2017-04-21: A Meal For One(?)
- Log: A Meal for One (?)
- Cast: Gwen Whitlock, Rudy Roughnight
- Where: Adlehyde - Nearby the Fairgrounds
- Date: 4/21/2017
- Summary: Recovering from a risky experiment involving her attached ARM in the Berry Caves, Gwen is tormented by the smells of food coming from the fairgrounds nearby. A visiting Rudy saves the day with a delicious meal.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
*grooowwll*
Such is the state of Gwen's stomach the past few days. While she's recovered very nicely from her first (and hopefully only) stint as a human battery, moving from the pale, unconscious courier to a very tired one, then, finally, to a very hungry one that the innkeeper had to keep an eye on to ensure she stayed inside her room. Then, ~mysteriously~, her condition stepped back to 'tired and very hungry'. Probably because she went outside, and not due to any seraphs that were snooping around the rooms.
The innkeeper was gracious enough to get some maps for her, for a few extra coins. These maps are what are spread out on a table in the simply-furbished but comfortable room she's in. There's even a window that looks out onto the nearby fairgrounds!
Now all Gwen can think about is the source of those glorious smells wafting in through the opened window, casually tossing the thin curtain as they ride in on a small, pleasant breeze.
*growlllll*
Slumped on the table with her head resting on a map drawn with various routes, Gwen looks dully at the wall. "..... m-maybe I should've asked the king for some gella... or some fried bread, at least..." The studious markings and lines on the maps have devolved into little scribbles of what look to be cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
As if on cue, there are couple of knocks are heard at the door. The knock is soft and barely there, perhaps not able to be heard at first. It repeats for awhile until it's finally noticed by Gwen and she gives her permission for the person to enter. Considering he's visited a bit here and there, it's likely no surprise who opens the door.
Rudy Roughnight makes his usual calm and understated arrival, currently having a rather large tray. The tray is carefully navigated in, with Rudy flipping down the large legs it has underneath and ensuring that they are locked in place. It's clear from its construction that this is the sort of tray meant for those eating in bed. Once Rudy's sure that place the tray down won't ruin the maps or anything else, it's placed down in front of Gwen.
It's a massive feast and seemingly a rather 'traditional' one: A large t-bone steak, a massive baked potato with a variety of toppings on the side, a buttery medley of vegetables cooked together, and a large glass of water, one of milk, and what appears to be a small bottle of expensive whisky. It is not a cheap dinner, but clearly a protein heavy one.
Roughnight gives a simple nod. "Hope it works for you," he offers with a weak smile.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
There's knocking. Gwen drifts in and out of sleep in that space of a minute, vaguely aware of the polite knocking on the door. There's... someone here. Certainly not the innkeeper, whose manner of knocking is more akin to an attack to the door than a sign of someone being at the door. It could only be a few people. "Hold on," Gwen says, lifting her head from the table, and standing up. Quickly, she putts on her gloves and the usual handkerchief around her neck, checking it in the mirror to make sure it hides the necessary parts of her neck.
Just in case it's someone she doesn't know.
Carefully, she cracks open the door, and upon seeing that it's Rudy, Gwen's face breaks into a sunny smile. "Rudy! Hey! C'mon in!" The door opens wider, though Gwen looks dumbfounded as she finally notices the tray. Did she order something and forget? Certainly nothing this fancy. "Oh hey, did the innkeeper give you the bill? Here, lemme move these maps." Moving over to begin to roll up the maps, Gwen stops short when Rudy unveils the meal. She stares.
Sure, it's not cupcakes, cake, or anything sugar sweet, but-
*growwwwl*
Her stomach doesn't mind at all. "Yeah, this works for me." Her eyes stare at the steak, unable to look away. "Which part is yours," she asks first, ripping her eyes away from the delicious ensemble to look towards Rudy's face. "Just so I don't eat your portion once I get going. You've been hard at work too, right? Probably starving as much as I am."
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
"I've been working, I've eaten already," Roughnight replies simply with his usual calm matter-of-fact way of speaking. "This food is for you." With the food on the bed, he attempts to usher Gwen back into bed and get the tray so it's in front of her. He clearly expects her to eat it all. "If you want to regain your strength, you'll need a lot of food."
As he waits for Gwen to start eating, Rudy merely looks around, trying to see if there are things he can tidy up here and there. Not really seeing any mess here and there that needs real attention, he looks over to the bed. "Do you need your pillows fluffed?" He's trying as best he can, as per usual for the blue haired boy.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
As usual, the young Drifter is full of surprises, briefly stunning Gwen to a state where she's easily ushered back into bed. That, and there's food right there. Surely he'll have a bill he can give her later. Rudy never seemed to be the sort with a lot of money.
That's what she'll tell herself so she can begin to eat and not feel guilty. She can't eat thinking he paid for all this.
And so, Gwen eats, taking care to at least have some semblance of manners in front of a fellow Drifter, rather than falling into the noisy habits she developed traveling alone.
The room itself is bare, with not much beyond what Gwen came in with, plus some items she later asked for from her cart, like some glass jars with some ointments in front of small vanity, set next to the small washbasin. Extra clothing, which is drying on a rack nearby. Gwen seems to be the sort to keep up with daily chores, it seems.
Looking up when Rudy asks if she needs her pillows fluffed, Gwen swallows the piece of steak she was chewing on and, thinking on it, slowly nods. "If that's alright." Belatedly, looking downwards, she adds, "Sorry, I ain't used to all this. Honestly, I'd just like the company, if you have time. Why not tell me what you did this week? Or, er, maybe you have thoughts on what we found in those caves? Which, again, thank you for helping out on."
She awkwardly rubs the side of her neck. "I really didn't intend on making y'all take care of me like this. It was kinda stupid of me to do this, I'll admit. That's why I'm glad you n' Morgan and Mr. Arashmatash were there. I could trust you, no matter what sort of person Mr. Arleph turned out to be."
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
A simple nod is all Rudy gives in order to let Gwen know that he's going to be doing some fluffing. He begins work as he listens to woman speaks. She probes him for information and the young man agrees to speak.
"I'm glad I could help." It's a simple statement that seems to cover both of the statements of taking care of the courier now and helping her in the cave. As usual, Rudy seems to seek to speak as little as possible, as if something bad were to happen if verbosity became a pattern in his life.
"Don't really have thoughts on the stuff in the cave, but seems like you do. Considering what you were risking for it, figured you would have a bit to say on the matter," Roughnight calmly notes as he (for now) focuses on the information, leaving the topic of the other Drifters and his own actions over the week be unanswered before the time being.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
This, in itself, answers one of Gwen's unanswered questions: Rudy really is keeping quiet because he wants to, not because he's nervous.
At Rudy's statement, Gwen chuckles. "I'm glad I'm able to call on you for help. Though, like I've said, it goes both ways. If you ever need somethin', even if it's just a ride, I don't mind givin' you a hand. Just... nothing involving terminals." Even if she chuckles at that statement, the way she looks towards Rudy suggests that, if he did ask?
She'd do it again.
Eating more of the steak (which is rapidly disappearing, despite all her talking), Gwen nods, swallowing her next bite of food. "I can share, if you wanna listen." Waiting for some sort of go-ahead, even if it's vague, Gwen shrugs. "I guess it comes down to me hating information like that falling into the wrong hands. There's a lot in ruins like that that I'm afraid have the potential to hurt people." Studying Rudy's expression to see if he's still with her, she continues, "I mean, I suppose I wouldn't be prepared to destroy that terminal if there was any hint that it was pointing to 'this is where the mega ultra superweapon is'." She finds herself about to ask the blue-haired Drifter if he'd be the sort to do the same, but hesitates.
The redhead talks more, instead. "I suppose some of it's selfishness, too." Taking off her gloves, if just to be able to feel things beneath her fingers, Gwen reflects on her metal arm. "It was kinda nice to be able to say, 'I did this with my ARM, and 'cause I had this ARM.' Like I wasn't wrong to have it." She cuts into the steak, then pauses. No, she can't help it; she wants to ask. "Do you ever feel that way?" Remembering Rudy's penchant for keeping low on words, she offers, "You don't have to answer if you're still thinkin' on it, or if it's somethin' you wanna keep to yourself."
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
Another nod is given at the offer for help. "Sounds good" is all Roughnight replies.
Yet another nod is all Rudy needs to give before Gwen starts to speak her thoughts on the discovery. He listens as he turns toward Gwen, his thumbs hooking into his pockets as Whitlock explains herself and her motivation. He's silent and reflective in his muddy brown eyes as he considers and finally speaks when he's asked a question. "Feel what way? Want to do something just to prove I can?" Rudy considers before he shakes his head. "Not really. I just do the things I need to do," he muses as he moves to lean himself against a wall. "Just that simple."
A glance is given toward the food. There isn't a hungry look in his eyes for Rudy, clearly not at all interested in the meal as he had stated before. "I take it from your eating that it's to your liking."
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
There's something off about the Drifter, but something endearing, as well. It's an earnest want to help- maybe, for affirmation. A certain innocence. But at the same time, there's the look of a hardened soldier when he's in battle, or how he was able to jump that chasm. He did, right? Gwen wasn't really looking. "Hey, go ahead and have a seat. You can wash your face or hands if you need to at the basin. Water's still warm."
Wanting to do something because she could? Gwen turns that notion over in her head as she digs her spoon into the baked potato. "Well, not really that, no." Gwen shakes her head. "If I wanted to do something like that just to prove I could, I wouldn't have dragged y'all down there. More like seeing that there's something I could do to help. Everyone that came down there, including you, weren't scared of me. Usually, it's the other way." Her lips twitch with more words, a crease of a melancholy memory or two on her brow, but she halts.
Gwen eats the vegetables, instead. Lightly clapping one hand to her cheek, her body weaves slightly from side to side as she enjoys the taste. "Mmm! These are so good! Really buttery, just enough firmness. You gotta try some, Rudy!" Is it to her liking? Gwen can't help but eagerly nod yes. "I was so hungryyy. It's like you heard my stomach."
Not even a bit of hunger in his eyes. Either he's really full, not interested in meat, very polite, or...? Gwen looks towards him, her gaze softening. "When I get out of here, I'm going to treat you. Something. Anything. You name it, I'll see if I can get it."
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
"Drifters tend to be outcasts. It's easy to forgive someone for appearing to be a monster when you've been called one yourself."
It doesn't take much to make a strong point, yet for a person eager to gleam things from people, there might be a good amount of content to take from Rudy's words. Letting the minimalist approach to wisdom linger in silence for a few beats, the boy removes his gloves and begins to wash his hands and face. Sweat and dirt wash away, showing the youthful skin of Roughnight once more as Gwen continues to eat. By the time she's made her offer to treating him out, Rudy shrugs in a way that would almost seem disinterested if not for the fact that he just always seem to have a subdued air about him.
"Don't really need to be treated," Rudy states as he flashes Gwen a simple smile. "Just glad I could help."
There is a brief pause. Most people have a give and take for conversation and for a time it seems as if Gwen might have to force this conversation alone for a young boy determined to not embellish or begin his own lines of dialogue. Finally, after three seconds, he actually asks a question. "So what do you think of the other people that were on that dig?" he inquires, tilting his head faintly to the side as he takes in the woman, clearly awaiting her answer with a hint of anticipation.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"Yeah." Gwen's gaze settles on Rudy's face, her blue-grey eyes giving away a certain kindness. He's probably had it worse, even as gentle as his nature tends to be, and probably because of it. "It really does."
The Drifter may speak with smaller sentences, but, as Gwen finds him taking advantage of the washbasin, she seems to relax a little, happily turning to her meal. The courier has already eaten a decent amount of it, and shows no signs of stopping until it's done, even dipping a little into the whiskey. The fresh water and creamy milk are hardly ignored either.
"Ah, you're like a new person," Gwen affirms with a pleasant grin, as Rudy is done washing his hands and face. "It's always good to take care of your skin." For all Rudy seems to be quiet, the older Drifter seems to be just as used to taking the initiative, even if there's a quick glance here and there at Rudy's expression to see if he's about ready to just be quiet for the entire evening.
Maybe it's due to having lots of practice talking to Gulliver. Gulliver's statements are quite a bit less profound, however.
"What do I think about them? Hm." Gwen itches through her hair with her right hand. "Well, there's Mr. Arleph, I suppose. First time I've been on a dig with him. Seems to be a decent man, and a doctor, besides." Hopefully, he's one who can keep a few secrets. "I wouldn't mind being on a dig with him again. There's Morgan. Kinda charming, a little brash, seems to know a lot more about what we saw down there then he was letting on to, but that was the reason I volunteered myself to charge the terminal. I wanted him to be able to get that information, since, well, I wouldn't know what was important enough to keep. Just kinda a swell guy, yknow? I wonder how his gauntlet works, though that's his business whether or not he reveals anything."
Gwen finishes the last of the steak, thoughtfully chewing with her mouth closed before continuing. "There's Mr. Arashmatash, which, for the record, I know ain't his real name. I think he just ain't comfortable with any name he could give me. S'real easy to think that he's just what you see on the surface, but I think there's a lot underneath he just doesn't wanna show. Which, well, I can kinda understand that. He's kinda like you in a few specific ways, if you don't mind the comparison," the redhead says, her gaze lifting from her meal to meet Rudy's own. "He's probably real private underneath all the silliness. Or maybe, he likes to people laugh, or it makes it easier on him when people think he's a fool. Dunno how he manages doing that and keepin' alive, but he does." She studies Rudy's face for a few moments, and asks, "What about you? What did you think of them?"
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
Perhaps conveniently, Rudy has his face in the basin while washing himself as Whitlock reflects on the monster talk. Despite this, a brief grin is given as Gwen talks of him being a 'new person'. After drying his face, Rudy soon puts the gloves back on, as if ready to fight or work at a moment's notice. Once that he done, the boy haired-boy just moves toward the wall after the to lean against it, folding his arms as he processes what the woman has to say on her thoughts of the people in question. A brief nod is given as she goes down the rundown, not really changing his facial expression or offering any words until she is done.
"I don't really have any thoughts on them, suppose it's why I asked for yours," Rudy confesses as he gives a slight shrug. "I have my hunches, but that's it. I think you're on the right track by all accounts, however."
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
Now that Gwen's finally gotten used to Rudy being in the room with her while she eats, Gwen eats with gusto, though she doesn't lay aside her table manners just yet. Judging by how quickly the food begins to disappear now in earnest, Gwen wasn't just hungry, she was famished. "That's arright," Gwen drawl cheerily. "They seemed to think pretty highly of you, Rudy, from what little I heard. Seems you got a good reputation for your work ethic and your dependability in combat." ... It still makes her wonder how a Drifter this young could act like a hardened soldier in battle, yet look at her right now as innocent as a simple farmhand in his midteens.
It makes her feel sad.
Gwen's not entirely sure specifically why, aside from the obvious reasons.
Instead, the courier works on finishing the last bit of the small bottle of whiskey, letting out a satisfied sigh and a sleepy grin to settle on her face. "Mannn. That hit the spot. One of these days, I'll find the right way to treat ya for all the care you've given me this past week. Mark my words." She winks playfully, shaking a metallic finger. "Never doubt a determined courier! I'll figure something out." That shaking finger relaxes as she stretches her arms, pulling back one hand to stifle a yawn. "Man... never thought a meal could take that much out of me. I, err, admit, I might zonk out in a few moments here. Go ahead and take advantage of the room here too, if ya need. This may be the last day or two I'll be in here. Then it's back to Gulliver, my cart, and a ceiling of stars as my roof."
It's pretty easy to doubt her ability to do much of anything as she lays her heavy head against the pillow, her eyes half-lidded with a sudden onset of sleep. "... Just remember to gimme the bill, or have the innkeeper give it to me when she's up here." She yawns again, lazily closing her eyes as she rests her freckled cheek against the pillow. "... Glad I had you fluff these pillows... must've done your share of them..."
She's about to fully close her eyes when they flutter open once more. "Don't lemme forget- y'should talk to Rosaline again... sh'needs kind people." Her eyes are already drifting closed, the alarm of nearly forgetting this point quickly fading from her awareness. "... tryin' to find someone... who hurt her church. A fire. I'm helpin' her there, but she might need... someone like you. To listen n' help 'er..."
What little else she says after that grows rapidly harder and harder to make out, for as Gwen promised, she's asleep once more, her face fully relaxed. A breeze flows in from the fairgounds, rustling hair and curtains alike, but aside from that, there is silence, and a steady, slow breath of someone falling into yet another healing deep sleep.
<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.
Rudy is a cheerful enigma, a mystery even to himself, but unlike many in his situation, he doesn't seem to mind in the least. "I try my best" is all he states with regards to his reputation, giving a small but sincere smile to see that working hard to make a name for himself is starting to bear some fruit. After all, he's got big shoes to follow behind.
When Gwen speaks of rest, Rudy just nods and takes the tray up, clearly planning on leaving the woman to her rest. "No worries, I'll got it taken care of." The teen watches as Gwen rests her head against the pillow, listening to Gwen about Rosaline's pain of loss and need of friends until the Super Courier stops talking.
His heart sinks for a moment as Rudy thinks she has closed her eyes. Where will he bury her? Why did she die, what did he do to- Then there is the soft rise and fall of her chest. A breath of exhale is given to see the woman is very much alive. The breeze blows the blue bangs and bandana of the boy for a time as he watches her. It's unclear how long or why he does, but eventually and wordlessly, he makes his way out.
As usual, Rudy decides to let his action speak louder than his words, as Gwen will awaken to find that Rudy has 'taken care' of the bill already. While seemingly miser like with his money, it's clear that Rudy has gotten enough funds to pay for the room and board without much issue and as stated before, he does enjoy to help.