Father's Day...

[grandtheftmecha]

[Katina took all of Father's Day off, and has been doing her own thing. Now, in the evening, she sits on a bench on top of the tower. She has two bottles with her that she's taken a few small sips out of as she looks up into the sky.]

Comments

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

...Hey.

[He sighs, and watches the sky. If Katina wanted to talk, she'd talk. Viral wasn't one to press these things.]

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[Another, definitely shorter wait.]

You know what today is? Not somethin' that'd really matter to you, I guess, but... hell, what do I know?

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

It's another one of your holidays, isn't it? Remembering fathers.

[Viral pauses this time.]

No, it doesn't really matter to me.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[Katina takes a drink of the whiskey.]

I really should get over it... but every time it's about to roll around, stupid shit happens. Every fucking time.

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Life has cruel timing when it wants.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

It could let the hell up on me...

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Why should you be given special treatment?

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

It's not that I...

[She pauses and swallows a lump in her throat.]

I know people have it worse than me, hell I've got it pretty good compared to a lot of them, so maybe this is supposed to be my one really bad day to make up for it. I dunno.

[And another drink, because she knows she won't be able to talk about much of anything without it right now.]

Hey... d'ya mind... listening to me rant a little? It'll probably be a pain in the ass to listen to, so you don't have to...

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Heh...

[He leans back, clasping his hands behind his head. Wasn't listening to her rant part of the territory now, anyway?]

Of course not. Hit me.

1/?

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[Katina can't help a little bit of an awkward smile at that, almost tempted to take him literally - she would have on a better day. And if she could read minds she'd ask him what territory that was.]

...hell, now where do I start?

Huh...

Terrible at this kinda thing but here goes. I was born and raised in Detroit. Probably doesn't mean much to you, but it's a big ol' dirty city, not the nicest place. Have an older brother, my mom... had my dad... so things were better than they could've been.

I was real close to my dad. Playing games or sports, going to him when I had a problem... textbook 'daddy's little girl.'

[She knew she was off on a tangent already, but it seems easier this way. Taking yet another swig of whiskey has a similar effect.]

2/?

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

So anyways... you get that we were close and all. When I was in high school, there was that war that started up with some of the colonies. Figured I didn't have anything else to do after school and I was always good at fighting, so I signed up and shipped off.

My dad... he was scared as hell to see his daughter going off to war, especially since I wanted to see the frontlines, but... he supported me. He knew I'd made up my mind, so he supported me the best he could. It was... hell. I was so damn young, and I'd never killed anyone, but I made it through... fuck, I got myself promoted for doing what I did. Hurt like hell though, probably screwed with me more than I figured. My dad was there for me again when things were hard... but... it...

[She pauses to take a breath.]

3/?

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

Christ just... bare with me here...

I got some help from a few friends... from my reputation... to get into pilot school. They needed more, so I got fast-tracked into test pilot school... things got a little... difficult for me.

[She pauses again, but only briefly so she can get it all out at once.]

I got obsessed with what I was doing. The military didn't tell me to stop, figured I could pull through, they needed... needed more people. Dad saw it though, knew it wasn't healthy. We fought a lot then... not just, you know, rebellious kid stuff, but really... getting at each other. I was... such a bitch to him...

Cut myself off from my family for a while... figured I didn't need 'em... could do it all myself... I-I was... tough, and everyone around me knew it... stopped checking my mail, got a new phone number... ignored everything about 'em for months...

[At this point, she takes a longer break to steady herself, blaming the whiskey that she really didn't drink much of.]

4/4

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[Katina sure is hitting him with something... she grits her teeth as a few tears trickle out.]

Damned... damned alcohol is all...

[She rubs at her face a little, pressing on.]

He... while I was ignoring them... he had a heart attack. Doc said it was stress... mom couldn't... afford to hold off the funeral either... got in... touch with me a week... later.

[Katina turns away with her eyes clenched shut, suddenly embarrassed for going off like this.]

Damned whiskey...

[She still hasn't really had very much of it.]

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

[Viral is very quiet throughout. And for a while after she finishes.]

Well... that sucks.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[She sits there for a bit, choking back a few sobs and just generally feeling like shit.]

...yeah... yeah, it fucking sucks like hell.

1/2

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

[Viral sighs deeply.]

Look. I'm probably one of the worst people to be talking to about this, and I have no idea what kind of man your father was.

... But I doubt he'd be at all happy over you moping like this over him. Shit happens.

2/2

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Get over it for his sake... or just punch me if I'm wrong. Either way, you'll feel better.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[She turns slowly and stares.]

You are... heh... a pretty awful choice, aren't you?

[She doesn't look happy but she's also not crying, though tear stains are still visible.]

Dunno why I talk to you at all... tellin' me to just... just get over it...

[She grabs a handful of his outfit.]

But dammit... you're probably right.

[She isn't letting go though - she might still want to punch him.]

1/2

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

[He holds up his hands in a surrendering gesture.]

You knew what you were getting into, talking to me.

2/2

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Though... take as long as you need to get over it.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

[Her grip loosens, her expression falls.]

Yeah. I didn't want... any stupid pop-psych routines... or a pity party. Guess I coulda gone to Mao for this too... but... I'm glad you came. Really. Thanks.

[She just... lets her hand fall. She'd embarrass herself if she hit him right now.]

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

[Oh thank god she didn't hit him. Viral sighs, leaning back against the bench now that he was free of her grip.]

Don't mention it.

...

I can shut up now, if you want.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

You know... you're not as much as an ass as you seem to think you are.

At least that's what I think, maybe I'm just crazy.

[mr-catshark.livejournal.com]

Heh. Maybe you're right.

[grandtheftmecha.livejournal.com]

...about which one?