13158/Sharing Tea in the Breakroom

Sharing Tea in the Breakroom
Date of Scene:	30 April 2021
Location:	Break Room, The Triskelion
Synopsis:	Tea is shared in the breakroom. Beginnings are discussed, and an invitation extended.
Cast of Characters:	Yaozu Lin, Quake

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Yaozu Lin has posed:
It's late in the afternoon, and the break room is suffering a bit of a quiet spell. Which is to say that the only person currently present happens to be Yaozu. Rather than be sitting at one of the tables within the room, he's settled himself on the floor. He sits cross-legged at the wall which has the windows, his back nearest to the wall but with a bit of space between himself and the wall. The robes he wears today are silk, as the others that he's been seen in, and they're a rich burgundy that has fine streaks of black through it. From beneath the wide sleeves can be glimpsed the long sleeves of a black shirt that he wears under the robes.

He appears calm and relaxed, and he's holding a cup of tea within his hands, his hands resting lightly in his lap. Should one happen to look closely enough, a silver ring can be seen on the middle finger of his right hand. There's also a wireless pulse oximeter ring on his right thumb, should it happen to be glimpsed. He's left his long hair free, at least at the moment, and it tumbles over his back and shoulders, quite nearly (and possibly at the back, at least) reaching the floor.

Quake has posed:
Meanwhile..

Skye was at her usual table, near the back, checking her boards and the like, watching for anything unusual. A cold cup of coffee, and a recently eaten chocolate bar were in reach.

Really she didn't drink coffee very often, usually one in the morning (her morning), and the rest sat near her when she was online. The chocolate bars she did eat, though that depended on various factors.

Today was a quiet day.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
It's not necessarily the best of habits, but Yaozu tends towards quiet. He lifts the cup of tea with his right hand, finishing what of it remains. And with the cup still in hand, he shifts his weight and rises to his feet, a bit on the slower side of things. Passing out -- again -- is not something that he wants to have happen. Even so, once he's to his feet, there is a hint of a sway, a flicker of a glimpse of dizziness within him. It lasts for a moment, and he takes a couple of deeper breaths.

His sleeves fall down about his hands, hiding them away, and after a moment, he steps over towards Skye's table. And there, he stops, and there's a brief glance towards the cold coffee that sits on the table before his hazel gaze turns to her once again. "Would you like a cup of tea, Skye?" Yaozu offers, a flicker of curiosity behind the words.

Quake has posed:
"Hrm?" Skye drags her attention back, something that she had been working on for the better part of 3 years. Though Clint did luck out when he shut her laptop down when she was new here. Not that she'd recommend doing it again!

"Coffee.. sure.. and you didn't say coffee, did you?" Skye laughs softly at her own expense. She figured out what he meant, and nodded. "Sure, please. Leave this one, it helps me concentrate." Yes, a cold cup of coffee, helps her think. Deal with it.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Turning off Skye's laptop is a notion that doesn't even cross Yaozu's mind. His left hand moves easily to rest at the small of his back as she brings her attention to the here and now, and he inclines his head slightly towards her. Then his head tilts a touch to one side at her answer.

"I had offered tea," Yaozu says, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips and a flicker of amusement touching his eyes. "Though whichever you prefer, I can make for you. I do not drink coffee myself, but I know how to make it," he adds. He's quiet a moment, then, to await her choice. "May I sit with you, once I have made our drinks?" he asks.

Quake has posed:
"No, tea would be nice." Skye stretches, and places her laptop on pause, to work away without her poring over it. "How are you anyways?" After all, the last time that she had talked to him was his 'accident' when he had lost his heartbeat.

Yaozu Lin has posed:
That ghost of a smile returns to find the corners of his lips, and he half bows to her, the movement seeming a touch on the careful side of things. Some of his hair slips forward over his shoulders with the movement. "I will make you tea, then," Yaozu says softly, giving a small nod to her. Per her request, he leaves the mug of cold coffee on the table.

With his own tea cup in hand, he turns to step quietly over towards the counter, to place it there. He retrieves another teacup, and then the loose leaf tea in order to start preparing it. "Mm," he offers, acknowledging her question and considering a moment. "I am better than I was," he answers, a thoughtful tone to his voice. He's not fully recovered, the paleness to him and the pulse oximeter ring both speak to that being the case. "It is... unresolved," he admits, after a moment. He turns his head to look to her, over his shoulder, and there's a softer yet more solemn sort of smile that touches his lips. "Liansong told me what happened. I owe you my life. Thank you, for saving me," Yaozu says softly, the words sincere. He takes the part about owing her very seriously, for it is a matter of honour to him.

Quake has posed:
While he makes the tea, she was quiet.

As he comes over with the tea, she nods. "No problems. Even if you were part of the team, I would have done something to help you." But her powers? Skye spoke softy, even though the break room was empty but for those two. "When I changed it was sudden. I destroyed an underwater lab in less time than it took you to make a tea. I still remember it, and then I was, well, this. But really it could have been worse. Nobody knew how I was going to change."

She remembered that distinctly. Only a scant few of her friends even knew she was not human before she was kidnapped to the lab, and experimented on.

"Since that day in the gym.. well.. I am one of the few people who know how you might be going through. I thought I should let you know." She thinks. "Do you and Dr. Song know anyone around here? Because you're invited to my home, it's a place where everyone can feel safe and relax."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
Once the tea is made, he picks up a cup in each of his hands and carries them over to the table. One of them is set before her, and one is set at the place nearest to her. "Do you take anything in your tea?" he asks, a flicker of curiosity to his voice. He tilts his head a touch to one side, a slight expression of his curiosity. His own tea has been left plain.

"Mm," he agrees, giving a small nod to her. "I am grateful that you were there, and I am sorry to have put you through it," he says softly, looking to her a bit sheepishly. He draws out a chair and settles to it, his right hand liftly for his fingers to rest softly about his cup of tea. And he listens, to what she shares.

Then he tilts his head a little bit to one side, considering her words for a quiet moment. "There are times when I think I would prefer it to be faster. More sudden. It is... slow," Yaozu says softly, his brow furrowing slightly. "I do not know where the changes that are happening to me will stop. Liansong does not know, either. There are many questions that do not have answers," Yaozu says, a ghost of a frown touching his lips. His gaze lowers for a moment to his tea, and then lifts to her before giving a small nod. "Thank you, for sharing this with me, Skye. It is very much appreciated. I could not imagine what it must have felt like, to cause such things," he says softly, giving another small nod. "I have seen some of the others, at the meetings. I could not say that I particularly know them. I could not speak to whom Liansong may know," he comments. Then he blinks, out of surprise, a flicker of it showing in his hazel eyes, and his chin ducks a touch, a slight whisper of colour managing to rise into his cheeks. "It is a very generous offer, and I thank you for it," he says softly, sounding truly grateful. He doesn't relax or feel safe easily, and even then, it seems to be either fleeting or only in specific places.

Quake has posed:
Skye takes her tea black.

"You're very welcome. Mind you, I don't plan on using *that* again." She shudders. "I don't know. My right there was not a lot of time to think about it. Maybe if I had my mother, but.." She shrugs. "I had to adjust immediately. As is, I was not put out with the teams for a long time. Everything, including my hearing was affected. I had to relearn almost everything to keep myself from hurting me. You've probably seen my bracers? They make the vibrations spread out so I don't break my arms every time. Even so, I still have tiny micro breaks quite often. Maybe your way is better."

Skye takes the time to reassure him. "Everyone is welcome. Regardless of who or what they are. Dr. Song is welcome too. There is no rank. Nothing. Just friends."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"I would prefer not to have it used on me again. No offense intended," Yaozu says softly, that ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. He doesn't want to die again, even though he doesn't remember it happening the first time as he'd already been unconscious. Then Yaozu gives a small nod. "I have been removed from active duty. And banned from the athletics area. I do not know how long either will be for other than until things are settled," he says softly, lifting one of his shoulders in a small shrug. Things are a bit up in the air for him -- the changes are unpredictable in what will happen.

"My hearing is also changing. Mm, I have noticed your bracers, yes. I did not know their purpose, before," he says in a thoughtful tone, considering them in a different light now. "I can only imagine how much that must hurt, each time. Although... I am not sure that my way is better. My body ran out of oxygen, I passed out, and then my heart stopped. I wear this," he says softly, lifting his right hand and making a slight gesture to flip back part of his sleeve, to show the pulse oximeter ring. "It sends readings to the medical staff about my oxygen levels so that they will be alerted early if things go downhill," he says. The gesture also makes the silver ring more visible there on his middle finger. He lifts his left hand, picking up his tea to take a sip of it.

Yaozu actually seems to be a bit more relaxed than what he had been earlier. "Just friends," Yaozu says softly, and that ghost of a smile returns. "It has been a while, and I would like that," he adds, giving a small nod. Things are different in Beijing. It may still be SHIELD, but some things are different. "I am growing feathers," he admits, in a quiet voice. She's the only one that he's told. And the only others that know are Liansong and whichever medical personnel he may have shared the information with.

Quake has posed:
"Welcome to my life. Well, for a long time. Until I had a grip on it.." Skye shakes her head. "But, Director Fury was very careful. Nobody knew except the team working to give me balance between my old life and new, and the very few I told. Mind you, I was easier to hide from detection, I was, as far as people understood, was on a secret mission. Sorta."

Again, Skye shrugs. She's not pulling any punches. She figures he should know, good and bad.

"And sure, it's a bummer sometimes. Probably like yours. Do you know, do they think that eventually you will work it out. Your breathing, I mean." She carefully blows on her tea, only to given a bit of his secret. "Feathers? Weird. I guess it's better than what I thought at first. A fish, which would have been shitty." Especially for a SHIELD agent.

"I went to Beijing for a time. We were taking a vacation, but really Clint and I were hoping to find out my birth place, and my mother. She was ultimately Chinese."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
"There is a concern that it may happen again. The lack of oxygen," Yaozu says softly, his brow furrowing slightly. And so, he's not allowed to partake of exercise. He understands it, and he can't fault the decision. For a moment, Yaozu looks downinto his cup of tea, though it has no wisdom to offer him. Then he lifts it to take a sip of the hot brew. "It is good, that you had people to give you balance. To help you find it. This, for me... it started after I arrived here. No one back home knows," he says softly, his brow furrowing slightly. Not even his parents.

"I do not know. Liansong says that my body needs a higher level of oxygen, but that my respiratory system has not caught up to what it needs. Air sacs, he mentioned. It is unknown how it will turn out," he says softly. Then he tilts his head a touch to one side, a flicker of amusement finding his hazel eyes and a smile whispering at the corners of his lips. "A fish would be... awkward. Liansong does not know the manner of bird, as of yet. He says there will be wings, as well. Useful or not is unknown," he says quite softly, watching her.

"Did you find your birthplace, and her? Your mother," Yaozu says a gentle note to his voice. Curious, too.

Quake has posed:
"Well, so far, so good?" Skye smiles, and sets her tea down. "It took me months, years even, to figure it all out. Hell, what I did to you was an anomaly. I had to stay for another round of tests. You may take a long time, but really, how different is that from before? Everytime you did something new, you had to figure it out and practice it. This? Not so different."

She changes subjects. "No. I did see the village where I was born. Where SHIELD took me. I was the only 084 that was human. It was.. hard. I've been looking for years. She knows where I am, now, but we've been playing cat and mouse since. I can hope."

Yaozu Lin has posed:
There's a whisper of a smile that tugs at the corners of his lips, and Yaozu inclines his head towards her. "Except for my heart stopping... yes. So far, so good," he says softly, a flicker of amusement threading through his words. He does seem to have a sense of humour, even if the snips of him in the video didn't really give any sign of it. "It will take as long as it takes. There is no predicting it or hurrying it. I must simply be patient," he says softly, giving a small nod. "Liansong has done tests. He continues to do tests," he adds, that ghost of a smile returning. "He has been helping. It is. Learning something new, in a way. When I am able to practice again, you and I will practice together. I will have things to get used to," he says.

"It is a beginning, to see the village, at least. It is hard to imagine how hard that must have been. I am sorry, Skye. Where there is hope, there is life. I hope that the time will come, for you to meet," he says, giving a small nod.