Jessica is quick to slip into the booth, opting to sit on the same side as Yan Sun, boxing her in as she sets her drink down on the table. A crowded dance floor and some dancing would certainly have been enough for her to work up a bit of a sweat, but it's more likely that the perspiration on her brow line is from the time spent in zero G having a bit more of a physical effect on her than she'd be willing to admit. It's not everyday
#HourglassClub – August 25, 2026
that she dances upside down, after all. So as soon as she's settled in she wastes no time tugging the sleeveless hoodie off to cool down. "When is this?" she asks, setting her hoodie on the table. Her gaze briefly turns past Yan Sun and, as soon as she looks out the window- to the very much upside down world outside- her eyes widen and she reaches out, as if her current situation has only just now settled in and she attempts to
pin down her hoodie before it can float up into the sky... or rather, fall to the floor? But that seems to force her to realize she's not holding her drink down and, after a brief panic causes her stomach to do a few flip-flops, she seems to catch herself. The drink hasn't flown off. The hoodie hasn't flown off. Yan Sun hasn't flown off. She sniffs, attempting to play it off by leaning an elbow on her hoodie, as if for
Yan Sun 's expression falters a little, Jessica's struggle with the nature of gravity mercifully going unnoticed as she reminisces, gaze on the inverted skyline outside. "Few years ago now. This place had just opened up. I snuck in with my friends. It was the first time most of them experienced zero gravity. Even Spek came, and he almost never leaves the Den! Almost got us in trouble, too, because he threw up all over..." she recounts with
a snicker that's laced with a melancholy sort of warmth that leaves her frowning after the laugh fades. She seeks out the straw of her drink for another sip.
Jessica props her head up with her palm, small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she listens. Once she's recovered from her momentary terror, that is. Yan Sun's final words draw a snicker out of her as well. Silence persists between the pair for a few moments, Jessica merely watching as her partner sips at her drink, the weight behind the memory not lost on her. Eventually she reaches over, idly dragging her own drink closer
Yan Sun shrugs a little. "Yeah, I guess..." she admits, barely audible over the sounds of the club. She avoids looking Jessica's way as she fiddles with her drink, using the straw to push around icecubes.
Jessica gives a shrug, nudging Yan Sun's boot under the table with the toe of her shoe. "Then why you don't say to them that you are back? Mm?" she continues to pry, never one to let 'not my business' from stopping her. She gives her drink a quick glance before testing the waters with a sip.
Yan Sun lets out an uncomfortable noise. "Because it's not that simple. I left. I can't just go 'Hey, I'm back!'. Besides, did you forget about my ex?"
Jessica furrows her brow, briefly licking at the roof of her mouth before giving the drink an approving second sip. "No I did not forget about your ex, kitty cat." she scoffs, her voice briefly taking on a mocking tone. "But they are your friends, too, yes? So-..." she shrugs, as if she doesn't get the issue, "...say to them, 'Hey, I am back, let's go do some shit and leave the fucking bitch out of it because I meet a muuuch
hotter bitch now.' See. Is that simple." she explains, putting on a big grin as if she's just solved all of Yan Sun's problems.
Yan Sun 's scoff is somewhere halfway between amused and uneasy. "It's really not..." she insists. "I doubt any of them would be happy to see me," she says, although it's not hard to pick up on the uncertainty in her tone. "Things were kind of a mess when I left." She takes a sip from her drink, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Honestly, Spek probably knows already. Must be keeping it to himself."
Jessica allows a frown of her own to slip out, gaze dropping back to her drink. There's a part of her that wants to protest. To point out that she was in a similar position not too long ago. With Kirill. With Rafe. With Paige and the rest of the Gorge. But that feels a little too revealing. Admitting just how much it meant for her to rebuild contact with everyone rather than leaving everything so... broken. Admitting that Yan Sun is
probably the reason she even mustered up the courage to show her face at the Gorge after everything went to hell. Feels rather hypocritical to suggest Yan Sun does the same when she won't be around to help her see it through. So she drops it, swallowing at the lump in her throat that she's been doing her best to ignore. Ignore it until she's out of runway. "What you are drinking, slut?" she asks instead, nodding to the cocktail
Yan Sun seems simultaneously relieved and, in some strange way, a little disappointed, when Jessica changes the subject. Had part of her been craving that push? It doesn't matter now, she eagerly latches on to the chance to drop it, giving her drink a look over. "Arctic Blue. Wanna taste?" she asks, nudging the straw Jessica's way.
Jessica hums an affirmation. "Sounds gay." she comments before leaning over and putting the drink through the sniff test. "Smells gay." she adds to her highbrow review. Gripping the straw to stabilize it, she takes a tentative sip. Her gaze tilts up as she does as if carefully appraising it before she pulls back with a smack of her lips. "Tastes gay." she decides, her focus returning to Yan Sun. A career as a food critic might just be
Yan Sun shoots Jessica an unimpressed look at first, but as she keeps going she starts to crack up. She shakes her head to herself and snatches her drink back with a snort. "Shut up. You taste gay..." is her muttered comeback, almost lost in the thumping music.
Jessica tries to keep a serious look on her face but the facade wavers, small grin tugging at her lips at Yan Sun's muttered comeback. "Mm." she concedes, prodding at the bottom of her upper teeth with her tongue, "You would know."
Yan Sun seems to have, remarkably, flustered herself- the club lights do a decent job of hiding the hint of red in her cheeks, but her attempt to keep a straight face is only so successful. "Mm. I would," she agrees, seeking out a looong sip of her drink to fortify herself.
Jessica's expression turns amused as the telltale signs of Yan Sun's embarrassment show up. "You want to taste mine...?" she asks before giving an exaggerated, exasperated sigh to accompany a roll of her eyes, "I am meaning my drink, kitty cat!" she clarifies, doing her best to restrain her grin as she nudges her drink closer. "I do not want you to get excited and climb under the table." she adds in a mutter.
Yan Sun 's embarrassment only grows as Jessica teases her, but the alcohol in her system gives her what she needs to power through, and as she reaches for the offered drink to have a taste, she leans down to meet the glass halfway, eyes flicking up to meet Jessica's as she takes a sip, a simmering intensity there under the flustered surface.
Jessica's gaze remains fixed on Yan Sun, one hand still propping up her head. Judging by the way she's studying Yan Sun- brown eye scanning across her features, settling on her lips- it's easy to see that her thoughts probably aren't too far off. She tilts her head against her fist as the club's colorful lights flicker across her. "What you are looking at?" she drawls lazily, giving Yan Sun another antagonizing nudge under the table
Yan Sun 's face twitches just slightly at the kick of Jessica's drink, but she suppresses it, and after her lips leave the glass she licks them before they quirk into a small smile. She leans closer, brushing some still gravity-tousled hair from her own face.. "My girlfriend. My..." Her gaze flicks away for just a moment in self-consciousness before refocusing on Jessica. "...very hot girlfriend. Who I'd really like to take back to my place
Jessica lets a puff of air out through her nose as Yan Sun speaks, a tinge of guilt settling into her chest at the words that follow, knowing what she knows. Girlfriend. She's never really been one for titles. Makes things sound too official. Feel too official. Feel too real. And that means when she inevitably fucks things up, she ruined something real. It's easier to just leave the labels off. Have some fun and see where it
goes. Make a clean break when things go south. It's better for everyone that way. But, despite her numerous protests, despite the discomfort that surfaced when Yan Sun began using the label, despite all of the eyerolls and sidelong glares... it almost felt right with Yan Sun. Almost felt like it fit. Almost. But those are concerns for another day. They've still got time left, and she's not going to waste it. The booze helps to
push aside the pain inflicted by a simple term of endearment, and she props her grin back up. "Mm." she hums, her gaze never leaving Yan Sun as she pulls her drink back and brings it to her lips, finishing it off. With a small raise of her brows she nods her head back towards the direction they arrived from, grin growing more firm as she begins to scoot out of the booth.
Yan Sun seems oblivious to Jessica's turmoil, grin widening before she gets to work on her own drink, not quite able to match Jessica's impressive speed in downing it.