fridgetothefire | 011 ☣ sleepover!

u r a hero thanks

yes im ok i can walk

be there in a bit

[Ben knows even less what to do with the first part of that, but marks the time and sets a mental timer for how long he'll wait for her to show up before he goes looking. Something is wrong, and he doesn't intend to leave her to face it by herself indefinitely.

He leaves the door open, sitting stiffly and absolutely still on the edge of the military-style metal bunk while he watches for her.]

[She's not stumbling, but she keeps a hand trailing along the wall, picks her steps deliberately and slower than usual. She looks only mildly frazzled, hasn't been crying, and smells like vodka. She pauses in the doorway, sways a little.]

Sure you really don' mind?

[She's not stumbling but he can smell it on her, would be able to even if it were fainter; he stands and moves to meet her, bright brown eyes scanning for any overt sign of anything wrong with her, anything he could solve with his triage training or by redirecting her to the Infirmary.

Nothing tangible. His chances of being able to help just decreased significantly, but he bites the inside of his cheek to keep his expression neutral.]

I'm certain. Please, come in. You are partially inebriated. [The cabin is small, containing only a bed with plain navy blue blankets, a simple dresser, and several stacks of books and CDs. There's a packed away chess set on top of the dresser.]

I'm very inebrated. Mostly. Yes.

[She smiles a little to see him, and at the simplicity of the room: essentials, books, music. It's comforting. She sits on the bed and then immediately flops back onto it, feet still on the floor.]

Uhg. What a day. What a year.

[There's no place else to sit, of course, but Ben wouldn't anyway. He paces first one way and then th eother over the empty space between the bed and the dresser, not quite frowning and not quite agitated, not overtly.]

What has happened?

[She watches him move back and forth, like a cat or a tennis fan, touches her tongue to her outer lip, fumbling for how to explain any of it.]

Remember when I said I killed my king?

[He ends up stopping somewhere to one side of the dresser, not blocking the door which is, in fact, deliberate. Ben settles to loose attention, except for how his head is cocked slightly to one side, regarding her intently.]

I do.

[She stares down at her hands, forces the words out, stumbling on them.]

He's here.

Not him. He's too young, his hair's wrong, he doesn't hate me. He doesn't know me. But it's still him.

[Ben is never very expressive, not as easily identifiable as most, but what little that does come through is almost always significant. Now his entire face seems to sharpen and close, eyes narrowing.

There's never any mistaking that he was raised by the military, but times like this it's much easier to see without trying what their original intent was for him. And all transgenics.]

Has he attempted to harm you?

[She shakes her head, her hands gripping each other tightly so they don't shake.]

He was. Kind to me, when I was in zero. I think he thinks he cares. But he's so angry now. His room is next to mine and I could hear him destroying things. He has the same abilities and he's so angry. It makes sense why but I can't. I can't be there.

[Ben's attention ticks deliberately between her face and where her hands are clasped, weighing her words for the truth of them. He knows about lying to hide the extent of damage, about being in prime condition at all times for fear of what will happen otherwise.

But he can detect nothing, and though he doesn't relax, he does breathe out slowly when he moves to close the door, check that it's locked.]

You are safe here. I won't say where you are, and neither will my warden.

[She shudders, and her shoulders slump a little, some small measure of relief.]

Thank you. I'll be okay when he isn't - I just. Thank you.

Of course. You may stay as long as you need to.

[Turning back, he does finally move to settle, folding down smoothly and neatly to a cross legged position on the floor opposite her. He's still got that edge about him, but less than when it first appeared. It's not natural on him, but it is complete nonetheless, ingrained.]

Did you tell anyone?

[She shakes her head. She talked about a few things she didn't mean to, at the pub, but she knows for sure this wasn't one of them.]

No. Not about. That. This.

Edited 2013-04-14 06:22 (UTC)

[Ben cocks his head to one side ever so slightly.]

Would you like to?

[The simplicity of the offer takes her by surprise; her eyes flick up to him and she blinks.]

I. Don't think I'd know what else to say.

[Ben, in turn, regards her steadily. He has questions, but she's upset, tired, and has been drinking well past the point he would consider her - or anyone - capable of making thoroughly rational decisions. She won't thank him for taking advantage of it and he has no reason to; it's only curiosity. The bulk of it has already been decided, and avoided, by her requesting to stay here.

And so:]

Is there anything I can bring you from your quarters?

Oh.

[It's a degree of kindness she didn't anticipate, simply didn't imagine anything beyond haven.]

There's - his cape? It's red, and it's hanging over my bed like a curtain, but it wouldn't be hard to tug down.

[Don't mind the bloodstain. It says she's strong, she's safe, she can win.]

[He had not, necessarily, been thinking of sentimental items when he said it so much as practical items. He doesn't know how long she'll be staying but she'll need clothes if it's longer than a night, at the least. Perhaps some of the food and water she mentioned to him during the takeover. She certainly won't want to go back there but Ben isn't afraid.

If he thinks the request is odd, he doesn't show it.]

Okay. Is there anything else? Is there... [And now he does hesitate because it's in his nature to be absolutely secretive when someone needs to be safe; someone he's willing to protect, anyway. But.] Anyone you would like to know you are safe?

[She will be going back, is what they misunderstand about each others' assumptions. She likes this Erik well enough, and the part of her that doesn't trust him prefers being close so she can keep tabs. It's just tonight, when she feels wobbly and lost, and he's still rattling the walls.]

M'gonna pass out soon anyway, I think. Can face it in the morning. And I've got my comm, I'll answer anybody who's worried myself.

[He doesn't understand yet but he wants to, he will try; he couldn't protect her from the events of the past couple weeks, but he's learning to utilize his skills and his strengths to do what he can. He'll watch Erik and try to understand.

For now, though, he swallows quietly and pushes smoothly to his feet.]

Alright. I will fetch your cape and go speak with my warden so he is not surprised should he come looking for me here.

[She nods, gets herself a little more comfortable.]

And some more water, maybe? I had plenty at the bar, but. Still good to have.

Thanks, Ben.

Yes, I will bring some.

[He's already almost at the door, and doesn't stop now even as he replies, steps slowing just a moment before returning to normal on his way out.]

Of course, Anya.

[She scoots into the corner of his bunk; the enclosure of it feels protective, comforting. It's been a long day and she wants to lay down and let the heaviness of drunken sleep cover over her, but she blinks and traces woodgrain and waits until he comes back.]

011 ☣ sleepover!

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