What's the worst that can happen when you're forced to co-captain with your rival?
Nova Shields can't stand Leo Hendrix. She hates his arrogance and obnoxiousness, that crooked smirk he does when he thinks he's right. Leo can't stand Nova's wits, t...
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LEO === ==== ==== ==== 07/06/2002 Phoenix, Arizona Redhawk Base ==== ==== ==== ====
Having Nova Shields sobbing into my chest wasn't exactly where I thought this conversation was headed.
I just couldn't stop myself from walking over and wrapping my arms around her.
"You're allowed to cry in front of me, Nova. Despite everything." I whisper. To my complete surprise, she just leans against me and lets me hug her as she sniffles. I can tell she's trying to hold the tears back, her attempts are completely futile.
Her past was nothing like I expected. She'd been a completely normal little girl at one point. Do I like her? Not really. Has this made me view her differently? Absolutely.
I don't really know what to do in this situation. We aren't exactly simpatico, but I can't just ignore the fact I've just heard about her entire traumatic childhood. I have a nagging feeling this isn't even half of it. She's going to regret this, big time. There's no way she meant to end up in this situation.
And there it is.
In the blink of an eye, she stops crying completely and shuffles away from my grasp. Her chest expands as she takes a humongous inhale and releases it; before turning to me. She's like a human light switch.
"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to start crying." She mumbles, fiddling with her bandage.
I just shrug slightly. "It's alright. I'm sorry you had to go through that." I murmur, probably a little too bluntly. I actually do feel horrendous for her, turns out we're more alike than I ever could've guessed.
She nods slowly, clearly uncomfortable with the complete turn this interaction took.
"Your brother never came back, huh?" I say quietly, to which she shakes her head.
"I'm glad he didn't."
I open my mouth but close it again before any words escape. She'd said her brother was 'awful'. The look on her face told me everything.
My feet find the floor as I push myself up and off of the bed slowly. I don't think she wants me hovering around after this. Pacing to her door, she just watches me like a hawk; as though making sure I'm not going to try any funny business.
"I'll leave you alone for a while." I mumble, turning the handle of her door and heading straight out of her cabin without another word.
— 28/06/2002 —
I actually do leave her alone for a while, apart from arguments of course. Does three weeks count as a while?
It's as though our entire interaction from that day disappeared like dust in the wind. We're back to basics.
