foolishwren | 53. Accidental Video

_{[There's a whole lot of jostling noises before the 'Gear, turned on in the hubbub, tumbles out of a small pile of clothes and lands on the bed, showing a jumble of items and ... general junk that Heather's allowed to accumulate in the hotel room.]

[There's a few crumpled paychecks, unfolded clothing, spare Potions and Pokeballs, and more than a few of the Christmas gifts that she'd gotten from her friends (all the candies and sweets, however, are long gone. Because if Heather didn't eat them, Honey the Butterfree was more than happy to pick up the slack.)]

[Is she... doing some early spring cleaning or what?]}

Where-- ... is it? Dammit...

_{[Her voice, though slightly muffled on account of a small Girafarig plush pressed against the 'Gear's speakers, is clearly audible from somewhere off-camera. There's some sounds of stuff being shuffled or thrown about.]}

I swore I just put it d-- NO, Cujo, don't touch that! I said NO. Leave it alo-- good boy.

Okay, now where is that-- AHA.

_{[The 'Gear is plucked up out of the pile of odds and ends and the camera shows Heather's face briefly. She frowns a little bit at the sight of the red 'recording' light, but shrugs a little bit and lets her arm fall slack, giving everyone a nice, motion-blurred view of her jean leg. She seems a little harried-- too busy to care enough to turn it off.]}

Okay, I think that's just about everything-- Zilla, take that out of your mouth or I'll drop-kick you and you'll choke on it. Just gotta-- _{[Rummaging sounds.]}-- find a way to fit everything in... _{[Wait a moment, is she... packing? Since when was Heather leaving Goldenrod??]}

I think with the new bag, I should be able to-- ....

... CLAUDY. Get OUT of-- ....Claudy, NO-- aw, hell. Claudy...

_{[... There's a brief, resigned pause, and then Heather brings up the 'Gear to eye-level to show the network just what it is she's looking at.]

[Anybody remember Claudy's oh-so-endearing choice of habitat back when she was a cute little Hoothoot who could fit into small spaces? Anybody remember how that adorable (and very inconvenient) habit had disappeared once she had evolved into something as tall as Heather's torso? Juudai, remember how you gave her that great big RK9 sports bag for Christmas?]}

[THE OWLBAG IS PLEASED.]

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[He had guessed that much--and something had to be damn obvious when even Otacon noticed it--but he was never entirely sure what.]

...I'm listening.

... Y'know how you told me I should take advantage of Dad being here? That it could be a ... great opportunity?

...yeah. I remember.

_{[Her voice has gone a little... thick.]}

Yeah, well... I was too late.

...

Why didn't you--? [Okay, he could imagine why she wouldn't have told him. Forget that train of thought.]

...I'm sorry, Heather.

_{[Ooh, yeah. At that unfinished sentence, she cringes and pulls away from the embrace slightly-- not quite removing her arms from around him, but shrugging free of his.]}

I know.

I know.

I'm a fucking idiot.

...it's not your fault. People leave all the time, I don't think any of us can control that.

You know that doesn't matter.

I still coulda said something to him earlier.

_{[Of course, she's not mentioning that she actually DID-- in her mind that was still too late. She didn't need to have waited that long.]

[She pulls away entirely now, wrapping her arms around herself to make up for it.]}

Anyway... couple weeks before Christmas, his connection croaked. I didn't wanna say anything.

_{[... She's still got the last vestiges of scabs on her knuckles from that night.]}

...

[Not that easy, Heather. You're getting another hug whether you like it or not.]

...you could have told me.

_{[Well, she's not going to pull away from that one. It's not her style to reject comfort when she really does need it.]}

... I just...

_{[There's a pause, before she sags into a deep sigh.]}

... You were brave enough to tell your dad the truth.

I guess I just... didn't want you to know that I wasn't brave enough to tell mine.

_{[Well, she had in the end, but it had been... too late.]}

I'm the last person that should judge anyone for anything.

The only reason I admitted anything to him was that I was too worried about what he'd say if he heard about me from someone else. I..I'm still afraid, every time I talk to him.

...I don't doubt for a second that you would have talked to yours given enough time, Heather. You're a lot less afraid than I am.

... Sometimes I wonder.

_{[She pauses for a moment, just resting her head against the scientist's shoulder, eyes half-shut and expression unreadable.]}

... Someone else from where I come from showed up.

Someone dad used to know.

...I understand. I'd probably go back too, if it was me.

[Otacon smiled a little more sincerely, hugging her tightly.]

_{[Heather nodded. She still didn't look very happy. The guilt clung on, even now.]}

I'm just... sick of hiding.

It's not like Dad's back again or anything, but...

_{[She was desperate to rectify that mistake as well as she could.]}

...it's okay.

Believe me, Heather, I understand not wanting to hide...and I understand wanting to make up for things.

_{[Nodding again, she let her forehead rest against his chest. She's glad he's not disappointed in her (or at least not visibly so...), although she knew that would be the case anyway. He was Otacon, after all.]}

Yeah, I know...

_{... I actually did tell him. Before he disappeared.

[... But judging by the way Heather's voice had gone uncharacteristically quiet, it hadn't gone too well.]}

53. Accidental Video

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[action] hi i didn't forget you

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