Rosita Espinosa (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
handleyourshit) wrote2032-07-23 01:51 pm
handleyourshit) wrote2032-07-23 01:51 pm
"Stealing is your thing," she informs him impishly. "I learn things. I learned this trick from you."
And she is an excellent student.
And she is an excellent student.
"Oh you're following my example now? Better be careful, rumor has it I'm a hippie." He smirks.
Nightmares aren't a new thing, but this one lingers as a pain in his chest. So he comes to Rosita when he knows she's off work.
"Want a drink?"
"Want a drink?"
Work has been difficult the last few days and not just because she's exhausted and off kilter from the nightmares. She knows how to function through that though, and there's more. Something's off with the SIN guards, and the that fucking announcement and now she knows what.
She has papers scattered around the island in her kitchen, and her eyes burn, but the moment she spots Jesus she's on her feet and grabbing her jacket.
"Fuck yes. Let's go." She doesn't know what else to say yet, only that she has plenty. Start there, start with being close.
She has papers scattered around the island in her kitchen, and her eyes burn, but the moment she spots Jesus she's on her feet and grabbing her jacket.
"Fuck yes. Let's go." She doesn't know what else to say yet, only that she has plenty. Start there, start with being close.
He loops his arm through hers without asking, without thinking twice. He just wants some solid contact with someone he trusts.
"What are we drinking? Something strong. Your place or mine?"
"What are we drinking? Something strong. Your place or mine?"
"Yours." She hasn't been to the Down much since joining the Guard, but Jesus's apartment was the first place she felt vulnerable here and nothing bad happened. It feels much closer to what she knows than her own suite, so she pulls him close and answers without hesitation.
"Let's get something fancy on the way."
"Let's get something fancy on the way."
"Top shelf tequila? Really old bourbon? I can get us some," he agrees readily.
As they pass through a cross walk he murmurs, "Want to stay over tonight?"
As they pass through a cross walk he murmurs, "Want to stay over tonight?"
Her grip on him is tight. Tighter than a walk and a drink and a handful of nightmares requires. She won't fucking miss this. One way or another she won't miss playing pretend all day every day.
"Whatever we can carry," she agrees. And, quieter, fiercer, "Depends on why." But she doesn't let go. Yes, she does.
"Whatever we can carry," she agrees. And, quieter, fiercer, "Depends on why." But she doesn't let go. Yes, she does.
"Because it looks like we could both use a friend tonight. And we should talk about what's going to happen." He steers them towards a liquor store.
We should talk about what's going to happen. She nods, and directs them to a store on the corner, lets them each pick something as expensive and as strong as they like. She hides hers in Jesus's coat to avoid trouble with anyone they pass, and she doesn't say much on the way.
Some natives look right at them and titter, laugh amongst themselves, pleased to be soon rid of the program and its members. Someone sprints past, grinning and manic in the way denial so often is. She's glad to reach the apartment though, glad to feel one more door close between her and the world.
And she looks at him. "How are you?"
Some natives look right at them and titter, laugh amongst themselves, pleased to be soon rid of the program and its members. Someone sprints past, grinning and manic in the way denial so often is. She's glad to reach the apartment though, glad to feel one more door close between her and the world.
And she looks at him. "How are you?"
"I'm okay. As much as I can be. I don't want to go." He doesn't want to be dead, he means.
"But you'll get to go back. You can help protect everyone."
"But you'll get to go back. You can help protect everyone."
"I don't want you to go." Not if it's back to being dead. Not back to that box in the ground.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of that. Of seeing everyone else again and -" Well, they both know and what, don't they? She shakes her head.
"But not by trading you."
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of that. Of seeing everyone else again and -" Well, they both know and what, don't they? She shakes her head.
"But not by trading you."
"It's not a trade if we have no choice." And they don't.
"I want you to go back and have a good life, Rosita. With all your people."
Including the one not born yet.
"I want you to go back and have a good life, Rosita. With all your people."
Including the one not born yet.
"I'm not done here," she says, firmly, raising her eyes to his. They're tired but hard. Certain in this moment.
"I'm only staying here if we're not doing that sappy goodbye shit. We can figure something out. It's us."
"I'm only staying here if we're not doing that sappy goodbye shit. We can figure something out. It's us."
His expression softens even more.
"I'm going to hide and I'm going to fight." Two things he's good at.
"I'm going to hide and I'm going to fight." Two things he's good at.
"I'll help." Which is what she's good at.
"I've just been trying to decide on where, and how."
It makes her feel better, if nothing else. She's never been one to lay down to die, even when dying was all she wanted.
"I've just been trying to decide on where, and how."
It makes her feel better, if nothing else. She's never been one to lay down to die, even when dying was all she wanted.
He nods and starts mixing them some drinks.
"If any part of you thinks this might be your chance to go home easy though, don't give that up for me. All right?"
"If any part of you thinks this might be your chance to go home easy though, don't give that up for me. All right?"
"I'm also only staying here if you stop trying to get me to give up." She follows after him, more than ready for her first round.
"And I'll take my booze with me."
"And I'll take my booze with me."
"Don't take the booze," he teases, and hands her a glass.
"All right. So let's plan. I have places in the city to hide but..."
The nightmare from last night creeps in. A whisper against his ear, a knife in his chest. "We should get out of the city."
"All right. So let's plan. I have places in the city to hide but..."
The nightmare from last night creeps in. A whisper against his ear, a knife in his chest. "We should get out of the city."
She nods agreement. Definitely. Nothing good happens in cities when there's widespread tragedy or panic.
"I've been considering the caverns and the woods. Normally I'd say fuck the caverns but. They're better for hiding than the woods." But the woods are the woods, and they are who they are.
"I've been considering the caverns and the woods. Normally I'd say fuck the caverns but. They're better for hiding than the woods." But the woods are the woods, and they are who they are.
"We don't know everything in the caverns. I think the woods are to our advantage." Even at this time of year, they're equipped.
"We need to get people together."
"We need to get people together."
"I don't know if we should go to the property," she hedges. "I turned in the application. They'll know to look there, and we haven't had time to do much out there."
She is completely unsurprised by Jesus's first priority.
"Which people?"
She is completely unsurprised by Jesus's first priority.
"Which people?"
He nods. That makes sense. They'll find another camp if they have to.
"K, Drake, Vrenille, Carver." He can list them easily.
"K, Drake, Vrenille, Carver." He can list them easily.
She nods, having expected all of those names and then some honestly, but she frowns.
"You think they'll all come? We have to get out quietly, and no contact once we're dug in."
"You think they'll all come? We have to get out quietly, and no contact once we're dug in."
"I don't know." He really doesn't. He wishes he had a better idea, a better way to streamline this process. "But I think we can make a good case for getting out of reach as soon as possible. They might want to say goodbye to their other people if they do come."
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