(D11EN, Closed) Memories

[Hiruma Akito]

Well. Not quite over, and it had already been quite a Bon Festival.

As always, Akito had strangely mixed feelings about it. It hurt to miss people, but it felt nice to remember them. Maybe to glimpse them once more, if you were one of the fortunate ones. This night, he had been, and it had left him somewhat introspective.

But not entirely. Akito glanced fondly at his passenger as he killed the engine on his car, a few years out of date. After considering for a moment, he opened his door, smoothing down the front of his uniform; all crisp and clean and looking very sharp, although he'd loosened the collar a bit. A few steps took him around to the other side, where he carefully opened the passenger-side door.

Smiling gently, he offered a hand. "Alright, we're here. How you doing?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

The other occupant managed to exit the vehicle without stumbling. Suh-Hyun did lean heavily on the Crab, she wasn't drunk enough to cause a scene but she was unsteady.

Squeezing the Hiruma's hand, Suh-Hyun gave him a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "...just some bad memories. I'll be alright."

She looked at the building, "This...isn't the embassy." Suh-Hyun didn't sound disappointed. "Akito-san...sorry for the trouble. I just...it's different when you aren't expecting it."

[Hiruma Akito]

Maybe Suh-Hyun didn't entirely need his support, but Akito gave it to her anyway. He squeezed her hand back, and held her, strong and solid, as he began to lead her towards her apartment.

With a press, he buzzed open the complex door. "I understand." He said softly. She would see the concern linger his eyes, even as he smiled back at her. "And it's no trouble. Besides, I figured you'd want to see Same-dono again."

He lead her along the little path towards his apartment. "Yeah..." Akito said softly. "In war, you... I mean, you don't expect it, but you kinda do." He shook his head. "This wasn't war." He looked at her. "How long did you know her?" Not that it would make it matter less if it hadn't been long; he'd only known Suh-Hyun for a week and a half, and if anything happened to her, he'd kill everyone around and then himself.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun's steps are hesitant, her balance still unsteady. "Not long...but we Unicorn are the outsiders." She resisted the urge to lean fully on Akito. "We have always relied on each other. Every Unicorn is a brother or sister to the other."

Her other hand held his sleeve, "This loss brought a lot of memories crashing back. Remembrances of comrades slain in a mess hall on ship." She shivered a little, "The wounds are still fresh and this has torn them open."

"Akito..." She whispered. As they passed the threshold and the door closed, her last reserves of willpower. "...please let me stay here tonight. I want to be around someone. Someone important to me."

[Hiruma Akito]

"Mmm..." Akito murmured gently. "Yeah. I think I kinda get that." He reached his free hand across, touching her hand where it held his sleeve. Then he reached out, touching the palm-lock. The door slid open.

"I'm sorry." He said as they stepped inside. From the last time Suh-Hyun had seen it, it was a little bit more lived-in, but still pretty organized. His minis had a little bit more progress. The door slid shut behind them.

As Suh-Hyun whispered, Akito turned to her, his strong arms sliding around her. "Of course." He said. "You can stay here whenever you want. I'm glad..." He trailed off. Then, tilting his head, he kissed her shoulder. "You wanna tell me about it? Or maybe about them? I've still got some beers left, or I could make some tea..." There was a little bit of tension in Akito, the tension of wanting to care for someone, but not knowing exactly how.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"Tea would be better, Akito-san," Suh-Hyun managed a weary smile, she reluctantly pushed away from him to take a seat. "Thank you..." Looking back up to him, she continued, "I guess the Crab were too, not in the same way but...well its not like the duty on the wall made your clan popular with the courts."

She took a breath, "About my squadron mates? ...I haven't spoken about them in a while, since leaving the carrier." Her eyes focus on the table, "I, I don't know where to start." Her shoulders slump.

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito was just as reluctant to let her go. "Yeah. Feels like we kinda still are. Funny how stuff like that stuck around, even after we took to the stars..."

Tea for Akito was not a ceremonial matter. It was pushing a button on the machine, switching cups, then pushing the button again. It was only a few moments, and he beside Suh-Hyun, setting down two cups of fairly mid, but at least hot, tea, one in front of her.

Putting an arm around her shoulders, Akito let out a breath. "If you'd like to... maybe something you remember about them. Just a little snippet, something that comes to mind when you think about them." He looked at her, smiling his gentle smile. "Like a sketch, or a snapshot, but with words."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun took a sip from the tea, it's quality was less a concern to her than it being something to drink that wasn't going to make her state worse. "A sketch..."

She turned the cup in her hands, "I remember Shinjo Seo-Hee's grim demeanor and love of dark humor. She had this sort of dry wit that could make you laugh even in the worse moments. Never laughed at her own jokes, I think that's what kind of made them even funnier. This sort of absurd statement spoken by someone who wasn't so much as smiling."

"...she was also pretty fun in bed." Another sip of tea and managed a weak smile as she looked at Akito, "Stress relief."

Her smile faded quickly, "I was there when she died. I was usually sent in the bait flight, we would lure out the enemy raiders and then the reaction flight would swoop in. Seo-Hee came in at a good angle, ready to pounce on an enemy. Then that bastard appeared." She squeezed her cup. "That was the first time I ran across him too. An enemy ace, a lot of our people were killed by him."

[Hiruma Akito]

For his part, Akito just held his teacup in his hand, letting it warm him, as he held his love with the other. "I like people like that." He said, chuckling softly. "They're good people to know. Especially when things are at their worst, they remind us that we can laugh at times like that."

He watched and listened, his own smile fading as Suh-Hyun's went away. "First time?" Then he grimaced. "Sorry. You don't have to talk about that guy if you don't want to. Fuck that guy." Throughout this, Akito's tone remained gentle. "But if it helps... for this talk, you've got the lead. I'll follow."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"He's dead." Suh-Hyun said, "I...killed him. My last kill." It wasn't a pleasant memory but the drinks had loosened it up. Her hands tightened on the tea cup. "Killed him. Watched him die screaming in the void. The computer misidentified him as a projectile. And there he was, not a monster but a man. Screaming. In pain. Dying."

"I hated him, hated him." She looked at Akito, "He killed so many of my comrades. We all hated him. But..." Suh-Hyun shook her head, "He was better then me, much better. I knew when I fought him that I was going to die. But luck wasn't on his side. Another fighter in the dogfight had been damaged, it lost control and flew right into his flight path. Forced him to dodge into my gunsights. And he died."

She closes her eyes, "That face, his face. Screaming. It made me sick. I hated him so much but seeing he was just a man. I just couldn't do it anymore. That was my greatest victory. My most difficult fight. The kill that broke me from wanting to do so ever again."

[Hiruma Akito]

As Suh-Hyun spoke, Akito gently rubbed her back, soothing. His lips parted, his pale eyes a bit wide. Perhaps most bushi had stories like this, but hers felt especially real. Especially raw. And with how they felt about each other, Akito felt an answering pang in his chest at seeing her sadness.

"I'm sorry." Akito whispered. He took a deep breath. "That's... a lot. For anyone. But... I'm glad it was you, and not him, because it was going to be one of those. I'm glad you're able to carry on, and share the memories of your brothers and sisters."

His arm settled more comfortably around her, giving her a squeeze, even as he looked at her. "And I'm glad that you're now the brave, gentle woman here with me that I can't help but love." Akito said, his voice soft.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"You don't have to flatter me so Akito-san," Suh-Hyun smiled slightly, though her eyes were distant. She placed a hand on his and squeezed gently, "Tonight is our last night. I wish I could spend it with more joy." She focused her eyes on him, "But it's only a parting. We'll meet again under happier circumstances soon enough Akito-san."

"Won't we?" She squeezed his hand a little harder, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito's gaze flickered away for just a moment, hiding the pang he felt at that. Our last night... He'd been trying pretty hard not to think about that.

He smiled. "Hey, that's fine. A quiet night is good too. I could draw you a hot bath, and then we could watch something with Same-dono."

His smile disappeared, replaced by an earnest expression as Suh-Hyun squeezed his hand. "You're damn right we will." Akito said. "If I've got anything to say about it." Smiling again, his hand came up to brush her cheek. "You said you wanted to take me up to the stars, show me things. You serious about that?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun nodded, and reached up with her free hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, "Yes...yes I wan...no I did and I will."

She let out a breath, "Anywhere you want to go. Everywhere you want to go. I'll fill your sketchbook with memories, you'll need ten sketchbooks. I promise." Her hand squeezed his again.

The Shinjo fell silent for a moment, "A bath would be nice...but I'll have to borrow some of your clothes." She laughed a little, a sound that was more a cry then a true laugh, "Unless you are okay with me wearing just my sunglasses." It was a lame joke, but she was trying. Emotions were complicated at the moment.

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito grinned. "I like the sound of that." His thumb rubbed the back of Suh-Hyun's hand. "Well... tell you what, then. Tomorrow, I'm gonna see you onto that shuttle. And then, when you're ready, you come back here." This time, he was the one to squeeze her hand. "And then, I'll be getting on that shuttle with you, with all that means." It was a bit of a risk. They hadn't really known each other that long. But if there was ever a time he knew to trust his gut... no, trust his heart, it was now.

His smile went from happy to flirty. "You know I'd think that's damn hot," He leaned in, bumping her shoulder playfully with his; if she was going to try, he would play along too. "How about this. I'll pick out a few things for you. And whatever you come out wearing is okay with me. Sound good?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

A new emotion hit Suh-Hyun, something about the way he had made that statement. She was stunned for a second as her mind worked, "...perhaps contact should be made with a nakodo. A means to bring Crab and Unicorn a little closer." She mused. "I...think I would like that."

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. And jumped onto his later comments, "I think everything will be short on me, but I don't mind if you don't." Her own smile was a bit more genuine, the weariness in her eyes was still there but some of her usual spark was there too, trying to push through the malaise that had latched onto her since the morning.

[Hiruma Akito]

"I think it should." Akito said confidently and gently at the same time. "But only because I don't think they'd accept me hopping in your ship, and us leaving a note saying 'hey, we're hitched now'. Gotta do it proper." He smiled. "And I'd like that too."

Well. Death and love. It was a heavy night. Akito took a deep breath, then flashed Suh-Hyun a grin. "Do I mind. Hah." He playfully bumped her again. "I'll pick out some shorts for you." Definitely one of his shorter pairs... "Then you get to choose if you want one of my plain white undershirts, or if you'd like a shirt from one of the bands I liked as a teenager."

With that said, Akito rose up onto his knees to plant a lingering kiss on Suh-Hyun's forehead. Only then would he, with one more quick grin, go to get those things for her, along with a towel.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Suh-Hyun took in a surprised breath when he kissed her forehead, it brought a small smile to her lips. "My own clan would frown on my kidnapping a Crab. It's no fun if they make me bring you back."

Slowly she rose and picked up Same-san, carrying him over to the main room she dropped down in front of the TV. She hugged the shark plush while waiting on Akito's return. "Band shirts from your teenage years? You are brave Akito-san." There was still a hint of sadness in her voice but also a growing warmth. It was their last night for a time at least, and the past was unchangeable and the future would wait. She resolved to enjoy this time together.

[Hiruma Akito]

Akito paused in the doorway, looking back over his shoulder with a smirk. Still dressed in his uniform, he cut a rather dashing figure. "Guess you'll just have to keep me, then." He lingered a moment longer, looking at Suh-Hyun with a deep affection, then stepped into his bedroom.

After a bit of rustling, and some soft laughter, he returned, carrying a collection. A towel, fresh and clean and white. A pair of soft athletic shorts that would probably be charmingly short on Suh-Hyun. A plain white tee. And...

-a t-shirt with a stylized robotic crab
-a t-shirt with a trio of Kuni (one could presume from the face paint) in cartoon style holding various instruments
-a t-shirt with a shark swallowing a planet
-a t-shirt with the words AQUA RADIENCE done to look like crackling energy

"I was into some different stuff." Akito said, setting down the items in two neat piles, scratching the back of his head. "But they remind me of when I was into them, and that's kinda cool."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

"I suppose I will," Suh-Hyun smiled and hugged the shark plush. She was tired, it struck her as strange how emotions could do that to a person. In a cockpit fighting inertia and her body high on adrenaline, Suh-Hyun understood what was making her exhausted. But sitting here she felt tired in an entirely different way.

She couldn't help but laugh at the shirts, "...I was expecting something really shocking. Honestly, these look like the sort I would have worn in my teenage years. Different bands of course, but similar styles of music I suspect." Her eyes met his, finally some of her usual mirth and mischief returning to them. Her gaze then moved to the shorts and another small laugh left her lips, "Really Akito-san?" She stood up and picked up the shorts and the shark shirt. It was her turn to disappear.

The bath did more then she expected to fight off some of the day's weariness, though Suh-Hyun still felt tired. Part of her wanted to just soak for a while, but she wasn't going to leave the Hiruma waiting all that long. But if she lingered a little bit to tease him, well that was just good fun.

Soon enough though she reemerged. The shirt was technically short on her, but it had been baggy to begin with so it still managed to make it to her waist. Of course when she stretched her arms it rose up to her navel, the Unicorn expected the Crab wouldn't mind. The shorts were, well Akito had chosen them for a reason. They were comfortable to be sure, but more leg was showing then was entirely appropriate.