Summary:In which Laura snatches fried chicken out of Cindy's hand, after talking about what friendships and relationships mean. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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To her credit: Laura's been showing up.
Most days since running into Cindy outside that random coffee shop, Laura has come back there, to sit on a bench and wait for Cindy. Always the same time of day, never much discussion — but Laura kept coming back, so she must have enjoyed the company, right?
Then about a week went by, most of a week, something like that, where Laura stopped appearing. Missing a day, okay, sure. Everyone gets busy sometimes. Missing two days… then three days… You get the idea. Maybe she was never going to come back?
Nope. Laura came back. Today, Memorial Day, she's sitting on the same bench. Her clothes have gotten nicer. She's not wearing any of Cindy's hand-me-downs. She's not wearing anything fished out of a donation box. It looks like she went out and got her own clothes, even they're as nondescript as tennis shoes, a pair of jeans, and a gray v-neck t-shirt. She sits, staring off into space, waiting for Cindy.
Cindy couldn't explain, even to herself, why she wanted to help Laura so much. But, she had come to look forward to their daily meetings, even if Laura didn't talk much, or seem that relatable. Over time, Cindy was pretty sure Laura would open up. And, had begun to even consider Laura as a social friend.
The day Laura didn't show up, Cindy got worried. Understandably. And, how do you search for someone who you don't nkow where they live, and don't have a way to contact them?
The next few days, Cindy still showed. With no further results.
She told herself one more day, one more day. And, today, she was waiting. So when Laura shows up, finally, Cindy is already running to her to give her instant hugs.
"I was so worried about you!"
When Cindy rushes forward and hugs, Laura stops in her tracks. It's not like this is WEIRD behavior from Laura. Or, really, it fits in perfectly with every other weird thing she does. Cindy hugs and hugs and hugs, and Laura stands there with her arms at her sides, looking a little confused but not terribly alarmed.
Only when the hugs subside does Laura straighten her shirt a bit. "Oh. Sorry." Her green eyes look into Cindy's, like she's trying to read the other woman's face — like a poker player, looking for tells. Laura herself hasn't changed too much, aside from the clothes. It looks like she's washed her hair today. Other than that, no jewelry, no makeup. "I was busy."
"You look like you've run into some good luck. New clothes, and everything," Cindy replies in kind, pulling herself away a little bit. She'd long ago noticed Laura's - peculularities, and odd social behaviors. "Come on, let's take a walk. I found a really good place for fried chicken. My treat. And you can tell me what kept you so busy that you didn't show up."
She exhales, "But, I guess we both should get some phone numbers, or something, in case it happens again. Or in case I get busy. I wouldn't want you to worry about me if I couldn't show up."
Laura nods. The way she nods is a little off, in and of itself. It's not quite performative outright, but it IS emphasized. Like she's trying to say 'I am nodding at you, because I understand what you're saying.' She seems agreeable to fried chicken in that she doesn't protest it.
"I don't have a phone," Laura notes. "I've been busy because I was… taken in by… friends. They gave me somewhere to stay." The pauses in the way she describes it are like she's searching for words. Not necessarily suspicious, but it's also weird that she had to struggle to find the word 'friends.' "I wouldn't worry about you, anyway. You're strong."
"You got taken in? Oh, awesome!" Cindy looks pleased. Relieved even. "I'm glad you found some other friends. And, I'm sorry I couldn't take you in myself. I got my own stuff I'm kind of dealing with." Because living in a bunker, and leaving at odd hours dressed up as Silk is probably not condusive to having a roommate.
There's a pause, before she can ask about Laura's new friends. "I'm strong?" She inquires, curiously. "What makes you say that?" SHe's not denying it. She's just, well, curious.
"When you hugged me," Laura says. "You could have crushed me, if you wanted to. Your muscles are like they're made of steel under your skin." Laura shrugs, like this is no big deal. "It's fine. If you had tried to crush me, I would have fought back. I'm not worried about either of us."
Laura looks off to one side, and fidgets a little. It's like she wants to start walking.
Cindy looks at Laura curiously, "Well, I work out a lot to stay in shape," she says. Which isn't exactly false. There's truth, there. The fact that such has also been compunded and enhanced by the spider-bite, well — that's something she's not keen to share with anyone, let alone Laura.
"Come on," and, she takes Laura's hand and begins to tug her, gently, towards the eatery. "And you can tell me about your new friends, and where you're staying. That way I can at least keep in contact with you, right?"
Laura returns the look. When Cindy gives that explanation, Laura is quiet for a moment, then seems to very visibly DECIDE to nod. It doesn't come off like Laura believes her very much, to be truthful. But Laura also doesn't press the matter.
"They're a couple," Laura says. "I can tell because they always smell like each other. So they touch a lot. They have a spare apartment. I don't think I should give much out without their permission. Sorry." Laura allows Cindy to take her hand, but it's only once they've walked half a block that Laura really closes hers around Cindy's. "If you give me your phone number, I can see if it's okay, and then call you."
"Smell like each other?" Cindy has never 'smelled' a person, besides when they were odoriferous due to exertion or wearing perfumes and colognes. The statement has her thinking, curiously. But, she nods. "That's okay. You don't have to. But, I just want to make sure you are safe."
Cindy then rattles off her number, telling Laura, "It's pre-pay, so keep that in mind. But, I'll definitely answer anytime I can. Because, we're friends too. And, I need all the friends I can get." She smiles to Laura, warmly as they walk. "So it's pretty cool you found some."
Laura doesn't smile back, but Cindy has been around the other young woman enough times now to recognize that Laura is having an okay time. She seems at ease — not just with walking together, not just with conversing, but even with holding hands. If that's not progress, nothing is.
"I'll call," Laura says. She doesn't have to explain that she'll remember the phone number. Of course she will. "When I ask my friends if I can tell you about them, I'll call you to let you know what they said. Then we can meet again so I'm not using up your phone money." Laura explains it all way more than she needs to, but there's something about it that almost seems like she's explaining it to herself, too.
"Cool," says Cindy, saying nothing about Laura's curious social skills, or lack thereof. She's by no means an expert in the social sciences, but she can at least tell Laura is - well, getting a little less 'weird', and not as robotic. And that's a good thing.
"And, maybe we can all meet up. Go to Coney Island. Have you ever been to Coney Island? LAst time I went was years ago." Before — she was thrust into a bunker for a year and a half. "It's a ton o fun. I bet you'd love it. They've got rides, cotton candy, hot dogs, and games of skill. Though, most of them are a little tricky. Or rigged. But that's part of the fun."
"I've had hot dogs," Laura replies, out of that entire list. "I don't think I've done any of those other things." She could go into what 'games of skill' she had to complete in her lifetime, but it's hardly Friend Talk at this point, just like Cindy's bunker situation or spider-powers.
"Are you in a couple?" Laura asks, after a few more moments of walking. It's a weird way to say it, sure, but the question seems genuine, and Laura is really only just starting to actually express curiosity about Cindy and her life.
It's a fair question, all things considered, but one that nobody had asked Cindy for a /very/ long time. "Oh. Oh, no," she says after a few brief moments of quiet. "I've - well, I had a boyfriend. But, that was awhile ago. He'd get mad when I'd check him too hard while playing hockey." She laughs, a little. And it makes her wonder, too, if she should try and find him? Her mind goes a bit distant as she thinks about the search for her parents, and she goes wistful.
And, seeming to realize that a few moments later, she adds, "Sorry. It's just - been awhile. Since I've been with anyone. Or had any friends. At all. I've got a few now. Like you. So, things are getting better, right?" She smiles, again, optimistically.
Laura meets the smile with a nod. At the rate her level of comfort is developing, it'll be a long time before she returns smiles. That's assuming she'd even be the smiling type. Some people aren't. "Things are getting better," Laura replies.
"I've never been in a couple," Laura then notes, after a pause. It shouldn't really come as a surprise.
Cindy certainly isn't surprised. Still, she isn't sure what to say to that, beyond, "I'm sure you'll find someone to be in a relationship with. You're a pretty young girl," she assures Laura, earnestly. "And it's okay. A lot of girls your age haven't, yet. Boys, too. So. I woulldn't worry about it too much."
She considers, and offers to Laura, "Besides when I played hockey, and in the games? I was never in a fight, until I arrived here. And lots of people are never in fights their whole lives. So, things can change. And everyone's lives are different."
"I've been in lots of fights," Laura notes. She says it very matter-of-factly. It's not a big deal to her, like saying 'I've been in a car before.' She doesn't seem like she's going to elaborate on it unless she's pushed. Instead, she's already on the way back to the previous topic. "I don't know if I want a relationship. It seems like it takes up a lot of time."
Cindy tips her head to consider Laura a little more, and then when the girl returns to the tangent of relationships, Cindy considers, "Well, yes. It can. It's like next-level to friendship. Friends spend time together, somtimes. Do things they like. Confide in each other, as they become closer on most things." She's careful to say that, because she's extremely protective of her Silk persona.
"A relationship, you're committed to that other person on a new level. You spend a lot of time together, sometimes live together, and take responsibility for each other. It's a lot of work, I guess. But it can be a lot of fun, too. As long as you pick the right person. Some people can get you into trouble." Like, said boyfriend.
"Mm." Laura goes quiet for a few moments. She purses her lips just a little bit. She's in thought, running through what Cindy just told her. "I think I prefer to have friends, then," she says. Her tone of voice is almost like a little kid's, when a kid announces something out loud not just to tell the rest of the world, but to see if they can do so with any confidence in their beliefs.
"Friends are good," agrees Cindy. "And, you can never have too many friends. Never," she emphasizes. "And the cool thing with friends is, you can have different levels of friends. LIke, you can have a friend who you like, but maybe don't see very often, or talk to much. But when you do see each other, you enjoy your time together. Or you can have friends you hang out with, all the time and go to movies with, or play games with, and you all know each other pretty well. Or you can have best friends. Best friends are few, and far between. And you trust your best friend with some personal secrets, and you know each other inside and out for the most part. Your best friend knows you better than anyone ever could, besides yourself."
Somehow, it feels natural to her to explain these things to Laura, who is her own age. Like she otherwise would be talking to a five year old, without actually talking down to her in such a manner.
Laura adopts that thoughtful look again while they walk and talk. Her hand is still comfortably in Cindy's. On the occasions that their arms swing a bit from locomotion, over time Cindy might start to notice that Laura's forearm is awfully heavy for someone who's so petite. "Mm. I don't think I'll have any best friends, then. The other kinds seem fine."
Cindy laughs, just a little bit, "That's okay. I don't think I have any best friends right now, either. THough, I think I do have a couple very good friends." Like, Spider-Man. And Deadpool. Spider-Girl. She can't say it, but Laura is the first (presumably) normal friend she's made. That has bolstered her own confidence a little bit.
"Hey, here we are." She points to the small, hole-in-the-wall place, compact and looking like it'd been there since 1930. Which, maybe, it had. The smell about the place is quite appetizing, though - nothing smells quite like fried chicken, afterall. "This place is the bomb."
Laura's nose starts going. This isn't the first time Cindy would have seen Laura doing this, and it'll be far, far, FAR from the last time. It's like a puppy — her facial expression becomes in service of the way she turns her nose up and twitches the tip to draw in short breaths. "It smells good," she concludes. Though one eyebrow does go up. "That means it's good, right? I watched television recently."
Cindy giggles, warmly. She nods, "It's one of the best things ever, yes. C'mon." She breaks her hand-holding and guides both of them up to the register, where she orders a 10 piece meal, along with multiple sides of coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Then she's grabbing a large Coca-Cola for herself after paying for it. She brings out several bills this time, and even seems to have money leftover after she pays. It would seem Cindy's doing a shade better financially, though her budget is still a bit tight.
"This is going to be even better than hotdogs," she promises Laura, emphatically.
Laura regards the food curiously. The nose still goes here and there. She's looking at it like a predator hunting its prey, more than anything else. "Okay," she says, giving Cindy a nod at the notion of them being better than hot dogs. "How do I eat it? There are a lot of parts."
"With your fingers. Just eat around the bones, and the gristle. Which is the chewy, rubbery part. Not much of that in there, though. Like this." She picks up one of the wings, and bites in, savouring the crispy skin, and uncovering the jucier flesh beneath. Her eyes roll back just slightly, "Ohmygod that's so good," she says, almost reflexively. "Try it."
"No, I meant… the other stuff," Laura says. She's giving the gravy the side-eye in particular. "I know how to eat pieces of meat." When Cindy tells Laura to try it, Laura grabs the piece that Cindy was eating right out of her hands, and tries it. It's scary quick how she's able to do it, too. Like some kind of master chicken thief.
Cindy is a bit stunned, and then gives an exasperated, half-amused sigh. "Next time, try your own, ninja chicken master." She holds up the fork, and stabs some of the slaw, to demonstrate. Then, does the same after mixing some of the gravy into the mashed potatoes, scooping out a forkfull of the well prepared mash, and devours it. "Just liek that."
Then she claims another piece of chicken, and starts in on that again.
"It's good," Laura confirms, finishing the piece that Cindy had started. "It's sweet, though. Sort of." She thinks about it, then leans forward, and gives a single sniff. "No. That's just from what you have on your lips." She picks up another piece, and starts in on that. She seems far more interested in the chicken than the slaw or the mashed potatoes, but everything gets tried.
"Sakura," Cindy says cheerfully, "I spent a little of my money on it, since it's in season now." Of course, Sakura is Cherry Blossoms, a popular flavor in Japan during the blooming season. "I don't wear much makeup, but it's fun once in awhile."
As they finish off the meal, Cindy just as ravenous as her counterpart, wipes her mouth off with some napkins. "What other types of things would you like to experience that you haven't? Maybe we can do one of those next time we hang out."
Laura sinks into thought for a moment. She's learned to clean her face off after eating, thankfully. "I don't know," she finally says, looking up. "I watched television to try and figure out things like that, but it was mostly people yelling at each other, and advertisements for things I didn't want or need."
Cindy grins some, shrugging, "Not the best place. If you have a computer, maybe try looking at tourist things to visit, and do in the City. Your assignment is to pick one, anyone, whichever you think you are most interested in, or think would be the most fun. Then, report back to me." She says this in a joking manner, not at all having any clue about Laura's background. It certainly must be one of the oddest missions she's ever recieved from anyone, though.
"Then, we'll do it," she says, with a confident finality.