yumemigaoka | November catch-all ♫

[Look, sometimes driving everywhere just isn't convenient! Parking is hell more often than not, let alone traffic, and since it's been just him a lot lately, sometimes the train is the easier option. Plus it's a lot easier to work on paperwork on the train too. Ugh.]

[So rather than Dreamer Chaosbringer, it's ordinary government salaryman Zeke stepping into the car, grumbling and muttering to himself as anyone would after a long day -- right up until he spots--]

Hey, I recognize that bass!

Depends on the day. Depends on what I had for dinner, too.

[ Like half her body weight in greasy fried garbage. ]

Ah uh. ...thank you. It's easy to get into a rut with food, at least for me, so advice never hurts, though.

[One Saturday afternoon, Junna is at Lisa's apartment -- meeting her there before they go to dinner for a date.

Which is when her phone rang.

She stepped into the kitchen, to take the call. It started off pleasant and routine enough: "Hi, Mom" and some mention of how school was going. Some questions about her family, back home; some exchanges. And then there's the ever-so-slightly hopeful tone when she says:] There's actually a play in January, with a community theater group. I was thinking of auditioning, and--

[She's clearly cut off. She falls quiet for a moment.]

...No, I know. I should focus on-- [She quiets down more, then, after another interruption.] I know. I--

[Lisa hasn't heard her raise her voice before, not really. She gets close now.] I'm not being frivolous! I-- [She snaps, but then she quiets more sharply before.]

Sorry. ...yes, I'm sorry.

[Lisa needs the distraction, honestly - the suitcases in her bedroom are a weighty presence in her mind, so she'll happily accept being able to focus on someone else for the evening - so she's excited to go out with Junna in a bit here. She doesn't think anything of the phone call, waving gently as the other girl steps away. She is curious, but one, she'll probably hear anything relevant directly from her anyway, and two, better to let Junna talk to her mother without having a hanger-on. Lisa's relationship with her parents isn't great, but she's not going to begrudge Junna actually talking to hers.

She can feel her lips turning into a frown as she overhears snippets, but she continues to throw some things into her bags while she's got a free moment. Junna had been excited about getting into a larger production, so she'd have thought that excitement would spread through her family. It was... almost like...

Her head whips around as she hears Junna finally lose her composure, and she drops the hoodie in her hands, stepping back out to look at her girlfriend with open concern. One hand reaches out despite the distance, and her head tilts in question... before Lisa thinks better of it and just walks the rest of the way over into the kitchen, reaching for Junna's free hand. Slowly, just in case, to give time to tell her to back off if that's what she'd prefer. But she doesn't think that's coming. Probably. If Junna looks her way, she mouths:]

Are you okay?

[Even typing that much gives her a tiny, singing empty feeling at the bottom of her stomach, that she's said too much, or that Karen really doesn't want to deal with this kinda stuff. Which is fine, she can deal with-

-oh. Well then.]

That seems like something really small to be fussy about. So I get why you'd be cautious about telling them everything else.
Sounds like you see them a little more often than I see my own parents, though. Which might be part of the problem.

[Then she sees Karen continue, and for a moment, she blinks at her phone. Her problem isn't necessarily the cost, but...]

That's an ominous way to put it. What did you have in mind?

[Junna'd been absorbed enough in the phone call that she might have been looking in Lisa's direction a little, but she wasn't really seeing her. That changes when Lisa raises her hand, which has the merciful effect of reminding her where she is. There's still her mother talking on the other end. She sees what Lisa mouths, and she hesitates for a second.

When Lisa takes her hand, Junna squeezes it.

There's an impulse to smile and say yes; it would be a lie. Lisa would know it as a lie. And -- besides -- if she was just going to lie like that... it doesn't sit right with her. She shakes her head no, finally.

And then she needs to talk again.] I know. Focus... focus on my studies. And the important things. I'm sorry for disappointing you. [Another moment of quiet, and then:] Yeah. I'll... talk to you later, Mom. Uh-huh. Bye.

[She hangs up. Then, she puts her phone on the counter, and puts a hand to her forehead.] ...Sorry. [Her tone of voice oozes awkwardness. And her expression isn't much better, either.] I didn't think it would go like that.

[She'd found a nice little music shop to look for strings and practice a bit in, so Lisa had been enjoying herself today. But now that she's heading back, her mood is slowly slipping back into the holding pattern she's been enjoying(?) for a few weeks, and her chin is slowly slipping into her scarf as she withdraws-

-oh. She knows that voice. She can barely make out the grumbling, but by the time she looks up to see what he's on about, he's greeting her, and she gives him a smile, lopsided as it may be at the moment.]

You're pretty good, given it's still in the bag. But... hey. Rough day at the office?

[ It's loud and busy in the crowded Promised Morning hallways and yet, it's impossible not to catch the familiar voice drifting along over the noise. ]

Oh - Lisa-chan!

[ There's a break in the crowd and casually as anything, out steps Ai dressed to the nines in some sharp otona girly coordinate that definitely came right from a magazine shoot - which means she's probably here representing the DU rather than just for funsies, but her easy smile once she spots Lisa makes it clear she's having fun all the same. ]

I wasn't expecting to see you...! Were you feeling a little nostalgic?

[It seems that she had been accidentally ominous. She hadn't meant to imply anything scary!]

Sorry. I just meant that you could get a roommate. Split the cost. There are no one bedroom apartments in this building, so you could have your own space. Actually

[This time there is a longer pause before Karen sends again.]

There is another another option. If you really need a place to yourself, you could always stay in my spare bedroom. I don't use it for anything. Other then the furnishings its entirely empty.

[The hesitation came from the fact she couldn't believe she was even thinking of making the offer. She really had changed a little since starting to live on her own.]

Eh, that's fair. [To both things.] On one hand, it's nice to explore new things! But on the other, well... you like what you like. And hey, you could just get one of everything? In, uh, small quantities? [A beat.] I dunno, that might be too much sugar in one place. Not that I can talk when I'm here for ingredients to bake a pile of cookies myself, but still.

[ah- That's concerning, isn't it? Even if she meant it as a joke, that's not something to take lightly at all...

But Nikki just looks thoughtful. He crosses his hands in front of him... And understands where Chaosbringer is coming from]

Dunno, miss, that doesn't sound like an 'okay' sort of answer to me. Wanna talk about it? [then, with a grin] Or you can skip too, I won't judge. Don't want you heading home when it's too late in the day, after all.

[Lisa... wouldn't have blamed her for lying. She's done it herself more than once. But she appreciates the honesty, and she squeezes Junna's hand back with a smile. She waits patiently, if with a little bit of a sharp glance at the phone in Junna's hand, until she sees the phone hit the counter. Immediately, after another brief moment's glare, she takes a mental step back and lets her gaze soften.]

You don't have to apologize for that. It's not your fault. It sounds like it's anything but your fault. [Lisa sighs softly.] Is it just acting she's not on board with? Or is she going full no-fun-allowed?

[A small pause. Then, she slides closer, shoulder-to-shoulder, with a grin to hopefully ease some of the awkwardness. If it hides her own issues for a bit longer, all the better.]

Ah, but if she doesn't want you seeing your friends, I'm ignoring that. I need my recharge time, and nobody's taking my Junna quota away from me.

[Junna takes her phone after a second, turning it over and back quickly. She didn't throw it that hard, but there's some briefly misplaced fear she might have broken it. That's just worrying, though. She looks up, then, and there's a second's hesitation at the question.]

It's... mostly acting. They--um--they never... really approved. They said it's a good way to end up hungry. Both of them, I mean. [She glances to the side.] So when I became a Dreamer... they were really happy I decided to focus on that. They said there's more of a future there.

[The awkwardness, at least, does ease away. Shoulder to shoulder like that is nice, and--and then she leans a little against Lisa.

She smiles, then.]

No--I-I mean. She's not. But... I wouldn't listen if she told me to drop you.

Aaah. [Zeke waves his hand to dismiss the question as deserving neither a yes nor a no.]

[Of course, that's a deliberate deception. Things are absolute hell at the office, because the official government response to Disturbances has to be formed and formulated in DAMNIT, and that isn't easy in the slightest. The whole place is in an uproar, and struggling to accomplish anything against its own limitations--]

[--but no one needs to hear THAT, because the last thing anyone needs is guilt. It's just how the job works, that's all.]

You're the one looking like she's trying to turn into a turtle. What's got your goat?

Right. I don't get out... enough, to try new things.

[ Usually when the DU is participating in some kind of Event, and that's usually just variations on typical festival food, which is still a comfort zone. ]

At least cookies are easy to share. Especially when you seem pretty outgoing.

[It is, in turn, impossible for Lisa to miss her senpai apparently seeing her down a school hallway, her holding what looks remarkably like yakisoba pan as she turns and just. Blinks. Blinks again, taking in Ai literally having stepped off a magazine cover and calling her name? Seriously, what is her life? If you'd shown her a video of this moment two years ago she'd... well, briefly have been intensely jealous of the fake-her in the video, and then laughed it off to go sulk somewhere out of the way.

Instead she shifts the snack to one hand and waves with the other, mood brightening through the surprise on her face. Even if this is Promised Morning and Ai's here on a diplomatic mission, she's still not going to call her name, not over a crowd, so-]

Senpai! I wasn't expecting to see you! Well, except maybe to visit some of the other kids. [Lisa you're only nineteen, don't even-] But... yeah. I have a lot of happy memories of this place, and I wanted to see what my underclassmen are up to, you know?

Edited (HTML fail) 2024-11-21 00:55 (UTC)

Oh! That's a lot less ominous. Sorry, I'm a little twitchy right now.

[That comment is made while she ruminates. If there are only two-bedroom or larger apartments, that's... a lot of space, and thus a lot of money. It would explain the cost somewhat if they're actually decently-sized and conveniently located...

Then the other message comes in, and she stops. Reads it again. Blinks at her phone again. Wonders what she's done to deserve the friends she's making, and briefly clutches her phone to her chest. Things... might be okay after all.]

I'm flattered, Karen, but you barely know me. Are you sure you even want to offer?
I really appreciate it, don't get me wrong! But I just don't want to impose on someone when I really haven't done a whole lot to earn that.

[One eyebrow quirks.] Which, when you're standing next to a musician and in the apartment of two realtors who work on commission, is kind of ironic? Not like she knew that, but still. [Lisa shakes her head, being more gentle as Junna leans in.] Personally, I think that's too much - if you're making money but you're not happy, you'll just be rich and miserable, yeah? Sure, you like Dreaming too, but do what fulfills you, even if it means you're not buying a mansion down the street anytime soon.

[...which calls back to her own issues; she stills for a moment, before seeming to shake herself and draw a little strength from Junna's reassurance, even if she has to glance over again.]

I appreciate that. But... please don't get in a fight over me, if you can help it, either. I know I said that just now, but I don't want to ruin someone else's relationship with their parents.

[She. She probably said a bit too much. But she's starting to get tired of hiding from things. Her grin doesn't fade, but it's... a little cracked.]

I've always been a latchkey kid, I'm not super worried about when I get home. So... maybe? Okay's a sliding scale, anyway. But if you've got the time, I'd- [some more of the cheer slides off her face, and now she just looks kinda Low-Key Tired under it-] like that, yeah.

[The response is completely correct. She really didn't know Lisa that well at all. She had no idea about her worries, her dreams for the future, or much beyond that she had been looking for a college. But she'd still managed to leave a positive impression.]

About that. We really haven't spoken much since the time we met on campus. But you still listened to me when I shared a lot more then you asked about. And I have seen you fighting hard on the other side for the sake of other people. Hibiki knows now, by the way. About who the girl in pink actually is. But I guess what I am saying is that I feel like I can trust you to not make me regret the offer.

[there's a lopsided smile and a deep sigh when he hears all that. He understands workaholic parents but for all that Aleena was often out, Nikki has never been left wanting when it came to knowing he could count on his mother. But now that the ball was back in his court... Did he even know any cafes nearby?

... No, he didn't but that's okay too.

Nikki confidently steps forward and grabs Lisa's wrist before tugging her along. He doesn't really bother waiting but he's also not holding too tightly onto her; Lisa could easily pull free if she wanted to. Without waiting for a response - or really giving her much time to think herself into a tizzy, maybe - he starts talking again]

I know a nice place nearby. It's pretty quiet and out of the way, but it's not too bad when you're in a pinch and looking for a place to relax~

Very ironic. [She hesitates for a second... then leans against Lisa, resting her head on her shoulder. She nods.] Yeah. I... well, I'm a perfectionist. So are they. They're just perfectionists about different things.

But... you're right. Even if I'm a Dreamer, I don't want to give this up. I just wish they understood. And that I wouldn't worry about what they think so much.

[There's a moment's pause, though. Lisa has a tough time with her parents, too. Junna is quiet, but she turns so she's facing her. Then her hands resting, a little tentatively, on Lisa's shoulders.]

...I'll try not to. I--ah--I haven't told them, yet...

[She bites her lip.] Your parents... I know you don't bring them up much. But, if you need to...

[ She laughs merrily. ]

Culture Day's as good an excuse as any to come visit, right? [ She gives Lisa a grin. ] For both of us. Promised Morning's not exactly my department but I like dropping by to see how things are going when I can.

[ It's the perfect excuse to see Ruby at school, too - it's been years since it was safe for her to come to school events for her or Aqua, but now she has a good smokescreen. ]

How's everyone doing? Apart from missing you to bits, obviously.

Oh..!

[ She sounds a little surprised at that question. Maybe she got so caught up in watching Lisa's slight dramatics that Illya started to space out because of it.. But at least the question seems to drag her right back to reality. ]

Y-Yeah! I.. um, well, I mean, that last Disturbance sure gave me a whole lot of falling practice.. [ She giggles. It doesn't sound entirely fake, but there is something slightly nervous about it.

Mostly because said falling was - obviously - not a fun experience. ]

I'm sure you did much better..!

So... yes. [A brief, playful grin.] But if you don't want to talk about it, I won't push.

[But that means she gets to talk about herself. That seems to take a bit of wind out of her sails. Still... Zeke cares. Zeke's cared since the start, and even if he can be a bit of a ham sometimes, it's a mask. She can recognize that much. So she doesn't need to put her guard up too much, and she lets out a breath, even if she's not entirely willing to meet his gaze.]

Dreamer stuff, as usual. Or maybe we'll call it Dream-life balance. I'm... dealing with some stuff on this side that came up after that last Disturbance, and it's stressing me out in new and exciting ways.

November catch-all ♫

Roaming the city -- train style!

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disastrous phone call time, mid-late November

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culture festival

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Well they can't stick around, gotta keep moving on--

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guess there's only one way to find out...

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