Lightning Bug Cabin (Kind of) - 7/5 - Early Afternoon

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

In the much more suitable attire of short shorts, a tank top, and sneakers, Eva was making her way to her cabin with a cigarette dangling from her lips and a duffel bag on each shoulder.

One might think that she would have a rough time carrying two heavy duffel bags with her skinny arms, but if there was one hidden ability she had, it was strength; she attributed it to a lazy brother and her father having the car at work when she had to go grocery shopping.

After all, grocery bags were heavy, especially with lots of canned food.

Comments

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

George had already carried his stuff down to the cabins - it wasn't like there was a lot - and he was heading back up to the dorms to try to find some food to bring down with him.

But he stopped as he saw the girl with the two massive bags. "D'ye need a hand, lass?" George asked, giving her a smile. He held out his own. "Can't giv' ye one of mine, but I'd be happy t'be lendin' it to ye."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

Eva smiled. She was fine carrying it herself, but why not get help if someone else was offering. "Well, if you're offering..." She said as she held out the bag for him to grab, using her free hand afterward to draw the cigarette out from his lips.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

He grabbed the bag, settling the strap on his shoulder without seeming to notice the weight at all. "Anytime," he said lightly, falling into step with her. "An' since I'm helpin' ye, do I get th' favour of knowin' yer name? I'm George Cooper."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Sure. Eva Rodriguez." She replied, her Spanish accent coming out over her light Boston accent as she said her last name. "Nice to meet you."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

Everyone had an accent to George so far, but hers was noted and filed back in his brain along with every other thing he'd seen since arriving. "The same t'you," he said, giving her a flash of a smile. "T'which of the cabins are we headin'?"

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Lightning Bug." A beat. "Soon to be known as 'party central' if my roommates allow." Eva suggested with a smirk.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, aye?" George asked, grinning. "An' t'would this be a roommates only party central or do others have a hope of gainin' an invitation?"

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

Her answer was simple. "It's not a party if they're only eight people there."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

Between the shorts and the attitude, George was beginning to wonder if this mot wouldn't fit in very well in the Lower City.

"Could be a private party," he teased.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Private parties are for adults. I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit I'm still a kid." Eva replied.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

George looked surprised at the remark. "Di'nt imply anythin', lass. A private party's one in yer rooms t'me." He shrugged.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"No, that's not what I meant; I know you weren't implying anything. I wasn't either, or, at least, I didn't mean to." A beat. "Just...don't worry. If and when we party, I'll invite you." Eva assured him.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

He chuckled and nodded at her in understanding. "Fair enough, lass. I wasn't likin' t'be startin' off wrong footed unless I meant t'be."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Trust me, just by helping me with my bags you're starting out on the right foot." She admitted. "While I'm can handle 'em myself, I don't exactly enjoy lugging them around."

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Strong for a lass then" came out of the boy's mouth before he remembered his conversation with Ino.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Strong for my size, I guess; I don't know if I'm strong with all women in consideration." Eva said with another grin and a slight shrug.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"An' yet you'd be knowin' better than me," George pointed out.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"True, I guess." Eva said with a little laugh. "Have you been here long, George?"

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

George grinned at her. "Aye. Ever since Friday."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

She laughed again then. "Seems like an eternity, doesn't it? I guess you're like me and haven't been away from home much?" She asked.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

He considered the question for a minute but shrugged. "'m from th' Lower City. We don' travel too much, no."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Lower City?" Eva asked curiously.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"Of Corus," he said, used to the lack of understanding. Not that he understood half of what other people said. "Th' nobles and the rich men live in th' Upper City by th' Palace." George shrugged. "People do keep tellin' me tis a different world."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I get it." Eva said, figuring that she would get a specific location with that but accepting the distinction offered. "And it is a different world; at least, where I'm from. I'm kind of in the middle."

She took a drag then, removing the cigarette from her lips with her free hand before exhaling.

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

"In th' middle o' what?" he asked.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"The middle like in between the upper and lower, I guess." Her family was more lower middle than middle middle though, not that that explanation altogether made much sense.

(Off for a bit, but I'll hopefully be back in no time. Sorry about this!)

[noearsyet.livejournal.com]

George nodded then shot her a grin. "You'd be a farmer in Tortall at that."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"A farmer? Really?" Eva asked. She could do a light bit of flower gardening, but she didn't think she could ever do that; that seemed like a tough job.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"Do you need help?" Jean asked, hurrying over with her own bags.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"No, it's alright. I can see you've got your own stuff." Eva said simply. She would usually take the offer, but the girl had bags of her own; she wasn't going to pile another one on her. "Thanks though. I appreciate the offer."

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"It's no problem!" People here said this was normal, right? "I can carry more than it looks like."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Me too, but these bags are still are least twenty pounds each." A beat. "I pack tight." Eva explained as she inhaled to take a drag of her cigarette, and took the cigarette out of her mouth a moment later to exhale.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"If you're sure," Jean granted. "I'm Jean, by the way. I think we'll be rooming together here."

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

Eva nodded, recognizing the woman's name and holding her cigarette in her hand for the moment. "Oh, Jean. Yeah, I saw your name on the list." Another brief pause. "Eva Rodriguez." As always, her Spanish accent was more prevalent than her light Boston one when she said her last name. "Nice to meet you."

She held out her free hand then; even though, it was just a tiny bit strained.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

Jean shook it and smiled. "Are you sure you don't want any help? I can leave my stuff here for a moment."

No one really seemed like the stealing type here.

...and it helped that you could read people's minds to make sure.

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"No, it's fine. I promise. If I was dying here, I'd tell you." And that really was the truth. She was fine. She didn't like lugging around her bags, but who did? She could manage it just fine.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"Okay." Jean nodded and repressed that mother hen instinct. "Are you also new?"

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Yup, fresh meat shipped in from Boston. I didn't expect to get sent here, but so far, I can't say I mind it either." Eva admitted with a grin.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"Even with the--zombies?" It stuck out, okay?

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Even with the zombies." She replied. "I mean, I heard all they do in play in a band, so as long as they keep their decayed hands off of me, I'm fine." Eva admitted with a shrug; even though, a tiny part of her was still scared about it.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"At the bar." Don't say it Jean. Don't say it... "That my big brother apparently owns. How weird is that?"

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"To have your big brother watching constantly over you?" A beat. "I've been there all my life; it might be hard to get to get a drink at first, but it gets better with time." Eva replied.

"Or, at least, it did with my brother." She shrugged then, thinking for a moment before continuing. "If your brother gives you a hard time, I'll just sneak stuff for you."

(Off for a bit, but I'll hopefully be back in no time. Sorry!)

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

Jean laughed. "No, no. The one they assigned me here."

[[Nooo worries. SP is love!]]

[1moredaytodance.livejournal.com]

"Oh, see, I've yet to meet my big brother here, so I'm still thinking about back home." Eva admitted with a shake of her head.