Paige's smile wavers in the face of the emotion that begins to escape Amy, but she manages to keep a handle on it. "You don't have anything to feel bad about, Amy." she says, once again slipping into that comforting tone. It's one she wears with confidence despite the fact that she can't be much older than Amy. "Really. All of that with Earl?" she gives a small shake of her head, "To be honest, that was nothing compared to the mess I
#Traveler'sGorge – February 20, 2020
made." she admits, though the snicker that follows sounds heavy and forced despite her best attempt at masking it. Her gaze flicks down to the container of berries briefly, but she doesn't dwell on whatever thought enters her head. "So don't dwell on it too much, okay?" she says, turning her attention back to Amy. "I know that today was a rough day, but tomorrow will be better." she says, repeating her previous sentiment. The
Amy sniffles quietly as she listens to Paige, her comment about herself causing a bit of curiosity to enter her expression, although the questions that enter her head go unvoiced. The words that follow bring out a faint smile, gaze flicking away briefly as she nods a couple of times and draws in a long breath. "Yeah... I-... yeah. Thanks." she manages, smile widening a little as she looks back to Paige. There's a moment of silent
thought, eyebrows furrowing a little before she reaches over to finally grab one of the berries, popping it into her mouth. She savours it for a little while - maybe her appetite has recovered a bit, or maybe berries just have more appeal than lukewarm stew at the moment - and swallows before, with a bit of hesitation, speaking again: "How long have you been here...?"
Paige's smile seems reinforced by Amy's slight change in demeanor and she, too, plucks another berry from the container. But, when Amy voices her question, a bit of the warmth drains from her face and she stiffens up slightly. A reaction she tries to cover up by turning her focus to the container to avoid meeting the other woman's eyes. "Should be-..." she briefly furrows her brow as she considers dates before giving a small nod of
her head, "...just about four years." she says, her words soft as she begins to search for a plump berry.
Amy feels a twinge of regret as she notices Paige's reaction, her own eyes following hers to the berries, watching her pick one out. As she turns her words over in her head her eyebrows furrow a little however. "I... didn't know you guys had been here that long." she comments, momentarily distracted from her own woes as she tries to remember. "M-..." her voice falters, and she lets out a breath, the next couple of words
unsurprisingly tinged with discomfort, voice quiet: "...my father... told me this place used to be held by... bandits, or something... dangerous people, before you came and made it safe a couple of years ago." Her gaze travels back to Paige's face, studying her with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Paige removes her hand from the container as Amy speaks, merely giving her words a few soft nods. The look on her face is hard to read. Brow furrowed, as if in concentration as she stares at a random berry in the container. "Yeah..." she says softly before realizing her response might be a little too vague and giving a small shake of her head, eyes briefly closing. When they open again, she looks to Amy, propping up a small smile.
"No, we haven't-... Kirill and the others weren't here when-... they came later." she explains with a small, apologetic wince as she trips over her words. "But I-... umm-..." she swallows before trailing off. There's a moment of hesitation as she considers what to say. Most of the Gorge- at least those who have been here a while- already know her story. It's no secret. Besides, she's certainly asked her own share of questions
tonight. Fair is fair. She brings a hand up to adjust her tuque, fixing it where its folded over on itself as she speaks again. "...I didn't come with them. I was already here when they-... you know." She tries to prop her smile back up. An attempt at reassuring Amy that she hasn't crossed the line by asking. But there's a weight behind it that she's not quite able to hide despite her openness.
Amy blinks - she pretty clearly wasn't expecting that response. She'd more or less already assumed that she had some part of it all wrong. "...oh." The sound slips out under her breath as her face scrunches up with worry, studying Paige cautiously while her mind races to process this new information. "I-... I didn't know." she says quietly, stating the obvious. There's a moment of awkward indecision as she's not sure what to say or
how to react. "I'm-... I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to... uhm... pry." she blurts out, concern that she's made Paige uncomfortable winning out over the questions that swim in her head.
Paige's own discomfort seems to give way to concern that Amy may think she overstepped her boundaries and she gives a quick, dismissive gesture with her hand. "No it's-..." she shakes her head, "...fine." She gives a tiny snicker, little more than a puff of breath from her nose. "Really it-... it's-..." she draws in a breath that seems to help lift her posture before exhaling through her nose. She finishes her statement with a mere
shake of her head, a semblance of her previous smile resurfacing. "I came from out west. I-... think I mentioned that before." she explains, carrying on in an attempt to further dispel any worries Amy may have that she spoke out of line, "It was a-... just a small place just outside of Adrasteia." she continues with another dismissive shake of her head, certain that Amy probably wouldn't have heard of it. "My dad was kind of
in charge of taking the overstock from our crops and the neighboring homesteads' into town to trade. Me and my mom used to go with him sometimes. Adrasteia. Freedom Falls. We even went to Linissa once." The final statement, and the memories associated with it, cause her smile to grow wider. A bit sheepish even. And for a moment- despite all of the responsibility she seems to have taken onto her shoulders in helping to keep
Amy looks relieved when it becomes clear that Paige doesn't consider her curiosity out of line. Her lower arms rest against her crossed legs as she leans forward a bit to listen to what she has to say. The familiarity of some of it inevitably hits her, gaze briefly falling, but it doesn't stay away long. The mention of Linissa, and the expression that accompanies it, causes a smile of her own to spread across her lips as she studies
Paige in a new light, almost feeling like she can see some of that weight leave her shoulders for just a moment. "I've never been that far from home..." she comments in a quiet near-mumble, only roughly aware of Linissa's location from her father's maps.
Paige gives a genuine chuckle. "I used to beg to go with whenever he went on a trip." she recalls, gaze dipping low in amusement. "It felt like we were explorers, you know? Just figuring it out as we went." she says, a bit of red coloring her cheeks as embarrassment settles in, not unaware of her own child-like wonder. "I know it's stupid but-..." she gives a sheepish shrug, "...I loved it."
Amy 's smile falters, unable to keep from thinking of the times she'd done the exact same thing when she was younger. She wills herself to ignore the almost painful stab of emotion that accompanies those thoughts. It's... a limited success, and she can't quite bring her smile back, but Paige's embarrassment brings out a faint shadow of it as she shakes her head slightly. "It's... not stupid at all." she says softly, the fledgling
smile solidifying a bit as she speaks. "I get it." The words are genuine - it's more than a little relatable to her. Feeling the need to focus on something else for a moment she looks down at the container between them, reaching for another berry. She seems less concerned with picking out the best ones than Paige is.
Paige gives a few small nods, gaze turning down to her hands as she plucks at a few loose, frayed strands of fabric at the bottom of her shirt. While Amy's understanding is welcome, it's not quite enough to keep the smile on her face as she continues. "...We had been through the Gorge a few times." she says, "My dad would usually just give Delgado a few credits-..." she continues, uttering the name alone seemingly enough to bring her
mood down a notch. But she pushes through it. Her gaze turns to Amy briefly as she elaborates, "...He was-... uhh-... he was in charge here. Before." she explains with a shrug. "Usually we'd just give him a few credits and go on our way. But that last time the credits weren't enough. He wanted the food, too." She falls silent for a moment. It's a story she's told countless times and it shows. There's discomfort, sure. But
despite whatever emotions might be associated with the story, it feels a step removed. Numbed. "My dad couldn't let him have it. There were just too many people back home relying on the credits we were supposed to bring back." she explains. It's an excuse that she's had to drill herself to believe over the past few years. To replace the anger she once held towards her father for giving his life over a truck of food. "So they
fought. Delgado had a gun. My mom tried to stop him but-..." she swallows, giving a simple shake of her head, confident that Amy can figure out the rest. "...I thought he was gonna shoot me, too, but-..." she trails off, a hollow snicker escaping her as she looks back to Amy and flashes an empty smile, "...Well, I guess even monsters feel guilt sometimes."
Amy swallows as she realizes where Paige's story is headed, her smile slipping away. For a while her gaze falls away as she listens, looking down at her own hands as they fidget a little. She looks back up just in time to catch Paige's hollow smile. "That's..." she almost immediately trails off into a sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as she fails to figure out what she's even trying to say.
Paige lets another breath out through her nose, speaking up before Amy has a chance to follow up her words with whatever thoughts might be rattling around in her head. She's had enough condolences for one lifetime. "...Yeah." she says stiffly. And then silence. She plucks at a few more frayed edges, drawing in a deep breath in the process. "...But I still remember that first time Kirill came here, clear as day." she eventually says
Amy 's attention is soon back on Paige, studying her as silence descends, a frown entering her expression as she wonders if she should say something. When Paige mentions Kirill her face softens and she shifts her weight a little to one side as she pulls one leg in close, wrapping her arms around it and resting her chin against her knee as she listens, holding off to see if there's more coming.
Paige finally hazards a look Amy's way, her lips carrying a smile that's desperately trying not to be empty. "He was here with a few others, trying to talk Delgado into leaving the Gorge. I remember I was carrying some boxes to storage when he stopped me and started asking me questions and I-..." she gives a small shake of her head, her smile shaping into something a bit more sincere, "...I don't know. There was just... something
about him. By the time we were done talking I had pretty much told him everything." she snickers. She shifts a bit against the wall in an effort at getting more comfortable. "When Delgado made it clear that he wasn't clearing out, Kirill tried to at least get him to agree to let me and a few others leave with him. He... didn't like that. But I'll never forget that night before Kirill left. He found me and let me know he had to
leave. And he-..." she pauses, gaze dipping briefly as she clears her throat as the words hitch up. "...he promised me that he'd be back for me." Her smile grows a bit sheepish as she hurries to make it clear that she's not normally that gullible, "If it was anyone else in the galaxy, I probably would've just let it go in one ear and out the other. Better not to get my hopes up, ya know? But-..." she shrugs, "For some reason I
Amy listens closely, offering no interruption as she watches Paige. It all just serves to solidify her impression of Kirill, and somehow that serves to lighten the weight in her heart ever so slightly. The final sentiment offered by Paige prompts her to nod softly against her knee - it makes perfect sense to her. She felt it herself. Even though she's new here it was hard not to trust him. A quiet "Yeah..." slips out.
Paige's gaze turns low, that small smile remaining on her face as she studies the berries in the container in silence while she replays the events in her mind. "He turned this place into something special." she says softly. It's not something she says lightly. Not with all of the bad memories buried in this place. But, somehow, that makes it all the more impressive that she has come to consider the Gorge 'home'. "A place that's about
helping people. About working together to build something better. It-... it wasn't always that way." she continues, her voice growing even quieter for a second as she looks to Amy. But then she offers a small, confident nod, that stern look that betrays her age returning. "But it is now. Kirill believes in that. I believe in it." There's something about the way she says it that implies a cause and effect. She believes
in it because Kirill believes in it. As if that's enough to convince her. "But it's only possible with the help and support of good people. People like you, Amy." Her smile grows, causing a bit of the previous sadness behind it to retreat, if just a bit.
Amy retains a serious expression as she listens to Paige's words, a couple more nods following. She straightens up a little as the air in the room changes, a small smile of her own briefly manifesting. "I'm-... I'm glad I came here." she says, and it's true, despite how new and strange it still is to be here, and despite how shaken up she still is by the events of the day. "And... I want to do everything I can to help." she adds
Paige is quick to add a soft: "Yeah. Me too." to Amy's first statement. Her second statement is met with a single, sharp nod. "Good. Because we can use all the help we can get." she snickers, though it quickly devolves into a deep sigh as the reality of the statement causes it to fall a little flatter than intended, but her smile remains. "Anyway, I should probably get going." she says, scooting closer to the edge of the bed so she
Amy 's smile returns with Paige's comment. As she scoots to the edge of the bed Amy blinks, gaze going over to the window as if only just now realizing how late it is. "Oh. Right, yeah." she says, leg falling as she crosses them again, and reaches over to tug the container with the berries out of Paige's way to make sure its not jostled. A bit of embarrassment sets in as she hesitates for a moment on whether to speak again. "Hey,
uhm... thanks." she says, voice soft and quiet, but there's no shortage of weight on the last word. A small, slightly awkward smile accompanies her words.
Paige stands beside the bed as she slips her jacket back on, opting to tuck the gloves into her pocket since she won't be out in the cold for but a moment. Amy's appreciation is met by a furrowed brow and a dismissive shake of her head. "Don't mention it." she says, leaning down to grab a few more berries before Amy can tug the container too far away. She pops one into her mouth and jangles the remainder around in her palm. "And don't
worry about coming down to the greenhouse tomorrow if you're not up to it. If you need a day or two, I totally understand. I'm sure Kirill will be fine on his own. He's more competent than he lets on." After a moment's hesitation she gives a slight tilt of her head, as if weighing it in her mind, "Mostly." she adds, that friendly smile slipping back out as she turns to start towards the door.
Amy actually lets out a small snort of laughter at Paige's final addition, smile widening a little. She considers responding to what she said about the greenhouse, but finds herself uncertain what her answer would even be. Maybe it's better if she decides tomorrow. She settles for a nod. When the prefab door opens she's quick to speak up with a "Goodnight, Paige." before her guest can disappear.
Paige casts a glance back over her shoulder, uttering a quick "G'night, Amy." of her own. But she only manages to get one leg out the door before sharply turning back towards Amy as if she forgot something. "But don't forget to return the containers and spoon!" she reminds while gesturing towards the items in question, a bit of that usual intensity returning as she finds herself unable to resist contemplating just where in the hell
Amy is quick to raise her hands, palms out in surrender. "I will!" she promises, unable to keep a grin from her lips.
Paige turns back towards the door and actually makes it a step out this time before, once again, turning back to Amy. "And don't shut yourself in here! I mean it! Even if you don't come to work tomorrow that doesn't mean you can just stay in here all day. That's not healthy! I expect to see you at lunch and dinner!"
Amy 's grin softens into an embarrassed smile as she lowers her hands, nodding. "Promise." she agrees.
Paige gives another sharp nod. "Good!" she says, her previous smile making a return as she lifts a hand, offering a small wave in the form of wiggling her fingers before her hand moves to the door's interface to close it. Unfortunately, it seems she's just realized she had more to say and hurries to get it out before the door slides shut and closes her out. "And don't forget we're going furniture shopping tomorrow!" she calls out,
leaning to the side to try and stay out ahead of the sliding door as it closes, "You need somewhere for me to sit the next time I come-..." Paige is hidden from sight as the door finishes closing, the word '...over' muffled and barely audible. And as a gust of wind blows through the outpost, the soft jangling of Gaz' windchime can be heard outside.
Amy is left snickering to herself as the door shuts on Paige, a smile lingering for a few moments afterwards. As silence descends on the now-empty prefab she takes a deep breath and scoots back in bed to rest her back against the wall, pulling the container of berries into her lap. She picks one out and pops it into her mouth as she leans her head back, listening to the sound of the windchime outside.