pushtheboundaries | IC INBOX; MoM

I am.

[But wait.]

And I'm afraid that you'll hide how badly you're falling apart behind it, because I think you're trying to convince yourself that you're alone. And you aren't, Robert. You don't have to be alone, anymore.

[there's a stretch of silence. if not for his breathing and the lack of dial tone, the call could be over.

everyone keeps saying that, insisting he's not alone...]

...Xavier campus. Outside of the city. [and he gives some directions to his room.]

[You can almost hear the smile that's already taking over now.]

Thank you, Robert. I'll be over in about half an hour. You want coffee?

Black's fine.

[that'd be a 'yes please']

Give me about an hour and I'll be there.

[She doesn't have a car, after all. She has to catch the bus, but that's not too much trouble. She finds one of the better coffee shops she's discovered in town, and around the promised time, Robert will be getting a soft knock at his door.]

[that's an hour to...get a shower, get some decent clothes on, and just as he's buttoning his pants comes the knock. he grimaces, despite himself, because he was still half hoping she wouldn't come...

she'd probably find a way to get the door removed if he pretended he wasn't home. so he moves over to the door and opens it, eyes narrowed from the light in the hall. he's got some natural light coming in, but otherwise it's still pretty dim. the worst is over, but considering how much scotch he had...]

Anyone ever tell you you're as stubborn as a mule?

[he moves aside to let her in]

[The moment Robert opens the door, there will be the smell of coffee right under his nose because she's got a couple cups right there. She raises an eyebrow at his comment, then twists her expression into a clearly put-together grimace as she steps inside.]

You think Hiro and Tadashi raised themselves?

[It's a joke. But really, there was a lot she had to learn after suddenly becoming a single parent. She has a decade of experience dealing with genius engineers.]

[that does smell very good. he closes the door behind her, managing an imperceptible smile]

I think if they did, half the city would be gone. [beat] I mean that as a compliment.

Edited 2015-06-19 20:07 (UTC)

Duly noted.

... So. [she starts, turning to hand him the coffee. Slung over one of her shoulders is a large bag. Is that thing insulated? Yes it is; she brought some ingredients to cook him some proper food. Cereal. She swears.]

I'm glad to see your company got you home in one piece, at least.

[he will most definitely accept that coffee and take a moment to just savor the smell. nectar of the gods. ambrosia. caffeine

wait what]

Ah- yes. She's an...interesting person, but I think we managed to avoid any disasters.

[he'll take a sip of that coffee, pause to enjoy, and- then notices that bag of hers. eh?]

[Don't think she doesn't notice you sniffing at it, because she so does. Robert can trust that the coffee she chose tastes great.]

I didn't think engineers could hang out with people who weren't interesting. Well, I'm glad you're safe and home, and avoiding disasters.

[She hoists the bag higher on her shoulder.]

But you, sir, need some nourishment.

Edited 2015-06-19 20:27 (UTC)

[it smells and tastes great and he's appreciating it, dangit! even if he is still very...confused...]

That's...really not necessary, Cass. I was going to have something else today, a little later.

Oh, were you?

Then it's fine. I was going to make you stuff you can put away in the fridge, anyway.

[There are no excuses, Robert.]

...I can cook my own meals. I did raise a child of my own, you know.

[WOMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING and yet he's just going to stand there and nurse the coffee with both hands.]

Besides, you said you were coming over to check on me, not my refrigerator.

You can, but will you? How do I know you'll really go out and eat something? Or will you end up at another bar?

How do I know you'll feel up to getting on your feet tomorrow morning? How do I know you'll take care of yourself, when you're living by yourself and you don't have somebody reliant on you for their survival? When you can just... slack off, slap on a mask when you have to, and if all goes right nobody stops to ask if you're taking care of yourself.

[some of that cuts painfully deep. Callaghan's expression tightens, and he resolves to answer as flatly as possible;]

One, I haven't gotten that drunk in years, and I'm not looking forwards to repeating the experience. Two, despite taking the next week or so easy, I do have responsibilities to take care of, and I'm not planning on letting them go. I can't handle them if I'm not taking care of myself, like I have before.

[that said, he moves past her towards the table, grumpiness clouding his features]

[She follows, but only after putting the bag down on a counter. She doesn't intend to leave, not without fixing him up a few things -- she's sure he has food, she's sure he can cook, and if he's anything like her, he probably would, but that's not the point -- and she doesn't want this conversation to end in an argument.

And she's not going to talk down to him standing up, so slides into one of the chairs, facing him.]

Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk down at you. But... I'm worried about you, Robert. Just functioning, just -- getting by? It's not that I think you're not capable. I just want to be sure.

[hnh.

some of the tension eases, but he's still hard to read. he follows her with his eyes as she sits, sure, but most of his body language is neutral - if not completely closed. after a few moments, though, he closes his eyes and lets out a breath.]

You're trying to help.

[he knows.]

[She nods, the motion earnest.]

I want you to have days when you feel okay. I want you to have days when you feel good. And I want... when your days aren't good or okay, to know that you're not alone.

You suffered... all alone, after you thought you lost your daughter. That's a dark, lonely place to be.

I'd rather not discuss that. [if polite deflection won't work, he'll go for bluntness, and there's a slight warning tone in there as well] I talk about it enough in therapy.

[beat]

Look...as I said, I know you're trying to help. And I do appreciate your concern. It's just...

[...he's used to handling things on his own. only he's not sure how to put that in to words and have it sound right.]

[Oh.

Cass' eyes widen, realization coloring them in that moment. Oh. Her shoulders tense, and she sits up straighter as his words hit her like a bludgeon. She's looks at Callaghan like a deer in the headlights for a fraction of a second -- but then she looks down at her lap immediately, the motion bring her hair falling over her eyes to hide her expression from his eyes.

What am I doing? she berates herself.]

Oh you -- [she starts, then breathes] -- you do, huh? That's good! It's good, to talk about it, and-- gosh, what am I doing, huh? Bringing it up like that. I'm sorry, please forget I said that. I shouldn't be pushing myself on to you like this, and talking so much, too, when you probably have a headache.

[A squeeze of her hands, nails against palms, then she makes an attempt to tuck her hair behind her ear, then makes as if to bite a nail before stopping that and clasping them in her lap again, letting out a chuckle to fill the silence those actions caused.]

I'm such a busybody, you know? That's probably a bad habit I got from working the café, you meet so many people and you end up talking to them, and I'm so used to keeping an eye on the boys because you know? Kids, they never tell you anything so you always have to watch out for the stuff they aren't saying but-- what am I doing, you're not-- you're an adult, too, that's so rude of me...

[All that's said in a long, rambling series of breaths before her train of thought crashes and she finds herself losing words to say and trails off, her last word fading.

But she looks up again before Callaghan, if he was planning to, can get a word in. Despite her expression earlier, the one on her face now is a smile again, and it's as warm and gentle as it's ever been.]

... Sorry. Um, that coffee? It's from the shop right by the library on Leandro Street, if you wanted to get some for yourself sometime.

[great, now he even feels like a bigger piece of shit. he can't do anything right, can he? he warned her he wouldn't be very good company, but even so...

Robert focuses on the coffee, sipping it slowly and letting her babble. he hardly has anything to say at this point, and when she looks at him for something to say, he furrows his brow. but...]

...it's good. How did you find it?

[She shakes her head again! It's just a motion that he doesn't have to talk. But her smile, as always, is genuine no matter what, even if it's still a little apologetic.]

I have a roommate who works at the library. And I had time, so I tried out a lot of the shops around here... it was comforting. Familiar, you know? Makes me feel better when I'm missing home.

... I think the school will be good for you, in that way. I spoke with Mr Xanatos, I'm glad to hear he's supportive of you.

[no, he doesn't have to. but now that he's done with his tiny tantrum, there's a need to make up for it. Cass didn't deserve him snapping like that. so he...makse the effort, nodding and even cracking a- okay, no, that's not a smile. it's a twitch of the corner of his lips, but. it's something?]

He's a good man. Wouldn't let me resign.

[okay, maybe that's an actual smile now, but it's quite self-depreciating.]

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lasthugs - 2015-06-25 08:33 (UTC) - Expand

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