Zompania Draft - Draftees and Reinforcements, mid-day 4-early 7

[lucetimods]

Who: Draftees and Volunteers
What: The draftees and the reinforcements must hold against the Third Party army until rescue arrives
When: From May 23 through the wee hours of May 26 (days 4-7)
Where: Zompania
Summary: Draftee information and Volunteer information
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post is for the rest of the draft, beginning when the volunteer reinforcements arrive. Look up in the sky--your friends are parajumping in! Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

[amonglions]

[Booker looks at her - really looks at her - and wishes he could have seen her grow up because maybe then he wouldn't be constantly surprised at how she reacts and takes everything that's thrown at her...and somehow manages, even if she doesn't think so.

He swallows down the pride he feels and quietly speaks.]

I told myself I was gonna.... [He shakes his head, as if trying to jostle free a word to use instead of:] explain things to you before you got married.

[He smiles crookedly at the idea. Like anything he's ever planned has gone the right way.]

[tearmeanewone]

I didn't exactly give you a chance to work up to it. [Elizabeth smiles crookedly, but her eyes are troubled as she watches Gai lay on the floor and rest.] I didn't even really give myself a chance to think it through. I honestly thought I was going to die.

[amonglions]

[Booker latches onto that last bit like it's a lifeline and tries to subtly ask if she's thinking about taking it back.]

You're not...

[Except he doesn't sound nearly as thrilled as he was afraid he would sound.]

having second thoughts, are you?

[tearmeanewone]

[The question scares her-- is that what she's thinking right now? Is she having second thoughts? Is she thinking that she made a mistake?]

I'm tired, and upset, and filthy. I don't know what I'm thinking anymore. [She squeezes Booker's arm again.] I'm just wondering if I did it for the wrong reasons now. I didn't want it to be like that, I wanted... a nice sunny day, and I wanted to smile for every minute of it. I wanted a dress and not riding pants, and my friends there instead of being ripped apart outside. I didn't want to be afraid.

[amonglions]

[This time Booker reaches an arm around her thin shoulders and rubs it against the curve of her arm. It's meant to be a comfort, but he doesn't know how well it'll work.]

When we go back... [Not home, because it isn't home.] back to Luceti.

Why don't you do it again?

[Because they will go back. Booker can't afford to think any other way.]

[tearmeanewone]

[Booker's comforting gesture is received very well-- Elizabeth easily rests her head against Booker's shoulder and curls her legs up onto the seat so she can cuddle with him. Still, his suggestion makes her raise her eyebrow.]

You want me to do it again? I'd think you wouldn't want to relive it. [She looks up at him with a sidelong, calculating look.] If I do it again, you're going to have to walk me down the aisle.

[amonglions]

[Booker almost - almost - balks and asks: "What?! Why?!" But keeps himself from reacting beyond trying to shrug without disturbing Elizabeth's headrest.

It doesn't work that well and he tries to make it work with one shoulder instead of both.]


...It's not about me.

[Which is true. Elizabeth wanted something beautiful and settled for this ...surely if when they got out of here, she would want to have that memory.

So Booker keeps his discomfort to himself, doesn't tell her he thinks they're both too young to do this, that it's too sudden, that she barely knows him and vice versa - despite them sharing so much. A years isn't a long enough time to know one another.

He stops himself from saying any of that. Because he doesn't matter here.]

[tearmeanewone]

Who said it was about you? I want you there. [She raises her eyebrows as she looks up at him. Elizabeth might have kept her tone a little joking, but she's serious. It was the reason she'd brought Booker to that dark room to watch the first time, she couldn't imagine taking these steps without him. Maybe she never could imagine it because she felt what she knew for certain now. Booker had always been her best friend, and the fact that he's her father doesn't change that.]

You don't have to be at the center of attention if you don't want to be. But I hope you'll come. At least to dance with me once...

[amonglions]

[Booker smiles indulgently, thinking back on the first time she'd asked him to dance with her. He said no then but he thinks now he might dance with her for days if she asked him to.

At least he thinks so, he's had a streak going ever since... well. For a long time.]

Just once.

[He sounds so reluctant as he says it but his expression says otherwise.]