Heaven For The Weather, Hell For The Company [Tuesday of Week 9]

[chiseler]

[Things aren't better. Things are very much not-better, but he's been doing what he can to make them more manageable. He's avoided most people and he's lurked in dark corners to hide himself away. He sticks close with one person he's sworn to protect though and it's for that reason this late in the evening he's coming back from sneaking into the cafeteria with what is clearly enough food for two people.

He had timed it perfectly. He timed it to avoid everyone else.

But that doesn't stop the slide of a door and footsteps coming toward him. He looks up, pinpointing the sound as coming from the unit of Jason and Jack and he lifts an eyebrow as he stops to wait. He's valued this week. He's unafraid. And soon out of the shadows steps Elizabeth...and a broad smirk crosses his lips. It doesn't quite meet his eyes and it twitches more to one side than the other, but he tries.]

Question for you. Did they have condoms in 1912?

[It's much, much better than starting off in the most depressing state of mind right away. A joke, he thinks, to send her away and think he's disgusting. And then he can hide away as planned.]

Comments

[baptizer]

[ Elizabeth... totally wasn't doing anything wrong. Nor was she doing anything lewd. Sure does look that way huh? I mean, sure maybe her lips looked a little more puffy and face a bit more flushed, but it was nothing. Promise.

She thinks she's in the clear to return to her room (or Adelina's room) when Luke stops her. Her heels stop clicking and she's looking at him like a deer in headlights. ]

Luke, you nearly scared the white off my skin!

[ Kinda questionable saying but you know whatever. 1912. She meant no harm. His question has her stammer, flustered and shaking her head. Yeah, she's heard condom jokes since she was here. ]

Wha- No? Why - that's to say ... oh stop it! Don't even imply any need for contraceptives!

[ She'll motherhen you in a minute, she's still kind of dealing with his question. ]

[chiseler]

[He blinks slightly at the statement but his surprise is immediately dispelled when she starts to yell and he laughs. It's probably one of the most genuine laughs she's heard from him and he's only partially sorry he's teasing her so badly, but it's warranted. If he didn't like her so much he wouldn't bother. (And how had he become friends with her so quickly? He doesn't know.)]

No? Am I getting the wrong idea then? [He tilts his head toward Jason's room.] Silly me. Might wanna keep going before somebody less nice than me finds you out here.

[baptizer]

[ Okay look, like three people already caught her and Jason kissing. It's no good hiding whatever - companionship she had with him - but this was definitely not what it looked like.

Her hand goes up to cover her face shaking her head with a quick - ]

No , no, no - we were just talking! I wanted to talk to him about my secret... I didn't want him to look at me differently. I assure you, it was -

Look - what are you even doing out this late?

[chiseler]

[His grin softens then even if he's amused as fuck.]

Hey, you don't have to justify it to me. You crazy kids do whatever it is you wanna do. [Heh. But at the mention of secrets his face closes off just a bit. He's still smirking but his expression otherwise is fairly…well, dead. The question allows for him to lift up the food he's holding.]

Not a lot of people are in the cafeteria this late. Figured it was a good time to get dinner since Alice took it upon herself to make sure I wouldn't have to worry about wandering around at night this week. [The least she could do, he supposes.] I was just heading back.

[baptizer]

We were just talking!

[ YELLS. Elizabeth truly was trying to defend herself, but she hushes her voice soon after. ]

Are you - ... [ This was a stupid question and she knows it, her arm shifts up a bit, her hand resting on her collarbone. ] Are you alright? I know everything with last weekend... we haven't talked and I'm truly sorry I didn't seek you out.

[chiseler]

[The fact that she asks is enough to deplete the amusement entirely. He stares at her for a moment, unsure of how to react before deciding playing it off as she's only concerned from the trial is the best way to go.]

We've all been a little busy, don't worry about it. [He even tries for a reassuring grin. Elizabeth knows a little more about him than other people. He can try to be somewhat kind to her.] I'm still here, aren't I? No aliens yet, I'm valued for the week...what more could I ask for?

[He says with sarcastic words sarcastically.] You believe that, don't you?

[baptizer]

I don't believe a single word, but it's okay. I'm not open about my feelings either.

[ she would be a hypocrite if she didn't at least understand where he was coming forms Elizabeth looks at him with some concern. ]

Um - to address the elephant in the room... [ a beat ] I'm happy you're still here. My feelings on you haven't changed. Just for clarification.

[chiseler]

[Ah. What is it with people telling him he's liked and they're glad he's here? This has come up a few times now and he's not entirely sure how to handle it, considering. He looks at her questioningly, nodding slowly after a while.]

…you remember what I said about fate, don't you? [A shrug.] Pre-determined before I was even born, I think. A lot of things probably make more sense to you now. [Why he wasn't confident he'd see his friends again. Why his left side is covered in old wounds. Why he came to her specifically after her own possession to try and help.] I'm just kind of sorry you had to find out like this.

[A pause.] You shouldn't be out by yourself this late. C'mon. I'll walk you back. [It's not even that far of a distance but after last week he trusts nothing about this fucking ship.]

[baptizer]

I do. [ She nods in a "makes sense" kind of way. She's not going to really try and soothe his fears and worries. It's not her place. So she keeps her healing words to a minimum. ] You don't need to apologize to me. We all have things we'd rather not talk about. My secret was just as exposed as yours.

[ Awkward, guilty look. Elizabeth looks down the hallway then back to Luke, okay. Look - ]

To my room, please.

[chiseler]

[Which is good. He doesn't need pity and she can probably see from the outline of his jaw that he's on-edge enough. Still, he ducks his head to look down at her and slowly exhales.]

Can't exactly apologize to the people I probably should, so here we are. [An awkward, equally guilty shrug, but he follows her gaze and tilts his head, adjusting the food in his hands so he doesn't drop it.] Least your room isn't far from his. Lead the way?

[baptizer]

[ She nudges him towards her room. There's an awkwardness - partially because of the Jason implication and secondary to her not being able to really help his mood. ]

If you ever need to talk about something, you'll know where my room is now.

[ He can see all of her emo glory - Hancock's hat and a teaset akin to Frankenstein's and all. ]

You'll have no excuse to keep to yourself.

[chiseler]

[Everything about the ship is seemingly awkward now and though he knows she's correct he's still tentative in agreeing to anything.]

You might not know this about me, but the last four years were pretty much kept to myself except for when I was helping lead an army. [And even then his plans were kept to himself.] And anyway...there's really no polite way to say that I'm aware I shouldn't be alive and I don't know what to do about it half the time. [But he's being a good escort and glancing down the hall as they walk to ensure that nobody's going to. You know. Drop from the ceiling or anything.]

[baptizer]

I don't know anything about you, really. 9 weeks aren't enough to really know you...

[ Morbid, but true. She won't dance around the subject off letting him think she's being a know-it-all. She does put people first, she can't help that, but... in the end, she won't push him to talk about things. ]

Whether you're reflective on it or not, you're alive. You have no choice but to move forward or you'll make yourself vulnerable.

[ She sounds serious, but more like tough love, okay. ]

I doubt getting killed twice sounds like fun.

[chiseler]

That is a lie. Some of my favorite people are people I instantly liked and understood the moment I met them. [But it's more for argument sake than anything.]

I never said anything about not moving forward. Things have changed, Elizabeth. I don't have a choice in the manner seeing how I don't like the idea of dying by somebody else's hands. My own death was my own choice. What would change?

[But he frowns lightly.] ...besides. I have a lot of people that I want to see get out of here. Can't do that if I die twice.