♫ every heartache will fade away

[traceofeffort]

Who: Lisa and Elliott
What: Lisa is not as okay as she claims to be after working herself into a panic over the implications of items somehow appearing inside a locked room; Elliott bravely volunteered to help her calm down over sugar and coffee
When: Backdated to March 28th, late-ish morning, following her freakout and subsequent meltdown on the network
Where: A Denny's vaguely between Lisa's and Elliott's homes initially; Elliott's place after a short moment
Warnings: Lisa remains moderately unsteady and is liable to freak out a second time Lisa freaking out a second time


Lisa will be the first to admit that she's a vain person. Her hair, her makeup, a little less so her outfit, she has a routine and she likes to stick to it. It helps center her, helps her feel like she can take on anything.

Lisa does not feel like she can take on anything today. She doesn't feel like she could take on a paper bag. Perhaps in keeping with that, she hasn't put as much effort into herself as she probably should have, and Elliott will probably notice that, but... it's very, very hard for her to feel like that's worth caring about right now. She's not visibly shaking anymore, even if she's twitching at sounds. Her hair is a little flatter, her makeup is lighter... really, Lisa's just having an off day and doesn't have the emotional energy free for that to matter much, settling on a sweater and a pair of jeans, new earrings dangling just behind her hair. She's taking a gamble anyway that Elliott will overlook all that. Whether that's actually true remains to be seen.

She's rattled. There's really no other way to put it. There's a very real risk that her home isn't safe, she's getting things from her other self now, the memories keep coming, and really it's all just a lot. She hates that she's putting Elliott through this - again, really, she'd dumped a milder breakdown on him at the library the other day. She almost felt like she was taking advantage of him, but that might be too harsh? Hard to say, especially after talking to his mother the other day. No, she's just... depending on him. A lot. Maybe too much. Ugh, now she felt even worse.

It's only a few subway stops to their agreed meeting place; she's severely early though, mostly due to not wanting to stay at home any longer. Lisa has the presence of mind not to just get a table where he might not see her when he comes in; instead, she asks for a cup of coffee and sits in the waiting area with it, letting herself sink into the cushion and attempt to unwind. It's... working? Slowly? By the time it's ten minutes to when they were supposed to meet, she's halfway through her second cup and no longer jumping at the chime of the door opening. Of course, now she's nervous for an entirely different reason, because she's hoping Elliott actually shows up and she didn't read entirely too much into things. It wouldn't be the first time. Every time the door opens, she perks up and her gaze slides over to it, then when it's not him she sinks back into the seat and gets just a tiny bit less cheery. She recognizes it's not helpful, but she's also too exhausted already to make herself stop. So she just... keeps waiting and hoping. The fact that she's a living movie cliche right now isn't lost on her, it's just not quite piercing the haze of anxiety she's stuck in.

Comments

[traceofeffort]

"I'll hold you to that," Lisa challenges. "If it comes up again. Or maybe even if it doesn't. We'll see."

Because she's still afraid of that. There are a lot of ways this could still go bad. "So... about today. I was joking about it earlier, but... my apartment isn't safe. I panicked again earlier because I'm not sure your apartment is safe. If anywhere is safe. That's a lot of why today... happened. I'm worried. For me, for you, for all of us."

[bearshermark]

Elliott smiles a bit to himself. He doesn't mind helping at all, but it would be nice if Lisa visited just because she felt like it sometime in the future.

"Yeah," he says, though his mind rejects the idea that someone would slip into his place and leave a real sword that happens to look just like the one in his memory. Still, he can understand why she's concerned.

He folds his hands together. "Well.. I have a weapon now. Maybe I really should learn how to use it."

[traceofeffort]

Lisa stills for a second, looking worried. Would that... help? Would he be safer like that? Her indecision shows on her face.

"I... That's up to you, in a big way. I know you weren't super comfortable with the idea before. And there are other ways to defend yourself." She can't help but tease him a little, though. "Besides, are you gonna wear it outside if you do that?"

After a second, though, she sobers. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt. Myself included. And a sword isn't exactly a subtle weapon. It'll stand out - people will remember it. Remember you. But if you feel that's best, I don't wanna stop you. I- ugh, I'm not good at this right now. Just. I worry, y'know?" He probably does know, which is the only thing that keeps her from pushing harder, but she's still uneasy.

[bearshermark]

"Sorry, sorry," he says quickly, not needing her to worry about him on top of everything else. "I'll give it a lot of thought, I promise."

He wouldn't have any intention of carrying it around, of course. Just.. it would be good to know how to use it just in case he needed it, right? For sure, he didn't want to learn how to use a gun. But.. maybe hand-to-hand? He'd have to figure out what style to go for, and there seemed to be so many..

Elliott had never thought himself much of a fighter, but neither did he appreciate the feeling of potentially being under threat and unable to fight. Or that his friends were scared and he might not be able to protect them.

He rubs his forehead. "Anyway, um, did you want any more pancakes, or that tea..?"

[traceofeffort]

"Don't apologize for this," Lisa says quickly, not unkindly but with some force. "Don't make a decision you'll regret later. I'd feel even worse then. Okay?" That'd be just her luck, pushing someone she cared about to do something and get themselves in trouble.

At the question, she blinks, then laughs tiredly. "Oh, Elliott, I got so caught up in myself I completely forgot. Yeah, tea might be good. Thank you," she says with a nod and a smile. "I think I'm okay enough now to manage a couple minutes on my own. Not back to normal, but... better. I'd understand if you didn't take my word on that, though." A wry, if a little weak, smile. Lisa is well aware she's still a damn mess.

[bearshermark]

Elliott pushes himself to stand and gives her a brief, assessing look.

"You can come with me to the kitchen if you want. I've just gotta get the water reheating."

He's also a little hungry, so he'll start making himself a few pancakes while he waits for the water to resume heating.

[traceofeffort]

It... doesn't hurt as much as it should to be told that, no, she probably wasn't safe to leave alone. Just a calm, matter of fact statement. She can work with that.

"Yeah. I'll come with you," she manages out loud, softly. "Besides, I can see more of your place instead of just staying in one room." It's a weak justification even to her, but it sounds less pathetic than yeah, I shouldn't be alone. It takes her a second to push herself off the couch, feeling a little wobbly still, but she gets up without incident and smiles. "Right behind you."

[bearshermark]

He nodded and led the way around the corner to the kitchen.

"Oh, I should introduce you to mom's betta fish when we get back to the living room," he said, switching the stove back on. "For now though, I'm gonna make myself some pancakes. Want anymore while we're here?"

[traceofeffort]

Lisa giggles weakly, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. "Introduced to the fish, huh? Sure, sure, that sounds good." It's not a long walk, so she doesn't get much looking around done by the time they arrive and she settles on her back heel, watching. "Hmm. On the one hand I'm kind of... wrung out? On the other I feel like I've been running for an hour." And isn't that the loaded statement of the week, she chides herself. Running from herself, perhaps. But in the end it's not exactly a hard decision, given what she'd left her own apartment for in the first place. "Yeah, if you don't mind and there's stuff left? Feed yourself first, though, please," she adds quickly.

[bearshermark]

Elliott flashed a smile and set about measuring pancake mix and water.

"You can take a nap if you want," he offered, whisking in some chocolate chips. "I could set you up in my room and just watch tv in the living room. The door and windows both lock."

[traceofeffort]

She almost instantly shakes her head. "No! U-uh, no, that's okay. I'll stay with you. I don't think I'll be able to sleep. Not like this. I'd probably just wake up screaming after ten minutes." And that wouldn't be good for anyone. "You're helping me relax anyway - that's probably better for me."

Instead she peers at the mixing bowl, managing a small smile. "And watching you work will probably be more fun, yeah? I'd offer to help, but, well." She'd be likely to drop something, and they probably both know it. There's a reason her phone hasn't been in her hand since they left the restaurant.

[bearshermark]

"Okay, well if there's anything I can do that you think might help, let me know."

Elliott hums shortly, pouring batter into the frying pan, then gestures loosely with a spatula.

"The water is almost ready. There's a cabinet right there with a bunch of different kinds of tea in it if you want to pick something out."

[traceofeffort]

Lisa lets out a soft murmur. "Okay, will do. But I think you just being here is enough for now," she adds. She steps forward when he mentions there's tea in the cabinet, and looks through it somewhat idly. She's not a snob, but then again if she wanted Lipton she could have stayed home. Something tasty, or something that might help her feel less like a ball of anxiety...? Hmm, maybe chamomile.

[bearshermark]

Once again, it warms him to think he's helping her just by being there.

Elliott flips his pancakes with a bit of cheer, then reaches into the cabinet for a mug just as the kettle begins to whistle. He sets her mug down and switches off the burner.

"There's sugar next to the coffee pot if you want it, or some honey in the tea cabinet if you prefer. Milk is in the fridge of course."

[traceofeffort]

"Gotcha," Lisa answered, a bit more strongly. "Thanks." This mug is... more stable in her hands, which brings a proper smile to her lips. A little bit of sugar, then the tea bag plopped on top of the boiling water as she sets it down for a moment to brew.

She's quiet for a moment, watching him move around the kitchen. It's his home, so he knows where everything is, but the efficiency is oddly calming. "I think I needed this. Maybe not for it to happen like it did, but... this is good. A second to just stop and push aside the crazy stuff, to not worry about what's gonna happen." The words are out of her mouth before she really thinks about them, but she doesn't startle at them.

[bearshermark]

Elliott taps his pancakes, then determines they're done enough to go on a plate. He pours the rest of the batter into the pan in dollops.

"Yeah?" he asks, turning his attention back to her. "I'm glad. I mean it when I said you were welcome here anytime. I know my mom won't mind at all."

[traceofeffort]

Lisa laughs, but it's a bit more nervous. "I'd like that, as long as Yotsuyu doesn't think I'm trying to do something. I might need to have a chat with her before something bad happens." Heaven forbid she assumed Lisa was making a move on him, she didn't want the lady's ire turned on her. She'd had quite enough of it from just the description!