2023-05-31: !our dinner-dates are a wonderful time to share my existence with yoU
- Log: !our dinner-dates are a wonderful time to share my existence with yoU
- Cast: Yuliana Kafim, Elisa Kafim
- Where: The Silent Castle, Kaffeklubben Island
- Date: 2023-05-31
- Summary: Yuliana and Elisa eat dinner together, as they almost always do, and are insufferably cute about it, as they usually are. But when Yuliana remembers to tell Elisa about her agreement with Rita, Michele, and Zoltan, Elisa has some very important advice for her regarding who she can trust and the dangers of her being hurt -- particularly when she brings up Koji and Sayaka. In the end, Yuliana doesn't have to talk to anyone but Elisa, really. (CW: Gaslighting)
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
The feasting hall of the Silent Castle is grand and opulent; chandeliers light the ceiling, and a great fireplace warms the room. The grand dining table is long, and decorated with a fine tablecloth and genuine silverware; right now, of course, there's only one end of it placed appropriately, because their court is off taking care of various versions of business at present.
At the head of the table, of course, Yuliana is seated beside Elisa. Today's dinner -- it is today, technically speaking, because the midnight sun is ever-risen outside those beautiful windows -- is based around sate kambing, skewers of satay goat. It was a favourite, back in Indonesia, so of course it's been prepared up here in the frozen North. Never mind that they are far, far from those balmy shores.
"Oh, this is delightful!" Yuliana titters, brightly, as a servant unveils the dishes. "Much obliged," she smiles to him, sunnily, and he actually recognises the expression. It's nice how they've transitioned the servants to people who are paid enough to want to be here, isn't it?
Well, the servants Yuliana interacts with, anyway.
He doesn't linger too long, though -- the Mistresses do value their time together. (And, in fact, one of those black snakes does slither out to settle above Elisa's ankle, even as Yuliana herself is occupied with the food.) "Ahh, it's delicious, too..!" She chirps, immediately, on trying one.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Dinner is an occasion for proper dress, rather than merely the dark robes of Elisa's comfort and office. It is an Occasion even if it happens most every day. And Elisa has people to ensure that she looks her best for it. These servants are more of the paid variety; the other are altogether less common anywhere Yuliana is likely to wish to go, these days.
Not so mysteriously.
Elisa, also, smiles to the servant. Hers is less warm, of course; she continues to have the usual number of teeth. Perhaps this is a reminder not to linger too long, without having to spell it out so rudely.
Elisa does not reach down to pet the snake. It's fine where it is. However...
She watches Yuliana enjoy, and sighs, pleased. "Yes," she says. "Quite." But before touching her own, she picks up another, and holds it up to Yuliana when she finishes the first. "I'm so glad you like it..."
She'll get to hers. Eventually.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana, meanwhile, has changed into a beautiful little black dress, which would be far too daring for an outing. But she's here with her wife, so it's fine, actually. Modesty only applies to other people.
(The servants don't count. Their court doesn't, either. They're all part of their household.)
Yuliana is, of course, delighted to see Elisa offering her a skewer; she leans over into her space to, "nom!", pluck that meat from its stick and chew on it, entirely pleased. (She does, in fact, audibly say 'nom'.) Her frills fan out, behind her ears, just another component of her wide smile. And of course, she opens her mouth, and says, "Ahh~"
So that happens for a while. They're really insufferably cute, as far as a pair of monsters go.
Eventually Yuliana gets back to eating skewers on her own time instead of feeding them to Elisa and demanding hers in turn, at least. "This is wonderful," she purrs. "Really, nothing beats a properly-prepared meal. You know I offered to get Zoltan ingredients, but he just wanted whatever pre-packaged garbage the grocery store had to offer? Spacenoids! They have no palate!"
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Nom! Elisa smiles, and it is a pleased thing, almost warm. She notices those frills, and finds them lovely as always. Aah! Yes, that's very cute. Elisa even does the same when Yuliana feeds them to her. It's definitely not disturbing at all. Super cute!
But in the meantime... Elisa does eat some skewers, but she listens to wonderful. "Hm," Elisa says. "Terrible. After all the trouble gone to get such food, to not even wish for it." A shake of her head. "There is something to be said for it."
Then, "That does remind me... You were going to tell me more of your encounter with Zoltan and the others."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Elisa has the normal amount of teeth, so why would it be disturbing? It's definitely cute. She surely even finds Yuliana's one extra sharp fang cute, even though that's not the normal amount of teeth!
Nibble, nibble, chomp. "Oh, yes!" Yuliana says, frill raising up a little as she remembers. (The ! above her head is simply understood.) "You know, it was quite the shock. You remember that agent who got in contact with us, yes?" Celestial Being tends to operate discrete cells; Elisa's is Yuliana's, of course. "Turns out that was Michele Luio -- she's gotten in with our friends, just the same."
Yuliana pauses, and laughs, entirely too melodic. "Hahaha... I may have slammed the door in her face, when I saw her. Might have been I had a few choice words, too." She freaked out and hit the door. She's telling the story wrong! But who's going to call her on it?
Thought so.
"Bu~uut," Yuliana says, waving a skewer, "she was respectful enough, and Ritechka was working with her without a nest of snipers trained on her, so I let her speak. Turns out they wanted Zoltan so as to track down Neo Zeong II -- according to Ritechka's tales, it's fated to destroy a bunch of super-critical helium tanks and more or less destroy the Earth Sphere entirely. Death toll of billions, so they say. Apparently, Zoltan's the one who was going to do that, and that's why Ritechka hated him as much as she did... though I suppose she's blaming Neo Zeong II itself, now."
Yuliana shakes her head. "... not that she's very good at giving up her grievances. You know, I never even knew she could have one, given how much she put up with when I knew her," given how much Yuliana put her through, "but I suppose she poured it all into this one man. She even said my translation of her concerns to him was bad! She should have been grateful I could parse her accent at all!"
Beat.
"DHZ Standardised Sign Language," she explains. "Kaworu really did teach her, I suppose. She's been having her robot speak with it. A Gundam's fingers really aren't designed for such a thing, but she does passably, I suppose. And..." Yuliana sighs, glancing down, to her skewer, with more muted emotion. "... it was... I didn't really expect to ever be able to speak with her again. There's so much I wanted to say to her, but I just focused on the matter at hand... since Dr. Murasame got in my head, I guess I wasn't sure if I was really talking to her or not. But it was... it was so familiar, Elya. I..." Missed her?
She trails off.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
She does.
The '!' is indeed understood. Elisa does remember the agent, naturally; but as it turns out, it was, "That woman?" Luio is a name Elisa bothers to remember. It is not a positive distinction.
"Naturally," she says of slamming the door, and having choice words. "But in your generosity you still listened, I see. Ah, my darling..."
Rita was working with her, after all that hunting? Elisa sees why fairly quickly. "Hmmm... That would be a problem," Eliaa states mildly. The destruction of the Earth Sphere. "So she hates him less, now?"
"Ah." She didn't really give it up. "I see. Well, I suppose she must be finicky. It would be natural, being in her position."
But her accent... Ahhh. "And yet you have had that chance, and it seems you may again." She... Hm. Missed her...
"It is only natural, to crave past comforts. She was your friend, after all. Even now, you wish to save her. Why would you not enjoy her company, find it familiar, in such a situation?"
"Did Luio give you any more trouble?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana is terribly generous, isn't she? Elisa always says she is so; and so gentle, and so kind, and so forgiving, and surely it must be so, if Elisa says it is so.
An extra little response to Elisa's question is the waving of her free hand, so-so, when she asks whether she hates him less now. It's all an answer, in the end.
But Elisa has an explanation for what Yuliana's struggling to say, and she smiles to her, a touch relieved. Nomph, she nibbles at another skewer. Yuliana would never go hungry, in their Castle, that's for sure. "You're right, of course. You know, she has a nickname for me, as well? She calls me 'Yuli'." As distinct from 'Yulie', which is what Alma's taken to calling her.
"Luio wasn't any trouble," she assures Elisa. "I suggested to Zoltan that he ought to help them to get back at Neo Zeong II, and he was pleased enough to take that offer. Well, I suppose he thought I'd been imprisoning him, being fair -- Spacenoids are ungrateful, like that, he was obviously in hot water after putting a hole in the colony like that." Yuliana puffs out a breath. "But the heat's died down around him, so it was a convenient enough time to let him out, anyway. And for a Spacenoid Newtype, he's not so bad, I suppose. Oh, he's a little rat, but he understands his position... and I do have some sympathy for rejects." She and Elisa are alike in many ways, after all.
"Anyway, they asked for my help, as well -- Luio wanted me to use my skills to sabotage anyone trying to intercept our plans, but it was Ritechka who said that my powers of the Void were necessary. She knew that a being like myself was their only hope to disrupt those artificial NT-D systems. I was surprised... I didn't expect someone like her to recognise them. Really, I'm happy," she smiles, and it's not because of Elisa, for once.
"Luio and Ritechka care quite a bit about keeping Jona alive -- that's the fellow that Neo Zeong II took into itself when it rejected Zoltan," she explains, expecting that the name will have slid out of Elisa's mind by now. "So I'll have to get a little creative, but it doesn't matter to me if he's spared, so I'll deliver him to them safely enough. We just need to figure out a strategy -- get some of their little friends involved, I suppose, it's rather a large machine."
Yuliana sighs, beleagured. "Of course, Ritechka's first thought was to go to the Photon Power League... don't worry, darling. I declined to visit with them. I'll pop into Fujinomiya, on occasion, but I'm not so brazen as to walk straight into the enemy's blinding den." A light pause, and she adds, "... though, it's too bad, really..." ... that Sayaka and Koji have made enemies of them, that is.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
What Elisa says must be so. One way or another.
Nomph. Elisa sips the wine. It is good wine. She might even taste that.
"Yuli, is it?" Elisa muses.
"Hmmm. So you've been able to ensure all of them are working well together," Elisa confirms, noting the obvious hand Yuliana's had in that occuring. "Of course. He couldn't exactly go about; if he didn't recognize that, that's hardly your fault."
Not so bad... "Indeed," Elisa says of sympathy. Her hair flows, as it does; slowly, hardly noticeable, but there's a slight wave to it as if in a gentle wind.
"Really," Elisa notes, when Yuliana says they asked for her help. This actually appears to surprise the witch, insofar as anything really gets reactions out of her. This does. "I wouldn't have expected such either," she says, and she quietly wonders about that smiles that isn't for her...
Hm.
"Ah, 'Jona'." She considers. "It is a large machine. Perhaps we shall have to deploy one or two of ours, or perhaps we can have them go to the trouble instead..."
But Rita... Elisa shakes her head. "Of course. We cannot trust them, naturally. It is a pity, of course; I am aware that you had begun to make inroads with them. Perhaps later, they will be more receptive... But until they are properly receptive, we cannot risk it."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana does tend to always agree with Elisa. What would happen if she ever disagreed? Perish the thought; they're of a mind, together.
She smiles, hearing Elisa's recognition of her prowess. "I did!" She says, brightly. "... and you're right, of course -- it's hardly my fault if he doesn't know what's good for him." An interesting way to construct her thoughts. Anyway.
Yuliana loves Elisa's flowing hair, of course. Meltrandi might come from space, originally, but Elisa's an Orb girl, Earthnoid through and through. And that means her hair is beautiful! Besides, it's Elisa's hair.
"I'll go, naturally," Yuliana says, of deployment. She is the one who goes to the front lines, between the two of them. "I imagine they'll gather plenty enough of their little friends -- though of course, if you'd like to deploy more, you're always welcome."
She sighs, and puts her empty skewer down on a plate of empty skewers, reaching a hand over to lay it in the crook of Elisa's arm. "But... you're right. I regret that we can't trust them. I know we went over them all... even Boss, in the end... it's just, I served with some of them, in the Mycenae war. Even Koji got friendlier with me, once he realised that. He was... out of commission, while I was fighting, but it was a fight he cared about."
Yuliana looks over, a frown creasing her brow. "And Dr. Yumi... it did bother me, what she was insinuating back then, but she really did seem concerned for me. Maybe part of me was even relieved to be able to talk to another woman about it... no, that's ridiculous, isn't it?" Her smile, here, is a shade more fragile. "But -- even if it was silly, it got me thinking about something that was important for us. And now... she's got to hate me, seeing Alma like that, doesn't she?"
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
"Very good," Elisa says when Yuliana says she'll go. That's a change, of course. Once, she would've protested... But not now. Yuliana's freedom is very important. And besides, "They likely will. I will consider, based on who they gather, whether to send any assistance. They are already astoundingly lucky to have your aid."
Elisa pets Yuliana's arm, absently. It's almost as if she doesn't have to think about doing it. Almost. "Yes," Elisa says. "I understand. They are old comrades, perhaps even friends..."
She considers that. "Perhaps she was concerned. She didn't understand; what she saw must have been terrible, to her mind." She smiles. "But you already have another woman to talk to, here, with me." Her smile is almost radiant. But that would be the wrong word.
"It is regretful. Perhaps one day it will change..." She considers. "Perhaps."
"Surely she won't approve of what we must do. I only worry that if you continue to reach out so generously, you will be hurt."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana smiles, when Elisa approves, and now she's smiling for Elisa again. It's lovely, isn't it? "They are lucky, aren't they? And, of course... you're always so insightful about these things." Elisa's wisdom, too, is lovely to see.
Yuliana can't see anything but.
Her gaze lids, her frown fading to affection, feeling Elisa's hand on her arm. She knows her wife is not given to incidental movement; her affection is effort she goes to, deliberate and active in its nature. She is blessed to receive it, and it makes it easier, as she listens to Elisa's logic in the face of such painful things.
She blinks, and she is surprised -- embarrassed, even, in the face of Elisa's nega-radiance. "Ah--"
Yuliana doesn't find her words so quickly, though. Her frills lower down, closer to her ears, as she listens. They keep drooping, as Elisa points out the obvious hole in her logic, and her fingers curl a little tighter around Elisa's arm. "I know... she doesn't understand at all," Yuliana sighs, looking down. "It's just, people like that... back when I was a Private, they were my heroes. They didn't care that the State was being cautious -- they just got out there and helped people -- I'm not so out of touch as to think they'd approve of my work, but you know, I did try to take some of that philosophy with me. When I was in a robot, I tried to think about the people who weren't. I guess... I just wanted..."
She blinks, overlong, and her attention comes back to Elisa. Always, she comes back to Elisa, green on jealous green. "I wanted what they had, I suppose," she says, knows she is a green-eyed monster, understands the framing.
"But-- but you're right," Yuliana says, a touch pained. "I don't need Dr. Yumi to have any regard for me at all. What she thinks -- what any of them think -- it hardly matters, does it? I have you, zhenushka. You're the only one I can really talk to, anyway..."
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
It's much better. Much, much better. Yuliana's smiles...
Elisa will have them.
Embarrassment... Yes, it is a natural difficulty. Elisa is gentle over it. Yuliana may not find her words quickly, but Elisa is patient indeed. She looks sympathetic, at the way those frills droop, at the way Yuliana curls tigther her hand around her arm. Her heroes...
"And you succeeded," Elisa answers. "Now, you are helping. Regardless of the State's cautious, regardless of those who would think otherwise... You are helping."
"You have what they had. You have love. You have a mission. You have conviction! But with that conviction comes a mission that precludes some others..."
"Ah, my Yuliana," she says. "So soft of heart, that you wish even those who would oppose us to regard you. It is one of the things I love about you I will give you these things that you need. You can always talk to me, my darling."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
It's so nice to be wanted.
And though Elisa may not be gentle habitually she is always gentle with Yuliana, and Yuliana knows her patience, her sympathy. Though she embarrassed herself with sharing their personal details with someone else, Elisa is so kind, to her.
The colour in her cheeks is more affectionate than abashed, now, as Elisa names her victories. A mission that precludes others... yes, of course it is so.
Her head tilts, exposing a little more of her bare -- though not undecorated, given the rare and precious chain which holds those three fold crystals, two gaining power as the primary stone shines darkly -- neck, when Elisa speaks her name again.
"Of course," she breathes, in turn. "Oh, Elya... sometimes I think I'm too soft, too gentle, for the way that I am." No one would describe her that way aside from Elisa. Naturally, Yuliana believes her. "But oh, you love those little weaknesses so... if not for your protection, I'd truly be lost."
She smiles, and she is grateful, as her fingertips brush at the inside of Elisa's arm. "You've always seen to my every need, my darling... I don't know what I was thinking, telling an outsider such private details. You've always been so interested in how I feel... sputnica zhizni, I'm so happy I can rely on you." She names her her life's companion, again; the one person she's chosen to be by her side all her life.
Surely she doesn't need anyone else.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Ah, the crystals... They suit her so well. And if no one else perceives Yuliana's softness, perhaps it is just that they cannot see what Elisa sees. ...Or maybe it's that Elisa is harder still. Who can say?
"Perhaps. But maybe that softness helps to make you what you are." She smiles, warmly. "I will protect you, and your heart. I promise you this, my Yuliana."
This time she does not reach out in turn except to close a hand over Yuliana's, gently. It is not warm physically, but the gesture could be described that way. "You said it yourself. They were your 'heroes'. It is only natural to wish it. But in your wisdom, you understand that you cannot, despite the fact that you might wish it." She inclines her head. "...Yes..."
"Is there anything else you wish to speak of, my darling? I am here to listen."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Oh," Yuliana sighs, again, all tangled in her love, "Elya..." Oh, Elisa has always protected her. Oh, isn't it wonderful?
It's wonderful, the way Elisa's hand closes, over hers, cool and secure. It's Yuliana's heat, leeching out to Elisa's skin, though she runs a full degree cooler than she did before; even so, her skin tries to warm Elisa's, reflexively, pouring everything into her. Yuliana's gaze gentles, looking up into Elisa's eyes.
The slightest breath of a nod. It's only natural... but of course she knows she can't reach them, however unfortunate it might be.
She's never been able to reach anyone but Elisa. Why would it be different, here? She is not even an Oldtype, as this world's made quite clear; she is not like Koji and Sayaka, either. She stands apart, beside Elisa, and perhaps that's only natural.
No... she, alone, unlike them...
"... you know... Ritechka said her visions have faded to nothing, now. She is blind, to the future she says she once saw. I wonder if that's why she embraced the magic of the Void in that way..?" Yuliana breathes out, softly, betraying yet another detail to her dearest wife. "Not that I think it was just desperation... she does care for me. You know, she was quite concerned we'd catch a chill, standing outside in Bjerkvik..."
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa, focused as she is on Yuliana, has noticed that change in warmth. Of course, as her primary doctor, she would be aware in any case...
Cool, and secure. Elisa listens and speaks and watches, all so careful.
"Did she now?" Elisa wonders of Rita, another with whom Yuliana shares a past. This world is clear on many things, but her visions... "How interesting. Her visions wane, while yours wax potent..."
Elisa considers that. "Perhaps that is part of it. As she sees the power of her Light failing, she finds solace in the Void. It will be for the best, given your desire to save her. Perhaps in time it will even be possible. It would be nice, wouldn't it? To unite two such good friends. I am so glad that you are able to try."
A chill. "She even now appears to be able to concern herself more with mortal matters. Yes... It is a good sign."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Elisa is, indeed, the only doctor Yuliana trusts to touch her, after the life she's led. Doctors... frighten her. It's only Elisa who can calm her, at the sight of syringes and penlights and gauze.
Elisa is the only one who can do many things.
Like notice, perhaps, the way Rita falls, as Yuliana ascends. Yuliana blinks, tilting her head a fraction more, as she names it so.
"Do you think... she'll really see reason..?" Yuliana brightens, thinking of that. Perhaps she hasn't quite, yet, entirely interiorised the lessons Elisa's tried so hard to teach. "Oh, that would be nice," she still agrees, still takes Elisa's opinions into herself so uncritically.
Yuliana smiles, and she, at least, is warm. "It is, isn't it? Of course, I told her the cold doesn't bother me, but it's nice that she worried." She was worried for Zoltan and Michele, too, but this isn't about them.
Yuliana's gaze lids, as her other hand lifts, to stroke the back of Elisa's hand. "But really," she purrs, "I enjoy the cold very much..." The cold is, of course, an obvious standin for who is cold, now.
When Yuliana says she loves the chill, what she means is Elisa.
Always, Elisa.