062 - I feel pretty, oh so pretty!

[major_west]

Oh, quit complaining, all of you. It'll be over in a few days, as it always is. Honestly, is this any worse than a standard flood? You only look different.


[OOC: And he's so pretending that he didn't just have some insane fit of emo and crack open his Christmas booze at the sight of himself. SO. A LITTLE GIRL MIGHT BE GETTING ALCOHOL POISONING BECAUSE SHE'S TRYING TO DRINK LIKE A GROWN MAN. Somebody stop him plz :c]

Comments

[gimmethemap]

How did she do that?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

You already know the events that led to my death.

[gimmethemap]

You know it's not about me knowing it, Major.

[She frowned. If he didn't keep so much in his head he wouldn't need so much booze to drown it out.]

What do you think you would have done if you hadn't been pulled out of the car?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

I didn't think that far ahead.

[He answers too quickly, but it could be true. Honestly, his own thoughts from around that time are too hazy to recall]

[gimmethemap]

Then think about it now. Based on how you feel about it now. If you wound up there again, and -- had a bullet left to finish off the Infected before he finished you off. And you stayed in that car. What next?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

[In a flat, agitated voice] I don't know.

[gimmethemap]

[She sighed.]

Major, do you know why I'm asking you about these things?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Because you want me to answer.

[gimmethemap]

What were you thinking when you saw her face in the mirror this morning?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

[He glares] I wasn't thinking anything. I felt sick.

[gimmethemap]

Why did you feel sick?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Because I'm a grown man, not a child-- and certainly not a girl.

[gimmethemap]

So it wasn't about recognizing the girl at all?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Of course it was about that, too.

[He pauses, takes a breath, then tightens his grip around the mug in frustration]

It's nothing but a cruel joke on the Barge's part to put me in this body, in these clothes-- it's a slap to the face.

[gimmethemap]

[He was starting to lose his temper, and though Morgan wanted to give in to her own frustration, she knew better. A deep breath through her nose, and calm was returning.] I don't think it's a joke, Major. Or at least it's only a joke if that's what you let it be.

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Hm.

[With that noncommittal noise, he doesn't add anything else]

[gimmethemap]

Do you remember what we talked about at the end of our last meeting, Major? I said that until you're put in a place to make the right or wrong decisions, that it's about finding a way to make up for what's happened. But there are steps.

[She wrung her hands.]

I worry sometimes that you think penance, here, is about earning the right to forget, but it's about learning to forgive as much as anything else. You know that, don't you?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Forgive who?

[His expression barely changes-- it goes from frustration to neutrality]

I'm not upset with Hannah.

[gimmethemap]

[She leans a little closer.] And what about yourself?

[major-west.livejournal.com]

[He looks away and doesn't say anything]

[my-freeze-ray.livejournal.com]

[Billy is just sort of sitting through this feeling very much like he should be somewhere else. At Wests response to the last question he feels compelled to reach out to his friend, to--do something, touch him, comfort him, talk to him, something, but he can't help but feel like it'd be... weird, intrusive.

For a minute he wished that he could have actually been more like Penny. This would have been so much easier for her.]

[gimmethemap]

[Morgan feels no such hesitation.]

That's where it is, then.

[She leans forward and rather fearlessly brushes a little hair out of his face with a finger. Gentle, some attempt at being reassuring.]

I think you should take some time to get to know Hannah. Live in her skin for a while, see if she grows on you. She doesn't deserve to be forgotten.

[She feels tempted to kiss his temple, actually, but resists the urge, instead giving his arm a gentle pat before rising.]

Not exactly what I was planning, but I'm going to let you rest, now.

[She makes it as far as the door before turning back. Now, she did hesitate a little.]

It's going to be all right, Henry. I promise.

[major-west.livejournal.com]

[He started to move away when she touched him, but seeing as he still feels like death, he doesn't make much of an effort to avoid Morgan's touch. He doesn't really believe her when she says it's going to be all right, and he really doesn't like the prospect of living in the girl's body for however long he'll have to. Still, he gives Morgan a half-hearted nod to satisfy her, then looks at Billy]

'm sorry.

[my-freeze-ray.livejournal.com]

[And now Billy does reach across, to give West a nice, manly shoulder squeeze.]

Nothing to be sorry for. I'm just glad you decided not to die of alcohol poisoning.

[major-west.livejournal.com]

Oh. I wasn't in any danger of that.

[Liiiies]

But thanks for... looking after me.