[GP] Check-In Day: What a nice surprise; bring your alibis

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Every check-in day conjured memories of her first, and all of the others, which inevitably meant she spent the day with Lara on her mind, and Petey, Illyana, and Wyatt. She'd been blessed with dear friends and loves arriving, and yet she never stopped hoping she'd figure out the mess that was this pocket universe and get home.

It was starting to become complicated, though, almost a year later. It would hurt to lose the people she'd grown fond of here, almost as much as it would be good to get home. She didn't know what to do with that feeling, but it was what it was. All she could do was tend the bar with patience and understanding, and keep an eye on the readings her crude energy measuring devices out on the road sent to her.

For all the people that came in and out, it was a quiet day. So between drinks, she spent most of it bent over a notebook with a cup of coffee in her hand, trying to design better instruments to dismantle Yana's shackles. Maybe Percy could help her build them.

Comments

[st_artandstoke]

Jag forced himself to focus on what Corbie was saying. Pragmatic matters. "What happens when you hit the four hour mark?"

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie quietly stroked his hand holding hers, moving her thumb back and forth. It was so natural to her that she didn't notice when she'd started doing it. "I've never tried it myself," she admitted. "But what I hear is you just wind up back in front of the hotel. Lot of other people have given it a try, so I'm sure someone can tell you if you ask around a bit."

[st_artandstoke]

The stroke of her thumb just made him think of how much he wanted Em to be holding his hand (or, well, him), and after squeezing Corbie's, he pulled his back. "I reckon it doesn't really matter, does it. How do we do for food and water?" He looked around, and back at her. "Electricity?"

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Calmly and without comment, Corbie took her hand back and folded her hands in her lap. "Weirdly enough, provided for. But we got no clue how. There's contingency plans if that ever changes."

[st_artandstoke]

"Right." Jag chewed on his bottom lip, pressing his hangs together. "So... we just live here. I... just live here - now."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie nodded. There was of course the matter of the hotel opening up onto other worlds time and again, but that was bigger than most could handle on the first day, and provided too much false hope. That was not an avenue of escape. They'd tried.

"That's about the size of it," she agreed softly. "When you're ready, the innkeeper has a room waiting for you. Which is creepy as fuck, but it's how things work."

[st_artandstoke]

Jag glanced towards what had to be the reception desk, frowning again. This was fucked up beyond any words he could put on it. He looked back at Corbie, gave her a nod and something that might have vaguely resembled a thankful smile. "Thank you."

[st_rikingblueeyes]

Corbie smiled at him. "If you need anything, I'll probably be here for a while yet today. After that, I'm in room 171."

[jageskro]

"Thank you," Jag said again. The words felt empty, but he felt empty, and he simply stood to head over to the reception desk. Having a place to sleep, that mattered.