[ Miorine takes a moment to mull this over, scrutinizing Suletta's message in the same way she would a business plan or correspondence during a negotiation. ]
[Her imminent victory means that it takes her a moment to catch up to the tone of the message. She glances over to her tally marks, then her cheeks puff out.
Begrudgingly, she places a single mark next to the cat.]
She's frowning when she adds another tally mark to Miorine's side. That still wasn't a lead, and she still had her trump card, but she'd been hoping not to use it... not so soon anyway.
Ah, well. Secilia had shrugged when she had expressed her reservations, and said with the sort of lazy disregard that indicated a truly pathological lack of fear, that she had been subject to worse than the wrath of Miorine Rembran.]
Ah, that's not- I didn't say that. Please don't be mad, but... well. It was Secilia-san. She said that she noticed me fretting and wanted to help. It wasn't much. She gave me advice.
Though she isn't foolish enough to blame it all on Suletta. This side of her was new but when she connected all the dots she was beginning to draw a picture that almost made sense.
Miorine wonders if this was on her list too. ]
Secilia? Your first mistake was asking her for any help ever. But I'm not mad What were you so worked up about that she felt like she needed to help you out?
[A sigh of relief. Suletta decides not to give herself a point, but she doesn't give one to Miorine, either.]
Ah - no, that isn't true! Secilia-san is... She's bold, but she gives good advice. She's knowledgeable.
[Her defense of Secilia given, and perhaps a little sullen that the game seemed to be over, she continues on.]
It was clothing advice, really! But, ah... also. I suppose it was romance advice too. When I told her that you and I don't see much of each other, she suggested something like this. It sounded like something you'd like.
But once her ire has passed she feels a little bashful, affection bubbling in her stomach.
She underestimates how Suletta might feel about her being gone, especially when she always has so many others to keep her occupied. Wordlessly, Miorine sends Suletta two pictures:
One is of her lock screen, it's a picture of Suletta trying ice cream for the first time. Her cheeks are stuffed full of dessert and she looks euphoric.
The other screenshot is of her wallpaper once her phone is unlocked. It's the picture Suletta has most recently sent. ]
[The pictures she's sent make Suletta first look exhausted — not that picture, she thinks — whereas the second one makes her flush in a mixture of pride and embarrassment.]
Ehe I practiced this time. After a while, it wasn't as scary to take the pictures. Secilia-san was patient while I got it right. Oh! I'll send another.
[In this one, she's in a black dress. It manages to be tasteful, but it's far more daring than anything they'd wear to school. It's strapless, leaves her back exposed, and it clings to her body in a way nothing else had thus far. Her posture while seated in the windowsill again is relaxed — the dress is long and flowing, but the leg crossed over her knee is exposed. She's wearing a pair of strappy black heels, and the photographer has caught her in a candid moment, because her head is thrown back in laughter.]
[She'd been in awe of the photos when they were done. All were her, true, but... she had been transformed.
She was beautiful. This person in these photos was strong and unafraid. This person decided where she would go, what she would do, and when. This was a woman who answered to no one.
...
She'd had to turn her face away from Secilia, just for a little bit.
Miorine answer makes her smile fondly.]
OK, I will. I will. I promise. No Nika-san or Chuchu-senpai either?
What do you like about this one?
[No asking her if she liked it altogether this time.]
those two are fine They're not dangerous like that woman.
[ best to not question it further ]
What do you want me to say? Seriously How far do you want this to go
[ because suletta was capable of being spooked - miorine knows these things can be delicate, one bad experience could make things harder down the line. ]
Miorine's bluntness did not bother her, usually. But today, right now...
Suletta feels her mouth thin. She has the flicker of a thought, one that makes her body feel like a slow-burning furnace, smoke licking at the back of her throat. The thought is simply that she should roll over and go to sleep without bothering to answer.
She breathes in through her nose, out of her mouth. She has to do this several times before she feels the heat in her being driven out.
[Suletta is quiet too. In part it was the necessity of such — there were curfews for a reason. The school was safe as houses. The duels were bloodless; they lived in a comfortable bubble.
She's careful not to dawdle. More to the point, she's troubled. No, no, that wasn't the right feeling.
Sad? No. A little bit, maybe. The feeling she's searching for is annoyed. It's a disappointed annoyance, like the kind she used to get when Aerial would beat her at a shooting or strategy game. She slips into Miorine's room without incident. Miorine barely used it now; she was so busy. Suletta kept it clean for her regardless. On those evenings where she missed Miorine particularly, or simply missed quiet, she would sleep here alone.
She settles herself before she finally talks to Miorine.]
I'm not sure.
[She's got her cheek against a pillow, the phone close to her, on speaker so she doesn't need to move much. She mumbles the words.]
It feels strange to ask for things like this.
[She closes her eyes and tries to think of how she felt while taking the photos.]
I, ah...
How far have you gone, Miorine? You seem to... to know more about these things, so I wanted to learn more on my own.
[Suletta smiles a little, a sad smile.] I thought so. There weren't any others my age on Mercury, so I couldn't tell if it was odd or not.
[It's a clearheaded admission, given without stammering.] It's alright. I told Secilia-san, when she complained — "Miorine-san is grumpy, but she's kind." That's why I knew you didn't mean it.
[ what a question, she has to think about it so she foregoes being annoyed at that grumpy comment. ]
I've never thought about it— I mean, just because I've done it doesn't mean I'm that worldly. Hm..
[ she makes a thoughtful noise, sounds like she does when Lilique asks her a complicated billing question. ]
I like leaving marks. I have a bad habit of being attracted to popular people.
[ Miorine assumes Suletta will connect the dots as to why those two things are related. She's quiet like she doesn't want anyone to overhear, never mind that she's alone in her room. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 09:34 pm (UTC)I get it now.
You were the pervert all along.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 09:39 pm (UTC)Begrudgingly, she places a single mark next to the cat.]
Huh?
What do you mean?
I'm not being a pervert.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 09:45 pm (UTC)I wasn't born yesterday
If you're not the pervert then your little friend is
Which is it going to be?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 10:02 pm (UTC)Darn.
She's frowning when she adds another tally mark to Miorine's side. That still wasn't a lead, and she still had her trump card, but she'd been hoping not to use it... not so soon anyway.
Ah, well. Secilia had shrugged when she had expressed her reservations, and said with the sort of lazy disregard that indicated a truly pathological lack of fear, that she had been subject to worse than the wrath of Miorine Rembran.]
Ah, that's not-
I didn't say that. Please don't be mad, but... well.
It was Secilia-san. She said that she noticed me fretting and wanted to help.
It wasn't much. She gave me advice.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 10:22 pm (UTC)Though she isn't foolish enough to blame it all on Suletta. This side of her was new but when she connected all the dots she was beginning to draw a picture that almost made sense.
Miorine wonders if this was on her list too. ]
Secilia? Your first mistake was asking her for any help ever.
But I'm not mad
What were you so worked up about that she felt like she needed to help you out?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 10:35 pm (UTC)Ah - no, that isn't true! Secilia-san is...
She's bold, but she gives good advice. She's knowledgeable.
[Her defense of Secilia given, and perhaps a little sullen that the game seemed to be over, she continues on.]
It was clothing advice, really!
But, ah... also.
I suppose it was romance advice too. When I told her that you and I don't see much of each other, she suggested something like this.
It sounded like something you'd like.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 10:40 pm (UTC)[ It's a little payback, maybe.
But once her ire has passed she feels a little bashful, affection bubbling in her stomach.
She underestimates how Suletta might feel about her being gone, especially when she always has so many others to keep her occupied. Wordlessly, Miorine sends Suletta two pictures:
One is of her lock screen, it's a picture of Suletta trying ice cream for the first time. Her cheeks are stuffed full of dessert and she looks euphoric.
The other screenshot is of her wallpaper once her phone is unlocked. It's the picture Suletta has most recently sent. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 11:00 pm (UTC)[The pictures she's sent make Suletta first look exhausted — not that picture, she thinks — whereas the second one makes her flush in a mixture of pride and embarrassment.]
You liked it that much?
[This question is genuine.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 11:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 11:18 pm (UTC)I know.
What else about it did you like?
I like knowing your thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 11:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-06-22 11:33 pm (UTC)And then, a miraculous event.]
No. I asked you first.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 12:38 am (UTC)Your confidence.
You're never not self-conscious
Even around me
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 12:59 am (UTC)I practiced this time.
After a while, it wasn't as scary to take the pictures. Secilia-san was patient while I got it right.
Oh!
I'll send another.
[In this one, she's in a black dress. It manages to be tasteful, but it's far more daring than anything they'd wear to school. It's strapless, leaves her back exposed, and it clings to her body in a way nothing else had thus far. Her posture while seated in the windowsill again is relaxed — the dress is long and flowing, but the leg crossed over her knee is exposed. She's wearing a pair of strappy black heels, and the photographer has caught her in a candid moment, because her head is thrown back in laughter.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 01:24 am (UTC)[ It's corny- her heart skips a beat.
And then a moment later: ]
next time you want to take pictures like this tell ME not her.
I could have done all of this.
And I would have styled you better
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 01:58 am (UTC)[She'd been in awe of the photos when they were done. All were her, true, but... she had been transformed.
She was beautiful. This person in these photos was strong and unafraid. This person decided where she would go, what she would do, and when. This was a woman who answered to no one.
...
She'd had to turn her face away from Secilia, just for a little bit.
Miorine answer makes her smile fondly.]
OK, I will. I will. I promise.
No Nika-san or Chuchu-senpai either?
What do you like about this one?
[No asking her if she liked it altogether this time.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 02:47 am (UTC)They're not dangerous like that woman.
[ best to not question it further ]
What do you want me to say?
Seriously
How far do you want this to go
[ because suletta was capable of being spooked - miorine knows these things can be delicate, one bad experience could make things harder down the line. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 03:00 am (UTC)Miorine's bluntness did not bother her, usually. But today, right now...
Suletta feels her mouth thin. She has the flicker of a thought, one that makes her body feel like a slow-burning furnace, smoke licking at the back of her throat. The thought is simply that she should roll over and go to sleep without bothering to answer.
She breathes in through her nose, out of her mouth. She has to do this several times before she feels the heat in her being driven out.
Then, she calls.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 03:20 am (UTC).. I thought you were staying at the Earth house dorms.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 03:29 am (UTC)Her voice is a whisper. It's difficult to read her mood.]
I'm going to your room.
[In the middle of the night? It's more likely than you think.]
Um, just a moment... I have to climb down.
[She's nearly silent as she climbs down. There's barely a sound when she's back on her feet.]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 03:37 am (UTC)Suletta usually wouldn't keep her up so late even if Miorine had a penchant for doing so anyway. ]
Okay.
[ is all she says, not mad but just quiet in that way Miorine was. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 05:04 am (UTC)[Suletta is quiet too. In part it was the necessity of such — there were curfews for a reason. The school was safe as houses. The duels were bloodless; they lived in a comfortable bubble.
She's careful not to dawdle. More to the point, she's troubled. No, no, that wasn't the right feeling.
Sad? No. A little bit, maybe. The feeling she's searching for is annoyed. It's a disappointed annoyance, like the kind she used to get when Aerial would beat her at a shooting or strategy game. She slips into Miorine's room without incident. Miorine barely used it now; she was so busy. Suletta kept it clean for her regardless. On those evenings where she missed Miorine particularly, or simply missed quiet, she would sleep here alone.
She settles herself before she finally talks to Miorine.]
I'm not sure.
[She's got her cheek against a pillow, the phone close to her, on speaker so she doesn't need to move much. She mumbles the words.]
It feels strange to ask for things like this.
[She closes her eyes and tries to think of how she felt while taking the photos.]
I, ah...
How far have you gone, Miorine? You seem to... to know more about these things, so I wanted to learn more on my own.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 05:41 am (UTC)I've had sex, but only ever in relationships. A lot of people in our grade haven't- rich kids just have a lot of freedom and time.
[ She imagines Suletta curled up in her bed and speaks to her like she's right beside her- voice low. ]
I keep being condescending without realizing it.. sorry. You can ask me about stuff like that you know.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 05:54 am (UTC)[Suletta smiles a little, a sad smile.] I thought so. There weren't any others my age on Mercury, so I couldn't tell if it was odd or not.
[It's a clearheaded admission, given without stammering.] It's alright. I told Secilia-san, when she complained — "Miorine-san is grumpy, but she's kind." That's why I knew you didn't mean it.
[A pause. Cautiously, she begins.]
What kinds of things... do you enjoy?
no subject
Date: 2023-06-23 02:25 pm (UTC)I've never thought about it— I mean, just because I've done it doesn't mean I'm that worldly. Hm..
[ she makes a thoughtful noise, sounds like she does when Lilique asks her a complicated billing question. ]
I like leaving marks. I have a bad habit of being attracted to popular people.
[ Miorine assumes Suletta will connect the dots as to why those two things are related. She's quiet like she doesn't want anyone to overhear, never mind that she's alone in her room. ]
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