100more | Etraya inbox

[Daisy has the DVD she's chosen tucked under her arm, and an open bottle of vodka held in one of her hands. Has she had some already? Maybe.]

I'm fine.

[She says dismissively, stepping past him.]

No. Are we going to watch the movie or are you going to role play as a shrink instead?

[ It does look like she got started without him. ]

Alright...

[ He offers to take the movie, a bit uncertain to do much else at the moment. ]

Let me just get this sorted.

[ He will definitely revisit her strange behavior, though. For now, he goes to tidy up the couch, moving some pillows and his book. ]

I'd ask if you wanted something to drink, but I see you came prepared.

[Daisy hangs back while he clears off the couch, taking a seat once he's moved away.]

Yeah. It's not amazing, but it does the job.

[She holds out the bottle towards him in offer, tossing the DVD case onto the coffee table.]

[ After the week he's been having, the bottle of vodka looks more like a lifeline.

He accepts and half-considers getting some plastic cups, but then decides to just take a few solid gulps straight from the bottle. God, he needed that. The bottle is offered back, after. ]

You know, I'm no shrink, but you can get something off your chest if you want to.

[Daisy watches him drink from the bottle, assessing him before taking the bottle back and taking a swig.]

If I wanted to talk with a shrink, I'd go to Hannibal.

[And judging by her tone, that's the last thing she wants.]

You gonna put the movie in?

[ Maybe Hob is the one who could use a shrink. ]

Right. What did you choose?

[ He picks up the DVD to have a look as he opens the case and inserts it into the player. ]

[Leaning back on the couch, Daisy rests the bottle against her legs.]

Paranormal Activity.

[She watched it with Fitz once, and at the thought of him she takes another swig of vodka.]

Not gonna be too scary for you, is it?

[ Hob picks up a bag of chips on the way back to the couch and sets it between them. ]

Too scary? Hah, I...

[ And the movie starts and Hob already knows. Slowly he reaches for one of those pillows and holds it. ]

[Something flairs in Daisy at seeing him reach for the pillow, an urge to make that fear of his to grow.]

It's just a movie.

[Her gaze stays on him, instead of the movie. She's seen it before anyway.]

That snake trying to attack you had to have been scarier than this.

Isn't being scared the point of watching these movies?

[ That's what she said before, so he thinks he's on top of this assignment better than she is at the moment, and he's clutching that pillow to his chest to prove it.

Reminding him of the snake gets Hob to look over at her, which is actually preferred to the film. ]

Just because that was scary doesn't mean this isn't scary. It's a different type of scary. I thought you were scary too, you know.

[ The last is said with a little smile. ]

I guess so.

[Daisy says dismissively, not remotely focused on the movie right now. Something in her stirs when he brings up how he thought she was scary, and she doesn't seem to care that his admission excites her instead of hurting her.]

You wouldn't be the first time person to say that.

[There's an urge to draw more of that fear to the surface, her gaze transfixed on him.]

Did you think I was going to throw you like I threw that snake?

[ Hob was scared of her then, but he's not now. She wouldn't hurt him now, right? What is there to fear? ]

I had considered it, but I'm glad you were there to help. If you hadn't been there... I don't want to picture the outcome.

[ But what she said makes him frown a bit. ]

People have been afraid of you?

More times than I can count. People are afraid of those that are different.

[A tiny smile tugs at her lips, head titling a little.]

That surprises you?

[ It does surprise him, actually. ]

Well, you must meet people when you're not throwing giant snakes around, right? If I were to meet you under normal circumstances, it would have been different.

Maybe.

[Daisy smiles sadly, knowing that he might not feel that way if he knew who she was or what she was truly capable of.]

I've met people in much deadlier circumstances than a giant snake.

[ Hob can tell it must be difficult for her to get to know people. He's never really had that problem, but his circumstances have been quite different. ]

The people here seem a little more similar to you than to me, though. A lot of them have amazing strength, too.

It's just not strength.

[Daisy corrects, her tone becoming confident in a way that she only ever uses when she she's trying to intimidate someone.]

I've destroyed buildings that had what I needed inside. I've created avalanches, destroyed bridges...

[Quietly, at first, the coffee table starts to shake. Only once their glasses start to rattle, Hob might notice what she's doing.]

I can crush a person apart from the inside out, without ever touching them.

[She leans a bit closer to him, a smug expression on her face.]

So maybe they're smart to be scared of me.

[ Hob looks over as he hears the glasses rattling. A little more of that and he's going to have to clean all that up. ]

Uh, right...

[ She can definitely be intimidating. Hob swallows the lump in his throat and leans back a bit when she gets further into his space. ]

But why do those things? You don't want people to be afraid of you.

[The rattling of the table doesn't stop, but it doesn't increase in intensity. Daisy doesn't encroach further on his space, yet, but she doesn't lean away either.]

Isn't it better that they know exactly what I'm capable of?

[ Hob reaches for both glasses before they topple, but it leaves him feeling defenseless. Not that he could stop her if she decided she wanted to prove something right now. ]

You're capable of helping people. Like you helped me.

[ Even though he tries to convince her with his words, there's no doubt he's afraid right now. ]

Please, calm down.

[Daisy's smile widens when he turns to grab the glasses, but it quickly disappears the moment he looks back to her. She can't let him know that she's getting exactly what she wants right now.]

I am calm.

[She says, glancing at the table that is suddenly still once again.]

Just proving a point.

[ Hob frowns and sets the glasses down again once the table has stopped shaking. ]

And what point was that, exactly?

[ The fear has turned into mild annoyance. He's not sure what the reason was for that display. ]

That you had a very good reason to be scared of me.

[At that moment someone in the movie screams, and the irony isn't lost on Daisy. Even still, her eyes never move from his face.]

[ Hob glances to the screen but the horror of the scene is lost on him. There's an anxious feeling that grips him, but when he looks back at her, his expression is a touch sad. ]

No, I didn't. I was afraid before I realized what you were doing. I judged you too quick, and I owe you an apology.

[That won't do. It she doesn't want his pity. She wants his fears]

No.

[He'll feel the glasses in his hands begin to tremble,]

You were right to fear me.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject