( open ) may catch-all!

[bruisehaver]

WHO: Lae'zel and you!
WHAT: Driving school, asking for hugs to get something to download, etc.
WHERE: Around base and the city!
WHEN: Early May
WARNINGS: None!



I. traffic school

[ It might be easy to assume that due to Lae'zel's hardass, soldier like mentality, that she might think sitting down to study might be a waste of her time... but that can't be farther from the truth. For a few days at the beginning of May, the only thing she seems to be doing in communal areas is read — a closer look would tell you that she's studying traffic laws. Very seriously.

Also of note is that she goes out of her way to print out materials, or find materials that are printed... because she hates using the implant. As a result, some of these traffic rules might be out of date, more akin to the 2020s than the 2300's. It's fine. She gathers up her flashcards and taps them in order on the table pointedly at you, bringing the index cards closer like they're about to peeked at. ]

Did you need something, or do you simply lack the common sense not to stare at others?

[ she's very busy learning that green means go right now!! ]

II. your uber is here

[ After getting sufficient lessons in traffic rules, Lae'zel can be found out in the city with her brand new motorbike at her side — glistening red and spotless. Has she given it a nice polish on her own? Why yes, yes she has.

Unluckily for you, you happen to be leaving the base just as she's about to go for another test drive. ]

You. [ Yes, you!! She tilts her chin at you, as if beckoning you along. ] You will aid me in testing controlling this vehicle with two people on it.

[ Yeah... she is no longer asking 🔫 There's a practical reason for this, because she thinks there'll be plenty of instances where she'll need to drive two people during missions. But you'll get something out of it: ]

In return, I'll take you where you need to go. You're leaving to go somewhere, yes?

[ Maybe you need a ride to work? To a restaurant? To a store? Lae'zel will get you there!! Maybe. ]

III. huggin time

[ sometimes you download the style upgrade, and it won't finish unless you hug someone.... but also, sometimes you don't really know what a """hug""" is even supposed to be. The implant explains it to her (it's an embrace of some kind??), but not in great detail.

Maybe you and Lae'zel were about to hit up the training room together, or maybe you're simply at the cafeteria enjoying a meal together — but she seems very distracted, her eyes lit up from numerous attempts to try to block the pop up from her implant. Hissed through her sharp teeth: ]

Tsk'va!

[ She curses in her native tongue, brow twitching. Unprompted, without ever explaining what she's going through: ]

Give me a hug. Quickly, just get it over with.

[ WHATEVER THAT MEANS ]

Comments

[bruisehaver]

How compliant.

[ It's sarcastic and goading, her head tilting at an angle as if to accent the phrase. ]

By all means — my kind don't take part in such a practice.

[ That she knows of, anyway... which is why she continues sitting there instead of standing up so that they can hug, clearly oblivious as to what the hug even means. ]

[elfsufficient]

Clearly not.

[ JAMS THIS HURTS ME I WANT YOU TO KNOW!!

Truly, judging from the fact that she's still sitting down, she really doesn't understand what The Hug is... but Fern does stand, crossing over to the other side of the table to stand behind Lae'zel. ]

Hold still, please.

[ And then she will lean over and wrap her arms around Lae'zel's shoulders from behind. ]

[bruisehaver]

[ CRYING

Well, Lae'zel's hand immediately comes up to clutch at her forearm, ignoring her request for her to hold still. Her body does, but her grip around the other woman's arm is tight, unrelenting. Controlling, one might say, like she's trying to prevent Fern from doing anything dangerous. ]

Go forward with caution. If I feel so much as a squeeze against my neck — I'll relieve you of this arm.

[ The words are casual, but no less threatening. Look, it feels weird and vulnerable to be hugged from behind in such a... lethal place. But, she's showing restraint, at least in her own mind, since she's allowing it to happen. ]

[elfsufficient]

[ Lae'zel is met with silence for a long while, and under the grip of her hand, she would likely feel the way Fern goes absolutely rigid. Lae'zel's is not a gentle touch by any means, and not for the first time, she is reminded of how strong a warrior's grip can be.

She must be one, too, by the way this reminds her of the way Stark had grabbed her shoulder one time while they were joking around... It had scared her then, and it scares her now. ]

You—

[ Now why is she reacting this way when she's the one who asked— demanded a hug?! ]

I-If you're going to threaten someone who's trying to help you, then please just let go of me.

[bruisehaver]

[ There's a pause while she contemplates how she should proceed.... and her grip doesn't lessen. She might have settled in better to living at the base, but with each new round of Outsiders comes a renewed suspicion and caution. It feels like starting from square one, over and over, with her feelings of distrust and distaste for istiks.

She can sense her fear. And it'd be a lie to say she didn't enjoy it. After deliberately letting silence hang in the air for a few more moments, she gives a haughty response: ]

I gave you a warning. Follow it, and no harm will come to you.

[ Very "I'm not touching you" energy. To tell the truth, she can tell by the woman's reaction just now that she's not going to try anything, so she lets go, barely holding back the urge to roll her eyes over the dramatics. ]

[elfsufficient]

Fine.

[ said very much in a way that implies that things are not fine very not daijoubu at all, but the sooner they get this over with, the sooner Fern can go back to eating her food, and hopefully without the ambient sound of Lae'zel complaining about her implants. ]

Well? Is it working?