2024-06-11: Familiar Face

• Log: 2024-06-11: Familiar Face
• Cast: Leina Ashta, Akane Shinjo
• Where: Nouvelle Tokyo - Takarada-Shinjo Apartment
• OOC - IC Date: 0099-06-11
• Summary: Leina stops by Akane and Rikka's house for the first time in a while. While it's just the two of them, they talk about Akane's future plans.

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<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

It's not actually a surprise visit in a sense. It's a scheduled day of leave. It was Leina's turn to take a shift posting up on Huffman Island in case the Galactron causes things to explode, or Bionet does, or Bionet and the Galactron. This also meant that her classes were recorded for her, which she's watching at her leisure, and doing her classwork.

It's perhaps a strange position that the latest Ace of Dominicus is doing classwork while being stationed, but it's almost universally accepted by the Dominicus Corps. Classwork is more 'work' in a sense than playing glorified garrison guard at the front of a police action.

However it also means she gets time off, and so she took a day to fly over to Fujinomiya. Her mobile suit is here too at a Cathedra Hangar near the PPL just in case she needed to be deployed, but right now, she's here, and she's wearing a black and white striped blouse, with a brown midi-skirt for contrast. It's still - a challenge, but casual clothes are easier for her than formal ones. For that sense of asymmetry she's wearing that single white floral earring on her left ear, a daisy.

Her Cathedra detail, today all women (a rare occasion) are taking it more casually this close to Benerit, instead posting up around the apartment complex after a cursory glance. When the token 'all-clear' is given, she hoists up a wicker basket and heads upstairs. What's inside?

Sore Wa Himitsu Desu~

What's not a secret?

The thing on top of it, which is a T-Shirt.

Which has the following text on it:

NYAO NYAO NYAO
NYAO NYAO NYAO
 NyaoNyaaNyar

And a tiny orange furred kitten in a floppy oversized Kigurumi of the GaoGaiGar. No, there's no way this is official Merch. Yes, Leina may in fact be an actual monster. Because as soon as Akane hits the door, it's handed over to her. And yep, she's grinning a bit.

"Hey Akane. As a new member of the very exclusive club - congratulations! You made it!"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane's the only one home at the moment; it's one of those days where between class and work, she and Rikka have very disjointed schedules. Still, she's happy to have the time to meet up with Leina; it feels like it's been absolutely forever since they got together and did anything. ... Being on opposite slices of a reorganized new world order tends to do that.

"Abuh --?!" Akane starts, as she opens the door; she's happy to see Leina, but the enthusiasm still catches her more than a bit off guard. "Ehehe... hi, Leina." She takes a few moments to rotate the shirt around, getting a good look at it... and then starts giggling. "Oh, that's really cute... where did you even find it, though?"

She makes way for Leina to step in, once she's gotten herself out of the momentary stun-excitement of new T-shirt. "And, like... how have you been? You seem like you have a lot more energy than last time... It feels like it's been forever since we had our schedules line up." Sure, she's texted back and forth about this and that, but she's never really had time for a sit-down talk. And --

Hospitality brain activates. "Can I get you something to drink? We mostly have non-carbonated stuff... Calpis, Yakult, tomato juice, yogurt drink... oh, canned coffee, too." She's had a craving lately -- or maybe that's just her class schedule talking...

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Wouldn't believe the kinds of things you can find at a local flea market." Leina notes, with a grin that becomes a half grimace, "Everything up on the ring is an expensive boutique. Drives me nuts. Sometimes you just wanna go thrifting?"

It is a complaint, about being on the other side of the new world order so to speak. Despite her decade and change of privilege, Leina's always at least seemed ultra aware of it.

Carrying in the basket, she smiles, "Oh I'm still dead tired more often than not, juggling a Double Major classload with work."

Slipping off her shoes because Japanese household, she heads in further before putting down the basket. "But I made sure to rest up for the visit?" She winks at Akane, "Not just for you - even though, yes you too - I'm also visiting my girlfriend's fam and Shiro while I'm in the area."

As Akane's hospitality brain activates though, "... Hmm, canned coffee I think? Sadly I'm an addict, even on days when I'm 'Genki'..." She uses it the 'anime' way for effect rather than proper Japanese, "... I get headaches if I go too long without."

Akane can see her trying to look around to spot the kitten, even as she asks, "And how about you? You're looking way more settled into the domestic life than you were last time I swung by."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Thrifting's always pretty fun. Rikka's way better at that kinda thing than I am, though... I still don't have a great sense of what's, like, actually a good deal. She's on a complete other level." Akane smiles a little at that. It's always a happy moment to think about Rikka's many talents. "I bet it's way easier to find new merch up there though..." If she didn't have the store Keita works at, she'd be a little bit adrift.

Leina talks about class, and Akane nods to that, too. "I had to go down to like, bare minimum full-time. It might take me another year to graduate, but it's the only way I could balance stuff with work without going crazy..." She rubs at the back of her head, as she finally makes her way to the kitchen. Snagging a canned coffee and a Yakult, Akane walks it over to Leina, and --

-- the fridge opening summons a monster. A one-eyed tuxedo monster...

Balam walks around Akane's feet before coming over to look -- and sniff -- at Leina experimentally. He's not skittish, but he's not instantly throwing himself at Leina, either...

"Ehehe, yeah. Second year is much easier than the first," Akane says, opening her Yakult and getting herself onto the couch. "Rikka and I both kinda rebalanced our schedules some, plus I'm not, you know..." She gestures vaguely at her body, and that seems to be that on that topic.

She pauses for a moment, then asks: "... Can I talk to you about something serious for a sec?" she asks, lowering her voice a bit. "It's nothing bad."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Ehehehe- I figured she would, growing up in Ori's shop." She winks at Akane again, "Can never let Ori and my brother meet - they'd be unstoppable."

However, she listens to Akane saying she had to go back to bare minimum full time...

"Hey no shame there. All of us have to take life at our own pace. You don't have to hit it full sprint all the time like me."

As Akane opens the fridge though...

"Why hello there."

Leina just gradually squats down, and rather than go for the pets, just offers out her hand for Balam to sniff, keeping it curled up and below the level of his head.

"Aren't you a dapper cutie? I do like it when handsome gentlemen come out to say Hello."

There's a lack of insistence there, as Leina's enough of an experienced cat owner to understand at least the new socialization rules common to all cats.

Mostly though, she's not making any sudden movements, just chatting with Akane while Balam gets a sniff...

"It is. And I'm glad you've been able to get that much closer to the body you want." She smiles her way, and Akane may get the feeling the second year isn't easier just for her.

However when she asks her about something serious for a bit, Leina gives her a curious look, then arches an eyebrow and... has an 'Oh' expression?

"Oh my gosh." She says after a moment, "Of course."

There's this ripple of something that Akane might just feel come and go and...

... did Leina just silently mentally squeal so hard that she sent a tremor across part of the Omnisphere?

Nah that's crazy.

"Anything you'd like to talk about, I'm here for you."

Do those words sound like she's overly restraining excitement?

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Balam sniffs that hand consideringly. After a few moments, he concludes he likes what he sees, and bonks his head into the side of Leina's hand exactly once before wandering vaguely Akane-ward again. Evidently, Leina has met with provisional approval.

"Terrible news," Akane says, slightly deadpan. "They already might have." She almost asks if Leina remembers when they were all-hands-on-deck caring for Rikka, but catches herself; it comes out as a, "D --" and then a slightly mortified stop. Shaking her head, she says, "Though it might have just been me and Qivi handling the shop that day... I can't remember. That whole time is kind of a blur."

"I'm pretty happy with it. It's not perfect, but... it's mine," Akane says, with a nod to Leina.

Akane feels that enthusiasm; it's actually enough to get her to stumble a bit -- even if it's a good emotion, it's a big emotion, and Akane still struggles with those sometimes. She takes a moment to breathe, close her eyes, and center herself before continuing.

"So -- obviously it's going to be after Coming of Age Day," ever-traditional Akane is still holding out all the way to 20 for that one, despite the rules becoming pretty blurry and regionalized between 15, 18, and 20 at this pont, "and it's kind of a big deal and there's only really a handful of good dates all year, but --"

As she talks, she finds a little more excitement. "I think next year I wanna ask Rikka if we can get married." Her voice wavers a bit on that last word, with that sort of nervous-excitement. "A-and, uh. If she says yes, I kinda... I don't really know what the wedding party will look like, it's kinda hard to figure these things out for two women and there's the question of, like, whether we do Christian or Shinto ceremony and that changes stuff up too," here she's overexplaining, "but would you wanna be part of my wedding party? I'm asking Alouette too, but we haven't gotten a chance yet."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina smiles as Balam bonks her hand, and without opening it, dares a tiny rub with the side of her knuckles, avoiding of course - the most forbidden tum tum.

"Nice to meet you, Balam. I'm Leina, and I'm going to spoil you rotten."

There's a blink of her eyes however as Akane mentions that they already have.

"Ah... then Gemon Bajack's days as the leader of the Shangri-La Junkers Union are numbered." Leina predicts, "Which is fine by me as he's a raging asshole."

Akane steps back, Leina hardly seems to understand she did anything to even say anything, for now she just lets Balam keep bumping up against her.

As Akane explains, and her serious expression becomes a genuine smile, the longer she talks to her.

"I'd be honored. Honestly there's nothing I'd love more than helping you navigate that experience of figuring out how to make that special day for the two of you be exactly what you both want."

Well. She's treating it seriously at least, rather than just teasing her.

Straightening up, she steps over to Akane, taking the canned coffee, but then offering her a light hug, "And don't worry. I can feel how nervous you are - but you're both crazy about each other. I think even if she didn't say yes - it'd be just 'not yet'."

She tells her with a gentle smile, "Which just means any planning would get a little deferred, right? There's no effort wasted here."

Releasing her from the hug... she brings out her phone, and tap, tap, tap...

Buzz.

'Invitation to Collaborate.'

If Akane checks, it's basically an enormous backup copy of Leina's hard copy of Wedding Planning binder for herself.

...
...
...

... with so many options...

"So I just made a copy for you of the wedding plans I started for myself when I was like... twelve? Thirteen? And have been adding to ever since."

She winks at her. "It's not meant to like push you in any one direction or another, just more be like - a template. I know it's kind of a cliche but-? There's a lot more that goes into wedding planning than anyone thinks when they start out."

Tap, tap - buzz.

"For example."

Another? Except if Akane this one is filled out for Roux. "This is it what it looks like filled out for Roux's dream wedding."

...
...
...

This includes a full itemized BUDGET!

Including something crossed out with a note of (NO BRITANNIAN SEX CAKES)

"... I like to organize." The organizational monster in human skin notes as if to justify it. "It's calming for me."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Balam comes back, after a little while, to bother Leina a bit again; the fondness on display seems to have captured him. ... Neither of them is Rikka, who he likes best, but he can be a needy little cat sometimes. He momentarily looks up at Leina with that one eye, and lets out a small "Mraw."

The hug gets returned, if a little tentatively; physical affection is something that's easier for Akane some days than others. Today is at least not a no, though. Finally taking a bit to sit down with her Yakult, Akane takes a sip and listens to Leina.

'Not yet'... maybe she can figure out if that's the sort of thing that would be coming, too. "Do you think I..." She pauses, then thinks about it, then tries again. "Maybe I ought to ask her about, like..." She thinks. Who do they know, or at least know of, that got married that early? "... if, like, the Kobayashis got married too young." It'd certainly make Rikka's feelings on an early-20s wedding pretty clear.

Buzz. Akane pulls out her phone, and...

"... Wow. You've been thinking about this for years, huh? I... guess I never really felt like it was even on the table until now." She flips between sheets. "Oh my god. A budget? Seriously? This is a big help. ... Thanks."

She continues scrolling around. "Hmmm, some of this would add up really fast if we did a fusion ceremony, but I kinda want one..." 'Shinto wedding, Christian reception,' presumably.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"I," Akane starts, as she scrolls past something, then has to scroll back to it. "I'm also vetoing the Britannian sex cakes."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Hey yourself." She says to Balam, before moving to a fish out the best impromptu cat toy she has from her purse

...
...
...

A long colorful lanyard with a keycard on it.

Which she promptly drops her hand to bob around.

"Want my Front Management Access Key? Do you want it Balam?"

She jangles it for now, because WEDDING stuff which means she can't access the plethora of- things she brought in the wicker basket.

She seats herself down herself, popping open the canned coffee.

"Sure." Leina notes but there's a shift... "Though that's kind of a sobering example. It might fixate her mind on the fact that one you could leave the other behind. It's... something Kikka and I are having to work through right now ourselves. And you can kind argue - one way or another... with it being wartime, with Fraw already having three adopted kids... being left behind with a newborn."

She becomes a little abstracted on that point, "Some people might go one way, others another. There's no... right answer I think, just right for them?"

She folds her hands across her chin, "And Mirai and Bright are potentially even worse." She murmurs, "Plus Mirai was only just under twenty, I think?"

It's a tough call... she mulls it over.

"Maybe try this one? Maybe ask her what she thinks about Mamoru and Hana. That might get a better sense of her feelings there. Like sure - the 'wedding' wasn't like, real, but they treated it like it was... and made it more official later."

She takes a sip of her canned coffee, "It's innocent enough to look like work gossip, and it's an extreme example given their age - but it might let you broach the topic just of like 'What age do you think it's appropriate for two people?' if she thinks it wasn't."

There's a smile there, a sip as Akane goes over it and then...

...she barks out a laugh at the 'veto of the Britannian sex cakes, "Oh believe you me, I'm fully there with you - they're... super gross. You wouldn't believe what accounts for 'patriotism' amongst Britannia nobility these days in a wedding ceremony."

... Tap, tap, tap.

Buzz.

"Anyhow... Before you rule anything out, let me be the first contributor to that wedding budget."

...
...
...

there's a link in Akane's mail to accept...

4,000,000 OCU Yen.

"I know Mom would just outright go 'Money is no object.' but I feel like being told you have an unlimited budget as a gift is more paralyzing? Like 'how far do I encroach on their kindness'?"

There's a shrug of her shoulders, "If for some reason it doesn't work out, then - whatever. You can give it back. But - I don't think you'll have to."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Balam loves hunting at close range; even if his depth perception isn't great -- or maybe because it isn't great -- he is always delighted to have something to chase. Naturally, he bobbles around Leina's lanyard, occasionally leaping. ... He makes his intent just a little too plain each time, though. The jump planning is always more difficult...

Akane nods, realizing how fraught the example is. She's always been a little morbid -- Ms. 'Hey We Should Check Out These Military Cemeteries On Our Road Trip' is still that person -- so it didn't register for her, but Leina's pretty on-the-ball.

"Yeah," Akane agrees, after a little thought about what Leina's said. "Mamoru and Hana are probably a safer bet, even if the whole, eight or nine year old semi-fake wedding, thing, was kind of weird." It is definitely easier to mask as work gossip though, which is a significant benefit.

Akane elects not to linger on Britannian sex cakes, instead moving right along to that next topic. "Oh, that's really generous," Akane says on autopilot, thinking she's at most going to see an IOU for a few hundred gilla.

Then she turns on her phone screen and swipes. "L-Leina, that's, um. That's like half of what I make in a year before, uh, imminent danger pay." It's to the credit of her growth that she doesn't immediately freak out.

"O-okay. I think I should... go open a wedding savings account. For this kind of thing. Like, this week," she says, as her head clears a bit. "You're definitely right -- if you told me 'as much money as you want' I'd probably start looking at courthouse-only... ahahaha... haha." Akane hangs her head in embarrassment.

Clearing her throat, she takes a drink of Yakult again before saying, "Th-thanks," with a still-slightly-embarrassed smile as she fusses with her dark hair a bit.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

And Leina certainly loves playing with the kitten, "So close! Mighty hunter! Mighty hunter Balam!" Noting the poor depth perception and feeling like a big bad Newtype bully she lets him have it more often than he ought to.

Good thing her card and lanyard are sturdy stuff.

"Yeah, I was there and I thought it was surreal, even being in their age group." She grimaces slightly, "But, I won't say it wasn't adorable - and sweet. Like, I myself have my misgivings there?"

Leina of course has big opinions on child marriage, but she doesn't put it out there, it wasn't really a marriage and...

... the exception shouldn't guide the rule.

There's...

"What really?" Blink blink, "I didn't think GGG salaries were that low...?"

Leina briefly envisions marching into Guy Shishioh's office.

She can feel the anxiety however, and- "No sweat. Okay. Deep breaths. I know - it feels like a lot but."

So she takes a deep breath herself, "Akane I promise I'm not just being some rich girl that doesn't understand the value of what I just gave you." She smiles at her, trying to actually count with one hand as if to help with the square breathing, "I have this whole account where - I just deposit the allowance Mom gives me. I have more money than I could ever spend - a hundred times over. A thousand even. But I live on a budget myself because..."

She locks eyes with her, "... when occasions like this come up, I feel like the happiness of the people in my life is priceless."

A beat.

"Your happiness is priceless to me. So what do I care? Oh no - my savings account for friends is down a fraction of a percent, but Akane gets the wedding she always wanted? Or the honeymoon?"

With a wink, she puts up a V of her fingers near her the side of her face, "So, don't think of it as Four Million Yen. Think of it as the tiniest possible gift I can make towards a happiness I consider worth the world. And, scout's honor? The rest of my contributions will be just on - the planning and logistics side."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Balam is very delighted to be bothering a lanyard. He's satisfied when he gets it, it seems -- but happy to watch it dance around, too. Truly there are few things more content than a cat being bothered by two girls on a couch.

"Oh, huh -- you know, I didn't really realize that?" Akane admits, at the mention that Leina was there for that ridiculous pseudomarriage. "But... yeah. That's definitely too young, but..." She looks like she's thinking about something --

-- but whatever it was she loses it instantly when Leina describes receiving a best-in-any-Tokyo salary at full time for her part-time job as 'low,' and has to look at her incredulously. "I, uh -- this is actually really high for an analyst in Japan," she explains, with a slightly nervous expression.

Breathe in... breathe out. Taking a second to watch Leina count with her free hand and breathe. Right. Okay. "I guess I didn't fully, like... process that. I'm not sure why -- like, Sayla was giving me an allowance too for the year I was living with her. Still..."

What Leina says legitimately touches her, though. "... That really means a lot, then. And if you're volunteering to plan, that'd be great too. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, though, like... Rikka's definitely gonna have some thoughts too."

Another long drink of Yakult. This is more on the 'Rikka beverages' end of the spectrum than the 'Akane beverages' end, usually, but Akane's salt cravings have been lower lately. "How have things been going for you, though? It's always seemed like you were pretty busy..."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina does try a certain gambit, of pulling it up too far, to see if he can make the jump up to the couch. After all, it is bold to test if a newly acquainted kitten will explore one's lap but...

... well, it's worth trying.

"Yeah me and Shiro were both there, I was... friends with Mamoru at the time but I wasn't really close friends with anyone else in 3G? So I felt a little lost, to be honest."

She informs Akane, sheepishly, "It was cute, but-" She trails off, because, yeah.

She shrugs her shoulders, "Yeah. Don't tell them I said this but I kept thinking about how - I was probably going to be married off to one of Glemy's Inner Circle before I was even thirteen. Not the same but?"

She grimaces momentarily.

Then Akane reveals it's good for an analyst in Japan, "I mean for Japan sure but, it's GGG? How many billions in funding is dropped into it casually?" She makes a gesture her way, "I would have thought they'd invested more into their employees."

A shake of her head, ruefully, she has to decide - NOT to share her Cathedra Salary to Akane, most of which she donates to the Yumi Foundation.

"She was probably undercutting what she would usually give for an allowance by a decent amount just so you'd accept it." Leina shakes her head ruefully, "She had to work on me for a long time to get me to accept what she wants to give. I think eventually she had to logic me into a corner on it... I was just adamant I didn't need that much money."

She then gestures towards Akane, "I am absolutely volunteering my time to plan. As much or as little as you want. Don't hesitate to contact me about wedding stuff for fear that you're bothering me."

She then reports airly, cheerily - riding some enthusiastic high, "I am unbothered."

Before she then nods, "Of course, I wouldn't like - expect that we plan without her, but it's always good to have what you want in mind too? Having it filled out for just yourself becomes - a basis for compromise."

She gives Akane this knowing look, "Think about it, how many couples probably have one party stay silent about what they want during the planning - and just make sacrifice after sacrifice - because they want the other to be happy. My idea would be - to have Rikka fill it out too before seeing yours."

She raises her canned coffee to her lips, "That way, the decisions - the compromises are a more active dialogue." She takes a sip.

As she sets it down, Leina does look up for a moment, then shakes her head, "I admit it was- rough for a while after I broke up with Banagher, and ... Mineva and me deciding on a mutual break up. Then there's Asticassia?" She shakes her head, as if to say, that says it all, before she then smiles.

"But we're doing a lot of good in Cathedra. Newtype Labs are basically an endangered species in the Earthsphere?" She gives Akane an apologetic smile, "I'm kinda - pushing myself a little too hard there, I admit, I don't need to volunteer for all the Cathedra raids that I do but..."

But?

Well, Akane knows why.

"... it feels like I'm doing so much good that - I felt helpless to do much about before? In the Alliance..."

Leina lifts one finger.

"... just one. And now? I think we're at... fifty six, since our crackdown started?"

She does smile, "It's not all like - work either. There's Kikka too. Dating her has been a real bright spot. I was worried for a while that - it was just some 'rebound high' but... it's definitely not."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Balam is not quite willing to first-time lapcat; he takes careful aim, jumps to the couch, and then tries a bold leaping slash toward the lanyard that sends him onto Akane's lap. That prompts a -- "Hey!! Aah, Balam -- no!!" from Akane; to her credit she does not spill her Yakult, but she does kind of have to wrestle him for a couple of seconds with her other hand.

"Ehehe... I think he might be stimulated enough for now," she says. It's a hint, as she gently dumps him off the couch again.

Once she gets her bearings, she nods to Leina. "Yeah. I imagine it'd be kind of a whole different thing for you. I... kinda get it." Wobbling a hand, she says, "After everything that happened the last few years, there's definitely some stuff that's -- kinda hard to watch, for me, too."

"Ul-tech stuff is expensive. Intelligence doesn't see the whole budget, but, uh..." She lets out a nervous laugh and a little 'aheh-heh...' before moving on. Best not to talk salary.

"... Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me," she agrees, about the allowance. "I kinda have... a looooot of DX Taraba toys in storage still. This place is just not big enough, but I don't really wanna go back to feeling penned in by my stuff, either..."

Leina makes a pitch for how to approach wedding planning, and Akane's eyes widen a bit. ... In some areas, she's still a little naive. "Oh, that's a really good point," she eventually says, nodding. "I can... kinda see it going both ways there..." So it's definitely best to make separate plans and then start reconciling...

As for Leina's own side of things...

"Yeah, that's a pretty big rollercoaster for sure. I'd freak out," she admits. "It's not that, like, I could never handle a breakup, I guess, but more like..." She rubs at the back of her head. "... It's still a really messy bunch of stuff. -- And yeah, I get your mission reports sometimes through our intel sharing agreement, I think? Or at least some of them. That stuff is usually Blue's mandate, but some of the technology flags for Red instead..." She doesn't want to get too deep into work stuff, though. "You guys are pretty thorough. You might put us out of a job if you worked in the OCU."

... so with that, she gets back to dating. "You and Kikka, huh... I hope it works out. Bring her over some time and I'll make dinner. Both Rikka and I need a pretty decent amount of protein and fish is her favorite, so I've gotten really good with fish --" Here she cuts herself off as she goes, "I need to hit the specialty market again. I've been wanting to get some kasago to try making a new soup stock, but when the casual fishing season really gets underway it gets kinda hard to get. Maybe I'll make soup when you guys come over too."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Well it was worth a try, but Leina of course, accepts it - Akane is the cat owner, and she respects her boundaries.

Even if she would play with the kitten all day.

The lanyard with keycard is put away after that. "Sorry~ It's been too long since Foras was a kitten. I forgot what that energy was like."

Still...

She nods after a moment, "It's - yeah. I'm better about it. It's not like I think you wanting to marry Rikka is anywhere close to that. Just... kids that young."

Leina still can't take baths anymore.

Showers only.

She's not telling Akane that though, not someone who monitored her while she was... in the bath.

"Still I assumed it was more... Mamoru's family had a mortgage after all. And Rikka's a Chief!"

She does however, drop it, because - she does understand the optics of a rich girl assuming their salaries were both more...

... she just thinks they're both worth more, that's all.

There's a wry look Akane's way on the subject of Tarabaman merch in storage, "Don't tell her that, or she'll buy you a house just to relieve you of that 'penned in' feeling." She teases.

However, the chat then becomes about herself which... "It was." She says, with a touch of awkwardness, "To be honest I'm still... working through it? The whole Newtype Bond thing makes it awkward. I'm just - in love with them both still? I... anyone who's with me is just, forced to deal with that."

She shifts, uncomfortable in her seat, before smoothing out her skirts.

"Kikka's been good about it though. We're just... communicating honestly."

Hearing that Akane reads her reports though on occasion, "I wouldn't go that far." She smiles, and shakes her head, "3G was doing it for years, they just have - a lot of concerns. Our mandate is more narrow, in a sense."

She scratches her cheek, "If you're reading our reports? ... Little alarming I admit, it's not something I can get into much with most people, as it's not good... dinner table conversation."

Akane may get the feeling that Leina probably is holding back a dozen or so 'bad times' from those raids from, discussing with anyone in her life.

She does brighten when she talks about Kikka, "Definitely, I'll let her know later - maybe we can arrange something in the near future, when we're both Earthside?"

Though, there's a catlike grin, "Soup huh? Using Kasago ... sorta like a fish-head Miso or the like?"

What? Why would she twist it that way? Kasago can be used for way more than that in soup stock.

Leina stretches out on the couch, as she notes, "Shamelessly just offering to make it for me and my girlfriend for dinner - while being fully aware that's still morning in Spain."

Okay but what's the time zone problem? Where's she going with this?

"If I didn't know any better - I'd wonder if it was a proposal." She winks at her, "Not a good look when you're prepping to ask the love of your life to marry you."

...
...
...

How many twists of logic did it take her to get to THAT stupid conclusion?

(Answer: AS MANY AS IT TOOK!)

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Balam isn't that young, but he's... pretty spry," Akane says, with a little awkward laugh. "Thanks, though. I didn't have time to play with him today 'cause I was getting the place straightened up for you to drop by..." She leans down to scritch Balam as she explains, "You're a little terror when you're bored, aren't you? Aren't you, Balam? Just like your mom, yeah..."

She smiles contentedly, then returns to the topic. Leaning in, she admits, "Rikka makes like... I think more than half again what I do, ahaha..." She feels like maybe she shouldn't have shared that, but...

She knows Leina is joking, but talking about a house... she looks faraway for a moment as she muses, "Maybe we need one with a study or something... somewhere separate to show off a bunch of stuff so it doesn't have to take up the bedroom..."

Oh, no. She's in Living Arrangement Fantasy Mode...

Back to serious talk for a bit. "Ahaha, yeah... I try not to bring it up much when we're at home, either, even if it's kinda hard for me to turn my brain off. It's really not... great talk." She's almost certain what she sees from Cathedra are just summaries, especially from the way Leina reacts. "But if you wanna talk about it some time, I guess I can listen."

Akane looks at Leina a little weirdly when she starts building. "Huh? I mean, it works, but --"

"Huh? Why's it --"

Akane stares dumbly at Leina. "I think working with Cathedra is frying your brain," she says, in a deadpan she may have learned from a certain someone --

-- but can't maintain it and starts losing it. "Stoooooop," she groans before she starts laughing again, picking up a decorative pillow and --

-- well, that's why they call them throw pillows.