driftfleet | Partem Memoriae

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Partem Memoriae

Who: Felix Harrowgate and anyone!
Broadcast: Fleetwide text
Action: A tropical world of the Yadrolla system
When: 5/31, the day after the Festival

[The parties may have ended in most of the system, but at least in one corner, as the silver confetti and plastic cups are being swept up, it continues. This time it's not in celebration of the games but something - or someone - a little more personal to some of the members of the fleet. After all, Felix had promised, in a way.

A brief text message will be sent out the fleet]

There will be a celebration this evening in memory of our friend Lumiere, who has since departed the fleet. Regardless of whether you knew him, come enjoy yourself as I'm sure he would have wanted.

[The coordinates that follow lead to a small lounge-like venue near the beach in the Brightbirds territory. The main room is bright and cozy, hosting the featured entertainment for the night, orange-skinned men and women dancers in flowing, feathered, revealing garments who make sinuous circles around the room. Musicians with guitar-like instruments and drums play throughout the night, to accompany the dancers.

On the patio there is a buffet full of small finger foods like skewers of meat and candied fruits and various other decadently simple dishes. The bar is also nearby - though the drinks aren't free, they are available at a discount for the evening.

If you want a little more quiet, the patio leads directly out onto the beach, which is also set with small cushions and tables for you to enjoy your food and drink while you listen to the waves and the distant city lights reflected in the water]

((OOC: This is a mingle! Please feel free to make your own toplevel and have some fun!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He turns away from the view of the ocean to look at her with a soft smile.]

No, I was talking more about us.

I guess we should have a mature, adult conversation about that, huh? [She puts her plate back down and sits up a little, looking back at him.] I'm not...ready for anything too [she pauses trying to think of how to say this.] consuming? Serious? Not that it would be frivolous but... [She sighs, getting a little lost in words. She meets his eyes.]

I like you.

[He almost makes a joke about how he's incapable of having adult conversations, but there is a point to be had there.]

Heh. [He can't help but to chuckle softly as she stumbles over her words. Mostly because she was echoing how he probably would be handling something like this. Only she has a lot more grace than he expects he would.] It's fine. I'm pretty sure I understand and I like you too. I think I may even like-like you a bit. [No, wait. That's a joke. Adult conversation. Focus on being an adult right now.]

Which is why, I think it's important that I tell you that I made a promise to someone back home. I promised her that I would come back and I know she'll be waiting for me.

I can't just forget about her. [He's pretty sure that Kitty of all people should understand that. It still wasn't probably something most people in a possible relationship want to hear. That there are promises that have been made and not ready to be broken.]

[She doesn't mind the joke. She finds it cute. At least not a little one like that as long as he's being real with her which she'd need for this kind of conversation.]

Really? [It comes out with such unintended relief.] So, you understand? [That's the hope that gave her the relief. That it's not her inflicting her situation on him. In some ways it's a similar situation. The details are different, but they both have someone else in their hearts taking up space that they can't give to someone else. At least not now if ever. They're sharing the situation. This girl could show up here anytime just like Winn could. And normally that would scare her. If it was pre-Winn she'd be worried about it. The thing she worried about most with Winn—other than what actually happened—was him waking up with memories of someone he loved at home. Someone he made promises to.

But concern overshadows the relief a moment later.] Or...are you saying no to this...to something? [Maybe he's better at keeping promises than she is. Better at lonely nights and restless days. At longing instead of having.]

I don't want to say no to this. [Although it's been so long since he got anything that he wants. Even when he did it almost always ended up terribly wrong.

So maybe this was all a mistake. It didn't change that it's what he wants.] I guess, I just want to let you know getting involved with me? With my life? It's messy. It's complicated and so far? It has rarely ended happily for anyone.

I feel like you just stole my speech. Not that it was really long enough to qualify for a speech, but definitely just a big old speech thief.

[See? Jokes are okay in moderation.

She gives him a soft smile and reaches over to take his hand in hers.]

You're going to have to try really hard to make something messier and worse happen to me at this point. I don't think you have it in you.

Don't tempt the universe. [It was almost like saying: what's the worse that could happen?] But I get what you mean. [He knows she's been though and seen just as much as he has. Possibly more.]

I still need to let you know, if the choice came up to stay or go that I would choose to go home. I wouldn't go without letting you know first, but I would still go back.

Not that I really expect us to have much choice when it comes to this place, but I have to get home some day. [He couldn't leave that dusty planet alone to his brother.]

The last thing I'm afraid of here is a choice. [Almost amused by the thought and hearing that he'd leave doesn't hurt. Not now. Not this early on. She'd miss him, but she gets it. People have their lives to get back to even if they aren't the easiest lives. She literally doesn't have a life to get back to, but...]

If I ever get the choice to go find Winn I'd take it. If he came back... [She'd be with him. It feels harsh to say. Maybe if this thing works and it's months from now then maybe she'll feel differently, but right now it isn't even a choice.] I'm still in love with him. I don't know if that will ever change.

I don't think that will ever change either. I wouldn't want that to change. [The last thing he wants to do is replace Winn.] If you had the chance to find Winn I would tell you to go for it.

[She squeezes his hand to thank him for understanding.] You're a good man, Vash.

[And she's feeling better about all of this. It's just good to know they are more on the same page than she imagined they might be. It feels safer this way. Less like she's just being selfish in wanting more for herself.]

I don't think I've ever talked so much about the potential ends of something at the beginning of it. [She smiles a little.]

So this isn't how normal relationships start? Well, that's a relief I think. [Honestly; running away is so much easier.]

Who knows? I've never had a normal relationship. Have you? [Running away is too lonely for her. It's why she keeps facing things down.]

[Suddenly Vash breaks all eye contact. Finding that ocean really interesting again as he clears his throat before answering that.] Uh-um, no. Not really. Can't say that one comes to mind.

[Have to BE in a relationship for it to be classified as normal or not to being with.]

[Hard to miss that reaction.] Did I say the wrong thing?

[And he's already screwing things up. Why isn't he surprised at himself?] What? No! No! Of course not! Hahaha! Why would you think that?

You went kind of distant on me. [She gives him a soft look. Normally she'd push. Maybe she shouldn't though. They just talked about how it's not that kind of relationship, didn't they? Does it even qualify as a relationship yet? Pre-relationship?]

You know you can tell me or...not tell me anything you want, okay?

Heh, yeah. I get it. [He smiles as he feels slightly embarrassed at being called out.] Well, I guess I was just thinking about how I don't think most things with me could be classified as normal. So many things that were a problem back home just... don't seem like such a big deal here.

[Like how he's not human. The whole fleet was pretty accepting of that. That he would outlive everyone didn't even seem so bad. Not when people could come and leave at any time. It made it seem more important to live in the moment. There were no endless bounty hunters causing problems everywhere he went either. Not to mention his brother was so far away it was like he didn't even exist. The four big things that kept him from considering dating before just gone.]

Is that weird? I think that might be weird.

[She shakes her head.] Not weird. In fact, I think that might even be classified as normal.

Back in the prison it took me a really long time to accept that people weren't going to hate me for being a mutant. They weren't going to be terrified of my powers just because I had them or me because I was different. Seems like it should have been a pretty easy thing to be okay with, right? [She smiles.] But it wasn't.

So much of my life was dictated by those things and so much of who I am was defined by it. I wasn't sure who I was without it. I spent so much time there pushing people away to see if they'd really keep coming back.

[Vash smiles and can't help but to chuckle softly.] Hey, that sounds a bit familiar. Just change push to run and come back to follow.

That's going to work out horribly if I push and you run and both of us wait for someone who is waiting for the other one. [As true and sad a statement as that could be she still smiles at him along with it.]

Heh, yeah. So let's try to remember that. So we're not to too annoyed at each other if we make a few stupid mistakes along the way.

Deal. [She shifts so she's sitting a little closer to him and then touches the side of his face before leaning in to give him a soft kiss. Best way to seal a deal, right?]

[For a moment he hesitates to lean in. His mind over thinking things as it can sometimes do. This was still probably a really bad idea.

Good thing bad ideas are usually his specialty.

The moment is gone quickly as he returns that kiss. The first real kiss he's ever really given to someone before.]

[It's the first time he's kissed her back and so while it's not the first time she's kissed him, it does feel like their first kiss together. She doesn't try to deepen it or keep it going after its natural course, but it's nice and strange and new and probably a mistake but kind of exciting and she really hopes she doesn't hurt him or Winn wherever he is.]

We kissed. [Just reviewing the minutes of this meeting apparently.]

[He can't help but laugh.] Yeah, I think we just did.

You know, I'm really glad you decided to go out on that "date" with me.

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