By the time the pair got back to the house, Jessica was already up and about. Their chatter out in the hallway seemed to have thrown a wrench in any plans she had of getting back to sleep and she was already deep into a plate of the breakfast Mallory laid out when they return. Lunch goes much the same as the previous night's meal. Despite the rough edges, it's not hard to see that Mallory likes to talk. Out here with few others to chat with,
#Mallory'sHomestead – September 28, 2019
she seems to be enjoying the strangers' visit, sharing old stories of her time back on Earth. It seems she was quite a drifter in her younger years. Traveling all across Earth before motherhood forced her to pump the brakes. Even then it seems her little family lived a bit of a nomad lifestyle. But all paths eventually led right here. To a cozy homestead, miles from anyone else out on some random planet in the middle of the Terminus. And for all
of the ups and downs. All of the heartaches and heartbreak. All of the regrets and the pain. It doesn't seem like there's anywhere else in the galaxy she'd rather be right now than right here living a simple life with her grandson and Malek, both of whom she seems to adore.
Mallory escorts the pair out to the truck carrying a tupperware container full of leftover breakfast and what remains of the previous night's meat-and-veggie rice meal. "Now, if the two of you run into any vehicle trouble or anything of the sort, you just go ahead and call, understand? Trace and Mal aren't likely to be back for a few days still, but I could-..." she glances off down the way towards the house that was lit up the night before
giving a small nod, "...I'll get someone out your way to lend a hand. So don't be idiots and freeze to death out there, just call." she insists, having made sure to trade contact info. "I'm not sure how likely you are to get a signal out there, but-... I'm sure you could figure somethin' out."
Jessica seems to actually be in higher spirits than usual, a nice shower, a good night's sleep, and a couple of home cooked meals doing a lot to chase away some of the fatigue. That ridiculous hat, unfortunately, is right back on her head, sunglasses perched atop it. Sporting a fresh pair of grey cargo pants, this is probably the cleanest she's been in days. She merely hums what sounds like an affirmation at Mallory's suggestion, more
focused on making a quick check to ensure that the tarp on the back of the truck is still held down with the heavy winds out here.
Yan Sun is, likewise, in good spirits, re-energized by a night's respite from being on the road. It's pretty obvious that she's enjoyed listening to Mallory's stories. As they head outside she nods a couple times in response to the insistence, a small grin crossing her lips. "If we run into trouble, we'll call." she assures as she turns to face Mallory while Jessica checks the tarp. "Thank you again for letting us stay, and the food, and
just... yeah. Thanks." she says with a slightly embarrassed half-laugh, flashing a smile. She's once more wrapped up in full winter wear, hands stuffed into her pockets.
Mallory furrows her brow beneath her thick, blue beanie, waving Yan Sun's appreciation away once more. "Don't mention it. Was nice to have a little life in the house." she assures through her smile. "And if you're lookin' for a place to lay your head on your way back just-... well, I ain't goin' anywhere." she snickers. It sounds like more than just a polite offer. Maybe even a bit hopeful. Her smile grows a bit and she shrugs it away.
"Oh-..." she hums, seeming to realize the container in her hand, gaze lowering to it as she extends it towards Yan Sun. "Gotta work on puttin' a little meat on those bones." she teases, "Besides, I couldn't have you two leavin' me worried about how you're gonna find a meal." she sighs.
Jessica finishes checking up on the tarp and hops off of the wheel well where she was perched, giving the thighs of her pants a quick pat. "Mine." she interrupts, snatching the tupperware container away before Yan Sun gets a chance. "She has noodles, yes kitty cat?" she asks, turning a smug look Yan Sun's way for confirmation.
Yan Sun 's smile grows a little with the offer, and she seems about to say something in response when her attention is drawn to the food. Mallory's comment elicits a slightly embarrassed snicker. She barely has time to open her mouth to express her appreciation before her traveling companion/walking vacuum snatches the container up, causing her shoulders to drop a little in defeat, lowering the hand that had started to reach for the food. "I
Mallory shoots Jessica a bit of a lighthearted glare. "More than enough for both of you in there." she says.
Jessica makes a show of considering the older woman's words. "Mmm. I will think about it." she taunts Yan Sun, gaze fixed to her and a big dumb smile on her face.
Mallory gives a small snicker and a shake of her head. "Well, it sounds like the two of you got a bit of a ride ahead of you, so I ain't gonna keep you any longer. Just-... be safe out there. Alright?"
Yan Sun returns Jessica's look with a roll of her eyes, trying to suppress the smirk tugging at her lips. When Mallory speaks her attention is drawn back to her and she nods yet again. "We will". she promises with a small smile, tugging at the strap of her backpack a little.
Jessica remains in place for a moment, simply giving Mallory's words a small nod. She actually doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get back on the road. Once they leave it's all cramped quarters and nature. But after a few moments, she gives Yan Sun a quick slap on the ass with her free hand and extends the tupperware container towards her for her to take. "Let's get going, Gel'by." she says, dumb smile only growing.
Mallory gives another little snicker. "I don't know how you deal with her shit." she offers sympathy Yan Sun's way, "If I was stuck in that thing with her?" she continues, gesturing towards the truck with a nod, "...I'd have to kick her ass."
Yan Sun jumps slightly, a bit of a blush spreading across her face, her expression halfway between flustered and annoyed as she lets out a grumble. "Believe me, I've been tempted..." she mutters, but she's terrible at keeping the smile from her lips. She eyes the container suspiciously before reaching out to grab it, as if expecting Jessica to yank it away at any moment.
Jessica seems, as usual, amused by Yan Sun's annoyance. As expected, she does pull the container back out of Yan Sun's reach, smile growing slightly. But they really do need to get going, so she quickly hands over the container once she's had her fun. "What you are talking about? Mmm?" she asks through her grin, "You loooove my shit, kitty cat." she insists. "Besides, she could not kick my ass if she tried." she adds, seeming quite
Mallory remains quiet, small smile in place as she watches the pair dig at each other. Jessica's insistence just garners an exasperated puff of air from the old woman.
Yan Sun 's smile grows a little upon acquiring the food, the quiet, slightly flustered snort that slips out her only response to Jessica's assertion. She grabs the handle for the truck door, tugging it open and climbing onto the step before turning back towards Mallory. "Thanks again." she says with a small shake of the container in her hand, seemingly unable to keep from expressing her appreciation again. Especially with how chaotic their
Mallory merely raises one gloved hand in response to Yan Sun's appreciation to wave her off, smile growing ever so slightly. "You two have a good trip." she says. She starts to turn away before something seems to occur to her and she looks back their way, pointing towards Yan Sun. "Remember that there's a whole hell of a lot of galaxy out there! Gotta get out there before you know which corner is yours to start carvin'." she offers, gaze
Jessica gives Yan Sun a little bump with her hip to get her moving. When Mallory speaks up, specifically seeming to address her, her smile slips away and she sucks in her lips. But a bit of that usual edge seems to be missing, perhaps disarmed by the temporary sanctuary provided by the old woman. Or maybe just by the kindness. She merely gives a small, almost timid nod of her head. But when Mallory starts to walk away, Jessica is quick
Mallory draws in a deep breath in fake annoyance as she swivels back Jessica's way. "I already gave ya some food. Haven't you two been a pain in my ass long enough?" she jokes.
Jessica furrows her brows as she pulls her omni-tool free. "Shut up and smile so I can take a picture, you mean old bitch." Jessica fires back as she quickly gets to lining things up in the interface.
Mallory is unable to hold back the small smile, though a brief look of discomfort crosses her wrinkled old face and she brings one arm across her midsection. She shifts a few times, unsure of what she should be doing before settling on a more natural reaction. She flips Jessica the bird with her free hand and holds it.
Jessica's grin returns and she snaps the picture, studying it on the holographic display for a moment as she returns the gesture with her free hand. Seemingly satisfied with the picture, she closer the interface and stows the device away. She doesn't thank Mallory. Showing appreciation isn't particularly her style. But she does offer the old woman an uncharacteristically soft smile before she starts around to the driver's side, throwing
Yan Sun remains where she is, hanging out of the open truck door as she watches the exchange with a big smile, well aware that this is outright friendly by Jessica's standards. The mutual flipping off elicits a laugh. As Jessica heads back to the truck she takes a seat, leaning out to give Mallory a wave with a mitten-clad hand, calling out a "Goodbye!"
The old woman returns to her porch where she had just shoved a gun in the pairs' faces merely the night before to watch while the truck departs, returning the younger woman's wave for as long as she can comfortably manage. That small, restrained smile remains visible on her wrinkled face for as long as she's in focus in the rearview mirror. But, eventually, she fades from view. And, with her, the small structures of the isolated little
South-west bound, their destination is a small waypoint at the coast in the form of a pulsing blue dot on the holographic map that's displayed on the dashboard. The small red dot that represents their own position lurches ever closer, but there's no chance that they'll be able to reach it by nightfall. Especially given their late start.
The shift away from the heavy snow continues the further south-west they get and the temperature grows more mild. The white dunes of almost sand-like snow they were forced to traverse back east are little more than a memory the closer they get to the coast. The occasional snow little more than crunchy slush amidst the wet climate. The mostly-flat plains gradually grow into rougher terrain, necessitating a slower pace. The strong winds can
sometimes be felt even in the rugged truck's cabin, rocking the pair inside. Even the usually-reckless Jessica seems to think twice about pushing into the night. It would only take one wrong turn in the dark of night to end up in a steep ditch or with a jagged rock formation digging into the underside of the truck. Unfortunately, it means another night in the cramped truck.
Jessica did away with her jacket shortly after they set out from the farm. The sunglasses have been set aside but, unfortunately, that ridiculous hat seems to have become a fixture for her. She's probably just mostly hoping that it annoys Yan Sun. She can't possibly like it... right? Having decided it was her turn to control the music, some throaty, batarian music, local to the Terminus, fill the cabin as the truck lurches to a stop
and she gives an almost painful-sounding groan as she arches her back and pulls a face while she stretches. "Is as good of a place to stop as anywhere else, yes?" she suggests as she peers out through the darkness that hides everything outside of the truck's headlights.
Yan Sun 's good mood has been quite persistent throughout the day. It's much easier to deal with being cooped up in a truck after having the chance to get clean and get a nice, long rest in a comfortable bed. There's been a different softness in the looks she's shot Jessica too. She's varyingly entertained herself by fiddling with her omni-tool, studying their surroundings, or chatting with Jessica. She seems more amused than anything by the
impressively fluffy hat. She's currently curled up against the door, having rebuilt a little pillow and blanket nest for herself after two nights outside the truck. Her gaze travels the dark surroundings, the night feeling a whole lot more oppressive without the fields of snow to brighten things up. The harsh winds and the increasingly uneven terrain hasn't done anything to help the hostile impression of the area. "Guess so..." she
says quietly, with the tone of someone that has no clue. She keeps looking out at the dark, trying to make out details.
Jessica has, likewise, been in a pretty positive mood. Even when the terrain seemed to try throwing everything it could in their way. The shift between light snowfall and freezing rain caused more than a couple times where they were nearly stuck. But, aside from a flurry of expletives in a number of languages, she's mostly maintained that mood she left the farm with. She reaches out to shut down her omni-tool and merely peers out the
front windshield for a few moments, forearms resting against the large steering wheel of the truck. There's a few trees in front of them. It was what initially caused Jessica to stop. They're too tightly packed together to go between, but too close to the front of the truck to go around without backing up. That sort of thing can creep up on you in the dark. So that's a 'Tomorrow Jessica' problem now. Beyond the headlights is
nothing but darkness. The clouds in the sky are doing a good job at keeping Litae's light at bay. She draws in a breath and exhales before turning off the headlights and shifting to face Yan Sun, bringing one leg up onto the seat in the process. She leans an elbow against the back of the seat to prop her head up as she watches the woman in the blanket nest, smirk crossing her features, tired from a day at the wheel.
Yan Sun 's attention shifts when she feels Jessica's gaze on her, looking her way. The smirk brings out a small smile, one leg leaving the blanket, extending to give her a prod. "What?" she asks through a growing grin, tilting her head a little as she studies her in turn.
Jessica shakes her head against the fist propping it up. "You look stupid." she offers softly, smirk remaining.
Yan Sun 's eyebrows rise a little, her gaze darting up towards Jessica's hat. "I look stupid?" she says with a skeptical look, before a smirk breaks out. "At least I'm comfy!" she exclaims, pulling her leg back and curling up in her corner for emphasis, a smug look on her face as she she buries half of it against the pillow she's pinned against the backrest.
Jessica furrows her brow in offense as Yan Sun takes a shot against her stolen hat. Of course she can't get defensive after having mocked Kirill over it, or else it might give away the fact that she does, in fact, like the hat! "I make this look good." she says, reaching up with her other arm to adjust the dumb hat.
Yan Sun lets out a snicker, her smile returning as she studies Jessica in silence for a moment. "You do." she agrees, the big grin that accompanies the words carrying a mix of amusement and affection, her gaze just lingering on Jessica as she studies her from across the seat, expression soon growing soft and thoughtful. She does look a little goofy all wrapped up in blankets and curled up, hood up too.
Jessica shifts a bit heavier against her hand, smirk widening. She seems to be in no rush to move, the long drive having sapped some of the energy from her. "Mmm." she agrees with Yan Sun's agreement. A few moments pass before she finally straightens up and begins the slow, lazy process of removing her boots so she can get comfortable.
Yan Sun , having spent most of the day lounging about in the truck, is a bit more energized, although her cozy little nest has her feeling lazy regardless. Her gaze shifts to the window, the dark outside causing a frown to cross her face, less-than-eager to brave the harsh winds and dark terrain. But she's going to have to before turning in for the night. She suddenly really misses all that turquoise. Caught in limbo, she just eyes the
Jessica just lets her boots thump to the floorboard once she has finished with them and lets out a satisfied sigh. She scoots over closer to the center and turns back to Yan Sun, once more lifting one leg onto the seat. She joins her in watching the darkness outside the window, cheek pressed against the backrest. "Only some more hours and we will be there." she says in little more than a tired whisper.
Yan Sun 's attention is turned back to Jessica, studying her with faintly furrowed eyebrows, trying to discern how she's feeling about that. "Yeah...?" she asks softly, having figured as much from her last glimpse of the map. "Tomorrow's it, then?"
Jessica gives a few small nods of her head, gaze remaining fixed on the darkness beyond the window. "I am thinking, yes." she says, not really giving much away.
Yan Sun seems unsure what to say. She has questions about what exactly they're doing, but they seem pointless. She's understood enough, and she doesn't want to shatter the good mood that's lingered throughout the day. It feels all too fragile, the ghosts that haunted their night by the monument still lurking just out of view. For a moment her thoughts go to the ocean they're approaching, and to Jessica's words about going there with Martin.
For a moment it's two months ago and she's in a cramped room talking about 'fishies' with a woman she'd just met. A woman who she'd decided to share a room with. A woman who, despite pushing everyone else away had decided to show her the still-fresh wounds that plagued her, the smoldering ruins of her life. Yan Sun swallows, remaining silent as she studies Jessica, but she unravels her cocoon a bit, scooting closer and placing a
Jessica remains silent, eye scanning the blackness beyond the window. Mind somewhere else for the moment. While Yan Sun's thoughts are months away, her own are much further back. To the first time she made this trip. 'This trip'. It's not like this journey she's been on with Yan Sun has had much in common with the first time she went out west. Wasn't the same path. Or the same company. Or truck. They didn't make the same stops. She's
not even sure if she'll be able to find their destination. Miles and miles and miles of coast. The hand that comes to rest on her leg pulls her back from her thoughts, tired smile resting on Yan Sun for a moment as she adjusts her cheek against the backrest. She brings her other leg onto the seat as well, shifting about to get more comfortable. Her hand moves overtop Yan Sun's, the rough texture of her scarred palm coarse but
familiar but her attention shifts right back to the window and silence persists as she sorts through her thoughts.
Yan Sun continues to study Jessica in silence for a while, watching her distant expression. She shifts her hand a little to give Jessica's a squeeze, and breaks the silence with a softly spoken: "What's on your mind?" Just a gentle prod to see if she wants to talk.
Jessica's lip curls back into a smirk when Yan Sun speaks up. Just briefly before falling away again. A small shake of her head- cheek remaining pressed against the backrest- and a tired uttering of: "Nothing." is her only response at first, seemingly content with just watching out the window in silence for now. But that only lasts for another minute or so. "I have only thirteen years the first time that I shoot somebody." she offers,
seemingly out of nowhere, her single brown eye turning away from the window to seek out Yan Sun's face for just a moment before turning back to the window. "Did I ever tell you this...?" she asks. Of course she knows the answer to that is no. She's never told anyone this.
Yan Sun blinks, the surprise clear on her face, and in the quiet breath she draws in. It obviously wasn't what she expected. She doesn't seem quite sure how to react, licking the roof of her mouth as her eyebrows furrow slightly. She shifts a little, sitting up a bit, gaze never leaving Jessica's face. "No..." she says in a whisper, a faint shake of her head accompanying the word. Her expression is harder to read now. Focused. Waiting for
Jessica swallows, brows furrowing momentarily as she sucks in her lips, running her tongue along them as she continues to peer out at the darkness and what little is illuminated by the small amount of Litae's light that peeks out through the clouds every now and then when everything lines up perfectly. "Martin-... he has this friend, yes?" she asks, eyes tilting Yan Sun's way, too lazy to turn her entire head. "Raul." She falls silent
for a few moments before shrugging her shoulders. "They were friends since we first move to Adrasteia. His family was from Earth, too. Him and Martin were very close..." she trails off as her thoughts undoubtedly turn to the person in question. Seemingly realizing that she's allowed an awkward silence to settle in she draws in a shallow breath and shifts in place. "But one day some people come into Adrasteia. Some asshole drug
dealers from Omega. Think that they are going to push everyone around. You know this type, yes kitty cat?" she asks, attention finally turning back to Yan Sun.
Yan Sun listens closely to Jessica, remaining silent. She shifts a little, left hand pressing against her mouth as she uses it to support her head. That focused look remains. Jessica's question prompts the faintest of nods, her attention never wavering.
Jessica gives a few knowing nods, gaze once more turning to the window before continuing. "I remember Martin was very worried. He was supposed to be the only asshole drug dealer on our block." she explains, a short, tired snicker accompanying her words but the smile quickly fades from her face as she continues with her story. "He was even more worried when Raul join with them. I guess he think-... thought-..." she corrects, bowing
her head to herself slightly as she does, "...that he can make more credits with them. So he stopped hanging out with Martin. I remember-..." she swallows, eyes narrowing briefly as she nods to herself, distancing her emotions from the story, "...he was very sad." She falls silent once more as she sifts through the chain of events. "One day, Raul came to where we live. I guess Martin owe him a few credits or-... something, I
don't fucking know." she continues, not finding the details all that important. "Maybe he is thinking that he can impress his new friends, but Martin did not have the credits for paying so he-... he hit Martin." she explains, looking down to Yan Sun once more. She purses her lips, lifting her free hand to give a half-hearted, lazy little punch at the air for emphasis.
Yan Sun once again nods faintly. She doesn't say a word, shifting a little uneasily against the backrest as her gaze scans across Jessica's face.
Jessica draws in a breath through her nose before continuing. "And then he climb on top of Martin and-... hit him again. And again. And-..." she licks at her drying lips, "...I know where Martin keeps his gun so I run to our room and get it and-..." she falls quiet, assuming it goes without saying that she shot Raul. "I hit him right here." she says, giving the top of her thigh a lazy pat, her palm making a dull slapping sound against
the fabric of her pants in the otherwise-silent truck. "Martin jumped up, screaming for me to stop-..." The memory causes her to bite down for a moment, once more trying to distance herself from the emotions tied to it. Thankfully- or perhaps unfortunately- she has plenty of experience in that regard. "Our father was-..." she shakes her head, "...I don't know. Off doing whatever he does. And our mother was with a friend.
Martin-..." she once again slaps her hand against her thigh, pressing tightly against it. "...try to stop the bleeding and say to me to call our father so I-..." another shake of her head as she decides against going into every little detail. "Our father hurried home. He even borrow a truck from his friend so that we can get Raul to someone for help but-... I guess I hit his-... the-... this fucking shit...?" she struggles for a
moment, furrowing her brow as she pats her thigh a few times as the word 'artery' escapes her. "So-... so he is already dead by the time that I get off the call with our father." she explains, her words colored by that usual impersonal tone of hers that has probably come to be expected by this point. Like she's telling a story that she heard rather than retelling a traumatic experience.
Yan Sun swallows hard, hand rubbing across the lower half of her face as she listens, a hint of a disturbed look entering her focused frown. She closes her eyes as Jessica confirms what happened, head lowering a little and drawing a long breath. Once her eyes open, her mouth does too, beneath her hand, but no words come, and it closes quickly again as she finds herself speechless in the face of Jessica's story.
Jessica draws a breath in, releasing it with an almost non-chalant shrug despite the obvious trouble behind her eyes. "My mother has this old rug in the living room that she is always wanting to replace but we never have the credits to waste on a new one." she recalls, a small, almost fond smile accompanying her words as she recalls her mother's disdain for that beat up old rug. But her smile once again dissipates as she continues to
speak. "When our father got home, he helped for us to wrap Raul up in it and-... and we take him out of town and leave him. For the animals. So that nobody will know." she explains, looking back to Yan Sun as if to make sure she's following. It's impossible for her not to think of Lucas. Another of Martin's friends who saw the same end. Left in the middle of nowhere for people to wonder what happened to him while wild animals
feed on his corpse. Wasn't exactly the most rare of endings for people in Adrasteia. Especially those involved with the sort of people Jessica hung out with. The area surrounding the violent city is probably a grave to countless people who have disappeared throughout the years. "And mother-... We clean everything up and buy for her a new rug. When she came home she was so happy..." she once again falls silent, gaze dropping
slightly as she runs the tip of her tongue back across her dry lips as she recalls the discussion their father had with them about the importance of not letting their mother know what had happened. Despite it being more than ten years ago, she remembers nearly every word. "Martin could barely even look at me after this, kitty cat." she continues, a slight crack in her voice the first real hint of any emotion behind her words.
Yan Sun 's face seems like it's been frozen in that faint, intense frown, just listening. Her hand leaves her mouth, moving uneasily to her neck, and along her chin, before falling away. Her mouth feels dry and she sucks in her lips, licking them as she just keeps listening.
Jessica takes a moment before continuing. "And then, one day, he just say to me that him and his friends are going on a trip and asks if I want to go with." she explains, giving a slightly embarrassed glance Yan Sun's way. "I remember thinking that maybe he is going to kill me." she recalls with a small snicker and a shake of her head at how ridiculous that seems in hindsight. "So the first night when we stop to camp I say to him-...
Do you hate me for what I do to Raul?" she recites, adding an almost defiant tone to her words that makes it sound as if thirteen year old Jessica was probably just as blunt as she is now. "And he say to me-..." she swallows as she finds herself choked up by her own emotion. Not a common occurrence. It's an almost immediate reaction to the memory that digs in deep. She gently clamps her teeth down on the tip
of her tongue as a few tears attempt to make their escape but she's quick to lift her cheek from the backrest and wipe them away before they can get very far. The sudden emotional reaction seems unexpected even to her, prompting her to turn away slightly in embarrassment, leaving Yan Sun with a view of the burned side of her face, silhouetted in the dark. "...He say to me-... How I can hate you? You are my
sister, Jessie." she recalls, gaze fixed on a random point on the dashboard to avoid looking Yan Sun's way. "And so I ask to him then why he can barely even look at me. And he say to me-... Is because he let me down." she continues, brow furrowing slightly as she considers that for a moment. "That he is my older brother and it is his job to protect me. That I should never have to do something like that. That he-... he
failed me." She falls quiet once more, hand reaching up to the unseen side of her face to wipe at it.
Yan Sun 's gaze falls away briefly as the connection between the story and their destination becomes clear, but soon her eyes are back on Jessica. The sudden emotion in her voice cuts right through her restrained frown, blinking hard and swallowing as she watches Jessica. Her left hand seeks out Jessica's right again, giving it a firm squeeze as she studies the burned side of her face, struggling to find words.
Jessica's gaze turns downward, curling her fingers around Yan Sun's hand and she studies their intertwined hands in silence for a moment. A couple more stray tears threaten to slip free and she dabs at her eye with the palm of her hand a few times before they do. "...It was a good trip." she says softly, willing the emotion out of her voice with little success which causes her to remain quiet for a bit longer. There's a nakedness that
has slipped into her words that she doesn't often show. That she so often seems to go out of her way to hide. "I... keep wondering if this is what Martin is thinking of when Cross' people come for us..." she admits, tilting her head ever so slightly to peer Yan Sun's way. "If he was-... If he thought that he is making up for-..." she trails off, giving Yan Sun's hand a small squeeze instead of finishing her sentence.
Yan Sun 's frown has changed nature, filled with emotion now as she watches Jessica. The final words causes her to swallow hard, the charred ruins flashing through her mind, but as Jessica trails off she scoots closer. "Come here..." she says in a quiet whisper, the blankets opening up and enveloping Jessica too, trying to pull her in closer.
Jessica gives a small snort- just an exhale of air without much enthusiasm behind it- as she's pulled into Yan Sun's blankets. "Don't-... I am fine, kitty cat." she assures and, for the most part, it seems to be the truth. She sniffs hard to try and expel the emotion and swallows at the lump that has built up in her throat, but there's no snarky remark. No attempt to brush aside just how much the thought stings. She blinks at the
lingering wetness in her eye and tilts her head against Yan Sun's. "This has been a good trip, too..." she adds softly.
Yan Sun offers a slight nod in acknowledgement of Jessica's assurance, but she wraps an arm around her anyway, pulling her into a loose side-hug and pressing a soft kiss against the side of her head before looking out the windshield at the dark. Her right hand has replaced her left in grasping Jessica's. The final comments causes a small smile to cross her lips. "I'm glad." she says softly, her own voice heavy with emotion.
Jessica remains in place, feet perched at the edge of the seat as she tugs the blanket around her a bit more with her free hand. She leans a little bit heavier against the kiss that's pressed against her head as she continues to watch through the windshield in silence. When Yan Sun joins her in darkness-watching, she leans her head against her shoulder. It's probably the sort of thing she'd ridicule as 'gay' if Yan Sun were to do it.
But whether it's the intimacy of sharing a slice of her past that she's kept hidden from the world or just the exhaustion of the day's long drive, a little bit of her edge seems missing tonight. "Mmm." she hums softly in agreement, shifting slightly in an effort at getting comfortable without piercing the boundary of the blanket.