09-18-2014, 03:07 PM
Jay didn't stop. She stabbed an irritated look in Danjou's direction before submitting to following him out into the corridor, not exactly impressed with the situation - was he really going to hobble himself all the way back down the stairs, because - what? At least he had waited. A flash of boyish grin was lost beneath a stone expression almost before she'd registered it. The awkwardness of Jay's escape quickly retreated to something hard, though he continued to limp towards her.
It was the first time she'd seen him properly lucid, without the flying cross of bullets or debilitation of morphine. He'd cradled the rescued kitten protectively, been so gentle with its fragile body - and apparently allowed it to use him as a scratching post, by the thin red lines on his skin. Natalie didn't consider herself sentimental, but it had stuck in her mind. For a second she wondered if it had just been the pain and meds loosening something in his brain. His words now surprised her for no good reason she could fathom, but the curtness in his tone bristled a cool reaction whatever his intention.
Damsel?
"You're keeping score? Blame your CEO. He took the contract."
He'd tested the your carefully, but she shoved it right back, refusing to offer vindication. If that's what he sought. Her arms folded. She didn't care what he thought - she didn't think she cared what he thought - but the intensity of her gaze didn't take a blink from his face while she internally dissected the situation. Whether he was offering honesty or jealousy, and what she thought of either. "If you're not happy to work with me, ask for a reassignment. Your boss is just in there. You seem to have noticed?"
Her fingers gestured back toward the door, and she shifted to allow him passage past her if he wished, her shoulder pressed against the wall. She could have walked away herself, but her feet were planted firm, and her gaze echoed the question. She wouldn't be the one to back down, but she wouldn't force him to a situation he found intolerable either. His lopsided grin beat like an echo in her mind, the whispered memory of a memory.
"Though before you do, you obviously came up here for a reason. You ought to at least tell me what it was."
Ekene stiffened when the door opened to reveal the man he had hurt. His eyes dropped, desperate to avoid eye contact and so any notice at all, though actually the man didn't seem to even see him. Natalie left, left Ekene with the man who spoke kindly. The boys lips pursed in answer, gaze flicking up once in acknowledgement before he bailed from the bravery. He put up no fight against the urging, in fact now that the man with the sunglasses was outside he didn't seem particularly eager to stay.
It was the first time she'd seen him properly lucid, without the flying cross of bullets or debilitation of morphine. He'd cradled the rescued kitten protectively, been so gentle with its fragile body - and apparently allowed it to use him as a scratching post, by the thin red lines on his skin. Natalie didn't consider herself sentimental, but it had stuck in her mind. For a second she wondered if it had just been the pain and meds loosening something in his brain. His words now surprised her for no good reason she could fathom, but the curtness in his tone bristled a cool reaction whatever his intention.
Damsel?
"You're keeping score? Blame your CEO. He took the contract."
He'd tested the your carefully, but she shoved it right back, refusing to offer vindication. If that's what he sought. Her arms folded. She didn't care what he thought - she didn't think she cared what he thought - but the intensity of her gaze didn't take a blink from his face while she internally dissected the situation. Whether he was offering honesty or jealousy, and what she thought of either. "If you're not happy to work with me, ask for a reassignment. Your boss is just in there. You seem to have noticed?"
Her fingers gestured back toward the door, and she shifted to allow him passage past her if he wished, her shoulder pressed against the wall. She could have walked away herself, but her feet were planted firm, and her gaze echoed the question. She wouldn't be the one to back down, but she wouldn't force him to a situation he found intolerable either. His lopsided grin beat like an echo in her mind, the whispered memory of a memory.
"Though before you do, you obviously came up here for a reason. You ought to at least tell me what it was."
Ekene stiffened when the door opened to reveal the man he had hurt. His eyes dropped, desperate to avoid eye contact and so any notice at all, though actually the man didn't seem to even see him. Natalie left, left Ekene with the man who spoke kindly. The boys lips pursed in answer, gaze flicking up once in acknowledgement before he bailed from the bravery. He put up no fight against the urging, in fact now that the man with the sunglasses was outside he didn't seem particularly eager to stay.