<@Grysar> [Date: Later evening of May 12th. Taki comes home after going off to make a few phone calls. Mikage seems to be putting away her homework for tonight finally. The smell of dinner has faded, though there is a light pleasant night breeze from the balcony.] <@Grysar> [Start] * Taki mopes into the apartment, hooks a foot around the chair that Mikage isn't sitting in and manages to drag it under herself as she slumps next to Mikage. "Blaaargh. I'm a bigger idiot than I thought." * @Mikage looks at Taki appraisingly. "You showed fear, didn't you?" Yeeeup. Was totally fine until I looked at the decision that I made and started to panic. I trust Nicola, I really do, but I don't trust me to trust Kyon to trust his friend." I swear he could smell the fear through the phone. * @Mikage gently pokes Taki on the nose. "What's done is done. Second guessing doesn't change anything and it destroys your confidence." * Taki ghosts a grin. "Thanks, and that's not the only thing they destroy...I'm going to have to make something before the fourth through thirtysecond thoughts keep me up all night." <@Mikage> Oh? Cooking out your feelings? Tea-ing out. There should be a couple bags of caffine-free black left in the basket. I start cooking to forget and I'm still going to be at it when classes start in the morning. * @Mikage nods. This makes sense to her. * Taki puts her head on the table and mumbles something incohearent. * @Mikage puts her head down sideways, resting one ear on the table and looking over at Taki. "My gifts do not extend to super hearing." * Taki takes a deep breath and lets it out. "If I don't get some sort of horrible over the weekend assignment, I'm going to call Nicola and see if I can bullet train back to Tokyo." * @Mikage hmms. "That might mean you don't get to do a planned out weekend later. It's that bad?" I really really really want to hug her right now, and kiss her, and tell her that I trust her more than myself and she's too far away. * @Mikage ponders that for a moment. "My gifts also do not extend to keeping relationships. But it may not be wise to drop like ten thousand yen every time you get scared. Overreacting can make things worse." She ponders. "Hugs can be procured locally, if that helps. No kissing though." As soon as I have the energy to sit up, I'm taking that offer. And you don't have to worry about kisses, I am absolutly sticking to one significant other at a time. And thanks for the advice. <@Mikage> [Mikage sits up, stands up, and wanders around the table as is necessitated by the size of the apartment. She gives Taki an attempt at a cheery smile that doesn't quite extend to her eyes, but the hug is a tight one. Sadly just a little before it would naturally end, her phone starts ringing. It's an intentionally old fashion phone ring, which based on past experience means Mikage's part time job. She snarls at the interruption but disengages.] * Taki laughs bitterly. "Story of my life today. Thanks, I'm going to make that tea now." * Taki pushes back her chair and moves to the kitchen. * @Mikage nods and heads over to the other room. Her voice is muffled but perhaps because she's a bit frustrated you can hear a bit. "Tonight? Do you really need more so soon?" Not long after she packs her purse, grabs a jacket and her shoes and heads out the door. Do you know when you'll be back? * @Mikage lets out a breath. "Probably don't wait up." Text me if you need breakfast and a change of clothes. * @Mikage smiles a little in gratitude but that's quickly challenged by another emotion. She glances away. "Thanks. That means more than you know." And she swiftly heads out the door. * Taki starts to write a reply to Haruko while the tea steeps, but she really can't focus on it, and playing with her phone she manages to accidentally on purpose call Nicola. * @Nicola answers after a few rings. "Ah, hello!" She sounds surprised but happy. Eep! I mean hi! * @Nicola appears to have not noticed the eep. "Your timing is excellent. I just ended a phone call with a certain Kiriya-san." Ah, he called me today too. I was going to warn you and ... kinda didn't. Sorry. Uhm, what did you think? <@Nicola> Worry not. He seems... fine. For what we are asking him to do, he seems quite suitable. I think my mother will like him. That's good, it ... I felt like he was treating it too much like a game and it's a lot more important to me that you and your parents are happy. But if he wins by doing what we want him to, that's okay. Does that make sense? <@Nicola> I believe so. I think we can both win, in this case. I have an escort, he has a social outing. * Taki nods, not that Nicola can see it. "I wish I could be the one who goes with you. I'm missing you a lot right now." <@Nicola> I miss you, too. But society and my family are what they are. For now. Society is really unfair, but I didn't call just to whine at you! I called to say I miss you and that I want to hug you, and kiss you, and just spend hours doing nothing but cuddling and watching tapes of figuring skating together and ask how terrible of an idea visiting this weekend would be. * @Nicola sighs. "That would be lovely. So very lovely. But my parents, they are both home this weekend for once. So much as I would like to spend hours cuddling on a couch with you, we would have to be hiding either at your father's apartment. Assuming he is not also home." She sighs again. "At least I will have escort success to report at our family meal." * Taki groans. "Right. And I should save money for the trips I've already planned back. I just miss you. Hearing the sound of your voice helps a lot, you'll have to tell me everything about the party, and the food! I mean, please tell me about the party and the food." * @Nicola laughs. "I will make sure to pay particular attention to the food. When is your next trip back? Could we make it be sooner?" * Taki thinks for a moment. "Three and a half weeks from now in June. I know it's not actually as far away as it feels, but sometimes I'd swear time is moving backwords. If your parents suddenly take a weekend off, please let me know." * @Nicola makes a distressed sound. "So many weeks! My parents are not home most weekends, you know." Well, this weekened is no good, so we'll have to keep trying until we do find a good one. That's the only thing for it without resorting to kidnapping, and I'd like to stay on speaking terms with both our families. <@Nicola> I will have you know that I could make an excellent ransom note. There's a big problem with that. I'd have to give you back. <@Nicola> Oh, no, I meant for you. Oh, well, you might be stuck with me forever then. Quite the hardship, but I'll do my best. <@Nicola> I'll get to work on clipping letters from magazines, then. * Taki giggles. "Thankyou. Thank you so much." * @Nicola laughs melodically. "You are welcome." <@Mikage> [And Taki and Nicola continue the conversation and talk about classes until the yawns on both sides grow more frequent and the gaps in conversation become longer. And while it goes past all too quickly, it's time to head to bed.] <@Mikage> [The next day, the 13th, Mikage is has made it back in time for breakfast, but after that is fairly elusive. Taki can corner her on the evening of Friday the 14th if she so desires, once her statistics exercises are done.] * Taki refuses to corner Mikage about her sudden late night work, but does offer to start leaving meals in the fridge that can be eaten at odd times if this is going to be a thing, and asks if there's anything else she might be able to help with. * @Mikage looks down. "Thank you. Some leftovers might be good." She's quiet for a few seconds. "How are you doing? Seems like you've been able to get to sleep after all, but don't know if you've had weird dreams or the like." <@Mikage> [Taki also did some searching for the Empress today, but apparently she does odd hours and will next be around on the evening of Saturday the 15th.] * Taki shakes her head. "Not since I was able to talk to Nicola on the phone. I had a really weird one where I tried to set up my new sister with Guan and got in a fight the night before. * @Mikage blinks at that repeatedly. "That better not be prophetic. My prospects at school aren't so hot." * Taki says slowly "...That would be really awkward, I mean, I'm sorry to hear that. What's happened? I thought you were enjoying your classes." * @Mikage holds up her hands and waves them. "Oh, no, sorry, I'm a mess. School is great. I just... Guan seems like a better guy than most of the ones I've met there." If you want him, Akari will just have to do without her dream boyfriend. I'm sorry if I've been accidentally rubbing having a girlfriend in your face. * @Mikage shakes her head. "I'm glad to see you and Nicola-chan happy. Don't feel you need to hide from me too. I'll do all I can to keep your secret." Thanks, I wish we didn't have to keep it a secret. And I'm not just offering to help as a bribe, you're my friend and I really do want you to be happy. * @Mikage closes her eyes for a moment, contemplating this offer with a quiet "Thanks." Hmm, I can start by inviting him over so we can do homework together on nights that you're going to be here, so you can start to get to know him. * @Mikage keeps her eyes closed. "You're too nice." It does sound a little less like a compliment and more like pointing out a weakness. "Thank you. Okay, I'll try to stand up for myself more at work, get you a schedule, and stop being so mopey. But I want you to promise to live your life and don't get to districted worrying about me that you aren't doing other important stuff, okay?" * Taki laughs nerviously. "It's so much easier to meddle in other peoples lives, but I think that I at least temporarily know what I'm doing with mine. I'll try to heed that warning." * @Mikage opens her eyes. "Good. And I don't object to a little meddling, if it gets us a cute homework buddy." <@Mikage> [And Mikage starts acting a bit less weird in a troublesome way and a bit more weird in her own particular idiom.] <@Mikage> [End!]