It would have been more appropriate to offer a hug, ask how he’s been and at most? Offer a kiss on the cheek and to buy him a beer. That’s what old lovers did, right? When faced with each other after so long, it was meant to be chaste, unassuming and the norm. If only she was capable of such a thing..<br/><br/>The way his body stiffened and face flinched when she took what, used to be, was her rightful place on his lap, Mau caught that. And for a second the girl felt regret for having done such a thing. Was she so naive that she didn’t understand all the ways that war could change a man? Maybe she was. Ryan was just lucky that she was medicated and under the influence. The prescription pills she began taking some two years ago kept her haphazardly balanced, the coke lightened what would be her grim mood without it. This was Maureen leveled.<br/><br/>Her fingers pulled away from his face, barely an inch, and hovered instead. Seemingly embarrassed, her chin tilted down and Mau could feel the heat that began in her breast bone creep up her neck before it settled in a blush on her cheeks. There was a passing thought to apologize, “I didn’t..I’m--” She stammered, but when he didn’t show anymore adversary than what he briefly had, her ajar mouth with the words<i>I’m sorry </i>dangling from it closed. The somersaults in her belly turned from excitement to nervousness, and a thin sheen of sweat made her forehead glisten. No, she wasn’t entirely stupid to really believe that nothing had changed.<br/><br/>It was just… She just wanted to pretend for a minute that it hadn’t.<br/>Babygirl did like her games and that’s why she didn’t consider, or bother asking, if he had<i>someone</i>. A wife, couple kids maybe. In all honesty, even if she had considered such a notion, she still would’ve done exactly what she just did. In Mau’s head, all he’d been doing for all this time was<i>kill-kill-kill </i>in the asshole of the earth.<br/><br/><i>I’m done being a soldier Mau</i><br/>That chin lifted and her fingers once again molded to his jawline that was much stronger than she remembered it being. A breathy chuckle shook her dainty shoulders, it sounded like relief, but that song didn’t last long. She wanted to know why his hands stayed off of her, would’ve taken it upon herself to lead them by his wrists on to her hips but Mau made no such movement since he was speaking blasphemy again;<i>But I’m not coming back to Southie. </i>Her arms went loose and spread out, a gesture that said look the fuck around, and her brows pinched together. One lower than the other and forehead lines deepening,<br/><br/><i>I stopped by Boston because Jackson…. </i><br/>And<b>that</b>is<b>all</b>she heard, whatever else came out of his mouth directly after was all static noise, “Oh,<i>Jackson</i>--” Not her.<i><b>Stupid</b></i>. She smirked a scoff, dropped her hands in her lap then decided against that and reached behind her for that trusty countertop, and scooted her ass back an inch - drawing in on herself. Suddenly awash with a kinda self conscious she hadn’t felt in a long damn time, Mau picked being angry, because that emotion was less uncomfortable and it wouldn’t let that burn behind her eyes increase.<br/><br/>Her head kept nodding, absently, but she wouldn’t look at him, “Perspective?” She mulled that word over and sniffed, letting herself slide backwards until her toes could touch the floor, “My worlds big enough, Ryan--” She ground out, “Fit to<i>fucking</i>burst.” Which insinuated there wasn’t no room for him in it. Yea, she was pouting in her own way, and wanted to childishly hurt his feelings. If memory served her right that was no easy feat; the bastard. It didn’t matter how right and logical he was about it all, Mau was too blindsided by him keeping in contact with Jackson.<i>Fucking Jackson!</i>While she…<br/><br/>Maureen went to turn away and leave. Knowing full well her foul mood wouldn’t suit him and was  very unbecoming of her. But as always, biting her tongue only went so far, so she turned back to face him giving no fucks to the looky-loos in the bar who suddenly weren’t so interested in the Sox recap, “What’d ya do Ry?” She smiled, but it looked more like a sneer, “Fuck up while playin’ G.I Joe?” Oh yea, she was taunting. Picking. For what? Who even knew, “Getcha unit killed? Rack up the collateral damage… So ya come back here to play<i>fetch</i>for Jack a while? Conveniently stop by here<i>just to tell me</i>to get some perspective?” Her head shook like she was sorely disappointed in him, or maybe like she was disgusted by him, and as always found a way to twist it around as if it was always about her. She had a nack for that, even if he’d proven she was not the center of his universe, “How’s that big world fairin’ you now?”<i><b>Shell shocked motherfucker. </b></i>