genessia | (video)

[Link watched her curiously. He wasn't at all sure about the flatware, so he merely stabbed another piece and hesitantly dipped it in the custard and took a bite.

His reaction would have been comical if it hadn't been him. The poor boy's ears twitched and his face scrunched. He managed to refrain from spitting it out, and was able to will himself to swallow it with great difficulty.]

She burst out laughing at that. "I guess it's a bit of an acquired taste. Try the custard separately," she offered, still laughing.

Sorry, kid. She's not going to hide her laughter to spare your feelings.

[His shoulders tensed when she laughed at him, and Link hunched closer to his plate. He kept his head down, trying to hide his expression which was somewhere between hurt and angry.]

...'m full.

[He was stupid, stupid, for expecting anything different. Link had been the butt of enough of Mido's jokes to be more than just a little defensive.]

I'll just go...back to my room place.

Edited 2017-10-07 01:49 (UTC)

She blinked. "Whoa there, hold up short stuff. Little Amy Pond lesson for ya." She walked over and put an arm around his shoulders. "Look, kid. Grew up hearing all the other little girls being told that if a boy pulls your pig tails, it's cause he likes ya and doesn't know how to say it. I was the one pulling on Rory, not cause I didn't know how to say it, but because I didn't realize it was true. Whole childhood, people were always leaving. I hardly even remembered my parents, lived with an Aunt I almost never saw. I had two people who were constant, who were there. Mels and Rory. Mels was like me, so we kind of took care of each other. Well, I kind of took care of her. Only person who got into near as much trouble as I did. She was the most in trouble girl in the whole school. And Rory... Well..."

"Rory I kept expecting to leave, and since he was going to leave anyway, figured if I pushed him away, he'd leave before I cared too much, and at least I'd know why he was gone. But you know what? He stuck around. He trailed around behind Mels and me for YEARS like a shadow. Couldn't lose him. Shocked me the day I realized I no longer wanted to. And then came the day Mels pointed out that he was in love with me. I hadn't seen it... but once I did... I realized I loved him too. I've been running scared my whole life, kid. In some ways, still running. But even now, knowing I have the people that matter most close to me.... Here's the thing. I'm still me. I'm nice sometimes, sometimes not. I laugh at people, I call them names. But it's not the same as it was when I was a kid. Now? I only insult people I like. Twisted, maybe. But it's who I am. Just as much a part of me as making fish fingers and custard for strange people who drop into my life out of nowhere."

"So yeah. I laughed at ya. I made the same face the first time I saw the Doctor dip his fish fingers in custard. I thought it was the grossest thing ever. And it was. Still is. But you know what? It's also a sign of friendship between him, and I. And Rory now, even. I laughed because it reminded me of me, of Rory, of the Doctor, of the people I love in my life. I laughed cause laughter is good. Laughter is life."

She gave him one more squeeze then pulled a chair close and sat in it.

"Tell ya something else. Rory used to be afraid it was the Doctor I was in love with. And I guess he had reason to. Then one day I was kidnapped. They had a way to hear me, but I couldn't hear them. And I spoke. I knew... I knew somehow they could hear me, they could always hear me. And I went on for DAYS.... about Rory... about how much I loved him. Never realized I wasn't saying his name, kept calling him stupid, and his stupid face, even as I said how much I loved him. I was hurt and scared and alone. And then they found me. They always do. HE always does. And he was so sure I meant the Doctor. But he still loved me, still was willing to die trying to get me free. And I told him to leave me, to get his stupid face out of there and get to safety. And that's when he realized I meant him. He's the stupid face. I love that man more than my own life, him and his stupid face. And if he's smart, he's going to pretend he didn't hear any of this conversation and stay wherever he is... Because you know what? He is the smartest stupid person in the universe. And I love him. But a day won't pass when I won't call him or his face stupid."

"I'm not going to pretend to be nice, or change who I am for you. Not going to change or pretend for anyone. I'm Amy Pond. I am and will always be me. But if you can handle me being a bit insulting, or laughing when I find something funny, you'll always be welcome in this house for a snack, or time on the Wii, or just to have someone to talk to. But if you can' handle that, you'll get one and only one apology and I'll wish you well in life and you are welcome to leave. Your choice now, kid."

She got up. "I'm going upstairs to change the pillow cases. You're welcome to stay, or to leave. Your choice. and whatever you chose, I'll respect it. If you leave, I won't go looking for you. If you stay, I'll be back and I'll make you something a little less Doctory."

Congrats, Link, you found one of the Monsters the Doctor hugs.

"Anything you want or need to say before I go upstairs?"

[Link was reeling more than just a little from so much information. Most of it, he didn't understand. Saria had teased him before, but, she'd never fed him anything to make him sick as a joke.

And he knew he might be more than a little sweet on Zelda, but the thought of doing anything like pulling her hair was abhorrent.

So, Amy was getting a very confused look that just became more and more lost as she continued. When she asked if he had anything to say, the boy bit his lip.]

I...think you'd be happier if I left, then. I like to help people and I like to fix their problems. But, I'm not gonna just let people hurt me cause they think it's funny. Mido and them did that stuff every day because I was different.

I'm sorry if I wasted your time.

She reached over, dipped her own fish finger in the custard and took a bite, as she thought, then she shook her head. "If you want to stay, I'd rather you stay. But people willing to stay around me, those are rare, and wonderful, and I am always happier to have them around me. And there is a huge difference between teasing, and hurting. I'd never hurt anyone I love for a laugh, but tweak them? Yeah, I'll tweak them. I love the look Rory gets on his face when I'm being me. And even more, I love that he stays. We're all different. That's what makes life work, and what makes life worth living. If you choose to stay, you haven't wasted my time."

[Link truly didn't understand, confusion still clear on his face.]

You just met me, you can't love someone you just met.

So, you must've been trying to hurt.

"Maybe not just yet, but if you stayed.... if you had laughed with me when I laughed... then I would have known for sure I could. I wasn't trying to hurt. I didn't even think I was trying to test you, but I guess I was. Maybe I have been testing people my whole life. Who knows. But staying or going, that's your choice kid. I won't make it for you."

She dipped her fish finger again.

"And given I'm eating it too, it's not like I thought it would make you sick or kill you. It just tastes odd is all. But to me? Now? It tastes like friendship."

[Link frowned slightly, adjusting his shield, rolling his shoulders.]

I'm gonna go. I can't understand you, and you don't wanna understand me. I'm okay alone.

I gotta find a way back home anyway.

[He placed a crumpled bill on the table to pay for the food he couldn't eat now. He inclined his head slightly and headed towards the door.]

"Keep your money, this food was offered in friendship, so was the invitation," she said, hurt but doing her best to hide it. She had gotten spoiled, recently, had forgotten than more people leave than stay. "You're only alone in a place like this if you chose to be." With that she grabbed a sharpie off the counter, and headed upstairs. He was free to follow her, to leave, or to stay.

[It hardly seemed fair of a comparison. Hadn't she said her husband and best friend and daughter were all there?

Link left the bill, food was being wasted, and it had to be paid for. He quietly slipped out the door when she left the room. He was going to go back to the orphanage and stay in his room for a long time.

He could not trust people in this city. He'd have to be much more careful in the future.]

She came back down ten minutes later, and found he was gone. She drew a mark on her arm, a long jagged crack like a tattoo around her wrist. Gone, but not forgotten.

Then she went upstairs again, to make a call.

(video)

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action (I totally just made two new icons for this...)

Re: Action (hehehe dipped fish!)

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action

Re: Action