Drabble Challenge: Day 20

    I was on a good track to finish by midnight. I really was. But then I had a thought and was on Pinterest looking for something, got distracted by a board full of K-Dramas, and... yeah. Stuff. 

    Don't expect much out of me besides Jandy and Dechlan for the next few days, at the very least. Dech is turning out to be far less forthcoming than I anticipated and now I want to get inside his head, so. Yeah. Should be fun. 

    We're also continuing pretty much off of yesterday's drabble, just a bit later in that day. Also, I didn't have to jam in the prompt at the last minute!


    Drabble Challenge: Day 20 - tremble
    Word Count: 1,342    Minimum Goal: 1,200

    Jandy didn’t notice how tense she’d become until her muscles started aching. Loosening her grip on the chair’s arms and forcing herself to relax backwards, she tried to remind herself that she’d been in far worse situations than this more than once. That time only last month, for instance, in the grocery store, where that man had had a gun and no one else was going to do anything so she’d—
    “Miss Sparks!” Mr. Chun’s voice broke through the wall of memories she’d been building up to block out reality, gaze intent on her face and brows furrowed in confusion.
    Coming back around with a start, dark eyes flickered to the translator as she buried her uncertainty. “Did I—“ her voice cracked and she paused to swallow. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t attending. What did I miss?”
    “Mr. Boyce was just explaining that he was very pleased by the test results for yourself and Mr. Scott that Miss Chase submitted to him and wished to know what the two of you thought about it.” He explained, words coming slowly at first before picking up to a normal tempo. 
    Oh. Yes. Dechlan Scott. Jandy felt herself begin to tense up again. Not part of the plan. We weren’t supposed to connect, or whatever that, frankly, blasted term is. Not supposed to at all.
    Continuing in Japanese, she asked, “Has… Mr. Scott provided his reply?”
    “Hai. He is prepared to move to the next stage if Mr. Boyce gives his approval and you are prepared to do so as well.” 
    Nodding, Jandy sat back again and chanced a look at first Mr. Boyce, whose patience appeared to be as trustworthy as ever, to Dechlan, who was watching her interaction with the translator with little expression to his features. The woman clasped her hands together in her lap and returned her attention to Mr. Chun.
    Her mouth felt completely dry and a mixture of fear and uncertainty was closing her throat, but when Jandy closed her eyes for a brief moment, her mind went back to all the news reports she’d watched from the bar back in Akita. The massive destruction wrought upon South Korea by a lumbering beast, only a small passage of water away from Japan, and every other city brought down by the invaders to their cities and countries.
    She had a chance to do something about it and fear of memories—both her own and Dechlan’s—couldn’t be the thing to stop her.
    “Tell Mr. Boyce that I am ready.” Jandy said at last, a good deal more peace in the words that she thought she’d be able to muster. 
    A foot off to her right, she saw Dechlan’s gaze swing her way from its former focus on Mr. Boyce, but she didn’t return the look, listening as Mr. Chun relayed her message.
    It felt like Jane was there again, giving her the courage she needed to take the hard road, and even though it was just a feeling, it still caused tears to sting in her eyes. Jandy blinked them away, taking a breath and awaiting Alvin Boyce’s verdict.
    His steady attention settled on her and dark brown met blue for several moments as the temporary leader appraised her, searching for the answer behind her commitment. Either he found it or didn’t think it was vital enough to spend too much time on, because after a minute, Mr. Boyce stood, speaking to the both of them. 
    Mr. Chun translated as soon as he’d finished. “The rest of the day is for you two to use as you see fit while Mr. Boyce has a synchronization schedule drawn up that will be necessary to fulfill before the connection is established. He suggests you spend some time together, if only for familiarities sake.” As an addendum, he continued after a beat, “In that case, I will be willing to go with you and translate as needed.”
    Jandy accepted what was said with a quiet nod, having come to her feet at the same time as Mr. Boyce. That movement had not been synchronized with Dechlan as she had acted from long years of training from her mother to respect her elders and betters, moving before the thought had fully processed. 
    Inclining his head to the both of them, Mr. Boyce straightened the sleeves of his black suit and left the room. When the doors slid open, Macy Chase was standing there, still pristine and holding her tablet, waiting to assist in whatever capacity he might require.
    After the man had departed, Jandy turned to perch on the edge of his desk, ignoring the slight tremble that had settled in her hands. She knew it was just nerves, withdrawal, and lack of sleep, and thus it was something she could push through.
    A snap of fingers drew her attention. Dechlan had leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees, and was studying her with an intensity that she wasn’t used to. In Akita, she’d been invisible. Her neighbors had never taken too well to her family, even less so after all the messes her parents brought home. To be noticed was a new concept, especially from someone like Dechlan Scott.
    Rather, someone who looked like Dechlan Scott. Of course, he didn’t look like the Japanese people; not in the slightest, with his Caucasian complexion and short, brown hair that had been styled to stick upwards, but her father had born a similar appearance.
    Jandy pushed the thoughts away. She hadn’t had time for anything like that for the longest time, and then she’d been too broken to consider it after Jane was gone. 
    Finally, Dechlan looked away, no evidence of his thoughts to be seen, and said a few quick sentences to Mr. Chun, whose, in great contrast, surprise showed up on his features.
    “Miss Sparks, Mr. Scott believes it would be best if the two of you followed Mr. Boyce’s suggestion, but on your own, without me accompanying you.”
    Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Nazedesu ka?” Why?
    The question was relayed and Dechlan replied to Mr. Chun, a small shrug accompanying the end of his words. The gesture didn’t fool her—she could see a faint tension along the line of his shoulders—but she wasn’t going to call him on it. 
    “It is in his opinion that having a go-between defeats the purpose of the exercise. Having a connection means being connected to each other, not with a buffer. Conversation may be difficult, but he still believes it’s possible to learn about each other with the communication barrier.”
    I really should’ve paid more attention in Ashida-sensei’s class. Jandy let out a quiet breath, but hopped to the floor and tucked her hands into the back pockets of her pants, looking to Dechlan with raised brows, waiting for him to lead the way.
    “Miss Sparks?” Mr. Chun checked, hesitating nearby.
    She managed a partial smile and bowed out of habit. “We’ll sort it out, Mr. Chun. Thank you for your assistance today.” 
    The shorter man returned to smile and the bow and when Dechlan voiced two words, Jandy was finally able to understand them. Thank you. At least, she was pretty sure that was what it translated to.
    Dechlan didn’t immediately strike out in the lead after they’d said their farewells to the translator, instead standing and waiting for her. It took Jandy a minute to realize where he wanted her, but then she maneuvered around the chairs in front of Mr. Boyce’s desk to stand at his side.
    Greenish-brown glanced her up and down, then he gestured her towards the doors in what the woman interpreted to mean after you.
    The smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth was far more genuine this time and she reached to push the short strands of her hair off her brow while moving out into the hall. It would be an interesting afternoon, but, judging by the slightly more open expression Dechlan wore while he contemplated their options, maybe not a bad one.


    Personally, I'm far more pleased with how today's turned out. It flows a lot better than yesterday's, and I think that's because I tried to incorporate more of what Jandy was thinking and feeling and such. 

    And, to be quite honest, I'm rather intrigued to see what they're going to get up to over the next few drabbles. Crossing their communication barrier and figuring out if they can live with each other and what not. Not to mention my finally figuring out how to write Dechlan-the-walking-rock. Not really, but I am actually having a good deal of trouble portraying him even in the "silent bystander" capacity. So. Hopefully that'll get sorted out. 

    Gosh, why did I ever incorporate a language barrier? That's probably what's making this so complicated. That lack of connection because it's impossible to understand each other. And Jandy's not someone who could learn English in a couple of days, which puts that option out the window....

    I'll sort it out. Now I need to sleep. Thanks for reading and I hope these aren't too boring!

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars, through difficulties.