9613/Roommates and friends

Roommates and friends
Date of Scene:	13 January 2022
Location:	Sara and Cael's Temp Quarters - Triskelion
Synopsis:	Cael gets Sara to draw some flames on her hands as a test for tattoos while the two talk.
Cast of Characters:	Cael Becker, Sara Pezzini

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Cael Becker has posed:
    After her conversation with Jon, Cael returns to the Triskelion - and spends some time on the phone with Caldwell - her therapist. It was good of the woman to take the time for her, honestly.
    Now she's just back from an evening session in the gym - Bear lying on his bed in the corner of the room, watching while Cael moves around the apartment, getting ready for bed. She's already showered, and dressed in baggy, comfortable sleepwear - and is just making herself a cup of chamomile tea to sip at as she settles onto the couch.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
After the meeting, and the conversation that followed, Sara took Cael's bike back to the Triskelion, got her own and went for a /long/ ride. She had to clear her head, find some sort of ground to stand on, and get her emotions shoved back in the box she usually kept them in. Nothing that was happening was Cael's fault, and she knew it. Life goes on, shit happens, people change, it's all a part of living in this world. The recent conflicts didn't make any of it easier, the possible end to the universe constantly hanging over everyone's head like the Sword of Damocles, and feeling more alone now then she did before she joined SHIELD. It needed to be shoved down and locked up.

After the ride, which wound around and back to the Triskelion, she had gone to the training room to work on hand to hand tactics, karate and kick boxing, then from there to the punching bag. Hands wrapped, boxing gloves on, she let everything out with each and every punch that bag took until she was near exhausted.

After a shower she put on a set of her work out clothes, because she had a lot of those and one set being destroyed really meant nothing, and returned to her temporary room. She honestly had no idea if Cael would be there or not.

"Evening," she offered quietly, moving to make herself some coffee.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Bear greets Sara's return with a few thumps of his tail, his head resting on his paws - and his vest on a hook near the door. Cael takes another sip from her tea as she watches Sara walk past, offering no comment until she lowers her cup again. "Evening," she finally echoes. There's a momentary pause before, "You good?"
    For her part, she seems relaxed - a vast improvement over how tightly wound she'd been at Shadowcrest earlier in the day. "...you got an assignment tonight?" she asks.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Once the water was working to get hot, a small electric kettle, Sara put two scoops of coffee into the french press then turns to lean against the kitchenette counter and look over to Cael and Bear. She looks relaxed, well her normal comfortable level of relaxed, Sara wasn't ever really relaxed save for around Wade... and that had been a while.

"Not specifically," she offers. "Plan to work on some more the NYPD reports, got two years worth to get through, and I'm fine. Took a long ride, beat the crap out of combat mannequins and a punching bag. A hundred percent me, no Witchblade enhancements, appears I still got it... have to replace one of the mannequins."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "That's what the mannequins are for," Cael says dismissively.
    "I'm planning on turning in - in a bit." A little early, but not unheard of. Perhaps she intends to train with Sam in the morning? "I talked with Jon, and with Caldwell - we think I could handle doing some of the Quartermaster and logistics stuff at Grand Central. Be able to contribute to everything that's... going on, without going out into the field, you know? Plus the Station should be secure enough that Bear can come without any risk to him." At the sound of his name, there's another thump of the pup's tail, as he mouths gently at his bunny toy.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Pushing away from the counter, Sara walks over to lean down and give Bear a major scritching behind his right ear, then she sits down on the floor to add her other hand scritching behind the other ear.

"Not a bad idea," she offers while loving on Bear. "I know they can use the help. I'll be going in and scouting out stragglers for SHIELD starting tomorrow, getting them out like they should have been in the first place."

A part of her wants to offer to help Cael at Grand Central, but Jon will be there so no need. "I hear the Broterhood has been delivering supplies to Grand Central."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah. I guess the end of all reality brings out a certain degree of cooperation," Cael says in a dry, amused voice. "Jon's been keeping me appraised of what's going on, a bit. I mean - I'm sure there's stuff he can't tell me." Or won't, for fear of upsetting her...
    "It'll feel good to have some sort of purpose. I'm- the last several days have gone better than I'd expected, really. I was afraid things would get... really bad again."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Now that Bear's ears have been properly assaulted, Sara kisses the top of his head then gets up to put the hot water over the coffee grounds.

"You seem to be doing better," she comments, getting a coffee cup to add sugar and cream to, the coffee will take about five minutes to become coffee.

"How are the nightmares doing?" She then asks, and almost kicks herself. She had intended not to ask anything about it, to let it go, but it just slipped out.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...awful," Cael admits in a quiet voice, her shoulders tensing, and her hands tightening around her tea. "Bear helps - a lot, but... yeah. Awful. I wish-" She cuts off abruptly, and rather than finishing whatever she was going to say, she takes a drink of her tea, instead.
    "Sorry if I've been waking you," she says instead.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Whatever it was that Cael was about to say, Sara let's it go. No prying, that's her motto for now.

She offers a smile and a shrug as she says, "It's alright. Alis let's me know you're alright, just a dream, so I can try to get back to sleep." Then she pours the coffee into the cup, stirs and picks up the cup. Walking over to one of the chairs she settles into it and takes a sip from the cup. "I figure if it's too bad, Alis will let me know."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah. Between Alis and Bear... we've got things covered," Cael promises with a small, tense smile. "I don't want to cost you sleep." After a sip of her diminishing supply of tea she remarks, "There is something you could do for me, though. Umm... if you're any good at drawing, I suppose?" It's not a skill she's seen her roommate practicing - so the uncertainty in her voice can probably be forgiven."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara hmms softly, "I'm no artist, but I did some drawing in high school. I sometimes use quick sketches instead of words in my note pads for work, easier that way." She leans forward slightly, making no comments on the not wanting to cost her sleep. It was considerate, though not required, but it wasn't something she was going to talk about tonight.

"What did you need drawn?" she then asks, setting the coffee on the end table to stand up and find a note pad and pencil.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I- well. I'm considering getting some tattoos," Cael explains. "And I want to try living with them for a bit - before I make them permanent, you know?" Setting her tea down, she pulls up an image on her phone - a hand, holding a cigarette - and rising up from the knuckled of the hand were simple, stylize flames. She offers it over to Sara to study.
    "I've never been much of an artist, and I don't think I could draw on my own hands. Definitely not my right."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara stops her search to accept the phone and look at the image. Pretty cool really, the way the flames were angled on the hand and fingers.

"Okay," she offers first with a slight hmmm. "I'll need sharpies, and they won't last long, will have to redo them nightly... and they might not be /as/ detailed as these, but I can put flames on your hands. Did you want them just plain black or with actual color?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Black is fine. I mean- like I said. I just... I want to try living with them for a while. I want to see if they... help." Cael takes a deep breath in, and lets it out slowly. "I think it will, but jumping straight to tattoos seems like- a bit much, you know?" She offers her roommate a small, tight smile before adding, "Thanks, Sara."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara heads into her room for a moment then comes back out with a couple of black Sharpies, and a normal ball point pen. One of the Sharpies is standard seven point, the other is fine point, clearly she takes her Sharpie use seriously.

"What is it helping?" She asks as she collects her coffee then moves to sit on the couch. She has to be able to reach Cael's hands if she's going to draw on them.

"Which hand first?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael offers over her right hand, staring over towards Bear in silence for a few moments without offering an answer.
    Sometimes you just need to give Cael a little time to work herself up to the difficult answers.
    "I can't look at my hands, Sara," she finally offers quietly. "After everything that happened, after how I was hurt - there should be some mark. Some //sign// of what happened, and when I look at my hands, and they're just- fine. It's like- none of it happened, like none of it's real, and- I just can't look at my hands," she explains in a tense voice.
    "I think this'll help. I hope it will."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Taking Cael's right hand as she speaks, Sara offers a nod. She uses the ball point pen first, to begin the process of how she wants to lay out the flames.

"That makes perfect sense to me Cael," she offers bluntly. "And I agree with you. There /should/ be something there, some sort of mark or indication. Choosing that mark empowers you by the way, and these flames? Excellent choice."

Laying the hand on her knee, she uses the pen to begin the process of laying out the flames, getting the curls and points just the way she wants them. There are a few mistakes, but she uses the sleeve of her shirt to rub them off, then when she's got it just the way she thinks will work, the two Sharpies are employed.

It's not as perfect as the tattoos, as she said she's no artist, but between the two pens and patience, she manages to imitate the tattoos with at leave eighty percent accuracy.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael's gaze remains turned away as Sara works, a few tears sneaking out of her eyes which she ignores. She'd been so afraid to admit that to Sara - so afraid it would make Sara feel like she was angry at her for healing her. It was a relief Sara seemed to take it in stride.
    "That bonfire - in Hawaii?" Cael finally offers in a quiet voice. "The one I just- turned and strode away from, all the sudden? I'd- I wanted to shove my hands in it. I wanted to turn them. I thought they should be burnt. Crazy, right?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara continues to work methodically, moment by moment to reach the end goal, then offers Cael the hand once she's completed the first set of the flames.

"That's what I figured," she offers, also not looking up at Cael. She'd seen some horrible burns working with the NYFD, people who'd lost limbs, and even when they didn't lose the entire limb, lost the use of their hands, feet, and other small parts to the burn scars. She hadn't even known Witchblade could heal, it was /him/ that healed Cael that day because he was so angry that an angel had done that to her. He knew that her hands would never heal right, would never be useable again, it would end her career... none of that mattered now.

"How's that look? Think I got it down right, or should I change the angle of the flames?" She asks, looking at Cael's hand, not her face. She understood, she accepted, just one more thing on the list to deal with later.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael finishes off her tea, and sets aside the empty cup before wiping her hand across her eyes. Only then does she finally look down to inspect the work on her hand - her posture tense, though that slowly begins to easy. From across the room, Bear was watching her now - his bunny toy still held in his mouth.
    "It's- it looks pretty good. I mean- that's fine, you know. For now. To, uhh - test the theory. And then if it's working, well - I'll have to consult with a tattoo artist I guess," she remarks with a small, wry smile. "Hardly makes any sense to have you do this every night for... well. Possibly forever."
    She's silent a few more moments before adding quietly, "Yeah. I think it's good."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara nods, offering a smile before she takes the right hand back to finish it.

"This is only for a week, if it has the effect you hope it will," she shifts sharpies, back to the fine point for the little details. "Then I know a tattoo artist that if you show him that picture, he'll have you tattooed up in no time." She considers a moment, then finally does look up at Cael.

"Keep in mind that it will takes at least two weeks for the tattoos to heal, they required special lotions and cleaning agents, and in the beginning have to be wrapped," she comments. "If... if you don't want to go through that..."

She stops there, not finishing and just goes back to working on the right hand.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I don't mind a little healing time," Cael answers quietly. "Having to clean them, and put the lotion on, and bandage them - maybe it'll actually help. And seeing the bandages on them for a while..." She takes another deep breath, and lets it out slowly. "Probably just do them one a time though, you know. Rather than messing with both of my hands at once. That seems like... a bad idea."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara nods, then released the right hand to take the left one and start all over. Ball point pen first, matching up as best she can to the right one and yet there is still that whole 'artistic flair' that comes from any artist, so slight differences.

"Wally's a real artist, he started with painting then switched to tattooing," she explains to change the subject a little. "He's done thousands of tattoos in his life time, and guarantees his work. If you don't like it, he pays for the laser removal himself."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I'm sure it'll fine - if that's the way this ends up going," Cael confirms - flashing Sara a brief smile. With her right hand done, she seems more relaxed, still studing the work - clenching and opening her hand, and moving her fingers as she watches the markings.
    "Yeah, I think this'll be good," she murmurs. Now she just has to see how she handles people asking her about the 'drawings' on her hands. Maybe that'll be a non-issue, though.
    "Did you ever get a tattoo?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
There is a smirk on Sara's face over that question then she shakes her head.

"I considered it for a while, but could never decide what to get," she replies with a snort chuckle. "My father would have melted down on the spot if I'd done it while he was alive. He was against that sort of thing. Tattoos, extra piercings, dying hair, he thought people should just be themselves, but he was old school."

She pauses to take a drink of her coffee then goes back to the art work. "After Witchblade, decided it was a bad idea because it was a mark people could use to identify me. Doesn't matter so much any more, but at the time... kind of a big deal."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Right. Makes sense," Cael agrees. "And getting rid of the things is a serious pain," she adds - her lips quirking briefly, before the amusement fades again.
    "Where's the harm in //hair// dying, though? It grows out! And you can dye back over it again if you change your mind. Yeesh." She rolls her eyes, but keeps it to that - the guy was Sara's father, after all, and knows how much he means to her.
    "Did you ever dye your hair //anyways//?" she asks a bit teasingly.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara chuckles quietly, adjusting her hand so she can continue the drawing.

"You know that stuff they sell at Halloween?" She starts with a smile on her face. "Lasts for a couple days? I did that once, bright electric blue, just to see what he'd do... but I wait, didn't do it at Halloween time."

She starts chuckling a little more, "He had a litter of kittens and two cows before he realized it would just wash out. I still ended up grounded. Old school."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael lets out a quiet laugh of her own. "Worth it, though," she replies with a grin. "And - hell, I bet you looked great. You should do something like that again - I can't be the only one looking this //fabulous// - with my new hair. And soon to be new tattoos," she offers with an amused smile.
    "Maybe I'll sleep better tonight."
    Maybe that's rather hopeful thinking.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara leans back a moment to look at the left hand, then compares it to the right hand, then she leans back into to finish up a few little details to help them match up better.

"It was totally worth it," she comments, glancing up a moment with a grin. "My aunt ungrounded me, told me I could change my hair anyway I wanted and she's deal with my father. I just never really thought about it, got busy with college and the academy and blue hair is not accepted on a detective..."

Holding up the left hand for Cael to see, she continues. "I might do a really flaming red though, I'm talking like my heads on fire red."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "However you wanna rock it- you do you," Cael agrees, as she continues to study her hands with a thoughtful expression. She looks at them both now, side by side, fingers splayed out. Then she balls them into fists. Then she holds them out and waggles her fingers a little before letting them fall into her lap.
    "Thank you, Sara," she offers sincerely. "I should get to bed. Things to do in the morning... But I hope your time's productive tonight."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara collects the pens and stands up, taking her coffee with her. "Listen, if you need me in the night, just call me alright? I wake up either way, and it's not a problem." She offers before stepping back so Cael can stand. "I'll be up tonight anyway, at least for a couple more hours."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I- Sara, I can't-" Cael starts awkwardly, before cutting herself off, and lapsing into a brief, silence. "Yeah, maybe," she says instead, before pushing herself to her feet, calling Bear with a simple whistle. The dod pops to his feet, bunny in his mouth, to follow Cael into her room. She stops at the door before she adds, "I think these'll really help."
    That said, she disappears into her room - the lights soon clicking off.