troublewillfindme (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
troublewillfindme) wrote2018-06-27 11:34 am
troublewillfindme) wrote2018-06-27 11:34 am
Entry tags:
Apocalypse: Insert Frantic Gestures Here
As far as rocks and hard places went, this ranked up there.
She hated to upset Will. She took pains not to add to his frustration. She watched her mouth in public, she didn’t take the bait from the press, and she kept her head down at school. Sure, she blew it every now and then, but it was generally inconsequential, save for an irate phone call or three.
And then there was Kader.
She’d started solidly on Will’s side, but then again, when didn’t she?
Kader was barely older than she was. He’d done the two years with Megapol, made the jump to XCOM, and had magically risen to Section Commander shortly thereafter with the aid of his mother. He’d been a model, for godssake. What was he doing commanding?
(Other than driving Will up the wall, of course.)
Except, well, after the tongue lashing she’d unknowingly given him, she felt bad. And feeling bad led to talking led to getting to know him led to his entirely unexpected offer to teach her to drive.
It had snowballed.
He did his best to keep the press from Will and she returned the favor, doing what she could to keep him from inserting his foot into his mouth in Will’s presence. Neither effort was entirely successful all the time, but partial victory was better than abject failure.
Or, it was —- right up until Will had turned to catch her frantically gesturing at his subordinate to shut up shut up oh my god, Kader, you’re making this worse.
“Don’t help him!”
The Australian accent had at least carried the familiar sense of exasperation rather than anger, a father left baffled by his daughter’s choice in friends.
Still, the unexpected distraction was enough time for Kader to re-think his approach and shut his mouth.
She’d apologize to Will later.
She hated to upset Will. She took pains not to add to his frustration. She watched her mouth in public, she didn’t take the bait from the press, and she kept her head down at school. Sure, she blew it every now and then, but it was generally inconsequential, save for an irate phone call or three.
And then there was Kader.
She’d started solidly on Will’s side, but then again, when didn’t she?
Kader was barely older than she was. He’d done the two years with Megapol, made the jump to XCOM, and had magically risen to Section Commander shortly thereafter with the aid of his mother. He’d been a model, for godssake. What was he doing commanding?
(Other than driving Will up the wall, of course.)
Except, well, after the tongue lashing she’d unknowingly given him, she felt bad. And feeling bad led to talking led to getting to know him led to his entirely unexpected offer to teach her to drive.
It had snowballed.
He did his best to keep the press from Will and she returned the favor, doing what she could to keep him from inserting his foot into his mouth in Will’s presence. Neither effort was entirely successful all the time, but partial victory was better than abject failure.
Or, it was —- right up until Will had turned to catch her frantically gesturing at his subordinate to shut up shut up oh my god, Kader, you’re making this worse.
“Don’t help him!”
The Australian accent had at least carried the familiar sense of exasperation rather than anger, a father left baffled by his daughter’s choice in friends.
Still, the unexpected distraction was enough time for Kader to re-think his approach and shut his mouth.
She’d apologize to Will later.