2025-03-15: Budgetary Concerns
- Log: 2025-03-15- Budgetary Concern
- Cast: Rikka Takarada, Akane Shinjo
- Where: Nouvelle Tokyo - Takarada-Shinjo Household
- OOC - IC Date: 0100-03-15
- Summary: Rikka has an idea for wedding entertainment, but it's more than a little out-of-the-budget. Things break down from there... but can they get built back up?
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka has always been an avid music fan. She's professed before her fondness for music of all kinds - so long as the artists are putting their heart into it, to her, it's worth at least a listen. While she's familiar with a lot of mainstream artists, she's a follower of the indie scene, as well.
It started as an idle thought - a 'hahah, unless?' as she browsed the social media pages of an up-and-coming artist she'd grown fond of. That lead her to look into their professional pages - and then at the cost of booking them for an event. It was... surprisingly affordable. Just within the range of their wedding budget.
...And that's where the trouble began. It may have been better if it had been out of their league completely. But just close enough to inspire possibilities...
"...That's not bad, actually. What's our entertainment budget sitting at right now?"
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"...That's stricter than I thought... I think we can still fit it in, though. If we tighten the budget here and there..."
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"What? We need music. We can afford it, and a live performance would really tie everything together. It's fine, we can make it work."
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"...Really? This is where you draw the line?"
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"For the record, you're the only one who cares about that."
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"Are you serious? That's not - ugh."
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"..."
A chilly atmosphere has fallen over the living room of their household. Rikka, one foot drawn up on the sofa with her hands resting over top each other on her knee, sits on the sofa, quiet, turned away from Akane. Her long, black hair hiding her face forms a wall between them. Her body language is much less intense than it was only moments before - where it was cold and sharp it's become much more drawn in. And then, when it seems like the silence might last the entire rest of the night -
Rikka exhales. Her foot slides back off the couch, her arms dropping to her side. She brushes the hair out of her eyes as she turns back toward Akane.
"...I'm sorry. I took it too far." She apologises. "You were... right. About all of it. I let myself get carried away."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane hasn't kept up with piano as much as she'd like -- but she has enough under her belt to appreciate music in the way an artist appreciates it, at least. She's had some fun letting Rikka lead her into the field, though; it's been a real eye-opener for her.
She's sitting on the couch with Rikka sending off some class-related emails from her phone when Rikka seems to have an idea. She swipes out of her email app and turns just a little bit to look at her, promptingly.
"Well, uh -- that depends a little on if my mom actually chips in... I think she might want to, but if she does she'll probably want us to upgrade on the reception venue so we can't actually assume it's gonna help much either way. Let me get the spreadsheet up on my phone..."
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"Uh... this is a bit, right...?"
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"No, we can't. That's going to be a third of the budget and at that point we'd have to start cheaping out on catering... and that's already a really thin margin. We're already way under on that because we're not having alcohol."
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"We have to draw it somewhere."
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"... I know it sucks to have to book three different locations, but I'd feel really weird about -- look, even if we cut the shrine visit entirely we'd still be dipping into either food or helping people out with their travel budgets if we don't want this to look cheap and weird, and that's still --"
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"Are you serious? This isn't like you at all. I guess you hate losing here, too."
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"..."
Akane's scooted to the edge of the sofa, leaning against it. She periodically glances back to Rikka, only to be met with a curtain of black iron, but for the most part her eyes are on her phone. It's the first time in a long time that they've had a fight, and the first time it's gotten especially sharp rather than having both of them oriented against the problem in short order... at least since she got away from Alexis. She swipes down, looking at the screen -- then back over to Rikka again. She's about to say that she's going to go work out when Rikka opens up her body language a bit. It catches her off guard enough that she half-fumbles her phone; it slides half into the couch cushions.
"... I, uh -- I mean..." Akane closes her eyes, trying to find the words. ... She's not used to this rhythm of conversation. It takes a bit. "... I wasn't exactly making it easier," she admits. "When the shrine visit came up I think I got kinda defensive..." Shifting toward Rikka along the cushion, she asks, "Do you, um -- can we hold hands?" Whether the answer is yes or no, once she gets resituated, she says, "... It's -- fine. It's okay to be passionate about that stuff... I just... if we went that far in the day is kinda about the concert." She lets out a small sigh, and says, "... I want the day to be about us."
Quietly, she adds, "I, um... I did start looking up tickets, though."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Guilt crosses Rikka's face as Akane says she got defensive when the shrine visit came up.
"...I know how important that is to you. It should be important to me, too." She replies with a shake of her head. More important than following through on a whim, certainly.
Akane shifts toward her, and there's a moment of hesitation... before Rikka scoots closer, reaching out to take her hand.
"...You're right." Rikka agrees with a nod. "It should be about us. I... lost sight of that, and let my ideas run away with me."
She gives Akane's hand a gentle squeeze, for comfort - to comfort, and be comforted.
Akane says she started looking up tickets - and a small, wry laugh escapes Rikka, she looks away, briefly - but with her hair out of her eyes, she can still see her face. That expression of guilt holds strong.
"Really? Even after that display? You're too good for me..." Rikka admits.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane gives Rikka's hand a squeeze, and she scoots in a little closer still. It's clear that she's still a little anxious, but she's... managing. She shuts her eyes for a few seconds, just listening to Rikka.
She doesn't start replying until she's confident she knows what she's saying. Things got to this point by not doing that, after all. "... Thanks," is what she says first. There's a stiltedness to how she speaks here, or at the very least it's a little halting. "I know you've got a lot of passion about that stuff... it's really changed me. You don't need to apologize for that part. And... I know it's really easy to get excited about something and not think too hard about it for a bit." 'Excited' isn't the word she'd use to describe her own moments of getting ahead of herself... but she can at least kind of relate.
Another slow breath in. Another exhale. Her eyes track down to her hand -- and Rikka's. It's reassuring to be holding it, in a moment like this.
"Oh, come on," she says, with a gentle lean in. "Did you forget how we met? If this is the worst you ever do with a big feeling you're ahead of me by a mile..." Her free hand comes up to gently brush a little of Rikka's hair aside. Something about that response is gnawing at her, a bit.
"... is anything else going on? I know there's a lot -- happening, lately, even if work has gotten kind of weirdly light..." It is the end of the term, and they've only now gotten the house really fully set up... there's a lot of things that could contribute to being a little off-base and self-deprecating.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane scoots in closer. Rikka can't blame her for being anxious. She doesn't press her, either, as she puts her thoughts together. Akane thanks her, then, and Rikka nods before listening to what she has to say. It's stilted and halted - but her words do get through to her.
...They strike deep, actually, when she mentions how her passion for music has changed her - Rikka breathes in sharply and exhales. It's nice to hear - though at the same time she does regret letting that passion let her get carried away and hurt her, with how it's changed her.
"...Yeah. And then you don't realise what you're doing until it's too late." Rikka replies with a nod. It's rare for her to get that excited... but this is proof that she does have those moments.
Akane leans in, gently - and with a small smile at those words Rikka scoots closer as she gently brushes her hand aside.
"Akane... You know I don't hold that against you. But... thank you." Rikka replies.
Akane asks an important question, though - is anything else going on? Rikka frowns consideringly, thinking it over.
"I guess... I'm a little anxious. There's so much going on right now, but outside of my schoolwork, there isn't much I can do about it, even in my position... And we don't even have any conclusive leads on the people behind the spa incident yet, either." Rikka admits. "I guess... I just want to make sure the things I do have control over go perfectly. Especially when it's something that's such a big deal for both of us going forward."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Seeing new sides of Rikka, even after all this time... Akane likes that a lot. Even if those sides are imperfect -- there's something reassuring about the possibility that the two of them are still growing, still changing, rather than remaining exactly who they've always been forever.
"... Yeah," Akane agrees, on the topic of not realizing what you're doing until it's too late. She doesn't have a lot else she can add, there -- certainly she's an expert on that. Rikka also reassures her that she doesn't hold her past against her, and... well, that is reassuring, as it happens.
Rikka explains what she's been juggling -- that feeling of helplessness... that's something Akane used to have a lot more, and still struggles with sometimes. It catches her a little off guard to hear that that's something Rikka struggles with sometimes, too.
"Yeah... that makes sense," she agrees, after some thought. "It feels like things are... I dunno. It was almost easier when there were things going wrong all the time." She looks down -- then back to Rikka. "We should sit down and have a serious budget talk, but probably not right now... maybe that'd help?"
She leans into Rikka, here. "Is there anything else I can do to help, though?" she asks, her own brown-black hair brushing against Rikka's just a bit.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane agrees and Rikka nods. She's glad that she understands. It makes things a little easier. And she explains what she's juggling, and Rikka listens as Akane thinks it over.
"Maybe..." Rikka replies with a small laugh. "Or maybe it just felt easier, because at least we were solving problems, then."
It's a different feeling, when the things they're facing aren't problems that can be handled by a big enough robot or a brave enough spirit.
She offers a small smile, though, as Akane suggests they sit down for a serious budget talk.
"I that that'd help... It'd be nice to establish some guidelines so we know what we can or can't manage." Rikka replies. Akane leans into her. Rikka feels awkward for a moment - for a moment, she's not quite sure if she deserves that - but she chases the feelings away.
Akane's already reassured her - so, it's with a hint of awkwardness and hesitating for just a moment so that Akane can shrug her off if she isn't ready for it just yet - that she puts an arm around her shoulders.
"...I don't know." Rikka admits. "Talking it out helps, though."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"... Huh, yeah. There's something to point to there, like, 'well, at least that part's done,' I guess..." Akane's a little caught off guard by the insight. ... Have the two of them become people who are bad at having nothing going on...?
... well, that's solvable, anyway.
She's momentarily surprised, too, by the arm around her shoulder -- but not in a bad way at all. She cuddles in, murmuring, "I like when you hold me..." She manages a smile, here. Things feel a little more manageable now that they're not -- actively fighting.
"I'm glad. And... I'm sorry for raising my voice a little when we were arguing." That gets the last little bit of anxiety out of her head, at least for now.
Leaning up slightly, she experimentally gives Rikka a quick peck on the cheek. "We should do dinner in a bit, too..." she realizes, aloud. "If you think of anything I can do to help, let me know...?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah." Rikka replies with a nod as Akane agrees. Perhaps that's the cost of things having been so... eventful, for better or worse. She wouldn't mind getting used to having nothing going on again.
Akane seems surprised - and for a moment Rikka feels awkward, like maybe it was too soon after their fight to try... but Akane cuddles in, and Rikka feels a bit of relief at that, and leans her head on her.
"That's good... because I like holding you, too." Rikka replies. Akane says she's glad, and apologises.
"Thank you. ...But, I was out of line, too. I'm sorry." She apologises again. She may not have raised her voice, but what she did wasn't any better.
Akane leans up to give her a quick peck on the cheek and now it's Rikka's turn to be pleasantly surprised, and she smiles. Akane brings up dinner, then.
"Oh, you're right. I kind of lost track of time..." Rikka admits sheepishly. Anything she can do to help... Rikka nods. "I will."
She considers it for a moment. She can't think of anything in the long term, but she can think of a way to solve an immediate problem...
"...Maybe we should cook together tonight? It's been a while." Rikka suggests.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Leaning into Rikka, Akane playfully offers, "I know. I'm perfectly holdable." She gives Rikka a wink, saying, "I mean, I think I am. Maybe we need to test it a little more."
Akane looks down, then off to the side a bit at the counter-apology. Part of her feels like she's just clipping Rikka's wings, but... no, Rikka doesn't sound like someone who's having her wings clipped...
Akane feels like she ought to get up. She really feels like she ought to help get dinner started. ... She's so comfy, though. She arches her back a little, trying to motivate herself to get up so they can start dinner -- but that ends up making her flop unceremoniously right back to where she started...
Rikka suggests cooking together, though. "Huh. I guess we've been mostly eating at school or eating out lately... yeah, that sounds really nice." Maybe a moment like tonight is somewhere downstream of them having less time for each other with everything going on... well, that has a solution.
She makes a somewhat more successful attempt at standing up -- though she's a bit wobbly for a few seconds, needing to stretch once she gets herself off the couch. "Anything you wanna have tonight?" she asks, looking to Rikka with those big, round red-brown eyes.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"You are~." Rikka agrees with a small laugh... and a smile crosses her face at her wink. "Maybe. It wouldn't hurt to gather further evidence."
Rikka catches that look on her face... but Akane seems to reach a conclusion on her own.
And now, it's time for them to get up. ...But Rikka sympathises. She's pretty comfy like this, too. Akane tries to get up - and flops right back down, Rikka making sure to catch her.
"Yeah, we've been busy so it's understandable, but..." Rikka replies with a nod, trailing off. ...But it's nice. Especially now, when doing something that requires coordination might help with their healing.
Akane finally manages to get up - and soon enough, Rikka follows suit. Akane asks what she wants to have - and for a moment, looking into Akane's eyes, her train of thought is briefly derailed before quickly rerailing.
"I think we have some chicken in there... We might be able to find some veggies, too." Rikka starts thoughtfully.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Caught! Akane likes caught. That's a big win for her... even if she's still not quite back at one hundred percent. Maybe later, after dinner, she'll bring up the thing that's still sort of nagging at her... but right now there are some things ahead of that in the queue.
Like, for instance, food. "I'm... really looking forward to spring break," Akane admits. She's sure it'll probably fill right back up with work, but even having 'less' is better at the moment.
As she starts toward the kitchen, she does a mental census of the last time she looked in the fridge. "I think there's a bag of stir-fry veggies in the back of the freezer... or did we use that up..." Her eyes shut for a second as she tries to place whether they actually ate that.
... there's still something chewing at her. "I, um..." She pauses here. "... thanks. For speaking up. I think if you hadn't started the conversation again we probably wouldn't have talked all night... I'm still not really used to making the first move."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Yeah... Me too." Rikka replies with a nod. It's the same for her. It'll be a little more time to themselves, even if it ends up getting filled up anyway.
Rikka follows her into the kitchen, face briefly screwing up in thought as as Akane wonders if they used it already.
"...I don't think we did?" She considers, and goes to check anyway. She reaches for the freezer door - but stops before opening it, as Akane starts to speak again.
Rikka turns to face her... as she thanks her, for speaking up. That they might not have talked all night if she hadn't started the conversation again...
...Rikka nods quietly. ...It feels a little awkward to be thanked for that, when she started it in the first place. But the important thing is that someone opens communication, no matter who it is.
"...You're welcome. I..." She hesitates for a moment. "...I would've felt awful if that kept us from talking. I didn't want that..."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
As Akane roots around in the fridge -- god this is a remarkably spacious freezer, she thinks, as someone used to living alone and then in a tiny apartment being faced with a maybe slightly-bigger-than-normal freezer -- she admits, "... I was thinking of going and working out instead of talking it out." She cringes at herself a bit, as she pulls out the bag of frozen veggies.
A beat passes... and a bit of mischief creeps into her face as she pulls up a recipe on her phone. Looking back up to Rikka, she teases, "... maybe after dinner settles we should get a workout together, too~. I need someone who can spot for me with the weights..." She's been a little more motivated on the weights lately -- usually she just uses the treadmill, or if she's feeling very frustrated the dummy...
... wonder where that particular impulse came from. Surely it's nothing.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
It really is nice to have such a spacious freezer. It's done a lot to help them have multiple options on hand. Akane admits that she was thinking of going and working out instead of talking it out, and Rikka offers her a small, sheepish smile.
"Well... I guess I'm glad I was able to bring myself around quick enough." She replies. She's not sure what she would've done if that cold atmosphere had continued through the night.
Akane pulls out the veggies and Rikka goes for the chicken, and as Rikka is getting to work... Akane teases her!
She's caught off-guard and very nearly fumbles the chicken - catching it quickly with an awkward laugh before looking Akane's way and offering her a smile.
"...Sure, that'd be great." She agrees. "I do like watching you work out."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I am, too," Akane says, giving Rikka a tiny little hip-bump before she starts getting things ready for cooking. She's pretty deliberate about that -- maybe more so than usual, even; if the problem is that they're both feeling off-kilter maybe it's a good idea to start with an environment that provides some degree of control, even if it's just over something small.
The rhythm of cooking quickly settles in -- Akane has missed cooking together the last couple weeks. She periodically leans over to the whiteboard, noting things they're low on as she sees them -- but mostly, she's focused on Rikka.
Once she's feeling confident that things are fine, though, that too starts to level off -- she still enjoys spending time with her, but the preoccupation starts to wear away. "... Your hair looks really nice tonight," she adds, eventually, a little awkwardly.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Akane gives her a tiny hip-bump and Rikka laughs fondly. She gets to work on her end, too - cooking together makes it go quicker and it makes for a good experience.
Rikka settles into the rhythm, too, her expression focused as she prepares her half of the meal. She makes notes here and there, herself, but mostly she's focused on the food -
- which means she's a little surprised when Akane breaks the silence to compliment her hair. Rikka offers her a small smile.
"Thanks. I had a little extra time today, so... I put a little bit more into it." She says, quietly pleased she'd noticed, even if she was feeling a little awkward.