2023-02-16: Valentine's Valentine
- Log: 2023-02-16: Valentine's Valentine
- Cast: Sayla Mass, Faye Valentine
- Where: Yumi Foundation Head Office, Paris, Continental Europe
- OOC - IC Date: 14 February, 0097
- Summary: Faye surprises Sayla with a Valentine's Day visit at work. They try not to stumble over... whatever their relationship is.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Valentine's Day has not been a big day on Sayla's calendar for a while. Sure, it was cute watching Shiro and Leina be adorable for their first big mandated romance day, but for Sayla herself it's been... a while. A long while.
This year, she had extra reasons to be out of the house. Leina doubtless had plans and something told her Roux and Judau were the sorts to be loud about it. And after what happened in Side 6, Sayla had been a foul mood anyway. It seemed a good time to go through the questionable big donors and partnership requests.
And then she got a vertex message out of the blue.
And so she sits in her office, waiting for a guest. Security's been asked to let her through after the basic scan- and for someone to guide her to the elevator.
That someone is Sakura Isogai, Sayla's EA. Dr Mass isn't the only one typically alone on Valentines.
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
To be honest, this hasn't really been a day on Faye's radar for a few years, either. And before that... who knows.
Honestly, most of the time, it's a bother. After all, some joker thought it'd be funny to leave her with a name like this, and after a few years of it, the weak comedy has dried up completely. But...
Well, like usual, she'd been running away from something she wanted to run towards, hadn't she? And the kindly saint (no relation - she's named after a song, after all,) was as good an excuse as any.
Plus, if one has chocolate shopping to do and a little money to burn, there are worse places to do it than Sayla's neck of the woods. Getting greeted by an honest to god secretary (and a cute one) is a mild surprise, but... Well, it hadn't taken much scanning of the net to realize she'd somehow pulled someone way out of her league, huh? War hero, philanthropist, and more...
It had taken Faye a little while to convince herself that all of that wasn't a good excuse to forget how cute she looked the morning after.
Helpfully directed by Sakura Isogai, it's not long before Faye Valentine is depositing a paper bag from a local bakery on Sayla's desk... In her usual outfit, with the barest concession to modesty of actually wearing her red jacket rather than leaving it teasingly tossed from her shoulders, she gives an uncharacteristically nervous smile.
"Brought you a Valentine," she teases, and winces a tiny bit... which she hides by grabbing a liquer-filled chocolate from another small bag she carried in with her and popping it into her mouth. The couple of extra seconds buys her enough confidence to add, "...It's good to see you again, actually..."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
When Faye arrives, Sayla stands up to greet her with a smile. Faye still carries herself as the confident young woman she was in Tsutsujidai, but Sayla can sense those nerves even before she sees that smile. Sayla's own outfit is long skirt, a matching tailored suit jacket and a white blouse. Simple, for her. Her long brown coat is on the coathook near the door.
Sayla does let out a small laugh, covering her mouth slightly as she does so. "Better you saying it than me. I would have walked into the pun by accident." She looks at the bag on the table, then back to Faye, and smiles a bit more gently. "It's good to see you too. I wasn't sure..." She stops herself. The wrong topic. Instead she scoops the bag of baked goods, and Gestures Faye towards the two seater. "Let's not stand around at least."
As she moves, Sayla speaks up again. "...I have to admit, this is a pleasant surprise. I'd rather expected to spend the day working." She places the bag on the table to get comfortable, before sitting down and looking in. She reaches in to pull out one of the many chocolate pastries- the classic pain au chocolate. She grabs one of the periodicals on the table to use a as a plate, and places it on the table. "It's nice to know you're a bit of a romantic, Faye."
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
"Oh, I've heard 'em -- you know what, don't worry about it." She lets her gaze slide over, and nods when Sayla suggests the two-seater, sliding in comfortably enough and throwing one leg over the other, smiling a little bit when Sayla goes in for one of those pastries.
It's not a big accomplishment, but... It's nice, isn't it? To see someone enjoying the efforts you go to. (And it certainly turned out better than if she'd tried her own hand in the kitchen. Definitely not the domestic type.)
"Yeah, I had a feeling. I'm a little shocked you don't have pushy types falling all over you - but maybe that cute secretary of yours is just good at shakin' 'em off." Faye bites into another of those cordials, a bit of red standing on her lips before she pops the rest in and licks it away.
There's a bit of comfortable silence as Faye leans in a little closer... and then a moment of less comfortable silence, preceded by a short little puff of a sigh. "Guess I'm not surprised you keep busy, though. I didn't expect a couple of fun weekends to show up in the headlines -- but damn, you're really something. I... maybe let it get in my head a bit, but. Then I figured, you probably appreciated someone who didn't..."
She grins. "I don't mind letting you blow off steam, but it might be a bit trickier to go under the radar now that we're not all locked in a... whatever that was. I can live with a little buzz, though. Just thought you deserved a holiday."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
That comment gets a snort out of Sayla- and she's glad she hadn't picked up the chocolate croissant yet. She doesn't want to make the cleaners deal with powedered sugar everywhere. Or herself. And it certainly is nice, when she finally does bite in it's with practiced skill that only gets a bit of crumb on her. She closes her eyes to savour it- it's cold, so the chocolate has some solidity to it, and Sayla always preferred that over goeey warm chocolate. Eventually she smiles. "You have a wonderful sense of timing. This is just what I needed." She shifts nice and close to Faye, so she can lean on her. There's nothing subtle about the movement, it's an open invite. "You aren't planning to leave all these to me though, are you?"
Sayla laughs again. "The thing about pushy people is a lot of them don't want someone who pushes back. And they definitely don't want someone prepared to shove." She leans back, looking up to the ceiling. "And most of them have an impression of me that... isn't who I am. Guess that's the advantage of meeting how we did."
Faye hits on the point too, and Sayla looks back to her. "I'm sorry for not contacting you. I was a little worried that... well, it would have that effect. It's very rare I meet people who don't have some idea of who I am." She places the croissant back on the improvised plate, and burshes her hand off to move an arm around Faye if allowed. She... wants this closeness.
"Might be. But I'm pretty good at diverting attention by now. And these days I have a secret exit out of the garage and some people to ruin shots. So... I'm game to try tricky, if you are."
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
"Oh, of course not! I didn't go on this little shopping trip just for you," Faye smirks, tilting just slightly so that Sayla can lean into her a little easier. She throws an arm over the back to give Sayla even more room, and carefully leans forward to pluck a palmerita from the bag. "Mmh, might be worth dropping by more often just for this - but it's so much work looking this good as it is. Living around all this chocolate might be dangerous..."
Still, Sayla's able to laugh, and that's also nice. And, even though there's a bit of tension as they both come to the same conclusion, she's willing not to run from it right away... and Sayla's arm around her clearly takes some tightness out of her shoulders. She lets herself melt into it a bit while she snacks on another pastry.
"It's fine. I'm such a prize myself, y'know? You take one look at me, and... So yeah, I figured out how to scare folks off..." Another of those little air-puff sighs. "Yeah, I bet that gets real old. I'm kinda glad I met you the way I did, then! God, you probably could afford a trophy wife, huh? I thought I was being funny, but -- you know what, forget it. Not what I'm here for today. Let's just enjoy the moment..."
She's enjoying the closeness too. The little bits of tension she wasn't paying attention to slowly ooze their way out, breath steadying, body loosening up with the warmth of Sayla's added. She grins a little when Sayla talks about her paparazzi(?) dodging methods. "Oooh, sounds like you've learned a few nice tricks. I guess I did already know you're not exactly always a good girl... You appreciate me, after all." There is just the slightest undercurrent of tension, but she lets it go again before it can really sink in. That's not the discussion to have today - it doesn't have to be the discussion they have at all, as long as Sayla doesn't make the mistake of...
Of wanting more than this.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"You think the chocolate's good, wait until you try some of the other options. Paris is a dangerous place for a waistline." She shifts again, to let Faye lean on her rather than next to her. It's a little more comfortable that way. More space to melt- and Sayla likes it when someone melts into her.
"I dunno, I don't think you're the sort of person to want to be won." Sayla smiles, a little devishly. She doesn't let the comment slide, either. "I mean, it *was* funny. But it doesn't seem like what you'd go for. Even if you could use some spoiling too. But if today is about enjoying the moment..."
She decides playful is the tact here, sneaking a quick kiss onto Faye's cheek, and pulling back to see the result. A little fun startle before letting her talk. "Survival tactics, in my line of work. I used to know a guy who would sink his entire office under the bay just so he could work unbothered. I'm not *quite* that far along." Sayla raises an eyebrow. "Oh I am sure you could lead any number of good girls 'astray' if you wanted-" She pauses at the comment after. "But... maybe I'm just a woman who's lived a life that let's me appreciate a woman who's living a life?"
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
Faye's not used to being this comfortable, and maybe it shows. She shifts a bit as Sayla does before finding the right position and ends up having to let her leg back down so she has enough support to really lean in close... her eyes sweep the room a bit, but mostly they're fixed on Sayla's face.
"Aha... right on the mark, huh? Well, at least I know you're paying attention." That playful grin doesn't stir her much, but maybe it should have, because she startles just a bit at the kiss - though not enough to keep her from shifting to return the favor, skin a little warm. That suit gives her a little bit to hold onto, and an opportunity to slip a hand under the jacket, to wrap around Sayla a little more intimately. "Not that I mind being just a pretty face, but it's nice to know you're thinking about me, too. And spoiling me, hmm?" That one makes her giggle a bit. "Are you sure I won't turn out rotten?"
She shakes her head a bit in amusement as Sayla talks about this guy she knows and the idea of an office that sinks right into the water - she must have a lot of connections with some real oddball types, huh? - which only somewhat deliberately has the effect of letting her hair brush against Sayla's cheek and neck with how she's leaning; And then Sayla finishes her thought, and Faye goes quietly thoughtful for a moment.
She's not really used to thinking about other people's pasts. But Sayla's got one - it's all over this room, and there was a more playful peek at it back in Aya - and... she really does seem to understand Faye, or at least be making an effort. It's a weird feeling. How bad could it be?
She knows exactly how bad. It's one of the first things she learned, right alongside learning a few decades of technological advancement she missed out on. But Sayla doesn't have anything to gain by that. So... what does she get, out of all this? If it's just this... just getting to be close to someone who doesn't put all that weight on your shoulders - then nothing needs to change, right? She can just drop in whenever the mood strikes her.
Unless she wants it to change. But that's a scary thought. "Yeah. I guess we kinda wanted a lot of the same things back in Tsutsujidai, huh? We've got a few things in common, I think..."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"The slow shift in their combined movements to get closer is nice. Really nice. "I mean, I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't. And as far as I'm concerned, you certainly deserve some nice attention." Faye's arm sliding under Sayla's jacket serves as encouragement to pull faye in closer, after the returned kiss. At the rate they're going, Faye will either end up on Sayla's lap, or the two sprawled on the couch. "But I'd say it's worth the risk."
Sayla goes in for another quick ambush kiss after Faye's hair brushes against her. "Yeah. It felt like..." She pauses for a while. "Well, it was something I haven't had in a long time. It... seemed the same for you a bit." The serious talk seems to have come. "There's... a lot to work out, I suppose, but we can take it slow." She pauses again. "But I'm enjoying this- and I don't want to put more pressure on you."
She sighs. "Sorry. I'll drop it if you like. I feel I'm dampening the mood." She reaches out for her pain au chocolate, taking a bite, careful not to let it drop on Faye.
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
Faye's been melting so smoothly in Sayla's direction - it really does look like they're about to be sprawled over the couch together - but then she stills, for a moment.
'it's worth the risk.'
That's...
For just a moment, her teeth tug at her bottom lip as she considers it. It feels unfair. Not that Sayla doesn't have her own things going on, but - well that's the thing, isn't it? Her life is already a lot. Letting her add this to the pile, before she even knows the full story - as if Faye could even give the full story...
Why does Faye Valentine care about taking advantage of someone?
...because for a while, it was nice to be what someone needed. And she was having fun. She should -
Sayla's taking this seriously. The freeze almost turns into a flinch, but... there's another kiss, and she's so warm here right now. If Sayla really wants to try... She sighs and settles back in, nodding softly when Sayla says there might be a lot to work out. "I... Yeah. I'm not as glamorous as I look... well, I guess if I was, I wouldn't be living the cowboy life, huh? You said it yourself... strange line of work for a nice looking girl like me."
That calm lasts until Sayla seems dissatisfied again, as she sighs about bringing down the mood. Faye's arm around her gets a little tighter, her face tilting a bit to hide her expression. "Hey. Don't... I like this, you know? We'll have plenty of time to have fun, if you don't... mind me sticking around."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla can sense Faye's hesitance. The way her body freezes, the way she tries not to flinch. She knows she screwed- up, and Faye tries to settle again. "I'm sure there are rich kids into the business for fun, but few stick it out. It's a risky business- and not everyone is cut out for spending a night in a cargo container to get the drop on a target." Sayla coughs. "Or. So I've heard, anyway."
There is. Some overlap in her lines of work.
"But... it's work. You do what you need to." As Faye's arm tightens again, she reaches up to her free hand to stroke Faye's hair. Reassurance, a preferred stance. "...Okay. You're right." She doesn't apologize now. The focus has to be on this. "And... I really liked the surprise."
'If you don't... mind me sticking around.'
"I don't mind at all. You're an uplifting presence." Sayla pauses. She wonders if this is too far, after everything. "I'm happy to stay like this as long as we want." But she's gonna put something on the table. "Some of these would go nicely with some champagne, though. And maybe a bath, if the idea appeals?" It's... probably too pushy an invitation to home but... "Then we can take it easy all night, and I don't get exasperated vertexes about sleeping in the office."
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
Faye gives an amused little scoff at Sayla's description of cowboy work. "God, either you're even more scandalous than I thought or you have some wild friends, Sayla. ...Maybe a little of both?"
Sayla's fingers settle on, and then in her hair, and... She manages not to flinch. She sighs, and even smiles when Sayla confirms she appreciated the surprise. "Worth it, then..."
Faye pivots a bit, finding a more comfortable position - one that does, in fact, basically put her in Sayla's lap, so that she can let her legs stretch a bit - the risks of couch cuddling for this long. From here, she can gaze up at Sayla's face a bit, taking it in. "Oh, good. Usually I can't get any peace unless I'm all by myself, and that's -- well, whatever. I don't mind it, being alone, but... this is a lot more fun."
Sayla makes her suggestion, and those big green eyes blink once as she considers the implication. Champagne - a night out, or? Then the invitation for a bath makes it clearer and she goes pensive for a second. That's... definitely a bit of an ask, right? Slipping out the door in the morning is a lot more... something, when you're actually waking up in someone else's house. She might even be tempted to stay. Part of her does want to squirm, but she pushes it down.
"Well, if I'm saving you from your bad habits... Mm..." She reaches up and slips those long fingers over a shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, a little smirk on her face. "Oh, yeah. Way too much tension. We've got to get you away from that desk and into a bath tonight, for sure. I guess I can put my charms to good use, just this once. ...you got space for a MONO at your place, though? I don't think I've ever hooked up with anyone who was personal helipad rich."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"Definitely both." Sayla asks. If only Faye knew. Though... it's kind of nice that she doesn't. "She smiles lightly at Faye's response. "Definitely worth it." Sayla accommodates the shift easily, and Faye looking up at here...
"Hm. That's a pity. You look damn cute like this." She smirks, wrapping her arms loosely around Faye's stomach. A grip one could slip easily, at any time, but still a grip. Sayla watches her as she think and works through it. The thoughts that skip across the surface.
"Very generous of you," she teases. Faye's not wrong- Sayla is a very tense person, even when relaxing. And honestly, there are plenty of people who would thank Faye for this. "But you can very much consider me charmed." She gives a small nod. "We can, we have a landing space near my garage. It's not quite a helipad, but it will do the trick." She looks down at Faye. "And for all my adventures, I haven't been passenger in a MONO before, let alone one with a beautiful pilot. I'm looking forward to it."
She'll have to vertex ahead, but that... shouldn't be a problem here.
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
Faye could slip loose, if she wanted to... But having Sayla's hands resting on her like this is pretty comfortable, honestly. She can take a minute. She puts on a soft, confident smile at Sayla's compliment - but, well, there is a little emotional up-beat there that can't help slipping through even Faye's constant facade. One of the tricky things about dating someone who can read your emotions, it turns out.
"Oh, yeah, that should be fine, as long as I have a place to set her down. It's not very big. Honestly, kind of a one-person ride, but you should be able to fit. It'll just be a bit close... I don't think that's a problem, though."
She sighs, realizing with just the barest hint of dismay this means she's going to have to get up. She starts her lean up... and takes the opportunity to sneak a kiss on Sayla, this time, letting her lips rest on Sayla's, a bit of sweetness still lingering from the chocolate treats. When she breaks away, not even the ever-cool Faye Valentine can avoid the hint of a blush.
"I'm a little excited to see your place. Anything you need before we get out of here?"
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"Well then. Sounds like we have a plan. I don't mind it being a bit of a squeeze."
Sayla is prepared for the kiss, but it's nice. That taste on her lips is an added. A part of her wants to lean more into it but... not yet. She lets it linger, enjoying the moment- and the blush on Faye's face. She really is cute like that.
"Just my coat and bag. Shall we?"
<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.
Faye takes her time getting up and stretching out, very deliberately avoiding sneaking looks at Sayla over her shoulder.
She can't know how other people are feeling in quite the same way, but she's always had a good sense of where their eyes are. Being able to control where someone else is looking is important for all sorts of tricks and cons - and when you want to put on a show.
Fortunately, she doesn't need to grab much either. She sweeps up the remaining chocolates, playfully tilts her head towards the door, and smiles just a bit as she catches Sayla reaching for her phone. Once Sayla looks ready, she leans in one more time, nice and close, to plant a kiss on the blonde's cheek.
"Yeah, I don't mind a squeeze with you either. Just mind any temptations to do some squeezing. I don't want to be too distracted while I'm flying." With one of those characteristic smirks, she swings around Sayla's shoulder... and can't help but fail to take her own advice, as her arm slips around Sayla's hips. "We've got the whole night ahead of us, right?"