She's already watching, her eyes there to catch his. She already knew the answer.
It twists in her own chest, breaks something off and pushes it up into her throat, but she looks at the way he's looking at her and she knows the answer.
Her throat closes up on anything else she might have said. Normally, she's got thicker skin than this. Normally, it's buck up or shut up in the name of survival.
This is more complicated and so she just nods, puts away this information that isn't new information - he told her, their bite packs a punch, doesn't happen from a cut, she knew even if she wishes she didn't - and nods.
"I know. But if they can't, Carver might -" She stops, shakes her head at herself. It's Jesus's call. He's the one who's stuck here.
"Alright. You're right." Buck up or shut up in the name of survival.
"I know." That Carver might choose the vampires. He has reasons to choose them over Rosita and Jesus: he's known them longer. He's useful to them in an intimate way. They give him a drug with their fangs. He's lost a lot of people to addictions before; Carver insists it's not about that but Jesus has heard plenty of junkies swearing the same thing.
"But we can't put ourselves at risk. I can't put K and Drake at risk."
She doesn't shake him off, but she doesn't lean into him like she has been all day either. Doesn't look up from the message she's typing on the keypad.
"I know," she says, lightly, like it's nothing. "Get your boys. You got Vrenille, too?"
"Dinah might." He doesn't know Jacob well enough to say, but he knows Jacob has more responsibilities. He gulps down his drink, not wanting to waste it. He needs a drink anyway.
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handleyourshit) wrote2032-07-23 01:51 pm
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It twists in her own chest, breaks something off and pushes it up into her throat, but she looks at the way he's looking at her and she knows the answer.
Still: "Is there anything you'd agree to?"
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You are where you do not belong.
Think.
He drinks from his cup. His hand has a tremor.
"They could have their own camp. Somewhere else."
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"We need everyone together, at least at first. They have the numbers. We need as many as we can get if they're going to be there at all."
She's gentle. She doesn't really think this will work, but there is a part of her that knows very well what will happen if she presses Carver.
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This is more complicated and so she just nods, puts away this information that isn't new information - he told her, their bite packs a punch, doesn't happen from a cut, she knew even if she wishes she didn't - and nods.
"I know. But if they can't, Carver might -" She stops, shakes her head at herself. It's Jesus's call. He's the one who's stuck here.
"Alright. You're right." Buck up or shut up in the name of survival.
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"But we can't put ourselves at risk. I can't put K and Drake at risk."
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She nods. "I know." She picks up her device, turns it on.
"I'll get Carver," she says, quietly..
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He can hope. He can let himself hope, in part because he knows Rosita can't.
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"I know," she says, lightly, like it's nothing. "Get your boys. You got Vrenille, too?"
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"Yeah. Give me a couple of hours to get to all three of them."
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Isn't assembling the troops and tying together a threadbare plan that relies mostly on grit business as usual?
"They won't come, but I need to talk to them, make sure there's nothing else I can do for them."
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Jesus will be there. That's what she knows. The rest is all just details.
"Doesn't change our timeline though."
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She nods, and pushes up to her feet; three drinks, even stiff ones, aren't enough to show.
"Alright - I'll go now. Sooner we know, the better."
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No matter who else comes, or doesn't.
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"It means a lot," she says, uncharacteristically young. Then she clears her throat and promises, "I'll be back."