Outside MHA #4, Tuesday morning

[stykera]

Summer was leaving. Stark wasn't really ready for that but he was as ready as he could be. And she'd told him before and he had a chance to say goodbye (and some other things that might need to be said) and it wasn't the same as any other time and he was going to remind himself of that as often as necessary.

So they were going to go to brunch, this morning, before she left. Before he want and played paintball without her and started to try to adjust to this latest shift in their dynamic.

So he was here, knocking on her door as he'd done so many times before. It was the same and it was very different and he was going to try his best not to be weird about it.


[For she who lives there...until later today anyway *sob*]

Comments

[stykera]

"I know that," Stark said. "All of it. I promise you I understand."

He did. It was hard but he did understand.

"I would never want to keep you from something you want. Something you need. I want you to know that. I hope you do."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"And I do know that," Summer said, and she tried not to sigh, but it came out anyway as she shook her head. "So can we please just skip the whole dramatics," she gestured a little toward the now closed door, "that makes it sound like you're never going to see me again and just makes me feel bad and go have a nice brunch together before I leave? Without all of..." Another wave we of her hand. "...that hanging around?"

[stykera]

"I wasn't trying to be dramatic," Stark protested, weakly. "That's just how I speak, sometimes. And I don't want you to feel bad. I'm sorry if that's what I did. It wasn't my intent. I want you to be happy."

He shook his head, breathed out through his nose, and tried again. "I just wanted to remind you you're important, and loved. And that I'll buy you as many bellinis as you like before you go."

It wasn't that he thought he would never see her again it was just that past experiences colored his views and, well...he worried.

"I'm sorry. Can I hug you now?"

[somethingwithturquoise]

Summer just sort of looked at Stark for a moment, him and all his overthinking and overly expressed concerns and emotional flailing, and she sighed a little, and moved over to him.

But not to hug him. Instead, she moved over to him to take her arm and link it in his and started moving with him toward the door.

"No," she said, "not now. Brunch first, then hugs and feeling sad about it after. Deal?"

[stykera]

"I am trying not to be sad."

Sad was for later, Summer. Probably tomorrow night when he was faced with the first Wednesday night without jello at the bar.

"There could be more than one hug, you know. It's not against the rules. I checked."

He had done no such thing.

"But I did promise brunch. I think a hug, then brunch, then another hug."

He might even press his luck and try a kiss goodbye after a few drinks for each of them.