026 Breakable
Character: Emily/Edward
Emily glared at the man on the cot across from her. Sure, he wasn't hostile, but then again he wasn't really friendly. There was a cold feeling to him. The lack of emotion in his eyes, the neutral blank look on his face, and the calm but ready aura around him.
Emily was the opposite from her partner. Her eyes burned with disdain for having been paired with this stranger. She was scowling and her brows were furrowed in anger. Her muscles were tensed and her agitation hung in the air around her.
Edward was the first to speak. "The squad leader ordered us to work together. It would be best for both of us if we just tried to get along. How would you prefer I be?"
Emily narrowed her gaze, trying to understand what he was asking. When she couldn't come up with a good explanation she'd fallen back on her normal angry threats. "I'd prefer that you be non-existent. I work better alone so leave me alone. Remember that if you piss me off your face is breakable."
"So is every bone in your body." There was something about Edward's words that hinted at a threat but from his appearance it seemed he was just stating fact.
Emily considered her options. She'd seen him in action during their training but there had been nothing really special about his skills. Still there was something about him that made her feel she didn't really know anything about what he could do. She wasn't even sure what to make of his threat. She decided to focus on his question. "What do you mean how would I prefer you be?"
"I mean what sort of person do you want me to be?" Edward's face remained neutral, no hint of meaning. "Do you want me to be an upbeat person?" Like water washing over stone his face changed, a wide grin spreading over his face and a joyful spark appearing in his eyes. "Or would you rather I sulk and brood?" Like a switch the smile was gone, replaced by a slight frown and the joy was gone from his eyes, replaced with a dark thoughtful look. "Do you want me to be chatty or silent? Do you want me to make friends with the other soldiers or stick to just you and me?" His face had gone back to blank and unreadable.
"So you're asking me what sort of person I want as a partner?" Edward nodded and Emily frowned. "I don't want you to be some fake person. I want you to be you."
A look of surprise crossed Edward's face and was gone a second later. "You're all right with me being like this? This is who I am."
"I trust the man sitting across from me more than I could trust some made up personality. I can't trust a fake you, so what I want is you to be you, honest and natural," Emily explained.
Edward nodded, watching her for a moment before speaking. "I'll be whatever you want if it allows us to work together. If honest if what you want, then I will be as honest as possible." Emily nodded and they slipped into silence for a few seconds. "Why did you threaten to break my face? Why not my hand, or neck, or threaten bodily harm to more sensitive parts of me?"
Emily scowled at him and crossed her arms. "If you're looking for me to stroke your ego then forget it. I threatened your face because it annoys me." They stared at each other for several seconds before Emily raised an eyebrow. "Well?" Edward just stared at her. "No joke about stroking or offer for our faces to get more acquainted? Are you sure you're an ODST?"
"Not all ODST make dirty jokes," Edward countered. "Though if it would make you more comfortable with our partnership then I am willing to make suggestive comments about my desire to do depraved sexual acts with you."
"Do you want to make comments like that?" Emily asked. Edward considered the question and then shook his head. "Then don't. Honest remember?"
Edward nodded and there was a slight hint of something on his face. He was thinking, trying to decide if there was something he should say but he decided against it. "I'm going to go work out." Edward stood up.
Emily stood up as well and he looked at her surprised. "Great, then you can be honest with me and show me your actual skills. I need a work out as well, we can spar." Emily moved toward the door. Edward followed her, not fighting her decision to invade his workout.