Participants:
Scene Title | Famile Network |
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Synopsis | Unannounced one night, Colette arrives at Ygraine's apartment under the pretenses of bringing supplies for a mission, but in truth she's just lonely. |
Date | January 4, 2010 |
Swinging open the door to her apartment, Ygraine offers the young woman outside a distinctly quizzical look - as well as a lop-sided smile. "11pm on Monday night. How could I forget our appointment?", she teases, while waving Colette inside.
In contrast to the last visit, the apartment has rather more of an air of being lived-in, with the packing containers having disappeared, and soft lighting spilling up from the corners of the lounge. On the TV, Kermit is frozen with his mouth open, standing before the curtain of the Muppet's theatre, a pause icon in one corner of the screen explaining his silent lack of motion.
"I know," Colette teases with a wrinkle of her nose, carrying a large pair of duffel bags in with her, one in each hand. "Your memory sometimes." she chides cheerily, nose wrinkled as she makes her way across the floor through the living room, tracking a little snow behind her bootfalls as she walks. "I brought presents," Colette chirps as she deposits the bags down beside the sofa, then slings her weight down across the couch, sprawling out lazily at first, until she reluctantly sits up straight and starts shedding her jacket.
The fur-trimmed suede jacket is unshouldered, laid out over the arm of the couch, then her scarf unwound and tossed atop it. The brick red turtleneck she wears beneath is a snugly fitting thing, accenting her thin frame. She leans forward, unlacing her boots as she looks up to Ygraine.
"Thermal goggles and night vision scopes and big freaking binoculars. Alistair's got all sorts of toys," she admits with a wiggle of her brows.
Having dallied by the door to put her layers of security back into place, Ygraine rejoins Colette in time for the last announcement. "Good grief", she says, eyeing the duffel bags. "I'll have to do some homework and make sure that I know what I'm doing with them."
For her own part, she's somewhat similarly-dressed - hip-length navy-blue turtleneck over her usual breeches - though the tightness of her own clothing emphasizes a great deal more in the way of curves.
"D'you want a drink of something?", the Briton enquires, moving towards the kitchenette that occupies one corner of the large room. "I can offer hot, potent, or both, as well as my usual array of healthy options…"
"Hot and potent sounds about right," Colette admits with a wrinkle of her nose, bringing her mis-matched socked feet to rest up on the coffee table in front of the couch, hands folding behind her head. "I dunno how t'use them either, but there's manuals and stuff. I didn't bother readin' 'em since I dunno how the heck they work either." Green eyes wander around the apartment as Colette lazily relaxes on the sofa, trying to de-stress, as it's obvious the young girl is wound up tightly from the stress of everything going on.
"I kinda' needed the company," Colette adds a bit distractedly, staring up at the ceiling, "Kaylee's still sick and I don't wanna' catch whatever she's got. Tamara's…" she waves one hand in the air, as if that explains Tamara perfectly, "and I guess I'm just a little lonely."
Busying herself sorting out mugs, coffee, and something potent to add to the mix, Ygraine pauses, glancing around with tea-spoon in hand, cocking her head at the younger woman.
"Well, I don't have work to go to, exactly, so I can stay up and keep you company for a while, certainly. Ahh… whiskey all right in your coffee? Or, come to think of it, would you prefer cocoa?"
"Coffe's better, I'm… kinda' tired. I've been riding around the city all day today," Colette says in a somewhat complaining tone, considering the size of the sofa before angling herself to lay out across the whole thing. She stretches out, back arching where she lays on the sofa, then laces her fingers behind her head again. "Whiskey's cool too, I guess." She sounds uncertain of if she's even had it before.
"So, what'd you think of the Ferrymen, anyway?" The teen asks from her lounging position, "I mean, the whole operation. I— I'm sorry I took off before you were done. I— I needed some time to clear my head."
"That's okay", Ygraine says gently, though she falls silent until she's finished clattering through the first stages of preparing coffee for Colette and cocoa for herself. With the kettle boiling, she turns her back on it, propping her rump against the counter and studying her guest.
"Be careful about wearing yourself out too much", she cautions. "In this weather, fatigue can creep up on you. Dehydration, too. But… ah, yes. Ferrymen— Umm."
Pursing her lips, she shrugs, then glances around at the kettle before replying. "I hadn't realized how many military types were involved with it. I think that I might have requested a move "upstairs" from the junior branch some time earlier, had I realized. But… bah. Old history. Um, Scott's quite impressive, but I knew he was. Like he said, I was with him when we came up against a tank. That rather proved that he's level-headed and competent, and not inclined to back down from what needs doing. All of which I can quite sincerely say that I respect. And he also seems to be restrained, calm, and anything but gung-ho. Which likewise earns my respect. Meeting him "properly" just confirmed all of that."
"Scott's a pretty surprising guy, everyone there's got a really interesting story. I dunno half of it, though, but it seems like Scott, Alistair and Grace have known each other for a long, long time." Brows furrowed and watching the ceiling, Colette listens to the sound in the kitchen with a comfortable serenity, just the presence of someone else and the quiet company seems to be improving her mood.
"There's so many people, though. I'm always seeing new people coming and going, and just… it's like a really big extended family. You know, everyone looks out for everybody." She laughs, awkwardly. "It's kinda crazy, two years ago I didn't have any family, now I've got more than I know what to do with."
Offering a low laugh, Ygraine smiles rather fondly at the unseeing Colette. "I'm glad, I think. And sorry that I didn't manage to get involved earlier… and that they hadn't managed to set up that sort of familial feel earlier, too. Jen was part of them, and felt… well, rather like "the kid". She was at least half a dozen years younger than anyone else I saw who had a connection to the Ferry, and at least one member I met was old enough to be her grandfather."
Turning back to the task of preparing drinks as the kettle boils, Ygraine this time continues talking while her hands are busy. "Now… you're right. It does seem to operate rather like an extended family network. Which seems rather appealing, I admit."
"I miss Jennifer," Colette offers to the air, the sound of the kettle and the noise of dishes and spoons clinking together creasing a comfortable backdrop for her, closing her eyes as she listens to that and the sound of Ygraine's voice. "I guess there's a lot of people I miss, she was always good to me though, you know… even if I was a jerk to her the first time we met."
Exhaling a sigh through her nose, Colette turns her head, eyes still shut, facing towards the sound of Ygraine's voice. "You've never talked about your family…" Colette realizes, asking before she really thinks about the question. "I— I mean…" her brows furrow, and the teen sits up, looking over to Ygraine with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, if— that's out of line."
Ygraine chuckles, but delays any further answer until she has a mug in each hand and is on her way to join Colette. "Careful. Yours is not only hot, but has a bit of a kick to it. Hope you enjoy your taste of "Irish" coffee…."
After handing over the coffee, she moves to perch on one end of the sofa (or sit on Colette's feet, if she doesn't get them out of the way), flashing her companion a wry grin. "It's all right. Let's see…. Jen's an only child, so her family's just her parents. Who are fortunately very, very liberal and open-minded by American standards. Or most standards, to be fair. Her turning up with a girlfriend was a surprise, but apparently not an unwelcome one. When I've not been setting things up here, I've been spending time with them, since we flew out here for New Year. You caught me a couple of days ago on what was meant to be just a brief visit to see if things had arrived safely…."
"I'll be staying here, though, when Jen goes back. I'll fly out to visit her - and my family - quite frequently, but mostly I'll be here. As for my family… Hmm. My father Alexander's responsible for me getting into cycling. He got me into it as a child, and I got addicted. Mum's a solicitor, though she gave it up for a while to cope with us. Dad's an academic linguist - he teaches at university. It's from him that I got my fluency in French. As far as he's concerned, being bilingual's the minimum that should be expected for any child."
Lifting her feet up when Ygraine sits down, Colette doesn't leave them up for long as she drapes the over Ygraine's lap and then scoots close to the Brit, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, free hand taking the mug as she snuggles up close to the older woman. Pressing her nose to Ygraine's shoulder, Colette pressing a silent kiss to the fabric of her sweater, then leans her head back to breathe in the scent of the coffee. "Hot and with a kick— yeah you got that right." Colette notes with a grimace, nose scrunching up as she smiles and takes a hesitant sip, seeming to not quite expect the strong flavor.
"You're… lucky, to still have your parents around, you and Jen both." Colette offers in a quiet voice, resting her cheek down on Ygraine's shoulder. "But I've got enough, now, so— it makes up for everything." Furrowing her brows, she watches the steam rise up from the cup, exhaling a contented sigh as she squirms to adjust her legs more comfortably across Ygraine's lap. "Thanks for putting up with me and all my obnoxious questions…"
She's quiet as she sips her coffee, and the teen's eyes fall shut in appreciation, breathing in that strong aroma again and exhaling another contented sigh. "Thanks for this too, s'wonderful."
Ygraine laughs, blushing swiftly in response to Colette's flatter - though she does carefully shift the mug from one hand to the other, freeing up an arm to be wrapped around the girl in response. "You're welcome. Though I have the feeling that I should be changing into a miniskirt, fishnets, and thigh boots, perhaps, to try to properly live up to that description."
Taking a cautious sip of her cocoa, she then delivers another squeeze. "And I know. I'm… glad it was me who was here on… that day. Rather than any of the rest of my family, or Jen's. None of them were likely to have been in full biking gear, and… I'm pretty sure that saved my life. Only just, but it did it. And… I'm really glad you found your sister at last. I hope that you're managing to get to know each other again."
One of Colette's brows stays up, cheeks red at that description, and she can't help but smile crookedly as she looks up to Ygraine. "You should," she admits teasingly, "I think you'd look good in a skirt," she adds with a nudge of her nose to Ygraine's shoulder. "I ah— I kind of got saved that day too, but…" Colette's eyes fall shut, taking another sip of her coffee to occupy herself in that awkward silence. "It's not really important anymore, I just… I like to think this all happened for a reason, you know?"
There's a hesitant smile offered at that, another long sip of the hot coffee, and she's draining the mug pretty quickly. "It makes it good to think that maybe allt he bad things that happened, happened because of something. Because… I dunno," her voice lowers to a whisper, "I dunno. But someone like Tamara… makes me think maybe there's a plan."
Ygraine gives Colette's shoulder what she hopes is a reassuring rub, following it up with another squeeze. "Even if it's not all in line with a grand plan, that doesn't mean that it's got to be pointless. You can choose to learn, to take inspiration, to strive for and against things because of what you experience. And you can take up opportunities taht weren't there before - or that might have been, but you'd never have noticed them."
Sipping at her drink, the Briton sighs, then chuckles ruefully. "For years, my goal was to get to the Olympics. Given the standards of the British team these days, that in itself would have been one heck of an achievement. But I was very close to it. Very close indeed. Now… even if they'd have me, I couldn't risk it. I'm a mutant, and they test. And even if I could get by the testing, I'm not even sure I would find it worthwhile. How would I know for certain that I wasn't gaining any sort of unfair edge? That when I tried really hard, I wouldn't use some little bit of my ability, or that it has some side-effects that help, or…."
She shrugs, turning her face to Colette. "So I've got to find other goals. And trying to help people, I always liked to think I might be some good at. I'm still not at all sure that I am, but I do want to try."
Cracking a smile and laughing, Colette hides her smile behind Ygraine's shoulder, shaking her head from side to side as she looks back up to the Briton. Finishing her coffee with a soft sound in the back of her throat, before leaning awkwardly, stretching, and contorting herself as she tries to stay sprawled across Ygraine's lap while resting her coffee on the coffee table.
As she stretches, Colette's sweater slides up along her back, skinny waist visible in a thick band of pale skin. A few small scars on her side weren't there before, tiny nicks and scrapes that healed over, showing just how rough working for the Ferrymen has been on her. When she leans back, her brows furrow and she seems thoughtful.
"You're lucky. I mean— having goals. I never wanted to do more with my life than just…" she can't come up with an answer. "I don't think I even know what I wanted to be… to do." Hiding her head against Ygraine's shoulder, Colette's voice is small. "I guess we both never thought we'd end up where we are now, did we? Doing what we do?"
Having been rather worriedly eyeing those scars while, balancing her cocoa, Ygraine finds herself distinctly caught by Colette's words. "I… no. No, I certainly didn't. I came back here to help, and to try to face down a few demons", she says quietly. "But I never had any notion of… becoming involved in a modern-day Underground Railroad, let alone any sort of a… resistance movement. And as for fighting the Vanguard….. I might have the spandex skin-suit already, but if I'm to play the role of a superheroine, I want to find out where my Spider-Sense and superstrength have gone…"
Brought out from her moment of silent contemplation by a laugh again, Colette looks up to Ygraine with a thoughtful smile. The teen's eyes close, head resting on her shoulder, cheek pressing against the warmth of the fabric of that sweater. "All I can do is sparkles," Colette adds with a crooked grin, "all I can do is// sparkles//. Sometimes, I have to wonder if that's ever going to be enough."
Her brows crease together, teeth toying with her lower lip, and she affords her next words just to herself, a breathless whisper; "Sometimes I wonder if anything I do'll ever be enough…"