The Lost Continent

  • So many newbies lately! Here is a very important PSA about one of our most vital content policies! Read it even if you are an ancient member!
GIDEON KERNS

There was nothing pleasant about the debate. It had begun with fire and escalated to an inferno before they had even managed to reach the small business lounge set aside for them at the hotel. No surprise really, that Hadassah had been the one to spark it, insisting that they immediately continue - that there was nothing that was going to scare her so bad to lose her moment in the sun. Gideon's own feelings on the matter remained behind shutters, but as he listened to the arguments, back and forth, he began to lose his patience.

It was resolved only with Maliah Tyler arrived, looking more harried than ever, caramel skin paled to a milky beige, her hair a frizzled mess from tugging and twisting. She explained to the group that Sir Stuart was unaware of the other team, but that he was handling matters, and there would be no repeat incidents of that sort. That they would all be compensated for their troubles, should they not wish to continue... But that the incentive for moving forward would be a doubling of the payment they were expecting.

Few could argue with that, and even Gideon's brow rose as he considered what it meant. He had come into it for the money, he wouldn't lie... and knowing what the payment would equal in the end, it was a pretty easy decision. But Maliah insisted none of them say yay or nay until the following morning. That they take the evening off to relax and recuperate. Whatever his choice, Gideon was glad for the break... Why he cared so much, he couldn't quite determine, but seeing Enna so rattled, the only thing on his mind was making sure she got through the night without falling to pieces.

After she left, Gideon moved to find Enna, reaching out to touch her elbow as he leaned in with a small smirk, "Come on. I have something to show you..."
CORRINA JACOBS

It wasn't the environment she wanted to be in, after being held at gunpoint, and so Corrina was relieved when Stuart's assistant stepped into mediate. Her offer was... to put it mildly, overwhelming, and she could see in the faces of those around them that many were weighing just how much that payment would be. But for her, it was still a matter of principle. She had to continue, if only to ensure the danger didn't get out of hand under the wrong people.

While everyone moved off to their rooms, she found her way to the ice machine and with a bucket full and a fresh towel from the maid cart, she found Orion where she had left him, smiling faintly as she gave the ice a little shake, "I'm probably not as qualified as our resident doctor, but I like to think I'm capable of holding an ice pack for a hot minute."
 
Enna Sparks​

Arriving at the hotel lobby, Enna was one of the few, alongside Gideon, who said nothing during the heated debate. Her right hand was up against her lips, her fingertips brushing back and forth ever-so gently as her eyes flickered between the two major parties: the yayers and the nayers. Even with the increase of pay, there were still those hesitant, and among them, was Enna.

She hadn't come for the money. Her hospital salary paid for everything she had and needed, and more. Her savings boasted more than a pretty penny, but to what end? She couldn't spend it when she was dead, so money was a meaningless bobble to her once her basic necessities were covered, and perhaps the occasional spa day. The money appealed little, the adventure appealed even less, but what would her departure mean? She had no reservations about admitting her importance—as important as everyone else—to the function of the team.

And, no matter what was promised, she didn't believe it "wouldn't happen again." Would they find a replacement for her if she packed up and went home? Would they go without and risk life and limb? Then, of course, she wondered if she could even handle the job at all. Would she keep it together to do what she needed to do, if the event arose? Sure, she'd been fine on the surgery table when victims of shootings were wheeled into her OR, but she'd never flung herself out into a gang shooting to drag victims off the pavement.

The touch to her arm roused her head, and she glanced over to see Gideon. "Do you?" she asked, her hand falling away from her lips. "Alright, lead the way, Thor."
Orion Petrove​

Orion weighed what that sum of money meant to him. It could mean a lot of things: not eating ramen three times a week, for one. Something bigger than a studio apartment, for another. Perhaps a chance to start a new career path instead of squabbling for what few demolition jobs there were in the cities. That being said, he'd also seen a woman held at gunpoint over a journal and nothing more… if they managed to get any closer, and up the ante, would that man be actually encouraged to act, to pull the trigger?

It seemed everyone was weighing the same questions he was. Though a few seemed confident in their choices, most seemed hesitant and unsure. The only thing Orion knew for sure was that his shoulder ached, and the ice would be much needed.

Corrina, as promised, found him once the meeting adjourned. "Oh, that'd be real nice," he admitted when she held up the bucket of ice. "Because it's in a weird place on my shoulder blade that I don't think I could put an ice pack again if I wanted to." The joint was still so stiff that he couldn't even properly reach back all the way, though Enna had later assured him those symptoms would clear up quickly—within the next day or two.
 
GIDEON KERNS

Leading her from the room, he headed towards the stairwell. Remembering her abhorrence for elevators, he decided then was not a good time to test her limits. She would get over her fears, he had no doubt, but compiling on to the nightmare day they'd already had didn't seem fair or conducive to making her feel better.

He led her up the four floors, and pulling open the door, gestured to the second room on the left, removing the key from his pocket, holding it out to her, "I realize that this probably bordering on stepping over a line, but I just... I don't know, Enna. I don't care. I didn't think I'd be here, like this. And I sure as hell didn't expect what happened today to go down the way it did, but it scared me... and I don't scare easy. So... I'm throwing caution out right now. And I'm taking a chance that you're gonna be okay with this..."

It wasn't much, as far as gestures went, but it was something, and whether or not she thought well of him for it didn't matter, as long as she wasn't miserable. Inside the room was a silver ice bucket, containing a bottle of champagne, and beside it, a silver charger plate, covered, beneath with was a ring of chocolate covered strawberries.

"Pulled some strings with the room service..."

CORRINA JACOBS

Smiling a little brighter, Corrina nodded, and gestured for him to follow her. It had been hard, to shake the nerves that had followed her back to the hotel. Being held at gunpoint had not been easy, but knowing that there were others who were perhaps more frightened than her, others who were in more pain than she was gave her something else to concentrate on.

And helping Orion would be a brilliant distraction from her doubts, as well. And so she led him to the elevator, pressing the button to close the doors behind them, before pressing floor five. Except that the distraction wouldn't hold forever, and she was all too well aware that the panic pressing at her would fold over, eventually. As the elevator rose, she stared at the numbers rising, taking a deep breath. Her fingers tightened on the bucket handle, and when the doors opened, she exhaled, looking over to Orion with a nod.

"I'm down the hall. Room 511." Pausing, she blinked, chuckled softly, "If you're okay with that? I just assumed you didn't want to do this in the lobby downstairs?"
 
Enna Sparks​

Though she didn't mention it, Enna noted he pointedly veered away from the lifts and led her to the stairwell, instead. She was glad for the small gesture. For one, the exercise was a good way, scientifically, to induce a release of happy hormones. Secondly, she wasn't sure how much she could mentally take in a day before reducing to tears of frustration, anger, and fear. By the time she reached the fourth floor, her heart was beating a little faster from the exertion, and the tension winding up in her brain relaxed. For a while, she felt like that incident was going to break her, like a coil wound too tight or a rubberband pulled to taut, she would snap and fall apart.
She'd kept herself together, and not without Gideon's help. He had been an ally she had needed, desperately, that day.
"Glad to know I wasn't the only one scared," she admitted. "It might be shocking for you to hear, but I am definitely not a soldier. I thought my experience with paintballing had been intense."
She met his gaze with a curious expression as he stammered a few seconds, curious as to what he was going on about before she followed him into the room and laid eyes upon her silly little comment from earlier, in the flesh, complete with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Her first reaction was to throw her head back and laugh, covering her mouth to try and choke out her amusement.
"You are very sweet," she said, once she grasped her composure again. "This is perfect. Thank you, it means the world. I've never popped a bottle of champagne in my life."
Orion Petrove​

Orion followed after her without a question, stepping into the lift and letting it take them up to the fifth floor. "Of course," he said, addressing her chuckled doubts. "Everyone's off to dinner, anyways. Truthfully, I don't have much of a stomach to eat right now." He'd seen gunfire, combat… but it was different when it was just another face, and not someone he knew personally. It was different, entirely different, and maybe it shouldn't have been. A human life was a human life, but it was a unique experience he hoped to never have to go through again.

He hadn't been expecting that the adventure would get him invited to any girl's room… especially when it came to needing to ice an injury. "Thanks for doing this. I'll be outta your hair in no time," he assured her with a small smile. "Who knows, maybe a hot shower after the ice will help." That, a few Ambien and a good night sleep.
 
GIDEON KERNS

Her reaction was a breath of fresh air... something Gideon hadn't realized he so desperately needed. He laughed along with her, and gave a shrug as he leaned up against the door frame, "I know today didn't exactly go as hoped or expected, and I dunno... I'm not exactly a selfless person, Enna, but I... I don't like seeing you lookin' the way you did after all that went down."

Stepping into the room, he let the door close and moving to the ice bucket, pulled the champagne free with a chuckle, "But if this is your first bottle, I should probably talk you through the cork so you don't wind up with a fancy lamp, or mirror... or, I dunno... someone's eyeball on your bill at the end of the trip."

Unraveling the foil, he unscrewed the metal cage and put a white towel over the bottle neck, before holding it out to her, "Keep it low and pointed out, away from your face..."
CORRINA JACOBS

Chuckling softly at his comments, Corrina shook her head, "You don't need to rush out, Orion. Not like we're going to have anything else to do the rest of the night, and I'm not looking to go be social with a bunch of strangers in the dining room. Besides, I'm not about to throw you out the door when you basically saved my life, today."

Saying it out loud felt somehow different, and for a moment, her expression fell, as she considered just what it meant. She'd come up against the edge of danger plenty of times, but this was the first time in a long time that it felt so real... so personal. Clearing her throat, gesturing to the chair, she bit the edge of her lip, "So, have a seat... We'll get that iced, right away. How's it feeling? Any better...?"
 
Enna Sparks​

Enna needed the break. It wasn't about the champagne or the strawberries, but the gesture of it all. She needed a separation from the hotel lobby, and it felt safe in that little room. Like no one could touch either of them there, and while she knew it wasn't true, it didn't matter. It was a feeling: a good feeling. The relaxation of her posture returned, as did the gentleness of her smile, even when he mentioned the incident again. She shook her head gently, stepping deeper into the room to pull the silver lid of the platter, revealing the chocolate glossed strawberries underneath, as tantalising and perfect as they were. "I was scared," she admitted after a moment, setting the tray lid back down where it was.

"I was really scared. All that training, all that practice, and for what? To have to patch someone up over a fable that may or may not be real?" She chuckled and shrugged, looking up to him as he moved closer to pick up the bottle of champagne. "I'm not a soldier. Never have been, I guess. Did you mean it? That if we continue, you'll be there? I don't need someone to hold my hand every step of the way but this... all of this, I don't know. It's very foreign."

He extended the bottle of champagne out to her and she took it without hesitation. "Don't hold it towards my face?" She chuckled. "That's what I was doing wrong in paintball, I guess." Her jesting nature returned as she twisted the cork with all her might, groaning when it initially refused to budge. "God!" She yelled at it, and if heading her wishes, the cork popped free with a loud, resounding noise and sent a splatter of foam straight into the rag. Saturating quickly, foam spilled over her hand and she laughed, brilliantly and honestly. "Success!"
Orion Petrove​

Orion shrugged. "Especially two in particular," he muttered, stepping into the hotel room that was identical to his own. There were a few of the crew that seemed like genuinely nice people. Most, in fact, seemed kind and good natured, but the diva duo? He didn't have the energy to put up with them, even if the brunette had gave him a little bit of a hand during the stand off by knocking over a globe.

Stepping over, he took a seat in the chair and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Much better now that it's bsck in place," he admitted, "but stiff like the muscles have been stretched too far."
 
Last edited:
GIDEON KERNS

He listened as she went on, shaking his head with a small frown, "I'm not ready to walk away... I mean, part of me wishes I could, because I didn't sign up on this trip so I could throw myself into a mess of guns and nutjobs again, but a payout like that? That money would go a long way. I wish it weren't so superficial, but hell... it's been hard."

With a sigh, he rubbed his forehead, before looking up at her again, "But I promise, Enna... you decide to stay, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Today is the last time anyone gets ahead of me like that. And for the record, I hope you decide to... to stay. And not just because I'm terrified of that journalist kid."

She popped the cork and watching her the seriousness fled from his expression as he laughed softly, shaking his head, "That should not have been so sexy, but damn..."
CORRINA JACOBS

Chuckling, she nodded, and as he sank into the chair, she settled carefully on the arm of it, balancing, so she could gingerly rest the packed ice against his injured shoulder. As close as she was, she could see just how attractive a man he was, and her cheeks flushed lightly, her eyes drifting to the towel, to keep from staring.

"I don't scare easy, you know..." She said, frowning in thought, "When you grow up the way I did, it's sort of a part of daily life, dangerous situation. But today? It was the first time it was ever me. You know? The first time I ever had to worry about being..." Swallowing, she looked up, met his eyes with a shake of her head, "It scared me. And then you went all heroic on me, and I just... there a minute where I thought when I heard... when I thought he'd..."

Biting her lip, her eyes dropped again, "Scared me, is all."
 
Enna Sparks​

"I doubt I could leave. I want to, in a way, but I don't think I can. If I did and it came out on the news someone died? I don't think I could live with that. I don't think I could live with wondering if I could have made a difference," she admitted. Maybe they would be able to find another medic last minute. In fact, at the rate they were offering, she was confident that they could, but she couldn't give it up. Not after she knew the people—learned their faces, their names. If one of them died? She shook the thoughts from her mind. No. She couldn't live like that. More importantly, what else would she do?

Go back, waiting to lose everything, working long, lonely hours at the hospital? To what end?

Pouring out the champagne into two flutes, she chuckled. "That kid… mm, he says anything else, and I may just develop super power laser eyes and cut him into two. What a brat. Him and that archeologist, both." With both flutes half full, she picked one up and stepped to Gideon. On her tippy-toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek as she simultaneously took one of his hands and slipped the stem of the glass through his fingers.

"In the meantime, it seems we've had a crash course on what to expect during this endeavor, so… a toast?"

Orion Petrove​

Her compliment was endearing, but he wasn't sure it was warranted. If the German hadn't decided to release her… or had pulled the trigger on instinct of getting stabbed in the leg, things would have turned out very differently for everyone. He'd done what he'd thought had been right in the heat of the moment, but that didn't mean it was the right thing to do. Alas, he meant it when he said he didn't dwell on 'what ifs.' The fact of the matter was that Corrina was alive, well, and uninjured. In fact, they all were, save for his poor shoulder, which ached fiercely as the ice was applied.

In took several moments, but the numbing coldness spread through the heat of the discomfort, and slowly reduced it. He slouched his head forward, enjoying the pain relief the ice pack brought. "I don't know if you'd call that heroic," he admitted, eyes closed, head still drooping. "You're my friend, and I wanted to do something. I think we were all scared, in our own way. Lots of people put on a brave face, but I think everyone was terrified. I doubt anyone excepted what happened today."

Orion arched his back into the ice, trying to relieve the last bit of tenderness. "But listen, uh, do you want to get dinner? After we're finished icing? I mean, somewhere outside the hotel… just… you and me?"
 
GIDEON KERNS

The kiss surprised him, to say the least. There was something so chaste about it, so tender, and it wasn't what he expected from Enna, who had seemed all too comfortable with the nature of their non-relationship. But then... Gideon thought that he was comfortable with it, as well, and turns out he wasn't so good at platonic as he thought he could be.

Smiling, he took the flute and shook his head, "Listen, Enna. Whether you're here or there, whatever happens, it's not on you, okay? Don't put yourself in a position to break like that. You do your best, and that's all you can do." Reaching out, he tucked her hair behind her ear, with a small chuckle, "And don't sweat the army of Evils... They're just wasted space. Hopefully they can prove to be some use on this expedition, but as people? Not so great. Besides..." His hand slid through her hair, gently cupping the back of her neck, "He's got nothing on you."

Leaning forward, he pressed in to kiss her... Lips that he'd been desperate to feel since they had parted the night before.
CORRINA JACOBS

"Hey." Chuckling, she adjusted the ice pack into his lean, so he didn't need to arch so much, as she shook her head, "Just because it was unexpected, doesn't mean it was any less heroic. And stickin' by that..." She knew without a doubt that he would have done it for any one of them, but hearing him tell her that he considered her a friend warmed her heart in a way she desperately needed, after such a crap day.

As he continued, however, color crept back into her cheeks, and sitting up a little straighter, she looked down at him with an arched brow. Slowly, her smile spread brighter, "You asking me, Bonito? Cause hell... I've droppin' hints all day, and if you're only now getting it? I mean... I know you don't speak seventeen languages, but you're still pretty smart..."

Grinning now, she nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I wanna go to dinner with you. Actually..." Shaking her head she looked around them, "I'm still not sure I wanna be even that social. You wanna just order in? You can steal my shower... heat'll be good for your shoulders."
 
Enna Sparks​

"Do I look like the type of person who got through medical saying 'whatever happens, happens?'" She knew herself. If someone was hurt and she couldn't fix it, she'd damn well blame herself. There had been a lot of people who died on her watch, on her table, and while she knew she couldn't win them all, each one was a little nick in her morale. They never kept her down for long, they couldn't, but it was always a question of how many chinks in her armor she could take before those wounds started hitting the tender flesh underneath, metaphorically speaking.

Either way, the day proved she couldn't abandon them, in the same way she knew Gideon wouldn't be able to. He kept saying his motivations were selfish, and all for the money, but that hadn't stopped him from putting himself between her and barrel of the gun just a few hours prior. Those were actions of a man who only pretended to care solely about the profit.

"Evils? I'm not sure they're evil… just… ethically unfettered," she mentioned, "evil sounds so severe." Her head tilted back slightly as his hand pushed through the haphazardly curled locks. Her arm came up to rest across his shoulders, arching to meet him in the kiss without a moment's hesitation.

Orion Petrove​

"Hey now, in this day and age… you don't want to be too bold," he said with a sly smirk, though she probably couldn't see it as his head was still bowed down, trying to stretch out the tightness in his muscles between his shoulder blades. The effects of the ice had been nice for a short while, but the throbbing twinge was slowly creeping back up, starting at the base of his neck and working down all through his arm to his elbow. The shower sounded like a nice change and, admittedly, as hungry as he was, he didn't really have the energy to go out.

The asking to dinner had been more of an excuse to spend more time with her than anything, but her suggestion was a welcomed one. "Eating in sounds perfect," he agreed. "Absolutely perfect. As for the offer for a shower, yes. Yes, I would love to steal your shower."

Arching his back, he sat up and threw his shoulders back, lacing his fingers together behind himself until his spine cracked like popcorn popping. "Honestly, aside from just the fact that hot water will feel good on my shoulder, I need to wash the events of the stress off."
 
GIDEON KERNS

She arched towards him, and Gideon didn't care anymore about the obnoxious archaeologist or her journalist henchman anymore. Evil or not, they were non-entities are far as he was concerned, when there was a gorgeous, brilliant woman between his arms.

Setting down his glass, he tugged her closer, and didn't break away until breathing was absolutely necessary, grinning as he leaned his forehead against her, "We never made a toast..." He murmured softly, "I had this whole speech planned... It was beautiful. You were gonna cry, and I was gonna have like... man tears. Just... one or two, you know, at the corner."

Diving in again, he stole her lips once more, his hands riding low on her hips, thumbs brushing just under the edge of her shirt, across the smooth, soft skin at her sides.

CORRINA JACOBS

Decidedly, she was glad not to go out, not because she didn't enjoy the idea of spending time with him, outside of a hotel, but because she just wasn't ready to face the world... It hit her harder than she cared to admit, what had happened, and it was going to be a little while, at least a few more hours, before she was perfectly ready to jump back into the fray.

Corrina smiled as he agreed to staying in, and as he rose, she moved across the room to find the menu by the phone. Glancing back at him, she nodded, and as she flipped through the pages, she chuckled softly, "Don't make me jealous, or I'll be tempted to jump in there with you."
 
Enna Sparks​

The champagne and strawberries were already forgotten. Truthfully, they'd never been all that important, not really. The gesture of their existence was what had mattered, and the fact that she hadn't so much as taken a sip didn't disappoint. Not when there was something sweeter to enjoy elsewhere. Her glass was cast to the bedside table haphazardly, so she could wind both arms properly around his neck, though her glasses joined the bottle of champagne a moment later when they got in the way.

"Aw, that's so sweet," she mused with a devilish smile, her forehead against his and eyes opening just enough that she could make out the fuzziness of his face between the thick beams of blonde lashes. "Maybe we can revisit that speech of yours… later."

The rough pads of his fingers, calloused with past work, brushed the softness of her own skin. The acceleration of her heart-rate had nothing to do with fear or panic, and everything to do with the logical, cool detachment of her personality burning away into something more intense. The rest of the world became an unimportant blur that was banished into the far recesses of her mind—mortality, the gun, Atlantis. The only thing that mattered was touching him more, kissing him more.

And in that lustful embrace, she could forget all, if only for a few hours.

Orion Petrove​

Standing once he'd finished stretching out his muscles, Orion trailed after Corrina to peer over her shoulder and take a look at the menu. "A cheeseburger sounds goods," he said, bringing his arm over her shoulder to point out the extremely over-priced, blue cheese burger that had caught his attention. After a day like that, he deserved a little extra junk food… and nothing satisfied quite like a burger and fries.

"Don't make you jealous?" he snorted with a soft laugh, going towards the bathroom to flick on the lights. He paused in the doorway, glancing back. "Was that a threat, or a promise? Because… if that was meant to be a threat, you really need to work on your threats, miss." As he went to go pull a clean, fluffy white towel from the rack, he paused, and pulled his wallet from his pocket. "Dial 'em up once you decide what you want to get, and I'll shower while we wait."

Orion never liked hotels. The towels felt soft—too soft, and had the pungent smell of bleach linger on them. The beds, though comfortable, never felt right… and he wondered how many people had had sex in those same sheets before he arrived. It always gave him the heebies, but there was something incredibly relaxing about sharing room service, and perhaps a movie, with Corrina. It almost made the hotel living tolerable. Almost.
 
GIDEON KERNS

It was almost unreal how much Gideon enjoyed the company of this woman. He had never been one for relationships... and if he were honest, it scared him. It scared him, and he hated that. But not enough to push her away. She muttered something about his speech, but he couldn't bring himself to remark, far too preoccupied with the need of her.

Hands dragging upwards, he took her shirt with it, and dropped back to the mattress, pulled her down into his lap with a small smirk, pinpoint kisses pressed along her jaw line and down her collar. His hands wound in the opposite direction, along her spine and with a small shake of his head, he paused at her shoulders, leaning back just a little ways to look at her.

"You are exquisite... You know that?"

GIDEON KERNS

Her laughter rang out at his comments, and shaking her head, she watched as he disappeared into the bathroom, color flooding her cheeks at his parting words. Tempting was the word for it... but they had had a long, difficult day, and she wasn't the type of girl to jump into anything lightly. He was attractive, certainly, and things were rolling in the right direction without a doubt, but delayed gratification was something her grandmother had instilled in her at a young age. Waiting a little longer made it so much better...

Still, that smirk he gave her was a little too much and swearing softly under her breath in a language she wasn't even sure she recognized, she reached for the phone to distract her mind from the thoughts racing through it. She ordered a burger for him and for herself, the spiced calamari, and on a whim, a bottle of sparkling wine, then dropping into the chair, she waited until Orion returned, her thought revolving between things both good and bad that had occurred that day.
 
Enna Sparks​

Enna ended up straddling his lap, hands slipping down the back of his shirt from underneath the collar to tenderly glide her nails along the muscular structure down his back. With each kiss he laid against her jaw, she tilted her head ever-so slightly, shivering at the ghost-like touches trailing down the column of her neck, her shoulder, bringing forth a sigh of contentment when hs lips brushed her collar bone. His hands were warm and rough, adding just enough juxtaposition that goose bumps rivered down her arms and bristled the baby hairs along the back of her neck.

"Exquisite?" she echoed in a husky voice, eyes closed and head tilted, with a tumble of blonde hair falling down the opposite shoulder. Enna didn't offer any arguments, merely accepting the compliment for what it was with a touch of a seductive smile curling the very edges of her lips. "And you, Mr Kerns, are nothing but trouble." There was jest in that smirk, her eyes fluttering open to half mast and gleaming with amusement.

Her fingers pinched the fabric of his shirt and tugged up, sliding it over his head and letting it fall to the floor with hers, before she gave him a soft push to throw him back against the mattress and stole his lips with her own. Not innocently, not a tease, but hot, fiery, passionate, and demanding.

Orion Petrove​

The heat of the hot water was a place he could have very well spent the rest of his life. He stripped away his clothes and stepped in, letting all of his troubles, problems, and worries swirl around the drain with a swatch of suds. The little hotel shampoo bottle smelled like a floral incents, and it would have bothered him any other day, but the feeling of being clean outweighed the annoyance of smelling like a girl wearing cheap perfume on prom night. He may very well have sat there all night had he gone to his own hotel room alone, but there was something on the other side of the bathroom door that coaxed him out after about fifteen minutes.

The hot water had done some good to his shoulder, and the combination of cold to hot eased the tension. Flower petals of bruises bloomed across his shoulder in purple and blue tints. None severe enough to be alarming, but just a slight discolouration. Enna hadn't warned him of it, but looking it over in foggy post-shower mirror, he supposed he wasn't surprised, considering she man-handled the whole affair like a line backer. He poked at his shoulder a few times, feeling the fleshy tenderness of a bit of swelling deep within the joint. Each poke brought with it a bark of pain, to which he crinkled his nose. It was like a pimple… he couldn't help but poke at it, even if it hurt more when he did.

And, considering he didn't want to stop poking at it, it took a great amount of resolve to peel himself away from the mirror and slide his jeans back on. Towel-drying his hair, he slipped into his shirt, and hung the towel around his neck.

"So, dinner arrive yet?" he asked as he stepped from the bathroom with a plume of steam. "Also, hotel showers are amazing." Perhaps the only perk of hotels he cared for.
 
GIDEON KERNS

That, decidedly, was another element of Enna that Gideon thoroughly enjoyed. She wasn't the sort of fish for complements, nor was she the type to brush them off with a giggle and some self deprecating nonsense. She took his words for what they were and left it at that, and it was, to put it mildly, extremely sexy.

But words, after she pinned him with the intensity of that kiss, were overrated anyway. She was insistent, demanding... and he was nothing if not a good, obedient soldier. Relishing her once had been more than he'd expected this journey. Twice was dangerous as hell, but he couldn't bring himself to care, and afterwards, lying beside her, he brushed his fingers through her hair with a sense of contentment that damn near terrified him.

"Yeah..." He finally said, softly, trailing his other hand down her arm, "I'm definitely staying..."

CORRINA JACOBS

The food arrived only a few moments before Orion exited the bathroom, bringing with him a steady fog of vapor and the heady scent of a floral bouquet. It wasn't, decidedly, the manliest of smells, but somehow even that, on the man, worked in his favor. With a chuckle, she gestured to the covered trays, before sliding out of the chair to leave it to him, dropping onto the edge of the bed.

"Now you really are making me jealous." She felt scummy... and not just from digging around a dusty library all day. She could feel him still, the grip of his hand on her arm, his subtle musk not fully faded from her nose. All she wanted was to climb beneath a hot stream and melt it all away. But food demanded her attention first, and this was, after all, supposed to be something of a date.

Grabbing her cloche, she lifted it away and grinned, "Okay. Jealousy over... Hotel food is pretty damn incredible, too. Shoulder feeling any better?"
 
Enna Sparks​

Any remaining light that had been a suggestion through the blackout curtain petered out. It was early evening and she was a little tired, but peacefully so. The fingers working through her hair and brushing down her arm did nothing to perk her up, either, but instead left her to loll her head contentedly against his shoulder. She sighed like a slight spring breeze, soft and gentle, almost lost against the drone of the room's air condition unit that hummed like a motor in the corner of the room, fluttering the blinds.

She barely managed to open her eyes and flick her gaze up to him, chuckling softly at his choice of conversation post-romp. "Glad I can be so persuasive," her chuckle continuing. "I was on the debate team in high school. You could say I'm pretty good at it."

Propping herself up on to one elbow, she reached back for one of the discarded glasses of champagne. The bubbles had long since slowed, but she brought the flute to her lips and tasted, anyways. Carbonated or not, the sweet and tangy taste was refreshing. "Care for some champagne?"

Orion Petrove​

"Yea, but hey…" Orion sauntered over to join her on the bed, sitting down on the edge and dragging his food towards himself. "Thank you for helping me with ice… and the shower. You made it so much easier." He probably would have given up trying to ice his own shoulder if left to his own devices. Had he been alone, he likely would have ordered a beer to take an edge off the stress and passed out on top of the covers shortly thereafter, gritting his teeth through all the discomfort. Corrina had made the healing process much more enjoyable, on several different accounts.

"I really appreciate it. I also appreciate that you ordered the food?" it was a sort of hazy question as he bit down on the crispy end of a fry. "I'm kind of a lousy date tonight, and I apologize. I'll have to try and make it up to you some other time." Then again, the day on its own had hardly been date material to begin with. Nothing screamed 'bad timing for a first date' quite like the commencing of a treasure hunt, followed by a hostage situation and a dislocated shoulder. But, as his nana always said about having kids: there was never a right time, and that piece of life advice felt applicable to this situation, as well.

Without waiting, Orion dug into his food unapologetically. "It's definitely not bad," he agreed several bites in. "I've had worse hotel food. One time, I ordered room service from some crappy little motel I was staying in in… like… Montana or something, and when it arrived, it looked so putrid, the cooked ground beef was a shade of green." He chuckled, shrugging it off like it was nothing. "And military food? That stuff will make sure you're afraid to eat nothing you come across."

Another few bites of his food in, his eyes looked across to her. "What about you? Where did you grow up?"
 
GIDEON KERNS

As she sat up for the champagne, Gideon bit back a frown, the warmth she took with her spilling away. But at the offer of the glass he took it between his hand and sitting up, he smirked, tipping it towards her own.

"Wasn't sure how this trip would go. Still not entirely sure. I signed on with a whole lot of questions in my head and I've only gotten more as we've gone forward. But there's one thing I wasn't exactly expecting, wasn't exactly sure about, that makes all the rest pretty worthwhile. I said earlier, you are exquisite, Enna, and I meant it. You're a surprise, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else you've got in store for me... Because maybe I won't find Atlantis, but I'm pretty damn sure I got a few things to treasure outta this, anyway."

Leaning back on his elbow, he took a sip from his glass, "To pleasant surprises. And really... really cheesy speeches."

CORRINA JACOBS

It wasn't, truthfully, a question she had expected him to ask, but she supposed it made sense, all things considered. Colombia was a big country, and no doubt, there was some curiosity in where she had lived, from everything she'd said about it thus far. Shifting, she leaned back on her elbows, staring up at the pocked ceiling with a small, thoughtful frown.

"We called it Comuna Thirteen... In Medellin. An yeah... it's basically as bad as it sounds. Prostitution, drugs, thieves. The gangs are the worst of it, though. They've tried, you know? To gentrify it the most they can, but at the end of the day, it's a ghetto, is what it is, and life there? It's never gonna be easy."

"My Abuela... after she took me in, she made a promise to herself that I was gonna be better than that little ghetto. That I was gonna surpass it, someday. She taught me everything I know, because all she wanted for me was to rise above the status quo. Rise above what was expected. Breaks my heart a little, she never got to see this, you know? What we're doing here. Hell..." With a sigh, she dropped back, folding her hands across her stomach, "Maybe that's why I don't wanna stop, you know? Because even though I'm scared as anything about what happened today, I know what we're doing is something she'd be proud of..."
 
Enna Sparks​

Enna remained sitting up as she sipped her beverage, deciding that lying back and choking as she tried to drink would not be an attractive look while stark nude. Given any other circumstance, laziness might have driven her to try, but there was something vulnerable to one's self-awareness without clothing. She sipped once more before tipping her glass forward and chiming it against the rim of Gideon's glass. The toast rang out and, much to her surprise, Gideon commenced his previously promised speech.

She didn't cry, like he suggested she might, but his words stirred something within her that was… concerning. Her life wasn't meant to be a fairytale romance. No love, not ever, that's what she'd vowed to herself when she first got the diagnosis of her disease. She couldn't allow someone to care for her when she was promised so little time. Sure, time was promised to no one, but her case was practically guaranteed. How could she do that to someone? Build up their trust, and affection, only to take it away?

Yet, she couldn't help herself. Maybe it was because she was afraid, or may bebecause she was lonely… or perhaps something just clicked with Gideon, but she couldn't keep her own promise to herself around him, no matter how much she wanted to—for his sake. Against her will, she felt her smile softening around the rim of her glass as she sipped her champagne one last time and set it aside.

"Well, I'm not crying," she clarified, sliding her weight down her elbow until she was back to lying against him. "But we'll get there, I'm sure. To be honest, I wasn't expecting you either. You're a complete surprise to me, but sometimes surprises are what we need in life."

Orion Petrove​

By contrast to her story, his tale of growing up in a mostly white suburb felt inferior. It was inferior. He'd lived an idyllic childhood and had a hundred thousand choices laid out before him. If he had the drive, he could have been a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist. The options had been endless and no one fought for him. They were just… given. He went to a good school on a yellow school bus every day, had every opportunity when it came to college. The fridge was always full of food, the tap flowed with clean water at a spectrum of temperatures.

He'd grown up in a good life.

Scratching a hand through his hair, Orion sleeked the damp strands back flat against his scalp. "That's a plenty good reason to want to keep going," he agreed. "I'm sure your grandma would be proud of you no matter what, but if this is what it takes for you to feel like you're giving her your all, then go for it." It was one scary hell of a ride though, even he couldn't deny. Orion wasn't, and had never been, the front line soldier dealing with a spray of bullets going over his head, but he thougth he had a little more composure than he proved to have at the library incident.

"We'll see who all keeps going tomorrow, I suppose. I bet at least a few will drop out."
 
GIDEON KERNS

Her reaction was subtle, and thank God for that. She didn't burst into tears, snotting and sniffling... she didn't swoon into a clingy mess, professing her undying love for him and promising him fat babies and a house with a white fence. She leaned into him and he cupped his arms around her with a small hum, and chuckling, he nodded.

"Definitely the word for it... Surprise." It was, and for the first time in a long time, it was a welcome one. He didn't even think that he'd be going on the expedition, but he definitely hadn't anticipated going on the expedition and scoring a stunning, gorgeous woman. Maybe nothing would come of it. Maybe by tomorrow they'd be sick of each other, but he wasn't sorry it happened, regardless.

Pressing a kiss to the side of her neck, he scooted back, pulling her down to his chest with a small sigh, "Now... get some rest, yeah? It's been a long day, and you were a big damn hero." Another kiss met the crown of her head, "Tomorrow, we'll see if we can avoid absolute chaos, though..."

CORRINA JACOBS

"Hmm..." Nodding, Corrina glanced over to him, "Thanks. I know she would be. It's just... she worked so hard, and not getting a chance to see it? Not getting a chance to see all her work pay off, it just kind of diminishes it a little bit. But just knowing it in my head is good enough, I guess." She missed her grandmother, but the memory of her, sometimes, was enough to hold on to... strong enough to sustain.

Looking over at him, she shook her head, "I wouldn't be surprised if a few did... but I hope not. It's a good team, even if it's not perfect. Still... I guess Stuart has a plan for it." Biting the edge of her lip, she studied him for a moment, before she continued, "You... you said earlier that you weren't sure what you were gonna do. You decide yet? Cause I know shoulder dislocations and crazy Germans with guns isn't exactly an incentive to keep going, but... but a girl can hope there's something worth going on, right?"
 
Enna Sparks​

"Mmm," Enna hummed like a purring engine, resting her head down on his chest and letting her eyes fall closed, unapologetically. Maybe it would come of nothing. In fact, knowing her, it would come to nothing… but she couldn't regret it. It was human contact, human touch, acceptance, and she needed that more than anything in those hours.

"I was a hero," she agreed in a muzzy tone, barely blinking her eyes open to look up at him, but only for a second before her eyelids again surrendered to their own weight. "Next time, those bad guys better watch out. I'll karate chop them into…" her words were disrupted by a yawn, which surprised her because she hadn't realized how tired she was. "Into next week," she finished, nuzzling herself deeper into the embrace and allowing herself to doze off without restraint.

It didn't take long. Two minutes, maybe three, and a sigh announced her transition from awake to sleep.

Orion Petrove​

"It's a shame, but I don't think it diminished anything. My guess was that she knew, even if she didn't see it, you would succeed. That's just how old women are. They know, instinctively, what's going to happen, even if they don't see it with their own two eyes. Like, my mother. She always knew what was happening in the house, even if she didn't see it. She'd start yelling at me before my sister even got to her to tell her I'd cut her ponytail off." Orion shrugged.

The topic shifted back to the expedition and he stretched his shoulders back, feeling a tight pull through his chest as he did. "Well, I'm going to keep going if that's the plan," he said. "I wasn't decided earlier because I didn't know what everyone else wanted to do. If everyone else, or at least a part of them, wanna continue, than I will, too." The danger didn't bother him as much as it did some. It had been a scary situation, sure, but he wasn't the type to shy away from a task too easily.

But, he wouldn't be heartbroken if everyone decided to stop, as well. It was just another job, and there would be others. There were always others. "Plus, the team is pretty great, for the most part. I like a few of the team members… and a pay raise wouldn't hurt." It wouldn't hurt at all, for that matter. He only hoped Stuart was good for his word.

"Plus, I may get lucky and get another date out of this mess. Never know."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back