Who: Nike and Jared [NPC] What: Leaving things behind. Where: Nike's apartment When: Saturday, early morning Warnings: PG
"How long?"
"Two weeks. Maybe longer."
"Is it serious?"
"I don't know."
"Hey, I'm not prying into your business. You do what you have to do, I'm just--"
"I know."
She didn't need this, not right now.
"Yeah? How do you know?"
Hands stilled, her concentration broken momentarily. But just for a moment.
"Let me guess. It's that 'something about me' feeling again, isn't it?"
This time, her eyes flashed caution towards the mortal across from her. He returned her brief look with a recent perfected one of indifference. It was hard to resist the urge to snap to attention or look guilty at the piercing gaze of his ex-sergeant, but it wasn't so hard when Jared's leg reminded him that it was in no condition to stand up straight.
She spared him another look before straightening up, zipping up the duffel bag.
"Supplies are in the cabinet. If you need more, the number is on the refri--"
The crash of a fist against the plaster of the wall once more stilled things, including Nike's words.
Blue eyes evenly looked at livid green ones before glancing down at the pink scar tissue lining the left side of Jared's face.
If he was someone else, she would've ignored him entirely. As soon as his leg had healed, she would've left him and let the Fates decide what it wanted to do with this soldier who had once carried the banner of his country high above his head, only to return from the battlefield scarred and pained.
Nike could hear several of her own kind double over in laughter at the thought of the goddess of Victory volunteering to be a babysitter to some whelp mortal who was no good to anyone.
He insisted on her not pitying him, but it wasn't pity that she looked at him with.
The thought of it made her look away and hitch the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
"--the number is on the refrigerator," she finished, not even bothering to look at him as she passed.
"Wait. Victoria, c'mon, wait."
Nike flinched at the hand that gripped her arm, whirling around to return the look he had given her seconds ago.
The action didn't faze Jared, who only sighed and took a step back. Apparently this was the norm for the both of them. It had been a long two and a half months of healing. For both of them.
"If this is about--"
"Good-bye, Jared. You should talk to your parents."
This time he made no move to stop her, mainly because she moved too fast for him and his leg. She didn't turn around because leaving this place behind to put her whole heart and mind into the upcoming war was the best thing to do.
She sure as hell wasn't doing this for pity either.