[ CLOSED ] I should give a little warning

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Characters: Akiha, Katina, and Subaru
Date: 11/07
Summary: Katina makes her grand return to society!
Warnings: Drama? Who knows...

[ Subaru had been looking forward to today. Is that odd of her? Probably so, but it couldn't be helped. She had tried so very hard the past couple of days to not worry about Katina out alone in the wilderness, just as the cyborg had promised, but there's only so much she can put off a feeling like that. Working out, doing maintenance, and exploration can only distract her so much.

Soon as she heard the knock at the door that late morning, Subaru set down her polishing rag and jogged through her open room door to open the front one. She smiled, taking one quick look at the woman's condition before greeting her proper. ] Welcome back, Katina.

Comments

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ A sharp nod. ] I do! I think as long as we communicate, we can work whatever it is out over time. [ Communication was the first step in any situation; that's what she has always been taught. Surely the same technique can be applied here. ]

[grandtheftmecha]

[ Being not totally shitty at communicating would help a lot. It should help a lot. ]

I'll... make sure I'm a lot more honest with how I feel. At least... I'll try a lot harder.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Subaru holds out a hand to Katina, palm up. ] I'll do my best, too. I promise you that.

[grandtheftmecha]

[ Slowly, Katina reaches out to take Subaru's hand in her own. ]

...I'm gonna need to talk to Akiha too, though. Or... we are?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ She squeezed that hand. ] I can't even predict how she'll react about... any of this. I'll say that she surprised me when we talked, before. I can be right there with you, one way or another, if you need me to be. [ Since she didn't want to assume that Katina really had a "need"; not as great as the one Subaru realized she, herself, had. ]

[grandtheftmecha]

I'll start off talking to her myself, but stick around. She was... well, she wasn't as angry as I expected when she talked to me, and you're still in the mansion, so I don't think it'll be too bad.

[ As long as she grovels and maybe wears a leash for a month. ]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

I don't think she was ever mad at me. [ . . . ] Well, except about the collar. [ That's reassuring?? ]

[grandtheftmecha]

That kinda surprised me when you did it. [ She wasn't used to that kind of aggression from Subaru.

Of course, Subaru's more worried about anyone but herself, but in this case it's not entirely unwarranted anyways. ]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Eheeeh, that surprised me, too. [ Let's be real, it's not the first time she has been aggressive in her time here; just the first time that it wasn't obvious that she was out of her head at the time. ]

[grandtheftmecha]

[ It was a different kind of aggression. Katina can't blame her though. ]

Yeah, well... I dunno. Maybe I'll make one and put both your names on it.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

I don't actually like that idea. [ Welp. She said she would be more honest! ] I don't know exactly what was going through my head when I broke that one, but I think I can remember the feeling behind it. I didn't like the idea of someone "owning" another person — of you being labeled Akiha's property. And that's still true.

[grandtheftmecha]

...it was kind of a weird arrangement. Relationship. Thing.

[ Certainly the oddest she's ever experienced. ]

I dunno how to feel about it at this point.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

We should take this one step at a time, huh?

[grandtheftmecha]

Maybe half-steps.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Half-steps. [ She agreed, with a nod and a squeeze of Katina's hand. ] Are you done eating? Should we go find Akiha, now?

[grandtheftmecha]

[ Katina nods back. ] Knowing her, she'll probably complain that we took too long. I'll blame sandwiches.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Hehe, okay then. [ Subaru wraps up the rest of the plate of them (for she'll be back to finish them off later) before they head off to find the girl. ]

[grandtheftmecha]

[ Depending on how this goes, she may have help.

Come out wherever you are sexy demon this thread is only almost a month late. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha is sitting at the bay window, legs drawn up to her chest as she watches Lambda's pokemon play around in the garden outside. Nearby is a cup of now-cold tea.]

[grandtheftmecha]

[ ...well, what do you know. Akiha's in the first place Katina thought to look.

Does she know her that well? Breath catching for a moment, she stops, watching Akiha from behind. The nervousness that had somewhat abated talking to Subaru came flashing back to her. ]

Akiha.

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha doesn't acknowledge Katina right away. But after a few seconds, she partially turns her head toward her.]

Good. I don't have to come get you.

[grandtheftmecha]

I don't like making you come all the way out into the woods. [ Once was enough. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

You know I would have if necessary.

[grandtheftmecha]

Well yeah, but then I'd be even more of an ass.

[ritsu_kouyou]

And I wouldn't have been nice about it.

[Akiha finally decides to turn from the window and fully face Katina. Her expression is mostly neutral though her eyes aren't very guarded. She looks the woman over briefly before leaning back a bit in the window seat, letting her feet back down to the floor.]

Are you done being a coward?