video/action

[sos_pilot]

[Video]

[ Della's face pops up looking... well, like everyone else - exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She smacks her beak a bit, before speaking. ]

... So. That sucked.

[ Fully aware that's the understatement of the century, Della draws a breath, and tries again. ]

I think we could all use a nice, long breather after everything... and, gosh darn it, as Train Mom, that is my sacred duty. Hugs? Head on the lap? Head-pats telling you that you did a good job? A shoulder to cry on? Venting out all your feelings without judgement? I'm right here.

[ She slaps her chest, then slaps a small sign on on the sports/gym car. It reads

EXHAUST PILE WITHIN

But as she does this, Tidus enters the scene - Della jumps, surprised, almost forgetting his presence.

He just smiles, holding up two cups with steam coming off them, then addresses the video feed as well. ]

We're also making big batches of cocoa too. Any of you that're gonna stress bake? There's room for that room - s'long as you don't need a nap first.

[ It's a small chide though, his smile small but sympathetic. ]

I've gotten out some incense pots from the supplies - you guys who got your head thrown into a blender by that aash-- uh, that jerk, [ he takes a swift glance at Della, then back ] --it'll help you relax. Just some, but better than nothin'. I'll set some off in Momma Duck's air nest, but if you're not doing great and you think you need a pot? Tell me. Raven made a lot of good stuff for good nights sleep if you need any in the medcar, too.

... So, yes. Cocoa. Incense. Hugging. And if you want to sleep with friends for a couple nights, we got air beds and extra pillows in here. Nobody has to get up and go until they feel ready.

And if that's not enough, that's fine too. Maybe next month we do something a little more organized, if you have any suggestions - movie night, sleepover night, big eat night, whatever, I'm listening. And I'm here for you.

[ Action ]

And inside the sports gym, the pair can be found. They have a few airbeds blown up, but there's more that still need airing up if you pop in straight after their message. There's also a tremendous amount of pillows. If you want to help, get blowing, and make these airbeds look nice and comfy!

The transgate from the standard coach has mysteriously been moved to the sports gym's outer hallway. Who did that? But it makes it easier to bring in the cups of hot chocolate from the kitchens, and for anyone who wants to bring snacks to do so. Take a seat, remember to bring your sleeping bag and whatever else you want. Plushes, your own musical instrument to offer some de-stress medication of your own with a melody.

And there's an area where small incense pots burn away, a gentle mist rising up. It won't heal the mind completely, but it will offer it some peace. And if you're worried about nightmares, a few of Raven's sachets and teas are available.

So come get a mom hug. Come and offer hugs. Just come and get something out of the company, whatever it is. Tidus and Della - and others - will be here to give a hand.

The life you had might've been fake, but the people around you aren't.

((OOC: consider this a mingling post, where everyone is free to tag everyone else! be the comforter, the one offering comfort, both, whatever!))

Comments

[consider8]

For a mercy, she had been resting in her bucket for a while before approaching Devero, so she's not quite as broken down as she could be. One would probably notice her tentacles aren't as lively as they usually are.

"I'm alright. Tired. I think I overdid it during anchoring." She smiled, leaning into Devero to rest. "How are you?"

[subcircuits]

This one would definitely note it-- if he wasn't so wiped himself. Still, he wraps an arm back around her shoulders and lets her lean on him if she needs to.

"You too, huh?" he says. "I feel absolutely wrung out." He chuckles self-consciously and adds, "I keep drifting off in weird places."

[consider8]

Ahaha... "...the other day I fell asleep mid-conversation..." She wasn't proud, but between anchor to anchor, she felt like he could relate.

"I even tried coffee." That was... an experience.

[subcircuits]

"You didn't!" he gasps. It's a tired gasp, but still, that playful humor in him is evident even if it's muted. He leans down a little to confide, "I keep falling asleep on Koumyou Sanzo. Just--" His hand slices through the GSL sign for sleep and he makes a 'zzt' noise. "--conk right out."

Ooh but that leaning was not a great idea. The room tilts around him and he straightens back up, swaying a little. He has to actively recollect himself before he can manage, "Did it help at all? Because I'm chugging pots and it is not helping."

[consider8]

"I did!" She responded with full sincerity. Whether or not she knew he was joking or if she was answering earnestly is a bit hard to determine. But either way, what did it matter? She chuckled lightly, "Maybe its him...? He seems pretty calm all the time..."

She notices the sway and though she is a small thing, she has enough in her to begin to tug him in the direction of a pillow pile. "Hm... I dunno if I like coffee..." To be fair, she tried it black, no cream or sugar, and it was probably overcooked. She doesn't know how to coffee, lbr.

[subcircuits]

"You've never seen him in one of his kitty-headphones-and-hover-skates-at-full-speed-down-the-halls' moods, I see." He says it with absolute fondness. Koumyou Sanzo can be a menace, but he's Devero's menace. Granted-- "We're all pretty subdued right now, though, him included."

He does not resist. Like a kitten tugging along a 115-pound dog, he lets her guide him over to the nearest pile, which he all-but-collapses into with an unceremonious groan of relief. "It's an acquired taste," he says once he's arranged himself. "Not my favorite, honestly, but it sure wakes a person up.

"...Er, usually."

[consider8]

"It's been so quiet on the train lately. I feel a bit bad..." Even tired as she is, she wants to work and perform chores. But even someone as stubborn her must concede when her body is this exhausted.

She falls with him, letting his collapsing form pull her forward. Her giggle is the only clue her falling was intentional. Were she had the energy she'd be kicking her feet out, but alas.

The pillows felt good and she was welcoming the warmth of his presence. "It was bitter. Which is weird because I like coffee ice cream..."

[subcircuits]

Oh no. That's adorable. Dev's deeper laugh joins her giggle, and he scoops her in against his side lightly. Not a restrictive hold, she can wiggle or roll back out easily, but an invitation to snuggle down if she's interested.

"Well, that's your hint, there," he says. "Next time try it with cream and sugar. ...Maybe not as much as you'd need for ice cream, though."

He tucks his other arm behind his head and heaves a sigh. "Try not to feel bad," he adds, swinging back around to that part of the conversation. "It means we're all letting ourselves recover, as we should be after all that."

sorry I never got the notif ;;

[consider8]

While she will allow the closeness, she breaks a bit of distance. While she was comfortable with expressing some physical affection, she was still getting to know Devero to be too close.

"Ohh... like milk and sugar boba?" While she might not have tried coffee with cream and sugar, she could relate it to things she had tried.

Her tone quiets and her eyes lower. She hates being idle especially when there is work to do. It bothers her so much that were it not for the physical exhaustion taking her to sleep, her agitation of needing to do something would be keeping her up.

No worries!

[subcircuits]

He holds her while she's willing to be close and lets her wriggle off when she's done, folding that arm behind his head as well. "Exactly like that, yeah," he says warmly. "Same kind of bitterness to them, too."

He senses her mood lowering a bit, and looks over at her. "Tell me what you're feeling?" he asks gently.

[consider8]

"Huh...? What do you mean?" Despite herself, she has trouble realizing the messages her body language was conveying. She's more keen about Devero's posture and inquiry towards her.

[subcircuits]

And Devero just happens to be attuned to such non-verbal language. He rolls towards her, pillowing his head on one arm. "You got quiet," he says, quiet himself. "After I mentioned that we all need time to recover right now."

[consider8]

O-Oh... she wasn't used to people being so observant. She might have to be a bit more self-conscious around him... which would probably be a fruitless effort, but she will try!

"Ah." She said flatly. "...I do not like being idle. If there is work to be done, I would like to be working on it." It was an impulse that was bordering on obsession, but that was just the Octarian way!

[subcircuits]

He nods. "I know what you mean," he says sympathetically. "Laying around falling asleep all the time is not my favorite thing in the world. Much rather be doing something worthwhile.

"--Which, you know, recovering is," he adds, correcting himself pointedly. "It's just easy to forget that when you're used to being active, isn't it?"

[consider8]

Eight rolls her eyes in a way that Devero might not have seen. Ever since returning from Jinjar, she's been more open of expressing emotions of all kinds, including irritation.

"I know. That is what we were told as children to put us to bed." She pouts. "I didn't realize you wanted to be a dad."

[subcircuits]

Her eye-rolls makes him chuckle, but the sound cuts off dead when she says the d-word. "A dad?" he repeats incredulously. "Me?" He laughs again, shaking his head in immediate, automatic denial. "I'm not dad material!"

[consider8]

"We both agree on that!!" She says sharply without really meaning it.

[subcircuits]

Devero stares at her for a moment, and then breaks down into a huge, gut-deep guffaws. "Tell me how you really feel, why don't you?" he manages after a moment. He flops back over onto his back and gets his laughter under control. "Rust and ruin, I think I need burn control over here."

[consider8]

For a little while Eight pouts, annoyed that Devero was still treating her like a child. The moment doesn't last and she's instead laughing alongside him after a little while. She wasn't really mad at him. She was mad at not being able to be active, and was frustrated with realizing that she too had limitations. It is tough, being young and recognizing that there is only so much you could do.

Still, there is one thing she could admit. "I am just being honest!" Then with a sly smile. "And Octarians are only honest with people that they know can handle it. Otherwise we won't talk to them at all!"

[subcircuits]

He smiles over at her, obviously touched. "If that's the case," he says, "I hope you're always honest with me."

[consider8]

"I hope I can be too." She admits, rolling back into the pillow pile a little deeper. The truth was, now that she was getting a bit better at feeling that connection she was hoping to get to know the people on the train better. They probably had over five hundred years of experience between all of them, of worlds and technologies and views that she would never had the opportunity to know. The fact that she hadn't thought of this sooner was mostly due to the fact that they were all confined to the train.

She wanted to change that.

"Devero." She noted, her eyes looking towards his. "I was made aware that many people on the train have many experiences that made places like Diagad seem very familiar. Is... that what your world is like?" A bit of a fumbling volley, but perhaps enough to get him to start talking about himself more.

[subcircuits]

"Yes and no," Devero says, returning her look before turning his eyes up to the ceiling. "No one on my world has any powers. We're all just...human. Boring, mundane humans." (He may be still have a little bit of an inferiority complex about that, although for the most part he's gotten over it.)

"There're a low fewer people on my world, too," he muses. "Not even our biggest cities are as crowded as Jinnjar was. Our technology is different, too. More advanced in some ways, although there were a couple of real impressive innovations there."

He thinks back on what he's just said and laughs. "...So actually, my world's not really like Diagad at all, other than it has cities."

[consider8]

Eight nodded. "My world was not like Diagad either. There were big cities, with people all around, and there were events and people would gather and talk and talk and talk." Her eyes start to brighten as she imagines Inkopolis Plaza. "And there would be music, and laughing, and you would hear stories of people and see others grumble and go to work. Sometimes you would see people complain, and couples holding hands. And, no matter what, they choose to be there. It was their choice. And they were happy."

Her head lowered slightly. She could feel a dark pit in her stomach. It came to her when she heard that message all that long ago, and she knew she had to say it. At least once. "...we didn't choose the train, Devero. We didn't choose to be here. For a while I was smiling to the others on board, but I wasn't happy. I was angry. I was hurt. I wanted to disappear. To go anywhere but here. I would work to forget. I would fight to fight. Keeping busy made me not think about the reason. But inside... was hollow."