yumemigaoka | Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

Every good pact is a two way street. [Because Junna knows she will absolutely sell herself short. She sighs, happily, and squeezes Lisa's hand. The close contact, in more way than one, is extra nice right now. She keeps leaning against her.

Then she smiles a little bit more.]

Yeah. Stable and happy first. We'll take those conversations one at a time. [She leans over, then, and kisses Lisa on the cheek in a way that Junna hopes is reassuring. And she leans against Lisa, after, head resting against her girlfriend's. She considers what she says, and she nods]

Mm. Right. It wouldn't be fair if I'm always over. So... I need to move out by summer, from the dorms. So I can find an apartment or some place to stay, and... we can take turns with who stays over?

Edited 2025-03-08 17:21 (UTC)

Sure. Just... don't let me weasel out of telling you things. [She knows she'll absolutely let herself be distracted from the dialogue that must occur, if she thinks it'll be bad for Junna. Bad for her is fine, since the original subject matter already was, but. Eh. The kiss on the cheek tells her she's making the right decision, at least, and she lets it go. Especially when a solution to the other problem pops into her head and... hmm. This is about to stop being a light morning topic, isn't it.]

But I still don't want to bring a girl back to Karen-chan's apartment all the time. It... well, it might reflect badly on her, for one thing, but I just- um, it feels wrong? This was never going to be a permanent arrangement anyway, I just... [She grips Junna's hand tight, not quite trusting herself to look at her, face coloring a little.] I said then, but I needed something to fill the silence. Someone. I couldn't ask you then, you were in the dorms, and I was already in the middle of packing when you got that call back in the fall, and... well, we weren't really close enough then. Yeah, we had our first kiss that day, but it would have been weird.

[Lisa fidgets a little, face red, eyes shimmering.] I woke up in your arms this morning, in my bed. We're talking about splitting time between each others' apartments because it makes us more comfortable. I don't know if it's a weird idea anymore that we get a place. T-together. You- you and I.

[...blush spreading across her shoulders now, even though she has zero regrets about asking, even if Junna says no...]

I won't. And... don't let me do that, either, all right? [Having ran face-first into her Disturbance, Junna has learned something: she needs to talk to people. She needs to make sure she uses the support network that she built up. Especially since she isn't sure how things will shape up with her parents. But...

No, there's a bigger question at hand. At first, Junna looks a little disappointed -- this was so nice and the idea it might have to stop... hurts. But, Lisa's explaining more. So she stops and listens, and she squeezes her hand back when Lisa does that. Her eyes widen a little; in the past, it would have been weird. Way too fast. Unthinkable. Now--

Now, it makes a lot of sense. Junna starts to flush, turning red, but she doesn't look away. Given that they're leaning on each other and a little tangled up, it'd be hard for her to. But she doesn't want to.]

I-I... well... [She looks shy.] ...I think it makes a lot of sense. If we got a place together. I want more nights like last night and mornings like this. And... whatever the future holds, I want to go towards it with you. [And with that she turns bright red and promptly buries her face against Lisa's neck before she actually melts down.]

[Lisa murmurs her agreement to Junna's request; they'd agreed it before, that they had to talk to each other, but it's good to see she still remembers it the next morning. Both of them do.

But alas, Lisa's mouth marches on, as she proposes an idea that will shape their relationship and their future. Their positions make it hard for her to look at Junna's face and see what she's thinking consistently - that, and the problem that she doesn't know where to look when she can, this is new and she's trying to stay focused - so for the moment, all she has is the hand in hers and the little movements she can feel against her back. The slight shrink when she admits she doesn't think they can do this forever here. The way she stills and grips her hand back, when she starts to explain her thought process. How her heart races when Lisa gets to the point, followed by a rush of heat. And she lets out a sigh of relief when she hears the reply, feels Junna's warm face nestled into her neck; folds her opposite arm across to put a hand atop her head.]

I know you said it last night, but I didn't want to push my luck, you know? But... okay. We'll- we'll plan for that, then. [She huffs out a breath.] So I'll go back to the apartment-hunting mines in a week or two. Because I want that too. I want to wake up with you to face the day. I want to celebrate with you. I want... I want to build our home. It's just you and I right now, but... we'll make a place for ourselves.

[Her expression is bright, but there's no way she can hide from Junna, who can feel her heart pounding. She's excited, but she's anxious - she knows it's going to be hard, they don't have money, they don't have jobs besides Dreaming, they won't be able to hide anymore. But she wants, from the bottom of her heart, to make it work. Wanting... might not be enough, but she has to try. She's going to try.]

I-I know. But... I'm glad you said so. It's what I want, too, and holding back constantly would eat me up inside. [It's really the same vein of what she said, last night. Pretending to be someone and something she isn't wouldn't be good for her. She hugs onto Lisa a little tighter, then. And Lisa can feel her nod, against her.

She laughs a little.] I'll help, too. I'm good at doing that sort of thing. Once I graduate, and... you know. We can look for a place together. And... figure out the other sides of it. [They can get some money working with the Dreamer Union, Junna thinks. Plus there might be part-time jobs or financial aid, when she goes to university, and--

And she's getting ahead of herself. One thing at a time. She leans back against Lisa, and sighs. Her eyes close, but she smiles. Maybe Lisa can't see that; she can hear how happy she sounds, though. Relaxed and not nearly as tense as recently.]

...thanks, Lisa. [Her voice is quieter. But it's no less warm; and Junna feels warm in a way she hasn't since before the Disturbance. Even if there's uncertainty, and many questions, and everything else that she still has to figure out, there's a sense that there's a path forward and it looks bright now. In a real, tangible way.] For... um. For last night, this morning, all of this. I... I wasn't sure, after everything that happened, what would happen. Where my life would be heading. You picked me up from that.

I love you.

[Lisa's glad Junna understands, at least, and having her agree to help is a good thing, although it's putting stuff back on her plate... but then it's also going to help with her independence and allowing her to be with Lisa without regrets, which will take stress off her. So at the end of the day it's... kind of a wash, huh.]

"Once I graduate," she says, when it's already March. You'll be joining me on the far side soon. [She chuckles, glancing at her closet.] I liked Promised Morning's uniform, but I'm glad I don't have to deal with it anymore. I know we probably won't be going to the same school, and even if we did we wouldn't have the same classes, but... time marches on, yeah? [Lisa sighs.] I'm glad to have your help, though. The two of us might have better luck than just me.

[She lets the silence linger for a second. Junna... does seem a little happier. Well, a lot happier than she was yesterday, when the girl showed up on her doorstep looking like a tightly-wound ball of depression. Not that she herself felt much better... and now she's feeling refreshed, too. She knows there's still work ahead of them - still plenty of roadblocks yet to clear - but it's... less of a grim thought than it was. They'll get through it, hand in hand.

Then Junna starts to talk again, and her heart warms. Maybe they were thinking the same thing.]

Anytime, Junna. We're in this together, yeah? And besides, you did at least half the work. You were really brave, to come here when you didn't know what I'd do. How I'd feel. I can say what I'll do and how I feel, but... until you can see it for yourself, you can't believe it, right? So I'll show you, as many times as it takes. Until you believe it with all your heart.

I love you, too.

Y-Yeah, it's really soon, huh...? [It snuck up on Junna. Literally, because she spent half of February inside of a Disturbance and missed that. She's trying to not think too much on all of the things she missed. She considers that, though, and glances at Lisa's closet too. Then at... the floor, which is where her clothes are. She maybe should do something about that in a bit.

But she smiles, leaning back against Lisa. They probably won't be at the same school -- it's a little weird to think of -- but they will have lives that intersect in a completely new way. And a completely more thorough way.] Probably not. I'm going to take a semester off, um, before I throw myself into university. And get some money, too. Besides.

[She sighs against Lisa, fondly.] One of us looking for an apartment is a chore. Both of us looking at apartments together is fun.

[She's quiet, too, for a moment. And when Lisa calls her brave... her cheeks heat up again. She smiles, though, and her eyes are glancing downward for a second.] Yeah... that's just it. I--um. I'm relying on you to show me. Because I know sometimes my nerves are going to get the best of me. But... I'll make sure you know how I feel, too.

[She leans over, kissing Lisa's cheek again.] Also, I'm stealing one of your hoodies when we get dressed and get some food.

You'll be in good company, you know. I took a bit off too, when I graduated, to get myself under control. [Amane's was... really a whole year ago, huh? How time flies, and yet nothing changes.] Senpai and Zeke-san can help get the suits off your backs for a bit, so let them. If anyone has to ask what happened to you, they don't need to know. Tell them to take a hike. [It goes without saying Lisa was always going to close ranks around Junna, if and when something ever happened. She's more than confident the rest of the Dreamer Union will, too - she's one of them.] I hope you don't change your mind when the first eight places we look at are dirty, too small, and in back corner alleys, and they still want four hundred thousand a month, though! [But her tone is faintly teasing. They'll find something. It'll just be annoying.

The slightly more timid voice from Junna catches her attention, though, and she focuses, letting her speak without interrupting her. Normal fears, normal insecurities. Normal worries she shares too. She can handle normal. She does normal.]

It's okay if your nerves get the best of you. That definitely happens to all of us. Some of us a lot more than average. [Her warm smile quirks; Junna knows how Lisa is.] I've got your back, and I'll hold your hand. Anytime you need me.

[That smile yields to a squawk of indignant surprise - not at the kiss that follows, but at the promise Junna's appropriating a hoodie. It's not that she doesn't have those in her closet but-]

Hoshimi-san, how scandalous! -pfft, I kid, I kid. Go for it. I'm stealing yours back, though. I was going to ask for it anyway if you didn't decide to stay the night. I... figured I'd need something. [That admission... doesn't sting as much as she thought it would, but thinking on it, it makes sense. She just asked for actual physical Junna to stay with her to keep her nightmares at bay, of course she would have asked for a security blanket if that didn't work.] Let's see if anyone notices. I think the only pink thing I own is, ah, not for public consumption? That's more Rhodonite's color. [A beat, and she shivers.] Hopefully we get lucky and we don't have to answer any questions on the way out, but yeah, breakfast sounds good. Or, uh, that might be lunch now?

Yeah... it seems like a good idea. I'll--um--I'll work at it. I mean. I'll work at not overworking myself for a few months. [She looks at Lisa, for a second, and she smiles a bit more when she hears her get protective. And she doesn't doubt that others will, too. At least, she doesn't now; sometimes, when she's in a bad state, her brain doesn't cooperate with the trust she feels in others.] I'll tell them to take a hike. And I'll point them at Zeke-san, if they have questions.

[Then, she laughs a little. Dirty, too small, in bad locations, and too expensive. They'll have their work cut out for them. Junna nods, though.] We'll have to look. And we can figure out our budget and look at finances and everything. [Which feels kind of incredible, now that she's said it aloud.

She quiets down, though, and she smiles. Then she nods.] I'll take you up on both of those.

[And then she grins.] Maa, maa, Imai-san~. I might need to ask you about that pink piece of clothing later. [She pokes her gently in the side again.] My hoodie's yours. I'm not worried about people noticing, though. [She shifts, sitting up -- pulling covers up to cover herself -- and stretches the other arm out. She yawns, too, and looks down at Lisa.] I think it's lunch, by now. What would you like?

[She starts reaching over to the nightstand, for her glasses. Quick, Lisa, if you look, you get the rare sight of Junna without her glasses!]

Edited 2025-03-09 19:32 (UTC)

[Lisa nods, as Junna seems to find her footing and agrees to keep an eye on things. On herself. It's good to think that you have things under control, and better to say it. But it's better still to say that you're going to do something, to someone who will call you on it (gently and without malice) if you don't. She's... coming to learn that, too, and it's a lesson she can share.

But by the time Junna starts in on the teasing, Lisa's face flushes scarlet; she'd hoped she wouldn't be called on that one. She keeps forgetting how forward her girlfriend can be at full strength-!]

L-later. Much later! [To her credit, she only squeaks a little, then giggles when Junna goes for her side again.] You're very bold this morning. I like it! [Lisa dissolves into a full-on laugh; the embarrassment passes. The fact that her mind went to "later" and not "no way in hell" doesn't escape her.] I have no idea what to do for lunch. I'm hungry, but I'm not sure I really care what I eat, as long as I'm not making it? You can pick something.

[.....Lisa may be looking respectfully as Junna goes fishing for her glasses. Ugh, her girlfriend is too cute, she can't. But it's also been ten seconds and she's already missing her warmth. She is so cooked.]

[Junna starts laughing too when Lisa laughs. She actually stops grabbing at her glasses to cover her mouth, getting a brief case of the giggles. Then she laughs, wiping at her eyes for a second. And she looks back at Lisa -- and smiles a little when she realizes Lisa is looking. Respectfully.

She finds she doesn't mind.] ...well, someone did a lot to boost my confidence. And, ah... I know what -- who -- I want, and even if I'm nervous about how that will go... [She meets Lisa's eyes. (She thinks. Lisa's a little blurry, now that she's sitting up.)] ...It's a little easier when I've got that resolve.

[Then, she reaches back for her glasses.] Maybe we could... [She trails off. Her eyes start to go wide.]

[Her hand roots around the night stand, desperately. Wait, when they were--

Where did she put--

Her eyes are widening more and she stares at Lisa.]

I-I-I can't remember where I put them. Help.

[...Junna's vision is less than a meter without her glasses. Good to know. ~~Lisa promises not to abuse this.~~]

Resolve is good. Both of us can use more of that.

[She tilts her head when Junna trails off, before she covers her mouth... and starts laughing again.] I'm sorry, I know it's not funny, just... ehehe. Gimme a second. [She freezes as she starts to get up to search. Their emotions were so complicated last night that she's not sure they were thinking about it - Lisa certainly wasn't - but. Hmm. Going to have to actually get up to look, and her clothes are. Over there, in the basket, because this is her apartment and she has one of those. Stealing Junna's hoodie does not actually help her now now, she'd have to get it first and it'd be too late then.

...kami, give her strength. ~~That promise lasted thirty seconds; she's definitely abusing the fact her girlfriend can't clearly see her.~~ Shaking her head, Lisa props herself up on her arms to look. Her bedroom isn't that big, in the grand scheme. Junna's glasses are definitely not on the nightstand. Both their phones are on the nightstand, though, and precariously close to the edge of it. Hmm. Maybe...

Pushing herself fully out of bed, face red but lips set in determination, she gets up, walks a wide circle around the bed, and crouches, locking onto something glinting in the late morning light. Well, she'd been expecting a worse time looking for them. Picking them up, gently nudging their phones back off the edge, she returns to her girlfriend, bends down slightly in front of her, folds out the arms of the glasses, and gently slides them over her temples, smiling gently, cheeks still dusted red, not immediately moving away and looking into Junna's eyes.]

Better?

Edited 2025-03-10 22:29 (UTC)

[Junna gives Lisa a look when she starts to laugh. It lasts for all of about ten seconds before she's biting her lip, trying to not start laughing again, and she doesn't quite manage.] I-It isn't funny, I really can't see!

[She's in deep, herself. Lisa knows of one of her greatest weaknesses. She blinks, though, as Lisa gets up. Wait, she thinks, is she supposed to pointedly look away or not look away, now? There isn't a manual for this! She ends up looking at Lisa's general direction, then looking back ahead of herself. Everything is pretty blurry, though. She ends up pulling her hands back. Who knows what she might knock over? Which means she just sort of... sits there for a second.

She can't make out the object glinting on the floor. Junna's eyes blink, though, as Lisa comes back in front of her -- and slides her glasses on her face. She ends up looking back into Lisa's eyes, her cheeks reddening. And she breaks out into a bright smile.

And her voice is soft, and she feels like she's hearing herself talk instead of really thinking of what to say.] The best I've been in ages.

[Nope, still staring at Lisa fondly instead of making her brain work.]

[Brains are overrated. Lisa's just happy she found the glasses, and that Junna is happy. Indeed, she's happy enough she leans the rest of the way in for a quick kiss. She'd continue, but her stomach picks that moment to rumble ominously, and she pulls back, face no less red.]

Good. Then let's get moving, mm? I need a shower before I go anywhere, and I'd bet you want one too.

[She freezes again, briefly, as she realizes Junna has glasses this time, before her brain raises the "asked her to stay with you" argument again and she... doesn't quite dismiss the issue as a lost cause, but she's conscious to keep her back to Junna for a moment, where her loose hair can mostly keep her out of sight as she returns to her dresser, promptly fishing out a pair of gray sweatpants, two white V-neck shirts, and... a brown hoodie that looks recently washed, and clean, but definitely didn't come neatly folded out of a drawer. Then she scoops her own flannel pants off the edge of the laundry basket and returns to Junna.]

Here. If you don't wanna go out in your own stuff from yesterday, I've got you, at least for outerwear. I don't know if we're close enough in size for basics, though.

[Junna kisses Lisa back, but then her eyes widen a little when she hears her stomach rumble. She smiles, though, when they pull back -- and a laugh bubbles up.]

R-Right, that's a good idea. A shower seems smart. I--

[Oh. She does have glasses, and that makes her more self-conscious. She glances a little to the side -- and then she looks back at Lisa, thinking that it's a little silly to get too embarrassed after last night. She smiles when Lisa comes closer, even if she's still red-faced. She takes the offered clothes, with a nod of her head. A fresh change of clothes sounds nice. She hugs the bundle of clothes against her.]

Thanks. Ah--wait! [She reaches down, grabbing the pink hoodie she wore yesterday off the floor, and then she holds it up for Lisa to take. When she does, Junna practically beams up at her. It's funny, she thinks, how happy something simple like this can make her.] Your new pink hoodie, madam~.

[Lisa's glad that Junna is about as off-balance as she is, a little. It makes her feel less like she's overreacting and more like they just need to settle into things. Their comfort zones just need to... shift a little, with time and trust. Six months ago the thought of kissing her would have been scandalous and she'd have apologized for even having the thought, now she's on, what, two or three this morning already? They'll get there. She starts to go back to the dresser for the rest of what she plans to wear today before Junna's call stops her, and she turns, grinning.]

Ah, thank you. Gently-worn and pre-loved, my favorite. [Lisa accepts it from Junna, and holds it to her chest for a moment. It... smells like Junna. Which. Of course it would, she was wearing it yesterday. But she still relaxes a little, enough to see.] I'll treasure it. [She... loosens her grip on it a bit.] Well. Until the two of us share one closet and the line between which hoodies are yours and which are mine kinda blur a little?

[That's usually not how that works, Lisa- ahem. Grabbing a hanger and hanging it on - not in - the dresser, she rummages for the rest of her things, including a pair of jeans, moving with graceful familiarity. Then she steps into her flannel pants again, slips the shirt over her head, and nods firmly.]

Lemme make double sure Karen-chan isn't out there waiting for me to explain who I've been talking to for the last half an hour, then you can go first, okay?

[Junna laughs when Lisa takes the hoodie and hugs it. She was doing the same thing to the brown one in her arms. It's cute, she thinks, that they had the same idea with their respective traded hoodies. And while something else is what she means to say, what she actually says is:] You're so cute.

[Then she turns a little red.] I-I mean. Um. I'm glad you like it. And it's a preview of when we're borrowing each other's hoodies all the time. [They're on the same page there, it seems like. Though Junna adds, lifting the brown hoodie in her arms for emphasis:] This one is mine and that one is yours.

[She stands up -- and turns around, cheeks flushed again -- and starts pulling on the T-shirt that Lisa loaned her. They'll get used to this eventually, she thinks.] S-Sure. I don't mind going first. Ah, can I use your toothbrush and stuff?

[A moment's pause, then:] Good luck with Karen-san.

[Oh no, her weakness! But she catches Junna doing the same thing, and she laughs too, even as her own face colors.] Only as cute as the person saying it. But... yeah. Mine now. Definitely mine now.

[She turns away to give Junna a bit of privacy to throw something on to move through the apartment; it's one thing here in her room, but the rest of the space is very firmly Not Hers in her mind, and she respects that. Fears that, in this particular moment. Lisa takes the wish for luck as a sign Junna's finished, though, and turns back around to nod.]

There's a spare toothbrush in there somewhere I'll grab you. But anything else, yeah, go for it. Back in a second-

[She feels like she's going on a spy mission in her own (shared) apartment, and yet... it's vital to the success of her mission that she isn't discovered. That Junna, specifically, isn't discovered; she supposes that makes this an escort mission with extra steps. But as she steps outside and pulls her door most of the way shut behind her, she does her best to look natural and pokes around. Karen's door is closed and she doesn't immediately hear anything from inside; whether this means she's not here or she's still farming some drop or another is anyone's guess, but it means she won't be discovered, at least not yet. The bathroom... is clear. So's the kitchen. The TV's off.......

......well, this is somewhat anticlimactic. Oh well. She eases her steps and heads for the bathroom, grabbing the extra toothbrush and making sure nothing's missing, before returning back to her room, pushing the door back open and leaving it that way.]

Agent I, reporting in. No hostiles to report. Also, I have secured the package. [She tosses the toothbrush, still in wrapper, across the room underhand; it's not a long throw, but she gives it some air. Just in case.] We are ready to proceed with the next phase of the plan.

Not playing fair again. [But the way Junna smiles up at her, there's no question that she is bothered at all. She keeps smiling after -- though she gets dressed in a bit of a hurry, after. And when Lisa looks back to nod, she returns it. And looks a little serious, because... she knows they're now on a mission. A mission to sneak around Karen, so she doesn't realize what's up and get Lisa in trouble. If... there would be any trouble to get in.

Junna isn't sure. Best to not find out.] Thanks. I'll... wait right here, until you get back.

[She gets that second pair of sweat pants on, while she waits. And then waits, while Lisa goes out. It's a little hectic, waiting like that. She doesn't suppose it'd be a big issue, but... she also keeps an ear out. Is Lisa found out? Is she found out?

But no! Lisa returns -- and tosses the toothbrush. Junna catches it out of the air, then looks up and smiles again. Her voice stays quieter than before. And she fires off a little mock salute. And makes sure she looks very serious. She might be getting into her role a little.] Roger that! Lead the way, Agent I. I'm relying on your expertise.

[Ever the performer... well, she did start it, but moreover she can handle this much of a role. She sketches a short, sharp salute in return with just as little care for realism, trying very hard not to burst into giggles and mostly succeeding, besides a bright sparkle in her eyes.]

Of course, ma'am. Time is of the essence - even if we've missed the patrol, they could return at any moment. [Lisa holds out a hand to Junna.] Please, come with me, I'll escort you. The way is... [A beat.] ...neither long nor treacherous, I admit, but it's unfamiliar territory all the same. It wouldn't do to get lost.

[She is the world's worst secret agent. Luckily Agent I as a persona will cease to exist after this mission's completion in... about sixty seconds.]

[Junna spots that sparkle in her eyes and -- well -- she can tell when Lisa finds something funny and is trying to keep it under control. That gets her setting her jaw and fighting a laugh herself. Fortunately, she is a trained actress. She manages.

Then she takes Lisa's hand, with another serious nod.] We don't want to risk enemy forces spotting us. And I certainly don't want to get lost on the way.

[Then, she holds up her freshly borrowed toothbrush. All of the willpower in the world can't make it gleam meaningfully, though. But Junna holds it like it might, as if it was an object of the greatest importance.] I also have to ensure this device is properly placed. Lead the way, Agent I.

[Oh good, she's not being too outlandish. Well, then, let's see here.]

It is an important mission, and the device's importance must not be understated. Right this way, ma'am.

[Remember, kids, when you're escorting someone through potentially dangerous territory, don't hold their hand! You can't properly assess and defend against threats if the principal subject is holding onto you affectionately. This is why Agent I is not getting a promotion anytime soon, as she leads Junna through the apartment and to the bathroom. The room is open and relatively clear; Lisa's made clear that she doesn't see the rest of the apartment as her space and lets Karen use it as she pleases. It's also a relatively small apartment, for as nice and well-kept as it is; this is still the downtown district, so space is at a premium, and the "escort mission" is over quite quickly.]

I've secured these assets for your use- [she points out shampoo, conditioner, and body wash-] and this is verified safe too. [a tube of toothpaste is grabbed with her free hand, set on the sink.] I'm not expecting trouble, ma'am, but you'll want to be in and out as quickly as possible. We can't secure the space forever, and more importantly- [Her stomach picks this precise moment to rumble, and her face flushes again.] -our rations are critically low. It's bad for morale, ma'am, I'm sure you understand. Oh, and this too.

[Agent I reaches into a cabinet and pulls out a soft, pink towel. And, breaking character just a bit, adds:]

I-it used to be red. Assets change with time.

After you.

[Junna gets a bit of a kick out of seeing how short the "escort mission" is. It makes her realize, too... their apartment is likely to be about this small. Maybe smaller; she isn't sure if they'll really need two rooms, given everything they've discussed. But, that's a thing to consider later on. She peers into the bathroom, looking abut -- and spots the different things that Lisa points out. Then, she looks at her...

And she she cracks a smile at the stomach rumble.] Then, I'll do my best to be quick about things. [She takes the towel -- the pink towel -- and looks back up at Lisa. She smiles brighter, then. And then she leans forward and kisses Lisa on the cheek.]

I'll treasure it. I'll be out soon, okay?

[After Lisa is out, she closes the door. She gets everything set up -- toothbrush where it should be, clothes neatly stacked, towel on the rack, and then the hot water going. She gets her hair lathered up, but then there's the methodical, steady rhythm of the shower -- and it's loud in here so she thinks it's a little hard to hear. And she's feeling... good. Not just better, but good. When was the last time she felt good?

Christmas?

Funny how that worked out. She is thinking about the Disturbance, but she's feeling like it's a thing she can get past. She feels like she can figure out what she wants in the future. Her and Lisa have a plan. And all of that leads to her forgetting about, ahem, the secrecy of the mission. And getting a little lost in a shower that runs long. And, through the door, a voice can be heard.

Singing a pop song from a few years back. It was a duet, but she sings both parts. And she gets a little loud for a certain part:]

Point, I don't care. Dollars, how much fake?
Point, one in two,
But if there's love, then do it!

What 'bout my star?

Darlin' come closer, you hear?
NO YOU, NO LIFE. No. I'm serious!
Need your heart and need your love~
OH YES!! Give me a sweet KISS!

[...sorry, Lisa.]

[Of all the things to be woken up by, Karen would never have expected it to be someone singing pop music in her bathroom. She'd recently returned from traveling home, and had been quietly napping, so sneaking past her had barely been a challenge at all. But then came the singing.

The door to her room opens quietly. Her time playing soldier in both online games and in the Dream Sphere allowed her to be entirely too sneaky for her size. Her combat gear of choice was a pair of pink pajamas she almost never wore outside of her room and, more menacingly, what appeared to be an actual gun. Its pink color does little to make it look less realistic. Of course it didn't shoot BULLETS, but the pellets it was capable of would still sting, at least.

If she'd heard only one voice she would have assumed it was just Lisa, maybe on the phone or something. And one of them DID sound a little like her. But why would she be sneaking around in an apartment she was welcome in? She even had her own key! No, these were clearly intruders.

Maybe her fear made her act a little bit rash. Why would an intruder be singing in her bathroom? And that girl really does look a little bit like Lisa from the back. It doesn't stop her from aiming her 'weapon' right at her, though.]

If you thought this apartment was empty, you were wrong.

[She is going to feel SO bad when she figures out what is actually going on.]

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