this is the time

[catmask]

WHO: Terry & Carrie
WHERE: casa del jason/jessica/carrie/dogs/sometimes terry
WHEN: backdated to the 14th
WARNINGS: n/a!
SUMMARY: a quick lil "will u go 2 prom w/ me" thing
FORMAT: quick lil

[ Oh, look, Carrie's back from hobbling through the City, and currently has a spot staked out on the couch. There's a couple maps spread out around her, a small handful of highlighters, and, of course, the communicator. It gets most of her attention, but now and then she turns back to one of the maps again.

She still looks (and feels) pretty crappy, but there's Work to be Done. ]

Comments

[demonspawn]

[ it's been awkward, to say the least. and that's probably his fault, mostly, for making it even more awkward than necessary by acting awkward. but he still hasn't really figured out how to deal with her being around. being back. being.

the issue of prom -- which he would've been pretty happy to avoid entirely, because the risk of rejection, in his mind, is fairly high -- is something he's been putting off despite nagging from various sources. but since prom's tomorrow, well. at least when she says "no" he can tell billy "i told you so."

he skeptically eyes her work space, sitting on a relatively empty spot on the floor. ]

What's with the maps? It's like you're on a one-man hunt for Waldo in here.

[catmask]

[ She glances up, but only when he speaks. She'd have been perfectly happy to go on ignoring him if he hadn't said anything. She cocks a brow, and... could offer a seat on the couch, with her.

Could.

Instead: ] Yeah, that's the goal. [ aannnddd back to the map at her left. BUSY, TERRY. BUSY. ]

[demonspawn]

[ in his head there's this monologue going that uses the word "stupid" a lot. mostly in reference to himself and in reference to prom. outwardly, he's just got this growing frown on his face as he watches her work. seems like she's always working. when he can find her to make that observation, anyway.

finally, out loud: ]

So. I guess prom's out of the question?

[catmask]

[ She looks up again, and for a second there's a definite are you crazy? look in place. But it fades back into neutrality, and she only watches him thoughtfully for a few seconds. She'd be a horrible prom date, all banged up and hobbling, but... ]

Depends. Who's going?

[demonspawn]

[ it's only going slightly better than he thought it would, but she hasn't rejected him outright yet, and he isn't sure if that's a good thing or not. ]

I don't know. Kanaya, probably some of the other trolls. Billy and his boyfriend. Julian and Q, maybe?

[ he'd probably know if he ever paid any attention to that kind of thing by his own volition. ]

[catmask]

[ So, basically, a bunch of teenagers. It makes sense, considering. She's quiet for a few seconds, thinking that one over. ]

And when is it?

[demonspawn]

[ yeeeeeeeah. about that. ]

Tomorrow?

[catmask]

[ this look is even flatter than usual, right here. ]

Cutting it close, Ward.

[demonspawn]

I know.

[ he sounds a little annoyed, but it's mostly just him being self-conscious. ]

I wasn't even gonna -- [ hhh. ] Look. Are we going, or what?

[catmask]

I don't have anything to wear.

[ That's thoughtful, almost idle. God, is she going to have to go shopping? ]

But, yeah. Let's go.

[demonspawn]

[ oh. well. ]

Wait. Seriously?

[ this isn't going the way he thought it would. ]

[catmask]

Did you think I'd say no?

[ There might be amusement brimming around the edge here, but it's subtle. ]

[demonspawn]

You were going to say no.

[ if the look on her face was anything to judge by. ]

Why didn't you say no?

[catmask]

[ The amusement blossoms into a quick smirk. She was going to, no denying that. ]

It could be a good opportunity.

[demonspawn]

[ he isn't sure what to make of that smirk. somehow, it just makes his self-consciousness come back fresh. ]

For what? Formal clothes and social awkwardness?

[catmask]

For connections. I've been gone a year, you're probably about the only person that remembers me.

[ Not quite true, admittedly, but as good as true. ]

[demonspawn]

Not that it matters, because you're different now.

[ he says it without really thinking about it. without even really fully meaning it, because it does matter -- those memories are important to him. ]

[catmask]

[ aw yeah she's different, she'd be downright offended if he implied she hadn't learned anything in three years.

So this shouldn't even matter, and she's not sure why she mentions it: ]

Good different.

[ It's supposed to be a statement, but the little flick of a questioning glance might belie that. ]

[demonspawn]

[ he hesitates and settles for: ]

Just different.

[ because maybe he hasn't even fully decided yet. adolescent feelings are complicated that way. ]

[catmask]

[ Well, that's not exactly "good"... But. It's not like she cares either way, right? So she shrugs, looking back to the communicator. ]

So, tomorrow. What time?

[demonspawn]

[ he glances away too. ]

I guess five or six or something. But I'll probably try to throw myself out a window if we go that early.

[catmask]

Eight.

[ Fashionably late, but not too late to catch up to a few people. She falls silent, looking mostly like she's done with the conversation, until: ]

Are we going as a couple?

[demonspawn]

I don't know.

[ he absently picks at the carpet, frowning without really knowing why. ]

I guess that'd probably depend on whether or not we're a couple.

[catmask]

[ She glances up at him again, quiet. She's competent, confident, and has the answer to just about any scenario — up to and including what to do when teleported into an alternate universe (what to do when your boss's ex-sidekick shows up intending to kill you is a work in progress).

This one is proving a little tough, though. ]

You don't actually have to sit on the floor, Terry.

[ She shifts aside one of her maps, folding it over on itself to make some couch-room. ]

[demonspawn]

[ he glances at her, then at the newly available spot on the couch, then back at her again. there's something a vaguely wary in his face, like he isn't sure what the gesture means and isn't sure he wants to investigate it either.

finally, he gets up and redeposits himself on the couch. ]

Does it matter?

[ it's hard to say what he's referring to. ]

[catmask]

[ Dancing around the issue is stupid, so she chooses not to apply the question to seating arrangements. Now, if only she had a firm answer for the whole thing. She looks down at her comm, but has stopped scrolling. It's just a place to rest her eyes, a way to look busy. ]

I don't know.

[demonspawn]

[ he feels something uncomfortable working its way tight in his gut. ]

Look, can we just -- go to prom and talk about the rest of this crap later?

[catmask]

[ It takes her a few seconds to answer. She should say no, now, she should demand confrontation right here —

— to what end? Neither of them have any idea what's going on, that's painfully obvious. So in the end she only closes her eyes and nods.

A little quieter: ] Yeah. I'll meet you here at seven.

[demonspawn]

[ he pauses a second, taking her in. it's funny really, in a kind of messed up way, how all the feelings he'd had for her -- the ones he thought he'd been doing a good job of getting over, or at least burying deep in the past year or so -- suddenly feel open and raw again.

he watches her close her eyes, the way she nods, hearing the quietness of her voice -- and without really knowing why, he gives into the impulse to lean over and kiss her, just a brief press of his mouth against hers before he's pulling away, already getting up off the couch and not quite looking at her anymore. ]

Yeah. Okay. See you at seven.