| Company |
| Summary: | Marissa gets happened upon by Callie while in the observation lounge; the pair discuss recent worries and stresses. |
| Date: | PHD 277 (1-21-10) |
| Related Logs: | Insurgency Logs |
| Players: |
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Windows, windows everywhere, and not a hint of sunshine in 'em. The Observation Deck looks so much like a greenhouse or an overgrown sunporch that Mimi Delann often expects something besides stars and blackness in it. But she's thus far been disappointed, except for the odd stellar phenomenon.
She's currently lounging on one of the loveseats, her knees over the armrest and her feet dangling, crossed at the ankle, hands clasped behind her head. She's dressed in her usual sweats, a powder blue baby tee under her unfastened jacket, and hints of floral print showing at her waist from all the position-shifting she's done. It's a comfortable pose, but her expression is distant, not relaxed, dark eyes staring absently at the ceiling rather than out the windows.
The teddy bear bearing figure of Callie comes in, looking sleepy and a bit ragged with a lingering haunted expression in her eyes, an unsettled look that speaks well of how troubled she is even if she doesn't give voice to her concerns. Not noticing Marissa immediately, the young woman begins to shuffle-wander closer to one of the windows, her bear held tighter to her chest once she begins to start to sniffle.
It takes a moment for Mimi to realize she's not alone, despite the sound of the hatch coming opening and closing. She rolls her head sideways, blinking as her eyes unblur and she notices the interloper. "Callie?" she says softly, uncertainly.
Callie turns slightly but doesn't move, relying on her pivoting from the waist to align her gaze with the person that voice belongs to, recognition dawning on her well before she finds Marissa's seating place. "Hi, Mimi," she offers as a quiet, almost whispered greeting. "Nice view, isn't it?" The effort to be conversational purely out of the desire to be polite but her heart's just not in it and she's soon back to being silent.
"If you like stars," Mimi agrees tentatively, her eyes widening a tad when Callie turns back to her view. "Is something wrong?" she asks, after a long moment of silence.
"Panda got hurt." Marissa most likely already knows that the Marine was barely grazed but to Callie it doesn't matter. He got hurt while on a mission and that's all that is important to her. "He's fine, though," she adds after looking out into the white-dotted black for a bit, her head tilting one way only to then list to the opposite side, lending a slightly curious kitten look to her. "Are you okay?"
"He'll be okay," Mimi agrees softly. "He's tough that way. I found him practicing a speech in here earlier, like nothing had happened." She pauses at that question. "Me?" Silence. "I'm a little tired, I guess." She pats the cushion of the loveseat next to her. "Want to sit down? There's room."
"He is tough. He couldn't be Nip-Man if he wasn't." Callie starts to shuffle into motion again, this time approaching the loveseat so she can take up the space Marissa invited her to sit at. PJ is allowed to sit on her lap once she's comfortable, assuming a cross-legged position that has her slouched comfortably against the back cushion, the bear petted as one would pet a cat or dog, her hand patpatting the stuffed animal between his ears. "What has you so tired, huh?"
Mimi looks up at her seatmate and nods, smiling. "We'd be lost without Nip-Man and Tassel-Lass," she comments, trying not to giggle. "I think it's all the casualties lately. Most of 'em are back on duty, but… I don't know. I think I stress out when people get hurt, and end up wearing myself out. Worrying is tiring."
Callie's lips twitch into some form of smile but the worry keeps it from really sticking, making her look like she's about to vomit, not attempting to grin. "Makes me glad I really don't know too many people outside of you and Panda and a few more. Hard to worry too much when you really don't have people to worry about." Not the sunniest of outlooks to assume and so uncharacteristic of the normally chipper girl, it being a good sign that she's getting worn down.
Mimi frowns faintly, scooting away from the arm a bit so she can twist into a sitting position. It comes at the price of another inch or so of floral print showing, but she finally sits up and slips an arm around Callie to pull her gently into a hug. "Sounds like you're tired too, Tassle-Lass," she whispers.
There is a moment where Callie kind of zone's out once Marissa's hug is given, her eyes growing distant as she stares straight ahead, but it is eventually snapped out of and the blonde is coherent enough to return the gesture, Mimi hugged back. "I guess. Just…please don't tell Panda, alright? He's got enough to worry about and I don't want him to be out…there, distracted because he is worried about me too."
"My lips are sealed," Mimi promises, hugging Callie a little tighter. "We'll both be strong for Nip-Man, so he can defend justice worry-free. But it doesn't do anything for your mood, does it?" she asks, still concerned.
Callie shakes her head. "No. Not really. The only thing that'll really help that is a hot bath…which is so not happening…and a good night's sleep and that's most likely not going to happen, either." The word 'sleep' has a slight slur to it, the s-sound running into the rest of the word, just uttering it enough to make her sound as tired as she is. "But hey. I'm sorry. I'm usually not such a downer, you know."
"We all have our down moments," Mimi replies. "Don't feel bad about that. I was having one when you came in." She edges a little closer to Callie and slips her arms around her for a loose hug. "But we helped each other through it…" Her fingers touch and tickle Callie's ribs, trying to get the younger girl to giggle. Or at least squirm.
Giggles and laughter isn't exactly forthcoming but Marissa's efforts to get a reaction gets rewarded regardless as Callie does indeed squirm and she even goes as far as to swat at the offending digits as they're ran along her side. "Wh…ack. Stop!" Clearing her throat, she gives posing the question she was trying to ask one more try. "Why were you feeling down?"
Mimi does quit, though she looks a little disappointed. "I don't know. I have several friends who're hurt, though they're getting better. Sometimes… sometimes I guess I just miss having ground under my feet, and the feel of the sun on my face. Room to run and have fun without being looked at funny. And… people to do that with."
Callie can kind of understand that if only just the concept of what Marissa's feeling; growing up in an orphanage, one tends to be a bit more serious in demeanor, especially those children who, like Callie, were never adopted into a family. "I am sure there will be places you can do that," she eventually says. "Just like there are places where Pandorian will find his horses."
"Maybe… I'm hoping hard, for Panda, you, and me all three," Mimi replies. She relaxes back into the loveseat's soft, well-worn cushion. "I'm getting sleepy. I think you said something about a good night's sleep, too… want to rest here? I'd love the company."
There's a moment where Callie almost declines but she is hit with the realization that she's too tired to make the short tip to where her bed is and the company is nice, Mimi's presence being the last deciding factor in her remaining put. "Sure. Sounds nice." Callie's legs are uncrossed and she scoots over to lean against the other arm of the small sofa after Mimi's hug is returned, the bear tucked in close to her side as she begins to drift off.
Mimi slips her arms comfortably around Callie, enjoying the closeness. "'Night, Callie. 'Night, PJ," she whispers, and lets her eyes slip shut, shutting out the world and her cares for now.
