appreciate you coming out here." He was gratified, even.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"I could wilt like a exotic orchid," Cindy said blandly, sipping her coffee. "Any minute now. I should have made you pay for my extra coffee."

She chuckled a bit. "So what's up that needed me to brave the cold and wind?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I have an... issue I wanted to discuss." Something serious. Which was why he hadn't just swung by her room. He didn't want to set the wrong tone, and if they were somewhere even remotely private he knew he'd be tempted to.

"Regarding a student."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"A student?" Cindy asked, her brows drawing together. "You mean...the one who died?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"No." Max shook his head, eyes darkening as that memory washed over him.

"This is an unrelated matter."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"I'm still sorry," Cindy said, resting her hand on Max's. "What's up?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"One of my students is... in need of some counsel, I think. And I think you might be qualified to give it given... well..." Given the stuff he's not about to mention here.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Qualified," Cindy said, "Given...?"

The silence stretched out for a moment.

"I see. Go on?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"One of my students is... in need of some counsel, I think. And I think you might be qualified to give it given... well..." Given the stuff he's not about to mention here.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Qualified," Cindy said, "Given...?"

The silence stretched out for a moment.

"I see. Go on?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"She's... got some training." And all the baggage that being active in their field could bring.

He paused again, then sighed.

"And her home was recently destroyed."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy winced. "I know how that goes," she said quietly. "It's a kind of hurt that sticks awhile."

She mulled it over. "If I talk to her, I'll have to be honest."

You know, in case Max hadn't figured that out.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Which is why I wanted to mention it to you before bringing it up with her." He wasn't comfortable with sharing a confidence without permission. Doubly so with someone like Cindy.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Which was why Max wouldn't be found face first on the floor the next morning.

"How's she doing?"

It wasn't an answer. Yet.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

That might have figured into Max's thinking, yes.

"Honestly? Not good at all. If I'm any judge, she's just barely holding it together..." He paused, frowning. "And that's being generous."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Shit," Cindy said, looking away and taking another drink of her coffee. If Max was a good friend, he'd've brought booze for her to doctor her coffee with.

"What can you tell me about her training?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max watched Cindy in silence for a moment, then set a small metal flask on the table.

It might have been half-empty already.

"Very thorough, and they started young. I don't know a lot of specifics, unfortunately. At least not the ones that matter." Because that she knew how to fight was less important than how she thought.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

True. So true.

Cindy took the flask and added a liberal amount to her coffee. "They'd have to, if she's trained already."

On the one hand, that would mean two people on the island who knew her secret. And there was that old saying, "Three people could keep a secret..."

On the other hand, they were talking about a young woman who'd lost her home. Cindy knew how much that hurt. Max didn't. Couldn't. At the end of the day, he still had his.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

He did. And, really, Max's home wasn't the sort of thing he'd miss. That involved more sentiment than he was really equipped to put into most things.

"And as... cagey," might as well call it what it was, "as she is, I don't even know if she'll talk to you."

He sighed. "But I don't think that there's anything I can do for her, beyond what I have." Which was driving him crazy.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy leaned over and rested her hand on Max's. "You're trying. And even if she doesn't talk to me, you're doing everything in your power to help."

Which wouldn't make him feel better if his student didn't talk to her and ended up cracking, but he needed to be told anyway.

And then Cindy realized that she'd made her decision.

"If she comes to me, I'll talk to her."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max's shoulders slumped slightly as some of the tension drained away. "Thanks," he said quietly.

It meant a lot. More than he could say, really.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," Cindy said, feeling better about her decision just at Max's reaction. Of course, he had to be worried, to ask her to compromise her cover like this. "Even people like us need support. Hell, especially people like us."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I've done okay the past year or so..."

For some definition of 'okay'. Of course, not running any active missions helped.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

Cindy just raised an eyebrow. "Max, your idea of foreplay involves getting your nose broken."

Don't ask how that was topical. Just go with it.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

...

Point.

"To be fair, that was true before I got here..."

Which actually didn't really help his case, now did it?

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Not. Helping." Cindy pointed out with a grin. "Not saying I disapprove, mind you. But then..." she spread her arms. "Look who's talking."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max laughed. "Hey, I'll take your opinion on the subject any day of the week."

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"Only because it aligns so nicely with yours," Cindy smirked.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Well, of course."

Max snorted. He knew he was predictable, after all.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"When will you see her next?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Sometime this week, probably."

He was worried about her. Very worried.

[steel-not-glass.livejournal.com]

"I have office hours this week," Cindy said. "If you'd like to let her know."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max nodded.

"I will."