Participants:
| Scene Title | Apology in Vain |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Peyton runs into Bones and tries to apologize, but the two just clash again. |
| Date | January 23, 2010 |
Nights are cool at the library so it is the best time to move around and keep warm. The music coming from Bones' boom box in the corner is rather light and festive though caries with it a very tribal beat from drums. The tables which he usually has his things laid out upon have been pushes to the sides and after he gives a few hops to shake himself out. Wearing only a pair of long silk pants belted around his waist, he begins to rock and sway side to side, crouching a little as he works in to his ginga. After he finds the beat, he begins to throw himself through several quite rigorous and acrobatic moves; front flips, back flips, front falls, layouts, rolls, kicks, cartwheels and side-flips and all the while managing to keep with the beat, his hands or feet landing just in time to tap with it.
Peyton's on her way out from the rooms where the Endgamers are keeping their files. She's spent the afternoon and early evening filing away, and has lost track of time. She heads upstairs and hears the music from Bones' room. She tilts her head and heads that way, wondering which of the few people who live here it might be. "Oh," she says quietly when she comes to his room, seeing the shirtless giant working out. She leans in the doorway, watching the grace of his art, not wanting to disturb him from the complicated routine.
It takes a good ten minutes or more before the music finally stops and Bones finishes by landing on the hardwood floor on his back with a loud slap on the final note, chuckling lightly as he looks up at the ceiling. His is breathing a little fast but in practiced, measured breathes. "Oh man am I out of shape…" he says, shaking his head and brushes his dreadlocks to either side of his head so he is not laying on them.
Not sure if he's talking to her or to himself, Peyton chuckles lightly, hoping she doesn't freak him out too badly and get a gun drawn on her immediately. "Doesn't look like it to me. At least your calf muscle isn't all atrophied from a month of not putting weight on it," she says quietly. "Did Liz meet with you?" That question is all business, to keep things civil in case he is thinking about their last meeting.
"Huh?" He looks up and looks towards the large double doors and sees Peyton. "Oh. Peyton. Hi." Bones does not exactly seem very enthusiastic in his greeting. Lifting his legs up, he gives them a switch to get momentum and practically flows up to his feet. Walking over to a table at the side, sparing her a sideways glance. "Liz met with me. I'm apparently trustworthy." he says, taking a towel from the table and wipes his face and brow before hanging it behind his neck and grips both ends in his large hands.
"I told her you were," the clairvoyant says quietly, glancing down a little uncertainly. "I was … just doing some filing. So I'll be here in the days. Just so you know." In case he wants to avoid her. "Anyway, I heard the music and thought it might be someone…" Else, apparently.
"So … I'll just be going." She has her coat on already, but tugs on a hat as she stands there, turning away for a moment before heaving a sigh and turning back.
"I'm sorry I accused you of being prejudiced," she says, the words coming in a rush as if she's afraid they won't come out at all unless she says them fast.
Bones gives a blink as those words all come out in a rush and he raises his brows as he drops a hand and pulls the towel from around his neck, allowing it to hang at his side as he reaches out for a bottle of gatorade. He gulps down a little before he shakes his head. "You were right. I am prejudiced. But that doesn't mean I am wrong and you did nothing but prove just how right I am." he says, setting his drink back down, his tone a little sad as he walks toward her. "Now if you want to apologize, don't apologize for my prejudice. Apologize for being a stuck up snob and repent."
Peyton's mouth drops and she gives a little gasp at Bones' words. "I… how was I being stuck up?" So much for trying to make amends. "I've been nothing but friendly to you, and how that makes me stuck up I don't know! The only problem I had was when you acted like my address was a reason to roll your eyes and get snooty toward me." Tears come to her eyes and she shakes her head, beginning to walk away this time. "I used to be, I'll admit it, but I haven't been… in a long time." The last word comes with a sob. "Fuck. You and Nightmare Asshole could work together."
"Stop cursing. It makes you seem less intelligent." Bones frowns even more deeply, the cussing seeming to offend him more than a little. "And don't start blaming your nightmares on me. You have nothing to fear from me. The only thing I've ever done is tried to protect you and take bullets for you and Mack." he says, gesturing to the rather pink but healed bullet wounds. "The least I should be able to do and get away with is roll my eyes at you because of your zip code."
"Again… how am I the snob?" Peyton asks, turning back to look at him with disbelief in her eyes. Stop cussing? "I appreciate what you did. And I thanked you. Apparently, we were never really in danger — they didn't want me. If you hadn't shot, well, you wouldn't have been shot either. Not that that changes what you did. I appreciated it. I do appreciate it. But you're the one trying to make me feel small, stupid and inferior, here, not me. How am I being a snob?" This time the question is less rhetorical, and asked in earnest.
"I rolled my eyes and you jumped off the deep end," Bones says, stepping back and leveling his finger at her. "It obviously struck enough of a chord for you to start dropping f-bombs. All it would have taken was for you to explain that it wasn't so and, you know, I might have believed you had you not started raving at me. I don't take kindly to people cursing at me. Period." he turns his back on her and walks back to retrieve his drink. "And forgive me. The next time someone is being kidnapped at gun point, especially if it is you or anyone within 100 feet of you, I will be sure to stop and ask whether or not it is time for me to discharge my weapon or try and help. Maybe I should call my union. Maybe I should get all the signatures with dates on a nice contract and run to get it notarized before I help you again."
"I didn't say you did the wrong thing. I was just telling you now that it wasn't an issue. Obviously I didn't know that either or I wouldn't have freaked out worrying about my friend. And cussing doesn't make me a snob. Maybe crude or unrefined but it has nothing to do with me thinking I'm better, and do not joke about me being kidnapped ever again," Peyton says, the tears now coming full force, sobs choking her as she covers her eyes, shoulders shaking with each hitch of breath.
"Fine. You are crude, unrefined, and cannot take it as well as you dish it out," Bones readily agrees before he continues speaking through it is in Portuguese now which actually seems to roll off of his tongue more readily than English seems to do. He finally walks over to slump down in to a chair, switching back over to English. "My mother raised me to respect women and honor them. I apologize for hurting your feelings as well as my tone and my part in causing you to cry. My words and my feelings stand, however."
She turns back to face him, eyes a blotty mess of mascara and tears. "I was kidnapped. By Humanis First. For being Evolved. I'm not prejudiced," she says with a vehement shake of her head. "And I shouldn't have to explain why I'm not a snob, when it was wrong for you to accuse me of being one in the first place, simply because I had the au-audacity to be adopted by some people with money." Peyton shakes her head again and turns back to walk toward the exit.
He does not say anything. Nor does he rise from his chair. At least not at first. When she leaves though and appears to not be coming back, he quickly stands and gets up from his chair, walking over to his duffel and pulls a shirt out, slipping it on and jumping in to his boots. Bones does not even bother to tie his boots as he follows after her at a distance, seeing her safely out of midtown and easily keeping to the shadows.