2022-12-25: Holiday

• Cutscene: Holiday
• Cast: Eight York, Lavnadim Orlodhari
• Where: Zeon, Side 3
• Date: December 25, 2022 (0096 12 25)
• Summary: After a Christmas day with her grandmother, Eight meets up with Lavhi to start a Christmas evening.

They decided to meet at a hotel.

Eight has a place to stay in Zeon, now, but she isn't quite to the point of introducing her Zentradi boyfriend to Lady Kadun–or explaining that she also has a girlfriend, for that matter. No one really needs to know just now; here at the hotel bar, she's just another woman, her story a mystery to everyone else. Eight likes that, really. She likes to imagine that everyone has such a story of their own, even if most are perhaps not quite so complicated as hers. She walks past a couple at the bar, talking with heads close; past the bartender, who nods to her and continues fixing a drink. Eight's heels click against the tile on her way to the edge of the bar, where she'll take a seat and wait.

"What'll you have?" the bartender asks, in front of a mirrored bar wall in which Eight glances at her blonde hair as she focuses her eyes on the woman speaking to her. "Cola for me. Old Fashioned for my friend when he gets here."

"Coming up."

Eight hears snippets of conversations from around the bar, but she's not really focused on them so much as the general ambiance. She feels it, in her forcefully Awakened mind; excitement, affection, curiosity, tension, and an intoxicating aura that she's used to in bars. With her eyes, she checks her red dress, and with her hands she takes the drink when it's given to her. "Thanks," she says, and breathes in. Briefly, she closes her eyes, and contemplates the day.

"I have not kept you waiting long?"

Thoughts of meeting her grandmother for the first time slide away. Instead, Eight opens her eyes and looks up at Lavhi, smiling. They both are; she glances over him appreciatively, making a point of it since he's as dressed-up as she is in a dark jacket and yellow tie. He takes the opportunity to sit where she welcomes him next to her, and continues, "I was a bit turned around…"

"It's fine," Eight says, "I didn't get here too long ago. Your drink's still cold!" A beat, before Eight leans over to touch her shoulder to his arm. As she straightens, "You look great."

"I must match you, yes? You are beautiful as always." Pleasantries are nice, and Eight means what she says–but Lavhi is the one to broach a new topic. "How did your visit go?" He picks up and sips his drink, eyes on her eyes.

"Less awkward this time. We talked about living in Winter Wonderland. I'm an expert on Christmas, you know."

"I am aware! I have never had such hot cocoa as yours."

Eight smiles. "But seriously, it was… I hesitate to say 'nice'? We're still getting to know each other. But I think she appreciates having me around, for company too. She's got kind of a spark to her. And… I called her Grandmother."

Lavhi gives Eight a look; that's pretty significant.

"Mm-hm. I wasn't sure I would yet, but… It's Christmas, and I think regardless of… the rest of it… that I can definitely accept that I'm part of her family, too."

"That is good. I know how important family is to you." Lavhi slides a hand along the bar, where Eight closes her fingers over his. "Will you see her again tomorrow?"

"Yes. But after that I've got to get back to the ship, to see everyone, and then stop in at Winter Wonderland. She says she's going to give me some reading material to catch me up on some things I should know, so I'll have to do that too. My grandmother's giving me homework.."

"Ah, ha ha." His laugh is quiet, but rich. "Yes, good. I am sorry that I cannot go with you; my current project is demanding much of my leisure time."

"That's fine–it's important to have hobbies." Eight keeps it vague; they're in public, and one never knows who's listening in. Especially now that they're mixed up in so much more than they used to be, because it is not in fact a hobby project.

"Well, I did not say it before, Eight." He changes the subject mostly because he's bad at lying, and he'd have to to continue. Besides, it's, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Eight lifts her soda, and they clink their glasses together. "I'm glad to spend it with you." She smiles, and leans in. He leans, too, and kisses her, a soft thing that is the upper end of the public affection she usually shows… but they're off-duty, and it's Christmas.

"So," Eight says, "How about you? How was the flight? I know you don't do commercial that much anymore." Obviously. They have their own ship!

"Eventful! That is part of why it took me extra time to find you; we landed at the spaceport here, but only after a bit of adventure with the local authorities. Security is much tighter than usual, even here." He grimaces at that; he doesn't really want to talk about recent invasions at the moment. "But I met a pleasant man on the ship who wanted to discuss beachfront Earth property with me. He was disappointed, but we ended up finding that he has also spent much time on the Colonial Fleets, and we discussed that instead."

Smiling, Eight puts her hand back on Lavhi's forearm. "You always manage to make friends. It's nice."

"It is more fun that way." He stops, though. "...I would like to discuss the things I have noticed more, later. In private."

"Of course," Eight answers, and her eyes soften a little. "I know there's a lot to notice. People are tense out there."

"Yes," he says. "But for now… Are you hungry? I saw a restaurant next door." Lavhi knows Eight tends to have a big appetite. Then, so does he. But it's just an offer, right now.

"I think…" Eight takes her hand back, and tilts her head. "Finish your drink," she suggests. "We can get room service."

"...This works for me," he muses, and lifts his glass.