Title: It's Complicated
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Blue Skies
Pairing/Characters: Jake, Tamara
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 526
Prompt: for the writerverse picture prompt:
a pic from deviant art available here
Summary: After an afternoon out walking, Jake and Tamara have a discussion that comes back to the same two topics they're always concerned with, her love life and her gift.
Warnings: None

Tamara sat on the bench and Jake took the seat opposite her. The sun was beginning to set and the temperature was dropping. She pulled her coat tighter around her.

"Here, this'll warm you up," Jake said, rooting about in his rucksack and producing a flask.

"Tea?" Tamara asked, rubbing her hands together to warm them.

"No. Tea can get a bit…what's the word? Stewed. Black coffee keeps best, but I know you like your coffee with milk."

He'd been paying attention. It was a small thing and yet it made her smile.

"So what is it?"

"Hot chocolate. Hot and chocolatey and milky," he promised. The outer top of the flask was a cup and he pulled another plastic cup from the bag. Steam rose from the flask as he opened the lid. He carefully poured the chocolate into both cups. "No squirty cream or marshmallows though. Sorry."

"That's fine. Thank you." Tamara clutched the plastic cup in her hands. The brown, slightly purplish liquid, smelt delicious. "I've never known a man drink hot chocolate before."

Jake sipped at his drink. "What, it's a girl's drink?"

"I didn't say that. Mi-"

He stared at her for a long moment. "Did you enjoy the walk?" he asked at last.

She nodded. "It was lovely." The riverside trail had given her the chance to see lots of wildlife, and being outside in the sun had been pleasant. Being in Jake's company had been enjoyable. She'd caught herself the first time but now Miles's name slipped from her lips without her conscious desire as she said, "Miles doesn't enjoy walking."

Jake looked away, over the gently running water of the river.

"I'm sorry," Tamara said quickly. "I know you don't like it when I talk about him."

Jake shook his head. "I just don't understand," he said. "You never have anything nice to say about him. Why are you with him? Why have you stayed with him so long?"

She shrugged. "It's complicated." Mostly she just wasn't ready to be that honest with him yet. It scared her a little, how right being with Jake felt. Miles had been a part of her life for several years, and if she was going to leave him then jumping straight into another relationship was not what she'd ever intended.

If it was true that she only said negative things about Miles then perhaps, subconsciously, she was preparing herself to leave him.

"I don't mean to complicate things," Jake said, breaking into her reverie. "I just...I thought you needed some time out, in the fresh air."

So they weren't going to talk about her love life anymore. Okay. Tamara wasn't disappointed if he wanted to change the subject.

"I know we're putting pressure on you," he began, another potentially sensitive subject, but she shook her head. She took a swallow of hot chocolate, and licked at the corners of her mouth.

"I'm all right. You and Michael and Rae have all been so patient. I'm not used to that." She took another drink, worried that Miles would end up on her lips otherwise. At least the chocolate was warm and sweet.