foolishwren | 015, Action

Current Mood: blank
Current Location: Out on the boardwalk north of Violet City

Entry tags:

015, Action

_{[So aside from a few fleeting times she's run into somebody in town or popped up on the 'Gear's network to sass someone, Heather's been a little scarce lately-- ever since the aftermath of her drinking escapades with a certain clone and dweebish scientist. Where's she been? Not far, just... not really around anybody. Why? Well, she sure hasn't been talking about it, whatever it is-- though it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that she'd want to keep her head down after likely incurring the wrath of owners of kicked-over trashcans and whoever'd had to deal with the mess made after Liquid took out a line of lawnchairs while trying to flip over them.]

[But today, instead of being off by herself in the woods or wherever it is she's been staying, she's sitting off out on the water, legs dangling off that long wooden boardwalk that lead to Sprout Tower. Boots and bag are discarded, sitting off to the side in a jumble. Her Pokemon aren't out-- apparently company is not on her chosen menu today.]

[She's not wearing her usual array of cheeky grins or pissed-off-teenager expressions today, either. In fact, her face is somber .... almost blank as she stares down at the water while pondweeds wrap around her ankles and the occasional curious Goldeen ventures up to investigate her toes.]

[Should anyone actually decide to approach the brooding blond kid (although she couldn't be called this much longer-- her black roots are starting to show through OH NOES), the reception they'll get... depends.]}

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You look kind of upset. What's on your mind?

_{[... Well. Heather's no stranger to pretending everything is okay and denying, denying, denying, but in truth, lying is tiresome. She'd rather save it for people she flat-out doesn't want around.]}

... Heh. Well, it's nothing I can't handle. _{[She drew one leg back up onto the dock and leaned her chin on her knee, smiling wanly.]} Some personal stuff just came up. Not gonna lie, I'm kinda messed-up right now, but it'll be okay.

I always get through it.

Of course you do. [Otacon gave her a sympathetic smile, adjusting his glasses.] But if someone as incredibly tough as you wanted to talk about what's bothering her, someone like me might just listen.

_{[Despite everything, when she looks at him, it's with an incredulous, but genuine, sort of 'Are you even for real?' smile. She'll never admit that having people be genuinely concerned makes her feel warm and fuzzy inside, but it's the truth. Otacon, perhaps because of his OWN issues, seems to know the exact right way of going about it, too.]}

Incredibly tough, you got that right. _{[There was a hint of playfulness in her tone still, even if she wasn't totally right as rain.]} It's nothing apocalyptic or anything. Just... turns out someone showed up here in this world who I really wasn't expecting to see.

[Oh, he's very for real. And in return, Heather would get this cheerful little smile of his.]

Yeah? Someone giving you trouble?

[Because so help him, he had a walking pink taser and he was only a little hesitant to use it.]

_{[Aw, Otacon. Aw. She thought this with a bittersweet pang as she laughed slightly and shook her head, casting her gaze back down to the water.]}

Nah, man, nothing like that. Believe me, I don't go all dark and emo and 'grrr' over the small stuff. _{[She was not above making fun of herself to make this all seem less crippling, both to the people around her and to .. well, herself.]}

...Heather.

[He reached over and put a hand on her shoulder, a kind of sad smile on his face.]

You can tell me if you want. If not, that's your choice.

_{[Oh god, it was the sad smile. That made this so much harder to just brush off. Mainly because thanks to storytime in the woods those weeks back, Heather knew he wore that smile out of genuine understanding, not the bullshit 'this must be hard on you' she'd gotten from fucking everybody during the rest of that school year. None of them had understood. Not a fucking one. And not just because they hadn't known the full story. They hadn't understood, period.]

[She's quiet for a time.]}

... I told you 'bout Dad, right?

[That was the funny thing about Otacon. he understood trauma--understood, shut it out, and wore a fake smile over the whole thing. Because if he didn't stay positive, who would?]

Yeah, I remember.

_{[They had that in common. Heather didn't lie to herself. When things went bad, they went BAD and she knew that ignoring the problem didn't make it go away. But despairing over it didn't help either, and Heather had survived too much to let herself succumb to it. If she kept smiling, she would survive. She might not be fine right now, but she was going to be. She wanted everyone to be just as damn sure of that as she was.]}

Well ... he's here.

....!

[But. Waitasec. If her father showed up, did that mean...nah. Impossible. ...right?]

Have you...t-talked to him?

_{[Against all expectations, she actually laughed. ... But it wasn't a happy laugh.]}

Oh, god, this is so stupid... yeah. Yeah, I talked to him. Y'know the morning after we were all smashed? When I pretty much cussed out everyone on the network and their grandma 'cuz the 'Gear was filming?

[He managed an awkward smile at that, more 'oh god what a mess' than actually amused.]

What'd he say?

_{[The grin remained, but it grew strained. So did her voice. She was staring determinedly at the water now, like she expected it to bend away from her gaze.]}

... He didn't know me. Asked me, didn't my parents teach me better?

He doesn't know you yet, huh? I'm getting used to the whole time...thing.

[Wibbly wobbly timey-wimey ball and all that.]

...I'm sorry. That must be pretty hard.

No. He's... younger. Eighteen years younger than when he died.

_{[Out of nowhere, she sucked in a loud, wheezy breath and swiped at her eyes viciously, teeth bared in something that was between a grin and a grimace.]}

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, Hal, it's hard, it's pretty fuckin' hard.

...

[He put his arm over her shoulders almost cautiously, like he was half-thinking she was going to bite him or something.]

...anything I can do?

_{[Yeeeeah, she kiiind of gave off that impression sometimes. Poor Otacon wasn't the first to worry about it. When he laid his arm over her shoulders, she relaxed, perhaps realizing that getting snarly probably wasn't the best thing to do when she was around people who might misinterpret it as directed at them.]}

... I... I don't know. I think I'm the only one who can deal with this. ... But thanks.

It might be a good thing, y'know. I mean, once you guys get things straightened out...you'll have a chance to spend time with him, maybe get to know him better.

[Otacon found himself staring blankly at the water, some very dark thoughts running through the back of his head at the sight.]

...you...might be really lucky.

_{[She nodded-- it occurred to her now, a little too late, that it was kind of unfair for her to be bemoaning this... when Otacon's father was...]}

I... yeah, I've... thought about that. It's just...

_{[Letting out a gusty sigh, she rocks back to lean on her hands, directing her gaze up at the sky. It's been perfect, cloud-scudded blue ever since the flooding ceased, as if to apologize.]}

I wasn't exactly the best kid. I did all kinds of stupid stuff to make him mad, since I thought I was so oppressed and misunderstood and all that... regretted it, big-time. ... And now, here I am after spending a whole year wishing I could take all that stupid stuff back, and out of nowhere, he's back and somehow sees me doing the exact same thing I told myself I'd stop.

... I haven't changed at all.

[Regardless of his own circumstances, Otacon listened patiently to everything Heather had to say.]

...Sometimes people hurt their family for reasons like that. Rebellion, attention, whatever. It happens. [And boy, would he ever know. Thanks a lot, Emma. 8|]

But...even if they're hurting them, that doesn't mean they don't care. If you think you haven't changed, then start now. It's never too late as far as I'm concerned.

_{[It's good advice, and Heather knows it. All the same, she lets out a quiet, almost rueful chuckle.]}

Easier said than done...

_{[As fierce as Heather was in almost everything she did, the thought of even talking to this younger version of her father made her want to go hide her head in the sand. She might have been brave, but she truly doubted she was brave enough to look him in the eye after that awful first impression.]}

I understand. If anyone from my family showed up here...

[He sighed, lying on his back and staring at the sky with a less than genuine smile.]

Y-you've got a really good chance here, at any rate.

_{[She smiled, too. Her was genuine, but sad.]}

Yeah, I know... I just don't know if I know how to take it.

_{[She paused, not quite sure what to say after that. She's terrible at comforting people. Always had been. Whenever she tried, she wound up saying stupid awkward things that didn't even make sense and always felt embarrassing to think about after.]}

.... You remind me a little of him, y'know. My dad.

_{[Stupid awkward thing that didn't make sense and would be embarrassing to think about later quota: filled.]}

To tell the truth, Heather...you remind me of someone I used to know, too.

[Awkward and potentially embarrassing things all around.]

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