asgardeventide | oo1 ∞ video / open action

[ River can be seen wandering around the common area of Odin's Welcome Hall almost as though in a trancelike state. Her steps are light and even, ball to toe on bare feet, and her fingers trail over every object she passes even though her eyes are wandering curiously around the ceiling and the walls and the rest of the room - never to what she's touching. It might seem like she's looking for something, or even listening for something, but she doesn't seem to find it, and never once ceases her calculated footsteps. Eventually the video times out. ]

[ Some time later, the video clicks back on and River's face fills the entire feed, far too close as she tries to peer into the little jewel of her bracelet. She eventually gives up and pulls back to show brown eyes wide and curious, dark hair framing pallid skin that's ... almost gold in the scant lighting.

She's sitting in the middle of the slide, feet tucked underneath her to stop her from going down any further. Her eyes skitter around the confined space before settling back on the bracelet. She says only two words as a whisper, like if she says it any louder, it might break the spell. ]

It's quiet.

[ ooc; for those of you in Odin, feel free to run into River in either part of the post - and I do mean literally, someone should run into her in the slide. 8) edit: I totally forgot! hover for Chinese translations! thanks to Holly for teaching me that trick and Google for my butchered Chinese. |Db ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do you--

[ He falters because he really doesn't want to, but he will if he must. Brotherly duties and all that. He steels himself, preparing to climb the slide. ]

Do you want me to come up?

[ For a moment, there's no response as she considers her options but - it all seems too complicated, there's too many variables, things she doesn't understand and doesn't have enough information to compute.

Silence a second longer, and then there's just a noncommittal hum of sorts as she hugs her knees closer and curls her toes. ]

... River? River, I'm coming up. OK?

[ He braces his hands against the sleek sides of the slide and wedges his feet into the corners, inching his way up s l o w l y. His breathing is heavy as he tries to focus on not falling.

Which is precisely what does happen after only managing a few steps. There's a loud thump as he loses his footing and slides right back down to the bottom. ]

...

Ow.

Simon?

[ She'll lean up on her toes to try and see if he's okay, but she won't slide down after him unless she's sure he's out of it. ]

[ He's out of the slide now, standing up and brushing the dust off his clothes. His shin's bruised, but other than that, he's unharmed. ]

I'm-- I'm fine.

[ She hesitates a moment - it'd be so much easier if she could just see him, but she'll have to settle for sliding down to bring him into view.

She stays sitting at the foot of the slide and looks up at him, smiles when she's sure he isn't hurt. ]

Clumsy.

[ He smiles down at her. ]

You always were the graceful one, mei mei. [ A beat in which he holds out a hand to help her up. ] And I always had two left feet.

Lost cause, gēgē.

[ She says playfully, taking his hand and pulling herself straight from the slide into a hug, arms wrapped around his middle tightly.

Doesn't say anything; just clings, trembles a little. It's been a frightening day, for all that it's been new and exciting as well. ]

[ He returns the hug, clinging to her in return. When he feels her trembling, though, he pulls back to look at her, cupping her face gently in his hands. His voice is soft, almost a whisper, as he tries to reassure her. ]

Shh. River? It's going to be OK. Everything is going to be OK.

[ Relief should be the more appropriate response; there's comfort between his hands, the only home left to her, but there's also fear and confusion underneath and she can't hold it back. She's not allowed to. ]

It's quiet here, Simon. Everything's quiet like it's all gone away, hidden and hiding and - hide.

[ Might explain why she was in the slide. ]

We don't have to hide here, River. The Alliance, the Feds, they-- they don't exist here. [ His voice is still soft but he puts a touch more emphasis into these next few words. ] No-one's going to hurt you.

[ Not on his watch. ]

[ It's not true; he's only human and there's a war coming. But it's fact in his eyes, she can see it where they're reflecting her image back at her. Always sees herself in Simon's eyes. She closes her own and nods her head quietly. ]

oo1 ∞ video / open action

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