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[Completed] Aftermath
Topic Started: May 20 2012, 08:21 AM (973 Views)
Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
The patter on the sheet metal roof built so gradually that, even as the rain was now pouring down, the sound still seemed quiet. Just part of the ambiance, as if it had always been there. The doorway had a dim glow outside it from the mist created by the splashing drops. Cold humidity seeped into the hangar through the door and began to dust the planes near the entrance in a faint pearly shine.
Xander was starting to feel the cold in his bare feet, traveling up his legs thanks to the wet hems of his pants.

Amelia quieted down. When the only sound was the rain and distant thunder outside, Xander shifted. With a grumble he sat on the floor and stretched his kneeling leg. His arm still laid across Amelia's back though, and his chin still on her head. His other hand loosely held her by the shoulder as he pulled his leg out from under him, then returned to the floor at his side.

"My leg's asleep," he muttered quietly. His voice sounded distinctly normal, just stating a simple fact with no sadness or negativity to it.
Just changing the subject.
His hand rubbed up and down on her back a few times. Almost as if to encourage her to sit up, but at this point he didn't know what she, or he himself, should do.
Edited by Ra-ooo, May 22 2012, 04:50 PM.
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia remained limp as Xander shifted his position. She was too emotionally exhausted to move her cold legs or pull her head away from Xander. With no more tears to weigh her down, Amelia felt strangely light, and she sighed in relief. For the time being all was well. She listened to Xander's words quietly.

"Mine are too," Amelia responded after a long pause, halfheartedly paying attention to her own voice. She turned her head slightly to watch the rain falling, and part of her face rested on Xander's tear-stained tank top. "Sorry about your shirt."
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
"Hm," he chuckled softly when she said her legs were asleep as well. The arm around her back tightened and he slid over with her, letting her straighten her legs out. His hand moved to her shoulder and now held her, rather than simply resting on her.

His shirt..?
"Heh. Don't worry about it," he said. His tone was low so that his voice only rippled the silence. With a half-joking inflection he added, "Just don't let it happen again."

(and a scribble to go along with it, I couldn't resist)
Spoiler: click to toggle
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia drew her legs in sharply as circulation was restored and her feet felt the heat of blood. She remained limp in Xander's arms, uncertain of which action to take herself. Truth be told, she would have rather liked the night to never end, so she could savor the peaceful moment with her friend. It seemed strange to her to think of Xander as anything closer than her commander, and never once would she have imagined him capable of comforting someone as he was now, but she was happy she had him with her. And now that he was here, she couldn't imagine anyone else she'd rather be with.

Her lips curled into a slight smile, and she began a small laugh which quickly dissipated into a long sigh. "I'll try," Amelia answered, keeping her eyes set on the rain outside. She went silent again, and her face formed a thoughtful expression. After a long while she whispered, "Xander ... ?" She seemed nervous to carry the question further than that.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
A laugh, oh thank God. Even if it was quickly ended and a little weak, it sounded like Nathan was getting it back together. Xander patted her lightly on the shoulder. She didn't sit up or move away though, so he left his hand there still. He was beginning to get the idea that he might be here til one of them fell asleep. If it was Nathan first, he'd probably have to carry him back to the barrack too. As he weighed that scenario in his mind Amelia spoke up.

He turned his head down a little, looking down out of the corner of his eye. He didn't notice her trepidation.
"What?"
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia swallowed hard. "I-If it wouldn't b-bother y-you .... d-do you th-think may-maybe you c-could .... could st-" She cut herself off, her nerves getting the better of her. She wanted him to stay with her, to hold her, at least until the rain stopped. But a feeling gnawed at the back of her mind, warning her that she was probably pushing a bit too far.

All things, good or bad, eventually come to an end.

"N-Nevermind ...." Her head felt heavy, and her body trembled from the strain of lifting it after remaining at rest for so long. Reluctantly, she sat up, but her form hunched over and watched the floor quietly. Amelia's arms wrapped around her chest, as if her body missed Xander's warmth and was immediately trying to substitute it. Her support was gone again and she didn't feel she could stand on her own yet. She sat precariously. The frail wind passing through the door seemed more than enough to tip her over again.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
"I could what?" He looked down at her with an eyebrow raised. He could think of a lot of words that started with ST, but none that really fit in his mind.
Then she sat back. His hand left her shoulder and he loosely crossed is arms in front of his stomach. Still looking at her, not sure he trusted her to be okay just yet.

"Are you cold?" he asked. "Why don't we head back to the barracks?" Never mind the fact it was pouring outside and the thunder was getting slowly but steadily closer. Xander just wanted to get back to bed, and goodness knows Nate could use some sleep himself.
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia glanced at the door. "I-It's raining." It wasn't so much an excuse as it was a statement.

The thought of going back to the barracks seemed to terrify her. Horrid dreams with gnarled hands lurked under the cots. They tugged her in her dreams and pursued her in her waking hours, waiting for her eyes to shut again. She could never sleep knowing they awaited her. She was safe, here, in the hangar, with Xander. She couldn't sleep. Sleep was when the man in blue found her.

Amelia watched the rain for a long time before lifting her head to finally look at Xander. What her words could not convey, her eyes more than compensated. They were tired from many sleepless nights, red from tears, yet wide and alert, brimming with fear and guilt. Their focus wavered at the slightest shuffle or snap as if they were constantly searching for some ghostly hunter. When the noise would subside Amelia's eyes would return to Xander's, pleadingly.

"Y-You c-can go b-ba-back if you-you want," Amelia stammered. Her eyes spoke differently. "I-I'm not really tired." Her eyes spoke differently. "I-I'll just st-stay here .... t-till dawn. D-Don't worry ab-about me. I-I'll be fine." Her eyes spoke differently.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
Nobody had ever looked at him the way she was now. Desperate and terrified, he was taken aback somewhat by just how much her eyes begged for some kind of help. The thought flitted through his mind that he'd probably worn that look himself times before. As a kid when he and his mother were on their own, and as a teenager when he'd crossed paths with the wrong kind of people on Cinnabar.
The idea idly passed through his mind then did a double take. It struck him suddenly; he didn't know what Nathan was experiencing, but he understood how it felt.

Her stuttering had gotten stronger as she lied with her voice and pleaded with her eyes. He met her gaze and held it, noticing those anxious flicks left and right. Again, he could relate.

His straight face gave way to the ghost of a smile. He put his hand back on her shoulder.
"Yeah you're right, it is raining. Guess we ought to just stay here." He laid down with a heavy sigh, stretching his back and one arm over his head, then folded that arm under his head.
His eyes lazily scanned the metal rafters of the hangar before settling on Amelia's face.
"I gotta be honest, this is better than lying in a room with fifty other people around." He chuckled.
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia held her breath when Xander put his hand back on her shoulder. She watched him incredulously as he laid beside her. She wondered again if she was dreaming, if Xander was really there beside her or if her mind was playing some cruel joke. This time she never cared to find out. He was there with her, that was all that mattered. Xander's eyes then rested on her face and she stiffened when he spoke. She dismissed her anxiety with a quick shake of her head and smiled at his chuckle. "Y-Yeah .... L-Less people t-to bother you ....." She pursed her lips, thinking back to the times she woke the soldiers with her screams in the night.

Amelia cast one more quick glance back at the door, checking to see if someone or something had followed her from the barracks. Then she curled up on the hard floor next to Xander, using one of her arms as a pillow and shrugging her opposite shoulder so it pressed against the side of her face like a blanket. "The one t-time I-I didn't br-bring my jacket..." she murmered to herself, shivering slightly at the cold of the floor against her skin.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
Xander tilted his head back a little to try to see the door, thinking Amelia was looking at someone who'd come in. All he saw was rain falling through the outside light, and darkness beyond.
He looked back at Amelia as she lay down next to him. Ha, jacket yeah, he was wishing he had a blanket and pillow himself. He turned his eyes up, back up to the ceiling, the rafters far above shrouded in black shadows.

Then he sat up, saying, "Why don't you take my jacket?" He shook it off of his shoulders and held it up a moment for her to see before just draping it over her whether she wanted it or not. She'd been running around in the cold far longer than he had, he figured Nathan could use it now more than him. His body heat was still trapped in the wool lining of it.

He laid back down. Oh damn the floor was cold against his bare arms, and his tank top did little to keep the chill off his back. He shuddered, raising his shoulders tensely as he folded his hands behind his head. The damp spot on the front of his tank from her tears wasn't helping either. It wasn't long before he brought his arms back down and crossed them tightly.
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
Amelia remained still as Xander draped his jacket over her. So warm. Despite the heat it provided, she considered immediately taking it off. Amelia raised her head slightly and observed Xander, bearing a concerned expression on her face. "B-But Xa-Xander! I can't... I-I can't take... W-Won't y-you get cold wi-without it?" One of her hands clutched a sleeve of the jacket, preparing to give it back. There was pang of guilt in her heart, like she was stealing, even though her friend had willingly given it to her.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
((Sorry for the long delay <:,D))

"Hell yeah I'll get cold without it," Xander said. His tone was light-hearted. "Jesus Christ it's fucking cold out here." Then he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "But you could use it more than I can right now."
He rubbed his arms and brought his knees up, one crossed over the other, trying to keep in as much of his heat as he could. It wasn't working that well.

And he noticed the look on her face and the way she was mere moments from handing it back.
"Keep it. Give it back to me tomorrow." He closed his eyes.
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Safayia
Member
[ *  * ]
"But-," Amelia cut herself off. She still felt guilty for taking his jacket as he froze on the hard floor, but she figured it best not to reject his gift. She smiled slightly and sat up to put it on, welcoming the heat it provided.

"Th-Thanks Xa-" His eyes were closed. Amelia frowned and sighed through her nose. Part of her was still reluctant to sleep and wanted to continue talking. But she had not slept in what felt like days. The stress of living at camp seemed seemed to grow the longer she kept her eyes open. Perhaps tonight would not be so terrifying?

Amelia curled up in a ball next to Xander, concentrating all her heat into one spot. The floor was far from comfortable, and she could only imagine how stiff her joints would be in the morning, but the jacket made it bearable at least. "G'night Xander," Amelia whispered, still not entirely sure if he was actually asleep.

The rain continued to pour outside and the thunder echoed across the sky. Amelia listened to their sounds, letting them fill the silent gap. The rhythmic pounding of the rain and the low rumble of thunder seemed to blend into a gentle song. With a final sigh, Amelia closed her eyes and let the weather sing her to sleep.
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Ra-ooo
Member
[ *  * ]
Xander knew there was no way he would fall asleep in such an uncomfortable, cold place and with someone right there next to him. He was tired and the cold was making him more so, but he couldn't fall asleep like this.

Amelia seemed to think otherwise. He didn't open his eyes when she cut herself off, nor when she said good night. But he did respond.
"Night," he said very quietly.


Eventually she was asleep. Xander had dozed off once or twice but couldn't help waking back up. He sat up with a groan and stretched stiffly.
"Ah Jesus Christ..." He dragged himself up to his feet. Luckily it hadn't been all that long, maybe around an hour. He wasn't horribly cold or numb or tweaked yet. But he couldn't deny it any longer, he just had to get back to bed.

Was Nathan a heavy sleeper? He hoped so, as he picked him up with difficulty and did his best to make it a smooth ride back to their respective beds in the barrack, bad weather be damned.
Edited by Ra-ooo, May 25 2012, 10:00 PM.
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