(no subject)

[shelley_winters]

Shelley dries her hands on the tea towel after doing the washing up, then heads into the living room with a sigh. She has, she hates to admit, been putting this off all day.

She'd thought to tell him over dinner, but then all she could think about was the very many sharp knives they were surrounded with. No. Maybe later.

But now is later, and he needs to know.

Now.

Okay.

Slowly, she sits down on the sofa, and searches for a way to begin.

Comments

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Sitting down on the floor, Elan removed the game board and began to divvy up the tiles between them. He could tell immediately that something was bothering her.

"Here are your tiles."

A pause as he stated calmly.

"Something is bothering you."

[shelley_winters]

"No it isn't," she says automatically, and then winces at the tacit admission that there is something on her mind.

But... well, the point is to tell him about it, right?

Hiding things from him, or trying, is a bit of a habit.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

He glanced down and began to arrange his tiles. He knew that it was not the case, but pressuring her got him no where, and it was eating at her. He placed a few letters down for a pittance of a score.

"I see."

[shelley_winters]

Shelley bites her tongue and bends over the board. Hmm. One, two, three. Not much better than his, but it's a start.

"Do you."

She writes down her score, studiously avoiding his eyes.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Placing another few tiles, he explained rather prosaically. Why would it surprise her? He knew her better than anyone. His eyes did not seek hers.

"You have something you want to say and will do so as soon as you find the opportune moment."

[shelley_winters]

Shelley glares at his newest word, and mutinously adds an s.

"Okay. Maybe."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Saying nothing, Elan tilted his head and studied the words. She would talk when she was ready--no earlier. He could press her, but it was more fun this way, especially since she obviously was only shy on the courage.

[shelley_winters]

"What's the opportune moment for you to listen, then?" she asks after a few moments of irritated silence.

"It will require attention!"

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

What could possibly be so important or intricate, that it could require his complete and undivided attention for anything other than show? Was the sum total of his intellect really required? Suppressing the ire, he commented calmly.

"I am listening."

[shelley_winters]

"I want you to move out, and I've arranged a way, and you're not going to talk me out of it."




There we go. At least two seconds and still not dead. Okay!

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

To say that he was less than thrilled at the prospect was an understatement, but his refusal or chagrin was simply not an option as it would earn her unending ire and he did not want that. After a deep breath, he nodded and commented pleasantly.

"Very well. When would you have me do so? I have few possessions so it should not take long."

[shelley_winters]

Shelley blinks once, then twice.

She had expected to fight for it. Possibly in the all-too-literal sense of the word. Very slowly, a dawning sense of hope spreads through her. If he's gone, then...

"R- really?"

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Elan looked up almost as if taken aback by her surprise. His voice maintained that pleasant and calm tone--it was a facade, sure, but a necessary one.

"Of course. Obviously, I would still like to talk with you and such, but living in different places is certainly not a problem."

[shelley_winters]

"G- good," she says, nodding almost too fast, "Good! Um. I will ring Jeremy, and you can go for an interview. I got you a birth certificate. So you exist and things. Er..."

She leans over the side of the couch and rummages in her bag for a piece of paper.

"Here's a copy."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Elan took the document and surveyed it for a moment, before bursting into soft laughter at what his father's name had been listed as.

"...Brian?"

[shelley_winters]

"I didn't know what it really was!"

But she's starting to smile herself, flooded with giddy relief that almost makes her head spin. He'll go. He'll go without a fight, and then everything will get easier, and simpler, and she can finally relax.

"You liked that film, right?"

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Elan nodded, still chuckling and grinning. He delivered his father's real name with an air of pomposity.

"I do, but it is a far cry from Ethrand Morin Lamos."

[shelley_winters]

Shelley shrugs lightly.

"I think Brian is nicer."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Still grinning slightly, he made his play in the scrabble game, which he had been neglecting. His mind, however, was far from the game--hard at work, turning this latest scheme to his advantage.

"I will not deny that it is easier to pronounce."

[shelley_winters]

"So," Shelley says.

"There are things you can do once this works. You could get a proper job, once you have a National Insurance number. Or you could go to university, since you like the learning. Elan--"

She hesitates. "Do you really mean it? You're not just scheming to sabotage this at some crucial point?"

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Elan shook his head--she was very unwilling to accept this, it seems. Hope was a very fickle creature... There is a thought.

"No, I will not sabotage it. If it were not amenable to me, then I would have told you."

[shelley_winters]

Shelley takes a careful breath, then releases it slowly.

It's hard to get used to, this intoxicating rush of relief and hope that makes her unsure whether she'd like to break out laughing or burst into tears. But there's been enough crying. Too much.

Right. She'll just... tell herself that until the urge - one way or the other - goes away.

"Thank you."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

It was hard to smile to that, but Elan did--nodding calmly, he whispered in reply.

"You are quite welcome."

He could see how relieved she was--and he was seeing how to use it as well. This could be interesting indeed.

[shelley_winters]

Oh dear. No, talking. The more she can get out of the way all at once, the better.

She swallows. "Um. I told them you lost all your papers except that," she indicates the certificate, "And your house exploded. And your bank went bankrupt and left you penniless. I think you should just look sad and say you don't want to talk about it."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Elan chuckled slightly. Sadly, that was not exactly too far from what happened--sans conflagrations. Pushing the thought away, he nodded and replied.

"I shall make sure to be appropriately pitiful."