Walk | Talk | Think
Anger still sizzled beneath her skin and made her tail lash to either side in clear frustration. Why, why, did that damn cat need to bring this up? Did she think Callisto was stupid enough not to have considered it herself? That everything could have been avoided if she had only left Jakart behind? It would have spared her the heartache as well, the roller coaster of emotions from believing him dead to finding him alive. It could have all been avoided, the thought echoed in Bella’s persistent, aggravating voice, and Calli breathed another heavy sigh. She hated that it was true, but hated more that she had been helpless but to react to it all despite her logic. She needed no one, she could get by on her own without anyone there getting in the way. But you can’t let him go.
As tense and frazzled as she already was, the sound of the all too familiar voice unexpectedly speaking her name behind her caused her to visibly jump, forgetting in the midst of her heated argument that the very individual they spoke of was right there with them. "Shit," Callisto whispered, her voice heavy with frustration and panic. Gods, did he have to be right there to hear everything? Had he heard everything? Of course he did, you're cursed, she concluded, closing her eyes as she steeled herself, with your shitty luck, he heard every word.
She turned quickly, searching Jakart's expression to see if she could gather how much of her tirade he had heard, but even just a quick look confirmed for her that he had heard too much. Damn it! Her tail lashed again, caught somewhere between an angry and nervous gesture, and the tenseness in her frame suddenly became jittery. She did not want to be here. She did not want to be having this conversation with him, did not want to even entertain the idea of expressing the confusion that was so overwhelming she could barely stand living with it. She wanted to run, to flee - she was sure she could outrun him in his current state - but in the end aggravation won out.
Clinging to her anger like a lifeline, she set her sharp features into a scathing frown and paced slightly to either side, unable to stand still. The question he posed was simple, yes or no, but Callisto could not at first answer. She wanted very much to deny it, to try and somehow play it off like she had not meant a word she said, no matter her reaction to Belladonna or how she was currently behaving. But he would not believe it, there was no point in kidding herself that he might. "You want to know? Fine. It's true," she snapped, exasperated, "There, you happy, Jak? It's all true. Every fucking word."
How was she having this conversation with him? How was she standing here, confusing, complicated emotions exposed, and not running? She wanted to - gods, she wanted to - and it was taking so much willpower for her not to try getting away, to hide as surely Bella was doing right at that moment. She could feel the tenuous thread of anger beginning to unravel, to fray, and fighting a rising panic demanded, "Are you going to yell at me too?"
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