Participants:
| Scene Title | y Ddraig goch |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | The long-ago of the half-forgotten past, the fears and joys of the present… and a new tattoo. |
| Date | August 13 2010 |
Gun Hill - Quinn's Apartment
Today was going to be an eventful day. Robyn Quinn just knew it. Which is funny, because at the moment nothing particularly interesting was happening at all, unless you count her amused laughter as she lies down on her couch with a digest sized book held aloft. The easily visible cover reads "Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together", and it has her laughing hard enough to echo throughout her room and probably out into the hall.
Shaking her head and sighing, she places the book momentarily on her bright blue button up shirt, giving her a second free hand with which to reach down and straighten her yellow ruffled skirt. She was trying to get as far into the comics as she could before she, Magnes, Elaine, and Sable made their way to the movies to see… well, the movie, be it today and tomorrow. And she was kind of hoping tomorrow, so that she could get through the last four in time.
There's a slight pause out in the hall, as Ygraine cocks her head in response to that laughter, listening intently. Then, smiling slightly, she takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders, then rat ta-tat-tats upon the door to Quinn's apartment.
Quinn perks up at the sound of the knocking, looking towards the door with a curious expression. She, however, is far too lazy and much to comfortable to get up, particularly when the door's unlocked. "Come on in, it's open!"
Another steadying breath, then Ygraine turns the handle and steps inside, glancing around before smiling warmly at Quinn. "Do you ever actually sit on the sofa?", she asks with a laugh, closing the door behind her, resting her back against it. "I have the impression that we should buy you a chaise longue to lounge decadently upon…."
Seeing Ygraine prompts Quinn to practically launch herself up from her seat, sending the graphic novel tumbling down to the ground. She makes no slow motion of hoping over to Ygraine and throwing her arms around the other woman, just a moment of hesitation before tipping up to kiss her. "Welcome back!" she proclaims happily as she lays her head down against the other woman's shoulder.
"Sometimes. Just sittin's kinda uncomfortable, though." She shrugs, laughing again. "A lounge would probably look nice though…" Trailing off she takes a half step back, hands on Ygraine's side. "Man, you picked a good time t' come back, from what I heard on the news. How was home? Get t' see Jen?"
Ygraine pushes off the door to accept the hug, and giggles into the kiss. After a moment, she hoists Quinn off her feet, squeezing warmly before letting her regain her balance.
"Mmmm. Yes. Spent most of my time with her, fortunately. Showed her pictures of you, too. She definitely wants to hear some of your music."
Quinn lets out an "Eep!" of surprise as she's pulled up, laughing all the while, "That's good t' hear! An' I'm glad it sounds like I got a favourable review, I'k have t' send you with some demos next time you go. Hopefully I'll be gettin' around t' recording those soon." She hugs again, nuzzling briefly before disengaging and returning to the sofa. She plops down, pulling up the book she'd been reading and placing it on the table. "Sounds like you had fun, at least."
Ygraine cracks a grin, nodding warmly. "I did. It was good to see my family, as well as Jen. I got to take her to the theatre, too, which was great. But… I do have a surprise for you. Kind of a present, I suppose. Or at least I hope so."
Another nerve-steadying breath, then she moves away from the door, following Quinn towards the sofa - but moving to stand before her hostess, there to swing her braid around in front, then turn her back. That reveals not only the backless nature of her top, but a very large, intricately-detailed, brilliantly-coloured tattoo that wasn't there ten days ago.
Red and white dragons - sinuous Celtic and Anglo-Saxon designs - are twined around each other, each with its head part-turned to offer the viewer a sardonically challenging look. The colours are impossibly bright, entirely lacking the muted tones of most tattoos, while the detailing is breath-taking.
Quinn gives Ygraine a bit of a sceptical yet curious look before she turns around - and once she does, the Irishwoman's eyes go wide with surprise. "Holy shit!" she exclaims rather crudely, literally sitting on the edge of her seat a moment, as if having her eyes that close to Ygraine's back will give her a better look.
"Wow!" she says after a few appraising moments. "Ygraine, that looks absolutely wonderful. I mean, the design is very neat, but I've never seen such a brilliant lookin' tattoo either!" She reaches up, running her hand down her friend's back. "I definitely like it. You'll have t' tell me who you went to, in case I ever go through with gettin' one." She pauses for a moment, snickers. "Dragons. I wouldn't a' figured you the type. It looks great, though."
"I can take you to her, to get work done if you want", Ygraine says warmly, looking somewhat relieved, before gently attempting to deposit herself in Quinn's lap. "And I do have dragon pictures in my bedroom. I mostly keep the geekery out of sight, I admit, but it shouldn't be a complete surprise to you…."
A slightly self-conscious shrug follows. "And, of course, it's got a bit more meaning to it than just being pretty. Goes back to old legends…"
"That's right, an' you had that choker…" Now Quinn feels kind of silly, but she laughs it off with a nod of her head. "Maybe if I work up the courage an' can think a' something i want t' get on me, we'll go together. I think that would be really neat, personally." When Ygraine moves into her lap, Quinn pulls her close, nuzzling her. "I figured there'd be more to it," Quinn says with a grin. "I'd like t' think I know you well enough t' know that."
Ygraine shivers happily in response to the nuzzle, blushing a little as she slips an arm around her seat's shoulders. "I'd like to think so, too, Robyn." Planting a kiss upon the Irishwoman's brow, she smiles down at her. "So… do you think that I should show it off? And would you like to hear the story behind it?"
"Oh, totally!" Quinn's response is quick and cheery, several enthusiastic nods of her head offered alongside it. "How could you not show that off? It looks positively wonderful! I mean, even if the design wasn't really cool, you should show off that excellent work. But thankfully, it is." She giggles, wrapping her arms around the taller woman. "Sure, I'd love t' hear."
Ygraine sighs happily, resting her cheek against Quinn's hair for a moment. "I missed you", she murmurs, squeezing slightly, before sitting up a little.
"In the long-ago of the half-forgotten past, the great and terrible wise man, Myrddin - known to the people of Engle-land as Merlin the Wizard - was called upon to find why the land in part of Britain shook and trembled and convulsed, with boulders cascading down the hill-sides and shivering, slithering rushes of shale and scree sliding down into the valleys."
Thumb stroking lightly at Quinn's shoulder, Ygraine smiles. "So he found a gap in the Earth, and conjured up a flame to light his way, and ventured down and in, and around and onwards, and found his way to a great cavern. And there, there was a lake, a great stretch of underground water, a solemn sea of black silence that could swallow up a voice and a light and a man - but that sea had been shattered and churned into founts and stallions of white foam by two great beasts that had awoken.
One red, one white, and both scaled, and clawed, and fanged and powerful. And the two dragons, upon espying each other, had turned those stone-rending weapons upon each other, and fallen to struggling - vying for mastery…."
Quinn smiles happily, eyes closing when Ygraine rests against her, and remaining so through Ygraine's story, so that she can better visualise every intriguing detail that is delivered to her by Ygraine. The mention of Merlin certainly causes her to perk up; this is name that she, like most of the English world, recognises, drawing her attention in even more. She nods enthusiastically when Ygraine takes her pause, silently urging her to continue.
Ygraine turns her head to plant another light kiss upon Quinn's brow. "Mmm. And there, the stories that are told diverge. Some say that the red - y Ddraig goch - overcame the white, forcing it down and tearing it asunder with fang and raking claw. And that foretold the victories to come, for these were the days of Uther of the Dragon's Head, before his son Arthur ever took the throne."
A slight smile, and she shrugs languidly. "But others say that the white became uppermost, and choked and harried the red until it submitted. And that was the white dragon of the Saxon and the Angle, conquering the red champion of Britain, and that what Merlin saw was the doom of the Britons."
"But there is a third tale, that has Merlin the wise put both to sleep, that they might rest a while longer, and learn to live together. For if they do not, the land itself would be torn asunder, and neither people might ever know peace or prosperity. So sleep they did, and dream they did, and learn to live together they have at last. For dragons are kin, after all, and kin should care. And stand together against the threats of the world."
"This sounds vaguely familiar," Quinn remarks, tilting her head as she listens to the rest of the tail. "Has this been in any movies or the like? I can't shake the feelin' I've heard this." She sits up a bit, shrugging. "It's an interesting story, though! You should tell me more a' these myths and tales. They're fun." After a moment, she leans forward and draws Ygraine into another kiss. "I missed you too."
Ygraine chuckles softly into the kiss. "Mmmm. There've been elements of the various myths of Merlin in a wide array of films and TV shows, as well as a host of books. He appears even more widely than Arthur does nowadays, since he's rather more versatile as a character. You can find a use for his various guises in a wide array of tales - from lecherous old man to conniving Machiavellian politician to visionary saviour to doomed lover…."
"Well, I know that! I remember that miniseries they did a bit back, about Merlin, an' a bunch a' other movies an' books. Just, that particular story sounds familiar."
Quinn shrugs, laughing quietly at herself. "I'll have t' dig around, see if anythin' I've seen jogs a memory. So, what alld id you do back home, besides see family an' be with your wife? And show off a positively amazing tattoo, which I'm curious as to what Jen thought of."
Ygraine giggles, shaking her head. "In large part, she's worried that I'll want her to get one now. I'm tempted, but… it's the sort of thing that could cost her roles, if it's anywhere particularly obvious. A secret tattoo somewhere hidden might be fun, but she's not exactly enthused by the idea of having a stranger poking around in that sort of place…."
"Mmmmm. Otherwise? I ran a few errands for the Sailing Club. There are some friends and allies and a few members out in the rest of the world, and I got set up with the Club through one of them who's in Britain - an old history professor, who was briefly over here as a visiting lecturer at Columbia."
"I can understand that, bein' with what she does an' all. I'm not sure I'd want someone pokin' around private areas who's not supposed t' either. Might be kinda awkward." She shrugs, and then her face lights up a bit. "Oh yeah! I had my first, um… assignment for the Club." That pseudonym always feels a little awkward to her, necessary or not. "Went with Colette an' Tasha to talk to someone who was interested in joinin'. It was an interesting experience, but it went well enough."
Ygraine cocks her head, looking both curious and impressed. "Was this an actual assignment from on-high, or Miss Nichols just grabbing whoever happened to be around at the time?", she asks with a smile. "And what was he or she like?"
"Came down from Eileen, from what I heard," Quinn replies with a smile. "Colette… seemed hesitant about me bein' involved when I talked to her the other day. Said she thought that I had too good a chance at a normal life, that she'd decided not t' recommend me herself." There's a brief downcast look on Quinn's face, before she shakes her head - and the look away with the motion. "I still think I do, but… I like t' think I'm stronger than people give me credit for. I found out Colette's been shot before, an' that shit gets dangerous. But, like… I'd like t; think you already gave me a good understanding of that."
There's a slow shrug from Quinn as she looks back up at Ygraine. "Jaiden. He was a nice guy. Does things with water, an' it was absolutely amazin' to see him do it. He already kinda ran a safehouse an' shelter outta a hidden basement, so it seemed like a perfect fit."
"Colette's a tendency to… throw herself into things", Ygraine says cautiously. "Whatever they might be. Whether it's showing someone she likes them, or isolating herself from everyone she knows to keep them safe. She takes the same sort of approach to the rest of her life, as you might imagine. And… she's also one of the more usefully powerful members of the association. Even if all she could do was turn invisible, that'd be a huge asset. As it is, she turn others invisible, and do a whole lot more. So… if she wants to get involved, there seems to be a tendency to let her. After all, she's too useful to turn away. Even if she does keep getting… broken."
Shaking her head slightly, the Briton musters a smile. "That sounds impressive. Drawing attention from Eileen, and the guy you recruited. Hydromancy, I've not yet seen in action, but it could certainly be useful. And he certainly sounds like a good fit."
"I like Eileen," Quinn muses with a smile. "She seems nice an' willing t' help, at least when I met her. An' she plays the violin absolutely wonderfully. If I knew how t' get in touch with her, I'd invite her over t' play with me." The Irishwoman gives a nod of affirmation, snuggling up against Ygarine. "I'm a bit worried by all the surprise I seem t' get from the people I know who are in the Ferry, when they find out I'm involved. Like, maybe people don't think I can handle it." She takes a deep breath, and sighs. "I honestly don't know if I can. But I'm damn well going t' try."
"I thought that it should be your choice. And I also think that you could be useful. And I further think that it badly needs to recruit moral people who care, rather than just adding to the ranks of those who 'have a useful ability' or 'want to fight'." Ygraine smiles warmly down at her seat. "I personally think that you could do a lot for the Club, and for the people it tries to help. And I thought that you'd want to have the chance to do so."
Quinn replies with a slow nod and a kiss on Ygraine's cheek. "I know. An' I appreciate that. I like helpin' people, an' this seems like a worthy cause. Particularly with the stupid law changes goin' on." She says that bit with a bit of a huff and a shake of her head. "I supported registration abck when it came about as a voluntary, or so I thought, measure an' a way for me to avoid trouble in the future. But I hate what it's become, an' what I've heard. These new changes are absolutely preposterous."
She closes her eyes, letting a smile return to her face. "That's just a small part a' the interesting week I had," Quinn admits with a smile. "Elaine's back home an' safe, if I didn't tell you. Sable's got her arm back now. Magnes convinced me t' buy some comics. I went corset shoppin' with Nadira…" She trails off a bit, quirking her lips. "I was at a bank robbery. No one got hurt, an' I didn't lose anythin'. But it was pretty scary. Nothin' too bad happen, they took some money, but got scared off by some dude who turned int' sand an' by some lady having a heart attack or somethin'. Delilah was there too, we were the ones who called for the cops an' ambulance."
"Bank robbery?!?" Ygraine is, for the moment, quite thoroughly distracted even from corset-shopping. "Good grief. I hope that no one else was hurt."
Worriedly, she fidgets with Quinn's hair, biting her lower lip as she tidies stray strands. "I do like the new shade, by the way", she murmurs. "But… are you really all right?"
"I'm fine," Quinn says reassuringly. "I mean, I was a bit shook up in the moment, definitely. I had a machine gun in my face. If I wasn't so sure it'd end up fine,
I'd've probably wet myself right then an' there." How charming. "But once they were gone it was like I totally forgot about it." She quirks her lips again, shrugging at Ygraine. "No one got hurt, thankfully. But it was scary." She hugs Ygraine tight for a moment, sighing.
"An' thanks. I got it done the other day. It was kinda funny, I ran int' Nadira an' Abby there, an' met someone else who lives in the building, a woman named Odessa. Nice woman, too, I'll have t' head down to her place an' say high later."
"Mmmmm. I've dropped off supplies for her place a few times", Ygraine says, leaning into the hug. "And I can't help but worry when I hear you've been in danger. For all that I've introduced you to the Club, I do want to keep you out of harm's way."
Quinn chuckles, shaking her head. "I know. That's why I like havin' you around." She smiles, nuzzling against Ygraine. "I don't really plan on jumpin' int' trouble, but that one kinda just came to me. Thankfully, the rest of the week's been a lot more fun."
Ygraine nuzzles softly, sighing worriedly before mustering a wry smile. "So… corset-shopping, huh? And comics? I can lend you some of the classic graphic novels, if you're interested in exploring things a little."
"I'd be up for that. The comics were Magnes' suggestion. He kept telling me I'd like this Scott Pilgrim comic-" Quinn motions to teh one she set on the table, smiling, "An' I thought I'd pick it up since Elaine an' I were planning on draggin' everyone to the movie anyway. It's right funny, if really… weird in parts. It seemed so normal at first, too."
She laughs, leaning back again. "An'… well, Elaine an' I found the room where Magnes keeps all his costumes, so she an' put two of 'em on t' try and mess with him. I ended up pickin' some woman named Arisia, a Green Lantern, an' it sent him on a bit of a rant about them. Apparently they have a brother group named the Blue Lanterns who are fuled by hope. He suggested I check it out, so I did." She shrugs, laughing again. "An' the corset shoppin' was with Nadira, for work. That was a pretty fun afternoon."
Ygraine's brows have gone very high indeed. "You are rapidly overtaking me for embarassing nerdery, young lady", she says with a laugh. "I've seen some adverts for the Scott Pilgrim movie. I'd no idea it was a pre-existing comic, I admit. Though I shouldn't be surprised…. The corsets, I admit, sound somewhat more intriguing to me."
Quinn laughs, shaking her head. "You would be more interested in that," she says with a poke to Ygraine's side. "When I saw her at the salon the other day, Nadira expressed interest in gettin' a corset for work. So I took her to Ark! It was a fun little trip. She does look rather dtunning in a corset an' skirt, but not as good as a
certain someone I know." She winks at Ygraine, kissing her on the cheek. "Found out that it's not just women she likes t' flirt with - she has a boyfriend now, apparently. An' that she was an archaeologist back home. It was decided that we should double date, I think you'd get along well with both a' them from the sound of it." A pause, and Quinn tilts her head. "She did challenge me to a drinking contest, despite what I told her about me an' drinking, though. Not sure what t' make a' that."
Ygraine yelps and wriggles in response to the poke, pouting a little as she squirms - before being mollified by the flattery and kiss. "An archaeologist? Oooh. Dismal profession to follow, save at the very top level - spend half your life in mud trying to decide whether you've found another pebble or something worth cataloguing, it seems - but the findings can be fascinating…."
Planting a kiss on Quinn's hair, she quirks a wry smile. "A double date? Not sure I've ever been on one. Can give it a go, if you like. Though I have the impression I should possibly instruct you not to take any challenges to drink, from the sound of it."
"Only if you're up for it," Quinn reassures with a laugh. "I thought it sounded fun. Apparently her boyfriend's a professor? An' they're both int' history. It seemed like something you'd rather enjoy, so I put it out there." She shifts herself so that she can lean down against Ygraine better, smiling. "If we do, I'll make sure her boyfriend or you's around. I doubt anythin' bad'll happen if that's the case. But she did put out the challenge that she could handle more than me, an' I just can't let that stand!" she responds with a giggle.
Ygraine cants her head to one side, managing to produce a smile that is both bemused and amused. "Even though it sounds like you think that she's absolutely right?", she asks incredulously. "They do sound like an interesting couple. Do you know the name of this professor boyfriend, or where he teaches?"
"I may get flirty when I drink, but I can still handle my liquor quite well," Quinn says with a bit of a frown and a shrug. "If you don't think it's a good idea, though, I'll keep that in mind." At that, Quinn shakes her head. "I never did ask. On either count. I'll have t' the next time I see her at work. Man, I am so not happy about losing two hours from work."
"I've never seen you drunk, that I can recall", Ygraine says gently. "I was just… worried by your comments about it. If you want to try, then… you're free to do so, Robyn. I promise. And… hrrm. I hadn't really thought about that quite like that. I'm… looking forward to finding out what really went on. With apprehension, I freely admit, but… I'd like to know what the real story behind things is."
Quinn blinks for a second, a surprised look on her face. "Huh! You're right. May be for the best, though." She slips down a big in her seat, looking off to the side. "Well, you of all people have every right t' be worried by me not having any inhibitions, Ygraine. So I understand if you're not fond a' the idea. I don't want t' do something that's going t' make you uncomfortable."
And then she quirks an eyebrow, looking carefully at Ygraine. "You mean what really happened on Staten Island?" Quinn looks off to the side again, worried. "I dunno. The news said Messiah. I heard a few Club rumblings about Staten, but I'm still outta the loop on a lot of things. I'm… I actually ahve someone I plan t' ask about it later. See if I can find out what really went down." Assuming Magnes didn't go there himself and get killed, that is.
Ygraine snuggles a little closer. "Con Ed was destroyed by terrorists, just like all the other attacks that day. Wanton destruction without cause, if you believe the news", she says quietly. "It was later acknowledged that some people had taken some actions that were rather necessary… but I know that the H5N10 vaccine programme is distinctly suspect, and that "private security firm" seem to have been involved in a few things, to say the least. I'm hoping that the Club'll know more about what happened, and'll be willing to share. If it was an 'active srevice' thing, I might well have been drafted for it, if I hadn't been thousands of miles away. I think I'm rather relieved I wasn't."
"I know you've done dangerous stuff before, but it sounded like whatever happened there was really bad. I mean, bad enough that they lowered teh curfew an' are keepin' people off the island. So I'm really glad you weren't too." Quinn hugs tightly, burying her head into Ygraine's shoulder. "Like I said, I have someone I can talk t'. I want to know more of what happened, even though I don't. Because now I suspect people I know were involved, an' I want t' make sure they're okay."
Ygraine sighs heavily, closing her eyes as she rests her head against Quinn's. "People you know might have been involved? Well, that'd be a short list, I'd hope. And I was on another continent. It sounds… really bad. An absolute bloodbath. I'm hoping that no one we knew was taken down, but… I'll do some checking, certainly."
Quinn nods, mustering a half smile. "I'm sure anyone I know who was there is fine. I just… I feel like I should know about these kinds of things now, you know? Not that I want t' get directly involved in them, but people are makin' it clear that there's a lot more than I realise going on."
Ygraine nods quickly, expression rueful. "Quite. And… the more you know, the less likely you are to blunder into something you really don't want to be part of. Though there are a lot of secrets around. Personal agendas, skeletons in cupboards, dirty little secrets, white lies…."
Quinn nods quietly, looking at Ygraine for several moments. She doesn't respond, instead she just pulls the Brit close and tight, laying her head against her, just choosing to remain silent for the time being and enjoy having Ygraine back.
Ygraine sinks her fingers into Quinn's hair, before nuzzling at it. After long moments of quiet affection, she musters a low chuckle. "So… did you turn redhead to give me a surprise for coming back here? Or was it something else?"
Quinn chuckles, shrugging. "I like bein' ginger. I mean, it's wholly stereotypical, but it's more fun an' boring black or brown hair. I'm sure it's horrid for it, but I like changin' things up every few weeks, though red tends t' last the longest." She nuzzles up against Ygraine's cheek, smiling. "I'm not adventurous enough t' try blonde, though. Or a more flamboyant colour."
"Mmmmmm. Blue. We definitely have to try blue for you. Really play up the pale skin. Give you some lipstick to match, or contrast - maybe a really bright red." Ygraine winks teasingly. "Sound good?"
"B-blue?" Quinn looks a bit pale at this suggestion, mouth a bit agape. She doesn't look horrified, just really surprised. "Well, um- maybe next month?" She chuckles nervously, waving a hand at Ygraine. "I'm willing t' give it a shot, I've just never seriously considered it before."
Ygraine laughs, shaking her head. "I was mostly trying to think of something that you really don't see. Pink, yes. Purple, occasionally. Blue-black. Frequently. Various shades of blonde, white and gold, certainly. But blue and green? Much rarer. So if you're to be adventurous, why not embrace it? Why settle for something comparatively routine, like blonde?"
"Are you tryin' t' turn me into a full on hipster chick?" Quinn asks with a smile and mock suspicion. "I… maybe. Maybe in a month or two. I paid a fair amount at the salon t' get my hair done, though, so not for a while!" She laughs, shaking her head. "I think I'd like green more than blue, t' be honest."
"I figured that'd be seen every year, in droves, around the time of National Drink Like an Irishman day", Ygraine says with a wry smile. "Blue, I thought would stand out more. But I do actually like the red. Though you've got me wondering what your natural colour actually is, now…."
"Blue might stand out a bit much for me. I'll consider it, though." Quinn chuckles, shrugging. "I like the red. It's normal, but it stands out. It's fun. An' it reminds me of home. But! I'm naturally brown. Which is rather boring, so I don't tend t' keep it that way for long at a time, if at all."
"I'm brunette", Ygraine points out with a half-playful pout. "I hope that you don't think my hair's too boring. Or is this your way of proposing that I start dyeing, too?"
"Well, if I had my way, all the beautiful women I know would be redheads." Quinn snickers, shaking her head. "But I think you're fine teh way you are. I certainly wouldn't object t' something a little more lively though."
Ygraine cocks her head again, both brows lifting. "You've that much of a soft spot for redheads, hmmm? I can give it a try, if you really want. I've never actually dyed my hair, I confess…."
Quinn laughs, waving a hand dismissively even as she blushes. "Don't worry about it, I'm mostly jokin' around. I mean, I wouldn't mind, but it's not somethin' I'm going t' press on." She shrugs and laughs, sticking her tongue out at Ygraine.
"I've put you in corsets", Ygraine points out, closing her eyes as she rests her head against Ygraine's. "I kind of feel like I owe you at least one chance to play with my appearance, and see how we both like it."
Quinn eyes Ygraine for a moment, and then snickers quietly. "You know you don't have t' think of it like that, right? But if you really wanna give it a shot since you owe me an' all, I say go for it. I'll even take you by the salon I went to." Part of its said very teasingly, but Quinn at least seems genuine about the salon trip.
Ygraine takes a deep breath, then giggles and squeezes once more. "I admit that I am a bit nervous about dealing with all of this", she says sheepishly, shaking her head to twitch the long braid. "But if a professional you trust is doing it, then…."
"Well, it was my first time t; that salon, but as you can see the stylist did a great job. Wonderful guy, too! Rather… fabulous, in multiple ways." Quinn winks at that, and then laughs, nuzzling up against Ygraine. "So, yeah, I think based on that trip, I'd trust him with your hair. It'll be totally fine."
Another deep, uncertain breath, then Ygraine nods firmly. "Okay. I'm game. So… what colour do we go for? A bright, eye-catching red? To match y Ddraig goch on my back, perhaps?"
Quinn quirks an eye at Ygraine, tilting her head. "Gaelic. Dragon?" she inquires, before shrugging. "Nothing so flamboyant. I was thinking a pretty, deep, natural looking red, if you're game." She hasn't missed Ygraine's sense of apprehension, though. "But I don't want t' make you jsut cause you think you owe me when you really don't."
"Welsh. The red Drake, or dragon. The chap on the Welsh flag, and also now on my back", Ygraine says with a gentle smile. "And of course I'm nervous. If this goes wrong and my hair falls out, Jen'll kill me. I'd need to grow it all back before I could go home, I think."
Quinn stares for a moment, only able to keep a serious face just briefly before she erupts into a fit of giggles. "For serious? Fall out?" She literally slaps her knee as she laughs, shaking her head. "Dear, I promise you nothing like that is going t' happen. An' if it is, I'll set my head t' match. How's that for reassurance?"
"Great. So Jen can more easily find both of us to kill", the Briton says dryly, before giggling and cuddling. "But… so long as I keep my hair, I'm willing to go flamboyant, if you'd like to give it a go. You're going to have me wandering around showing off my dragons, so it's not as if I'm going to be avoiding notice anyway."
"Stop being sily, you're not going t' lose your hair!" Quinn's still giggling, even as she's cuddled with. "You're crazy. But let's stick to the deep red. Or even black, if you want! We can do flamboyant whenever I do flamboyant. Deal?"
"Let's try the red, for now", Ygraine says warmly. "I'm quite willing to give it a go. Especially if it makes you happy."
Quinn's smile is wide in response to that. Rather than a nod or a verbal reply, she brings a hand up to the Brit's face, leaning in for a long kiss. "If you think a' anything you want me t' do in return," she says afterwards, "Just say the word."
Ygraine happily leans into the kiss for as long as it's offered - but laughs in response to Quinn's words. "Now we're going in circles. I say that I owe you at least this much, you tell me that I don't owe you anything, and then you say that you owe me for agreeing to do it? Should I just give you free rein to change my style as you want, and have done with it? It might be interesting to see what you do, at least."
"That seems t' happen a lot lately. Me going in circle." Quinn shrugs. "I don't think you owe me anything. But if you going t' insist, I feel like I should return the favour." And then she gives a quiet chuckle. "I'd never change anyone's entire style. Where's any a' the fun in that?"
"Well, I've played dress-up with you", Ygraine says with a gentle smile, stroking Quinn's hair. "And I've got you wearing corsets. Even a mini-dress. You're yet to do anything similar with me", she points out gently. "And I'd enjoy fulfilling a few dreams, or just satisfying your curiosity."
"The hair's good enough for me. I swear we've had this talk in various pieces before." She says that with a smile, leaning forward to nuzzle against Ygraine. "So, let's skip over the rest again, an' I'll get back t' seeing if I can think of any way I really want t' take advantage of that. Though I'm still not coming up with much outside a takin' all the clothes off my doll an' playing with it," she remarks with a not so subtle wink and a laugh.
Ygraine shrugs amiably, then winks. "If I remember correctly, public nudity's legal in New York, "for artistic purposes". But I'm not sure that I could really make a habit of it."
Quinn blinks, laughing. "I'll have t' keep that in mind," she says slyly, letting out a sigh. "So, have you had lunch or anythin' yet? I mean, I already have, but I could fix you, uh… something from the freezer, if you want it."
Ygraine giggles, nuzzling at Quinn's hair. "I can cook you something, if you like. I could even try teaching you something simple, if you wanted."
"No, no. It'd be a waste now, unless you're hungry enough t' cook. I'm fine for now. Maybe I'll take you up on that if you're around for dinner, though." Quinn squeezes tight, laying her head against Ygraine. "For now, I'm fine like this. its nice t' hold you again after over a week. I can only imagine how Jen felt. I'm still… surprised she seemed so approving."
"She… knows how much trying to make a difference means to me", Ygraine says quietly, after a moment's thought. "Her passions burn rather more brightly than mine, but… I'm prone to being ever so slightly driven. As you might guess from my being mad enough to ride around a track for twenty hours a week for a decade. Now, I… I've lost the competition. But I hope that I've gained something more worthwhile. And I really do want to make a difference."
"You make a difference in some way simply by trying, you know." Quinn says this very matter of factly. "Even if you don't succeed, chances are you've at least given someone hope." She looks up at Ygraine with a wide smile, and gives a nod. "You've really hit it lucky, you know? Finding someone who understands you so well. That doesn't happen t' just anyone."
Ygraine chuckles, playfully rolling her eyes. "Oh, she can be a fiery little… thing, you know. Drives me up the wall sometimes. But we talk online a lot. Web cams are great for that. And she accepts that the odds are that this'll be a comparatively short-term thing. There's an excellent chance that, if things get much worse, I simply won't be allowed back into the country at all. At that point, we see about settling her permanently into the UK, and help her to pursue her career over there."
Quinn frowns a bit at that last part, her head tilting. "Why wouldn't you be allowed in back int' the country?" she inquires curiously. "an' you know, I always forget about the internet. Nevermind that I talk t' dad that way sometimes."
"Because I'm an Evolved freak whom at least some Feds know was involved in certain events that took place in January last year, and whom they can doubtless surmise is no more inclined to place implicit trust in the authorities now", Ygraine explains gently. "I don't hold citizenship. I have no right to be here. And the obstacles in the way of people from the UK are increasing more and more as time goes by, in any case. I'm only here on a visa - that can be rescinded at any time, or an application for its renewal refused, and I have no right to an explanation. 'Security concerns' is all they need to say."
"God, these stupid feckin' registration laws!" Quinn exclaims rather angrily. "These seem t' be screwing with a lotta people I know lately, an' it's pissing me off." At least, that's what Quinn assumes this has to do with. "Here's hopin' it doesn't come t' that, but god. Even my hope's starting t' fade a little the more people talk about this shit." She pouts a bit, sinking down in her seat. "I still haven't heard what they're doing for foreign nations with the laws. I guess since I'm a citizen I don't have t' worry about it, but…"
"They're extending it to cover foreign citizens. Which is no great surprise - the way that you're treated, going through customs here, would be reserved for criminal suspects in the UK. If you don't want the US government to log your finger prints, a digital photo, and biometric data - then you can't enter. Extending that to the results of a genetic test isn't a great leap…."
Quinn grimaces, nodding in response. "That makes an absolutely dreadful amount of sense," Quinn says ruefully. "I mean, in the sense that it's stupid and it makes no feckin' sense at all except that it goes alojng with everythin' else they do…" QUin exhales sharply, looking off to the side. She seems rather down now, drumming her fingers on her leg.
Ygraine fondly strokes Quinn's hair. "Believe it or not, the entry requirements for UK passport-holders are presented as a privileged status, and are supposedly less arduous than for many other countries in the world. And I know that high schools over here can fingerprint pupils, so it's partly a cultural thing. But we're used to things like unarmed police, no requirement to own - let alone carry - ID papers, and other weird and wacky perks that most of the rest of the world tends to regard as crazy."
Quirking a smile, she tries to look encouraging. "But I'm here now. And as an EU citizen, you've got a right to travel freely to the UK. So no matter how bad things get, you'll have options. But while we're both here, we can see what we can do to help, eh?"
After a moment, Quinn looks back up at Ygraine, a wide smile forming on her face. "See, this is why I like you. You're at keepin' he hopeful an' upbeat, an' that's important. Cause I need that from someone, an' Sable an' Elaine aren't always good at it, try as they might." She snuggles closely, chucking. "Absolutely we'll see what we can do t' help!" She gives a mini fist pump when she says laugh, burst out laughing afterwards. "If I wasn't willin t' help, I wouldn't be where I am now anyway."
"Mmm. You'd probably have some other woman squashing you into the sofa, you mean?", Ygraine asks teasingly. "But I think it's a very good idea for the two of us to work together to find ways we can help. Especially if we can train you up - and me a bit - we could do rather a lot, between the two of us."