madhavi

Once the pair had entered the apartment there was only silence that followed after them. If there was one thing Madhavi excelled at? It was disappearing. But currently? In this situation, in this apartment, she wasn't going to be successful short of ditching them all together.

And truth be told she wasn't ready to do that just yet.

But blending? Blending she could do. Despite the shock, despite the nerves, despite the feelings... she could fade as much as any person could while work was being done at their residence. And so she did.

Not looking at Tetradore, admittedly, helped. Instead she ghosted on the outskirts of the main room, leaving the hallway and the examination of vents and thermostats free of her presence. She ended up sitting at the far end of the sectional, hands tucked between her knees as she stared out the window. It hardly offered a view worth looking at... but then again she didn't really need it to. Her gaze was so far away that Madhavi didn't even notice the ostentatious looking sports car parked down below or the occasional glance given from her 'guests'. Their talking was merely a hum in the background of a troubled mind, her expression mirroring her torn concentration as she very slowly attempted to collect herself.

He didn't recognize her. As much as that stung she was also grateful. She knew, deep down, how much damage she must have caused. It was so, so long ago and yet the guilt she felt was as fresh as if it'd happened yesterday. Madhavi briefly closed her eyes, fingers moving to press against her lips. She hadn't meant to-- she didn't have a ch.... But it didn't matter. What mattered now was figuring out how to cause the least amount of disruption to his life now that she was back. The answer was simple, really, when she broke it down to the core of it all, except this time there wouldn't be anyone for him to miss. One text to her Uncle would solve it all; one little I changed my mind and she could be gone in hours if not sooner.

The grumbling voice of Tetradore immediately pulled her thoughts from the depths and she turned to look up at him, the cell phone she hadn't realized she'd pulled out quickly going black. His apology and explanation was short and to the point and Madhavi offered the same with the smallest of understanding nods, doing her best to keep the air of unfamiliar tenant. It was easier than she expected until his name rang through the apartment and made her stomach churn with a confirmation she didn't want but needed.

Tetradore.

She felt sick. Thankfully, the two were kept busy long enough for Madhavi to gather her wits. Despite the many other things that might have made her cheeks burn at a time like this... the warmth in the apartment truly did not help. Even after the bulk of her feelings had contorted into a tight ball in the pit of her stomach, her cheeks remained lightly flushed as if she had gone out running in a sweater.

Madhavi finally pushed to a stand, fingers wringing the ends of her sweatshirt until those fingers poked out and began to fiddle absently with her rings instead. The door closed as Ryan left and Madhavi shook her head in silent protest, gesturing after him to Tetradore with sincerity in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to fix it tonight," she lied. The rest was true, though! "Really. You can go too. It can wait until..." The slightest pause because she knew it didn't matter. "Whenever." Where was he going to get a new thermostat right now, anyways? A him-problem to figure out, she supposed.

Madhavi only lingered in his proximity a second longer before quietly plodding her way over towards the ladder Ryan had used earlier, starting her attempt to collapse and shuffle it back into the utility closet herself.