Re: log; marina & russ
The moment all of that stone ground disbelief and homegrown anger started to spew, Marina was making for the car. She held Nathan, trying to find some grounded epicenter based on the warmth in her arms, but Russ was at her back with severely misplaced justification. Ignoring him wasn't really an option. Besides, when had she ever walked away from a fight? It was doubtful if she even knew how at this point, the venom of their entangled lives was driven too deep. Abrasion was at her back, and the rage curdled inside of her. Her emotions multiplied after midnight when they were neglected, and Marina froze again after taking those few curt steps en route to the vehicle.
She spun around, dark hair whipping in genetic memory of battle maidens on bloody fields. Dangerous, despite the gentleness with which she held her sleeping child. Her voice was small and hissed through clenched teeth, a bomb that refused to go off until she had Nathan buckled in the backseat. "If you wake him up, I will fucking murder you right here."
And fuck needing Russ' help. The convenience that he offered had never been anything more than pipedream potential as far as she was concerned. She'd hefted a sleeping toddler into a backseat enough times to qualify for the Olympic sport, and it was quick despite being awkward. She balanced Nathan onto her hip and leaned into the side of the car before pulling the back door open. Nathan didn't open his eyes once when he was fastened into his car seat and the door was again shut behind him.
When she turned back to face Russ, now that her arms were free, it was like she was unleashed. She looked exhusted and just a little crazy when she snapped at him, finger pointed like witchcraft. "I asked you for a fucking favor, next time I won't even bother. And how dare you. I didn't dump my kid with someone. You're his father."