sanlorenzo | (no subject)

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[ It probably isn't safe to let herself get this close to someone again.

Scratch that: she knows it isn't safe to let herself get this close to someone again. That has become the constant in Asgard for her - everyone else leaves, but she stays. Most of the time, Jade doesn't care. Knowing them for a little while is better than having never known them at all, and just because those friendships are lost doesn't mean that they're meaningless.

Other times, though, the loss of it still stings. Especially now, as she and Ellie sneak through the carnival in Hel's district. It's night, past curfew, but no one in the city patrol bothers to actually check this place, and Jade knows everyone in the guard personally, anyway. It's a perk that comes with being one of the most tenured travelers in the city. ]

Have you ever been to the top of one of these things?

[ She's pausing next to the ferris wheel, touching her hand on the rusted metal as she glances up. Jade is oddly pensive, but there's a stubborn set to her shoulders, as if she refuses to admit it even about herself. ]

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Ellie, that's gross.

[ But Jade's breathing is a little surprised, similarly shallow. She shakes her head, then, but she's having trouble biting back a smile as she seats herself on one of the rusted out seats. ]

We, um - me Draco. This was always our meeting place, if things went to shit. I could get up here with my plants, and he could fly - I always forget about that until I see it again.

I didn't.

[Ellie pulls a face, but quickly goes thoughtful.]

... it's kinda romantic. Being up here.

Hehe, you think so.

[ She reaches to tug her sleeve, indicating out the side of the car. ]

Maybe it's a good thing it's not all lit up. You can still see all the stars this way.

[Ellie sits down next to her, and the car creaks, leaning -- she tips her head back, lets the rocking motion of the car carry them while she watches the sky.]

... wow.

It's so... gorgeous.

[ She could follow every cliche in the book. 'Yeah, it is,' she could sigh, before slipping an arm around Ellie's shoulder and gazing fondly and obviously at her. Instead, she just swallows a little in embarrassment and scoots closer to her, enough to point at a line of the stars. ]

I like to call that one 'Thor's Giant Mug of Beer.' Name pending.

[Good job, Jade. Ellie slips an elbow up between them, turning to lean in and follow the line of sight down her arm, spotting the stars in question.]

I feel like there should be a pun for this, but I'm coming up dry. Give me some time to think on it.

Hehe. Okay, but it better be something good if you're gonna make me wait for it.

[ She leans back, stretching, before yawning and settling her head against Ellie's shoulder. It's not an unusual display of casual affection for her. ]

Seriously, though, a giant picnic. Ants would leave us alone, I bet.

You can't rush genius.

[Ellie seems to pause, but touch from Jade is a welcome thing these days. The fur of her ear tickles Ellie's cheek, and she playfully turns her head to blow on it, just to make it flutter.]

They'd have a hell of a way to go. But it has to be food you can put in a backpack. Can you imagine balancing a cake and trying to get up here?

Not a cakewalk.

[Bad. Bad. SO bad.]

[ So bad. SO bad. But it has Jade's shoulders trembling a little from barely suppressed laughter, even as she flicks her ear in a similar show of playfulness against Ellie's cheek. ]

You should just tell your jokes to the giants. They'll die on the spot, no magic powers required.

[Ellie sputters and blows out, clicking her teeth next to Jade's ear playfully, then rubbing her cheek against it, pressing her fingers into her side to tickle her a little.]

You mean they'd bust a gut from laughing so hard, huh? Huh?

[ She yelps and twitches slightly, burrowing hard against Ellie's side in a reflexive attempt to escape the tickling fingers. ]

No! Nooo. I mean that your jokes are terrible, but you are free to interpret that any way you'd like.

You're terrible.

[Best comeback. Ellie wraps her arms around her, giggling. It was hard to resist the urge to bully her more, but she manages.]

Besides, your jokes are even dumber than mine.

I am pretty terrible.

[ It's said cheerfully, lightly, and Jade just shifts to get comfortable, propped against Ellie like that. Idly, one arm drops to sort of rest against Ellie's around her, as if idly trying to get it to stay there. ]

But I brought you up here, right? That should win me some cool points back.

Pretty. Terrible.

[It takes Ellie a second to realize they they're cuddled up together, and suddenly she's all sorts of glad that her face is hidden. They hug all the time, and Jade's cuddly by nature. Stop getting excited, El.

Still, she can't quite bite back the words as they come tumbling out.]

Sure. But only because I have a history of being charmed by trespassing and carnival rides.

We could trespass more. I never got to misbehave back at home - it's kinda fun, isn't it?

[ Jade simply isn't going to dwell too long on the thought, but it doesn't mean that she hasn't noticed. Ellie's comfortable - she doesn't want to move. So she doesn't. ]

Which is to say... I can work with that.

Never? Shit, we're gonna have to fix that. A lot.

[Ellie, for her part, is trying not to notice how soft Jade's hair is against her arm, and how nice she smells. Hopefully she can't feel her heart thumping.]

What, you're trying to charm me?

[ She can, but it's reassuring: so is her own. ]

Everything on the island was mine... it's really hard to break into your own stuff, you know.

[ But she's biting the inside of her lip to hide a little smile. ]

Hehe, maybe. I can try if I want, right?

That's just boring. Tell me you at least caught a snooping thief or two, geeze.

[... and there she goes again. Ellie shifts a little.]

I'm not -- gonna stop you. [Save it, save it. She clears her throat. Dramatic voice.]

Do try.

Nobody else ever came out there! Bec would've scared them off, anyway. But - umm, charming you. How should I charm you?

[ Jade twists when Ellie clears her throat, leaning up - and now they're nose to nose, Jade's green eyes bright with curiosity and intent as she lands them on Ellie's. ]

Um.

[... so. Ellie knows she's kind of particularly dense when it comes to this stuff, but there's no way Jade is this oblivious to how cute she is right now. Her cheeks are going pink, making her freckles stand out.]

... just go with it.

I can't just go with it, Ellie.

[ Jade huffs a little, shifting forward just slightly. They're already close - now, she just seems to be trying to bump their foreheads together, too. ]

This is important! I have to take it very seriously.

Seriously?

You dork.

[Even as she grins crookedly, her voice has gone quiet, and more than once, her eyes flicker downward toward her lips. Though Ellie doesn't go for it, she tightens her arm around her, keeping her close as she moves in.]

[ Jade smiles before she can help it, biting the inside of her cheek in an attempt to tamp it down. ]

I'm perfectly capable of taking things seriously, you know.

[ But that's when she bridges the short distance between them, bumping her mouth against Ellie's once, before she ducks back out of her grip and laughs a little. She's embarrassed, but she's clearly in a wonderful mood. ]

We really should have a picnic up here, you know.

[Even expecting the kiss, it shocks her a little, leaves her wide-eyed and pink-cheeked and forgetting she can talk.

After a second she seems to realize that Jade's talked to her, has backed up and away. Oh shit, what had she said?]

... what?

[ Ellie isn't the only one a little pink in the face. ]

I said - we should really have a picnic up here. An actual one, not just a hypothetical one.