we got off on an exit 'cause we couldn't read the map so great

[shiro2hero]

Who: Lion House Crew + Lavellan
When: Backdated to before Lavellan Wrecked The Ingress
Where: An Unpopulated area of Region 3
What: Local teens and their adults who need adults get lost in the woods with an elf who should know better.
Warnings: None none



((Info: basically a big group tag-at-your-leisure kind of thing. Make your own adventure, poke other people, make space s'mores, let's just have a camping trip before everything goes wrong. I threw up some prompts but go ahead and make your own if you want!))

Getting There
The crew takes the EN-line as far as it will go. After that, they're walking, carrying their supplies. By decree of their "illustrious" leader. Along the way, they'll meet Lavellan and head out into the trees of Region 3. It's a bit of a hike, because the trees are also mostly houses. But after a while, they'll come to a fairly open place in the middle of Nowhere. Have fun hiking.

Setting Up Camp
Whoever brought the tent(s) gets to set them up. That, and decide who sleeps where. It's probably fairly uneventful, but Lavellan may be overseeing here, along with anyone who's actually been camping. Please don't start a fight over where you're sleeping, guys. Please. Also someone please start the fire.

Campfire Shenanigans
There's nothing like food cooked over a campfire. That's what started all of this. Dinner/Breakfast/Etc has to be prepared and someone's got to do it. Or y'know, space s'mores. And where there's a campfire, there's scary stories. Who's telling Man Door Car Hook Hand first?

Great Outdoors
Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the wonder of being outside where light pollution is minimal, the forest sounds replace the noise of the city, and you can see the stars. Stargaze, wander around, just please don't get lost guys, keep your GPS on. Basically the wildcard option.

Comments

[shiro2hero]

...

[WAIT, BACK UP.]

Hunk and... Kurt?

[pidge_out]

[There's the tiniest, most indignant huff as Shiro finally seems to get it... And along with that breath goes the majority of the feeling behind it.]

It's okay... I guess maybe I took it too far or whatever.



[And then why the quiznak does Shiro sound so confused?]

Uh- Yeah? German guy? Blue skin? ...Has Hunk not told you about him?

[shiro2hero]

So, we're really good, then?

[He has to ask. He has to be sure. If something small like this breaks down their friendship? He's not really sure what to do. Honestly, he doubts it would. But he has to be sure.]

[He sounds confused because he is confused.]

I've... met him. Hunk hasn't said anything.

[pidge_out]

[There's just a half-second of hesitation before Pidge nods.] Yeah. We're good. I think I just... need a minute to chill out while not hiking up a mountain.

Oh. [Well then, maybe she seems a bit confused as well. Maybe Hunk did one of those things where he talks about people without naming names.] Well, I'm pretty sure Hunk likes him. They keep making meals for each other and having breakfast together and stuff.

[shiro2hero]

We can take a break, if you need to. [The rest of the team is tired? No, keep going. Pidge is tired? Hold the phone everyone stop.] Or I'll give you a lift.

[Then it's his turn to be confused and quiet.]

...

So you're saying Hunk is really dating someone.

Here?

[Wait, again.] I... guess that explains why he asked for advice, earlier.

[pidge_out]

We can go a little longer. [She hefts her backpack up again and rolls her shoulders.] I'm okay for now.

[Pidge isn't sure what he goes quiet for, but she doesn't say anything. Though when Shiro finally breaks the silence, she kind of just... hums thoughtfully first.]

Well... Probably. And I don't know if they're dating. I just know Hunk likes him.



...And I know Hunk likes it here. He doesn't mind staying for however long it takes before someone figures out how to send us all home.

[shiro2hero]

Okay. Let me know if that changes.

[He has to say it, okay? He's quiet this time, just to work it out in his mind. After a second, he shakes his head. Well, hey, if Hunk's crushing on someone, then power to him.]

Man, I wish I'd known who it was when he asked me. Probably could have said something better.

[He'd been going for a lighter tone to the conversation. Only to have it sober when Pidge continues.]

Is that why you two were fighting a while back? [Yeah girl he noticed.] Because you disagree with him?

[pidge_out]

Sure. [And she does mean that. She's not as strong and durable as everyone else, so she'll likely be calling for that break sooner than later.

Pidge is pretty ready to drop that last topic in favor of asking Shiro what terrible dating/relationship advice he gave Hunk, but then he has to go and... ask that. So she resobers with a little frown.]

Yeah. I mean- We still have to find my family.

[shiro2hero]

... I know.

[That hasn't even been something he doubted. Or forgot. They've all got personal stakes in this thing, don't they? Adventure, keeping your best friend out of trouble, finding answers...]

[He reaches out, slowly, to touch her shoulder.]

We're going to. We know your brother's alive -- it's more than we had before. [There's a but, though. There's always a "but".] But if he's enjoying what time he's got here, I don't think that's wrong, either.

I'm not saying we stop trying to get back to where we need to be. I wouldn't. You both have good points.

But I'm probably just lecturing -- you guys seem like you already got things figured out between you.

[pidge_out]

[She doesn't flinch or move away from the touch. If anything, it's still a comforting Shiro Patented gesture that she accepts without even thinking about it. It helps her keep focus on what he's saying, too, which all serves as a reminder to her that neither herself or Hunk were necessarily in the wrong to have fought about the matter. But it also reminds her that it seems like she's been fighting with her friends an awful lot lately.

That's something she should try to fix. She's been working hard to try to be a better teammate. A better friend. The last thing she wants is for all that progress to go down the drain.]

Yeah... I guess we kind of decided on a "agree to disagree" thing, and... I don't know. I don't like thinking about it. [She takes a breath, holds it, and then lets it out again, her shoulders sagging a bit.] I don't... like fighting you guys.

[shiro2hero]

That's probably for the best. I'm proud of you guys, for getting there.

[And that's a Shiro Patented statement right there. It's no less true, though. He is proud of that. And they did it all on their own -- Pidge, the one who tried to walk away from it all, solved it on her own. A personal problem.]

[That's big. For her, that's big. She's already better and he is absolutely proud of her for that.]

[Maybe... they really will be all right, if he can't figure out how to stop their future from coming true.]

Feels wrong to, doesn't it? Arguing with you guys never really feels right. [His hand shifts, so he can put it around her while they walk.]

But I'm not mad at you. For what it's worth.

[pidge_out]

[All of that is comforting to hear. To know that Shiro is proud of her. That he doesn't like the arguing and disagreements either. That he's not mad at her. It's all a huge comfort and relief, even though she hadn't even realized that was something she'd been kind of hoping for. Something she'd needed to hear.

Pidge lets herself move just a bit closer so Shiro's arm can drape around her more easily, smiling a little to herself as her gaze lowers a bit.] ...Thanks, Shiro.


...I guess I could use a little help with my bag. It's kind of heavy.

[shiro2hero]

Got it.

[Don't mind him if he just plain hoists her backpack off her. And slings it over one shoulder, so the other hand can keep draped on her shoulder. Just like that. Like nothing had even happened out of the ordinary.]

[It feels better, like this. Easy companionship. Understanding. It's how they're supposed to be, isn't it?]

... I meant it when I said, thanks for coming, you know that, right?

[pidge_out]

[Is she being manhandled?? She feels like she's being manhandled. That is a violation of her rights as a bad ass independent woman, dammit. Shiro is so lucky that he's Shiro and not almost anyone else.

But it's a relief to have that weight off her shoulders - literally and figuratively - so she'll let herself be eased back into that familiar Shiro companionship.]

Yeah. I know. [There's a pause, and then, playfully-] It's only because I could bring my laptop.

[shiro2hero]

[She is. And he totally knows he can get away with it, too. At least, in this case, it's for a good cause. His other hand rubs at her shoulder as they walk.]

[Feeling like family again.]

How are you going to keep it powered out here? Solar?

[pidge_out]

[She nods once, confidently, kind of smirking a bit to herself.]

Solar.

Though Hunk and I have been working on figuring out some other clean power sources as well. He said that the Olkari race back home must use their own quintessence to power their machinery, so we thought maybe there could be a way for us to tap into that as well. It's pretty fascinating, really, but it's hard for me to get a good read on our progress since, well, I didn't meet the Olkari, so that's really all on Hunk, but he said that I was the only one who was able to use their technique... [ramblerambleramble...]

[shiro2hero]

[Okay, but Pidge rambling about tech is a good thing. It always has been. And he's happy enough to listen to her. Up until he has to laugh, and hold up a hand.]

Hang on, slow down. Who are the Olkari?

[Girl you're not the only one behind the times here.]

[pidge_out]

Apparently they're a race of highly technologically advanced aliens who can make machines out of trees and plants. Hunk says we meet them later. [Her eyes may or not be sparkling a little with the idea of it.] He said it totally looked like magic.

But anyway, we were theorizing that they must be using quintessence, like how Allura drives the castle, as their energy source.

[shiro2hero]

And you were the only one who figured it out? [Her eyes are sparkling, and he's grinning at her.] I'm both not even a little surprised, and really proud of you.

[Tech and magic. That sounds exactly like how a lot of their lives have been, lately.] Seems like everyone in space runs on that these days.

Either way... I can't wait to see you pull it off.

[pidge_out]

[She just shrugs and smirks a little bit. She won't give any indication of how fuzzy it makes her feel to hear him say he's proud of her.] I wish I'd already gone through it so that I had a better idea of what I'm looking for, but... I guess we just have to wait and see.

We'll pull it off for sure. We just need a little more time and put in some more work on it.

[shiro2hero]

You? Need an edge on something tech-related? Never thought I'd hear you say that.

[He's teasing, though. And has no doubt she knows it. But hey, just to add to the impression, he digs a knuckle lightly over her hair.]

Looking forward to it. And when you do figure it out, I'll be there.

[pidge_out]

[She grins a little, throwing a light, half-hearted punch for Shiro's arm.] I can't know everything about alien tech. That'd just be unfair.

[And then her grin grows, brighter than Shiro's seen it in days.] You'll be the first person we show it to.

[shiro2hero]

You? Give someone else the advantage there? You sure you're Pidge?

[He rolls a little to one side at the punch -- like it actually did something more than whack his arm.]

... All the more reason to be there to see it.

[pidge_out]

[That gets her to laugh a little, turning her head to face the trek in front of them again.]

Whoops, your Good Samaritan-ness must be rubbing off on me.

[shiro2hero]

Psh, nah.

If it's anyone's, it's Hunk's.