MHA #2 | Tuesday Evening

[knife_bender]

Diego had spent extra time at the gym today, and if asked it was because he was feeling extra energetic. He wasn't trying to distract himself from the loneliness that set in whenever Annie left for New York. Nope.

Except yes. Tiring himself out allowed him to sleep better, at least. He took a shower after he got back to his apartment and into sweatpants, hoping he'd pass out in front of the TV pretty quickly instead of staring up at the ceiling all night.

[For the girl]

Comments

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I do. You're ridiculous in orange," Annie agreed, smiling still. "But it turns out hope is pretty hot, too."

Who knew? Annie usually trafficked in plenty of optimism of her own. She hadn't really needed an outside source until pretty damn recently.

[knife_bender]

"It might be easier to get me in orange," he pointed out. "But I'll see what I can do to muster up more."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'll try not to be too...pessimistic, while I'm at it," Annie offered, feeling weird about having to say that when normally she knew she could be sort of annoying with how much she believed in people.

But, you know. It was hard to keep believing that everyone had some good inside of them when she saw so much of everyone's bad sides, these days.

"I'm already glad I'm taking you back with me," she added, because it was true. Even if she was now determinedly ignoring the very idea that he might get hurt, which scared her so much more than the idea that she might get hurt.

[knife_bender]

"Good. I want to help," he said, kissing her again. "Even if it's just by looking good. Or intimidating. Or both."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Just having you with me is going to help, I think," Annie decided, smoothing her hands along his arms.

But like, if he left her sight for any reason, she was going to worry the whole time.

So she'd just have to make sure they didn't get separated, right? Super easy.

[knife_bender]

That'll be easy! No way it'll go wrong.

"That relieves some pressure on me," he teased. "But I'm going to try to be more help than that."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I know. And I promise I'll actually let you," Annie said, quirking a little half-smile. "It's hard. The...asking for help with this, I mean."

Annie was usually pretty proud of her independence, and how strong she was on her own -- but if there was anything she'd actually learned from how poorly she'd handled things a few weeks ago, it was that it did not make her weak to ask for other people's support.

[knife_bender]

"I know it's hard. Look at who you are talking to," Diego said. "Does it seem like I've ever asked anybody for help?"

This was the guy who slept in the storage room of a gym rather than ask his actual billionaire father for money.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Very good point," Annie agreed, huffing out a soft laugh. "Then consider me a good example, and remember this next time you need help and don't want to ask for it, I guess?"

Because it was kind of killing her a little, mostly in how she was so worried she was endangering him, but...she also couldn't deny that this was probably better for her, and thus for the whole cause in the long run.

[knife_bender]

"I might vaguely recall it when the time comes." Nah, he'd be a stubborn jackass about it.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I'll be sure to remind you."

Because he was her very favorite stubborn jackass.