sky_from_sea | (no subject)

(no subject)

Anna has been avoiding the Wasteland of late, even though she has stopped avoiding other people.

Well. She's stopped avoiding Daniel, at least.

But now--well.

She's not going to let Nicky drive her out of this (her) city, so it's time to stop being a shadow.

Which means--talking to Gwen.

Now, if only Anna knew how best to find her. The shelter isn't as small as it used to be, and Anna's never spent that much time there, anyway.

Still, someone's sure to know where the Wasteland owner is.

Right?

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"Mmph."

Half a hmph, half muffling herself. Gwen growls softly.

"Probably a good bet she wasn't, I guess. Or isn't. Then he'd be less likely to be ... the charming guy he is today."

"Yes. Well."

Anna looks down at her hands again.

"He is very . . . insistent on getting his way."

Gwen frowns, then, sharp and disconcerted.

"I ... get that impression."

Anna laughs, soft and sharp.

"Yes. Well. You have no idea."

Yet.

Gwen's frown only deepens.

She really. Really. Does not like the sound of that.

"Is it-- anything you can talk about?"

Anna shrugs.

"It's all old news."

Her face is set and still as stone. Gwen could see it more clearly if Anna would look up from her hands.

"I was a vegetarian, before."

Gwen can't see her face, but she smells-- it's different, and she never has bothered to sort through all the information her nose gives her in the first place so it gets difficult to tell what's different, but now, whatever it is, it's not making her feel any better about whatever Nick could have done to Anna.

"I ... I feel like you've told me that before," Gwen says, making a face. "I guess, um ..."

She looks to her uncertainly.

Anna does look up, then.

It's--not an entirely pleasant thing to see.

Her expression, that is.

"Do you know how long it takes a vampire to go mad with hunger?"

Gwen swallows, reflexively.

She's waiting to shiver, shudder, get the tension out somehow-- nothing doing.

"I've heard-- a couple days."

"Yes."

Her voice is cool, distant.

"I lasted a little less than a week."

Beat.

"The first time."

She growls.

She doesn't mean to growl-- it's an accident, and it's embarrassing, not least because it comes out sounding so ... defensive. Gwen puts a hand to her mouth.

"I'm sorry--"

But she's sorry for more than that.

Softer, steadier, "I'm sorry-- I didn't have any idea you ..."

Words fail to come. Gwen shakes her head, frustrated.

"Fuck him."

Anna smiles a little wryly.

"Fuck him up, yes. Fuck him? Not in a thousand, thousand years."

And despite how horrible she feels, and how itchy, Gwen still manages to choke.

(That's kind of a relief, actually.)

"Oh, God. Well. Good."

Anna's smile stretches a little wider.

Just a little.

"I feel much the same."

"Yeah." Gwen huffs. "Seriously."

She offers a faint, hesitant smile.

"Um, well. Thank you for ... telling me that."

"Someone needed to hear it."

Anna shrugs, lightly.

She's also looking down at her hands again.

Just for a second.

Gwen looks rueful.

She had felt that she, in particular, needed to hear it-- but that's a calculating consideration, and it's stupid, and anyway Anna doesn't need to be told it.

Tentatively, she stretches a hand out to Anna's shoulder.

It's the only comfort she really feels qualified to give.

Anna tenses fractionally, then takes a deep breath and forces herself to relax.

She turns her head, smiling faintly at Gwen. One hand reaches up briefly to cover Gwen's.

"I'm all right. I swear."

She smiles back, lopsided.

"You sure?"

Because if not, she can recommend a therapist!

Anna's smile broadens fractionally.

"I'm sure. It was a little--iffy, for a while. But I'm fine."

Gwen eyes her carefully.

And, slowly, she nods.

"Okay." She looks a little more sure now. A little calmer. "Good."

Anna laughs quietly.

"I certainly think so. Daniel probably does, too."

She snorts.

"Oh, tell me about it. He's been worried sick about you too, in case you didn't know."

"I know."

She looks down at her hands again, fingers twisted together.

Gwen's expression softens.

"Have you ... been back?"