80. [Voice/Action] Locked to Rise, backdated to the evening of October 6th

[foolishwren]

<sub>[TIME IS SHORT. The Tournament's only lasting so long, so Heather's gotta take advantage of the time she's in-town while she can. It's time to make good on a promise.]

[Which is why she's hurrying down the darkening streets of Goldenrod City for the first time in a good few months, hastily following the directions she's got written down on a scrap of paper. With the fights starting first thing in the morning, she's gotta squeeze out every last drop of bonding time the night will hold.]

[When she does reach her destination (with just a FEW wrong turns in the process), her first reaction is to stop and let out an impressed whistle.]

[... And then tug her PokeGear out of her pocket.]</sub>

[VOICE, to Rise]

RISE.

Your house is huge. Come let me in.

Comments

[foolishwren]

_{[A bit of a scoff.]}

Oh, come on! How is it important?

People get crushes all the time and hardly anything ever, you know, happens.

_{[Clearly now that she's been ~found out~, the next strategy is to act like it's NO BIG THANG.]}

[restardom.livejournal.com]

That's because they don't do anything about it.

[ are you going to join their numbers, Heather? ARE YOU? ]

[foolishwren]

Nooooo, it's because most of the time, crushes are dumb and wouldn't work out anyway.

_{[MAYBE. >8T]}

[restardom.livejournal.com]

That's too depressing! You can't give up from the start!

[foolishwren]

Rise, you can't tell me that every single crush you've ever gotten was super serious, or even made sense.

It's not depressing, it's just life.

People get crushes and then awhile later half the time they're like 'Wow, why did I even have that crush haha'.

_{[SOMEONE'S GOTTA STAY REASONABLE ABOUT THIS... and also derail the topic off of herself hoho.]}

[restardom.livejournal.com]

Of course not, but Heather...

[foolishwren]

_{[... AUGH it was that look.]}

... Rise, c'mon.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

Heatheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.

[foolishwren]

_{[Elbows on knees, Heather leans forward and just... gives Rise a LOOK.]}

Rise.

Look, I'm serious.

What's so important about it? It's not even like-- .... what's so important about it?

[restardom.livejournal.com]

... Well, for starters, because my best friend likes someone.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Okay, now there's a VERY distinct flush settling onto her face. Rise why do you make this so haaaard? It's the 'best friend' that's getting her. EVERY TIME.]

[Sucking in a deep breath, Heather lets out a sigh.]</sub>

But what's-- I mean... it's not like it's the first time I've ever liked somebody! It's not like any of the other times have been important.

_{[Not that any of them were ever... you know, in Johto. Except for one, but she never told anybody about that.]}

If I hadn't said anything, you wouldn'tve even known!

[restardom.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not like I knew you those other times, did I? [ she hopes. And oh, is she huffy-looking. ] And I totally would've known! I've seen this sort of stuff in action a bunch of times before!

[foolishwren]

...



<sub>... Yeah, but you never noticed it before...


[Is that a confession that you've had this for awhile, Heather? IS IT?]</sub>

1/2

[restardom.livejournal.com]

It's not like you ever tal--

[restardom.livejournal.com]

Wait... how long has this...?

[foolishwren]

<sub>[... Aw shit.]

[Heather rubs the back of her neck. Oh god how did she get sucked into this conversation.]</sub>

Uh... Honestly?

... I dunno. Awhile, I guess.

But it's not like... some big THING. I didn't get like nailed in the face by Cupid or anything. It was just kinda... 'oh wow, hey, what a guy. Sure is cool hangin' out with him! The stomach butterflies? Just a bonus.'

That's what crushes are for me.

They don't need to be anything else.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

You're seriously okay with that?

[foolishwren]

If I wasn't, don't you think I would've done something about it?

<sub>[She had spread her arms to make the point, but then lets out a sigh, trailing one hand down her face. Man...]

[She speaks up again, voice softening.]</sub>

Look, Rise, I ... have my reasons, okay?

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ she doesn't look altogether convinced, but that's Rise for you. She at least cares enough not to press it this time. ]

I figured...

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather just looks awkward. She hasn't had any conversations like this in YEARS. She can tell that Rise is refraining from pressing and she appreciates that, but she feels like she owes a bit of an explanation. ... WELL, okay, not OWES, but... gawd she can't stand that disappointed expression! She makes a go at looking reassuring.]}

Look, it's really not...

Believe me, nothing would come of it anyway.

So it's not worth ... you know. Just. Yeah.

_{[She's been saying 'you know' and 'just' way too much in this conversation.]}

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ so she thinks it's one-sided? Rise will have to investigate into this further.

... For now, she only gives Heather THE SAD PUPPY EYES. ]

Not worth trying...?

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Well, YES, but... but that's only part of it!]

[Heather grimaces like a kid getting grilled on their reasons for staying out late.]</sub>

That's... so not what I meant.

I meant...

_{[Cue some vague gestures at the air as she tries to come up with a decent thing to say that she meant.]}

[restardom.livejournal.com]

... [ she'll wait. ]

[foolishwren]

I just mean...

_[Sigh.]

Even if we were-- ... you know. Both feeling that way... I'd make a pretty terrible partner. I got baggage, Rise.

And that's not fair for anybody involved.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

... Heather...

... Are you an idiot?