driftfleet | Tourist Mingle

Entry tags:

Tourist Mingle

Who: The crew of the Tourist! or anybody who might visit.
Broadcast: Probably not
Action: Anywhere onboard
When: The week of 29Mar-04April

[All things considered, the Tourist is a fairly quiet ship; it seems most of its crew keep to themselves. What happens when they do happen to bump into one another, though? Let's find out! A chance encounter at the coffee machine, an awkward meeting in the shower, or maybe just killing some time in quarters, let's show the Fleet how the Tourist keeps it real.

[Your captain has purchased some fruit at the market on Mor and has generously deigned to share, so there's a selection of apples and oranges and a box of strawberries in the kitchen for the taking! Don't be greedy, though!]

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[When he's sure the demon has gone, Fenris' lyrium fades. He remains in the kitchen, a moment longer, before cautiously stepping out. He glances around, unable to see or hear the thing any more and knowing that means nothing. Eventually, he knows he has to move, and heads off to lock himself in his armory again.

This is what he gets for spending more time in the ship proper. ]

[It's okay, Fenris, there'll be no sign of that particular demon.

He's staying there, willing that no one will find him or see him.

So when Solas wakes up, Cole appears to be gone.]

[Eventually, the fact that Cole has been missing for much longer than a visit to Solas should take is far too clear for Jove to ignore. She can assume that's where the spirit has gone, and while she trusts his ability to take care of himself on his own there's a voice in the back of her head that sends her to this ship, has her calling softly for Cole as she wanders around looking for him.

She finds Solas' room largely by accident, and when she sees him sleeping it doesn't do much to ease her worries. Is Cole hiding, in an attempt to keep himself quiet and let Solas rest easier? She hesitates in the doorway, torn between just seeing herself out and finding Cole, but finally her conscience wins out. Very, very softly she whispers his name.]

Cole?

[Time means very little to Cole. He can sit in the same cramped position for hours, thinking about nothing other than that he mustn't be found, mustn't let himself be seen, the overwhelming anger and fear of the elf burnt against his mind.

He caused that. He did that. And he weren't that bit more human than ever, it might've made him despair, but instead he was just scared.

Someone came in. White hair, no glow, not Fenris, was that Jove?

And then he heard his name.

It wasn't Solas, a glance told him that Solas was asleep, maybe in the Fade right now, he didn't know. It had to be Jove specifically looking for him and he didn't want to be found but... He didn't want Solas to wake up.]

Here.

[His voice was barely a whisper, but for a moment he stopped trying to be hidden, a pale face peeking out from under the desk before ducking back under and drawing the shadows back around him.]

[That could be cute, if it weren't immediately distressing and quite sad. A glance at Solas tells her he's not in any state to do anything about Cole hiding, so Jove steps inside and makes her way to the desk as quietly as she can. When she crouches down, she leaves one hand braced on the floor.]

Why are you hiding, Cole?

[Her voice is still pitched low, quiet, to avoid waking the elf on the bed.]

[Cole draws back a bit further, but since he's invisible, it probably doesn't matter. There's the soft sound of him shuffling on the floor and a brief impression of him before he vanishes again.]

I made him angry, scared, fear, fetid, furious, frothing, aches, agony, lyrium screaming, bright, blinding, blaring.

[The shadows thicken again and Cole makes a small sound.]

Go back to the small spaces, dark places.

Lyrium... [For a moment she's worried he means Cullen, but there's no way speaking to Cullen would do this to Cole. Yes, their Commander started off uncertain about Cole, but that wasn't true anymore, they got along fine now. So it can only be-] Fenris? Did you run into Fenris?

[Under the desk, there's a soft, distressed whine and Cole tries to push himself backwards into the corner more.

He fades into view, because his mind is busy going back over the fight, too busy to stay hidden as well.]

Vehendis! Get away from me, demon! Rage, rampaging, roiling, wracking, fear, frightened but angry, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here, I was here to see Solas, then get back to Solas, burn in a fire, monster! Hate, hard, harsh, Father hates and fears and hates and blood splatters and Mother is dead, I didn't mean to hurt him, I didn't mean to hurt him, but I did and he's so hurt that the Veil screams at him I did that, I did that.

[Now that she knows where to reach, Jove does, resting her hand delicately on Cole's knee. She half expects him to jolt away, but she can't just stay still when he's so upset.]

Cole, shh, it's- [How had Solas done it, in the Fade? He'd calmed him so fast, and he's just right there but if Cole hadn't woken him there must be a reason, right? Jove chews her lower lip as she hesitates, but she can't for long. Not when Cole is so upset.] Listen to me, alright? You might have reminded him of that, but you didn't do it. It isn't your fault.

[He tries to scuttle away, but he really has nowhere to go and he's not teleporting about the place]

No, no, he hurts and he screamed and he would've killed me to make me stop, stop hurting, stop harming stop being, I hurt him and he scared me, so like Father, so angry and fearful and violent.

[His voice gets even more whisper soft and he curls up more, resting his head on his other knee, short, frightened breaths puffing over Jove's skin.] I'm sorry.

[She wants so badly to pull him to her, hold him tightly and rub his back and tell him it's all going to be fine, but seeing him try to get away like that has her hands just hovering uselessly. When they'd first met he had been frantic, running straight up to her like he was going to grab her but knew better, and that's exactly how she feels now.]

Fenris is the sort of person who can't show his weakness, Cole. He's afraid it will be used again him. [Which is fair, because it probably always has been.] He feels the same as Vivienne does in a lot of ways, when it comes to magic and spirits and the Fade. You've just got to treat him like you would Vivienne.

[Mentioning Vivienne doesn't really help, because Vivienne tried to convince him he was a demon and make him a demon, but Vivienne was cold, so cold she burned.

Even when she'd softened slightly, it was because he was more like a person, not because she liked what he was. Is.]

No. Vivienne wasn't the same. If he'd been armed, he would've hit me. He threw something at me, I ran. I ran and hid. Vivienne was cold and sharp, not scared, in control. Not him. Pain, bright, brilliant, blinding, blistering pain, at me.

[He starts to fade from view again, arms curling and hugging his head, breaths short and shallow and trying to silence them.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Why is she so bad at this? She can close holes in the sky and stop a war, but comforting a spirit seems out of her league.]

He isn't always in pain, and you don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong, Cole, you were only trying to help. Dorian makes him happy, and he likes apples and chocolates and wine.

[She doesn't want to say that maybe in time Fenris will change because honestly, Jove isn't at all sure that's true. He seems to be unshakable in his distrust for things having to do with magic, and even though she desperately wants to tell Cole all he needs to do to fix Fenris is wait patiently, she won't lie.]

Please, Cole, tell me what will help. I can wake Solas, would that help?

I didn't mean to hurt him, I didn't know he was here, I didn't know, I won't come back, I promise.

[Something must get through to him, because he looks up and is in sight and he can feel her fear and concern, so much like the Inquisitor he knew, like Cadash.

He uncurls a little and tries to tug her in with him, so he can curl up next to her.]

Solas likes being asleep. It makes him happier.

I can speak to him, if you want me to. He'll listen to me.

[It's not hard to get her under there with him. She shuffles in close and opens her arms to him at once, glad that something worked and wishing that she knew what it was.

Talking about Solas, at least, is easy.]

Has he ever told you stories about his time in the Fade?

No, no, no, don't mention me, don't look at me, only okay with it if it's gone, dead, banished, no, don't talk to him, it'll hurt. He hurts so bad already.

[Cole curls up against her. He doesn't hug exactly, more just rests in the safety of the curl of her arms.]

Yes. Some. It helped me remember some things.

Alright, I won't, I'm sorry.

[Creators help her she's good with the living and absolute shite with Cole. That's not a mess waiting to happen or anything, but... he's there, gently resting against her side, and if that's soothing to him then it's all that matters. She settles her arms around him protectively, one hand rubbing soothingly along his back.]

Why don't you tell me what he said?

[If he can remember the stories Solas told him, it'll distract him, get him on a line of thinking that has nothing to do with Fenris. That's what she hopes, at least.]

[Cole makes another noise and turns to bury his face into her shoulder, shaking his head.]

Don't 'member.

[Muffled, horribly, into her.]

[She rests her cheek against the top of his head, giving him a gentle squeeze.]

Alright, well- what if I tell you a story instead? I was going to be the Keeper of my clan, we're trained to tell the stories of my people.

Yes, please. I like stories. Can this one have a rabbit in it?

[He settles a little, exhaling shakily but calming considering.]

I promise not to come back here.

[She wishes he didn't have to make that promise, but she can't tell him not to think that way. Distance from Fenris is really the best option, but she'll have to think of something to solve the issue of that keeping him away from Solas as well. Maybe someday soon another empty ship will join the fleet, that would make things so much easier.

But for now, she smiles and nods.]

It can absolutely have a rabbit in it.

[And it does. A small white rabbit that lives in the woods with his family, the most unexpected protector due to his size. She weaves in themes of unwavering courage, is absolutely not thinking of Fenris when she explains describes the owl that darkens their little rabbit village night after night until the rabbit's plan to befriend the owl finally works.

She nearly adds in a halla (herself) and wolf (Solas) as silent protectors of the little white rabbit, but that seems too obvious.]

And so the rabbit finally convinced the owl to come down from the trees, and once he was there with the family of rabbits he saw he had been welcome the whole time, only held back by his frightening habit of lurking in the shadows.

[ Solas does, in fact, wake up part-way through the story.

He lays there and listens, for a long moment, taking it in, letting himself smile - Jove's voice is familiar now, and comforting, soft and welcome as he draws himself out of sleep. He wasn't walking the Fade, of course, too far gone for that, but he was dozing, welcoming it.

When he sits up, a slow motion, his expression is tender and he rubs at the corner of his eye, brushing sleep from it. ]

Very well told, Inquisitor.

[Cole doesn't come out from under the desk, or untuck from Jove's side, but hearing Solas' voice does perk him up briefly, peering past Jove to where his friend was lying.

He also is still reluctant to speak loudly and draw too much attention to himself, preferring to stay whisper soft.]

Brilliant bright, flashes and burns and scorches. Owls hunt rabbits for food. The owl needs to eat as well.

[Solas' compliment prompts a very light flush in the way that it usually does, and it's with a rueful sense of acceptance that it's entirely likely Cole will pick up on it and say it loud. It's what Cole does, and she's not ashamed of the sense of pleasure she gets from doing something Solas has approved of.

Especially not when that thing is something she'd put so much care into. If he reacts well to her comforting Cole, then it's really two birds with one stone.]

That's the good thing about it being a story, Cole. In this story the owl is a vegetarian, and once he befriends the rabbits he brings them fruits from the highest trees they never would have tasted without his help.

[And when she looks at Solas, she smiles a little sheepishly.]

We were trying not to wake you.

That's quite alright. It was about time I woke up.

[ He's a little unaware of what has happened but he stands all the same, rising from the bed and stepping over to join the two of them. He imagines he is going to be spending more time sitting and kneeling with these two at his side than he might have done otherwise; he finds he doesn't mind.

A part of him wishes he had been there for the entire story, to add his own parts to it. ]

Would you like to come and sit with me, Cole?

[ It's not a demand and he offers his hand, slow and careful. ]

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I'm happy to ftb on her story if you'd rather.

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