Room 227, Tuesday Afternoon

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie knew she was going to be accused of moping. That was why her door was only cracked open. She didn't need to openly invite people to judge her.

And she didn't think she was moping, anyway. She was laying back on her bed, looking at the ceiling, but it wasn't moping. She was just thinking. About yesterday morning. About the future. About the huge blind spot she'd had when it came to sharing her plans with Sam.

It wasn't moping, it was contemplation.

Moxy meowed at the door. She didn't get up. The door wasn't closed. He could get out on his own if he really wanted to. She was just going to spend a moment with her thoughts right now.

[ooc: Cracked door, open post!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

"And?" Jim asked curiously.

[whenshewasnice]

Oh look, the ceiling was interesting again.

"And it was mildly confusing and a little painful, as usual."

[pursuedthestars]

"What happened?" Jim asked, still standing.

[whenshewasnice]

"We met, we tried to determine whose fault it is that we haven't been in touch, talked a bit about who'd stopped doing what. I re-stated we're not getting back together, he kissed me, and now, I don't know. I guess he's trying to get over Natalie the girlfriend."

It was a rather clinical account, but that was how she worked. Closer something got to her heart, the more neutral the tone. The other option would have been not to talk about it at all.

[pursuedthestars]

"That doesn't sound like an awful meeting," Jim said, shrugging a shoulder. "Could have been worse, at least."

[whenshewasnice]

"Never said it was awful."

She kept her eyes on the ceiling. Wrinkling her nose just a little.

"We've had much worse. Still hurt and got confusing."

[pursuedthestars]

"Why confusing?" Jim asked, still looking down at her. "You know what you want when it comes to him."

[whenshewasnice]

"I know what I want," she replied. "And I didn't call him for over a month because what we wanted didn't match. But I'm not sure what he wants anymore."

[pursuedthestars]

"That's on him, then," Jim said, shrugging. "And he has to figure it out. I'm sure he'll tell you what he wants when he figures it out."

[whenshewasnice]

"Mm."

Well, she supposed he was right.

She just felt weird about feeling a little... optimistic after the last few months.

[pursuedthestars]

"Mm."

He mimicked the sound and tilted his head, still looking down at her.

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm not used to feeling like some part of my life isn't falling apart," Natalie said mildly, as if explaining that little sound. Or just as an afterthought.

She glanced at him again. "Are you just going to tower over me?"

[pursuedthestars]

"I was gauging the situation," Jim admitted, shrugging. "Checking to see if I wasn't walking into a hornet's nest."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm not a hornet."

He was probably safe."

[pursuedthestars]

"I'll take your word for it," Jim said and lowered himself down to sit on the edge of her bed. "Anything else on your mind?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie shrugged a shoulder.

"Just future things."

[pursuedthestars]

"Such as?" Jim asked, wondering if he was going to prompt her the entire time.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie wondered if he felt like he had to. She reached out touched a hand to his arm. "I think I'm going with the assistant thing."

She'd known it for days now. It was still different to actually say it out loud.

[pursuedthestars]

"Mmm." He figured she'd do that after he'd talked about it the first time with him. "You sure?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Ninety-five percent."

She was pretty sure. It was about as sure as she was about anything ever before actually doing it.

[pursuedthestars]

"And what happens to your college plans?" Jim asked quietly.

[whenshewasnice]

"They get bumped back." A safety net for her to fall back on. She wasn't abandoning her education. "Or I skip them entirely and make a bid to enter university backed by documentation of my work in the political field."

[pursuedthestars]

"How long does this assistant thing even last?" Jim asked. "Could it mean you not going to school at all anymore?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't know how long it'd be. But I think if things go as expected, there's going to be a good time for me to leave eventually."

Namely, if Peter actually got made Hegemon and got some more staff who knew what they were doing.

"If I want to."

[pursuedthestars]

"Wow, you're considering a possible permanent job with him?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow.