Post by Γαία Γαλανός/Davey-Boy O'Brien on Sept 27, 2016 20:07:43 GMT
(OOC: A special thanks to Ash AKA Night Train, handler of Eddie Ramirez, for helping me write this. I'd like to point out that this takes place prior to Gaia's promo that I posted last night. Hopefully, you guys see the connection between this Gaia and that Gaia, and enjoy the story being told.)
Eddie Ramirez sat at an outside table at a local cafe in Philly. Enjoying the last days of summer before it turned to the typical gloom. He drank a sweet tea, not in the mood for any alcohol today. He glanced at his watch, it was 2:25. Gaia was uncharacteristically almost thirty minutes late, but she hadn't called so he waited. When she finally did arrive, she was dressed contrary to her normal street clothes: a black hoodie which was pulled over her head, her eyes were concealed by a pair of aviator shades, and her nose was taped up.
“Hey,” she said sheepishly, keeping her head relatively low, trying her best to hide the tape on her nose while taking a seat across from him.
Eddie looked at her with concern, exhaling. “Hey,” Eddie echoed before pausing to examine his girlfriend’s injury, “damn I saw what Nem did. I just never realized it was that extreme. Sorry, chica. How you feeling?”
“Exactly how I look, Eddie,” she stated rather bluntly. At length, the blonde athlete sighed. “Sorry about being late,” she said, lowering her head a bit, “but,” she began again, but trailed off.
“‘But?’ But what, Gaia,” Eddie inquired as he drummed his fingers on the table, shaking his head a bit. “This. All this isn't you. The hoodie, the glasses, the tape...that's not a single bit a part of you. You're never one to cover up, mask anything. I know he hurt you, but wounds heal. I guess you do feel lousy, I can understand. Don't cover up on account of me.”
“I’m just,” she began, “I don’t know,” she stammered. After taking a deep breath, she tried to speak again. “I’ve never had someone completely decimate me like that. I know I can beat him in a wrestling match, but that was a fight and Nem pretended I was a play toy.” Gaia tried to hold back a sob before adding, “I-I,” she stuttered. “I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.”
Eddie cursed lightly under his breath, looking at her. “I feel like shit right now. Like any of the jiu jitsu training wasn't enough to help. I'm a lousy teacher I guess. He's definitely… Nem is trash. That was uncalled for, what he did. I wish I could've been there. I've never seen you vulnerable like this. You're clearly not your usual self. Just go in there and kick the holy hell out of him when it matters. I know that won't erase what happened… Maybe I don't have any good answers, chica.”
“Eddie,” she said, “there’s something I have to do,” she pointed out before saying, “but,” then trailing off again. This time she picked right back up, though. “I have to put my sole focus on my training. None of this is a reflection of your abilities as a coach.” Another long pause, accompanied by a frown. “With that being said, I won’t have time to be the girlfriend I should be…”
His eyes got wide and he rubbed his head, contemplating this bombshell. “Wait, what?” He furrowed his brow, looking down before looking back at her. “Where did come from? I'm a distraction? Can you at least take those glasses off so I can look you in the eye, Gaia?”
Timidly, she nodded as she slid the shades down her face, revealing blackened and bruised eyes. Behind the bruised skin surrounding her eyes were two icy-blue orbs staring back at Eddie. “My schedule has become so hectic,” she said, trying to explain herself, but failing to find the words. “And, I know you’re willing to wait for me, but I don’t want to do that to you.”
Eddie sighed and caressed her cheek gently, looking at those eyes beyond the bruises. Regardless of the harm to her, they were the same as they ever were. “You're an amazing wrestler; and beyond that an amazing woman. I remember the schedule, the plane trips and the strange towns, always on the go. To be honest I don't miss it. But you're young and energetic and eager to still be at the top of your game.” He nodded, a wry smile. “This day was meant to come at some point, wasn't it? Heh. We had some good times, didn't we?”
Silently, Gaia nodded as tears began to fall from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Eddie.” Her throat was all choked up, but, as she swallowed hard, she seemed to regain her composure. “It was amazing,” Gaia said at length before standing, and walking over to him before leaning in and kissing his lips gently. “Thank you for everything, Eddie,” she said softly before walking off, putting the aviators back on her face as she did.
Eddie Ramirez sat at an outside table at a local cafe in Philly. Enjoying the last days of summer before it turned to the typical gloom. He drank a sweet tea, not in the mood for any alcohol today. He glanced at his watch, it was 2:25. Gaia was uncharacteristically almost thirty minutes late, but she hadn't called so he waited. When she finally did arrive, she was dressed contrary to her normal street clothes: a black hoodie which was pulled over her head, her eyes were concealed by a pair of aviator shades, and her nose was taped up.
“Hey,” she said sheepishly, keeping her head relatively low, trying her best to hide the tape on her nose while taking a seat across from him.
Eddie looked at her with concern, exhaling. “Hey,” Eddie echoed before pausing to examine his girlfriend’s injury, “damn I saw what Nem did. I just never realized it was that extreme. Sorry, chica. How you feeling?”
“Exactly how I look, Eddie,” she stated rather bluntly. At length, the blonde athlete sighed. “Sorry about being late,” she said, lowering her head a bit, “but,” she began again, but trailed off.
“‘But?’ But what, Gaia,” Eddie inquired as he drummed his fingers on the table, shaking his head a bit. “This. All this isn't you. The hoodie, the glasses, the tape...that's not a single bit a part of you. You're never one to cover up, mask anything. I know he hurt you, but wounds heal. I guess you do feel lousy, I can understand. Don't cover up on account of me.”
“I’m just,” she began, “I don’t know,” she stammered. After taking a deep breath, she tried to speak again. “I’ve never had someone completely decimate me like that. I know I can beat him in a wrestling match, but that was a fight and Nem pretended I was a play toy.” Gaia tried to hold back a sob before adding, “I-I,” she stuttered. “I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.”
Eddie cursed lightly under his breath, looking at her. “I feel like shit right now. Like any of the jiu jitsu training wasn't enough to help. I'm a lousy teacher I guess. He's definitely… Nem is trash. That was uncalled for, what he did. I wish I could've been there. I've never seen you vulnerable like this. You're clearly not your usual self. Just go in there and kick the holy hell out of him when it matters. I know that won't erase what happened… Maybe I don't have any good answers, chica.”
“Eddie,” she said, “there’s something I have to do,” she pointed out before saying, “but,” then trailing off again. This time she picked right back up, though. “I have to put my sole focus on my training. None of this is a reflection of your abilities as a coach.” Another long pause, accompanied by a frown. “With that being said, I won’t have time to be the girlfriend I should be…”
His eyes got wide and he rubbed his head, contemplating this bombshell. “Wait, what?” He furrowed his brow, looking down before looking back at her. “Where did come from? I'm a distraction? Can you at least take those glasses off so I can look you in the eye, Gaia?”
Timidly, she nodded as she slid the shades down her face, revealing blackened and bruised eyes. Behind the bruised skin surrounding her eyes were two icy-blue orbs staring back at Eddie. “My schedule has become so hectic,” she said, trying to explain herself, but failing to find the words. “And, I know you’re willing to wait for me, but I don’t want to do that to you.”
Eddie sighed and caressed her cheek gently, looking at those eyes beyond the bruises. Regardless of the harm to her, they were the same as they ever were. “You're an amazing wrestler; and beyond that an amazing woman. I remember the schedule, the plane trips and the strange towns, always on the go. To be honest I don't miss it. But you're young and energetic and eager to still be at the top of your game.” He nodded, a wry smile. “This day was meant to come at some point, wasn't it? Heh. We had some good times, didn't we?”
Silently, Gaia nodded as tears began to fall from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Eddie.” Her throat was all choked up, but, as she swallowed hard, she seemed to regain her composure. “It was amazing,” Gaia said at length before standing, and walking over to him before leaning in and kissing his lips gently. “Thank you for everything, Eddie,” she said softly before walking off, putting the aviators back on her face as she did.
