Jessica tightly shuts her eye, wincing against the hand in her face and teetering ever so slightly in her seat when she's shoved. "Nooo!" she grunts, another bout of laughter slipping out as she struggles to lean down and wipe at the mess on her boot with a wad of paper towels. "Don't-..." she murmurs, brows furrowing as she pauses to draw in a deep breath, muscles aching from laughter, "...don't touch me with your-... puke hand!" she
#Traveler'sGorge – July 23, 2021
Rafe's shoulders bounce with laughter at Yan Sun's response. "Oh yeah?" he asks through his brightening grin, "Could've fooled me!"
Kirill steps out through the open flap of the tent, bottle of water in one hand and a small garbage can- little more than a bucket with a bag inside- in the other. "Just in case you feel like ya might-... you know... need it..." he offers, dropping the small garbage can onto the ground in front of Yan Sun and extending the water bottle her way.
Thomas remains right where he is, a look of sheer terror etched into his features. "Please don't need it!" he calls out, already feeling the lurching in his own stomach as a reaction.
Gaz steps aside as Kirill approaches, her smile growing a bit more firm despite her best efforts to keep it at bay as Jessica continues to struggle with her laughter. Thomas' addition gets a loud snort out of her.
Yan Sun grabs the bottle with a thankful mumble and takes a long swig, rinsing and spitting into the bucket with a grimace, Thomas' pleas going ignored. Could be worse - at least she's not throwing up again. She takes several gulps of water afterwards in the hopes of washing away the taste in her mouth, face locked somewhere between a disgusted grimace and a reluctant smile as she lowers the bottle, a bit of drained laughter slipping out.
Jessica's smile briefly distorts into a bit of disgust as she scrubs at the toe of her boot with the wad of paper towels for a moment before tossing it into the bucket. She gives her ankle another little rotation as she studies her boot to make sure she got the majority of it off. "Okay." she huffs, the laughter still lingering in her tone as she moves her beer and rises to her feet. "I am needing to piss, so say your last goodbyes to
your hair!" she warns, shooting Jean-Luc a glance as she tears a few more paper towels from the roll, jostling Gaz a bit in the process. "Because when I am back? It is gone!" She turns her focus to Yan Sun as she starts to back away, gesturing to her with the paper towels in her hand. "And yooooou...?" she drawls.
Jean-Luc gives something between a chuckle and a whine, offering a playful, half-assed salute to Jessica, though she's already turned her attention to Yan Sun.
Kirill gives a few nods to Yan Sun's mumbles. "If ya need another bottle of water-..." he indicates the tent with an outstretched finger, nodding in the general direction, "...they're just inside. In a little cooler. Can't miss it." he explains, lingering beside Gaz.
Yan Sun nods a couple of times as Kirill speaks, finishing off the last of the water bottle before asking: "Is there... anything with some flavor? Just to..." Some vague gesturing at her mouth. "...get the taste out?" When she realizes that Jessica is talking to her she looks over, blinking in confusion. A moment passes in silence, puzzled look lingering. "Yeah...?"
Jessica pauses, kicking the toe of her boot into the ground. "No more puking!" she says, the mere mention causing another round of snickers to erupt this time. Thankfully, she seems to have it under control. She adds an addition of, "Slut!" before turning and marching off. Though she doesn't seem to be heading towards the road. The opposite way, actually. Towards the tent.
Kirill snickers, giving a few nods. He opens his mouth to speak but pauses as Jessica says her piece. With a shake of his head, he turns his focus back to Yan Sun. "Should be some cola in there, too." he explains. "And-... uhh-... beer. But I'm thinkin' that's probably not what you're lookin' for right now." he says, giving a somewhat apologetic tilt of his head for pointing out the obvious.
Rafe leans back in his chair to peer around Kirill. "Uhh... Jessie? Bathroom's that way." he reminds, cocking a thumb back over his shoulder.
Yan Sun shoots Jessica an unamused look before turning back to Kirill. Her 'addition' barely registers as embarrassing right now, and goes unremarked upon as she offers Kirill a "Thanks.", getting up from her seat just in time to catch Rafe's reminder, snickering as she starts to head past Jessica.
Jessica's eyeroll can practically be felt. "I am not walking all the way to the bathroom!" she shouts without looking back. "There is a tent! I can piss behind it!" As Yan Sun crosses her path, she gives her a playful swat on the ass.
Yan Sun is in the middle of scrunching up her nose at Jessica's shouting when her hand makes her jumps a little, giving her a light shove and a half-hearted 'not-in-public' glare before hurrying off into the tent.
Jessica shoots Yan Sun a devilish look, prodding at the inside of her cheek with her tongue before sauntering off around the side of the tent.
Thomas merely watches the two with mild fascination, giving a shake of his head at Jessica's shenanigans. He gives a small nod in greeting as Yan Sun steps past him.
As Yan Sun passes the large folding table that Thomas- and previously Gaz- are seated at, she gets a glimpse of the projects that Gaz is working on. Small, colorful stones, shined to a smooth finish and barely larger than a bead, are all strung together along a short, thin chain. The open case beside it is filled with plenty of similar stones, as well as small metal charms, trinkets, and bangles, all separated by dividers. A place for
everything, and everything in its place. The large tent has a custom floor, much like the guest house, and seems to be used for the storage of everyday use items. A few long, folding tables- much like the one just outside, are folded up, stacked on top of each other. Plenty of camping chairs. A couple of firepits, not unlike the one Jessica and Yan Sun used during their trip. There even appears to be poles and rolled up lengths of canvas to
make pop-up canopies. Probably the sort of thing that's set up during the summer months. Amongst all of the odds and ends, the two large coolers are easy to spot, just off to the side of the door. Two of them. They stand about waist-high and hum with electricity. The cable that comes up through the floor to provide power seems to imply that they're piping power throughout the outpost through buried channels. Probably a nightmare to keep
maintained given the region's harsh weather, but leaving live cables all over isn't much of an alternative and building actual structures to route power would be a pretty big project.
Paige brings her arms around herself as a gust of wind sends goosebumps down the back of her neck. Thankfully she soon finds shelter in the restroom. Contrary to the hustle and bustle of people lining up for a shower in the mornings with conversations overlapping one another as everyone waits their turn, at this time the building is mostly quiet. There's a constant drumming of running water as someone takes a shower. "Amy...?" Paige calls
out in something of a stage whisper as she meanders down the hall towards the opening leading towards the restrooms, purposely slowing down to announce her presence in an attempt at avoiding spooking Amy. "...Are you in here...?"
Yan Sun 's gaze lands briefly on Gaz' little crafting station, but the promise of a soda takes priority right now, and she disappears into the tent, looking around for a moment before locating the coolers, starting to scrounge around for something to wash away the taste in her mouth.
True to Kirill's words, the first cooler that Yan Sun opens is filled with plenty of beverages. Mostly beer, but there's bottles of water and soda- both cans and bottles- as well. They're odds and ends of brands that Yan Sun has likely encountered in Freedom Falls. The faint sound of the others talking amongst themselves outside begins to pick back up.
Paige lets out a sigh, frowning to herself at the prospect of having to enter the restroom in search of someone. "Amy...?" she repeats as she steps into the restroom area from the hallway, doing the tried and true trick for finding out if a stall is occupied without having to check the door by using her distance to look for legs beneath the stalls.
Yan Sun is quick to grab a can of soda, cracking it open on her way out of the tent. Sweet, sweet chemicals. Vanquish the taste of mystery booze and stew headed the wrong way! She stops by the table once she's out, eyes scanning across the miscellaneous bits and baubles now that the more urgent matter is handled.
Gaz has retaken her seat by the time Yan Sun leaves the tent and she's thumbing through one of the compartments in the open case. She pauses what she's doing and gives a glance up to the woman, that kind smile re-emerging. "Better?" she asks with a snicker, shooting a glance to the can in her hand.
Kirill, too, has retaken his seat. He shoots a glance Yan Sun's way, but the soda in her hand seems to satisfy whatever question he may have had.
Paige draws a deep breath in until her cheeks puff up with air and then lets it all out, frown deepening as that small inkling of concern begins to manifest. Suddenly feeling a bit self conscious about walking into the restroom and standing near the door to look under stalls like a weirdo, she quickly backs out into the hallway. Rather than immediately head over to Amy's room, she dips into the showers to be a weirdo a second time. She's
already here, after all. Might as well make sure she's not in the showers first before heading back out. "Amy~?" she calls out once more, almost moreso just to announce to everyone that she's searching for someone and not just hanging out in the showers like a creep rather than expecting a response at this point.
Yan Sun nods, a small grin on her lips. "Much." she assures, crossing her arms loosely after taking another sip from the can. Her eyes return to the collection of items on the table after glancing Gaz' way. "What are you working on?"
Paige gives a sigh before tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket and setting back out into the cold. Destination: Amy's room.
Gaz opens her mouth to respond before stammering and giving a sheepish shrug of her shoulders. "It is nothing special." she explains, grasping the end of the short length of thin chain between her thumb and index finger and holding it up. "It's a bracelet. Or-..." she snickers and shrugs again, "...at least it will be when I am done. Hopefully." Upon closer inspection, it appears that only the end is chain. Rather than being strung onto
the chain, each of the stones seem to be individually implanted with a small, metal ring and attached to one another, the short length of chain seemingly only serving as a place for the bracelet to clasp together. The stones are each a shade of bright blue with the occasional swirl of color throughout it.
Thomas seems to be genuinely interested in Gaz' work, and a smile crosses his face as Yan Sun expresses interest. "Not bad, huh?" he says, which causes Gaz' smile to widen a smidge. Rafe, Kirill, and Caelus carry on about themselves, the gentle plucking of a guitar still dripping from the omni-tool.
Yan Sun leans closer to get a better look, her free hand pressing against the table as she studies the bracelet-in-progress. Her grin soon widens. "That's really cool. You're making it by hand? No fabricator?"
Paige offers a dip of her head in greeting to a pair exiting the mess hall after a late dinner who return the gesture as she crosses the road, paying no mind to the disgusted look on each of their faces. She cuts between the mess hall and the comms building. The snow is usually a little bit higher between the buildings but, thankfully, foot traffic earlier in the day and a chaotic snowball fight has flattened it out nicely. As she exits the
small alley she glances towards the stack of prefabs that serve as her and Amy's rooms, looking for any sign of life within. Is the door open? Are the lights on?
Gaz seems to brighten up a little when it seems as if Yan Sun is genuinely interested and gives a series of nods. "I am." she confirms, a bit of pride entering her smile as she studies the bracelet that's dangling in her hand, turning it in place for a moment so both she, and Yan Sun, can examine it before setting it back down on the table. "I am sure that it would be much quicker, were I to use a fabricator..." she admits with another
shrug, "...but there is something very-..." she hesitates briefly, seemingly searching for the word before eventually settling back on her native tongue, "...sheih about creating with your hands." Relaxing, would be the literal translation, but it's more than that. Zen? At peace with the world around oneself? The true meaning lies somewhere between those.
Yan Sun shifts a little as studies the string of colorful stones up close, the smile lingering. She nods as Gaz speaks, a small snicker slipping out. "I get that. Of course, the line's a bit blurred for me." she admits, lifting her left hand from the table and angling it to show the fabricator in her palm, the subdermal implants lighting up, circuitboard patterns flowing out from the circle that surrounds the metal aperture.
Gaz watches the display, her eyes lighting up at the light show and an amused snicker slipping out at the implied pun. She's seen her fair share of hardware on Aite. From implants to extensive cybernetics, undoubtedly in no small part due to the lax laws governing such things out here. But it's rare to come across something so... cohesive? Elegant? As fashionable as it is functional. "Well I am glad to see that I have correctly guessed your
favorite color!" she snickers through that infectious smile of hers, perhaps giving away who the bracelet is for.
Thomas leans forward in his seat a bit, brows furrowing as he watches. He gives a drawn out whistle, eyes turning up to meet Yan Sun's. "...That a fabricator?" he asks in mild surprise. "In your hand?"
Paige frowns as she takes note of the unlocked door. For a moment, she seems to reconsider. If Amy stepped away, she probably had reason to. And the last thing she probably wants is someone showing up to try to drag her back after she so skillfully snuck off. Maybe the best thing to do is respect her decision to call it a night and head back to the fire. On the other hand, fuck that. Respecting people's personal space and privacy is not one
of Paige's strong suits. Marching up to the door, she leans against the wall just beside it and reaches out to tap the panel and buzz the room. "Amy...?" she says, once again speaking in a stage whisper to try and avoid bothering anyone trying to sleep in the nearby prefabs. "I know you're in there~"
Yan Sun might be preening just a little - she likes showing off her cybernetics, proud of the work that went into them. Many a night spent fiddling with holo-blueprints and trading ideas with Hotaru. She takes a sip of her soda, Gaz' words making her eyebrows furrow, soon drawing her attention back towards the bracelet, mouth opening a bit in surprise. "Guess I make it pretty obvious." she admits with a brief snicker, but Thomas' words
distract her before she can comment on the implication. "Sure is. I've got everything you can fit in an omni-tool in here." she says, lifting her arm and wiggling her fingers. "Plus some extras. It's a custom build."
Paige is met only with silence at first, a few moments passing with just the windchimes filling the silence, but then Amy's voice can be heard from inside, quiet and a bit odd-sounding. "...Paige?"
Gaz gives another sheepish little shrug, her eyes turning up towards Yan Sun's hair and touching her own in the process for emphasis on where she initially got her read. "Maybe just a little." she snickers, her accent coloring her words just as heavily as the dye coloring Yan Sun's hair.
Thomas continues to study the impressive tech for a few moments longer before seeming to remember that there's an actual person attached to the end of said tech and settling back into his seat, gaze shifting back to Yan Sun's face with a shake of his head. "Damn impressive is what it is..." he comments.
Jessica steps out of the darkness casted by the edge of the tent where the fire can't quite reach, casting a playful glance Yan Sun's way as she mentions her 'extras', mischievous grin on her face. But, for once, she keeps her thoughts to herself. Instead, she merely steps up behind Yan Sun, bringing one hand to drape lazily around her midsection. She brings her other arm around Yan Sun's collarbone and lifts her hand to her opposite
cheek, giving it a few annoying little pats. "There. Now we are even, yes?" she asks before bringing her chin to rest on Yan Sun's shoulder so she can peer past her at Gaz' project, the question garnering a confused glance from the two seated at the table.
Paige shuffles from foot to foot as she waits, arms slipping around herself and gaze pointed towards the frozen ground. When she hears a voice on the other side of the door, she perks up a bit, but remains silent for a moment, as if to see if she's going to be invited in. When no invitation comes, she sighs to herself, eyes lifting towards the sky. "Sooo, are you gonna invite me in or am I just supposed to shout to you through the door while
Yan Sun smiles widely, about to respond when Jessica's arm wraps around her, causing her to to start turning, only to flinch at the pats. "What...?" she mutters confusedly as she pushes the hand away, but a moment later her expression changes as a suspicion forms, mouth turning narrow and eyebrows furrowing. "Jessica!"
Another couple of moments pass, and then the door to Amy's prefab opens. She's standing on the other side, hand still on the interface - it's not like she can open it remotely without an omni-tool. Her gaze lands on Paige for a moment before bouncing off of her just as quickly, stepping back to let her in.
Jessica gives a quick little cackle. "You put your puke hand in my face, I put my piss hand in yours." She turns her head, craning her neck in a fruitless attempt at studying Yan Sun's expression from the side, biting down on the tip of her tongue. "This is how it works, yes?!" she asks, the laughter in her chest felt against Yan Sun's back, "But we-... we are even now!" she repeats.
Kirill, Rafe, and Caelus are too caught up in whatever it is that they're discussing to pay much mind to Jessica, but it gets a collective groan from Jean-Luc, Gaz, and Thomas, the latter pair wearing matching masks of disgust.
Paige gives a raise of her brow as Amy appears in the doorway, small smile crossing her lips. But it slowly slips away as she senses her discomfort which seems to take a bit of the energy out of her. Despite the alcohol infusion, she does the polite thing and gives the doorframe a few gentle kicks to dislodge whatever snow might be clinging to her boots before stepping inside and giving a quick glance about. "Sooo..." she hums, seemingly
Yan Sun lets out a groan of her own, her nose scrunching up as she presses an elbow against Jessica's belly and tries to shrug her off. "Ugh! Gross!"
Amy hugs herself a little as Paige enters, gaze hovering near her, but not looking at her. "I... didn't feel like going back." she says with a small shrug, practically oozing discomfort.