exsiliumlogs | ice has covered up my parents' hands

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ice has covered up my parents' hands

Date & Time: October 17th - 19th
Location: Stockholm, Sweden via the VR!
Characters: Lisbeth Salander and YOU
Summary: Lisbeth recreates Stockholm in the VR, a place she didn't think she'd miss.
Warnings: Cursing, spoilers for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and I'll add others as the threads go on.

[When Lisbeth overheard others on the base talking about the VR and how they would re-create their homes, she almost scoffed. She wouldn't even dream of making Stockholm again. Sure, it was a city that she knew intimately like none other, but it was an open, festering wound on her psyche. She wouldn't wish what she experienced in Stockholm on any other girl or woman. However, the thought made itself at home in her head. With nothing to really do on the base other than despise the five minute ice showers and spar, Lisbeth had plenty of time to think about it.

She missed somewhere familiar. Even though she knew the scabbing underbelly of the city, Lisbeth missed the lights, the horizon at dusk, and the biting cold on her nose during winter. It takes days before Lisbeth breaks down; she recreates Stockholm just as she remembered it - sometimes it's Christmastime, sometimes it's the beginning of December, and sometimes it's the New Year.

Lisbeth could feel goosebumps breaking over her skin as the temperature begins to drop in the VR.]

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[Jesse's here because Lisbeth asked him to be. He feels strangely nervous about it. It's not that using the VR room is new to him, because it isn't, and he's had fun with it. But this is the first time he'll be seeing Stockholm. He's never even seen it in a movie before, he doesn't think. And it's sort of something he's dreamed about. It's where they've talked about going, someday, when Jesse's able to escape both this place and Albuquerque.

And he still hasn't told her that he doesn't escape Albuquerque. Ever.]

It's cold.

[So cold he can see his breath. He steps closer to her for warmth, his hoodie not quite cutting it, and reaches for her hand.]

[ It wasn't too often that Charlie wandered into the VR room, mostly because she didn't want to interrupt whatever that was going on in there. She didn't have any particular desire to recreate her New York, but that was mostly because every single detail was as strong as ever in her mind. Perks of being her, she thought.

The cold was unexpected, but not unwelcome. She's trained to endure that and worse if necessary. Still, she identifies the place at one. Interesting choice of location, she thinks. Lisbeth, she knows of her more than just her, but she's seen her before, and they have talked. Maybe this is a chance to get to know her better. Rubbing her hands on her arms, she walks closer. ]

Is this y-your home?

[ the cold is welcome. if not for her then for her wolf who whines and searches for a cool patch whenever she is forced into the heat.

she lets the wolf, a massive grey beast with yellow eyes, explore. something about this place does not sit well with the animal; it is not natural. but it is cold though she is accustomed to far colder still and it is a relief.

the girl behind her takes the time to look over the new creations. sometimes, such as now, she can hardly believe all of this is not only the work of magic.

she studies a building when she queries: ] What is this place?

[The good thing about getting a warning about coming to fake-Stockholm is that she can dress for the weather, even if she felt a bit weird walking to the VR room with a coat over her arm and a scarf around her neck.

It's worth it once she's actually inside and the coat is shrugged on. She takes a few moments to look around, but the most important thing to do is crouch down, make a snowball, and throw it at Lisbeth's back.

She's a good friend.]

[Lisbeth, who'd picked up a newspaper to read, hears the voice behind her. She turns around to see a young girl and a wolf hanging around nearby. Lisbeth has never seen a wolf up close nor something that... big. It almost seemed unnatural.]

Jesus Christ, was is that?

[She was going to answer Lisbeth's question before Lisbeth answered hers.]

[ she follows lisbeth's line of sight to nymeria. ]

She's a direwolf. [ as if that explains everything. ] Where is this meant to be?

[Lisbeth has worn extra layers this time. She honestly hadn't been expecting the shift in temperature when she first started the VR a day ago and she was cold the entire time. But when she sees Charlie, Lisbeth immediately pulls off Jesse's hoodie (which she'd taken along for the ride) and hands it to her.]

Yes.

[ Charlie grabs the hoodie appreciatively, because damn it's getting cold and she doesn't want to get a fake cold or something. ]

Stockholm...I w-went there when I was li-little.

[ She met the Hunters from that side of the world, and they all judged her and sneered at her. It was horrible and yet she smiles a bit. ]

It w-was summer though.

[Normally, Lisbeth hates sentiment. She usually hates holidays like Christmas where you're supposed to show your affection for someone by buying them a gift. All of the year's transgressions were forgiven for one, two days or maybe even a week.

It used to make her sick. But when she was put in the protective care of Palmgren and learned what he wanted for her in life, she began to warm up to the idea. She got him gifts for birthdays, holidays, and even at random.

The changes she experienced in Siren's Port and Exsilium only made her even more giving to those she cared for. That's why Lisbeth had set the VR at Christmastime in Stockholm. It's easily one of the most beautiful times of the year in the city. Colored lights dotted apartment windows and shop fronts were decorated for the season.

Lisbeth grabs Jesse's hand and slips it into the pocket of her leather jacket. She's wearing her hoodie underneath. She's excited that he's here with her; if he doesn't like it here, Lisbeth wonders if they can request being sent back to a different place.]

Think of it as training.

[They all arrive at the same place - at the entrance to the Tunnelbana line that goes from central Stockholm to Lisbeth's apartment. However, before she could even talk about the places they could go, Lisbeth feels something cold hit her back.]

What the fu--

[She turns to see Stephanie with traces of snow in her hand. Lisbeth doesn't hesitate in picking up some snow to throw a snowball right back at her.]

Yeah, summer is pretty good too, but I prefer the city during winter. It gets darker sooner.

[She looks around.]

It means I have more of an excuse to stay inside.

[the answer is a simple one, without explanation. however, it still kind of answers lisbeth's original question.]

This is a city called Stockholm in a country called Sweden. It's where I'm from.

G-good one.

[ Charlie smiles for a moment. Judging the way Lisbeth carries herself, she isn't recreating this place for the sake of good, happy memories, or maybe not exclusively for those. Home is not only where the heart lives, and Charlie knows this very well. ]

The fresh air is ap-appreciated, though.

[There's a brief moment of stillness, while Steph laughs, but then she's on the move, running through the snow to dodge Lisbeth's throw.

She scoops up another handful of snow, packs it into a snowball and throws it over her shoulder in the general direction of Lisbeth, though she doesn't actually look to aim.

Her focus is on finding cover.]

[Jesse leans in to nuzzle her hair, hiding the sadness in his smile. He would love nothing more than to think of it that way. Instead, he feels like he's glimpsing something that can never be his. This is her life, her home. When she returns to Stockholm, it'll be without him.

But it's alright. He's here for now.]

Show me everything. I wanna see it all.

Earth?

[Lisbeth would be stupid to say that the Stockholm she knew was happy and postcard-worthy. That's why it was nighttime whenever she started the simulator. Well, that and Lisbeth often slept her mornings away.]

I can only take so much recycled oxygen with no wind.

[She leans into him slightly before she's suddenly pulling him down the street. Where could she take him? Lisbeth usually rotated between at least four places in the city - work (when Armansky asked her to be present), her apartment, a club in Sodermalm, and then Palmgren's apartment. Well, there was the number of McDonald's littering the city, but there was nothing special about that.

She recognizes the area as Gamla Stan.]

Well, this is the historical district. There's nothing really.. I don't hang out here that much. The Royal Palace is here, if you're into that.

Yes.

[The snowball somewhat misses Lisbeth, hitting her hand as she runs forward to chase after Steph. She stops, though, and goes the other way around the entrance of the subway to see if she could catch her.]

[He goes where she leads, laughing.]

I mean it! Show me everything! I'll see the Royal Palace! Whatever there is to see around here.

[It's all magical to him, really. He's seen snow, but not like it is here. And he's traveled around the Southwest, but he's never been to Europe or any city that looks like this. It's kind of a fairytale place, isn't it?]

[Steph's still laughing, even when Lisbeth does manage to cut her off, and instead of trying to dodge again, she runs at the other woman.

If Lisbeth doesn't run, she's going to get tackled into the snow.]

Does it still exist? [ tact. ]

[The Stockholm that Lisbeth knows is no fairytale, but Jesse doesn't need to know about any of that. Besides, when he comes along it'll be better. There might be some unfinished business she'll need to take care of, but that would be a mere speed bump.

They keep walking until they're passing the royal palace, brightly lit and reflecting off the water running underneath Norrbro, the main thoroughfare to the Palace.]

It's not that exciting, so we're just going to walk by. I live in an area called Södermalm - that's where I do most of the things I like to do.

[And soon they're going down into the Tunnelbana to take the train.]

Very much so.

[A beat.]

Why, does your world not exist?

[Jesus Christ, she wasn't expecting this. As Steph charges, Lisbeth takes steps back until she clumsily trips over the curb.]

[Oh no that's adorable.

Steph stops once she's standing over Lisbeth, laughing. Though she does offer her a hand up, as well.]

You okay?

[Jesse takes it all in with starry eyes, with the same expression he often wears when he looks at Lisbeth - as if this is all a part of her he's finally getting to know.]

It's so clean here. Is it really always clean like this? Like... It's real old, but it looks real new. Like both at the same time.

I g-guess...

[ She won't mention that this being a simulation means the air might be the same anyway...or something. She doesn't get this, okay. ]

Any place w-worth seeing around?

[Shut up she's not adorable!!!

But as soon as Steph offers her hand, Lisbeth grabs it and pulls her down into the snow. She quickly grabs a handful to shove down her shirt.]

[She was kind of expecting that, so she laughs and lets Lisbeth tug her down, though she's definitely going to try to squim away from the snow.

While simultaneously scooping up her own handful and trying to slip a hand under the hem of Lisbeth's shirt and jacket to shove the snow against her skin there.]

[Lisbeth's punching in numbers and getting tickets for them to their destination.]

The city tries its best to keep clean, yeah. Sweden takes pride in its history so a lot of the new city is built around the old.

[The machine spits out two tickets. She hands on to Jesse.]

You ever been on a subway before?

[ no. ]

London doesn't.

[Lisbeth furrows her brow.]

London doesn't exist in your world?

[The moment Steph presses the snow against her skin, it's bitingly cold. She nearly screams before she's kicking away on the ground from her. Lisbeth gets slightly defensive. She grabs Steph's other hand quickly and holds it tight.

Without a second thought, she locks one leg with Steph before she swings the other around to lift herself off the ground. Suddenly, she's straddling Steph's waist, the other woman's hands pressed into her her chest, Lisbeth leaning down close.]

[She knows more than a few ways she could have stopped the pin, or how to break it now and turn things around, but she rolls with it, instead, because it's Lisbeth, and Steph trusts her, and they're just playing.

Once Lisbeth has her pinned, all Steph does is smirk up at her, as if this was totally her plan all along.

It wasn't, but it's nice to pretend to be in control of a situation.]

Hi.

Or in the one outside.

[That smirk. Lisbeth made eye contact with Steph, but her gaze was something might have been deemed inappropriate between friends. She kept her eye contact with Steph secure, almost probing. One of Lisbeth's hands lets go of Steph's wrists and she plants it, palm-down, next to the other woman's head.

She could kiss her now if she wanted.

Not that she didn't want to.]

Edited 2013-11-20 05:56 (UTC)

[Sometimes, it takes her a little while to realize how potentially dangerous a situation is, and this is one of those times.

When Lisbeth looks at her like that, she knows exactly what she's thinking, and that's - tempting (really temping, if she's being honest) but not the best idea.]

Um.

[Not that she doesn't want to kiss Lisbeth, but she shouldn't, not when it'd hurt Saul.]

[Lisbeth understands it's a bad idea - just because she and Jesse had an understanding didn't mean everyone else did in their relationships. So out of respect, Lisbeth sits up again.]

Welcome to Stockholm.

[She gets up on her feet and holds out a hand to help Stephanie up.]

[Steph's smile is apologetic and appreciative, relieved that Lisbeth didn't push it, because she's not - great at self control in this sort of area.]

It's pretty.

[She takes that offered hand, pulling herself up and shaking herself a little to dislodge any clinging snow.]

Cold, but pretty. We'll have to go there properly sometime, yeah?

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ice has covered up my parents' hands

October 19

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