Hopefully not the last

[Boy]

Once again the house was relatively quiet. Whatever work Boy was doing on the house, in it, or around it, had ceased. It had been like that for days. When he wasn't out doing one thing or another, visiting people He wished would never have to visit them, he was present but quiet. Contemplative and brooding. At his best he'd be in the basement, like he was now, practising the same strikes and sidesteps Wendy had seen him do once. Working up a sweat while boxing and dodging shadows.

[Wendy Berber]

*Breakfast time had come and gone with little fanfare. Cereal and muffins. Wendy up all night stooped over a keyboard, the wan light of her laptop lighting her face a sickly blue. She was wandering around like a zombie, listless, unsure of what she was doing from one moment to the next. Orange juice would keep her going. Her spidery wrapped hand around a plastic cup of the stuff as her feet find the basement stairs. One hand on the rickety railing as she moves in a haze down toward Boy.*

[Boy]

There was a huff, a hiss, a sigh. Boy struck at the air with with force, and moved deftly to one side. His back was turned to the stairs as Wendy started down. Another huff, hiss, sigh as blows were fired at his invisible opponent, and he was turning again, this time to face her. His chest rose and fell rapidly, but increasingly slow, all the while watching Wendy carefully. "Morning." Huff. Huff. Sigh. "You alright?" Huff. Sigh. "You look a little out of it." Sigh.

[Wendy Berber]

*Watching Boy practice fighting always made Wendy nervous, and a little sad. She loathed the idea that he ever have to fight anything. The very notion that something or someone might try to hurt - to kill her mate enough to clench her stomach in cold fear. The bookworm nods mutedly at his question, taking a sip of Oj and rubbing under her glasses. Wendy sighs and sits on the last step with a vague frown, watching Boy with dark rings beginning to bruise the area under her eyes.* I'm um, ok. How are you feeling? Want some Orange juice?

[Boy]

"I'm fine" he says, and simply shakes his head no at the offered O.J. "Just practicing. And thinking. Well...worrying maybe."

[Wendy Berber]

*Her brow knits.* What are you w-worried about?

[Boy]

"I may have to go away for a while." He pauses here, trying to gauge her reaction. "I don't really know how long. Maybe a week. Maybe more. Marrick is busy with her duties, and Dietrich...well. I'm worried you'll be by yourself."

[Wendy Berber]

Oh. *Alot in that one short syllable. Boy was leaving for an unknown amount of time. Other packmates too busy. Her brow furrows further as she she tries to think through exhaustion.* Um.. ok? I'll be ok. Work, um, Come home. R-right?

[Boy]

"Maybe. Still, I worry. I wish I could have done more with the house. The safe room we talked about. I wish I could have taught you how to defend yourself, even if just a little bit."

[Wendy Berber]

Di-Dietrich and I um.. went to the sh-shooting range. I know how to um, fire a gun now? Mostly. Maybe.. I could borrow one from him? *She offers, taking a long drink of Oj. Anything to boost her batteries a little. Spindly geek fading before Boy's very eyes.*

[Boy]

"Good. That's good." He sounded relieved, but not exactly convinced. Boy crosses his arms and considers for a moment. "Who do you go to if you can't find any of us?"

[Wendy Berber]

Um.. who? To the b-brotherhood? *Wendy nibbles her lip, caught off guard by the question.*

[Boy]

"Not everyone at the brotherhood will be especially helpful. Not all of them exactly rush to your aid. Sinclair is the Glasswalker elder. She's not exactly nurturing, but its her responsibility. Buried Hatchet is...scary as hell sometimes. But we count him as a friend. And Marcus. And Wahya. Most others will grudgingly help you in an absolute emergency, but those are the ones that'll most likely make it a priority."

[Wendy Berber]

I'm n-not going to go to S-sinclair. Kay? *Lack of sleep makes her bold, or perhaps just a little less neurotically careful with her words, as she shakes her head.* Can I g-go to um, Hector? instead? If I can't find m-marcus or Wahya, or um.. even H-Hatchet? *She squints and presses her eyes together hard, trying to keep them open and alert. She looks to her orange juice, Hardly any left and she still wasn't feeling more alert. Just nauseas.*

[Boy]

He couldn't help the relieved little smile that flashed on his face just then, but it was quickly replaced by a look of confusion. "Who's Hector?"

[Wendy Berber]

my um, my boss's Boss's Boss. He's g-glasswalker kin too. *She nods limply, finishing the last of her juice with a sigh. Kick in damnit.*

[Boy]

"Is he a good person?" He shakes off the question, holding a hand up dismissively. "That's should be fine. As long as you're safe." His eyes, previously fixed on the ground, looked up to Wendy. "Its just a precaution though. Everything's gonna be fine."

[Wendy Berber]

Ok. *She nods, running a hand through her hair, only to realize she's still holding the cup. She blinks foggily behind her glasses a moment, before turning ink blue eyes up to the Uktena.* Um.. will you be safe?

[Boy]

"Me? Oh. Uh...Yes. Yes, I'll be fine. Its just something I need to do. In fact, when I come back I might be even better than I was." He smiled oddly, a pulling back of the corners of his mouth that didn't quite reach his eyes. It didn't last long. He walked up to her, taking the cup from her hands. "You should get some rest though. Or are you going to work today?"

[Wendy Berber]

My - oh *as he takes the cup, she reaches after it before remembering it was empty.* Oh. n-no.. all of us c-code monkeys are home today. System s-server maintenance I think. BuI'm working on a project I'm working on that I should get working on. *Her forehead creases slightly. There were too many words in that last sentence somehow.*

[Boy]

He shakes his head, chuckling just a bit. One hand held her empty cup. The other hand reached for hers. "Take a break. One last time before I leave. Be with me."

[Wendy Berber]

Oh. Ok. *Wendy nods, standing up and blinking. She offers a shy smile as her hand is held.* Um. what would you like to do? I don't know if I can s-silkscreen.. my brain is full of ones and z-zeros.

[Boy]

"That's fine. Doing nothing is alright by me. You need rest, and...well, so do I."

[Wendy Berber]

Oh. Um.. a nap? *Wow could she ever go for a nap. Just a little one. Just enough to take this sickly, nervous edge off. Wendy begins up the stairs, touching the railing to keep her balance as sleep tries to drag her under.*

[Boy]

And Boy follows behind, stopping in the kitchen just long enough to rinse out the cup before joining her upstairs.