recolle | [CLOSED] you better pack your bags

WHO: the birthday girl & invited guests
WHERE: Magatus
WHEN: 7/16 ~ 7/18
WHAT: (short) road trip
WARNINGS: Probably nothing but will update if something happens

Jen had this trip all planned out. The camper looked a bit riduculous with the pirate flag Satsuki had stuck to the side of it, but it was all in good fun so why not leave it?

On Monday, Jen arranged to pick up everyone ini the city before noon. The idea was to get them all to the recommended camping site well before evening, set up the tents and fire pit, and scope out the lay of the land before taking it easy. Of course the roads are not without their share of hazards, in the form of the random small monsters getting curious about the engine noises. Curbing any temptation to run the beasties over (it's a RENTAL, people!), Jen will suggest that the two powerhouses of the group (Kara and Satsuki) hop out to deal with them while she grabs the emergency tool kit in case anything manages to sneak inside.

Tuesday was a day to be filled with exploring, hiking, some climbing, and the highlight of it was the end of the trail with cliffs peering out over deep, clear waters below. Perfect for diving for the more adventurous of the lot. All the while Jen will be leading the charge like she'd been saving up energy all week for the trip. When they all get tired of that? Time to retire to camp for grilled meats and veggies, popcorn, s'mores, soft drinks and hard drinks, and chatting around the campfire. Maybe someone has some good stories to tell - spooky or otherwise? It's just the five of them underneath the stars.

Wednesday morning was time to take in any last-minute sightseeing, clean up the camp, and head back to Recolle. Hopefully with their sense of adventure satisfied, friendships deepened, and spirits high. Most of that is up to each individual, but Jen will do her best to make sure this birthday outing went as smoothly as possible.

((OOC: kinda barebones in a way but I didn't want to bog everyone down with a boatload of details. if your chara wants to bring along some games, suggest activities, or w/e Jen will be happy to oblige!))

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-... Alright. Okay, even if she WASN'T jealous, which she still didn't know if she had any right to be, she could tell Jen was lying to her, and that pissed her off well more. Satsuki gave Jen a flat look.-

Hey. Jen.

In all the time we've known each other, have you ever once bought into the idea of luck?

You can cut with the bullshit at any moment.

[ Jen is not the best at weaving lies. you'd think she would have plenty of experience after discovering herself all those years ago, and working so hard to keep that part of her a secret. but still, when it mattered on literally any other subject? her honesty betrayed her at every step.

which is why she knows better than to look too surprised that Satsuki was calling her out on something. it's just... a matter of the specifics. Jen couldn't pretend to pinpoint the exact reason for that but she had some really good guesses. ]

Wh-... what are you talking about?

[ oh, is this going to be that conversation she had been silently dreading for a while now? because if there is any way this could just Not Happen right now, universe, that would be fantastic. ]

-For the sake of them both and not turning the trip into a minefield of awkwardness it could potentially be, Satsuki wasn't going to confront her about their shared dream... even though she wanted to, because at that moment, she was almost certain it was, in fact, shared.-

You. And that Kara girl.

Oh. [ oh. well, that was one of the subjects that Jen was actively avoiding, but not out of a sense of malice. just because she didn't know how things would go, or how to even bring it up. she cannot exactly go around bragging about what their relationship was about, or even that it was something in its nebulous state. Jen couldn't put her words to good use here even if she wanted to.

there's no small part of her that just wants everyone to literally mind their own business, but that shouldn't have applied to her best friend.

right?

Jen started fussing about with her hair. brushing it out of her eyes, behind her ears, and so on. anything to avoid making eye contact. ]

Well. Yeah. I guess there's something there but, I... didn't mean to keep it a secret from you. I was keeping it a secret from everyone. So is she. [ passing some of the blame off onto Kara was extremely unfair, she knows, but it was the truth. they had agreed to this; even if it was 90% of Jen's reasoning motivating them to do it. ]

I'm sorry.

... -Satsuki let out a long exhale, running her hand over her face and just. Letting it all sit for a moment. Well... It sounded like that was what Jen needed, anyways. Something she could just keep hidden away. Satsuki couldn't even pretend she'd be happy with an arrangement like that if it were her.

IF it were her.-

It's fine. I'm happy for you. I just wish you'd told me.

I know. I'm sorry. [ Jen couldn't help but repeat it because she didn't know of any other way to even begin making it up to her. it's not something unforgivable, she hoped. it would be a terrible thing to weaken their friendship over withholding of a very personal event like that. ]

I was going to tell you soon. I swear! I just ... things just sort of. Happened. I'm still in disbelief myself. [ she meant all of that. the joy she felt when she was with Kara was unexpected, inexplicable, and potent. even now some of that leaked into her words and her body language. if Satsuki said she was happy with it, then it was basically like approval, wasn't it? Jen didn't have to hold back quite as hard now. ]

Yeah, well... She sounds like just what you need. -Satsuki sighed, slumping a little further into the water, blowing some bubbles up.-

Mmn, maybe so. [ Jen doesn't have anyone to vocalize her doubts with, but she really is still in that period where things just sound too good to be true. that usually means there's some catch.

there's also that weird dream. Satsuki's reaction doesn't even strike her as particularly telling, and she hasn't found a good way to bring it up. right now may not be the time at all, given there's no real escaping from each other should things get as tense as they did in there. they're hours away from anywhere with only one reasonable way home. ]

I mean it's all just thanks to Retrospec leaving the stupid batteries out of my bike. [ she brightens up. ] But, hey, if I get one back from them anytime soon, we should go for a ride!

[ Jen you don't even have a license for that. ]

-She wanted to turn her down. That jealous, spiteful part of her was loud and clear in her head. But...

Jen was trying. She was obviously trying. And no dream entitled her to anything. It was just that, a 'dream'. It only mattered however much they wanted it to, and Jen already had someone, someone who sounded perfect for her and her complicated life. It would be cruel to just... let that spite impact what they still had, wouldn't it? Selfish, cruel...

She took in a deep breath and worked on a smile, even if it was a little weak.-

I'd love that. You know me. I'm not gonna turn down a chance to hang out when we're both available, right?

Great! Then it's a deal. [ things were far from perfect. even if they may feel that way, Jen knew it was true. her mind couldn't think very far ahead for anything outside of her career goals and that was by design. things could come screeching to a halt in the morning for all she knew. one wrong thought, one argument, discovery by her mother...

Jen had to stop thinking. at this point, averting their moods from total crashes and getting on with the trip was the idea and it seemed as if Jen had done just that.

they can hash out details later. even if Retrospec doesn't provide her with fuel anytime soon, she might just rent a bike to use. the bike wasn't the most important part of that ride; hanging out was.

she looked outward and upward. ] Oh, it looks like they're finally ready to join us.

[ moving to the side, Jen raised her voice and her arm into the air. ] Hey, come on down! The water's fine!!

[ at that last point, she gave May a smirk. ] They're going to hate this...

[CLOSED] you better pack your bags

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