Rebekah MacKenzie (beckathesweet) wrote in rrinitiative, @ 2013-03-22 15:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | day thirteen, matt, matt and rebekah, rebekah |
A Favor Granted
Characters: Matt and Becka
Setting: Courtyard, afternoon
To say that Becka was full of mixed, confusing feelings would be an understatement. Her mind was still reeling from the Administration’s offer, and despite her distrust of them, she found herself actually considering what they were offering. The primary emotion was relief, though. She was relieved that she was leaving here, despite not yet knowing where she would be going. Shakopee or some unknown place that wasn’t Minneapolis, Minnesota. And the choice was hers. It almost felt like too big a decision to make on her own.
But that was something she could focus more on once she was back in her room. Right now she just needed to get down to the courtyard to get the polaroid camera from Matt. She was wearing jeans and a thin, long-sleeve shirt that wasn’t entirely comfortable in the warmth, but she just didn’t feel comfortable in her other clothes here, not when she still had no idea who’d hurt her. As she came out of the stairwell, she spotted Matt in the courtyard and beelined toward him with a small smile. “Hey,” she said by way of greeting as she got closer to him.
His brief exchange with Becka over the journals teamed with the exceptionally good weather had inspired Matt to bring his digital camera out with him as well as the polaroid for her to borrow, the latter hooked over one shoulder as he crouched to take a photo of the interesting play of shadows cast by one of the benches. He had just taken the shot when she called out to him and twisted round at the sound of her voice with only a small wobble though he did place a hand on the ground to steady himself. “Hey,” he said, offering the blonde a small smile.
As Becka noticed that Matt was crouched down near a bench with his camera, she found herself curious about what he was taking a picture of. After a brief moment and his returned greeting, she found curiosity winning out. “What’s caught your photographer’s eye?” she asked.
“Just the shadows,” he replied, gesturing towards where lines of sun and shade were striping the grass. “I always like trying to capture the play of light and dark, it’s a challenge because outside of a studio setting it’s always shifting so...yeah.” Feeling a touch self-conscious, he shrugged his shoulders, offering Becka another smile as he pushed himself up and took a seat on the bench, not wanting to stand where he’d wind up towering over her.
As he explained, Becka tilted her head again to study the shadows, trying to see whatever it was he saw in them that interested him enough to capture it to film. “I can see how the shifting light would present a challenge,” she said musingly, glancing at him to offer him a small smile. When he sat, she opted to sit across from him. She could have just asked for the polaroid and been on her way, but that felt like it would be rude, and she’d enjoyed her conversation with him well enough the other night. “Do you prefer taking pictures of nature or just whatever you happen across?”
Matt got the feeling he was being humoured but the smile he’d been offered was genuine enough so he didn’t take it to heart. The fact she actually seemed willing to try and talk to him about it put her a step above a lot of people he’d crossed paths with in his life helped as well, his body language relaxing a little as she sat down. “I prefer taking pictures of p...p...p...people to be honest,” he said, resting his SLR in his lap so he could slide the polaroid from his shoulder. “But if I come across something that catches my eye and I have a camera with me then pretty much anything is fair game.”
Becka had the grace to ignore the stutter and just focus on what he was saying. She was a little surprised that people were his prefered subject, but as she thought about it, she supposed it made some kind of sense with as observative as he seemed to be. “People, hmm. Do you have many pictures of the people here?” she asked curiously, hiding a smile. The way he was talking, she would be surprised if he didn’t.
The truthful answer was more than he was willing to admit to; only Edan knew that he had photographed practically every resident of the facility and even she hadn’t seen the full extent of his collection. “I’ve taken a few,” he said, the statement true enough albeit an understatement. “I feel the majority of the residents here wouldn’t appreciate the attention though so I haven’t pushed my luck.” Meaning he’d made sure to stay well out of sight when photographing them, a skill he was well versed in thanks to years of practice.
The confirmation in his answer wasn’t surprising, and she misinterpreted the elaboration to mean that he hadn’t taken many pictures because he didn’t want to draw the attention of those people. “I see,” she said, thinking that she did. “Do you have any of me?” she asked, a small, amused smile playing about her lips. She clearly wasn’t disturbed at the thought of it, though.
With the ease in Becka’s expression and the tone of her voice, Matt felt there was no harm in admitting the truth in her case and bobbed his head. “A few,” he replied, returning her smile though his was tinged with shyness rather than amusement. “A couple where you’re on your own, some group shots...I could do you copies if you like?”
It was just a little charming that there was that shyness in his smile, and she looked interested at his offer. “Oh! Yeah, I’d like that,” Becka answered. There were some things about this place that she knew she didn’t want to remember, but there were others that she wanted to. “Oh, do you...” She paused and bit her lip as she glanced down. “Do you happen to have any of Leandro?” He may have been removed from the facility for a few days already, but Matt could still have some, and she would love to have one to remember him by.
“I think so,” Matt said after a moment of what appeared to be thinking when in reality he was waiting for an acceptable amount of time to pass where he would have been thinking had he not known precisely how many photos he had of everyone. “I may have one of the two of you together in fact, which would you prefer if I do?”
Becka was clueless that Matt was doing anything other than trying to remember for sure. When he said he might have one of her and Leandro together, she looked back up at him wide, hopeful eyes. “Oh! If you do have one of the two of us, I’d love a copy of it!” she answered, trying not to get her hopes up too high. There was no guarantee that he actually had one, after all.
There was something so unguarded about her expression that Matt almost found himself volunteering the picture he knew he had of them, wanting to do something right by her in the face of such honesty. He held himself back though, instead settling for offering her another smile. “Well then I shall have a look, hopefully you’ll be in luck. Would you like me to see if I have pictures of anyone else or are you content to take your own?” he asked, taking the opportunity to slide the polaroid over to her.
It was probably silly to be excited about the prospect of getting a picture of her and Leandro together considering she’d known him so short a time, but Becka couldn’t help it. She’d felt so close to him, to the point that she’d trusted him enough to stay the night with her, and it caused a small ache in her chest at the thought that she would probably never see him again. At least, she thought with a small amount of amusement, she would recognize him if she did cross paths with him again. “I can take my own,” she answered first, “but if you see any you think I might like, feel free to include them.”
“I’ll do that,” Matt said still smiling. “Now, you need a hand getting to grips with this or will you be alright?” He gestured to the camera still sat between. “It simple enough to use but if you’re used to a digital...”
Becka gave the polaroid camera a moment’s consideration before glancing back up at Matt. “I’d probably be able to figure it out, but if you want to give me a quick rundown, it probably wouldn’t be a bad thing,” she answered. The last thing she wanted was to somehow mess up his camera he was being generous enough to lend to her.
Chuckling a little, Matt picked up the camera and turned it in his hands as he began pointing out the elements. “Films all loaded up so you don’t need to worry on that score, obviously here’s where the pictures get spat out, word to the wise you don’t actually have to shake them when they do, they develop fine if you just give them the time. You got your viewfinder here, shutter here, flash control...and that’s it. There’s no focus or anything, you’ve just got to make sure you line your shot up properly and don’t waste them, there’s only film for ten photos in there.”
As Matt explained how to use the camera, Becka listened and nodded along, thinking it sounded as simple as she’d figured it would be. Her eyebrows shot up when he told her there was only film for ten photos, though. “Noted! I’ll be sure to choose the pictures wisely,” she said with a little laugh. “Thank you, though. It really means a lot that you’d let me borrow it.” She’d already thanked him, of course, but it bore repeating, she thought.
“I think that’s one thing that’s been lost since everyone went digital,” Matt said, a quiet note of regret in his voice as his smile took on a rueful quality. “People used to take more time over their photos, you had to be so deliberate. None of this throw everything at the wall and see what sticks philosophy. I mean I can’t fault the picture quality you get now but there’s a reason we still revere so many photographs from the past because someone had to take the time and...I’m ranting a little, sorry.” He flushed a little in embarrassment and held the polaroid out to Becka. “I’m sure you will and believe when I say it really is my pleasure.”
Becka listened as Matt went on his tangent with a small, amused smile. It was kind of cute how he seemed so passionate about it. It made her think that he was one of those people that had just been born in the wrong decade. “No need to apologize,” she assured him as she took the polaroid from him. She bit her lip as she considered something for a moment, and then decided to just go for it. “There’s going to be a little get-together tonight after dinner, and you’re welcome to stop by,” she invited him.
The invitation caught him by surprise and for a moment he just sat there looking stunned before his well drilled sense of social etiquette kicked in and prompted him to actually say something. “T...t...thank you,” he replied, nerves kicking back in despite himself and bringing his stammer with it. “I must confess s...s...social gatherings aren’t really my forte but I will try and stop by, maybe snap a few pictures of my own for you?” Then he had a reason not to get too involved with the proceedings whilst still showing his face for Becka’s sake.
When she heard the stammer return, Becka worried that she shouldn’t have invited him, as she hadn’t wanted to make him uncomfortable. “Oh! If you do stop by, that would be great,” she said with a smile, focusing on that rather than his awkwardness about social gatherings. “And maybe you could ask the administration to send the pictures along to me,” she suggested since she didn’t think she would have time to get them before she left.
“Well then I will endeavour to do so, camera at the ready,” Matt told her, the smile he offered her as he spoke a genuine one despite his nerves at the prospect of attending a party. “And I’m sure our overseers will grant such a small request given your success in the program.”
“Great, thanks,” Becka said, happy to see that smile. Despite what had happened to her, she still liked to see others happy, and she was determined not to let it change that about her. She’d always been a happy person, and she didn’t want that to change. “I hope so.” Standing up with the camera, she gave him one last smile. “And I hope to see you later,” she said as she stepped away from the table. With one last small wave, she headed toward the stairwell to return to her room.
Returning both the smile and the wave, Matt waited until her back was turned then raised his camera to take a shot of the blonde walking away, capturing her just as she began to disappear into the shadow cast by the balcony, the contrast of the sun of her hair and the darkness covering her face seeming all too fitting. Then he gathered himself together and headed off towards the kitchen intent on grabbing a snack before heading off to his next destination.