fissionmailed | obligatory fourth of july post

[He's almost hesitant to answer at first. He thinks that she won't know who he is, and that it might be for the best for her to remain in the dark for now. He doesn't turn to face her, he just continues to tend to the grill.]

-I suppose.

Would you like something? [He gestures to the food that's currently cooking.]

Hm. It's awfully nice for you to go out of your way to feed everyone. [She steps a bit closer, though her eyes remain on him.]

I'll have a hot dog if you don't mind. [Tanya doesn't move to get a better look of his face- Yet.]

[He raises his eyebrows as she comes even closer.]

..Yes. Of course. [He turns to fetch her a snack from the grill, spearing a kosher dog and putting it into a bun for her.]

[John turns back to face her just enough to hand her a hot dog on a patriotic plate.]

[Taking the plate from him, Tanya is quick to extend her free hand right after. She steps to the side a bit to get in front of him.] I'm Tatyana, by the way.

Thank you very much, Mr...?

... [He's taken by her persuasiveness and he takes her hand in his.]

'John'.

You can call me 'John'.

[John...John...John... It doesn't immediately ring any bells at all. Which is odd- She usually has a pretty damn good memory. For some reason, Tanya has a feeling that she's met this man before. Of course she's smart enough not to ask. Who knows if this man would remember her as being Tatyana, EVA, or Kim? Perhaps Kim. He seems old enough to have been one of her instructors- but no. That isn't it, is it?]

[He's pretty handsome for a man his age. A very prominent... aura about him. And something about that cigar he's smoking... This is going to bug the hell out of her.]

[Tatyana gives an oh-so-dainty shake of the man's hand] It's nice meeting you, John.

...Would you mind if I sat here while I ate? I could use a little company. I don't know too many people in the building yet...

[He shakes her hand firmly, but gently.] Nice to meet you too. [He decides to play it up. He feels fine not allowing her to know who his is just yet, or ever, if he feels she would be better off that way. He also feels less pressured knowing her like this. It's almost as if they are strangers that somehow know each other.]

...No, I suppose I don't mind at all.

I find it hard to believe that a pretty girl like you doesn't have many friends here as of yet.

Edited 2009-07-04 22:56 (UTC)

[His hand is warm. Calloused. He's been fighting for many years.] ...I'm glad.

[A warm laugh] Why thank you.

But I admit that I haven't exactly been doing my best to warm up to anyone. [This much is true. And she doesn't intend for that to change. She'll keep a few people at arms length with faux-kindness and perhaps some light flirting if necessary. Nothing beyond that until she can one day make it back to China with Volgin's legacy. Nexus or no Nexus- She has a mission to complete. Tatyana can and will remain guarded at all times.]

[He nods and takes back his old hand.]

I don't blame you. It's not an easy task being close to anyone here. It's probably the best to keep your distance from everyone.

[He grabs a bun and gets himself a nice, charred yet rare burger.]

[Nothing is "easy". Being close to people isn't easy- But shutting everyone out can, at times, be just as difficult. Which is why she must retain that 'balance' of keeping people just close enough to be of some benefit to her. Nothing more, nothing less.]

...Yeah.

[He's been hurt in the past. Deeply. Emotionally. Perhaps even spiritually.]

[No detail that she can gather from this man goes unnoticed. Even the way he preferred to cook his burger. Of course Tanya shows no signs of just how much she's studying him- In fact the woman seems to be doing nothing but casually sitting back and enjoying her hot dog.]

[EVA could practically swallow the whole thing down right now if she wanted to. Tatyana, however, takes small ladylike bites.]

...hnh.

[He glances at her, watching. It's as if he's reliving a part of his life again; one of the few parts he enjoyed: looking at this beautiful young lady.]

[After a moment he returns to tending the grill nonchalantly.]

[...Aha. He knows her. As either Tatyana or EVA.]

[She broke his heart, didn't she? Finally- An answer that makes sense. He must have been a former target of hers. One she wasn't assigned to kill. The eye patch and his age must be throwing her off from remembering which one he is, exactly. That has to be it. It's a shame; He doesn't seem like an awful guy.]

[...]

[So why is part of her unsatisfied with that answer? Is there more to it than that? ....No, why would there be? It's just... something about that expression he had whilst watching her. Tanya can't pinpoint what it is, exactly.] So.

[Another warm smile] How long have you been in the Nexus, John?

[He doesn't turn to look back at her again. She doesn't deserve to gaze upon his old, weathered face.]

_{Too damn long.}

[He angrily stabs a steak on the grill with the grilling fork and then flips it over so that the other side can have its time with the fire.]

[...Yep. The way he turns away from her, angrily stabbing away at that defenseless steak is enough for Tanya's theory to be cemented in her mind. She considers excusing herself, for his sake. The woman is obviously stirring some unwanted memories for him. She's got her answer now; She should just leave.]

[After finishing her food, of course. Tatyana takes another small bite of her grilled hot dog.]

The building must not have been too kind to you.

The nexus has been kind enough to me. Perhaps it has not been too kind to you.

[He speaks his words in a tone that is awfully reminiscent of a command more than a statement. His posture seems more rigid than it once was a while ago.]

...What? [She looks to him oddly]

You can stop the charade. It doesn't work on me.

Also- [He gestures to her ~~sexy~~ outfit.] -there's no need to stay dressed like that. Most everyone here knows who you are; you aren't fooling anyone. This isn't Groznyj Grad.

_{Shit...this is just as bad as Plisken.}

[He facepalms for a second.]

...

[Being from a time slightly before promising The Boss that she wouldn't kill Snake, Tatyana can only wonder just why the HELL this man is still alive. She'd probably assume that she died before offing him, if Tanya didn't see several older versions of herself here already. But if she had simply failed in her mission, Tatyana would be as good as dead anyway. The Philosophers don't take too kindly to failure. So, what the Hell is going on...?]

Groznyj Grad?

[She smiles convincingly] You're the intruder everyone was talking about, aren't you?

[He smooths his eyebrow with his hand, closing his eye as he sighs his answer.]

I was.

I see. Well- [The woman places a small, uneaten piece of her hot dog down onto the plate and sets it down. She then straightens and walks forward, approaching the man.] I appreciate all you've been trying to do for my dear Nikolai. Thank you.

[And then she turns slightly as if to walk past him, but stops. Tatyana looks forward, past Big Boss's shoulder. Her voice is a low hiss of a whisper as she leans against his arm just slightly.] But you'd do best to stay out of my way, Mr. Intruder.

I'd hate for either of us to have an "issue".

[He just gives her the strangest, strangest look.]

'Issue'?

[John had no intentions of bothering her before...]

[Though she says nothing in response, the look she throws him gives a clear message;]

["Keep your mouth shut, Snake. And don't try causing me any trouble."]

[The woman doesn't care what she may have done to him in his past, doesn't care about what she will do to him in the future. It doesn't matter if he has any right to be angry with her, or if his heart was broken. If he's smart, he'll put whatever past they may have had behind him.]

obligatory fourth of july post

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