Natalie's Duplex, The Hegemony Compound, Brazil, Saturday

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie didn't feel at all ready for anything. But, Jim was coming over because she'd asked him to. It was time. She wouldn't ever be completely ready, so this was going to have to be good enough. She remembered pretty vividly what Sam had said, about not letting something like this drag on.

But Jim wasn't there yet. So Natalie was reorganizing a closet that didn't need reorganizing, just to kill time. It beat fidgeting. Or going to her office to stare at things when she knew she wouldn't be able to focus and would just constantly think ahead and wonder how things were going to go.

Sigh.

[ooc: NFB! Primarily for the boy I just modded, but can be open for all the usual stuff prior to his arrival!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

Jim was pretty sure he knew what was going to happen when Natalie called him. It wasn't that hard to figure out and while he wasn't looking forward to it, he wasn't going to avoid it either.

So, he arrived a short time after she'd called him and waited at the door.

[whenshewasnice]

Security escorted him, of course. Couldn't get away from that.

But there would be no one following him in after Natalie opened the door to her apartment.

"Hey," she said. "Come in."

[pursuedthestars]

"I hate those security guards," he complained, stepping inside and shaking his head. "Hey. How's it going?"

[whenshewasnice]

"They're just doing their job," Natalie replied as she closed the door again. "And they seem particularly protective of me, because I've asked them to let you come up on your own, but they insist on not doing that. Sorry about that."

[pursuedthestars]

"Maybe they have a crush on you," Jim said, shoving his hands into his pockets and glancing around. "Being all chivalrous and stuff."

[whenshewasnice]

"I think they're just worried about what would happen to them if something happened to me," she said. Her tone sounded exactly as neutral and mild as always, but it felt a lot more forced to her. She watched him quietly for a moment, then nodded towards the living room. "Come to the living room with me?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Okay," he said, nodding back and taking a few steps towards the living room. "Sure. Living room sounds good."

[whenshewasnice]

"Okay."

So. Living room. She brushed past him into the room, and picked up a book from the couch before taking a seat on one end of it.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim dropped down on the couch, stretching his legs out and looking over at her.

"You've got a very deer in the headlights look right now."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie sighed as she brought her feet on the couch so she could wrap her arms around her knees.

"So does that make you or the impending end of our deal the truck heading towards me?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Well, I have knocked women and men down before with my charm and good looks," Jim said lightly. "Besides, maybe you're the truck."

[whenshewasnice]

"I can't be the truck and the deer," Natalie retorted, tilting her head. "Where does that leave you? Maybe you're a deer too. Just don't notice the truck."

[pursuedthestars]

"I'm Jim," he said, leaning back and shrugging. "And that's the best thing to be."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm inclined to agree." Being Natalie was perhaps not her favourite thing at the moment. Now that he was here, this whole thing seemed deceptively silly and pointless. "How've you been, Jim?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Fine," he told her, shrugging. "Hanging out. Figuring things out. Stuff."

[whenshewasnice]

"Have you figured anything out?" she wondered. "Or is that an ongoing process?"

Because it was for her.

[pursuedthestars]

"Not yet," Jim said, scratching his cheek. "But, I'm making some progress. It's getting there."

[whenshewasnice]

"Good," Natalie said, nodding. "That's good to hear."

She was going to add something, then didn't, because the words just failed to materialize in her head. This was hard.

[pursuedthestars]

"Cat got your tongue?" he asked, tilting his head. "It's okay."

[whenshewasnice]

"I hate this," she said, glancing down at her knees. "We both know why we're here. And I hate it. I know it should be done because things have changed and things will keep changing, and it's best if we're not tied down, but I still hate it."

[pursuedthestars]

"It's okay," Jim told her quietly. "Things are changing. We both have to -- have to move on, I guess. Doesn't mean we're gonna lose touch. Just means things will change. Slightly."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie bit the inside of her lip and closed her eyes for a second.

"I used to be great at breakups, you know?"

[pursuedthestars]

"I don't want to know how someone can be great at breakups," Jim said, tilting his head. "We're still gonna be friends, Natalie. This isn't gonna be something where we throw things and scream. It's gonna be...sad but I'm not severing ties and you're not either."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie's eyes fluttered open, and she sighed, before shifting closer to him.

"I know."

It still felt like a dull ache in her chest.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim gestured her closer with his hand and smiled at her. "You're not losing me."