And We're All Falling

Impressionistic

        Theoretically, Della should've seen it coming. The oh-she's-talking-too-much statement that seemed harmless enough but stung on the inside. It was a feeling she was familiar to and she'd learned how to react. The best reaction was no reaction and that's what she tried to do.

You had to go open your mouth. They probably all think you're conceited and want to talk about yourself all the time. Way to go, Delilah.

"So, Della, you've been to this restaurant before so what would you suggest?" 

        CT's question snapped her out of her thoughts. Smiling softly, she picked up a menu to scan through quickly. Sure, she had been to the restaurant. Once. Like, two months ago.

"Try any of their pastas," she suggested, pointing them out for the vet.

"Awesome. Thanks. What're you getting?"

"Most likely the pasta."

        After they all placed their orders, York launched into a story about some person at the gym he worked at. Della tuned out, instead checking her phone for missed calls or texts from barn managers. She never really "left" work. Technically, she worked all day and every day. It didn't matter the time or place; if a barn manager wanted to complain or praise, she'd let him.

"Expecting a date?"

Wash's voice caused her to look up.

"Foaling season. Complaints and praise about my job," she explained, putting her phone away and trying not to blush.

"What do you mean?"

"If I screwed up, it's a complaint. If I didn't, it's praise."

"Oh."

        Silence filled the space between the two just as York was finishing his story. Della turned her attention to it, trying to distract herself from the awkward situation that had developed between her and Wash. CT moved slightly so that everyone at the table could be better included.

"So, Miss Geneticist. Tell us a little about yourself," York half-called from the other end of the table.

Eyes all shifted to her and caused her lungs to momentarily stop working.

"I graduated top of my class in Equine Genetics and got hired at Stonehill three months ago. My final project had been sending suggestions in for their breeding season so now I'm getting reviews for how I did," she replied, her job being the easiest to talk about.

"Wow, that's cool," North commented.

"Nuh uh. I want to hear about you. Not your job, not your school. You," York corrected, smiling.

"I live in an apartment on the northern part of town with a Bonsai Tree called Kappa?" she tried, raising an eyebrow.

"There you go! And?" York praised, coaxing her to continue.

"I like to run in my spare time, which is hardly ever. When I was younger, I used to show horses, but I quit when I went to college. Most of my friends have four legs and their only job is to have offspring that are better than they are. That's about it," she continued, stirring her water to keep herself calm.

"Do you let your hair down ever? Or is that bun like a permanent thing? Cause, I mean, I can work around that, but it's kinda scary for you," he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Is your arrogance a permanent thing? Cause, I mean, I work around it daily, but it's a pretty annoying quality of yours," Carolina copied, glaring at him.

        They would've launched into an argument if it hadn't been for the food arriving. Carolina still gave him a look while he stuck his tongue out at her. Meanwhile, South and Maine were talking...quietly? No one had noticed their conversation and it threw Della for a loop.

        Her job was to match things up and those two would've never been one of her picks. From what she'd observed, Maine was quiet and reserved even though he towered over most. However, South was a short-circuit spitfire even though she was, well, shorter than most. Despite that, they had held a conversation while everyone else had been chattering over top of them.

How...interesting?

"Anyway, Miss Gene-Lady? What's it like making things hook up for a living?" York asked, drawing her out of her thoughts again.

        Carolina's fork clattered to the plate as she glared at him yet again. Della didn't know how to answer his question. The why do you do what you do or what's it like questions always scared her because, well, she didn't know. As for knowing what it's like, she couldn't tell them because she'd never had another job to compare it to. The why questions mostly haunted her thoughts while she was alone.

Why did she do something that seems odd to everyone else?

Well, you've always been an outcast, that's why. You deserve to have a job that fits that too. Besides, do you think he actually cares? He wants one thing and you know that getting to know you is only a front to that.

"I'll be back," she said quickly, pushing away from the table.

As she walked off to the bathroom, it left everyone at the table glaring at York.

"Was that not a good first impression?"

___________________________________________________________________________________

(Disclaimer: I do not own the Red VS Blue characters, they are owned by the lovely people at RoosterTeeth :))