Sunday Morning in the Preserve

[mylandmyrules]

It had been a very intense training session as Nell showed off the vibroknife and the new skills she'd had drilled into her over the week. She'd even been willing, for the first time, to try a little sparring with Marc after her success with it on Odessen. She thought it had gone well. She hadn't panicked in any case.

But now was the time to dig her feet into the dirt, back against a tree, and let the land refresh her.

Comments

[mylandmyrules]

"She's not married," Nell said. "But it seems a similar religious... place."

[hasaknightjob]

Oh hey, it would've been a good guess if he'd gone with it. "She okay?"

[mylandmyrules]

"She seems to be," Nell said. "I don't think it's as... difficult as mine. Her family seems more invested in her well-being."

And if that didn't kill her to say.

[hasaknightjob]

"Guess that's something," Marc said. He kept his opinions to himself about the adults in Nell's life. And about families. "Ready for your own place?"

As far as he was aware she hadn't had a roommate in the dorms for a while, but that wasn't the same thing as having your own apartment.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell let out a long breath. "I think so, yes. I ran the whole household on my own back home for almost three years. An apartment with all the modern conveniences will be nothing compared to that. And I'm used to being mostly on my own. There were always people around in the dorms, but then there are always people around in the town."

"And I have friends here. I'm sure you'll come visit and Steven will certainly want to check on me."

[hasaknightjob]

"Not if you don't want him to," Marc said.

[mylandmyrules]

"Of course I want him to," Nell said seriously. "I don't think I've ever had people who cared enough to check on me before. Not who didn't have to. He might - he's very hard to say no to, but I appreciate him very much."

[hasaknightjob]

"Just checking," Marc said. Things had been weird yesterday, after all. Nell might've been more comfortable telling him she needed space from Steven than telling Steven directly. "He's used to dealing with me. That's where that comes from."

[mylandmyrules]

"If he ever gets to be too much I'm sure I could tell you about it," Nell said. But she probably wouldn't ever do that.

She smiled at him. "Well, to get you to do things you don't want to..."

[hasaknightjob]

"Pretty much," Marc said. Nell didn't need to know about all the things that Steven did that for, though. It could stay on lighter things, like signing him up for a class without asking.

[mylandmyrules]

"Worked out well at least once, though," she said with a smile.

[hasaknightjob]

"Didn't we talk about encouraging him?" Marc said, quirking his eyebrows up.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell put her hands up. "Oh, I am NOT talking about encouraging him. I have been in enough awkward situations as it is. I know he's well meaning and I think he's wonderful and maybe it's for my own good, but..."

Shirtless Watts, Marc. Shirtless Watts

[hasaknightjob]

"It's the 'for your own good' that gets you every time," Marc said. The most annoying part about Steven, really. That and how Steven was smug about it when he was proven right.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell just buried her face in her hands. "And how he's so sweet about it that I can't seem to just say no. Whether it's for my own good or not."

[hasaknightjob]

"Used to dealing with me," Marc reminded her. Which he'd said already, but it bore repeating. With more obvious affection - or as obvious as positive emotions ever got for Marc, at least - he said, "He has hope. It's what he does."

[mylandmyrules]

"Hope." Nell considered that. And considered how little hope she'd had for much of anything in her life. "I guess.. Maybe that's nice for him. I don't let myself hope for much."

And the things she did let herself feel hopeful for just made her feel guilty.

[hasaknightjob]

"He sees the best in the world," Marc said. "At least he sees reasons to keep going. I don't do that."

On many, many levels Marc didn't do that.

[mylandmyrules]

"I've got my sisters," she said. "And Soulwood."

She sat quietly. "At least I did."

She was quiet for another moment. "And for what it's worth... I'm really glad you're here. You've made my world better."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc bit down on his usual reply that anybody looking to him as a bright side had a pretty sad life. Nell didn't need the burden of his shit on top of whatever she was dealing with. "Sorry about your sisters. I get it."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell had a pretty good idea what he was thinking and it kond of just proved her point about him being kind. But she'd pushed things far enough and at least had said what she felt.

"Thank you," she said. "Some things you just learn to live with. AS you know."

[hasaknightjob]

"Pretty much," Marc agreed. Case in point all the bags that were going to be showing up at the apartment the next morning. At least those wouldn't show up until after Nell had left for work. "But you're making a life for yourself. That's good."

[mylandmyrules]

"Nobody told me I had a choice about that," Nell said with a small smile. "Just kept going and dealing with what I had."

She was quiet again. "Can I say something that I don't necessarily want Steven to know right now?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Yeah," Marc said. "He's not here."

Which was two answers: one that he wasn't here to hear it, and two that Marc agreed not to tell him.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell nodded and let out a long breath. "I, maybe... I'm maybe really glad that I don't have to make a decision about going home or staying here. Life is better here."