2023-05-16: .you have ever helped me lift my weights and responsibiliteS
- Log: .you have ever helped me lift my weights and responsibiliteS
- Cast: Yuliana Kafim, Elisa Kafim
- Where: The Silent Castle, Kaffeklubben Island
- Date: 2023-05-16
- Summary: Yuliana hits the gym to work through some complicated feelings about Metis. Luckily, Elisa's there to help make sure she's okay.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
The Silent Castle is vast as it is quiet, sprawling over chill Kaffeklubben. In a room to the West, Parminder and Wen have gotten together to post, enjoying a spot of their favourite sport: Sockpuppet Olympics.
(Parminder is winning. He just convinced an entire forum of cross-stitch enthusiasts that his wife died suddenly.)
Elsewhere in the Castle are some more congruent souls -- not to say there aren't more people, taking care of tasks, between here and there. Transition period. Don't worry about it. But in the South Wing, where plans are hatched, there lies...
... a gym?
There's a gym in the Castle.
Obviously there's a gym in the Castle; even if Elisa doesn't need to expend any effort to maintain her Olympian form, these days, Yuliana has always been a more chthonic creature. Closer to this Earth both figuratively and literally, she's on her back, hoisting what would be to any reasonable person an unreasonably heavy weight up over her chest. Even she's begun puffing about it, breathing laboured and taut, which might be explained by the way she breathes out, "... ninety-nine..."
Once more her arms bend down, as she begins the motion, before they push up and stretch themselves out to their full lengths. Scars and fat obscure just how muscled her arms are, but neither are perfect veils, particularly now. Give her some credit -- she doesn't tremble overmuch, as she finally sets the weights in their seating again, draped perilously over her. (Surely the equipment is all up to the highest safety standards, of course. Yuliana's using it.) "... all right," Yuliana huffs, breathless, and doesn't exactly bother to extract herself from her position immediately. She's still tired.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elsewhere? This is not about that.
The gym is quite extensive, actually. It has top-of-the-line equipment, including a balance beam and parallel bars, among other things... and of course, the weights. And this is an unreasonably heavy weight, indeed.
For some. Not for either of the two here, really. Elisa Kafim, of course, is spotting for her wife, standing at the head of her bench at the ready, in case there is any need for help with the perilous weight. She does not expect there to be difficulty--her wife is Strong--but as always, her every attention is upon the possibility.
She shows little muscle; in place of the black robes is black workout clothing, light and breezy, easily showing off her own muscles. And she does have them.
"Good, good, my darling," Elisa says to Yuliana, soothingly, proudly. "You are mighty indeed. It is a pleasure to watch you exercise such power..."
She comes to step around, now that Yuliana is finished for the moment.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana has spent a lot of time admiring Elisa's efforts with those parallel bars, in fact. She's quite taken by her grace! Amongst other things.
She'd blush at how much attention Elisa is giving her, now, except her whole face is flushed anyway, so it's kind of hard to tell. Her temperature's a full degree colder than it was, before the Institute got through with her -- which Elisa would surely know, given she attends to her wife's medical needs just the same -- but she's still warm enough for that blood to show, against her skin.
She's smiling, regardless. "Ahh, I... can't let you have all the fun," she says, still breathy, but with a teasing edge to it. "Or perhaps... I'm the one who shouldn't have all the fun... heh heh..."
After that moment of stillness, bathing in Elisa's regard as much as the heat her body's generated, she slides herself out -- reaching up a hand, silently asking Elisa's help up. It's only natural. Elisa is here for her, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
The gym is one of the few places in the world that Elisa seems to pay attention to something besides Yuliana. Oh, she's paying attention to Yuliana right now, of course--but her body remembers the bars. Perhaps that's why...
Regardless, Elisa does know these things, and she watches her flushed, and smiles back, widely. "I think that we both are allocated a good amount of 'fun' here," the half-Meltrandi reflects, her hair faintly moving as if in an unseen wind.
Elisa continues to regard Yuliana--and then she reaches, taking Yuliana's hand and acting the immovable wall that Yuliana can pull herself up by her strength.
"So, how do you feel?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana loves to watch Elisa lose herself to those bars; she loves that she loves the art. And she loves -- "True!" Yuliana finds the breath in her lungs to exclaim, with warm enthusiasm. Or perhaps 'warm' isn't quite the word.
(Objectively, Yuliana's Olympian wife is very hot.)
With Elisa to steady her, Yuliana hoists herself up -- and up, her weight sinking in against her chest as soon as she's upright. Her other hand rests at her shoulder, as she leans against Elisa, and looks to her.
Not up to her, not right now. They're almost the same height with both their feet flat to the floor, did you know?
"Good," Yuliana sighs, all affection. "I really needed to work this out, I think... haa, was I really such a mess about tomorrow?" She was. Objectively. She broke a very nice teapot about it. "But this was a wonderful idea... yes, my head's clearer, now..."
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Up, up, up! Elisa is not so much taller, without the heels, though she does have that certain presence to her still. And of course, she is perhaps a welcome cool against the heat of Yuliana's exertions, like the shade of a mighty tree on a hot day. Is that how it is? It might be.
"You were... troubled," Elisa decides to say. She would never call her wife a mess! But the teapot is irrelevant, as is the work being done to clean it by a servant who has enough will to complain and enough wit to not.
"I will trust in you for tomorrow," Elisa assures Yuliana. "Come. We must cool down appropriately. We shall do a circuit."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
And what a wonderful presence! Yuliana sighs, happily, sinking into the cool of Elisa's skin. Surely that's how it is; always she welcomes her, always is she welcome.
"I'm so lucky you're looking out for me," Yuliana smiles, and straightens up enough to take her arm instead. Her own are bared by that same black workout gear, of course; most of her jewellery is safely tucked away while she's here with Elisa, though her ring never leaves her person, obviously.
"Yes," she agrees, gaze veiling with a sly grin. "Though you need no help being cool, do you, darling?"
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
"I am lucky to have you to look after," Elisa offers in turn, and walks with Yuliana on her arm. Even Elisa doesn't wear her earrings while working out; her jewelry is likewise safe and away. ...Except her ring, naturally. That is the same for both of them. But she laughs faintly, at the veiled gaze and comment. It is faint, of course; she is not a demonstrative woman in most contexts. But even so.
"A good habit is a good habit," she says. "It is a part of matters."
She considers, for a moment, as she leads Yuliana on, in indeed a circuit around the gym area. "It is good of you," Elisa says, "To exercise your power in the way that you have planned. To use it to go after what is important to you. To act in such a way... it is noble."
"Though it worries me, I shall support your efforts by trusting you, as I said. ...A pity that woman must also be safeguarded, for now. But it is of no matter, in the end. Only your 'friend' matters in this. When you have brought her to me, we shall save her."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
A wedding ring is a promise, after all, which must never be broken. So long as she lives, she won't allow it to leave her finger. She is Elisa's; Elisa is hers. The world should know, too.
Yuliana's laughter is more noticeable but not more notable, to ask her; Elisa's expressions are fainter than hers, but she feels them all keenly. She appreciates Elisa's humour all the more for how precious it is. "Ahh, correct action, is it? You're so diligent..!"
She walks with Elisa, matching her pace, fingers curled about her arm. She could lead her anywhere, really, and Yuliana would go happily.
"Yes," she agrees, eyes on her wife. (Only for her wife.) "She had the information I needed, so I had to play along with her... but Luio's mistaken if she thinks she's leashed me. Now I know she means to expose Ritechka to that Jona, I can estimate her movements... she's quite welcome to cage her. I'll claim her when the work is done." A little huff, a little shrug of the shoulder opposite Elisa.
She's smiling again, a moment later, as her thoughts slip off of her rival for Rita's salvation. And she does not interrogate, for an instant, why they're opposed in wanting such similar ends. Neither does she interrogate the particular inflection of 'friend' Elisa's used. Why would she? "Oh, Elya, I knew you'd be able to do something," she sighs, eyes shining. "You're so powerful... perhaps she doesn't really deserve it, but I want to give her a chance, anyway. A chance to exist in the world as it will be..." Surely when the Void opens, there will be no more ghosts, on Earth.
Just as there are no ghosts beside her.
"And... I'm so glad for your support." In trusting her, no doubt. Her eyes close, briefly, as her fingers curl a little tighter about her arm. Elisa won't let her run into anything, of course. "Actually, I'm a little worried, too... just because Ritechka passes through the colony doesn't mean she'll necessarily be there at that moment. We may have to make some noise..." And it's a college colony -- she's told Elisa everything, naturally. A bunch of young adults trying to learn their place in life, even if they are Spacenoids.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
A solemn promise. Elisa removes hers for nothing.
She smiles faintly at the praise. And then she is walking. She leads her around the gym, of course; if she leads her anywhere else, it is not apparent in the moment.
"Indeed. I will not allow any of these... people, to control you again. Least not one like her, who pretends at abomination to pad her bank accounts." Elisa looks down on such deceptions as a matter of course, it would seem. "And you are so very clever, my darling, to think of having her work for you in this way. It is admirable."
But, "Of course. Whatever it is that you require, my darling, I shall find a way to accomplish. We shall find ways, together." But surely, "Of course she deserves it; she deserves it by virtue of your choice. So long as she is special to you, she deserves whatever you wish her to have."
Her support is unconditional. "Hmmm..." She considers this. "Noise. Yes, I see. But it is your responsibility to do this thing, even if it hurts some. For the greater good, you must exercise your power to 'save' that which is important to you."
"You are not responsible, meanwhile, for Luio's actions. She has attempted to trap you with your dear, dear affection for a friend. It is admirable of you, and terrible of her. Should she choose to make more 'noise' than is necessary, why..."
"Her punishment will find her. Do not concern yourself with the fates of those who look away from the path. It is your responsibility to Rita that is important, today. ...Unless you would back out?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana's deceptions are admirable, naturally. She's very clever. Michele, meanwhile, is the worst kind of pretender. How fortunate she is that Elisa won't let any of them control her! "Thank you," she smiles, aglow under her praise. Or is it the recent exercise? Both!
And she smiles, to her, as Elisa insists they'll find the way, together. And -- "Ah, of course, you're right," Yuliana says, still warm. (A little cooler, physically. The walk helps!) "Because she matters to me... yes, surely even a creature like her can know salvation, under those circumstances."
Yuliana is a powerful woman, after all.
... which means her responsibilities weigh a lot, too.
She sighs, leaning against Elisa a little heavier, immersing herself in her advice. "She is awful, isn't she?" Yuliana pouts, a slight whining edge to the words. "What a wretched woman! Ugh, she's nothing like me!" That's not what Yuliana was saying back when she was throwing things; she kept yelling about how much she hated seeing herself, in Michele.
Clearly she's changed her tune.
(She's pleased to see the servants she comes across begin to shift their attitude, at least, given the cleanup they had to see to; it's nice that some of them have an attitude to shift. Where Elisa has found them, she doesn't question. Why would she question her wife?)
Yuliana slows, though, as she skips from her petulance to the pertinent question. "I... I can't," she decides, at length, gaze tracking down to a kettlebell all caught on its rack. What she's saying becomes this: "I can't back out now. I've gone too far..." Is she really talking about Metis, still? Well, she's also talking about Metis.
"Besides," she shakes her head, "it's what I want. And the fool woman won't just stop and let me help her, so -- so it's her fault, really! If Ritechka would just be reasonable about this, I wouldn't have to go so far!" Should Yuliana really be blaming Rita, here..?
"If it's for the greater good... yes, it's fine, isn't it? It must be fine. You said it was so... oh, Elya, you're the only one who understands just how heavy the responsibility really is. I'm so glad you're at my side, sputnica zhizni," she names her her one true life's companion, gently, gently. "If not for you, I don't think I could bear it..."
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
That is just how it works. Don't worry about it.
Elisa supports Yuliana when she leans on her, smiling once again--even a creature like her, indeed. It seems totally possible in the moment, after all. Such things can indeed happen. And...
"Terrible. She is unlike you in every way. She is barely worthy to exist. And of that I am unsure."
Yuliana may have seen some similarities. But this isn't about that woman.
But Yuliana... cannot, back out. Yuliana's gaze captures Elisa's attention for now, though her spatial awareness is sufficient not to run into anything. She cannot back out, she has gone too far... And that is an answer of its own. She does not need Yuliana to back out, after all.
"It is what you want," Elisa agrees. "And thus you must take it. You will help her, whether she understands or no."
It is fine, and Elisa said it was fine, so how can it be otherwise? "...And yet I am here," Elisa says with a smile. "Neither of us need bear anything alone."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Why would Yuliana worry about it? This isn't about them.
But speaking of people who this isn't about -- is Michele worthy of existence? If Elisa isn't sure of it, Yuliana can't be quite sure, either. "Hmph," she grumbles, with a pout. Yes, Michele's not really a Newtype, but... well, perhaps one really can fake it until one makes it, in the realm of being the worst.
Yuliana's gaze captures Elisa's attention, and Elisa's attention captures Yuliana's gaze; she can't back out, now. And that's just fine with her wife, so surely it's as it must be.
"She'll thank us by the end," Yuliana agrees, a shade hushed, and speaks of Elisa in the same breath as herself. "We know what's good for her. Yes... I'll take it, Elya. Without hesitation..." She mustn't hesitate, then.
She smiles, and rubs her cheek to Elisa's shoulder, nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle. "Together, we can do anything," she promises her, all laden with affection. Saccharine-sweet, she lilts: "Elyula~ I'm with you!" And why does she turn every conversation into an affirmation of their mutual entanglement?
It's just what she wants, after all.