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♂ 2 ; Video/Action for Unit 107
[A green young woman appears on the screen, smiling happily a few feet away from the tablet that seems to be floating. It looks like she's in the kitchen of one of the apartments, ingredients and bowls on the counter.]
I know it's a couple days late, but I'm baking some holiday cookies if anybody would like some. I promise they're pretty good. Well, if you enjoyed the ones at the masquerade, you'll like these, too! There's gingerbread, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, sugar...
[She glances at the counter and laughs sheepishly.] I may have gone a little overboard, but that's okay. The more, the merrier! ... sort of.
Um, yes, if you'd like some, let me know! You can drop by Unit 107 or I can bring some to you tomorrow, whichever's easier. Or, if you know someone who you'd like to have some, I can do that, too. I promise I'll keep your name a secret.
[The talking stops as she turns from the camera to retrieve some from the oven by telekinetically opening the oven door. The cookie sheet floats out, landing on the counter nearby before she turns back.]
I'll take requests if I'm able. Please don't be shy about any of this, it's something I really enjoy doing. My name's M'gann, by the way. I hope to hear from some of you. [And with a wave, the camera's shut off.]
I know it's a couple days late, but I'm baking some holiday cookies if anybody would like some. I promise they're pretty good. Well, if you enjoyed the ones at the masquerade, you'll like these, too! There's gingerbread, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, sugar...
[She glances at the counter and laughs sheepishly.] I may have gone a little overboard, but that's okay. The more, the merrier! ... sort of.
Um, yes, if you'd like some, let me know! You can drop by Unit 107 or I can bring some to you tomorrow, whichever's easier. Or, if you know someone who you'd like to have some, I can do that, too. I promise I'll keep your name a secret.
[The talking stops as she turns from the camera to retrieve some from the oven by telekinetically opening the oven door. The cookie sheet floats out, landing on the counter nearby before she turns back.]
I'll take requests if I'm able. Please don't be shy about any of this, it's something I really enjoy doing. My name's M'gann, by the way. I hope to hear from some of you. [And with a wave, the camera's shut off.]
action;
[While he does that, M'gann's searching for another tin. A little clanging and shuffling are heard before she pulls it out with an "aha!" exclamation and moves to go to Conner.]
Here. [In her hands is a dark red, rectangular tin with a lid. Whenever he opens it, he'll find a good number of these, with a black background instead of yellow.]
action;
What's this?
[ Conner's got a good idea, though. Again his eyes dart forward to catch whatever expression she's wearing. He slowly pulls the lid up and tilts his head down to peer inside.
Oh. Oh.
Well now he feels kind of like the biggest douchebag ever. ]
M'gann...
action;
[She glances to the side, not really making eye contact. In fact, she turns away and goes back to the counter, basically avoiding having to look at him. The next statement is spoken quietly, but he should hear it no problem.]
Even if you might think you are, you're not alone here.
action;
The lid of the tin clicks together but doesn't shut all the way. Conner stares across at her back, eyes absently following the line of her shoulder. He closes his eyes and mentally beats himself up. Dammit, the guilt that's beginning to well up inside...
Not saying anything still his feet walk him towards her without him meaning to. She might be able to sense him, there's only a forearm's length from him to her back. Conner reaches out a hand-- he means to rest it on her shoulder in apology, maybe pull her in for a hug even.
It's as he said- old habits die hard, but now's the time to break said habits.
His fingers curl, his hand forms a fist. Conner lets his arm drop back down to his side. Guilt, regret, all those feelings from back home still lingering beneath the surface. Dammit.
Nope. He can't, as much as he wants to.
Conner lets his head lower and his shoulders drop, taking a step back. He can't even find his voice to apologize. ]
action;
After another few moments, she speaks up, voice chirpy and cheery, something Conner should easily be able to see through after all this time. It's strange, but she feels the need to do it anyway. Perhaps it helps her widen the distance between them in some way.]
Let me know how the cookies are when you try them, okay? It's a new recipe, and I'd really love feedback!
action;
Conner sees right through the forced cheeriness. It grates his nerves that she resorts to it more often around him than everyone else. But he deserves it. ]
Stop it.
[ His tone is the opposite to hers, it's hard. He doesn't want to have to keep playing this game with her. Conner doesn't realize it but the tin in his hands, his fingers have begun to leave finger-sized dents.
Okay. Now might be a good time to walk away. ]
action;
Eventually, the martian slowly turns to face him. Her eyes don't meet his, but her expression says it all. She's hurt, hesitant and remorseful. For what, though, isn't as obvious. The words that are emitted next are laced with regret and truth, spoken in earnest.]
I really wish I could.
action;
[ Though she's not looking at him, Conner has his head lowered and his eyes on her. On that expression. He can read those emotions clearly, but for what... he really wishes he knew. Or that she would tell him. ]
action;
[That's all she can muster for the moment, at least until he says more. She lifts her hand slightly, and the oven door behind him opens, a tray of burnt cookies floating out and over to the trash. Thunk thunk thunk. The sounds of cookies hitting the bottom of the waste bin seem to echo around the room, emphasizing the empty air.]
action;
[ Each of those thunk thunk thunks... ]
action;
[THUNK, the tray lands in the bin, too, for lack of attention on her part.]
action;
What do you expect me to say? You know why I get upset. [ Okay, just take a breath. This is what she's talking about. Conner makes an effort this time to stray away from that. ] I want things to go back to the way they used to be, M'gann. Not with... just us, but everything.
action;
Regardless, she moves. Not towards him, but away. It's nothing big, just her walking over to retrieve the baking sheet from the bin. It's obvious she's not in a state to focus, even on the smaller tasks like that, so when the tray's in her hand, she's not sure where to go. Her back remains to Conner as she stares at the trash.]
Sometimes you just can't go back. Kaldur and Artemis taught us that much. [Her hand grips the tray, and her voice tightens.] We're growing up. I hate a lot of it, but we can't stop it.
[She falls silent, thinking, before turning to look at him for the first time since things became serious.]
It's almost New Year's here. Would resolutions matter?
action;
Conner returns the intent look, eyes searching hers. ]
Then we go forward. Together. [ It's the only thing he knows, for the longest time... ]
Only if you tried your hardest to make them work.
action;
But what she said is the truth: they're growing up. She's growing up. M'gann is fully aware of the fact it would never be as easy as either of them would like. Hell, easy itself is a dream long gone, stored away in some child's toy box gathering dust with pompoms and cookie recipes from old television shows. A few things are best simply left buried.]
Is there anything you're going to work towards?
[Anyone else looking into her eyes would see nothing but neutrality, an indifference laced with polite curiosity there to carry on the conversation. They would receive a sense of civility and aloof kindness, nothing too personal. Anyone else looking into her eyes would see nothing special. They'd hear nothing special in her voice.
However, Conner is hardly anyone else. He's the exact opposite. He's the one who knows her better than anyone, including her current boyfriend. Conner doesn't need telepathy to read her like a book. Words and emotions are laid out like words on a page. All he needs to do is put them together to form a sentence.]
action;
[ Those things possibly involving them. Getting her back to Lagoon Boy as it seems like the right thing to do. Getting them both back to the their teammates, to home.
Conner can see and hear those emotions. Instead of acting on what he's feeling, he remains where he is and doesn't take his eyes off of her, latching onto what he can see in her gaze as she watches him. ]