♛ 55 {Expedition}

[ardor]

[After (most) everyone's out of the caves and back on the beach, it's time for dinner. Out comes the food, the fires are lit, and people are having a jolly good time or something like it. Hopefully.

Whatever's going on, people doing their thing. It involves eating and... socializing. That thing. Mingling is happening, and everyone better be liking it! Or at least tolerating it.

Share notes, discuss findings, show off booty Martel, or just east and pass out. Anything goes!]

((ooc: Open expedition post on the beach. Have at it.))

Comments

[persequor]

Eggs. [ You know. What you're eating. ]

[wilder]

Heh, clever.

[He'll pop some more into his mouth. ]

Well it sure beats the dried rations, I'll say that.

[persequor]

There's no point eating into our rations as long as there's food to be found. That ought to be preserved for times we need them.

[wilder]

Yeah, I know.

I still wonder if the fish are edible.

[persequor]

Nymeria has been eating them. I cooked one. [ She makes a slight face. ]

[wilder]

[....uh oh]

Didn't taste so good?

[persequor]

[ She shakes her head. ]

I don't like them much. I can eat them if I must. [ But then she's willing to eat almost anything if she needs to. ]

[wilder]

Mm.

How long ago was this?

[persequor]

A day? I think?

[wilder]

[........Checking her forehead with his hand for a temp rise]

Alright. Tell me if you start feeling ill or off over the next couple days, okay?

[persequor]

[ She pushes his hand away. ]

I'm fine. Nymeria wouldn't let me eat anything that might be poisoned.

[wilder]

Nymeria's a marine biologist now?

[persequor]

A what?

[wilder]

An expert on things that live in water. Like fish.

[persequor]

[ Arya aims a look his way. ]

Of course not. But she's been eating them longer than me. If there was anything wrong with them, she would have stopped and she wouldn't have let me try them either.

[wilder]

[Yeah but she eats raw meat...he sighs; he'll save that explanation for her mother if she dares]

Alright. Just...humor me, okay my darling?

[persequor]

[ And so does Arya when fire is in short supply. Your point? ]

I thought you didn't care?

[wilder]

You think I don't-

[He stops short, swallowing and glancing away to the ocean. Part of him wants to point out that he sure as hell wouldn't have bothered as much as he has if he didn't care. Promising to protect her, taking care of her, spending time with her, training her, showing affection in his own ways. He wasn't a nice enough guy to go through all that if he didn't care. He wasn't some self-proclaimed saint that looked after kids for the hell of it. It...hurts that she apparently assumed that was the case]

[But on the other hand...caring wasn't an easy thing for him to admit. Bad things happened to people who he cared for, and this kid had more than enough bad things happen to her already. He still couldn't shake that thought...it wasn't like he had anything to offer her anyway besides his swordsmanship. ]

[It was easier when this wasn't brought to his attention, when he could just play dumb even to himself. ]

Just do it if you feel sick, okay?

[persequor]

I don't think it. You said so.

[wilder]

[Ah. Right. Back when he didn't]

Wasn't that like...a long time ago or something?

[What is he even saying? Sheesh]

[persequor]

[ It's a little hard to forget someone you admire, even liked being with, telling you he doesn't care about you. She's silent, but hurt flutters across her face. ]

[wilder]

[....Yep. Saw that look of look. He knows it very well. Ugh ugh why is he such a screw up? There a long pause before he speaks]

Well...I care now, okay?

[persequor]

Why?

[wilder]

You want me to explain why I care?

[Great, explaining his feelings. Only his least strongest skill. A pause and he exhales a bit of air]

Because you're a hotheaded, stubborn as hell brat that wouldn't go away, yet...you still have a big enough heart to care about a girl you never met and a guy who you thought didn't care about you, even though you got more than enough of your own problems. Something like that? Takes a lot of courage and strength.

...A lot more than I ever had.

[persequor]

[ She blinks in surprise. Yet she has to argue one point. ]

You're brave.