Participants:
| Scene Title | Making The Best Of It |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Ygraine and Quinn converse over drinks and cake about everything from work, to making the best of things. |
| Date | June 17, 2010 |
A Coffee House in the Bronx
Ygraine lives up to her threat to push Quinn's scooter speed, her own acceleration quite startling for someone lacking a visible engine on her bike. Still, she does make sure that she doesn't ever lose her companion, and nor does she guide her into trouble on the roads.
The destination she stops at lies a few blocks away. A coffee house opened in the 90s boom for the venue, it's now a little tired-looking but still clean, aromatic, and stocked with an array of light meals and rich cakes. Fortunately the staff, if not all the customers, seem to be able to cope with a lycra-clad woman stalking in through the door.
Ygraine pauses at the entrance, holding the door open for Quinn, smiling at the Irishwoman.
To say Quinn is dazzled by how fast Ygraine moves that bike in and understatement, and reaching the coffee shop she almost seems exhausted just from trying to keep up – despite the significant added factor of having a motorized bike propelling her. She comes to a jerky stop, a momentary scowl on her face as she secures the scooter, and follows after Ygraine.
She seems a bit surprised that the door is help open for her, scurrying through so that the other woman can follow. “Thank you,” she says as she passes, smiling. Hands move to her pockets as she stares up at the menu of drinks, puzzling over that, exactly, she’s going to get.
“So,” she begins, head turning so that she’s looking back at Ygraine over her shoulder. “That was some right impressive cycling! I’ve never seen anyone I know move like that.”
Ygraine laughs softly. "Speed is often a good defence, in New York. Many people drive as if they're actively trying to turn you into pavement pizza… I'd recommend the moccha and the death by chocolate, if you're feeling indulgent, by the way."
A chuckle in response, and Quinn nods. “Whew, I can understand that. Though I have more a problem people trying to turn my scooter into pizza when it’s parked.” Still examining the menu, Quinn’s head tilts to the side at the recommendation. “I normally have a drink I get made, but I wager the sugar high might be a bit much at the moment.” She turns so that she’s facing Ygrain a bit better. “Death by Chocolate sounds heavenly, though.”
Ygraine grins at her companion. "Cake it is, then", she says happily. "D'you want to grab a table? And would you like anything to drink with your slice of fatal danger?"
“Oh, of course…” Quinn looks around, scanning for a good table. One spotted near the entrance, she turns – pausing to look back. “If they have some milk, that’d be delightful.” A hand withdraws from her pocket, wallet in hand in a silent offer to help pay. Ygraine had offered, but cake and a drink made her feel a bit bad.
Ygraine chuckles softly, shaking her head. "I hauled you out of where you wanted to be. I can cover it this time", she says with a smile. Her pack, she deposits at the table, bending over it to root a wallet out of a side-pocket before turning and stalking to the counter. There, she happily eyes the array of cakes, chatting amiably to the attendant.
In short order, she returns, bearing a two slices of thick, rich cake, a glass of milk, and a steaming mug.
The sight of cake and milk coming towards her makes Quinn sit up in her seat, a smile on her face. “It’s been a while since i had good cake. It’s not exactly something I can afford on a frivolous buy, and I can cook for beans.” Her fork taken in hand, she aims to take a chunk out of the slice, and then pauses again, smiling at Ygraine. “And thanks again. I hadn’t expected to meet someone today, and much less have cake.” And then she takes her bite – and is immediately glad she has the milk to counter the delicious richness.
Ygraine slides onto a seat, sighing happily at her own cake. "One of the joys of no longer being in competition is that I can get away with this sort of thing rather more often than used to be the case", she says somewhat guiltily. "But I still feel as if I'm misbehaving whenever I do. And… you're most welcome. If I were to be cynical, I'd say that it's definitely a good idea to show Miss Nichols' friends where they might find comfort food, and where they might hope to find a sympathetic ear."
“Oh, so you do- did compete?” Another bite of cake, and after a moment of savouring, she takes another gulp of her milk. “I had wondered. I’ve never competed in much in my life, outside of music showcases and the like. You must have been quite good, going faster than my scooter as you did.” She flashes Ygraine a smile, gaze seemingly linger just a moment before turning back down to her cake.
“Sympathetic ears are wonderful things to have, particularly lately, with the storm and the crazy things happening around town.” It’s not said with any sort of remorse or uneasiness, but Quinn’s smile does shrink a bit. Her fork dips, digging into the cake again.
Ygraine shoots an apologetic look at her companion. "Sorry. Not… the best choice of conversational topic, eh? Ummm. Yes. Yes, I did compete. And I was good. I was aiming at qualifying for the Beijing Olympics, but… life intervened."
A purse of her lips, then the Briton chuckles sheepishly. "Sorry. Another less-than-cheery topic of conversation. I'm doing well, aren't I? So - what brought you to New York?"
Quinn laughs, trying her best to cover her mouth despite the forkful of cake inside. Swollow, she shakes a hand dismissively at Ygraine. “Oh, no. It’s just that… a lot of people seem to be kinda freaking out over the blackouts last week. It’s been a little nutty, and I’m sure a good listenin’ ear is a hot commodity.” She smiles – she did have her own personal things she could use an ear for, but she’d gotten most of it off her chest with Elaine earlier, and she was by no means about to prattle on to someone she just met. Mostly out of fear of embarrassing herself.
“Oh, that’s a shame!” Fork placed down, Quinn leans forward a bit in her seat. :I bet you would have made it too, form how you were ridin’ earlier.” She furrows her brow. She’d never had a problem with anything keeping her from music, she could only imagine how killer it was. “And, well… M’ mum and I came to the US… twelve years ago.” Wow, had it been that long? “Lived in Boston a few years, an’ then I moved here after high school.”
"Twelve…? Good grief. You don't sound like you spent remotely so long in Bawston. And… the black-outs, I missed. Returned just after them - which I suspect might well be a good thing. Knowing what the future holds… I'm not too sure that'd be good for anyone. Would I have had as much joy as I did from cycling, if I'd known I'd never make it to an Olympics? Probably not. Would have been frustrated, not tried as hard… not done as well. And being bitter wouldn't be likely to make me a better person, either."
Quinn chuckles, offering a smile as she looks back up from cake. “It never feels like twelve, really. And when it does, I tend to miss back home.” She leans back in her seat, no longer hovering over her 3/4ths done piece of cake. “And I don’t disagree. Though I know the one I had was.. pretty mundane compared to some I read about.”
Ygraine cocks her head. "You had one? Wow. Would it be… rude to ask what it was about? What it felt like? I've got nothing directly to share in return, so… I suppose you'd be free to ask a question of your own, if you wanted."
Quinn quirks her mouth back and forth, shrugging. “It wasn’t anything, like, amazing. Or embarrassing. Just… me runnin’ though a burning hall, and some woman keeping it from falling down on me.” She winces, flexing an arm. “An’ I think I broke an arm?” She shakes her head, and arm coming up to rest across the back of her seat. She smirks, fair is far after all. “I was thinkin’ of asking what brought you back to States, since you said you’d been gone. Figured that might be rude, though.”
Ygraine looks startled. "Just a flaming building and running for your life? That… doesn't exactly sound mundane. And… heh. Which time?" The Briton winks, taking a long sip of her drink. "Mmmm. Well - the first time I came back, it was to try to face down demons. I was on Broadway on the day of the Bomb. Woke up three days later in a field hospital. Since then… I've been popping back and forth a bit. Still got demons to fight, and there's nowhere in the world I'm sure I could be more use. Since I'm out of competition, I might as well be useful, eh?"
A hand moves to Quinn’s chin. “I guess not. I just… got curious and was reading on the Internet about some of ‘em. They sounded kinda frightening, so I guess I consider mine mundane by comparison…” Quinn wrinkles her nose, shifting her posture forward a bit. “I was lucky enough t’ have stayed home form a party in Manhattan when the Bomb happened. My roommate wasn’t so lucky.” Despite the sadness of such a statement, it’s said fairly straight – Quinn has long since come to terms with that particular event. The mention of fighting demons and such does get a quizzical look from Quinn as she leans back.
A distinctly sympathetic wince. "I'm sorry to hear that. And glad for your own sake…. But yes - I can imagine that something which doesn't provide any… dramatic revelations about loved ones, or seem to confirm a horrible demise might seem somewhat mundane. But… that sounds like anything but an ordinary day to me."
“Fair ‘nough, I guess.” She chuckles, digging into the last piece of cake. This time, she doesn’t follow it with cake, letting the taste of chocolate sit as long as she can. “I’m sure there’s plenty to do to stay useful. You jsut gotta look. I finally found a job I really feel useful at the other week.”
Ygraine dispatches a piece of her own cake, then cocks her head again. "What's your new job, if it's not rude to ask?"
A moment pauses before Quinn takes a long gulp of her milk, finishing it alongside the cake. “Ah, that was wonderful. A fine suggestion!” She smirks, pushing her plate a bit forward. “DJ, actually. I’m… a bit useless at anythin’ not related to music, but I was lucky enough to land a job at a new club that’s opening soon.”
“Oh, really?" Ygraine looks intrigued. "What's it called? And what sort of club is it?"
“Tartarus!” She beams with pride as she gives the name – it’s not her club, but she’s more than happy to work there. “Grand opening’s coming up real soon too, if you wanna come by, it’s in Manhattan.”
Ygraine looks distinctly surprised, then laughs softly. "You're joking. Tartarus? Really? I slightly know the owner. I helped name her dog - which she, fortunately, seems to have forgiven me for. Yeah… I'm, ahh, signed up for the auction. She roped me into it. Promised that she wouldn't sell me for an embarassingly low sum."
“Huh!” Quinn chuckles as well, shaking her head. “It kind of funny how many people I know that know each other lately.” At the mention of the auction, a distinctly sly look spreads across Quinn’s face. “Well, that’s good. That means it’s one less person I have to convince to do it!” She snickers. “I’m goin’ up on the block myself. And hoping I have enough money t’ get someone myself, since it’s all for charity.”
Ygraine laughs once more. "You are? Melissa's roped her staff into it as well? I suppose that makes sense. And… you'll probably find that people who have some connection to Colette are often tied together. She's a knack for blundering into webs of connection, and tangling people up with each other.”
Quinn’s fingers tap a bit on the table, drumming out a subconscious beat. “I figure it’ll be fun. And that sounds like someone else I know. Kid seems to know everyone, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that someone else has that going on.” Magnes, of course. It was because of him and Sable that she was meeting all these people lately, and she’d have to thank them for it soon.
Ygraine chuckles once more, allowing herself some more cake before replying verbally. "I probably shouldn't ask who that other person might be….. And yes, I'm hoping it'll be fun. I'm thinking I really need to get myself a new outfit, but I'm not sure what. I've never been sold before."
Quinn shrugs. “Just a guy in my band. I honestly might explode if I find out he knows anyone else. The guy can pick out specific dogs in the middle of the Park, for Christ’s sake.” She snickers at the mention of an outfit. “I should get somethin’ nice myself. All I have are skirts and hoodies, and I think Melissa wanted me to head up the raffle too…”
Ygraine lifts her brows - but a strange talent for canine recognition doesn't ring any bells with her.
"Well, I'd offer to go shopping with you - but I'm not sure our tastes would overlap. Then again… you're set to work in a Goth club, so perhaps we should be looking for something… extravagant for you?"
Quinn looks down at herself and how she’s dressed, and snickers. “I hadn’t really thought of that, I guess jeans, sandals, and a t-shirt or hoodie wouldn’t really cut it if I want to stay in theme, would it?” This was something that clearly needed remedying. “Maybe I’ll have to ask Melissa what I should get, unless you have any ideas. I’m not really sure what… extravagant entails.”
Ygraine cracks a very broad grin. "Well, I confess to having a weakness for Victoriana and steampunkery, myself. I couldn't really indulge or explore it very much while I was competing, but… now I've got a lot more freedom to engage in frivolous hobbies. I could introduce you to a corsetier, if you wanted, never mind more conventional shops. Though with only a week to go until the auction we'd probably have to go with off-the-peg or easily-altered items whatever you wanted…"
Her lips quirk side to side in consideration, and then a grin. “I’ve never… pictured myself in anythin’ like that. I listen to a lot of the music, but I’ve never really gotten into th’ culture or looked at anything like that.” She leans back again, fingers resuming their tap tap tap tap. “That might be a lot of fun, though. And anythin’ someone has a weakness for has to be worth trying, right?” She snickers, and then nods. “So I think I’d appreciate that. Melissa might too, particularly since I’m getting auctioned and all.”
Ygraine laughs. "Really? Oooh. Well, if you like it, we could perhaps see about getting your DJing gear steampunked. It'd cost a bit, but there are people who do custom modifications and designs. There's even a band with an antique steam-powered piano, that I've seen footage of."
Perking up noticeably at the mention of the piano, Quinn leans forward. “A steam piano? That’s somethin’ I’d love to see. I love my upright, but that would be fantastic for anything live.”
"Oh, it looks great", Ygraine enthuses with a grin. "Crazy device. But… yeah - you could do a lot with steampunkery if you had a bit of a budget to throw at it. I'm not sure that Melissa would want the club to go that way - she seems to want a more generically Gothic feel - but a crazy DJ having her own style is surely part of the point, isn't it?"
Quinn points a finger at Ygraine, cocked like a gun. “I like the way you think.” A grin crosses across her face as her hand lowers. “I’d love to look into something like that. I think most of the equipment we have in the booth is the club’s, but I don’t think she’d mine if I got some of my own stuff all tricked out like that and brought it in.” There’s a slight down turn in her expression, and she leans back. “Gradually, of course. Even working two jobs means just scrapin’ by lately. Seems like rent might not be a bit of an issue soon, though, so there’s that.”
"Rent not an issue?", Ygraine asks, head canting to one side - though the flattered smile that appeared when she was complimented is still in place. "That sounds rather good. Are you getting a place above the club, or something?"
Quinn points a finger to her side, as if indicating that she point back the way they came. “I’m probably movin’ into Gun Hill soon. Colette’s idea, actually. Though a place above the club, that’d be fantastic too.”
Yet another surprised look from Ygraine, as the Briton tries to work out whether or not she can take Colette arranging it to mean that Quinn is under the Ferry's protection - or just being helped to find a home on the cheap.
"And she's able to have you stay there rent-free? Sounds impressive. I'd ask how you manage it, but… I've got a mortgage on my own place, so rent-free wouldn't help me much."
“Well, not entirely rent free. Help out renovating the place, and ‘don’t worry about rent at first’ I think were the terms. Which is great, since I still have my lease on my flat in Brooklyn…” Quinn shrugs. “It was kinda strange, actually, but it seems smart. I’ve been going out there so much, and will be anyway. Save gas, if nothing else!”
Smiling, Ygraine nods warmly. "That does sound good - so long as she's not signing you up as slave labour to strip asbestos, or something", she says with a wink, before opting to move away from the subject of the Ferry safehouse.
"So… clothes-shopping. Are you serious about considering steampunkery?"
“if I can manage the coin, it certainly sounds like something worth lookin’ into. I’ve never considered the idea of a… gimmick?” That seemed like the right word. “I’d love to go lookin’ at some, though, if only to find something for Melissa’s grand opening.” She smiles at Ygraine, tilting her head. “You’ll come, right? I’d be kinda lost, I don’t really know much about anything like that.”
Nodding happily, Ygraine grins at her companion. "Sure. I'd be happy to. The more people I can corrupt to the crazy path, the better, eh? Friends in freakery are nice to have."
Quinn’s smile forms into a grin, and after another appraising moment, she returns Ygraine’s nod. “Fantastic, then! I look forward to it. I never really do much shopping or the like, so it’s fun when it happens, and it’ll be great t’ have someone along.”
Ygraine chuckles and nods. "I'm starting to get into it. Now that I'm no longer blowing almost all my spare cash on training or gear, it's weird - but nice - to have the chance to splash out a bit." A slight pause, and she cocks her head again. "Would you like to meet at a shop at a particular time, or…?"
“Well, you know…” She pulls something up out of her pocket – an iPhone – and starts thumbing across it, eyes focused on the device. “Depends on how soon you want t’ head out and do it. I think I work at least a few hours this weekend at the bookstore, and Monday…” Eyes narrow, and she looks up and shrugs. “Whenever’s fine. I can give you my mobile number and we can work it out later. But I know I’m free in th’ evening the next few days.” At those last few words, she looks at Ygraine and smiles, before returning her attention to her phone.
Ygraine purses her lips. "Mmm. Daytime shopping might be easier - if we want to actually visit physical locations, at least. And I'd recommend that we do, so that you can get a look and feel for what you might be getting yourself into. Would you be free at all during the day tomorrow? And sure - we can swap numbers, if you like."
Quinn wrinkles her nose at that suggestion, flitting through entries on her iPhone, and then nodding. “Yep!” It’s definitely an enthusiastic response. “Work a bit in th’ morning, but it’s a short shift. I’ll be off by 2, or thereabouts. If you think that’d be best, I’m for it.” With that, she looks around the table and grabs a napkin, a pen quickly withdrawn from her pocket and numbers scribbled down in a very flowery style of writing. Smiling at Ygraine, Quinn slides it across the table and taps it once with a finger. “You can throw a me a text or what have you whenever.”
Ygraine peers at the number, then nods and smiles. "Thanks. Whereabouts do you work? Would you want to go shopping straight from there?"
“A Barnes & Noble in Brooklyn, I can write down the address, if you’d like…” With that, she brandishes her pen out to Ygraine, in the event she needs it. “Works’ close by home, so it’s no big deal to go shopping more or less straight from there. No real need t’ change or anything, and if I do, it’s a quick hop.”
Ygraine laughs once more. "Mmmmm. Now do I show up on the motorcycle, or assume that we'll be buying enough that a taxi would be a good idea? I'm not sure I'd want to stuff a new dress into the bike panniers…"
“Motorcycle?” The word catches Quinn’s attention pretty well, just the faintest hint of surprise on her face, enough she likely shouldn’t be. “A taxi might be smart. No way of knowing how things’ll go.”
"I'm a speed freak, at least on two wheels", Ygraine confesses somewhat sheepishly. "The exhilaration of bicycle is different, and the adrenaline rush of providing the speed yourself is amazing when you get it right… but there's definitely something to be said for having a thousand cc engine driving you along…. Ahh-hrrrm. Yeah. Taxi it is. Shall I meet you at the Barnes and Noble?"
Quinn’s arms fold across her midsection, Irish girl chuckling. “Sounds fun. I’ve just got my scooter, I’ve never been brave enough to ride a real motorcycle.” She’s also not sure the whole look that comes with it would really suit her, but she keeps that to herself. “Sure thing! I’ll walk t’ work then, it’s not far enough to be prohibitive. Just don’t want to leave my scooter around. I have to say, this is a bit excitin’.”
An impish grin from Ygraine. "Exciting? Heh. I'll have to introduce you to Alfred at some point. He's the motorcycle in question. I'm glad you're looking forward to it. Normally when I geek out at someone, they either look scared, or bored, or pitying."
“Well, it’s not like you’re forcing me to dress up in bright spandex and capes, or anything. There’s worse ways to geek out at people.” Quinn notes with a smile. “This, I assure you, is nothing so bad. At least, it doesn’t sound like it.”
"Bright spandex, I wore while competing. Capes…? And forced to wear it? DId you work as a character actor for a theme park, or something?", the Briton asks, clearly more than a little confused.
“Well, not forced, but talked into it, definitely. I know someone who’s really into comics. Same guy form my band who seems to know everyone ever, actually.” She grins. Poor Magnes, making fun of him when he wasn’t even around. “He made the costumes himself though, so I have to hand that to him.”
A distinct pause. "You have a band-mate, who makes spandex costumes especially for you, and has you dress up in them? I… wow. And in spite of being in a, what, comic-book tribute band you get hired as a Goth DJ? I'm seriously impressed."
Quinn laughs, and loudly at that. “Oh, no. I think he just makes them and fits them on whoever he can. I know he’s made some for his girlfriend before.” She snickers. “Lord, a comic tribute band. I better keep that idea away from him. Our band’s a bit of a mix. bass-and-guitar rock, but with piano and my violin.”
Ygraine's mouth opens to reply, but she seems to be finding words hard to come by. "Ah… right. Ummm. He's musical, plays with spandex, makes women's clothing… and he's got a girlfriend? Wow. That does sound like an interesting line-up. I play a little piano myself, but… never really seriously. I have seen a steampunked electric violin, by the way. Really cool-looking thing…."
“Now, that is something I’ll have to set down on. I need an electric violin anyway.” This prospect is seeming to excite Quinn more and more. “And heh, he’s a good guy. Cooks too, which I never knew until today. Frightening, isn’t it?” She chuckles, and shakes her head. “It’s not a finished lineup. We technically need a drummer, though I’m sure I’ll get stuck setting up drum machines until that happens.”
Ygraine winces sympathetically. "I loathe drum machines…. But - your spandex tailor cooks, too? I hope that his girlfriend is ready for him coming out some day…. Blimey."
A laugh, and a shake of her head, then the Briton grins at Quinn once more. "Electric violins, I don't know where you might go to buy - but as another piece of electronic kit, if you did want one customised, I'm sure a good steampunk tech could handle it for you."
Ygraine winces sympathetically. "I loathe drum machines…. But - your spandex tailor cooks, too? I hope that his girlfriend is ready for him coming out some day…. Blimey."
A laugh, and a shake of her head, then the Briton grins at Quinn once more. "Electric violins, I don't know where you might go to buy - but as another piece of electronic kit, if you did want one customised, I'm sure a good steampunk tech could handle it for you."
Quinn can’t help but snicker at that, fighting off the urge to burst into giggles. “Oh, if only he could hear that. I’d love to see his face. And drum machines… they have their place. Just, I don’t think, in what we’re trying to accomplish. But you do what you have to.” Elbows down on the table, she props her head against them, unintentionally making the smile on her face look rather exaggerated. “You’ll have to show me where t’ find some of these places.”
“Oh, definitely”, Ygraine agrees warmly, after her chuckle dies down. “Most of the techs, you’d have to find online, I think. But some of the Goth and alternative shops are likely to have connections to them, and could provide some suggestions on people to talk to. The other options would be to go to clubs and conventions and try and find them there, but that’d probably be harder to manage.”
Conventions. Magnes had talked about that kind of thing too. “I’ll have t’ see what Melissa knows, and anyone else who’s around at Tartarus next time I go in.” She smiles, looking down at the empty plates. “Did you want anything else? I don’t mind getting a round of drinks, or anythin’.”
"Mmmm. Sure, why not? I can be decadent and treat myself to another cocoa", Ygraine says with a somewhat bashful smile. "Thank you. Especially in light of me bullying you towards a new wardrobe."
“Pssh, bullyin’ nothing.” She winks before turning around and making her way over to the counter. It takes a few minutes, but in short order she returns with another steaming cup of cocoa, and tea for herself. “I love trying something different. And… this sounds really different. But fun.” She takes her seat and slides the cocoa over, taking a sip of her tea. “So, I’m curious, what was it that brought you over to Gun Hill, anyway? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Ygraine looks up from her mug, now cradled tenderly between her hands, and blinks at Quinn. "Mmm? Oh! A delivery. And up to the roof for the sunset. You were after Colette, weren't you? Was there something you needed to talk to her about? I shouldn't detain you, if so…."
“Eh.” She shrugs, shaking her head. “Like I said, I thought I’d left some books at her place. But I have plenty to read as it is, so it can wait until Monday.” She grins, leaning back in her seat. “I don’t mind being detained, as it were. So, deliveries? That’s kinda cool. I bet you get to see a lot of the city…”
"Heh. Yes, I do… including some of the less pretty bits. Not too many deliveries to Central Park on a sunny day, sadly. But… it's something worthwhile. And every now and then it's clear that you really help someone…. I admit I'd still prefer to find something that makes more use of my brain, but… 'normal' jobs rarely offer much in the way of challenge, do they?"
Quinn chuckles quietly. “Not really, I guess. Workin’ at a book store’s fun, but it’s not challenging. I haven’t really done much else though, personally, besides independent DJing and performances. I… guess I’m kinda lucky like that.”
A somewhat rueful smile, and Ygraine nods. "Enjoy it. Revel in it. Cherish it", she says gently. "Be aware of how lucky you are to be gifted enough to do what you do, and to have the chance to pursue it. Use that to push yourself to new heights. Don't let yourself get complacent about it - that's where boredom can creep in, and you can stop appreciating just wonderful it is to be genuinely good at something and to have the chance to do it for a living."
A half frown forms on Quinn’s face, the musician looking a bit regretful. “…I’m sorry, that was kinda rude, wasn’t it?” A long sip of her tea follows, set back down with a quiet clatter. “I’ll keep that in mind. I do love getting to play and perform, so much…”
Ygraine hastily reaches out, intending to give Quinn's hand or wrist a squeeze.
"I had years of competition, and I loved them", she says softly. "But even so… I still wish that I'd… been more aware of how lucky I was. I was - and am - proud of what I achieved. But… there's a lot of luck there. So many people who could be great at something never get the chance to find out that they are. Or lose it before they come close to their peak. Just… be glad of what you have, and use it. Revel in your talent - don't take it for granted, and never take opportunities for granted either."
Ducking her head, Ygraine laughs self-consciously. "I apologise. I sound as if I'm some seventy year-old washed-up former coach giving a Rocky speech."
When Ygraine first reaches out and squeezes her hand so suddenly, a bit of a blush creeps up on Quinn's face, a look of surprise washing across her. As she speaks, however, if fade rather quickly, instead upturning into the closest thing she can approximate to an understanding smile.
A laugh breaks the smile, though. Well, a chuckle."No need to apologise." Quinn's face still shows that hint of redness. "I've just… never really thought of things like that. I've never needed to." She quirks her lips into a grin.
"Most people don't", Ygraine agrees quietly, smile again rueful. "But… neither of us is exactly pursuing a wholly mundane life, are we? So why stick to conventional habits? Far better to examine what you have and to make the most of it."
Quinn leans back again, shaking her head. “Convention isn’t all that fun anyway,” she remarks with a mirthful smile, trying to steer the conversation back towards a cheerier tone. She takes another long sip of her tea, and then sighs. “I certainly think I’ve made the best of today, at least. And the last few days. It’s been that kind of month.” She raises her glass, smiling. “To making the best of it, then?”
Another of Ygraine's wry chuckles emerges, as she eyes her mug, then grins and raises it to clunk against the glass. "To making the best of it. Though I'm not sure I've ever toasted with cocoa before."
“And I’ve never toasted with tea.” With that, Quinn finishes her cup of tea, letting the cup clatter on the plate it came with. “I guess that’s in the spirit of the toast, hmm?”
A laugh, and Ygraine nods. "Indeed. Now… should I be sending you off home to get an early night before your busy day tomorrow? Or do you have extravagant plans for the evening?"
Smiling, Quinn playfully cocks an eyebrow. “Tryin’ to get rid of me?” She chuckles, and looks down at her phone as it rests on the table. “No plans for tonight. I’ll probably go home and hang around for a few hours before sleep, maybe mess around with a little musical project of mine.”
Ygraine shakes her head. "No, no. If anything, I'm guilty about kidnapping you. Not that I'm quite sure where I could take you, dressed like this. And I really should get home and have a shower. I'm sure I'm a little aromatic…"
“Oh, no, I’m just teasing!” Quinn laughs a little, shifting forward in her seat. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re fine. But I can understand wanting to change out of something like that before people start gawping and whatnot.” She grins, a point of finger waggled up and down as she speaks.
Ygraine's snort is somewhat less than ladylike. "I'd be a good few years too late for that, you know. Spending years in skin-suits before an audience removes most of your concerns about passers-by seeing you. But I do prefer not to be out too late at night like this, if I can help it."
Quinn nods, scooping up her phone and slipping it back into pocket. Arms thrust into the air, stretching for a moment before scooting up and out of her seat. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow anyhow, so I won’t keep you tied up and out like that, then.” A hand if offered out to Ygraine, as if to help her up out of the seat.
Ygraine looks at the hand a little blankly for a moment, then chuckles and accepts it - though she doesn't put much weight on it as she rises.
Hands retreat to pockets afterwards, Quinn only offering a shrug. “It was a pleasure to meet you, by the by.” It’s said with a wide smile, Quinn shuffling back a bit to let Ygraine past her.
"And you", Ygraine says warmly, gathering up her pack, helmet and gloves. Offering Quinn an amiable grin, she heads for the door and the glow of the street-lights outside.
