2024-03-31: Sleepy Valentine
- Log: 2024-03-31- Sleepy Valentine
- Cast: Akane Shinjo, Rikka Takarada
- Where: Nouvelle Tokyo - Takarada/Shinjo Apartment
- OOC - IC Date: 0099-02-14
- Summary: Akane and Rikka wake up and start their V-Day off with more than a little affection. From there, they make some future plans -- seeing movies, adopting pets, and helping Rikka get her feet under her with 3G work.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane never used to like the winter months. Even as someone who couldn't handle the oppressive heat of Japanese summer, high summer beat winter easily -- as far as you could get from lonely holiday after lonely holiday. Christmas, her birthday, Valentine's Day... all back to back, all lonely in their own ways.
... She's finally gotten to that comfortable point, though. Finally, after almost two years, it really has started to feel different. ... There's definitely a lot to love amid the snowfall.
Nouvelle Tokyo's having some tail-end cold today; winter's gripping tight...
... which means Akane's gripping tighter. Curled up in bed with Rikka, Akane looks like she's about to have the slowest start to a Valentine's Day in history. It's not that she's unenthusiastic about the day starting... no, quite the opposite.
She needs to start it off in the clingiest, brattiest way possible.
"Mmmn," she groans out, nuzzling up to Rikka's shoulder. "It's too cold to get out of bed... 'm gonna hibernate 'til winter's done and then trundle out to sea," comes a sleepy, lightly kaiju-themed murmur. "If you want me to get out of bed and do Valentine's Day stuff, you're gonna have to find some way to warm me up... Oh, but maybe that *is* Valentine's Day stuff~"
... If left to her own devices she'll commit to this bit for hours. It's not the first time.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Valentine's Day... Rikka's been looking forward to this for a while. It'll be their third Valentine's Day together... And she can't think of any better way to start it than curled up together in the bed of their apartment.
Akane grips tight, but Rikka doesn't mind. Her arms wrap around her as Akane nuzzles up to her. She laughs, just a little, at that kaiju-themed murmur.
"I'm going to have to bribe you, now?" Rikka replies. She's still sounding just a little sleepy, but Akane's attention is gradually drawing her into full wakefulness. "I could just haul you out of bed, you know."
It's all in good cheer. This isn't the first time they've gone through this. It's far from the last - and that's perfectly fine with her.
She runs a hand idly through Akane's hair and then shifts just a bit, kissing her neck.
"C'mon. If you get up now, there might be more where that came from later~."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Noooooo, it's too cold," Akane whines, continuing the back-and-forth. "I'll freeze to death..."
... then that hand comes up through her hair, and -- oh. Oh. ... Even if it's not the first time, there's still an electric little thrill at feeling those lips against her skin.
Akane groans, and says, "... Okay, okay..." She starts to sit up, pushing her hair out of her eyes. In the end, she decided that keeping it just a bit longer and fuller than she did in Tsutsujidai was the plan -- at least for the moment. If she gets bored, it's easy to change, anyway.
Scooting out of bed, Akane makes her way to the dresser and looks for a blouse. "Hrrmmm... What do you wanna do today? I know we always make chocolate, but that's more of a later thing... I do have class in the afternoon, and I think you do too? But that still gives us most of the day."
Not wanting to spend too much time agonizing over her choice of clothes (it is cold!) she settles eventually for something in grey.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Then I guess we'll freeze together. We'll make the best ice statue around~." Rikka replies - and then grins, pleased with her, as she feels Akane stir at her kiss.
As Akane relents Rikka lets go, soon sitting up herself. She runs her hands through her own hair, fanning it back behind her. Akane goes for a blouse and Rikka gets up too, gathering up her own clothes.
"Yeah, you're right, I do. Hmm... It's still early enough that we could prepare breakfast together?" Rikka suggests. "And then I was thinking we could go for a walk - maybe do a little shopping and/or catch a movie if we've got the time before school..."
The latter is just a bit muffled, as Rikka pulls her shirt on over her head as she talks.
"...But, I wouldn't say no if you just wanted to stay home, cuddle on the couch, and watch something mushy together, either." She concludes.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
... Morbid flirting gets Akane even more than non-morbid flirting. The entire time Akane's picking out clothes she's blushing furiously, though unfortunately there's only little glimpses of it given the situation.
"Hmmm..." Akane taps her chin thoughtfully. "Making breakfast together sounds fun, and..." Does she want to try to squeeze something in before class? Catching movies in the morning is usually cheap, and Akane's started to really appreciate the value of thrift. "... I think I'd be up for a movie. It's been a while since we did one... are you up for something spooky?"
It sounds like she's already got something in mind, at least. "I'm glad we at least managed to have today to chill out a little," she muses. "It's only been stuff I can do remotely, but there's been a lot of work with 3G Intelligence... I'm kinda pooped."
Dressed, she takes a moment to make sure Rikka is dressed too -- and then heads for the kitchen, starting to gather ingredients.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka may not be able to see much of it - but the response pleases her all the same.
"Great." Rikka replies, as Akane agrees to making breakfast. She finishes getting dressed as Akane considers her options - and, eventually, agrees to a movie. "It has been... Time really flies."
She considers, though. Is she up for something spooky?
...It does provide a good excuse for being clingy in a public space...
"Sure, that sounds great. It's been a while since we watched anything spooky, either..." She agrees. "What were you thinking?"
It sounds like she has an idea already, after all.
She lets out an sympathetic sigh, though, as Akane expresses relief that they were able to have today to chill out.
"For sure." Rikka agrees. "I've been so busy lately..."
And not just with classes, either - there's been a lot coming down the pipeline she's had to get ready for.
"Today'll make it all worth it, though." With that, and taking a moment to run a brush through her hair, she follows Akane out to the kitchen.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Well," Akane says, "there's this big-name horror director who just put something out? I think it's about a village that's supposed to be on the other side of those cliffs in Fukui Prefecture..."
(They're suicide cliffs.)
"I heard it might get kind of a short theatrical run because of the political climate, so I don't think we're gonna get a second shot at seeing it in theaters," Akane finishes. She continues gathering ingredients -- so much of the freezer is dedicated to frozen dashi stock...
(Bigger fridge in their next place, Akane tells herself.)
Turning toward Rikka, she looks at that freshly-brushed hair and forgets what she was doing for a few seconds... then recovers and says, "Hmmm... we could do fish for breakfast or dinner, but we definitely need to use this," as she looks in the fridge again. "I kinda think now, just so we don't end up with a million dishes to wash between dinner and chocolate..."
In a brief pause in the breakfast-fussing, her hand finds Rikka's. "... You really have been busy with work stuff, though... is there anything I can do to help?"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Oh, I see..." Rikka replies consideringly, thinking it over. She runs it through her head, comparing it to what she knows - and nods. A short theatrical run, though... "That... makes sense. Things are kind of fraught right now... Then, let's do it. I wouldn't want to miss out on it."
Akane turns toward her and Rikka looks back, offering her a smile as she catches her staring. She's given a question, though, as Akane considers fish for breakfast or dinner... Rikka 'hm's to herself and, eventually, nods.
"...Yeah. I think you're right. Fish sounds great right now, anyway." She agrees. That probably would be the easiest way to do it. With that decided, while Akane finishes getting the ingredients ready, Rikka fetches the rest of what they'll need, setting it down on the counter. As she does... Akane's hand finds herself. Rikka offers her a small smile.
"It's okay. There's just... a lot going on right now." Rikka replies, then considers. ...No, she shouldn't just turn her away like that. She needs to get used to asking people for help, rather than doing everything herself. "But... I do have some paperwork I need to get done, and I wouldn't mind having someone else look over it for me. I've got some profiles to look over that could use a second pair of eyes, too."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Akane nods, saying, "I'm really looking forward to it. It's probably the last OCU-produced movie we're gonna see with shots on the other side of the border, with how everything shook out... at least for a while." It's a little melancholy, for a girl who can't go back to the town she grew up in in any meaningful sense -- but it'll be nice to see.
"Okay, fish it is!" Akane enthuses, as she starts cooking. "... I know I usually do it, but do you wanna handle the soup today? I think it'd be nice to make it a little special."
When Rikka insists there's just a lot going on, Akane nods -- but then she's pleasantly surprised when Rikka summons up the courage to ask. It would've worried her a little if she didn't.
"That sounds great. Tomorrow? I only have one class, so I'll be able to carve out a lot of time for it," Akane affirms, nodding as she starts in on fish prep. "Today would be a little tight for me, but if it can wait a day I can really dig in."
A smug expression starts to cross her face as she says, "... I don't think we'll have a lot of time after dinner and chocolate tonight, anyway~"
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"I didn't think about it that way..." Rikka replies. She doesn't have that same emotional connection - but it's still a little sad to think about it. She nods, though, with a smile. "Then, it's a date."
Right now, though, breakfast prep! And Akane suggests that she handle the soup today.
"My soup-making skills might be a little rusty... I've gotten a little complacent, since I've been satisfied with tasting someone else's so much." She sends Akane a smile. "...But, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot."
She'll just have to compensate by making it extra special - a way to give back and show Akane her appreciation.
She nods, then.
"Tomorrow would be great - I have some free time then, too." Rikka agrees, as she starts in on the soup. "It's nothing that has to be taken care of right away."
...And then, she chuckles.
"You're right. I think we're both going to have our hands pretty full." She agrees, meeting that smug expression with a knowing look.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Hehehe..." Akane resists the urge to make a joke about feeding it to Rikka every morning. ... At a certain point, it ceases to be abstract, after all. At what point are you actually just proposing instead of doing a bit?
... well, when you've been together for more than two years and are living together, you're probably past that.
As she seasons the fish, Akane says, "Perfect." She wonders if there's more she should volunteer for the girl who's been so kind to her -- but, no, if she needs more she'll trust her to ask. ... At least for the moment.
In between seasoning and cooking, Akane snags her meds out of one of the kitchen cabinets. (She'd put them here to hack her brain -- having her meds in the kitchen forces her to stop dry-swallowing them and make breakfast.)
... the kitchen is definitely a little cramped for two -- the whole process adds a little bit of dancing to the start of Valentine's Day.
As they move around each other, Akane muses on whether to say something that's been on her mind for a while. Eventually, she says, "I kinda wish this place had a better pet policy... I was thinking we'd just reup our lease for next year, but ever since I healed up I feel like I want a little friend around the house..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
Rikka grins back at Akane, then gets to work. She runs through the process in her head before getting to work. Seasoning, chopping, pouring... The cramped quarters definitely mean that the cooking process isn't boring, when they have to watch out for each other as she moves.
...And of course, Rikka would be lying if she said some of the times she brushes past Akane a little more than she needs to as they both take care of their respective jobs weren't at least a little intentional. She takes a moment to appreciate Akane's hack, too.
And then, as Rikka is stirring the soup and adding the last of the ingredients and seasoning to taste... Akane speaks her mind.
A better pet policy... Rikka 'hm's to herself, staring at her reflection in the soup. A little friend, huh... She's kind of been wanting one, too, now that she's out of the house. She considers for a moment and, eventually decides...
"Well... we just have to make sure the landlord doesn't find out, right?" Rikka replies.
Even after all these years, she still hasn't gotten any better about reading the posted guidelines regarding cats.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Rikka definitely commands as much of Akane's attention as the food -- which is a little dangerous when you're cooking something kind of delicate like fish, but fortunately, Akane manages not to get too wrapped up in paying attention to her partner.
The fish are a little more effort-intensive than the soup -- which means while Rikka's done, Akane still needs a couple more minutes. It certainly gives Rikka time to think things over...
... and she suggests something Akane wouldn't have thought of. Despite everything, Akane's a bit of a goody two-shoes about this sort of thing -- she needs a moment to think that over. "That's -- true," Akane agrees, eventually. "We'd need somewhere to hide them," she thinks aloud, a moment later. ... Once she has permission to do something, she's pretty good at practicals. "For, like, when maintenance comes by. -- Oh, right, the window screen... I keep forgetting to put in for that." (A falling icicle grazed the window and left a small ding in the window screen. Akane has been forgetting to put in for this since December -- but then, with how eventful December was, who could blame her?)
"We'll need to figure out when we can get over to the shelter..." She finally takes the fish off. It's a little on the well-cooked end, but not quite burned... it's a near thing, though.
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
One final taste, just to make sure - and Rikka nods, satisfied. She might be rusty, but she's sure this turned out great.
"Soup's ready." Rikka announces, looking toward Akane as she does some thinking of her own. And eventually, Akane does agree - and points out something she's been forgetting.
"Oh right, that... I forgot all about that, too." Rikka considers. It's not all on Akane, of course - Rikka could have reminded her too, at any point...
...But December was, indeed, pretty eventful. As for the topic at hand...
"Do we both need to be present for that? One of us could take them out of the house when Maintenance comes by - or there's always the bathroom or bedroom..." Rikka considers. "We'll want to form a plan in advance, but I think we can do it."
As for figuring out times to visit the shelter...
"We can compare our schedules tomorrow while we're handling work stuff? I should have my upcoming class schedule on hand by that point, too." Rikka suggests.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Fish's just about done, too," Akane confirms, starting to plate things up. Not every day has a full set breakfast, even if everyone in the house can cook... but it's definitely worth taking the time to make Valentine's Day special.
"Hmm, you're right, we don't both have to be around... I don't mind handling that if it comes down to it." Smuggling a cat out of the house is its own issue, but that one's not so bad. Akane could probably hide a cat in her book bag... that definitely suggests some things about the ideal temperament for an adopted little friend.
"Sure, I'm open for that," Akane affirms. "Looking forward to it." She slides the plates onto trays, and brings them out to the sitting room.
"... Happy Valentine's Day," she says, with a smile. "... huh. Y'know, it's weird that all the couple holidays are in winter. They should space them out more. Like -- I don't need the excuse to have a good time with you, but still..."
<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.
"Ohh, that looks great." Rikka replies, peering over. ...Okay, it's a bit well-cooked, so it's clear she's being at least a little generous - but she's sure it's going to be a great meal regardless. It really will be a special Valentine's Day.
"Then I'll hold down the fort." Rikka replies with a nod. That's definitely important information - something they'll have to make note of it when it finally comes time to visit the shelter.
"Great. Me too." Rikka replies with a smile. She gets everything ready on her end too, then follows Akane out to the sitting room.
"Happy Valentine's Day." Rikka echoes back - and then smiles. "Oh, I don't know that it's all that weird..."
She waits for Akane to set everything down and follows suit... and then approaches, snaking her arms around her.
"A cold winter's day is the perfect time to share some warmth with who you love, after all."
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
When she's embraced after musing aloud, Akane turns pink all over again -- but it's gotten easier, over the years, to share those moments together. After a startled moment, she leans back into that embrace, letting herself melt into it a bit.
"You make a pretty good argument," Akane teases, craning her head back slightly and giving Rikka a kiss on the cheek. She straightens up slightly, almost wanting to turn and start making out right then and there --
-- but then the food will be cold. ... It's important to be where you are. Akane gives Rikka's hand a quick squeeze as she squirms out of that embrace after a few very happy moments, and starts in.
Despite the slightly too crispy exterior, beneath that it's fine; Akane has a good grasp of flavors, and the seasoning is excellent. It might be a bit on the oily side, but there are worse sins, surely.
She tries the soup after a few moments. "Oh, it's really good... Mama taught you really well," she offers. "I knew you wouldn't forget that fast... hehehe."
Sharing warmth with those you love, huh...
... yeah, maybe the holidays are well-placed after all.