"This challenge is to the death, remember?"
tracked tag: psionicbutterfly
PROSE THREADS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
hi hello hi im slowly getting into the groove of rp again so i’ll be at any of these three :
xoxoxoxo
bettsmun
Hank huffed a quiet laugh at that, smiling softly to himself. Alright. She wasn’t denying it. She was admitting it happened and he felt such a weight lift off his shoulders. He suddenly didn’t feel like doing this this way. He felt a fearlessness that was strange and foreign in such a situation as this and he rose to his feet, moving out the door of his labs and towards to her room.
He was glad to find her door unlocked and although he should have knocked, as was polite, he just wanted to see her. To see her face when he told her. Told her what yet, he didn’t know, but he had to see her. He found her in the kitchen and he moved quickly toward her, stopping just in front of her, though not exactly taking up her person space. He knew she would probably need it.
“I love you.” he blurted out, heart pounding in his chest and in his ears. “And I know it’s hard for you still, because of Warren and the things I keep from you and the fights we have sometimes but I can’t live without you. You’re my rock, Elizabeth. And I don’t want to think of a life without you. I know I’m old and terrifying to look at and I don’t expect you to tell me you love me but I-…” he paused to take a breath, just now realising what he was saying. “I just wanted you to know…”
Turning around and there suddenly being Hank was more than a surprise and startled Betsy; she swore under her breath, hand going to her heart. “Good god, man. I’m not usually taken for surprise, considering, but—”
And that was when Betsy was taken for surprise twice in a row. Violet eyes blinked up at him as she tried to register what he was saying. Maybe she shouldn’t be surprised, she knew, to some extent without prodding, that there was something there, that maybe what happened months ago was possibly a very big hint of that ‘something more.’ But she didn’t know what to say. He’s smart, he knows well enough that she still loves Warren, something that feels like an idea more and more each passing day, and he’s not pressuring her into any sort of situation, he just wants her to know.
She feels like she should say something, anything considering the weight of his words. She doesn’t…she doesn’t know if she loves him. Cares for him despite everything, certainly loves him as a friend, but she can’t tell if there’s anything beyond that, it’s been so long that she’s been in this sort of situation, it’s throwing her off. With a quiet huff of a laugh, Betsy looks at the floor, “You’re not terrifying to look at, Hank. people who think you are clearly don’t know that you’re a complete teddybear.”
She glances back up at him, a small brief smile on her face before she looks to the spot on the floor. “I’m…glad that you understand that you don’t expect anything from me and why, I..for the past several months, even with you being as absolutely frustrating as you are, I still see you as the person who’s kept me grounded in moments when I felt like I was losing myself..how I could be your rock when I can’t be my own, I don’t know, but..I’m fairly sure that you being mine is what I’m getting at here.” a quiet laugh, “I do too, you know. Love you, that is. I don’t..I can’t say if it’s beyond the friendly capacity or not, but I do want you to know that I do care about you, immensely and deeply and whether what happened months ago was indicative of that, I don’t know..but I do..” she trailed off with a faint shrug. That was the first time either of them had mentioned it aloud.
“Mmph-” She was dancing around it. He didn’t know if she wanted to hear the answer, and because of that Hank wasn’t sure if he wanted to give it. He didn’t want to ruin what friendship they had, but if he didn’t take a chance, what was the point? They both deserved to be happy, but what if- what if Warren, by some miracle, came back? What if the little ones found a way to make it all okay again and he remembered everything again? He wouldn’t expect Betsy to stay with Hank. Who would?
{ I suspect you’ll just have to be a little more careful about what kind of animals you play around with… }
Of course he would use that term. She huffed quietly and stood right back up to go back into the kitchen; being still made her feel off. But what mattered was that he knew. Or at least it seemed like he did. « While I wouldn’t use that phrasing…there’s nothing to be careful about. I— well..he wouldn’t hurt me. » Was this really how they were going to do this. Of course it was. Goddammit.
{ I-… Because I think, I have a fairly good idea how you got them, too… } She could be way off. She could say something else and leave him looking the fool but, they both knew the truth. At least he hoped.
She nods slightly despite him not being able to see it, so this is it. « And what is your undoubtedly educated idea? » she’s feeling uncharacteristically nervous, the likelihood of this changing whatever’s left of their relationship was unnervingly high. She doesn’t know how to get them both to admit it, they know the truth, but the question was simply saying it aloud.
{ I had almost forgotten… } He smiled a bit before scratching at his temple, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to find the right words. { I noticed little spots, on your hands… I was just wondering if- if you remembered how you had gotten them? }
« God forbid you do. » She said with a quiet laugh. « Spots..what are you…? » She looked down at her hands, turning them over before it clicks upon seeing the pale little scars from months ago. Betsy closed her eyes, exhaling slowly through her nose, « I’ve a fairly good idea..why? » She’s not going to say anything unless she knows that he knows.
« …Are you sure…? Because the last time you told me something wasn’t important, you were dying, so I might not exactly trust your judgement on whether or not something’s important. »
[ My my, you are resilient… ] [ he sighed and rubbed a paw over his face ] [ I was just, wondering-… If at all you remember… ]
« Of course I am, I’m a Braddock, darling. » she smiles slightly, and perches on the arm of the sofa, the smile faltering slightly in confusion, « Remember what exactly? You’re going to need to be a bit more specific than that, Hank. »
