Bethany Hawke is a Grey Warden (sunshinesmiles) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-12-02 18:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, bethany hawke, isabela |
"No, I don't think I could let anyone tell me what to do."
Who: Bethany and Isabela
What: Bethy brings Bela some nicotine patches. And is adorable.
When: A few days ago
Where: Bela's set
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13
Bethany grabbed up the nicotine patches. They were still at Garrett's place, and she felt a well of sadness as she locked up. She couldn't blame him for wanting to move on, but it made her feel more alone. Even if he didn't exist in her dreams, he'd still been easy to get along with, and she had grown up with him in the waking world.
She tossed the boxes onto the front seat and got into the car, before heading to the address that Isabela had given her. She hoped she wouldn't be awkward. She was close friends to the woman in her dreams, and quite frankly nursed a girlcrush on her. (really, it was Isabela, who wouldn't? Even the bloody dog liked her) Mostly, she was nervous. It was like visiting a family member who didn't know you existed.
Before long, she was at the address, and parked. She grabbed the patches and then got out to find Isabela.
Isabela was twitchy and irritable, and she was fully aware that her director was relieved when they called lunch and she fairly ran out. She didn’t have enough time to go to the shop - it was only twenty minutes or so - but this angel from the network was apparently going to help.
She made her way to the outskirts of the shoot and saw a quietly pretty, willowy girl looking around. She looked a little bit lost, but mostly calm and patient. Isabela took a gamble. “Are you the girl from the network? I’m Isabela.”
"Oh! Hello!" She smiled brightly at Isabela. Her voice was oddly accented, a mix of Bostonian and something vaguely British. "Yes, I'm Bethany." She held up two boxes of nicotine patches, and said cheerfully, "With two special orders of anti-grump patches. Hopefully this will get you through the day."
Isabela laughed, taking them and immediately opening one. “It’s nice to meet you - really - and I’m eternally grateful. It’s a horrid habit, and I’m working on it, but it’s a work in progress.” She smiled. “Is your brother going to be cross? You said they were his.”
"He's moved back East," she explained, fidgeting on her feet as though she were a little nervous. Which she was. She swallowed, and nodded at Isabela. "So since I don't smoke, I thought they could go towards a good cause!"
She could help but smile a little. Being around certain people tended to make her want to. Varric, Merrill, Isabela, just to name three. Even Fenris a bit. He was much less of a grump here.
Isabela smiled, but any fool could tell she was a little sad. “I’m sorry to hear it. I don’t have any family out here - my mum’s in England, and I never had any siblings. I had a husband who lived here, but he was a bit of a bastard, so I wasn’t too sad when he died.” She laughed, hoping the girl didn’t get upset. She didn’t see any reason to pretend that Luis had been good to her.
"I'm sorry. About your husband being a bastard." Here too? It pissed Bethany off, but there wasn't much she could do about that. "Having family out here can be nice, but it can also be maddening when they're too close, you know? Sometimes you want a little breathing room. My twin and I were the babies in the family, so it was always Marian and Garrett's grand adventures, with us tagging along."
“One learns.” Isabela could already feel the nicotine patch starting to kick in - either that or mind was overacting; either was possible - but for whatever reason, she felt more calm. “Now if I marry anyone again, I’ll make sure to think with my brain instead of other bits.” She laughed. “And I don’t know, I like my space, but I like company. I’ve branched out a bit since he died - I kickbox, and play roller derby. It’s brilliant.”
"Roller derby? People still do that?" Bethany shook her head, thinking of a bunch of people spinning around a rink and hitting each other. Of course Isabela would do something like that. She almost laughed aloud. "A little of both is probably healthy. One thing I like about this part of the country is it's helped me get out of my shell a bit. And I suppose having family nearby has it's uses. Easier to pull of pranks."
“Absolutely! The best known team is the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. My squad’s called the Santa Ana Sting. It’s a lovely aggression release. A few broken bones, but nothing worse than I get from work.” Isabela chuckled. “I do stunts for the studio under contract. I know, I’m an adrenaline junkie.”
"There's nothing wrong with a little adrenaline," Bethy assured her. Despite herself she was fascinated. Like all this somehow made sense to her on a level she hadn't thought about before. "It all sounds very exciting."
“I enjoy it. I’ve even gotten a date or two at matches.” Isabela winked. “I like blokes and girls, so a few people have liked my style.”
Bethy's mouth went a little dry, and her voice squeaked. "Uhm. Yes. Well that's fine? I can picture you being very stylish. You have a style that's..all your own, I'll bet!"
Lame, Bethany, lame! She cringed inwardly at herself. She was acting like..well.. Anders.
She couldn’t help but laugh a little; that was maybe a little too much for this girl. “I said before; I like company,” Isabela said, a little more gently, though hopefully not patronizing. “People are interesting. I was awfully shy when I was younger, so I feel like I’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
"I understand. I was worse when I was younger." Bethany laughed, maybe a bit too loudly. "Obviously I'm not much better. Especially around, uhm, attractive people." Marian would probably never let her live this down if she knew. Oh Maker.
"Have you been doing stunts long?"
Oh, poor thing. Isabela shook her head. “Only about three years or so. The husband died not long before that, and he never would have let me do something like that.” She shook her head, feeling oddly motherly. “Don’t let anyone tell you what to do, kitten.”
Mostly, Bethy wanted to keep the conversation going. She wasn't ready to leave, or stop talking to Bela. Especially when she called her kitten. Her cheeks colored, but she replied, "No, I don't think I could let anyone tell me what to do."
Wryly, she added. "I doubt anyone could make me, at this point."
Isabela laughed. “Well, good. I’m probably making an idiot of myself, but I try to look out for us girls.” She’d met more than a few girls in the industry who were getting pushed around by a husband or boyfriend or girlfriend, and she always got involved. Even in some small way.
"As long as you're having fun, and looking out for us at the same time, I don't see how anyone could object. Pity we can't just stab some of those gits, or something." She smiled a little less nervously.
Isabela laughed. “I wish I could! I know it sounds awful to say this, but I wish some blokes would leave me alone. They think I can’t say no or something. Unfortunately, I’ve got a clause in my contract with the studio that I get sacked if I get arrested!”
"But you can say no! Ugh!" Bethany looked disgusted. "That's not fair at all. Just because you're hot and like sex doesn't mean you're going to just put out because they want it."
She found herself blushing fiercely. She never had found out what those six things women were good for were for. Marian had interrupted Isabela before she could explain.
Isabela laid a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, don’t worry about me, kitten. I’m just saying, people say I’m pretty, but that’s got its own problems. You’re very pretty yourself, but I don’t think you’d stand for any of that.” She grinned. “It’s always the quiet ones, you know.”
"You have no idea," Bethany responded, her grin positively impish. "You remind me of a friend I once knew. Always got me into trouble with my sister. But she taught me quite a lot about standing up for myself."
“I’m glad you had someone.” She hadn’t. “What am I on about, though? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound like your mum or something; I barely know you.” Isabela laughed. “I hope I’m not being a terrible bore.”
"You play roller derby and jump off buildings, I don't see how you'd ever be a bore, Isabela." Bethany planted her hands on her hips, giving her her sternest look. "Don't ever let yourself be a bore. The world has enough of those."
“That I can do.” Isabela chuckled. “Will I see you on the network, Bethany?”
"Yes, you'll see me," Bethany replied, smiling brightly. She teased, "I'm that stalker who keeps peeking at your posts, you know."
Isabela chuckled. “That network is public; it isn’t as though you have to peek.” She sighed. “I feel much more human - both I and my director thank you!”
Bethany laughed, mostly at herself and her fail at making a joke. "We can't have the stuntwoman bitchy. It wouldn't do. She'd be liable to hurt herself." She wondered if Bela got hurt often. She wondered how Bela would react to healing magic if she did.
“I’d be liable to hurt other people, kitten.” Isabela winked. “Teasing, teasing.” She broke off as she saw a harried PA waving at her. “Apparently I need to get back, but I’d love to go for a cuppa sometime?”
"Anytime, I've got a lot more free time than I know what to do with," Bethany assured her. She waved her hands in a shooing motion. "Go, be stunty!"
“It’s nice to meet you.” Isabela took her hand and shook it before heading back. “Thank you again!”