Characters: Ashley & Dakota Setting: Sunday, January 7, morning, the diner Summary: Figuring some emotional shit out Rating: Low
Dakota didn’t like cooking. Mostly because she never really learned how. She’d lived off of cheap fast food, dollar store microwave meals, or nothing for the longest time that that seemed like what normal people did for their three meals a day. Of course, she knew that wasn’t the truth, but it was fun to pretend she was like everyone else. But here, there distinct lack of fast food was disturbing. And the fact that she had an actual kitchen… off-putting. So she budgeted to allow herself to have at least one meal a day at the diner or the coffee shop or some other place on the island where someone would make actual food for her.
So today, waffles sounded like a good idea. Dakota made her way to the diner, and ordered herself a giant breakfast that someone her size and shape shouldn’t be able to finish. And she intended to eat every last bit of it and enjoy it. Or as close to ‘enjoying’ anything as she could get. Which wasn’t very close at all.
Taking a sip of her coffee, light eyes scanned the diner for someone or something vaguely interesting to watch while she ate.
***
Ashley was trying to get out of her apartment more, especially in the early morning hours when things were just opening up and there wouldn’t be a lot of people out yet. When she could walk around and interact with people without having to worry too much about other people’s emotions getting to her. She’d stopped in the diner that morning to grab breakfast since the marketplace wasn’t open yet and she actually didn’t have anything at her place to fix for breakfast.
She’d grabbed a seat as far from the door as she could, wanting to distance herself at least a little from the main flow of traffic in and out. She’d ordered pancakes for her breakfast, wishing that the coffee shop was back up so she could get her morning jolt of caffeine from there but she didn’t think she was that lucky. She noticed someone watching her from one of the other tables and it took her a moment to realize where she’d seen her - on the computer. They’d talked a little bit but she didn’t know her name.
She gave a smile to the waitress who brought her order, grimacing a little at the wave of annoyance and exhaustion from the older woman that crashed over her and she rubbed at her wrist, looking down at the tattoo there as if to remind herself of something before she started to eat, wincing a little as more people walked past her on the way to the restroom or the servers taking people’s orders in and out of the kitchen area. This table had clearly been a bad idea with the way everyone seemed to be feeling that she came across. It was equal parts fear and anger but in the middle of it there was someone...blank. It didn’t feel the same way it did when she came across people who were immune to her abilities. That felt more like a wall between her and the other person. This...this was more like there was just nothing there for her to feel. Her eyes looked around until she found the person who it seemed to be coming from and she gasped a little as she realized it was that woman and she found herself staring at her, meal in front of her practically forgotten.
***
At first glance, Dakota saw nothing particularly interesting going on around her. People went about their business as they usually did and she felt like she was watching the most boring moving in history. Nothing good ever happened around here. Even the parties were meh. Which made Dakota think maybe it was just her. Maybe coming to the island ruined that last little spark she had inside. Or maybe it was something else. Every time she tried to dwell on it, she had this strange uncomfortable empty feeling. Logically, she should feel something, but emotionally she did not, and trying to figure it out didn’t change anything.
Rolling her eyes at herself and her own ridiculous internal monologue, Dakota focused on a piece of bacon. Bacon was good, right? She used to love it when it was hot and extra crispy. This piece was cooked just the way she liked it. But as she ate it, nothing. God, she needed a job. She needed something to distract herself and focus on. Unfortunately, Dakota’s particular talents weren’t in high demand around here.
Light eyes scanned the diner again before falling on the staring woman. Dakota was used to getting looks, from men and women alike, but it was usually a little bit more of an appreciative glance. This lady was just staring at her like she was a freak. Arched a brow, she tilted her head to the woman as if silently asking what her problem was.
--
Ashley felt her face heat up when the other woman clearly realized she’d been staring at her and she cussed at herself mentally as she tore her gaze away, turning her attention back to her meal before giving up on the attempt and pushing away from the table to make her way over there to apologize for staring. And maybe there was a part of her that was curious to find out if that blankness would still be there when she was closer.
She made sure her ID was still visible on her jacket collar, there’d been enough trouble lately without her getting herself in any over something so stupid as forgetting to have it visible at all times, as she walked over there, wiping her hands nervously on her jeans. “I’m sorry for staring. It was...my ability kind of honed in on you.” That was pretty much the truth.
***
Dakota noticed the girl heading her way, but had already refocused her attention on her food. She was used to girls staring at her for one reason or another. They were either attracted, or jealous, and Dakota didn’t care to deal with either at the moment. She huffed a little sigh when the woman came to her table and she was about to tell her to fuck off when she mentioned ability. Arching a brow, she looked up to her slowly, giving her the once over before speaking. “What kind of ability?”
--
“I'm an empath. I was tracing the emotions through the room and it locked onto yours.” Her lack of emotion specifically.
***
Dakota looked around the room before looking back to the girl with a little laugh that distinctly lacked humor. “I think you honed in on the wrong one, honey. Nothing emotional happening here.”
--
Ashley bit down on her lip before lowering her voice. “I know. That’s what it honed in on. The nothing happening over here.” It was weird for her. She’d never felt anything like that before.
***
Now that was interesting. So it wasn’t just all in Dakota’s fucked up head. This girl could ‘feel’ it too. Or maybe she was a mind-reader too. Who knows around here. “So… is that like a good thing or a bad thing or what?” Reluctantly, she motioned for the woman to take a seat. She wasn’t usually one to invite company, at least not in situations like this, but she was a little intrigued and that was better than feeling nothing at all.
--
Ashley slid into the seat opposite her, a little nervous. She didn’t talk very much about her abilities and what they might mean under normal circumstances and this was so far from normal circumstances that she really had no clue how to even begin answering that question. “I’m not sure really. I’ve never felt anything like it.” She admitted.
***
Dakota listened as Ashley spoke, pushing her food aside for now to focus on the conversation. “What do you usually feel around other people?”
--
“Whatever they’re feeling at the moment I’m in the room with them. Negative emotions are the strongest.” Ashley told her.
***
Dakota nodded a little. She vaguely wondered what that must be like for her, but even curiosity wasn’t strong enough to keep her attention for longer than a few moments. Shaking her head, she smirked. “Well, that sounds shitty. I’m Dakota, by the way.”
--
“You’re telling me.” Ashley said her voice coming out very dry, almost bored sounding with that agreement. “I’m Ashley,” her hands were still on the table top, no move to offer to shake or anything. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
***
Dakota noticed that Ashley almost seemed to echo Dakota’s own general sentiments about life in her sudden tone change. “Sure, go for it. I have no shame and nothing to hide.”
--
“What’s your ability? The only other time I haven’t picked up on something is when someone’s ability blocked it and that doesn’t feel like what I got from you.” She really didn’t care about if she was being rude or not. She needed to understand this.
***
Dakota was a little surprised by the question. She didn’t think that was very personal, hell, it was expected to ask that sort of thing around here. At least it seemed like she was trying to be respectful, Dakota could appreciate that rarity. “Pleasure manipulation and illusion. I can basically make people orgasm with a few little touches in the right place, and I can be their ultimate sexual fantasy. It’s awesome.” Her last sentence was dripping with sarcasm.
--
“Oh yeah. Sounds like a real joy.” Ashley said, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes although the sarcasm was definitely there in her voice. That knocked that option out as a possibility. Whatever was causing the blankness wasn’t caused by Dakota’s ability counteracting her own. She frowned a little bit, mind racing as she tried to figure this out not sure why it bothered her so much. It should have been something of a relief - knowing that there was someone on the island that she didn’t need to worry about picking up on but it wasn’t.
“When I came over - you said there was nothing emotional happening. Have you always felt that?” There was just curiosity in her voice, no condemnation.
***
Dakota watched Ashley curiously but even that only lasted for a few moments. Going back to her food, she ate a little as the woman spoke to her. She thought about the question for a moment before responding. “No. Not always. Just since the radiation, I guess? I don’t know, really. I honestly didn’t notice it had gotten as bad as it had until recently. I used to be able to feel things, to enjoy things, to feel anything, even when I didn’t want to. Now it’s all just… a fog. If that makes any sense.”
--
Ashley thought for a moment about what the other woman told her, the emotions of the other people in the diner forming a kind of background noise as they sat there, a low hum since the worst emotion anyone seemed to be feeling was annoyance. “It makes sense to me. Can I try something?” She said, a little hesitant to make this suggestion. She avoided physical contact with people’s skin as much as possible, whether or not their abilities were also based off touch but now she was willing to give it a shot. To see if her secondary ability could influence the other’s lack of emotion somehow.
***
Dakota arched a brow, wondering exactly what Ashley wanted to try. Figuring she had nothing to lose, and just mildly interested in what the girl had in mind, Dakota nodded once. “Yeah, sure, go for it.” Maybe she should have warned her that any physical contact Dakota ever had with someone since the radiation leak led to intense feelings of pleasure in the other person. Well, she’d find out, besides, Dakota already told her what her ability was. If Ashley wanted a taste of it, she was bound to get it one way or the other.
--
Ashley took a deep breath, focusing on the annoyance of the guy in the booth behind her as she held out her hand. “My other ability is emotional manipulation. When I touch someone they feel whatever I’m feeling right then. Whether it’s my emotions or someone else’s. I’m kind of curious what that’ll mean if I touch you. If you’ll feel what’s in the room around us or if I’ll end up embarrassing myself in front of everyone in here.” She gave a shrug as she met Dakota’s eyes.
***
Dakota listened as Ashley explained and couldn’t help but smile slightly about potentially embarrassing herself. “It’ll be totally worth it though, promise.” She offered her a little wink and then took her hand. Dakota waited to feel something, anything different. But even just holding the woman’s hand was likely to make Ashley feel a wave of euphoria.
--
Ashley shook her head at that wink but she was smiling as she allowed herself to relax, trying to just focus on what she was feeling. The annoyance was still there, flowing through her and out of her hand but it was mingling with a feeling of pleasure that was flooding in through their hands. To her it felt like the two emotions were mixing together, moving through her and back out and magnifying with each pass through her body.
***
Dakota took a deep breath and decided to just go with this. But for some reason that was annoying. Furrowing her brow, she had no idea why she felt annoyed, but she did. And that was different. Some things annoyed her, in theory, but she never really felt annoyed. Not like this. Frowning, she pulled her hand away and the feeling was gone. “What the…” She grabbed Ashley’s hand again, without permission, totally forgetting the effect her touch had on others. She wanted to see if that annoyance came back, and it did.
--
Ashley looked at her in surprise when Dakota pulled her hand away only to grab Ashley’s again, gasping as that pleasure started coursing through her again and she met the other woman’s gaze with wide eyes. “What are you feeling?” She asked curiously, ignoring the looks they were getting from surrounding tables.
***
Dakota laughed a little and shook her head. “Kind of pissed off, actually. I like it.” Dakota knew if she kept touching Ashley for much longer, she could cause a reaction the woman probably wouldn’t appreciate in public, so she released her hand. And the feeling was gone. Sighing in what was potentially a bit of disappointment, she shrugged. “It’s gone now. Nothing again.”
--
Ashley was grinning at her, barely keeping from laughing and bouncing in her seat. “I was picking up on the annoyance around us,” she told her. “You are probably the only person who’s ever said they liked it - when what I’m feeling passes into them I mean.”
***
Arching a brow at her, Dakota wished she felt as giddy as Ashley seemed about this whole thing. It felt good to feel something, but now that it was gone, it felt like an absence again. “That’s… pretty epic. I could imagine why other people might not like it much. But it’s nice to feel something, anything for a change. I was beginning to forget what it’s like.”
--
“That was the first time I’d deliberately shared it with someone else. I wasn’t sure it would actually work.” Ashley paused, weighing her words carefully before continuing. “If you ever want to try it again - see what else you could feel through me, I’d be willing.” It had been intense and kind of a rush - the way the feelings had mixed together as they poured through her.
***
“That sounds kinky.” Dakota couldn’t help the little sexual joke, but there was no humor in her voice or expression when she said it. She wanted there to be. “But yeah, maybe some time that would be cool. I wish there was a way to…. Be a person all the time instead of just a walking sex-robot.” That was how she felt lately, and it didn’t help that that was how most people tended to see her anyway.
--
Ashley flushed a little at that comment. “I’m not going to lie and say the pleasure wasn’t a nice change for me but it was nice knowing that I could use my ability for something that didn’t backfire horribly on someone else.” She shrugged. On an even more personal note it had been nice to just be able to touch someone again without feeling bad about it afterwards. She didn’t want to recommend the government for any sort of help to anyone after the way they’d reacted to the things that occurred at New Years. “Have you thought about talking to any of the other residents? They might have ideas of how to help with that.”
***
Dakota just smirked a little. “If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not exactly a social butterfly. I know my strengths, and talking to people isn’t one of them. I’ve only talked to a few people since I got here last month. And more than half of them were only interested in fucking. So, I know my wheelhouse, I stick to it.” Dakota wanted to be more than that, but her opportunities to try always ended the same way. So she gave up.
--
“Something we have in common it seems,” Ashley said matter of factly. “I can probably count on one hand the number of people I’ve talked to before today.” She didn’t feel anything but a little sadness at Dakota’s comment about what the people she’d talked to had been interested in with her. Not pity just - a slight sadness at this further proof of how much people sucked. “No matter where we are - people suck.”
***
Dakota smirked yet again and nodded in agreement. “You got that right.” She lifted her mug to take a sip of coffee, watching Ashley over the rim of it. “A lot of people around here seem to have had kind of a charmed life before they got here. Well, some of the ones I’ve observed.” She hadn’t really talked too too much with others since, well, interest was limited to sex. “Other than the guards being assholes, it’s not so bad. You don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, if the electric is going to get turned off or if you’re going to get evicted. But in general, yeah, people are about the same.”
--
“Not all of the guards are assholes. I just try to steer clear of all of them just in case. Especially lately. I kind of miss having those worries at times. Because there was a hell of a lot more freedom that came with them.” She knew what Dakota meant about people having lived charmed lives before finding themself here and it was a valid but there were people that hadn’t. Some of them were upfront about it but some of them tried to hide behind a mask but Ashley could feel the emotions that lay underneath it. She never said anything about what she felt though from them. If they wanted to pretend for whatever reason that everything was okay she wasn’t going to take that away from them.
***
Dakota nodded. Just like with anything, there was the good and the bad. And she did consider herself lucky to have avoided much trouble so far. Then again, her ability tended to help her out in a pinch. You wouldn’t believe how quickly people forgot about being pissed when they were excited. “You been here long?”
---
“A few months. I still haven’t figured out if that’s too long or not long enough. What about you?” Ashley asked her new companion.
*** “Probably not long enough. I talked to one guy who’s been here like three years. Three fucking years, can you imagine?” Dakota learned almost immediately that there was no going back after being sent here, but she tried to stay in the present and not think that she’d be here forever. “Just over a month now.”
--
“Jesus.” Ashley said, eyes widening as she tried to imagine being here for that long. She’d known since getting here that she’d never be allowed to leave but she still hadn’t given a lot of thought as to actually being here for very long. “So what’d you think of the party they threw us for Christmas?” She asked, injecting as much sarcasm as possible into the word party.
***
Dakota rolled her eyes and looked around the diner to see who was there before answering. “It was a bunch of bullshit. But I ate and drank my weight’s worth of food and alcohol. Because if they were going to force us to be there, I was going to make it worth it. What’d you think?”
--
“The alcohol was good. I drank way more than I should have but a friend forced me to eat some too. If I can ever get my hands on the ingredients in the marketplace I’m going to try and recreate the mushrooms for her to say thanks.” Ashley said with a shrug. “And I’ll be wearing that blue dress I had to get to every formal event we have to attend.”
***
Dakota nodded. “You think they make us go to more than one a year? I hope not, I am over it already. But then again, at least it was something to do. This place is boring as hell, on a good day.”
--
Ashley thought for a moment before answering her. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. I think they used it as an opportunity to make sure we were all behaving ourselves the way they want. Remind us who’s really in charge here.” And it wasn’t any of them unfortunately. “You mean there are good days here?” She said, smiling a little.
***
Dakota laughed a little and shrugged. “Maybe? I don’t think I’ve been here long enough to say for sure. Then again, my opinion of a good day is not having to interact with idiots so…”
--
“Easier said than done in some places on this island.” Ashley said, not bothering to look around to see if there were any guards around. She wasn’t saying anything that directly was against them.
***
Dakota nodded with a little smirk. She wasn’t thinking specifically about guards, but it worked that way too. She glanced around the diner and finally noticed something. She motioned over to Ashley’s abandoned table with her food. “I think you got distracted and forgot something.”