open | your name is on a lot of quotes in this book

[nineteenfortyfive]

Who: Claire Fraser (nineteenfortyfive) & you
What: May things, lots of moping Claire... forgive me.
When: May
Where: Olympia
Warning(s): General Outlander warnings.



I. THE MARKET

[Her marriage is in an unpleasant place and she doesn't know how to fix it. Percy is in stasis. Ramsay is back. Theon was, for a brief moment, back in stasis as well, but only returned in a worse state than he was. It's been a lot to contend with on top of being so recently tortured (her her hands remain in gloves as her nails grow back, the last of the damage left), and one afternoon as Claire's in the market, standing before a fruit stand, it all catches up to her.

For someone who urges others to confide in someone, anyone, often herself, she doesn't follow her own advice.

She pushes other shoppers out of the way as she suddenly finds it hard to breathe, hard to keep her eyes from welling with tears, and if she slams into anyone there's no apology as she stumbles out and away.

She stops when she comes to a fountain, gasping and sobbing, a hand clutching at her neck as if there's something suffocating her, chest heaving rapidly. No, nothing physical, just an overwhelming sense of sadness. A sadness that turns into more of a frustrated panic as she tries to calm herself, leaning over the water.]

II. THE TRAIN/FLONA COVE

[Percy did have an affinity for water.

Claire knows she can't watch over Theon 24/7. He needs to stand on his own, and he can, and so Claire takes some hours for herself and heads to the beach. She's always enjoyed train rides. Perhaps she's even in the mood for conversation with whoever happens to sit by her.

At the beach, instead of collapsing on the sand and considering letting the waves wash her away, she takes a stroll, skirts tied up over her knees so she can walk in the small waves without getting drenched.

Now and then she stops to pick up a shell. By the end of it, she's got a hefty collection held in her skirt, and dumps her prizes where she's left her shoes.

Well. Now what to do with them?]

III. STASIS

[She spends more time here than she'd ever admit. She makes it sound like her visits are brief. They're not. On leave from the Sanctuary, she's had a lot of time to simply be.

Today, she stands before her daughter's pod. What she'd give to be able to touch her red hair, or at least feel her skin, make sure it's warm. All she can so is press her hands against the glass.]

Sometimes I think you're luckier, in there. Though you'd probably throw a fit at me saying that. I know you'd rather be here, too. I know.

[[ooc: pls choose your flavor of sad mom, or hit me with a wildcard! Oooooor send me a PM if you'd like me to whip up a starter, and I'd be happy to.]]

Comments

[stripebacked]

[ He knows that if he was to wind up with the memories of their future that they still have a ways to go. More than a few hurdles to overcome. He doesn't look forward to the grief that he'll have to endure, but it does make him happy to know they've come this far. They've yet to give up. ]

Do I still get my gift?

[nineteenfortyfive]

Greedy. [She teases, leaning in for a kiss. Oh, there's plenty to discuss, and much of it will hurt, but she's happy to enjoy the moment.]

Close your eyes.

[stripebacked]

Ye told me I could have my gift.

[ He's hardly greedy. He's giving up seeing her naked to wait for a moment when they have more time between them. He's given that up. He's certain he at least deserves to see the gift she originally promised.

There's a smile before Jamie shuts his eyes for her. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

I know, I know. I did.

[It's nothing terribly big, and something that was easily hidden in a drawer. It's very obviously something paper-sized, a frame wrapped in brown paper. She had Steve draw a horse for Jamie. No horse in particular, not Patience nor Thistle, but just a stallion in motion.]

Here.

[stripebacked]

[ He waits until something square is pushed into his hands. Paper covers it and he waits until she tells him he's allowed to open them. He looks down at it and then up at her with a crooked smile. Finally he tears into the paper slowly and after a moment it's off. It didn't take much work to free the framed drawing. Jamie runs his fingers along the frames edge as he looks up at Claire. ]

Who did this?

[ It's lovely. He knows Claire didn't draw it. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

Steve Rogers.

[She had taken note of the framed sketches in the flat he shares with Peggy during the birthday celebration.]

To be fair, I told him what to do.

[stripebacked]

Captain Rogers did this?

[ He's quite pleased with it. It's a nice thing his friend did. He'll have to thank Steve as well when he talks to him next. ]

Yer quite the boss.

[ One hand roguely reaches around to give her read end a pinch. ]