Room 313- Tuesday after classes

[solo_sword]

In short, the time issue just got the better of them. Once Jaina got that voicemail from John last week, she knew things weren't going to work out. Not as long as he was still on fast forward. And really, she was new at this, but it had to be one of the weirdest breakups ever. Maybe it would have been easier if they'd yelled and ruined things forever, but they still loved each other, and it was obvious, and it was already making letting go that much harder. Odd, considering how much time she typically spent pushing people away. Odder was the fact that she didn't want everyone finding out, at least not now. It wasn't exactly something she wanted everyone hearing about on radio.

Times like this, Jaina was really glad that she didn't have a roommate, because it meant that she could have a good cry about it when she was sure the squirrels weren't around, try doing normal things, have another good cry when that failed, and be okay to go to class. Afterwards, she came back to her room and began doing the post-breakup ritual of girls everywhere, even if she didn't realize it.

Namely, she started boxing up the things that reminded her of him. She was trying to mask it as redecorating, since she hadn't done that since Valentine left, but pictures came down off the walls, jewelry was put away, her phone wallpaper was changed to something that came with the phone... She didn't throw anything out, but it was going away for now. The bedding she was keeping. It was comfortable, and didn't even smell like him anymore anyway.

The one thing that caused hesitation was the watch. He'd given it to her after the breakup, since time kept kriffing with them, and she wasn't sure what to do with it. Realizing she'd always be able to just put it away later, Jaina stowed the box in her closet and took a seat on her bed, slipping the watch onto her wrist. It slid down her hand when she moved her arm, only stopping at her knuckles. Somehow that seemed fitting.


[Door closed, post is open if you're good with the usual SP. Watch totally not randomly stolen without permission.]

Comments

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri had problems of her own to worry about, yes, but this was Jaina, and the nagging feeling she needed to check up on her didn't go away.

She paused outside the door and knocked once, lightly.

[solo_sword]

There was a brief pause as Jaina reached out just enough to see who it was, and realized she shouldn't really be surprised. "Come in," she called.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri let herself in, and the first thing she noticed was the walls, or rather the lack of certain pictures on them. Shutting the door behind her again, she leaned against it and gave Jaina a thoughtful look.

"You're not okay, are you." Not really a question, and never mind that she'd dodge it when it was asked of her.

[solo_sword]

"It's been a long week," Jaina dodged, sitting up further. "What's up?" She said this like she didn't know she was being cecked up on.

[weetuskenraider]

"I just had a feeling I should stop in." Which was true, if only part of it, but she was getting better at not pushing right away. Tahiri looked at a blank spot on the walls again for several long seconds, then back at Jaina, her gaze flickering to the watch briefly and her eyebrows rising. "Long week, and it's only Tuesday."

[solo_sword]

"It includes last week too," Jaina said, and sighed. Tahiri had clearly picked up on the visual cues, she just didn't be the one to start the conversation. "If you want to ask, just ask."

[weetuskenraider]

"You were avoiding in Fight Club, too," Tahiri replied. "You took all the pictures down -- did something happen with you and John?"

[solo_sword]

"We broke up."

The words themselves were surprisingly easy to say, probably because she was Jaina, and probably because denying it wouldn't exactly work for long. But as soon as she said it, she really wished she hadn't.

[weetuskenraider]

"Sithspawn." Tahiri started away from the door, just a couple of steps, and pulled up short, because really, what was she going to do? "Did something go wrong?"

[solo_sword]

She was trying hard for casual, like it didn't bother her. She wasn't sure it was working. "His time sped up again. I went to his college graduation last night." And was only gone from Fandom for less than an hour.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri snarled something that would have scandalized a good number of Sand People. "Jaina, I'm sorry. I know you probably don't want to hear that, but I am."

[solo_sword]

She was a good girl, and managed to hide the wince that came with hearing 'I'm sorry.' "Yeah, well," she shrugged, "the odds just weren't in our favor. There wasn't much we could do."

[weetuskenraider]

"I was really hoping it would work for you two," Tahiri told her. "There really isn't anything I can do, is there?"

[solo_sword]

"Got a time machine handy?" She was only joking because the answer was no. If she knew anyone who had one, they were getting shook down.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri managed a tight laugh, for about half a second. "I know a ship that used to be a time machine." Which she was not going into more detail about, given things that had gone on in there. "You know, this is usually where you -- or my Jaina, anyway -- tell me you're fine and you don't need company or anything like that."

[solo_sword]

"I'm fine," she said. "I just don't want to talk about it." Which wasn't to say she did or didn't want company, but she really needed the distraction of having someone around, maybe.

[weetuskenraider]

"Yeah, that's the other thing I expect you to say," Tahiri said, with a tiny hint of a smile because for some strange reason, knowing that hadn't changed made her worry a little bit less. "We don't have to talk about it. But if you think I'm going to leave you alone, you forgot how stubborn I can be."

[solo_sword]

"Still got that stubborn thing going, huh?" Jaina asked, trying for light. She even made a face.

[weetuskenraider]

"You better believe it. Between dealing with you and Ben, I have to be," Tahiri retorted, taking that whole attempt-at-light and running with it.

[solo_sword]

"He needs the stubborn much more than I do." Uh, this was probably not true?

[weetuskenraider]

"Sorry, no. I've known you a lot longer and I've had more time to form an opinion on that," Tahiri replied, and now the lightness was a lot less forced. "It runs in your family and you know it."

[solo_sword]

"Well, yeah, but I can't be the worst," she insisted.

Hmm. Let's consider that a moment.

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri just raised one eyebrow and looked at her.

"Well, I can safely say I've never threatened to kick you."

[solo_sword]

"Both versions of me?" she asked, a little hopefully.

[weetuskenraider]

"I would never threaten the other you that way," Tahiri promised. Which was sort of a compliment, if you knew how to look for it.

[solo_sword]

Jaina frowned. "I need to work on being more intimidating."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri smirked faintly and sat down cross-legged on the floor. "Too late for that. I've seen you gremlin-bitten."

[solo_sword]

"Oh, did we have to bring that up?" she whined asked. "You were a Care Bear right with me."

[weetuskenraider]

"Yes, but it's the part where you were being so cheerful that makes me laugh." Who could be a brat sometimes? Oh, yeah, this one.

[solo_sword]

Jaina picked up a pillow and threw it at her. "It was the gremlin's fault! It'll never happen again, promise."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri could have dodged the pillow, but she decided she'd be doing Jaina a favor if she let it hit her instead.

"You do realize, now that you've said that . . ."

[solo_sword]

"Not allowed," she said quickly. "I've had enough of those forever."

[weetuskenraider]

It was getting hard to hide a smirk here. "Oh, sure. Take away my fun."

[solo_sword]

"Sic one on Ben," Jaina said. "Or my grandfather. He's used to it."

[weetuskenraider]

"And in the case of your grandfather, it's a little scary," Tahiri replied, and threw the pillow back at her.

[solo_sword]

And as Jaina caught the pillow, that was probably the closest she'd ever come to a pillow fight. "You don't want to know the trauma I've had there," she said. Which she would have repressed if Rose hadn't made it so much worse.