noteasytobepink | The problem with dangerous people...

Who: Clarice and other students
When: Off and on through her time in Bill's world.
What: Clarice stays sharp. Sort of. It's complicated.

She didn't do much until she was cleared, medically. Only an idiot pushed an injury when there was the option to rest. She even did physical therapy religiously, but given mutant bodies, well, she tended to heal better than expected. She didn't have a healing factor, no, but she did have the heightened metabolism and that tended to help when she had the option of decent nutrition.

She tried to take the down time as a gift, she did. She only ran at first. A lot, on the ground, along the mountains, through the trees, she just ran, keeping up her wind. But a month stretched into a handful of months and she took up climbing and woodland parkour, trying to simulate vectors and angles she encountered in combat.

Then it happened; it was simple, and stupid and it shouldn't have bothered her because she had a good thing here, but she got winded. Doing something simple, for her, was harder than it should have been. It should have been alright because it was a sign, right? That she didn't need the combat skills any more. Not here, there was nothing to keep her sharp...

...but she couldn't really believe that. Working as a florist, hah, dangerous stuff. Stepping up to deputy? A breeze, and...she couldn't let the skills go. Something small, and terrified, and grim deep inside said she couldn't, and that voice had never led her wrong.

That just meant she had to get creative because no one would approve, especially not Bil.

When trapped and unable to train? Go to the source. Go to the people Mr. Creed had lived with for a while that had given him skills to teach her.

...or go to that area of the world anyway and hope to find someone who spoke with fists and feet properly.

She went to Vietnam. Stepping away for a few hours here and there to comb dripping jungles, watching and waiting until she saw the proper style. Perisai Diri was obvious even to her who'd learned it piece meal and adapted to a young, flexible teleporter. She didn't know the language beyond afew polite phrases given as ritual to teachers; she didn't have to.

She did have to stand up to being tested, women, after all, were not known as fighters even in Vietnam. Not hand to hand fighters anyway. She was in shape enough to pass that at least, though no one would call her a master by any means.

She couldn't even dedicate a few hours every day in training over there, just enough to stay sharp. Just enough to know the people coming at her when they lined up in a class or in a brawl session could be better than her. That edge of 'I'm not enough' that was true training. She always managed to scrape through. She was a lot like those she trained with after all, a child of depredation and war. They trained to keep a tradition of holding their land, she trained against them to stay alive, and they taught each other some interesting tricks as snatched weeks bled into months which hemorrhaged into years.

Bill had his alone time to relax and do his own thing; she had hers. It was more relaxing, at times, than even sex because it was confirmation that she could survive. Even in a world such as this there were people who understood, as the man she was growing to love didn't, and so she allowed silence.

She didn't ask where he spent his free time when they didn't have plans; she didn't offer what she did with hers. It was the best she could do some days, even days like this when she slipped in the back door covered in mud along one side and eyes still glowing from power use and high emotion. There had been an honor awarded tonight; it was a good thing...she just...wasn't sure Bill would understand if she offered to share the honor as she'd been invited to.

She wasn't sure how to ask.

One thing was certain though, she'd need a shower before she decided anything, yes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

"Hm. I'd dare you t'name one, but I'm smarter than that," he said after giving a soft snort.

He jumped with the goose and winced, then covered by walking away; intent on putting away the tube in his hand.

"Maybe I've been out learnin' kung fu from the guy at the Chinese restaurant."

From:

noteasytobepink

"You'd have told me if you were," she pointed out softly. "You like showing off things you learn, who doesn't? When you had something cold you'd have shown me."

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

When he heard those soft notes he stopped and turned around, feeling guilty.

"Clarice I'm fine, promise. I just... overdid some things a little, that's all. I'll take it easy the next couple of days, alright?"

From:

noteasytobepink

"Alright, be careful, whatever you're doing." And she'd stop pushing this then. He was already feeling weird about her, pushing now would probably mean she'd be on the outs. "Early morning tomorrow, you want breakfast before we go or let you sleep as long as we're able?"

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't tell her right now, could he? Not like this. Not after a fight and this... whatever this shaky feeling ground they were on now.

All he could do was nod, and promise. "I will."

Feeling lost, he started back down the hallway.

"Whatever you want. I don't know what you gotta do for this thing, but if you wanna eat I'll get up with you."

From:

noteasytobepink

"Thanks babe." It was all she could ask?

Yup, going to grab one of his tees out of the dryer and pull it on before settling in to brush the tangles out of her hair. "I need to not eat, if I take hits I could toss my cookies and that's embarrassing! Just didn't know if you'd want food before we left..."

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

Bill rejoined her after putting away the Bengay, making a face about cookie tossing.

"I guess that's a good idea, then. Go ahead an' get me up when you do. If I'm hungry I'll eat." More than likely he wouldn't, though, in deference to her. Really he just wanted to be up and supportive of her as she got ready for what sounded like a big deal.

And maybe part of it was he didn't want to get left behind.

From:

noteasytobepink

She wasn't going to leave him behind after all the effort it took to get him to come with her. Not unless he really looked like he'd rather not? Or something? She didn't know. A whole half and more of her life made him uncomfortable and edgy.

How was she suppose to fix that? She couldn't change the fact she was a soldier, and here soldiers ate bullets huh?

Fun.

"Alright," she noted, hair dripping in front of her face as she worked on a rather stubborn knot. "I'll have stuff that can warm up easy in case you want it."

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

He watched her, working his throat quietly before finally saying, "Can I ask you somethin'?"

From:

noteasytobepink

"Yeah, go ahead," she paused, looking at him through her hair. Was this the point where he asked her to move on? Find somewhere else on this world where he didn't have to put up with her?

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

It was an effort not to look away when she looked up at him, and already he was regretting asking, but it was something he had to know.

"The guys you've dated before, were they all... like you? I mean, did they do what you did before? Soldiers?"

From:

noteasytobepink

"Teammates," she admitted. "During sliding. We didn't date in my world, no one had time. I watched Mr. Creed's back, and Kyle...my brother, sort of. We looked out for each other and when you caught a chance to breath sometimes you found someone to spend the night with but usually not. Once I lost my world all I had was my team and there were one or two serious chances, but it was serious the same way our work was serious; liable to change at a moments notice and only existing in moments."

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

He nodded to her reply. It didn't make him feel inadequate like he feared, but it did spell out how different this really was for both of them.

"I'm sorry. I know I must make you nuts, worryin' like I do. I just... I ain't ever had a girl who didn't need me like you don't. I don't make you feel safe, or provide anything, you can protect and fend for yourself. You're handier in a lot of things than I am, an' you don't seem to like it when I'm too much of a gentlemen. All that leaves me is worryin', which I know you don't like either, but it's honestly somethin' I can't help."

And he worried about everything, including the thought that she'd come to the realization and decide he really was useless to her.

"I been tryin' my best not to smother you with it. I just hope you'll keep puttin' up with me through those times when I fail at it." Like today.

From:

noteasytobepink

"I grew up weird and strange and harsh...but let me tell you the things I learned," Clarice sighed trying to feel her way through it. "I saw marriages, for power, for protection, to stay safe. That's not love though. Love isn't about getting something you can't get yourself. It isn't about who keeps you safe at night or who puts bread on your table, laws or gender, or even species. It's about want. The person you want to be with, and worth, for no reason you can explain in something so simple as a need. Mr. Creed used to tell me people looked for soul mates, someone to complete them...and that was bullshit. You can't judge love by need, never could. If you're not complete on your own you'll always wonder if it's love or just having a crutch."

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

What she was saying made a whole lot of sense, and in that moment he realized he couldn't propose to her. Not now.

After the fight today she was sure to say no anyways, but he also had a lot to think about. He couldn't rightfully ask her to take his ring without confirming he met what she was actually looking for.

It was a realization that made him sad in a way he desperately hoped didn't show through. Aside from a lack of courage he'd thought he was ready, now he couldn't be sure. And what was worse, she wouldn't believe him if he did make that leap.

"I think you learned pretty well," he said, working up a small, shadowed smile. "Says a lot for weird an' strange, don't it?"

From:

noteasytobepink

"Harsher worlds people either cling to a lot of things that don't matter or they only pay attention to the things that do. There no time or energy for anything else," she admitted softly. "Sometimes in our job I have to work hard not to laugh at people with the stupid things they fight about. Coupons, parking spaces, your world is crazy sometimes Bill not going to lie. It still gets to me sometimes that people here have the time to be angry over things so silly. It's a nice change but it's very disconcerting."

That said though? Her shoulders slumped and she glared at her hair, "And I know I said love isn't about need, but I love you and now I'm going to ask your help with this damn knot. I don't want to cut my hair. Please?"

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

"You can't fault people for not knowin' what real hardship is, Clarice," he said. "That's just how life goes. Bein' angry is just another way of feelin' alive, I guess."

Tilting his head at her, he gave a faint smirk, "Y'know I ain't ever had long hair, right?" He'd try and help though, of course.

And he'd be gentle.

"Lemme see," he said, holding his hand out for the brush.

From:

noteasytobepink

"No, and I don't honestly, I just get the giggles and the disconnect sometimes." Because there were times when she just couldn't understand. At all.

"Yeah, but you've got a better angle on the problem..." she admitted with a weak smile. Yes, time to hand over the brush and lean her head on his knee!

From:

wheelsy_sheriff

"Y'put a lot of trust in me," he said with a chuckle.

Still, it was just brushing, and so slow and careful he started to pick out the knot she'd been struggling with.