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

[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."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc could relate. Different reasons, but he got the idea. "Can be easier that way, yeah."

[mylandmyrules]

"Still. This time next week I'll be in my new apartment and ready for whatever strange things Fandom throws at me." She smiled shyly at him.

"And I'll have my new knife." She patted it and gave him a grin. "Which I will probably never use."

[hasaknightjob]

"No harm in practicing with it," Marc pointed out. Then he realized what he said. "You know. Carefully."

[mylandmyrules]

She laughed. "And turned off! We'll see how brave I am."

[hasaknightjob]

"We can do practice knives too if you want," Marc said. "Not the same thing but not as dangerous either."

Mainly he was worried about Nell for that. He could heal.

[mylandmyrules]

"Practice knives would be good," Nell agreed. Though she was more worried that she'd hurt Marc accidentally through her clumsiness.

And, though she didn't know it yet, she might not be able to come back from the dead (though she'd bring two people back from the dead), but she'd be able to heal from an awful lot.

No need to test that out early, though!

[hasaknightjob]

"When you're ready," Marc said. He never wanted to push Nell past her comfort level. Especially since the biggest goal was to help her feel in control when shit went down. "Knives I'm actually good at."

[mylandmyrules]

"Really? Then yes, as long as we have practice knives." She chuckled a little and gestured towards herself, "Clearly I've been getting practice in taking a hit."

[hasaknightjob]

"Could ask Lana to help you get more practice at that," Marc pointed out. He figured Nell would want to keep working with someone female for hands on things like that.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell nodded. "She offered to help. I just want to get settled into the apartment and all before I add anything new."

[hasaknightjob]

"Makes sense," Marc said. "Plus you'll have enough of a workout moving your shit around."

[mylandmyrules]

"Just setting out my plants, really," Nell said. "And I have someone to help me bring them over."

She hesitated. "I think Steven thinks I should decorate it, but I won't be doing that. Not for a while anyway."

[hasaknightjob]

"Most people decorate," Marc said. He shrugged because he didn't include himself in most people. "He gets on my ass about it for different reasons. That's all."

[mylandmyrules]

"Clean's more important to me," Nell said. "I'll have to supply enough things anyways. I won't have extra money for fripperies for a while. And that's just fine with me."

[hasaknightjob]

"I mean you've seen our place," Marc said. "Most of Steven's stuff is a mess."

For "mess" read "piles of books in no seeming order." The sad thing was this was actually better than what the book situation back in the London apartment was like.

[mylandmyrules]

She grinned. "I can assure you that I will not have nearly enough things to create the maze you live in."

[hasaknightjob]

"Plants grow," Marc pointed out.