Players:
Summary: An awkward moment between Lucas and Travis as Rashmi and Lucas do a little bit of catching up.
Date: February 3, 2011
Log Title: Aaawkwaaard
Rating:PG
Africa - Rundown Village
The lush green trees of the rainforest hide the small village, with only one road that leads out. The road clearly doesn't get much use, high grass growing up the center. It's nestled next to a beautiful river, flowing with the clean source of water. Still, it is a good walk down a slippery slope to get there.
The village here is poor, but hardly unpopulated. There is one solid building standing at the middle of town, and that's the church, though even that is a roug stucco building. It also seems to double as a clinic. There is no steeple, it is a simple block building, but a cross stands high over the main entrance of the building. There are no white people who live here, a dark shade of black on the skin tones of each inhabitant. Though it is small, there are people who live and play. Children run amidst dogs, the women wash clothes and cook while men bring in the food. Some traces of civilization can be found, playing cards and checkers seems to be the popular activities among the elderly, and they can be found in the shade of any of dozens of trees or around the large fire kept burning at the center.
The rest of the buildings in town are all the same. They are grass huts, and offer little privacy. None of the inhabitants seem to mind, content with their community life. This might offend some of the sensibilities of Americans, but they don't seem bothered by such things.
Lucas is sitting on the front pew, not far from the pile of blankets that was his bed last night. His costume is folded up on the floor nearby, and he's now wearing just a pair of khaki cargo pants. A battered old acoustic guitar is leaning against the pew beside him. He's sitting with his elbows on his knees, and one hand in his short hair, the other rubbing his still kind of stiff neck. His eyes are closed, and he sighs.
There are two reasons Travis is coming into the chapel, one is to change his bandages and the other is to check on Lucas to see if he's healed alright. He has a canteen of water with him and is wearing a clean pair of jeans and a Colorado Rockies jersey that's been custom altered for his six arms. He walks over to the front pew and sits down next to Lucas. "How ya feeling?" He asks. "That was a pretty bad shot you took last night. I'm Travis by the way, thanks a lot for last night."
Lucas turns to look at Travis, grunting a little, "Ah'm stiff, but Ah reckon that's better'n dead." He looks at the other kid a moment, then jokes, "Ah'd shake your hand, but Ah wouldn't know which, so let's just leave it at me sayin' thanks. They said it was you what healed me." He looks back down at his feet again, and sighs, leaning back in the pew. "Ah should find Rash. She wasn't in so gooda shape…"
"Yeah, that's one of my powers. I can heal people, and Rashmi, she was with Connor for a bit." Travis says as he goes over to grab the first aid kit that's kept in the chapel-clinic. "But I healed her up the best I could once we got back here. I just wish I could use my powers on me." He's got his fair share of cuts and bruises as well. "And you can shake any of my hands, you've got six of them to choose from." He jokes back.
Lucas nods, "Okay, sure," and he takes the closest hand, shaking it. His hand is very warm to the touch, "Thanks." He pushes up to his feet and stretches, "You know where she is?" He turns to look at Travis, "Ah'd like to make sure she's right okay."
"Last I saw her she was out by the tents." Travis says as he sits down and starts to take off his shirt and taking off a bandage on his lower left arm. "Connor was nice enough to bring some food by for her. I don't know if she's still with him or not."
Lucas nods, "Cool." He furrows his brow, "Have, um… Have you talked to her?" He rubs his neck again, "Ah mean…" He swallows, "Ah wasn't sure she knew who Ah was."
"It's been awhile, Lucas," Rashmi says quietly, emerging from the Chapel, "but not *that* long… Wish you could have come back at a better time, but… Thanks, Lucas. It was nice to see you coming to help."
Travis nods. "Yeah, we talked a bit. I was also taken captive by Nero also so, we were kinda in the same boat." He says as he starts to clean the healing wound on his arm from where he was shot so he can re-bandage it. One of the conveniences of having six arms is that he doesn't really need someone to help him. He turns and waves an arm to Rashmi in a hello.
Lucas looks up from Travis to the back of the chapel, at Rashmi. He just stares at her for a long moment, before he finally smiles. He looks good, something in his eyes is less burdened, and he's cut his hair to a great deal shorter. He walks down the aisle to her, and if she lets him, he gives her a solid squeeze that lasts a comfortingly long moment. "Ah'm sorry Ah wasn't here sooner. Ah came as soon as Ah heard…"
"Connor, right?" Rashmi smiles gently, giving Lucas an answering squeeze, then stepping back. "Where'd you run off to, anyhow? You just up and vanished one day, what was up?" Moving over to Travis, she gently takes the bandage out of the boy's hands, winding it around his arm herself.
Lucas nods, following her back to the front of the church. "Yeah. He fizzlefarted me here as soon as Ah grabbed my gear." He watches her move to help Travis. Watches closely. There's even a quick moment of a discerning brow furrow, but he doesn't address it. "My, um…" He purses his lips, looking at his feet, "Ah got a call from the hospital. Ah had to leave pretty quick to get there." He exhales, then looks back at her. "After, Ah needed some space to figure some things out."
Travis lets Rashmi start bandaging up his arm. He doesn't say much with the conversation at the moment and just listens. He almost seems to be avoiding Lucas' gaze for the moment though.
Rashmi pauses for a moment, frowning and completing her task, then standing to face Lucas. "Did she…?" She doesn't complete the question, but for Lucas it'd be simple to follow her train of thought.
Lucas nods, "Yeah," he says quietly. He purses his lips, then shrugs, reaching out his warm left hand to touch her arm. "Ah missed you."
Hospital, time, it doesn't take Travis long to figure out someone close to Lucas has passed away. He finds changing out the wound on his chest to be the focus of his attention as the conversation is a bit awkward for him. He doesn't interrupt though knowing what's being said is between the two at the moment.
Rashmi touches the hand, her head tilting to one side, lips twitching upwards. "Missed you too, Lucas… Worried about you. You take care of everything you needed to do?"
Lucas nods, "If'n you'd let me, Ah'd like to talk to you about it all. Maybe when y'all are better, an' we can get some time alone?" He leans forward and gently kisses her forehead. "But don't worry about me. Ah'm actually much better."
Travis stands up and looks between Rashmi and Lucas. "Um…do you guys want me to leave. I don't mind giving you some time alone. I can do this outside." He says picking up his shirt and grabbing what he needs as he gets ready to leave the building.
"Maybe," Rashmi agrees, nodding. "After the dance would probably be best, though. Or when I stop by the Manson next Sunday I'm down? Just… yeah. Um… Travis? No, it's okay, you don't need to go… Please?" The look she gives the six-armed mutant is almost pleading… not because she's uncomfortable with the conversation, perhaps, but Travis has simply become something of a security blanket while the Americans remain in Nigeria. Looking back to Lucas, she sighs, shaking her head. "Sorry, Lucas… just… I'm *really* not okay right now… Probably won't be until we get back home, things settle down. … But really… I'm glad you came over to help. It means a lot to me."
Lucas nods, "Sure." He looks at Travis, then back at how Rashmi is looking at him. "Sure." He reaches over and picks up the guitar. "Ah been where you are right now. Twice. If'n you wanna talk, Ah'm not goin' nowheres." He looks at Travis once more, kind of blankly, then begins heading down the aisle to go.
Travis gives a nod to Rashmi. "Okay, just, was starting to wonder if I was a bit of a third wheel." He says with a small smile and shrug. The blank look from Lucas causes Travis to rub the back of his neck a bit. He's not really sure what to say.
"Sorry, Travis, I just… oh…" With a huff, she hurries down the aisle, catching up to Lucas and throwing her arms around his waist. "Thank you," she says quietly. "I mean that. I means a lot to me that you came. *Thank you.*" Standing up on her tiptoes to kiss the blond's cheek, she steps back, turning to move back to Travis, sinking down onto the floor next to him and closing her eyes. "Sorry…"
Lucas smiles as she hugs, and watches her go back to Travis. He nods, and leaves the chapel.
Travis puts a hand on Rashmi's shoulder and smiles at her. "Don't be sorry, I just didn't want to make that anymore weird then it was." He says resting his head back with a sigh. "I just want to go home right now, I miss my Mom so much." He admits.
Rashmi leans against Travis, sighing quietly. "It was going to be weird no matter what," she murmurs. "I guess that kind of happens when you introduce the guy you're dating to your ex-boyfriend, right?"
"Yeah, I didn't think it was my place to just tell him, but, it's easy to tell he cares about you. Not like it's hard to see why." Travis says with a smile as he finishes bandaging up his chest. He stands up and holds out both hands to Rashmi. "I think I'm gonna go try to lie down for a bit, I haven't really been sleeping well but, I think it's better than nothing."
Rashmi takes the hands, pulling herself to her feet, nodding. "…You mind if I stay with you? Just…. I don't know, I'm sorry," she says, flushing and looking away. "I guess I just… don't feel safe as long as we're here, you know…? And I don't like to not be able to keep sight of you again."
Travis wraps all six arms around Rashmi, pulling her into a hug. "I don't mind, and…yeah. I just want to go home so much right now. This place…" The village isn't exactly safe in his mind. "Don't be sorry, I'd rather know that you are safe here then..well…we're going home soon so. You can stay with me as long as needed."
