She wanted to move closer. Slip slender fingers through the tangled hair and soothe out the tension she knew built up with each wave that collided against that wall made by the wipe. A fine line marred her smooth brow before she tried one step closer with a quiet voice. "Don't try to remember. It... It just hurts." He always looked like he was in so much pain and every time she had to stand back.
Wait.
Always waiting.
Letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding, she shook her head. "I don't know. You..." She paused and thought about it quietly before speaking softly. "You were assigned to train me a long time ago in a place called the Red Room. You don't have to try to remember that." The words felt too familiar. Thick and almost like wool on the tongue. She'd said them so many times before. Told him not to strain himself on the memories that did want out and not stress over the ones he couldn't dredge up.
Instead, she focused on the comment, the scoff and the bleeding through of his personality. Don't think about what was wiped away. "Tell that to the scars you left on me." She arched a brow at him and pointed at her abdomen with a wry look. "Not to mention the one you just gave me. Missed isn't the right word, James, more like you hit exactly what you were aiming for." She tried to tell herself that James was gone. That he only didn't hit vitals this time because she kept moving.
Such a rubbish notion. James didn't miss.
Turning to put her bag down on the floor, she did so in a way that kept her hands where he could see him. Practiced behavior from prior wipes, the difference this time was at best she'd been labeled an enemy since the last time. Stopping at the sound of her name, she lifted her head to pin her gaze on him. A soft, almost smile pulled at her lips. "Yes... Natalia. You're the only one that ever calls me that."
Moving deeper into the room, she paused before looking around the room then back at him. "As for a reason... James, we're up on a mountain top in the middle of nowhere with just you and I. You won't be killing any civilians by accident here. And honestly, no one knows I'm here."
Settling on the edge of the seat of the couch she folded her hands in front of her. "When you are tired of looking and feeling like a giant bruise, let me know and I can tend to your wounds. Unlike you, I at least had professional medical care and I'm sure you need it." He always did after a mission because he always went too far.
no subject
Wait.
Always waiting.
Letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding, she shook her head. "I don't know. You..." She paused and thought about it quietly before speaking softly. "You were assigned to train me a long time ago in a place called the Red Room. You don't have to try to remember that." The words felt too familiar. Thick and almost like wool on the tongue. She'd said them so many times before. Told him not to strain himself on the memories that did want out and not stress over the ones he couldn't dredge up.
Instead, she focused on the comment, the scoff and the bleeding through of his personality. Don't think about what was wiped away. "Tell that to the scars you left on me." She arched a brow at him and pointed at her abdomen with a wry look. "Not to mention the one you just gave me. Missed isn't the right word, James, more like you hit exactly what you were aiming for." She tried to tell herself that James was gone. That he only didn't hit vitals this time because she kept moving.
Such a rubbish notion. James didn't miss.
Turning to put her bag down on the floor, she did so in a way that kept her hands where he could see him. Practiced behavior from prior wipes, the difference this time was at best she'd been labeled an enemy since the last time. Stopping at the sound of her name, she lifted her head to pin her gaze on him. A soft, almost smile pulled at her lips. "Yes... Natalia. You're the only one that ever calls me that."
Moving deeper into the room, she paused before looking around the room then back at him. "As for a reason... James, we're up on a mountain top in the middle of nowhere with just you and I. You won't be killing any civilians by accident here. And honestly, no one knows I'm here."
Settling on the edge of the seat of the couch she folded her hands in front of her. "When you are tired of looking and feeling like a giant bruise, let me know and I can tend to your wounds. Unlike you, I at least had professional medical care and I'm sure you need it." He always did after a mission because he always went too far.