[ OPEN ] we hold just a little tight

[justmakeroom]

WHO: Andrea + YOU
WHERE: Nonah, Heropa + anywhere else
WHEN: End of August
WHAT: Appreciation of life + Big Sister mentoring things + anything else!
WARNINGS: Nothing yet, will change if needed


[ h e r o p a ]
[ She lives in Nonah, but when she's not working, Andrea tends to spend most of her time elsewhere, preferring to be closer to the few people she knows here so far. Daryl had spoken of them all getting a place together, and she knew some planning had been done already, but she was restless for it now. Once Daryl was back, they would talk.

For now, though, she visits Carl and then often finds herself at the beach when the weather seems agreeable. One day in late August, she even makes a stop at a store, wandering down the sporting goods aisle and picking up a few fishing poles, testing them out. A small smile tugs at her lips as she puts the pole back, crossing her arms, standing there completely lost in thought as she debates the merits of getting one, trying to decide if she wants that tether to her old life.

Eventually, she makes her way to the beach with a fishing pole and a few other supplies. Sometimes when she returns to the beach, she's empty-handed, preferring to walk the length of it or just swim rather than fish. One day, she even chances a walk when the clouds are threatening rain, ending up caught in a downpour. Her eyes close as she gets completely soaked, a smile on her face as she watches the rain dance along the open water. It's only when thunder begins to rumble in the distance that she heads back to shore, making her way into a little cafe, completely soaked, but smiling. ]

[ nonah ]
[ When she comes back to her home here in Nonah, it's often late at night, and she's careful to be quiet, mindful of her neighbors. Some nights, she can't sleep well and she winds up in the kitchen putting together a snack (even though she's so rarely even hungry, thanks to one of her powers), eating either in the kitchen or outside where she can watch the stars. She has these moments now where she gets to do this, where she can stand outside on the beach or underneath the stars and appreciate the things she took for granted once. These are the things she'll never have again when she goes home. There's a melancholy that fills her up sometimes, but it's not stifling and doesn't linger. She's dead there, but alive here, and that means she's not wasting the good moments when she has them.

Her job is still a point of contention at times, and she's pondered seeking out opportunities to be a lawyer again, now that she's more settled. It's something to think about, to assess the needs of the people. But for now, she tries to be a good Big Sister, though she doesn't think of herself as really the mentoring type. She has opinions, she has guidance to offer people, but whether it's good or not remains to be seen. It hadn't made the situation with Beth much better at Hershel's farm, anyway. Had she been a good sister to Amy before she'd died? She likes to think so, at least, but they'd lost so much time together, time she didn't realize was doomed to be so short.

She's not good at coming up with game ideas, but anyone who wanders into Big Brothers/Big Sisters of North Carolina will at least find one older adult with a pleasant demeanor more than willing to kick a ball around and at least try to toss a ball in a net. Just don't ask her for advice. ]

[ anywhere else! ]
[ ooc: if you'd like to bump into Andrea in a different place and city, let me know, I'm happy to set up a separate starter! Just ping me on Plurk: cityoflight

also: happy to switch to prose to match style! ]

Comments

Nonah #002

[alcheregis]

[ Haen is another who is often out late, as the genework clients she handles are often done after hours, to avoid conflict with her two jobs. It's one such night where she returns to find Andrea on the porch, offering the blond woman a smile. ]

Look at us, a pair of night owls! Although owls aren't really for the daytime, so night owl is slightly redundant, like calling fish as water fish, or the like.

[justmakeroom]

[ This particular night, she's outside drinking a cold beer, and though the weather isn't overly hot or humid given the late hour, the coolness of the drink is soothing. She smiles at the familiar woman, laughing a little. ]

Guess you're right. If you're hungry, there's half of a sandwich in there, I couldn't finish it all.

[alcheregis]

That sounds lovely, I think I'll eat it in just a bit.

[ Uninvited, Haen sits next to Andrea; the redhead has never been much for personal space boundaries. ]

How have you been?

[justmakeroom]

[ She certainly isn't averse to company. She doesn't do well alone these days, she'd figured that out a little too late back home. Not making that mistake again. ]

Busy. In a good way. [ Busy in a way that's normal. ] I still don't get why they picked me for this job I got. I don't know if I'm cut out for it.

How are you?

[alcheregis]

I find a lot of people say that about what jobs they're given! I like to think of it as a challenge, and those are ones I never back down from. It's easy to do the things we're familiar with, but that's a terrible way to learn.

Oh, quite fine. Busy days, myself. Two jobs, genework on the side. Plus I do enjoy some sterling company now and again.

[justmakeroom]

I guess that's a good way to look at it. [ She could always find out if there was a need for a lawyer in this area, but she's not sure she wants to practice law in a place like this. ]

Full schedule. [ She smiles a little. ] It all sounds good, though.

[alcheregis]

[ Practicing law here would certainly have to include a lot of caveats... then again, it might be nice for the imPorts to have someone else on their side and without ulterior motives. ]

It helps a lot, when I get thinking of home. Well, not the Tower, I don't really miss Riesling, but my friends. Oh, if Segan could see this place...

[justmakeroom]

[ So the full schedule is a distraction. She understands that feeling. ]

There's always a chance your friends could show up here.

[ Not that she doesn't know that already, but it's worth reiterating. ]

[alcheregis]

[ Haen smiles at the thought; something she's considered before, speculated in idle daydream. ]

Wouldn't that be something? I imagine they'd have an even bigger shock if they did, seeing so much green and growing and sunlight and rain here. Did I ever tell you that when I first arrived, I laid down on someone's lawn and just stayed there for hours?

heropa;

[dnr]

[ Frank is still trying to get the lay of the land around here, and that means not just learning Maurtia Falls like the back of his hand, but taking a few trips through to the other porter cities, too. With no direction in mind, he wanders for most the day before ending up just off the beach, when the rainstorm catches him off guard.

He's a little drier now, settled at a table, a modestly hulking figuring in a black coat heavy with rainwater and a half-finished mug of coffee in hand, by the time the thunder starts up and a soaked woman ducks into the cafe. Something in her smile reminds him of– well, living, the way he doesn't anymore and doesn't plan to again, and after eight months of letting those parts of himself wither away in favor of a crusade that'll never end, it doesn't hurt — nothing does, but that smile makes his chest feel heavy in a way it hasn't in a while. (It's not so bad, to feel something.) ]

Towel? [ he offers, indicating the roll of industrial paper the waitress had given him when he'd come in dripping on her floor. ]

[justmakeroom]

[ The people around her have faded into the background for the briefest of moments. Their movements, their chatter, it's all one collective hum on her periphery; comforting and familiar, but slightly less important than having the opportunity to watch it rain and be able to enjoy it. She can stand in awe of it and not have to fear death looming over her shoulder.

But when someone speaks to her, it pulls her out of her reverie quickly, though she doesn't mind it. That face nearly stops her heart.

Shane. She studies his eyes for a mere second, though, and she's sure he would have been more openly pleased to see her. Maybe. They'd gotten close, but they weren't committed by any means. They weren't really...anything other than perhaps an occasional comfort to each other in a world gone mad.

Her smile remains, though it's a little more wistful now as she nods and rips off some of the roll, drying herself slowly. ]

Thanks. You look like someone I knew once. He was...a good friend.

[dnr]

-Shane Walsh?

[ It sounds like a guess, and like he's caught a little off guard, his brows knit. A good friend isn't exactly how he expected anyone to describe the man he'd heard about, especially not with that slight, significant pause beforehand.

(And maybe he's imagining things, or maybe she looks a little like Maria, and he wonders not for the first time if these people with the same faces aren't just different versions of themselves.) ]

Sorry, I don't mean to-- I talked to Carl the other day, [ he explains belatedly, his chin ducking in apology. ] I can clear out, ma'am, if it's going to be weird for you.

[justmakeroom]

[ Everyone else had seen a slow descent into madness when it came to Shane. Dale had spoken about it, she'd known others were uneasy. Deep down, she had a few of her own concerns, but she'd also felt safe with Shane. Like he knew how to pull them through it. But that was before he'd tried to kill Rick, something she'd only recently found out. ]

...Yeah. [ It's a little unnerving to hear him produce Shane's name that easily, but then he mentions Carl and it makes sense. ]

No. Stay. It's nice to have company. [ She smiles just a little. ] I'm Andrea.

[dnr]

Frank, [ he offers, his eyes warming just a touch in return, still considering her. ]

Funny, Carl seemed to think I might get more of a mixed reaction.

[ What Carl said is he might get punched in the face. Frank sounds a little wry. ]