2024-12-25: Holiday Cheer
- Log: 2024-12-25- Holiday Cheer
- Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada
- Where: Nouvelle Tokyo - Takarada-Shinjo Apartment
- Date: January 01, 2025
- Summary: With closing on a house fast approaching, Akane and Rikka take what will likely be their last holiday in their squished little apartment. Gifts are exchanged, and the two discuss some upcoming events. ... They also plan to have a class together next school year!
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Rikka's birthday was a great chance to spend time with the people the two of them cared about. Christmas, though... that's always been a couples' holiday in Akane's mind. She's made plans accordingly.
A quiet night in... the customary bucket of fried chicken... Tarabaman Christmas episodes on the TV. (She's started with Eclatant's somewhat somber Christmas episode -- it's on the tail end of that show and makes for an interesting take on how cultural traditions affect priorities in getting a new colony up and running, and how important those sentimental things are for keeping people going.)
... yeah, she's dressed up, too, in a red Christmas-themed dress with a tartan skirt and lacy sleeves terminating with fuzzy white arm-warmers. Cuddling up to Rikka on the couch as she works her way through a drumstick with a satisfying crunch through the breading, she murmurs, "Merry Christmas, Rikka."
It's another year. They're still here. It hasn't been an easy year at all... but there are many things that make it still worth it -- and one of those sits right next to her on the couch.
"Oh, um -- right! I've got something for you. It's got a lot of boxes so I figured I'd just bring out the smallest one and let the rest be implied until we're ready to actually get everything set up," she says, reaching down to a wrapped present that's sat next to the couch for most of the night. It's about 15 inches on a side, at a guess.
Inside is a 12-inch subwoofer -- which presumably implies the rest of a sound system, too, given what Akane's said.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
After the excitement of her birthday, Rikka's due for a quiet night in. Christmas is a time for couples to Rikka, too - and right now, she can't think of a better way to spend it than relaxing here at home with Akane. Her attention is partially on the chicken and partially on the television, taking note of the themes of the current episode with interest... but mostly on the woman cuddled up against her.
Rikka has dressed up too... but where Akane has chosen a nice Christmas dress, Rikka wears a Tarabaman Christmas sweater, green to match Akane's red, with its vibrant pattern of Tarabaman symbols combined with more seasonally-appropriate ones. Accompanying it is a pair of long, cozy pants, with a pattern matching Akane's skirt.
"Merry Christmas, Akane." Rikka replies, carefully finishing off a wing. It's been another, difficult year... but they've made it through, and the fact that they can spend a pleasant night like this together is all she needs.
She briefly considers putting an arm around her shoulders - but then something occurs to Akane, and Rikka looks on with interest as she reaches down for a wrapped present. She had seen it, but she hadn't pressed about it... so she takes a moment to grab a napkin and wipe off her fingers before accepting the box.
"Now I'm curious..." Rikka says, unwraps it. It's hard to miss the way her eyes practically light up as she registers what's inside.
"This is..." Rikka starts, briefly at a loss for words. She turns the subwoofer's box over in her hands, taking special note of the brand. "This is incredible. The sound quality on these is supposed to be really good. I've been eying them for a while..."
Had Akane noticed that? Or was she just so in tune with her interests...? Either way... Rikka leans over, offering her a quick, one-armed hug around the shoulders.
"Thanks, Akane, I love it. I'm eager to get it set up, I bet we'll get a lot of use out of it." Rikka says. "...I've got something for you too, actually. Just a second."
Rikka leans forward - and this time, the box is pulled out from underneath the couch.
Inside it is a carrying bag - and inside that is a set of professional grade art supplies, including a jeweler's kit.
"I noticed you've been getting back into physical media, so... I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed." Rikka explains. "I can imagine it's a pain having to borrow the school's all the time."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane watches with rapt interest as Rikka opens the package -- and nods, when it seems to meet with her approval. "Yep! The rest of them are up in the walk-in closet behind some of my model kit boxes," she affirms. "It's the full set from SCS... I noticed you looking at them when we went to get a new mini-vacuum? So I went and did a little research to make sure the brand didn't fall off this year or anything and then I picked them up!" She seems delighted that this landed cleanly.
Leaning in close for that hug, she gives Rikka a peck on the cheek and says, "I'm really glad you like them. We might want to wait until February to get them set up? The main room might get a little cramped with all this stuff, but at the new place..."
When Rikka mentions she has something too, Akane scoots away a bit to give her some space. There's definitely a childishness to the way she tears into wrapping paper -- and the delight in her eyes is clear. "Ooh! I've been meaning to replace my hobby knife and my nippers... oooh, a clamp, too. I don't actually have one of those -- it's not that useful with clay, but when you're doing metal stuff..."
She lets out a content sigh, saying, "Thank you, Rikka. This is a really good gift. Oh, wow, there's a full pliers set too..."
She sets that on the table, letting out a contented sigh. A hand lazily comes up into Rikka's hair, and she turns her attention to the Tarabaman episode for a long few moments. Letting her head rest against Rikka's shoulder after snagging what will probably be her last piece of chicken, she asks, "How are you holding up? Exams were kind of a nightmare for me, but... I think I did okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Behind the model kit boxes... Rikka nods.
"We're getting a lot of use out of those..." Rikka notes, with an amused smirk. The perfect way to hide what you don't want someone to see... Still, she looks at the box again with interest. "The full set, too... this is incredible."
She smiles, as Akane explains when she figured it out.
"You did your research, too... I'm glad." She replies - and looks briefly pleased at that peck on the cheek. "That's a good point... we'll have plenty of room there, and if we'll be setting everything up anyway..."
There's a thoughtful look on her face - she may already be considering the acoustics.
But it's Akane's turn to open her gift, now, and Rikka watches as she digs into the wrapping paper. She can't help but smile a little at her enthusiasm... and feel very relieved at the delight on her face once she sees what it is.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. I know you'll put it all to good use." Rikka replies.
With the gift-giving over, and she, personally, being finished with the chicken, Rikka relaxes back into the couch... and when Akane rests her head against her shoulder, Rikka puts an arm around her.
Akane asks about exams, then, and Rikka offers a sympathetic grimace.
"I was pretty much in the same boat... I was pretty tense the whole way through, but... I think I did pretty well on mine, too." Rikka replies. "We've been covering some pretty tough material in my classes, but I think it'll lighten up a bit once they start up again."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I used to just throw them away? But we really do keep getting mileage out of hiding stuff with them... after this I might try consolidating them a little, though. It'll be easier to move that way." It's not that it's a particularly long-distance move -- an etxra trip wouldn't be agonizing -- but... well, save the time and space where you can, one would suppose.
Akane voraciously finishes up with her own chicken, quickly cleaning that hand off with a napkin as she finally settles in again. "Yeah, same... the practical stuff was one thing? I already got an okay chunk of that from 3G Intelligence. But the theory kind of... it's way harder for me to get my head around? I kinda... don't think that way."
She lets out a sigh, saying, "I... think I did okay, though. Like, overall. I know there's a few questions I just had no idea on..."
... She'll set that aside for now. It's Christmas, after all. "I'm... really happy I'm here with you," she says. "I'm excited for our trip next month too! Mama and I text sometimes, but I've kinda missed..." With the arm not around Rikka, she drums at her own thigh, eventually settling on, "... She's really reassuring? When we went up for Obon we had a few chances to talk a lot, and I kinda want to revisit a couple things that came up then."
Her content smile turns a little mischievous, as if she's thinking about a joke she knows Rikka's not in on yet.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Thaaat's probably for the best." Rikka admits. Even if it's a relatively short move, the more effort they can save themselves, the better. They can start off fresh - no doubt they'll end up getting more, especially when moving to a place where they'll have more room to display them.
She offers a sympathetic grimace, then, as Akane explains what gave her trouble, and then she nods.
"Yeah, that would be difficult..." She replies. "For me, there's... a lot to keep track of. Somehow, I ended up with two classes where I've got to remember the tiniest details without mixing them up between them..."
She laughs awkwardly culminating in a sigh - but there's a look on her face that suggests she doesn't regret it, at least.
"...I'm glad, though. I'm sure you did great." Rikka reassures - and then gladly leaves the subject of school aside for now.
"I'm really happy, too." Rikka replies with a smile, and brightens. "Yeah, me too. I'm looking forward to it."
She listens with interest as Akane explains that she and her mother have been texting, and as she brings up Obon.
...She can see that hint of mischief on her face.
"You two really hit it off then, huh?" Rikka replies with a smirk, but her expression soon softens. "...I'm glad. Not that I was worried you wouldn't, but..."
She trails off, unsure how to put it into words for a second.
"...It means a lot to me that you two get along." She decides.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Oogh, yeah. That seems like it'd be rough on you, especially with some of what you're studying..." Akane lets a little tension out of her body and says, "We're kinda getting out of the zone where studying together helps that much, too... though, like, I don't mind reading in the same room obviously." Still -- the general education slice of their studies is getting smaller and smaller each term...
Thinking about it gets her to look up toward Rikka with a little bit of admiration. Sticking to it with this barrage of coursework... it really does amaze her. It's a level of tenacity she can't quite imagine in herself.
Still -- she's delighted to remain on the topic of Mama instead. "Yeah -- when we were talking on the way back to the car, I mentioned my kinda crappy middle school experiences with alcohol? And she was really chill and no-pressure about it... we ended up drinking together that night. It was..." She trails off. "Nice. You can tell she's got a passion for food service... she had my palate nailed." Smiling a little distantly, she adds, "It sounded like she had some really wild years as a teenager! ... Which is probably why she lets me get away with teasing you... hehehe."
Nodding once, she agrees, "It's important to me, too. Kind of new... being close to family -- I never really 'got it' before."
She realizes the faint implication of that particular phrasing, but decides it's best not to draw attention to having floated that. Speaking of family, though...
"... My mom's going to be at Coming of Age Day too. I don't think she's going to ruin the mood or anything, but..." She breathes out. "... I think she likes you, so hopefully it won't be... bad." And that in turn leads to, "Mama... said she might have a talk with her." Akane's free hand comes up and over to take one of Rikka's, as she admits, "I'm a little nervous about it... do you have any idea what she might want to say? I was a little scared to ask."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"It kind of is..." Rikka agrees, and exhales. She doesn't mind doing the work... but it is rough. Especially when, as Akane says, studying together is starting to not be as effective. "Yeah..."
She smiles, though.
"Oh, I don't mind that at all, either. I think I study better when you're in the room with me." Rikka agrees. Reading in the same room together is something she definitely doesn't want to let go of.
Her coursework has been difficult - but it's clear that she's still motivated to get through it. It's still something she wants.
She listens with interest, then, as Akane explains some of the things she and her mother talked about - and the way they drank together. She laughs, then, but nods.
"Maybe~. But, mm-hm. I don't think I've even heard half of the things she got up to..." Rikka says. "Probably won't come as a surprise to hear she's the one who taught me how to pick locks."
She smiles, though.
"But, yeah... she really knows her stuff? I don't think anyone else could make a place like Aya work so well." Rikka says... and then she smirks, her expression teasing for a moment. "...Still, I can't believe you drank with my mother before you drank with me."
It's clear that she doesn't actually mind at all, though.
And Akane says that it's important to her too, that being close to family is new to her... and the implication doesn't pass Rikka by. She offers her a knowing look - and an approving smile.
...But there's one other family matter to consider. Akane's mother. Rikka frowns as she explains that she'll be there, too.
"She is, huh." Rikka comments, exhaling. Akane's mother likes her... better than the alternative, she supposes. "...Hopefully, yeah... I'll be right there with you if something happens."
And Akane continues, saying that her mother might have a talk with hers. Rikka accepts Akane's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she thinks the question over.
"...I don't know." Rikka admits. "I don't think Mama would do anything to put you on the spot. She's got tact... but at the same time, she doesn't have a lot of patience for nonsense, especially when it comes to people and their kids..."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Hmmmm... you know, though. I have to take neuropsychology next term, and I think that's something you can take on the pre-med track too? Unless you already took it..." But then, already having taken it would be its own boon in having studying together actually help, wouldn't it?
When Rikka mentions she studies better, Akane admits, "... I might actually study a little worse in the same room with you, buuuut that just means studying longer... in the same room... with you~." She certainly doesn't seem bothered by that.
Looking up toward Rikka's eyes, Akane gets lost in them as she talks about picking locks. (... Akane still considers that a top-ten Rikka face. She's come to notice when it comes out in other concentration-demanding physical tasks, too.) "Mmhmm, that makes sense," she says, a little distantly.
At the mention of drinking with Orie before Rikka herself, though -- "Well, we do have that bottle of wine from your birthday! Next week we can fix that, if you're up for it~" She thinks a little about that, murmuring, "I think my dad was saving a bottle of Yamaton 18 for my 20th birthday, but the last time he mentioned that I was 11, so I dunno if it's still on the table."
(It is, but she has to work up the courage to ask.)
Having Rikka affirm that she'll be there with her is a relief, even if it's expected. "... Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. She's not going to ruin it... it's really our moment more than hers, anyway."
Akane's grip on that hand tightens just slightly. "... I think I'll trust her, just... well, I guess at that point I'll be 20 and it won't really be my problem what she thinks if she's bad about it."
That gets the tension back out of her, once she's affirmed it. "Anything you wanna do that week, or during the trip?" ... Better topic. More of a positive focus on the future.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Neuropsychology... Rikka considers that for a moment. It would be nice to be able to share a class with her again.
"I think I might be able to fit that in." Rikka decides with a nod.
Akane admits that she studies worse in the same room with her... and Rikka smirks.
"Hmm, I guess I wouldn't be a good study partner if I didn't stick around to make sure you got everything you needed." Rikka replies.
Rikka notices that distant tone in her voice... and it doesn't escape her notice that she's looking into her eyes. She seems pleased by that, though - and at the suggestion Akane makes next.
"Great~. We'll celebrate in style, then." Rikka replies - and looks thoughtful for a moment. "Huh, I wonder..."
But the topic turns to her mother and Rikka nods, offering her an encouraging smile.
"Yeah, exactly. It all leads up to this..." She replies, and nods as Akane says she'll trust Orie. "Mm-hm. I think... she knows what she's doing. We'll just have to trust her."
It's too much to hope that her mother will be able to fix everything... but Rikka can hope it'll be a start, at least.
And with that, Akane brings the conversation back around to a brighter topic.
"It might be nice to take a tour around some of our old, familiar places..." Rikka considers. "I haven't seen some of them in a while. I wonder how much they've changed since I moved..."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Great! That's pretty exciting... it's been a while." Something to look forward to in April! ... and honestly a big slice of that whole year, really... she'll definitely have to apply herself.
... it'll also provide more excuses to turn the same shade of pink she is now.
She lets the topic of potential 20th birthday gifts they can share slide to the background in favor of firmly focusing on Coming of Age Day. "Yeah. I know if she's going to say anything, it's something she's probably been thinking about for a while... Mama doesn't seem like she'd be that reckless. ... Well, not at her age, anyway." A younger Orie might have taken a different road, no doubt -- but then, that's what it means to get older, one would suppose!
Akane looks like she's deep in thought. "The park sounds really good..." The mischief comes back as she says, "We could steal the sign that says not to feed the cats!" A beat passes. Two.
"... Just kidding~"
That does get her actually thinking about places to go, though... "I know we can drive, but it might be nice to just... take the bus down our old route to and from school in the evening, maybe? Like when we started talking again."
The mischief factor continues to intensify -- and evidently it leaves some sort of psychic impression on the world, because Balam hops up behind Akane, seemingly drawn to a fellow participator in Kitten Mischief. "... and I can tease you about being the older woman again~"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"It really has... I'll be looking forward to it." Rikka replies with a nod. She's excited, too. It'll help brighten up the school day.
The topic slides back to Coming of Age day, and Rikka laughs just a little at her comment, but she nods, too.
"You're right. She's pretty thoughtful." Rikka agrees.
As for the trip... Akane seems to agree, and Rikka nods.
"I'd love to see it again." She says... and then a thoughtful look crosses her face at Akane's joking suggestion. ...It's hard to tell if she's actually considering it or just playing along - though she does laugh when Akane says she's just kidding.
The bus route, though... Rikka thinks it over for a moment.
"I think I'd like that." Rikka agrees. They have a lot of memories on that bus route. Some good... and some difficult. Revisiting them would be good for that.
...And then the mischief intensifies again. Rikka looks toward Balam as he hops up behind Akane. Rikka chuckles, offering Akane a look.
"You know... I don't think I mind being the older woman, these days."
=---------------------------[ Nouvelle Tokyo [GGG] ]---------------------------=
Name Fac Idle Last Health % Energy Spirit Morale
Rikka Takarada [GGG] 5m 5m - - - - -
Akane Shinjo [GGG] 0s 29m - - - - -
=-----------------------[ Mon Dec 23 01:18:05 2024 ET ]------------------------=
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane makes a mental note of Rikka's apparent deathly seriousness about stealing the anti-cat sign. ... Well, there are worse things to do on vacation than a little bit of petty crime.
"Yeah. ... It's kind of funny how, like..." She looks away from Rikka here, up toward the ceiling instead. "... It feels bigger when I look back. Like, at the time, it was just a bus, but now... it's the bus that got us where we are now." And where they are now is somewhere that she's happy to be, judging from the way that contemplative look slowly shifts back to a smile.
Those memories are heavy... but...
Akane's about to speak up -- but Balam jumps down and over into Rikka's lap, using Akane as a stepping stone. "Aa-ah! Ow --" she stammers out, losing her train of thought.
That's fine, too. Reaching over to Rikka's lap to pet Balam, she adds, "Oh -- right! Speaking of my gorgeous, sophisticated girlfriend... I didn't really intend this as a Christmas gift and I won't be able to get them back until after break, but..."
Reaching over to the table, she snags her phone, turning the screen on and swiping a few times. Tilting it toward Rikka, she reveals a picture of a pair of cufflinks. They're carved amber, a deep orange with just a hint of a brighter yellow; they're birds facing opposite directions.
"This is one of the things I did in Studio Art this term! I thought you could use a second place besides ties to sort of add a little color punch-up..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka follows Akane's gaze up to the ceiling - as they look beyond it.
"When you put it like that... Yeah, it was." Rikka agrees. There were bumps along the way... but they did make it, and that's the important thing.
And suddenly - Balam!
"Hi, Balam." Rikka greets, giving him a scratch behind the ears as Akane goes for a pet.
She looks up, then, as something occurs to Akane. She's incredibly curious as Akane swipes through her phone, apparently looking for something. And then she leans in close, drawing a deep breath at the cufflinks Akane displays. They're beautiful - and it's clever just from looking at them who she had in mind when making them.
"Oh wow... those are gorgeous, Akane." Rikka says, looking up from the phone. "I love them. I'm looking forward to trying them on once you get them back."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Hehehe... I'm glad." Akane feels her whole body relax a bit, now that she's gotten every gift out and met with approval; leaning back against the couch and giving Balam a few more lazy pets, she says, again, "... Merry Christmas."
She draws her legs up onto the couch, pressing a little closer in toward Rikka. The TV is all but forgotten at this point, in favor of the companionable warmth that only comes in winter. Every time those cold winds blow, she's reminded of how happy she is to share the warmth.