Who: Vanessa and Presto When: June - after their text conversation Where: Presto's place What: Supporting a friend Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
Presto was flailing and confused, unsure, and out of his depth. With Destiny vanishing, he felt a little like he was suddenly backsliding. He felt stupid to feel so, but they had just gotten close to really crossing a line into real romance when this had happened. And he felt like he had taken a body blow. Talking to Vanessa had helped some, but he still felt unsure and hoped, to all the gods, that she could help.
He sat in his front area on a chair, the scent of barbecuing vegetables and ribs both filling one side of the area.
***
Vanessa, as she always did, had a sense of calm clarity around her which she hoped would help Presto. He felt things so intensely that he had a tendency to worry and panic which led him to inner turmoil and Vanessa did hate to see him worked up so much.
She soon located him and moved forward to give him a hug in greeting, “How are you feeling now?” she asked him, laying a hand on his cheek as she looked him over.
***
Presto hugged her fiercely, finding himself not quite crying as he did so, then relaxing just a little, and sniffling. “Mostly feeling like a big idiot.” He shook his head, eyes red from worry and not quite crying a lot.
“I shouldn’t be this worked up, I know she can take care of herself. That doesn’t stop me from worrying a whole lot and freaking out some and…” he flailed a hand.
***
Vanessa shook her head, “You aren’t an idiot at all. It simply shows how much you care” she dropped a gentle kiss to his forehead before taking his hands in hers, “It’s okay, we’ll work it out. I promise you I am here to help you”
***
Presto shivered a bit, but nodded, blushing. He was trying to let logic set in, and her words and touches helped, but he felt a little at sea still.
“Thank you, and thank you for coming. It just all of a sudden… got too much.” He flailed a hand around, trying to encompass everything.
“I keep trying to calm down and just… process, but my brain feels like it is jumping around crazily.” His mania never seemed to end.
***
Vanessa nodded in understanding, “That tends to happen if we are left alone with our thoughts at times like this” she said.
“We just need to help you focus then you’ll find the calmness will follow” she said, “So come sit and tell me what happened, focus on the facts and ground yourself with me”
***
He nodded, listening, hoping she was right. “Thank you. Okay.”
He nodded and sat, and faced her, swallowing, trying to calm down and face her. He started it from the beginning, just telling her of learning Destiny was gone the day after she had vanished, calling her phone and not getting a response, even going so far as to teleport into her apartment, worried. He had looked everywhere he could think to do so, and so far, he had not learned anything.
He regretted not learning the names of more of her friends now, and he worried that meant he had been fooling himself about her. That he had not been as devoted to her as he thought he was.
Now, days later, his panic was still there, under a layer of worry, lack of confidence, and hurt.
As he finished, he swallowed and rubbed his face again and hoped Vanessa had ideas.
***
“It all sounds as though she went somewhere in a hurry to me” Vanessa said, “Now I think you should perhaps post on the network and see if any of her friends know what happened? Maybe she left a message with one of them and they simply haven’t managed to contact you yet” she suggested.
“People generally don’t disappear, so we just need to remain focused on finding her” she took his hand, “And if we get nowhere then I’ll try searching the cards and see if I can find her that way”
***
Presto nodded and he breathed out, then nodded again. “That makes sense. Maybe they could help.” He wasn’t sure how he liked that, but it was a good idea, and he knew he was being silly. “Good idea.”
“Thank you, Vanessa. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
***
“I am sure they will” Vanessa said, “And it will ease your concerns if one of them knows something” Asking for help wasn’t something to worry about especially when it came to situations like this.
“You are more than welcome Presto. I will always aid you if I can”
***
“It will, true. You have always been very good at helping me think, and focus.” He knew he sometimes needed help there.
“I’m very grateful. Somehow, you come along and make things better. Including my life.” Impulsively, he hopped up and hugged her again. He found himself wanting to do so more often these days.
***
“I am glad I can do that for you. It means a lot to know that I can help you in such a way” Vanessa told him, she was glad that her calm presence was of benefit to him.
Vanessa smiled and returned the hug, rubbing his back, “I’m glad I met you Presto, you are a most treasured friend” she told him honestly. He unlocked a maternal feeling inside her which she was beginning to truly embrace and for that she was very grateful.
***
Presto flushed and smiled softly. “Thank you. You are to me, too. I’m glad I went in to get read that one day. My life is far better with you in it.”
He nodded, then sat down again and smiled a little tremulously. So many emotions ran through his mind and he was hoping he could really get himself under control. Slowly. Somehow. He smiled at her. She somehow helped, and he wasn’t going to look that gift horse in the mouth.
“Maybe in a few days we can get back to another training session?” Maybe something to concentrate on would help.
***
“As am I. I would not be complete had we not met that day” Vanessa replied, she valued the people in her life and Presto was a very good friend.
“Of course. Whenever you would like” she nodded, “We have lost focus a little lately, perhaps it would help to occupy your mind more. But right now, how about I make some tea? I always find that helps, I think it’s my British roots” she smiled.
***
“Thank you. And yes, please. I love watching you make it.” And he walked with her toward the kitchen, and toward the uncertain future, and was a little more hopeful, despite all of it.