animus_network

[After a long moment, almost too long, feeling the eagerness in her body, he broke the kiss. Pulling back, he let her go, that smirk still there.]

What were you sayin', Elena?

[Long, short - time was, at that moment, purely relative. All she could register was the tall figure in front of her, warm hands pressing through her suit, the velvet feel of his lips, and the faint tickle of red strands against her face. And it was both grounding and electrifying at the same time. Feeling him pull back, she mirrored his movements, hands releasing at the last possible second as she moved away, putting a few feet between them]

....Ah, nothing. Nothing at all.

[Beneath the protective layer of her suit, her heart hammered at a mile a minute, slamming against her ribcage painfully. Arms wrapped protectively around her middle, fingers reaching up to lightly touch her mouth before clasping her elbows. Her steps continued taking her backwards towards the door. Teeth bit into the meat of her lower lip, eyes clouded and nervous and something else. ]

I-I think...I should get going. I should..ah...go check on the kids and...aah...get some training in... Thanks for coming, though. It was...nice talking with you... We should do drinks later...

[Wait... what just happened?

'should get going' 'nice talking with you' 'drinks later'

Bam! Bam! BA BAM!

He sat back down in his chair and watched her leave.]

Y-yeah...

[He was... confused. And feeling rather awkward and embarrassed.]

[O-oh no. Oh no, no, no... That expression she could read quite clearly, even halfway across the room. And that was not at all what she had intended with her graceless and hastey exit. Hands slid up her arms to be face pressing against cheeks before covering her mouth.]

Reno...don't... [Take it personally. Think it's your fault. Look at me that way. She paused, taking a deep, audibly shuddering breath.] ...It was...[Amazing. Needed. Fingers moved again, releasing their hold on her lips, her hands falling to her sides in an almost defeatist manner.]

I think I'm a little more fucked up than you know, and...I..I don't want to mess things up. I don't want to be the cause of anyone else being hurt. Okay?

[That... didn't really help him. Mutely, he just nodded, putting on a neutral expression to hide what he must have been displaying.]

[His silence is unbearable, despite the acknowledging nod, and the weight on her chest doubles, making it hard to breathe. It was damn. Ear amazing how she could take what might have been an interesting evening into a utter train wreck.]

Fuck... I-I'm sorry. I talk too damn much sometimes.

[Eyes lower, moving away from him to the floor, body turning away to face the door. Her steps are hurried, the desire to escape before she could do more damage driving her. But, before she passed through the door, she pauses and turned back towards him.]

Drinks. Just you and me. In two days. I'll be waiting.

...I'll be there. [But she's already gone by that time, he doesn't know if she heard him, or what she would think of his hesitation.]

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