InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "A lonely Tweak is a sad Tweak"

Dr. Jemma Simmons (drsimmons) wrote in paradisolog,
@ 2016-04-01 02:27:00

Entry tags:

~jemma simmons (drsimmons), ~ray palmer (_atom)

WHO: Jemma Simmons and Ray Palmer
WHAT: Teatime
WHEN: Thursday afternoon
WHERE: At the little firepit Jemma has made in a clearing
WARNINGS: None
STATUS: Closed/Complete

It was fascinating how even the smallest bit of familiarity could bring such comfort. Jemma had chosen to be here, of course, but there had still been anxiety due to the change in setting and the grand decision she had made to leave her old life behind. It had been a big step, and while she didn't regret it, it had almost brought tears to her eyes to find something as simple and familiar as...a bush with tea leaves. Of course, a lot of things made her cry lately. Ever since getting sucked through the monolith and experiencing the trauma that had been that planet, since losing Will - perhaps the only person who truly understood what she'd been through there - well, she just couldn't cry enough. Even when she ran out of tears in the evening, she knew that there were more to shed.

She was getting better, at least in the eyes of others. She was finding joy in things before. She'd embraced her science again. She was getting out of bed. She was even finding hope sometimes. But she had a feeling that the darkness of that place would never truly leave her. No matter how much she sometimes felt like her old self.

She had this afternoon, finding herself in this vibrant ecosystem with the most amazing variety of plants and insect life. She'd given in to her excitement, which had allowed her to relax, and almost be hereself for a moment. She hoped that was a sign of the things to come, and that in this place maybe that ball of darkness at her center could shrink to the point that she hardly knew it was there.

She didn't even dare to hope that it would disappear.

It was really such a big part of the reason she'd come here...after being stalked by death for what had felt like years (even though it had only been months), it was incredibly appealing to have a chance to make life.

She'd managed to make a fire and had managed to hollow out a coconut rather messily with a broken-off stick. It made a rough sort of bowl for her to boil the water on, although it was taking far longer than she'd hoped, since she was afraid it would catch fire if she got it too close to the fire. She'd have to make her way down to the beach and collect some shells; it would be a far better material for cooking.

She heard steps in the woods and looked up.

"Ray? Is that you?"

Yes, perhaps she was a little more anxious than usual at sounds in the woods, but she couldn't help it. Not after what she'd been through.

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	drsimmons 2016-04-02 01:19 am UTC (link)
	"Perhaps technically, but you are not as old as you think you are." In fact, if she was going to judge him aesthetically, she found him very attractive indeed. She looked away from him, down at the water and gave a bubbly shriek of delight. "Look! It's boiling!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_atom
2016-04-02 01:28 am UTC (link)

Grinning as he looked back at her, Ray shook his head. "I'm practically ancient to these kids," he pointed out. "But I appreciate the compliment. I do try to cling to the shreds of my youth."

Her excitement drew his attention away from her and to the water and, if it was even possible, Ray's smile grew.

"Great! I guess it's tea time, then?" he asked cheerfully. "How can I help? I'm used to teabags."

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	drsimmons 2016-04-02 01:32 am UTC (link)
	Jemma was very used to teabags too, and she bit her bottom lip as she looked between the tea leaves and the water. "I suppose we just...put them in the boiling water, let them steep for five minutes or so, and then try to strain them out?" Even making tea in this place took effort and problem-solving. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

_atom
2016-04-02 01:37 am UTC (link)

That seemed like as good a plan as any to Ray, so he nodded and gestured for her to get that started while he got up and started to look for a way for them to strain the tea. ...or something to put their tea in to drink it from, ooh...he hadn't thought of that until just now.

"Do you have anything for us to drink it from...? Or at least something for us to strain it into?"

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drsimmons
2016-04-02 01:40 am UTC (link)

Jemma had actually thought of that, although coming up with a good solution was a different thing all together. She picked up another coconut that she'd cut in half and hollowed out while she'd been waiting for him to arrive. It wasn't perfect, but she did believe that it was better than nothing.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think this will work? It's all I could come up with. I'm thinking clay shouldn't be so hard to come across, though?"

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	_atom 2016-04-02 02:12 am UTC (link)
	"Seems like just as good a solution to try as any," Ray decided as he looked back at her. "We can try that later, the clay. I think we'll want to form it and then leave it in the sun for a few days to solidify before we use it, wouldn't we?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	drsimmons 2016-04-02 03:01 am UTC (link)
	"Yes, I believe that's how it works. I've never actually done it before, but I do know the theory." She had the feeling she was going to put a lot of theory to action during her time here. "Actually, that would be a very useful thing to start making. Dinnerware and cookware." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	_atom 2016-04-02 01:47 pm UTC (link)
	Ray had the very same feeling, but that was all right with him; that was half the fun. "Probably, yes. But for now, we can just share the coconut," he said with a small smile. "...we should probably put this fire out, though, and take the tea to go, so that we don't risk losing the light, right?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

drsimmons
2016-04-03 02:56 am UTC (link)

Jemma had apparently lost track of the time - she hadn't noticed how late it was getting. But when she saw how far to the west the sun had already fallen, she nodded in agreement.

"Yes...I don't want to be out here at night. Not until we know more about the animals here."

It was lovely during the day, but Jemma had learned more than to trust her surroundings, in any case.

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	_atom 2016-04-03 02:59 am UTC (link)
	He gave her another small smile and nodded. "Exactly my line of thought. All right, let's head back, I'll show you the camp." [ooc: wrap?] (Reply to this) (Parent)

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