Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 15, 2007 10:14:35 GMT -5
"That offer for me to talk with her is still available."
"Very tempting, actually," she said. "But this is probably something I should handle on my own. There's already been enough collateral damage from our bickering. Besides, she seems to like you; best if you keep it that way. For your own health and safety."
She caught sight of the drawing that she'd set aside. "And then there's the matter of Jake," she remarked. "Losing his trust before I even really had it..."
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 15, 2007 10:53:07 GMT -5
"But this is probably something I should handle on my own. There's already been enough collateral damage from our bickering. Besides, she seems to like you; best if you keep it that way. For your own health and safety."
"And then there's the matter of Jake, Losing his trust before I even really had it..."
"Oh, I'm sure you haven't lost his trust." he said, continuing to sketch. "Just give him time. He'll understand."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 15, 2007 12:27:03 GMT -5
"Oh, he's had plenty of time," she sighed. "Hours and hours to contemplate exactly why I didn't tell him the truth right from the beginning.
"I know it probably sounds silly, but Jake and I had this...connection. From the first time Ana-Lucia forcibly asked me to stop the bleeding in his shoulder wound. He was like a brother to me, and I just wanted to protect him. But I don't think he'll see that as a reasonable excuse for lying to him," she explained.
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 15, 2007 12:53:22 GMT -5
"I know it probably sounds silly, but Jake and I had this...connection. From the first time Ana-Lucia forcibly asked me to stop the bleeding in his shoulder wound. He was like a brother to me, and I just wanted to protect him. But I don't think he'll see that as a reasonable excuse for lying to him,"
"I don't think that sounds silly." he said truthfully. "And if you do have a connection, he'll understand, won't he? After all, people argue all the time. I argued with my therapist a great deal."
He paused for a moment. She'd been honest and open with him, very surprisingly so. So he felt like he should open up just a little for her, but a little was a whole lot more than he opened up for anyone else. "But like you said, my therapist and I had a connection, an understanding. So we got past any arguments or secrets, and...well, we ended up living together as partners. So if your connection with Jake is worth it, it'll be forgotten. After all, it would be a silly thing for him to remain upset about."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 15, 2007 13:13:40 GMT -5
She gave him a look of mock annoyance. "Anyone ever tell you that you have an annoying habit of being far too rational?" she said. "And I do hope you're right. The best thing for me to do is find him and tell him the truth, tell him I'm sorry, and maybe that will be enough."
She pursed her lips in thought. "So...you live with someone? Your therapist?" she asked, unsure whether this 'partner' was male or female.
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 15, 2007 13:58:26 GMT -5
"And I do hope you're right. The best thing for me to do is find him and tell him the truth, tell him I'm sorry, and maybe that will be enough."
"That's true, all you can really do is...tell the truth to the right person." he agreed.
"So...you live with someone? Your therapist?"
"Yes, I do, for about three years now." he said, concentrating on the picture. "She still tried to make me pay for sessions as long as possible."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 15, 2007 14:29:42 GMT -5
"Yes, I do, for about three years now...She still tried to make me pay for sessions as long as possible."
"Oh...I see," she said, smiling politely. So it was a 'she' and he'd been living with her for years. She'd have to remind Jinx to cross Severin off her list.
"Well, that doesn't seem right at all. Surely you could work out some sort of arrangement. You make the tea, she helps you achieve self-actualization. That sort of thing?" she offered.
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 15, 2007 14:49:49 GMT -5
"Well, that doesn't seem right at all. Surely you could work out some sort of arrangement. You make the tea, she helps you achieve self-actualization. That sort of thing?"
He laughed. "That sounds like a much better deal." Despite his laughter, he was slightly regretting telling Gwen about Leonora. He just reminded him further of her silent, vacant stare so many miles away. But Gwen's joke at least made him remember a more...alive side of Leonora. "Although I'm still on my way to achieving that..."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 15, 2007 15:01:42 GMT -5
"Although I'm still on my way to achieving that..."
"Well, we do seem to have found ourselves with a lot of spare time on our hands now," she said. "Shame all that soul-searching has to take a backseat to foraging for food, breaking up the daily fisticuffs, running from whatever's in that jungle..."
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 15, 2007 15:17:18 GMT -5
"Shame all that soul-searching has to take a backseat to foraging for food, breaking up the daily fisticuffs, running from whatever's in that jungle..."
"True." he said, beginning to put the finishing touches on his drawing. "I think I'll probably be staying out of the jungle, for the most part. As for the fisticuffs, I think I'm more likely to further enrage whoever's fighting."
He continued to shade in her hair, trying to give it that distinct shine that was so striking. "I think I'll stick with foraging for food. Although those peanut packets always did give me a challenge in opening them..."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 16, 2007 7:40:52 GMT -5
"Although those peanut packets always did give me a challenge in opening them..."
"I never did learn the trick to it, either," she said. "Maybe if I stay with the company for five years, they'll finally enlighten me."
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 16, 2007 9:40:17 GMT -5
"Maybe if I stay with the company for five years, they'll finally enlighten me."
"Won't happen. I was with the army for that long, and they still haven't told me what SAS stands for." he replied, finishing up his sketch. "I'm just about done, you'll be happy to know, since now you won't have to stay in one place for a prolonged length of time."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 16, 2007 10:08:58 GMT -5
"I'm just about done, you'll be happy to know, since now you won't have to stay in one place for a prolonged length of time."
"It's okay, I don't mind," she said, only now realizing how pleasant it had been to be away from the questions and concerns and accusations that seemed to follow her around the camp. If only for a short time. She knew she'd have to get back to work eventually.
"I mean, your shelter is as good a place as any to hide from Ana," she grinned.
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 16, 2007 12:07:04 GMT -5
"I mean, your shelter is as good a place as any to hide from Ana,"
"Ah, so that's why you're staying here. I provide a hiding place." he said in a mock tone of annoyance. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to throw you out or somehow disguise you from Ana. Perhaps a fake moustache, fake nose and glasses. You'll be disguised as Groucho Marx."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 16, 2007 12:50:24 GMT -5
"Perhaps a fake moustache, fake nose and glasses. You'll be disguised as Groucho Marx."
"Yeah, that Ana got her good looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon," she quoted, in her best Groucho Marx impression complete with fake cigar.
"And it is a lovely hiding place, Severin. I don't mean to seem ungrateful. But I'm sure you can find far more...cooperative artist's models among the other survivors," she said.
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 16, 2007 13:30:32 GMT -5
"Yeah, that Ana got her good looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon,"
He laughed. "See, all you really need is a mustache to complete the illusion."
"And it is a lovely hiding place, Severin. I don't mean to seem ungrateful. But I'm sure you can find far more...cooperative artist's models among the other survivors,"
He rounded off pencil-Gwen's nose. "It was my pleasure, Gwen. Feel free to hide here any time you want." he said, and then turned the paper around to show her. The picture captured all of Gwen, her lovely smile, the shine of her hair, the lively eyes and of course, the adorable nose.
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 16, 2007 14:26:14 GMT -5
"Oh, it's beautiful, Severin," she smiled in awe, trying to take in all the details. "Even looks like me. Actually, looks like quite a bit better than me."
She finally tore her eyes away from the drawing and back to him. "And thank you for the invitation. I fear I might be likely to abuse the privilege, though; I seem to piss someone off on a regular basis."
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 16, 2007 14:52:05 GMT -5
"Oh, it's beautiful, Severin, Even looks like me. Actually, looks like quite a bit better than me."
He couldn't help smiling as her face lit up. "The reason it's beautiful is probably because it does look like you. I hope it's not arrogant of me to think I've improved slightly from when I was five and my drawings contained humans that were twice the size of houses."
"And thank you for the invitation. I fear I might be likely to abuse the privilege, though; I seem to piss someone off on a regular basis."
"I'm not easily angered." he replied. "As long as you don't do anything purposefully malicious to harm me..."
|
|
Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
Posts: 2,010
|
Post by Gwen Havers on May 16, 2007 15:10:43 GMT -5
"I'm not easily angered. As long as you don't do anything purposefully malicious to harm me..."
She nodded. "I shall do my best. I promise I won't send any junior high science teachers to insult you in Spanish, at any rate," she declared, getting to her feet and stretching her arms. She picked up the drawing of Jake again, moving toward the shelter's entrance.
"Oh, have you eaten yet?" she asked. "I think there might still be some fruit by the fuselage."
|
|
|
Post by Severin on May 16, 2007 15:20:52 GMT -5
"Oh, have you eaten yet? I think there might still be some fruit by the fuselage."
"That sounds great, yes. Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry." he admitted. "Shall we, then?"
|
|