December 13th. Light filters through the blinds as the digital readout on the small, holographic alarm clock on the nightstand creeps ever closer towards noon. After the past few nights roughing it, a full night in a real bed is an odd sensation. Absent were those mid-sleep sharp pains and the tossing and turning that comes with sharing a cramped sleeping space with another person. The morning's silence is interrupted only by a steady, soft,
#Mallory'sHomestead – September 24, 2019
Jessica is sprawled out, tangled in blankets and taking up as much real estate on the bed as she possibly can, face buried in a pillow. If the sudden clanking has done anything to disturb her sleep, she's doing a hell of a job ignoring it.
Yan Sun has slept for quite a while herself, relishing the chance to get a proper night's rest in a comfy bed - she's far from used to sleeping in tents and trucks, not to mention the early morning the day before. She's not exactly a morning person at the best of times. She woke up a while ago, but with Jessica still asleep and the soft, warm bed offering a cozy burrow she decided to stay where she was as the sleep slowly faded from her
mind, letting her mind wander. Thinking about the trip. About Jessica. About everything that's happened since she came to Aite. About home. Her gaze wandered too, studying the room in the natural light filtering in. The photo on the nightstand had drawn her attention for a while, her mind drifting to Mallory, Malek and Trace. By now her thoughts have returned to Jessica, and she lies silently next to her, leaving her the space she's
claimed as she runs her thumb over the burned knuckles of the hand that's ended up near her. There's a soft, thoughtful look on her face as she studies her sleeping form, although a faint smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth. The sounds from the kitchen don't seem to bother her, if anything they're a pleasant reminder of somewhere else, but they do make her realize that it might be time to get up soon.
Jessica looks far more peaceful asleep than she has any right to look. Lips parted ever so slightly as her chest slowly rises with each breath. It's not until a particularly loud clank sounds out and- hot on the heels of it- a string of expletives muffled by the thin walls that Jessica begins to stir. Brows pinch inward and her eyes slowly peel open, the dark brown of her left in sharp contrast to the white of her right. The
flower-print comforter. The bed as soft as a cloud. The pillow that her head just seems to sinks into. None of it is hers. All unfamiliar in those moments where consciousness borders on awake and asleep. But 'unfamiliar' has become the norm ever since 'familiar' was burned to the ground. The past year of her life has made her used to waking up in 'unfamiliar' places. There isn't much that you can't get used to when pushed by
circumstance. She blinks against the sleep as she meets the one familiar thing in the room. The pair of eyes looking back at her. The slit of light that's painted across her face by the blinds causes her to squint and shift the position of her head as if to hide from it by burying her face in the pillow until she's only barely able to see Yan Sun through her good eye. "What you are looking at? Mmm?" she asks in a strained
whisper. So much for 'Good morning.' The grogginess makes her usually gravelly voice sound even more coarse.
Yan Sun 's head lifts slightly from the pillow at the loud clank, and the cursing that follows, gaze darting over towards the door, but when she notices Jessica stirring her attention is right back on her. Jessica's greeting draws out a quiet snicker, her smirk manifesting fully. "You?" she replies with a raised eyebrow, her tone amused and cheery.
Jessica tightly shuts her eye against the inescapable beam of light. She pulls her left hand in to respond to Yan Sun's annoying cheeriness in the only way she deems fitting: An extension of her middle finger. She then uses her left hand to reach out and give Yan Sun's face a playful- if irritating- little shove, palm remaining pressed against her nose and lips even after the fact.
Yan Sun has just started to lean in to plant a kiss on Jessica's head when her face is shoved away, another snicker slipping out as she reaches up to grab Jessica's wrist and remove the hand from her face. She turns it over, pressing her lips against the back of her hand before pulling back. "Think it might be time to get up..." she says as she sits up, rolling her shoulders and lifting her arms as she stretches, a long yawn slipping out.
Jessica grunts against the pillow. "Fuck off." she groans. She pulls in a long, deep breath, taking in the pleasant scent of the fresh, clean pillow cover before reluctantly rolling over onto her back and blinking a few more times against the unrelenting strip of light that seems to find her face no matter how she positions herself. "What time it is?" she asks in a mutter as she looks about the room for any sense of time until finally
craning her neck lazily to peek around Yan Sun to get a look at the clock on the nightstand. She breathes out a soft "Fuuuuuck..." at the late start as her head falls back against the pillow. The sound of footfalls moving throughout the house pulls her gaze towards the door. "Is your turn to pack the shit up." she decides in a tired mutter as she tilts her gaze back to Yan Sun, once again fighting against the light which
results in her narrowing her eyelids to small slits with which to peer at Yan Sun through. Of course it's not like they've been taking turns packing things up. It took both of them to reload the truck when they left the monument. It's just an obvious excuse to keep her from having to get out of bed just yet.
Yan Sun lets out a quiet snort as her arms drop into her lap, looking down at Jessica. "Someone's in a good mood..." she mumbles, before sighing slightly and rubbing her eyes. "I'll handle it." she says after a moment, flashing a small smile as she glances down toward Jessica again, maybe feeling a bit of a need to prove that she's not just slacking off and expecting Jessica to solve everything. Reluctantly she slips out from beneath the
warm covers and hurries over to her bag to acquire some pants. She leans down to tug her jeans free from where she shoved them down amid the rest of her clothes.
Jessica allows a semblance of a smirk to tug at the corner of her lips in response to Yan Sun's mumbled statement, giving away that she might not be quite as grumpy as she let on. "Leave my toothbrush or else I will use yours." she warns as she rolls over onto her other side to continue facing Yan Sun as she comes around to the other side and begins to collect her clothes from the duffelbag on the floor beside the bed, head pressed
against the crook of her right armpit as she watches. When Yan Sun leans down, Jessica is unable to resist the urge to lean forward and reach out with her left hand, using an outstretched index finger to pluck at the waist of Yan Sun's panties to snap them against her skin. You're never too groggy to be annoying.
Yan Sun jumps slightly and shoots Jessica an amused look after retrieving her jeans, shaking her head slightly. She untangles the legs and starts to slip into them, the slim fit necessitating a little bit of tugging and wiggling. The gray hoodie goes on next, a comfortable replacement for the bed covers to keep her warm. "Sleep well?" she asks as she goes to collect their towels, furrowing her eyebrows as she wonders what she should do with
Jessica gives a groggy snicker to the reaction. Yan Sun's question prompts her to shrug against the bed and a long yawn accompanies an exaggerated stretch. "Mmm." she hums, as if reluctant to concede that coming here was a good idea. "You?" she asks as she basks in having the bed all to herself.
Yan Sun stops near the door, extending her arms wide and stretching again to add some emphasis to her "Mmmhmmm..." which turns into a yawn somewhere halfway through. "Ready to admit that I was right yet?" she asks with a smirk, leaning against the door and balling up the towels in her hands.
Jessica gives a roll of her eye. "I am ready to admit that you are about to get punched." she retorts, though she looks to be in no rush to follow through on that threat, already lazily repositioning her pillow between her head and her arm in an attempt at getting comfortable.
Yan Sun just widens her smile in response. "Riiight..." she says, not seeming all that threatened, secure in the knowledge that the bed is far too cozy for Jessica to leave it. She pushes off from the door and taps the panel, stepping out and glancing down the hall as she brings up a hand to adjust her hair, which is a bit all over the places. A trip to the bathroom is definitely needed.
As soon as the door is open, the scent of a home cooked meal rushes into the room. Mallory is at the end of the hall, already headed Yan Sun's way it seems but she comes to an abrupt stop when the younger woman emerges from the room. She's dressed in thick, dark blue pants, rugged and fit for the day-to-day that must be required to keep a farm running. The combination of a heavy duty insulated worn down brown coat she's wearing (The same one
she wore the previous night when she greeted the pair outside), beat up work boots, and a dark blue beanie seem to hint that she was preparing to head outside. It's a far cry from the nightgown she was wearing last night. She looks far less fragile. But even layers of rugged winter gear can't hide the wrinkled hands that poke out through the sleeves of her jacket.
Mallory acknowledges Yan Sun with a tired smile. "Didn't know you were up and about yet." she says. "Was tryin' to let the two of you sleep so I hope I didn't wake ya. Figured you could probably use a bit of shut-eye."
Jessica's eyes are already shutting by the time Yan Sun has stepped into the hallway. The sound of voices through the open door elicits a low groan, clearly having hoped to catch a bit more napping time once Yan Sun left the room.
Yan Sun flashes a small smile, lowering the hand that was trying to address her messy hair. "Thanks... we appreciate it." she says. The smell draws her attention and she can't help but sniff, casting a curious glance down the hall before remembering the towels in her hands, lifting them slightly for emphasis. "Uh, what should I...?"
Back atop the kitchen counter a clear container can be seen. It's filled with scrambled eggs, what looks to be bacon, and some sort of small meat patties. Classic breakfast. A note is leaned up against it. 'Breakfast. Plates are in the cabinet.' the note reads in English, with a hastily drawn arrow pointing upwards- presumably to the cabinet mounted above.
Mallory follows Yan Sun's gaze back down the hall and looks about to explain before her attention shifts to the towels in the younger woman's hands. "Oh you can just toss those old things on the floor." she says with a gesture to the open bathroom door, "I'll take care of them." Returning to her previous thought, she once more shoots a glance back to the breakfast. "I was just about to head out and wasn't sure when you'd be up and headin'
Mallory off, so-... It ain't much!" she's quick to qualify as her gaze turns back to Yan Sun, "But you're welcome to help yourselves to a meal before you set out. Can't exactly drive on an empty stomach."
Yan Sun blinks, and looks off to her side toward the bathroom, nodding a couple of times. The words that follow bring out a big grin. "Thank you so much, that's-... thanks." she's quick to blurt out, the prospect of a proper breakfast more than a little enticing. "And, uh, thanks again for letting us sleep here." she adds a little awkwardly, not very used to relying on hospitality. "I needed to get out of the truck for a night." she says, a
Mallory gives a dismissive wave at the hospitality. "Well, what's the point in havin' a spare room if you can't let a couple of complete strangers sleep in it, right?" she jokes, that smile of hers widening a bit. "Friendly bit of advice, though?" she offers unsolicited, "Next time you decide to go sneakin' around someone's house in the middle of the night? Don't be a dumbass. Give 'em a call first. Might help you keep that head on those
Yan Sun reaches up to scratch her neck, an embarrassed look crossing her face. "Uh... yeah. Sorry." she says with a flustered laugh. "Probably a good idea." she agrees with a couple of nods, gaze shifting away for a bit.
Mallory gives a quick snicker. "Ah well." she decides, as if brushing the entire ordeal under the rug, "You didn't lose your head and I didn't have to repaint the porch. So no harm done as far as I'm concerned. Hell, I'm sure I did much more idiotic shit back when I was your age." With a fond little shake of her head she slips past Yan Sun, continuing down the hall towards the back door. "But that's the beauty of youth." she continues with a
Mallory sigh as she reaches the door, bringing a hand up against the wall beside it as she glances back towards Yan Sun. "Plenty of time left for you to figure out just how damn stupid you really are." Despite using words that could most certainly be misconstrued as insulting, it doesn't seem to be intended as such. If their previous night's discussions have shown anything, it's that this is just her way. A bit coarse and blunt maybe, but
Mallory well meaning. The smile slips from her face momentarily and her brow furrows beneath her beanie as she considers something. "Ya know, I ain't sure how soon you're thinkin' of gettin' back on the road, but that one don't seem to be in no hurry." she says, lowering her voice and gesturing towards the bedroom door Yan Sun exited from with a look, implying she got a glimpse of Jessica hibernating through the open door. "You're more
Mallory than welcome to join me. I ain't gonna be out there for but a few minutes." she offers and, despite those rough edges, it sounds as though it's more than just a polite offer. "Wouldn't mind the company." she admits.
Yan Sun snickers slightly at the mention of Jessica, although she looks surprised by the offer that follows. "Oh. Uhm, yeah, sure! Just... gimme a second?" she says with a nod, pointing a thumb towards the bathroom.
Mallory gives a few knowing nods. "Yeah, of course. Take your time." she agrees, cocking a thumb to the back door. "I'll be just outside."
Yan Sun nods again and disappears into the bathroom. She doesn't take too long, and soon enough emerges with hair and teeth brushed. After a quick detour to grab her jacket, boots and beanie she emerges from the back door in search of Mallory.
In the light of day, Yan Sun is afforded a view of everything that was hidden the night before. Which is mostly... well... nothing. Just... wide open fields as far as the eye can see with the occasional tree breaking up the sightlines. The ground has a thin layer of crunchy snow overtop it, but nothing like it was back east. In many places the snow is even thin enough for grass or other plant life poke up through patches of white. The building
with the light on from the previous night is fully visible with the sun out. It's another prefab, identical to Mallory's in design, though it, too, seems to have additions built on. There's a few pieces of machinery out in the fields, but most of it seems to have been- unsurprisingly- tucked away for the winter. A large, industrial-looking warehouse with rolling doors is about sixty yards out or so. Another vestige of Maysten Industries' failed
endeavor. But it's been put to good use by Mallory and the others. There's a few other structures that dot the landscape. Prefabs with plenty of distance between them. Nothing is clumped up. Space is in abundance, so there's no reason for them to be on top of one another. Life out here is in stark contrast to the tiered structures piled on top of each other back where Yan Sun is from.
Mallory is just to the side of the door adjusting the hood of her jacket when Yan Sun joins her, using the drawstrings to give it a tight fit to help fight back the biting winds that roll through. What this area lacks in snowfall it more than makes up for with razor sharp winds. Given the proximity to the coast and the lack of any natural windbreaks nearby, it can sometimes be enough to topple a person over if they're not expecting it.
Yan Sun shivers as she's greeted by harsh winds as soon as she steps outside, quickly going to zip up her jacket and pull the mittens from her pocket. She squints against the daylight, amplified by snow, taking in her surroundings while putting the mittens on. "Brrr... this planet is too cold!" she exclaims, hugging herself a little, shoulders hunched.
Mallory adjusts her jacket for a moment before slipping her wrinkled hands into the pockets. Yan Sun's complaining garners a small snort as she starts out, glancing towards the younger woman as if expecting her to join. "If you ain't a fan of the cold, you sure chose one hell of a time to visit this part of Aite." she comments, "That why you're takin' off?" she asks, glancing Yan Sun's way as she attempts to make idle chit chat and follow up
Yan Sun snickers quietly, starting to follow next to Mallory. "I, uh... I didn't really realize how cold it was gonna be when I got here." she admits with a little shrug. "But that's not why we're leaving." she's quick to clarify. "We just, uhm..." she swallows hard, her mind inevitably drifting, to her memories of the burned out ruins of Jessica's home. To the articles and the bounty listing, and the image of the young boy that's stuck in
her head. To a snarling vorcha and a spray of blood in the snow at the dam. The tension isn't hard to spot in her face as she digs her hands into her pockets. She feels a little queasy. "...we... need a change of scenery." she says, her voice turned quiet. She sucks in her lips, gaze on the ground in front of her as she walks. "We're... headed to Earth, for now. Jessica's never been, so..." she trails off with a shrug, trying to
Mallory keeps her gaze low as she leads the way and listens. She moves without any real sense of urgency. Slow, short strides. Thin, hard snow crunching beneath her worn-in boots. There's a hulking set of equipment to the north, just waiting for the seasons to change so everyone can get back to work. Who knows what it's used for. Parts of it have been covered with tarps to protect it from the elements, tied down with bungie cords, leaving
Mallory only the large industrial wheels visible near the bottom and small peeks at parts too unwieldy to properly cover. "Aite ain't for everyone, Yan." she agrees, the sudden change in tone not lost on her as she glances Yan Sun's way. If Yan Sun had kept track of their approach the previous night, she'd know that Mallory is leading them right back the way they came. Albeit from the backside of the house. With the assistance of daylight,
the duty of the seemingly arbitrary fence that they passed the previous night is revealed. Behind it- on the side closest to them- are a number of headstones all in a row. Five. The fence seems to be in place to keep any potential late night passers-by from barreling through them. "But I think it suits me and my boys just fine. I mean, look at this." she continues, halting her walking momentarily and lifting her gaze to give a look
all around her. At the vast expanse of little more than a few structures and a whole lot of nature. Far removed from anyone else on Aite, let alone the rest of the galaxy. "Not many places back on Earth where you can get this." she explains fondly, drawing a taste of the fresh, cold air into her lungs.
Yan Sun takes to letting her gaze wander to distract herself, studying the idle machines. For a moment her gaze falls on the headstones, a slight frown entering her face, but she's distracted by Mallory's words, nodding slightly. She looks out at the horizon, the vast, open landscape stretching. Empty. Untouched. That prompts another nod and a deep breath. "Yeah..." she agrees quietly. "It's something." A faint, slightly breathless sound
accompanies the addition, continuing to look around. "Never seen anything like it before I came here." she admits. There's an undeniable awe to her tone. Despite all her complaining, and all of Jessica's dark history, Aite has grown on Yan Sun. The unforgettable sky, the towering mountains, the primal forests, the sheer space. The rugged settlements dotted amid nature. It's so very different from her home. She might feel out of
place here, but there's something undeniably appealing about the sense of freedom and adventure. And the whole planet is inexorably linked to Jessica in her mind. It's not hard to see how her home has shaped her for good and ill.
Mallory gives a few small nods. "It sure is..." she agrees, an honest fondness in her tone as she lifts her gaze to the horizon while she continues to meander back towards the fence line and the graves they protect. "But it certainly ain't for everyone." she repeats softly, the smile returning to her face as she once more turns her attention towards the ground to protect her face from the wind. "And I wouldn't fault anyone for wantin' to
steer clear of these winters." she continues in a snicker. "I ain't too sure how many more of 'em these old bones can even handle if I'm bein' honest." she says, her tone light.
Yan Sun doesn't seem quite sure what to say to that, falling silent as she follows Mallory towards the graves, a bit of awkwardness entering her face.
Mallory doesn't seem bothered by the silence that settles in as she leads the way, just enjoying the walk and occasionally glancing off towards the other structures in the distance. She slows her gait as they approach the headstones. The five stone objects are all laid out with purpose. Nothing fancy. Almost certainly locally made. Just some numbers and names with little else to distinguish them from one another. She knows right where she's
going. The headstone in the middle. 'Anne'. Her daughter. It's nestled between the headstone of Mallory's son-in-law and granddaughter. Her husband's headstone is at the end, beside her son-in-law's. There's more than enough room for her own headstone to join his one day. Space is in abundance, after all. Three generations of her family, all laid to rest right here. Mallory removes her left hand from her pocket as she approaches the
headstone, gently brushing some of the snow from the top of it. Her right hand remains tucked away and, for a moment, she just studies the unimpressive stonework. "I try to get out here each and every mornin'. Circumstances permitting, of course." she clarifies, shooting a look Yan Sun's way. Just as before, the bleak circumstances of the situation seem to be lost to time with her. Old wounds that have long since scarred over.
Yan Sun follows in silence, treading carefully as they get closer to the headstones. The simple, private cemetery is a strange sight to her. Oddly intimate. Grave space in Hong Kong ran out long ago. Cremation is mandatory these days, ashes kept in vast columbariums or scattered at sea unless you're rich enough to afford other options. A few of the old public cemeteries still stand undemolished, endless rows of identical, tightly-packed
headstones memorializing people long forgotten. Her lips turn thin as she studies the names, lingering on Anne as Mallory approaches it. She nods softly in response to her words, rooted in place. She once again seems at a loss for words - death has never had a big presence in her life. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that the death she's had the misfortune of experiencing has been that of strangers. It's loss that has
had no presence, and she finds it difficult to know how to act. So she settles for respectful silence, listening to Mallory's words.
Mallory returns to that silence momentarily as she runs her fingers over the stonework that her daily routine familiarized her with many years ago. "Nice to have a little company out here for once." she says after a moment, passing a restrained smile Yan Sun's way. And then, more silence as she uses her thumb to brush off some more stray snow. "For the longest time I blamed myself." she says, assuming Yan Sun is smart enough to keep up
without any more context. "I brought her out here. Guess I figured that maybe if I hadn't, things might've been different. That sort of thing, you know?" she asks, casting a glance to Yan Sun once more. Such an intimate detail shared with an almost complete stranger for reasons unknown. Maybe she's just lonely. Trace did say they don't get very many visitors. Or perhaps it's nostalgia brought on by the previous night's spirited
discussions. Memories of a happier time. Whatever the case may be, that scar tissue that separates her heart from the events she's describing makes it sound like she's almost talking about someone else. Or that she's just discussing facts, devoid of the emotions that accompanied them when they happened.
Yan Sun 's gaze goes briefly to Mallory before returning to the headstone, offering a soft nod, eyebrows furrowing slightly. It's obvious that she's listening even if she doesn't have anything to say.
Mallory removes her hand from the headstone, balling her hand into a fist a few times to try and stave off the chill setting in before slipping it back into her pocket. She snickers to herself and gives a shake of her head. "What am I sayin'? Of course you don't." she muses, "You're still young enough for most of your biggest regrets to be ahead of you." The thought gets a snicker out of her. "Anyway... what it took me way too long to
realize is that it just doesn't matter. Dwellin' on those kinds of questions? It doesn't do you any favors because, sometimes? Shit just happens. There doesn't need to be a reason for it. It ain't always fair. Or pretty. But sometimes it just... happens." she shrugs, as if pointing out the most obvious thing in the world. "If she hadn't come here with me, maybe my Annie would've been crossin' the street on her way to work in the city
Yan Sun lets out a quiet snort at Mallory's assessment of her, the corner of her mouth tugging upwards for a moment. That's a strange thought. The words that follow prompt a more somber look, gaze falling to the ground as she listens. She swallows and nods faintly, a quiet, slightly shaky "Yeah..." slipping out, frown returning as she focuses on the stone. Her mind inevitably goes to Jessica, of course. To the ever-present guilt she carries.
The guilt that is so very clearly eating her up inside despite her attempts to crush it under callous vitriol. Yan Sun wishes she knew how to help, how to ease some of that hurt, but... she doesn't. She feels useless when faced with Jessica's pain, but she keeps trying her best. Keeps being there. That's all she's got. Her mitten-clad hands leave her pockets and she hugs herself a little as much in response to her runaway train of
Mallory remains in place, shifting slightly as another gust of unrelenting wind blows through. "But hell if I don't miss the crap out of them." she adds softly with a snicker, well aware that probably goes without saying. But, unlike Jessica, there's no pain in admitting as much. That loss is as much a part of her as the wrinkles on her face. "They left holes in my heart. And you never really fill those holes. Not really. But-..." she draws
in a small breath, shoulders rising in a shrug of acceptance, as if it took a long time for the words that follow to really mean anything to her. For her to really accept them without the guilt they once held. "...you do move on. Because, if life has taught me anything, it's that we're a hardy sort." The smile returns to her, small and restrained on her thin lips as she looks back to Yan Sun. "People, I mean." she clarifies. "We
persevere. You take away our reason for livin' and we'll just find a new one. New reasons to get out of bed each and every day. New reasons to smile. Might not always seem that way, but-... well, you don't really know just how strong you are until you lose someone you love more than yourself, I guess." she settles on, giving a small nod to herself as if satisfied that it sums up her thoughts. Her gaze turns towards the other
headstones in the row. Her family. But soon enough it settles right back on Anne's. She brings her hand to her own lips, pressing a quick kiss against the tips of her index and middle fingers before tapping them against the headstone.
Yan Sun listens closely to Mallory's words, and it's not hard to tell that they're impactful to her as she meets the old woman's gaze. It's almost uncanny how relevant the unsolicited wisdom feels. She blinks a couple of times, a series of faint nods following. She wants to believe those words. She wants to believe that Jessica will get there too one day. That she'll let herself be happy. She doesn't seem to have found her words yet - in
fact she seems a little blindsided by how hard it hits her, grateful that Mallory's attention turns back to the headstone as she reaches up to rub at her eyes.
Mallory allows her hand to linger against the cold stone for a few moments longer before her hands slip back into the pockets of her jacket and she shifts her focus back Yan Sun's way. The emotion on the young woman's face causes her to expel a soft snort of air. "Don't you go gettin' all soft on me now." she teases. "Hell, you should count yourself lucky if you've got half as many holes in your heart as I do by the time you reach my age."
she assures. "Because that means you've loved. Means you've been loved in return. And-..." she draws in another cold breath, tone softening ever so slightly. "...let me tell you, there ain't nothin' greater in this life, Yan."
Yan Sun lets out a small, soft snicker, underlying emotion lingering in her face as she nods, a faint smile briefly crossing her lips before she sucks them in, looking for a moment like she wants to say something, but she can't quite find the words she's looking for. Instead her gaze darts back towards the house - towards Jessica - briefly before she nods in agreement with the last assertion, a quiet but sincere "Yeah..." slipping out as her
Mallory's gaze remains fixed to Yan Sun for the moment, smile growing a bit as she takes notice of the red in her cheeks. She's been around for far too long to not know what that look means. But, regardless of what it is she's pieced together from the time spent with the pair of strangers, she opts to keep her thoughts on the matter to herself. What she does or doesn't know relegated to a small, knowing smile on her face. "Well, let's get
you back inside and get some eggs in you." She gives Yan Sun a quick once over, as if assessing her. "Look like you could use a bite to eat. Anything more than a gentle gust of wind and it might carry you right off the farm." she teases, giving a small, amused snicker at her own joke as she shakes her head and starts back towards the house in those slow, short strides of hers.
Yan Sun can't help but let out a surprised laugh at Mallory's assessment, brought out of her thoughts. A grin crosses her face as she starts to follow her back, the thought of some homemade breakfast enough to make her mouth water. She keeps Mallory's pace, letting her gaze travel their surroundings a bit again on the way back.