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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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. ]

[Cole looks out, visibly torn. He wants to go to Solas, who has always made things make sense and feel safer, but he's unwilling to come out from under the desk, which reminds him of being Cole and hiding from monsters and the Pit, where he could vanish and no one could find him and he was safe from the Templars.]

Yes, I'd like to.

[But he wasn't going to, pressing back into the corner a little more. And really, three of them were not going to fit under there.]

[Jove is torn too, between explaining exactly why she's under his under Solas' desk and avoiding mentioning Fenris for as long as she can. Cole seems calmer now, she'd really like to keep that going.]

With Solas awake, this room is the safest place you could be, Cole. You'll be just as secure sitting beside him as you will be under this desk.

And I don't think I will fit.

[ He gives another soft smile.

He doesn't know what's happened but something dangerous curls inside of him; whoever had dared to hurt Cole would be thoroughly scolded, that's for certain. ]

[Cole looks at Jove, then out to Solas and shuffles his way out from under the desk to fit himself in against Solas's side instead, pulling Solas' arm around him and resting his head in against his chest.

He's a lot less unsure about touching people, at least.]

I'm sorry.

[As unfortunate as the reason for Cole to be needing this reassurance is, it's impossible to ignore the sweetness of the scene. Under better circumstances, this would be a perfect moment.

Now that there's no calling for her to be under the desk, Jove crawls back out and stands up, choosing to lean against the desk and go on watching them.]

You don't have to apologize, Cole. [And since he's saying things like that out loud on his own, she feels a little better about explaining for Solas.] He had the bad luck of running into one of Hawke's companions. Fenris is very suspicious of just about everything to do with magic.

You have nothing to apologise for.

[ Solas' arm slips around him, careful and gentle, drawing the young boy against him and letting himself relax before he turns to look at Jove. The knowledge settles around him and he pauses, hesitant, something dark flicking in his eyes before he nods. ]

I see.

[ If he was unsure of Fenris before he is certain now; he does not like that elf. ]

You did nothing wrong, Cole.

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

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