1/19 Instance: Take Me or Leave Me

[tears~fall~like~glass]

timeline: after Skin Deep


<Cecilia> Cecilia sighed, resisting the urge to touch the back of her neck as she lounged on the couch in the rec room, watching the television. It felt like a bad sunburn, but for the most part it was okay. Though her ears were still a little tender, every-time she pulled a shirt over her head she winced. What the hell was she thinking getting both ears done at the same time?! Stupid.

<Cecilia> She scratched Friday's head, who was lying beside her, making her purr. "Good girl," she said softly.

<Mayday> Mayday entered the room, carrying with her a large bag of chips and two cans of Tab cola, "Hey! I bought us snacks!", she smiled at Cecilia, taking a seat beside her and popping the bag down beside Friday, "Hey, little kitty!",

<Cecilia> "Thanks, May," said Cecilia, taking a handful of chips with only a slight twinge of guilt. "See Friday? Mayday's all better now, no more eating the cat. Yes, that's right, who's a good girl? You are!" She said goofily to the cat. 

<Cecilia> "Sorry," she said sheepishly to Mayday. "I always wanted a pet but we could never afford one."

<Mayday> "It's ok! It's super cute.", Mayday assured her, handing a can to her and settling back into the sofa, "And no, 'Miss Muggins', I'm not gonna munch you.", she stroked the cat with a finger, "So, how's Cee-Cee?"
 
<Cecilia> "Alright," said Cecilia. "Little sore from the tattoo and the piercings but no worse for wear. And yourself?" She smiled.
 
<Mayday> Mayday grinned, "I'm super! I talked to my Dad on the phone the other day, it was great! He's just the nicest person ever!"
 
<Cecilia> "Really?" Cecilia grinned right back. "That's great, May! So you guys have a lot in common?"
 
<Mayday> "Yeah! He likes Kirk, but whatev.", Mayday giggled, opening her can, "I'm thinking of visiting him, but....h-he lives in Connecticut.", she bit her lip, "'S'really, really far..."
 
<Cecilia> "Oh, come on, it's not that far!" Laughed Cecilia. "It's not like he lives across the continent, Connecticut's just a train ride away." As for the Kirk and Picard thing she only knew their names and hence, didn't have much of an opinion. "If you're not comfortable visiting him though maybe he could come here and see you, just for the day, yeah?"
 
<Mayday> "W-well....I guess. I-it's like...", Mayday scratched her head, "You know when you've never been somewhere? It just seems further. I've been to San Diego before and nowadays it feels like it's down the road, you know?", she shrugged, "....I-I just....eeeh, I dunno..."
 
<Cecilia> Cecilia raised an eyebrow. "So you're uncomfortable," she confirmed. "Or nervous or whatever you wanna call it. Look, it's alright not to be ready just yet. I mean, yeah he's your dad, but you've never even met him before, it's not like you've spent your entire life with him. It takes time to develop a relationship and meeting someone at this age just make that all the more challenging."
 
<Cecilia> "You don't need to make excuses," she said amiably. "I'm not gonna judge you, I think we're better friends than that."
 
<Mayday> Mayday agreed with a nod, "We are.", she smiled, "A-and thanks, Cee...I erm...I'm really glad I can talk to you about it."
 
<Cecilia> "Anytime," said Cecilia, smiling. "I'd hope you felt you could at any rate, I'm pretty good at keeping secrets I'm told."
 
<Mayday> Still smiling, Mayday sat back, sipping some of her drink, "So er....how are you and Fabian? I-it's just, I heard from Rachel that erm....", she rummaged in the chip bag, picking out a handful and staring at them as if looking for the words, "....nakedness happened.",
 
<Cecilia> For a moment Cecilia was seriously confused. How the hell did Mayday know about the lake and the night in the dorm after?! She hadn't told anyone...then she realized what she was talking about and felt somewhat stupid. "What the 'Never Have I Ever' thing?" She laughed. "Oh, that. No, no, everything's cool. For the most part, I mean, he told me about the nakedness but he didn't mention giving the brownies to Paige, I was more upset about that...but everything's fine now. I was just annoyed, that's all." She smiled. "No need to worry, mom and dad aren't divorcing."
 
<Mayday> "Oh, ok. That's....that's good.", Mayday nodded, "I erm....respect that you were so calm. I-If Sue ever....", she shrugged, "Whatever. Er...y-you looked er...you looked a little spaced-out for a moment there?"
 
<Cecilia> "Well, I'm not thrilled with the idea of him being naked around other people, especially other women," she admitted. "But I trust him and I seriously doubt he'd cheat on me, so, why waste my time worrying?"
 
 
<Cecilia> "Because, seriously, at this point, who here hasn't seen him naked?" She shrugged, "Besides, if I constantly worried and kept him in a cage like a possessive vagina monster how long would that last? I either trust him or I don't, and I do. So, yeah."
 
<Mayday> Mayday grinned, "Good point. I guess he's pretty trustworthy as a guy, just....well, tactless.", she shrugged, eating the mouthful of chips in her hand and sniggering, "You should crack the whip more often!"
 
<Cecilia> "Tactless?" Said Cecilia, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head, "I'm trying to learn to pick my battles, not just with Fabian, but with everyone. Last semester was a goddamn nightmare...I can't be angry all the time. That's no way to live. I'd rather save my energy and fight the fights that are really worth fighting and just...let everything else happen. Life's too short to be scared or angry all the time."
 
<Mayday> "True.", Mayday agreed, "I just think...I dunno, maybe he could have been a weeny bit more not naked in front of other girls, I mean. Tact.", she scratched her head, "...is that the word I'm looking for?"
 
<Cecilia> Cecilia laughed, genuinely and happily at that. "Haha! Oh my God, I, hehe, I think it's a bit late for that!" She snorted. "He's been naked with tons of women before me!" She laughed, rolling on the sofa, tilting precariously towards the edge.
 
<Cecilia> "I'm not gonna be happy if he actually does anything with them," she said once she'd wiped her eyes. "I draw the line at physical affection. That's my department." She raised an eyebrow at Mayday. "I take it you wouldn't be happy if Sue did the same thing?"
 
<Mayday> "It'd....break my heart.", Mayday confessed, glancing away and blushing slightly, "I-I really care about Sue. I-I love her, and if she ever....I-I think that being with her is special, if other people had that...."
 
<Cecilia> "And I don't care about Fabian?" Said Cecilia, frowning. "I don't like it, it makes me jealous, if I felt nothing then I really wouldn't care, but I do. And I would rather afford some freedom than lose everything, because despite some of the pain? It's still worth it to me."
 
<Cecilia> "Just because other people have been with him before me...that doesn't devalue what I have," she said sadly, feeling a bit hurt. "We're together now. That's what matters. He's with me and even if I don't always feel confident...well, that's when I remind myself of this fact."
 
<Cecilia> "We just...have different relationships, I guess."
 
 
<Mayday> Mayday shuffled around, "No, that's not what I mean! Sue's been with....other people...I-I think, I never asked really but...w-well, the point is I'm talking about being naked and stuff.", she explained, sitting back, "It's like...we said we're together. So only I should be allowed to see her like that now, and vice-versa.", she shrugged.
 
<Mayday> "I mean, maybe you're right, and we're just....you know, different.", she went on, "But....for me, if someone else got that, it'd just....I dunno, it'd hurt me more."
 
<Cecilia> "Well, I don't thinking anybody's 'getting' anything except me," said Cecilia, frowning. "Yeah, maybe he plays strip 'Never Have I Ever'...but who's he coming home to?" She shrugged. "It's not for everyone. It's difficult for me, even, sometimes. But the priiiize," she joked to Mayday, imitating one of her games.
 
<Mayday> With a little smile, Mayday nodded, "The hard companion quests are always worth the loot; have you played Katawa Shoujo before?", she asked, "It's a Japanese eroge novel, like, click to read, make certain decisions..."
 
<Cecilia> "What like 'Choose Your Own Adventure'?" Said Cecilia. "I haven't but I get the idea, why?"
 
<Mayday> "Well, the relationships in that are hard - you have to say the right thing, deal with the crap...", Mayday explained, "But....the endings? The good ones; they're so sweet!", she sighed, "So I think it's worth being the best person you can, just....you know, don't be a doormat, Cee.", she rested a hand on Cecilia's shoulder.
 
<Mayday> "You're one of my best friends.", she smiled, "So if Fabian ever makes you cry? I'll punch his jaw clean off his face."
 
<Cecilia> "Have you ever known me to be a doormat?" Said Cecilia wryly, raising an eyebrow. "You were friends with him before you were with me. I appreciate the sentiment, really, but I wouldn't wish him ill, even if he upsets me. He's already had to deal with that sorta shit after the first dating fuck-up. He has the right to live his life without fear of retribution from his girlfriend's friends."
 
<Cecilia> "Besides," she said, neatly grabbing a chip and popping it into her mouth. "There wouldn't be much left for anyone else once I was done with him. I might not hit, but I do yell pretty amazingly."
 
<Cecilia> "And you'd be surprised how little I have to 'deal' with," smiled Cecilia. "It's hardly a trial. If it were I wouldn't be there." She laughed. "Don't worry so much for me, May."
 
<Mayday> Mayday nodded again, "Ok. Just...you know...", she smiled a little, going back to watching T.V.
 
<Cecilia> "...I know?" She said wryly. "If you say so, personally I was just playing it by ear."
 
<Mayday> "I'm just trying to be supportive, ok?", Mayday insisted, "I think he's great, just....if I was his girlfriend, I couldn't do what you do. That's all I'm saying! So if you're ever upset, it'd suck. If you hurt him, I'd be just as pissed.", she sipped from her can again, "Not threatening, don't mean anything by it. Just sayin'..."
 
<Cecilia> "Well...thank you," said Cecilia, a little surprised. "I'm not really used to people worrying about me outside my family." She smiled. "It's a bit of a foreign concept to me...and most tend not to assume I have any honour to protect or don't care." She chuckled and leaned her head on May's shoulder. "You're wooorrrriied about me, that's so sweet. It's like we're sisters!"
 
<Mayday> Mayday, sighed, leaning her head on Cecilia's also, "I actually do regard you like a sister, you know....", she confessed, "So when you get all defensive about me being defensive, I take it badly - I don't think you're weak, I think anyone who upset you is gonna have two sets of bruises,"
 
<Mayday> She laughed a little, "And that's why I seem so off - he should me more considerate in my opinion. That's all."
 
<Cecilia> Cecilia shrugged. "I'll never really like it, hell, last semester I would've been far worse with it. But there are worse things, really. And I know how far I'd get being a possessive vagina monster." She snorted.
 
<Cecilia> "And I've been known to step on your toes while trying to protect you as well," admitted Cecilia. "Even though I know you can handle things on your own...you do know you're one of the first people I'd go to if I ever needed help though, right? I have learned by now how to ask for it."
 
<Cecilia> "And if you ever needed it you could come to me," she smiled. "So...perhaps all we need to do is ask, yeah?"
 
<Mayday> "Mutant-faced vagina-demons...", Mayday shuddered, "And yeah. You're right.", she confirmed, "So, does this mean you've 'got my back' and all that?"
 
<Cecilia> "I always did," said Cecilia, grinning. "I am the other shield person in the field, at least until H gets her game on, remember?" She nodded, "But yes, I do. And you have mine."
 
<Mayday> Mayday grinned, "Yep: like Sonic and Tails.", she put her finger to her nose, "Dibs Sonic!"
 
<Cecilia> "Isn't Tails a fox?" Laughed Cecilia. "That's right, I'm a fox," she laughed, straightening her shoulders and putting her hand on her hip. 
 
<Cecilia> "Yeah, and Thelma and Louise and Butch and Sundance Cassidy and Batgirl and Spoiler," she said, remembering one of May's comics she let her read.
 
<Mayday> "We're far too badass...", Mayday sniggered, "Speaking of: tonight, do you wanna try playing SCP: Containment Breach?"
 
<Cecilia> "Why the hell not?" She said, smiling. "Sounds like fun...whatever it is." She laughed. 
 
<Mayday> Hopping to her feet, Mayday finished her can of Tab, "It's the scariest game ever; I'ma go get my laptop!", with that, she scooted away.
 
<Cecilia> Cecilia wondered just what the hell she'd gotten into here...she just hoped it wasn't too creepy.