littleladylord (littleladylord) wrote,
@ 2012-06-08 20:27:00

Very AU: Exiles Road
She fell in the sand with a WHUMPH, and followed the smell of coffee and muffins to a man who couldn't be haggled with. He told her horrifying stories about her father turning into a bigoted monster, and said the only way to stop it was to work with his people.

Cindy wasn't happy about any of this, anything was better than letting that happen to Daddy, to the world, if by some chance this guy was for real. So. Okay. Here she was, standing on some bizarre street, surrounded by bizarre people.

And.... wow.

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	rogue_star 2012-06-09 06:57 am UTC (link)
	She can't help it. She laughs... not the best reaction, for so many reasons. Partly just because, as the saying goes, it hurts when she laughs. "Sorry... sorry... not laughing at you. Uhm... some of the team knows. I don't really even think about saying it anymore, because... well, it normally doesn't matter, really. I'm a lesbian too." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:00 am UTC (link)
	Cindy starts to turn crimson, but the clarification helps. "Oh." Swallow. Wow. And here she figured being in this life was a sign God didn't like her that much. Right. Anyway. "Well, if you're still okay with it, let me help you." And she will dutifully, carefully, and professionally get that top off and make sure nothing's broken. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:05 am UTC (link)
	"I don't mind at all." she agrees, not quite able to not take a little more note of Cindy and her touch now. Finally, while she's working. "Did you... leave anyone special back home or anything?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:07 am UTC (link)
	"Nope. Wasn't even out to my parents yet. I had a timetable for that." She laughs nervously. "My timetables don't really work anymore." Salve. Salve goes on burns. First salve goes on hands, then on burns. Right. She can do this. Carefully. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:14 am UTC (link)
	"You can work harder than that if you want. The whole durability thing. I'm not going to break any more than I am." she offers pleasantly enough. "Yeah, when I left my world, I didn't even know. Kind of came as a bit of a shock. You... really had a timetable?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:18 am UTC (link)
	"...'kay." And she massages things right in, stubby little hands getting thorough. "Yeah. Rest of high school and first year of college for introspection to confirm for sure that I was, the rest of college to tell my parents and get them used to it, then start seriously exploring my dating options as I finished my MBA." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:20 am UTC (link)
	"You'll make a good business major when we get you home. I can tell already." she replies, shifting a bit to try and make sure all of the burns are available for the salve. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:22 am UTC (link)
	Don't look at her chest, don't look at her chest, don't look at her... perfect breasts. Cindy's trying not to stare as she makes sure to cover all the burns. She blushes for multiple reasons. "Thanks. Hope to." But even getting home -- fixing home, sure, but not getting -- doesn't have the same promise it should. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:26 am UTC (link)
	Eventually, she does notice, and, whether its to her credit, or a sign of how truly oblivious to such things she is - it takes her a few moments to figure out why Cindy isn't looking at what she's doing. "Uhm... you can look... if you want. It doesn't make me uncomfortable or anything." And now she's blushing too. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

littleladylord
2012-06-09 07:30 am UTC (link)

Cindy wished she had a better basis for things so she could know to what extent 'it doesn't make me uncomfortable' meant 'I can completely separate you from any thought of sexuality whatsoever, what with your being a stubby little weaselgirl'. Of course, with what she's distinctly coming to know of Sarah... a standard basis might not help, either.

So she'll just settle for a near-breathless. "...'kay," and look slightly more at what she's doing. And eventually. "Not trying to play out of my league or anything."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

rogue_star
2012-06-09 07:42 am UTC (link)

And now she gets it, sort of. "Its not that at all. You're... really cute. After what happened with my sort of very short term girlfriend especially, and to a lesser degree before that... I just kind of have a lot of trouble getting close to anyone... like that or otherwise. I've been on Exiles Road my whole adult life, such as it is. I've had... three dates, really? You're definitely in my league... I just..."

she sighs. "I don't know at all if I should be playing ball. Its so hard to even think about getting hurt again."

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	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:45 am UTC (link)
	"Oh." A pause, as she handles some bandages. "You want to talk about it?" Pause. "And...thanks" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:47 am UTC (link)
	"No... yes... I don't even know if... or why... I said that much. You're easy to talk to. I usually try not to let the team see the cracks in the armor, I guess. This is hard enough on them." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:48 am UTC (link)
	" 'Course it's hard. Everything sucks. But having seniority doesn't make you immune or anything." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 07:54 am UTC (link)
	"I'm a Rogers. Taking one for the team is in the family contract." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 07:56 am UTC (link)
	"Well, I'm a Lord. While we don't practice genocidal mania, looking out for us and ours is the bottom line. You're no good to anyone if you get so out of maintenance emotionally it builds up and breaks down." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

rogue_star
2012-06-09 08:05 am UTC (link)

"You're good at this... which is probably why I said as much as I did. Uhm... alright. Sure. So... yeah, I had one date. We went to a movie, it was fun... I took her flying. And then disappeared that night, without getting to say goodbye. I kept a long distance from much of anything after that... til one girl kind of helped me while I was comatose type hurt bad. Nursed me back to health, and we kind of connected. She gave me the strawberry shaped locket that's in that nomex-lined kevlar bag there, to make sure it stays with me and doesn't get hurt. We helped fix the world there... and changed history enough that she doesn't remember me... it never happened - no one in that world knows we were ever there, even the one of us who died saving the timeline. So... yeah, a little extra gunshy about getting too close. Some of the Exiles... do get to go home. I want to try and get as many home safe as I can... me... I don't think I ever can."

Notably, not will or will not. Can't.

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	littleladylord 2012-06-09 08:08 am UTC (link)
	And Cindy listens. Finally, "Why not?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

rogue_star
2012-06-09 08:13 am UTC (link)

"I try not to think about it too much... but ultimately, I'm not the same person I was. I wouldn't fit back into that world. Its been five years and some of this. Maybe there's somewhere I could do some good if this ever ended, or maybe eventually my world just can't be fixed due to whatever has kept me doing this so long... much longer than anyone else so far... but I can't go home."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 08:16 am UTC (link)
	"I get what you're saying." A pause. "But hey, no need to give up hope on your world getting fixed, even if it's not fixed for you. If I didn't think I'd stop the whole genocide thing, I'd go crazy..." she shrugs. "Even apart from the whole issue of going home." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 08:21 am UTC (link)
	"Oh, I still plan to save my world. Besides, if there wasn't hope, I'd disappear. With what happened there, I was never born. Should we fail anywhere along the way, I go poof. But that's beside the point. We'll fix the whole genocide thing, and get you home." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 08:24 am UTC (link)
	"I will take your word as an expert on getting badass things done, then," Cindy says with a thin smile. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 08:27 am UTC (link)
	She can't help but chuckle at that. There's a bit of a wince at the added movement, but overall, she seems to think the bit of lighter mood is well worth it. "I do my best. And I do promise - I'll do my best to get you home safe as soon as we can... as much as I'm going to miss the better food and nicer hotel rooms. And having you around." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	littleladylord 2012-06-09 08:29 am UTC (link)
	A bracing hand on her side at the wince. "We got time. And a lot of other people to worry about." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rogue_star 2012-06-09 08:33 am UTC (link)
	"Thanks. It'll be alright though. As long as nothing is broken, everything should be healed within a day, maybe two. Yeah... never know how much time, but probably some. Thanks for all the hard work, by the way. Does amazing things for morale." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)