Coming to a Head [Day 9, EE]

[Riza]

"Do as you like," she said, finding the wily thing and collecting it up. Shifting, naturally, toward her neatly folded clothes that needed a wash. Paying little mind toward the presence of his hand, busy as she was.

"But I have no intention of leaving this room in this state of disarray. I would claim that it is because I cannot have Phoebe coming in to a mess, but truly I just simply do not wish to leave it so for any longer."

[Axel Ward]

Well, good enough. Axel settled back down. "Alright." He said. "Maybe next time come by my place." Seemed only fair that he take a turn cleaning up.

"Right, Phoebe." Axel glanced nervously at the door. If he thought that morning had been awkward... he cleared his throat. "What's the deal with you and her? Seems like you don't see eye to eye on a lot of stuff." He shrugged. "Maybe you two should go hunting together."

[Riza]

"Doubt that would help," she said, now once more in her closet and finding another pair of a rather similar outfit to her usual fare. "Can't get a read on what that girl is alright with, and maybe that's cause she grew up with the Mandalorian's but she's blind to some realities of this world. Blind to her own hypocrisy."

"She's young, immature, she'll learn or she won't," she shrugged. Casting a quick glance at Axel she quirked an eyebrow but otherwise didn't comment on the shift in his mood's appearance."Not really my problem, I think."

[Axel Ward]

Grunting, Axel slid his boxers back on. Tight muscle seemed to make up most of his frame. Thin scars were here and there, a good number, but bacta treatments making them only just visible, only just tangible. "Seems like that misunderstanding goes both ways. Maybe some time would help."

He paused in dressing to look up at Riza, frowning almost sadly. "I guess it's only a problem if you stay with us. When are you planning to leave?"

[Riza]

"I understand her well enough now," she said, giving herself a moment to tackle the second thought. With Axel dressing she thought of it, and then felt, the need and compulsion to shower before heading out again. So she prepared herself a towel.

"And," she paused, sliding the closet closed once more, "Until it's over? I'm here until I see an opportunity to get at the ones responsible, and until then, being here keeps me from needing to worry about the little things."

[Axel Ward]

"So that's how it is, huh?" Axel looked at her, his gaze lingering and strange.

Finally, he shook his head. "Personally, I hope you stick around here a while. I'm getting to like this group of ours. Wouldn't feel quite the same if you left."

[Riza]

"It won't be like I left," she said, thinking, shaking her head. "More like I haven't really been here. Not truly. Ask me, I got hit on that roof and this whole mess is just me getting to where I'm supposed to die."

[Axel Ward]

Something like pain flickered across Axel's steady features. "I know." He said gruffly. "I can see the signs. I've seen them before. Kriff, I've been there before."

Taking a deep breath, Axel rose to his feet, his hands briefly clenching down at his sides. "You're not dead yet, damnit. Don't..." He trailed off, gritting his teeth, the words not coming.

[Riza]

"...don't," she picked up from where his voice trailed off. Steady and firm, her tone was cold. She'd turned to him, towel in hand, prepared to cover herself with it for the sojourn to the refresher.

"I told you already, I don't do partners. You want to make something of this, a bit of camaraderie, but there can't be anything. My partner is in the dirt somewhere, waiting for me to finish the job."

"I don't need another."

[Axel Ward]

Axel's jaw tightened, the muscle twitching. "Fine. I'm not your partner. Whatever." He growled. He was silent a few moments as he pulled on his fatigues, his motions tight and angry.

He stopped, looking back at her, meeting her gaze without hesitation. "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop watching your back. We're way past that. And if you don't like that..." Axel shrugged. "I can live with that."

[Riza]

"Don't get yourself killed," she chided, wrapping herself, turning to the door and making an exit toward the refresher.

[Axel Ward]

"Same to you." Axel growled as Riza made her way out the door.

Alone in the room, Axel seethed for a few moments, then shook his head with a grin. This was a pretty good day.

Putting on his boots, but not bothering with his shirt, Axel opened the door himself, heading back to his room.

[Phoebe Wren]

Phoebe was heading back to her bunk, having been distracted repeatedly on her return by several locals along the way.

She was so tired from all the weird feelings and strange events today, she felt ready to take a nap. Or just call it in early.

So it was a surprise when she nearly walked into a half-dressed Axel coming out from her room. "Wha... hey...?" she took a few steps back to take in the scenery, and try to puzzle together what she was seeing.

[Axel Ward]

Axel started noticeable. "Oh, hey Phoebe." There was a short pause.

Chuckling nervously, Axel jerked a thumb at the door behind him. "You're probably wondering what I was doing in there. Well... uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Axel trailed off, scratching his head.

[Phoebe Wren]

"Uh, yeah." Her eyes narrowed as she focused in on the big bumbling muscle-bundle. "... So what were you doing in there, Axel?"

Arms crossed over her chest as she waited for a good answer.

[Axel Ward]

"Nothing. I mean, you know." Axel shrugged, his bare shoulders rising and falling. "Just hanging out."

He cleared his throat. "I mean, with Riza. She was there. We were just hanging out, having a drink. Nothing weird." Maybe she wouldn't notice his mussed hair. Or that he wasn't wearing a shirt. Yeah, maybe she'd had a weird head injury since last time they spoke... Axel grimaced.

[Phoebe Wren]

"Riiiight..." she didn't seem to buy it, because she was perceptive enough to notice some of the details.

Seemingly frustrated, she threw her hands up in the air. "Ugh. Whatever. I didn't want to go to my room anyway!"

With a harumph, Phoebe turned around on her heel to leave.

[Axel Ward]

"No, wait, it's okay!" Axel said, waving his arms. "We cleaned everything up afterwards!"

A short pause, then he coughed awkwardly.

[Phoebe Wren]

She stopped and looked at him with surprise and... an expression that said that was too much information.

"Oh. Em. Gee. I did not need to know that! Eugh!"

[Axel Ward]

Awkwardly, Axel scratched his head. "Yeah, uh, sorry. My bad."

He cleared his throat again. "I should probably go shower. See you around, Phoebe."

He turned to go the opposite direction. He'd loop back around the long way to his quarters.