etrayalogs | MISSION 009

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MISSION 009

⏵ CAMP ETRAYA ⏴
On May 16th, Aurora and the companion bots direct those not heading off to Solmara to make their way to Camp Etraya.

Nestled away from everything else in a large clearing full of wildflowers and redwoods, Camp Etraya is a nostalgic summer camp experience put together just for it's residents! Cabins are assigned, scary stories are told around campfires, gossiping happens among friends on the trails surrounding the cabins - and don't be surprised when something goes awry. After all, this is still Etraya.

While the rest of Etraya is still accessible and will not be blocked off, characters are discouraged from venturing far from camp for too long: Aurora will specify that they are on a mission, and that missions do require participation, but she has intentionally left them the freedom to wander. Not sleeping in their assigned cabins, not participating in events, and staying away from Camp Etraya will end with her having to take more extensive security measures, so please be on your best behavior! The last thing she wants to do is start enforcing boundaries, but she will if she has to.

Camp is set up much like your generic summer camp! Each cabin is named, housing is assigned to characters as they arrive, there are camp counselors, and rotating daily tasks and chores. There are also multiple activities that characters are expected to participate in, and each activity is worth points that goes toward their camp graduation score. This score will be visible on their earpiece, and follows the A-F grading system. We are not be monitoring this, and are leaving character scores up to players. We do, however, ask that you please report your characters' camp grade HERE for rewards and demerits to be handed out after the mission itself.

Cabin assignments can be found here, which also has their roles, and chores assigned to that cabin. Those who are participating in Solmara have received an assigned cabin, too, but their absence toward the beginning will not harm the cabin's ability to compete given how spread out their assignments are.

⏵ WELCOME TO CAMP ⏴

Camp life is meant to instill a sense of belonging, connection with nature, encouragement towards the creative, all on top of a firm foundation of responsibility. Upon arriving, campers will be escorted towards a table of white t-shirts and countless buckets of dye!

Each Etrayan will be invited to make three Tie-Dyed shirts- as well as required to wear one as part of their summer uniform. Camp counselors must wear 80s basketball shorts or cut-off jeans. Campers may wear cargo shorts or a skort. For those with physical limitations to what they can wear, accommodations will be provided.

Here, bonding is the camp runners' priority. They will be pushed into various ice-breaker activities, such as trust falls, two truths and a lie, and Never have I Ever. As the sun goes down, there will be weenies roasting over the bonfire, followed by s’mores and a sing-a-long! With the stars well-visible, it’s off to bed with campers.

Each day after will start much the same: with the ringing of the bell and raising of the flag (Aurora, while unfamiliar with flag designs but an understanding of the concept, has chosen a rainbow flag for the camp. Rainbows make people happy, right?), followed by a meal at the Great Hall, morning assembly, activities with counselors, chores, free time, and then an evening winding down by the great fire. An hour after sun down, campers will be escorted back to their cabins for curfew. Camp Counselors are expected to keep track of their campers, and ensure they're all within their cabins for bedtime. This is part of their grade, too! Curfew lifts an hour before the first bell.

⏵ CAMP ACTIVITIES ⏴

As with most summer camps, Camp Etraya offers a wide variety of activities to participate in. While some of these activities may be mandatory, others are optional. We'll be leaving this up to individual player discretion: perhaps Viktor is mandated to report to arts and crafts, whilst it's optional for Silco to show. Silco, on the other hand, may be mandated to report to the archery contest. Characters are encouraged to participate in a minimum of one camp activity per day.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of camp activities.

Three-Legged Race - You and a partner are tied together at your ankles, and you must race others to the finish line. Those with abilities that would give them an advantage will find that the rope that ties them together hinders those abilities from functioning.
Archery - This can be more traditional, magical, or include moving targets! If you're particularly unlucky, your target may even shoot back.
Softball - What instills a sense of camaraderie better than a bit of team sports? Games will be held on Wednesdays, the field is otherwise available for practice.
Dodge Ball - Standing diametrically opposed to Softball is dodge ball, the bully’s sport. This is a great opportunity to claim dominance or be sent to the Nurse’s Office.
Obstacle Course - You are directed into a large maze with multiple obstacles for them to overcome, such as rock climbing walls, ramps, tires, and nets.
Capture the Flag - Small teams are put together in order to take the flag from a particular bot, whose entire goal is to avoid being caught.
Canoe Race - Canoes are placed into the rivers just off of the camp, and characters must race to the finish line.
Chocobo Riding - Learn how to care for and ride these magnificent birds! Newbies will be taken around the corral, whereas more experienced riders can take the trail around the lake.
Arts and Crafts - Make friendship bracelets, bead lizards, paint rocks, learn origami! Or perhaps you're tasked with putting together an enchanted necklace. Don't know how to do enchantments? Now is as good of a time as any to learn.
Campfire stories - Share scary stories amongst yourselves around the campfire late into the night. If you're particularly unlucky, you may just hear the thing you were just warning others about..

⏵ NIGHT TIME ⏴

Once campers have been put to bed, the counselors can still stay up. Unwind with hidden beers and the strumming of a guitar. Don’t get too comfortable, though, since without supervision, no one is keeping the campers in bed.

After dark, should campers evade their counselors, they can go exploring in the dark. Eerie lights glimmer from the lake. There’s rumors of a headless spectre walking from the archery field to the edge of the forest. Should you behave, you still might hear a scratching at your bunk house window.

And on the very last night of camp, there will be a talent show. Show off your hidden talent and bask in the excitement of wowing your fellow campers!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome to Camp Etraya! Please enjoy the s'mores and campfire songs. :)

Camp will last approximately two weeks, going from May 16th to May 30th.

For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Huh, I don't think I've been privy to your singing voice. How did you enjoy it? Therapize some people in need? [He had belief that she had done well, and she had carried out her assignment admirably because Maria was saving her world for someone else.] I did, and if it makes you nervous, we can head back, okay?

[He shrugged his shoulders as if he were trying to play it innocent here with her accusation. What could he say. He was just a simple man looking to build up a lady he considered special.] Hardly for me, Maria. I simply believe you have the gravitas to carry yourself in high society if you needed to. That's all I'm say, but I also would not refuse seeing you in a fancy dress. [He winked at her for calling him hound. It might be the first time in over six months anyone has referred to it anywhere close to a positive.]

Yeah, the sky just stretches out in all directions with its stars and maybe the moon. You have a moon where you're from, yeah? [He nodded his head, understanding. Roughing it wasn't for everyone.] And the cabin beds aren't that comfortable either. I can't believe I'm saying that I'm looking forward to getting back to the apartment again.

I didn't make any eardrums bleed but you didn't miss much. I promise you're already hearing my best performances in private. But I think I helped some people and that was nice. [she laughs.] Funny story. A friend of mine told me to come up with a childhood dream so I said therapist. Ironic, huh? [she was sure it was just a coincidence but it had been nice nonetheless. like making her identity all the more real.] But we're fine. It's the last night. They can't fail me because I wanted to spend some time with you.

[it felt ridiculous to tell him she didn't agree. to argue about what she could and could not manage. she would simply take the nice sentiment and leave it at that.] If there is ever any reason to dress up then you'll be the first to see me. But only if I get to see you in a monocle.

[she gives him a look, teasing.] Is it so surprising to be excited to see me every day again? If you want me gone then you should have taken me up on the offer before. I could have been out of your hair.

Well, since I'm earning your best performance, I have no right to complain about missing anything here. I suppose I'll just have to make you sing for me when we get back to the city. [He provided a little charming wink that allowed him to get away with more than he should usually.] That fits actually. You are a good listener and you like to help people. I suspect you'd be an excellent therapist.

[He offered a long-suffering sigh at her requirement. A monocle? Well, he supposed it would make him look very distinguished. Maybe he would even bother with beard wax for once and sell the whole dress-up adventure if she would. The trouble they convinced each other into was baffling sometimes.] Fine, fine I'll agree to a monocle if you're in fancy dress with your hair all styled up and two fingering a flute of champagne.

[He watched her quietly; this was the second time this subject had come up in quick succession. He shifted where he sat so he could draw his bruised leg back in and resting normally.] That's the second time you've brought that up, Maria. Are you uncomfortable in our living arrangement? I don't want you to be, and I won't be offended if you make a decision that's best for you in this either. I enjoy living with you, but I understand it's... an odd situation. I'm probably not supporting you well, not nearly as much as you are me in this.

[Maria liked Vander and it was easy for him to get away with many things because of that. it wasn't as if Maria hadn't already been considering how they would both get back to their usual business. what with his busted knee. luckily, their usual go to didn't require his knee at all.] Too bad becoming one of those probably means a lot of reading. [and she hated that part.

there wasn't much she could do with her hair, considering the length, but she'd figure it out for him.] I'll skip the nurse outfit and just wait on you in the dress. How about that?

[Maria had been joking, since he'd made the comment about the apartment as if he didn't like being there. she'd known what he meant, that it had nothing to do with her. Vander had stated he liked being with her again and again. what more did she want? for him to say it again? the answer was yes. maybe she'd just wanted to hear him say he wanted her around. but he didn't (which didn't mean anything) and now something is itching inside of her (which is ridiculous).

but this was why she had avoided conversations about them, how they were living together, and how odd it was. but it had come up and now it was just always there. if she had just gone along with the idea of moving out after the mission, joking about an extended post mission date, they wouldn't be here now. it just felt like he was waiting for her to decide to leave and that wasn't right. here they were, though. wandering into this tricky situation and it was hard to navigate. she was hardly being fun and that was what had made him like her. so she reminds herself. fun. you're supposed to be fun.

so she elbows him playfully.] You really think I'm the kind of girl to do this on a date? Give me some credit. But sorry, the joke didn't land. Relax and let me make it up to you. [her hand moves to his thigh with the bad knee.] Put that knee of yours back out.

Edited 2025-06-23 10:27 (UTC)

[He perked a little at her dislike of reading, nudging her with an elbow lightly.] When I was in the library, I saw something that I'd never seen before: audio books. Have you ever seen them? It's literally someone reading the book to you and all you have to do is listen. [He was all about enabling her.

He huffed and had no doubt that she would. Maria did like her dresses, and she was the kind of person who knew how to doll herself up.] All that just to watch me lay on a couch with my leg up, huh? I'll just apologize now if I'm a bad patient. [He would be. Guaranteed. She'd be smacking him to sit back down at least once an hour.

He never wanted her to feel obligated to be with him in the apartment; he liked that they shared such a space so easily and without effort. They both helped around, her stuff was nice to look at, she was learning to cook and he was learning that maybe baths weren't a complete waste of time. He had a good time with her, but he was able to admit their situation was odd. It wasn't a normal friends-with-benefits situation and anyone looking in on it would likely pass judgment.

He quite frankly didn't care what anyone but Maria thought, but this has come up before the Solmara mission and now directly after it. In his experience, repeated nudges about a singular subject usually meant it had more weight to it than perhaps he wasn't providing it credit. Perhaps this was her joking call for help. Or perhaps it was nothing and he was tired and sore and reading too much into the whole levity.]

I give you all the credit, but this is also the first time we've seen each other alone since I came back through the portal. I just... [He trailed off to gather his thoughts, though extended his leg again at her request.] I like you. I like all the time we spend together. It isn't beyond me our situation isn't typical, and I avoided talking about it when you first moved in because... I liked that you were there and didn't want to lose it. You pull me out of bad head spaces, but that's also not your responsibility either. I want you to be who you are, go where you want to go, do what you want to do. What do you want, Maria?

Audio books, huh? Oh, like those books on tape. [but she knew technology was different for this place rather than her 90s world.] I guess I could try that. It'd take care of me not being able to sit still. [which was always the issue.

the last time it had come up was because Vander had asked if they could continue and Maria had asked just what he wanted to continue. he'd put up the same lines as he had the last time, he'd asked her a similar question, and Maria had said this was enough for her. really, it was more than enough. she still stood by that. and they both could admit, had admitted, their relationship had changed after the Aphaia mission. even their sexual relationship had changed. they joked about it but it had been much more than just blowing off steam, it had been wanting each other. their words had shown that as well.

and now here they were. again.

Maria had liked being so wanted. Vander depended on her and she knew it. but just like he depended on her, she depended on him and if he was being honest then she would. it was only fair.]

I hate being alone. I hate it so much. It feels like I'll go crazy if I am for too long. So I work at the bodega with Heather, I always have people I'll see, and then I have you. Even if you're not at the apartment, your presence is there and I like that so much. I like you, I like waking up to you and knowing I'll see you every day. You pull me out of bad places just by being in my life. We're the same. We knew what was happening and we let it happen. [there were still benefits but they had simply grown far beyond just sexual benefits.] I told you before you left that as long as you wanted me there then I'd be there and it's still true.

[Maria hadn't been looking at him and now she does, thanking the dark for giving her the bravery to do so.]

Vander, I don't want you to look at me differently. You've made me happy and I don't want things to change. I know they have to one day and when they do I'll be gracious. I won't make it your problem. But I just want to be your friend, whatever that looks like for us. [and many would say this was not just friendship, she knew, but what did it matter if this worked for them?]

Yeah, I sometimes put one on when I'm preparing the bar for opening. Turn it up loud enough or take it with you when you're up and about. [He hoped that she would consider it; she had so much potential if that's where she wanted to take herself. They could do anything in this place, right? This was home for the time being.] Maybe you'll be Etraya's first trained therapist on site. I'd come and see you.

[Not that Vander thought he needed therapy. They didn't have those sorts of resources in his city, and men like him were urged to tough it out for their families and friends. Many of his struggles were viewed by Maria due to their living situation, which may be part of the problem for them both right now. Was he putting her in a worse situation for enduring his troubled coping mechanisms?

He tipped his chin downwards as he listened to her, appreciating her honesty. They were having more and more of these serious moments, weren't they? Fun intermixed because at some point, they couldn't not make a joke or a tease at one another. That's how they operated and it was uniquely them.] Yeah, it feels like you and I often operate similarly, filling the time to decrease the amount of time in isolation. That was the worst part when I first arrived, being alone with... nothing. Now I have all the activities and people to fill the day, and I have you every night. I think Solmara was the first time I've slept alone in two months and it was... a good reminder how much I want to tell you how much I appreciate you.

[His brows drew together and his arm tightened where it rested across the back of his shoulders. He stared at the bracelet that she had placed around his wrist, turning his arm this way and that as if he could observe the pattern in the dark.] Are you saying that you're waiting for me to show you the door? What if... I don't show you the door for as long as we're both here? [What was he even saying? He was trying to figure it out himself.]

[there's a joke to be made that Vander already comes to see her for therapy. isn't that why she lives with him? for both of them, really. Maria does like him, a lot, and she knows the sentiment is returned. but their relationship was full of benefits. one of the benefits was that since they had each other, they didn't have to worry about being alone. Maria considered this to be the underlying reason Vander kept her around.

and maybe that wasn't very fair to Vander, especially after he tells her he appreciates her. this perception of him painted him as using her though Maria didn't see it as such. but from the outside looking in, they seemed strange, didn't they? it was possibly why Maria didn't tell people. one of the reasons she kept her first apartment was so she could hide that she was living with Vander. Maria didn't care what their relationship was as long as it could continue but part of her wondered if Vander would feel the same if more knew. he'd wanted something casual, and though this was far from casual now, they kept the boundaries up.

Maria considers his question because it wasn't something she'd thought about. in her mind, the result would always be that Vander would want her to leave one day. not once had she thought that he may never want that. it takes her a short moment to consider his question, what her answer is, and the only answer she has is:] I don't know. Gotta admit, I've never considered that you might not ask me to leave. It just seemed inevitable? [and maybe that was part of their problem. that Maria thought about their situation ending when Vander got tired of her or needed her out for whatever reason. it was how things always went for her, it seemed. Vander wasn't James, he'd shown that again and again, but Maria still operated like all people would be like James. maybe it was time for her to think differently.

she sighs and leans her head on him.] I really don't know. I like you a lot and I don't want things to be complicated for us.

[Vander tipped his head up to view the stars between the darkened foliage and wondered when things had begun to change between them. It was fun and domestic and teasing and light-hearted at times, but it was also passionate, quiet, and sometimes sad between them. They didn't face much negativity in their own relationship, so perhaps he was sensitive to the subtle shifts.

Perhaps it had been selfish of him to go to Solmara, especially when so many made it clear that this counted for nothing when it came to saving their worlds. It had been selfish, and he had no doubt that he had off-loaded a lot of his negative emotions however subtle on Maria along the way. He tried to hide his grief behind the usual smile, but when he was with her every night or every day at some point, it no doubt leaked out and undermined any sense of fun that they had. And then there were... his less than stellar record for keeping out of trouble or caring very little about his own physical health.

His self-destruction was a fact he considered nothing more than a coping mechanism. It wasn't fun. It wasn't light-hearted. She filled a void to keep him from spirally, and now he wondered if she looked at him as a friend and realized how damaged he was and thought pulling away was her smartest choice. He didn't know; serious conversations with emotional substance were not their go-to.

He sighed from his nose, sliding his palm down his own bashed up leg as a reminder that yeah, this was yet another sign of how Maria potentially felt obligated to take care of him, lift him up, keep him on the straight and narrow. It wasn't fun. He wanted to protect her, to prove that not all men where like the one that she had been created for, but what a poor showing he was presenting, right?

Lost in his ruminations, he almost missed her actual reply until he felt her head against his shoulder and wound back what he had heard to consider.] I'm not him. If I ever make you feel like James did, if I ever make you feel... used, I apologize. Never, ever is it my intention to make you feel anything but appreciated and special because you are. You deserve the world and all the happiness in it, and you deserve to be cherished. [If that wasn't him, fair enough. He still wanted to be her friend and would support her to find that special person. Friendship didn't end just because someone found their person somewhere else.

He huffed an amused sound, his face still turned up towards the stars.] That's the problem with relationships of any kind. The more you get to know someone, they are often become complicated. That's part and parcel of having relationships, and that's what makes them so special, good or bad. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you as much as I should have.

[Vander couldn't say that he dealt with many people with the same social intelligence as he had. It was exciting, but often, they had the same tricks of navigation as well.] You're my best friend, Maria.

[they had come together because they had fun. Maria wouldn't say they didn't still have fun but their relationship had taken this turn. ever since he said he was going to Solmara. maybe part of it had been her fault for asking him for the boundaries again for their relationship, maybe she should have just kept it to herself that she thought things had gotten a little funky.

now it felt like things got out and they couldn't get back in. Maria didn't mind if they couldn't only be fun and Maria was happy to comfort him. she had offered it before and she would keep offering it until he made it clear he didn't want her around anymore. part of Maria's purpose for James had been to comfort him and most times he had rebuked her attempts. being able to finally do the very thing she'd been made for had felt good and it was for someone deserving like Vander. while he had done nothing to show her that he would ever do anything similar, it was built into Maria to expect it. for two decades, it was all she had known.

and when she realized how close she was growing to Vander, how they behaved, the deep worry had started to consume her. Vander had wanted a casual friends with benefits situation and they didn't behave like it anymore.

as if he can hear her thoughts, she looks to him in surprise though the darkness must hide it a little.] Not once have you made me feel like James did. You've never made me feel used. Not like James did much. He never used me even if I offered it up. [she regrets the words as soon as she says them and sighs.] Sorry, an attempt at a joke. A really bad one. I shouldn't do that. But...god, Vander. [she wraps her arms around him (as best as she can) from his side.] Thank you. For saying that and being so good to me because you have. I'm so happy to know you, to see you every day, and I want to keep doing that because I want to see you be happy. To have good things. You should be cherished, too. All the times we've had has been so valuable to me.

And that's why I'm scared. I can be a lot and I don't want to see that one day you just don't like me anymore. That you can't stand me. That's what I'm scared of and I keep telling myself I should run before it happens.

[From the onset of their relationship, she had comforted her at his one of his lowest points, joked and helped him to stand again. He liked to think that he had provided a similar function on their second meeting when she had divulged her cough. They had started on the path of wanting to see more of each other and rather than just say it, they played the game of making excuses. She was the only one, and he liked it. Something to look forward to. Then they had seen what they both were, what they would become and he thought that was the moment everything changed.

Suddenly there was stakes layered in their understanding of one another. She had moved in shortly after that, finding solace in united realizations of one another. It was a fact that he suspected she might be one of the few to understand. They still had fun, but the close proximity let them in on each other: her need to comfort and lift people up as part of her purpose. His slow descend to grief which he hid behind a mask and a protectiveness. She protected him from the worst aspects of himself; he liked to think he protected her from the trauma of James as much as he was able.

The fact was that she was the person he had grown closest to and the sheer idea that she was waiting for him to show her the door when all he wanted to do was pull her closer hit hard. It wasn't healthy to cling harder to her because they had their own social circles beyond each other, and perhaps in those, they could find their comforts as well.

This right here was why they couldn't date; he'd drag her to the abyss and she deserved better than that. She deserved better than what he could provide. If he pulled her down, he'd be no better than James in the end. It just might look different, but the result would likely be the same. She'd be another Felicia, a victim who deserved so much better than the world had provided her.

He leaned into her arms around him, even if it was comical given how wide he was. He moved to rest his temple against the top of her.] I like that you've learned to cook, that I could teach out the basics. It never sounded like you were provided the opportunities that you deserved because of your circumstance, and Etraya can be that place where it is home. I want that for you because feeling like you have a home is important. Not just a place but the people in it that lift you up.

[He huffed a laugh but there was little humor in it. He turned his head so he could keep her crown affectionately.] I've seen what you become. You've seen what I become. Do you honestly believe that I could not like you anymore? I'm not going to stop you from running if that's what makes you feel safe and protected, and even if you do, I'll be your friend. Living together or apart, we are still friends.

[He sighed from his nose.] I like that you claim to be a lot and yet you're the one living with a guy that beats a bag in the middle of the night because he can't get his shit together. If anything, I should be scared you'll throw hands and run from this level of insanity I hide behind a smile.

[He shifted his leg back in, shaking his head against her own.] So much for a fun carefree date in the forest, huh? We're a bit of a mess, Maria. [Bit being the downplay here.]

[they had always helped each other and that had not changed. what Maria doesn't seem to understand is that their relationship has changed. they don't just rely on each other for distractions anymore and that hadn't been the case ever since they'd learned about each other's darkness. nothing could stay the same when you saw such an ugly part of someone and said you still wanted to be by their side anyway. who would stay the same? it would have been impossible for two people like Maria and Vander.

and yet understanding this was a natural evolution for their relationship seemed to pass them by. Maria thought that showing him her weakness, her own fears and dark feelings, just made her a little too real. not the kind of woman you had some fun with. even though Vander must have known that once he saw the monster, once he learned what she was. instead here they were, trying to make sense of each other.

but they don't want to lose each other. Maria had been scared of that but Vander made it obvious how much he did appreciate her and how much he didn't want to lose her. Maria needed to focus on that and try to believe it even if a voice inside of her told her that there was no way a man would just keep her around. even if they continued having sex, Vander had other sources. what good was she?

stop, she tells herself.

instead she does laugh.] Yeah, bit of a mess is a way to describe us all right. [she doesn't sound very amused either, though, and she sighs.]

I'm happy I can be there for you, Vander. I don't think you've ever gotten much of a shoulder to lean on. You're a big guy, you want to protect other people. But who's protected you? And I like being that for you. I like helping you. I mean that. You're so important to me and you're always going to be one of my greatest friends. I can't see that or how I feel about you ever changing.

And I don't want it to. You could keep punching that bag and wake me up and I'll still offer to come hold you through the night. That's always on the table.

[Vander had the benefit of a lifetime of relationships, many of the messy and some of them clean and easy. He understood that people grew; they grew together and they grew apart. Sometimes time and maturity was the biggest changes of how relationships went and there were other relationships that persisted until the day one or both of them died. He had seen it in other people and experienced it himself. For him, this natural evolution of their closeness was just that: natural.

Yet, in seeing the ugly sides of each other, in witnessing the warts, blemishes and imperfections, it would make or break a relationship. Had he and Maria found differences they couldn't accept or move passed? No, not at all. If anything, Solmara painted the picture that they operated best when they could come together. Life was better with Maria in it when he compared it to life without her there.

That kind of realization was scary though. This place was dangerous enough without putting her in harms ways of the threats of his own world. He didn't talk about them as them because there was a chance that it would put a target on her back, but had he ever explained that? No, it came with too much weight, too many questions, too much loaded history. It was like James; so much history that he only scratched the surface.

If she walked away, he would accept it. He had to. She had her life to lead, but he didn't want her to. He wanted to keep her close, to have their laughs, their in-jokes, their seriousness, their sex, their sleep, their moments that all culminated into what the evolution of their relationship had brought them.]

This is a relationship, Maria. Messy and sometimes ugly. Look at the gamut of experiences you have to be put through with me? [He tried for a low-key joke, but it seemed to fall a bit flat from his mouth. He better not be losing his touch with her.

He lifted his head and stopped leaning on her though didn't stop her from doing so to him. No, his left hand smoothed over the leather brace on his right forearm.] I don't have the liberty of being protected and haven't for a long time. My role, who I am is the protector, and I've failed at that over and over and somehow people - you - still look to me. [He could be vulnerable with her; he thought she was the only one.] But I do appreciate your efforts with me. It's like a protective competition with each other sometimes.

[He turned his head to look at her in the dark and his fingers touched the friendship bracelet she had gifted him.] Don't leave. Stay in the apartment as long as you feel safe in there. You... [He trailed off, clenching his hands for a second.] ...make it feel like it can be a home. Filled with our messes and us being messes sometimes.

[Maria had been created with the knowledge that she should know how to talk to people, that she's made a habit of it. but Maria knows that James had been the only person she ever actually spoke with. that before James there was nothing. and so because of that, Maria is left struggling to keep up when it comes to relationships. especially the kind she has with Vander. it's simple and complicated all at once. not to mention how quickly it had grown and evolved.

and now he was important to her in ways she hadn't seen happening. there were important people to her here besides Vander but he was still in his own category. Maria couldn't quite explain Vander but all that mattered was she knew he was integral to her life now. someone she wanted to keep around and do what she could to keep him around. especially when he talks about himself like this. she wants to say something before he says the last bit and it makes her heart flutter only in the best of ways.]

Since you twisted my arm so much, I'll stay. [it's meant to be a joke but it comes off too soft to be one of those. her cheek finds his arm and she nuzzles her cheek there.] I'll protect you. As best I can. In my own way. I may not be strong but I can protect you. Even if you might say you don't need it, I don't care. I'll hold you at night and call you baby girl anyway. You've done a lot even if you aren't ready to hear that.

[there's both so much to unpack with the two of them but it'll come in time and hopefully they have plenty of it.]

[The corner of his lips tugged up in a smile in the dim light at her commenting about him twisting her arm. He supposed that it was true that he had, requesting more than once that she stay in the apartment with him. Their relationship wasn't that simple friends with benefits they had first tried to be, and there was definitely no going back to that.

He knew they were navigating this as best they could, both of them carrying their own wounds into it. It would take time to understand what each other needed and wanted in this, and yeah, he knew he should pop the question. He couldn't bring himself to because that opened the door to something truly serious and committed, and he believed it wasn't fair of him to lock her in like that. She was a free spirit after all and he... still needed to sort himself out.

He watched her where she nuzzled his arm, humming in agreement.] I know you will. I do feel safe with you. [He knew that she would probably verbally savage someone if they took a swing at him, physical or otherwise. The idea did amuse him.] Ha, yeah, always your baby girl, huh? There is a lot left to do, but... you know, straighten my spine and set my shoulders and it will get done.

[He leaned in to kiss her forehead.] Maybe I should call you Pupa, hmm?

[they would simply have to learn to navigate their relationship as it was. they'd learned too much and grown too close for this to stay simple. perhaps this was where they should stop sleeping with each other but Maria liked the sex. she didn't see why that part had to change and surely they could be adults about this. sex could complicate things, and they'd both set up the boundary again and again they wouldn't be having a serious relationship. both of them had set that up. Vander had too much going on and Maria was too scared of any type of romance.

they would have to just keep communicating. which they seemed to be doing well, she thought. they had discussed what they wanted in this relationship and been honest again and again. maybe with a joke here or there but that was just part of it.

Maria does sigh that Vander just seems like he won't stop and she knows there will be other times she'll have to step in and take care of him from punishing himself once more. but they will get to that.]

Before you get to doing anything, find a better nickname. I call you baby girl and you'll call me Pupa? Not very cute.

[He huffed, though she had a point on that one. It was a name he just flung out there, and she did deserve something special as a nickname. He was more amused by being called baby girl than anything, but it was a name that she liked and it was very unique. Nothing he had ever thought to be called in his lifetime, but there was Maria setting the trends for herself as she so often did.]

I'll come up with something cute, I promise. It had to fit the aesthetic though. I just need some time.

[And he would come up with something, though he was back to stretching his leg out as he slid an arm around her middle as they sat together on the log. His ass was definitely starting to go numb with the position. So this was the great outdoors when it came to forests, huh? He thought he preferred the cities and the dank darkness of mine shafts, but hey, he was happy to experience it anyway.]

So, have you broken curfew long enough where you feel nervous about it? We can head back if you like.

[she liked the nickname for him because it certainly didn't fit Vander. who else would have ever looked at him and thought to call him something like 'baby girl'? but Maria had wanted to comfort him, jokingly used that term, and now it stuck. it wasn't serious but they both seemed to get some amusement from it.

and she probably would have found amusement in 'Pupa' but it was far more entertaining to make Vander work for a name, wasn't it?]

Geesh, you make me sound like a stick in the mud. I did promise you could feel up my shirt but you can do it tomorrow. Consider it part of your treatment.

[It had stuck, and he was amused by it and found the name endearing these days. He hadn't come up with something to stick with Maria and it wasn't as if her name could easily be shortened and remain sweet. No, she was Maria to him, though maybe he would try Pupa a little more to see if that would stick in time.

He looked at her as if trying to determine how easy it would be to get his big hands up her shirt in the first place. Not difficult. He made a point of sneaking his fingers up under the back of it and stroking the small of her back.] Well, I know you're camp councilor and that comes with even more responsibility. Maybe you should be putting me in my place or something....

[He considered any time they spent together as part of his treatment.]

If you insist on the healing properties of your breasts, I will nestle my hands and face into them here in this old forest?

[Maria wouldn't mind Pupa if he kept using it. at the end of the day, it was still a friendly name. cute, in its own right. and affectionate. all the ingredients for Maria to care about it.

luckily, her shirt is a crop top because there was no way Maria was giving up showing off some skin. between the short shorts and that, she'd felt more comfortable in her forced uniform.] It's also the last night and I've been a very good girl. Very responsible. But if you're interested in being put in your place then you really don't know what to expect while I care for you. [she wasn't going to let him hurt himself more. it was that simple.]

I'm just being a good friend by offering my breasts for your treatment. And I did offer them up before we went out. I'm trying to keep my promises stick.

[Vander could claim that he didn't know how 'good' of a girl that Maria had been in camp. He had no doubt that she had done exactly as the mission had wanted and done well because this kind of place valued social skills for an event of this sort. Maria was ever dedicated to preserving her world and he valued that about her.

He huffed a sound of amusement at her insistence of taking care of him. She was about to experience what it was to fuss after a Zaunite. They had no time for laying around most times.] Oh well, it's going to be a fun time for both of us you taking care of me and all. I'm a handful. [He was normally quite easy going, but if he was trapped in one place, he would wander.

He shifted so that he could move away from her far enough that he could drop his head down on her breasts as he wrapped his arms around her.] Hmmm, this is good. I feel the healing powers already. It would be better bare skin on bare skin of course.

[if it was for the sake of a mission, which were straight forward enough, then Maria would follow the rules perfectly. it was for Heather and the little girl that would never know how loved she was by Maria. even if Maria had no interest in returning, it didn't mean there were not people who deserved a world to return to.

Maria could be as stubborn. she still continued to fight a losing battle back home and this may just be another losing battle. but as she always said, it was better than doing nothing. better than just letting Vander continue to hurt himself and she could at least try to help him heal. at the end of the day, Maria could say she did try to help him and that mattered to her.

when Vander does lower his head, Maria is laughing and pets at his hair.] See, if you behave then you can have bare skin on bare skin. See? There's perks to behaving.

[This mission was over, and he thought that they would be given a pass thanks to his being away for so long. It was the last hours before camp would be packed up and they would be returning to their previous mundane little lives waiting for the next mission. They had to enjoy themselves while they could. He knew abiding by missions was important to Maria, and he didn't want to jeopardize her changes of success.

He made a point of mumbling into her breasts and nudged his forehead harder against her sternum as he felt her fingers in his hair. The bun kept most of it from falling into his face at least.] I think I could convince you to provide some bare skin now by being bad.

[As if to prove his point, his hands worked their way under her shirt from the back and tried to use his wrists to elevate the material higher on her body.]

[Maria figured that this night couldn't dock her score too much. camp had been over and was it really so bad she had wanted to spend time with a friend?

even though it wasn't as if they wouldn't have plenty of time post mission but Maria and Vander always took every excuse to spend as much time as possible anyway. the Etraya powers that be had to expect that by now.

the thing was that Vander wasn't entirely wrong. Maria had missed his touch even if she did have some fun with someone during camp. but it wasn't more than kissing and she'd missed Vander terribly. it was tempting to let him continue and she does let him pull up her top enough so her red lacy bra was on display. not that the color was as vibrant at night.] I did say you could feel me up before.

[that's partly why she let's it go on for a moment before she is tugging at his hair at the roots, trying to pull so he looks at her. ] But sometimes you can have to put a dog in its place, don't you? [as if he doesn't like his hair being pulled and as if there isn't a huskiness to her voice that implies anything but her knowing what she's doing.]

[He hummed where his face was buried in her cleavage, breathing in her scent and taking comfort in her familiar warmth. Solmara had been a success, but it had also been a reminder that he had come to appreciate certain niceties in his life that he would have overlooked in a youth of hardship. Even if this was as far as they went, he was satisfied to have reconnected with her.

He hummed and stroked his hand over her back in a full show of feeling her up in a sense. It was good that he had big hands as it covered territory easily and without much effort.] Still keeping your word to me all the time, I see. You're good to me, and I appreciate that.

[Yet, he made a show of grumbling as she pulled harder on his hair. He made a point of seeming reluctant as he removed his face from her breasts to peer at her, and he frowned at the words, a subtle look of defiance building behind his gray eyes.] Is that what is currently happening?

[One hand slid up her back and under the edge of her shirt where his fingers expertly began to unclasp her bra from the back. How was that for putting him in his place?]

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