2023-01-30: Being 'True' to Your Desires
- Log: Being 'True' to Your Desires
- Cast: Minato Haruka (NPCed by Ruri Hoshino), Eight York
- Where: The Nadesico
- Date: 2023-01-30
- Summary: Two members of the newforged Three Ships Alliance have a talk about getting what they want out of life. Specifically, getting Eight what she wants out of her life. Minato's noticed the signs, and she has something to say.
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
The Nadesico's cafeteria is a warm and welcoming affair, even this late at night. The Howmei girls have gone to bed; Ms. Howmei, herself, is about to leave, though there's a bottle of wine at the bar which has clearly been opened.
"You have a good night," Minato Haruka, the ship's helmswoman, bids her warmly. The two women have a particularly enduring friendship, and no wonder they'd find themselves together, like this.
"Haha... remember to get some sleep before your next shift, all right?" Ms. Howmei laughs, as she stands from her chair, patting Minato on the shoulder.
"Sure, sure," Minato laughs, smiling.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Late at night, Eight York has been just as busy at night as during the day, lately--but she's ben busy on the Nadesico tonight, using some of its nicer facilities to entertain some Orb executives. But now, it's time for a snack, or something...
Eight York steps into the cafeteria with a little spring in her step, glad to be done with all these dignitaries for the moment. She should head back to her ship, but...
She's not eager to go back alone, and Rena and Lavhi have both been busy, too...
"Oh?" Eight says. "Goodnight," to Ms. Howmei in passing, as she steps into the room instead. And there...
"Oh, hi there." Eight smiles. She's still not in uniform; they will have those soon, though. She thinks.
she starts to approach Minato, unless Minato starts to disengage. "You're around late."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Snack! There are many snacks, in the cafeteria. And when Eight steps into the cafeteria, Ms. Howmei smiles, to her. "Working hard, huh?" She says, as she passes by. "Remember to take a break." She leaves, to take a break of her own. In bed! It's a nap break.
Minato turns in her seat, to wave Eight over -- in the Japanese style, her wrist flexing up and down. "Come, come!" She invites her, and gets up to grab a bottle of sparkling water, as she invites her over. She clonks it down, on the bar.
She is Aware of Her Friend's Drinking Habits.
"Ah, a little bit," Minato smiles, as she pours herself another glass of wine, to match. "What with everything going on, lately, Howmei and I just had a lot to talk about. But, you know, it's fine! Everyone's really been working hard... ahhh, even Ruri-Ruri," she adds, a little more complexity to her eyes.
Minato is pretty protective of Ruri, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Many snack... And advice! Eight smiles back at Ms. Howmei. "I will," she assures her. And that's indeed what she's doing now! So when Minato turns and waves her over, the blonde is happy enough to oblige, turning her way and closing the distance to accept the bottle.
"Thanks," she says. She is aware! Eight always appreciates that; the wine is probably nice, but...
"That's nice," Eight answers as she settles in, flopping into her seat a little less gracefully than she usually might. She opens her water, and Minato mentions everyone working hard. Even...
"Yeah," Eight agrees. "Ruri works really hard. ...I'm glad she has you all to make sure she doesn't work too hard, at least." She sighs a little, at that., and glances down to her water. She sounds fond of Ruri, anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"A battleship's not really a place for a teenager," Minato sighs, swirling her wine about and about in her glass. "Never mind that she came here when she was eleven... haaa, she's a brave girl, but it's still hard on her." Minato knows these things! She's very insightful.
She laughs, lightly, as she takes a sip. "You know, looking out for her makes me think I might have made a good mom, if I'd stayed out of this whole business! But really, office work can't sustain a woman forever... guess we'll have to settle this war before I think about anything like that."
Minato presses her painted nails to her glossy lips -- even if she is in Nergal's uniform, she's always put effort into looking as good as she can in it. "How about you, Eight?" She asks, and doesn't bother with her rank. "You ever think about becoming a family woman? You know, I bet raising kids would be easier with more hands... hypothetically," she adds, with a wink.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"It's really not," Eight agrees, and there's a little gloom there because Eight has never found a good solution to that problem. She can't take Ruri away from the Nadesico, has nowhere to take her even if she did, but... It's not a great place for a girl her age.
On the other hand, the people who care about her are there.
Eight smiles. "I think you would," she answers. But... Eight is sure that's true of office work; she never really tried. But when Minato mentions having to wait, Eight nods, and seems--if anything--a little gloomier than she had before.
Eight hms? at first, and then recognizes the question. She smiles. "I've thought about it," she says, and then considers, "...Well, I think about it a lot, really. It's an old dream of mine..."
She laughs a little. "You'd think, huh? I have a feeling you don't mean my crew..." No, she knows who she means. "...It might," she says. "But... There's so much going on, so..."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Minato sighs. "But Ruri-Ruri wants to be here," she concludes, on that gloomy topic. "And even if I can't agree with how she got there, she's still one of the most skilled people on the bridge... so who am I to tell her to leave anyway? After all, I'm not about to let this go, either."
Both of those things -- her desire, and her capability -- are important, to Minato. If Ruri were a normal teenager, it would be even harder for her to justify her being here. But... well, war is complicated, huh?
Minato presses a finger, to her lips, though, speaking of topics closer to Eight. Eight knows who she means, and Minato knows who she means, so why kiss and tell?
"Haha," she laughs, herself, leaning back in her stool. (It's a bit of a wild gesture. But that's fine!) "Ahhh, but you're right... it looks like we're going into another war, now." She straightens up, again, glancing at the empty tables of the cafeteria at night. Her gaze is troubled, for a moment. She doesn't dwell on it; that's not the Nadesico's way.
"On the other hand," she adds, sotto voce, "if you wait to accomplish your dreams, you'll only ever get there at night. You know, even Akito's still working hard to become a chef, though we keep sending him out to pilot an Aestivalis... though I think he needs a few years to catch up to us in matters of the heart," Minato winks.
... as it happens, she's only a year older than Eight. She really seems older, doesn't she?
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"...That's true," Eight admits. "She wants to be there. And it'd be about letting her have her own life, so..."
War is indeed complicated. Minato, though--
She laughs back. Not long, though. She is troubled, too; the war they're going into... Eight is more inclined to dwell. But when Minato says what she does about dreams...
"Oh, that's." Eight turns to look to Minato--and she seems so much older to Eight, somehow. With that wink, too, it reminds her she's not exactly without some experience herself. "...Haha," she says. "That's true. He would need some work..."
She looks a little more serious, at that. "...You're right, though. I guess if I always wait... I'll always be waiting." She glances to the empty tables. "...I wouldn't ask her to help with something like that," Eight says. "Not any more than I'd ask of a friend. She's not ready for that kind of thing. And that's fine."
"...But him..."
She sighs. "I've got it really bad. He'd... make such..."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"Hmm?" Minato asks, tilting her head. "I don't have that much experience with polyamory, myself -- mind you, I tried a lot of things when I was younger --" THAT'S A LOT TO DROP ON SOMEONE OUT OF NOWHERE, MINATO, DON'T SMILE ABOUT IT LIKE THAT -- "but don't you think being able to share the load means you can explore this sort of thing without feeling like it's your sole responsibility?"
She sips her wine, tapping at the edge of the glass. "Anyway," she adds, "if you never ask her, you'll never know what she's ready for and what she isn't. You know, even though it's not her sole responsibility, it's not no responsibility at all, either."
Minato supports open communication within the polycule. She kind of has to be a communication champion, considering who her partner secretly is.
(The fact that Goat Hoary would rather keep them a secret should tell you all you need to know about that.)
She laughs, fingers veiling her lips. "But he would, wouldn't he? He's quite handsome! And so diligent, too... no woman could fault you for that!"
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"Oh ho," Eight says, when Minato reveals she's tried a lot. That's always exciting; she laughs a little at the smile. "Maybe more than me," she muses. Though she's tried a few things herself. "...But I guess that's true, isn't it? And it wouldn't be only mine, in any case..."
Eight sips her sparkling water. "Mm. That's true. But I don't want to scare her. I only got her to admit we were dating last year... I'm afraid of coming on too strong. But I can't leave her behind, either. But I want to... get more serious... with him, too."
She appreciates communication advice; she gives it all the time herself. It's not exactly consistent if she can't accept it...
"Ah," Eight says, and flushes a little. "He would. I can just see it..." She sighs. "But that's what I mean, when I say I've got it bad. Yurika gave a speech about 'our children and our children's children' the other day and I was just... starnig at her like an idiot." She rubs at the back of her neck. "I feel like I'm seeing it everywhere..."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"There's never any harm in speaking your mind," Minato advises Eight, "because anyone who would think of that as harmful is a little suspicious, don't you think?" Is THAT why she's adopted Ruri. "Anyway, Rena's a good girl. She'll want to hear about your feelings, and you'll be able to reassure her, too."
She laughs, again, tilting her head merrily. "Haha... I've noticed!" Minato reveals, which might explain why she ended up parking this conversation where she did. Does her deviousness never cease?! (It ceased for thirty-six hours back in '93 when she got so sick with a cold that she couldn't even muster the will to giggle.) "I'm not saying you should rush into anything, but..." Minato reaches over, to lay her painted fingertips on Eight's arm, with care.
"If you don't make your own happiness, it's never going to come to you," she advises her, a breath later, and she almost sounds serious for a moment. "If this is really what you want, you've got to make space in your life for a family. Life's been pretty rough on you, right...?" Minato, like so many others, heard the rumours. She did not share them along. "And if you keep pushing yourself to fight without thinking about what makes you happy, I'm sure it will just cause you even more trouble."
She lifts her hand, gesturing, with an open palm. "That doesn't mean I don't appreciate everything you're doing," she adds. "I'm glad Yurika's got someone else to rely on -- another Captain, I mean. But there are some things that matter to women, instead of to soldiers. And that's what you settled on, right?" Minato's not the only one who looks this good in makeup, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"...Yes," Eight answers, with a small smile. "She would want to know... and it's not like I can hide anything from her anyway." Reassure her... that sounds nice.
But Minato noticed! Eight laughs, mostly at herself for being obvious, when Minato reveals that truth. It's the kind of laugh where she glances away and blushes a little. "I didn't realize I was that obvious, but..."
Eight looks back over to her at the fingertips on her arm. She does sound serious. And what she says makes Eight's eyes widen. ...It's obvious, when she does; her eyelashes, lengthened by her mascara, are expressive, her skin clear enough that that earlier blush was obvious.
Minato heard the rumors, of course. "I..."
Minato continues. "...Thanks," she says first. "I am working hard," she admits. "But... you're right. I never thought I'd be a soldier, but I always wanted... that."
"That's what I settled on," she agrees. "...It has been kind of rough," she admits. "I'm not even sure I... can." What she's talking about. "But I..."
"I'll think about that. Because it really is something I want. ...More than anything, I think."
"Well, it's not like I plan to retire, or anything. I still have a lot to do. But... maybe you're right."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
"Aww, you weren't that obvious," Minato assures her, kindly. "I just have an eye for this sort of thing!" She's someone who cares about people. What that might mean is...
Well, a woman has to keep some secrets.
"It's okay, you know, if you can't have one of your own," she smiles, and even an office lady like her knows why she ought to be gentle about that sort of thing. "But I get the feeling you'd like to know for sure, right? Because even if it turns out that way, you were still honest with yourself. And with that cutie, too!" She's talking about Lahvi. Minato can appreciate large men, obviously.
"Besides," she winks, raising her glass, "we're modern women! We're the queens of multitasking, don't you know? We can have homes and jobs, and anything else we want, honestly!" Okay, maybe that statement is the wine. Maybe Minato is a little tipsy, knocking back another gulp.
Be fair: this is the second heart-to-heart she's had in so many hours. At least! Really, who's going to go to Inez for counselling when Minato is right here to talk to?
Many hands make light work, and not just with kids.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"Ah, ha..." Eight is still a little embarrassed, but she doesn't mind that so much. It's all right to share something like this with Minato. She does care about people. ...And Eight feels she's included in that.
She's fine with a few secrets. ...She likes men with secrets, too.
"Mm," Eight answers. She's thought about the possibility--but, Minato is right. "I would..." Eight grins back. Of course she can. "Yeah. ...I really love him, too."
Besides! Eight raises her water in response, with a smile. "You're right!" Maybe it's the wine, but Eight likes it anyway. She sort of wishes for a moment she could have wine. It seems more fun this way.
...Eight is definitely not going to Inez for this.
"Well," she says, "If anything comes of it... I'll tell you. Promise."
<Pose Tracker> Ruri Hoshino has posed.
Eight is people! Minato isn't the sort of person who looks on people who were hurt with scorn, even if they were hurt in laboratories. Really, what kind of monster would blame someone for being hurt like that...?
(Minato has a lot of opinions about what is right, but she's not going to burden Eight with her feelings about it, either. So long as she knows she values her as an ally and a friend, that's enough. ... the Nadesico's really not the sort of ship which talks about the undercurrents out loud, much.)
"Haha... you'd better!" Minato grins, to Eight, as she puts down her empty glass. "We'll throw you a proper baby shower, if it comes to it! But for now," she taps her finger to her lips, "my lips are sealed. It's bad luck to gossip about this sort of thing before the fact, after all."
And while Minato does love a good bit of gossip, she's not lying about keeping Eight's confidence on this one, either. She won't tell anyone about her feelings until Eight's ready to share.
She may, however, extract her price from Eight imminently...
... some help back to her room. A little too much wine makes any woman wobbly, even a seasoned party girl like Minato.