ABS FIESTA REDUX

[Badger]

Walter stops at some Bowie knives and looks a few of them over  with his eyes before speaking

"What do you think about these? Looks nice and hefty, alright quality from what I see."

[Ad Bot]

[carolcat]

: Yeah, I still have it, why?

He notices her getting flustered.
: ...You feeling alright?

"Just, uh... tired, I think is all. And... been thinking a lot." She continues to stare at her hands, her face still flushed. "About..." Another awkward pause. "...you."

Cualli looks at him suddenly and blurts, speaking quickly, "I think I'm in love with you." She can feel her heart pounding in her chest as the words tumble from her mouth.

[Tayasaurus]

Jaakko rolls his eyes and grins at the slight.

"Whelp, this'll be fun," he says.

"Are we going to Yukamo's family's house after this? Or are we going to to hotel?"

He pauses and looks at his watch.

"What time even is it?"

Tippy scratches her jaw and looks at her watch

"50:96"

"And yes, probably after this if you're up for it."

[Mr. Hurricane]

Jaakko notes Tippy scratches her metal jaw out of habit.

"We can," he says. He'd reasoned with himself he couldn't really rest of he wanted.

"How far away are they?"

[Tayasaurus]

"They're living downtown some ways from here. It will be a short visit. Tomorrow we'll hit the trail and enjoy the rest of our leave there until we're called back."

[Mr. Hurricane]

"I see,"

Jaakko is ready for the time skip.

[Tayasaurus]

Tippy and Jaakko enjoy their meal at the restaurant and pay for it. (dearly)

An hour or so later, they visit Yukamo's family so Taylor could honor her memory. She gives them gifts and she and Jaakko respectfully part ways with her family, going to the final destination of their trip before going back to their jobs. The next day, following a long drive from the city, they are now walking a trail in the Kintharian countryside in late evening.

"-and that's how I beat a burglar within an inch of his life using the handle of a shovel as a cheap brass knuckle." Tippy quips laughing at the morbid memory.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"Gods in heaven," Jaakko replies, shaking his head, a bit disturbed by Tippy's morbid memory.

He kicks along the trail.

"How far are we from that place you were talking about earlier? The place Yukamo showed you?" he asks.

[Tayasaurus]

"...We are close. But..." Tippy pauses mid sentence.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"But...?" Jaakko asks, looking at Tippy and tilting his head in curiosity.

Since the start of the trip Jaakko had felt a lot closer to Tippy. The war seemed like something distant, the terrorist attack still bothered him at times, but not as much as it had since the start of the trip. He'd had some problems with reliving the event in his dreams. They weren't nightmares, but they were enough to leave Jaakko feeling bad when he woke up some mornings.

[Tayasaurus]

"It's a special spot. You can join me when we come to it but if you're not comfortable with it you can just wait on me."

Tippy stops in front of a thick brush and looks into it. a stack of small stones sat near the base of a tree marking a small path beyond it.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"I'll come with you,"

Jaakko follows Tippy onto the path. The air feels a bit more subdued.

[Qwepir]

"Just, uh... tired, I think is all. And... been thinking a lot." She continues to stare at her hands, her face still flushed. "About..." Another awkward pause. "...you."

Cualli looks at him suddenly and blurts, speaking quickly, "I think I'm in love with you." She can feel her heart pounding in her chest as the words tumble from her mouth.

Eremit blinks and stays quiet for a while.
: I'd ask if you were serious, but... you seem pretty serious about it already. I guess you should know the feeling's mutual.

Walter stops at some Bowie knives and looks a few of them over  with his eyes before speaking

"What do you think about these? Looks nice and hefty, alright quality from what I see."

Virvel tilts her head and smirks at you.
: You planning on killing someone?

[Badger]

Virvel tilts her head and smirks at you.
: You planning on killing someone?

Walter keeps looking at the knives

"If needed. I just want something nice looking and comfortable to work with for whittling or cutting cords in the bush."

[Tayasaurus]

Jaakko finds himself following Tippy down a winding dirt path and across a small ravine. Aside from the nearby water making noise, the insects have seemingly stopped and the wind had come to a still. The path begins to climb upward.