[closed] So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road

[reconnaissance]

Date & Time: forward dated: Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th March
Location: a fair way into the Outlands
Characters:
Asami Sato chittybang, Cedric Diggory theboywhodied, Collette whatsupcroc, Ellie Linton reconnaissance, Fi Maxwell burnsinvisibly, Katniss Everdeen accidentalrebellion, Mitsuki Ishikawa drowns, Peter Parker arachnoid, Steph Brown controlledvariable
Summary: Nine teenagers with varying degrees of trauma decide to go camping.
(Actually, eight teenagers get bullied into going camping by Ellie.)
Warnings: Not sure yet; I'll add them as they come up. At the very least some language, and fallout from PTSD.



Ellie had found the place once before on her wandering into the Outlands; a dilapidated old barn, with stone walls and a roof that was, by some miracle, completely intact despite all the evidence of nature clambering up its walls and trying to reclaim it for the land. There's a hill leading down to it, and if you follow that hill down, you meet the woods, a big lake. It's beautiful, she thinks. Nowhere near so wild as Hell, but that was better.

Finding that place had been how it started, before thinking about getting some of the others together had kicked in. A way to unwind, after the body swap. At the very least a chance to get some decent people all together in the same place (and maybe a way to apologise to Asami for pointing a gun at her that one time).


OOC: Party style, adventures everyone.Just go wild, if you want it to be set at a particular time, maybe specify in the subject line? I'm doing some starters just... in case that helps but do whatever you like tbh. YEAH. There's also the ooc plotting post so chuck folks in there and scheme and let the madness and CR unfold.

Comments

[reconnaissance]

( With a very slight smile, as if she's really trying not to: ) I am pretty great.

( And, unfortunately, it means she opens her arms out wide. ) Does that mean I get a hug?

( While muddy, and grubby, and just... Ellie. )

[controlledvariable]

Don't push your luck. [She takes a half step back, levelling a glare at Ellie.] That's not the kind of dirty I like to get.

[Worst innuendo.]

[reconnaissance]

Ugh. What a mood killer. ( But she's grinning, even as her arms drop to her side. ) Are you saying I'm not your type?

[controlledvariable]

Well, you're short, that's a start. [Not that she has a type. And anyway:] But generally speaking 'people covered in mud' isn't my type.

[reconnaissance]

I am not. ( Yes, she is. It's huffed out, just a big indignant. The very tiniest bit. )

Mud's good for your skin, or something. I'm going to be so pretty later, and you're gonna feel real dumb.

[controlledvariable]

You're shorter than me. [It'd be placatng if she wasn't smirking.

And that smirk only widens.] Are you saying it's only a limited time offer?

[whatever "it" is.]

[reconnaissance]

You're freakishly tall.

( She sees that smirk and raises it a raised eyebrow. ) I'm just saying someone else could scoop me up first. First in, best dressed, something like that.

[controlledvariable]

I'm five-eight, that is not freakishly tall.

[Ellie's comment is essentially a challenge, so despite the mud, Steph steps closer, lightly trailing a finger along Ellie's arm, upping the ante.] You could always wait for me, I'd make it worth your while.

[reconnaissance]

( Her gaze flickers to Steph's finger running along her arm. Right, okay. If this was going to turn into a competition, there was no way in Hell she was going to back down. She doesn't pull away, but relaxed into this ridiculous proximity. )

Really? I can take it into consideration. ( Making a show of thinking it over, though she's not terribly impressed.)

You might have some stiff competition.

[controlledvariable]

Oh? [A slightly sharp look, as she curls her fingers around Ellie's wrist; it isn't an entirely unfamiliar gesture, but she doesn't usually stroke her thumb over Ellie's skin.] Who should I be looking out for?

[reconnaissance]

Hmm. ( Cocking an eyebrow at Steph, she stubbornly holds Steph's gaze, doesn't give her the satisfaction of looking surprised by the new twist to this familiar intimacy. ) Why? Are you jealous?

( Too much reacting. It's her turn to ramp things up, and she rests a hand, very lightly, at Steph's hip. ) I'm sure you could work it out.

[controlledvariable]

I don't get jealous. [Which is - relatively true, when it comes to friendships or relationships. She just gets upset if someone does end up betraying her.

The hand on her hips gets a small, amused smile] It's Fi, isn't it? You two had a thing going back home?

[Today in ridiculous accusations with Stephanie Brown.]

[reconnaissance]

( Nope, okay. That's it. She's done. She had been prepared for Cedric, or Pete, or even another terrible crack about Ezio, but Fi? Her mouth drops open, and she almost doubles over from laughing. )

Oh my God, Steph! You're a shocker. ( A gentle shove, pulling her hand back from Steph's hip. ) As if. Fi is one of my best mates. I mean, she's gorgeous, but-- ( She makes some... awkward gesture with her hands, trying to emphasis how absurd that is. )

You're an idiot.

[controlledvariable]

[Steph's smile widens into a grin, an she pretends to stumble back a little at the shove.]

Hey, it seemed the most reasonable guess. [a beat, as something occurs to her, and she smirks] Collette would be shocked, if she thought you had a thing for Fi.

[reconnaissance]

How was that the most reasonable guess? ( This is not computing at all. ) And yeah, of course she would. Fi is-- she's Fi. And I'm not into girls, anyway.

( She makes a face, shrugging. Bloody Hell, Steph. ) Wait, hang up. Why... are you mentioning Collette, specifically?

[controlledvariable]

She's the person you're closest to. [Said as if it's obvious. And she raises an eyebrow, still amused.] You totally missed the part where she thinks we're dating, didn't you?

[Oh, Ellie.]

[reconnaissance]

What?

( That was loud enough to make some birds abandon their perch, and she doubletakes, dropping her voice to something of an intense whisper. )

Where'd she get that idea?

( STEPH WHAT DID YOU DO )

[controlledvariable]

[That has her laughing, hearing the accusation in Ellie's voice.]

Strangely enough, when you tell people that we're sharing a bed, they get ideas about it.

[reconnaissance]

But I just--

( oh my god she is turning colours )

But we're both girls!

( HELP HER ) Why didn't you fix it?

( It hasn't registered that Steph would know this by listening in on private conversations, that will come up later. Maybe. Unless she just assumes Col mentioned it. Col who is about to be strangled. )

[controlledvariable]

I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but two girls can be in a relationship. [It's said lightly, teasing; this is funnier than it probably should be.]

And I didn't know I had to fix it. [Collette will figure it out, maybe.]

[reconnaissance]

God, I know that, but this is different! ( She's turning red, too, because that particular observation makes her feel exceptionally stupid, blush spreading over her skin like wildfire. )

What? ( Excuse her, she wants to crawl a rock. ) But it's going to make things weird.

[controlledvariable]

How is it different? [Aside from the obvious fact that they aren't dating.] And why's it gonna make things weird?

[This is at least ten times more amusing than Nikolai calling her a lesbian.]

[reconnaissance]

Stop laughing at me!

( Hissed out, even if Steph isn't actually laughing, Ellie knows she thinks this is funny, and that joke is at her expense. It'd be funny, if she didn't feel so stupid. That's one of the things that still gets her, every time. )

I'm going on sentry duty. ( During daylight. ) You can go tell Collette that we broke up

[controlledvariable]

I'm not. [crap.] Hey. [She reaches out to grab Ellie's wrist again, but it's a simple hold this time, just ensuring she doesn't run off.]

It's not a big deal, Ellie. I don't care what anyone thinks, especially not a friend.

[She'll have to talk to Collette about it now, to make sure there aren't any more misunderstandings.]

[reconnaissance]

( Partly she just feels foolish, for managing to say things got misconstrued. Another part is tangled up in her feelings for Steph, which she knows are stronger than for most of her friends, and it's just because Steph is important, has been there in ways other people couldn't be, because Steph gets things and she doesn't have to explain, and what's more, Steph helps her. It's an intensity that she just hasn't touched, because it was fine. This was the kind of thing that held up a mirror, and she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with that.

Her jaw clenches, relaxes, and clenches again. ) You're really confusing, sometimes.

( These two and their pots and kettles. ) Why'd you tell me if it didn't matter? Just to make me feel ignorant, or what?