Innocents abroad (Modern day AU)

[Sara]

She blinked and then a wide grin spread on her face as he turned on his heel and strode towards a bar. She followed on his heels, elated that he'd take her up on her offer. Her plan was coming together, now they just needed to get through the drink - or the first one or two maybe - without any friction, and by the end of the afternoon and evening everything would be forgotten and things would be back as they were, as they should have always been. Poor naive Camilla. 

She blinked in the gloom of the bar and finally withdrew her sunglasses. It was...not the sort of place she was used to, a dive bar was probably apt as a description. She asked in a sing-song voice, joking; "I'm guessing they don't have a wine list?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Lucius scoffed at the question, amused. He turned to the shaggy, but kind faced man behind the bar.

"No idea. Hey Ben, do you have a wine list?"

"What's a wine list?" Ben shot back with a grin. Lucius took a seat at the bar. "The usual?"

"Sure."

Ben poured a beer, and lined up two shots on the counter. Lucius sighed. He did need the drink.

"Long shift?"

"Yup."

"Sandwich on the house then" Ben decided, walking away.

 

[Sara]

Camilla blinked and watched the interaction with a blush. You didn't have to embarrass me, dick. She wanted to say as this 'Ben' turned around to fix a sandwich for Lucius. Right. "Can I get a..." Too early for spirits, but she didn't trust the quality of the wine here. Maybe she'd try and be cool. "Can I get a beer as well?" she called after him, but he was busy and she pursed her lips. She didn't know if she was unwelcome here, or he was just aloof by nature. She now understood why Lucius liked it here; kindred spirits. 

She slipped onto a stool next to him and set down her sunglasses and neatly stowed her purse on the counter, regretting it almost immediately because the bar was sticky as shit. Great. 

"Your usual is a beer and..." She leant across to sniff the shots. She was proficient in gauging alcohol but wrinkled her nose nonetheless, "Two shots of...tequila?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

 

[Chevi]

"Can I get a beer as well?" 

Ben didn't turn around, too busy with the food, but he gave a short nod. Judging by what Lucius knew about him, he would get around to the beer whenever he got around to it. Ben was the kind of bartender who unashamedly favored patrons he liked. And he didn't like Camilla yet.

"Your usual is a beer and... Two shots of...tequila?" 

"Did you travel all this way to judge me?" Lucius quirked an eyebrow at her, a little amused. He knocked back one of the shots before he turned to look at her. "So... what do you want from me?"

@Sara

[Sara]

Camilla rolled her eyes and desperately wanted a sip of something alcoholic. "No, I came all this way for a holiday as I've already said, twice now, actually." She wondered if he believed her at all, or if he was just going along with her charade to humour her...or to mock her. They were both equally likely at  this point. 

She winced as he knocked back the shot. It was a little early, wasn't it? 

"You invited me for a drink," She shrugged and then - impatient as she always was - called out to Ben; "The beer?" He ignored her again and she pouted for a moment before shifting on the stool to face Lucius. She felt her heart quiver. "I just thought, given we ran into each other, it would be good to catch-up. You're still a friend, right?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

 "No, I came all this way for a holiday as I've already said, twice now, actually." 

Did she? Lucius was believing it less and less the more she repeated it. Bt even if she was, why insist on coffee (or drinks) with an ex? Most people woul have fled from that situation. Unless they wanted something out of it.

"You invited me for a drink. I just thought, given we ran into each other, it would be good to catch-up. You're still a friend, right?" 

Lucius scoffed. Friends. Friends did not usually do any of the things they had done together. Not the affair, not the fight, and definitely not breaking each other's hearts.

Ben finally sauntered over with the sandwich and a beer. Lucius knocked back the other shot.

"Fine. Catch me up then."

@Sara

[Sara]

She took the beer with a grimace and no thanks to Ben, who sauntered over as if he had all the time in the world rather than paying customers sat in front of him to serve. She took a sip for courage and regretted it. God its as vile. Why men drank beer when there was rosè was absolutely beyond her. Still, she needed something to do other than talk to him for a moment whilst she composed herself, following his scoff. She'd rehearsed this numerous times both on the plane ride over and before that. 

"Well, you already know I've graduated," She gave a mock bow, "And I have a gap year now to do with what I want. So the West Coast for a few months, I was thinking and then maybe somewhere further afield. Back to Europe - France maybe, or South America, I haven't decided." She stalled for time as she got to the nub of the 'catch-up', taking another revolting sip of beer for courage before she did. "And of course, elephant in the room, I'm no longer engaged. I called it off a few months ago." She swallowed, really wishing the pint in front of her was a nice cool glass of Viognier. 

"For a lot of reasons," Which she wouldn't labour him with unless he asked, she'd decided beforehand, "Parents were furious, obviously, friends aren't returning my texts and I lost 5,000 followers on instagram so..." She shrugged and sipped again, "That's me. What's new with you?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

He was half surprised that she actually kept drinking the beer after the first sip. The beer was nod good. But it did the trick, and Ben was a nice enough guy to provide an excellent dive bar for people who needed to drink in dive bars after a long shift, and see a friendly face. It was definitely not up to par with the Michelin stars, though.

"Well, you already know I've graduated. And I have a gap year now to do with what I want. So the West Coast for a few months, I was thinking and then maybe somewhere further afield. Back to Europe - France maybe, or South America, I haven't decided." 

She was traveling again. On to new adventures, and whatnot. Maybe she would meet some other rich guy on her next European trip.

"And of course, elephant in the room, I'm no longer engaged. I called it off a few months ago."

Lucius quirked an eyebrow, but didn't ask. He was a little surprised she had been the one to end it. Jacob must have fucked up on an epic level, if she had given up the luxury and fame that went with a fancy marriage.

"For a lot of reasons. Parents were furious, obviously, friends aren't returning my texts and I lost 5,000 followers on instagram so... " 

Lucius chuckled. Instagram followers. They decided to unfollow someone because of a breakup? He would never understand the world of influencers.

"Well, 5000 people will need to follow someone else for the wedding tips."

He knew he was being mean. To his excuse, he was very tired, and talking to someone who'd hurt him worse than most people in his lifetime. It didn't feel good, but it did feel a little satisfying.

"That's me. What's new with you?"

I ran into literal fire to get away from seeing you get married.

"Volunteer firefighter." he shrugged. Not much news beyond that. "Wildfire seasons are getting worse, and they needed more hands on deck. It's exhausting, but at least I'm doing something useful. And the distance from the East Coast helps."

@Sara

[Sara]

"And how do you know I was posting wedding tips?" she was, but only when it was sponsored and she got something out of it. "Stalking me, much?" If he was going to snipe, she was going to snipe right back. It wasn't in her plan - she was supposed to be being charming and affable and making him remember what he was missing, but it was in her nature to give as good as she got. And she didn't like his attitude. 

She sipped again, her nose wrinkling every time she did. God it was awful. But it was helping. "Mhmm?" She said as she swallowed a mouthful of acrid beer, "Distance from your parents?" this was good. She wanted to get onto more personal topics, personal topics bred affinity and closeness according to the self-help and dating book(s) she'd been reading for inspiration for this trip. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"And how do you know I was posting wedding tips? Stalking me, much?"

"Educated guess." She was an Insta person, influencer or whatever. Of course she would broadcast her wedding preparations. Ring and Jacob and all. Honestly, it was a safe bet; Lucius would have been very surprised if she had not made a big deal out of pictures of dresses and whatnot.

"Mhmm? Distance from your parents?" 

Lucius gave her a long look. Did she really not realize, or was she just playing some kind of game where she pretended to ignore the obvious? Did he actually wanted to know, either way? Finally, he gave up with a sigh.

"Sure. Whatever, princess." he turned back to the sandwich. That was easier.

@Sara

[Sara]

The look he gave her made her flinch and she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. Oh. She blinked as he turned his attention to the sandwich and she turned her attention back to her beer, trying to plot out her next move. Even princess made her feel nauseous this time, as she slowly clocked the fact that he was in absolutely no way happy to see her, as she assumed he'd be. 

Well...shit. 

But she couldn't just abandon everything now, could she? She had come all the way out here and if there was one thing Camilla Birch was good at it was wearing somebody down until they gave in. He'd already agreed to the drink, she now just had to get him to open up a bit more - although this time as she swivelled around on her chair, folding her legs, she felt more guilt  than she had done when she'd entered the bar. 

"I tried to call you, you know." she offered, "But your phone was disconnected and your folks said you got a new number but asked that it not be given out." Whether that was a lie, she wasn't sure. It wouldn't have surpassed her if he'd just blocked her. She took a breath - go hard or go home, right? "I googled the poem, by the way...well, actually I did more than google it..." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I tried to call you, you know. But your phone was disconnected and your folks said you got a new number but asked that it not be given out."

Oh yeah. The phone. He had gotten a new number, because simply blocking Camilla would not have worked. No one in his family was willing to lie for him in polite society. And it was the right call, it seemed, because she did not seem to have gotten the message that they were broken up. Somehow. But the fact that she was talking more seriously now signaled that the truth might be sinking in. Several months too late.

"I googled the poem, by the way...well, actually I did more than google it..." 

Lucius looked away. Damn. He'd almost forgotten that whole thing in what followed after, and then every time he remembered, he cringed. He glanced over at her. She was wearing the necklace. Then again, she was also wearing the ring. Talk about fucking metaphors.

"Yeah. That was stupid." he muttered, turning back to his sandwich. Back when he had the necklace made, he had felt like he was confessing something important to her. In retrospect, it was probably the dorkiest thing he had ever done. 

@Sara

[Sara]

"I don't think it was stupid." She said firmly, with purpose, in a tone she only very infrequently used. 

Staring him down, even as he turned back to eat his sandwich she made a 'hmph' noise and then reached for her purse, digging about in it for a moment (the bottom was sticky now, as predicted. Gross.) until she found what she was looking for, cupping it in her hand so she couldn't see as she pulled it out and set her bag back down neatly. 

How he'd take this, she really had no idea. 

"Do you remember that what I studied? Contemporary classical singing and piano." She affirmed for him, "Well, for one of my final showcase pieces I had to do a composition with both my major and minor - fortunately for me, singing and piano go excellently together." The poor souls who majored in singing and minored in something like violin and had to layer their tracks. "Well, as it turns out Catullus 5, when one is in the right mood, is very easy to set to music in a contemporary-classical sort of way." Finally unfurling her head, she slid a memory stick across the bar toward him. "I never let you hear me sing, so, now you can. It was at my performance showcase. In front of five thousand people, I think, that came - it was ticketed. My fiancee at the time not being one of them. He decided to stay an extra day in DC after a business trip to play golf." She gave him a tight smile and released her hold on the flash drive. She'd composed it, practiced it and sung it all while engaged to another man. 

"I got the highest grade in the class for it, by the way." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I don't think it was stupid." 

But it was. No one was supposed to quote some Latin poem to a woman who was having an affair with them while dating another man. No one was supposed to be stupid enough to get into something like that to begin with. Let alone fall in love.

Lucius abandoned the sandwich again, looking up as she started digging in her purse.

"Do you remember that what I studied? Contemporary classical singing and piano."

Lucius nodded. He remembered. He'd never heard her sing or play, really. That was something they had neve gotten around to. Should have been a red flag.

"Well, for one of my final showcase pieces I had to do a composition with both my major and minor - fortunately for me, singing and piano go excellently together. Well, as it turns out Catullus 5, when one is in the right mood, is very easy to set to music in a contemporary-classical sort of way." 

Lucius blinked. Oh, she didn't...

"I never let you hear me sing, so, now you can. It was at my performance showcase. In front of five thousand people, I think, that came - it was ticketed. My fiancee at the time not being one of them. He decided to stay an extra day in DC after a business trip to play golf." 

Oh. Oh, Jacob, you done fucked up. Big time. If there was one thing Camilla could not do without, it was attention. 

Amateur.

"I got the highest grade in the class for it, by the way." 

Lucius looked at the flash drive. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't curious. He would have loved to hear what she had done with the poem. But in the end, it wasn't really about art at all. It had been more personal than that.

He slid the memory stick back to her on the bar. His chest tightened. There had been a time when he would have reacted differently. He still wanted to.

"Congratulations. I'm sure it was impressive."

@Sara

[Sara]

She blinked, and felt like the world closed in on her as he slid the memory stick back. She hadn't quite appreciated, up until this moment, what his hurt had felt like, or that she'd hurt him at all really. But really, fuck this. 

"Do you know what it takes to compose music, Lucius?" She tilted her head to the side, voice forceful once again, "Hundreds of hours. I had to sit down and go through the poem, line by line, no - actually, I didn't, I had to go through it syllable by syllable, tapping out rhythms, denoting rhymes," She continued, no longer finding the need for the beer, "Then of course I had to do it again in Latin because I wanted it in the original and the translation - and that of course meant I went to a classicist and had to be instructed on pronunciation," she swallowed, her mouth dry as sand, "And then I spent most of my evenings for weeks, months actually, in my apartment alone, writing music. Line by line, word by word, rehearsing it, re-writing it, practicing it again and again." 

She did her little hair toss, even if she had no hair to actually toss anymore, "So I spent my months after you broke it off, going through your poem. Why do you think I did that?" Because I love you, "And why do you think it hurt that neither you," She'd ensured his parents and by default he was invited to the night, although he had likely already been in California by then, "Or the man that professed to love me cared enough, bothered enough to come and hear it - the biggest night of my musical career." She shrugged limply and then turned back to her beer. "I didn't do it to be impressive, you dick." 

She raised the glass and downed the beer, although felt like she was going to throw up almost immediately. "Ben, another." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Lucius could tell she was pissed now. He could always tell when her pride was hurt; her accomplishments had always been important to her, even if she did not let him hear any of her work. And yes, maybe he was being hurtful. But he didn't know how else to get his point across.

"Do you know what it takes to compose music, Lucius? Hundreds of hours. I had to sit down and go through the poem, line by line, no - actually, I didn't, I had to go through it syllable by syllable, tapping out rhythms, denoting rhymes..."

Lucius was a little impressed. She had put in the work, with the poem. Even the Latin, and the music. He would have loved to hear the result. He would admit that to himself once he was less frustrated.

"So I spent my months after you broke it off, going through your poem. Why do you think I did that? And why do you think it hurt that neither you, Or the man that professed to love me cared enough, bothered enough to come and hear it - the biggest night of my musical career. I didn't do it to be impressive, you dick." 

She called for another beer, and Ben hopped to it this time, sensing the tension in the air.

"And I didn't give the poem for your musical career. I gave it to you." he shot back. The look in his eyes was burning with all the emotions since the breakup. "You broke my fucking heart, Camilla. And I don't think you noticed. Because if you did, you would not have been singing to five thousand people, you would have sung to me."

@Sara

[Sara]

She was speechless, floored and she actually felt - cliche as it was - a pain that she'd never experienced before, right in the middle of her chest as if all the air in her lungs had been knocked out by a blow to her back of her and her bones had caved in on themselves to crush her heart. That look. Those words. She felt tears come into her eyes and blinked, staring up at the top shelf of the bar so she wouldn't actually cry. 

Ben set down the beer in front of her and took a step back, although kept a watchful eye, sensing the tension reaching a boiling point like the fires that surrounded the city in which they sat. 

"I didn't know what I'd done until it was too late." She said, her voice had lost its passion and became weak and pained. "And when I realised, it was too late, wasn't it?" She swallowed and kept staring up at the top shelf of the bar in front of her. When had she realised? When she'd finally read the poem and cried for days? When she'd started writing? When Jacob hadn't bothered to come to the showcase? When he'd forbid her from going to London? It had been a slow-burn for her, but the realisation had come, and been doubled down on right now, now she was facing the product of her mistake.

The silences were pregnant with a pall that she couldn't shake; how could she say anything more to what he'd just said? How could she make it better? She couldn't, could she? She'd utterly fucked it. She felt like she was going to throw up and pushed herself from the stool, abandoning her purse and her sunglasses to flee outside, desperate for fresh air. What she found instead was a heat that burned her and air thick with smoke from the fires a few miles away. 

What the fuck have you done, you utter, utter bitch. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

He had not planned on saying that. He had blurted it out, because he was angry and hurt, and he immediately wished he could take it back. This was all supposed to be over. He had wished many times he could yell at her for what she had done. But it wasn't like it was all her fault. He should have made better decisions too.

Camilla teared up. He hated to see her cry, and he was at a loss of what he was supposed to do about it.

"I didn't know what I'd done until it was too late, And when I realised, it was too late, wasn't it?"

Was she? When had it been too late? Maybe it was already too late when she said yes to Jacob. Although deep down Lucius knew he would have gone back to her if she had changed her mind right away. But she had not. And then he had done the only thing left to do: he ran away and tried to heal. Not really in a healthy way, though.

And now, Camilla fled. She ran out of the bar. Lucius watched her go, and followed before he realized what he was doing. He might have hated what she had done to him, but he could not let her leave like this.

The air outside was hot and filled with smoke. Camilla was standing at the door, he could see from the way she held herself that she was crying.

"You told me I didn't fight for you." he said, more quietly "I wasn't gonna be a runner-up to Jacob."

Even if she had changed her mind, the damage might have been irreversible. No one wanted to be the second choice of someone they loved.

The wind blew smoke into their face, and Lucius coughed. He finally turned his attention to the sky.

"... fuck. I need to go back to the station."

@Sara

[Sara]

"I know, you shouldn't have had to be." She admitted quietly, "I should have said no to him." She admitted in the same hoarse whisper. "I did write the song for you." She swallowed, her mouth tasting like ash, "I thought you'd appreciate the grand gesture. I don't know why I thought you'd be there to see it." She frowned, she genuinely had thought he'd be there. After everything, she thought he'd come. How selfish and naive was she?

As he coughed, she glanced up at him with watery eyes. He looked exhausted, drained - whether that was his work or this conversation she didn't know. She shook her head, pulling herself together now they had some distance between them and another topic of conversation to dwell on. "You can't, you're going too all asleep on your hose." She swallowed, "I'll walk you to your apartment, and you can get some sleep and I can...find a rental car." She offered a wan smile, the pretence had almost completely gone but she wasn't going to admit that she came out here to win him back and failed. She still had some pride left. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I know, you shouldn't have had to be. I should have said no to him."

God, he wanted to hear those words. He pictured her saying that so many times, before and even after she had come to his apartment. His heart still jumped at them.

"I did write the song for you. I thought you'd appreciate the grand gesture. I don't know why I thought you'd be there to see it." 

Grand gesture. That was so Camilla. She had put in the work, he had to give her that. It was just the wrong kind of work. And this was not the time to discuss it any longer.

"You can't, you're going too all asleep on your hose. I'll walk you to your apartment, and you can get some sleep and I can...find a rental car."

"You won't." Lucius sighed "They'll start evacuation soon if they have not announced it already. My apartment's shot anyway." He turned back to the door, looking in. "Ben, you better start locking up. Can you give Camilla a ride? She's stuck here on a trip."

@Sara

[Sara]

Ben exited the bar with her purse and sunglasses, tossing them to Camilla and waving off any attempt to take money when she tried to pull out cash for the drinks. She frowned up at Lucius and then looked to Ben; "The fire won't come to the city," She said with all the confidence of somebody who had no idea what she was talking about, "We're on a river, aren't we? And I heard them say on the radio at the motel that the fires were miles north of here?" She put her sunglasses on so Ben wouldn't see her teary eyes. At least they now had something to focus on. They were at a truce whilst they dealt with this.

Throwing her bag back up onto her shoulder, she glanced between the two men. "I'm going back to my motel." Sacaremto didn't do luxury she'd found, and she'd wanted to be inconspicuous - get the real 'traveller' authentic experience. She'd regretted it as soon as she felt the water pressure, of course. "And please tell him to sleep?" She asked Ben, "He'll get himself killed if he goes out there in this state." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

Edited July 18, 2021 by Sara

[Chevi]

"The fire won't come to the city. We're on a river, aren't we? And I heard them say on the radio at the motel that the fires were miles north of here?" 

"If I were you, I'd listen to the firefighter, lady" Ben pointed out as he started locking up.

"I'm going back to my motel. And please tell him to sleep? He'll get himself killed if he goes out there in this state." 

Camilla in a motel. Now there was an amusing thought.

"Make sure her motel is safe." Lucius reiterated to Ben, who gave him a thumbs up. "It's all hands on deck, princess. Take care."

Please be safe.

***

Sixteen hours later, everything still smelled like smoke. And yet, when the truck rolled up to the evacuation center, the air seemed a lot fresher than where they had spent the past hours. If Lucius had been exhausted before, right now he was ready to collapse; the drinks he'd had didn't help either, although adrenaline cleared his system quick when he'd returned to work. His captain didn't argue, it really was all hands on deck.

There were beds set aside for the firefighters whose stations had been in the evacuation zone. There was also food and drinks being distributed, but all Lucius could really focus on was a bed. There were smaller tents set up and he found one that was free, shrugging off his gear, although he briefly considered falling into bed as is. His skin was dark with soot and he desperately needed water. He winced as he took off his jacket. He was bruised and scratched in multiple places, and his arm was deep purple where some boards had collapsed on it. He'd deal with the injuries later. Right now, all he wanted was to sleep.

@Sara

[Sara]

Eighteen hours after she'd left with Ben to her motel, she had not expected to be lodged up in a central convention centre in the middle of Sacramento 'volunteer' lanyard hanging around her neck and arms filled with water bottles that she ferried between rows of people. But Lucius was right and she'd arrived back to see her bags in front of reception and the owner himself boarding a city bus back to central Sacremento to get out of the smoke and risk of ash. So she jumped back in Ben's truck and headed there as well. 

The rest of the place was filled with a mass of all sorts of people. They'd come in from the towns around the city, evacuated, homeless and with nowhere to go. She'd felt a lot of guilt today, actually for the past several months, but sitting there on her neatly stacked matching LV suitcase and bag on a green fold out bed whilst people streamed in covered in ash, breathless, crying, no food, no money, no clothes well...that was an altogether different feeling. 

So she'd asked if she could help. It wasn't the first time she'd volunteered, but it was the first she'd had the urge to - the rest was for college credit or admission. She'd gone round the convention centre and parking lot twice now, arms ladened down and muscles aching as she parcelled out water to grateful guests. She'd seen firefighters but hadn't seen him. It had been almost a full day now and she had the same sinking feeling she'd had in her stomach since he'd said those horrible (albeit correct) words in the bar, only this time it was times a thousand. 

Finally sick of feeling like was actually going to be sick she tapped somebody with a yellow helmet on the shoulder and asked if she knew which unit or truck Lucius Roscoe was in. He directed her to an information desk, and when asked the woman frowned, hunting her records. It was an agonising five minutes until she'd found his name and gleefully mentioned that his truck arrived back a couple of hours ago. Relief washed through her and she set out on a hunt. She went back through the rows of people - still handing out water as she did - but with no joy, so she moved outside. It was worse out here, there was a medical tent and fire crews milled round with shocked, parched faces. 

Figuring if he got back a couple of hours ago he'd be passed out somewhere, she pocked her heads into tents, leaving water as she did until she peaked into one and saw him dozing. She let out a small sound of relief and a smile - despite everything - crossed her lips briefly. Moving further into the tent she left two bottles of water on the floor next to the fold up bed and resisted the urge  to brush his hair from his face. She felt that sick feeling again. Why was it all so fucked? 

She should have left immediately but she didn't. She hesitated, just watching him. 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Lucius was out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow. It was the kind of sleep one had when they had been awake for more than 24 hours. Not even the injuries or being hungry could keep him awake. There were no dreams, or sense of time, until he finally stirred.

Waking up definitely did not feel as good as falling asleep. Everything ached, and there was a throbbing pain in his arm that had been masked by adrenaline and exhaustion before. His head also hurt, and his throat was scratchy. Hunger, thirst, and injuries came back with a vengeance.

"Ow..." Lucius muttered, blinking his eyes open. It took him a moment to orient himself. Tent. Bed. Evac center. Right. He rubbed his eyes with his right hand, and then tried to comb his hair out of his face as he sat up. It was darker outside. Night?...

It took him a few moments to notice there was someone else in the tent. He blinked when his eyes finally focused on her.

No way.

"Camilla?..." wasn't she supposed to be halfway to San Fran by now? Lucius opened his mouth and coughed. Dry throat. Right. "... what are you doing here?"

@Sara

[Sara]

Camilla blinked. Whoops. He was moving and sitting up and had she fled he would be none the wiser as to who had entered the tent, but she stood a little transfixed. She heard the ‘ow’ and her face crumpled into a frown. Was that just exhaustion-pain or different-pain? In the dim light in the tent she couldn’t tell. 

“You told me to go to the evacuation centre,” she relied noncommittally, “Well - the motel owner did, and he dumped my bags outside so I didn’t have much of a choice and when I didn’t see you arrive back, I wondered where you were because you shouldn’t scare people like that by sloping off to sleep without saying anything…” She was rambling, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

”I brought you water,” She gestured to the two bottles by his bed.

 

TAG: @Chevi