River lets him take her hands. Her fingers twitch restlessly in his. Everything about her right now is restless -- uneasy, unsettled, on the knife's edge of something.
It's warm here, and it smells like horses. Solid, earthy and no-nonsense. And there's straw to sit in. "I don't have a hanky, but I do have long sleeves," he says, smoothing her hair.
She leans against him. Not shaking any more, though her fingers still twitch now and then, her body still shifts position in occasional restless spasms.
"You stuck it to her, and you got out of there. The thing about her is--the only way to win her game is not to play. She wins all the other ways. Sometimes she's the only one who does."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-01-19 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-19 06:54 am (UTC)Then they drop, as recognition fills her eyes, and she takes a stumbling step backwards, shaking her head.
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Date: 2006-01-19 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-19 06:59 am (UTC)She's still twitching at nothing, turning her head sharply at shadows in the night.
She rakes her hair back with both hands.
"I'm here. I'm here."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:02 am (UTC)There's snow in his sneakers. He wasn't planning to go outside tonight.
"It's gonna be all right."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:06 am (UTC)She swallows, and doesn't say anything.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:09 am (UTC)He doesn't think twice about the language; it's just his vernacular, and he's not calculated right now. "She lies, and she slants the truth."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:14 am (UTC)Her eyes flick to his face, and away, and then squeeze closed.
"It's rising, it's everywhere -- she's laughing."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:16 am (UTC)He gingerly puts an arm around her in a hug. "We dance with her, but she's not our friend."
"We walk the line."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:25 am (UTC)He's human. He's solid.
It's something.
"Wŏ shàng méi ĕr," she whispers, eyes still shut. "Méi xīn, bĭan shítou."
Abruptly, she slumps against Eddie's shoulder.
The shivering might just be the cold, now.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:30 am (UTC)He rubs her back through the thin clothes; too thin. Too many people inside. "How do you feel about visiting the horses, kiddo?"
There are roses in the greenhouse, but then again Meg died there.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:32 am (UTC)And then River nods against his shoulder.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:34 am (UTC)It's warm here, and it smells like horses. Solid, earthy and no-nonsense. And there's straw to sit in. "I don't have a hanky, but I do have long sleeves," he says, smoothing her hair.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:38 am (UTC)She leans against him, eyes closing again. Her lashes are wet, though no tears are falling. Yet, at least.
"Me too," she says after a minute.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:39 am (UTC)It's the beginning of a conspiracy.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:41 am (UTC)For a slightly teary bzuh look.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:43 am (UTC)"I think in this case, what Simon doesn't know won't lead to him trying to bitch out the personification of warfare and conflict."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:46 am (UTC)And then, eyes widening in sudden understanding, stiffens, shaking her head in protest.
"No. No. She hurts, she'll hurt him--"
Her hands clench in her lap, fingers shifting in their fists as if around hilts.
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:48 am (UTC)He hums under his breath.
(War: what is it good for? absolutely nothing.)
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:49 am (UTC)And swallows.
"Okay."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:53 am (UTC)"She just knows right where to hit--of course. It passes."
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Date: 2006-01-19 07:57 am (UTC)She leans against him. Not shaking any more, though her fingers still twitch now and then, her body still shifts position in occasional restless spasms.
"I can aim. Told her. I can."
It sounds a little like a question.
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Date: 2006-01-19 08:01 am (UTC)(friend ONLY to the undertaker)
"You stuck it to her, and you got out of there. The thing about her is--the only way to win her game is not to play. She wins all the other ways. Sometimes she's the only one who does."
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Date: 2006-01-19 08:04 am (UTC)In sharp contrast to the bitterness in her voice, River's head is heavy and motionless against Eddie's shoulder, her eyes closed.
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Date: 2006-01-19 08:05 am (UTC)God, he wishes Roland was here.
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Date: 2006-01-19 08:09 am (UTC)The stable's warm, and the hay is just a bit prickly, and the horses huff and shift in their sleep just enough to combat the silence.
Eventually, her hands stop twitching over imaginary weapons.