001. come, honey: be here with me. // open post.

[redemancy]

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[redemancy]

...I know.

[She falls quiet for a while, because it's suddenly really interesting, looking into her glass.]

I ended it with him. Told him that I needed time.

[Not that they were ever really together, but... things had started to feel so certain after he had called off his engagement with the Princess. That level of certainty scared her.]

[inqdeirdra]

Oh.

[ She takes a long, thoughtful sip, mulling over what Aria just said
Based on Aria's varying moods in the past, things between them must have been turbulent. Hearing Aria actually talk about it is a totally different ball park.
Guess that's what I get for being so direct, she thinks to herself. ]

Don't mean to bug you on this but... Why? I mean, what for? What happened?

[redemancy]

Because...

[Because it isn't right, it isn't fair, neither of them are ready or maybe she's just not ready and that isn't fair to him, maybe she's scared, maybe she isn't --]

I just don't think now's the time. A lot of things have happened.

[(She doesn't want to love him - not now. She doesn't want to have to need him.)]

[inqdeirdra]

[ If I had a new knife for every time someone said that it's just not the right time between them and another party, I'd be an incredibly happy woman right now., she thinks to herself.

Nevertheless, she nods at what Aria said. ]

I trust that you've thought about this before doing what you just did.

[ She leans in closer to Aria. ]

It's just... As your sister, whatever happens, I just want you to be okay.
So tell me, do you think this is a it'll-blow-over kind of thing or is it gonna sting for a while and you'll pretend to be okay like you always do?

[ Hey, no way to put it in a more polite way. ]

[redemancy]

[That made her laugh a little, at least. But it's soft and rueful.]

I really, really don't know.

[Which is a big thing for someone like Aria Skye, of all people, to say.]

I just know that I can't handle this right now.

[inqdeirdra]

[ The sadness in Aria's laugh signals the stop of dicking-around type of honesty hour. ]

I'll be here when you figure out, but for now...
[ She pinches her thumb and pointing finger together and traces an invisible zipper over her mouth, then smiles at Aria. ]

[redemancy]

Thanks. I'm going to need somebody in this household who knows how to keep a secret.

[She might not be able to hide it from Anton (he's kind of sort of in the Searing Wind too...), but the rest? She has to try, at least.]

[inqdeirdra]

Well, [ she empties her glass ]you know me. I was never really much like you. [ She jokingly says that. ]

[ She then gives Aria the warmest, most reassuring smile she can muster up and leans to offer her a hug. ]

Do you want me to beat the crap out of everyone who pokes their noses in this?

[redemancy]

[She'll take that, if only because it might help her feel a little better. Hopefully.]

Even if they end up being some of our blade mates?

[Word always travels fast with Wolf's Choice.]

[inqdeirdra]

[ She thinks about that for a moment. ]

In that case, I won't beat the crap out of them, but I'll make sure they don't have a door to their bathroom for at least a week.
Imagine not being able to poop in private for a week... [ She strokes her chin in amusement, hoping to make Aria laugh even more.

She does what she can. ]

[redemancy]

[When Aria chuckles this time, it sounds a little better.

She's getting there.]

Thank you. Really.

[inqdeirdra]

[ She warms up a little inside as she hears a genuine laugh from Aria.

She takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. ]

You got this.

[redemancy]

Yeah.

[She'll try to, at any rate. And finishing off the rest of her drink.]

I'm going to try and get a little rest. You should too.

[They were all being deployed for the engagement. They needed to be at their best.]

[inqdeirdra]

[ Deirdra takes her glass to the sink. Wu Mei and Rilea would have a fit if they left things untidy. Besides, she's 70+ years old. She's totally a big girl now. ]

Alright. Good morning, then. Rest well. [ Aria probably needs it more than I do. ]