A bar on the mainland- Saturday evening

[notconflicted]

It had been months since Sia had been able to go out unescorted (even Jessica technically served in a professional capacity), and she only had to go to a whole other galaxy to do it. And the reason why she was here was pretty unexpected after all these months.

She found a table- not the bar since she didn't really want to deal with a bartender as a third party today- and sat down to wait. She wouldn't say she was nervous; maybe wary of how things would go? But if they'd gotten to this point they'd probably be fine.

And if not, she was already in a bar.


[For one!]

Comments

[suitably_heroic]

"I'm not talking about giving it up or not," Atton said quietly. "I'm saying there isn't any space for anything else in my life right now. Maybe ever. I don't know."

[notconflicted]

Sia nodded, slowly.

"All right. What do you want this to actually be, then?" she asked. "There isn't a wrong answer, I just need to be clear."

It was a different sort of rejection than she was used to, and she hadn't expected any of it, and if she knew what she should expect maybe it would help.

[suitably_heroic]

"I want us to be friends," Atton said, after a pause. "I'd like us to be friends without having to resort to second-guessing or anything, but that might be a while."

[notconflicted]

"Friends with feelings who don't do anything about it," she said, reaching for her drink finally. "It isn't as if we haven't done that before."

Apparently.

"I'm not sure we've left anything to second guess."

[suitably_heroic]

"Who pays the tab at the end of the night?"

It was a poor joke, but he had to joke about something.

[notconflicted]

"I do seem to recall you saying you owed me a drink," she reminded him.

She could go with poor jokes. There was still surprise here, but overall she figured it'd be a good thing.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton sighed. "Blast your amazing memory," he said. "Got a taste for anything in particular after the margaritas?"

[notconflicted]

"I think I'll stay with the margaritas," she said, considering. "Since I'm trying to erase the tomato monstrosity, I'd rather not mix things too much."

[suitably_heroic]

"You really need to go a little easier on the Virgin Mary," Atton said. "I think they get touchy about that around here..."

[notconflicted]

"Should I whisper my criticisms, then?" Sia asked. Because she could!

[suitably_heroic]

"At least apologize first," Atton said, "and after. I think that's how they do it."

[notconflicted]

"And what would happen if I didn't?" Of course she had to ask.

[suitably_heroic]

"You get very shocked people complaining about blasphemy and possibly accusing you of starting the War on Christmas," Atton said.

Beat.

"That's what I picked up from TV, anyway."

[notconflicted]

"I'm okay with that. I'll probably be accused of worse sometime, and Christmas never made much sense to me anyway," she said.