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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[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.

[Cole settles in comfortably, eyes half closed and letting the perpetual sense of Fade around Solas soothe the worst of the fright away.]

I hurt him. I hurt him so badly. Choking, churning, brilliant bright blinding-

[He pushes his hand against his mouth to try and stop the litany of words. It'll upset Solas.]

I hurt him. I'm sorry. I won't come back.

[So much for just leaning on the desk. When Cole starts to speak so fast she pushes away, moves to sit down beside him and sandwich him between herself and Solas. Protected on both sides now, Solas with his arm around him and Jove with a hand resting on his shoulder.]

He'll be fine, Cole, really. Solas is right, you didn't do anything wrong. It's your nature to help people and no one can fault you for trying to help Fenris.

You did nothing wrong and you will certainly come back.

[ Solas is prickly, it's true, especially when it comes to Spirits, and for a moment that gets away with him. He takes a second, though, and shifts, letting him have comfort from himself and Jove at once. ]

If he considers saying anything to you again I'm afraid he may well have to go through me.

I didn't know he was here. I said I would stay away, but I didn't know it was him, it was just tickling, tingling, lyrium bright, why is there lyrium here?

[Ultimately, the lyrium had been what drew his attention. He rests his head on Solas' shoulder and shakes his head.]

I said I'd stay away from him.

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

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