002; i'm pulling my questions from my shelf

[truthvalue]

Who: Souji Seta and ... you???
Broadcast: Network; open
Action: Marsiva; kitchen; open
When: The evening of the 12th.

[Souji turns on the camera, gives it an absent glance, then sets it off to the side before returning his attention to the simmering pot on the stove in front of him.]

Seta here ... I have a question. I'm wondering, is it possible - assuming we eventually return to our assigned ships - to transfer to a different one?

[He taps the stirring spoon on the edge of the pot, then replaces the lid and turns the heat down to just below simmer.]

Also, there's a new pot of stew in the kitchen. Please come by if you're hungry.

Comments

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[takeabow]

[ wanders in ]

That smells amazing.

[truthvalue]

[Souji's already spooning some stew into a bowl for her.]

Hello, Nova.

[takeabow]

Why, how did you know?

[truthvalue]

Mm, just had a hunch.

[placing the bowl and a spoon on the counter in front of her with a small smile]

How have you been?

[takeabow]

Bored. You?

[truthvalue]

Keeping busy.

[There's more people to cook for, now that everyone's on the same ship. He doesn't mind, though.]

My cousin arrived.

[takeabow]

Yeah? Is that why you want to leave us?

[truthvalue]

Mm ... it's not that I want to leave.

[Slightly frowning as he says this, and he turns back to the stove, eyes unfocused on his reflection against the metal surfaces in front of him.]

I just need to stick close to her. She's very young, and - I know she can take care of herself, but ...

[The frown on his face deepens, and his voice is much quieter when he picks up his sentence again.]

She died. A few months before I came here. And - it was my fault.

[Remember that initial weirdness when the topic of family came up? This is why. Souji gives her a sideways glance, mouth pressed into a thin line.]

I can't let anything happen to her again.

[takeabow]

[ well, she had been half teasing, but now she just looks sad and guilty ]

Maybe she can come onto First Breath.

[truthvalue]

[Souji sees that, and he pushes a reassuring smile onto his face. See? Nothing wrong here.]

It's all right. It didn't happen to her, and she doesn't know about it, I don't think. Either way, I think we'd like to be on the same ship, so yes, that's why I was asking.

[takeabow]

[ well it doesn't help ]

Yeah. I... that makes sense. Sorry.

[truthvalue]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I don't usually talk about this.

[He's only told one other person, back when he was Traveling, and a couple more learned of it in the Calibrations.]

I just didn't want you to think I don't like you.

[Once again, Souji finds truth causing more harm than good.]

[takeabow]

I'm always uncomfortable. That's not your fault.

[truthvalue]

I didn't mean to make it worse.

[He falls silent for a few awkward moments before he thinks of a way to change the subject.]

You should meet her sometime. My cousin - her name's Nanako.

[takeabow]

I'm sure I will. I mean, if you transfer, who's going to feed me?

[truthvalue]

I can still come back and cook for you.

[takeabow]

Yeah?

[truthvalue]

Sure. It's not so hard to move between ships.

[takeabow]

I guess.

I hope it works out for you, though.

[truthvalue]

Thanks. I know we'll work something out.

[takeabow]

I hope so.

I've found it a little hard to meet a lot of people here. But you're not all bad.

[truthvalue]

[Souji gives her a quiet smile.]

It's hard to meet people anywhere, at first. You get better with practice.

[He would know; he's had plenty of practice.]

You're not bad either, Nova.

[takeabow]

Thanks.

You'd think that. The practice thing. But I never really can manage it.

[truthvalue]

It takes a lot of practice. But the trick is to keep practicing.

[takeabow]

That sounds exhausting.