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[h1][color=D2691E]Lera[/color][/h1][/center]
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Relief flooded Jacob as they swapped phone numbers. It was international so he’d have to check with his phone plan to see if he’d be hit with insane fees but a few messages would be okay. He inserted all her information, contact name [i]Lera (Valeryia)[/i], in his phone and nearly closed it before he fumbled the device for a moment, caught between putting it away and opening the camera app. 

[color=07F169] “Hey, do you mind if I take a picture? I like to have them for my contacts.”[/color] Jacob asked, a little hesitant. Lera was a bit withdrawn so if she didn’t want to, he wouldn’t pressure her. [color=07F169] “If you don’t want to, want to pick a picture for you from the default images?”[/color] 

[color=D2691E] “Hey, at least it shouldn’t be too hard to find you on my phone, I don’t have too many contacts.” [/color] She grinned sheepishly up at him as finished inputting his number into her phone. She wasn’t lying either, he was her third contact. The first being two humanitarian aid workers who’d made sure that she had their number in case … well something happened. [color=D2691E] “It’s nice to have something more here …” [/color] 

And then he asked for her picture. Suddenly she was a whole lot less sure about swapping numbers. It wasn’t that she was camera shy … it just felt weird … like she was getting a bit too close…. 

Then why did it feel so … right to do so? [color=D2691E] “S...sure, you can take a picture if you’d like!” [/color] 

[color=07F169]“Awesome.”[/color] Jacob grinned as clicked his tongue in time with the shutter noise his phone made, an unconscious habit from playing with a metronome. He set the picture as her contact phone and tucked the device away again. [color=07F169] “Well, you have the perfect opportunity to add more this week if that’s something you want to do. Plus, your soulmate hopefully!”[/color] He fidgeted for a moment. He wanted to ask how she felt about all this. He knew he was eager, his history with the Lost the primary motivation, but finding someone who fills that empty spot, that yearning nothing would satisfy,  made him giddy and excited. But also terrified he’d never find them.

[color=07F169] “So, uh, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to but how do you feel about this whole soulmate business?”[/color] Jacob asked, deciding to jump in with both feet. 
She shuffled her feet, not through worry, or being uncomfortable, that would only come after his big question. No this was more out of having something to do while she thought on something to say. Before even talking to Jacob, Lera had been positive that she wouldn’t want anything to do with anyone at this party, that getting attached to anyone enough to add them as a contact was something so alien and yet … here she was, swapping numbers with someone she’d barely even met. [color=D2691E] “I guess … I guess so…” [/color]

[color=D2691E] “M...my soulmate?” [/color] Valeryia was now truly lost for words and it showed. Her face had become noticeably more withdrawn and the mechanical fist, could be seen clenching and unclenching behind the layer of useless bandages. It was an easy answer and yet try as she might it just wouldn’t roll off the edge of her tongue. 

Because really, how could she admit that it made her more scared than she had ever possibly thought she could be. That she’d lost everything before and now there was a chance for there to be someone out there she’d be so attached to again, someone who’d make her go through the whole thing again. Someone who … [color=D2691E] “I … I’m not sure, I mean, I don’t even know if I’m fragmented and … well …” [/color]

She paused for a second, then continued in, barely in a whisper. [color=D2691E] “I’m a bit worried to be honest …” [/color] 

Jacob wanted to smack himself in the face. Outstanding move. Make the person who you could hang out at this party feel uncomfortable as shit. He was used to discussing it but that didn’t mean [i]everyone[/i] was. Admittedly, he assumed everyone here was at least willing to acknowledge it but he shouldn’t have jumped into such a heavy topic so quickly. He noticed the hand clenching and a light bulb went off in his head. Maybe she hadn’t ever seen the mark? Perhaps she had been born without the arm. That was the only explanation that he could think of why she would never see the black band. Oh man, he really mess this up. 

[color=07F169] “Well, someone knows you are. You got invited here after all.”[/color] Jacob tried to stay upbeat and positive when all he wanted to do was apologize and slink off to berate himself, hoping that thing in retail training is true. Fake it til you make it though, right? [color=07F169] “And hey, even if you aren’t, we’re friends! We can chill around the place while everyone goes around touching each other. I didn’t mean to over step.”[/color] He apologized. 

Her eyes mostly stayed glued to the floor, it felt like the most comfortable place to keep them really. At least that way she didn’t have to properly look Jacob in the eye while speaking about it, he wouldn’t have to know just how much she was hiding. Yet every so often they did peek upwards, glancing from between messy strands of hair that had flopped down over her face, covering much her vision and they’d catch a glimpse of Jacob … and each time, she’d feel just a bit more comfortable.

[color=D2691E] “I guess so… after all these twins have been reunited all of their lives, it must give some insight … right?” [/color] Her human hand moved upwards to push some of the wayward locks of hair out of her face and she gave him her first proper smile, it was a weak one, the corners of her mouth barely twitching upwards, but it was a smile nonetheless. [color=D2691E] “No … no, you didn’t overstep … I … I just haven’t talked to anyone about it before, I never had to think about it much … But walking around with you feels nice! After all we’re friends.” [/color] 

[color=07F169]“Well, I have plenty of experience, so now's the best time to talk.”[/color] Jacob chuckle, a twinge of bitterness seeping into the sound. He had years of discussing it, mostly on the “patient” side of a therapist’s desk. Jacob would be the first to extol its virtues but it didn’t mean he could resent the fact he needed it in the first place. [color=07F169] “I’m glad I’m not the only one enjoying the company.”[/color] He returned the smile with one of his own. 

[color=07F169] “When I got this letter, I couldn’t reply fast enough. The idea of becoming Lost…”[/color] An involuntary shiver ran down his spine. [color=07F169] “Isn’t ideal. But now that I’m here, I had to butt into a group’s conversation about soccer and then destroy more than my net worth in glass to get a conversation started. I guess it’s all a little more nerve wracking than I thought.”[/color] 

[Color=D2691E] "I …" [/color] She stuttered slightly, after all, Jacob was someone she could talk to, she didn't want to be scaring him off with stories from the war. Even with every lie she told herself, it didn't stop the screams at night. She couldn't drag Jacob into that, he didn't deserve it. [Color=D2691E] "Thank you, if you'd like … we could discuss it later… for now I just wanna keep chatting … you know? Being friends." [/color]

It was such a strange word to her, friend ... after everything she'd gone through she'd never thought it would fit someone again and yet … somehow Jacob just seemed to fit it perfectly. [Color=D2691E] "But at least smashing some glass helped us meet right?" [/color]

[color=07F169]“Yep!"[/color] Jacob went to nudge her with his shoulder, the way he did with Christopher when they were talking, but he stopped himself before he moved too far. Right, she hadn't wanted to shake hands. He had to be aware of his actions here. Otherwise, it would end up just like the glass situation.

Still grinning slightly Lera noticed the way Jacob backed off slightly. She’d really lucked out in meeting him, not only did it just feel … well right to chat to him, someone totally unrelated to her past, but he seemed to be quite considerate too. Although if she didn’t say something soon, it felt like the conversation would stall, that he might drift away .. [color=D2691E] “Hey … uhh … wanna grab a drink?” [/color] 

[color=07F169] "I could go for something. I think we both know I don't need anymore alcohol at the very least. Maybe they'll have a virgin piña colada."[/color] Jacob loved piña coladas but secretly, he liked them only without alcohol. Why would you ruin such a delicious drink with something that tastes so weird? Maybe it was childish but it made him happy. Plus, his dad hated pineapple so they never had it at home. He had to get his pineapple fix somewhere! [color=07F169] "Can't ever go wrong with a classic right?"[/color] Jacob led the way through the crowd to the nearest bar, a little crowded but it would do. He didn't plan to linger long personally. [color=07F169]"What's your choice of poison?"[/color]

[color=D2691E] “A virgin what now?” [/color] She was sure, deep down in her memory, she’d heard the name before, yet to Lera a cocktail sounded such a weird and alien thing. Of course as soon as he headed off, she’d trail behind him, eyes surveying the crowd for any suspicious movement, anything that’d trigger her little defence mechanisms. As it happened nothing did. [color=D2691E] “I … I don’t really know many of the choices here … could you pick for me?” [/color]