[Day 8, MA] Something Simple

[Yasuki Honoka]

"Okay, I am starting to understand.." she says, and in respect to that it is quite clear how Honoka's brow furrows, but there's a smile, and then a little grimace. There is some mix of performance showing itself on her face to mirror the complex storm of thoughts in her head. One memory, of a time when she felt she was alone, she now remembers she wasn't was she. There was someone else in the room, someone that was supposed to be below notice. Why hadn't she noticed them? Honoka resists the temptation to shake her head on that thought, better to focus elsewhere otherwise the slight pit growing in her stomach might turn into something more difficult to manage.

Hands gently caressing Crabbo, she found that ease of comfort. Feeling a little hot underneath her clothing like she was caught doing a bad thing, Umiko might be able to recognize this if she remembered well enough. The way Honoka's eyes cast down to a particular direction, the tension in her shoulders. All designed responses that at least also gave her the appearance of a polite and subservient daughter. "You risk a lot, I think, Umiko-chan. You always were amazing like that," she says, her voice softer and a little more distant than it had been. "I don't.. I don't know if I could do something like that, that risky. Even if it really helped people," she says, and the cadence of her words inspires the idea that she hopes, wishes she could. That she would want to be more like that.

[Yasuki Umiko]

Umiko watched Honoka out of concern, especially those subtle expressions she was showing in her thought and the attention to Crabbo for comfort...or perhaps even seeking advice from her support companion? She took a slow breath in and bit her lower lip, wondering if she had done wrong. While confessing the truth, it likely burdened Honoka more than necessary. There was something in her that knew this was better coming from her than from someone, or much later down the line.

"Sorry...I might be sharing too much," she said with an apologetic smile, feeling she should be taking a step back, finally. "It's not quite like sweeping plushies under the rug. I am risking a lot here. I'm not sure if I'm even going about it the right way or what I'm even destined for. There are also things outside of my control, but...well..."

She didn't know what else to say as she gave a look around the park once more to see if anyone was going to appear out of nowhere. "That's all I'll say about my situation, Honoka-chan. I won't control how you feel about me, but I just thought you should know, as a friend. At the very least, if anything should arise or if you hear differently later, that is my side of the story."

[Yasuki Honoka]

"No no," she shakes her head, "I don't think you are sharing too much Umiko-chan. I am glad you are sharing this much. It is good, and I am glad to hear all of it. I suppose.." she stretches Crabbo in her hands a little, his face widening to anyone who woulda been looking at him straight on. "I don't think I'm good. Not the way I maybe should be, and not the way I want to be. What you are doing sounds good.. even if," she sighs deeply. "Well, even if other people may not wish to see it that way. I.. well," she stretches and brushes Crabbo a bit more, still even in these emotions careful not to stretch him too much that she might cause damage. At least, not intentionally.

"Would I be able to help? You- I mean. Well, them too I suppose," she smiles nervously. "but, well," she shakes her head. Breathes in deeply, and then out slowly, bolstering herself and saying with conviction, "I would be very hurt if something were to happen to you, Umiko-chan. I cannot in any good mind tell you to stop what you are doing because it is risky, so I will do the only thing I think I can and offer you my help. However I might. That you might be successful, and you might stay safe."

Honoka dares to look to Umiko, catches her eye for a moment, and then very nervously darts back down. Not so down that she is looking away from her but not meeting her eyes directly.

[Yasuki Umiko]

"Listening is helping me," Umiko said with an encouraging smile. "I'm just happy to have a close friend listen to what I have to say. It's doing me a lot of good just sharing this, I think."

Well, that was entirely true. But, she supposed if this whole situation were a volcano, this would be letting out some smoke at the very least. Umiko did her best to maintain a pleased and composed expression about this, like she had finally found her peace. However, that wouldn't last too long, it was an act and she knew it. She would let out a deflated sigh.

"...I don't know if you would be able to help. Rather, if you should help. At the end of the day, I want you to be safe, as well. With Nag..." she said at first before trailing off. "That's something I might just have to do myself personally, find the courage to. It might be too much to ask this of you Honoka-chan, but I just want to hear from you. Knowing everything that I've told you, everything that you know now, everything that I'm hoping to do..."

She would look directly at Honoka, scooting a bit closer on the bench and putting a hand on top of hers where she was holding Crabbo. "...do you think this is the right path?"

[Yasuki Honoka]

Taking a quick glance down to see the hand atop hers she felt that little jump in her chest when something, she usually attributes to fright, 'frightened' her. However, she didn't pull away, she had absolutely zero desire to pull away. Looking back to Umiko, meeting that gaze because it felt like what Umiko wanted her to do enough that she overcame the anxious compulsion to look away. Head throbbing with that need to say the exact right thing, so much so her brain went silent, or loud, the loudest silence she's ever encountered.

Then, a spark, "I think if it wasn't the right path you wouldn't still be asking yourself that question, and would have stopped a long time ago, Umiko-chan," she says with a conviction surprising herself. "This is all new to me, and so I couldn't possibly give you what I would think for myself about all of it. When we were little though.. you were my friend, maybe my only real friend. Without you approaching me, and wanting to be friends with me, I don't think I would have made any friends. Knowing that's the kind of person you are, and knowing you've been dedicating so much to this... I know that at least. You wouldn't still be going if your reservations were worth you backing away, so don't."

"Just.. if you're going to be doing dangerous things you can't leave me out of them just because they're dangerous. It wouldn't really be fair, that I would have to be the only one to worry about you. So, you know.. if I can help don't leave me out just because it's dangerous."

[Yasuki Umiko]

Umiko hand would stay gently atop Honoka's. Despite the temperator she kept with her regulating the surrounding temperature for her, her hand was hot with her own personal temperature, perhaps signs of nervousness or anxiety on her part that she had kept suppressed the entire time. Her question was admittedly something of a plea for some wisdom and clarity.

She closed her eyes and found herself wanting to grip Honoka's hand, but she didn't go far enough to take her hand away from Crabbo, likely already pushing the boundaries of personal space and affection in public with her gesture. Her hand would eventually drop. She would open her eyes with some evidence of redness and sniff back some would-be tears that she fought back. Mustering a small smile, she would nod at Honoka, touched by her loyalty, despite the dubiousness of the situation.

"...Maybe I will call on you when I confront her, then," she said softly, not quite telling who 'her' might be.

She would look over to the side and see another figure approach where she was seated. It must have been that 'subtle' ronin escort that Nagisa was talking about earlier...












Umiko looked to her, realizing that she must have been summoned once more or found her and looked back to Honoka.

"...I should get going, Honoka-chan," Umiko said softly as she stood, preparing to leave. "We'll keep in touch."

[Yasuki Honoka]

"I will always come to your side, Umiko-chan," she says, allowing herself the exceedingly brazen action of bringing her other hand up to lay it atop Umiko's for a moment, give that gentle finger squeeze inspiring strength, and then breaking her hands away as she stood. With a glance over to Hiroto, Honoka allowed her own personal escort of less dubious origin but possibly just as shady know that she was preparing to leave. Focusing herself to Umiko with that lurching feeling in her chest, that told her to do anything but what she had to do next:

"Please remember to take care of yourself," she says with a smile, "Even a karo, and one as important as you, needs her rest. I'll be eagerly awaiting our next chance to spend time together," she offers with that happy sadness of having to say goodbye. Then, perhaps as a measure to regain any propriety that was lost, she would bow to her dear companion.

[Yasuki Umiko]

Umiko mustered her best made-for-serial smile at Honoka, trying to put on a brave face one more time, although there were some cracks of fondness and concern that seemed to seep through. She returned the bow, perhaps holding it longer than one of her station, also as a sincere gesture of thanks.

"I will," she said softly.

And with that, she departed.

/exit

[Yasuki Honoka]

While Hiroto moved around the bench to come to Honoka's side, she was looking down. Down in her hands, after Umiko had left, she had Crabbo looking back up at her. Thinking rather than saying, 'Are you ready for some trouble?' and then she would have Crabbo nod twice. Returning him to her side she would look to Hiroto as her nose wrinkles.

"Hiroto-san, you smell like nicotine."

Hiroto sighs, and the two depart their own way.

/scene, thank you as ever and ever so much!